Chapter 81: Promotion

Refining and absorbing the Creation Pill would take an entire night. At daybreak the next day, Hua Changxi went to her parents' room. After waiting for a short while, her parents and two brothers woke up.

Hua Changxi asked with a smile: "How do you feel?"

Hua Liulang said with a look of surprise: "I feel light as a feather. I feel like my whole body is clear and unobstructed. Before, I thought practicing martial arts was impressive enough, but I didn't expect there to be another, better path of cultivation in the world."

Hua Minghe and the others also had expressions of joy on their faces.

Hua Changxi smiled: "Spiritual veins are bridges connecting heaven and earth. With these bridges, one can harness the power of heaven and earth for one's own use." As she spoke, she handed the 'Burning Flame Technique' to Hua Liulang and Yao Shi.

"Mother, Sixth Brother, you have fire spiritual veins, so you must practice fire-type techniques. This technique is very suitable for you."

Then, she looked at Hua Minghe and Hua Sanlang: "The 'Green Wood Technique' that Tenth Sister left behind is a top-tier cultivation technique. You can just practice according to that."

Hua Liulang carefully put away the 'Burning Flame Technique' and looked at Hua Changxi curiously: "Jiuniang, it's not strange that Tenth Sister could take out Daoist pills and techniques, but you..."

Hua Changxi glanced sideways: "What about me? Can't I have my own opportunities?" As she spoke, she hummed: "People at home treat me like a blade of grass, but outside, I'm a treasure."

Hearing this, Yao Shi glared at her daughter: "Who in our family treats you like a blade of grass?"

Hua Changxi pursed her lips and didn't speak.

Hua Minghe seemed to have something to say but hesitated.

Seeing this, Hua Changxi said directly: "Father, whether you hide or announce the fact that you can practice, I don't care."

"I have no more pills. If people in the family get jealous because of this, or use filial piety to force you, don't come to me."

"Sixth Brother also said it: I am just a small, powerless servant. Taking out these kinds of pills will definitely attract attention, so don't stab me in the back."

Yao Shi glanced at her husband, then tapped Hua Changxi on the forehead: "Are we the kind of people who don't know the gravity of the situation? Don't worry, we won't tell the family about this."

Hua Sanlang: "But we can't hide it forever, can we?"

Yao Shi: "Then before the family finds out, we'll think of a good reason."

Hua Changxi didn't worry about this matter and took out a fire spirit stone, asking: "Did Tenth Sister leave behind stones like this?"

Hua Liulang quickly took it to look: "She did, she left a thousand of them. There's also a pouch. Jiuniang, you don't know, that pouch looks small, but it can hold so many things."

Hua Changxi: "What about those spirit stones?"

Hua Liulang: "Most of them were taken by Eldest Brother. Fourth Brother and Eleventh were divided a hundred, and Seventh Sister and Twelfth Sister were divided fifty. The pouch is also with Eldest Brother."

Hua Changxi was silent for a moment, then stood up and set up a wood-type spirit-gathering array in an empty spot in the room.

Hua Liulang asked curiously: "Jiuniang, what are you doing?"

Hua Changxi looked at Hua Minghe: "Father, from now on, when you practice, come to this spirit-gathering array to practice. This way, your cultivation speed will be faster."

Then, she looked at Yao Shi: "Mother, you go to my room to practice. I've set up a fire-type spirit-gathering array in my room."

Hua Liulang hurriedly asked: "What about Third Brother and me?"

Hua Changxi: "I'll go to your room in a while and set one up for you."

Without a storage bag, spirit stones were hard to store, and spirit-gathering arrays were more suitable for her family to practice.

Hua Changxi handed the 'Four Arts Introduction' to Hua Sanlang: "Third Brother, this talks about some common knowledge of cultivation. Take it and copy it down."

As she spoke, she looked seriously at her four relatives.

"Cultivation, just like martial arts, requires a huge amount of resources. In the beginning, Tenth Sister and I will provide some for you, but how far you can go in the end depends on yourselves."

"You must keep this in mind."

Hearing this, Hua Minghe and the others knew that the two daughters (sisters) had given them a great opportunity, and their faces were somewhat bitter.

Hua Changxi didn't say anything more: "Father, Mother, it's getting late, I have to go to the Medical Department."

Yao Shi held her back: "Jiuniang, do you still want to stay in the Medical Department as a servant?"

Hua Changxi nodded: "I don't plan on leaving the Medical Department for now."

Yao Shi hurriedly said: "When Tenth Sister left, she said that being a servant is too hard and told you not to go anymore. She told you to wait for her to come back, and she would arrange other work for you."

Hua Changxi laughed: "Mother, I know Tenth Sister has good intentions, but I have my own path to walk, and this is something no one can help with."

"Alright, don't worry about me. If I'm really unhappy working at the Medical Department, I know how to make a choice. I'm leaving now."

Hua Changxi left the room and saw Old Master Hua and the others already sitting in the main hall. She said: "Grandfather, Grandmother, Second Uncle, Second Aunt, Fourth Uncle, Fourth Aunt, I'm going to the Medical Department."

Watching her walk out of the courtyard, Old Madam Hua said: "It's fine for Jiuniang to continue staying at the Medical Department. Although Tenth Sister has some connections there, they shouldn't be wasted casually."

Old Master Hua didn't speak, which was considered tacit agreement.

The people from the second and fourth branches didn't say anything either.

Tenth Sister had made something of herself, and everyone was counting on her to help them. If the resources in her hands were given to Jiuniang, then they would get less.

When Hua Changxi arrived at the Medical Department, it was already the Si hour (9:00 AM). As soon as she entered the Servant Hall, she felt that the atmosphere was a bit off.

In the past, although the servants did heavy work every day, because their wages were higher than outside, everyone's faces were more or less carrying smiles.

But this time, walking along the way, she found that the servants' mental outlook was not very good, and most of them had worried expressions.

"Changxi, you're back."

Returning to the Sixth Bureau, Wang Yunchu was the first to see Hua Changxi. When the others heard her voice and looked in the direction of the sound, seeing that she had really returned from the Medicine Farm, they were all very surprised.

Du Ruo looked Hua Changxi over. Seeing that she hadn't become timid or cowardly because of going to the Medicine Farm, and that the flamboyant spirit on her body was even stronger than before, she was surprised while also feeling relieved.

It seemed that this girl hadn't suffered much hardship after going to the Medicine Farm.

"Eunuch Lu gave instructions that as soon as you returned, you were to go find him."

Hua Changxi: "I'll go see Eunuch Lu after I put down my luggage."

Wang Yunchu put down her work and followed Hua Changxi back to the dormitory.

Seeing this, Hua Changxi asked in confusion: "Do you have something to say?"

Wang Yunchu whispered: "Eunuch Lu hasn't had an easy time lately. He's been scolded by Eunuch Jia several times. When you go to see him, make sure to keep your temper in check."

Seeing that she had come specifically to remind her, Hua Changxi smiled: "Thank you, I'll be careful. By the way, I noticed the atmosphere in the Servant Hall is a bit off. Has something happened?"

Wang Yunchu looked left and right, and seeing no one, whispered: "Last month, Eunuch Sun, who was in charge of the First Bureau, died, and a new Eunuch Zhou came."

"As soon as that Eunuch Zhou took office, the first thing he did was replace all the original managers of the First Bureau."

"Some of Eunuch Sun's direct subordinates were found to have embezzled medicinal materials and were beaten to death, while others were driven out of the Servant Hall on trumped-up charges."

Hearing this, Hua Changxi's expression became a bit more serious. Was the struggle in the Servant Hall that intense?

Wang Yunchu continued: "Not just the First Bureau, the Second Bureau and our Third Bureau are also restless. It seems like someone is looking for trouble with Eunuch Jia."

Hua Changxi frowned. Someone was looking for trouble with Eunuch Jia, and Eunuch Jia happened to call her back at this time. Was there a connection between the two?

"Yunchu, thank you for telling me this. I'll go see Eunuch Lu first, and we'll talk when I get back."

Hua Changxi put her luggage on her bed and went directly to Eunuch Lu's courtyard to find him. However, she didn't see Eunuch Lu in the courtyard, but instead saw Manager Leng.

"You're back."

Manager Leng looked at Hua Changxi with a smile, not surprised by her return. Clearly, Eunuch Lu had already told her about this.

Hua Changxi looked at Manager Leng, her eyes flickering slightly.

Spiritual energy fluctuations!

There were actually spiritual energy fluctuations on Manager Leng!

This person was a cultivator!

A cultivator fawning over and currying favor with a eunuch?

What was this Manager Leng's background? What was she trying to do by lurking in the Servant Hall?

"Manager Leng, I'm looking for Eunuch Lu."

"Eunuch Lu is over at Eunuch Jia's place. He gave instructions that as soon as you returned, I should take you over. Come with me."

Manager Leng took the initiative to take Hua Changxi to the courtyard where Eunuch Jia worked.

As soon as the two entered the courtyard, they saw someone being beaten with a board in the center of the courtyard. The waist and buttocks were beaten until they were a bloody mess.

The person being beaten was none other than Eunuch Lu.

Eunuch Jia sat high on the steps. Seeing Manager Leng bring Hua Changxi, he raised his hand to stop the person beating with the board and had people carry Eunuch Lu away.

Manager Leng clearly hadn't expected Eunuch Lu to be beaten, and beaten so miserably. She was still counting on this person to cover for her, so she gave Hua Changxi a look, signaling her to pay respects to Eunuch Jia, while she herself quietly retreated.

Eunuch Jia knew that Manager Leng was Eunuch Lu's lover. Seeing her leave, he didn't say anything, his gaze remaining fixed on Hua Changxi.

So alike!

Too alike!

Some time ago, he saw the Fifth Imperial Prince and the direct disciple of the Tai Su Palace Sect Leader in the palace. That direct disciple looked exactly like Hua Changxi.

He sent people to investigate the Hua family, and this investigation was incredible: Hua Changxi actually had a twin sister who went to the Tai Su Palace when she was very young.

That direct disciple was Hua Changxi's twin sister, Hua Tenth Sister.

Thinking of the respectful attitude the Chief Eunuch of the Qianqing Palace had toward Hua Tenth Sister, Eunuch Jia's regard for Hua Changxi increased a few notches. Seeing her standing still without coming up to pay respects, he didn't blame her, but instead spoke first: "The circumstances of your being punished by Little Lu to go to the Medicine Farm are already known to this house."

Hua Changxi's eyes flickered. She was punished by Eunuch Lu to go to the Medicine Farm because of their cooperation in refining medicine, which fell apart due to a dispute over the split. What did Eunuch Jia mean by this?

Was he trying to say he had leverage over her?

Seeing her not speaking, Eunuch Jia continued: "This house really didn't expect your attainments in refining medicine to be so high. This house can also mobilize a batch of medicinal materials. How about we cooperate according to the split you mentioned before?"

Hua Changxi looked at Eunuch Jia in surprise. This posture didn't look like he was trying to hold her mistakes over her.

"Eunuch Jia, I don't want to cooperate with anyone to refine medicine anymore."

Eunuch Jia frowned slightly, a sense of displeasure at being rejected rising in his heart: "What this house provides is not waste medicinal materials."

Hua Changxi: "Eunuch, it's not about the medicinal materials. Before, I was too ignorant of the immensity of heaven and earth. I've learned my lesson now and don't dare to act recklessly anymore."

With the Mount Wuzhi, where would she lack medicinal materials?

Moreover, she didn't want to refine ordinary pills anymore. She had to hurry to refine spirit pills for cultivators. Her alchemist rank hadn't been promoted yet.

Thinking that she still had to refine thousands of furnaces of pills to advance from a first-grade alchemist to a second-grade alchemist, she felt that time was not enough.

Eunuch Jia didn't think that this girl in front of him had been scared out of her wits after being punished at the Medicine Farm for a few months, but since she wasn't willing, he couldn't force her: "This house heard that you stayed quite well in the Sancha Medicine Valley and were even valued by Grandmaster You."

Hua Changxi smiled: "It's just that Grandmaster You is a good person and takes care of the younger generation."

Eunuch Jia looked deeply at Hua Changxi. Was this girl acting so fearless because she knew her sister was valued by the palace?

"Little Lu said that after you entered the Servant Hall, you worked seriously and efficiently. Your attainments in medicine are so high that being a servant is truly a waste of your talent."

"How about this: you try being a Third Manager first. If you do well, in the future, I will hand over the management of all the female servants in the Third Bureau to you."

Hua Changxi was a bit confused. She rejected Eunuch Jia, but Eunuch Jia promoted her instead.

Was this magnanimity, or was there some other calculation?

Thinking that after becoming a Third Manager, not only would she have a lot of free time, but she would also have a certain degree of autonomy, Hua Changxi didn't refuse.

As for what Eunuch Jia was planning, she would find out sooner or later.

Eunuch Jia didn't care what Hua Changxi was thinking and directly ordered the eunuch Little Shou beside him to go to the Sixth Bureau to announce the appointment.

When Hua Changxi returned to the Sixth Bureau, everyone knew she had become a Third Manager.

Third Managers didn't have to live in the large dormitory; they lived in two-person rooms. When Hua Changxi returned to her original residence to get her luggage, she saw Du Ruo.

Du Ruo looked at Hua Changxi, wanting to say something but hesitating: "The person you are replacing is Big Sister Zhou. Big Sister Zhou is a good person, and the female servants under her are all quite submissive to her."

Hua Changxi was stunned: "Replacing? Wasn't there a Third Manager position vacant?"

Du Ruo was also very surprised to hear her ask this: "No, Big Sister Zhou just got sick and asked for leave to go home. She is coming back."

Hua Changxi frowned, feeling that Eunuch Jia was deliberately making things difficult for her, making her offend people as soon as she took office: "Thank you, Manager Du, for the reminder. I know about this."

Seeing that Hua Changxi still intended to be a Third Manager, Du Ruo looked troubled.

Seeing this, Hua Changxi raised an eyebrow: "What, Manager Du thinks I should refuse to be this Third Manager? But the person who made the decision wasn't me, it was Eunuch Jia."

"Even if I refused, Eunuch Jia might arrange for someone else."

"If Manager Du wants to seek justice for that Big Sister Zhou, she should go find Eunuch Jia."

Hua Changxi still understood workplace rules. She could be a thorn in the side, but she would never take the initiative to offend the direct leader who could decide her stay or departure. She didn't want to leave the Medical Department yet.

First, because she hadn't figured out what was going on with the stone cauldron in the center of the square.

Second, cultivation couldn't just be about burying one's head in hard practice. Contacting many people in the Medical Department could be considered a small interpersonal trial field.

After entering the Golden Core stage, her two cultivation stagnations were both broken because of contact with people. Although she hadn't fully understood the reason, contacting more people was generally good for her cultivation.

Third, the Medical Department was the highest medical office in the Great Jin with the best medical skills. Staying here, she could know all the latest information about medical skills and refining medicine.

Also, although there were many medicinal materials in Mount Wuzhi, they couldn't cover all spiritual plants and medicines. Medicinal materials from all over the country would be sent to the Medical Department. Staying here, she could also collect information on medicinal materials that Mount Wuzhi didn't have.

Fourth, Gu Jinfan was here. She always felt that this person had something strange about her. Paying attention to her in secret might lead to unexpected gains. ===== CHAPTER 82 =====