Chapter 87: Riding the General Trend, Ready to Soar
“What do you think of Hua Jiuniang?”
After bidding farewell to the Hua family members and Steward Kong, they got into the carriage. Once the carriage started moving, Hua Tai began to talk about Hua Changxi with his eldest son, Hua Mingzhe.
Hua Mingzhe: “It’s indeed as Grandmother said, she’s a bit unruly. Her attitude towards Steward Kong was something I didn’t expect.”
“For a young woman, she neither feared nor fawned over the power of the Marquis’s Mansion. She actually has some backbone.”
“By the way, Father, Hua Jiuniang and Hua Shiniang are twins. It doesn’t make sense for the younger sister to be a cultivation genius while the elder sister is just a mortal, right?”
“Uncle Hua Bin said she hasn’t had her spiritual root tested yet. Should we send her to the Earl’s Mansion to get it tested?”
Hua Tai shook his head: “There’s no rush for that. That girl is very proud. If we push too hard, she might think we have ill intentions. Let’s wait until she comes to us herself.”
Hua Mingzhe nodded, then sighed: “I thought Hua Bin’s lineage wouldn’t achieve much, but I didn’t expect them to produce six cultivators.”
Hua Tai was also very envious: “There shouldn’t be so many people born with spiritual roots. It must be Hua Shiniang who provided the pills.”
Upon hearing this, Hua Mingzhe’s eyes lit up with longing: “Father…”
Seeing his eldest son’s expression, Hua Tai immediately knew what he wanted to say and sighed: “Pills for shaping spiritual roots are too rare. Even the Earl can’t get them.”
“Although Hua Shiniang is a disciple of the Taisu Palace Sect Leader, she probably can’t get many. Hua Bin’s lineage has so many people, there’s no chance for us.”
Hua Mingzhe was full of disappointment: “Do we really have no chance to become cultivators?”
Hua Tai looked at his eldest son: “You follow the Heir diligently. Pills are refined from spiritual medicines and spiritual fruits. If the Earl’s Mansion can secure more mountain ranges, there might be opportunities in the future.”
“Also, you need to have your wife keep a closer eye on Wanyue. Martial artists can’t do without pills, and cultivators can’t do without them either. Our family needs to have its own alchemist.”
“And, pay more attention to the news from the Medical Affairs Department through Wanyue. Although Hua Jiuniang is just a laborer, you should still interact with her.”
“The appearance of cultivators is both an opportunity and a challenge. The Imperial Court will be reshuffled because of this, and so will the clan. Whether our family can continue to hold the position of Clan Elder in the future is uncertain.”
Hua Mingzhe’s face showed a solemn expression. He had actually felt this already. In the past, their family was the most capable helper of the Earl’s Mansion, but now the Earl and the Heir valued the few cultivators in the clan more.
On the other side, Steward Kong’s carriage left Xiuzheng Ward and boarded another luxurious carriage by the roadside.
Inside the carriage, Third Master He held the Five Elements Art, reading it carefully and attentively.
“Third Master.”
“Have you met all the Hua family members with spiritual roots?”
“Yes, only Hua Da Lang and Hua Shiniang were absent.”
“There’s a rare treasure appearing in the northwest, and Hua Da Lang is now a member of the Demon Suppressing Division, so he must have gone to the northwest. With Hua Shiniang appearing with a rare treasure, Taisu Palace won’t stand by idly. What arrangements does the Earl’s Mansion have for the other four?”
“Except for Hua Shiyilang continuing his studies at the Martial Arts Academy, Hua Silang, Hua Qiniang, and Hua Shierniang will all go to the Earl’s Mansion to cultivate. The Earl’s Mansion has spent a large sum to invite a Qi Sea Realm cultivator to guide the Hua clan members in their cultivation.”
Upon hearing this, Third Master He felt a bit envious: “The Hua clan’s luck is truly good. They produced Hua Shiniang, and there are so many descendants in the clan who have tested for spiritual roots.”
Steward Kong hesitated for a moment, then spoke about Hua Changxi: “Hua Shiniang’s twin sister, Hua Jiuniang, in my opinion, is not an ordinary person.”
Third Master He’s interest was piqued: “Is there anything special about her?”
Steward Kong: “I can’t say for sure, it’s just a feeling. She truly has the spirit of a newborn calf that fears no tiger, and it’s not a bluff. She seems very confident.”
Third Master He: “Could it be… she’s also a cultivator?”
Steward Kong shook his head. He truly didn’t know how to determine if someone was a cultivator.
Third Master He thought for a moment: “Who has our family arranged to enter the Medical Affairs Department?”
Steward Kong quickly replied: “The second daughter of the eldest branch and the fourth daughter of the second branch have both entered the Medical Affairs Department.”
Third Master He frowned: “Didn’t we say we were arranging for San Lang to go to the Medical Affairs Department before?”
Steward Kong replied: “The Marquis said that the young masters of the family need to improve their cultivation first. No matter what changes happen in the future, strong martial force is the foundation of the Marquis’s Mansion.”
Third Master He strongly agreed with this statement. After thinking for a moment, he said: “Go to the Treasure Pavilion later and pick out some jewelry. I want to visit Concubine Hua when I get back.”
Steward Kong immediately agreed. He understood that Third Master wanted to gather information about Hua Jiuniang from Concubine Hua.
Third Master He added: “Pick out a few more pieces. Deliver them to Second Daughter and Fourth Daughter yourself. Since you think Hua Jiuniang is unusual, you should have them keep an eye out for her in the Medical Affairs Department.”
Steward Kong highly agreed with Third Master He’s instructions. Seeing Hua Jiuniang again today, when her gaze swept over him, he felt that same sense of not daring to meet her eyes.
As a steward of the Marquis’s Mansion, he usually dealt with high officials and nobles, yet even then, very few people made him feel this way.
A voice in his heart confirmed it: this Hua Jiuniang was definitely not ordinary.
It seemed he would have to get along well with Concubine Hua in the future.
Hua Family.
After seeing off Steward Kong and the father and son Hua Tai, all the Hua family members gathered in the main hall. Old Madam Hua, along with Madam Yao, Second Aunt Hua, and Fourth Aunt Hua, happily flipped through the New Year’s gifts sent by the Marquis’s Mansion, the Great Clan Elder’s family, and the Earl’s Mansion.
Old Master Hua, on the other hand, said to his three sons and several grandsons: “Tidy yourselves up tomorrow. I’ll take you to pay New Year’s calls at the clan. According to your Grandpa Hua Tai, we might also need to visit the Earl’s Mansion.”
“Silang, Shiyilang, tomorrow when you meet other clan members who have tested for spiritual roots, you must get along well with them.”
Hua Silang smiled: “Grandfather, don’t worry, we will.”
Seeing his descendants succeed, Old Master Hua was very happy: “The Wu Yi Marquis’s Mansion is such a large family, yet they don’t have as many people who have tested for spiritual roots as our Hua clan. This shows that our Hua clan’s luck is stronger than theirs.”
Hua Changxi watched her grandfather openly discuss the matter of the Earl’s Mansion and the Wu Yi Marquis’s Mansion testing for spiritual roots, and she was somewhat surprised.
Although she had learned about the Spiritual Energy Revival from the Mountain Spirit, she thought that the nobles who received the news first would have kept it a secret.
She didn’t expect they wouldn’t!
Their family was just a low-ranking official family. Now that they all knew and were discussing it openly, it could only mean that in the circles of the powerful and influential, cultivation had become completely public.
Now, it was being passed down layer by layer.
It could be predicted that it would soon be known to everyone.
She only learned about cultivation in August last year. It had only been a little over a year, and something she thought was very secret had suddenly become no longer mysterious. It truly made Hua Changxi feel a bit dazed.
She used to think cultivators were very rare. Looking at the current trend, there would only be more and more cultivators in the future.
The others in the main hall didn’t notice Hua Changxi’s expression and were talking excitedly.
Old Master Hua thought about how Hua Tai had personally brought his eldest son to deliver New Year’s gifts this year, and he felt incredibly proud. Suddenly, he thought of something and looked at Hua Minghe.
“Eldest son, Hua Da Lang joining the Demon Suppressing Division was arranged by the Earl. If you see the Earl tomorrow, you must thank him properly.”
Hua Changxi heard that Hua Da Lang had joined the Demon Suppressing Division and exclaimed in surprise: “Eldest Brother went to the Demon Suppressing Division!” She then looked at Hua Minghe, “Father, why would Eldest Brother think of going to the Demon Suppressing Division?”
Hua Minghe shook his head: “Your Eldest Brother hasn’t returned, and the family doesn’t know the specifics of what happened.”
Hua Silang chimed in with a smile: “What, Jiuniang also knows about the mysterious Demon Suppressing Division?”
Hua Changxi: “I heard about it in the Medical Affairs Department. The work of the Demon Suppressing Division is very dangerous. Why would Eldest Brother join the Demon Suppressing Division?”
Upon hearing this, Madam Yao’s face showed anxiety: “Da Lang is a Sixth Rank Martial Artist, and he has already induced Qi into his body and become a cultivator. His strength shouldn’t be in any danger, right?”
Hua Changxi didn’t want to scare Madam Yao, so she remained silent.
Hua Minghe, who was in the Six Doors, had also heard about the Demon Suppressing Division and roughly knew what kind of work they did. He was also extremely worried.
Old Madam Hua listened from the side and said indifferently: “Jiuniang is just a laborer, can the news she hears be trusted? Besides, would the Earl harm Da Lang? Eldest son, you shouldn’t worry unnecessarily.”
After speaking, she happily distributed gifts to everyone.
Those who tested for spiritual roots received specific gifts, while others received ordinary New Year’s gifts.
“Jiuniang works in the Labor Department, so the fabrics and jewelry sent by the Marquis’s Mansion and the Earl’s Mansion are of no use to her. I won’t give them to her for now.” Considering her eldest son’s feelings, Old Madam Hua added as an afterthought, “I’ll give them to her when she’s no longer a laborer.”
Hua Changxi had long given up any hope for Old Madam Hua. Possessing Five Finger Mountain, she could say, with a touch of arrogance, that she no longer cared for these things. She was too lazy to stay in the main hall any longer and got up to return to her room.
Seeing this, Old Madam Hua immediately became angry: “Eldest son, eldest daughter-in-law, look at your good daughter, what a temper! Such disobedience, and she won’t be able to benefit from the family’s fortune in the future.”
Hua Sanlang followed Hua Changxi out of the main hall. Hearing Old Madam Hua’s words, he quickly caught up to Hua Changxi: “Jiuniang, Grandmother just has a sharp tongue but a kind heart…”
Hua Changxi let out a scoff: “Third Brother, don’t say that. Grandmother might have a sharp tongue but a kind heart towards you, but towards me, it’s a sharp tongue and a sharp heart.”
“You don’t need to comfort me. I don’t really care how Grandfather and Grandmother treat me.”
Hua Sanlang didn’t want to speak ill of his elders behind their backs, so he didn’t continue the topic. He followed Hua Changxi into her room and, after closing the door, returned the Burning Flame Art and the Four Arts Beginner to her.
“I’ve finished copying both of these books.”
Hua Changxi took them and asked: “Third Brother, why haven’t you induced Qi into your body yet?”
Hua Sanlang: “It’s been busy with the New Year approaching, and there are also many people in the family.”
Hua Changxi: “This won’t do. You need to cultivate diligently.” After thinking for a moment, she handed him the Breath Concealment Technique.
“Once you learn this technique, as long as you don’t encounter a cultivator who is a whole major realm higher than you, others won’t be able to detect that you are a cultivator.”
“This is an essential skill for pretending to be a pig to eat a tiger.”
Hua Sanlang asked curiously: “Did you learn it too?”
Hua Changxi nodded. She didn’t know why others couldn’t sense her spiritual energy, but to be safe, she had learned the Breath Concealment Technique.
She felt more at ease with the techniques she mastered herself.
After thinking for a moment, Hua Changxi took out four bottles of First Rank Supreme Grade Spirit Origin Pills: “After inducing Qi into your body, taking this pill can quickly improve your realm. You and Father each get one bottle.”
Hua Changxi thought about the other four cultivators in the family, and also worried about other cultivators coming to the Hua family and discovering that her father and two brothers were cultivators. She went to their rooms and set up isolation arrays to ensure that there would be no spiritual energy fluctuations when they cultivated.
The Spring Festival of Yongxing Year 23 was busier than usual for the Hua family. Hua Changxi was the most idle. On the fourth day of the first lunar month, while her family was visiting friends and relatives, she returned to Five Finger Mountain.
On the way, she practiced the Somersault Cloud well, and her cloud-riding speed improved significantly.
As she approached Five Finger Mountain, Hua Changxi noticed the long line of people queuing outside the First Peak and the two stone houses shrouded in incense smoke.
“Fairy （ Master ）, you’re back.”
The Mountain Spirit and Xiao Song saw Hua Changxi return and immediately pounced, each hugging a leg.
After half a month, Hua Changxi noticed that the Mountain Spirit and Xiao Song had grown much taller than before and asked in surprise: “Have you grown taller?”
The Mountain Spirit nodded with a smile: “Xiao Song and I have both become stronger, so we’ve grown taller. Fairy, have you also become stronger?”
Hua Changxi: “Why do you ask?”
The Mountain Spirit’s smile faltered, and he pointed at the Fire Lotus Hall, asking in surprise: “People have been offering incense at the Fire Lotus Hall every day. Haven’t you received the incense energy, Fairy?”
Hearing this, Hua Changxi’s heart skipped a beat: “You’ve become stronger because you received incense energy?”
The Mountain Spirit nodded: “Yes, Xiao Song has benefited from giving out pine needles every day. There’s no reason why you shouldn’t receive it?”
Hua Changxi seemed to have guessed why her cultivation speed had suddenly increased, but she was still a bit confused: “I haven’t done anything special, so how can I receive incense energy offered by others?”
Mountain Spirit: “Fairy, you opened up Five Finger Mountain, providing convenience for others, and you’ve gone with the general trend of Spiritual Energy Revival. Naturally, you can enjoy the incense offered by others.”
Hua Changxi listened, not fully understanding but feeling impressed: “You mean, as long as one does something that aligns with the Spiritual Energy Revival, they can receive corresponding benefits?”
The Mountain Spirit’s bun-like face creased. This question was beyond his scope. He could only sense things related to Five Finger Mountain. Outside of Five Finger Mountain, he was clueless. But he didn’t want Hua Changxi to look down on him, so he forced himself to nod: “Yes.”
Hua Changxi didn’t doubt this at all. She remembered the saying, ‘A pig can fly if it catches the wind,’ which meant that going with the general trend could bring unexpected assistance.
Then, she recalled the first time she noticed her cultivation speed abnormally increasing. She had gone to help the First Department and taught the apprentices in the Apprentice Hall how to process medicinal herbs.
Could this also be considered going with the general trend of Spiritual Energy Revival?
Hua Changxi was not entirely sure and decided to try again at the Labor Department after the Spring Festival.
Next, Hua Changxi began to observe the people constantly entering Five Finger Mountain.
There were a small number of cultivators, and more martial artists.
The Mountain Spirit vividly recounted what he and Xiao Song had been doing during this time: “Fairy, An Ze and An Ran, whom you saved earlier, might be capable. They are guarding your Fire Lotus Hall and my Mountain Spirit Temple. You should take them in.”
Hua Changxi looked past the crowd and her gaze fell precisely on An Ze and An Ran. She saw them leading some people in maintaining order for the queue and explaining the rules for entering and leaving Five Finger Mountain.
This brother and sister likely had spiritual roots, and she happened to have cultivation methods on hand. It wouldn’t be impossible to take them in.
Thinking that the siblings were from a nearby village, Hua Changxi’s eyes flickered.
If teaching apprentices to process medicinal herbs could increase cultivation speed, could teaching villagers to plant spiritual grains do the same?
The Shen Nong Planting Technique had reached Perfection when she was at Three Forked Medicine Valley, and she hadn’t found an opportunity to practice it yet.
“Go and call those two siblings over.”
The Mountain Spirit and Xiao Song heard this and immediately hopped over. Soon, they brought An Ze and An Ran.
“Fire Lotus Fairy…”
Hua Changxi smiled upon hearing their address and didn’t correct them: “I want to hire you to do some work for me, to help guard two stone houses and plant spiritual grains.”
An Ze and An Ran said in unison: “Fairy, we are willing.”
Seeing them like this, Hua Changxi smiled: “I have two ways to hire you. One is that you work for me, and I’ll give you a monthly salary.”
“The other is that I provide cultivation methods to help you embark on the path of cultivation, but if you choose this, you must make a Heart Demon Oath, stating that you will never betray me.”
Seeing An Ze about to answer immediately, Hua Changxi stopped him: “Don’t rush to answer. This concerns your entire future. You should think about it carefully.”
An Ze and An Ran exchanged a glance, then both bowed deeply to Hua Changxi.
“Fairy, we are willing to work for you and also want to embark on the path of cultivation. We choose the second option, no need to consider.”
Hua Changxi looked at the two of them and took out five types of supreme grade spirit stones: gold, wood, water, fire, and earth. She had them each hold a stone and sense it, to see which one felt most comfortable.
She didn’t have a Spirit Testing Stone, so she could only use this method to test their spiritual roots.
People with spiritual roots have a perception of the corresponding attribute spirit stones.
“Fairy, we feel most comfortable holding this red stone.”
Hua Changxi looked surprised: “Both of you?”
An Ze and An Ran both nodded affirmatively: “Yes, holding the red stone makes us feel warm all over and very comfortable.”
Seeing this, Hua Changxi took out the Burning Flame Art: “Can you read?”
An Ze and An Ran nodded again: “There is a clan school in the village, and we attended for a few years.”
Hua Changxi took out the Heart Demon Curse parchment and had the two of them do as instructed. After they made their Heart Demon Oath, she gave them the Burning Flame Art.
“You two go back and copy this cultivation method. When I come back next time, you must return the original to me.”
“Also, when I come back next time, I will teach you how to plant spiritual grains. You need to hurry and induce Qi into your body, as planting spiritual grains requires casting some spells.”
