Chapter 418: Conviction as the Foundation

Xia Zhen was rebuked by Hua Changxi into silence, making the atmosphere in the deliberation hall even more delicate.

Seeing Xia Zhen lower his flags and drum when facing Hua Changxi, Princess Ling Yuan suddenly felt fortunate that she had not provoked this calamity earlier.

Indeed, back when Imperial Uncle Shou Wang managed the affairs of the Medical Bureau, he too had avoided Hua Changxi.

For now, she should just follow the old rules as before.

Seeing Xia Zhen suffer a setback, Wen Shouren was delighted inwardly; to prevent his smile from showing, he lowered his head and managed his expression, while sighing in his heart: Only Hua Changxi can do this!

Relying on their merit in protecting the Dao, the Xia family's interference in the Hall of Alchemy Saints had already seriously overstepped boundaries.

Their ambition to cultivate Meng Qingyao into the 'Master of the Sacred Land' was now almost blatantly obvious.

This move by the Xia family showed they did not regard the Hall of Alchemy Saints' successors in the slightest; it seemed that once the Xia family made a decision on Sacred Land matters, all parties must cooperate and the matter was settled.

Wen Shouren suppressed his smile and timely smoothed things over: "Enough, enough, let us not discuss trivial matters; everyone present is a backbone of the Sacred Land. Discuss by all means, but do not harm our harmony..."

Hearing this, Hua Changxi looked over and interrupted him with an indifferent expression: "Trivial matters? Then tell me, Fellow Daoist Wen, what constitutes an important matter?"

Meeting Hua Changxi's indifferent eyes, Wen Shouren's smile froze on his face.

Seeing Hua Changxi turn her spear toward Wen Shouren, Xia Zhen shed his earlier frustration and became thoroughly intrigued.

Others in the deliberation hall also sat up straight, many scanning back and forth between Hua Changxi and Wen Shouren with bright, intense gazes.

Wen Shouren was baffled; he had merely tried to smooth things over, so how had the fire been drawn onto himself?

Was Hua Changxi some kind of dog?

Biting whoever she caught?

Seeing he remained silent, Hua Changxi swept her gaze around everyone present and asked again: "In Fellow Daoist Wen's heart, what is an important matter?"

Wen Shouren had no choice but to speak: "Naturally, it is the development and expansion of the Sacred Land."

Hua Changxi's tone was full of disbelief: "Is that so?"

Seeing Hua Changxi actually question his loyalty to the Sacred Land, Wen Shouren became displeased and declared firmly: "Of course."

Hua Changxi said: "But why do I not feel it?"

Wen Shouren replied rudely: "You do not feel it because you have never participated in any affairs of the Sacred Land," his voice carrying the anger of one who felt offended.

Hua Changxi did not dwell on that point with Wen Shouren, but abruptly changed tack: "Lately I have been pondering a question: how exactly should a person's state of mind be manifested?"

"What is your opinion, Fellow Daoist Wen?"

Stunned by this leap in logic, unable to grasp what Hua Changxi was driving at, Wen Shouren could only say: "Matters of the mind vary from person to person; there is no fixed standard."

Hua Changxi shook her head: "No, I believe there is one thing that can, to a certain extent, reflect a person's state of mind—that is a person's actions."

"Fellow Daoist Wen claims that everything prioritizes the development and expansion of the Sacred Land, but are your actions consistent with that?"

Wen Shouren said: "Of course," though this time the confidence behind those two words was not as strong as before.

Hua Changxi scoffed: "I need not go elsewhere in the Sacred Land; just by looking at this single deliberation hall, I can see that your so-called development and expansion of the Sacred Land is nothing but factionalism."

"You are slandering us."

Wen Shouren, like a cat with its fur bristling, stood up directly and glared furiously at Hua Changxi.

Everyone present was shocked!

No one had expected Hua Changxi would dare to state such matters so bluntly.

Ignoring him, Hua Changxi continued: "I have contacted several other Sacred Lands; in those other Sacred Lands, I could clearly sense they possessed convictions, and their development was built upon those convictions."

"Fellow Daoist Wen, do you think the Hall of Alchemy Saints has any conviction?"

Wen Shouren was truly angered: "On what grounds do you claim the Hall of Alchemy Saints lacks conviction?"

Hua Changxi looked straight into his eyes: "I will ask you just one thing: among the attendees present, how many sit in this room relying solely on their own ability, without power, background, or connections?"

The anger on Wen Shouren's face instantly froze.

The others present also flickered with shifting gazes, undercurrents surging.

Tang Yufeng whispered to Gu Jinfan beside him: "Only Hua Changxi has such audacity; with one opening remark, she has offended everyone present."

At this moment, Gu Jinfan also felt some admiration for Hua Changxi.

Indeed, nearly ninety percent of those sitting in this deliberation hall had backgrounds and patrons, while the remaining ten percent were all appendages of major powers.

Ordinary people with no foundation had no qualification even to take a seat in the Hall of Alchemy Saints, where factions were deeply intertwined.

Hua Changxi... was truly brave!

Not just anyone could possess such courage, daring to challenge an entire system alone.

Looking at Wen Shouren's stiff face, Hua Changxi curled her lips in mockery: "Let alone conviction, the Hall of Alchemy Saints does not even have the most basic fairness and justice; yet you boldly claim that everything prioritizes the development and expansion of the Sacred Land—it is simply a joke."

Seeing Hua Changxi bombard Wen Shouren like this, Wan Feng's heart pounded fiercely.

He still understood the Peak Master somewhat; for those who had not crossed her bottom line, she generally bothered not to deal with them. Even if Elder Wen had spoken improperly just now, he should not have been targeted by the Peak Master in such a manner.

He felt that every word the Peak Master spoke to Elder Wen struck at the heart; could it be...

Wan Feng's eyelid twitched wildly; why did he feel as though the Peak Master knew that Elder Wen was an elder of the Hall of Alchemy Saints?

Only then would her words be so fierce.

Rather than saying the Peak Master was targeting Elder Wen, it was more accurate to say she was blaming all the successors of the Hall of Alchemy Saints.

"Peak Master Hua's words are perhaps too arbitrary."

Seeing Xia Zhen and Wen Shouren rendered speechless by Hua Changxi one after another, Meng Qingyao, Pavilion Master of the Spirit Realm Pavilion, who had been hidden outside the hall, along with Shen Qianfan, Pavilion Master of the Qihuang Pavilion, and Tong Zhou, Hall Master of Nine Streets Hall, could no longer restrain themselves and entered together.

The three walked into the hall, one after another.

Among them, Meng Qingyao walked in the lead.

Everyone looked over, and Hua Changxi's gaze also fell upon the three.

After the three took their seats, Meng Qingyao looked at Hua Changxi and spoke first: "The operation of the Sacred Land relies entirely on the Spirit Realm Pavilion, the Qihuang Pavilion, and the Nine Streets Hall to host and manage affairs. Peak Master Hua has participated in nothing, yet here you hold forth and criticize everyone; is this not somewhat excessive?"

Hua Changxi looked at Meng Qingyao: "What, has the Hall of Alchemy Saints become a one-voice court ruled by the three departments, unable to tolerate any other voice?"

Meng Qingyao frowned: "Peak Master Hua seems very fond of distorting others' words."

Hua Changxi's expression remained unchanged, her smile failing to reach her eyes: "Is it I who am distorting the truth, or are you the ones being overbearing?"

Meng Qingyao knew Hua Changxi was difficult to deal with, so she simply stopped arguing and quickly shifted the topic: "Peak Master Hua claims the Alchemy Saint Hall lacks fairness and justice; on what grounds do you say this?"

Hua Changxi replied, "Starting with the attendees, and starting with the task arrangements for each peak."

The matter of the attendees was indisputable, so Meng Qingyao skipped it directly: "So, Peak Master Hua is dissatisfied with the task arrangements the Three Departments made for Alchemy Origin Peak."

"Then what kind of tasks does Peak Master Hua think the Three Departments should assign to Alchemy Origin Peak to be considered fair and just?"

Hua Changxi did not answer immediately; Meng Qingyao was digging a trap for her.

She had clearly spoken of the overall injustice within the Alchemy Saint Hall, yet Meng Qingyao had simplified it to mean that she only felt it was unfair because she was dissatisfied with the task arrangements for Alchemy Origin Peak.

Seeing Meng Qingyao curb Hua Changxi's arrogance the moment she entered, Xia Zhen felt immensely satisfied.

Many of the other attendees present also wore expressions of support for Meng Qingyao.

Observing the expressions of the crowd, and especially seeing Wen Shouren look as though Meng Qingyao had vented his frustration for him, Hua Changxi suddenly felt utterly disgusted.

As for the mess that was the Alchemy Saint Hall... she was too lazy to bother with it any longer; let these people play as they wished, so long as she looked after Alchemy Origin Peak sufficiently.

Hua Changxi's aura shifted instantly; her oppressive presence receded like a tide, replaced by a languid, casual demeanor.

The intruder who had just been sharp and unyielding now seemingly became a bystander detached from the affair.

This transformation caused many people's expressions to change.

Among them, Wen Shouren and the holy land successors within Nine Streets Hall all furrowed their brows.