Chapter 213

Hua Changxi wasn't very surprised that Gu Jinfan failed to light the incense. Although Gu Jinfan was a suspected reborn person who knew the future development of the Alchemy Saint Hall, she hadn't specifically done anything beneficial for the Alchemy Saint Hall, so it was perfectly normal that she didn't receive the Divine Wood's blessing.

Gu Jinfan also wanted to worship the Divine Wood again, but as soon as she showed such an expression, she was impatiently waved away by Xia Zhen and could only return to her original position, distracted.

Next were Shen Qianfan of the Eleventh Pavilion and Zhu Qinghuan of the Twelfth Pavilion.

Shen Qianfan knew his own limits well and, without hesitation, chose the third-grade incense. After worshipping the Divine Wood, he successfully obtained a Divine Wood leaf.

When Zhu Qinghuan was choosing the incense, although she hesitated, she eventually took the third-grade incense. Originally, she thought she would be like the people before her and obtain a Divine Wood leaf, but a strange thing happened: she couldn't even light the third-grade incense.

"What is going on?"

Zhu Qinghuan stood before the offering table, panicked and not knowing what to do. The others watching this scene were also confused.

Xia Zhen looked at Zhu Qinghuan inquiringly; he was a bit confused. Logically speaking, being able to obtain a wooden plaque meant one had received the Holy Land's recognition. For someone recognized by the Holy Land, the Divine Wood would bestow some blessing; at the very least, this female cultivator should be able to obtain a lowest-grade secret realm.

Gu Xing also frowned, scrutinizing the bewildered and helpless Zhu Qinghuan. Unable to understand what was happening for a moment, he could only wave his hand and let Zhu Qinghuan step back first.

Zhu Qinghuan returned to her original position, dejected, her face full of confusion and bewilderment.

Huo Yunxiao muttered to Hua Changxi: "Could it be that the wooden plaque wasn't obtained by Zhu Qinghuan, but given to her by someone else?"

Hua Changxi felt that shouldn't be the case. If that were so, old man Gu would certainly know, but looking at old man Gu's appearance, he was clearly also very confused.

"Alright, stop thinking about it; it's your turn." Huo Yunxiao urged Hua Changxi.

Hua Changxi glanced at him and strode toward the offering table.

Arriving at the offering table, Hua Changxi's gaze fell directly on the first-grade and second-grade incense. She had lit the first-street alchemy fire and had also unlocked nine Qihuang Pavilions and opened the First Qihuang Pavilion; she certainly had contributed to the Alchemy Saint Hall.

It was just that she wasn't quite sure how much this contribution amounted to.

Lighting the second-grade incense should be possible, but since there was the better first-grade incense, she certainly still wanted the better one.

Should she take a gamble?

Hua Changxi glanced quickly at Xia Zhen. This person brought out three grades of incense, so they certainly weren't just for show; he must have thought that someone he brought could light the first-grade incense.

She guessed that the person who could light the first-grade incense should be Meng Qingyao.

Meng Qingyao lit the second-street alchemy fire, and Xia Zhen felt she could light the first-grade incense. Hua Changxi felt that even if the second street was above the first, she had also opened Qihuang Pavilions, so in terms of contribution, she could be considered on par with Meng Qingyao.

Thinking this, Hua Changxi's hand reached toward the first-grade incense.

Seeing someone else ignorantly pick up the first-grade incense, Xia Zhen was speechless. He shook his head with a sneer and looked at Gu Xing. Sure enough, he saw his face was tense. He spoke to comfort him: "Young people always have to stumble before they know their own limits."

Hearing this, Gu Xing was startled. He looked at Xia Zhen but said nothing.

Hua Changxi also looked at Xia Zhen. She was very dissatisfied with the contempt in his tone toward her, but thinking that so many people were watching, she wouldn't bicker with him. However, after enduring it, she felt truly stifled, so she spoke up.

"Senior, choosing which incense is my freedom. Even if I end up with nothing, I accept it."

"As a member of the Guardian families and an elder, it's one thing not to encourage the younger generation, but why are you discouraging people instead?"

"Young people are young people precisely because they dare to think, dare to act, dare to fight, and dare to venture. Of course, this is the fiery spirit that old people lack; it's understandable that you don't understand."

Xia Zhen was contradicted and refuted in public by a junior for the first time, and for a moment, he didn't react.

The others were also in a state of astonishment.

The people on the Medicine Department side had mocking smiles on their faces. The Xia family had come aggressively, bringing young descendants of several hidden families to compete with them for the Qihuang Pavilions, and because of their status as guardians, they had directly suppressed them. Even Prince Shou had to choose to avoid them.

Regarding this, Prince Shou and the others felt very aggrieved. Now, seeing Hua Changxi stand up and slap Xia Zhen in the face, they felt secretly delighted.

Prince Shou whispered to Chu Junhao: "I quite like Hua Changxi's temper. Of course, that's on the condition that she is on our side." If Hua Changxi's fiery temper were aimed at himself, the scene would be somewhat ugly.

Chu Junhao smiled and replied: "Hua Changxi has a big temper, but it's mostly about the matter, not the person. She wasn't deliberately trying to go against you, Uncle, before."

Prince Shou heard his nephew speaking for Hua Changxi and shook his head in disagreement: "She is the type of person who lacks a sense of awe. This kind of person... is not easy to subdue."

Chu Junhao smiled: "Then don't subdue her."

Prince Shou glanced at Chu Junhao and didn't say much more. The scene just now, where Hua Changxi refuted Xia Zhen, made him realize that if used well, Hua Changxi could be a fine blade.

On the other side, the cultivators of the Guardian families were angry, hating Hua Changxi's disrespect toward Xia Zhen.

"This Hua Changxi is truly ill-bred. What noble family could possibly fancy a young lady like her?"

"Never mind noble families; even in ordinary households, a personality like hers is extremely unlikable."

Meng Qingyao listened to the whispers around her, somewhat stunned. Looking at Hua Changxi, who was firmly defending herself even in the face of Xia Zhen, the old ancestor's exhortations suddenly echoed in her mind.

"The strong do not need to be liked by others."

"Qingyao, you must remember that you are now a cultivator. You no longer need to abide by the secular requirements for women. You must be like a man, naturally and brilliantly striving for everything you want."

Meng Yuchuan had been echoing others, complaining about Hua Changxi together, but after discovering his sister's strange expression, he hurriedly asked with concern: "Qingyao, what's wrong?"

Meng Qingyao looked at her brother, then at the Dongfang brothers who were looking at her with concern, and murmured: "I have a premonition that this Hua Changxi might be my greatest opponent."

Meng Yuchuan was stunned, then laughed: "That's not possible. A grandstanding person isn't qualified to be mentioned in the same breath as my sister."

Dongfang Hao added: "Hua Changxi contradicting Senior Xia seems bold, but it's actually stupid. Turning someone without a conflict of interest into an enemy—her path won't go far. She is indeed not worth worrying about."

After hearing this, Meng Qingyao's thoughts were in a mess. On one hand, she admired Hua Changxi's courage to defend herself in front of Senior Xia; on the other hand, she felt Dongfang Hao was right.

Both sides of the cultivators were whispering about Hua Changxi's actions. Gu Xing looked at the unconcerned Hua Changxi, full of helplessness.

This girl is too impulsive. Being so expressive of her emotions, she cannot be a good ruler. She truly needs to stumble a few more times before she can know that one must restrain one's sharpness when dealing with people.

On Xia Zhen's side, he had also recovered from the shock of being refuted in public. Just as he was about to regain his face, Hua Changxi was already standing before the Divine Wood tripod, performing her kowtows.

"Divine Wood above, disciple Hua Changxi kowtows in respect. Now that spiritual energy is recovering and the immortal path is treacherous, the disciple's path of cultivation is hindered by thousands of obstacles, and medicinal materials are scarce and hard to find. I hope the Divine Wood will have mercy and bestow a high-grade secret realm to help the disciple climb the peak of alchemy..."

After three kowtows and nine bows, Hua Changxi stood up and respectfully inserted the first-grade incense she held into the Divine Wood tripod.

As the incense entered the tripod, accompanied by a soft "hiss," in an instant, sparks of fire spread across the top of the incense.

Immediately following, wisps of green smoke quietly escaped from the edges of the flame, rising in curling plumes, carrying a rich medicinal fragrance that quickly permeated the square.

Hua Changxi was closest to the incense smoke. The moment she smelled the fragrance, she entered a mysterious state. She clearly felt her vision quickly lose focus, but soon, a towering giant tree was reflected in her sight.

Outside the giant tree, a straight wisp of smoke continuously rose, passing through one layer of branches and leaves after another.

'Up, go further up!'

The layers of the giant tree's branches and leaves were too distinct. In an instant, Hua Changxi thought of the grades of the secret realm, and her heart suddenly understood: the higher the green smoke rose, the higher the grade of the secret realm obtained.

Unfortunately, when the green smoke passed the seventh layer of branches and leaves, it was somewhat difficult to sustain, swaying as if it were about to dissipate.

Hua Changxi didn't know what the highest grade of the Divine Wood Secret Realm was, and how long the incense could burn was not something she could control. Just as she was prepared to obtain a seventh-grade secret realm, the Shennong Tripod in her mind vibrated once.

In an instant, the medicinal smoke that was about to dissipate surged up again, quickly passing the eighth layer of branches and leaves, heading straight for the ninth layer.

Unfortunately, an accident happened again. When the medicinal smoke reached the ninth layer of branches and leaves, it was still rich, but it could not pass through the ninth layer no matter what.

'Come on, go up~'

Hua Changxi shouted frantically in her heart, so invested that her face turned red.

"Clang~"

In her mind, the Shennong Tripod vibrated again. This time, it directly shook the incense smoke until it dissipated.

Hua Changxi was so angry that she opened her eyes with a "whoosh." She clearly felt that if the smoke had just exerted a little more effort, it could have broken through the ninth layer of branches and leaves. Who knew it would be shaken away by the Shennong Tripod.

Before she could even feel annoyed, she met pairs of dumbfounded eyes.

When she saw Xia Zhen staring straight at the Divine Wood leaf in front of her, Hua Changxi caught the Divine Wood leaf without hesitation. As soon as the Divine Wood leaf entered her hand, it quickly merged into her body and hovered in her dantian.