Chapter 369: Life First

Many people were paying attention to the game between the Marquis of Liang and Hua Changxi.

After the news of the Hua family joining the Xuanyuan Mansion spread, all parties understood that the Marquis of Liang had lost, but they were still interested in how Hua Changxi would treat the Marquis of Liang's estate.

Many people were disappointed to learn that Hua Changxi had merely forced the Marquis of Liang to take the Cocoon Pill and then let the matter rest.

Many people wanted the situation to be more chaotic so that they could profit from the chaos.

Unfortunately, Hua Changxi was still not impulsive enough.

In the forbidden area of the Imperial Palace, after Chu Tianxun learned of the Marquis of Liang's encounter, he said angrily: "The Marquis of Liang is a member of the royal family. Hua Changxi truly does not put the royal family in her eyes."

Hearing this, the Emperor glanced at the silent Retired Emperor and spoke cautiously: "Imperial Uncle, you overestimate Hua Changxi. She is not a person in the officialdom. Judging from the news sent back by Junhao, she is just a stubborn person."

"The Marquis of Liang injured her, so she dealt with the Marquis of Liang. I think that in handling the Marquis of Liang's matter, she might not have thought about the royal family's involvement at all."

Chu Tianxun was somewhat annoyed by the Emperor's rebuttal. Back then, outside the Xuanyuan Mansion, he had personally felt Hua Changxi's fearlessness toward the royal family.

If it were other forces, it would be fine, as the involvement would be too great, but Hua Changxi was just one person, and the Hua family was not to be feared. Even with the Dingyuan Count's Mansion, it was vulnerable before the royal family.

If such a person dared to provoke the royal family and the royal family could not suppress her, wasn't this implicitly telling the world that the royal family was already in decline?

However, although he was an elder, he could not directly refute the Emperor. Chu Tianxun could only express his dissatisfaction with silence.

The Emperor ignored Chu Tianxun and looked at the Retired Emperor: "Father, the Marquis of Liang's matter is a small matter. What really needs the royal family's attention is the matter of Nanxiang County, and the Zhu Que Army dispatched by the Lingguang Hall."

As soon as these words were spoken, the royal clan elders present changed their expressions.

The royal family had begun to lay out plans for Nanxiang County a long time ago.

Not long after the Lingguang Hall appeared, the royal family discovered that Nanxiang County was the site of the ruins of Nanxiang City, and they also knew that the surroundings of Nanxiang City were full of blessed lands. Over the years, they had been sending cultivators to explore news of these blessed lands.

Unfortunately, the harvest was minimal.

In fact, it was not just Nanxiang City; the royal family was also closely watching East Xiang City, West Xiang City, and North Xiang City. Unfortunately, only Nanxiang City showed strange phenomena, and among the other three Xiang Cities, only East Xiang City had shown some movement recently.

Seeing that no one spoke, the Emperor could only speak again: "Nanxiang County is still under the rule of the imperial court. Now that the Zhu Que Army has begun to patrol Nanxiang County, we must have a stance on this."

If other forces wanted to intervene in Nanxiang County, the royal family would drive them away without hesitation. However, they were now facing the Zhu Que Army.

In controlling Nanxiang County, the Zhu Que Army was even more justified than the imperial court. However, the royal family was not without room for maneuver, but the degree had to be well controlled.

The Retired Emperor spoke: "Regarding the City Lord Token of Nanxiang City, has any news been heard? And the blessed lands around Nanxiang City, how many have been found?"

The Emperor sighed: "There is still no news about the City Lord Token. As for the blessed lands, only three areas with anomalies have been found, but none can be entered. Currently, only cultivators have been sent to occupy those three areas."

After hearing this, the Retired Emperor's face sank: "Continue to send more manpower to search. The City Lord of Nanxiang City must be a member of the Chu royal family."

He paused.

"Regarding the patrols of the Zhu Que Army, do not have conflicts on the surface, but in the dark..."

The Retired Emperor looked at Chu Tianxun: "Brother Xun, you personally lead people to test the bottom line of the Zhu Que Army for me. I want to know how much strength the Zhu Que Army actually has."

Chu Tianxun nodded without saying a word.

The Retired Emperor gave a satisfied "Hmm," then narrowed his eyes: "The Zhu Que Army is powerful, so the royal family will avoid them for now. But as long as we get the Nanxiang City Lord Token, the Zhu Que Army will also have to listen to our orders, and the Lingguang Hall will just be a training ground for the Chu family."

Regarding Nanxiang City—no, it should be the Four Xiang Cities—the Retired Emperor was determined to win.

Only by taking down any one of the Xiang Cities could the royal family truly have its own foothold under the trend of spiritual energy recovery.

Even if they could no longer be the supreme rulers in the future, they would still be one of the top ten forces on the Central Continent, not only able to influence the situation on the Central Continent but even influence the entire Four Spirits Realm.

The more the Retired Emperor thought about it, the stronger his desire became: "You must spare no cost; you must seize at least one City Lord Token."

The royal clan elders present immediately promised to do so.

The Emperor looked at the determined Retired Emperor and the fanatical clan members, feeling quite helpless.

The royal family had people and power, but after the spiritual energy recovery, many things depended on fate. The royal family could no longer be as... everything went as they wished as before.

Once the news of the Zhu Que Army taking over Nanxiang County spread, it immediately occupied the focus of all forces. All parties discussed it and sent people to Nanxiang County to inquire.

The matter of the Marquis of Liang was thus covered up, and no one paid attention to it anymore.

On Hua Changxi's side, after arranging for the Hua family to enter the Xuanyuan Mansion and resolving the "grudge" with the Marquis of Liang, seeing that Danyuan Peak was operating well and did not need her to worry too much, she turned her attention to Nanxiang County.

During the day, she teleported to the Lingguang Hall and shuttled over Nanxiang County, personally monitoring the movements and behavior of the Zhu Que Army; in the evening, she teleported back to Danyuan Peak to show her face and indicate that she was on Danyuan Peak.

After running back and forth between 'Danyuan Peak and Nanxiang County' for five days, she received a message from the Hua family, telling her that they were packed and could enter the Xuanyuan Mansion.

After receiving the news, Hua Changxi went directly to the Dingyuan Count's Mansion.

Hua Dalang still chose to stay in the Demon-Suppressing Army, Hua Sanlang stayed on Danyuan Peak, and Hua Liulang stayed in the Tool Saint Palace. The three extra spots were given to the Hua clan members under the decision of Old Master Hua.

Among them, the Count's Mansion took two spots, and the remaining one was given to the Great Elder's family.

Hua Changxi was too lazy to care about this, just giving two 'One-Thought Connections' to Yao Shi and Hua Minghe: "Dad, Mom, these are for you."

The Hua family members all looked over, all somewhat envious.

Hua Minghe was still a bit embarrassed, but Yao Shi ignored the gazes of the Hua family members, smiled, and under Hua Changxi's guidance, dripped blood to recognize the owner, activated it, and then added Hua Changxi as a friend.

Hua Changxi smiled: "Dad, Mom, from now on you can use this to send me messages."

Afterwards, Hua Changxi personally sent the Hua family to the outside of the Xuanyuan Mansion barrier. She did not enter the mansion to pay respects to the Five Xuanyuan Generals. Seeing that there were Xuanyuan soldiers coming out to pick up the Hua family, she said goodbye to them and left directly.

Old Master Hua and the Hua family members were somewhat disappointed. They all wanted Hua Changxi to send them in. Perhaps, looking at her face, they could get more care.

Unfortunately, Hua Changxi did not consider too much for them.

When Hua Changxi returned from the Xuanyuan Mansion to the bamboo house on Danyuan Peak, it was already dark. Ye Lingxuan and the others had already left, but Yu Fu and the other three were waiting outside the bamboo house.

They were here to submit a summary report.

Hua Changxi flipped through the report, which was recorded very carefully and clearly. Thinking that Nanxiang County now occupied a lot of her energy, after pondering for a while, she took out two one-striped Xuanhuang Fruits and two two-striped Xuanhuang Fruits.

Yu Fu and the other three did not recognize the Xuanhuang Fruit, but after smelling the tempting fragrance of the fruit, their breathing stopped.

"This is the Xuanhuang Fruit."

Hua Changxi looked at Yu Fu and the other three: "Jia Lu, Zhao Xi, your ancestral bloodlines are not as strong as Zhou Shou and Yu Fu's. You two take these two one-striped Xuanhuang Fruits and take them. They can break the shackles of your physical bodies to the greatest extent."

"Zhou Shou, Yu Fu, you two take these two two-striped Xuanhuang Fruits."

Yu Fu and the other three took the Xuanhuang Fruits with trembling hands.

The Marquis of Liang had been making trouble for three years and had not been able to get the Xuanhuang Fruit in the master's hands, yet they had gotten it so easily without doing anything.

Hua Changxi looked at the four: "You four are my capable assistants on Danyuan Peak. In the future, when I am not here, I hope you can help me guard Danyuan Peak."

Yu Fu and the other three immediately said in unison: "Don't worry, Master, we will definitely coexist with Danyuan Peak."

Hua Changxi laughed: "It's not that serious. If something really happens that endangers your lives, on the premise of not betraying Danyuan Peak, I allow you to put your own lives first."

Hearing this, Yu Fu and the other three were moved, and the light of piety in their eyes looking at Hua Changxi was more than before. ===== CHAPTER 370 =====