Chapter 36: No One Wants Her? Part 1

“Yes,” Huo Zhi said under pressure.

“Fine, very well. Everyone, which court wants her? She has some connection to my Moyi family, after all. Please take care of her.” Moyi Feng looked at the other cultivators around him and smiled. The words “take care” were deliberately emphasized.

He wanted to see which court would still want Huo Zhi, this troublesome girl.

Previously, these cultivators might not have cared what Moyi Xiu’er said, but now that Moyi Feng was present, the stakes were much higher.

Everyone present was shrewd. They knew Huo Zhi had offended the Moyi family. Whoever openly took her would offend the Moyi family.

For a rogue cultivator without a family backing, even if she was ranked relatively high, they had to consider whether it was worth it.

Although the Moyi family had no successful candidates this time, they still had a foundation. Their healing specialization was highly supportive and needed by many cultivators, so it was inconvenient to offend them.

“From the Beimen family, didn’t you say earlier you wanted to recruit Huo Zhi?” the cultivator from the Nanmen family representing the Artifact Talisman Court asked with a smile.

“An ice attribute user isn’t suitable for talisman arrays, is she? I heard your Nanmen family wanted to recruit her,” said the cultivator from the Beimen family representing the Array Talisman Court.

Beimen Duoduo was anxious below, sending sound transmissions to the Beimen family cultivator. But her words carried little weight; that Beimen family elder above wouldn’t listen to her at all, making Beimen Duoduo stomp her feet in anger.

“The Artifact Talisman Court is for physical work. It doesn’t seem quite right. Truly a pity, such a talent,” the Nanmen family cultivator said with a smile.

Rogue cultivators without families were originally the targets everyone scrambled to recruit. Now, Huo Zhi had become someone no one wanted.

Moyi Feng sneered inwardly.

“I heard Head Seat Wenren’s attendant just left. Aren’t you looking for a suitable replacement? Why not let Huo Zhi go serve her there? This would also be a tremendous opportunity for Huo Zhi.” Moyi Feng’s smile was genial.

The expressions of those around him immediately became intensely varied.

Huo Zhi thought for a moment. ‘Head Seat’ seemed to be the title in the Immortal Talisman Sect for the disciple ranked first in both cultivation and talisman arts among the younger generation. It was an extremely impressive position.

Head Seat Wenren, meaning the Head Seat surnamed Wenren.

The Head Seat of the Immortal Talisman Sect most mentioned in the original story was Shentu Xingyue, who was also one of Mo Zhenfeng’s concubines. Before Shentu Xingyue, there was another Head Seat: Wenren Sumian.

In the original story, this woman coughed every time she appeared; she was described as sickly but powerful, a vindictive villain who constantly sought trouble with Mo Zhenfeng.

She was the only woman in the original story who was beautiful and capable but didn’t succumb to the male lead Mo Zhenfeng’s protagonist aura.

She was also the direct descendant of the Wenren family whom Moyi Guihua had offended.

The original story didn’t detail this conflict, only mentioning that after Mo Zhenfeng entered the Immortal Talisman Sect, Wenren Sumian caused him trouble in many ways. After Mo Zhenfeng absorbed Linlang’s Inherited Spirit Talisman, dual cultivated with the original Huo Zhi to greatly increase his cultivation, and gained the favor of the second-ranked Shentu Xingyue, he relied on his luck and plot armor to battle wits with Wenren Sumian. In the end, Wenren Sumian was severely injured and defeated, then disappeared into seclusion. Moyi Guihua’s grudge with the Wenren family was thus written off.

Moyi Guihua had told Huo Zhi some things about the Five Great Clans and the Immortal Talisman Sect, but those events were mainly from over twenty years ago when Moyi Guihua hadn’t left. She hadn’t mentioned this Wenren Sumian.

Huo Zhi felt that this Wenren Sumian was just a plot device, a character meant to be slapped in the face.

Huo Zhi disliked the male lead Mo Zhenfeng, and felt that the so-called villains opposing him should be decent enough.

However, looking at the expressions of those around her, Huo Zhi sensed something was off.

Moyi Feng wouldn’t be so kind as to let her appear before the Head Seat. The looks on everyone’s faces seemed like they were mourning for her, telling her to fend for herself.

“Master, Master, absolutely, absolutely do not agree!” Beimen Duoduo secretly sent a sound transmission to Huo Zhi.

“Huo Zhi, are you unwilling? Head Seat Wenren is the talisman master with the most hope in centuries of reaching the Transcendent Mastery realm. Her cultivation, talent, and talisman arts are all top-tier. If you even look down on Head Seat Wenren, tell me, which court do you want to enter? So many people are waiting. Don’t waste too much time on you.” Moyi Feng looked at Huo Zhi with sharp eyes.

“…I am not very familiar with the Immortal Talisman Sect. I must first thank Vice Dean Moyi for the recommendation. To be Head Seat Wenren’s attendant, I am greatly honored!” Since Moyi Feng had put it that way, Huo Zhi decided to go all in. Wenren Sumian, a pretty older sister, no matter how bad, was still much better than this Moyi Feng.

“Ahhh, Master, wuwuwu, no, no!” Beimen Duoduo sent an incoherent sound transmission, and Huo Zhi felt helpless.

The other courts didn’t want her, so she had to choose one. If she had to go to Head Seat Wenren’s side, then so be it. Could she really be killed?

“Good, very good! Dean Wenren, Huo Zhi is assigned to your court.” Moyi Feng looked at the Wenren family cultivator and said.

“Huo Zhi, since you are willing to come and serve Head Seat Wenren, you must strictly observe your duties, be patient, and attentive. Head Seat Wenren has a bad temper; you must be doubly careful. If you do well, the Wenren family will not mistreat you. If you can earn Head Seat Wenren’s approval, I could take you as my disciple.” The Dean of the Wenren family’s Embroidery Institute, whom Moyi Feng had mentioned, spoke, looking at Huo Zhi with some pity but not saying much more.

Wenren Sumian’s status was special. No one dared to speak ill of her, and finding her a new attendant was urgent. Since Huo Zhi was unwanted and had offended someone, why not send her to Wenren Sumian? Whether it was a blessing or a curse depended on her own luck.

Huo Zhi bowed to that Dean in thanks, and the crowd’s expressions turned regretful.

After Huo Zhi was assigned, the rest began.

Compared to Huo Zhi, the following assignments were much livelier. For those without family backing, the crowd fought for them without restraint.

The fifteenth-ranked male cultivator was named Mo Wentian, also a rogue cultivator. He looked ordinary and unremarkable, leaving no impression on Huo Zhi. Yet several families fought over him, each bringing out Talisman Artifacts, Talismans, Lifebound Runes, and the like to attract him. In the end, he chose the Shentu family.

Beimen Duoduo was from the Beimen family and naturally was assigned to the Beimen family’s Array Talisman Court.

The Artifact Talisman Sect that Ji Shuling originally belonged to was founded centuries ago by a cultivator who came from the Immortal Talisman Sect’s Artifact Talisman Court; they had some connections. She was a metal element user, so she naturally joined the Artifact Talisman Court.

Over an hour later, after all fifty or so people had been placed, the representatives of the various courts led the new students away.

Huo Zhi followed the Wenren family representative towards the Embroidery Institute.

“This is your Identity Token. Mark it with your Spiritual Sense; it will be your symbol of identity from now on, recording various information about you in the sect. You’ll need it to enter and leave the Immortal Talisman Sect and the Inner City. You were tenth in the Grand Examination, earning one hundred Points. You can use these points at the Scripture Pavilion, Cultivation Chambers, and so on. To get more points, you can… It also has a storage space, larger than an ordinary Storage Bag. Inside, there are a thousand sets of basic talisman materials for practice, the Immortal Talisman Sect’s unique Talisman Robe, a Protective Talisman Artifact, and one thousand Spirit Stones. Every month, you can use your Identity Token to collect basic talisman materials and Spirit Stones from the Affairs Hall…” The female cultivator guiding Huo Zhi gave her the Immortal Talisman Sect’s Identity Token and explained some of the sect’s rules.

While Huo Zhi listened attentively, the news that Huo Zhi, the tenth-ranked rogue cultivator, had been assigned to the Embroidery Institute as an attendant for Head Seat Wenren spread.

“Tenth place, a very good result. What a pity!”

“Yes, going to Head Seat Wenren’s side, truly a perilous situation!”

“I heard two geniuses died on the Moyi family’s side, and they’ve shifted their anger onto Huo Zhi. Even if Huo Zhi didn’t go to Head Seat Wenren, it wouldn’t be good.”

“Having bad luck themselves and blaming others, how ridiculous.”

“These things are unclear. Which family doesn’t have its dirty laundry? Let’s not talk about that. How about a bet? Let’s see how long this Huo Zhi can last with Head Seat Wenren.”

“How long she lasts isn’t interesting. Let’s bet on whether her cultivation will be crippled when she’s expelled.”

Cultivators in the Immortal Talisman Sect who learned the news discussed it privately, and indeed, a betting pool was opened.

Moyi Feng watched coldly from the side. How difficult Head Seat Wenren was to deal with, and how hard it was to be her attendant, was common knowledge.

Sending Huo Zhi to Head Seat Wenren saved him the trouble of personally teaching her a lesson.

He would properly discipline the Moyi family disciples so that in the Grand Examination five years later, they definitely wouldn’t be as humiliating as this year.

While Moyi Feng and most of the Immortal Talisman Sect’s cultivators had already concluded that Huo Zhi, this rogue cultivator who had just shown promise in the Grand Examination, was essentially finished, Huo Zhi arrived at the entrance of the Embroidery Institute. She was stopped by a beautiful woman running over, breathless.

Huo Zhi was startled. When did she meet such a beauty?

Her eyebrows were heroic, her features delicate and full of spirit, dressed in a striking red robe.

“Sister Wenren, let me say a few words to Sister Huo. We’re friends. Sorry for the trouble.” The newcomer said to the cultivator guiding Huo Zhi, seeming to know her.

“You’re that lass from the Beimen family. Go ahead, then go in yourself. I’ll go busy myself first.” That cultivator didn’t seem to care much about Huo Zhi, said her piece, and left.

“You’re Beimen Duoduo?” Huo Zhi looked at the newcomer and asked.

“Yes, Master. Outside the Moxu Sub-Realm, there’s no need to hide my appearance and aura. I didn’t get a chance to tell you in detail earlier. Ah, it’s all my fault for not having the ability, or I could have ordered the Beimen family to take you. You probably don’t know, this Head Seat Wenren is very, very terrifying.” Beimen Duoduo sent a sound transmission to Huo Zhi, not daring to speak aloud, looking at Huo Zhi with worry.

“So, tell me, how is she terrifying?” Huo Zhi was also curious.