[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-the-great-jin-s-most-iron-rice-bowl":3,"chapter-the-great-jin-s-most-iron-rice-bowl-the-great-jin-s-most-iron-rice-bowl-chapter-83":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","The Great Jin's Most Iron Rice Bowl",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},1896857,2531,"Chapter 83: The Divine Lamp","the-great-jin-s-most-iron-rice-bowl-chapter-83",83,"\u003Cp>Imperial Princes and nobles flocked to the Medical Bureau; Hua Changxi felt this was no good omen.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Medical Bureau was, after all, a technical office dedicated to studying medicine; with nobles arriving, could strife be far behind?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No, strife had already begun; had not someone already died in the Labor Hall?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing Hua Changxi struggling to carry the screen alone, Yu Gui offered help: \"Let me help you take it to the Labor Hall.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wanting to ask more about the Labor Hall, Hua Changxi did not refuse.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just as they neared the gate of the Labor Hall, Yu Gui suddenly stopped, signaling Hua Changxi to step aside while whispering, \"People from the First Pharmacy on Second Street are here again.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Changxi looked ahead and saw the visitor was none other than Gu Jinfan; she quickly lowered her head and used the screen to shield most of her body: \"Isn't this the young lady from the Duke Prefecture you mentioned before? What is she doing here?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yu Gui asked, \"Do you know about that small, dilapidated courtyard over by the square?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Changxi immediately thought of the old courtyard facing the stone cauldron in the square and nodded.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yu Gui explained, \"That is where she is going. An elderly hunchback named Gu lives in that dilapidated courtyard; she seems to know him and often visits to pay respects.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing this, Hua Changxi's eyes flickered: \"Young Lady Gu visits often?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yu Gui hummed in affirmation: \"She goes once every few days.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Changxi narrowed her eyes; the stone cauldron and the Shennong Cauldron seemed related—could Gu Jinfan's visits to the old courtyard have something to do with the stone cauldron?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"She has left; let us go.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Once Gu Jinfan's figure disappeared, Yu Gui urged Hua Changxi to move the screen.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Changxi kept this matter in mind, deciding to find an opportunity to investigate what Gu Jinfan was doing at the old courtyard.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Brother Yu, thank you for your help; I will treat you to a meal when you have time.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Sister Changxi, my godfather wishes to continue cooperating with you in pill refining...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Brother Yu, being punished and sent to the Medicine Manor gave me much to think about. I am merely a laborer; cooperating with Eunuch Yu in pill refining is truly inappropriate. I do not wish to continue.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing this, Yu Gui showed regret: \"Very well. When my godfather asks about you, I will tell him.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Changxi smiled again: \"Brother Yu, if you ever need any pills, just prepare the medicinal ingredients, and I can refine them for you.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Delight spread across Yu Gui's face: \"Sister Changxi, since you say so, I shall not stand on ceremony. Martial artists consume too many pills, and I do not know any alchemists; having you here is a great help to me. I thank you in advance.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Changxi laughed lightly: \"Brother Yu, please do not speak like that. You have helped me greatly, and I keep it all in my heart.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After exchanging a few more polite words, the two parted ways.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Changxi pushed the screen back to her quarters, placed it between the two beds to divide the room in two, and hung a cloth curtain at the foot of the beds, creating a private little space.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That night, when Du Ruo returned to the room and saw what Hua Changxi had done, she frowned but said nothing; after washing up, she lay down on her bed to sleep.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Changxi was already lying prone on her bed cultivating; hearing the movement, her eyelashes trembled slightly. Seeing that Du Ruo made no loud disturbances affecting her, she felt quite satisfied with this roommate and continued to cultivate with single-minded focus.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At midnight during the Zi hour, Hua Changxi suddenly opened her eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In her dantian, the black flame suddenly grew larger, and its tongues of fire swayed in a specific direction.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What is happening?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gazing inward at the direction the black flame swayed, Hua Changxi thought for a moment, then quietly rose, left the room, and moved toward the direction indicated by the swaying flame.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Soon, she arrived outside a courtyard.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Isn't this Eunuch Lu's courtyard?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Frowning as she looked at the courtyard, Hua Changxi took out an Invisibility Talisman from Elder Jiang's storage ring, pasted it onto her body, leaped over the wall into the yard, scanned the surroundings, and finally stopped before the door of the eastern wing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Inside the eastern wing, Steward Leng sat cross-legged, hands raised and placed over her lower abdomen; hovering above her palms was unmistakably a petal of black jade lotus.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Upon seeing the black jade lotus petal, Hua Changxi's eyes brightened.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She had always kept the search for the Asura Gate in mind, but knowing little about them, she had not yet figured out where to begin looking.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing that Steward Leng actually possessed a black jade lotus petal truly filled her with unexpected joy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Since Steward Leng could manipulate the black jade lotus petal, she was most likely a member of the Asura Gate.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the same time, inside the eastern wing, Steward Leng was cultivating with single-minded focus when she suddenly felt a sharp pain in her palm; opening her eyes, she saw black flames ignite upon the Black Lotus Saint, causing her expression to change instantly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Who is there? Come out!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Without her ignition, the black jade lotus would not burst into black flames; now that the flames had ignited, it could only be due to some external influence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Someone was outside the house!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Creak,\" the door opened, followed by another \"creak\" as it closed again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Steward Leng stared at the empty doorway, her vigilance reaching its peak.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The visitor was a cultivator!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Which fellow Daoist honors my humble abode? Please come out and meet me.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As Steward Leng spoke and stood up, intending to store away the black jade lotus petal, a bang rang out as a surge of spiritual power struck, knocking the petal straight to the ground.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What is the meaning of this, Fellow Daoist? Do you intend to rob me of my magical artifact?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Excruciating pain, as if her hand were shattering, shot through the palm struck by the spiritual power; Steward Leng's face turned pale, realizing the visitor's cultivation far surpassed her own.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Are you from the Asura Gate?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A low voice echoed within the room.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing this, Steward Leng's eyes flickered; although the speaker deliberately lowered their voice, the female tone was clearly distinguishable, and she detected a hint of familiarity: \"Are you from the Labor Hall?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Bang~\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A blast of spiritual power shot out, striking Steward Leng directly to the ground.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Answer my questions honestly, or do not force me to kill you.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Steward Leng suddenly laughed: \"You ignited the black jade lotus the moment you approached; it seems the Yin Flame within your body has been ignited as well.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Bang~\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing Steward Leng constantly attempting to seize control of the conversation, Hua Changxi unleashed another surge of spiritual power, this time striking Steward Leng so hard that she spat blood.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wiping the blood from the corner of her mouth, Steward Leng, unwilling to surrender, glanced at the black jade lotus petal in the distance; knowing she could not take the sect's magical artifact with her, she resolved only to crush her Teleportation Talisman and flee.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Who could have known that the moment her hand moved, a surge of spiritual power would strike again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Steward Leng cried out in pain; just then, a pill flew over, landed in her mouth, and before she could react, it slid down her throat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What pill did you feed me?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Steward Leng sensed the spiritual power within her body sealed off, and finally, a look of horror appeared on her face.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Answer whatever I ask; do not test my patience further.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You possess a Black Jade Lotus Petal, so your position within the Asura Gate must be high. Tell me, what exactly is the Black Jade Lotus Petal? And what is the black flame burning upon it?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Steward Leng pressed her lips together and remained silent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing this, Hua Changxi frowned: \"I know you do not fear death. I will not kill you, but I will cripple your spiritual meridians and cut off your path of cultivation.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Steward Leng's expression changed drastically: \"You dare.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Too lazy to waste words, Hua Changxi sent a surge of spiritual power straight toward Steward Leng's dantian.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She had nearly finished reading all the books left by Elder Daoist Jiang and had learned much about cultivation common sense, including the importance of a cultivator's dantian.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Steward Leng also knew that once the dantian was destroyed, cultivation would be impossible; feeling the violent tremor within her dantian's sea of qi, she finally yielded: \"I will speak, I will speak.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The Black Jade Lotus is the Asura Gate's sect-suppressing magical artifact; using human emotions and desires as fuel, it can ignite the desires within one's heart.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The black flame, also known as the Yin Flame, appears to be fire, but in truth, it is human desire.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"As long as a person has desires, the black flame cannot be extinguished.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Changxi's brows knitted together; she did not doubt these words. Comparing the black flame with her own emotional fluctuations, she realized it seemed to be exactly as described.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To think the black flame was actually desire!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"If the black flame cannot be extinguished, must we simply let it grow larger?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Steward Leng replied: \"As I said, the essence of the black flame is human desire. If you do not wish for the black flame to grow, then you must learn to control your own desires.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Changxi asked: \"What if one cannot control them?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Steward Leng smiled: \"Then one will be controlled by desire.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The moment her voice fell, another surge of spiritual power struck her body.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Changxi looked at her coldly: \"You are not telling the truth. People of your Asura Gate cultivate using the Black Jade Lotus Petal; I do not believe everyone can control their desires. You must have other methods to solve this problem.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Enduring the excruciating pain, Steward Leng glared resentfully at the empty air: \"I have not deceived you. Controlling the black flame indeed has only one method: controlling one's own desires. As for how to control those desires, that is something you must figure out yourself.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Changxi still did not quite believe her: \"You had best not lie to me or hide anything from me; otherwise, no matter where you flee, I will kill you.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Steward Leng was stunned: \"You will not kill me?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Changxi said: \"Did you not say one must control their desires? I bear no grudge against you, so why would I kill you? But if you deceive me...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A flicker of light passed through Steward Leng's eyes: \"Are your words true? You truly will not kill me?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Changxi replied: \"The Black Jade Lotus Petal can cause the black flame to grow and strengthen. You may dawdle a while longer, until I can no longer control my desire to kill.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Steward Leng hesitated for a moment: \"There is another method to control the black flame: ignite the Yang Flame within the body, also known as the White Flame.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Changxi asked: \"Are you implying that besides the Black Jade Lotus Petal, there is also a White Jade Lotus Petal?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Steward Leng hummed in agreement: \"The White Jade Lotus Petal is not as easy to ignite as the Black Jade Lotus Petal; many people, even if they possess a White Jade Lotus Petal, cannot ignite the Yang Flame.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Changxi asked: \"Where is your White Jade Lotus Petal?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Steward Leng shook her head: \"I do not have one.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Changxi retorted: \"How is it possible that you do not have one?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Steward Leng said: \"Of course I do not have one. Within the entire Asura Gate, only the Sect Master and the Yin-Yang Left and Right Envoys possess a White Jade Lotus Petal.\" Her eyes shifted slightly as she added, \"The factions possessing the most White Jade Lotus Petals are the Imperial Court and the Celestial Master Prefecture.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Changxi sent another surge of spiritual power: \"You are lying again. The Black Jade Lotus Petal and the White Jade Lotus Petal clearly appear as a pair. If the Asura Gate has Black Jade Lotus Petals, how could it possibly lack White Jade Lotus Petals?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Feeling her body nearly numb from pain, Steward Leng gritted her teeth: \"I truly have not deceived you. The Black Jade Lotus Petal and the White Jade Lotus Petal did indeed fall from the Divine Lamp.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Although the Divine Lamp belonged to the Asura Gate, the Imperial Court coveted it. During the struggle, the Divine Lamp shattered, scattering both Black Jade Lotus Petals and White Jade Lotus Petals in all directions.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The Asura Gate searched everywhere for several hundred years, recovering only a limited number of Black Jade Lotus Petals; almost all the White Jade Lotus Petals ended up in the hands of the Imperial Court, the Celestial Master Prefecture, and other factions.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Changxi felt somewhat confused by what she heard and sorted through Steward Leng's words.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Asura Gate possessed a Divine Lamp composed of black and white jade lotus petals. The Imperial Court valued this lamp and sought to claim it for themselves, leading to a great war with the Asura Gate.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>During the great war, the Divine Lamp shattered, scattering the black and white jade lotus petals in all directions.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Asura Gate recovered some, but more ended up in the hands of other factions.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She had no way to verify whether these words were true or false, yet she discerned some key points.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The black and white jade lotus petals can assist cultivation. Following your logic, does this mean the Asura Gate, the Imperial Court, the Celestial Master Prefecture, and other major factions have had cultivators since long ago?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I am not clear on that.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Then when did you begin cultivating?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I only began cultivating last year.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What about the others in the Asura Gate? When did they start cultivating?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"From what I know, most of them only started within the past two years.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What did the Asura Gate intend by arranging for you to infiltrate the Menial Hall?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"My mission was to investigate news regarding the Black Jade Lotus Petal and the White Jade Lotus Petal.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing no sound come from the room, Steward Leng thought for a moment and added: \"Actually, igniting the black flame is not entirely a bad thing.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The black flame can stimulate human desires; once a person has desires, their potential can be ignited. When human potential is ignited, one may sometimes reap unexpected benefits.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing this, Hua Changxi recalled the scene where she was trapped by the Buddha's Hand. Was it the black flame that ignited her fear of death, thereby spawning the desire for destruction needed to counter the Buddha's Hand?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Changxi did not fully believe what Steward Leng said, but seeing she could extract nothing more from her, she did not linger.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Steward Leng watched the room door open and close; confirming that the invisible cultivator had left, she exhaled a deep breath of relief. Seeing the Black Jade Lotus Petal left behind on the ground, her face showed surprise.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She actually did not kill to seize the treasure; it seems the black flame within that cultivator's body is not yet large.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Who could that person be?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The mere thought that the Corvée Hall concealed a cultivator with higher cultivation than herself made Manager Leng restless; having just skirted the edge of death, she was now filled with lingering dread.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The Medical Bureau is becoming increasingly lively.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Recalling the mission assigned to her by her sect not long ago—to steal the Rebirth Pills refined by the Medical Bureau—gave her a headache.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before tonight, she had believed that as a Qi Sea realm cultivator, even if she couldn't stride arrogantly through the entire Medical Bureau, she could at least move freely through most areas.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet, unexpectedly, the Corvée Hall hid a cultivator even more powerful than herself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If the Corvée Hall was like this, what about the nine streets ahead? Were even more formidable cultivators waiting for her there?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After returning to her quarters, Hua Changxi found herself unable to calm her mind and continue cultivating.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The fact that the Black Flame refused to extinguish was beyond her expectations; even though Manager Leng had said the flame's presence might not necessarily be a bad thing, it failed to put her at ease.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"A divine lamp fueled by the seven emotions and six desires...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Changxi turned her inner sight to the Black Flame beneath her elixir, feeling a headache coming on.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For now, her options were twofold: first, to control her own desires; second, to find the White Jade Lotus Petal and ignite the White Flame.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With the White Flame, she should be able to neutralize or halt the growth of the Black Flame.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But where could she find it?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Changxi thought of the Imperial Family and the Celestial Master's Mansion mentioned by Manager Leng; both were realms completely beyond her reach.\u003C\u002Fp>",2875,"2026-06-12T02:51:22.172Z",1,"Qwen3.5 397B","e817823d796471c5793efefee4161710088d0eb9c26154904d08124eb6e8c605","the-great-jin-s-most-iron-rice-bowl-chapter-84","the-great-jin-s-most-iron-rice-bowl-chapter-82",558,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fthe-great-jin-s-most-iron-rice-bowl-cover.jpg"]