Chapter 221: The Spiritual Realm Pavilion
Hua Changxi left without looking back, leaving a group of people with awkward expressions.
With her interference, Xia Zhen’s plan not only fell through, but he also lost face in public. If not for his years of cultivated composure, he would have almost been unable to resist teaching Hua Changxi a lesson.
Gu Xing was also greatly troubled by Hua Changxi’s willful behavior. Looking at Xia Zhen’s cold eyes, he sighed inwardly, “Fellow Daoist Xia, Hua girl has this kind of temper. She never has a good attitude towards me either.”
Upon hearing this, Xia Zhen withdrew his coldness and smiled, “Prodigies all have their temperaments. As guardians of the Sacred Land, you and I should be more tolerant.” He then looked at the other Secret Realm masters.
“Little Friend Hua is proud and headstrong, unwilling to discuss matters with everyone. What about the rest of you?”
Gu Xing frowned upon hearing Xia Zhen’s assessment of Hua Changxi, but he also felt that Hua Changxi’s temperament was indeed a bit too self-centered.
People always learn to temper their sharpness after experiencing things.
That girl needs to learn how to behave.
Seeing that Gu Xing did not speak up for Hua Changxi, and the others were also indifferent, Xia Zhen breathed a sigh of relief.
Indeed, people like Hua Changxi who don’t follow the rules are trouble and threats to those from Noble Families, and no one would truly want to get close to her.
Dongfang Hao looked at the silent Mu Qingying and others, and smiled, “Managing and operating a Secret Realm is not an easy task. We have just arrived at the Medical Affairs Department and understand nothing. We will have to rely on all of you for guidance. Esteemed fellow Daoists, please do not hesitate to impart your wisdom.”
Humble words and a sincere demeanor instantly broke the stagnant atmosphere.
Department Head Gu saw that a junior from the Guardian Family had stepped forward and also gave his disciple Yuan Tianchou a look.
Upon receiving his master’s signal, Yuan Tianchou smiled and said, “Fellow Daoist Dongfang is too kind. In the future, we will all be working for the Sacred Land together. We should naturally help each other and promote each other.”
With Dongfang Hao and Yuan Tianchou taking the lead, and at the cues from Xia Zhen and Department Head Gu, the others stepped forward one after another, all joining in the pleasantries and conversation.
In an instant, the two sides that were originally hostile became all smiles and laughter, no longer showing any signs of belonging to different factions.
Even Prince Shou put away his dissatisfaction and began to exchange pleasantries with Xia Zhen and the middle-aged cultivators he had brought.
While chatting, Xia Zhen looked at Dongfang Hao with satisfaction. This was the excellent prodigy cultivated by a family with good upbringing, this was the correct attitude for cooperation and exchange. How could Hua Changxi be compared to her? She was just a rat in the ditch, causing destruction.
“Since we will be gathering to exchange ideas and discuss matters in the future, why don’t we establish a department specifically to handle Secret Realm affairs?”
“How about calling it the Spiritual Realm Pavilion?”
“Spiritual Realm Pavilion, that’s a good name. Let’s call it the Spiritual Realm Pavilion.”
Under Dongfang Hao’s intentional guidance and the willing cooperation of others, the Medical Affairs Department gained a new entity, the Spiritual Realm Pavilion, located in the first Apothecary Shop to the left of Ninth Street, near Pilgrimage Road.
Gu Xing did not object. The Sacred Land had yet to reappear, and an office was indeed needed to coordinate and guide the development direction of the Sacred Land.
After the Spiritual Realm Pavilion was established, Gu Xing did not linger any longer and returned to the Old Plaza Courtyard.
As soon as he left, Prince Shou invited Xia Zhen and the others to attend the Lunar New Year’s Eve banquet at the palace.
Xia Zhen did not refuse. They would all be staying in the Capital City for a long time in the future, and to establish themselves in the Capital City, they could not avoid dealing with the Royal Family.
At the same time, they could use the palace banquet to announce their arrival to the Noble Families of the Capital City.
Prince Shou also invited the others. Six of the people Xia Zhen brought had obtained the Divine Wood Secret Realm, which meant six people had to give up their Hall Master positions. These people still needed to be appeased.
A group of people headed towards the Imperial Palace in a grand procession.
Wei Zhenjie and Master Zhang walked side by side, with Huo Yunxiao and Wen Lanzhou following behind.
Wei Zhenjie said, “Eighteen Secret Realms, and the people brought by the Xia Family only obtained six. I really didn’t expect this.” He then smiled.
“If Hua Changxi hadn’t interfered, Senior Gu, with his personality, probably wouldn’t have actively stepped forward to contend for those three Public Secret Realms.”
Master Zhang nodded, thinking of the relationship between Hua Changxi and Hua Changxin, “Hua Changxi has truly offended Senior Xia severely today. She will likely be excluded from the Spiritual Realm Pavilion.”
Wei Zhenjie chuckled, “I think that girl probably wouldn’t care to join the Spiritual Realm Pavilion anyway.”
Master Zhang said, “It’s not good to be too solitary. In places like the Dan Sheng Hall, just being good at Alchemy isn’t enough.”
Wei Zhenjie strongly agreed with this statement, “I hope she can go far.” After speaking, he changed the subject, “Six people have to give up their Hall Master positions. Many people will have a difficult New Year.”
Master Zhang smiled, “Without a Secret Realm, without resource supply, just guarding an empty hall, it’s not much to not be a Hall Master.”
Wei Zhenjie said, “That’s true.”
Behind the two, Huo Yunxiao and Wen Lanzhou were also talking.
Huo Yunxiao said, “Hua Changxi left too early. Otherwise, she could have attended the Lunar New Year’s Eve banquet at the palace.”
Wen Lanzhou disagreed, “It’s better if she doesn’t attend. Otherwise, with her temper, I’m really afraid she would openly contradict a Royal Family relative in public.” Just thinking about that scene was exciting.
Huo Yunxiao thought about that scene and shivered, “You’re right, Hua Changxi is indeed not suitable for attending the palace banquet.”
Meanwhile, Hua Changxi, who had left the plaza, did not return directly to the Hua Family but first went back to Number Thirteen Qihuang Hall.
She needed to enter the Secret Realm first to explore!
“Hall Master!”
The matter of the Divine Wood Secret Realm had already spread throughout the Medical Affairs Department. Seeing Hua Changxi return, Pharmacist Xu and the other eight Medicine Children looked at her with increasingly fervent eyes.
Before, following Hua Changxi was mainly to uncover the secrets of Qihuang Hall and learn some Alchemy Techniques.
But now, with the Divine Wood Secret Realm, Hua Changxi held tangible Cultivation Resources. Even a small portion leaked to them would greatly ease their cultivation path.
Before, the eight of them had felt somewhat dissatisfied following the hands-off Hua Changxi, but now, even if they had to continue sitting on the sidelines, they were unwilling to leave Hua Changxi.
Hua Changxi nodded at Pharmacist Xu and the others, then went straight into the east room Alchemy Room, which only she could enter.
After entering the Alchemy Room and setting up a Prohibition, Hua Changxi closed her eyes, her consciousness entering her Dantian. She looked at the Eight Meridians Divine Wood Leaf suspended in her Dantian and thought “enter.” In an instant, her body disappeared from the Alchemy Room.
The next moment, she appeared in a boundless expanse of Spiritual Medicine, filled with dense wood Spiritual Energy and the fragrance of herbs.
“Hiss~”
Hua Changxi gasped. The vast land, as far as the eye could see, was filled with all sorts of first-tier Spiritual Medicine. Even she, who possessed Five Finger Mountain, was shocked by the countless first-tier Spiritual Medicine before her.
The medicine field was flat and vast, giving Hua Changxi the illusion of being on a prairie.
“How big is this Secret Realm?”
As soon as this thought arose, a green, pyramid-shaped three-dimensional image appeared in Hua Changxi’s mind.
Her Secret Realm was not single-layered but had eight layers.
The bottom layer, where she was currently standing, had one hundred million mu of medicine fields and countless flower and fruit mountains, all planted with first-tier Spiritual Medicine, Spiritual Fruit, and Spiritual Plants.
Because the first-tier Spiritual Medicine, Spiritual Plants, and Spiritual Fruit were not old and were unattended, they mostly matured, fell to the ground, and rotted. However, because the roots remained, or seeds sprouted, they would grow again, cycling endlessly.
The medicine field where Hua Changxi was currently located had both vibrant Spiritual Medicine and Spiritual Plants, as well as rotting ones.
Seeing the spoiled Spiritual Medicine, Hua Changxi felt a pang of heartache. She summoned her Somersault Cloud and, at the fastest speed, scouted the first layer, then ascended, heading straight for the second layer.
The second layer had fifty million mu of medicine fields, all planted with second-tier Spiritual Medicine, Spiritual Plants, and Spiritual Fruit. The growth condition of the medicinal herbs was similar to the first layer.
The third layer had ten million mu of medicine fields, all planted with third-tier Spiritual Medicine, Spiritual Plants, and Spiritual Fruit. Because third-tier medicinal herbs had a longer lifespan, the situation of spoilage and rotting was relatively reduced.
The fourth layer had five million mu of medicine fields, all planted with fourth-tier Spiritual Medicine, Spiritual Plants, and Spiritual Fruit. The spoilage of medicinal herbs was further reduced.
The fifth layer had one million mu of medicine fields. Upon arrival, Hua Changxi sensed the pure Soul Power in the air. As far as the eye could see, it was all Soul Plants and Soul Fruit that increased Spiritual Sense and Soul Power, with almost no rotting or spoiled items visible.
On the fifth layer of the Secret Realm, Hua Changxi found her movements restricted. She could not hover in the air, and there was a suppressing force in the sky. Furthermore, as she moved towards the center, her head would feel swollen and dizzy.
Each layer of the Secret Realm corresponded to a respective Realm. The fifth layer corresponded to the Spiritual Platform Realm. She was still a Nascent Soul Realm Cultivator and could not withstand the suppressing force above. Thus, she quickly descended to the fourth layer.
