"Welcome, True Monarch Chunyang, upon your emergence from seclusion!"
Following Gongye Zhixu, the other Nascent Soul cultivators present also respectfully bowed to Chen Mobai, performing an ancient ritual. Even Venerable Chengxuan was no exception, his eyes filled with relief and comfort.
Previously, Venerable Chengxuan had some concerns about achieving Soul Transformation. Given his current age, taking this step would require him to risk everything, succeeding or perishing. He was still worried about the Wuqi lineage because, apart from Chen Mobai, none of their other Nascent Soul cultivators were personally nurtured by their lineage. If he failed, all future burdens would fall upon Chen Mobai alone, which he felt would be unfair. Moreover, this could potentially hinder Chen Mobai's cultivation. But now it was different. With the second Nascent Soul formed, as long as Chen Mobai's main body accumulated enough Innate Pure Yang Qi, his Nascent Soul's transformation into Soul Transformation was almost guaranteed. At this moment, Venerable Chengxuan felt a profound sense of relief and relaxation, his mind suddenly becoming carefree and at ease.
As he spoke, Chen Mobai, stepping out from the Minor Realm of Yuping, calmly waved his sleeve and descended before the crowd. An invisible, immense power emanated from him, causing all the Nascent Soul cultivators present to involuntarily rise and end their ancient bows. The moment he landed, the ceaselessly boiling fifth-order spirit vein and the surrounding churning magma quieted, as if pressed down by a giant hand. Personally experiencing Chen Mobai's power, coupled with the sight of him effortlessly suppressing everything, removed all doubt from Gongye Zhixu and the others.
"True Monarch Chunyang is modest, but established rites must be observed.""At this tumultuous time for the Immortal Sect, your breakthrough brings us new hope.""In the upcoming War of Creation against Pluto Star, only you can lead us to victory in this battle for survival and elevate the Immortal Sect to a higher level."
As expected of the Master of the Immortal Affairs Hall, Gongye Zhixu's words deeply impressed Chen Mobai. They resonated perfectly with him. If not for the future of the Immortal Sect, his nature would have led him to keep the formation of his second Nascent Soul as low-profile as possible, known only to a few close friends and family, certainly not with such grand fanfare.
"Rest assured, everyone. I was educated by the Immortal Sect from a young age, and my achievements today are entirely due to its nurturing. I understand that with great power comes great responsibility.""During the Calamity of the Death God, I painfully felt the inadequacy of my cultivation, forced to watch as Ancestor Qianxing sacrificed himself. I swore then that I would never experience such helplessness again.""Therefore, after returning to Chicheng Mountain, I diligently cultivated, and with an unexpected serendipitous encounter, I finally achieved a breakthrough today, forming my second Nascent Soul and even comprehending the Great Dao of Fire.""However, merely adding the power of one Soul Transformation cultivator like myself is probably not enough to confront a formidable enemy like Pluto Star.""All of you are great talents of the Immortal Sect, just like me. Facing such a life-and-death matter, I hope you will also strive diligently in your cultivation and ascend to higher realms."
Chen Mobai hadn't been the Master of the Righteous Law Hall for all these years for nothing; although he didn't do much practical work, he certainly delivered plenty of high-sounding rhetoric. Of course, he had always been interested in such matters since childhood, fantasizing about this very scenario. The masters of all three great halls of the Immortal Sect were before him, listening to his sole instruction. At this moment, all his dreams had come true.
"Rest assured, True Monarch, we will certainly live up to your expectations." Gongye Zhixu led the response, solemnly addressing Chen Mobai's words.
At this moment, another streak of Nascent Soul spiritual light teleported to the scene. After the silver glow dissipated, Ye Yun'e's figure was revealed. Chen Mobai's expression remained unchanged upon seeing her, but he made a mental note. She was the last to arrive, showing a slight lack of respect for him, True Monarch Chunyang.
"Forgive my tardiness, Venerable One... True Monarch, please forgive me!" Ye Yun'e, seeing that the Nascent Soul Venerables from the Immortal Affairs Hall and Righteous Law Hall were already present, and realizing she was the last to arrive, inwardly cursed. She almost misspoke while performing her bow.
"Not at all," Chen Mobai said with a smile to Ye Yun'e. "The Kaiyuan Hall is responsible for overseeing all departments of the Immortal Sect. Hall Master Ye must be very busy with official duties. In the future, you should find a capable assistant to share your burden." Gongye Zhixu and the other shrewd individuals present understood the subtext of his words. It seemed that after Ye Yun'e, the next Hall Master of Kaiyuan Hall would not be from the Kunpeng lineage. As for who would ascend to the position, it would definitely be someone from the Wuqi lineage. Gongye Zhixu and Wenren Xuewei exchanged glances, both thinking of the same person: the daughter of True Monarch Chunyang and Ancestor Baiguang. It was said she had been training in the provinces for a long time, and it was time for her to return and take on important responsibilities. As the Master of the Immortal Affairs Hall and the Master of the Righteous Law Hall exchanged glances, the two, who had previously been somewhat adversarial, suddenly reached a consensus.
"True Monarch's instruction is correct." Facing Chen Mobai, who had already formed his second Nascent Soul, Ye Yun'e had no retort and could only lower her head to receive the reprimand. After receiving the news, instead of rushing over like the Immortal Affairs Hall and Righteous Law Hall, she first went to Five Peaks Immortal Mountain to pay respects to Qi Yuheng and report the matter. Qi Yuheng was greatly pleased by this and even instructed Ye Yun'e that in the future, minor or major affairs of the Immortal Sect would no longer need to be reported to him; she could directly inform Chunyang and let him decide. After all, Five Peaks Immortal Mountain was currently sealing a Death God avatar, and Qi Yuheng, as the Immortal Sect's only human Soul Transformation cultivator, dared not leave at any moment. And for the next War of Creation, Qi Yuheng also wished to enter seclusion to see if he could advance further in cultivation. Thus, Chen Mobai's formation of his second Nascent Soul was monumental news for him. Ye Yun'e's subsequent journey from Qi Yuheng's Zhixian Peak to Chicheng Mountain explained her significant delay.
However, being from a prestigious lineage, upon arrival, she, like Gongye Zhixu and the others, sensed the stagnation in her void-walking, realizing that Chen Mobai had not only formed his second Nascent Soul but had also begun comprehending the power of a Great Dao. One must know that Qi Yuheng, after decades of Soul Transformation, had only just begun to achieve this feat. A comparison immediately revealed that True Monarch Chunyang, currently before them, was indeed the Immortal Sect's greatest genius throughout history. It was estimated that he would be the Immortal Sect's second Void Refinement mighty expert after Baiguang. Thinking this, the usually proud Ye Yun'e lost all her temper when facing Chen Mobai.
"Everyone, since you are all here, I might as well share my insights on comprehending the Great Dao of Fire after my breakthrough. I hope you can draw inferences from it and compare it with the Soul Transformation path you witnessed in the 'Astonishing Spirit Melody'." Chen Mobai, seeing that Ye Yun'e, who usually found him disagreeable, no longer refuted him, felt a sudden lack of interest. Nevertheless, he extended an invitation to the Nascent Soul cultivators present, adhering to ancient etiquette.
"Thank you, True Monarch, for bestowing the Dao!" Upon hearing this, everyone again performed the ancient bow in thanks.
"Venerable Brother Chengxuan, please lead them to the academy's conference room. I have a small matter to attend to and will return shortly." Chen Mobai said to Venerable Chengxuan, who nodded and, with a wave of his hand, led the group flying out of the Myriad Treasures Cave. Unaware of the exact location, no one used void-walking, instead following Venerable Chengxuan. Chen Mobai, however, vanished from his spot with a flash of silver light. The moment he departed, all the Nascent Soul cultivators felt their bodies lighten, as if freed from restraints, and even a sense of coolness. They all believed this was because Chen Mobai had just broken through and had not yet fully mastered his second Nascent Soul, let alone the power of the Great Dao of Fire. No one thought, nor dared to think, that Chen Mobai had done it on purpose.
Amidst flashes of silver light, Chen Mobai's figure had already streaked past the atmosphere of Diyuan Star and entered the cosmic void. Following the connections between the divine seeds, he effortlessly arrived at the Ascension Sect Leader's hiding place. With a gentle wave of his sleeve, Xuanyang Divine Light descended, effortlessly breaching the nearly fifth-order defensive formation. Chen Mobai looked at the Ascension Sect Leader's corpse within the formation and couldn't help but feel a pang of sadness. Because it was Yang Jing's body. It was a pity that the moment he left the Immortal Sect, he had already fallen into an irreversible demise. The greatest responsibility for this tragedy naturally lay with Kong Feichen. He believed he had found a way to save Yang Jing, but in reality, he personally pushed Yang Jing into hell.
However, Kong Feichen's fate was no better. Through the Ascension Sect Leader's memories, Chen Mobai had learned that he had been body-snatched by Ancestor Longhu. After all, both possessed Fetal Transformation Essence Qi, the most superior breakthrough resource in the barren land of the Immortal Sect. Chen Mobai could only sigh at this. For their sakes, Qing Nü, despite her Heavenly Spirit Root aptitude, didn't hesitate to join the Heaven-Mending Group, hoping to get news of her younger siblings immediately from this covert department that countered the Ascension Sect Leader. But when Nascent Soul cultivators were involved, even the Masters of the three great halls were powerless at that time.
After Chen Mobai took power, he repeatedly ordered the Heaven-Mending Group to investigate Yang Jing and Kong Feichen's whereabouts, intending to personally intervene and bring them back once their traces were found. However, after being body-snatched, neither of them was their former self. Even if they could be saved, they would only be empty shells, just like now. Still, Chen Mobai collected Yang Jing's corpse, intending to take it back to Qing Nü. After so many years, Qing Nü had long mentally prepared for the unfortunate fates of Kong Feichen and Yang Jing. This news might sadden her, but it would also undoubtedly motivate her to strive even harder. After all, the masterminds behind it were still alive. Whether it was Ancestor Longhu Yan Xinjie or Lin Daoming, they were the culprits behind the tragic lives of the three siblings. Chen Mobai felt that Qing Nü should have a motivation for cultivation. The lives of these two would be a good motivator. Of course, if Chen Mobai had encountered these two earlier, he would not have hesitated to act.
After taking out the Pure Yang Cauldron and collecting Yang Jing's corpse, Chen Mobai proceeded to several other locations from the Ascension Sect Leader's memories. There were many Ascension Sect cultists here. His immense divine sense descended, instantly enveloping an entire planet. After confirming there were no innocent people, he emotionlessly waved his sleeve. The flame spirit patterns on his sleeve immediately lit up, transforming into a crimson flaming dragon circling the stars. Carrying terrifying destructive power, it descended upon the planet. One Nascent Soul and a dozen Core Formation realm cultists soared into the sky, attempting to block it. However, with a breath from the crimson flaming dragon, they all turned to ash.
In a hidden base somewhere, Ancestor Longhu, who had been frowning, suddenly changed countenance, and then blood began to seep from his seven orifices. "Oh no!" Ancestor Longhu, sensing that the avatar he had left on the Ascension Sect's main planet had suddenly vanished completely, felt an unprecedented dread in his heart. Only a Soul Transformation cultivator could achieve such instantaneous annihilation. It seemed that the Ascension Sect Leader's attempt to devour Chen Mobai using the Devouring God Art had been exposed, infuriating the Immortal Sect's two Soul Transformation cultivators. He wondered if it was Qi Yuheng or Shui Xian who had acted. But regardless of who it was, Ancestor Longhu could not resist them. Without hesitation, he immediately packed up the most crucial items from this secret base and fled towards Lin Daoming's location.
Above the planet, dragon's breath, like meteors from outer space, crashed down one after another, creating colossal mushroom clouds. This hidden main base of the Ascension Sect, along with all its foundations, defenses, and sins, was utterly consumed and purified by the flames. However, Chen Mobai knew that while the Ascension Sect cultists weren't particularly skilled in other aspects, they were exceptionally good at escaping. To prevent anyone from escaping, he wielded his sword with divine sense, activating the Primordial Yang Sword Art. With his current power, he could unleash this sword art to its pinnacle. The most potent Primordial Yang Sword from his Pure Yang Set ascended above his head, transforming into a brilliant golden beam that descended, slicing open the planet's crust. Subsequently, the flaming dragon, breathing fire in the sky, plunged deep into the earth under his control, directly impacting the core. Boom! In an instant, a dazzling firework display appeared in the cosmic void. The Ascension Sect's main base, cultivated for a millennium, was thus transformed into cosmic dust by Chen Mobai's heaven-defying methods.
At this moment, Chen Mobai felt that the progress bar for his 'Nine Virtues Scrutiny' had significantly advanced. He watched as the exploding planet's fireworks finally faded into oblivion, then nodded with satisfaction and turned to head towards the next hiding place from the Ascension Sect Leader's memories. It was a space battleship that had been sunk and stranded by extraterrestrial forces during the War of Creation era. This was also one of Ancestor Longhu's secret experimental bases. Inside, there were various stolen equipment from the Immortal Sect and experimental materials. Upon Chen Mobai's arrival, he found that some of the most crucial people and items were already gone. Interrogating some cultists left behind to die, he discovered that when he annihilated the planet, Ancestor Longhu, who had been present, suddenly vomited blood, his expression changed drastically, and he hastily packed his belongings and left. Chen Mobai recalled the Nascent Soul cultivator he had casually destroyed at the Ascension Sect Leader's main base, noting that it seemed to lack human aura. It was likely Ancestor Longhu's puppet body.
"Consider yourself lucky." After realizing this, Chen Mobai waved his sleeve and apprehended all the Ascension Sect cultivators present. These individuals were talents who had assisted Ancestor Longhu with various experiments, and the fact that so much equipment could be brought out from the Immortal Sect surely implied internal cooperation. Taking them back would be perfect for the Immortal Sect to conduct a comprehensive internal purge before the War of Creation. After dealing with the people, Chen Mobai looked at the space battleship, which Ancestor Longhu had converted into an experimental base. Remembering how the Five Elements Sect's arsenal in the Eastern Wilderness couldn't produce war artifacts that satisfied him, he felt a stir and opened his domain to collect it. Next, he went to deal with the Ascension Sect's other bases. However, it seemed Ancestor Longhu had notified them all. When Chen Mobai arrived, only some insignificant small fries remained. After casually turning both them and their territories into ashes, Chen Mobai remembered that the Nascent Soul cultivators from the three great halls were waiting for his lecture at the Wuqi Daoist Academy, so he teleported back.
After he left, Lin Daoming, accompanied by Ancestor Longhu and the Divine Control Pavilion Master, arrived at the Ascension Sect's main base to investigate. "Where's the planet?" The Divine Control Pavilion Master's eyes widened upon seeing the suddenly vanished main base. Beside him, Ancestor Longhu also gasped, his face filled with shock.
"A Soul Transformation cultivator acted and annihilated the planet." Lin Daoming sensed the lingering traces of the Great Dao of Fire in the void, his expression solemn.
"Who made the move? Was it the old Immortal Sect's Dual Sages, or the two new ones?" Ancestor Longhu suppressed his inner panic. If he had retreated any later just now, he would likely be a corpse by now. The Divine Control Pavilion Master beside him had the same expression. He had more avatars in his main base, and although they were all Core Formation cultivators, they had also lost contact with him in an instant. And after the deaths of those in whom he had planted divine seeds, his divine sense was severely damaged, and his Purple Mansion's Sea of Consciousness was still throbbing painfully, feeling as if it would split apart.
"It wasn't them!" Lin Daoming shook his head, his brows tightly furrowed. If Qianxing and Baiguang were still in the Immortal Sect, it wouldn't be surprising for them to achieve this. However, the Great Dao of Fire was not what either of them cultivated or comprehended. And Lin Daoming, having served as the Master of the Immortal Affairs Hall, had considerable interactions with Qi Yuheng of Kaiyuan Hall and Shui Xian of Righteous Law Hall, naturally knowing that neither of them cultivated this Great Dao. Moreover, it wasn't that Lin Daoming looked down on Qi Yuheng and Shui Xian; he knew that with only decades of Soul Transformation cultivation, they couldn't annihilate a planet in such a short time. After analyzing all the intelligence in his mind, Lin Daoming quickly reached a shocking conclusion: a new Soul Transformation cultivator had emerged in the Immortal Sect.
Moreover, this Soul Transformation cultivator had already begun comprehending the Great Dao of Fire immediately after breaking through. Surveying all the Nascent Soul cultivators in the Immortal Sect, Lin Daoming instantly pinpointed the two most fitting candidates: Wang Chengxuan and Chen Mobai of the Wuqi lineage. By conventional logic, it should have been Wang Chengxuan who broke through and achieved Soul Transformation. But for some reason, Lin Daoming instinctively felt that even if Wang Chengxuan could achieve Soul Transformation, he wouldn't be capable of such a feat. He recalled the scene of Chen Mobai's sudden enlightenment under the 'Astonishing Spirit Melody,' ascending from the seventh to the ninth layer of Nascent Soul, and his audacious courage in drawing his sword against a Void Refinement avatar like the Death God. A thought flashed through his mind, one that even he found hard to believe.
"That Venerable Chunyang must have already achieved Soul Transformation." Upon hearing this, Ancestor Longhu and the Divine Control Pavilion Master were filled with shock.
"Didn't the Sect Leader go to use the Devouring God Art on him? How did he break through instead? Did he fail?" The Divine Control Pavilion Master's face was filled with incomprehension. As an expert in the Devouring God Art, he understood this cultivation method best. He couldn't comprehend how the Ascension Sect Leader, with three lifetimes of accumulation and a millennium of cultivation, could fail against Chen Mobai, who had cultivated for less than two hundred years.
"This is someone with great fortune!" Lin Daoming's eyes narrowed as he recalled the legend that individuals of great fortune would emerge during every major calamity. The fortune of Diyuan Star had long since waned to its lowest point, but after he brought in Pluto Star and Three-Eyed Star, it seemed to have instinctively sensed danger, thus possibly giving rise to Chen Mobai, this astonishing genius, to face the tribulation. Among the Three Thousand Demonic Paths, there was also a Heavenly Demon specializing in seizing fortune. It was even one of the Demon Lord's seventy-two aspects. Thinking this, a hint of greed flashed in Lin Daoming's heart. If he could devour and refine Chen Mobai, his Formless Heavenly Demonic Dao would surely advance to a higher level.
"Venerable One, what should we do next?" Upon learning that Chen Mobai might have already achieved Soul Transformation, Ancestor Longhu and the Divine Control Pavilion Master trembled. The sight of the planet, now cosmic dust, made them realize that this True Monarch's destructive nature was entirely different from the other Soul Transformation True Monarchs of the Immortal Sect. If Chen Mobai was determined to hunt them down, the two of them, as Nascent Soul cultivators, could potentially die in the cosmos due to insufficient spiritual energy.
"Just follow me," Lin Daoming said confidently. "Even if he is a Soul Transformation cultivator who has entrusted his Nascent Soul or a Sword Dao Soul Transformation cultivator, against my true demonic body, it's still uncertain who would win." Lin Daoming spoke with a confident expression. Ancestor Longhu and the Divine Control Pavilion Master looked at his Earth Element True Locust body, felt slightly relieved, then exchanged a bitter glance and nodded.
In the conference room of Wuqi Daoist Academy's Building One, Wenren Xuewei had naturally replaced Zhuang Jialan and Hua Zijing in assisting with tea, and began to display her tea ceremony skills to the Nascent Soul cultivators present. Her fluid and graceful technique drew continuous praise from those watching. As cups of hot tea were placed before everyone, just as Wenren Xuewei was about to speak, an invisible, profound pressure suddenly emerged. Then, with a flash of silver light, the red-haired, red-browed youth Chen Mobai appeared in the main seat.
"My apologies, I spent some time dealing with the Ascension Sect." Chen Mobai said apologetically, explaining his reason for leaving. He then took the tea offered with both hands by Wenren Xuewei and drank it in one go.
"Not at all, True Monarch. It's our fault for not handling matters well, forcing you to exert yourself." Gongye Zhixu immediately spoke, prompting continuous nods from everyone except Wenren Xuewei and Pei Qingshuang. The matter of the Ascension Sect Leader fell under the purview of the Heaven-Mending Group, which was a department under the Righteous Law Hall. This statement implied that the two of them were incompetent! Wenren Xuewei glared at Gongye Zhixu. The unspoken understanding they had just reached regarding Chen Xiaohei instantly dissipated, and her mood for pouring him tea vanished.
"This is also my fault," Chen Mobai began, taking responsibility upon himself to help Wenren Xuewei. "After all, I was the former Master of the Righteous Law Hall, and even previously the leader of the Heaven-Mending Group. It was a great dereliction of duty that I couldn't completely eradicate the Ascension Sect Leader, that cancerous growth, during my tenure..."
"True Monarch, your words are mistaken. If we were to calculate it that way, wouldn't the previous Masters of the Righteous Law Hall bear even greater responsibility? Your action in eradicating the Ascension Sect Leader now is a monumental contribution." Gongye Zhixu's conversational artistry received high praise from Chen Mobai. Truly a shrewd veteran who had navigated the three great halls for two to three hundred years; his abilities in this regard even surpassed Ying Guanghua.
Thinking of his old rival, Ying Guanghua, Chen Mobai couldn't help but sigh. After the Calamity of the Death God, Qi Yuheng also investigated Lin Daoming, who had disguised himself as Ying Guanghua, and discovered that he had gone missing. Besides him, there was also Chen Chun, who had descended the mountain to perform the 'Astonishing Spirit Melody'. Although listed as missing in the archives, their chances of survival were slim; they were likely already dead. Although Chen Mobai and Ying Guanghua had been rivals and adversaries during their time in the three great halls, at that time, their conflict stemmed from differing stances. In reality, Chen Mobai quite admired Ying Guanghua. If he were still alive and learned that Chen Mobai had formed his second Nascent Soul, he would probably also become submissive, just like Ye Yun'e. Thinking this, Chen Mobai sighed again.
"True Monarch, why do you sigh?" Seeing him like this, Gongye Zhixu asked.
"Alas, seeing Hall Master Gongye, I am reminded of your predecessor, Hall Master Ying. If he were still alive, under the influence of the 'Astonishing Spirit Melody,' he might have also achieved Soul Transformation by now." Everyone merely listened to Chen Mobai's words. How difficult was the step to Soul Transformation? Only an astonishing prodigy like him could achieve it with such ease. While Ying Guanghua's aptitude was considered top-tier in the Immortal Sect's history, to achieve Soul Transformation, he would likely need an additional divine spark from Dragon God Star. However, since Chen Mobai said it, everyone naturally had to agree. After some reminiscing, Ying Guanghua's image suddenly seemed much grander. Chen Mobai still held great respect for an opponent who was presumed dead.
Next, he began to explain his insights on forming his second Nascent Soul. He couldn't disclose the crucial Fire Dao Fruit. The 'Five Tones of Regulation' he presented as insights gained from listening to the 'Astonishing Spirit Melody'. As for the reason for his divine sense breakthrough, Chen Mobai hesitated, but still attributed it to his extraordinary talent, at most adding that he had comprehended all realms of the 'Phoenix Facing the Sun Diagram' and fully grasped the 'Phoenix Seal Heavenly Scripture'. After all, breaking through by counter-devouring the Ascension Sect Leader's millennium of accumulation using the Devouring God Art did not align with his genius persona. Chen Mobai's achievements today were entirely due to his own talent and hard work. Various serendipitous encounters merely provided negligible assistance. After the lecture concluded, repeated exclamations of praise filled the conference room. Everyone believed these accounts, as Chen Mobai's cultivation journey to his current realm was clearly traceable within the Immortal Sect.
[35 seconds ago] Chapter 238: Fire Reaches Chang'an
[1 minute ago] Chapter 261: Siege (3)
[5 minutes ago] Chapter 193: Reporter Lin Yan
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