Chapter 322

The middle-aged general was a battalion commander under Chu Junling, the Right General of the Demon-Suppressing Army, named Lu Lifeng.

Lu Lifeng had already experienced Hua Changxi's arrogance earlier. As soon as he arrived with the crane-haired, youthful-faced cultivator, he first revealed his identity: "This is the Duke of Cheng'en—Duke Zhu."

Hua Changxi also knew roughly about the situation of the royal family. The current Empress's surname is Wu, and the Duke of Cheng'en before her is surnamed Zhu; it seems he is a maternal relative of the Empress Dowager.

A maternal relative of the Empress Dowager, and a Duke at that; his status could be said to be quite noble. How could he appear in this place?

And he was seriously injured!

Hua Changxi looked at Duke Zhu. This Duke's injuries were quite grim. He had a Metal spiritual root, but his spiritual root and dantian were filled with dense Fire spiritual energy.

You must know, Fire overcomes Metal!

"I trouble Peak Master Hua."

Compared to Lu Lifeng's earlier attitude, Duke Zhu could be said to be quite amiable.

Hua Changxi smiled: "Duke, you are too polite."

Just when everyone else thought Hua Changxi was about to start treating Duke Zhu, her gaze swept past Duke Zhu and looked at the patients waiting behind him, showing a look of difficulty.

"I appreciate the Duke's regard, but everything follows a first-come, first-served basis. They have been waiting in line for a long time."

After saying this, Hua Changxi didn't say anything more, just smiled at Duke Zhu.

True approachability is not about harming others to benefit oneself; a persona can be easily disguised, but one's moral character must be proven through actions.

"Hua Changxi, don't go too far!"

Before Duke Zhu could react, Lu Lifeng couldn't take it anymore and roared at Hua Changxi.

Hua Changxi glanced at him, not even bothering to talk to him, and continued to smile at Duke Zhu.

Duke Zhu was also looking at Hua Changxi. Although there was a kind smile on his face, the scrutiny and probing in his eyes were undisguised. After a long silence, he suddenly smiled: "First-come, first-served, is that also Peak Master Hua's rule for saving people?"

Hua Changxi shook her head: "It depends on the urgency of the condition."

Duke Zhu's eyes flickered: "In that case, does Peak Master Hua feel that my injuries are not serious?"

Hua Changxi nodded affirmatively: "Yes."

She could clearly "see" that a large amount of Fire spiritual energy was raging within Duke Zhu's body. However, under the rampaging Fire spiritual energy, Duke Zhu's spiritual root was constantly being torn apart, and at the same time, it was constantly being repaired.

The reason for this situation must be because he had taken some extraordinary heavenly treasure.

Furthermore, above his dantian floated a cubic jade seal, surrounded by precious light, powerfully suppressing the surging and galloping dantian Qi Sea below.

At this very moment, Duke Zhu might be feeling very uncomfortable, but there was definitely no danger to his life.

Hua Changxi was still thinking that the dense Fire spiritual energy invading Duke Zhu's body could not have been caused by human power; it was nine times out of ten related to the previous explosion of the Tool Saint Palace's protective mountain array.

Besides the people from the Asura Gate, the disaster suffered by the Tool Saint Palace this time likely involved powerful figures.

Duke Zhu is a maternal relative of the Empress Dowager; it can be inferred that the royal family was definitely involved.

Thinking of this, a look of sarcasm flashed in Hua Changxi's eyes.

Before the four great holy lands recruited disciples and outside cultivators entered the capital, the royal family put on a show as if the capital would be thrown into turmoil by the influx of outside cultivators.

But what was the truth?

After the outside cultivators entered the capital, it was calm and peaceful; instead, it was the capital's powerful figures who triggered the chaos at the Tool Saint Palace, causing countless casualties and displacement.

Duke Zhu felt that Prince Shou's evaluation of Hua Changxi was correct—disregarding order and having no regard for anything. Suddenly, he couldn't help but laugh out loud: "You haven't even diagnosed me, yet you know my injuries?"

Hua Changxi's smile didn't fade: "Look, Listen, Ask, and Feel is a physician's entry-level skill."

Hearing this, Duke Zhu's expression changed, he put away his smile, and didn't speak again.

Hua Changxi also knew that since Duke Zhu was here, even if he yielded to the people behind him, the people behind him probably wouldn't dare to truly skip ahead of him to seek medical help, so she added: "The reason Danyuan Peak does not treat Nascent Soul cultivators is, first, because I feel that Nascent Soul cultivators have the ability to protect themselves, and second, because Danyuan Peak disciples, including myself, cannot refine fourth-grade pills."

"The most I can do is diagnose the condition; as for prescribing and treating, I am willing but lack the ability."

Duke Zhu smiled: "Everyone says Peak Master Hua's alchemy skills are superb, yet you say you cannot refine fourth-grade pills. You must be joking, right?"

Hua Changxi looked at him: "If I can, I can; if I can't, I can't."

Seeing her serious expression, not like she was faking it, Duke Zhu frowned. Immediately, he stopped maintaining his amiable image and sat down directly.

"I ask Peak Master Hua to diagnose me. As long as you are fast, you won't keep the people behind waiting too long."

He wanted to see if Hua Changxi really didn't give the royal family any face at all.

Hua Changxi looked at him: "No need for diagnosis."

Hearing this, the Duke's expression sank abruptly, and Lu Lifeng immediately assumed a posture ready to strike at any moment.

Just as the people around gasped, Hua Changxi continued: "The Duke's body is raging with Fire spiritual energy, yet you have a Metal spiritual root. Fire overcomes Metal."

Having had his injuries correctly identified, the anger on Duke Zhu's face disappeared, and he looked at Hua Changxi with some surprise: "You just looked at me, and you understood my injuries?"

Hua Changxi: "I said, Look, Listen, Ask, and Feel is a physician's basic skill."

Duke Zhu was silent: "Then in Peak Master Hua's opinion, is there a way to cure my injuries?"

Hua Changxi: "If you ask me, Duke, you might as well disperse your cultivation."

Hearing this, Duke Zhu's face sank again.

Lu Lifeng pointed directly at Hua Changxi and scolded: "Hua Changxi, what is your intention in harming the Duke like this?"

Hua Changxi didn't even look at Lu Lifeng, only saying to Duke Zhu: "If you come to seek medical help and don't trust the physician, then don't come to the door in the first place."

"Duke, I am indeed powerless regarding your injuries; you should seek someone more capable."

Duke Zhu was silent for a moment, then stood up.

Just when Hua Changxi thought he and Lu Lifeng were about to leave, intense fighting sounds suddenly came from the direction of the Demon-Suppressing Army camp.

"Not good!"

Duke Zhu and Lu Lifeng's expressions changed simultaneously, and then they flew toward the Demon-Suppressing Army camp one after another.

"What happened?"

Everyone looked at each other in confusion. Hua Changxi also frowned, but because it was the Demon-Suppressing Army's business, she didn't intend to go watch the excitement.

However, the next moment, she saw Jing Liao and Yan Zhenzhen flying rapidly toward that side along with several monks.

Seeing this, Hua Changxi realized the situation was not right. After saying a word to the patients waiting for treatment, she quickly followed.

By the time she arrived at the scene of the fight, several monks were already suspended in mid-air, their mouths closing and opening continuously. The Buddhist sounds they emitted carried a strange penetrating power, like ten thousand tons of rock pressing down, making people's hearts tremble.

The Nascent Soul cultivators who had been fighting fiercely earlier, having been suppressed by the Demon-Suppressing Army, were now slowly calming down, and the scarlet color in their eyes was slowly fading.

Eyes turning red...

This is a sign of falling into demonic ways!

Hua Changxi looked closely and indeed saw that the Nascent Souls above the dantian Qi Seas of those suppressed cultivators were burning with vigorous black flames.

"Why are you here?"

Jing Liao was chanting, and Yan Zhenzhen walked over when she saw Hua Changxi.

Hua Changxi looked at her: "I saw you all coming over, so I followed." She paused, "Do you know who they are?"

Yan Zhenzhen's eyes flickered, and she transmitted her voice: "The Tool Saint Palace's protective mountain array was destroyed by this group of people. The royal family sent eight people, the eight great Duke Prefectures each sent two, and all the Marquis and Count Prefectures in the capital sent thirty people together."

Hua Changxi quickly looked around at the people at the scene. Excluding the Demon-Suppressing Army and the monks like Jing Liao, there were still more than thirty Nascent Soul cultivators at the scene.

"The number isn't right?"

Yan Zhenzhen sneered: "You don't think that the Tool Saint Palace's protective mountain array being destroyed wouldn't result in deaths, do you? It is said that more than twenty Nascent Soul cultivators died."

Hua Changxi was silent for a moment: "The foundation of the royal family and the powerful aristocratic families is truly deep; they have actually cultivated so many Nascent Soul cultivators."

Yan Zhenzhen: "Before the great battle at Mount Wuzhi, the matter of spiritual energy resurgence was kept secret. The royal family and the powerful aristocratic families almost monopolized all cultivation resources and cultivation sites; how could their foundation not be deep?"

She paused.

"Do you know about the Kunlun Secret Realm?"

Hua Changxi shook her head.

Yan Zhenzhen: "When the Kunlun Secret Realm first appeared, the royal family and major powerful aristocratic families sent many people in. It is said that cultivating in the secret realm is several times faster than cultivating outside."

"Not long ago, the Master of the Star-Gazing Tower divined that the Kunlun Secret Realm is about to open again. Once those cultivators who entered before come out, I imagine there will be quite a few whose cultivation has advanced to the Spiritual Platform Realm."

Hua Changxi was truly shocked: "Is it that exaggerated? Isn't cultivation very difficult? Doesn't it require the state of mind to keep up?"

Yan Zhenzhen looked at her: "What kind of place is Mount Kunlun? It is a holy land for cultivation, a holy land for enlightenment. There is a Spiritual Platform Square Inch Mountain in the Kunlun Secret Realm, specifically to assist cultivators in opening their spiritual platforms. My master told me that if I delay in opening my spiritual platform, he will send me into the Kunlun Secret Realm."

Hua Changxi didn't know what expression to make. She felt that she was already someone who had cheated, but she didn't expect that others were not far behind.

Controlling information asymmetry and seizing scarce resources can all be considered cheating.

And her cheat came from the Shennong Cauldron. Now that she thinks about it, the Shennong Cauldron just allowed her to inherit a complete alchemy legacy and improved her alchemy skills. Compared to other cheats, it actually didn't have much of an advantage.