Chapter 412: Hua Changxi Is Merely a Nascent Soul Cultivator

That was a figure clad in fiery red.

Bathed in sunlight, the figure resembled a burning blaze, both dazzling to the eye and radiating an intense, inviolable majesty.

She stood silently within the crowd, appearing as if she had suddenly materialized, or as if she had been standing in the square all along.

Without words or movement, her mere existence plunged the entire bustling square into an eerie silence, captivating the minds of everyone present.

"Is that Hua Changxi?"

Xia Ji narrowed his eyes, staring straight at the fiery red figure.

Xia Zhen had imagined various ways Hua Changxi might make her entrance, but never expected her to appear before everyone so silently; after a moment of stupor, he nodded. "Yes, that is Hua Changxi."

Meng Qingyao asked urgently, "Master, what is Hua Changxi's cultivation level? Is she the Hall Master of Lingguang Hall?"

Xia Ji glanced at her, and only after shifting his gaze back to Hua Changxi did he reply, "Hua Changxi's current cultivation is not even as high as yours; she is merely a Nascent Soul cultivator who has not yet opened her Spirit Platform."

"Ah—"

"Really?!"

Voices filled with shock and disbelief rang out one after another from Meng Qingyao and Xia Zhen.

Xia Zhen hurriedly said, "Elder, surely you haven't misjudged? Is Hua Changxi truly still just a Nascent Soul cultivator?"

Xia Ji looked at him. "Are you questioning the Xia family's Realm-Observing Technique?"

Xia Zhen shook his head hastily.

Xia Ji ignored him, continuing to frown as he watched Hua Changxi. "The Xia family's Realm-Observing Technique can pierce through the foundation of a cultivator's realm; regardless of whether Hua Changxi has cultivated a breath-concealing art or wears a high-grade artifact that masks her aura, her cultivation realm cannot hide before this technique."

"At present, Hua Changxi is nothing more than a Nascent Soul cultivator."

Hearing Xia Ji speak with such certainty, both Xia Zhen and Meng Qingyao were dumbfounded.

Regarding the rumor that Hua Changxi was the Hall Master of Lingguang Hall, although both of them subjectively hoped it was false, as more and more 'evidence' surfaced, they had shifted from complete disbelief to partial belief.

But now they were being told that Hua Changxi was merely a Nascent Soul cultivator who had not yet opened her Spirit Platform, which truly exceeded their expectations.

After all, the power displayed by the Hall Master of Lingguang Hall was such that killing Spirit Platform cultivators was like killing chickens.

Xia Zhen murmured, "So, neither Danyuan Peak nor the Hua family lied; has Hua Changxi truly been in secluded cultivation breaking through her realm all these years?"

Xia Ji offered no response to this, only staring intently at Hua Changxi, his eyes flashing with deep inquiry.

Not only were Xia Ji and the other two surprised, but other powerful figures watching Hua Changxi were also greatly taken aback.

In the Old Courtyard of the square, Wen Shouren and Liu Mingyi stood respectfully behind an elderly man with silver hair dressed in a green robe.

The elder was Han Kun, the First Elder and successor of the Dansheng Hall.

Han Kun said, "Hua Changxi should not be the Hall Master of Lingguang Hall; her cultivation is too low, still merely at the Nascent Soul realm."

Upon hearing this, not only Wen Shouren and Liu Mingyi, but even Gu Xing nearby turned to look.

Wen Shouren asked, "First Elder, are you certain?"

Han Kun nodded affirmatively. "There is no mistake; Hua Changxi has indeed not yet opened her Spirit Platform."

After hearing this, confusion flashed through Gu Xing's eyes, followed immediately by a furrowing of his brows.

Ever since the rumor spread that Hua Changxi was the Hall Master of Lingguang Hall, although there had never been conclusive proof, he had believed it to be true.

No one understood Hua Changxi's potential better than he did.

After all, Hua Changxi was the one who had consecutively claimed ten Qihuang Tokens.

Even someone as outstanding as Wei Zhenjie had only claimed one.

With a complex expression, Gu Xing looked at the fiery red figure in the square. "A low cultivation realm does not necessarily mean weak strength; do not forget that Hua Changxi is also a body cultivator."

Upon hearing this, Wen Shouren nodded quickly. "That's right." Then, turning hastily to Han Kun, he asked, "First Elder, can you discern to what extent Hua Changxi has tempered her physical body?"

Han Kun shook his head. "Hua Changxi's physical body has completely concealed its aura, appearing just like an ordinary mortal; there are no signs of tempering to be seen."

At these words, even Wen Shouren, let alone Gu Xing, found it hard to believe. "Impossible; Hua Changxi obtained the body-tempering technique from the Qihuang Pavilion, and the entire Hua family is practicing it; she definitely would not neglect it."

"A physical body like that of an ordinary mortal..."

Gu Xing murmured these words, his gaze stunned; could it be that Hua Changxi had already reached the level of returning to simplicity and truth in her body tempering?

To achieve a physical body that returns to simplicity and truth, one must at least have opened the Dao of the Physical Body.

The Dao of the Physical Body...

Gu Xing recalled the Realm of Laws that had briefly appeared above the Wutong Forest, as well as the 'Great Dao of the Physical Body' that had flashed briefly in the mirror before vanishing.

Hadn't it failed to open successfully?

Han Kun naturally thought of this as well; exchanging a glance with Gu Xing, both men's eyes were filled with deep confusion.

There was no help for it; the Dao of the Physical Body was far more difficult to open than the Dao of Spiritual Cultivation, and ancient texts rarely contained detailed descriptions of the Dao of the Physical Body by Dao Lords who had successfully opened it.

Thus, both men found themselves unable to clearly gauge Hua Changxi's situation.

In the Qihuang Pavilion, Chu Tianxun's brows were also deeply furrowed. "Zhu Xin, are you certain you did not sense the aura of the Eight-Petaled Divine Lamp?"

Behind him sat a female cultivator draped in a white cloak; having just employed a secret technique, her face was as pale as paper.

Zhu Xin nodded affirmatively. "I indeed did not sense the Eight-Petaled Divine Lamp; Hua Changxi should not be the Hall Master of Lingguang Hall."

Hearing this, Chu Tianxun was clearly unwilling to believe it.

He had personally led an investigation and discovered that Hua Changxi had once been kidnapped by Cao Jun, father of Cao Xingzhi, the Prefect of Jingzhao Prefecture; the location of the kidnapping was precisely what is now the underground transmission hall of Lingguang Hall.

All Zhu Que Army members obtained their cultivation technique, the *Zhu Que Divine Art*, there.

It was possible that the reason Hua Changxi was able to embark on the path of cultivation was precisely because she obtained the *Zhu Que Divine Art* there.

Hua Changxi and Lingguang Hall were absolutely connected!

Chu Tianxun looked at Zhu Xin. "Could it be that you cannot sense the Eight-Petaled Divine Lamp because she has placed it inside a Sumeru Mustard Seed?"

Zhu Xin shook her head. "Given my connection with the Divine Lamp, even if it were inside a Sumeru Mustard Seed, I would still be able to sense it."

Chu Tianxun remained unwilling to accept it. "Then could it be that Hua Changxi simply does not have the Eight-Petaled Divine Lamp on her person?"

Zhu Xin fell silent for a moment. "That is a Divine Lamp; whoever obtains such a treasure would not fail to carry it with them at all times?"

Chu Tianxun had no rebuttal.

Shen Qianfan, standing in the corner, spoke up: "Perhaps Hua Changxi truly is not the Hall Master of Lingguang Hall."

"Wasn't the source of the rumors already found? It was just a bunch of former laborers from the Medical Bureau spouting nonsense."

"The red lotus on Hua Changxi's forehead is merely an atavistic bloodline totem."

Chu Tianxun cast a cold glance at Shen Qianfan, his mood foul.

If Hua Changxi was not the Hall Master of Lingguang Hall, then who exactly was the Hall Master of Lingguang Hall?!

On the northwest side of the square, Tang Yufeng nudged Gu Jinfan beside him with his elbow: "Do you think Hua Changxi is the Hall Master of Lingguang Hall?"

Gu Jinfan withdrew her gaze from that fiery red figure, looked at Tang Yufeng, and then at the other Qihuang Hall masters who were pricking up their ears: "If I say she is, will you truly believe it? If I say she isn't, will you truly stop investigating?"

Tang Yufeng awkwardly rubbed his nose: "Let's just exchange opinions."

Gu Jinfan returned her gaze to Hua Changxi, her eyes distant: "Guessing whether Hua Changxi is the Hall Master of Lingguang Hall or not is meaningless."

"For the Hall Master of Lingguang Hall who commands the hundred thousand Zhu Que troops, who they are matters not; what matters is the inheritance of the Zhu Que's will: 'Bearing the majesty of Zhu Que, guarding the peace of the four directions.'"

Tang Yufeng said: "The Zhu Que army previously held out against the Phoenix clan and indeed forged the majesty of Zhu Que."

Just as all parties were neither believing nor disbelieving the matter of 'whether Hua Changxi is the Hall Master of Lingguang Hall,' a group of Danyuan Peak disciples arrived from the east side of the square.

"Make way!"

Led by Ye Lingxuan and Jiang Henian, dozens of Danyuan Peak disciples squeezed into the crowd, jogged over to the three people near Yu Fu, and surrounded them in the center.

Jiang Henian was just about to seize the initiative and condemn Princess Lingyuan for bullying them too severely when he noticed the gazes of everyone in the square drifting toward the southern end.

Following everyone's line of sight, Jiang Henian and the others also saw that dazzling fiery red figure.

"Greetings, Peak Master!"

The moment they saw Hua Changxi, Jiang Henian and his group were unexpectedly stunned for an instant; the next moment, that stupor transformed into a unified bow of respect.

The cultivating onlookers in the square, seeing the extremely respectful posture and the willingly submissive expressions of the Danyuan Peak disciples, felt some turbulence in their hearts.

Regardless of what kind of person Hua Changxi actually was, her support for the Danyuan Peak disciples was truly impeccable.

Every single disciple who had joined Danyuan Peak had achieved considerable development and growth within the peak over these years.

For many, their gains had even far exceeded their expectations when they first joined.

Although both Qihuang Pavilion and Lingjing Pavilion were intentionally or unintentionally suppressing Danyuan Peak, the peak's development had become more vigorous year by year; this was something no one could deny.

Wei Zhenjie sighed with a smile: "Although Hua Changxi is a hands-off manager who often disappears, the people of Danyuan Peak are very convinced by her!"

Yun You, standing beside him, detected the appreciation in Wei Zhenjie's tone, and the light in her eyes as she looked at Hua Changxi grew even brighter.

Could Hua Changxi be the Hall Master?

The Hall Master was also a hands-off manager who often disappeared.

Unfortunately, she was only a Nascent Soul cultivator, and Hua Changxi's aura was concealed so well that she could not detect her realm or cultivation in the slightest.

At this moment, Hua Changxi stood in the crowd like an ordinary mortal.

If the three hall masters of Danyuan Peak hadn't discovered her earlier, probably no one would have known she was in the square.

Yun You's mood was somewhat complex at this moment.

She did not know whether it would be better if Hua Changxi was the Hall Master or if she was not.

However, Hua Changxi's aura was concealed so well that she clearly did not look injured, whereas the Hall Master must have been injured when occupying the Wutong Forest and seizing the ancient zither.

From this point of view, Hua Changxi should not be the Hall Master.

The cultivators gathered at the southern end of the square, the moment they followed the line of sight of Yu Fu and the other two to see Hua Changxi, subconsciously stepped back.

In a short while, a vacuum zone appeared around Hua Changxi.

Hua Changxi folded her arms across her chest, a smile on her face, her posture lazy yet revealing an indescribable composure; she remained utterly unmoved by the greetings of the Danyuan Peak disciples and the attention of the entire crowd.

After nodding to the Danyuan Peak disciples to signal them to rise, her gaze slowly swept across the entire venue.

Wherever her gaze fell, everyone avoided her eyes; some less experienced cultivators even involuntarily held their breath.

Although Hua Changxi currently displayed no spiritual fluctuation and looked like an ordinary mortal, everyone still felt an invisible yet very real pressure emanating from her.

They did not know what this pressure was, only instinctively avoiding it.

In the crowd, after feeling this pressure, Wei Zhenjie was first somewhat astonished, but soon raised his eyebrows in understanding.

The Will of Heaven and Earth!

Opening a Great Dao would taint one with the Will of Heaven and Earth.

Hua Changxi actually retained the Will of Heaven and Earth; it seemed that path of the physical body had not failed to open after all.

Confirming this point, the look in Wei Zhenjie's eyes as he gazed at Hua Changxi became even more brilliant.

Hua Changxi's视线 swiftly swept over the crowd, and every cultivator scanned by her secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

Finally, Hua Changxi's gaze landed on Princess Lingyuan, whose face was somewhat stiff.

Looking at Princess Lingyuan, who had brought people to forcibly break into Danyuan Peak, a faint, barely perceptible smile appeared on Hua Changxi's spirited face; simultaneously, her eyes lifted slightly, and as her gaze flowed, it carried a hint of disdainful amusement.

Princess Lingyuan stiffened under that gaze, and a trace of uncontainable panic flashed deep in her eyes.

There was no help for it; if Hua Changxi truly was the Hall Master of Lingguang Hall, then she was a ruthless person who had killed Imperial Uncle Shou and Aunt Zhaohuang!

Although the cultivation technique practiced by Imperial Uncle Shou was somewhat unorthodox, his strength was ranked among the top in the royal family.

As for Aunt Zhaohuang, she had activated her atavistic bloodline since birth and had always been one of the most excellent cultivation geniuses in the royal family.

Both of them had died at the hands of the Hall Master of Lingguang Hall; if Hua Changxi truly made a move against her, she would definitely not escape.

Just as Princess Lingyuan was pondering how to deal with Hua Changxi's confrontation, Hua Changxi's gaze indifferently shifted away from her, as if she were merely an irrelevant ornament.

Hua Changxi's gaze landed on Wei Zhenjie, who stood in the center of the crowd; she changed her arms from being folded across her chest to clasped behind her back, then walked toward Wei Zhenjie with a calm stride and a smile.

Seeing her approach, everyone immediately made way.