Chapter 216: The Five Great Guardian Families

Before Wei Zhenjie paid respects to the Divine Tree, Department Head Gu quickly told him in detail what he had learned from his two disciples about "what grade of secret realm each of the three grades of pill incense corresponds to."

After Wei Zhenjie learned this, he quickly glanced at Hua Changxi.

Lighting the First-Grade Incense yields at least a Seventh-Grade Secret Realm.

A Seventh-Grade Secret Realm provides the spiritual herbs and plants needed before the Out-of-Body stage.

Hua Changxi had obtained a renewable treasure trove of medicinal materials!

Not to mention, upon learning that lighting the First-Grade Incense would yield a secret realm above the Seventh Grade, Wei Zhenjie's heart also began to stir.

He managed the Heaven Department, and with so many people under him, the resources consumed every day were calculated in massive amounts. To him, cultivation resources were never enough.

Wei Zhenjie walked to the offering table, his gaze lingering between the First-Grade Incense and the Second-Grade Incense.

The Demon Suppression Army had now almost completely taken over Kunmen Pass, and Kunmen Pass had many resources for cultivating spiritual sense and soul power. In other words, he did not lack resources for the Spirit Platform, Spirit Condensation, and Out-of-Body stages; what he needed were cultivation resources for the Dao Integration stage and above.

Although he still had a long way to go before the Dao Integration stage, he could prepare the cultivation resources in advance.

Moreover, according to what he understood, cultivation resources above the Dao Integration stage were extremely rare and hard to come by. The Divine Tree Secret Realm of the Pill Saint Hall was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for all cultivators who wanted to walk their own Dao.

Even if the probability of lighting the First-Grade Incense was low, he had to try.

Wei Zhenjie chose the First-Grade Incense.

Gu Xing sighed inwardly upon seeing this, but he could also understand. Unlike Department Head Gu, Little Weizi had good talent and character, and it was truly possible for him to cultivate his own Dao. Now that he had discovered a secret realm providing cultivation resources for the Dao Integration stage, he would certainly not give up no matter what.

Xia Zhen showed no contempt this time; this was his recognition of the Heaven Department Minister. If others chose the First-Grade Incense, in his view, it was a lack of self-awareness, but when the Heaven Department Minister chose it, it was striving for his own opportunity.

Unfortunately, Wei Zhenjie failed and could not light the First-Grade Incense.

Regarding this result, although Wei Zhenjie was a bit disappointed, he could still accept it. He smiled indifferently and stepped back.

"It's up to you."

Zhang Tianshi nodded toward Wei Zhenjie. Without saying any words of comfort, he walked straight to the offering table. He was very decisive and chose a stick of Second-Grade Incense without hesitation.

As soon as the pill incense was inserted into the Divine Tree tripod, wisps of green smoke rose.

The Third-Grade Incense burned too quickly to be observed carefully. Zhang Tianshi was the first person to light the Second-Grade Incense. The Second-Grade Incense burned for a considerable time, and Hua Changxi watched carefully as the smoke condensed into green leaves.

"One, two, three, four..."

Before the pill incense burned out, Hua Changxi saw four distinct green flashes in the green smoke.

Combining this with the eight leaf vein patterns on the Divine Tree leaf she had obtained, Hua Changxi guessed that Zhang Tianshi had obtained a Divine Tree leaf with four patterns.

A Divine Tree leaf with eight patterns represented an Eighth-Grade Secret Realm, so four patterns represented a Fourth-Grade Secret Realm.

"Fourth-Grade Secret Realm?"

Hua Changxi frowned slightly. Zhang Tianshi clearly had made no contribution to the Pill Saint Hall, yet he could light the Second-Grade Incense. Why was this?

Aside from being recognized by the Sacred Ground and contributing to it, could it also be related to the realm of the person paying respects?

"Alright, the nine people who obtained wooden plaques have all paid respects to the Divine Tree. Now it is time for the others to come forward."

Xia Zhen looked at Gu Xing: "The remaining nine Qihuang Hall masters and the ten young people I brought will take turns coming forward to pay respects."

Gu Xing was just about to nod when Prince Shou spoke first: "Senior Xia, you have ten people on your side, but we only have nine. I want to add one more person."

Upon hearing this, Xia Zhen's face sank directly: "Prince Shou, paying respects to the Divine Tree is not child's play, nor can just anyone pay respects to the Divine Tree. Those nine hall masters you pushed forward relying on power were originally unqualified to pay respects to the Divine Tree."

"Allowing them to pay respects now is already me taking a step back for the sake of Fellow Daoist Gu."

Gu Xing also looked at Prince Shou with a sunken face: "Your Highness, you must understand, we are currently paying respects to the Divine Tree of the Sacred Ground. The Divine Tree belongs to the Pill Saint Hall, not the Medicine Department."

Seeing that both Xia Zhen and Gu Xing were angry, Prince Shou could only suppress his annoyance and compromise: "Fine, no more people, but the hall masters must start paying respects first."

"Why?"

The cultivators on the side of the Guardian Families immediately refused. Waiting for the nine hall masters who obtained wooden plaques was one thing, but why should they wait for other hall masters now?

Xia Zhen gave them a look to stay calm and looked at Prince Shou: "Fine, let your side start first."

The people on the Medicine Department side saw him agree so readily, but they felt no joy at achieving their goal; instead, their moods were somewhat heavy.

Hua Changxi looked at the remaining nine hall masters and then at the ten young cultivators with wood spirit bodies brought by Xia Zhen, her eyes flickering.

Could it be that whether one can receive the blessing of the Divine Tree depends on aptitude?

The nine hall masters went forward to pay respects in the order of their hall numbers.

The first to pay respects was Yan Qianying, the third young master of the Dong'an Prince's Mansion.

Yan Qianying didn't even look at the First-Grade Incense, his gaze hesitating between the Second-Grade and Third-Grade Incense for a while, and then he chose the Second-Grade Incense.

"Hmm?"

The Second-Grade Incense lit!

Not to mention others showing astonishment, even Yan Qianying himself was somewhat surprised.

"One, two, three, four, five!"

Hua Changxi saw that the Divine Tree leaf in front of Yan Qianying actually had five patterns, feeling both surprised and confused.

Could it be that the Divine Tree's blessing is related to other factors?

Xia Zhen looked at Yan Qianying, who had received the Divine Tree leaf, and asked with a smile: "What is Yan Xiaoyang to you?"

Yan Qianying was somewhat surprised that Xia Zhen mentioned Yan Xiaoyang, but he quickly replied: "Xiaoyang is my younger brother. Does Senior Xia know Xiaoyang?"

Hearing this, Xia Zhen showed a look of realization and smiled: "We have met once." After speaking, he signaled for the cultivators on his side to come forward to pay respects.

The first to come forward to pay respects on the side of the Guardian Families was Xia Ziyang.

While Xia Ziyang was kowtowing, Hua Changxi asked Huo Yunxiao beside her in a low voice: "Is Yan Xiaoyang very powerful?"

Huo Yunxiao shook his head and laughed: "You are truly like a legendary recluse who never leaves the world, knowing nothing and no one." As he spoke, he nudged Wen Lanzhou, "You are more familiar with Yan Xiaoyang, you tell her."

Wen Lanzhou saw Hua Changxi turn her gaze to him and could only say: "Yan Xiaoyang is the sixth disciple of the Grand Void Gate Sect Leader and is a fellow disciple of Junior Sister Changxin. The direct disciples of the Sect Leader are definitely all prodigies."

Hua Changxi heard this answer and suddenly realized that her Shiniang's background seemed very powerful, and the people she knew were so well-connected: "So Yan Xiaoyang is Shiniang's senior brother." She paused and continued to ask, "Senior Xia wouldn't ask about Yan Xiaoyang for no reason. Does he have any special features?"

Wen Lanzhou thought about it seriously: "Junior Brother Xiaoyang is indeed a very special person."

Hua Changxi: "How is he special?"

Wen Lanzhou: "He is exceptionally kind. I have never seen him get angry with anyone."

Hua Changxi said "Ah" and was somewhat speechless: "What kind of special is that?"

Huo Yunxiao also nodded in agreement: "Yes, how is that special? At most, he's just a good-natured person."

Wen Lanzhou shook his head: "You haven't met Junior Brother Xiaoyang. His gentleness comes from within; he is not the kind of good-natured person you think."

Hua Changxi didn't think being a good person was special. Just as she was about to continue questioning, she saw Xia Ziyang light the Second-Grade Incense and could only shift her gaze to the smoke.

"One, two, three, four."

The Divine Tree leaf obtained by Xia Ziyang had four patterns, meaning he had obtained a Fourth-Grade Secret Realm.

Next, it was the turn of the Medicine Department side. Master Jie Xian from Xiangguo Temple also chose the Second-Grade pill incense, but unfortunately, the pill incense did not light.

Afterward, it was Bai Zhixin from the Guardian Families side, who lit the Second-Grade pill incense and finally obtained a Fourth-Grade Secret Realm.

Then it was the Medicine Department's turn again. This time, Tang Yufeng, from the capital's top aristocratic family, came forward to pay respects to the Divine Tree. Tang Yufeng was more conservative and chose the Third-Grade Incense directly, but unfortunately, the Third-Grade Incense did not light either.

It was the turn of Wu Lingyue from the Guardian Families side, who successfully lit the Second-Grade Incense and obtained a Fourth-Grade Secret Realm.

Afterward, it was Lin Ruohong, a disciple of the Sanqing Palace on the Medicine Department side. Lin Ruohong did not take risks and chose the Third-Grade Incense, but regrettably, the Third-Grade Incense did not light either.

Then it was Zhu Jinglan from the Guardian Families side. Like Xia Ziyang, Bai Zhixin, and Wu Lingyue before him, he chose the Second-Grade Incense without hesitation, successfully lit it, and obtained a Fourth-Grade Secret Realm.

By this point, all six sticks of Second-Grade Incense had been lit.

This meant that the remaining twelve people could only choose between the First-Grade Incense and the Third-Grade Incense.

There were two sticks of First-Grade Incense left and six sticks of Third-Grade Incense left.

Hua Changxi looked at Huo Yunxiao and Wen Lanzhou: "Xia Ziyang, Bai Zhixin, Wu Lingyue, and Zhu Jinglan—these four seem to have known they could light the Second-Grade Incense. Do you know their origins?"

Huo Yunxiao's expression was not very good: "Their surnames are their origins." Seeing Hua Changxi's confused look, he knew she didn't understand these things and could only explain, "Do you know which families are the Guardian Families?"

Hua Changxi shook her head.

Huo Yunxiao: "The Xia family of the Central Continent, the Long family of the Eastern Continent (also known as the Azure Dragon Continent), the Zhu family of the Southern Continent (also known as the Vermilion Bird Continent), the Bai family of the Western Continent (also known as the White Tiger Continent), and the Wu family of the Northern Continent (also known as the Black Tortoise Continent)."

Hearing this, Hua Changxi vaguely understood why the four of them could light the Second-Grade Incense. The Guardians had made contributions to the Four Spirit Realms, and since the four of them were wood spirit bodies, they met the talent selection criteria of the Pill Saint Hall and thus received the blessing of the Divine Tree.

Hua Changxi looked at Yan Qianying, then at the angry Long Chenyi and Long Jin siblings. She guessed that if Yan Qianying hadn't lit the Second-Grade Incense, that stick of Second-Grade Incense would have gone to the Long family.

Afterward, except for Meng Qingyao, no one else chose the First-Grade Incense. The remaining people all stared at the last six sticks of Third-Grade Incense.

It was thought that the competition for the Third-Grade Incense would be fierce, but who would have thought that after a round, on the Medicine Department side, Yue Heng of the Xiping Prince's Mansion, Feng Che of the Beizhen Prince's Mansion, Wei Xiao of the Nanding Prince's Mansion, and Long Chenyi of the Guardian Families side lit the Third-Grade Incense, while others failed to light it.

In the end, two sticks of Third-Grade Incense actually remained. ===== CHAPTER 217 =====