Chapter 433: Simply Generous

Following the Dan Saint Hall physicians and alchemists as they filed down, Hua Changxi and the other Secret Realm Masters followed closely behind, descending the flying ship at a measured pace.

Those favored by the Dan Saint Hall's divine wood and granted the title of Secret Realm Master were all individuals of extraordinary talent, yet the gazes of the Ling Guang Hall stewards swept past everyone else to land directly on Hua Changxi.

Apart from the desire to ascertain whether she truly was the Hall Master of Ling Guang Hall, it was simply that the outstanding and independent aura surrounding Hua Changxi possessed too much penetrating power.

In the short distance from the flying ship to the Ling Guang Hall mountain gate, she swept her calm gaze across the entire assembly, neither arrogant nor timid, like a monarch inspecting their territory, radiating an overwhelming sense of control.

At this, the stewards who had previously deemed Hua Changxi too young to possibly be the Ling Guang Hall Hall Master began to hesitate and waver.

While the Ling Guang Hall stewards scrutinized Hua Changxi, her gaze moved back and forth over them with equal lack of concealment.

She had never before had face-to-face contact with these stewards.

This public visit to Ling Guang Hall for medical treatment served two purposes: first, she was genuinely concerned about the injuries of the Zhu Que Army; second, she wished to observe the Ling Guang Hall stewards and the Battalion Commanders up close.

Very soon, Hua Changxi's brows furrowed.

Yang Zhao, the steward of the Discipline Hall, Luo Xingyao, the steward of the Training Hall, and Duan Jishan, the steward of the Martial Arts Hall, had all suffered severe injuries.

A stream of black qi circulated within the bodies of all three, eroding their spiritual roots and dantians.

Especially in Yang Zhao's case, the black qi had condensed into chains, tightly binding his Nascent Soul, causing its light to dim and wither.

The sharp gaze of Hua Changxi made Yang Zhao and the other two feel extremely uncomfortable; after all, the notion that 'Hua Changxi is the Ling Guang Hall Hall Master' was merely a rumor, its authenticity unproven, and setting that aside, Hua Changxi represented only the Dan Saint Hall.

As stewards of Ling Guang Hall, to be stared at by an outsider until they felt as though thorns were at their backs while on their own grounds—where was their dignity?

"Steward Yun."

"Pavilion Master Meng."

Yun You and Meng Qingyao had already begun exchanging pleasantries, after which the two started introducing their respective parties to each other.

Once the Ling Guang Hall stewards and the Dan Saint Hall Secret Realm Masters had been introduced, Yun You led the Dan Saint Hall group through the archway gate tower inscribed with the three gilded characters 'Ling Guang Hall'.

As they passed through the gate tower, everyone from the Dan Saint Hall held their breath and focused their minds.

Whether it was the awe-inspiring momentum emanating from the gate tower or the stone stele of the Zhu Que Army's military discipline standing beside it, none dared to act presumptuously.

Upon entering the gate tower, the first thing to meet their eyes was the magnificent complex of pyramidal palaces.

The main hall soared into the clouds, bathed in mists that never dispersed year-round, while the remaining halls extended downward like steps, with the palaces at the lowest level situated dozens of meters above the ground; crimson walls and vermillion eaves outlined a majestic silhouette against the skylight.

To the eyes of the Dan Saint Hall group, this magnificent and majestic sight made Ling Guang Hall appear like a torch standing upon the earth, illuminating Nanxiangcheng, and simultaneously illuminating the Central Continent.

"This is Ling Guang Hall!"

The people of the Dan Saint Hall looked up at the palace complex piercing the clouds, their expressions solemn.

The solemnity and towering grandeur of Ling Guang Hall made them simultaneously feel a pressure akin to a mountain range pressing down upon them.

Hua Changxi also carefully felt this solemnity and pressure; in the past, she had mostly flown directly into the main hall or traveled via teleportation arrays, never approaching step by step like this.

After a brief moment of shock, the group continued forward.

"Who are those people?"

Once the attention of the Dan Saint Hall group shifted from the palace complex, it immediately fell upon the several hundred cultivators on the square advancing while bathed in flames, while on the steps outside the Transmission of Techniques Hall further ahead, another dozen or so people were crawling with difficulty.

Yun You explained with a smile: "These are all cultivators who have come to enlist in the Zhu Que Army and are currently undergoing trials."

Hearing this, Meng Qingyao quickly asked: "When we disembarked from the flying ship earlier, I saw many outside cultivators gathering outside the Ling Guang Hall mountain gate; are they all here to join Ling Guang Hall?"

Yun You nodded, a look of pride and arrogance appearing on her face: "Ever since the Hall Master repelled the invading Phoenix Clan with thunderous force and quickly occupied the Wutong Forest, Ling Guang Hall has witnessed a peak in cultivators seeking to join."

"The cultivators undergoing trials you see today are actually few; during the previous period, the number of people wanting to join Ling Guang Hall to become part of the Zhu Que Army was truly immense."

As she spoke, Yun You's gaze swiftly swept over Hua Changxi; seeing her look exactly like someone visiting Ling Guang Hall for the first time, her eyes flickered slightly.

Could this person really not be the Hall Master?

Suppressing her doubts and withdrawing her gaze, Yun You continued to smile at Meng Qingyao and the various Secret Realm Masters: "However, this scene will soon come to an end."

Meng Qingyao asked in surprise: "Why?"

Yun You smiled: "Ling Guang Hall is only recruiting one hundred thousand soldiers for the Zhu Que Army."

Upon hearing this, Meng Qingyao and the others understood.

Yan Qianying, hailing from the Dong'an Prince's Manor, one of the four non-imperial prince manors of Great Jin, immediately exclaimed in surprise: "Has the Zhu Que Army already recruited its full complement of one hundred thousand so quickly?"

Yun You nodded with a smile, and the other Ling Guang Hall stewards also wore smiles of self-satisfaction.

Yue Heng from the Xiping Prince's Manor also asked a question: "Are all members of the Zhu Que Army single-element Fire spiritual root cultivators?"

Yun You nodded once again.

The people of the Dan Saint Hall simultaneously displayed expressions of disbelief.

It was not unusual for Ling Guang Hall to recruit one hundred thousand Zhu Que Army soldiers, but for all one hundred thousand to possess single-element Fire spiritual roots was no simple matter.

In fact, not only did outsiders find it unbelievable, but even the stewards of Ling Guang Hall found it somewhat incredible.

Yan Qianying glanced discreetly at Hua Changxi before sighing with emotion: "The Hall Master of Ling Guang Hall... possesses such broad magnanimity that it has drawn so many single-element Fire spiritual root cultivators to vie for entry."

Hua Changxi felt the scrutiny of the crowd and responded frankly: "Actually, it has nothing to do with magnanimity; it is mainly that the Hall Master of Ling Guang Hall is generous enough."

"Granting the 'Zhu Que Divine Art' upon entry, coupled with the prestige of the Zhu Que Army—this temptation is too great for cultivators without foundation, background, or paths to cultivation."

The crowd nodded in agreement, yet her frank demeanor only made those who were doubtful even more suspicious.

After crossing the mountain gate square, Yun You led the group up the steps: "The injured are all stationed at the Training Hall..."

Just as they stepped onto the stairs, faint sounds of killing cries drifted down from the Martial Arts Hall above; the Zhu Que Army was drilling in formation, and the aura of slaughter seeped subtly through the air, causing the Dan Saint Hall group to feel secretly alarmed.

"We have arrived!"

On the square outside the Training Hall, dozens of temporary medical sheds had already been erected.

The injured Zhu Que Army soldiers had been waiting here long ago; seeing the stewards leading the Dan Saint Hall group, they all straightened their backs in unison.

The moment Hua Changxi arrived at the square with Yun You and the others, she immediately received a wave of gazes interwoven with admiration, inquiry, suspicion, and awe.

In response, she merely lifted her chin slightly, meeting their eyes with a calm gaze.

Her composed and open demeanor caused the Zhu Que Army soldiers scrutinizing her to feel less inquiry and more respect.