Smelting 1

Summary
This chapter consists of three interludes:

The first is from the perspective of old Hu, a spirit herb farmer living next to the sect. During his inspections he finds cracks in the beast quelling totems used to keep spirit beasts away from his farm. During his musing he remembers how two outer sect disciples of the Argent Peak Sect hunted down the beast that cracked his wards and who overlooked the sun crystals in the smashed wood, a boon that he attributes to the Bountiful Earth.

The second one is from the perspective of Minister Xiao, the mortal ruler of a city within next to the Argent Peak Sect. On the one hand he is worried about the noble students entering the sect bringing the trouble from the court with them. On the other hand he about the inspection of his holding by an agent of the Ministry of Integrity.

The third is from the perspecive of Zhu Qing, the agent from the Ministry of Integrity sent to inspect the city ruled by Minister Xiao. Other than the inspection, she was also sent to bring Yuan He, the sect master of the Argent Peak Sect an unfavourable response to his funding request given that his sect is seen as a less important part of the defense of the Celestial Empire by the Imperial Court.

Appearing Characters
old Hu, Minister Xiao, Zhu Qing

Version Changes

 * in the RoyalRoad version, this chapter is instead names Bonus 1: Commencement Day and it removed the old Hu interlude.
 * The RoyalRoad version mentions the Cai as the ruling clan

Winning Vote
none

Cultivation Progress
none

Citation
https://forums.sufficientvelocity.com/threads/forge-of-destiny-xianxia-quest.35583/

https://www.royalroad.com/fiction/21188/forge-of-destiny/chapter/304210/bonus-1-commencement-day