Chapter 273: Inaction
The replies from Qihuang Hall and Spiritual Realm Pavilion were swift. Pharmacist Xu waited outside the Lecturer’s Hall. After Hua Changxi finished her lecture for the apprentices, she quickly reported the responses from both sides.
“Hall Master, Qihuang Hall has agreed to your request to lecture in Halls Number One through Nine.”
“Spiritual Realm Pavilion did not agree to help resolve the issue of setting up a registration point at the entrance of the Medical Affairs Department.”
Only one of the two conditions was met, but Hua Changxi was not disappointed. She merely sighed, “Guardian families are more nominal than I imagined.”
Having Dan Yuan Secret Realm recruit more apprentices would also contribute to the development of Dan Sheng Hall.
Guardian families bear the responsibility of protecting the Dao. Reviving Dan Sheng Hall, one of the Five Great Sacred Lands, could be considered a form of indirect Dao protection.
Yet, instead of offering support, they obstructed her.
Furthermore, she was the Secret Realm Master of Dan Yuan Secret Realm, and thus a member of Spiritual Realm Pavilion.
Logically, Spiritual Realm Pavilion had a responsibility to help her resolve issues, as the original intention of the Xia Family in establishing Spiritual Realm Pavilion was for mutual assistance among Secret Realm Masters.
She faced difficulties and offered an exchange, yet Spiritual Realm Pavilion still sought to suppress her. In essence, the establishment of Spiritual Realm Pavilion was merely to facilitate the selfish pursuits of the Guardian families, with the revival and development of Sacred Lands being secondary.
Pharmacist Xu dared not comment on the Guardian families but relayed the information he had gathered from Spiritual Realm Pavilion.
“Hall Master, the number of members in Spiritual Realm Pavilion has increased significantly.”
“Previously, the members of Spiritual Realm Pavilion were only the Secret Realm Masters, but now, the young cultivators brought by Senior Xia have also joined Spiritual Realm Pavilion.”
“People are privately discussing that Spiritual Realm Pavilion is emulating Qihuang Hall.”
Among Qihuang Hall’s members, the eighteen Hall Masters only constitute a portion. Many Royal Family members and Noble Family scions have become members of Qihuang Hall simply by having their names listed there.
Spiritual Realm Pavilion has followed suit. Nowadays, in the Secret Realm, besides the Secret Realm Masters, there are also a host of stewards and responsible individuals.
Hua Changxi frowned upon hearing this but quickly relaxed her expression.
Whether it was Qihuang Hall or Spiritual Realm Pavilion, they had turned the Medical Affairs Department into a mess. Even Gu Xing, the most legitimate gatekeeper of the Sacred Land, did not intervene, so it was even less of her concern.
She only needed to take care of her own affairs.
Hua Changxi dismissed Pharmacist Xu and then summoned the ten apprentices with the most talent for preparation.
She had been teaching apprentices how to prepare Spiritual Medicine on Dan Yuan Peak for nearly a month. These ten apprentices had learned the most thoroughly, and she decided they would be the ones to conduct future lectures.
For the next few days, these ten apprentices served as the main lecturers, with her as their assistant. After personally supervising a few of their lectures and confirming they could independently teach other apprentices, she began preparing to lecture at Qihuang Hall.
Hua Changxi successfully unlocked the lecture content for Qihuang Halls Number One through Nine, but only Hall Number One was bound to a Qihuang Token.
The other eight Qihuang Halls were still in an ‘unclaimed’ state. Others holding Qihuang Tokens had the opportunity to bind themselves to these eight halls.
Her ten Qihuang Tokens were lost in the Nine Netherworlds, and she didn’t know when she would get them back. Her proposal to lecture at Qihuang Hall was to see if she could still bind to a Qihuang Hall without her Qihuang Tokens nearby.
As for the criterion for judgment, it was cultivation speed.
When she had unlocked Qihuang Halls and lectured within them, her cultivation speed had improved.
On June 28th, Hua Changxi arrived outside Qihuang Hall Number Two.
Days ago, news had spread that she would be lecturing on the “Comprehensive Guide to First Rank Spiritual Medicine Preparation” in Qihuang Hall Number Two. She had expected many people to attend, but surprisingly, there were very few.
Compared to the previous lectures by other Qihuang Hall Masters, where the area outside the hall was packed three layers deep, the difference was immense.
On Qihuang Street, people occasionally glanced towards Hall Number Two, but as soon as the Holy Guards patrolled by, they immediately dispersed.
Hua Changxi observed this scene, lost in thought.
The person responsible for managing Qihuang Hall Number Two was Xie An, the Eldest Disciple of Department Head Gu. Upon seeing Hua Changxi arrive, Xie An immediately greeted her with a smile.
“Hall Master Hua, everyone has been waiting for a long time for you to begin your lecture.”
Hua Changxi smiled and asked, “There are hardly any people on the street. What’s going on?”
Xie An glanced at the Holy Guards patrolling nearby and smiled, “The Holy Guards stated that Qihuang Halls are places for lectures, and people are not allowed to linger casually, nor are they allowed to gather or make noise.”
Hua Changxi: “Since when were there such rules?”
Xie An smiled: “They were implemented just recently.”
Upon hearing this, Hua Changxi’s eyes darkened. She didn’t need to ask; these rules were clearly aimed at her. Although Qihuang Hall agreed to her lecturing, they didn’t want too many people to attend.
Xie An also felt helpless. Qihuang Hall and Spiritual Realm Pavilion both did not want Hua Changxi to gain too much prestige.
Hua Changxi said nothing and stepped into Qihuang Hall Number Two.
Upon seeing that the people inside were either Royal Family members, Noble Family scions, or cultivators selected by the Guardian families, her brow furrowed.
Hua Changxi sneered inwardly. No wonder Qihuang Hall so readily agreed to her terms; they were waiting for her here.
She had exchanged her “Comprehensive Guide to First Rank Spiritual Medicine Preparation” for the qualification to be a lecturer for this group!
Everyone in the hall was observing Hua Changxi’s expression. Seeing her stern face, many inwardly rejoiced, especially Prince Shou. Even Xia Zhen wore a beaming smile.
Did they really think they could order them around just because they had some skill?
Hmph, it was incredibly easy to deal with someone without roots or background!
Gu Xing had also arrived. Seeing Hua Changxi walk onto the main lecturing platform with a somber expression, he felt a slight sense of relief.
Fortunately, she didn’t lose her temper on the spot; she still had some composure!
Hua Changxi surveyed the people present, her gaze falling on Department Head Gu. She smiled and asked, “Department Head Gu, I’d like to ask you a question.”
Without waiting for Department Head Gu to react, she directly posed her question.
“Do you think you can hold onto your position as the Hall Master of Qihuang Hall Number Two?”
This statement caused not only Department Head Gu’s expression to change but also those who were looking forward to seeing Hua Changxi make a fool of herself.
Department Head Gu was surprised that Hua Changxi would confront him and asked, “What does Hall Master Hua mean by this?”
Hua Changxi smiled: “If someone who holds a Qihuang Token is guaranteed to be the Hall Master of a Qihuang Hall, then why did Zhu Qinghuan lose her position as Hall Master?”
Department Head Gu’s expression turned serious.
Hua Changxi continued to smile: “The current Qihuang Halls are merely empty courtyards. Do you truly believe that possessing a Qihuang Token means you can rest easy? That you don’t need to shoulder the responsibilities of a Hall Master?”
“You are the Hall Master of Qihuang Hall Number Two, aren’t you? But does Hall Number Two answer to you?”
“Someone who doesn’t have the final say, do you think they can hold onto their position as Hall Master?”
“Do you think such a person can gain the recognition of the Sacred Land?”
Department Head Gu understood. Hua Changxi was displeased with his inaction in allowing the Royal Family to suppress her. Although he wanted to retort after being publicly ridiculed by Hua Changxi, he was momentarily speechless.
A couple of days prior, Shen Qianfan had delivered a message stating that when external Hall Masters lectured, the number of attendees in each Qihuang Hall must not exceed one hundred.
He knew this was the Royal Family’s directive. Not wanting to confront the Royal Family directly, he did not object.
According to his principles, this action was acceptable. However, as the Hall Master of Hall Number Two, allowing others to interfere in the affairs of Qihuang Hall meant he had indeed been somewhat negligent.
Hua Changxi looked down on Department Head Gu, as well as others who held Qihuang Tokens.
These people did nothing, yet they dreamed of holding onto their Hall Master positions based solely on a token. What a pipe dream.
