Chapter 217: Popular Support
Two sticks of Third Grade Incense remained out of six, a fact that no one had expected.
As a prince of the Royal Family, Chu Junhao found it difficult to accept that while the people from Prince Dong’an’s Estate, Prince Xiping’s Mansion, Prince Nanding’s Mansion, and Prince Beizhen’s Mansion had all obtained Secret Realms, he hadn’t even managed to light a Third Grade Incense.
Was this not telling the world that the Royal Family was inferior to four families with different surnames holding princely titles?
Prince Shou’s expression also turned terrifyingly grim upon seeing the Royal Family gain nothing. Of course, his mood hadn’t been cheerful since the Guardian Families arrived.
Hua Changxi was also somewhat surprised that Chu Junhao hadn’t lit a Third Grade Incense. After seeing the four great princely families of the southeast, northwest, north, and west light their Pill Incense, she deduced that maintaining social order was also considered Merit, and the Divine Wood would therefore bestow blessings.
However, the Chu Imperial Family was still the most legitimate ruler of the Great Jin. Their Merit should not be less than that of the four princely families with different surnames.
Was Chu Junhao’s failure to light Pill Incense a sign of the Royal Family’s declining Luck, or was Chu Junhao himself lacking?
Not only Hua Changxi harbored such doubts, but Gu Xing and Xia Zhen also had similar thoughts arising in their minds. Wei Zhenjie and Master Zhang also appeared to be deep in thought.
On the side of the Guardian Families, things were also beyond Hua Changxi’s expectations. She had originally thought that all ten Spirit Bodies brought by Xia Zhen would receive the Divine Wood’s blessing as long as there was enough Pill Incense. To her surprise, as many as four received nothing.
Only one of the Long family siblings obtained a Secret Realm; it was understandable that only one person per family could obtain one. What surprised her was that Dongfang Hao, whose physique she couldn’t see through, and his brother Dongfang Xu, had neither received the Divine Wood’s favor.
While Hua Changxi’s attention was on the Long siblings and the Dongfang brothers, Gu Jin Fan’s focus was on Jiang Nianyi.
Seeing that Jiang Nianyi had not lit a Third Grade Incense and had not obtained a Divine Wood Secret Realm, Gu Jin Fan’s worried heart finally settled.
In her previous life, the Dan Sheng Hall was controlled by outer realm cultivators led by the Jiang Family. In this life, the people from the Guardian Families appeared early, and the juniors from the five Guardian Families had all come to the Dan Sheng Hall. With these people present, the Jiang Family and other outer realm cultivators would certainly not be able to cause trouble as they did in the previous life.
“Qing Yao, it’s your turn to worship the Divine Wood.”
Xia Zhen valued Meng Qingyao the most. As the Guardian responsible for the Dan Sheng Hall, he naturally hoped that the future Holy Land Master would be someone he chose. Since Long Jin, the Dongfang brothers, and the Jiang family daughter had not received the Divine Wood’s blessing, his heart was now somewhat anxious, fearing that his expectations for Meng Qingyao were too high.
Meng Qingyao took a deep breath and walked towards the offering table. Only two sticks of First-grade Incense and two sticks of Third Grade Incense remained on the table. Without hesitation, she directly picked up a stick of First-grade Incense. After performing the three kowtows and nine bows, she nervously inserted the Pill Incense into the Divine Wood Cauldron.
“It’s lit, the Pill Incense is lit!”
As wisps of green smoke emerged, Meng Yuchuan exclaimed excitedly, and everyone else’s spirits lifted.
Hua Changxi stared intently at the rising Pill Smoke, silently counting the flashes of green light in her heart: “One, two, three, four, five, six, seven!”
After the green light flashed for the seventh time, the Pill Incense in the Divine Wood Cauldron quickly burned out.
Meng Qingyao had obtained a Seventh Rank Secret Realm!
Hua Changxi’s lips curved upwards involuntarily. The peerless genius chosen by the Guardian was not as good as her own, which made her feel somewhat proud.
However, upon noticing Gu Xing looking at her, she quickly suppressed the smile.
“What does Old Master Gu mean?”
Hua Changxi saw Gu Xing look at her, then at Meng Qingyao, his gaze shifting back and forth between the two of them with scrutiny and deliberation in his eyes. This behavior immediately made her frown.
Xia Zhen was very pleased that Meng Qingyao had successfully lit a First-grade Incense. Seeing Gu Xing, the Heavenly Department Minister, and Master Zhang all appraising Meng Qingyao, he immediately began to elaborate on Meng Qingyao’s outstanding talent in Alchemy to them.
With the Royal Family gaining nothing, Prince Shou had long lost his patience. Looking at the remaining one stick of First-grade Incense and two sticks of Third Grade Incense on the offering table, he interrupted, ignoring that Xia Zhen was engrossed in conversation with Gu Xing and the other two: “Senior Xia, how will the remaining three sticks of Pill Incense be handled?”
A sharp glint flashed in Xia Zhen’s eyes, and he replied irritably, “Since no one has lit these three sticks of Pill Incense, they will naturally be taken back by this old man.”
Upon hearing this, Prince Shou pondered for a moment and then said, “Since Senior Xia has already brought the Pill Incense to the Medical Affairs Department, it would be too troublesome to take it back. Why don’t I select some more outstanding Alchemy talents to worship the Divine Wood?”
Xia Zhen knew that Prince Shou was coveting the Divine Wood Secret Realm. He glanced at the cultivators who had followed him. Besides the ten Spirit Bodies, there were many Single Wood Spiritual Root cultivators. These individuals would certainly have more talent for Alchemy than those selected by Prince Shou.
“Very well, this old man also has many cultivators who haven’t worshipped the Divine Wood yet.”
Prince Shou didn’t want to compete with the cultivators chosen by the Guardian Families. He wanted to directly obtain those three sticks of Pill Incense. “Senior Xia, this is the capital of Great Jin. You brought so many people to the Medical Affairs Department this time and are competing for the position of Hall Master with those appointed by the Imperial Court. Out of respect for the Guardian Families, this Prince agrees.”
“However, of the nine Hall Masters appointed by the Imperial Court, the people you brought have directly taken six positions without informing the Imperial Court beforehand. Your actions are a bit too overbearing.”
“If this matter gets out, I fear it will tarnish the reputation of the Guardian Families, making people think you are using your status as a Guardian to arbitrarily place your own people in the Medical Affairs Department. This will surely cause widespread dissatisfaction…”
Prince Shou did not finish his sentence, but everyone present understood.
He was threatening Xia Zhen: if the Imperial Court were to acknowledge the Hall Master positions of Meng Qingyao and the other six, then the remaining three sticks of Pill Incense must be lit by people selected by Prince Shou.
Xia Zhen was extremely angered by this and at one point wanted to teach Prince Shou a lesson, but he restrained himself.
The reason was that while the Royal Family feared the foundation of the Guardian Families, the Guardian Families also feared the status of the Royal Family as the legitimate rulers. The Royal Family could issue decrees and influence public opinion, directly affecting the hearts of the people.
For cultivators themselves, having the hearts of the people was not important. However, if one wished to establish a sect in a world of cultivator dominance, or to become the Lord of Dan Sheng Hall, the hearts of the people became very important.
Due to their Merit in guarding the Dao, the Guardian Families indeed held a certain advantage in the early stages of Spiritual Energy Revival. However, as more and more prodigies who stirred the tides of the era emerged, the role of the Guardian Families would gradually diminish. No one could say for sure how far the Guardian Families would go in the future.
The Guardian Families also had to prepare for the future!
Xia Zhen did not want the Guardian Families to directly fall out with the Royal Family as soon as they appeared. However, he was also unwilling to hand over the three sticks of Pill Incense for Prince Shou to distribute.
“Your Highness Prince Shou, for the remaining three sticks of Pill Incense, you select a few people, and my side will also select a few people, and then we will take turns worshipping the Divine Wood. This is the greatest concession I can make.”
However, for Prince Shou, this was no concession at all, and he naturally refused. Yet, he also dared not truly do anything to Xia Zhen. For a moment, the atmosphere in the scene became stagnant.
“Cough cough~”
A heavy cough broke the stagnant atmosphere. Everyone looked towards the sound and found that it was Hua Changxi coughing.
As Gu Xing looked over, Hua Changxi said to him, “Senior Gu, the Guardian Families protect the inheritance of the Sacred Land, ensuring its continuity, which is immeasurable Merit. However, the Gu Family, who has guarded the Sacred Land for generations, has also worked tirelessly and made great contributions. Regarding the handling of the remaining three sticks of Pill Incense, do you not have any opinions?”
