"Whose child is it?" This was Chen Mobai's first thought, his immediate reaction.
Ye Qing replied, "She said it's Ku Zhu's."
"Oh, Ku Zhu," Chen Mobai thought. "You looked so righteous and proper. I never imagined you'd be this kind of person." After hearing this, he finally understood the meaning of "never judge a book by its cover." He had originally thought Ku Zhu was an ascetic devoted to the sword, like Mo Douguang.
As he lamented his poor judgment of character, Chen Mobai asked about Xuan Shui and Ku Zhu's situation. Ye Qing didn't know much either. However, it was clear that Xuan Shui was sincere, as Nascent Soul cultivators wouldn't typically have offspring without true love. Furthermore, after Ye Qing rescued Xuan Shui, her first request was to save Ku Zhu.
"Who attacked them?" Chen Mobai asked. Although he had only met Xuan Shui a few times, she was still one of his subordinates, and he certainly wouldn't tolerate her being bullied like this.
Ye Qing began to recount what he had learned from Xuan Shui: "The leader was a Nascent Soul elder from Tianlei Zen Temple, accompanied by several other Nascent Soul cultivators from sects allied with them in Western Continent. During the Eastern Imperial Court era, Great Thunder Immortal had a good relationship with our Nine Heavens Demon Eradication Sect, so I couldn't bring myself to kill them. I merely unleashed a single sword strike to scare them away.
"After saving Xuan Shui, out of respect for you, I went to the place where she and Ku Zhu had separated. After the couple arrived in Western Continent, they accidentally stumbled into an ancient ruin. Inside, there was an 'Emotion Flower' that stimulated desires; its fragrance disoriented them, leading to their intimacy while their minds were muddled.
"Ku Zhu proved to be a responsible person. After that, he and Xuan Shui became cultivation partners. They lived together in the ruins for many years, even resigning themselves to abandoning their feuds and spending their entire lives trapped there, which is why they had a child.
"Who would have thought that ruin was a forbidden area for the two major holy lands and several large sects in Western Continent, who sent disciples in periodically to harvest resources. After Ku Zhu and Xuan Shui were discovered, Ku Zhu fought with all his might to hold back the Western Continent cultivators who came to the ruin, allowing Xuan Shui to escape. She then, fortunately, encountered me.
"When I took Xuan Shui back to that ruin, I found it had been sealed again. It must have been left by an Ascended cultivator, so I didn't dare trespass. Afterwards, I went to Tianlei Zen Temple and spoke with Little Thunder Immortal about it. However, he stated that Ku Zhu had an old feud with them. Their grievances had already been settled through the mediation of Qingjing Shanggong, but now that Ku Zhu had returned, it was clear he intended to seek revenge. Therefore, they wouldn't let him go this time, no matter what.
"However, Little Thunder Immortal still showed me respect and allowed Xuan Shui to leave. But to prevent future vengeance, he demanded that Xuan Shui vow never to set foot on Western Continent again for the rest of her life."
Ye Qing continued, "Afterwards, I inquired with Wuchang Zhai. After seeing Xuan Shui off, Ku Zhu, though heavily wounded and unable to defeat the combined Western Continent cultivators, still retreated into that ruin. So, he should still be alive. But if he's not rescued before the next opening of the ruin, Little Thunder Immortal himself might descend and kill him."
Hearing this, countless TV dramas flashed before Chen Mobai's eyes. If things continued this way, would it be Ku Zhu and Xuan Shui's children, hundreds of years later, achieving great cultivation and coming to Western Continent to find and rescue their father?
"How is Xuan Shui now?" Chen Mobai asked again. After all, she was one of his own, and he certainly needed to show concern.
Ye Qing replied, "She didn't want to go too far from Western Continent. After I brought her away, she found an island near the Xuan Sea, likely intending to wait for Ku Zhu."
"How foolish!" Chen Mobai said with deep regret upon hearing this. "How could mere Nascent Soul cultivators resolve this? She should have returned to Eastern Continent and sought my help."
Ye Qing said, "Perhaps Xuan Shui thought you wouldn't cross oceans and intervene for a mere branch sect elder like her." After all, rescuing Ku Zhu would mean confronting Tianlei Zen Temple, and for the Five Elements Sect, there was no need to open up a new front in Western Continent. Moreover, Ku Zhu was not a member of the Five Elements Sect, which would further solidify this perspective among locals.
But for Chen Mobai, this was a minor matter. He didn't even need to send his main body. After all, the strongest in Western Continent was True Monarch Qingfeng, who could perhaps exchange a few blows with his second primordial spirit. But what was Little Thunder Immortal? Just an ordinary God Transformation cultivator.
"Thank you, Brother Ye, for informing me of this matter. Since I know about it, I will certainly make a trip." As Chen Mobai spoke, he stood up.
"Brother Chen," Ye Qing said, "you can move freely across Western Continent, but please remember to show mercy." Ye Qing knew Chen Mobai's character and only offered a slight word of caution.
"Understood." Chen Mobai nodded, left a verbal message for Chen Lingming, then bid farewell to Shen Xi and the other God Transformation cultivators, before transforming into a streak of fire and disappearing from the spot.
***
The specific matters concerning the Eastern Continent Immortal Alliance were discussed for a full three months. Even with Chen Lingming's vigor, he felt mentally exhausted the moment discussions concluded.
He returned to Five Emperors Mountain and met with Xiao Yuli. During their meeting, Lianshui inquired about her sister Xuan Shui's situation, as Xuan Shui had originally gone to Eastern Yi to work with Chen Lingming. Chen Lingming only replied that there was no news yet. He recalled that sending Ku Zhu to the Western Continent had been a task personally assigned by Chen Mobai, and he had chosen Xuan Shui for it. Since Xuan Shui's soul lamp at the One Yuan Dao Palace was still lit, Lianshui wasn't overly worried and only asked a single question.
It was only when Chen Lingming went to Huanglong Cave Mansion to visit Chen Mobai that he learned Xuan Shui had become Ku Zhu's cultivation partner and was pregnant.
"This..." Even with Chen Lingming's composure, he was utterly stunned upon hearing this news.
"I have already dispatched a clone to Western Continent. You don't need to worry about this matter; just focus on the impending establishment of the Eastern Continent Immortal Alliance." Chen Mobai's words put Chen Lingming at ease. In recent years, Chen Mobai's reputation had resounded across the Five Continents and Four Seas, truly making him the undisputed foremost figure in Eastern Continent. Although Tianlei Zen Temple in Western Continent was also a holy land, it only had Little Thunder Immortal, a single God Transformation cultivator. It was certainly impossible for them to offend Chen Mobai over a mere Nascent Soul cultivator.
Next, the two discussed more details related to the Eastern Continent Immortal Alliance. After imparting his insights, Chen Mobai re-extracted the Primordial Dao Fruit he had refined.
"I once promised you that I would impart the Primordial Dao Fruit," Chen Mobai said. "Now that your cultivation has reached the mid-stage Nascent Soul, you can bear the karmic burden of my One Yuan Dao tradition. Are you willing?"
The moment Chen Mobai finished speaking, Chen Lingming did not hesitate at all. He immediately stood up, bowed deeply to him, and expressed his willingness.
"Good." Chen Mobai nodded, imparted all the techniques related to the Primordial Dao Fruit, and then personally guided Chen Lingming in refining it.
***
Meanwhile, on the other side, Chen Mobai's second primordial spirit had already arrived in Western Continent, utilizing the super teleportation array of the Grand Void Ethereal Palace. Immediately upon his arrival, he was greeted by True Monarch Dadang, a local God Transformation cultivator from the Grand Void Ethereal Palace. After all, teleporting a top-tier God Transformation cultivator meant that Eastern Continent must have notified True Monarch Dadang beforehand; if he hadn't agreed, the teleportation array couldn't have been activated.
"I have long heard of Sect Master Chen's great name. Seeing you today, you are indeed extraordinary," said True Monarch Dadang, a thin-faced old man who was very courteous towards Chen Mobai.
"Greetings, Senior. You must already know about this matter, sigh..." Chen Mobai sighed and followed True Monarch Dadang to his cultivation cave mansion. The two then drank tea and conversed. Primarily, Chen Mobai was unfamiliar with Western Continent and could only first seek out True Monarch Dadang, a local, to inquire about the situation.
"After Junior Sister Shan informed me about this matter, I immediately investigated," True Monarch Dadang began. "That Lanyuan Valley was once Daoist Tianlan's cultivation retreat. He had a spirit beast, a pair of Yin-Yang Twin Snakes, and loved brewing tea with 'Emotion Flowers'..." Before Chen Mobai's arrival, True Monarch Dadang had already prepared the basic information and relayed it to him one by one.
Thousands of years after Daoist Tianlan's ascension, Lanyuan Valley was exposed due to an earthquake that shifted its spiritual veins. It subsequently became a forbidden area for the major powers of Western Continent. However, the methods of an Ascended cultivator were extraordinary; even with the shifted spiritual veins, Lanyuan Valley's grand array continued to self-repair. After Western Continent's powers entered, they obtained many inheritances from Daoist Tianlan. Among them, a fifth-rank formation master from Qingjing Shanggong, thousands of years ago, comprehended these inheritances and modified one corner of the formation flag, allowing future generations to open a portal for one month every hundred years.
Lanyuan Valley contained many precious ten-thousand-year-old spiritual herbs and also boasted a sixth-tier spiritual vein. Simply scattering seeds within it would allow them to mature and be harvested directly after a few openings. Therefore, whenever the time came, the local powers of Western Continent would dispatch cultivators to Lanyuan Valley. As the largest merchant guild in Western Continent, the Grand Void Ethereal Palace effectively acquired most of the ten-thousand-year-old spiritual herbs produced in Lanyuan Valley.
"When is the next opening?" Chen Mobai asked.
True Monarch Dadang replied, "It just opened three years ago."
This meant Ku Zhu could safely remain inside for at least another ninety-seven years. But how exactly did the couple get in? It was known that both Qingjing Shanggong and Tianlei Zen Temple could only enter by relying on secret arrangements left by their ancestors.
"That's also what I'm curious about," True Monarch Dadang offered his conjecture. "I suspect this is why Little Thunder Immortal wants to kill him, as Lanyuan Valley is quite important to Western Continent's powers. It's essentially the oldest medicine field in this resource-scarce land." Throughout Western Continent, besides uninhabited wild areas, Lanyuan Valley was the only place where ten-thousand-year-old spiritual herbs could be found.
"Thank you for the information, Senior. I will go check on my sect's cultivator now." After understanding the situation, Chen Mobai bid farewell to True Monarch Dadang, who courteously escorted him out of his cave mansion.
After watching Chen Mobai vanish in a streak of light, True Monarch Dadang pondered for a moment and then informed True Monarch Qingfeng about the Azure Emperor of Eastern Barrens' arrival in Western Continent. After all, Chen Mobai was an outsider. While he had to show respect to his Eastern Continent peers, True Monarch Dadang had been in Western Continent for centuries and had a good relationship with True Monarch Qingfeng, the top God Transformation cultivator of Qingjing Shanggong. Therefore, he definitely had to inform him.
Although Chen Mobai had been very mild-mannered in his presence, anyone who had seen Wuchang Zhai's dossiers knew that this person possessed an unyielding character and tolerated no insolence. Even an existence like the old Flood Dragon, Chen Mobai, after his Dharma artifact reached perfection, directly went to the Xuan Sea and slaughtered it without delay. As for Little Thunder Immortal from Tianlei Zen Temple, he wasn't very quick-witted and likely wouldn't back down easily. If a verbal dispute escalated and provoked the wrath of this Azure Emperor of Eastern Barrens, he might be slain with a single sword strike. True Monarch Dadang himself did not want to get involved in this mess, so he informed True Monarch Qingfeng. As the foremost figure in Western Continent, if Chen Mobai and Little Thunder Immortal were to come to blows, he could intervene in time to stop and mediate.
Upon receiving this news, True Monarch Qingfeng immediately informed Little Thunder Immortal, urging him not to act impulsively and to speak cordially if the Azure Emperor of Eastern Barrens were to arrive.
***
Chen Mobai naturally had no idea that his arrival in Western Continent was immediately known to the two major holy lands, who were now standing by in full alert.
Following the map Ye Qing had provided, he arrived at the seas off Western Continent. His God Transformation divine sense swept over the area and quickly pinpointed Xuan Shui's aura among thousands of islands.
Xuan Shui, who was holding a pair of children with a worried expression, suddenly felt a vast and terrifying divine sense, seemingly encompassing the entire sky and sea, sweep over her. Despair welled up in her heart. She could naturally perceive that this undisguised divine sense belonged to the God Transformation realm. And among the God Transformation cultivators in Western Continent, the only one who would come looking for her and her children was Little Thunder Immortal from Tianlei Zen Temple.
Just as Xuan Shui prepared to place the two children she held into two small treasure boats and cast them into the sea, preparing to face death alone, a streak of sword light descended from the sky, landing before her. It transformed into a tall, familiar figure—one she never would have expected.
"Greetings, Sect Master!" An indescribable wave of excitement surged within Xuan Shui's heart, and she immediately bowed deeply to Chen Mobai.
"Are these your and Ku Zhu's children?" Chen Mobai landed on the island, gestured for Xuan Shui to rise, and then looked at the boy and girl in her arms, asking.
"Yes," Xuan Shui replied. Her mind raced, realizing that Ye Qing must have informed Chen Mobai, as it was widely known in Eastern Continent that the two were sworn brothers.
"Not bad. One has a Mysterious Yang Spirit Physique, and the other has an innate Yin Meridian..." Chen Mobai merely glanced and discovered the children's innate talents, though unfortunately, they were somewhat reversed. The girl had the Mysterious Yang Spirit Physique, and the boy had an innate Yin Meridian. The Mysterious Yang Spirit Physique was a simplified version of the Pure Yang Body, while the innate Yin Meridian was equivalent to a partial Nine Yin Severed Meridian. If the boy had the Mysterious Yang Spirit Physique and the girl had an innate Yin Meridian, they would possess supreme cultivation physiques. But as they were now, it was a terminal condition; in the Tianhe Realm, it was a physique that could barely survive to the age of ten.
"Sect Master, please save Ku Zhu and the children!" Upon hearing this, Xuan Shui understood that this was a chance for her family's survival and bowed deeply to Chen Mobai once more.
"When we return to Eastern Continent, bring these two children to Huanglong Cave Mansion," Chen Mobai said. He didn't know if anyone else in the Five Continents and Four Seas could cure them, but Qing Nu certainly could. After all, Chen Xiaohei's Nine Yin Severed Meridian had been easily cured by the Three Uniques. Qing Nu, as a top student of Ju Mang Dao Academy, was also highly skilled in the medical arts. Once cured, these children would possess talents no less than those with Heavenly Spiritual Roots. Chen Mobai was even considering whether to pass down the Pure Yang Scroll inheritance of Daoist Zixiao here.
[9 seconds ago] Chapter 519: 天地不同寿
[1 minute ago] Chapter 580: Grabbing People
[5 minutes ago] Chapter 469: Natural Enemy
[5 minutes ago] Chapter 1437: Strong Zerg
13277 · 0 · 26
16852 · 0 · 45