Chapter 657: Prosperous Development

Pure Nine-Lotus Lamp:

Because most of the main and auxiliary ingredients for this Rejuvenating Spirit Water had been replaced with materials from the Immortal Sect, Chen Mobai wasn't sure if its efficacy differed from the original Eastern Desolation version.

Although he had great confidence in Venerable Yuanxu's professional expertise, Chen Mobai still stayed for two days to consult thoroughly about the relevant details.

"Out of the nine main ingredients, two came from your blind box, and six others with almost identical efficacy were found on Earth Star. According to the distribution, each of the six major pharmaceutical factories provided one main ingredient."

"Although Profound Astral Dew was unavailable, based on its described medicinal properties and through continuous experimentation, I have newly created a fourth-tier spirit water to replace it."

"As for the remaining auxiliary ingredients, more than half were changed. However, even combined, they are not as important as a single main ingredient, so you needn't worry about the efficacy. This adapted Rejuvenating Spirit Water of mine will only be more excellent and rational than the original version recorded in the elixir formula."

Venerable Yuanxu seemed somewhat displeased with Chen Mobai's concerns, and for once, he spoke at length.

"As expected of the headmaster, only with your intervention could this Rejuvenating Spirit Water be refined so quickly throughout the entire Immortal Sect."

Chen Mobai was speaking from the heart. If not for Venerable Yuanxu, even Venerable Taohua and Venerable Sanjue would not have found it so easy to mobilize the resources of the entire Immortal Sect and the Four Great Daoist Academies, all just to refine an otherworldly elixir formula whose success was unknown.

"Cultivating the Asura Manifestation also requires a spiritual plant of heaven and earth called Soul Nurturing Wood. The piece Yu Jirong inscribed was too low-grade and had already lost its vitality."

"I am currently considering how to replace it with spiritual plants available on Earth Star, or alternatively, to use the piece you obtained from the Void Blind Box as a foundation to refine something akin to a Natal Dharma Artifact."

"However, if we do that, the Asura Manifestation would also need constant modifications to adapt. For this purpose, I have already applied to Teacher Qianxing for assistance from a fifth-tier Heavenly Calculation Bead, which may take a considerable amount of time."

Venerable Yuanxu gave the Rejuvenating Spirit Water to Chen Mobai, but not the Asura Manifestation. He explained that this was because it had not yet been perfected.

According to the laws of the Immortal Sect, it needs to undergo trials and only after multiple people successfully cultivate it and it is certified by an expert panel will it be approved for inclusion in the Immortal Sect's National Library for public download.

Chen Mobai, however, was not at all anxious about this, as his main objective was simply this Rejuvenating Spirit Water.

After the consultation was complete, he did not linger at Butian Daoist Academy. He immediately took the sealed tube of dark blue spirit water and returned to his territory, Danxia City.

Using the familiar excuse of closed-door cultivation, he sealed off the entire peak of Danxia Mountain, then activated his turtle treasure to return to Jumu Ridge.

"'Junior Brother Chen, this, this, this...'"

Inside the Changsheng Wood Dojo, Fu Zongjue stared wide-eyed at the Rejuvenating Spirit Water Chen Mobai had produced, unable to complete his words.

And Zhou Shengqing, who had manifested as a phantom from the Soul Nurturing Wood, was even more excited, almost losing his form.

The prospect of returning from the dead, potentially surpassing his former self, and reaching the pinnacle, filled the old man with an unprecedented surge of emotion and delirious joy just thinking about it.

"'Junior Brother Chen, which alchemy master did you find to refine this Rejuvenating Spirit Water?'"

With great difficulty, Zhou Shengqing suppressed his excited feelings. Remembering the matter that had troubled them for so long, he finally asked.

"'Once, when I was undergoing Core Formation outside, I encountered a mysterious senior outsider in the desolate ruins. He was guarding a fifth-tier spirit herb as it matured. He was a fifth-tier alchemist, and after the herb matured, he needed to refine a batch of elixirs on the spot. Unable to divide himself, he asked me to help him gather some medicinal ingredients.'"

"'After the elixir was formed, he gave me a talisman, telling me that if I encountered difficulties, I could activate it, and as long as it wasn't an impossible task, he could help me accomplish it.'"

"'When Mount Liujia was annihilated, besides the jade slip for the Dharma Body Nascent Soul, there were also two sealed black jade boxes. After finding a way to open them, I discovered they contained the most crucial ingredients for refining Rejuvenating Spirit Water: the Nirvanic Flower and Nine-Dragon Locust Horn. That's when I thought of asking this senior for help.'"

Chen Mobai spoke of a mysterious outsider who made both Zhou Shengqing and Fu Zongjue feel a jolt of surprise.

He had spent the entire last year waiting for news of the Rejuvenating Spirit Water at the Immortal Sect, which was why he devised this excuse.

To make it more realistic, he had even deliberately gone out to visit a friend at a specific time.

When he left, he took all the medicinal ingredients related to the Rejuvenating Spirit Water that Shenmu Sect had collected. Then, he immediately disappeared after leaving, entering the Divine Tree Secret Realm to return to the Immortal Sect.

"'At the very least, he's a Nascent Soul cultivator, and perhaps even an old Transformation God realm expert wandering the mundane world!'"

Zhou Shengqing and Fu Zongjue had no doubt about Chen Mobai's words. Based on the mention of a fifth-tier spirit herb and a fifth-tier alchemist, they made a bold guess.

"'He must be one of the True Monarchs from the Eastern Land Holy Land. If he were from the demonic path, he wouldn't be so reasonable and accommodating.'"

Throughout the six realms of the Eastern Domain, only the Eastern Land and Eastern Li possessed such ancient experts. Hearing about Chen Mobai's fortune, both of them rejoiced at his good luck.

"'It's a pity such a tremendous opportunity was used up just to refine a single batch of Rejuvenating Spirit Water...'"

Zhou Shengqing felt very guilty about this. After all, if he truly was an old Transformation God realm expert, one chance for him to act might have been enough to exchange for a batch of Three-Light Divine Water from the Xingtian Dao Sect in Dongyue.

"'True strength comes from within. If Senior Brother Zhou can achieve Nascent Soul, then our Shenmu Sect will truly be able to unify the Eastern Desolation, and both Senior Brother Fu and I, and even the disciples below us, will feel more proud and at ease.'"

Chen Mobai's words made Zhou Shengqing's expression solemn. After taking the bottle of Rejuvenating Spirit Water, he thanked him solemnly.

"'Junior Brother Chen, rest assured, the day I emerge from seclusion will be the day Shenmu Sect asserts its dominance over the Eastern Desolation.'"

Hearing this, Chen Mobai and Fu Zongjue exchanged a smile. They then jointly sealed Zhou Shengqing's Changsheng Wood Dojo to ensure no one would disturb his process of transforming into a Dharma Body Nascent Soul.

"'It should take two to three years. During this period, we should try our best not to provoke conflict and hope others don't provoke us either.'"

Fu Zongjue said with emotion, and Chen Mobai nodded.

Next, they would maintain a quiet presence. As long as they waited for Zhou Shengqing to form his Dharma Body Nascent Soul and emerge from seclusion, the overall situation in the Eastern Desolation would be unchangeable.

Naturally, to his subordinates, Chen Mobai's stated reason was that the sect needed to recuperate after annihilating Mount Liujia, and their primary goals would now be to develop the Eastern Desolation Plateau and manage the Sand Sea.

Fu Zongjue placed his most powerful Purple Sun Puppet in front of Zhou Shengqing's door. To ensure the secrecy of the news, they didn't even inform Mo Douguang.

Chen Mobai, meanwhile, emerged from seclusion as usual and began handling sect affairs.

However, Yue Zutao and the others, whom he had trained, were all very dedicated and diligent. Coupled with the fact that his word was law in the sect, these trivial matters would essentially no longer consume too much of his energy.

Chen Mobai paid special attention to the Eastern Desolation Plateau.

According to the annual reports from the guardians of various countries, he learned that the progress on the Mo River in Xiaoguo was slightly slower due to insufficient manpower. Additionally, the water flow in Yunmeng Marsh was too turbulent, causing severe soil erosion along both riverbanks, which led to soil degradation and decreased fertility.

Moreover, if they weren't careful, demonic beasts from Yunmeng Marsh would enter through the water, greatly distracting Luo Xue'er and Zhou Wangshen.

However, these issues were due to a lack of experience, as opening such a massive river channel was a first for the entire Eastern Desolation.

Luo Xue'er, with the assistance of Zhou Wangshen, was continuously making improvements. During this time, Zhuo Ming and others also went to help, jointly discussing and finding solutions based on the practical problems they encountered.

Compared to the Mo River, the Bai River project was much smoother. With Luo Yixuan, a hidden Core Formation cultivator, present, she could secretly use her Outer Incarnation whenever they encountered development problems that ordinary cultivators couldn't solve, allowing Grandma Ming to wield the Moon Splendor Blade to cut through mountains and open roads.

Moreover, regarding soil erosion, Zhuo Ming, the Shenmu Sect's top spiritual plant cultivator, along with Yin Qingmei's assistance through her "Helping Seedlings Grow" technique, ensured that tree planting and soil stabilization efforts were exceptionally well-done.

Currently, one-fifth of the planned irrigation routes for the Bai River have been completed.

This was because they lacked practical experience in the initial stages and were all groping their way forward. For the remaining four-fifths, Zhuo Ming was confident they could complete the entire project within six years.

The areas of the Eastern Desolation Plateau irrigated by the Bai River were already covered in lush, waist-high Green Luo Grass. Locally bred antelopes, yaks, and other livestock, with abundant pasture, began to breed and grow in herds under the pasturing of the sect's spiritual beast division disciples.

Although these cattle and sheep were merely ordinary first-tier spiritual beasts, their entire bodies could be sold. Their hides could be made into magic robes, boots, and other items, while their qi-rich meat, along with spirit rice, was sold far and wide to the nineteen nations of the Eastern Desolation, greatly favored by body cultivators.

Over the past year, the spiritual beasts pastured and raised by Shenmu Sect in Yangguo brought in an income of 100,000 spirit stones.

Compared to the overall situation of the sect, this was merely a drop in the ocean, negligible. However, Chen Mobai saw a vast future.

Once the Bai River is fully developed and irrigates the entirety of Yangguo, and the livestock industry forms an even larger scale, the income could at least increase tenfold.

And the entire Eastern Desolation Plateau is not limited to just Yangguo.

Besides cattle and sheep, even more valuable were the spirit fields irrigated by snowmelt from the mountains.

Farming was Zhuo Ming's forte. Within two and a half years in Yangguo, she led disciples from Shenmu Sect and Changsheng Academy to open up a full 10,000 mu of first-tier spirit fields.

All of these fields were planted with Fire Spirit Rice, a variety that is easiest to cultivate and highly suitable for the plateau's climate and environment.

These 10,000 mu of Fire Spirit Rice yield two harvests a year, producing three million jin annually. If all sold, this would generate an income of 300,000 spirit stones.

If all 30 million mu of spirit fields on the Eastern Desolation Plateau were developed, just by planting this Fire Spirit Rice, Shenmu Sect could harvest crops worth 900 million spirit stones annually.

Within the sect, far-sighted cultivators like Yue Zutao had already seen the tremendous potential of the Eastern Desolation Plateau after its full development, as detailed in the first spirit rice income report.

It was precisely for this reason that, starting in the middle of last year, cultivators from the Three Halls and Twelve Divisions of Jumu Ridge began to more frequently and actively undertake tasks for developing the Eastern Desolation Plateau.

Disciples from the Spiritual Beast Division went to pasture, those from the Spirit Vein and Spiritual Plant Division cultivated spirit fields and planted spirit rice or medicinal ingredients, Puppet Division disciples manufactured and repaired puppet farm machinery, and cultivators from the Body Forging Division transported crops.

Even those who knew no specific skills but only spells could take on tasks. They could build a thatched hut in the spirit fields, cultivating while guarding the spiritual plants and preventing damage to crops from birds and beasts above, or insect pests below.

The reason for such high enthusiasm was that, besides the spirit stones paid by the sect, Zhuo Ming also introduced a policy of subsidizing each disciple with Fire Spirit Rice daily.

The quantity was based on cultivation level: one jin per day for early Qi Condensation, two jin per day for middle Qi Condensation, and three jin per day for late Qi Condensation.

Last year, while Chen Mobai was waiting for the Rejuvenating Spirit Water at the Immortal Sect, Shenmu Sect's disciples experienced the joy of eating spirit rice to their heart's content for the first time!

Previously, although the sect distributed spirit rice monthly, disciples had to eat sparingly, even mixing it with ordinary rice when cooking. Now, however, if they came to Yangguo, they could eat until they were full, even stuffed.

At first, this policy was only implemented in Yangguo, but it drew strong protests from Luo Xue'er and Zhou Wangshen. This was because the sect's active workforce was entirely drawn to Yangguo, causing the Mo River's progress in their Xiaoguo to severely lag in comparison.

If Luo Yixuan and Yin Qingmei had been in charge, they would naturally have ignored the protests. However, Zhuo Ming was kind-hearted and had long been influenced by Chen Mobai, so besides providing some Fire Spirit Rice to Xiaoguo, she also specifically went there to guide the cultivation of spirit fields and planting of spirit rice.

Teaching someone how to fish is better than giving them a fish.

But even so, Xiaonan Mountain's golden reputation remained more attractive, and Shenmu Sect's disciples still preferred to choose tasks in Yangguo when taking on assignments.

Upon learning this, Chen Mobai also nodded in approval of Zhuo Ming's actions.

Whether it was using spirit rice subsidies to attract more Shenmu Sect disciples to develop the Eastern Desolation Plateau, preventing prices from plummeting after a large influx of spirit rice into the market, or assisting Xiaoguo, these were all choices he would have made.

Indeed, she was worthy of being his inheritor, possessing a third of his breadth of mind and magnanimity.

Chen Mobai, who had originally planned to go and guide the Eastern Desolation Plateau after emerging from seclusion, was now completely at ease.

The disciples who were once under his protection could now undertake great responsibilities.

After dealing with sect affairs, Chen Mobai went for a stroll around Xiaonan Mountain.

After all, with Zhuo Ming no longer overseeing them, he was still a bit worried about the Immortal Peach Trees and other spiritual plants cultivated there.

However, in reality, he was overthinking it.

The three Foundation Establishment cultivators from the Spiritual Plant Division treated Xiaonan Mountain as their top priority. Although they didn't have a spiritual plant cultivator as outstanding as Zhuo Ming, their quantity made up for any lack in individual quality.

Under the continuous day and night care of dozens of disciples, all the spiritual plants grew very well.

Even the Dao Comprehension White Tea successfully absorbed the essence of the Green Cicada Spirit Tree by the end of last year and upgraded to a second-tier high-grade.

This speed was half a year faster than Chen Mobai had expected.

This was likely due to Xiaonan Mountain's spirit vein having upgraded to the fourth-tier.

While Chen Mobai was using the Sound of the Empty Valley to listen to this tea tree, his eldest disciple Liu Wenbai received news of his emergence from seclusion and came over with Song Huangda.