Chapter 585: A Flash of Inspiration

Pure Nine Gates

"How has Xuan'er been recently?"

After transmitting the Yellow Emperor's Treatise on Profound Virtue, Chen Mobai inquired about Luo Yixuan's condition from Zhuo Ming.

While he was in seclusion breaking through his cultivation realm, Qu Xiuxian delivered the Tier 3 Pure Bamboo.

Zhuo Ming personally planted this spiritual plant. Coincidentally, Luo Yixuan's condition was not suitable for many to know, so Zhuo Ming took her back to Mount Xiaonan.

Under Zhuo Ming's care and with the spiritual efficacy of the two six-section Pure Bamboos, Luo Yixuan had suppressed over ninety percent of the Netherworld spiritual energy in her body and could now move and live normally.

"I'm relieved to hear that,"

Chen Mobai said with a smile after hearing Zhuo Ming's update. This was another piece of good news he received after his breakthrough.

"Let's go. It's been a long time since I visited Mount Xiaonan. We can stroll around there today."

Chen Mobai was mainly concerned about Luo Yixuan. After transforming into a Ghost Child Prime Embryo, her body would unconsciously emit a chilling aura. Prolonged contact with others could easily reveal her anomaly.

"Greetings, Master!"

Under the peach blossom tree by the mountain hut, Luo Yixuan, with her snow-white skin, saw Chen Mobai descend from the sky. A happy smile bloomed on her delicate face as she jogged over to bow.

"How is your body..."

Chen Mobai reached out to take Luo Yixuan's pulse and found that the Netherworld spiritual energy, which had previously saturated her meridians, was now completely suppressed within her Dantian and Qi Sea by the Pure Qi.

However, because her spiritual consciousness realm was not high enough, this Netherworld spiritual energy could still escape through the Pure Qi's seal at any moment.

But quickly, a golden-red talisman hanging on Luo Yixuan's chest pulsed with a warm rainbow light, cleansing her entire body and suppressing the Netherworld spiritual energy back.

This was the Spirit-Suppressing Talisman drawn by Chen Mobai.

It was a talisman from the Immortal Sect, primarily used to suppress anomalous spiritual energy, typically employed in hospitals when treating qi deviation.

It was perfectly suited for Luo Yixuan's symptoms.

A short while later, Zhuo Ming also flew over, carrying a basket of ingredients.

She handed two stalks of Jade Bamboo Spiritual Rice to Luo Yixuan, who, familiar with the process, began to start a fire and prepare food.

Zhuo Ming, meanwhile, took out a live carp and a spirit chicken, restrained by spiritual energy, from her basket, then produced a butcher knife and began to prepare them.

Chen Mobai, for his part, walked over to the lush, profusely blooming Immortal Peach Tree. Looking up, he saw its branches laden with pink blossoms, petals as delicate as silk. As the mountain breeze blew, some petals drifted onto his shoulder, and a faint, refreshing fragrance permeated his senses, like a gift from the spring wind, making him involuntarily take a deep breath.

Beneath the peach tree, there was a round table and several stone stools, appearing to be crafted by Zhuo Ming.

Chen Mobai sat down and felt the surrounding spiritual energy, nodding in satisfaction.

Since this Immortal Peach Tree was transplanted and rooted here, and with his background as the sect master, the Formation Department had adjusted the spiritual energy flow within the Myriad Woods Grand Formation, causing even more vigorous spiritual energy to surge towards Mount Xiaonan each year.

Once this spiritual energy arrived, the Immortal Peach Tree gathered and suppressed it within Mount Xiaonan's ley lines, causing the spiritual ley lines' grade, which should have declined due to the cultivation of spiritual fields, to rise instead.

Now, the peak of Mount Xiaonan had reached a Tier 3 peak spiritual energy concentration level.

"Ming'er, you've worked hard."

Chen Mobai remarked with emotion. Besides the Immortal Peach Tree, there was also a tranquil tea garden on the mountainside, veiled by a faint white mist.

After the mountain breeze blew down the peach blossoms, it also reached the tea garden. The white mist dispersed like foam, and the fresh, green tea leaves gently rustled, emitting a rich tea fragrance distinct from the floral scent.

Verdant bamboo groves perfectly encircled the tea garden, filling the space between the mountain peak and the garden, making Chen Mobai's location resemble a secluded paradise, bringing peace to the mind.

Soon after, Zhuo Ming and Luo Yixuan returned with the prepared roasted fish, grilled chicken, and spiritual rice. The master and his two disciples heartily enjoyed their meal.

"Master, this is the Enlightenment White Tea harvested just this year!"

After eating, Zhuo Ming produced a tea caddy and handed it to Chen Mobai, while Luo Yixuan brought a complete set of tea ware from the wooden hut and began to brew tea.

"Are those all Pure Bamboos?"

As Luo Yixuan brewed tea, Chen Mobai stood up, pointed to the bamboo grove between the mountain peak and the tea garden, and asked out of curiosity.

"Master, this is a new type of spiritual bamboo that propagated after the original Tier 3 Pure Bamboo took root in Mount Xiaonan and adapted to the spiritual energy of the ley lines here. While it can still be called Pure Bamboo, it's also a new variety."

Zhuo Ming led Chen Mobai into the bamboo grove, where their eyes were met with lush green, like an endless verdant river. A gentle breeze rustled the bamboo leaves, seemingly playing a symphony of nature.

The two walked among the staggered bamboo stalks until they reached a thumb-sized, dark green spiritual bamboo with only two sections, located at the very center.

This was the Tier 3 Pure Bamboo, valued at fifty thousand spirit stones, which had been acquired only through the intervention of the Vast Sky Chamber of Commerce.

As Chen Mobai approached, he felt a refreshing aura pervade the surroundings, making him feel invigorated while also causing his spiritual consciousness to relax and expand.

This was the Natural Pure Qi. As long as Pure Bamboo was successfully planted, it would constantly emit this special spiritual energy, which relaxed the mind and could also suppress anomalous spiritual power.

"Master, look..."

Following Zhuo Ming's direction, Chen Mobai looked at the ground where the Pure Bamboo was rooted. Bamboo shoots were emerging, and it was these that grew into the dense bamboo grove.

"I'm attempting to cultivate Jade Bamboo Spiritual Rice by introducing Azure Jade Spiritual Rice into this Pure Bamboo variant. If successful, we might obtain an entirely new type of Tier 3 spiritual rice."

Zhuo Ming cut an opening in the wall of a spiritual bamboo stalk nearby, and Chen Mobai saw plump, slender, glistening white spiritual rice grains inside.

These spiritual rice grains had indeed undergone a transformation after absorbing the Natural Pure Qi from the variant spiritual bamboo, showing potential to become Tier 3 spiritual rice.

However, the prerequisite for this was still to cultivate these Pure Bamboo variants to Tier 3.

"This is not something that can be achieved overnight!"

Chen Mobai exclaimed with emotion. Achieving results in agricultural studies required the most time.

Especially for high-tier species, their maturation cycles often spanned decades, even twenty years.

While these Pure Bamboo variants also had the potential to reach Tier 3, even with Zhuo Ming's All-Spirits Empathy divine ability, combining them with spiritual rice to cultivate Tier 3 spiritual rice would likely require two or three decades of continuous experimentation and research to yield results.

"Researching a Tier 3 spiritual rice suitable for cultivation in Giantwood Ridge has somewhat become my obsession as a disciple."

Zhuo Ming said with a smile, sealing the opening she had cut in the spiritual bamboo stalk.

Since becoming Chen Mobai's disciple, she had been farming, experimenting with various hybrid spiritual rice varieties.

By now, she considered these her primary duty.

Although she often used All-Spirits Empathy to communicate with precious spiritual plants like the Immortal Peach Tree, Enlightenment White Tea, and Pure Bamboo, deep down, Zhuo Ming's favorite pursuit remained farming and cultivating spiritual rice.

She hoped to fulfill her master Chen Mobai's wish by cultivating a suitable Tier 3 spiritual rice for the sect.

This way, hundreds of thousands, even tens of millions, of spirit stones spent annually on purchasing Tier 3 spiritual rice from external forces could be saved.

If this problem could be solved, the finances of the Divine Wood Sect would instantly become prosperous, and cultivators like Fu Zongjue could also use their spirit stones to improve other aspects of their cultivation.

"Since you have such a lofty ambition, I will certainly help you as your master."

As Chen Mobai spoke, he cast the perfected Tier 3 Azure Wood Divine Thunder, using it to rapidly grow one of the Pure Bamboo spiritual rice stalks.

Unfortunately, since his foundation was based on the Pure Yang Scripture, his attempts to wield this wood-elemental thunder spell were half-hearted. Furthermore, due to his fire spiritual energy, the destructive power of the divine thunder was more pronounced, but its growth-catalyzing effect was even less potent than when he was at the perfected Foundation Establishment stage.

An hour later, Chen Mobai had expended twenty percent of his spiritual energy to barely mature the stalk in his hand.

After splitting the bamboo open, the results were good: he found several grains of spiritual rice that, while not yet Tier 3, had already surpassed Tier 2.

This indicated that the method was viable.

Chen Mobai then again cast the Azure Wood Divine Thunder's growth-catalyzing power to mature the Tier 3 Pure Bamboo. However, even after using fifty percent of his spiritual energy, he only managed to make it grow two more sections.

Tier 3 Pure Bamboo grows one section every ten years.

Chen Mobai's actions left Zhuo Ming, who was beside him, stunned, but the former was somewhat dissatisfied.

"If only I had Myriad Transformation Thunderwater!"

The next advancement for Azure Wood Divine Thunder was Myriad Illusions Azure Thunder, and the "Myriad Transformation Thunderwater" condensed from it was the most precious spiritual water in the Immortal Sect's spiritual plant market. It could vitalize all spirits and accelerate the growth of all things.

Unfortunately, very few people in the Immortal Sect could refine this Tier 4 spiritual water.

Apart from the Immortal Sect's official flagship store, which was the Goumang Daoist Academy, no other place could list this spiritual water for sale every month.

Moreover, this spiritual water was extremely popular, with cultivators from Nascent Soul to Golden Core True Persons looking out for it.

As soon as it was listed, it would be snatched up in seconds!

For Chen Mobai, upgrading Azure Wood Divine Thunder to Myriad Illusions Azure Thunder was an easy task.

He just needed another Heavenly Calculation Bead and a trip to the Great Dao Tree!

However, to refine Myriad Transformation Thunderwater, he would still need the support of a Tier 4 alchemist; his Myriad Illusions Azure Thunder could only serve as an auxiliary.

When would the Divine Wood Sect be able to cultivate a Tier 4 alchemist?

Chen Mobai sighed inwardly, realizing that he had already downloaded all the publicly available elixir recipes from the Immortal Sect's market onto his phone, including the one for Myriad Transformation Thunderwater.

He just didn't know who had the fortune to obtain such an immense number of elixir recipes.

Elixir recipe, thunder spell, alchemist!

In his hands, only the last condition was missing!

If he had Myriad Transformation Thunderwater, his Enlightenment White Tea, given the abundant spiritual energy conditions in Mount Xiaonan, could also be upgraded to Tier 3 in the shortest possible time.

Wenren Xuewei's plant was cultivated using Myriad Transformation Thunderwater.

He should go back and ask her, see if he could find a workaround.

After all, she was now a Golden Core True Person of the Goumang Daoist Academy and a future Nascent Soul cultivator; perhaps she had a channel to acquire some Myriad Transformation Thunderwater.

Thinking this, Chen Mobai returned to the Immortal Peach Tree with Zhuo Ming, who also cut down two variant Pure Bamboos.

These spiritual bamboos also contained Natural Pure Qi, which Luo Yixuan needed to absorb daily.

It was fortunate that Zhuo Ming, as a master of spiritual plants, had used the Tier 3 Pure Bamboo as a source to cultivate this bamboo grove; otherwise, it would be impossible to supply Luo Yixuan with such a large amount.

"Master, the tea is ready!"

Seeing Chen Mobai return, Luo Yixuan immediately picked up a cup of tea, slightly cooled it with her naturally chilled hands to ensure the best taste, and presented it.

Chen Mobai smiled, drank it all in one gulp, and then sat on a stone stool, closing his eyes in contemplation.

Seeing this, his two disciples did not disturb him.

They knew that Chen Mobai always acted this way after drinking the Enlightenment White Tea, seemingly genuinely achieving enlightenment.

The two girls even moved away from under the Immortal Peach Tree to avoid disturbing Chen Mobai.

Luo Yixuan had just received the Pure Bamboo from Zhuo Ming and hadn't even said thank you when a loud laugh suddenly erupted from behind them.

"How could I have overlooked this? It was truly a blind spot!"

Chen Mobai opened his eyes, his face beaming with joy. He seemed to have resolved a problem that had troubled him for a long time. Amidst his hearty laughter, he beckoned his two disciples over.

"Congratulations, Master!"

Although the two girls didn't know what Chen Mobai had realized, seeing him so happy, they simultaneously bowed slightly in congratulation.

"Xuan'er, to what realm have you cultivated your Returning Essence Secret Art?"

Chen Mobai, however, suddenly asked a question that left Luo Yixuan somewhat bewildered.

"Reporting to Master, this disciple has only cultivated to the first layer."

Luo Yixuan had a particularly strong impression of this Returning Essence Secret Art.

It was because of this that she had been abducted by Granny Ming and nearly separated forever from her master, senior brothers, and senior sisters on Mount Xiaonan.

"This Returning Essence Secret Art has three layers. Cultivating to the second layer allows you to transfer your Netherworld spiritual energy into your lifebound magic artifact. Would this enable you to escape your current predicament?"

Chen Mobai's words made Luo Yixuan's eyes light up, and she instantly stood up in surprise and joy.

But immediately, she realized something and her face fell into dejection.

"Master, a lifebound magic artifact is something only Golden Core Grandmasters possess. How could I cultivate the second layer of the Returning Essence Secret Art without one?"

"For Foundation Establishment cultivators, possessing a lifebound magic artifact isn't actually difficult. You just need to find someone to refine an embryo for a lifebound magic artifact for you."

When Chen Mobai established his foundation, he already possessed the Six Yang Divine Fire Mirror and the Pure Yang Bell as his lifebound artifacts. However, since he couldn't impart the Immortal Sect's Spirit Artifact Co-cultivation Art to Luo Yixuan, he could only use the method associated with the Pure Yang Bell.

"Master, I'm afraid no one within the sect can refine an embryo for a lifebound magic artifact for me, can they?"

Luo Yixuan still looked worried after hearing Chen Mobai's words.

The Divine Wood Sect's only Tier 3 artifact blacksmith was the head of the Artifact Forging Department, and he did not meet the requirements for refining a lifebound magic artifact embryo.

"Just because no one in the sect can do it doesn't mean no one outside the sect can!"

Chen Mobai smiled faintly and said.

"Master, are you referring to True Person Sheng from the Fire Vein of the Five Elements Sect?"

Both Zhuo Ming and Luo Yixuan misunderstood, thinking he was going to ask Sheng Zhaoxi, the foremost artifact blacksmith of the Eastern Barren, to help. Chen Mobai offered no explanation, instead taking out a handful of Ethereal Stones from his storage bag.

"This Returning Essence Secret Art also has a third layer. I will teach you the key points to see if you can skip the second layer and cultivate the third directly. If so, it will save me from owing someone a favor!"