Chapter 544: The Secret of Huakai Courtyard

"It may not be easy to save his life."

As Immortal Sishian spoke, she also brought out Gongsun Jielu, who had been sealed by the Flower Bloom Abode Master in the Northern Dark Realm.

"True Lord Yu has been kind to me, and he is, after all, a teacher officially employed by our Wuyi Daoist Academy. We must do our best for him."

Anyone else, knowing Yu Tianguang was confirmed to be a host for the Divine Chariot Abode Master's divine seed, would have immediately distanced themselves to prove their innocence.

But Chen Mobai had no such concerns, because he had slain the Flower Bloom Abode Master.

This was sufficient proof of his loyalty to the Immortal Sect.

It was for this reason that he spoke with a clear conscience.

"You're quite a compassionate and righteous young man. I'll give you a hand."

The more Immortal Sishian looked at Chen Mobai, the more delighted she became. She felt that this junior's values perfectly aligned with her own, and his cultivation was not weak; it was highly probable he would reach her rank in the future. Remembering what she intended to do, she couldn't resist doing Chen Mobai another favor.

She took out her phone and dialed a number.

After the call connected, Immortal Sishian had activated the speakerphone, so Chen Mobai heard a familiar voice.

It was the headmaster of their Wuyi Daoist Academy, Immortal Chengxuan.

Immortal Sishian: "Things are settled here. Shi Qing was slain by your academy's young man, but Yu Tianguang is also a parasite of the Divine Chariot Abode Master. For your sake, I spared his life."

Immortal Chengxuan was silent for a moment, seemingly contemplating whether it was better for Yu Tianguang to be dead or alive. After a while, he finally uttered two words: "Thank you."

Immortal Sishian: "Gongsun was trapped by the Flower Bloom Abode Master. To avoid future problems, I plan to take her to the Three Absolutes. Should I bring Yu Tianguang along as well? His essence, qi, and spirit have been drained by the Divine Chariot Abode Master. If he isn't treated quickly, he likely won't live more than half a year."

Immortal Chengxuan: "Then I'll trouble you with this. I'll also inform the Three Absolutes about this beforehand."

After a few more exchanges, they had settled the matter.

Immortal Chengxuan's intervention to save Yu Tianguang effectively removed Chen Mobai from the situation.

Chen Mobai was very pleased with this.

After all, if he were to run for one of the Three Hall Masters in the future, the matter concerning Yu Tianguang could potentially become a hidden danger.

"Thank you, Immortal."

Chen Mobai bowed gratefully to Immortal Sishian.

"I'll leave this place to you. I'm taking my leave."

After finally applying a seal to the Jade Phoenix Tree, Immortal Sishian departed, taking the sealed Gongsun Jielu and Yu Tianguang with her.

Although Chen Mobai was a council member of the Kaiyuan Hall, he was nominally only able to oversee the Immortal Sect system in Yumuchen City. Moreover, he had no experience with handling post-event affairs for the Immortal Sect and understood nothing about it.

Therefore, it was ultimately Lan Haitan who tirelessly handled the aftermath.

Since Shi Qing was a member of the Ascension Cult and Yu Tianguang had been parasitized, personnel within Danxia City's Immortal Sect system were no longer trusted. After receiving authorization from Immortal Sishian, Lan Haitan directly mobilized enforcement personnel from Wangwu Grotto-Heaven.

Two Golden Core cultivators oversaw Danxia City's two major academies. Countless Immortal Sect cultivators had graduated under them, spreading throughout nearly every department in Danxia City, with many even extending to neighboring blessed lands and even major Grotto-Heavens.

For example, Wu Shangru, the former legal representative of the Flying Talisman Factory, had achieved Foundation Establishment and graduated from Danzhu Academy. Later, through hard work and effort, he had even moved his household registration to Huayang Grotto-Heaven.

However, after Shi Qing and Yu Tianguang were exposed, Wu Shangru immediately received a notification from the Immortal Sect, instructing him to cooperate with investigations at the local enforcement department in Huayang Grotto-Heaven.

Besides him, every student who graduated during that period was placed on the Immortal Sect's review list.

This group of people would be observed and scrutinized by various Immortal Sect departments for a period of time.

Lan Haitan handled all these troublesome matters personally.

Chen Mobai, on the other hand, was tasked with guarding the Jade Phoenix Tree in the Danxia Mountain Range during this period.

This spiritual plant had been sealed by Immortal Sishian and could temporarily only absorb basic spiritual energy to survive, preventing it from running wild due to the Flower Bloom Abode Master's death.

However, this seal could not last for too long. After all, the Jade Phoenix Tree was a top-grade Tier 4 spiritual plant, whose inherent spiritual power surpassed even that of Immortal Sishian. Furthermore, it was closely tied to Danxia City's fire ley line. To seal it completely, a special plan would be required, led by the Immortal Sect's Forestry Bureau in collaboration with departments for land, formations, and celestial phenomena.

Moreover, at least an Immortal of Nascent Soul cultivation, proficient in both formations and spiritual plants, would be needed to oversee it.

However, the few Nascent Soul Immortals who met the requirements seemed unwilling to get involved in this complicated situation.

Therefore, the upper echelons of the Immortal Sect's Three Great Halls were still holding meetings, and Lan Haitan asked Chen Mobai to guard the tree until a decision was made.

Given Chen Mobai's cautious nature, he was naturally quite reluctant.

But he was already involved, and if Lan Haitan were to request a Golden Core True Lord from the Immortal Sect's higher-ups to guard the Jade Phoenix Tree, the Kaiyuan Hall Committee would likely issue a direct order for him, as the closest available person, to undertake the task.

After this battle, Chen Mobai and Lan Haitan had become sworn brothers, and Lan Haitan also revealed that if Chen Mobai were unwilling, he could refuse on the grounds of being injured from his confrontation with the Flower Bloom Abode Master.

Nevertheless, Danxia City was Chen Mobai's hometown, and at such a turbulent time, he felt he needed to step forward and take responsibility.

Thus, after giving instructions to Yumuchen City, Chen Mobai calmly and resolutely took up his post on the highest peak of the Danxia Mountain Range.

During this period, Qin Baipeng, the City Lord of Danxia City, came several times, seeking Chen Mobai's help.

Lan Haitan had already taken control of all Immortal Sect institutions in Danxia City and begun a top-to-bottom purge and screening process. Key personnel from several departments had been taken by the enforcement department for investigation.

As one thing led to another, Qin Baipeng was soon also asked to cooperate with the investigation.

Chen Mobai could only assure Qin Baipeng that as long as he had no connection to the Ascension Cult, he would ensure his safety.

After Qin Baipeng, representatives from Chixia Academy and Danzhu Academy also sought him out.

"Councilor Chen, many teachers have been taken for investigation, and many classes have had to be suspended. The students are in a state of panic..."

"The teachers can all swear an oath of Dao heart, proving they have no connection to the Ascension Cult. Councilor Chen, could you please speak with the enforcement department on our behalf?"

"At least ensure that the students' normal classes can resume..."

After hearing the requests from the two academies, Chen Mobai spoke with Lan Haitan, who was also accommodating. Apart from a few key individuals, he sent the rest of the teachers back.

The person in charge of this matter was Lin Yin. When she came, she also had another task.

"What is this for?"

Chen Mobai watched curiously as Lin Yin moved in and out of the wooden hut where Shi Qing had long been in seclusion, carrying transparent glass tubes, beneath the Jade Phoenix Tree. He couldn't help but ask.

"These are spirit-sealing tubes. They can extract residual spiritual energy and other energy traces from the air, which helps determine who had more contact with Shi Qing."

Qing Nv replied. This was something developed by their Mending Heaven Group Two.

Lin Yin demonstrated it in front of Chen Mobai. Soon, a stream of azure light emerged from the void and flowed into the glass tube in her hand.

Chen Mobai: "Is it that miraculous?"

Qing Nv: "It can only extract traces from the last year; anything before that would have long since dissipated. This is just a routine procedure; I don't think Group Leader Lin expects to find any crucial clues with it."

During this time, Qing Nv had stayed by his side. While Chen Mobai guarded the mountain peak, she was in a wooden hut on the mountainside.

Although Lan Haitan was short-staffed, it seemed as if he had forgotten about Qing Nv in the Mending Heaven Group.

Soon, Lin Yin completed her work.

All four glass tubes in her hand contained the same azure energy.

"This is Shi Qing's spiritual energy. There are no other findings."

Lin Yin shook her head regretfully, though this was expected. As she spoke, she took out a talisman and affixed it to the glass tube.

"What is this one?"

Chen Mobai asked, pointing at the talisman.

"It's a Spirit-Coagulating Talisman. When used with a spirit-sealing tube, it can solidify the extracted spiritual energy, preventing it from dissipating. Although the Flower Bloom Abode Master is dead, her spiritual energy has high research value. Immortal Yuanxu specifically called us to collect and send it to him."

Lin Yin did not hide anything from Chen Mobai.

After his excellent performance in this incident, Chen Mobai's trustworthiness among the Immortal Sect's upper echelons was no longer inferior to Lan Haitan's, and he was now privy to many matters.

"Oh, isn't there a corpse? Wouldn't it be more convenient and faster to extract it directly from the body?"

Chen Mobai asked, somewhat puzzled. Although a cultivator's spiritual energy slowly dissipates after death, the Immortal Sect's technology would certainly be sufficient to extract enough.

"Immortal Sishian took the Flower Bloom Abode Master's corpse to the Three Absolutes. Immortal Yuanxu primarily wants to study this Jade Phoenix Tree."

Lin Yin dared not say more, only subtly hinting to Chen Mobai as per Lan Haitan's instructions.

"I see. Are four tubes enough? Should we collect more?"

Unaware of the Nine-Colored Immortal Flower, Chen Mobai didn't catch the hint. Instead, he concerned himself with Immortal Yuanxu's instructions.

"That's enough. The document only required us to collect three tubes, and I've already extracted one extra. Later, I'll also need a branch from the Jade Phoenix Tree, which will require your help, Councilor Chen."

Hearing Lin Yin's words, Chen Mobai nodded. Then, activating the sealing technique Immortal Sishian had taught him to suppress the Jade Phoenix Tree, he personally used his Violet Lightning Sword to cut off a section of its branch.

After watching Lin Yin leave, Chen Mobai suddenly thought of something. He turned to look thoughtfully at the Jade Phoenix Tree standing on the mountain peak.

"What's wrong?"

Qing Nv, standing nearby, asked curiously upon seeing his expression.

"How long can the spirit-sealing tubes and Spirit-Coagulating Talismans solidify and preserve the spiritual energy within them?"

During his studies at the Mending Heaven Daoist Academy, Chen Mobai had also attended over a dozen Qi-element courses with Yan Bingxuan. He was very familiar with the fundamental theoretical system of Immortal Yuanxu and suddenly conceived a way to significantly boost his combat power in a short period.

"If you're willing to continuously use Spirit-Coagulating Talismans, it can theoretically last indefinitely. The Pure Yang Qi of Old Ancestor Yuanyang was preserved this way."

Although Qing Nv was from Mending Heaven Group Four, she was very knowledgeable about the spirit-sealing tubes and Spirit-Coagulating Talismans. After all, their group was often required to handle corpses and extract residual spiritual energy from them.

Chen Mobai: "Can spirit-sealing tubes store spiritual energy of any quality?"

Qing Nv: "Not necessarily. It depends on the quality of energy you need to store. For explosive lightning or sharp sword qi, specially customized spirit-sealing tubes would be required."

Chen Mobai: "What about fire, for example, our Pure Yang Scroll cultivators' 'Great Sun Pure Yang Fire'?"

Qing Nv: "In that case, ceramic tubes fired from spiritual soil would be needed. They have better insulation and heat resistance and won't become brittle from the high temperatures of true fire."

Chen Mobai asked a few more detailed questions, and Qing Nv answered them all without reservation.

Soon, night fell, and the two reluctantly parted ways.

After Qing Nv left the mountaintop, Chen Mobai had just sat down when he looked up at the sky, a little surprised.

Lan Haitan's figure flew from a distance and slowly descended.

"Brother Chen, you've had a tough time recently."

"Not at all. I've merely been staying here. It's you, handling the cleanup and aftermath, who has truly worked hard."

Chen Mobai felt that Lan Haitan had deliberately waited for Qing Nv to leave before arriving. He invited him to sit, boiled water, and prepared tea.

"The latest notification from the higher-ups states that Immortal Taohua will soon arrive with personnel from Jumang Daoist Academy and the Immortal Affairs Hall to handle this Jade Phoenix Tree."

This news from Lan Haitan was, however, not unexpected for Chen Mobai.

Among the Immortal Sect, Immortal Taohua was unparalleled in spiritual plants, naturally blessed by her origins.

"Then I suppose I'm relieved."

Chen Mobai said with a smile. Although staying here daily with Tier 4 spiritual ley line energy available for cultivation was considered the highest-tier treatment in the Immortal Sect, the spiritual energy here was still inferior to that of Giant Wood Ridge.

Moreover, being confined here made many things inconvenient to do.

"The Realm Gate Management Bureau opened the Flower Bloom Abode Master's realm and discovered various items she had prepared there for casting a forbidden art."

Lan Haitan suddenly brought up another matter. Chen Mobai picked up a teacup, poured him a cup, and listened attentively.

"What this forbidden art is, remains unknown for now, but it is known to be related to this Jade Phoenix Tree and very likely involves the core inheritance of the Flower Bloom Abode, an ancient evil orthodox lineage."

The Flower Bloom Abode Master from two thousand years ago was the leader of an ancient evil orthodox lineage, with a cultivation status similar to today's Ascension Cult Master. Although records of this lineage within the Immortal Sect were vague, Lan Haitan knew that this person was also at the Spirit Transformation stage.

This individual had achieved Spirit Transformation by leveraging the Immortal Sect's pioneering wars to infiltrate another world.

Although the Flower Bloom Abode Master was besieged by indigenous inhabitants of the other world due to a leaked aura during her Spirit Transformation, and after barely escaping, was then pursued by the Immortal Sect's Spirit Transformation cultivators, ultimately perishing.

However, the secret of her Spirit Transformation had always been sought by the Immortal Sect's higher echelons.

By the time Lan Haitan finished speaking, Chen Mobai had already understood his meaning.