Chapter 582: Tianmu Divine Needle

Chen Mobai tried to correct her for a while, but he couldn't change Yin Qingmei's filial devotion. He could only grudgingly accept the situation for now.

To prevent any accidents during the transplantation of the Jade Wutong tree, Chen Mobai specifically called Zhuo Ming in.

"Godfa... Sect Master," Yin Qingmei began, "my immortal's cave is on Qingdai Mountain, and it only has a third-tier spiritual vein. Will that affect the growth of this Heaven and Earth Spiritual Root?" As she watched Zhuo Ming prepare for the transplantation in front of the Jade Wutong tree, Yin Qingmei started worrying about the future development of her own life-bound spiritual plant, which could ascend infinitely.

Chen Mobai had visited Qingdai Mountain once before because the Pure Bamboo he had given Yin Qingmei was planted there. After getting her consent, he had taken Zhuo Ming to dig up the bamboo and transplant it to his own Longevity Wood Dojo for Luo Yixuan's use. The spiritual vein there was a high-grade third-tier, considered the best cave-dwelling treatment for Foundation Establishment cultivators in the sect. However, after obtaining the Divine Transformation cultivation method and the Jade Wutong tree that could ascend infinitely, Yin Qingmei began to feel that the spiritual vein level of her cave-dwelling was somewhat low.

"The greatest use of this Jade Wutong tree is its ability to regulate earth veins, clarify the pure and turbid energies, and harmonize all weather phenomena," Chen Mobai explained. "Wherever its roots touch and encompass the earth veins, it will ensure favorable weather and prevent natural disasters. If you wish to fully unleash the power of this spiritual plant in the future, you must use its ability to regulate earth veins to establish great merits and virtues. This way, when you break through to a new realm, you might even receive the favor of the Heavenly Dao, free from disasters and tribulations. Coincidentally, I am about to perform a great meritorious deed in the three northern kingdoms of the Eastern Desolation. I originally intended to reserve it for Ming'er to help her achieve enlightenment and form her Core. Since you have acknowledged me as your father and received the recognition of my Jade Wutong tree, you can also share in some of this merit."

Chen Mobai thought about the future plan to develop the Eastern Desolation Plateau and transform the sandy sea into fertile land. If the Jade Wutong tree could be used to regulate the earth veins, the effort would yield twice the results with half the work. He decided to let Yin Qingmei join the project. In any case, as long as he was the chief engineer, he would receive at least half of every portion of merit. Furthermore, it would be difficult for Zhuo Ming to develop the northern Eastern Desolation alone, even with his support. Sending Yin Qingmei to assist her would be a perfect fit.

"Godfa... Sect Master, your immense kindness will be etched in Qingmei's heart for a lifetime," Yin Qingmei stammered. After Chen Mobai's guidance, the cultivation and ascension path for the Jade Wutong tree instantly became clear to her. Her pretty face flushed slightly, and in her excitement, she almost bowed deeply again.

"Master, I have finished communicating..." At that moment, Zhuo Ming flew over. She looked curiously at Yin Qingmei, whose fair cheeks were flushed, her eyes shimmering like water, and whose emotions were clearly fluctuating. Zhuo Ming wondered why her state of mind was so unsettled.

"Ming'er, you take the lead in directing; I will perform the actions," Chen Mobai said. He always believed in letting professionals handle specialized tasks. Zhuo Ming's mastery of spiritual plants was already the best in the Divine Wood Sect, and even with his higher cultivation, he was willing to follow her instructions.

Half a day later, the Jade Wutong tree, supported by Chen Mobai's Scarlet Cloud Smoke Robe, descended above Yin Qingmei's Qingdai Mountain.

Zhuo Ming went down to communicate with the spiritual vein of the mountain, then returned to converse with the remarkably cooperative Jade Wutong tree. After several trips up and down, she finally selected the most suitable location: a gentle slope on the eastern side of Qingdai Mountain, where the sunlight was abundant and the soil was fertile and loose.

Zhuo Ming performed the Earth Mother Technique, creating a pit. Chen Mobai, who had been waiting in mid-air for a long time, reached out and lowered the Jade Wutong tree into it.

"This is a spiritual acupuncture point that connects to the core of Qingdai Mountain's earth veins," Zhuo Ming explained. "I've opened it up so that this spiritual tree can extend its roots downwards in the shortest possible time, drawing in the richest and purest spiritual energy. As long as there's ample sunlight and water, it will grow incredibly fast."

Yin Qingmei, standing nearby, watched Zhuo Ming's efficient actions and sensed the joyful, cheering emotions conveyed by the symbiotic Jade Wutong tree. Her eyes widened in admiration. If she had such abilities, would she have hit so many walls when trying to communicate with the Longevity Wood and the Golden Sun Spiritual Tree? "So this is Godfather's true successor!" she thought. "Truly worthy of being the genuine Dao Seed who has already been arranged to achieve enlightenment and form a Core!"

As a Heavenly Spiritual Root, Yin Qingmei had been instilled with the belief that her talent was unsurpassed and incomparable after joining the sect. However, Chen Mobai's appearance completely shattered that conviction. And now, the modest Zhuo Ming, who kept a low profile within the sect, made her question whether she was truly a Heavenly Spiritual Root.

"Thank you, Junior Sister Zhuo!" Upon seeing Zhuo Ming open up the earth vein spiritual acupuncture point, Yin Qingmei immediately went over to express her gratitude. Zhuo Ming quickly shook her head, stating that she was merely following her master's orders and that Yin Qingmei should thank her master instead. Yin Qingmei then turned to thank Chen Mobai, but he stopped her with a raised hand.

"You have just completed symbiosis with this Heaven and Earth Spiritual Root," Chen Mobai said. "Now, diligently cultivate the Azure Emperor Longevity Scripture in your immortal's cave. If you have any questions, you can come and ask me." As he spoke, Chen Mobai took out his Heaven-Reaching Device and granted Yin Qingmei direct access to him.

"Yes... Sect Master!" Yin Qingmei, who had almost called him "Godfather" again, saw Chen Mobai about to leave with Zhuo Ming. She quickly pulled out a shimmering azure-green elemental pearl from her storage bag and respectfully presented it to Chen Mobai with both hands. "Sect Master," she said, "this is a spiritual item I obtained during my Foundation Establishment in the Divine Tree Secret Realm. It's called the 'Verdant Wood Elemental Pearl,' and I also have the method for refining it. This item is formed from the crystallization of pure wood-elemental vital energy. When refined into the body, it can enhance physical vitality and also increase the speed of spiritual sense operation. It's a decent spiritual treasure; please accept it, Sect Master."

Chen Mobai took the pearl and examined it, realizing that it would only achieve its maximum effect when used by someone cultivating wood-attribute techniques. He acknowledged Yin Qingmei's filial piety but thought it would be better for her to keep the Verdant Elemental Pearl herself. In the future, if her cultivation realm advanced, the wood-elemental vital energy accumulated within the pearl would become even more abundant, potentially assisting him in cultivating his Primordial Dao Fruit.

"For cultivators at my level, this item's effect is negligible," Chen Mobai stated. "You should keep it. Diligently cultivate and form your Core as soon as possible; that would be the greatest thanks to me and the sect." Chen Mobai's words made Yin Qingmei even more excited, and she declared that she would absolutely not let down the Sect Master and the sect's nurturing.

"Did you not gain anything else from the Talent Tree this time?" Chen Mobai recalled having fed Yin Qingmei a plate of jade bamboo shoots. Logically, with a spiritual root transformation, especially for a Heavenly Spiritual Root, she should have received the inheritance of the Five Great Immortal Scriptures.

"I'm afraid I've disappointed the Sect Master," Yin Qingmei replied. "I only obtained a technique called 'Heavenly Wood Divine Needle.'" When she said this, she even made a special vow, indicating that she had not secretly kept any other inheritances from the Longevity Sect. She also described the method of "Heavenly Wood Divine Needle," which was a technique for condensing Qi into needles. It required one to master the Longevity spiritual power to a consummate level and cultivate the Heavenly Wood Divine Light. Then, one would condense the divine light into needles using spiritual power, releasing them in combat. According to the description of the method, its power was so immense that it could shatter mountains and rocks, turning the earth into dust. "Isn't this just a higher-tier application of Heavenly Wood Divine Light?" Chen Mobai thought after hearing her explanation.

Although he cultivated the Pure Yang Scroll and this technique was useless to him, it could be used to compensate for the Longevity Scripture's lack of offensive power in the sect. However, to cultivate the Heavenly Wood Divine Needle, one needed to be at least at the Core Formation stage. He decided to let Zhou Shengqing examine it later. If it could be modified to condense Heavenly Wood Spiritual Light into needles, it could significantly boost the combat power of many Foundation Establishment cultivators in the Divine Wood Sect.

For offering this cultivation method, Chen Mobai credited Yin Qingmei with 100,000 sect contribution points. Besides the fact that the Heavenly Wood Divine Needle was indeed useful to the Divine Wood Sect, this was also a way to allocate sufficient resources for her to cultivate until Core Formation. With these 100,000 points, she only needed to stay peacefully on Qingdai Mountain, cultivate the Azure Emperor Longevity Scripture, and nurture the Jade Wutong tree.

After settling Yin Qingmei, Chen Mobai left with Zhuo Ming. He briefly mentioned the great meritorious deed on the Eastern Desolation Plateau to Zhuo Ming, who was a bit confused and didn't quite understand it. But the moment Chen Mobai said that she could achieve enlightenment and form her Core by completing this task, Zhuo Ming immediately grasped this crucial piece of information.

"Master... can I really... form a Core?" Zhuo Ming asked, her voice trembling and her expression anxious, as she lacked confidence in this matter.

"For this matter to truly proceed, I first need to unify the Eastern Desolation," Chen Mobai explained. "Without a safe and peaceful environment, I wouldn't feel comfortable letting you leave the sect." Chen Mobai felt that after reaching Foundation Establishment, Zhuo Ming might have considered her goal achieved and thought Core Formation was still far off. She had begun to indulge in farming and spiritual plants, neglecting her fundamental cultivation progress. Therefore, he presented the great meritorious deed on the Eastern Desolation Plateau to give her ample motivation and spur her to cultivate diligently.

"Master, what preparations do I need to make next?" Zhuo Ming was a pragmatic individual; whatever Chen Mobai instructed, she would exert all her effort to do it well. While she was somewhat confused about tree planting, desert control, and meritorious deeds, she knew this was the path to Core Formation arranged by her master, so she was full of drive.

This was Core Formation! The pinnacle for all cultivators in the Eastern Desolation!

One must remember that when Zhuo Ming was a rogue cultivator, her lifelong dream was merely to join a large sect, obtain an inheritance in one of the hundred cultivation arts, and be able to support herself. Now, she had not only successfully established her Foundation but also had the top Sect Master of the Eastern Desolation as her master. Furthermore, she was in charge of the spiritual rice cultivation and harvesting throughout the entire Giant Wood Ridge, supporting thousands of cultivators in the Divine Wood Sect. Even so, she still dared not dream of Core Formation. After all, among the many Foundation Establishment cultivators in the Eastern Desolation, only her incredibly talented master had successfully formed a Core in the past eighty years. Zhuo Ming considered herself far inferior to her master, believing that even if she could attempt Core Formation, it would likely be a century from now.

Who knew that so soon, her master would arrange such a grand path for her? Enlightenment and Core Formation! According to her master, once one entered the state of enlightenment, Core Formation was guaranteed to succeed. "I must not miss this opportunity!" Zhuo Ming secretly thought to herself.

"I'll write you a note. Go to the Transmission Department and collect the books related to Earth Masters," Chen Mobai said. "With your talent, reaching the pinnacle in this skill won't be difficult." After writing the note, Chen Mobai recalled that he had once obtained an Earth Master inheritance during the Battle of Shaking Mountain Peak, which he thought he had given to Luo Yixuan. He asked Zhuo Ming and found that his disciple had copied it herself and already passed the inheritance to her. However, at that time, Zhuo Ming was still at the Qi Refinement stage, and her daily farming, brewing, and cultivation occupied all her time, so she had left the Earth Master inheritance at the bottom of her storage bag, almost forgetting about it.

"Disciple takes her leave!" Zhuo Ming, having dug out the almost yellowed Earth Master inheritance, left excitedly with Chen Mobai's note.

After arranging things for the two Core Formation candidates, Chen Mobai called out to Fu Zongjue. Immediately, the two of them arrived at Zhou Shengqing's Longevity Wood Dojo.

"Heavenly Wood Divine Needle!" Upon hearing about this technique, both men's eyes lit up. The Longevity Scripture was renowned for its excellent defense but lacked offensive techniques. The Heavenly Wood Divine Light was already considered a secret trump card of the Divine Wood Sect! However, the Heavenly Wood Divine Needle elevated the power of the Heavenly Wood Divine Light by another level. If cultivated to its peak, according to the description, its power was almost equivalent to a fourth-tier technique.

"If I hadn't lost my physical body and used Longevity True Qi to activate it, this Heavenly Wood Divine Needle could unleash the full power of a fourth-tier technique!" Zhou Shengqing, as the one who had achieved the most with the Longevity Scripture, couldn't help but exclaim with regret after reading it. All things in heaven and earth originate from "Qi." When cultivation reaches a higher realm, one refines a wisp of true Qi, almost akin to the origin of heaven and earth, to comprehend the true essence of cultivation methods and the Dao rhyme of all things. When Zhou Shengqing was at the peak of Core Formation, he had already cultivated three strands of Longevity True Qi. Using these to activate various wood-attribute spells could directly elevate their power to almost the fourth tier. If he had obtained the Heavenly Wood Divine Needle, which shared the same origin as Longevity True Qi, before the great battle at Shaking Mountain Peak, he probably wouldn't have needed Mo Douguang and Fu Zongjue's help to defeat Ji Zhenshi; he could have handled it himself.

"Junior Brother Chen's idea is good," Zhou Shengqing said. "I'll try to see if it can be modified to be usable with Heavenly Wood Spiritual Light as well." After hearing Chen Mobai's suggestion, Zhou Shengqing felt this was a great way to significantly enhance the combat power of the sect's cultivators. Moreover, since he couldn't cultivate in his current soul state, this task was perfectly suited for him.

"Two Senior Brothers, there's one more thing..." Chen Mobai then informed them about Yin Qingmei obtaining the Heaven and Earth Spiritual Root. Upon learning this, both of them sighed with admiration for Chen Mobai's noble character, marveling that he could bestow such a profound opportunity.

"It's all for the sect," Chen Mobai stated. "As a Heavenly Spiritual Root, if Junior Niece Qingmei can form her Nascent Soul in the future, our sect can rely on her to expand and reclaim more territory." Chen Mobai's words made Fu Zongjue and Zhou Shengqing realize even more that they had not misjudged him; entrusting the sect to him was indeed the most correct decision.

"Junior Brother, you've exhausted your mind and body for the sect, but you mustn't neglect your own cultivation," Fu Zongjue advised. "Compared to Qingmei, you are the one most likely to form a Nascent Soul." In their hearts, although a Heavenly Spiritual Root had great prospects, it was not even one-tenth as important as their junior brother standing before them.

"Senior Brother's words are indeed true," Chen Mobai replied, "but I've already made all the arrangements. From now on, Junior Nephew Yue will manage the sect, and the six nations outside have their respective guardians. I can now peacefully enter secluded cultivation for the next few years."

After this inspection tour of the Eastern Desolation, Chen Mobai had straightened out all matters. The years that followed would be for lying low, focusing on improving his own strength. Then, he would seize the opportunity to act!