Chapter 664: Taiyi Five Smoke Net

Pure Nine Lotus Lantern.

Chen Mobai looked up at the sound, his eyes lighting up.

A slender, pure young woman with a delicate waist was ascending the stairs, carrying a stack of documents. She wore a lightweight black blouse and a knee-length black skirt, which accentuated her remarkably fair skin, as smooth as congealed fat. The moment she saw Chen Mobai, a genuinely surprised smile bloomed on her face.

With light steps, her gracefully curved legs, clad in black stockings and small, round-toed leather boots, tapped lightly on a step before she instantly leaped to Chen Mobai's side.

Seeing the vibrant young woman land before him, Chen Mobai's gaze momentarily unfocused. It was as if he had seen an old friend he hadn't met in a long time. But Chen Mobai was certain the girl before him was not that person. He hesitated before asking, "You are...?"

"Uncle, I'm Xiao Hei! When I was little, I got lost in the Five Peaks Immortal Mountain, and you were the one who saved me."

Hearing this, Chen Mobai's expression cleared with understanding. He naturally had a deep impression of someone who might be a descendant of the White Light Ancestor's lineage. Girls change a lot as they grow; the shy little girl of the past had transformed completely. Her features had fully matured, making her graceful, tall, and strikingly beautiful.

"You've become so beautiful, I certainly wouldn't have recognized you."

Chen Mobai's words made her beam with joy, appearing very pleased.

"Uncle, why are you at the Daoist Academy?"

"The Headmaster needed me for something, so I had no choice but to come." Chen Mobai shook his head, explaining that he had originally wanted peace and quiet in Danxia City, but Headmaster Cheng Xuan had summoned him, leaving him no option but to come.

"The Headmaster can be quite long-winded and annoying sometimes, always lecturing me."

Unexpectedly, Chen Mobai's words touched a raw nerve with Xiao Hei, and she suddenly began complaining about Headmaster Cheng Xuan.

After hearing this, Chen Mobai's eye twitched slightly. He remained silent, not daring to agree. Chen Mobai had heard from Che Yucheng about Xiao Hei's background; she dared to criticize a Nascent Soul Venerable because of her powerful connections. Although Chen Mobai was renowned for his Essence Soul potential, he genuinely wouldn't dare speak ill of a Nascent Soul behind their back.

"Xiao Chen, bring her up."

Clearly, every word Xiao Hei spoke in front of Building No. 1 had reached Headmaster Cheng Xuan's ears upstairs. Soon, his resigned voice echoed beside them.

"Yes, Headmaster!"

Chen Mobai, who had been about to leave, could only turn around and, accompanied by the cheerful, pure young woman beside him, re-entered the Headmaster's office. Che Yucheng was still inside.

"Here, this is the final match schedule!" After entering, Xiao Hei was completely unceremonious, directly handing the documents she held to Headmaster Cheng Xuan's desk.

At the Headmaster's glance, Che Yucheng took the documents, reviewed them, and confirmed there were no issues.

"What match schedule?" Chen Mobai didn't know what it was and couldn't help but feel curious.

"This time, the offline sparring exchange between the Daoist Academies is hosted by our Chicheng Mountain. There are only eight participants left in the final showdown to determine the rankings..." Xiao Hei, standing nearby, immediately jumped in to explain before Headmaster Cheng Xuan and Che Yucheng could speak.

"Oh, I see. How are our academy's rankings looking?" Chen Mobai asked again. Xiao Hei immediately puffed out her chest, but this time she didn't answer. Instead, she looked at Headmaster Cheng Xuan and Che Yucheng, constantly gesturing with her eyes.

"Ahem, it's not bad. This year's student council president has a bit of your demeanor and secured one of the eight spots—that would be your classmate here." Che Yucheng's words brought an undisguised smile to Xiao Hei's face. She tilted her head slightly towards Chen Mobai, a hint of demureness about her.

"Only one? The academy is far from what it used to be." Chen Mobai, however, slightly frowned and said something that made all three people present feel a bit awkward.

"There are many geniuses in the Daoist Academies this year. It's already very difficult for her to secure one of those spots." Che Yucheng spoke, and he, usually so strict, actually praised Xiao Hei.

Chen Mobai: "Which geniuses are there?"

Che Yucheng: "Among the eight, Ju Mang Daoist Academy also has only one, a Heavenly Earth Spirit Root, and their ranking is even lower than hers."

This statement was intended to show how outstanding Xiao Hei was, but after hearing it, Chen Mobai shook his head slightly and spoke of the past. "Just a mere Heavenly Spirit Root. In my generation, if one hadn't cultivated the Evergreen Technique, they wouldn't even have been qualified to stand before me."

Xiao Hei, who had just been nodding in agreement with Che Yucheng's words, heard Chen Mobai's remark and couldn't help but pout, wanting to say something. But remembering Chen Mobai's glorious record of single-handedly suppressing all Foundation Establishment prodigies in the entire Immortal Sect during his time at the academy, she could only lower her head.

Che Yucheng: "Ban Rui from Butian Daoist Academy is a genius personally trained by Primordial Void Venerable. His mastery of the 'Inch Square Tome' is no less than that of veteran Foundation Establishment cultivators like Daoist Masters Lou Fengcheng and Ling."

Chen Mobai: "Daoist Masters Lou Fengcheng and Ling combined couldn't withstand ten moves against me."

This statement made Xiao Hei, who had just been about to raise her head and claim she was on par with Ban Rui, lower her head again.

Che Yucheng: "Bai Lang and Shuijing from Kunpeng Daoist Academy. The former has mastered the 'Wind and Rain' sections of the Six Controls Scripture, and the latter has mastered the 'Obscurity and Clarity' sections. They are no less talented than Lan Haitian was in his time."

Hearing this, Chen Mobai was finally a little surprised. The Six Controls Scripture was reputed to be the most profound, intricate, and mysterious Essence Soul technique in the Immortal Sect. Mastering even one section of it already marked one as a genius among geniuses. Normally, one could suppress everyone else of their generation. Mastering two sections was like Lan Haitian, who dominated for sixty years above and below his generation. Had Chen Mobai not emerged unexpectedly, he would likely still be considered the most talented in the Immortal Sect. Kunpeng Academy had now produced two such individuals at once.

"Such talents... without a chief like me, they truly couldn't be suppressed." Chen Mobai nodded, speaking his honest thoughts.

The three people in the room fell silent upon hearing this. It was the truth! But someone with your Essence Soul potential is truly rare, only a handful since the founding of the Wuqi Daoist Academy.

"These two students from Kunpeng Daoist Academy, I heard they aren't human?" Chen Mobai recalled something Wenren Xuewei had once mentioned and couldn't help but ask.

"Yes, they are beings from the Sea Domain. Their true origins haven't been revealed because no one in sparring has yet been able to force them to show their true forms." Headmaster Cheng Xuan spoke, noting that the Sea Domain belonged to that Spirit Venerable, and even they, Nascent Soul Venerables, dared not pry into it.

The other students among the eight, capable of competing against the geniuses from the four major Daoist Academies, were also extraordinary. They possessed innate Sword Hearts, Primordial Spirit Dao Bones, Profound Yang Spiritual Bodies, and more. When combined with their corresponding cultivation methods, their combat prowess was no less than that of those with Heavenly Spirit Roots.

"Hmm, not bad. The quality of this generation is almost comparable to mine." After reading the list, Chen Mobai couldn't help but nod in approval.

"What quality was there in your generation besides you? You should know that those who contended against you at Ju Mang Daoist Academy were the most outstanding Foundation Establishment geniuses accumulated by the Daoist Academies over the past century—they weren't from your generation!" Che Yucheng corrected him, trying to avoid disheartening Xiao Hei, who was looking increasingly deflated beside them.

"You're right. Apart from me, my generation didn't seem to have anyone particularly brilliant." Chen Mobai continued to nod. The only one who could truly catch his eye was Zhongli Tianyu from his own academy, but unfortunately, he had given up now. The only other opponent who left an impression on him was Wenren Xuewei, a practitioner of the Evergreen Technique. As for the rest, they were all defeated opponents! And Chen Mobai never bothered to pay attention to those he had defeated.

"So, our goal this time is to contend for third place." As Che Yucheng spoke, he gestured towards the dispirited Xiao Hei, who stood beside Chen Mobai, disheartened. She was the chief student of Wuqi Daoist Academy, and also the hope of the entire academy.

"What a pity, I've already formed my Core..." Chen Mobai said with a sigh of regret. If he were still at Foundation Establishment, he truly would want to emulate the shameless tactics of the major Daoist Academies back then and bully the younger generation.

"It's good you're here. The voting will also take place after this semester's graduation. Use this time to guide her. In terms of combat, no one in the entire Immortal Sect can surpass you." Headmaster Cheng Xuan finally spoke. It seemed he had already thought of this point when he summoned Chen Mobai, making good use of the opportunity.

"I'm very strict, you know." Chen Mobai naturally wouldn't refuse, but he always had high expectations for his disciples and wondered if the prodigies of the Immortal Sect could handle it. After all, in the Eastern Barrens, due to local customs, all disciples held their teachers in deep reverence and were exceptionally obedient. No matter how demanding the requirements, Liu Wenbai and his four disciples would strive to fulfill them.

"Uncle Chen, don't worry, I can endure a lot of hardship," Xiao Hei immediately straightened up and patted her chest, declaring.

"Since I'm going to teach you, call me 'Teacher'."

"Okay, Teacher Chen!"

"Just 'Teacher' is fine, no need for the surname. It sounds more amiable."

"Okay, Teacher!"

When Chen Mobai left with Xiao Hei, Che Yucheng also took his leave. Headmaster Cheng Xuan went to the window, watching the departing young man and woman, and let out a small sigh of relief.

"First, tell me about the cultivation method you practice and what you specialize in." Chen Mobai took Xiao Hei to a secluded spot in the Myriad Treasures Cave, ready to begin guiding her in combat techniques.

"Teacher, I cultivate the Five Elements Art, use Five Elements spells, and I also have a protective magical artifact that I drew from an Artifact Orb," Xiao Hei looked at the young man before her with bright eyes and answered.

"For combat, foundation is paramount. If you want to improve, it requires cumulative effort and dedication over time. Since there's only half a month until the final sparring exchange at the Daoist Academies, I'll first help you solidify your foundation." Chen Mobai had a strong sense of responsibility when it came to teaching. Although he was confident he could significantly improve Xiao Hei's combat skills in a short time, this would be unhelpful for her future cultivation. It was better to start with the foundation, prioritizing greater achievements in the future. Moreover, the primary purpose of the Five Elements Art cultivation method was to lay a strong foundation. He knew Xiao Hei possessed a Pure Yin Body, but her Fire Spirit Root was the most outstanding. Therefore, it was best for her not to be distracted by other things until her Water Spirit Root reached a sufficient level.

Next, Xiao Hei demonstrated the Five Elements spells she had mastered. In Chen Mobai's eyes, they were naturally full of flaws. Regarding Five Elements spells, she was most proficient in fire-attributed ones, followed by water, while her mastery of the other three elements was significantly weaker. Chen Mobai immediately couldn't help but begin to instruct her, teaching her the transformations between Five Elements spells, how to rapidly evolve them using the mutually generative cycle of the Five Elements, and how to utilize her ability to use all five elements to effortlessly suppress and counter opponents.

He had originally thought that in just half a month, Xiao Hei would at best only grasp the basics. However, Chen Mobai discovered that her talent for combat was remarkably outstanding; she understood almost everything instantly. However, her understanding of the Five Elements spell evolutions he taught was limited to comprehension; in actual practice, she still couldn't execute them as smoothly as he could. Chen Mobai could achieve this with ease because he was at the Core Formation stage and had cultivated the Everlasting Sect's Two Phases Rotation Co-Cultivation Technique for many years.

"This requires long periods of refinement and practice. When you have free time in the future, you can go to Little Chitian more often and choose opponents of similar strength. That's how I honed my peerless Sword Dao realm back then!" Chen Mobai spoke, realizing that he had been teaching for half a month already. Tomorrow was the final showdown among the eight participants in the Daoist Academies' offline sparring exchange.

"Teacher, isn't there a shortcut? I want to get first place!" Just as they were about to part ways, Xiao Hei hesitated, then suddenly spoke.

"I told you from the start, only gradual accumulation is the proper path." Chen Mobai's expression turned serious. He naturally knew there were other methods, but he didn't want Xiao Hei to win so easily by relying on them. Because if she did, her future life would be like his, plagued by the emptiness of having no worthy opponents. It was precisely for this reason that after reaching Foundation Establishment, Chen Mobai spent most of his time in the Eastern Barrens, as no one in the Immortal Sect dared to challenge him anymore. As soon as he went online in Little Chitian, anyone on his friends list would basically log off immediately. Knowing they couldn't win, who would want to be brutalized? Even the arrogant Zhongli Tianyu would directly refuse his challenges and just give up, which greatly disappointed Chen Mobai. So, he could only come to the Eastern Barrens and temper his improved realm and strength by destroying sects and exterminating clans!

"Oh, okay then." Upon hearing this, Xiao Hei's face showed disappointment. She then politely bid farewell to Chen Mobai, stomped her feet, and a brilliant multicolored cloud rose from beneath her round-toed leather boots, carrying her away from the Myriad Treasures Cave.

"Oh, the grade of your Scarlet Cloud Mist Robe doesn't seem low." Chen Mobai was slightly surprised to see this. Although it was forbidden to casually pry in the Immortal Sect, his excellent discernment and years of experience allowed him to recognize its extraordinary quality.

"Teacher, this is a protective magical artifact I opened from an Artifact Orb. It's called the Grand Unity Five Mist Robe. With this protection, I was able to make it all the way to the finals." Hearing Xiao Hei's words, Chen Mobai's eyes widened instantly. There was only one Grand Unity Five Mist Robe in the entire Wuqi Daoist Academy!

"You opened this thing from an Artifact Orb?"

"Yes, the Headmaster personally took me to open it!"