Chapter 1217: Nirvana Path

With the Heaven-Veiling Talisman, Chen Mobai could break through to the late-stage Spirit Transformation realm in a short period. However, his hypothesis still needed practical verification. What if the Pure Yang Grand Dao didn't work? He had Yu Yi draw two more talismans, then told her to stop. After all, both fifth-grade talisman paper and talisman ink were top-tier resources in the Immortal Sect, and even a single waste felt regrettable. Before this seclusion, Chen Mobai had one more thing to do: to meet his old classmates one last time.

The passing of Song Zheng and his wife made Chen Mobai realize that his peers, those of his age, had all entered their twilight years and would soon pass away one by one in the coming years. For him, this was a complex emotional experience. Many of them were his friends, and their youthful, vibrant days seemed like only yesterday. Yet, even a Spirit Transformation True Monarch could not halt the natural cycle of birth, aging, illness, and death. All he could do was see them one last time before they departed. He deeply regretted not being able to speak with Song Zheng before his sudden passing.

Chen Mobai first visited his former classmates from the Spirit Transformation class. With his assistance, most of them had received an opportunity for Core Formation. However, even among students of the Wuqi Dao Academy, talent varied, and six individuals failed their Core Formation attempt. After having Zhuang Jialan contact them, Chen Mobai prepared to meet each of them in person. When Ming Yihua, who had come to visit, learned of this, he decided to accompany Chen Mobai. It was Ming Yihua who had originally gathered the members of the Spirit Transformation class; he was the most lively among them and had maintained contact with most, though some connections had been lost for decades. Ming Yihua was currently only waiting for his Nascent Infant Cultivation Pill to be ready so he could attempt Nascent Infant Formation, but he felt his mental state was still lacking. Coincidentally, he learned of Chen Mobai's plan when he came to seek guidance. Chen Mobai also believed this might be the catalyst for Ming Yihua to perfect his state of mind.

The two departed from Wangwu Grotto-Heaven, traversing nearly half of Diyuan Star to find their former Spirit Transformation classmates one by one. Their final stop was Wuyang Blessed City, home to Lan Yufan and Lu Zixuan. The couple had recently divorced, claiming they wanted to experience single life during their remaining years. Chen Mobai was speechless at this, finding it amusing that they would do such a thing at their age. Both Lan Yufan and Lu Zixuan were delighted by the arrival of Chen Mobai and Ming Yihua, a rare reunion. They even invited their three sons and two daughters to join them.

"Old Chen, I never thought I'd be able to drink with you again," the now white-haired Lan Yufan said, raising his wine cup with a sigh of emotion. Lu Zixuan, who would typically glare at him for drinking, acted as if she didn't notice. Both of them had failed Core Formation, indicating flaws in their mental states. This showed that shortcuts were only temporary, and relying on emotional breakthroughs was not sustainable.

"Among us, you two are the happiest, with so many children," Chen Mobai remarked kindly, looking at the slightly reserved younger generation sitting beside them.

"We are happy, yes, but not being able to witness the glory of higher realms is a lifelong regret," Lan Yufan sighed. In their Spirit Transformation class, besides him and Lu Zixuan, there was another couple, Wang Xingyu and Gong Ranran. The latter two had both successfully formed their cores and, although they hadn't had children, they were greatly envied by Lan Yufan and Lu Zixuan.

"Having children means continuation; it's like living on in another form," Ming Yihua commented, having gained a new understanding. Chen Mobai listened silently.

Next, the four, reunited after so long, recounted their experiences from their time at the Dao Academy. However, most of the time, the other three recalled Chen Mobai's glory days at the academy.

"Old Chen, neither of us has many years left. So, I'll shamelessly ask for a path forward for our children. If they have potential, please help them out for our sakes. If not, then just let them live out their lives peacefully," Lan Yufan requested with a wry smile as the drinks wound down, prompted by Lu Zixuan's glance.

"Of course," Chen Mobai replied outwardly, but inwardly, he sighed, feeling a deep sense that their former innocent friendship was gone. Perhaps this was what growth entailed.

"Ah, everyone's changed," Ming Yihua sighed as he and Chen Mobai left Wuyang City. Though their reunion after many years still held some nostalgic memories, the people they met had fundamentally changed.

"The Dao is about change, and it is precisely change that fills the world with exciting new possibilities to explore," Chen Mobai said, instructing Ming Yihua instead of speaking about reality or pressure. After listening, Ming Yihua fell into thought, sensing an ineffable shift in his Dao heart, and his spiritual consciousness even began to transform.

"The people we met this time mostly spoke to us on behalf of their children and descendants. Since we were fated to enroll in the same year and are friends, this favor must certainly be granted. However, I will be leaving Diyuan Star soon, so I can only entrust this matter to you." Chen Mobai sensed the change in Ming Yihua's spiritual consciousness and knew that his Nascent Infant Formation would likely be successful, so he naturally spoke about entrusting these connections.

"Yes, leave it to me," Ming Yihua nodded. Although his path from graduation to Core Formation and now to Nascent Infant Formation had been relatively smooth, he understood how difficult it was to advance in the Immortal Sect without connections. Even someone with Chen Mobai's incredible talent, who seemingly didn't need resources, still benefited from the background of the Wuqi lineage to ascend to the Three Great Halls and become a leader of the Immortal Sect. Ming Yihua was single, and his parents and relatives had all passed away. After forming his Nascent Infant, he would become the representative of the Wuqi lineage in the Three Great Halls, and would undoubtedly take on the responsibility of caring for the students and even descendants of the Wuqi lineage. This was also the purpose of having a "mountain" (a powerful faction). From then on, he would be the one steering the Wuqi lineage. After meeting his Spirit Transformation classmates, Ming Yihua had a realization. Chen Mobai sent him to the Yu Ping Minor Realm, leaving him with a complete set of Nascent Infant Formation resources.

Next, Chen Mobai continued to meet his high school classmates. After the passing of Song Zheng and his wife, very few were still alive. Most of these individuals were in their hometown, Danxia City. For this occasion, Chen Mobai called Yan Bingxuan, who naturally rushed back.

At Danxia Mountain, beneath the Verdant Jade Parasol tree, Wang Xinying, a Core Formation cultivator responsible for Danxia City and having received Chen Mobai's notification, invited Cao Yaling, Shi Yuanqing, and Xu Yuan to join them. In their graduating class from Immortal Sect Fifth High School in Danxia City, Chen Mobai and Yan Bingxuan were already honorary principals, with their portraits hung in the corridors. Chen Mobai even had a bronze statue erected at the school gate, informing all that a Spirit Transformation Grand Ancestor had once attended there. Song Zheng and other Foundation Establishment cultivators were also considered excellent alumni, recorded with their own page in the school annals. After all, Immortal Sect Fifth High School was now undeniably one of the top high schools in Danxia City.

Xu Yuan said, "Old Song and the class monitor passed away. I wanted to burn incense for them, but my body is just too frail. I was afraid I'd run out of breath halfway before even reaching Weiyu Grotto-Heaven." Chen Mobai nodded repeatedly upon hearing this. The Immortal Sect had many restrictions on elderly cultivators using transportation, especially those nearing the end of their lifespan.

Xu Yuan was fortunate; although he hadn't succeeded in Foundation Establishment during his military service like Song Zheng, after returning and marrying Shi Jingjing, he spent decades gathering the three treasures for Foundation Establishment online in the Immortal Sect. He successfully broke through at the advanced age of over eighty. Consequently, his face was the oldest among those present, covered in wrinkles. However, Chen Mobai perceived that his vital energy was still quite good, and he likely had several more years to live.

Cao Yaling, who was still single, had maintained herself quite well and seemed to have practiced health-preserving cultivation methods, but the crow's feet at the corners of her eyes betrayed her true age. She looked at Chen Mobai and Yan Bingxuan, sitting together seemingly unchanged from their high school days, with envy. "Seeing you two still so youthful and radiant, I sometimes regret not working harder when I was younger."

Shi Yuanqing, however, showed her no deference. "Oh, please. No matter how hard you tried, you wouldn't have succeeded in Core Formation." In their class, excluding Chen Mobai and Yan Bingxuan, Cao Yaling had actually possessed the highest talent. However, out of consideration for her friendship with Shi Jingjing, she always acted as if her abilities were similar, and in doing so, her talent gradually became mediocre.

"I heard you recently had a grandson..." Chen Mobai immediately changed the subject, pouring wine for Xu Yuan, who instantly brightened and began to speak effusively. Xu Yuan and Shi Jingjing's youngest son had married the daughter of Lu Hongsheng and Yu Shu. Because Xu Yuan, as a Foundation Establishment cultivator, had a considerable family fortune, his son and daughter-in-law had not wanted children for a long time, hoping to follow Xu Yuan's example and achieve Foundation Establishment at an advanced age. However, after two failures, they finally accepted their fate and began to continue their bloodline.

"I went to see him yesterday," Yan Bingxuan interjected. "He has dual Gold and Water spirit roots. In the future, he can follow my path, convert to Ice spirit roots, and receive guaranteed admission to the Natural Academy." Chen Mobai was also very pleased to hear this.

"If he can achieve perfected Foundation Establishment in the future, I'll give him a chance at Core Formation," Chen Mobai's words made Yan Bingxuan nod slightly and greatly pleased all three present. Although they were all Foundation Establishment cultivators, Shi Yuanqing, the highest in cultivation, was still stuck at the sixth layer of Foundation Establishment. Therefore, seeing a descendant potentially have an opportunity for Core Formation felt like experiencing it themselves.

"Sometimes, I truly envy spiritual plants. Even with weak sentience, as long as they have sunlight, rain, and spiritual energy, they can live for thousands of years..." Shi Yuanqing, having drunk a little too much, stood up from his seat, gazed at the vast Verdant Jade Parasol tree crowning the mountain, and expressed his feelings. Hearing his words, Cao Yaling and Xu Yuan also sighed sadly. Although they had accepted that their end was near, who would wish to die if they could live? Chen Mobai and Yan Bingxuan, who still had centuries of lifespan left, didn't know how to console them and could only silently drain their cups.

As the sun was about to set, Wang Xinying came up and, with Yan Bingxuan, helped the three intoxicated guests down the mountain. Left alone, Chen Mobai let out a long sigh and retrieved the spiritual wine brewed by Zhuo Ming from his personal dimension. After this meeting, the next time he saw these classmates, it would only be to burn incense at their graves. He recalled their high school graduation, when everyone was full of youthful ambition. Now, they were either dead or aged. "No longer like the days of youth!"

Though Chen Mobai knew he had several millennia of lifespan remaining, he understood that if he didn't achieve Dao Integration, he would still grow old and die. It was the gradual passing of these familiar people around him that made Chen Mobai realize the terrifying nature of time. What terrified him even more was that even if he achieved Dao Integration, he would still perish with the Dao if the universe ended and reset. He refused to quietly vanish into a forgotten corner of the cosmos like that. Therefore, once the threat of the Three-Eyed Race was resolved, it would be time to leave Diyuan Star. There, even if he could forcibly succeed in Void Refinement with the resources of the Tianhe Realm and his own talent, he would certainly not be able to achieve Dao Integration. To gain immortality, or even eternal transcendence, he had to go to the very center of this universe, or even to the Four Palaces. Having always been content in his comfort zone, Chen Mobai at this moment finally made up his mind to take this crucial step.

It was at this moment, upon the Pure Yang Scroll, that an Innate Grand Dao, one he had always sought to comprehend but never grasped, finally revealed itself to him, now that his state of mind had transformed. Within his Purple Mansion Sea of Consciousness, the phoenix phantom, which had formed after the Vermilion Phoenix Facing the Sun Diagram was perfected, materialized from its ethereal state.

The Azure Bird, the Golden Phoenix, and the Peacock—his three great Primordial Spirit Manifestations—merged completely into one. All the characteristics associated with a phoenix appeared one by one within this incredibly beautiful divine bird.

Those who had just been led away from Danxia Mountain suddenly heard a clear cry of "all birds paying homage to the phoenix." Immediately afterward, various birds from all corners of the surrounding parasol tree forest took flight, chirping as they flocked towards the giant Verdant Jade Parasol tree at the mountain's peak.

"Oh!" Both Wang Xinying and Yan Bingxuan felt the intense shift in the underground spiritual leylines, exclaiming in surprise. However, after exchanging glances, neither ventured up rashly. After all, Chen Mobai was at the peak, and he would surely handle everything.

Chen Mobai sat beneath the Verdant Jade Parasol tree, sensing the Nirvana Grand Dao he had just comprehended. At the very same moment he comprehended this Grand Dao, the Verdant Jade Parasol tree, which had been stuck at the peak of the fourth-grade, finally broke through its bottleneck and began to ascend to the fifth-grade!