Chapter 432: Not Quite Like That

For the Sacred Land, its laws and decrees, once promulgated, exist with the authority of divine edicts.

Those who violate them, or those unwilling to comply, are not tolerated by the Pill Saint Hall.

This fact was well understood by the three major power blocs that once controlled the Pill Saint Hall: the faction led by the Imperial Family controlling the Qihuang Pavilion, the faction led by the Xia family controlling the Spirit Realm Pavilion, and the faction led by the Sacred Land successors controlling the Nine Streets Hall.

Thus, this top-down reform, initiated by the Secret Realm Masters taking control of the Pill Saint Hall, proceeded steadily through the hall amidst the silence of these three power blocs.

The turmoil that might have arisen from the transition of old and new powers did not erupt as fiercely as everyone had anticipated; at most, there was some passive resistance and non-cooperation, but no open acts of defiance or provocation occurred.

After all, Wu Lingyue, the former Secret Realm Master, had personally demonstrated to everyone the consequences of open rebellion.

One must remember that the Wu family is one of the five Dao-protecting families and maintains close ties with the Xia family; if even such a powerful background could not escape sanction under the laws, what hope could others have?

The first matter undertaken by the Secret Realm Masters upon assuming control of the Pill Saint Hall was to dispatch physicians and pill masters to the Lingguang Hall to treat the Zhu Que Army.

The number of physicians and pill masters dispatched was determined according to the grade of each secret realm.

After deliberation among the Secret Realm Masters, it was decided that third-grade realms would each contribute ten people, fourth-grade realms twenty, fifth-grade realms thirty, seventh-grade realms fifty, and eighth-grade realms sixty.

Across the eighteen secret realms, a total of over four hundred people were mobilized.

On the twenty-eighth day of the twelfth month, the third day since the promulgation of the Sacred Land laws, the physicians and pill masters heading to the Lingguang Hall for consultations gathered early in the morning at the newly expanded 'Nine Streets Square,' located at the junction of the Nine Streets and the Cauldron Altar.

Soon after, the Secret Realm Masters arrived one after another, each wearing a composed smile, their expressions radiating a determined drive to forge ahead.

The physicians and pill masters deployed on this mission had been personally selected and arranged by the Secret Realm Masters.

During this process, the Qihuang Pavilion and the Nine Streets Hall had sent envoys multiple times to negotiate; only then did the Secret Realm Masters truly appreciate the weight of the deployment authority in their hands, and much of their previous resistance born from the Sacred Land laws dissipated accordingly.

"Do you think Hua Changxi will go to the Lingguang Hall this time?"

In the crowd, Tang Yufeng stretched his neck to look toward the Secret Realm Masters, speaking as he watched to Gu Jinfan and Huo Yunxiao beside him.

Since the Secret Realm Masters were managing affairs, they would naturally prioritize their own people; originally, members of the Qihuang Pavilion and the Nine Streets Hall would have had no chance to visit the Lingguang Hall for consultations, were it not for Gu Xing.

Gu Xing controlled the public secret realms; although he had some trusted aides, they were few, so he used most of the quotas in his hands to arrange placements for people from the Nine Streets Hall and the Qihuang Pavilion.

Huo Yunxiao smiled. "Whether she goes or not, the speculation outside regarding whether she is the master of the Lingguang Hall will not cease."

Hearing this, Tang Yufeng chuckled. "That is true enough. However, if I were Hua Changxi, I would definitely go. It would make the situation even more bewildering; once matters become complicated, opportunities arise along with them."

Gu Jinfan suddenly spoke up. "You need not guess; she has arrived."

Under the gaze of the Secret Realm Masters and the assembled physicians and pill masters, Hua Changxi arrived at the Nine Streets Square leading a group of disciples from the Danyuan Peak.

Seeing that nearly everyone had arrived, Meng Qingyao waved her hand, causing a luxurious and majestic airship capable of carrying a thousand people to descend onto the square. She then addressed the Secret Realm Masters, "We shall take the airship to the Lingguang Hall."

Whether intentionally or unintentionally, the Secret Realm Masters all turned their eyes toward Hua Changxi, as if waiting for her command.

Seeing this, Hua Changxi bothered not to guess the Secret Realm Masters' intentions. Smiling at Meng Qingyao, she said, "Hall Master Meng has thought of everything. The Pill Saint Hall is a single entity; naturally, we should advance and retreat together. I will lead the people of Danyuan Peak aboard first."

Meng Qingyao had initially felt blocked in her heart because the Secret Realm Masters had bypassed her to wait for Hua Changxi's orders; she could even feel the strange looks cast by those around her.

However, when she saw Hua Changxi merely glance casually at the crowd before walking straight toward the airship, displaying an air of indifference as if asking, 'What do outsiders have to do with me?', her mood shifted abruptly.

Hua Changxi... truly was not affected by the outside world in the slightest!

How the Secret Realm Masters viewed her, or what others thought, seemed entirely irrelevant to her.

And what about herself?

She could not achieve such a state.

Regarding her sect and family, she hoped to accomplish something worthy, not failing their cultivation and expectations; regarding outsiders, she also cared deeply about their perceptions and evaluations of her.

Watching Hua Changxi's retreating figure, Meng Qingyao suddenly felt somewhat envious of her unrestrained freedom and carefree nature.

As the people of Danyuan Peak boarded the airship, others followed suit one after another. Soon, the airship activated, carving a brilliant trail of light across the sky as it headed straight for the Lingguang Hall.

Along the way, seeing Hua Changxi standing on the airship's deck, Meng Qingyao hesitated for a moment before approaching her. In a voice neither too loud nor too soft, she asked, "Peak Master Hua, after we finish treating the Zhu Que Army, I wish to make a request of the Lingguang Hall."

Hearing this, Hua Changxi turned her head to look at Meng Qingyao in surprise, gazing at her without speaking.

Seeing this, Meng Qingyao did not beat around the bush. "I have heard that cultivating within the Wutong Forest can purify one's bloodline and accelerate ancestral return. I wish to allow disciples of the Pill Saint Hall to cultivate there."

At these words, silence fell over the entire ship; everyone held their breath and focused their attention.

Perceiving that Meng Qingyao had no intention of probing whether she was the master of the Lingguang Hall but was simply discussing the matter earnestly, Hua Changxi smiled frankly. "I fear that is impossible."

"The master of the Lingguang Hall has only just secured the Wutong Forest; the Zhu Que Army has not even entered to cultivate yet. How could outsiders take precedence?"

"However... it is not entirely non-negotiable."

"At the very least, among the several hundred of us going there for consultations, if we can truly resolve the ailments of the Zhu Que Army, proposing conditions to enter the Wutong Forest for cultivation should be agreeable."

A look of pleasant surprise appeared on Meng Qingyao's face. "You think my proposal is feasible?"

Hua Changxi nodded. "Certainly."

Of the twelve blessed lands with heavenly caves in Nanxiangchengcheng, she had already secured six.

The territory of each blessed land with a heavenly cave is vast; besides being used for the cultivation of the Zhu Que Army, there is still surplus space that can be shared with outsiders.

She had long considered that once there were enough capable people in the future and each blessed land with a heavenly cave was fully staffed with sufficient managers, she would designate a portion of the space specifically for external cultivation.

Furthermore, the strength of Yu Fu and the other three was still too low.

Previously, she had wondered whether to simply throw the four of them into the Wutong Forest, the Nine Heavens Fire Spring, or the Zhurong Tomb to cultivate, but doing so would expose her identity.

Although the four were fairly loyal to her and would not speak out, she did not wish to gamble on even the slightest possibility of betrayal.

If she leveraged the cooperation between the Pill Saint Hall and the Lingguang Hall, Yu Fu and the other three could enter the Wutong Forest to improve their strength with proper justification.

Having received support, Meng Qingyao immediately smiled at the others on the airship. "Once we reach the Lingguang Hall, we must bring out our best skills to treat the Zhu Que Army thoroughly. Only then will we have the confidence to make demands of the Lingguang Hall."

Everyone agreed enthusiastically, their eyes filling with anticipation.

At the mountain gate of the Lingguang Hall, managers from all departments had gathered.

Yun You glanced at the assembled managers with some helplessness; had she not strongly opposed it, even the thousand-man commanders would have come to wait here.

There was no helping it; regarding the matter of 'Hua Changxi being the master of the Lingguang Hall,' not only did people outside desperately seek an accurate answer, but the Zhu Que Army felt the same way.

"They're here!"

Seeing the airship approaching from the sky, Yun You and the others immediately perked up.

Soon, the airship landed.

Next, the physicians and alchemists of the Pill Saint Hall descended the gangplanks one after another.

Looking past the crowd, the stewards of the Lingguang Hall fixed their gazes precisely on the fiery red figure walking at the rear.

"Is that the Hall Master?"

"Not quite."

"Too young."