Chapter 533: Yellow Springs Soil

Pure Nine-Lotus Treasure Lamp:

After Zhou Shengqing settled into the Soul-Nourishing Wood, the potted plant emanated a lustrous, jade-like glow, as if it had been consecrated.

"The soil in this pot should be Yellow Spring Soil, but to ensure the Soul-Nourishing Wood can advance in rank, I believe it's better to cultivate it in a place rich in Yin energy."

Upon hearing Fu Zongjue's words, Chen Mobai reached out and pinched a bit of the dark yellow soil in the pot. A surge of chilling Yin energy instantly coursed from his fingertips throughout his body. However, Chen Mobai's Pure Yang Scroll made him impervious to such energies. The moment the Yin energy met the Pure Yang spiritual energy, it melted away like ice and snow, transforming into a wisp of black smoke that seeped from his fingertips.

"Lone Soul Ridge would be a good spot." Zhou Shengqing spoke up. While there were many places rich in Yin energy within the Divine Wood Sect's seven kingdoms, the most suitable location was undoubtedly the Ethereal Stone Mine, which had been discovered over a decade ago. Daoist Fei Ming had chosen that place, located in a remote part of the Yu Kingdom, as a burial ground. Zhou Shengqing had personally investigated it and discovered that the deeper one went, the more potent the Yin energy became. Later, to excavate the Ethereal Stone Mine, the Divine Wood Sect even established a formation there to isolate the Yin energy; otherwise, the mortals and Qi Cultivation disciples would not have been able to endure it.

"This Yellow Spring Soil is Fifth Rank, capable of nurturing this Soul-Nourishing Wood for fifteen to twenty years. Lone Soul Ridge can serve as an alternative location for transplantation when the time comes, but it would be best to find the Yellow Spring Road; that is the most suitable place." Fu Zongjue spoke again. Zhou Shengqing had just entered the Soul-Nourishing Wood and would certainly need them to look after him for some time.

"In the past, after Master led us to seal the Yellow Spring Road, the spiritual talisman he left behind should have fallen into Zhou Ye's hands." At this moment, Mo Douguang suddenly spoke. Zhou Shengqing had hope of surviving and even advancing further. Mo Douguang was extremely happy about this and was now contemplating how he could help him.

"The Five Elements Sect, huh…" Hearing this, Chen Mobai and the others exchanged glances. They knew that if the Divine Wood Sect wanted to advance further, then the Five Elements Sect, the largest sect in the Eastern Desolate, would have to be either removed or reclaimed, no matter what.

Chen Mobai said, "My disciple's spiritual plant cultivation skills are quite good. Could I have her come over first to look after Senior Brother Zhou?" The Five Elements Sect was a future objective; for now, the most crucial task was to care for Zhou Shengqing, whose existence was solely dependent on his soul. Although the Soul-Nourishing Wood was mystical, it was still a spiritual plant. Moreover, it would need to advance in rank in the future to transform into a Dharma Body Nascent Soul, so it still required the care of an excellent spiritual plant cultivator.

"You mean Junior Niece Zhuo, who received your true teachings? She'll certainly have a lot of work ahead of her for a long time." Although the All-Encompassing Spiritual Acuity divine ability had not been publicized, Zhuo Ming's talent and skill in spiritual plant cultivation were already widely known to the upper echelons of the Divine Wood Sect. However, most believed that Chen Mobai's skills in spiritual plant cultivation were superior, and Zhuo Ming's achievements were solely thanks to her excellent master.

"Then I'll bring her over later. Senior Brother Zhou should not reveal himself; just let her think she's caring for a valuable spiritual plant." The fewer people who knew about the Dharma Body Nascent Soul, the better. It wasn't that Chen Mobai distrusted Zhuo Ming, but she was still a bit too naive. If she inadvertently revealed it, it could trigger a much larger war. A Soul-Nourishing Wood nearing Fifth Rank — even if the Three Great Sects of Dongyi learned of its existence, they would resort to any means to seize it. After all, a Dharma Body Nascent Soul is still a Nascent Soul and can completely overpower Core Formation cultivators.

After the arrangements were made, Chen Mobai went out to oversee the sect's general affairs, accompanied by Fu Zongjue. Given that this was the Divine Wood Sect's most turbulent period, it was better for them to appear together. Meanwhile, Mo Douguang stayed behind to speak with Zhou Shengqing, who was in soul form.

"Senior Brother Zhou utilized a secret technique to defeat the formidable invading enemy, but he himself suffered severe vital energy depletion and requires prolonged secluded cultivation for recovery…" Inside the Divine Wood Hall, Chen Mobai recited the pre-arranged narrative. In the eyes of outsiders, Zhou Shengqing had already failed to form his Nascent Soul and was certainly doomed. Yet, earlier, he had used the Reversal Longevity Art and, with overwhelming power, slain five Core Formation cultivators, which was undeniably the Nascent Soul realm.

Chen Mobai's words were intended to confuse opponents about whether Zhou Shengqing was dead or alive. After this great battle, it was unlikely any Core Formation cultivator would dare to approach Giant Wood Ridge to probe the truth. With truth and falsehood intertwined, the ultimate goal was to make those with ulterior motives toward the Divine Wood Sect wary. But one thing was certain: the corpses of the five Core Formation cultivators would, for a period, make the Divine Wood Sect a forbidden zone for all high-level cultivators. Old Ancestor Jinfeng from the Xuanyun Dao Palace of Dongyi, upon hearing this, would likely be even more reluctant to venture into the Eastern Desolate.

In truth, some sect cultivators, led by Chu Zuochu, had already surmised the "death" of Zhou Shengqing. However, at this moment, they outwardly had to believe Chen Mobai's words and firmly maintain that Zhou Shengqing was merely severely injured and in seclusion. At least externally, and to the lower-level Qi Cultivation disciples of the sect, this narrative had to be maintained. The Divine Wood Sect still had three Core Formation Old Ancestors! No simpletons present dared to directly ask if Zhou Shengqing had successfully formed his Nascent Soul.

"All sect matters will proceed as usual. Disciples who retreated from the battlefield during wartime, once their crimes are confirmed by the Hall of Punishment, will have their cultivation sealed and be sent to the three Northern Border kingdoms for mining. Those who escaped via teleportation arrays will have bounties issued against them; the Hall of Punishment will dispatch personnel to hunt them down and apprehend them, with orders to kill on sight if necessary."

The Rock, Sky, and Rainbow Kingdoms, recently seized by the Divine Wood Sect, had barren and desolate soil, making it difficult for vegetation to grow. However, they were rich in minerals. Qi Cultivation cultivators possessed physiques far superior to mortals, and with just a little training, they would be excellent miners. After hearing these words, Quanshan Lin, the Deputy Head of the Hall of Punishment, exchanged a glance with Fu Zongjue, then immediately departed with a murderous resolve to carry out the orders.

The news of Zhou Shengqing slaying five Core Formation cultivators quickly spread throughout the Eastern Desolate, astonishing and awe-inspiring all cultivators. Many even believed that Zhou Shengqing had successfully formed his Nascent Soul. The Five Elements Sect, Reversion Heaven Valley, and Blowing Snow Palace were all greatly shaken upon hearing this news. Several Core Formation cultivators immediately inquired, and some even directly sent representatives to Giant Wood Ridge to offer condolences and probe the situation. It was still the three familiar individuals. Chen Mobai only met Xue Ting once, then sent Yue Zutao to deal with the other two.

"Ming'er, can you communicate with this spiritual plant?" After Chen Mobai finished handling the sect's affairs, he brought Zhuo Ming to the Soul-Nourishing Wood. Zhuo Ming nodded and walked up to begin her attempt.

"Wait, this spiritual plant is a cold artifact from the underworld. Take this mirror." Seeing Zhuo Ming's impulsiveness, Chen Mobai immediately stopped her and placed the Six-Yang Divine Fire Mirror in her palm to prevent her from being harmed by the Soul-Nourishing Wood's Yin energy.

"Yes, Master." Holding the mirror, Zhuo Ming walked over and closed her eyes, reaching out to touch a branch of the Soul-Nourishing Wood. Shortly thereafter, she withdrew her hand, her face noticeably pale. If not for the Six-Yang Divine Fire Mirror, she would likely have already suffered an invasion of Yin energy and a depletion of vital energy and blood.

"Its rank is too high, and it's not planted on the ley lines of Little Southern Mountain, so I currently cannot communicate with it." Zhuo Ming spoke truthfully. Chen Mobai nodded, as the result was within his expectations.

"The soil in this potted plant is Fifth-Rank Yellow Spring Soil. Such high-grade spiritual soil is very beneficial for your practice of the Earth Mother Art. In the future, come and try to communicate with it when you have time. I will use the Lamp Lighting Art to transfer a stream of spiritual energy into your body, which will ensure your safety when you make contact." Chen Mobai asked Zhuo Ming for help not only because her All-Encompassing Spiritual Acuity divine ability would assist the Soul-Nourishing Wood in advancing, but also because Fifth-Rank spiritual soil was exceedingly rare. Even within the Divine Tree Secret Realm, only Fourth-Rank Longevity Soil could be found. Zhuo Ming's practice of the Earth Mother Art required her to assimilate the essences of countless spiritual soils to form the Mother Qi of All Things, enabling her to cultivate and nurture all manner of spiritual plants in the world. For her, this pot of Fifth-Rank Yellow Spring Soil was more valuable than any spiritual elixir, wondrous medicine, or heavenly treasure.

"Thank you, Master." After Chen Mobai transferred Pure Yang spiritual energy into Zhuo Ming's body, he also cleansed all residual cold energy from her, causing her round face to flush rosy and her spirit to be refreshed.

"Junior Brother Chen, do you mind if I teach your disciple a little?" After Zhuo Ming left, Zhou Shengqing's ethereal image emerged from the Soul-Nourishing Wood, and he asked something that surprised Chen Mobai.

"Ming'er's cultivation method differs from Senior Brother Zhou's, but if Senior Brother is willing to provide guidance, I would be immensely grateful." Regardless, Zhou Shengqing was a formidable cultivator who had entered the Nascent Soul realm. Even if his teaching ability wasn't on par with Chen Mobai's, his cultivation experience certainly far surpassed his. Therefore, his willingness to teach Zhuo Ming was undeniably a good thing.

"I cannot move while inside the Soul-Nourishing Wood, so my future days will certainly be solitary. Having a disciple to teach would be a pleasant way to pass the time." Chen Mobai nodded and expressed his gratitude to Zhou Shengqing.

"Ming'er is a bit slow and asks quite a few questions, Senior Brother Zhou, please be patient with her in the future." After hearing this, Zhou Shengqing waved his hand, indicating that he could teach one person for the next hundred years, and even if they were exceptionally dull, he could still guide them to become talents like Meng Hong and Chu Zuochu. He, however, did not realize these were Chen Mobai's humble words.

After staying for half a month and confirming that Zhou Shengqing's soul state had adapted, Mo Douguang prepared to depart. Chen Mobai and Fu Zongjue, carrying the potted Soul-Nourishing Wood, personally escorted him to the teleportation array.

At this moment, another piece of good news arrived. It was sent by E Yun, the commander of the Rock Kingdom. He confirmed through his informants that Xuan Shu of the Southern Profound Sect had not returned to Baose Mountain after escaping from Giant Wood Ridge. This meant that the Southern Profound Sect currently had no Core Formation cultivator presiding over it.

"According to our previous discussions, we will gradually erode the Southern Profound Sect's market share. As long as he achieves success there, my support for him to become sect master after my abdication will be entirely justified." Yu Lian was the one who delivered this news. Chen Mobai trusted him greatly. After giving him a few instructions, he also specifically wrote a letter for him to deliver to E Yun.

"When Xuan Shu escaped, he was severely wounded by one of my blows of Longevity True Qi. Given his cultivation, it would be very troublesome to suppress and expel it. He most likely returned to Xuanyun Dao Palace to seek help from Old Ancestor Jinfeng." After Zhou Shengqing heard about this matter, he offered his thoughts. After employing the Reversal Longevity Art, his power was so immense that he would not fear Old Ancestor Jinfeng's arrival in the slightest. Although Xuan Shu had escaped his grasp, he still couldn't retreat completely unscathed. Longevity True Qi, while generally used in combat, had potent and lasting aftereffects. At Fourth Rank, with Xuan Shu's cultivation, it was most probable that he would leave the Eastern Desolate to heal first, especially without heavenly materials and earthly treasures.

"Let him live a bit longer for now. I'll slay him after my cultivation breaks through." Chen Mobai spoke calmly. Both Zhou Shengqing and Fu Zongjue considered this perfectly natural, as sword cultivators were invincible within the same realm, especially since it was a peerless sword Dao genius like Chen Mobai.

"Junior Niece Zeng has identified them. Those three pills are indeed Blood Spirit Pills. I wonder where that mere rogue cultivator obtained such precious elixirs." After discussing Xuan Shu, Fu Zongjue took out the elixirs Zhou Shengqing had acquired from slaying the enemy. These Blood Spirit Pills were used by Core Formation cultivators in the Heavenly River Realm to break through bottlenecks, akin to an upgraded version of the Great Breakthrough Pill from the Immortal Sects. Although Chen Mobai generally did not advocate taking elixirs to enhance cultivation, he believed they could be used as an aid during bottleneck breakthroughs. It just so happened that Fu Zongjue had been stuck at the peak of early Core Formation for decades, and these Blood Spirit Pills were perfectly suited for him.

"Senior Brother Fu, take them all; no need to save any for me." Chen Mobai generously gave all three Blood Spirit Pills to Fu Zongjue. Although he possessed the Lamp Lighting Art, capable of neutralizing elixir toxins, it was generally better not to consume elixirs from the Heavenly River Realm if possible. Fu Zongjue did not decline. The Divine Wood Sect now needed him to step up.

It was unclear whether it was due to pressure or simply his cultivation reaching its natural point, but Fu Zongjue successfully broke through to the middle Core Formation stage after taking only one Blood Spirit Pill. After consolidating his realm, he emerged from seclusion full of vigor and confidence.

"Junior Brother Chen, I no longer need these two Blood Spirit Pills; you can have them." Blood Spirit Pills were highly effective for breaking through bottlenecks from the early to the middle stages, but almost useless for transitions from the middle to late stages. Therefore, after Fu Zongjue's breakthrough, he gave the remaining pills to Chen Mobai. Chen Mobai did not decline and accepted them for now, planning to have Qing Nü help identify them later.

"Sect Master, I have decided to go to Golden Crow Immortal City." On this day, Chu Zuochu came to pay his respects and stated his choice. Just as when Chen Mobai formed his Core, Fu Zongjue and Zhou Shengqing intended for him to go to Golden Crow Immortal City, where he should keep a low profile while also seeing if he could establish a channel for the sect.

"Alright, take these with you. If you encounter any problems you can't solve, go find a rogue Core Formation cultivator named Hu Yan Zheng Lai; he and I are on good terms." As Fu Zongjue spoke, he took out a token and gave it to Chu Zuochu.

"Didn't they say Old Ancestor Hunyuan and the Nascent Soul Old Ancestor of Bathing Sun Sea had a very good relationship? Why go to Golden Crow Immortal City and not pay respects to him?" After Chu Zuochu left, Chen Mobai asked, somewhat surprised.

"He and Master are friends, but we are not Master. We are merely his disciples, and only Core Formation cultivators at that."

"Furthermore, Zhou Ye is the one who inherited Master's legacy. We are considered renegades. It would be fortunate enough if Old Ancestor Baiwu doesn't scold us when we visit him." Zhou Shengqing's words made Chen Mobai realize something once more. Only by being strong oneself can one achieve true strength.

(End of Chapter)

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