Chapter 39: Jade Phoenix Tree

Qing Nü could not resist the allure of the Jade Phoenix Troupe and agreed to Chen Mobai.

After exchanging contact information, Chen Mobai went home with the hangover cure. Meanwhile, his uncle, Wang Jianyuan, had already arrived in his cargo truck. Chen Xinglan was going to live in a third-tier spirit vein cave dwelling at Chixia Academy for two years, so naturally, he had many bags and a lot of luggage.

When Chen Mobai arrived home, Chen Xinglan and his wife were moving things. After drinking the hangover remedy Chen Mobai bought, Chen Xinglan felt a bit more energized.

"I'm never drinking again," he declared.

Despite his words, Chen Mobai suspected that Chen Xinglan would still drink heavily the next time their extended family gathered.

With many hands, the blankets and clothes were quickly packed. Chen Xinglan comforted Tang Pancui, whose eyes were slightly red, and then hoisted his luggage bag onto his back.

"Alright, our son can just take me there. You wait at home and don't worry," he said.

After the elderly couple bid their farewells, Chen Mobai got into the front passenger seat.

Originally, Chen Xinglan had intended for no one from the family to see him off; he wanted to embark on this journey alone. However, Tang Pancui was worried, and Chen Mobai also wanted to see Chixia Academy, so he went along.

Wang Jianyuan's driving skills were excellent; they covered the nearly 40-kilometer distance in less than an hour.

"Is this Chixia Academy?" Chen Mobai exclaimed.

He looked at the cluster of buildings nestled within a vast Wutong tree forest, feeling the extremely dense spiritual energy in the air around him. He couldn't help but take a deep breath.

"Cough, cough... cough, cough..."

Then he couldn't help but cough violently. The spiritual energy here contained a strong heat, and without being refined and assimilated into the Twelve-Layered Pagoda, his throat couldn't quite handle it. This spiritual vein was a fire vein, which naturally made it difficult for Chen Mobai, who had recently been nurtured by a water vein, to adapt.

"Do you see that Spirit Peak?" Chen Xinglan asked.

Chen Xinglan got out of the car and pointed to the deepest and highest mountain peak within the Wutong forest. It soared into the clouds, shrouded in mist, yet the clouds could not conceal the enormous, seemingly heaven-reaching, jade-green Wutong tree at its summit. From a distance, its bark was emerald green, its leaves were shaped like flowers, radiating elegance and purity, and it seemed to steam with mist and exhale clouds.

"Is that the Jade Wutong tree that has lived for over four thousand years?" Chen Mobai exclaimed.

As one of the seventy-two blessed lands of the Immortal Sect, Danxia City's origin lay in this top-grade Tier 4 Wutong tree. It had witnessed the rise of the Immortal Sect, taken root and flourished on this mountain range, gathered spiritual energy, suppressed the earth veins, and transformed what was originally an ordinary dormant volcano into a Tier 4 spiritual vein. It could be said that without this divine spiritual wood, there would be no Danxia City today.

"The summit of that Spirit Peak is where True Person Shiqing cultivates," Chen Xinglan explained. "My foundation-building cave dwelling this time is at the foot of the mountain."

Chen Xinglan had already applied on Chixia Academy's official website to return to the academy for his foundation-building cultivation, and he had received approval. Since driving was not permitted within the academy, the three of them walked to the foot of the Spirit Peak, carrying their various bags and luggage.

Before entering the cave dwelling, they naturally had to register with the managing teacher. Luckily, that person turned out to be Chen Xinglan's former classmate, who had stayed at the school after graduation to handle logistical matters. After seeing the school's stamped approval, he immediately arranged an available low-grade Tier 3 cave dwelling for them.

"The academy is much the same as it was thirty years ago, not many changes," the classmate said. "You know where the cafeteria is. If you want to save some merit points, you can also prepare your own Bigu Pills."

With help from an acquaintance, everything went smoothly. Under his guidance, Chen Xinglan re-applied for a campus card. With this card, he could swipe to enter the cave dwelling and even use most of Chixia Academy's facilities and benefits, such as auditing classes, using the library, and even accessing the on-campus shops specializing in elixirs, magical artifacts, and talismans for students.

"Thanks, Old Yan," Chen Xinglan said.

Chen Xinglan's old classmate, Yan Xiang, after helping with the campus card, also brought a potted item from his office for Chen Mobai.

"This must be your son," Yan Xiang said. "I didn't prepare anything for our first meeting, so please accept this Green Wutong seedling."

Yan Xiang was a very amiable middle-aged man. The gift was a green Wutong seedling with only two leaves. After receiving his father's permission, Chen Mobai reached out and took it.

"When students enroll at Chixia Academy, they all receive a Wutong branch, which they must cultivate until graduation. After graduating, they can either take it with them, or if they don't want to spend too much time on cultivating its spiritual value, they can plant the grown Wutong branch back at the academy. This entire Wutong forest originated that way."

Yan Xiang pointed to the lush, sprawling Wutong forest covering the mountains, a proud expression on his face. After speaking, he had other matters to attend to and excused himself.

"Alright then, we won't disturb you any longer," Wang Jianyuan said. "Call me if you need anything; it's easy for me to drive over."

Wang Jianyuan carried his luggage into the cave dwelling. Seeing that it was getting late, he also prepared to leave.

"Let's have a meal together," Chen Xinglan suggested. "I just got my card reissued, and the food at Chixia Academy's main cafeteria is exceptional."

Chen Xinglan made the suggestion, but Wang Jianyuan shook his head, saying he had another business engagement that afternoon and needed to rush back. Chen Mobai naturally had to leave with him.

At the academy gate, the father and son said their goodbyes. As Chen Mobai was about to get into the car, he saw a familiar face.

"Teacher Chan, what are you doing here?" he asked.

It was Chan Si, the teacher who taught formation courses at his school. She looked beautiful today in a red outfit. However, she was currently a student at Danzhu Academy, so Chen Mobai was surprised to see her at Chixia Academy. She wasn't alone; another gentleman in a green robe accompanied her.

"Oh, it's you," Chan Si said. "Shouldn't you be in class right now?"

Chan Si was also surprised to see Chen Mobai at Chixia Academy.

"I came to drop off my dad..."

After Chen Mobai explained, Chan Si nodded in understanding. She looked at the Green Wutong seedling in Chen Mobai's hands and smiled, wishing Chen Xinglan success in his foundation-building.

"I'm here on my mentor's orders, accompanying this senior disciple to pay respects to True Person Shiqing," she explained.

The gentleman in the green robe also smiled and nodded at Chen Mobai but did not introduce himself.

After exchanging greetings, Chen Mobai remembered Wang Jianyuan's need to rush back. He didn't converse much longer with Chan Si, instead thanking her again for the previous Azure Water Formation incident before getting into the car.

"Is he your student?" the gentleman in the green robe asked after Chen Mobai left.

"Yes, he is," Chan Si replied. "He has a good personality, but his aptitude is a bit ordinary."

"Oh, really? Did I see incorrectly then?"

"What do you mean?" Chan Si asked, puzzled.

Chan Si didn't understand the green-robed gentleman's meaning. He cultivated a secret technique that allowed him to sense fluctuations in spiritual consciousness, and he had felt an active yet disordered familiarity from Chen Mobai. This was precisely the sensation of a cultivator who had just broken through to the late stage of Qi Condensation and had not yet precisely mastered their spiritual consciousness. He thought Chen Mobai, at such a young age, had already reached the seventh level of Qi Condensation.

"I remember he had just broken through to the fifth level of Qi Condensation at the beginning of this semester," Chan Si said, recalling Chen Mobai's aptitude. "Based on his spiritual root aptitude, it's impossible for him to break through to the seventh level in just a month, right?"

Hearing this, Chan Si pondered Chen Mobai's aptitude and spoke with doubt. The green-robed gentleman also found her point valid and didn't dwell on it further.

"As someone who selects students for the Immortal Sect, I'm a bit sensitive in this regard," the gentleman in the green robe said. "Perhaps I was mistaken."

After speaking, the gentleman in the green robe shook his head. He had been pondering what questions to set for this year's college entrance examination, keeping his mind tense, so it was possible his perception was off.

"Let's go," Chan Si said. "For the next few days, you'll be confined here. You won't be able to come down from the Spirit Peak until after the college entrance examination is over."

"To be able to enjoy a Tier 4 spiritual vein, I couldn't ask for more," he replied.

Chan Si led him to the mountain-side cave dwellings near the Jade Wutong tree. There were eight low-grade Tier 4 cave dwellings there, and as this year's college entrance examination question setter, the green-robed gentleman was secluded in one of them.

"I wonder when the people from the Dao Academy and the Imperial Academy will arrive," he mused. "After I finish setting the questions, they still need to review them, don't they?"

Chan Si listened and smiled without speaking.