Chapter 105: The Conflict Between Humans and Demons
Hua Changxi looked at the patterns on the stone wall, roughly understanding the evolutionary process of the Four Spirit Realm.
In the Four Spirit Realm, the Demon Race first flourished, followed by the human race. Although there were no more patterns afterward, Hua Changxi guessed that the Four Spirit Realm must have undergone at least one great nirvana, otherwise, there wouldn’t be the current spiritual energy revival.
Looking through the nine patterns, Hua Changxi saw a pattern: things, after developing to a certain stage, would begin to be reshuffled, quite like a cycle of reincarnation.
“The current spiritual energy revival is also a cycle, isn’t it?”
From the day the Four Spirit Realm was created, the Demon Race existed. After the appearance of the human race, it could be said that the subsequent history of the realm became a history of struggle between the human race and the Demon Race.
Nowadays, she encountered cultivators more and more, but the Demon Race…
Before, seeing demonic beasts and demonic plants, she didn’t pay much attention to them, thinking they were just a part of the ecosystem.
But after seeing the patterns, Hua Changxi became more wary of the Demon Race.
The Demon Race were beings who vied for dominance of the realm with the human race.
The figures of cultivators were becoming more and more active, but there wasn’t much news about the Demon Race.
Hua Changxi thought of the white-robed monk and regretted burning him to ashes with a single fire. She wanted to know if he was human or demon.
Inside the prayer beads was a purple demonic cultivation handbook, which detailed that a demonic cultivator could cultivate their original form into a human body upon reaching the Nascent Soul Realm.
“If that white-robed monk was a demonic cultivator in the Nascent Soul Realm, he shouldn’t have been so easily burned to death by the Fire Lotus.”
Hua Changxi felt that the white-robed monk was likely not from the Demon Race.
But if he wasn’t from the Demon Race and was human, then the situation would be even worse.
Humans were actually working for the Demon Race and hiding among the populace, making them impossible to guard against.
How many such people were there?
Also, why was the white-robed monk looking for A Niu?
A demon god’s protector?
Humans acting as protectors for the Demon Race?
Hua Changxi had a premonition that something was amiss. She also thought of Xu Ling, who was also being targeted by the monk. Could there be a connection between the two?
She needed to find time to visit Xu’s Apothecary Shop.
Hua Changxi’s gaze fell back to the ninth pattern: the Demon Prison where humans imprisoned demons, and the Five Continents of East, West, South, North, and Central.
The Demon Prison was located on the Central Continent. Was the Central Continent the landmass where the Great Jin Dynasty was located?
The Five Continents were separated. Where were the Eastern, Western, Southern, and Northern Continents?
Another point that puzzled Hua Changxi was that with five continents in one realm, it could accommodate so many Great Demons. The area of each landmass must be considerable.
She had seen the map of Great Jin’s territory and knew that there were many other countries around Great Jin, but Great Jin’s territory was the largest.
With her speed as a Core Formation Realm cultivator, she could travel from the Capital City to Qingzhou and back in an hour. Great Jin had Nine Provinces. Roughly estimating, it would probably take her a day to travel from the southernmost to the northernmost point of Great Jin’s territory.
Great Jin was already so small. Even with other countries added, the area of the entire landmass wouldn’t be that large. Could such a small territory accommodate the Great Demons of ancient times?
Soon, Hua Changxi thought of other matters.
Five Finger Mountain was much, much larger than it appeared from the outside. She could reach it from the Capital City to Qingzhou in half an hour, but she still hadn’t explored all its areas after entering Five Finger Mountain.
Moreover, many people had reported that many mountains and rivers were growing larger.
With the occurrence of nirvana, was the land space also compressed?
Hua Changxi felt that many things were shrouded in mist, unclear and unfathomable, and she could only explore them step by step in the future.
Pulling her thoughts back from the map of the Four Spirit Realm, Hua Changxi looked at the Totem Golden Alms Bowl embedded in the stone wall. With a wave of her hand, the golden alms bowl fell into her palm.
The spot where the golden alms bowl was embedded on the stone wall seamlessly integrated, showing no sign of a missing golden alms bowl.
As the golden alms bowl was retrieved and its golden light dissipated, the patterns on the stone wall also disappeared.
Qihuang Hall was clearly a place for teaching medical skills. The Totem Golden Alms Bowl could project the bloodline totems of a person. Its appearance in Number Seven Qihuang Hall was definitely not to tell people the evolutionary history of the Four Spirit Realm.
So, what medical content was Number Seven Qihuang Hall intended to teach?
Bloodline Totem…
“Bloodline, huh?”
The origin of the human race was not clearly depicted in the evolutionary patterns, but the human race survived because they received the protection of the ‘spirits’ they worshipped and learned the ‘spirits” divine abilities.
“So, Number Seven Qihuang Hall wants to teach people to awaken their own bloodline power and then revert to their ancestors to obtain ancient divine abilities?”
Hua Changxi went to Number Three Qihuang Hall, brought Zhou Qiuyu and the others to Number Seven Qihuang Hall, picked up the Totem Golden Alms Bowl, and shone it on them one by one.
Among the twenty people, none of them, like her and A Niu, had a clear totem image appear when illuminated by the golden alms bowl.
In the end, only four people showed extremely faint totem images under the illumination of the golden light.
The totem images of the four people were all rabbits.
It was clear that the totem power in the bloodline of the other sixteen people had almost disappeared, and the golden alms bowl could not even project their totem images.
Hua Changxi made these twenty people swear a Heart Demon Oath not to reveal what happened today, and then let them leave.
As they left, Hua Changxi quickly walked towards the west stone wall. After projecting four totem images, another pattern appeared on the wall.
This pattern was a medicinal bath diagram, showing a person sitting in a medicinal tub, immersed in medicinal soup, and activating a totem image.
The formula for the medicinal soup was clearly recorded below the medicinal bath diagram.
Upon seeing this, Hua Changxi’s expression became very excited. She quickly took out paper and brush to record the medicinal bath formula.
She actually knew how to awaken and strengthen the totem power in the bloodline, which was to consume the Ancestor Reversion Fruit.
However, Ancestor Reversion Fruits were rare and unpredictable, relying entirely on luck, with almost no practical application.
But this medicinal bath formula was different. She knew all the spiritual medicines listed, and although it would take some time to prepare, at least she no longer had to rely on luck and the heavens.
After recording the formula, Hua Changxi left Number Seven Qihuang Hall. Seeing sword patterns appear on the stone pillars outside the hall, she, who was originally going to find Pharmacist Xu, changed her direction and went to the Old Plaza Courtyard.
Gu Xing, seeing Hua Changxi take away another wooden token, was now very calm.
Looking at the wall with only one lonely wooden token left, Gu Xing thought that if others didn’t hurry, this wooden token would likely be taken by Hua Changxi again.
He knew that the wooden token was the key to opening Qihuang Hall, but he had no idea how to open it.
People like the Heavenly Department Minister and the Medical Affairs Department Head had obtained wooden tokens twenty to thirty years earlier than Hua Changxi, yet in all that time, neither of them had discovered the usage of the wooden token.
Hua Changxi had been in contact with the wooden token for less than two months, and she had already unlocked its usage.
She was right; the wooden token was fated to be with her!
Gu Xing looked in the direction of First Street and shook his head. Qihuang Hall was almost half taken over by Hua Changxi, yet Gu Qiming was still fighting with others.
“Sigh.”
Gu Xing suddenly came to his senses. Dan Sheng Hall was a sacred land for alchemy and a sacred land for spreading medical skills, not a place for power struggles. He had been misguided before.
No matter how far Hua Changxi could go, at least, she was genuinely spreading medicine now.
In this regard alone, she surpassed Wei Zhenjie and Gu Qiming.
“Uncle Xu.”
Hua Changxi went to Ninth Street to find Pharmacist Xu. Seeing Pharmacist Xu with a relaxed expression, she smiled and asked, “Uncle Xu, has A Ling returned?”
Pharmacist Xu smiled and said, “Thank you for worrying about A Ling. She returned the day before yesterday.”
Hua Changxi asked again, “Is A Ling okay?”
The smile on Pharmacist Xu’s face deepened, “She’s fine now. A Ling’s sleepiness problem has been completely resolved. Jiu Niang, we all misunderstood Master Kong Hai. He genuinely wanted to help A Ling. As soon as A Ling recovered, Master Kong Hai took his leave.”
Hua Changxi’s eyes flickered, “Is that so? Then perhaps I was overthinking. Uncle Xu, did that Master Kong Hai happen to wear a white monk robe?”
Pharmacist Xu looked surprised, “No, Master Kong Hai wore a yellow monk robe. Why do you ask?”
Hua Changxi smiled and said, “I saw a white-robed monk on the street yesterday. Thinking of A Ling, I just asked.”
Pharmacist Xu smiled and nodded, “A Ling is already well.”
Hua Changxi pondered for a moment, “Uncle Xu, I haven’t seen A Ling in a long time. Can I come to your house for dinner today?”
Pharmacist Xu looked at the sky, “I’ve finished my work for today and can go back. Do you have anything else?”
Hua Changxi quickly said, “I don’t have anything else either.”
Pharmacist Xu, “Then let’s go back now. We can have lunch.”
Hua Changxi then followed Pharmacist Xu out of the Medical Affairs Department and went to Xu’s Apothecary Shop, where she saw Xu Ling busy working.
“Father, you’re back!”
“Jiu Niang, why are you here?”
Xu Ling’s face lit up when she saw Hua Changxi, and she ran towards her happily. But just as she got close to Hua Changxi, her feet suddenly stumbled, making her stop abruptly.
“Oh dear, I’ve been busy all day and I’m all dirty. Jiu Niang, please come in and sit down yourself. I’ll go change my clothes first.”
Hua Changxi watched Xu Ling flee towards the backyard and found it a bit strange. However, seeing that she was no different from usual and was as enthusiastic towards her as ever, and thinking that it was normal for girls to be clean, she didn’t think too deeply about it.
By the time Xu Ling changed her clothes, Hua Changxi and Pharmacist Xu were already sitting in the main hall of the backyard.
Xu Ling served them tea and did not sit next to Hua Changxi, but rather diagonally opposite her.
Hua Changxi looked at Xu Ling, “A Ling, I am a cultivator. Uncle Xu told you, right?”
Xu Ling nodded, her eyes full of anticipation, “Jiu Niang, do you think I can become a cultivator too?”
Hua Changxi smiled, “I heard from Uncle Xu that Master Kong Hai has already taught you how to cultivate. You are already a cultivator. I can even sense the spiritual energy on you. What, you don’t know about this?”
Xu Ling looked shocked, “I’m already a cultivator? I thought Master Kong Hai’s breathing technique was just to treat my sleepiness.”
Saying this, her face showed excitement.
“Father, did you hear that? I’m a cultivator.”
Xu Ling then looked disappointed, “It’s a pity Master Kong Hai left. I didn’t even get to thank him.”
Hua Changxi quickly asked, “Didn’t Master Kong Hai stay at the apothecary shop just fine before? Why did he leave so suddenly? Did he say where he was going?”
Xu Ling shook her head, “Master Kong Hai actually always wanted to leave, but seeing that I hadn’t fully recovered, he stayed at the apothecary shop. Now that my illness is cured, he has left.”
“Master Kong Hai said that his lifelong wish was to save all sentient beings and rescue those in distress and pain. He must be out saving others now.”
Hua Changxi wanted to see the cultivation method that Master Kong Hai gave Xu Ling, but after hesitating, she didn’t voice it.
Cultivation methods were private matters for cultivators.
Prying into others’ privacy was not her way of doing things.
Although Hua Changxi still had some doubts about that Master Kong Hai, after carefully observing Xu Ling, she found nothing unusual and didn’t ask further.
After lunch, Hua Changxi left. As she was leaving, she couldn’t help but pull Pharmacist Xu aside and give him a reminder.
“Uncle Xu, you know I was kidnapped by a demonic daoist. After that, I went to check some information.”
“In this world, besides demonic daoists, there are also demonic monks.”
“A Ling is not an ordinary person. The power of the bloodline totem within her is very strong and might attract the attention of some ill-intentioned people.”
“That Master Kong Hai, I haven’t met him, but since he could teach A Ling cultivation, he should have the ability to protect himself. Why was it such a coincidence that A Ling saved him? And then he taught A Ling cultivation for free. I always feel something is not right.”
“But looking at A Ling today, she seems fine, yet I still hope you can pay more attention to A Ling in the future.”
Pharmacist Xu listened with some nervousness, “Jiu Niang, it’s not as serious as you say, is it? I thought Master Kong Hai was a good person.”
Hua Changxi smiled, not wanting to cause unnecessary anxiety, “Perhaps I’m overthinking it, but paying more attention to A Ling for any abnormalities is for her own good, right?”
“Uncle Xu, I’ll be going now.”
Pharmacist Xu watched Hua Changxi leave, then turned back to the backyard and saw Xu Ling curled up in the main hall with a pale face. His expression changed, and he hurried forward.
“A Ling, what’s wrong?”
Pharmacist Xu held Xu Ling and found that she was trembling violently, as if she had been greatly frightened.
Xu Ling grabbed Pharmacist Xu’s hand and held on tightly, “Father, a scene just flashed in my mind. Jiu Niang is going to kill me.”
Pharmacist Xu’s expression changed, “How is that possible?!”
Xu Ling shook her head, “I don’t know either. I only know that I was killed by her. Father, please don’t associate with Jiu Niang anymore, okay?”
Pharmacist Xu looked hesitant, “A Ling, could it be that you’re overthinking it?”
Xu Ling said with a look of fear, “Master Kong Hai told me when he left that there are many bad people in this world, and my blood is a great tonic for cultivators.”
“Father, can you guarantee that Jiu Niang is definitely a good person?”
“She might have been before, but she’s a cultivator now. If she knows my blood is beneficial for her cultivation, won’t she be tempted by greed?”
Pharmacist Xu helped Xu Ling to sit up properly, “A Ling, calm down first. Regarding Jiu Niang, Father will handle it.”
Xu Ling looked directly at Pharmacist Xu, “Father, if you continue to associate with Hua Changxi, you will surely cause my death.”
Pharmacist Xu was stunned. Jiu Niang asked him to watch A Ling, and A Ling asked him to stay away from Jiu Niang. He no longer knew how to think.
After a long silence, Pharmacist Xu hugged the still trembling Xu Ling and murmured, “A Ling, don’t worry, Father won’t let anyone hurt you.”
Xu Ling hugged Pharmacist Xu back, “Father, I don’t want to die. I want to stay with you forever.”
Pharmacist Xu patted Xu Ling’s back, “You won’t. My A Ling will live a long and healthy life, she won’t die. Don’t be afraid, Father is here.”
