Chapter 233: The Era’s Pusher
“You’ve been following me for a long time, what is it you want?”
Hua Changxi calmly watched Huo Yunxiao, who had followed her into Number Thirteen Qihuang Hall.
Huo Yunxiao smiled, “We are friends, and friends should help each other. I’m here to solve your troubles.”
Hua Changxi raised an eyebrow, “Troubles? I don’t even know I have any troubles myself. You seem to understand me better than I do.”
Huo Yunxiao gave Hua Changxi a look that said, ‘You don’t need to pretend.’ “Do you really have no troubles? If not, then I’ll be leaving?” With that, he made a move as if to leave.
Hua Changxi watched his performance with a faint smile, saying nothing.
Seeing her reaction, Huo Yunxiao felt a bit awkward and sheepishly sat back down. “How do you plan to manage the Divine Wood Secret Realm?”
Hua Changxi’s smile faded. “That’s none of your business.”
Huo Yunxiao: “Don’t push me away. I told you, I’m here to help you.”
“Managing the Divine Wood Secret Realm will require people, right? Do you have anyone available?”
Hua Changxi looked at him, remaining silent.
Seeing her silence, Huo Yunxiao’s expression grew more composed. “I’m just the vanguard this time. You’ve obtained a high-grade secret realm, so you’ll definitely need a lot of people to help manage it.”
“Other secret realm masters have their families to help. Even Shen Qianfan, who has the weakest background, has garnered the assistance of a group of imperial court officials due to his reliance on Shen Zhixing, the Assistant Minister of the Ministry of Justice.”
“You saw the situation at the entrance of the Medical Affairs Department. Most of the other secret realm masters have already recruited their personnel, but there’s been no movement from your side.”
“If you’re willing, many people besides me want to cooperate with you. We can all provide you with personnel.”
Hua Changxi’s eyes flickered. “Who are these people who want to cooperate with me?”
Huo Yunxiao thought he had convinced Hua Changxi and his spirits lifted. “When looking for partners, you naturally want to find those you know well.”
“Of the previous eighteen Hall Masters, all those who haven’t obtained a secret realm are willing to cooperate with you. You can choose from them freely.”
“Don’t worry, the people we provide will be at least at the Qi Refining Realm, ensuring that you can quickly get the secret realm on track, just like other secret realm masters.”
Hua Changxi smiled. She would have to be out of her mind to use cultivators recruited by others.
Her previous cooperation with Elder You and his three companions to develop the Fire Spirit Mine had led to her being sidelined precisely because the personnel managing the mine were all theirs.
“Huo Yunxiao, I’m curious, why are you so certain I can’t recruit anyone?”
Huo Yunxiao also smiled. “Hall Master Hua, let me tell you something from the heart. Even though the Spiritual Energy Revival is widely known, very few people have actually embarked on the path of cultivation.”
“It’s not for any other reason; it’s the lack of cultivation methods.”
“Except for a few individuals with profound destinies who accidentally obtained inheritances, everyone else can only obtain cultivation methods by joining a faction.”
“According to statistics from the Heavenly Department, at least over sixty percent of current cultivators are controlled by various factions.”
“This situation is even more pronounced in the Capital City.”
“In this current situation, other secret realm masters are also recruiting. You, however, are at the bottom in terms of both foundation and background. Tell me, can you compete with the other secret realm masters? Even if you manage to recruit some rogue cultivators in the end, how many can you possibly recruit?”
What Huo Yunxiao didn’t say was that the Royal Family and the Nobles would unanimously join forces to prevent Hua Changxi from recruiting rogue cultivators, in order to place their own people into Hua Changxi’s high-grade secret realm.
Hua Changxi nodded. “I admit, all the situations you’ve described are true. However, listening to you makes me feel quite annoyed, as if you’ve all got me figured out.”
Huo Yunxiao was silent for a moment. “When facing the irresistible, one needs to compromise.”
Hua Changxi smiled. “But I refuse to believe that!” She then made a gesture of seeing him out. “Please leave. Your so-called cooperation is never within my consideration.”
Huo Yunxiao’s face showed surprise, then he said earnestly, “Hua Changxi, don’t act on impulse. Even if you have Hua Clan members behind you, how many people can the Hua Clan provide you with?”
“Also, do you know that how you manage and operate the Divine Wood Secret Realm will affect your future standing in the Dan Sheng Hall?”
“Many hands make light work. The struggle for power has never been a solo endeavor.”
Hua Changxi was speechless. “Who is trying to seize power? I’m only responsible for managing the secret realm; other matters are irrelevant to me. If I can’t recruit people, I’ll recruit them slowly. I’m not in a hurry. Alright, stop talking and please leave.”
Hearing her say this, Huo Yunxiao truly didn’t know what to say. After a long while, he shook his head. “You’ve already entered the game. Some things are unavoidable, even if you don’t want to participate.”
Seeing that Hua Changxi was determined not to listen to him, Huo Yunxiao had no choice but to leave reluctantly.
As soon as he left, Hua Changxi entered the Divine Wood Secret Realm and looked at the vast medicine fields within, contemplating the matter of recruitment.
Recruitment was indeed a troublesome affair.
However, with the experience of recruiting for the Lingguang Hall Vermilion Bird Army, Hua Changxi already had ideas on how to recruit.
It was difficult for her to recruit cultivators directly, but it was much easier to have cultivators actively seek to join the Dan Sheng Hall.
Hua Changxi flashed out of the secret realm, took out a communication talisman, and contacted Tong Yao again.
Tong Yao, who had not yet parted ways with Jing Le and Yan Zhenzhen, saw that Hua Changxi needed something again and told her their location.
After receiving the reply, Hua Changxi quickly arrived at the restaurant where Tong Yao and the other two were.
Tong Yao: “Fellow Daoist Hua, you’re looking for me in such a hurry. Have you encountered any trouble?”
Hua Changxi: “I have encountered some trouble.” With that, she explained the matter of recruiting for the secret realm to the three of them.
Upon hearing this, Tong Yao and the other two also showed a hint of worry on their faces.
It was not for any other reason; amidst the siege by the Royal Family and the Nobles, it was difficult for their three families to find suitable disciples.
Hua Changxi looked at Tong Yao. “I want to craft a batch of Spiritual Artifacts,” which were essentially displays from her previous life.
With displays, as long as the recruitment notices were displayed on them and played continuously, a steady stream of cultivators would see them.
“This batch of Spiritual Artifacts must have strong defenses. I plan to install one on the city walls of every major city in the Nine Provinces.”
“Then, I will engrave the recruitment standards on the Spiritual Artifacts. This way, anyone who passes by the city walls will know that the Dan Sheng Hall is recruiting.”
“The appeal of a Sacred Land to cultivators is undoubtedly immense. Once more people know, there will definitely be those willing to pledge their allegiance.”
“I refuse to believe that the various Nobles can block all the countless cultivators in the world.”
As Hua Changxi explained, Tong Yao, Jing Le, and Yan Zhenzhen’s eyes grew brighter and brighter. The three of them continuously refined Hua Changxi’s ideas, speaking one after another.
“Installing them on city walls isn’t ideal. What if someone destroys the city walls? It would be best if the Spiritual Artifacts could stand independently on the ground, impervious to anyone.”
“The Artifact Saint Palace has a batch of Meteorites stored in its earth veins. These stones are so durable that even Dao Integration Realm cultivators would find it difficult to destroy them. I can use Meteorites to craft the Spiritual Artifacts.”
“I can engrave conversion arrays onto the Spiritual Artifacts to redirect attacks.”
“The recruitment regulations on the Spiritual Artifacts can be recorded using Runes, ensuring the text remains clear forever.”
Seeing Tong Yao and the other two being even more enthusiastic than herself, Hua Changxi was somewhat surprised.
“Fellow Daoist Hua…”
Tong Yao looked at Hua Changxi with bright eyes. “Your idea is excellent. The three of us can craft the Spiritual Artifacts for you free of charge, but I have one request.”
Hua Changxi had a rough idea of what Tong Yao wanted to say. “Go ahead.”
Tong Yao: “Besides the recruitment standards for the Dan Sheng Hall, I’d like to include the recruitment standards for the Artifact Saint Palace on the Spiritual Artifacts as well.”
Yan Zhenzhen: “And the Formation Saint Sect’s too.”
Jing Le: “And the Talisman Saint Pavilion.”
Hua Changxi smiled. “Certainly. This will be our first collaborative project together. I’ll provide the ideas, and you’ll provide the technology.”
Seeing her agreement, Tong Yao and the other two smiled.
“Great, this is our first collaborative project together!”
Hua Changxi looked at Tong Yao. “The quantity of Spiritual Artifacts is quite large. I want to install one in every city where people gather. Can you refine so many?”
Tong Yao thought about the stock of Meteorites. “One hundred is not a problem.”
Hua Changxi clapped her hands. “One hundred is not a small number. It’s perfect for the four of us, 25 each. We can each take a direction – east, west, south, and north – to install the Spiritual Artifacts.”
“To craft the Spiritual Artifacts as soon as possible, let’s hurry back and write the recruitment notices.”
“Remember, be sure to clearly state the recruitment standards and benefits, so that cultivators from all over don’t make a wasted trip to the Capital City only to find they don’t meet the requirements.”
