Chapter 1390: Han Zhiling Forms the Nascent Body

For cultivators in the Tianhe Realm, any successful example represents a viable path to achievement.

When True Monarch Wuchen departed, Chen Mobai had repeatedly urged him to be cautious with the medication. To his surprise, news of Wuchen's death arrived today. Facing such news, Chen Mobai had no choice but to emerge from his seclusion. After all, before Chen Mobai had fully matured, True Monarch Wuchen, as a pillar of Dongzhou, had offered him protection.

With a single step, Chen Mobai appeared outside the grand hall. Qing Nü was already there, waiting.

While competition existed between Danxia Pavilion and Caotang in the elixir market, they also maintained significant cooperation. This was especially true after Danxia Pavilion expanded its market across the Five Continents and Four Seas, creating a massive demand for raw materials. The Dao De Sect, possessing the largest and highest-quality medicinal fields in Dongzhou, now earned an annual income from supplying raw materials to the Five Elements Sect that constituted half of its total revenue. Furthermore, many alchemists from the Dao De Sect, seeking to refine their skills, chose to join Danxia Pavilion for advanced training, learning its sophisticated alchemy system.

In recent announcements of alchemy industry standards by the Dao De Sect, Shen Xi had invited Qing Nü to serve as chief editor, effectively ceding significant influence. This was all at the behest of True Monarch Wuchen. The alchemy system personally established and taught by Qing Nü within the Five Elements Sect was undeniably superior to the traditional alchemy practices of Dongzhou. Since it could not be suppressed or seized, humble acceptance and learning were the natural courses of action. True Monarch Wuchen believed that by integrating the Five Elements Sect's alchemy system, the Dao De Sect would grow stronger in the future and reclaim its position as the leader of the alchemy world. For this, Qing Nü held immense respect. After all, not everyone who stands at the pinnacle is willing to step down. The Dao De Sect's peaceful relinquishment of its leadership in Dongzhou's alchemy world to Qing Nü truly exemplified True Monarch Wuchen's broadmindedness and foresight.

"Let's go," Chen Mobai nodded to Qing Nü, then with a sweep of his sleeve, he cast the Grand Void Shift, instantly bringing them before the Dao De Sect's mountain gate.

Shen Xi, having received the news, personally emerged to greet them. True Monarch Wuchen's memorial hall was simply arranged at the very edge of the village. Having been utterly disintegrated by the combined force of the medicinal power and the Great Dao during his forceful attempt to cultivate to the Void stage, only a spirit tablet was present. Though a coffin was provided, it contained nothing but a set of Daoist robes.

"Please accept my condolences," Chen Mobai said to Shen Xi and the other Dao De Sect cultivators after offering incense.

After returning the courtesy, Shen Xi handed a letter to Chen Mobai. Chen Mobai took the letter and read: "Fellow Daoist, by the time you read this, my soul will have returned to the underworld. It is a great pity that I cannot accompany you to the Immortal Realm. After I am gone, though Shen Xi is here to lead the Dao De Sect, I still hope, out of our past friendship, that you will look after it. Furthermore, the land of Dongzhou is on the verge of its most tumultuous period. I am unable to assist, leaving you alone to bear this responsibility. Before this, I had privately reached an agreement with Ziyun Tianque..."

Though the letter was brief, Chen Mobai read it thoroughly several times. Despite the generally unfavorable atmosphere in the Tianhe Realm over the years, the Spirit Transformation cultivators in Dongzhou's righteous holy lands consistently maintained the highest integrity. True Monarch Wuchen might have had minor shortcomings, but on matters of significant right and wrong, he never erred. Whether it was acting as a pillar to protect Dongzhou's righteous path after Yuan Qingque's ascension, or adhering strictly to ethical boundaries during market competition with Danxia Pavilion, or even voluntarily relinquishing his leadership position in Dongzhou once Chen Mobai's power grew—all these actions exemplified the grace and discernment of an elder. Even his exchange of the Three Profound Jade Dragon Elixir with Ao Yuxia did not compromise Dongzhou's interests; on the contrary, it proved beneficial to the Five Elements Sect. Chen Mobai now closed the chapter, declaring Senior Wuchen to have been a truly good cultivator.

"Should you need my assistance in the future, feel free to send a message to the Five Elements Sect," Chen Mobai addressed Shen Xi after putting away the letter.

Upon hearing this, Shen Xi immediately summoned Xuan De and Qi Jiansu. "To be frank, there is indeed one matter I wish to request Old Ancestor Chen's permission for..."

After True Monarch Wuchen's demise, the Dao De Sect was left with only Shen Xi as a Spirit Transformation cultivator, causing its power to rank lowest among Dongzhou's holy lands. Under these circumstances, Xuan De and Qi Jiansu, who had always lived under Wuchen's protection, could no longer postpone their attempts at Spirit Transformation. Xuan De already possessed a True Spirit Pill for Reaching Sainthood, while Qi Jiansu had also received one previously when Qing Nü refined the Longevity Great Dao Pill. Furthermore, both their cultivation levels had reached the perfected Nascent Soul stage a long time ago. Shen Xi's request was to borrow the Five Elements Sect's Sky-Floating Dao Platform and the Dusk Drum magical artifact.

The Sky-Floating Dao Platform above Beiyuan City had become a coveted breakthrough sanctuary for all cultivators in Dongzhou. For the Five Elements Sect alone, over the past few decades, the success rate for cultivators breaking through there had reached as high as eighty percent. This impressive statistic was largely due to the Five Elements Sect's deliberate effort to establish the Sky-Floating Dao Platform as Beiyuan City's prime attraction. Only cultivators from within the sect who had passed stringent assessments and were deemed to have a high probability of success were permitted to use it. Moreover, any cultivator from an external sect who secured this opportunity would already be an elite, having surpassed all their peers within their own respective powers through fierce competition. For cultivators of such caliber, a mere eighty percent success rate on the Sky-Floating Dao Platform, especially without concerns of qi deviation, struck Chen Mobai as rather low.

Given the close relationship between the Dao De Sect and the Five Elements Sect, Xuan De and Qi Jiansu's request to use the Sky-Floating Dao Platform would undoubtedly not be refused. However, since its opening, the Sky-Floating Dao Platform had only facilitated breakthroughs up to the Nascent Soul stage, with Mu Yuan being the highest. After all, achieving Spirit Transformation required sixth-tier spiritual energy. This would necessitate activating the Heaven Curtain Earth Network Grand Array to channel spiritual veins from Donghuang and its surrounding regions to the Sky-Floating Dao Platform, an action that would impact the livelihoods of the major immortal cities. Furthermore, Xuan De and Qi Jiansu's Spirit Transformation wouldn't be as swift as Chen Mobai's two or three-year process. By local custom, it would likely be a protracted affair, potentially occupying the Sky-Floating Dao Platform for more than a decade. This would, in turn, delay access to the Sky-Floating Dao Platform for cultivators who were nearing the completion of their queues. While external cultivators might not be as affected, many were from the various internal peaks of the Five Elements Sect. Consequently, only a direct order from Chen Mobai or Qing Nü would silence any objections and permit Xuan De and Qi Jiansu to skip the queue.

"I will speak to E Yun about this. As for the spiritual energy, I will have Ming'er draw it from Xuanhai when the time comes," Chen Mobai said. Naturally, Chen Mobai was inclined to grant this favor, nodding to indicate his assent. After all, among the Dao Children and Saintesses of their generation, only Xuan De and Qi Jiansu had yet to achieve Spirit Transformation, which somewhat tarnished the reputation of Dongzhou's Golden Generation. Furthermore, with Dongzhou currently in a period of great upheaval, an additional Spirit Transformation cultivator would be invaluable.

"Thank you very much," Shen Xi expressed his profound gratitude. After this, representatives from the other holy lands also began to arrive.

From the Grand Void Ethereal Palace came Zhang Pankong, who handled external affairs and offered incense on behalf of True Monarch Dakong, who was in seclusion. As the Nine Heavens Demon-Slaying Sect was currently closed off, its two 'World Walkers,' Qi Yingyu and Gao Yuyao, attended instead. Apart from these, only a few righteous factions with close ties to the Dao De Sect received word and came to pay their respects. After all, this was not a joyful occasion, and True Monarch Wuchen had explicitly instructed before his breakthrough that, should he fail, all arrangements were to be kept simple. After the first seven days, a simple cenotaph in the back mountain graveyard would suffice.

After paying his final respects at True Monarch Wuchen's tombstone, Chen Mobai returned to Donghuang, accompanied by Xuan De and Qi Jiansu.

"Yes, Old Ancestor. I will immediately inform those in line for the Sky-Floating Dao Platform about the delay." Upon hearing Chen Mobai's instructions, E Yun immediately set about the task without hesitation.

Coincidentally, Zhuo Ming was in Beiyuan City during this time. "Greetings, Master! Do you know that Zhiling is about to form her Nascent Soul?" The moment she saw Chen Mobai, Zhuo Ming was delighted, assuming he had come to witness her disciple's Nascent Soul formation.

"Oh, that's indeed a joyful occasion," Chen Mobai's face broke into a smile upon hearing this.

While it was not ideal to employ the Void Sky Rail Vision here, with Chen Mobai's cultivation, a mere sweep of his divine sense allowed him to perceive every detail on the Sky-Floating Dao Platform. As the third-generation senior disciple of Xiaonan Mountain, personally chosen by Chen Mobai, Han Zhiling did not disappoint. After consuming the three spiritual medicines for Nascent Soul formation, she effortlessly completed the breakthrough, her elixir dissolving to reveal the nascent infant. She was currently circulating the Scarlet Flame Sword Scripture to familiarize herself with her new Nascent Soul and solidify her realm.

"Congratulations to your esteemed sect on gaining another Nascent Soul cultivator!" At this moment, Xuan De and Qi Jiansu also observed the heavenly tribulation gradually converging above the Sky-Floating Dao Platform and offered their congratulations to Chen Mobai.

The Sky-Floating Dao Platform offered another benefit: the heavenly tribulation following a breakthrough would be reduced by half. While the Heaven Curtain Earth Network Grand Array could entirely absorb and refine all tribulation energy, Chen Mobai believed that doing so would foster indolence among younger disciples. After all, resources here were abundant, and with the Five Elements Sect now making cultivation methods accessible to its disciples, progressing through realms was simpler than in traditional immortal sects. Without the tempering of heavenly tribulations to instill reverence, disciples would undoubtedly encounter bottlenecks at higher cultivation stages due to deficiencies in their mental fortitude. Taking these considerations into account, Chen Mobai decided to allow half of the heavenly tribulation to remain. For the local inhabitants, however, this was a tremendous boon. At least in recent years, among all cultivators who underwent breakthroughs on the Sky-Floating Dao Platform, only two external cultivators with weak foundations had succumbed to the heavenly tribulation.

As the renowned third-generation senior disciple of Xiaonan Mountain, Han Zhiling was certainly well-equipped with magical artifacts and talismans, making a minor heavenly tribulation little more than a formality for her. As expected, after the Ice Sky Lightning Tribulation manifested, the aura of the Extreme Yang Slash on the Sky-Floating Dao Platform suddenly expanded, akin to a golden thread cleaving heaven and earth, effortlessly splitting the tribulation in two and dispelling it. Witnessing the scene of that sword cleaving the heavenly tribulation, Chen Mobai couldn't help but nod slightly. It possessed a third of the grandeur he displayed in his youth.