Chapter 210: Third Grade Incense
Pill Fire can help Alchemists achieve thought clarity, improve their Alchemy Technique, and is the best Spiritual Fire to assist Alchemists in achieving comprehension and breaking through bottlenecks.
After the Pill Fire on First Street was ignited, the Medical Affairs Department quickly cultivated a batch of First-Rank Alchemists. Now that the Pill Fire on Second Street has been ignited, it means the Medical Affairs Department will soon produce a batch of Second-Rank Alchemists.
Because of this, even Prince Shou, who harbored hostility and dissatisfaction towards the cultivators from the Guardian Family’s side, had a much better expression, let alone the others in the Medical Affairs Department.
Regardless, most people who entered the Medical Affairs Department, despite various political schemes and calculations behind them, still wished to improve their Alchemy Technique.
Department Head Gu noticed that the crowd watching on Ninth Street looked at Meng Qingyao with adoration. Even the Hall Masters beside him were not as resistant to the cultivators brought by the Guardian Family as they were before. He sighed, thinking that the Xia Family’s arrangement was truly brilliant.
Huh?
Department Head Gu suddenly noticed that unlike others who looked at Meng Qingyao with surprise, admiration, or scrutiny, Gu Jin Fan and Hua Changxi had expressions that were somewhat intriguing, making him unable to understand.
At this moment, Gu Jin Fan looked at Meng Qingyao with a complex expression. In his previous life, the Pill Fire on the first five streets of the Medical Affairs Department was ignited by Meng Qingyao. With the aid of the Pill Fire, the Four Spirit Realm gained many Alchemists below Fifth Rank. Unfortunately, before she could ignite the Pill Fire on Sixth Street, the Dan Sheng Hall was completely controlled by outer realm cultivators led by the Jiang Family.
In this life, the Pill Fire on First Street was ignited ahead of time.
Thinking of the Supreme-grade First-Rank Pill Hua Changxi submitted to Prince Shou, Gu Jin Fan’s gaze immediately fell on Hua Changxi. Was it her? Was it her who ignited the Pill Fire on First Street?
Hua Changxi was comparing the methods she and Meng Qingyao used to ignite the Pill Fire. Clearly, Meng Qingyao’s public display of lighting the fire could garner a wave of fame, while she was chased as an intruder. Feeling she had lost, she sensed someone watching her and immediately looked up, finding Gu Jin Fan looking at her with an inquisitive gaze. She immediately glared at him with displeasure.
Glared at, Gu Jin Fan decisively withdrew his gaze.
Forget it, it doesn’t matter whether Hua Changxi ignited the Pill Fire on First Street or not. What’s important is that the Guardian Family has appeared early. In this life, people from the five major Guardian Families in the east, west, north, south, and center have all come to the Medical Affairs Department. The Dan Sheng Hall cannot possibly be controlled by outer realm cultivators like in the previous life.
After the Pill Fire on Second Street was ignited, Xia Zhen showed a gratified smile and looked at Gu Xing beside him, whispering, “Fellow Daoist Gu, Qing Yao is a Fire-Wood Spirit Body, born specifically to achieve the Dao of Alchemy.”
Upon hearing that Meng Qingyao was a Fire-Wood Spirit Body, Gu Xing’s eyes lit up, and he looked at Meng Qingyao with enthusiasm and excitement.
Seeing Gu Xing’s reaction, Xia Zhen smiled and continued, “Qing Yao can already refine Fourth-grade Pills. Igniting the Pill Fire on Third Street is only a matter of time.”
Gu Xing became even more excited upon hearing this and said to Xia Zhen, “Thank you, Fellow Daoist Xia, for bringing so many talented Alchemists to the Dan Sheng Hall.”
Xia Zhen smiled and replied, “It is my duty. Everything is for the Sacred Land, for the Four Spirit Realm.”
The two walked side by side at the forefront, with others following closely behind.
Meng Yuchuan and the Dongfang brothers, Dongfang Hao and Dongfang Xu, quickly walked to Meng Qingyao’s side.
Meng Yuchuan was very proud of his sister, “Qing Yao, well done. I’ve always said that as long as you make a move, you’ll be the number one Alchemist.”
Although Meng Qingyao smiled, she wasn’t particularly happy. “Brother, don’t say that. What number one Alchemist? Someone ignited the Pill Fire on First Street before me.” She said, looking back at the two lanterns at the intersection of First Street.
“I wonder who ignited the Pill Fire on First Street?”
Meng Yuchuan and the Dongfang brothers also looked at the Pill Fire on First Street upon hearing this.
Dongfang Xu smiled and said, “No matter who ignited it, since that person didn’t show up to ignite the Pill Fire on Second Street, it means they can’t refine Supreme-grade Second-grade Pills yet. They can’t compare to Sister Qing Yao in any way.”
Meng Qingyao smiled and shook her head, “That’s not necessarily true. Perhaps they just don’t want to steal the spotlight.” She paused, “I really want to meet that person.”
Dongfang Hao: “We’ve already arrived at the Medical Affairs Department. As long as that person is in the Medical Affairs Department, we will definitely meet them.”
Meng Yuchuan nodded, “Alright, let’s not worry about this for now. We’re about to worship the Divine Wood. Have you thought about which grade of incense you want to light?”
Meng Qingyao: “Senior Xia said that as long as I ignite the Pill Fire, I will receive First-grade Incense.”
Dongfang Hao: “I’ll try Second-grade Incense first. If I can’t even ignite Second-grade Incense, Ah Xu will take Third-grade Incense.”
Dongfang Xu was a little worried, “The nine Hall Masters who received Wooden Tokens will consume nine sticks of incense. We ten people still have to compete with the other nine Hall Masters for the remaining nine sticks of incense. What if we don’t get a turn and all the incense is lit?”
Hearing this, Meng Yuchuan also showed a worried expression and looked up at Gu Xing’s back, “Senior Gu is more inclined towards the people of the Medical Affairs Department.” If it were Senior Xia’s arrangement, they would definitely be the first to worship the Divine Wood.
Dongfang Hao shook his head, “The Divine Wood Blessing is not easily obtained. Don’t worry too much, and who says that those who get Wooden Tokens will definitely receive the Divine Wood Blessing?”
Meng Qingyao looked surprised, “If one can get a Wooden Token, it means they have received the recognition of the Sacred Land. How could the Divine Wood not bestow a blessing?”
Dongfang Hao smiled, “Have you forgotten that people have greed? The three grades of incense correspond to three grades of Secret Realms. The people on our side and the people on the Medical Affairs Department’s side will definitely want higher-grade Secret Realms.”
“Those who receive Wooden Tokens are protected by the Sacred Land and can ignite at most Third-grade Incense. To ignite Second-grade and First-grade Incense, one needs to make other contributions to the Sacred Land. This is why Senior Xia asked Qing Yao to ignite the Pill Fire on Second Street before worshipping the Divine Wood.”
“Those nine people who received Wooden Tokens, tell me, under the influence of greed, will they only choose Third-grade Incense?”
He paused and said with certainty, “All of us will definitely get a turn to worship the Divine Wood.”
After hearing his analysis, Dongfang Xu and Meng Yuchuan nodded in agreement, their faces no longer as worried.
Hua Changxi did not walk the Pilgrimage Road with the crowd but took the alleys of Ninth Street. Because she took a detour, she couldn’t help but quicken her pace. By the time she reached the Plaza, she coincidentally met the group led by Gu Xing and Xia Zhen.
Gu Xing looked at Hua Changxi, then back at the Pilgrimage Road behind him, lost in thought, and said nothing.
Xia Zhen, standing beside him, smiled and said, “Why didn’t this young friend walk the Pilgrimage Road with everyone?”
Hua Changxi smiled and replied, “The Pilgrimage Road, as the name suggests, is for pilgrimage. Knowing that I do not possess the wisdom of a sage, I will not tread this path.”
Xia Zhen laughed heartily upon hearing this, “Young friend, you are thinking too much. Few in the world can become sages, but that doesn’t prevent us from having a heart that aspires to be a sage!”
Before Hua Changxi could respond, Gu Xing spoke first, “She probably doesn’t even have a heart that aspires to be a sage.” He glanced at Hua Changxi and then, leaning on his cane, walked towards the Stone Cauldron in the Plaza.
Hua Changxi did not expect Gu Xing to speak about her in public, and his tone carried a hint of displeasure. She was somewhat speechless. She hadn’t provoked this old man, had she?
Because of Gu Xing’s sudden remark, Xia Zhen took a deep look at Hua Changxi. The cultivators from the Guardian Family, who hadn’t paid much attention to her before, now scrutinized her again. Even the people from the Medical Affairs Department looked at her with more inquiry.
Seeing everyone’s reaction, Hua Changxi rolled her eyes.
This old man Gu is just causing trouble for her!
Gu Xing led everyone to the Stone Cauldron. Then, with a wave of his cane, a sacrificial table inscribed with green Runes appeared.
Upon seeing the sacrificial table, Xia Zhen tidied his clothes again and then respectfully brought out the Divine Wood Cauldron and eighteen sticks of Pill Incense.
Gu Xing looked at the nine Hall Masters who had received Wooden Tokens. He initially intended to say nothing and let them choose their Pill Incense themselves. However, his gaze swept over Hua Changxi, and thinking about how this girl had neglected the Qihuang Hall after becoming a Hall Master, he decided to say, “The Pill Incense is divided into three grades, and each grade corresponds to a Secret Realm of a corresponding rank.”
“The Divine Wood Secret Realm is different from the Secret Realms you discover in the outside world. The Divine Wood Secret Realm has no concept of Nirvana.”
