Chapter 1012: Imperial Supreme Sword Dao

Pure Nine-Lotus Treasure Lamp.

The Great True Spirit Transformation Technique is arguably the very foundation of the Beast Taming Sect. It was also one of the three inherited techniques that the Beast Taming Sect's old ancestor took with him when he left the Myriad Spirits Sect in Zhongzhou. According to the Myriad Spirits Sect's rules, only true spirit-blooded demonic beasts they had raised were permitted to cultivate this technique. Even if the Beast Taming Sect wished to avoid conflict with the Five Elements Sect, they would undoubtedly have to intervene after this revelation.

Mei Longzheng suppressed his excitement and relayed the news back to the Eastern Land. He hoped to seize this opportunity to return to the sect, and perhaps even acquire the cultivation methods and resources needed for the next stage of Core Formation.

Yellow Dragon Cave Abode.

After the Sky-Swallowing Snake completed its advancement, Qing Nü took it for a physical examination. Meanwhile, Chen Mobai chatted over tea with Mo Douguang, who had just arrived.

“Over the years, most of the troublemakers in Dongwu have been eliminated. The remaining minor figures can be handled by subordinates, so my presence here is now somewhat redundant...”

After Mo Douguang inquired about the Sky-Swallowing Snake, he began to tell Chen Mobai about his own situation.

“Senior Brother, your formidable reputation in Yunmeng Marsh over the past years has certainly reached my ears.”

Upon hearing this, Chen Mobai chuckled and offered Mo Douguang a cup of clear tea.

Following the Righteous-Demonic War, the Five Elements Sect annexed Dongwu. However, many cultivation families and rogue cultivators from Dongwu, having lost their homes, could only seek a livelihood in Yunmeng Marsh. Although entry restrictions to the Eastern Barrens had been eased, the Five Elements Sect's strict review process remained. Many rogue cultivators, and even some family cultivators from Dongwu, had, to varying degrees, engaged in banditry. Consequently, only a small fraction of cultivators with clean records, or those who managed to bribe Five Elements Sect review officials, were able to enter the Eastern Barrens, a land considered a pure haven.

It was precisely for this reason that Yunmeng Marsh was initially very chaotic. After all, Yunmeng Marsh was arguably the largest resource-rich region on the Eastern Continent's frontier. With such a large influx of cultivators seeking livelihoods, even with the Five Elements Sect maintaining order, it was impossible for them to oversee every aspect of such a vast territory beyond their own Immortal City's jurisdiction. This resulted in the Five Elements Sect's territory within Yunmeng Marsh experiencing favorable weather, national prosperity, and peace for its people. Outside the Five Elements Sect's Immortal Cities, however, conditions became even more chaotic, a true survival of the fittest.

Chen Mobai, naturally, could not tolerate this state of affairs. After the war, he kept Mo Douguang stationed here with a single directive: anyone who dared to cause trouble or act as a bandit would be immediately executed upon verification. He also established patrol teams, primarily consisting of sword cultivators from the Metal Lineage, to continuously patrol the Great Marsh.

Through the Five Elements Sect's concerted efforts, over a dozen bandit groups hidden within Yunmeng Marsh met with severe misfortune. Their supposedly secure strongholds, once reported by the Five Elements Sect and other Dongwu cultivators, provoked the personal intervention of Mo Douguang, a Nascent Soul sword cultivator. With a single sword stroke, formations shattered, islands crumbled, and blood flowed so copiously it could float pestles.

Mo Douguang had been conducting purges in Yunmeng Marsh for nearly two decades. Even two prominent families who had pledged allegiance from Dongwu, once implicated in banditry and confirmed as masterminds behind numerous bandit groups in Yunmeng Marsh, were made a cautionary example by Mo Douguang. After Mo Douguang summoned the Core Formation Old Ancestors of these two prominent families, he uttered a single sentence: “Will you carry out the executions, or shall I?”

After speaking, Mo Douguang placed his sword before these two Core Formation cultivators. Under Mo Douguang's coercion, the Core Formation Old Ancestors of these two prominent families had no choice but to make a painful sacrifice, returning to personally execute the core disciples within their own families who were involved in banditry. They clearly understood the implicit threat behind Mo Douguang's words. If they failed to provide an acceptable explanation, Mo Douguang would kill them and exterminate their entire clans. It was only because these Dongwu families had contributed somewhat during the Righteous-Demonic War, and had only recently pledged their allegiance, that Mo Douguang refrained from alienating the other Dongwu families. Otherwise, given his temperament, he would have long since directly eliminated them all.

For the past nineteen years, Mo Douguang, leading the Metal Lineage's sword cultivators in Yunmeng Marsh, had truly conducted a massive purge. He had ultimately paved the way for a peaceful Yunmeng Marsh through his actions. Now, even if there were still some scattered bandits, they carried out their illicit activities with extreme caution. They didn't even dare to form groups, deeply fearing that any significant expansion would make them the next target of the Five Elements Sect's patrol teams.

“I've taken many lives over these years, and in doing so, I've gained new insights into the Way of the Sword. I intend to return to Jinguang Cliff for secluded cultivation...” Mo Douguang expressed his thoughts.

After the Big Dipper Assembly, he switched to cultivating the Imperial Extreme Sword Dao. Though this sword art of the Eastern Land Imperial Court was incomplete, it could be cultivated up to the late Nascent Soul stage. The core tenet of the Imperial Extreme Sword Dao was to use the sword to suppress the world, subdue all living beings, and bring about peace. This is precisely what the Five Elements Sect had been doing for years. As such, Mo Douguang was highly compatible with this sword art. From the start of the Righteous-Demonic War until now, he had been wielding his sword and killing for the sake of the Eastern Barrens' common people.

Now, thirty-two years later, he had not only completely transformed his sword dao foundation but had also reached a higher level. Within his mind, a faint, majestic, and resplendent sword intent, as brilliant as the sun and stars, was poised to burst forth.

The sword cultivation legacy in the Eastern Barrens was also incomplete, particularly regarding sword intent. Since sword intent is forged from a cultivator's personal will, experiences, thoughts, and beliefs, most sword cultivators here had to comprehend it independently. Those capable of comprehending sword intent were true sword dao geniuses. In the Eastern Barrens, for millennia, the path has always been 'one sword breaking ten thousand techniques.' Aside from Chen Mobai, no one has ever been known to have comprehended sword intent. Some sword cultivators didn't even know of sword intent's existence.

Mo Douguang was aware of it, but the Five Elements Sect had no such inheritance, and even Old Ancestor Hunyuan lacked knowledge in this area. Thus, he could only attempt to comprehend it on his own, often going astray. It was only after acquiring the Purple Splendor Sword Canon from Chen Mobai that Mo Douguang truly understood the complete system of sword cultivation. But even so, he spent a century nurturing his sword heart, and only after thirty-two years of wielding his sword for suppression and extermination did he clearly perceive the majestic and vast sword intent shimmering within his sword heart.

“Senior Brother, you should have informed me of this sooner. Your cultivation is more important than the entirety of Yunmeng Marsh; it was my oversight...”

As Chen Mobai listened to Mo Douguang recount his sword dao insights from these past years, and as Mo Douguang sought his guidance on sword intent, he realized the profound level the latter had reached. Chen Mobai couldn't help but feel self-reproach.

“Mainly, it was the Violet Spirit Pill you previously gave me, Junior Brother, which significantly increased my divine sense. Without it, the sword intent within my heart would still merely be in its nascent form.” Mo Douguang, however, shook his head, asserting that the credit for perceiving sword intent so quickly still belonged to Chen Mobai.

Of course, the cultivation technique also played a crucial role. The Golden Goose Sword Art he had previously cultivated, even its founder had not managed to cultivate sword intent, let alone him, its successor. In contrast, the Imperial Extreme Sword Dao of the Eastern Land Imperial Court had produced countless geniuses who had cultivated sword intent throughout generations. While each cultivator's unique sword intent would undoubtedly differ from their predecessors, being able to reference various aspects could save considerable time. Furthermore, Mo Douguang also referenced several other metal-attribute sword arts acquired from the Big Dipper Assembly, and even the White Emperor War Elephant Sutra, a God Transformation cultivation method. He aimed to create a sword art for the Five Elements Sect that could be cultivated to the perfected Nascent Soul stage and establish a complete sword dao system.

Chen Mobai, of course, supported this endeavor.

“Senior Brother, rest assured, I will arrange for Junior Nephew Ning to take over here at Fengyu Immortal City. He has been assisting you in maintaining order here for nearly twenty years, so he's well-acquainted with the situation and things won't fall into disarray.”

Upon hearing this, Mo Douguang, however, shook his head and raised an objection.

“Ning Leshan is capable enough when it comes to eliminating threats, but his administrative abilities are mediocre. Moreover, I wish to take him back to help me oversee the Metal Lineage. The same applies to Ban Zhaodan; he also followed me through every purge, making him familiar with this area. However, now that the purges are complete, the emphasis is primarily on governance and conflict resolution. I believe Junior Nephew Zhou is competent enough for this role.”

Although Mo Douguang's expertise primarily lay in combat, as a Nascent Soul cultivator, he had gained an intimate understanding of the entire Yunmeng Marsh during his years at Fengyu Immortal City. Before his departure, he articulated his true thoughts.

“Senior Brother, your words hold merit. Coincidentally, matters at the Spirit Repository have already been streamlined, and Zhou Wangshen is somewhat overqualified for his current position there...”

Chen Mobai nodded, adopting Mo Douguang's suggestion. At this moment, he felt that the "Bi" (Comparison) aspect of his Nine Virtues had subtly improved.

After concluding his discussion with Chen Mobai, Mo Douguang, content, departed Fengyu Immortal City with Ning Leshan.

Soon after, Zhou Wangshen, having received the news, arrived at the Yellow Dragon Cave Abode via a teleportation array to pay his respects.

“Senior Brother Mo has recommended you; you must not disappoint him.”

“In addition to Fengyu Immortal City, you will also be responsible for managing the two newly established cities, Fenglang City and Fengshuang City...”

“Regarding Dongwu, you must ensure Ming'er receives whatever resources and personnel she needs without delay. If you are unable to fulfill her requests, then consult with E Yun in Beiyuan City. The restoration of Dongwu is currently the sect's foremost priority.”

“In the future, once Dongwu is fully restored, that territory will require at least one Nascent Soul cultivator to oversee it properly. Your diligent and dedicated service to the sect over these years has not gone unnoticed by me.”

“I have high hopes for you!”

Upon hearing Chen Mobai's words, Zhou Wangshen immediately became invigorated, as if injected with a stimulant, and vowed to transform Yunmeng Marsh into a pure land akin to the Eastern Barrens. He also pledged to treat all requests from Junior Sister Zhuo regarding Dongwu as if they were the Sect Master's own matters, handling them with utmost diligence.

After Chen Mobai finished outlining the ambitious goals for Zhou Wangshen, he inquired about his cultivation progress. Zhou Wangshen and E Yun had made almost identical progress; both had just reached the peak of the mid-Core Formation stage a few years prior and were currently in a bottleneck period. Both had taken Chen Mobai's words to heart. Despite having access to the Five Elements Sect's extensive resources, their cultivation advancement and spiritual power enhancement were largely achieved through painstaking tempering and arduous self-cultivation, bit by bit. Thus, their foundations were considered solid.

“The two of you should try for a few more years. If you truly cannot achieve a breakthrough, then consume the Violet Jade Congee.”

“It's no shame to consume elixirs to overcome bottlenecks. Furthermore, given the current state of the sect, we can likely prepare one or two sets of Nascent Soul formation resources every two to three decades. The most recent batch was given to my wife and Qingmei, and after them, it should be Senior Sister Sheng and Senior Brother Fu. You and E Yun should be reaching perfected Core Formation around that same time, so the resources should be adequately allocated.”

“However, this is merely my rough estimate. It's possible that some crucial medicinal ingredients might be scarce by then, so you still need to redouble your efforts and strive for breakthroughs in your cultivation.”

After Chen Mobai concluded his guidance on Zhou Wangshen's cultivation, he spoke these words, and the latter immediately became tense. Although Zhou Wangshen knew that with Zhou Shengqing's backing, he would certainly receive a share of any Nascent Soul formation resources the sect acquired. However, if E Yun obtained it before him, Zhou Wangshen felt he would have been defeated psychologically. He could not afford to lose to anyone, especially not E Yun.

“Sect Master, rest assured, I will put forth my utmost effort.”

“Hmm, but also remember not to act with undue haste, lest you suffer qi deviation...” After Chen Mobai had fully motivated Zhou Wangshen using his own experience in managing affairs, he didn't forget to issue this reminder.

A month later, after Qing Nü confirmed that the Sky-Swallowing Snake was completely fine, she confidently returned it to the pool in the Yellow Dragon Cave Abode.

“Jin Ling'er, the Sect Master and I are heading to Wanhua Immortal City. The affairs of this cave abode will be entrusted to you.” That day, Qing Nü addressed her disciple.

The Yellow Dragon Cave Abode possesses its own protective array formations, so there is no need to worry about safety. Primarily, during the war, Qing Nü had all the precious medicinal materials from Dongyi transplanted here. Consequently, hundreds of Five Elements Sect spirit planters were overseeing them, and these individuals required leadership. Previously, Little Yellow Dragon Girl handled these duties, and during busy periods, Zhuo Ming, Gu Yan, and others would also come to assist. After Shi Yuked joined the sect, these responsibilities were transferred to her. In addition to these spiritual plants, there was also the matter of feeding the Sky-Swallowing Snake. These tasks required trusted personnel to ensure peace of mind.

“Yes, please rest assured, Master.” Shi Yuked nodded and bowed. Although she preferred to lead the Five Elements Sect's disciples across battlefields, in this period of peace, with the Metal Lineage's sword cultivators nearly redundant, she could only oversee the spirit planters.

Once Chen Mobai saw that Qing Nü had completed her arrangements, he teleported away from the Yellow Dragon Cave Abode with her, then used the teleportation array in the neighboring Fengyu Immortal City to travel to Wanhua Immortal City.

“Greetings, Sect Master! Greetings, Madam Sect Master!”

At the entrance of Wanhua Immortal City's teleportation array, Yin Qingmei, Xue Ting, and Gu Yan had been waiting expectantly for a long time. Upon seeing Chen Mobai and Qing Nü emerge, they immediately bowed in greeting. Their primary reason for coming this time was the completion of the Nascent Nurturing Pill's refinement. According to Qing Nü's schedule, this was precisely when its nurturing was complete, marking the optimal moment for its extraction. A delay would cause the medicinal properties to precipitate, making it difficult to refine.

“You've worked diligently during this period.” Chen Mobai waved his hand, signaling the three women to forgo further formalities, then addressed Yin Qingmei.

“It's no hardship. It is an honor for all disciples of the Five Elements Sect to serve the Sect Master.” Yin Qingmei repeatedly shook her head, demonstrating her high awareness.

Chen Mobai chuckled, then accompanied Qing Nü to the medicinal pool where the Nascent Nurturing Pill was being nurtured. Given Qing Nü's alchemy expertise, there were naturally no errors, and the pill was perfectly condensed and extracted.

“Qingmei, this is the extent of the sect's assistance to you. I hope you will not disappoint me.” Chen Mobai received a Nascent Nurturing Pill from Qing Nü, handed it to Yin Qingmei, and spoke solemnly.

“Your disciple will surely succeed in forming her Nascent Soul.” Yin Qingmei naturally understood the preciousness of Nascent Soul-forming spiritual medicines. Even within the Eastern Land's Holy Lands, not every perfected Core Formation cultivator could obtain resources for Nascent Soul formation. Within the Five Elements Sect, her contributions had merely involved opening up great rivers, developing the Eastern Barrens plateau, managing the desert, afforestation, and some merit in eliminating demons on the Dongwu battlefield. She had not even endured life-or-death situations, yet she had so easily acquired the Three-Light Divine Water, Infant Nurturing Pill, Nascent Nurturing Pill, and even the Six Jia Mountain spiritual vein. It could only be said that she had apprenticed under the right person back in the Divine Tree Secret Realm. Ever since, her cultivation journey had been smooth sailing, never lacking resources. It was precisely for this reason that Yin Qingmei felt compelled to succeed in forming her Nascent Soul. She could not betray the precious resources her adoptive father had invested in her.

“Since Junior Niece Yin is preparing for Nascent Soul formation, as an elder, I too should prepare a gift...” At this moment, Qing Nü, who was beside Chen Mobai, also spoke.

“Thank you