Chapter 76: Original Intention
Hua Changxi saw the leader of the Demon Suppressing Army on the rooftop and didn’t dare to stare openly. She walked to a small stall on the street, looking at the items on display while observing how the authorities were attending to the injured civilians.
“Young woman, are you buying anything or not?”
At a stall selling rouge and powder, the vendor saw Hua Changxi pick up a rouge to look at it, then a powder to smell it. She had looked at almost everything on his stall but hadn’t said whether she would buy anything. He couldn’t help but speak up.
Hua Changxi smiled sheepishly. She didn’t need rouge or powder, but she felt a bit embarrassed for lingering at the stall for so long. She was about to buy a box of rouge as a token gesture when she inadvertently saw a Fuwa mask placed at the back of the stall.
“Boss, are you selling this Fuwa mask?”
The vendor looked at Hua Changxi with a complex expression. “I bought this for my little grandson to play with.”
Hua Changxi took out a piece of silver. “Boss, I really like this mask. Could you bear to part with it?”
The vendor looked at the silver, was silent for a moment, and then decisively handed the Fuwa mask to Hua Changxi. “Young woman, you have excellent taste. This Fuwa mask has been blessed at a temple. Once you wear it, I guarantee you’ll have your wishes fulfilled and marry a suitable husband.”
“I hope your words come true.”
Hua Changxi gave the silver to the boss and took the Fuwa mask with a smile.
The mask was made to look naive and cute, very much like the Mountain Spirit and Xiao Song.
There happened to be a mirror at the stall, so Hua Changxi put on the mask and looked at herself in the mirror. She thought it looked quite good.
The vendor was also quite eloquent. “Young woman, when you wear this mask, you truly radiate good fortune. This mask was practically made for you.”
“I also feel this mask suits me very well.”
Hua Changxi smiled and looked in the mirror for a while. She felt that wearing the mask greatly increased her sense of security. No wonder the Demon Suppressing Army wore masks; indeed, everything that exists has a reason.
“Boss, I wish you prosperous business. I’m leaving.”
The vendor watched Hua Changxi leave wearing the mask and smiled, shaking his head. “This young woman has a greater playful spirit than my little grandson.”
Hua Changxi saw that the officials were taking the injured civilians to a medical clinic and followed to observe. She learned from the surrounding people that the authorities had promised free medical treatment for the injured and subsidies for those whose houses were destroyed.
“The Prefect truly cares for his people like a parent.”
“Yes, many who had their houses destroyed felt like the sky was falling just moments ago. Now, with the government’s subsidies, they can pick themselves up again.”
“Indeed.”
Seeing that the Demon Suppressing Army was handling things efficiently, Hua Changxi felt relieved and prepared to leave Daicheng and return to the Three Forked Medicine Valley. As she left the medical clinic, she saw the Demon Suppressing Army again.
Black robes, Kirin masks, swords at their waists, the disciplined troop’s appearance immediately drew everyone’s attention.
Hua Changxi also noticed. As she passed by the Demon Suppressing Army, she specifically looked at the leader at the front. Although she couldn’t see his face, the exposed eyes were exceptionally sharp and resolute.
Chu Junyi sensed someone observing him. At first, he didn’t pay much attention, thinking it was just the surrounding civilians. But the next moment, he smelled a faint scent of pills and turned his head sharply.
The street was bustling with pedestrians, and there was nothing suspicious. Yet, Chu Junyi’s gaze pierced through the crowd and landed on a rather petite figure.
The person’s steps were light, and from a distance, one could feel their ease and contentment.
As if sensing someone watching her, the person turned her head.
Then, Chu Junyi saw a naive and cute Fuwa mask.
The Fuwa mask seemed to smile heartily. Through the exposed eyes, Chu Junyi felt that the person behind the mask was also smiling.
“Commander Yi, I’ve arranged for the injured civilians like this. Do you think there’s anything that needs improvement?”
Meng Ziyu saw that Chu Junyi hadn’t heard the Prefect of Qingzhou’s question and quickly called out, “Commander~”
Chu Junyi snapped back to attention and looked at Meng Ziyu.
Meng Ziyu quickly said, “The Prefect is asking if there’s anything that needs improvement.”
Chu Junyi looked at the Prefect of Qingzhou. “Lord Cheng’s arrangements are very reasonable.” After speaking, he looked back at the pedestrians.
At this moment, the person wearing the Fuwa mask was nowhere to be seen.
Chu Junyi frowned. Was it an illusion? That young woman, judging by her build, was probably only fourteen or fifteen. Could she be the one who gave them the pills?
A Core Formation Cultivator at around ten years old.
Sanqing Palace and Taisu Palace probably couldn’t cultivate many such individuals.
Meng Ziyu noticed Chu Junyi’s unusual behavior. After the Prefect of Qingzhou entered the apothecary shop, he quietly asked, “Commander, what are you looking at?”
Chu Junyi looked at the pedestrians. “Among the two people who fought a great battle over Daicheng earlier, do you think it’s possible one of them was a young woman?”
Meng Ziyu flatly denied it. “Impossible.”
Chu Junyi looked at him. “Why?”
Meng Ziyu: “Such formidable combat power, how could it possibly be a young woman?”
Chu Junyi thought Meng Ziyu would give a convincing reason. Hearing this, he was somewhat disappointed. “Ziyu, you need to change some of your thinking.”
“In martial arts, women might not be as strong as men, but in cultivation, I always feel that women seem to have an advantage over men.”
Among the exceptionally talented disciples of Sanqing Palace and Taisu Palace, there are no fewer women than men.
Meng Ziyu usually had great faith in Chu Junyi, but he disagreed with this statement. “There is an order to yin and yang. How can women be stronger than men? Wouldn’t that be a reversal of heaven’s will?”
Chu Junyi looked at him and didn’t continue the topic. Instead, he said, “Regarding the apothecary shop and the repair of houses, send people to keep an eye on it. We received so many pills from them; we must handle this matter properly.”
Meng Ziyu thought of his subordinates whose injuries had immediately improved after taking the pills and quickly nodded. “Don’t worry, I’ll send people to supervise. We’ll personally oversee this matter, and Prefect Liang Qingzhou wouldn’t dare to be insincere.”
Chu Junyi: “We’ll depart for the capital tomorrow. You leave two people to keep an eye on things.”
Meng Ziyu readily agreed. “Commander, rest assured. That Pill Master is so skilled. We might encounter them again in the future. I will definitely handle this matter well.”
After leaving Daicheng, Hua Changxi took to the clouds and flew away without any stops. An hour later, she returned to the Three Forked Medicine Valley before dark.
“Changxi, you’ve finally come out of seclusion.”
Hua Changxi didn’t expect Guo Yu to be waiting for her at the Medicine Valley’s accommodation. Judging by his appearance, he must have been waiting for quite some time.
Guo Yu was truly relieved to see Hua Changxi appear. “Didn’t you say you’d only be in seclusion for half a month? It’s almost the New Year now, and you’ve been in seclusion for over three months.”
Hua Changxi explained naturally, “Cultivators have no concept of time when in seclusion. I didn’t expect to be in seclusion for so long. Is there something you need me for?”
Guo Yu thought of the guesses of their Master and others and didn’t quite believe this explanation, but he didn’t say anything. “Someone from the Labor Department has come, saying you need to return immediately.”
Hua Changxi was a little surprised. “Someone from the Labor Department is asking me to return?”
Guo Yu nodded. “The person who came is an eunuch.”
Hua Changxi frowned. “When did this happen?”
Guo Yu: “A few days ago. Our Master personally dealt with the eunuch, saying you were out in the mountains gathering herbs. When the eunuch left, he repeatedly instructed you to return to the Labor Department immediately upon your return, saying it was Eunuch Jia’s order.”
Hua Changxi was truly surprised. After Eunuch Jia recruited her into the Labor Department, she hadn’t seen him again. She thought he had forgotten about her, so why would he suddenly remember her at this time?
“Alright, I understand.”
“Oh, and during Laba Festival, your Third Brother and Sixth Brother also came once. Fearing they might be waiting for you in the Medicine Valley, I told them our Master had sent you to work at another medicine farm.”
“Thank you for covering for me.”
Hua Changxi sized up Guo Yu and felt that his internal energy had increased again. She smiled, “Congratulations on your martial arts cultivation advancing further. If you need any pills, you can tell me, and I’ll refine them for you.”
Guo Yu thought about his martial arts cultivation soaring in the past few months and was also excited. “I can now release Gang Qi at will, but I’m still far from the Grandmaster realm.”
Hua Changxi asked again, “How is your Master and the others’ cultivation progressing?”
Guo Yu immediately became excited. “Master and Senior Zhuo have both achieved Qi Induction and are now cultivating diligently.” He then looked at Hua Changxi as if he wanted to say something more.
Hua Changxi could see that Guo Yu really wanted to become a cultivator. However, what Guo Yu had done wasn’t enough to earn a Creation Pill, so she changed the subject. “It’s a good time for me to go home and see. I’ll return to the Labor Department tomorrow.”
She thought that since she had shown an attitude of not wanting to continue the conversation, Guo Yu would leave. However, Guo Yu showed no signs of leaving.
Hua Changxi smiled. “What, do you have something else?”
Guo Yu looked at her. “A friend of Master Zhuo’s has come to the Medicine Valley.”
Hearing this, Hua Changxi immediately thought of Zhuo Fan revealing the matter of the Fire Spirit Mine to outsiders. A cold glint flashed in her eyes. “And so?”
Guo Yu hesitated. “He is currently in the stone cave where we are staying. Do you want to go up and meet him?”
Hua Changxi smiled. “I go up to meet him? You really don’t treat me as an outsider. When a friend comes, you ask me to meet him? Am I your servant?”
After speaking, her smile vanished without a trace.
Guo Yu’s expression froze. He clearly felt Hua Changxi’s anger.
“Hahaha, it’s not that you should go see me, but that I should come to see you.”
Unrestrained laughter echoed through the Medicine Valley.
Before seeing the person, only his voice was heard.
Hua Changxi sneered. She had no good feelings for this person who was being so mysterious. With a wave of her spiritual power, she accurately struck down the person hiding in the tree.
Seeing the person crash heavily onto the ground, creating a human-shaped pit, Elder You and the others hiding in the dark couldn’t hold back and quickly came out.
Before they could speak, several spirit talismans suddenly flew out of the pit, rapidly attacking Hua Changxi.
“Boom~”
As the spirit talismans flew out, thunder immediately sounded, followed by lightning, which struck towards Hua Changxi.
This was Hua Changxi’s first direct encounter with spirit talismans, and she was a little curious. Her reaction was a beat slow, and she was struck by a bolt of lightning.
For the next few bolts of lightning, Hua Changxi threw out a Fire Lotus. Before the lightning could strike, the spirit talismans were directly burned to ashes.
At this moment, Lu Zhiyuan had just crawled out of the pit. Seeing the Fire Lotus, he remembered the earth-shattering battle at Five Finger Mountain. His legs went weak, and he directly knelt on the ground.
In the eyes of Elder You and the others, it looked as if Lu Zhiyuan had directly knelt before Hua Changxi.
This scene made them look at each other in bewilderment.
They hadn’t stopped Lu Zhiyuan from trying to test Hua Changxi’s strength, as they also wanted to know her capabilities. Now, it seemed Hua Changxi’s cultivation was above Lu Zhiyuan’s.
Hua Changxi felt the urge to kill again. The spirit talismans weren’t very powerful and didn’t injure her, but being struck by lightning had made her hair stand on end and her clothes torn.
Fortunately, it was winter, and she was wearing quite a lot to avoid exposing her unusual state. If she had worn less, wouldn’t she have to run around naked?
The thought of potentially running naked made Hua Changxi’s urge to kill almost uncontrollable.
Lu Zhiyuan felt the killing intent and broke out in a cold sweat. He was absolutely sure about that Fire Lotus; it was exactly the same as the one used to resist the giant ape at Five Finger Mountain.
Heavens, was his luck too good? The powers outside were discussing the origin of the powerful individual who summoned the Vermilion Bird. He never expected to encounter her.
“Fairy, spare me! I offended you. This is the Talisman Compendium I accidentally obtained. I offer it to you, begging for your forgiveness for my disrespect.”
Lu Zhiyuan was adaptable. He immediately begged for mercy and offered the Talisman Compendium as an apology.
Elder You and the others were unusually silent as they watched Lu Zhiyuan kneel and beg for mercy.
Even Zhuo Fan, who used to complain to Hua Changxi from time to time, was silent now.
Why?
They too felt the killing intent.
Although the girl was more powerful than them before, they didn’t fear her to the point of dread.
Because they knew that no matter how angry Hua Changxi got, she wouldn’t do anything to them. But now, they were uncertain.
Elder You and the others exchanged glances, their expressions grave.
This girl had killed before!
Killing someone and not killing someone were entirely different. After taking a life, one would no longer hold such reverence for human life.
Elder You felt the most complex. He remembered when he almost died at the mouth of a Red Eagle in the South Mountain Great Rift Valley, and this girl had intervened because she valued human life.
Now, she had taken a life.
Could this girl control her killing intent in the future?
Hua Changxi took a deep breath, suppressing the killing intent in her heart. Her gaze fell on the Talisman Compendium in Lu Zhiyuan’s hand. Looking at the trembling Lu Zhiyuan, she narrowed her eyes. “Are you very afraid of me?”
Lu Zhiyuan: Nonsense, you can kill the demon king suppressed at Five Finger Mountain. How could I, a mere Qi Refining cultivator, not be afraid?
Hua Changxi looked at Lu Zhiyuan’s pale face and then at Elder You and the others who were silent. She could feel their fear of her, but the degree of fear was very different, and she had a guess.
“Have you been to Five Finger Mountain?”
Lu Zhiyuan’s heart skipped a beat, but he finally nodded. “I just passed by.”
Hua Changxi: “. If I kill you, everything on you will be mine.”
Hearing this, Lu Zhiyuan’s body went limp, and he could barely support himself. “Fairy, spare me.”
Elder You hesitated for a long time before stepping forward. “Changxi, I remember when you saved me from the Red Eagle’s mouth, you said, ‘A human life, you cannot turn a blind eye to it.'”
“At that time, you valued human life so much.”
“Your words deeply touched me. Before embarking on the martial path, I was also unwilling to kill. Although there were times when it was unavoidable, I always restrained my desire to kill, not because I was kind, but because I always remembered my original intention.”
“Changxi, what about your original intention? Have you forgotten?”
Hua Changxi was silent for a moment. “I don’t want to kill either. You broke the rules first. I repeatedly stated that I didn’t want my cultivator identity exposed, but you brought outsiders here.”
“For my own safety, killing is also unavoidable.”
Hearing this, Lu Zhiyuan understood Hua Changxi’s concerns and quickly tried to save himself. “Fairy, I can make a Heart Demon Oath, and I will never leak your situation.”
Seeing that Hua Changxi didn’t speak, Lu Zhiyuan immediately broke his finger, forced out Essence Blood, and wrote and drew in the air.
“I, Lu Zhiyuan, swear to the heavens that I will never leak any of the Fairy’s situation. If I violate this oath, my Divine Soul will be annihilated.”
As soon as the words fell, the Essence Blood began to twist, quickly transforming into a curse seal and entering Lu Zhiyuan’s forehead.
After making the Heart Demon Oath, Lu Zhiyuan immediately looked expectantly at Hua Changxi. Seeing that she didn’t speak but instead looked curious, his expression paused, and then he took out a beast skin scroll from his Storage Ring.
“Fairy, this is the Heart Demon Curse I accidentally obtained. I wish to offer it to you.”
Hua Changxi looked deeply at Lu Zhiyuan, thinking that this person was much more perceptive than Elder You and the others. With a wave of her hand, the beast skin scroll fell into her grasp.
Heart Demon Curse.
The beast skin clearly bore these three large characters.
Hua Changxi opened the beast skin and took a look, then handed the scroll to Elder You and the others.
Elder You and the others understood Hua Changxi’s intention. Without saying anything, they followed the method on the beast skin scroll and, like Lu Zhiyuan, made a Heart Demon Oath.
Finally, Hua Changxi looked at Guo Yu and the four laborers guarding the Medicine Valley.
Elder You stepped forward again. “These five people, I guarantee…”
Hua Changxi looked at him. “Elder You, you have very little credibility with me now.” After speaking, she waved her spiritual power, breaking open the fingers of Guo Yu and the five others.
Five drops of Essence Blood floated in the air.
Hua Changxi looked at them. “Make your oath.”
Although Guo Yu and the five others had no spiritual power and couldn’t form curses, she could help them draw them. As long as the blood curse entered their bodies, the Heart Demon Oath would be established.
Guo Yu originally thought he couldn’t make a Heart Demon Oath as he wasn’t a cultivator, but seeing Hua Changxi’s demeanor, which suggested she would kill them if they didn’t swear, he and the four laborers swore oaths following the example of the others.
Once the oath was finished, Hua Changxi waved her spiritual power and directly struck the curse seal into the foreheads of Guo Yu and the five others.
As soon as the curse seal entered his forehead, Guo Yu felt a palpitation and a strong premonition that if he leaked Hua Changxi’s affairs, he would die without a burial place.
