Chapter 665: Treat Her Like a Daughter

"Oh, the principal opened it for you, then it's fine."

After Chen Mobai heard this, a look of realization appeared on his face. After all, his Six Yang Divine Fire Mirror was also opened with Che Yucheng's help back then. The principal was a level above Che Yucheng, so the minimum grade of the treasure-concealing orb they opened would naturally be higher.

Even so, Chen Mobai felt a pang of envy as he looked at the Taiyi Five Smoke Robe under Xiao Hei's feet. Due to a scarcity of resources, only Ancestor Yun Ya in the entire Wuqi Daoist Academy had managed to fully cultivate this artifact, reaching the peak of fourth-tier. If combined with a formation and sufficient spiritual energy, it could even unleash fifth-tier power.

From Chen Mobai's understanding, it was impossible for such an item to be obtained from a treasure-concealing orb. However, considering Xiao Hei's background, he felt relieved. The Taiyi Five Smoke Robe would just sit idle in the Myriad Treasure Cave; it was better to give it to her. Besides finding a master for this powerful artifact, it could also be used to protect her. In terms of defensive capabilities, this artifact was truly at the pinnacle among fourth-tier artifacts. Although there was virtually no danger in the Immortal Sect, it was at least a kind gesture from Venerable Cheng Xuan. Chen Mobai believed that Ancestor Bai Guang of Wangxian Peak would also know about this.

"With the Taiyi Five Smoke Robe, no one among the Immortal Sect's Foundation Establishment cultivators should be able to break your defenses," he said.

Chen Mobai was most familiar with the power of a fourth-tier artifact. During a sparring match at the Jumang Daoist Academy, Pei Qingshuang had only been able to hold her own against him using a fourth-tier sword, forcing him to exert all his strength just to narrowly win.

Xiao Hei stopped in mid-air and said to Chen Mobai, "My cultivation isn't high enough; this artifact can only exert lower third-tier power at most." Venerable Cheng Xuan had even placed a restriction on it to prevent her spiritual energy from being drained by the artifact.

"Actually, if a cultivator has a spiritual connection with an artifact, it will automatically unleash its power and help you defeat your enemies, even without providing spiritual energy," Chen Mobai said. He felt an inexplicable closeness to the girl before him and couldn't help but tell her the story of himself and the Purple Lightning Sword.

"Teacher, you are a rare sword cultivation genius, unseen in the Immortal Sect for a thousand years. I'm certainly not as good as you," Xiao Hei replied. She was self-aware about this and didn't dare compare herself to him.

"We seem to be fated," Chen Mobai mused. "I'll help you out then..."

Chen Mobai considered that as the future master of the Wuqi Daoist Academy, it was important to maintain good relations with Wangxian Peak, so he decided to make a small sacrifice. He used the Empty Valley Sound to communicate with the Taiyi Five Smoke Robe. At first, the artifact spirit seemed rather aloof. Then, Chen Mobai reached out and stroked the shimmering five-colored aura in front of him, secretly taking a water spirit pearl from his domain and slipping it inside.

In an instant, the Taiyi Five Smoke Robe erupted with unprecedented brilliant light. Most of it immediately flew out from under Xiao Hei, circling around Chen Mobai, lifting him, who had originally been sitting, into the air. He communicated: "Take this pearl for nourishment. In the future, if she encounters danger, remember to protect her well."

The Taiyi Five Smoke Robe was an artifact of the five elements. Chen Mobai gave it a water spirit pearl equivalent to a high-grade spirit stone, which it could fully refine. His request was simple. Through the Empty Valley Sound communication, Chen Mobai saw that the artifact spirit was a five-colored ball of light, and it conveyed a very confident message: "Rest assured, as long as I am here, she will be safe."

Xiao Hei, standing nearby, couldn't help but gape at the scene. She had possessed this artifact for nearly ten years but had never been able to access its innermost core, let alone communicate with or even see the artifact spirit. Yet, Chen Mobai merely moved his spiritual sense and touched it, and he had already established a spiritual connection with the Taiyi Five Smoke Robe. She even felt that if Chen Mobai willed it, her artifact would immediately recognize him as its master.

"I've already communicated with the artifact spirit…" Chen Mobai said, retracting his right hand, which had been stroking the Taiyi Five Smoke Robe. He told her that he had arranged for the artifact to protect Xiao Hei when she was in the gravest danger.

At the same time, the five-colored aura reluctantly returned to Xiao Hei's side. Hearing his words, Xiao Hei's shock intensified. "Is this the most talented individual the Immortal Sect has seen in a thousand years! Even his artifact manipulation skills were this powerful." Xiao Hei hadn't seen Chen Mobai slip in the pearls. Comparing her own ten years of fruitless effort, a profound admiration for him, like gazing at a majestic mountain, welled up within her.

Chen Mobai waved his hand, signaling that it was almost time and Xiao Hei should go prepare for tomorrow's Daoist Academy sparring competition.

"Thank you, Teacher!"

As Xiao Hei thanked him and left, looking at the Taiyi Five Smoke Robe under her feet, a bold idea suddenly sprang to mind.

Three days later, Chen Mobai, who was meditating and cultivating in the Myriad Treasure Cave, was summoned by Che Yucheng to the principal's office. As soon as he entered, he saw Xiao Hei, who looked disgruntled. However, upon seeing him, she immediately lowered her head, feeling guilty.

"What's going on?" Chen Mobai saw Venerable Cheng Xuan and Che Yucheng frowning, their faces filled with awkwardness. His heart suddenly sank, feeling as if he had done something wrong.

"This child used the contract you established through communication with the Taiyi Five Smoke Robe," Che Yucheng explained, "deliberately putting herself on the brink of life and death during the fights. She won battle after battle, defeating all her opponents and claiming the championship!"

After hearing Che Yucheng's words, Chen Mobai's eyes widened in disbelief. He immediately glared at Xiao Hei. The latter instantly moved, hiding behind Venerable Cheng Xuan's desk, keeping her head down the entire time, not daring to look at him.

"Ah, it's my fault!" Chen Mobai sighed. He felt an urge to scold her, but seeing the little girl's head bowed, looking timid and pitiful, he just couldn't bring himself to do it. After a long moment of deliberation, he could only utter that single sentence.

"You meant well, how can we blame you?" Venerable Cheng Xuan said, settling the matter. "We can only blame this child for her excessive desire to win." After speaking, Venerable Cheng Xuan began to lecture Xiao Hei, who was behind him. As soon as he started, Xiao Hei seemed unwilling to concede and wanted to retort. Chen Mobai, not sure what was going on, couldn't help but glare at her. Xiao Hei, who had just looked up, saw his gaze and immediately recoiled, lowering her head again and docilely listening to the lecture. As Venerable Cheng Xuan continued speaking, Che Yucheng also chimed in with his own lecture. Finally, Chen Mobai couldn't resist either. All three began to thoroughly lecture Xiao Hei. They continued until tears welled up in Xiao Hei's eyes and she looked on the verge of crying, only then did the three of them stop.

"Alas, we still need to clean up this mess for you," Venerable Cheng Xuan said.

"What? Can't she take first place?" Chen Mobai asked, somewhat puzzled.

"It's not that she can't take it," Che Yucheng explained, "but before this offline sparring competition, Kunpeng Daoist Academy had communicated with us. We agreed to offer a fourth-tier Vermilion Fruit to the first-place winner. Although we don't know why that fellow Bai Lang needed it, Nan Dou was willing to exchange an Azure Dragon Carp for it, so we agreed."

"Isn't the Azure Dragon Carp a protected spirit beast?" Chen Mobai asked, surprised.

"It's protected in the Immortal Sect, but in the territory of the Sea Spirit Venerables, it can still be consumed," Che Yucheng replied. "Once Bai Lang gets the Vermilion Fruit, she'll get one of Kunpeng Daoist Academy's exchange student slots to the sea region next year. If she's lucky, she might find enough Azure Dragon Carp in the sea region to consume, allowing her water spirit root to increase to over 80 points in less time."

Che Yucheng's words made Xiao Hei, who was standing nearby, involuntarily lift her head.

"Why wasn't I told about this?"

"How was I supposed to know you'd use such unorthodox methods to get first place?" In the eyes of Venerable Cheng Xuan and Che Yucheng, Xiao Hei was certainly no match for Bai Lang, and they had believed everything was going according to plan. But now that she had suddenly swept aside all opponents with the Taiyi Five Smoke Robe, from the perspective of other Daoist Academies, it seemed as if Wuqi Daoist Academy was going back on its word and not following the agreed-upon terms. For Daoist Academies, which relied on unspoken understanding to maintain trust, if this was not handled properly, it could have very serious consequences.

"So what do we do now?" Xiao Hei was getting anxious now. A fourth-tier Vermilion Fruit was completely useless to her. The Azure Dragon Carp, which could improve her water spirit root, was what she urgently needed.

"Why can't she just trade the Vermilion Fruit for the Azure Dragon Carp?" Chen Mobai suggested.

"This creature is designated a protected spirit beast in the Immortal Sect; consuming it here is illegal. To eat it and improve your water spirit root, you can only do so in the sea region. However, your words reminded me: as long as the final outcome matches the plan, everything can still be maintained." As Che Yucheng spoke, he went out to call Daoist Nan Dou of Kunpeng Daoist Academy. This matter wasn't major, but it wasn't trivial either, though it certainly didn't warrant Venerable Cheng Xuan's personal intervention. Only when Golden Core True Persons couldn't handle things would Nascent Soul Venerables communicate directly.

A short while later, Che Yucheng returned, stating that he had settled everything. Next year, Xiao Hei would study at Kunpeng Daoist Academy, then be sent as an exchange student to the sea region for further cultivation. Once in the sea region, she would use the Vermilion Fruit she won as champion to exchange for Azure Dragon Carp with Bai Lang.

"The Azure Dragon Carp is quite precious; they can only arrange for three of them there," Che Yucheng continued. "You'll have to work hard for the rest. If you can purify yourself with Heavenly Realm Pure Water, you won't need to struggle at Jumang Daoist Academy in the future." Among the spiritual items in the Immortal Sect that could enhance water spirit roots, the most famous were the Azure Dragon Carp and Heavenly One Spirit Water. However, even these two combined were no match for Heavenly Realm Pure Water, which was a supreme spiritual item condensed by a Spirit Venerable, capable of directly forming a Heavenly Water Spirit Root. If Xiao Hei had followed Yu Huiping's advice and enrolled in Kunpeng Daoist Academy from the start, she would already be in the sea region now.

"Once you're there, without our protection, you must learn to curb your temper…"

The end of the offline sparring exchange meant that Xiao Hei would be graduating from Wuqi Daoist Academy. Time had passed incredibly quickly; the last time Chen Mobai heard Che Yucheng mention her was ten years ago. Xiao Hei felt a touch of sentimentality. For ten years, she had enjoyed smooth sailing in the academy, protected by Venerable Cheng Xuan and Che Yucheng, giving her the feeling of being cherished by elders. Now, suddenly having to leave, she was very reluctant.

After discussing this matter, Venerable Cheng Xuan and Che Yucheng had other things to discuss, so Chen Mobai led Xiao Hei out of Building No. 1. He walked with her down the mountain steps. Neither knew how to begin speaking, and they remained silent.

"I'm sorry!"

"Take out the Taiyi Five Smoke Robe."

Suddenly, both spoke at the same time. Xiao Hei's apology made Chen Mobai pause slightly. He chuckled softly. He had already lectured her earlier, so he said no more.

Chen Mobai was somewhat concerned that after this round of sparring, the Taiyi Five Smoke Robe might have consumed too much energy and might not protect Xiao Hei if she encountered danger in the future. Therefore, he wanted to communicate with the artifact spirit again. Although Xiao Hei didn't fully understand, she obediently handed the Taiyi Five Smoke Robe to him.

"What's up?" Chen Mobai heard the artifact spirit's question through Empty Valley Sound.

Chen Mobai: "You must have used a lot of energy protecting this child earlier, right?"

Artifact Spirit: "Quite a bit. Those three opponents were rather formidable. It would probably take one-tenth of that pearl's spiritual energy to recover. If this continues…"

The Taiyi Five Smoke Robe's artifact spirit had only conveyed half its thought when Chen Mobai slipped five more pearls into it.

Chen Mobai: "This child is going to the sea region soon. I'm not very familiar with the situation there, and only you will be by her side. I hope you can be more understanding and take good care of her."

Artifact Spirit: "True Person, rest assured, from now on, I will protect her as if she were my own daughter."

Feeling the five pearls, brimming with pure and vast water spiritual energy, enter its body, the artifact spirit immediately changed its tune, uttering words that slightly put Chen Mobai at ease. For some reason, he felt a strange sense of closeness whenever he saw Xiao Hei, perhaps because he had held her as a child. Or perhaps it was knowing she was from Wangxian Peak, and as a teacher at Wuqi Daoist Academy, he had an obligation to look after her. This way, when he visited Ancestor Bai Guang in the future, he might gain some extra favor. Perhaps the Ancestor would see his efforts and guide him in the profound mysteries of "One Sword Creating Ten Thousand Laws." Both emotionally and rationally, Chen Mobai felt he should take good care of Xiao Hei.

After he had "communicated" with the Taiyi Five Smoke Robe, the artifact suddenly opened its defenses to Xiao Hei, allowing her spiritual sense to enter its core and begin communicating with the artifact spirit.

"Teacher, you are so good to me!" Xiao Hei naturally knew that this was all due to Chen Mobai's efforts, and her pure and lovely face couldn't help but show a hint of excitement.

"Since you call me 'Teacher,' you are also my disciple," Chen Mobai said. "Before you go to the sea region, as your teacher, I have two more instructions. In unfamiliar places, never try to hog the limelight. The path of cultivation is about who lives longest and travels furthest…" Chen Mobai, speaking from experience, uncharacteristically shared some heartfelt advice.

"Teacher, didn't you sweep through the Immortal Sect with your sword when you were young?" Xiao Hei asked, somewhat confused. She was a bit puzzled. Looking back at Chen Mobai's nearly forty years since reaching Foundation Establishment, the word 'low-key' seemed completely unrelated to him.

"Actually, that's what I truly intended," Chen Mobai said with a sigh. "I only wanted to farm and protect my hometown. But alas, no one else in the academy could step up, forcing me to draw my sword and emerge from seclusion to restore past glory!"

Chen Mobai's words, filled with a sense of regret, only made Xiao Hei admire him even more.