Chapter 1344: Twenty-Four Sea-Stabilizing Pearls

Deep in the Profound Sea, the skeletal remains of the Ancestral Black Dragon lay sprawled. Its dark scales reflected the eerie seabed light, and the surrounding seawater froze into ice crystals the moment it touched them, only to quickly melt away under a brilliant five-colored radiance.

This was the herb garden closest to the Sea Eye. Rows of underwater cave dwellings stood in the open space, providing accommodation and cultivation sites for Chen Mobai and his companions.

The once luxurious Dragon Palace had been completely destroyed during the war. The magnificent and grand palace complex was reduced to scattered remnants of walls and debris, as the Five Elements Sect cultivators had dismantled and taken most of the precious building materials, with Chen Mobai himself leading the effort. At the time, he hadn't foreseen that he would be residing here for a period, so he found it difficult to reprimand his disciples for their locust-like behavior.

He could only use the excuse that the Five Elements Sect's territory needed unified planning and integration into the Sky Veil Earth Network Array. Consequently, the entire original Profound Flood Dragon Royal Court was demolished.

The person in charge of this task was naturally Zhuo Ming.

After retrieving the Ancestral Black Dragon's remains, Chen Mobai personally went to pick up Zhuo Ming. Besides the Sky Veil Earth Network Array, he also wanted her to come and "communicate" with the uncooperative Grade 6 Medicine Kings in the Sea Eye spiritual field.

After delegating these mundane tasks, Chen Mobai entered seclusion with Qing Nu.

Qing Nu was focused on comprehending her own Fetal Transformation Essence Qi.

Through trials by Chen Mobai and Lingzun, it was confirmed that the Fetal Transformation Essence Qi had no direct connection to the Ancestral Black Dragon's remains. They surmised that retrieving the remains from the Sea Eye might have inadvertently activated the primordial power deep within the Sea Eye, thus triggering the resonance of the Fetal Transformation Essence Qi.

Therefore, whenever Lingzun had free time, she would take Qing Nu to the Sea Eye for meditation and enlightenment, fulfilling her duty as a master.

Chen Mobai, meanwhile, employed the "Can Tong Qi" technique to assist the Hunyuan Bell in refining the Ancestral Black Dragon's remains.

The Hunyuan Bell floated beside him, its five-colored halo swirling like brilliant stardust, silently merging into the seemingly living remains of the Ancestral Black Dragon, as if being devoured.

Theoretically, a Grade 7 material requires Grade 7 power to refine.

Chen Mobai naturally did not possess such power, but the Hunyuan Bell's attributes perfectly countered the remains, and combined with the profound mysteries of "Can Tong Qi," they could just barely achieve this feat.

After the Hunyuan Bell's power was instinctively absorbed by the Ancestral Black Dragon's remains, wisps of Primordial Water Dao power soon seeped out from the gaps in the scales. Like rising steam, they transformed into intricate, dark blue runes upon encountering the bell's surface.

During this process, the Hunyuan Bell, originally pure white jade, gradually began to transform into a pale bluish-white.

Once this sign appeared, Chen Mobai stopped.

This was because the Hunyuan Bell itself was only Grade 6, and could only slowly assimilate the Grade 7 Primordial Water Dao power. If it absorbed too much, it would cause an imbalance of the Five Elements, potentially even damaging the magical artifact itself.

Primordial Water, as part of the Primordial Five Elements Dao, if used for Dao integration, would not qualify one as a Primordial Dao Monarch. However, it would grant a portion of a Primordial Dao Monarch's power, marking one as a pinnacle True Immortal among Grade 7 cultivators.

The Ancestral Black Dragon's remains were already a crystallized form of the Primordial Water Dao.

If he could refine it with the Hunyuan Bell, he could then attempt to complete the evolution of the Five Elements Great Dao, starting with Water.

As Chen Mobai's cultivation deepened, his understanding of the Grade 7 Hunyuan Golden Dipper also grew profound. The reason for requiring the powers of the End Fortune, Primordial Chaos, Void, and Five Elements Great Daos was to fuse them into an incredibly subtle and formidable Great Dao among the Three Thousand Great Daos.

This Great Dao was named "Diminish."

Under the Dao of Diminish, all accumulated power of every living being, from birth, would be rendered null and void, returning to its original state of nothingness.

Among the Post-Natal Great Daos, in terms of combat, the Dao of Diminish ranked among the most dangerous.

Chen Mobai perceived this through the Hunyuan Pearl while repeatedly entering and exiting the Purple Heavens Palace, comprehending the Three Thousand Great Daos in relation to his own Nascent Soul Dharma Idol.

This was also content that True Monarch Yiyuan had not left in his inheritance, or perhaps, when he ascended, his own level had not yet reached it. He had only sensed the existence of such a Great Dao, that it could be integrated and controlled by entrusting it to a magical artifact, which is why he left behind the method of the "Hunyuan Golden Dipper."

A month later, one of the dark scales on the Ancestral Black Dragon's back suddenly cracked, then shattered with a soft *thump*, transforming into a large surge of dark blue Dao light that poured into the Hunyuan Bell.

In an instant, the bell's body, which had just returned to snowy white, was suddenly covered in a shimmering blue glow.

If Chen Mobai hadn't promptly activated the Hunyuan Pearl to help the Hunyuan Bell with the refinement, it might have suffered from "indigestion" right then and there.

During this process, the Grade 6 Water Spirit Vein began to tremble, releasing vast amounts of spiritual energy. Satellites illuminated above the sea surface, and under Chen Mobai's control, the Sky Veil Earth Network Array also poured down immense Five Elements spiritual energy.

These energies could neutralize the Ancestral Black Dragon's Primordial Water Dao power, making it easier for the Hunyuan Bell to refine.

At the same time, from the direction of the Sea Eye not far away, a familiar azure glow lit up, surging towards them like an underwater sun.

It was the Deep Abyss Sea Calming Pearl.

Qing Nu was in seclusion there and needed this artifact to move freely, so after confirming that the Ancestral Black Dragon's remains would not reanimate, Chen Mobai retrieved it from his Dharma Realm and returned it to her.

However, he had not expected that today, after refining a scale, the Hunyuan Bell was fully focused on absorbing and refining, thus not suppressing the Ancestral Black Dragon's aura, which the Deep Abyss Sea Calming Pearl sensed, causing it to act unusually again.

Just as Chen Mobai was considering whether to stop the "Can Tong Qi" and intervene, Lingzun appeared with Qing Nu via instantaneous movement, blocking the Deep Abyss Sea Calming Pearl's path. With a wave of her hand, she manifested a coral jade screen, which was none other than the Thousand Scales Moon Reflection Screen.

Under Lingzun's control, the Thousand Scales Moon Reflection Screen conjured a mirage. Each scale shimmered with dazzling light, transforming into a thousand phantom dragon figures, which spiraled and soared across the Profound Sea's depths, trapping the Deep Abyss Sea Calming Pearl within.

The young flood dragon, tethered to this herb garden, witnessed this scene and couldn't help but gape in astonishment.

These magical artifacts clearly required the bloodline power of the Profound Flood Dragon clan to activate. How, in just one year, had Lingzun refined them to such perfect proficiency, unleashing their full power?

Previously, the Deep Abyss Sea Calming Pearl could be used by Qing Nu because it had lost its sentience.

But now, the Thousand Scales Moon Reflection Screen was completely intact. Even if its spiritual essence had directly betrayed and surrendered, Lingzun shouldn't have been able to wield it to this extent!

"Thank you, Senior," Chen Mobai thanked Lingzun upon seeing how powerfully she had refined the Thousand Scales Moon Reflection Screen using the "Can Tong Qi."

Among the Immortal Sect's seven great Divine Transformation cultivation techniques, their "Can Tong Qi" of the Artifact Dancing lineage was originally a grand technique with the easiest entry barrier but suffered from weakness in the later stages. Its power depended not on the cultivator, but entirely on the magical artifact.

And among the Immortal Sect, the most formidable artifact, the Numinous Firmament Treasure Hall, was a war artifact whose ownership would not be solely personal.

The rest were the three great Grade 5 top-grade flying swords.

But even if one could jointly cultivate with these, at most they would possess peak Divine Transformation strength. If they sought to cultivate to the Void Refinement stage through them, they would instead be constrained by the artifact. Just like Cheng Xuan back then; if he hadn't obtained spiritual materials during the pioneering war to advance the Scarlet Heart Treasure Mirror to Grade 5, he might have been trapped before the Divine Transformation threshold for his entire life, unable to break through.

But now, here in the Heavenly River Realm, this cultivation technique could be said to have unlimited potential.

After all, Chen Mobai could now successfully refine Grade 6 magical artifacts, as long as he was willing to spend the time.

After Lingzun obtained two Grade 6 magical artifacts, she immediately sought Chen Mobai's permission and began cultivating "Can Tong Qi." Given her cultivation level, achieving mastery was naturally effortless for her.

Three days later, seeing that the Hunyuan Bell had stabilized and could independently draw upon the Sky Veil Earth Network Array to refine the Ancestral Black Dragon's power, Chen Mobai rose and approached Lingzun, deploying his Dharma Realm to retrieve the suppressed Deep Abyss Sea Calming Pearl.

"It seems this pearl needs to be dealt with," Lingzun said, retracting the Thousand Scales Moon Reflection Screen.

The Deep Abyss Sea Calming Pearl was the Ancestral Black Dragon's inner core, so even though it had lost its sentience, it would instinctively rush to merge with the Ancestral Black Dragon's aura whenever it sensed it.

Chen Mobai had spent an entire year just to barely refine one scale with the Hunyuan Bell. The Ancestral Black Dragon had tens of thousands of scales, along with bones and tendons containing even more power. It might take tens of thousands of years for the Hunyuan Bell to completely refine them.

Chen Mobai certainly couldn't wait that long.

Moreover, if the Ancestral Black Dragon's aura kept erupting during this process, the Deep Abyss Sea Calming Pearl would have to remain within his Dharma Realm, essentially rendering the artifact useless.

Chen Mobai understood Lingzun's meaning. He nodded gently and said to Qing Nu, "My dear, perhaps I should simply destroy this pearl and refine a set of Sea Calming Pearls for you instead."

Since the Deep Abyss Sea Calming Pearl was a hindrance before the refinement of the Ancestral Black Dragon's remains, it might as well be discarded. Conveniently, after pacifying the Dragon Palace, they had obtained twenty-three Grand Abyss Blue Pearls. Chen Mobai, with his prior experience in refining Sea Calming Pearls and his now higher artifact refining skills, could completely transfer the Deep Abyss Sea Calming Pearl's primordial Dao power using these.

Qing Nu naturally had no objections. After all, while the Deep Abyss Sea Calming Pearl could barely be used with the "Can Tong Qi," it was certainly not as convenient as a true Natal artifact like the Sea Calming Pearl.

By exchanging it for a set of Sea Calming Pearls, she might even be able to cultivate twenty-four Second Nascent Souls.

If a customized Sea Calming Array was crafted, and even each Second Nascent Soul was equipped with a magical artifact, Qing Nu's combat power would likely rival some of the top Divine Transformation cultivators in the Heavenly River Realm.

Chen Mobai said, "I will first refine the Sea Calming Pearls. Then, my dear, you can use the 'Can Tong Qi' to integrate with them, using the Deep Abyss Sea Calming Pearl as a material to empower and nurture this set of Sea Calming Pearls."

Chen Mobai had limited methods for Grade 7 spiritual materials, but refining and handling Grade 5 and Grade 6 materials was effortless for him.

After pouring the vast amount of heavenly treasures and earthly wonders stored within the twenty-three Grand Abyss Blue Pearls into his Dharma Realm, and taking a portion of Qing Nu's vital blood and true qi, Chen Mobai, in front of the young flood dragon, refined them into Sea Calming Pearls using the water-refining method.

Three months later, Qing Nu's Second Nascent Soul in Nanzhou, after entrusting matters there to Luo Yixuan and her chief disciple Jin Ling'er, hurried back to the Dragon Palace.

Since Qing Nu's divine sense was only at the nascent Grade 5, she couldn't simultaneously control twenty-four Grade 5 top-grade magical artifacts. Therefore, the Sea Calming Pearl, which could initially evolve into a Second Nascent Soul, was needed as the primary pearl to control the entire set of twenty-four Sea Calming Pearls.

Under Chen Mobai's guidance, Qing Nu used the primary pearl to absorb the primordial Dao power of the Deep Abyss Sea Calming Pearl, and began refining it with the "Can Tong Qi."

However, Qing Nu's refining speed was as slow as the Hunyuan Bell's in refining the Ancestral Black Dragon's remains. After all, even though the Deep Abyss Sea Calming Pearl had no sentience, its instincts could still perceive that it would perish this way, and thus it resisted.

Chen Mobai and Lingzun discussed and tried various methods, but in the end, it was the young flood dragon who offered a crucial suggestion.

This was to use the twenty-four Sea Calming Pearls to set up the Profound Flood Dragon Royal Court's protective grand array.

This protective array, named Primordial Water Essence, shared a common origin with the powers of the Deep Abyss Sea Calming Pearl and the Ancestral Black Dragon. As Qing Nu drew from it, the Deep Abyss Sea Calming Pearl ceased its resistance, allowing the Sea Calming Pearls to extract its essence.

Chen Mobai then teamed up with Lingzun to take twenty-four scales from the Ancestral Black Dragon's remains and affixed them to each Sea Calming Pearl. With this, Qing Nu didn't even need to intervene; the Deep Abyss Sea Calming Pearl even proactively opened itself, and the speed increased by more than a hundredfold.

Furthermore, if they were outside the Dharma Realm, they could draw upon the power of the Sea Eye, accelerating the process even further.

However, Qing Nu's cultivation was limited, and she already needed to slow down.

At this rate, after this set of Sea Calming Pearls was fully refined, they might even all advance to Grade 6.

Lingzun remained within the Dharma Realm, guarding Qing Nu as she refined the Deep Abyss Sea Calming Pearl. Chen Mobai, inspired by this, wondered if he could also accelerate the Hunyuan Bell's refinement of the Ancestral Black Dragon's remains.

After all, he was refining the Hunyuan Bell to possess power capable of rivaling Dao Integration cultivators before his own integration.

If he truly had to wait tens of thousands of years, he might have already died of old age or achieved Dao Integration himself.

Since the Sea Calming Pearls could be accelerated using the Primordial Water Essence Array, he figured the Hunyuan Bell could too. Chen Mobai's array mastery was unparalleled in this era, and he quickly set about repairing the Dragon Palace Grand Array that he himself had broken, then attached the array's core to the Hunyuan Bell.

As expected, with the grand array's power as a boost, the refining speed increased tenfold.

But Chen Mobai still found it insufficient. He began to try drawing upon the power of the Sea Eye.

He proceeded cautiously, but due to the foundation of the previous Dragon Palace Grand Array, he completed it very smoothly.

Under his full concentration and guidance, a single scale that would originally take over a year to refine had its refining time shortened to half a month.

However, this came with a significant drain on his divine sense. Refining one scale could deplete more than half of his Grade 6 divine sense.

But this attempt also opened new avenues of thought for Chen Mobai.

If he could set up a Grade 7 Heavenly River Luo Star-Formation Array and apply it to the Hunyuan Bell, the time might be shortened by hundreds or even thousands of times.