Chapter 50: Shen Nong Cauldron
Hua Changxi returned to the dormitory with a splitting headache. As soon as she lay on the bed, she began circulating the Little Bird Breathing and Exhalation Method, continuously gathering Spiritual Energy towards her head.
Time slipped away quietly, and the sky gradually darkened as people returned to the dormitory.
Su Ruoli looked at Hua Changxi, who was lying on the bed with a pale face. She tentatively called out to her twice. Seeing that she had no reaction at all, she quickly closed the room door, then walked to the bed, reached out, and lifted the quilt. She then began to search Hua Changxi’s body.
Soon, she found a bottle of pills on Hua Changxi.
Su Ruoli’s expression brightened. Just as she was about to take the pills, her hand was grabbed.
Looking at Hua Changxi, who had opened her eyes and was staring at her expressionlessly, Su Ruoli was startled and her heart tightened. “Changxi, you’re awake?”
Hua Changxi gripped Su Ruoli’s wrist and looked at her coldly. “What are you doing?”
Su Ruoli reacted quickly. “I saw you looked unwell and thought you were sick, so I came to check on you.”
Hua Changxi increased the force in her hand. “Checking on me means taking the pills from my person?”
Su Ruoli felt like her wrist was about to break. She wanted to break free from Hua Changxi’s grip but couldn’t move an inch. She could only cry out, “No, I saw you carrying these pills with you and thought they could cure your illness, so I wanted to give them to you.”
Hua Changxi sneered repeatedly. “Pills carried with you are for curing illness? Do you even use your brain when you lie?”
As she spoke, she exerted force with her hand. When the pill bottle Su Ruoli was holding fell onto the bed, she threw her aside.
“Bang.”
Su Ruoli was thrown directly against the wall and then fell to the ground in pain.
Just then, the room door was opened.
As Wang Yun Chu, Lu Qingluo, and others entered, they saw Su Ruoli lying on the ground in pain, and Hua Changxi sitting on the bed with a frosty expression.
Seeing that people had arrived, Su Ruoli immediately began to sob, groaning in pain.
“Ruoli, what’s wrong?”
Lu Qingluo quickly stepped forward to help Su Ruoli up, but as soon as her hand touched Su Ruoli, Su Ruoli cried out in unbearable pain, glancing fearfully at Hua Changxi.
Her reaction made everyone present believe that Hua Changxi had hit her.
Wang Yun Chu looked at Su Ruoli, then at Hua Changxi. “Changxi, what happened?”
Su Ruoli spoke before Hua Changxi could. “It’s my fault, I upset Changxi, so it’s only right that she pushed me.”
As she spoke, she pretended to accidentally expose the bruised and swollen wrist that Hua Changxi had grabbed.
Seeing Su Ruoli’s bruised and swollen wrist, someone immediately stood up for Su Ruoli.
Sister Lin looked at Hua Changxi disapprovingly. “Changxi, we’re all in the same dormitory. Can you please not resort to violence so easily?”
Hua Changxi glanced at her indifferently. “It’s okay to be a little stupid, but it’s very annoying to be stupid and unaware, and then insist on righteously upholding justice for others.”
After speaking, she ignored the furious Sister Lin and looked at Su Ruoli with a half-smile.
“I don’t think you should be in the Labor Department. The people here are doing their best to make a living. With your acting skills, you should go find those who have eaten their fill and have nothing to do to showcase your talent.”
Su Ruoli lowered her head and leaned on Lu Qingluo, putting on a weak and pitiful act. Noticing the slight change in everyone’s expression, she suddenly looked up at Hua Changxi.
“Changxi, you offended Eunuch Yu and Eunuch Lu. They’re going to send you to work at Sancha Medicine Farm. I know you’re upset, but you shouldn’t take it out on me.”
Upon hearing this, everyone’s expression changed drastically.
Su Ruoli’s original intention was to let everyone know that Hua Changxi had offended two eunuchs, thus distancing themselves from her. However, she didn’t expect Wang Yun Chu and the others to look so worried.
Wang Yun Chu looked at Hua Changxi anxiously. “Changxi, are you really going to be sent to work at the Medicine Farm?”
Hua Changxi did not show the look of panic Su Ruoli had expected. Instead, she seemed a little more energized. “I don’t know. No one has informed me.”
She then looked at Su Ruoli. “As the person involved, I don’t know about this. How did you find out?”
“Are you one of Eunuch Yu’s people? Or Eunuch Lu’s people? Did they send you to steal my pills?”
Hearing this, everyone’s expression towards Su Ruoli changed.
Su Ruoli became anxious. “Hua Changxi, don’t slander me! When did I steal your pills?”
Wang Yun Chu was also very anxious. “Let’s not worry about the pills for now. Changxi, quickly go find Steward Du and beg her to intercede for you. You absolutely cannot go to the Medicine Farm!”
Even Sister Lin, putting aside her conflict with Hua Changxi, chimed in, “Yes, quickly go find Steward Du and beg her!”
Hua Changxi looked at Wang Yun Chu and the others who were all worried for her, her expression softening considerably. “Su Ruoli is right. I did offend the two eunuchs, and they are punishing me by sending me to the Medicine Farm. I accept it.”
Wang Yun Chu quickly stepped forward and whispered in her ear, “You can’t go to the Medicine Farm! It’s very chaotic there, and female laborers will suffer greatly.”
Hua Changxi was not used to people getting close to her and moved back slightly. “Don’t worry, I’m not afraid.”
Seeing her like this, Wang Yun Chu didn’t know how to persuade her further.
Hua Changxi knew she meant well and said again, “Really, don’t worry about me. I can protect myself.” As she spoke, she rubbed her head, which still felt a bit swollen and painful.
“I’m not feeling well, so I’m going to sleep. You all should rest early too.”
Seeing Hua Changxi lie down and close her eyes, Wang Yun Chu could only swallow any further advice.
Su Ruoli saw that everyone’s attention had been drawn to Hua Changxi. She clutched her wrist, which felt like it was about to break, and slowly stood up against the wall. Then, while no one was paying attention, she left the room.
Su Ruoli entered Steward Leng’s room. After closing the door, she knelt on one knee. “Leader, Hua Changxi’s Martial Arts cultivation is definitely not low. Your subordinate just found an Earthly Gang Pill on her.”
Steward Leng sat lazily in his armchair, his eyes flashing with a sharp glint, showing none of the fawning and obsequiousness he displayed before Eunuch Lu. “An Earthly Gang Pill, that’s a pill required by a Seventh-Rank Martial Artist.”
Martial Artist pills are not easy to refine. The higher the rank of the Martial Artist, the more difficult the pills are to refine. This is because the medicinal efficacy within the herbs needs to be stimulated by Internal Energy.
Therefore, a Pharmacist who refines pills for high-ranking Martial Artists must not only understand Medical Skills and be able to refine pills but also be a Martial Artist, and their rank must be Fourth Rank or above.
This is because only Martial Artists of Fourth Rank or above can cultivate Internal Energy.
Steward Leng smiled. “It seems Hua Changxi managed to catch the eye of Eunuch Yu and Eunuch Lu through her pill-refining skills. The Earthly Gang Pill, let me see it.”
Su Ruoli’s expression stiffened. “Your subordinate is incompetent. As soon as I found the pill, Hua Changxi woke up.” She paused. “If the Leader wants the Earthly Gang Pill, you can send someone to search Hua Changxi’s belongings.”
“A mere Laborer, yet possessing such a valuable pill, and we can even frame her for theft.”
Steward Leng shook his head. “Doing so would bring us no benefit. Hua Changxi can refine Earthly Gang Pills; I’d rather recruit her to my side.”
Su Ruoli hesitated after hearing this. “Hua Changxi might be difficult to subdue. Leader, you have no idea. No matter how I humble myself, she remains unmoved.”
Steward Leng tapped his fingers on the table. “Hua Changxi’s personality is indeed a bit difficult to handle.” He then smiled. “You mentioned searching Hua Changxi’s belongings just now; I think that’s feasible.”
“However, this matter must be handled by Eunuch Lu.”
“We’ll wait until tomorrow. Eunuch Lu has been called away by Eunuch Jia, so it’s not a good time to find him. I’ll go see him first thing tomorrow morning and have him send people to search Hua Changxi.”
“Once Hua Changxi is convicted of theft, I will step in to help her, and then she will surely be willing to serve me.”
“Alright, you should go back now and continue to keep a close eye on Hua Changxi.”
After Su Ruoli left, Steward Leng sat on the bed and assumed a cross-legged position. He then took out a black lotus-shaped jade tablet, placed it in his palm, and closed his eyes.
The next day, when Hua Changxi woke up, the room was empty. Although her headache was gone, her heart was still heavy.
She didn’t know why she had a sudden headache, so severe that it felt like she was dying.
Although Eunuch Yu didn’t pose a life-threatening danger yesterday, what about next time? If she suddenly had a headache during a fight with an enemy, wouldn’t she be putting herself in danger?
Thinking about Su Ruoli searching her body while she was cultivating yesterday, her expression worsened.
Hua Changxi took out the Earthly Gang Pill and looked at it. Although she didn’t know why Eunuch Yu had let her go yesterday, she still felt a lingering fear.
The Medical Affairs Department was, after all, an official institution. Even if the medicinal herbs for refining the pills were provided by Eunuch Yu, if the Earthly Gang Pill were found on her, she would have no way to explain herself.
“If only I had a Storage Magic Treasure.”
As soon as the thought arose, Hua Changxi felt her head start to ache. The next moment, something burst out of her head.
Then, Hua Changxi was stunned.
A three-legged bronze cauldron, over a meter tall, stood steadily on the ground.
Looking at the bronze cauldron, Hua Changxi stared blankly for a while before jumping off the bed as if flying.
Wasn’t this the Shen Nong Cauldron she used to store small items in her previous life?
Compared to its dusty and mottled appearance in her previous life, the Shen Nong Hall now was radiant and lustrous, clearly a valuable item.
“The Shen Nong Cauldron transmigrated with me?”
Sealed memories resurfaced, and Hua Changxi recalled the reason for her transmigration.
Her uncle’s family and her second uncle’s family came to fight over the house her grandfather left her. During the dispute, someone pushed her, and her head hit the Shen Nong Cauldron, leading to her death.
Hua Changxi ran her hands inch by inch over the Shen Nong Cauldron. The events of her previous life had become very blurry due to her deliberate forgetting.
Now, seeing the Shen Nong Cauldron, many things resurfaced in her mind.
In her previous life, her parents died in a car accident when she was one year old. After that, she lived with her grandfather. When she was in her second year of university, her grandfather also passed away. From then until her death, she was alone.
Hua Changxi shook her head, no longer thinking about her previous life.
Her grandfather had told her that people should look forward and not live in the past.
She was now Hua Changxi, and her life had restarted. Therefore, she would face her life with a new attitude, living actively in the present.
Hua Changxi composed herself and then began to ponder why the Shen Nong Cauldron had flown out of her head.
“Collect!”
Hua Changxi placed her hands on the Shen Nong Cauldron, thinking of recalling it. The Shen Nong Cauldron immediately turned into a stream of light and entered her glabella.
“Come out!”
The Shen Nong Cauldron reappeared in the room.
The Shen Nong Cauldron’s repeated entry and exit caused Hua Changxi’s head to start aching again, making her hesitant to play with it casually.
Although a large bronze cauldron entering one’s head was quite astonishing, she felt relieved when she thought that she could now cultivate.
This was a fantasy world; there was no need to be surprised by strange occurrences.
Hua Changxi thought of the Medical Skills Inheritance she had obtained and finally understood.
She must have obtained the Little Bird Breathing and Exhalation Cultivation Method from the Red Stone. Through cultivation, she absorbed Spiritual Energy, which activated the Shen Nong Cauldron, and then she received the Medical Skills Inheritance.
Thinking back, being captured by the Demonic Daoist was a blessing in disguise. Otherwise, she didn’t know if the Shen Nong Cauldron could have been activated.
Recalling that she used to store various small items and trinkets in the Shen Nong Cauldron in her previous life, Hua Changxi quickly put the pills she had refined into the Shen Nong Cauldron and then tried to recall the Shen Nong Cauldron into her head.
The Shen Nong Cauldron once again burrowed into her glabella.
Seeing that the Shen Nong Cauldron could indeed store items, Hua Changxi was very excited. Just as she was about to summon the Shen Nong Cauldron to see how much it could store, a commotion was heard from outside the house.
Then, the room door was violently pushed open.
Looking at the crowd surging in, Hua Changxi’s gaze fell on Eunuch Lu outside the house.
“Precious medicinal herbs were lost in the Labor Department yesterday. Search thoroughly for this official.”
Hua Changxi immediately realized that this was aimed at her and felt incredibly fortunate. Fortunately, she had summoned the Shen Nong Cauldron in time, and it could store items.
The people sent by Eunuch Lu turned the room upside down, but found nothing except for their spare clothes and daily necessities.
Steward Leng, standing beside Eunuch Lu, glanced at Su Ruoli.
Su Ruoli shook her head, indicating that Hua Changxi had not left the room.
Hua Changxi saw this scene clearly but quickly shifted her gaze to Eunuch Lu, giving him a provocative sneer to ensure she would be sent to Three Forked Medicine Valley.
Eunuch Lu was indeed furious. He said coldly, “Hua Changxi, you assaulted another person and were negligent in your duties. This official hereby punishes you to labor at Sancha Medicine Farm. You will depart with the others to Sancha Medicine Farm the day after tomorrow.”
Upon hearing this, Hua Changxi’s expression changed drastically, and she looked at Eunuch Lu with defiance.
Seeing this, Eunuch Lu felt a little better. He flicked his sleeves and turned to leave.
After he left, Steward Leng looked at Hua Changxi disapprovingly. “Hua Changxi, what were you thinking? Why didn’t you apologize to Eunuch Lu? The work at the Medicine Farm is not something a Young Woman like you can handle.”
Hua Changxi looked at Steward Leng without speaking.
Seeing that she wasn’t responding, Steward Leng continued on his own. “Forget it. Since you’re my subordinate, I’ll beg Eunuch Lu for you after he calms down, asking him not to send you to the Medicine Farm.”
After speaking, she shook her head helplessly and left.
After the onlookers dispersed, Steward Du walked over with a cold face. “I told you long ago not to be so ostentatious. Steward Leng is reasonable. I’ll accompany you to beg her again, asking her to plead with Eunuch Lu not to send you to the Medicine Farm.”
As she spoke, she pulled Hua Changxi to go find Steward Leng.
Hua Changxi didn’t want to cause more trouble. She shook off Steward Du and said stubbornly, “I’m not going to beg anyone. Steward Du, you mind your own business.”
Steward Du was so angry that her breathing became rough. “Fine, fine, fine. I was being nosy. You’ll cry when the time comes.”
Steward Leng arrived at Eunuch Lu’s courtyard, pouring tea and massaging his shoulders and legs. “Eunuch Lu, I heard Hua Changxi is a Martial Artist. Punishing her to go to the Medicine Farm probably won’t be difficult for her, right?”
Eunuch Lu sneered. “Don’t worry, this official will definitely make Hua Changxi suffer greatly this time, forcing her to return in disgrace and beg this official on her knees.”
Steward Leng looked puzzled. “Are there Martial Arts Grandmasters at the Medicine Farm?”
Eunuch Lu smiled. “All the Medicine Farms of the Medical Affairs Department have Grandmasters stationed there.”
Upon hearing this, Steward Leng’s eyes flickered, and then he put on a shocked expression. “There are so many Medicine Farms under the Medical Affairs Department, and they all have Grandmasters stationed there?”
“Your Grace, please don’t fool me. Although my knowledge is shallow, I know that Grandmasters are rare.”
Eunuch Lu stroked Steward Leng’s smooth cheek. “To outsiders, Grandmasters are indeed scarce. But what kind of place is this? It’s the Medical Affairs Department.”
“The Medical Affairs Department is one of the three major departments of the Heavenly Department. The Heavenly Department governs the Martial Arts Academy. The Martial Arts Academy has been established for hundreds of years, cultivating countless Martial Arts experts. The Medical Affairs Department needs as many experts as it wants, and the Heavenly Department can send them.”
“Hmph, once Hua Changxi arrives at Sancha Medicine Farm, with Grandmasters watching, let’s see what kind of trouble she can stir up.”
