Chapter 438: The Opportunity to Guard the Realm

"Master."

The day after returning from the Lingguang Hall, early in the morning, Yu Fu and the other three came to the bamboo hut to find Hua Changxi.

Hua Changxi had just finished refining a furnace of fourth-grade pills, and the air was filled with their fragrance: "What is it?"

Yu Fu spoke quickly: "The Spirit Realm Pavilion just issued a notice summoning the Realm Masters to a meeting, saying they intend to discuss the matter Elder Gu previously raised regarding 'how the Holy Lands operated in ancient times'."

Hua Changxi was concerned about the injuries of Yang Zhao and the other Zhu Que Army soldiers, and also thinking about the teaching content for Qihuang Halls number ten through eighteen; she had neither the mood nor the interest to attend to the matter of the Pill Saint Hall establishing its organizational structure.

One did not need to think hard to know that during this period, all parties would surely engage in various wrangling and clashes.

In her opinion, they should simply copy the ancient operational system directly; what need was there to hold a meeting to discuss it?

Holding a meeting was merely for the distribution of benefits.

"Here is the plan: Yu Fu and Jia Lu, you two will represent Pill Yuan Peak to attend the meeting; Zhao Xi and Zhou Shou, you will represent Pill Ding Peak to attend."

Hearing this, Yu Fu and the other three were all somewhat dumbfounded.

Hua Changxi delegated authority far too decisively!

Yu Fu lacked confidence: "Master, can the four of us really attend the Realm Master meeting?"

Hua Changxi said: "Go with ease; the other Realm Masters would sooner I did not attend." She paused, "Just ensure that, with the Holy Land as the priority, neither Pill Yuan Peak nor Pill Ding Peak suffers losses."

Since Hua Changxi had spoken so, Yu Fu and the other three found it difficult to say anything more, and they went to the Spirit Realm Pavilion with hearts full of anxiety.

When the four entered the council hall, all the Realm Masters looked over, but just as the four expected to face obstruction, everyone calmly shifted their gazes away.

Until the meeting began, not a single person mentioned Hua Changxi's absence.

While the Realm Masters were holding their meeting, Hua Changxi once again arrived at Qihuang Street, walking along the street from Qihuang Hall number one to Qihuang Hall number eighteen.

The Qihuang Halls were undoubtedly the places where the Pill Saint Hall conducted lectures and taught students.

The eighteen Qihuang Halls each had a clear specialization, progressing layer by layer to construct a complete system for aiding the world.

Hall Number One: Identification of hundred herbs, analysis of medicinal principles.

Hall Number Two: Processing of medicinal ingredients.

Hall Number Three: Cultivation and breeding of medicinal ingredients.

Hall Number Four: Construction of all living beings, involving anatomy, acupuncture, anesthesia, massage, and other content.

Hall Number Five: Decomposition, extraction, and fusion of all things.

Hall Number Six: Pill refining.

Hall Number Seven: Manifestation of bloodline totems, promoting bloodline atavism, and acquiring atavistic divine abilities.

Hall Number Eight: Body refinement.

Hall Number Nine: The arts of observation, listening, questioning, and pulse-taking.

The first nine Qihuang Halls involved superficial medical arts and Daoist pill research regarding living beings; they did not cover research into the deeper layers of living beings, that is, the 'alternate spaces'—the dantian and the sea of consciousness.

Would Qihuang Halls number ten through eighteen teach research into the deeper layers of living beings, specifically the realm of 'alternate spaces'?

In-depth research into 'alternate spaces' could not avoid the topic of spiritual roots.

Without spiritual roots, a cultivator could not cultivate an 'alternate space'.

So, was the content taught in Qihuang Hall number ten related to spiritual roots?

Hua Changxi stood outside Qihuang Hall number ten, her gaze heavy and condensed, her expression slightly irritable.

The current Qihuang Halls all had hall masters; even though she had some guesses about the content taught in halls ten through eighteen, she could not simply enter to verify them.

Furthermore, her Buddhist prayer bead bracelet lost in the Nine Nether contained all ten Qihuang Tokens she had obtained to open the Qihuang Halls.

Without the Qihuang Tokens, even if she truly unlocked the content taught in Qihuang Hall number ten, she would merely be working for the benefit of others.

This, she was unwilling to do.

"Peak Master Hua!"

A call came from behind; Hua Changxi turned around to see Gu Jinfan and Tang Yufeng approaching together.

After the two drew near, Gu Jinfan looked at Hua Changxi and asked with a smile: "Peak Master Hua standing here, are you looking for me?"

The hall master of Qihuang Hall number ten was indeed Gu Jinfan.

Hua Changxi shook her head with a smile: "Just passing by."

Gu Jinfan naturally did not believe this answer, but she did not press further, merely smiling.

Tang Yufeng took up the conversation with a laugh: "I heard a meeting is currently underway at the Spirit Realm Pavilion; why did Peak Master Hua not attend?"

Hua Changxi looked at the two: "Meetings are too boring; I do not like them."

This response truly left Tang Yufeng and Gu Jinfan at a loss for words.

Hua Changxi's indifference toward power truly astonished them.

Tang Yufeng clicked his tongue twice: "Peak Master Hua, do you know that sometimes you are quite hateable?"

"For today's Spirit Realm Pavilion meeting, many people wanted to attend but lacked the qualification to participate. And you? You are eligible to attend, yet you say it is boring."

Gu Jinfan, seeing that Hua Changxi remained unmoved by Tang Yufeng's words, tentatively said: "A Realm Master can command the Pill Saint Hall only because Peak Master Hua paid a price; now that you do not attend the meeting, are you not afraid others will pluck your fruits?"

Hua Changxi looked at her: "What I want, no one can snatch away."

Hearing this, Tang Yufeng immediately gave Hua Changxi a thumbs-up: "That is indeed Peak Master Hua; so domineering. However, events are unpredictable; perhaps many things will not go as you wish."

Hua Changxi glanced at him: "Then we shall speak of it when things do not go as wished."

Uh...

Tang Yufeng fell silent.

"I have matters to attend to; I will leave first."

Hua Changxi lifted her foot to leave, but after a moment's thought, she turned back to look at Gu Jinfan: "I wish to exchange the Qihuang Hall we each manage; what do you think?"

Gu Jinfan's eyes flashed: "I think it is not advisable."

Seeing her refusal, Hua Changxi did not persist and turned to leave; after walking a few steps, she heard Gu Jinfan's voice come from behind.

"I can give you the position of Master of Qihuang Hall No. 10, and I do not want Qihuang Hall No. 13 either."

Hua Changxi stopped, turned to look at Gu Jinfan, and said, "I do not want the position of Master of Qihuang Hall; I want the Qihuang Token."

Hearing this, the last doubt in Gu Jinfan's mind vanished; most of the Qihuang Tokens in the old courtyard had indeed been taken by Hua Changxi.

Hua Changxi had attended classes at Qihuang Halls No. 1 through No. 9, so she held at least nine Qihuang Tokens in her hand.

Gu Jinfan took out the Qihuang Token she had obtained and tossed it directly to Hua Changxi.

Hua Changxi caught the Qihuang Token, thoroughly surprised.

Not only her, but Tang Yufeng standing nearby also wore a face of shock.

Hua Changxi looked at Gu Jinfan, her face full of confusion: "What are you doing?"

Gu Jinfan replied, "Without a revived Qihuang Hall, even if I guard it until the end of time, it will be of no benefit."

"Peak Master Hua, I give you one Qihuang Token; when Qihuang Hall No. 10 truly opens in the future, just arrange a position as Deputy Master for me."

Hua Changxi said, "You seem to have quite a lot of confidence in me."

Gu Jinfan smiled but said nothing.

Hua Changxi gazed at the Qihuang Token in her hand, fell silent for a moment, then said, "Have your people move out of Qihuang Hall No. 10; I will immediately arrange for disciples from Danyuan Peak to take over."

Gu Jinfan said, "Very well."

Watching Hua Changxi stride away proudly with the Qihuang Token, Tang Yufeng looked at Gu Jinfan with deep distress: "Have you gone mad? The Qihuang Token is the credential of the Qihuang Hall Master; even if you wish to curry favor with Hua Changxi, there is no need to pay such a heavy price."

Gu Jinfan looked at Tang Yufeng and laughed helplessly: "From the series of events at the Dansheng Hall, have you still not realized that Hua Changxi is not someone who enjoys handling specific affairs?"

"To put it in old terms, she is the one who conquers the empire, but once the empire is conquered, someone must still guard it."

"I simply intend to use the Qihuang Token in my hand to exchange for an opportunity to guard the empire."

After hearing this, although Tang Yufeng agreed with her words in his heart, he still said, "I still feel you handed over the Qihuang Token too early."

Gu Jinfan glanced at him with disdain: "People like you have played so many schemes and tricks that you can no longer see what truly requires attention."

She paused.

"As soon as she returned from the Lingguang Hall, Hua Changxi came to inspect the Qihuang Halls; today she did not even hold the meeting at the Lingjing Pavilion but came to inspect again; why do you think that is?"

Tang Yufeng opened his mouth but said nothing.

Gu Jinfan looked toward Danyuan Peak and said, "The content taught at Qihuang Halls No. 1 through No. 9 was all unlocked by Hua Changxi; now that she is inspecting Qihuang Halls No. 10 through No. 18 so frequently, it must be because she has found some leads."