Chapter 604: Sand Control (8000 Monthly Votes Extra Chapter)

In the coming years, you will begin planting this most tenacious spirit grass on the barren land to first stabilize the soil and water and restore soil fertility.

O Yun's side naturally obeyed Chen Mobai's orders without question and immediately put them into practice.

The restoration of the Eastern Desolation Plateau was not an overnight task. Chen Mobai chose a plant called Qingluo Grass as the initial step. This spirit grass could only absorb a faint amount of spiritual energy, classifying it as a first-tier low-grade plant. However, for cultivators, it was utterly useless; no one would even bother to step on it if it grew by the roadside.

Nevertheless, Chen Mobai clearly recognized the immense potential of Qingluo Grass. It conserves soil and water, has low environmental requirements, grows rapidly after planting, and completes three cycles a year. Moreover, because it contains spiritual energy, once grown, it can serve as fodder for many spirit beasts. If left unharvested to decay, it can further improve the soil. After several years, what was once barren and infertile land could then be used to grow spirit rice, fruits, and more.

Of course, besides Qingluo Grass, Chen Mobai also selected several other easy-to-grow spirit plants. He instructed O Yun to plant these in phases across the Eastern Desolation Plateau, promoting biodiversity. These spirit plants, once sown, could grow rapidly as long as there was soil and water.

However, the lack of water on the Eastern Desolation Plateau was also a major concern. Since the Xiao Kingdom lay between them, the project to divert water from Yunmeng Lake to irrigate the Yan Kingdom was too vast. Therefore, for the time being, O Yun could only use spirit stones to hire cultivators from Beiyuan City to periodically cast rain spells over the planted areas. Naturally, this was merely a temporary solution.

Thus, Chen Mobai instructed Zhuo Ming to use her Omniscient Spirit Connection divine ability to locate areas rich in underground water. He then employed his powerful means to open the earth's strata, allowing these water sources to gush forth.

Besides these, there was actually another abundant water source: the towering, continuous snow-capped mountains of the Shuang Kingdom, perpetually shrouded in a vast expanse of white clouds and mist, regardless of the season. As the snowmelt flowed down from these high mountains, it formed numerous vast, sapphire-like lakes on the surface of the Shuang Kingdom, creating an extremely rich water supply.

The Shuang Kingdom bordered the Yan and Hong Kingdoms. If it could be conquered, and with active intervention from cultivators, snowmelt could be diverted to irrigate the plateau and deserts, resolving the water scarcity. However, because Zhuo Ming had discovered many underground water resources, and the development of the Eastern Desolation Plateau was still in its initial stages with sufficient water for current needs, Chen Mobai was not in a hurry. Nevertheless, the issue of dealing with the Chuiyue Palace had quietly risen in priority in Chen Mobai's mind.

After settling matters in Beiyuan City, Chen Mobai departed with Jiang Zongheng and Zhuo Ming. Originally, he had only intended to bring Zhuo Ming to explore the Eastern Desolation Plateau and identify potential areas for her future meritorious deeds. However, after the incident involving Han Zhiling, he realized that his disciple Jiang Zongheng was in the early stages of forming his ideology and needed proper guidance, so he decided to bring him along as well.

Read ten thousand books, travel ten thousand miles.

He took Jiang Zongheng and Zhuo Ming from the Yan Kingdom, first heading to the bordering Hong Kingdom.

“Junior Brother Jiang, Junior Sister Zhuo, this is Spirit Shuttle Grass,” explained Yan Yuanhao, the guardian of the Hong Kingdom, to Jiang Zongheng and Zhuo Ming. “It is drought-resistant and cold-resistant, with developed roots, and is one of the few spirit plants capable of growing in the desert.”

When Chen Mobai had first visited the Hong Kingdom for inspection, although he hadn't initiated a comprehensive desert control strategy, he had instructed Yan Yuanhao to find spirit plants capable of growing in the desert and plant them along the border between the Hong Kingdom and the Boundless Sand Sea to form a protective barrier against further encroachment by the sand sea. Over the years, Chen Mobai had given Yan Yuanhao only this task, so he had dedicated himself wholeheartedly to constructing the desert defense belt.

Six years later, with the tenacious and persistent character of a Body Refinement cultivator, he had successfully built the defense belt in the most populated areas. In approximately four more years, the Hong Kingdom would be entirely separated from the Boundless Sand Sea. When Chen Mobai had last visited the Hong Kingdom, he often encountered sandstorms sweeping across the sky. While sandstorms still occurred, they no longer obscured vision or filled one's mouth with dust as they used to.

“By accomplishing this, you have accumulated merit,” Chen Mobai stated. He hadn't expected that Yan Yuanhao would diligently carry out a casual instruction of his for six years without pause, treating it as a critical mission.

“It is my duty to fulfill the Sect Master’s command!” replied Yan Yuanhao, his sun-darkened face calm. It was at this moment that Chen Mobai truly took notice of him. This young man possessed a resilient character and could be a prime candidate for future cultivation.

“I’m taking Zongheng and Minger to see the Boundless Sand Sea; you should come along too,” Chen Mobai suggested. At Chen Mobai's words, a hint of joy appeared on Yan Yuanhao’s face, and he immediately leaped onto the colorful cloud.

The group of four flew over the Spirit Shuttle Grass defense belt and entered a desolate, ochre-colored world. Jiang Zongheng was fine, as he taught in the Yan Kingdom and knew that many cultivators from the Hong Kingdom traded goods in Beiyuan City, so he was accustomed to the occasional sandstorms that sometimes extended there. Zhuo Ming, however, had grown up on inland plains and had never witnessed such an endless expanse of barren and desolate desert.

Just then, a massive sandstorm swept in. Chen Mobai halted their flight and transformed his Scarlet Cloud and Misty Silk into a light shield, effortlessly enduring round after round of the powerful storm. After an unknown period of utter darkness, when the sandstorm finally subsided, Zhuo Ming saw the accumulated white bones exposed by the swirling sand, and her face turned a little pale.

“This is the reality of the Boundless Sand Sea, Minger,” Chen Mobai said, “You can consider this your life’s challenge.” After letting his disciple witness the challenging environment firsthand, Chen Mobai activated the Scarlet Cloud and Misty Silk and turned to leave.

“Master, may I go down and touch the ground?” Zhuo Ming suddenly asked. Chen Mobai naturally agreed, and the four descended onto the sand.

Jiang Zongheng and Yan Yuanhao remained unfazed, but the moment Zhuo Ming’s feet touched the sand, she shivered. With trembling hands, she bent down and pressed them onto the sand, which glittered golden in the sunlight after the sandstorm. Though its texture was as fine as pearls, through her Omniscient Spirit Connection, Zhuo Ming perceived only darkness, desolation, deathly stillness, and… a weeping earth! This was the earth’s terminal illness! If not managed properly, in the near future, this Boundless Sand Sea would engulf the entire Eastern Desolation, the Eastern Lands, and even the Tianhe Realm. By then, it would truly be beyond remedy, a day of spiritual decline.

Due to the isolation of the desert, Zhuo Ming's communication with the earth was extremely difficult. She could only faintly hear the pained cries of the earth's meridians and the desperate moans of a land awaiting death.

“Master, I must cure this desert,” Zhuo Ming declared. Zhuo Ming, her face pale, severed her spiritual connection through Omniscient Spirit Connection. Despite possessing this divine ability for many years, it was the first time she had felt the earth’s desperate pain. It was at this moment that she truly understood Chen Mobai’s profound intent in undertaking desert control. It wasn’t merely for accumulated merit, but to save the entire Eastern Desolation, and even the Tianhe Realm!

“This will be an extremely difficult, and possibly even a failing endeavor!” Chen Mobai cautioned. He explained that the Boundless Sand Sea was so vast that even Nascent Soul cultivators could not traverse it. For Zhuo Ming to make the entire desert disappear would be several times more challenging than his own task of unifying the Eastern Desolation.

“If I cannot achieve it, I will take disciples to inherit this will,” Zhuo Ming said with determination. “My disciples will also take disciples, and through endless generations, as long as we do not give up, there will always be a day of success.” Yan Yuanhao and Jiang Zongheng were deeply moved by her words, sensing the vast ambition for transformation contained within them. They looked at the petite, yellow-skinned girl, dressed simply like a village maiden, as if seeing Zhuo Ming for the first time, their eyes filled with awe. No wonder she was the Sect Master’s favorite disciple!

“The premise for endless generations is a peaceful and prosperous era, free from enemy interference,” Chen Mobai declared with a booming laugh, his words imbued with several times Zhuo Ming’s spirit. “Then let your master accomplish this! I will pacify this world and create an eternal peace for you, Minger, to carry out your desert transformation!” Upon hearing this, Jiang Zongheng and Yan Yuanhao both felt their blood surge with excitement. Colorful mist rose beneath Chen Mobai’s feet, and he laughed as he carried everyone, flying away from the Boundless Sand Sea.

“Nephew Yan, you have done very well these past years. Continue your work,” Chen Mobai said before leaving the Hong Kingdom. “After the defense belt, you can try expanding it into a protective forest and experiment with taller, more cold-resistant and drought-tolerant spirit plants.” Controlling the encroachment of the Boundless Sand Sea would eliminate concerns for restoring soil and planting on the Eastern Desolation Plateau without further sand erosion.

Finally, Chen Mobai even proactively asked Yan Yuanhao if he had any questions regarding his cultivation. Although Chen Mobai was not a Body Refinement cultivator, he was a Core Formation expert and might be able to offer solutions. This was a pleasant surprise for Yan Yuanhao. He was even caught a little off guard, pondering for a moment before recalling a persistent problem in his daily cultivation.

He cultivated the Earth Spirit Physique. Chen Mobai used his Formless Puppet to deduce for a bit, easily answering his question and even pointing out deviations in his cultivation practice. “Your foundation has gone astray, but this is not your fault. After all, sect disciples usually obtain cultivation techniques and then comprehend and practice them on their own,” Chen Mobai explained.

Most cultivators in the Eastern Desolation were self-taught, as those who failed to achieve mastery often perished along the way. Therefore, many Foundation Establishment cultivators in the Divine Wood Sect secretly envied Zhuo Ming and Jiang Zongheng for being able to apprentice under a renowned master like Chen Mobai.

After receiving guidance from Chen Mobai, Yan Yuanhao re-cultivated the Earth Spirit Physique and indeed found it much easier than before, with a 30% increase in spiritual energy absorption efficiency.

“In ten years, you will be able to break through to the late Foundation Establishment stage,” Chen Mobai stated. Chen Mobai's final remark greatly delighted Yan Yuanhao. He had been stuck at the peak of the mid-Foundation Establishment stage for thirty years, and had considered his chances of breaking through slim, which was why he had focused his energy and time on desert control. He never expected that this very task would bring him to the Sect Master’s attention. From now on, he resolved to work even harder on desert control!