Chapter 206: Confrontation
Excluding the two main seats, the Assembly Hall only had two rows of thirty-six tables and chairs. The Guardian Family brought forty to fifty people, and with the eighteen Hall Masters and various officials from the Medical Affairs Department, there definitely wasn’t enough seating.
Prince Shou led the white-haired old man into the Assembly Hall and had him sit in the main guest seat on the right. After everyone was seated, he then sat in the main seat on the left, while Department Head Gu took a side seat below Prince Shou.
After that, everyone else took their seats one by one, directly dividing into two camps.
The people brought by the Guardian Family sat in the chairs on the right, and the people from the Medical Affairs Department sat in the chairs on the left.
Although there weren’t enough chairs, there was no scramble for seats. Everyone tacitly chose to sit or stand.
On the Medical Affairs Department’s side, Chu Junhao did not sit but chose to stand behind Prince Shou. Xie An, Mu Qingying, and Yuan Tianchou also did not sit but stood behind Department Head Gu.
The other Hall Masters humbly offered their seats to the officials. In the end, only the Hall Masters representing the four great collateral royal families of the East, South, West, and North, as well as Huo Yunxiao representing the Heavenly Department, were seated.
As for those without seats, they could only stand behind the chairs.
It was the same on the Guardian Family’s side. Many young cultivators chose to stand behind the middle-aged cultivators, and only a few young cultivators sat down.
After the two groups were seated, although nothing had been said, a standoff had already formed through their exchanged glances.
Among those seated on the Medical Affairs Department’s side, Hua Changxi had spoken to Huo Yunxiao, who was seated at the very back, so she directly stood behind him.
Hua Changxi looked at the two sides engaging in a silent confrontation. She then looked at Prince Shou and the white-haired old man at the distant main seats, who were chatting and laughing as if no one else in the room existed. She lightly patted Huo Yunxiao’s back.
Huo Yunxiao was currently engaged in a staring contest with a male cultivator opposite him. Hua Changxi’s “surprise attack” directly interrupted his concentration, and he irritably turned to look back. Upon seeing it was Hua Changxi and recalling her alchemy skills, he managed a smile, “What is it?”
Hua Changxi: “I should be asking you, what are you two doing, competing to see whose eyes are bigger? How childish?” In her opinion, getting straight to the point and discussing matters was much more efficient than these roundabout tactics.
Huo Yunxiao was somewhat speechless: “What do you know? This is a silent contest.” Knowing Hua Changxi’s humble background and that she didn’t understand many things, he saw the impatience in her eyes and explained in a low voice, “Learn from this. When two unfamiliar parties meet, they first try to gauge each other’s strength.”
Hua Changxi pondered: “Like this silent contest you’re having?”
Huo Yunxiao: “When paths cross, the brave one wins. Don’t underestimate this silent contest. Yes, you can’t see the opponent’s true strength this way, but you can get a sense of their mental fortitude.”
“If one’s mental fortitude isn’t strong enough, no matter how powerful they are, they are merely a paper tiger.”
“The Prince and that white-haired Senior are deliberately leaving us to our own devices, giving us an opportunity to probe each other. They want to see who will lose their composure first.”
As he spoke, Huo Yunxiao sized up Hua Changxi: “Clearly, you are the one who can’t hold back and can’t stand this silent contest.”
Hua Changxi opened her mouth to retort, but after a pause, she swallowed her words back.
Huo Yunxiao knew she was unconvinced and said with a laugh: “Don’t be unconvinced. In a silent contest, whoever speaks first loses. Do you know why? Because their heart is unsettled, and they’ve revealed their weakness.”
Hua Changxi wanted to roll her eyes but held back. She was indeed ignorant of such social niceties. Even if she disdained using them, she should at least know about them.
Prince Shou and the white-haired old man, seated at the main seats, appeared to be engrossed in their conversation, but in reality, they were closely observing the people on the other side.
Everyone else was engaged in a silent battle of wills, while only Hua Changxi and Huo Yunxiao were whispering. The two of them undoubtedly attracted the attention of the white-haired old man and Prince Shou.
The white-haired old man chuckled: “The people from the Imperial Court are indeed courageous.”
Prince Shou chuckled sheepishly: “I apologize for the lack of etiquette. I’ve made Senior laugh.”
The white-haired old man smiled and no longer looked at Hua Changxi and Huo Yunxiao: “The people I’ve brought this time are all promising young talents with considerable alchemy aptitude. I believe that with their addition, the Dan Sheng Hall will surely be able to reappear in the Human World soon.”
Hearing this, Prince Shou’s smile almost faltered. Chu Junhao, standing behind him, immediately changed his expression.
The other people from the Medical Affairs Department also heard this and their expressions changed.
Hua Changxi murmured: “They really are here to snatch territory.”
However, she didn’t share the worries of the others. She even vaguely looked forward to the Guardian Family taking over the Royal Family’s control over the Medical Affairs Department. Since the Medical Affairs Department was a place for teaching the Medical Dao, it should be open to all beings, not just limited to various nobles and noble families.
Huo Yunxiao frowned upon hearing Hua Changxi’s murmur.
With the Guardian Family arriving at the Medical Affairs Department, he wondered if his Master had received the news yet.
Prince Shou suppressed his dissatisfaction. The Guardian Family’s foundation was unfathomable, and the Royal Family couldn’t directly confront them. He could only force a smile and say: “The Xia Family that Senior belongs to is the guardian of the Central Continent. This Prince believes in the guardian’s judgment.”
The white-robed old man nodded with satisfaction, then looked at the group of young men and women he had brought. He said to a male cultivator standing at the front: “Ziyang, lead everyone forward to pay respects to the Prince and all fellow Daoists.”
After his words fell, the group of young men and women stepped forward one by one.
“Xia Ziyang pays his respects to the Prince.”
Xia Ziyang first bowed ninety degrees to Prince Shou, then cupped his fists in a gesture of equal respect to the others on the Medical Affairs Department’s side: “Greetings to all. I hope for your guidance in the future.”
Hua Changxi looked at this person and once again used the Four Diagnostic Methods. As long as she didn’t look at the white-robed old man, she wouldn’t be afraid of being exposed.
Wood Spirit Body, cultivation at the Late Core Formation stage.
After Xia Ziyang, about ten men and women stepped out.
“Bai Zhixin pays her respects to the Prince and greets all fellow Daoists.”
“Wu Lingyue pays his respects to the Prince and greets all fellow Daoists.”
“Zhu Jinglan pays his respects to the Prince and greets all fellow Daoists.”
“Long Chenyi, Long Jin pay their respects to the Prince and greet all fellow Daoists.”
“Dongfang Hao, Dongfang Xu pay their respects to the Prince and greet all fellow Daoists.”
“Jiang Nianyi pays her respects to the Prince and greets all fellow Daoists.”
All these individuals wore Magic Treasures that concealed their cultivation. Through the Four Diagnostic Methods, Hua Changxi could see that they were all Wood Spirit Bodies, with the lowest cultivation being Late Core Formation. Half of them were Nascent Soul Realm cultivators.
The male cultivator named Dongfang Hao was a Late Nascent Soul Stage cultivator. His Spirit Body was also somewhat strange, and she couldn’t quite see through it.
“Meng Qingyao pays her respects to the Prince and greets all fellow Daoists.”
This female cultivator was even more remarkable, possessing a Fire-Wood Spirit Body and being a Mid Nascent Soul cultivator.
Hua Changxi was shocked by the strength of these individuals.
Not only was she shocked, but the others from the Medical Affairs Department were also in shock. Of course, they weren’t shocked by their cultivation, but by the family backgrounds behind them. Even though no one announced their family names, much could be inferred from their surnames.
Prince Shou and Department Head Gu exchanged a silent glance, their eyes flashing with helplessness and frustration. Both of them understood that with the Xia Family making such a high-profile appearance and bringing so many disciples from cultivation noble families, they couldn’t prevent these people from entering the Medical Affairs Department.
The white-haired old man smiled and spoke again: “Your Highness, the Medical Affairs Department is the benchmark of the Great Jin’s medical arts. I’ve heard that the eighteen Qihuang Halls of the Medical Affairs Department have all selected Hall Masters. I wish to meet them.”
Upon hearing the white-haired old man mention the Qihuang Halls and his desire to meet the Hall Masters, the expressions of Prince Shou and Department Head Gu became serious.
Hua Changxi noticed that some Hall Masters suddenly became restless. Seeing that Huo Yunxiao was also uneasy, her eyes flickered, and then she seemed to realize something: “They aren’t here to seize control of the Medical Affairs Department; they are here to compete for the Qihuang Halls.”
