Chapter 300: Candidates for the Banner Sacrifice

Driven out of the bamboo hut by Hua Changxi, Hua Sanlang felt both humiliated and furious, while his heart was also filled with grievance and distress.

He had finally seen it clearly: Ninth Lady did not regard him as an elder brother in the slightest, nor did she hold him in her heart; otherwise, she would not have been so ruthless.

In the spirit field, Zhu Qinghuan saw Hua Sanlang hastening back with some surprise; as he drew closer and she noticed his grim expression, she hesitated a moment before stepping out of the field.

"Senior Brother Hua."

Hearing the call, Hua Sanlang halted his steps and turned his head, seeing Zhu Qinghuan approaching against the moonlight.

"Junior Sister Zhu."

After joining Danyuan Peak, all apprentices spontaneously addressed one another as senior brother, senior sister, junior brother, or junior sister.

Zhu Qinghuan walked up to Hua Sanlang, and seeing his truly poor complexion, she asked with concern, "You seem troubled; has something happened?"

Hua Sanlang was just looking for someone to vent his pent-up frustration to, and thinking that Zhu Qinghuan had always gotten along well with him and was a perceptive person, he could not help but pour out his troubles.

"I just had a huge argument with Ninth Lady; she has truly broken my heart."

Zhu Qinghuan was momentarily stunned, then glanced around.

The moonlight was hazy, and all sounds were still; it was the perfect time to discuss matters of the heart.

"Senior Brother Hua, if you wish to talk, I am willing to keep you company."

To avoid being seen by others, Zhu Qinghuan said to Hua Sanlang, "Senior Brother Hua, why don't we sit on the ridge of the field?"

Hua Sanlang nodded, and the two walked to the field ridge and sat down, where the thriving spirit rice perfectly concealed their figures.

"You should know that Hua Changxi is my sister, my own flesh and blood from the same mother."

"In other families, when one person rises to power, they immediately repay their kin. But in our family, since Ninth Lady gained power, we have received few benefits and instead incurred much trouble."

"What chills the heart most is that Ninth Lady would rather trust outsiders than believe in or promote her own family."

"Let us not speak of the manpower used for the spirit mine before; take the opening of the Danyuan Secret Realm—not only did the family fully support her, but we even dragged the entire Hua clan to help her..."

Hearing this, Zhu Qinghuan could not help rolling her eyes and interrupted, "Senior Brother Hua, to say something you may not like, you truly may not understand the situation."

"It is not you and the Hua clan helping the Peak Master; it is the Peak Master who has accepted you."

Hua Sanlang felt a blockage in his chest: "Junior Sister Zhu, have you forgotten that when Ninth Lady was boycotted by everyone, we joined Danyuan Peak at great risk?"

Zhu Qinghuan now understood why Hua Changxi had driven Hua Sanlang down the mountain, and she herself felt like leaving: "Senior Brother Hua, I understand now; you only wish to gain benefits without bearing any responsibility, is that right?"

Hearing these words, Hua Sanlang felt as though his sore spot had been touched; he instantly bristled and snapped fiercely, "Junior Sister Zhu, what nonsense are you spouting?"

Zhu Qinghuan looked him straight in the eye: "Did I really speak wrongly? Whether now or before the recovery of spiritual energy, is it not natural to take some risks to accomplish anything?"

"Why is it that in your case, taking a little risk seems like an immense favor?"

"Not to mention you were not the first to join Danyuan Peak; even if you were, actively helping one's own sister should not involve demanding repayment for favors, since by joining Danyuan Peak, you already benefited."

Hua Sanlang's lips trembled, unsure how to refute her.

Zhu Qinghuan sighed: "Senior Brother Hua, I actually understand the mindset of you and your family."

"Perhaps you yourselves do not realize that in your hearts, you consider the Peak Master a member of the Hua family; moreover, she is a woman, and before marriage, women possess no private property, so you naturally assume that everything she owns belongs to the Hua family."

"But... now is different from the past; the most powerful person in your family now is the Peak Master, and if you wish to rely on her to obtain resources, you must be the ones to bow your heads to her."

Unable to vent his anger at Zhu Qinghuan, Hua Sanlang could only say stiffly, "Does gaining power overnight mean one can disown family and ignore familial bonds?"

Zhu Qinghuan smiled faintly and shook her head: "Senior Brother Hua, let me put it this way: do you think there is such a thing as familial love in the imperial family?"

Hua Sanlang frowned and fell silent.

Zhu Qinghuan continued: "For members of the imperial family, both power and status depend on what the Emperor grants; this is no different in essence from your family relying on the Peak Master."

"Think carefully: how do imperial family members treat the Emperor, and how do you treat the Peak Master?"

Hearing this, Hua Sanlang felt extremely uncomfortable; he sprang to his feet with a snap and demanded, "Junior Sister Zhu, are you here to comfort me or to aggravate me?"

Zhu Qinghuan stood up as well, her expression unchanged: "Senior Brother Hua, I could certainly say pleasant words you love to hear to win your favor, but you are my friend, and doing so would violate my principles."

Hua Sanlang stared at Zhu Qinghuan for a while, then turned and walked away quickly without saying another word.

Watching Hua Sanlang depart, Zhu Qinghuan shook her head and sighed, "No wonder Hua Changxi has such a fiery temper; with family like this, her mood could hardly be good even if she tried."

Since Danyuan Peak had recruited three Nascent Soul realm apprentices, Yu Fu and the other three had become frequent visitors to the bamboo hut, enduring the painful and arduous medicinal baths to temper themselves, constantly improving their cultivation and strength.

At the same time, Hua Changxi appeared more frequently in the first layer of the secret realm and on Danyuan Peak.

With more and more apprentices on Danyuan Peak, Yu Fu and the other four could certainly not manage everything alone; she needed to select a group of people who truly endorsed Danyuan Peak's construction philosophy to manage and expand the peak.

Furthermore, the matter of cultivating alchemists had to be put on the agenda.

"Uncle Xu, go to Qihuang Pavilion and tell Shen Qianfan that in November, I will teach people how to refine pills in Qihuang Hall Number Six."

"Since practical alchemy operations will be conducted during this period, the hall certainly cannot accommodate many people; be sure to tell Yuan Tianchou that I will bring fifty apprentices, and his side can allow at most fifty auditors."

After Physician Xu agreed, he departed for Qihuang Pavilion.

Soon, everyone within the Medical Bureau knew that Hua Changxi was going to lecture again in Qihuang Hall, this time on how to refine pills.

Unfortunately, the number of spots was limited.

Just as Hua Changxi was reviewing resumes in the Danyuan Peak Human Resources Department to select alchemists for training, a message arrived from the Northern Garrison Command stating that traces of the demon race had appeared in the capital.

Upon learning of this, Hua Changxi immediately contacted Tong Yao, Jing Le, and Yan Zhenzhen, confirming from the three of them that the Demon-Suppressing Army had already engaged the demon race twice.

Yan Zhenzhen also warned, "Changxi, be careful; recently, when Jing Le, Tong Yao, and I were on patrol, we all felt someone following us, and we suspect it is the demon race."

Because other secret realm masters had also begun recruiting cultivators from outside, Hua Changxi's patrol duty for the Eastern District had been shared among everyone, and it had been about half a month since she last patrolled the Eastern District.

Hua Changxi put away the resumes, summoned Wan Feng, and handed him the two hundred files that had popped up: "Divide these two hundred people into four groups and notify them that they will take turns learning alchemy from me in November."

Having said this, she departed quickly.

After watching Hua Changxi leave, Wan Feng quickly flipped through the resumes; seeing that Ye Lingxuan and her group were not among them, he felt somewhat regretful and disappointed.

"I wonder if the Peak Master will heavily employ Senior Sister Ye and the others?"

After leaving the Human Resources Department, Hua Changxi exited the Medical Bureau and appeared atop the Eastern City Gate of the capital.

On the second floor of a gambling house three streets away from the Eastern City Gate, a captivating proprietress leaned out the window, watching Hua Changxi on the city gate, and extended her tongue to lick the corner of her mouth.

"Hua Changxi of the Pill Saint Hall has finally shown herself."

Among the Five Great Sacred Lands, the Central Sacred Land harbors a great terror that the demon race dares not provoke; the Artifact, Talisman, and Formation Sacred Lands also house numerous ancient monsters, requiring cautious handling.

Only the Pill Saint Hall is riddled with factions and utter chaos; Hua Changxi, the most prominent figure there, is a lone wolf with neither backers nor allies.

Thus, they could only sacrifice her to raise their banner and boost the morale of the demon race.

"Damn Demon-Suppression Army! They've forced this old lady to stay indoors. Tonight, Si Tou Ya and the three of us will torture and kill Hua Changxi to intimidate the human race!"