Chapter 525: Pure Yang Demon Refining

As Zhou Shengqing began forming his Nascent Soul, spiritual energy from over half of the Giant Wood Ridge converged upon his location. After condensing densely, it transformed into droplets of clear spirit dew, which shimmered with multicolored light under the sunlight as they pattered down onto the Long-Life Woods where he was.

Each droplet was equivalent to the essence of a spirit stone, yet after falling into Zhou Shengqing's area, it was like rain falling into a vast river, merely causing the slightest ripple.

Fu Zongjue gathered all the puppet manuals brought from Mount Liujia and moved them to the Divine Wood where Zhou Shengqing was cultivating in seclusion. He guarded him while observing the process of Nascent Soul formation.

Chen Mobai also rushed over after completing the voting for the guardians.

"The process of forming a Nascent Soul can last from one or two months to two or three years, depending on the cultivator's foundation," Fu Zongjue explained, referring to the insights on Nascent Soul formation left by Patriarch Hunyuan. "I will stand guard here; the sect matters will trouble you, Junior Brother Chen."

If a cultivator's foundation was weak, the core shattering step could be completed quickly, but they would fail during the soul transformation stage due to insufficient primordial energy.

However, if the Golden Core's foundation was too profound, the core shattering step alone could lead to failure.

In comparison, many cultivators in the Heavenly River Realm tried to solidify their foundations as much as possible. After all, a weak foundation guaranteed failure, while a deep foundation always offered a way to shatter the core and form the Nascent Soul.

The foundation a cultivator would have for Nascent Soul formation was mostly established during their Golden Core formation. Further growth beyond that could only be achieved through extremely rare heavenly materials and earthly treasures.

Since Zhou Shengqing dared to attempt Nascent Soul formation, his foundation was naturally robust.

However, this was merely the method of Nascent Soul formation practiced in the Heavenly River Realm. While the Immortal Gate's research into this process was not as thorough as their studies on Foundation Establishment and Golden Core formation, it was still far more detailed than what was known here.

Compared to the core shattering and soul transformation method in the Heavenly River Realm, Nascent Soul formation in the Immortal Gate was gentler. It involved using cultivation techniques in conjunction with pills to gradually dissolve the Golden Core over a long period, thus nurturing and cultivating the Nascent Soul.

"The Ten Thousand Woods Array has been activated," Chen Mobai said, "I hope that during Senior Brother Zhou's Nascent Soul formation, it won't be like when Junior Nephew Meng formed his Golden Core."

As Chen Mobai spoke, a clear, misty spiritual light illuminated the sky above Giant Wood Ridge, forming a light barrier that expanded outwards.

"During Nascent Soul formation, the spiritual energy of the entire Giant Wood Ridge converges mightily here," Fu Zongjue added, recalling something recorded in the Heart Sutra of Nascent Soul Formation, and emphasized, "The rest of the sect's cultivators should ideally refrain from absorbing spiritual energy for cultivation during this period to avoid any mishaps."

"Oh, is that so?" Chen Mobai was genuinely unaware, as in the Immortal Gate, regardless of the major realm breakthrough, there were always independent cultivation chambers with dedicated spiritual energy supplies, so this problem never arose.

As he spoke, he closed his eyes and began to try refining the surrounding spiritual energy. Indeed, he found that the spiritual energy, which he usually absorbed and refined into Pure Yang spiritual power with ease as if directing his own limbs, now felt like a slippery fish in water, requiring immense mental effort to control and draw into his body.

If it was this difficult for him, a Golden Core cultivator, to refine the spiritual energy of Giant Wood Ridge, it went without saying for those in Foundation Establishment and Qi Cultivation. If someone were to encounter this unexpected situation while in seclusion, they could easily suffer an accident due to the chaotic spiritual energy.

Chen Mobai immediately fulfilled his duty as Sect Master, taking out his Communication Mirror and instructing the Three Halls and Twelve Departments to quickly notify all sect disciples within Giant Wood Ridge about this matter. Fortunately, at that time, Foundation Establishment cultivators were all in the Divine Wood Hall voting for the Six Nations' guardians, so the message quickly reached everyone throughout the sect.

Nevertheless, about a dozen unlucky Qi Cultivation disciples, who happened to be meditating and cultivating at that moment, were critically wounded when the spiritual energy in the void surged out of control. Chen Mobai ordered the Alchemy Department to dispatch personnel for rescue, instructing them to spare no expense, with all pills and spiritual herbs used to be charged to the sect's account.

Zeng Woyou found it strange why the Sect Master would place such importance on mere Qi Cultivation disciples, initially thinking there might be a genius among them whom Chen Mobai was specially attending to. According to the traditions of the Eastern Wilderness, disciples experiencing such bad luck should be eliminated at such an opportunity, lest they affect the sect's fortune in the future. However, Chen Mobai was now the Sect Master and a Golden Core Patriarch, so Zeng Woyou could only obey his orders.

After writing down six names on his election ballot, Zeng Woyou was the first to leave the Divine Wood Hall. He called upon most of the physicians from the Alchemy Department to treat the Qi Cultivation disciples who had been severely wounded by the spiritual energy fluctuations caused by Zhou Shengqing's Nascent Soul formation.

*Whoosh!*

Just as he stepped out of the Divine Wood Hall, a gust of chilling wind suddenly swept past. Zeng Woyou involuntarily shivered, then looked up at the sky, his expression instantly changing. In the distant sky, a dark, yellowish, ominous cloud, carrying a heavy, misty, eerie aura, seemed to sweep across the clear firmament as it flew towards them.

"Underworld Officials are on the move; all living beings, make way!"

A sharp voice rang out in mid-air, and then the ominous cloud parted slightly, revealing four faceless figures in red robes, black trousers, and pointed hats. They carried a vibrant dark red sedan chair, floating towards Giant Wood Ridge. Wherever they passed, an extremely strange, eerie ghostly energy permeated and spread, seeming to dye half the sky a deep black, like a dark cloud pressing down, covering the three towering Long-Life Woods that reached into the clouds.

The Ten Thousand Woods Array was instantly activated! Beams of clear, bright spiritual light illuminated, forming a massive spherical barrier that protected Giant Wood Ridge. The eerie ghostly energy descended, continuously colliding and rubbing against the blue spiritual light. Bolts of dark green electricity sparked in the void, and tiny sparks rained down. The intruders' cultivation realm was unknown, yet they caused the spiritual ley lines of Giant Wood Ridge to tremble slightly.

"All disciples, hold the array firm!"

Just as the Divine Wood Sect disciples felt apprehension, a clear voice echoed through the air. Following this, a handsome, heroic young man with refined features was seen descending above Giant Wood Ridge, holding a purple longsword. Alone, with only his sword, he stood before the ominous cloud.

"A mantis trying to stop a chariot!" A sinister voice echoed from within the sedan chair. As it spoke, the dark ominous clouds across the sky began to continuously gather. In an instant, they transformed into a towering, gloomy dark figure, like a ghost god returned from the Yellow Springs, obscuring the sky and dimming the earth. The ghostly figure raised its right hand, like a giant crushing an ant, and swung it down towards the young man standing above Giant Wood Ridge.

In response, Chen Mobai swung the sword in his hand! Accompanied by the surging spiritual energy of heaven and earth, a dazzling purple sword light shot into the sky. In an instant, it transformed into a raging pillar of lightning, directly cleaving through the eerie ghostly hand and cutting apart the surrounding ghostly energy. Its momentum unabated, it then heavily struck the vibrant sedan chair at the center of the ominous cloud.

A pale, jade-like hand stretched out from behind the sedan chair's curtain, directly grasping the purple lightning sword light unleashed by Chen Mobai. As the pale hand was about to exert force to crush the sword light, it found that an overwhelming force of supreme Yang and absolute might made it feel as though it had gripped molten lava. Amidst hissing sounds of green smoke, the pale hand began to blacken, gradually turning to ash and revealing translucent finger bones.

"What potent Yang Lightning!" A sinister voice sounded from within the sedan chair. Then, a section of a translucent finger bone from the index finger broke off, unleashing an eerie white airflow that transformed into an illusory skeletal head. It opened its cavernous mouth and violently swallowed the purple lightning sword light.

As the two extreme forces clashed, the sky above Giant Wood Ridge was instantly dyed a strange half-dark green and half-purplish-red. The Yin and Yang spiritual energies of heaven and earth were fully agitated, causing intense whistling and tremors. Under these circumstances, the eerie sedan chair could no longer maintain its initial composure. The four faceless figures carrying it trembled slightly, and cracks appeared on their bodies.

The curtain directly facing him also parted slightly. Chen Mobai activated his Void-Penetrating Spiritual Eye and glimpsed some details inside the bright red sedan chair. A headless figure sat within, holding its own head, but unfortunately, the front of the head was pressed against its abdomen, so he could only see an empty occiput.

"Sect Master Chen of the Divine Wood Sect, your sword somewhat restrains this official!" The curtain fell, re-covering the interior, but the sinister voice still emerged.

"My sect should have no major grievances with your Yellow Springs Road," Chen Mobai said, clutching his Purple Lightning Sword. He reasoned that Patriarch Hunyuan, the ancestor of the Five Elements Sect, was the one who had forced his way into the Yellow Springs Road. The Divine Wood Sect had already branched off, so this grievance should be settled with the Five Elements Sect instead.

"The entire Eastern Wilderness is merely our reincarnation pool," the sinister voice replied. "To prevent losing control, cultivators at the Nascent Soul level are not permitted to exist here." As the sinister voice spoke, Chen Mobai saw that the flesh, tendons, and bones, which his Purple Lightning Sword had destroyed, began to slowly regenerate. Streaks of golden light emanated from the wound, repelling and suppressing the lingering threads of purple electrical current.

"A Golden Armored Corpse!" Upon witnessing this, Chen Mobai couldn't help but show surprise. Then, upon closer inspection of its translucent, jade-like finger bones, his expression suddenly turned serious. "A Jade Corpse!?"

The Heavenly River Realm had methods of Corpse Dao cultivation. Although considered a side path, once mastered, it was no less powerful than the capabilities of a Soul Transformation cultivator. The Corpse Liberation Demonic Sect, one of the eighteen Demonic Sects, was a leader in this path. Corpse Dao cultivation was divided into Copper Armored Corpse, Silver Armored Corpse, Golden Armored Corpse, Jade Corpse, and Flying Yaksha! These corresponded to Qi Cultivation, Foundation Establishment, Golden Core, Nascent Soul, and Soul Transformation, respectively! At the peak of the Eastern Earth Imperial Court, one of the rare joint efforts by the ten halls of the Ten Directions Palace was precisely to besiege and kill the Corpse Liberation Demonic Sect's highest achievement, a Flying Yaksha. If it were merely a Golden Armored Corpse, Chen Mobai could still handle it with his Purple Lightning Sword, but if it was a Jade Corpse...

"Let me into the array to kill Zhou Shengqing, and I will spare your Divine Wood Sect," the sinister voice from the sedan chair echoed again. The hand, which had been injured by the Purple Lightning Sword, had regained its pale complexion. Eerie, strange black airflow, accompanied by dark clouds filling the sky, overflowed from the sedan chair, once again forming the towering, gloomy shadowy figure.

"Junior Brother, enter the array!" Fu Zongjue's voice rang out, and Chen Mobai, not being reckless, took a step back and entered the range of the Ten Thousand Woods Array. The eerie ghostly energy struck the blue light barrier, and the spiritual ley lines of Giant Wood Ridge pulsed again. Seeing this, Chen Mobai felt a slight sense of relief. Although the opponent's attack was formidable, representing the peak power of the third tier, it was practically impossible to break through the fourth-tier Ten Thousand Woods Array.

"The opponent is likely a ghost cultivator who has merely possessed the essence of a Jade Corpse, or perhaps this Jade Corpse is incomplete, possibly a Golden Armored Corpse that failed to transform into a Jade Corpse," Fu Zongjue, observing the battle from the side, discerned some clues.

"If that's the case, then he must know that attacking this way won't break the array," Chen Mobai suddenly realized the opponent's true intention, his expression changing. "If he waits until Senior Brother Zhou successfully forms his Nascent Soul... No... This villain is deliberately assaulting the array to shake the spiritual ley lines of Giant Wood Ridge!"

While Zhou Shengqing would be completely immersed and dedicated during his Nascent Soul formation, the fluctuating tremors in Giant Wood Ridge's spiritual ley lines would be enough to rouse him. This was similar to the situation when Meng Hong failed to form his Golden Core; the ghost cultivator was deliberately trying to create a disturbance.

"I've already notified Senior Brother Mo to come and protect him," Fu Zongjue said, realizing the gravity of the situation. "Before he arrives, we two must stop this fellow." While they could use the Ten Thousand Woods Array to block the opponent outside Giant Wood Ridge, doing so would interfere with Zhou Shengqing's critical Nascent Soul formation. Under these circumstances, they had no choice but to intervene.

A bolt of purple lightning and a streak of golden light shot out, just as they were about to intercept the ghost cultivator's next move. Suddenly, the four faceless figures carrying the sedan chair transformed into four red rays of light and drifted towards them.

"Mere ghost soldiers!" Chen Mobai frowned. With a flick of his sleeve, the Six Yang Divine Fire Mirror flew out. Streams of Pure Yang fire flared up, encircling the four red rays. Then, his Pure Yang spiritual power circulated fiercely, instantly incinerating the four faceless figures into ashes.

"Oh!" The Underworld Official in the sedan chair exclaimed in surprise upon seeing this. His four ghost soldiers had been cultivated for many years; even a Golden Core cultivator could be entangled by their combined efforts. His original intention was to first hold back Chen Mobai and then swiftly kill the weakest, Fu Zongjue, with a thunderous strike. However, he had not anticipated that his speed in crushing Fu Zongjue would be slower than Chen Mobai's in incinerating the four ghost soldiers.

Freezing the numerous golden needles that Fu Zongjue had shot out before the sedan chair, the Underworld Official, seated within, used a magical artifact for the first time. It was a Crying Stick! Although its rank was inferior to the Purple Lightning Sword, under the formidable ghostly energy of the Underworld Official, it unleashed immense power. With a single strike, it shattered the unavoidable Fu Zongjue into hundreds of puppet fragments.

"Junior Brother, be careful! This fellow can unleash the power of a Jade Corpse," Fu Zongjue exclaimed, his face pale as he felt the sensation of his Golden Yang puppet being shattered.

Amidst a whistling sound, the enormous Crying Stick, imbued with eerie ghostly energy, descended upon Chen Mobai's head. The power of this strike already surpassed the third tier. Chen Mobai could only raise his Purple Lightning Sword and unleash his second sword strike of the day!

As the two fourth-tier powers collided, a pale, jade-like hand tore through the void and reached for Chen Mobai's neck from behind. Fortunately, Chen Mobai's Void-Penetrating Spiritual Eye had remained active, keenly detecting this movement. He had no time to reorient his Purple Lightning Sword, so he could only place his Six Yang Divine Fire Mirror, which he controlled with great dexterity, in front of the Underworld Official's ghostly hand.

"A mere third-tier artifact!" With a cold sneer, the pale, jade-like hand, enveloped in dark ghostly energy, unhesitatingly grabbed the mirror. Pure Yang fire erupted in response. Immediately after, a scream echoed from within the sedan chair!