Chapter 300: The Candidate for the Flag Sacrifice
Kicked out of the bamboo house by Hua Changxi, Hua Sanlang felt both embarrassed and angry, with a belly full of grievances and discomfort.
He finally realized that Jiu Niang didn’t see him as a brother at all, nor did she keep him in her heart, otherwise, she wouldn’t have been so ruthless.
In the spirit field, Zhu Qinghuan saw Hua Sanlang returning in haste and felt a bit surprised. After Hua Sanlang got closer to the spirit field, she noticed his grim expression and, after a moment of hesitation, walked out of the spirit field.
“Senior Brother Hua.”
Hearing the call, Hua Sanlang paused his steps, turned his head, and saw Zhu Qinghuan approaching in the moonlight.
“Junior Sister Zhu.”
After joining Dan Yuan Peak, all apprentices spontaneously addressed each other as Senior Brother, Senior Sister, Junior Brother, or Junior Sister.
Zhu Qinghuan walked up to Hua Sanlang and, seeing his visibly bad complexion, couldn’t help but ask with concern, “You seem to be in a bad mood, did something happen?”
Hua Sanlang was looking for someone to talk to about his pent-up feelings at that moment. Thinking that Zhu Qinghuan had always been easy to talk to and was a sensible person, he couldn’t help but pour out his heart.
“I just had a big fight with Jiu Niang, she really hurt my feelings.”
Zhu Qinghuan was taken aback for a moment, then looked around.
The moonlight was hazy, and all was silent, making it the perfect time to discuss heartfelt matters.
“Senior Brother Hua, if you want to talk, I’m willing to listen.”
To avoid being seen by others, Zhu Qinghuan said to Hua Sanlang, “Senior Brother Hua, why don’t we sit on the field ridge?”
Hua Sanlang nodded, and he and Zhu Qinghuan walked to the edge of the field ridge and sat down. The well-grown spirit rice perfectly concealed their figures.
“You should know that Hua Changxi is my sister, my full biological sister.”
“Other families, when one person gains power, they immediately support their family. But in our family, when Jiu Niang gained power, the family didn’t get much benefit, and instead, it caused a lot of trouble.”
“What’s most disheartening is that Jiu Niang would rather believe outsiders than trust and promote her own family.”
“I won’t even mention the past when it came to staffing the spirit mines. Just when the Dan Yuan Secret Realm opened, not only did the family fully support her, but they also roped in the entire Hua clan to help her.”
Hearing this, Zhu Qinghuan couldn’t help but roll her eyes and interrupt, “Senior Brother Hua, to say something you might not like, you might not have truly understood the situation.”
“It wasn’t you and the Hua clan helping the Peak Master; it was the Peak Master who accepted you.”
Hua Sanlang’s heart tightened. “Junior Sister Zhu, have you forgotten? Back then, when Jiu Niang was opposed by everyone, we took a risk joining Dan Yuan Peak.”
Zhu Qinghuan finally understood why Hua Changxi had sent Hua Sanlang down the mountain. She also felt like leaving. “Senior Brother Hua, I understand what you’re saying. You only want benefits but don’t want to take responsibility, right?”
Hearing this, Hua Sanlang seemed to have his sore spot hit, and he instantly bristled, saying sternly, “Junior Sister Zhu, what nonsense are you spouting?”
Zhu Qinghuan looked him straight in the eye. “Did I really say something wrong? Whether it’s now or before the Spiritual Energy Revival, isn’t it natural to take some risks to achieve something?”
“Why is it that when it comes to you, taking a little risk seems like a tremendous favor?”
“Let alone the fact that you weren’t the first to join Dan Yuan Peak. Even if you were, actively helping your own sister shouldn’t be about expecting rewards. Because by joining Dan Yuan Peak, you already benefited.”
Hua Sanlang’s lips trembled, unsure how to retort.
Zhu Qinghuan sighed. “Senior Brother Hua, I actually understand your and your family’s thoughts.”
“Perhaps you yourselves haven’t realized that in your hearts, you consider the Peak Master a part of the Hua family. And since she’s a woman, and women don’t have their own private property before marriage, you naturally assume that everything she possesses belongs to the Hua family.”
“But… things are different now. The most powerful person in your family is the Peak Master. If you want to rely on her for resources, you have to bow down to her.”
Hua Sanlang couldn’t bring himself to get angry at Zhu Qinghuan, so he could only say stiffly, “Can one forget their family and disregard kinship just because they’ve gained power?”
Zhu Qinghuan smiled faintly, shaking her head. “Senior Brother Hua, let me put it this way, do you think there’s such a thing as kinship in the Royal Family?”
Hua Sanlang frowned and fell silent.
Zhu Qinghuan continued, “Royal scions, whether it’s power or status, all depend on what the Emperor bestows. This is no different from your family relying on the Peak Master.”
“Think carefully, how do the Royal scions treat the Emperor? And how do you treat the Peak Master?”
Hearing this, Hua Sanlang felt extremely uncomfortable. He stood up abruptly. “Junior Sister Zhu, did you come to comfort me, or to upset me?”
Zhu Qinghuan also stood up, her expression unchanged. “Senior Brother Hua, I could certainly say some pleasant things you’d like to hear to please you, but you are my friend, and doing so would go against my principles.”
Hua Sanlang stared at Zhu Qinghuan for a while, then turned and left quickly without saying a word.
Zhu Qinghuan watched Hua Sanlang walk away, shook her head, and sighed, “No wonder Hua Changxi has such a fiery temper. With such family members, it’s hard for her temper to be good.”
Since Dan Yuan Peak recruited three Nascent Soul Realm apprentices, Yu Fu and the other three had become frequent visitors to the bamboo house, enduring painful and arduous medicinal bath quenching daily to continuously improve their cultivation and strength.
At the same time, Hua Changxi’s appearances in the first level of the Secret Realm and on Dan Yuan Peak also increased.
With more and more apprentices on Dan Yuan Peak, Yu Fu and the other three couldn’t manage everything alone. She needed to select a group of people who truly agreed with Dan Yuan Peak’s development philosophy to manage and expand it.
Furthermore, the matter of cultivating alchemists also needed to be put on the agenda.
“Uncle Xu, go to Qihuang Pavilion and tell Shen Qianfan that in November, I will be lecturing on how to refine pills at Number Six Qihuang Hall.”
“Since practical alchemy will be involved, the hall won’t be able to accommodate many people. Be sure to tell Yuan Tianchou that I will bring fifty apprentices, and he can allow at most fifty people to audit.”
Pharmacist Xu agreed and then went to Qihuang Pavilion.
Soon, everyone within the Medical Affairs Department knew that Hua Changxi would be lecturing in Qihuang Hall again, and this time it would be on how to refine pills.
Unfortunately, the number of spots was limited.
Just as Hua Changxi was selecting candidates for alchemist training from resumes in the Dan Yuan Peak Personnel Department, a message came from the Northern Garrison Command stating that traces of the Demon Race had appeared in the Capital City.
Upon learning of this, Hua Changxi immediately contacted Tong Yao, Jing Le, and Yan Zhenzhen, and confirmed with them that the Demon Suppressing Army had already clashed with the Demon Race twice.
Yan Zhenzhen also reminded her, “Changxi, you need to be careful. Recently, while Tong Yao, Jing Le, and I were on patrol, we felt like we were being followed. We all suspect it’s the Demon Race.”
Because other Secret Realm Masters had also begun recruiting cultivators from outside, Hua Changxi’s patrol duties in East City had been shared among them. It had been over half a month since her last patrol of East City.
Hua Changxi put away her resumes, summoned Wan Feng, and handed him the two hundred resumes that had been selected. “Divide these two hundred people into four groups and notify them that they will be learning alchemy with me in November on a rotating basis.”
After saying that, she quickly left.
After watching Hua Changxi leave, Wan Feng quickly flipped through the resumes. Seeing that Ye Lingxuan and her group were not among them, he felt a sense of regret and disappointment.
“I wonder if the Peak Master will give Senior Sister Ye and the others important roles?”
After leaving the Personnel Department, Hua Changxi exited the Medical Affairs Department and then appeared on the East City Gate of the Capital City.
On the second floor of a gambling house three streets away from the East City Gate, the charming proprietress leaned by the window, watching Hua Changxi on the city gate. She licked her lips.
“Hua Changxi of Dan Sheng Hall has finally appeared.”
Among the Five Great Sacred Lands, the Central Sacred Land possessed great terror, which the Demon Race dared not provoke. The three Sacred Lands of Artifacts, Talismans, and Formations also had many old monsters, requiring careful handling.
Only Dan Sheng Hall was a mess of factions, and the most prominent figure, Hua Changxi, was a loner with no backing or helpers.
Therefore, they could only use her as a sacrifice to boost the morale of the Demon Race.
“Damn Demon Suppressing Army, they’ve forced me to the point where I can’t even go out. Tonight, along with Four-headed Duck and two others, I will slaughter Hua Changxi to intimidate the human race!”
