Chapter 666: Another Nascent Soul Behind the Dancing Instrument Background

Pure Nine-Lotus Lantern

Before graduation, the Martial Arts Daoist Academy held a seminar.

Qin Beichen, an in-house teacher, invited renowned alumnus Chen Mobai to speak about the Soul Transformation Great Method, "Pure Yang Scroll."

It so happened that the offline sparring exchange had just concluded, and most people had not yet left. As soon as they heard that Chen Mobai, who had the potential for Soul Transformation, had arrived, everyone rushed to use their connections to reserve tickets for the seminar.

This was especially true for Pang Yingru, the genius from Pure Yang Academy who possessed a Profound Yang Spirit Body.

While Chen Mobai and Qin Beichen were giving their talk, he listened most attentively and carefully.

His Profound Yang Spirit Body was a weakened version of the Pure Yang Body. However, even so, cultivating the Pure Yang Scroll gave him a unique advantage, as the Profound Yang Spirit Body started at an equivalent of the Fourth Yang Realm of the Pure Yang Dharma Body.

Compared to ordinary students, this could save at least ten to twenty years.

And most importantly, this type of spirit body inherently carried a wisp of Profound Yang Qi. When forming a Golden Core in the future, although it could not compare to a Heavenly Spirit Root, it was still beneficial.

After the seminar concluded, Pang Yingru still had many questions he had accumulated during his daily cultivation that he wished to ask Chen Mobai. However, just as he was about to raise his hand to ask a question, he was stopped by Xiao Hei, who was in charge of managing the scene.

"The teacher is very busy; don't disturb his time."

As a Pure Yin Body, Xiao Hei and Pang Yingru, with his Profound Yang Spirit Body, were naturally at odds and found each other irritating.

Furthermore, coupled with the historical issues between Pure Yang Academy and the Martial Arts Daoist Academy, the two truly fought with intensity during their sparring match.

Pang Yingru was Xiao Hei's opponent in the top 8 to top 4 round. It was precisely because of this that she desperately wanted to win, which then unleashed the power of the Grand Unity Five Smokes Gauze. Ultimately, she couldn't control her desire to win and went on to clinch the championship.

"Let him come over."

However, Chen Mobai noticed this. Although he had many grievances with Pure Yang Academy when he was young, now, as a Golden Core cultivator, his perspective had broadened. Seeing a talented and eager-to-learn junior, he couldn't help but want to offer some guidance.

Xiao Hei could only let Pang Yingru approach. The latter bowed to Chen Mobai and Qin Beichen, who were about to leave, and nervously and hesitantly asked about the problems he encountered in his cultivation.

Although Pure Yang Academy claimed to be the direct lineage of Patriarch Yuanyang, in reality, very few people in the entire academy truly cultivated the Pure Yang Scroll.

After all, the Pure Yang Scroll is easy to learn but difficult to master. The further one progresses, the more time and effort are required. If there are no resources, just forming the Pure Yang Dharma Body would exhaust all of a cultivator's mental energy.

Even a Golden Core genius like Qin Beichen eventually gave up regretfully, not to mention those from Pure Yang Academy.

And because there are almost no prerequisites for entry, the Pure Yang Scroll is considered the Soul Transformation cultivation method with the most practitioners and the largest sample size in the entire Immortal Gate.

Furthermore, with the advanced information in the Immortal Gate, Pure Yang Scroll cultivators can know whether they can complete the Pure Yang Scroll in their lifetime by simply comparing their cultivation progress.

For this cultivation method, the time required during Qi Condensation and Foundation Establishment is not long; any genius can achieve it.

But after forming the Golden Core, if there is no assistance from spirit stones or other resources—unless one has a Heavenly Fire Spirit Root, where most of the effort is only needed to refine a wisp of Pure Yang Qi, and the time can be halved—other cultivators, facing their snail-like progress, will basically fall into despair.

Nangong Xuanyu, the headmaster of Pure Yang Academy, known as the Immortal Gate's foremost Golden Core cultivator, possesses a Heavenly Fire Spirit Root.

It is precisely because of this that he was able to cultivate the Pure Yang Scroll and Yuanyang Sword Art to the peak of the Golden Core realm. But even so, his Pure Yang Dharma Body is said to not yet be perfected, only reaching the Ninth Yang Realm.

And Pang Yingru was currently grappling with this very issue.

His Profound Yang Spirit Body allowed him to save at least ten years before reaching Foundation Establishment.

But after Foundation Establishment, he attempted to cultivate the Pure Yang Dharma Body, only to find that he would need at least fifty to sixty years to reach the Sixth Yang Realm.

If it were just this much time, he could still afford to invest it.

But the key was the Seventh Yang to Ninth Yang Realms after forming the Golden Core.

The fastest in the Immortal Gate's history also took 86 years. Even with his Profound Yang Spirit Body, Pang Yingru had doubts about whether he could complete the Pure Yang Scroll.

After all, besides the Pure Yang Dharma Body, the Pure Yang Scroll's own spiritual energy realm would only require more time.

"If you're going to change your cultivation method after forming the Golden Core, I think it's better to change it now," Qin Beichen, standing by, spoke first. "The time saved this way can be used to further improve and train your essence, qi, and spirit, or even other skills. With your talent, you might even have a chance to attempt Nascent Soul formation in the future."

Although he had switched to the Heaven-Burning Art, he had wasted at least twenty years. If he had switched before forming the Golden Core, or had never practiced the Pure Yang Scroll from the beginning, he would now even be confident in breaking through to the seventh layer of the Golden Core realm.

If he were at the seventh layer of the Golden Core realm, he wouldn't even need Chen Mobai's help; he could confidently secure the qualification to guard the Fifth-Rank Vermilion Fruit Tree himself.

"With your Profound Yang Spirit Body," Qin Beichen continued, "cultivating methods like the Heavenly Yang Great Method or the True Yang Art to the Nascent Soul realm would be no different from using the Pure Yang Scroll. In fact, it might even be faster without the burden of the Pure Yang Dharma Body."

"The only difference is that it would only take you up to the Nascent Soul realm."

"But in the entire Immortal Gate, only Mobai is likely to achieve Soul Transformation using the Pure Yang Scroll. Using my own experience, I advise you to seize the present and not aim too high or be overly ambitious."

Although the Martial Arts Daoist Academy and Pure Yang Academy were at odds, Qin Beichen still displayed great magnanimity, guiding Pang Yingru as someone with experience, hoping this promising talent would not waste too much time on the Pure Yang Scroll.

"Thank you for your guidance, Teacher Qin."

After listening, Pang Yingru humbly accepted the advice, but he still eagerly awaited Chen Mobai, who had been silent, to speak.

"However, I believe it would be too much of a waste if you, with your Profound Yang Spirit Body, did not cultivate the Pure Yang Scroll."

As an ordinary cultivator, Chen Mobai knew best the difficulty of cultivating the Pure Yang Dharma Body. But from the start, he used spirit stones to achieve full-efficiency enhancement, and now, after forty years, he had already cultivated the Eight Yang Body.

"If you can successfully form a Golden Core within sixty years," Chen Mobai explained, "you will just in time for the next Opening War. At that time, the Immortal Gate will definitely open up access to normally restricted resources like spirit stones."

"If you're lucky, you might find a spirit stone mine in another realm and perhaps acquire enough resources to cultivate the Pure Yang Dharma Body to perfection in one go."

"As an Immortal Gate cultivator, since you have the chance for Soul Transformation, no matter how slim the odds, I hope you can push yourself with the greatest drive towards this goal."

Chen Mobai's words made Pang Yingru's eyes light up and filled his heart with unprecedented hope.

"Most importantly, you still need sixty years to have a chance to form a Golden Core anyway. If the other realm you encounter then happens to be a desolate, resource-depleted dead star, it won't be too late to abandon the Pure Yang Scroll."

After hearing these two reasons, Pang Yingru no longer had any doubts and solemnly thanked both Chen Mobai and Qin Beichen.

"Thank you for your guidance, both teachers."

After this interlude, several more students came to ask for advice.

Chen Mobai and Qin Beichen also gave their opinions one by one. After all, as Golden Core cultivators, their vision and perspective far surpassed those at Foundation Establishment, and they could generally ensure that the students gained something.

However, second-generation talents like Xiao Hei, except for Pang Yingru, hardly anyone else came to ask for advice.

After all, such geniuses could consult Golden Core cultivators at any time in school and had long understood the path most likely to lead them to the peak.

Chen Mobai had originally wanted to meet Bailang and Shuijing, but these two beings from the sea realm immediately left the Scarlet City Cave Heaven after the sparring exchange concluded, which left him with a slight regret.

After the seminar concluded, it was time for the graduation ceremony.

Chen Mobai was also invited to attend and even gave the concluding speech as a renowned alumnus.

Besides him, Xiao Hei, as the student representative, also took the stage at the beginning. The two were like the beginning and the end of the ceremony.

After the ceremony, many Daoist Academy students came to take photos with Chen Mobai, and he accommodated them all.

The internal public vote held by the Martial Arts Daoist Academy afterward also went as expected. Qin Beichen, supported by Chen Mobai, received most of the votes and was elected as the guardian of the Fifth-Rank Vermilion Fruit Tree, succeeding Duanmu Longrong.

After completing these two matters, Chen Mobai planned to book his ticket back to Danxia City.

However, Venerable Chengxuan asked him to wait two more days, because Venerable Yu Yi would soon bring people here to begin the "Instant Blossom" experiment.

And before that, he, as the experimenter, needed to make a will and required Chen Mobai to witness it.

Chen Mobai had originally agreed to leave on the same day as Xiao Hei. Left with no choice, he could only let her go to the train station alone.

"Next year, when you go to the sea realm, please remember my words: do not be overly competitive..."

At the school gate, as Chen Mobai bid farewell to Xiao Hei, he couldn't help but speak again. The latter nodded repeatedly, then, with a hint of reluctance to part, she looked back at the Daoist Academy where she had strived for ten years, and left the school, taking three steps back for every one forward, carrying her suitcase.

Chen Mobai somehow felt an unspeakable reluctance as he watched her turn and leave, her back hinting at tears in her eyes.

Was he getting old?

Couldn't he bear these farewells?

Chen Mobai was also nearing sixty; he thought of an explanation for this inexplicable emotion.

The day after bidding farewell to Xiao Hei, the Immortal Gate team led by Venerable Yu Yi arrived. Venerable Chengxuan personally led Che Yucheng and Chen Mobai to greet them.

Next was the confirmation of Venerable Chengxuan's will, in case of an accident during the experiment.

Another Venerable Nascent Soul cultivator with ties to the Martial Arts Daoist Academy, namely, Venerable Yuxiao, the headmaster of the Spiritual Treasure Academy, also participated remotely to witness Venerable Chengxuan making his will.

This was also Chen Mobai's first time meeting her.

Venerable Yuxiao's origins were somewhat complex and obscure. Among the fourteen Nascent Soul cultivators in the Immortal Gate, she was considered the most low-profile.

However, Chen Mobai was now essentially recognized as the future head of the Martial Arts Daoist Academy. So, when he asked, Venerable Chengxuan did not hide these secrets from him.

Venerable Yuxiao was a transformed spirit treasure!

However, initially, she was a magic artifact found by Jiang Xuanzhu, a student from the Spiritual Treasure Academy who studied and was admitted to the Martial Arts Daoist Academy, within the Myriad Treasures Cave.

Although most of the third and fourth-rank magic artifacts in the Myriad Treasures Cave were under the Daoist Academy's control, there were still some very ancient magic artifacts which were not scattered everywhere in the form of Spirit-Containing Orbs, but whose true forms were nurtured within spirit acupoints and spiritual hubs.

The Jade Flute was one of them.

This top-grade fourth-rank magic artifact, which could be traced back to the Martial Arts Daoist Academy's earliest days, was not publicized by Jiang Xuanzhu but instead hidden after being found somewhere in the Myriad Treasures Cave.

Subsequently, she used it to cultivate the *Can Tong Qi* and made the Jade Flute her life-bound artifact. With the help of this ancient and powerful magic artifact, she continuously broke through realms, and after obtaining the Golden Core elixirs, she succeeded in one go.

After that, she spent another 160 years cultivating to the ninth layer of the Golden Core realm.

Jiang Xuanzhu couldn't wait for Nascent Soul elixirs, so at the final peak of her essence, qi, and spirit, she forcibly attempted to break through to the Nascent Soul realm using the *Can Tong Qi* and her life-bound Jade Flute.

She failed!

She did not pass the Inner Demon Tribulation, and her soul was annihilated.

But the Jade Flute, by virtue of the contract they had formed, entered her body after her death and passed this hurdle.

After forming a Nascent Soul, one needed to pay respects to the Soul Transformation Patriarchs.

The matter of the Jade Flute naturally could no longer be hidden. It was unknown what she explained to Patriarch Baiguang and Patriarch Qianxing, but in any case, she passed the review and descended from Five Peaks Immortal Mountain.

Afterward, Venerable Yuxiao, Jiang Xuanzhu, became the headmaster of the Spiritual Treasure Academy. However, Patriarch Baiguang still informed Venerable Chengxuan of her origins.

After that, Venerable Chengxuan personally swept through the Myriad Treasures Cave to prevent such a situation from happening again.

After the will was confirmed, Venerable Yuxiao's figure disappeared from the office. Venerable Yu Yi, led by Che Yucheng, went to the Yu Ping Minor Realm in the deepest part of the Myriad Treasures Cave to begin preparations for the Instant Blossom experiment.

Finally, only Venerable Chengxuan and Chen Mobai remained in the office. The former then informed Chen Mobai about Venerable Yuxiao's origins.

"This matter is known only to us Nascent Soul cultivators in the Daoist Academy."

After hearing this, Chen Mobai's face also showed great shock. He had not expected Venerable Yuxiao's origins to be so mysterious and extraordinary.

"As for magic artifacts, their origins should be traceable, right?" Chen Mobai couldn't help but ask, knowing that those that could be placed in the Myriad Treasures Cave were all registered.

After a moment of hesitation, Venerable Chengxuan, remembering that the Daoist Academy would eventually be handed over to Chen Mobai, decided to tell him about his findings. "This magic artifact is too ancient. Later, I followed traces of Jiang Xuanzhu's activities and found the place where the Jade Flute was nurtured. After investigating the remaining restrictions nearby, I discovered it might have been personally placed there by Patriarch Yunya."

With this information, Chen Mobai also roughly understood why Patriarch Baiguang and Patriarch Qianxing allowed Yuxiao to descend from Five Peaks Immortal Mountain.

"Don't delve too deeply into this matter," Venerable Chengxuan advised. "The two patriarchs certainly have higher-level considerations. You just need to know that Venerable Yuxiao, Jiang Xuanzhu, belongs to our lineage of the Martial Arts Daoist Academy. Even if I'm gone this time, you can still use her name to exert influence."

"If I'm going to borrow a name, why not Patriarch Baiguang's?" Chen Mobai found Venerable Chengxuan's words somewhat difficult to understand. "The Patriarch is a true-born graduate of the Daoist Academy."

"Hasn't the Patriarch been silent for decades!" Venerable Chengxuan said somewhat exasperatedly. He didn't mention that he had sent messages to Patriarch Baiguang three times in the last century without receiving any response. "And the Patriarch prefers tranquility and hates being bothered with various trivial matters."

"I see..." Chen Mobai listened to his words and inwardly hoped that the favor he did for Xiao Hei would be somewhat useful when he visited Patriarch Baiguang on Wangxian Peak in the future.

However, as someone with Soul Transformation potential, if he truly formed a Nascent Soul and went to pay respects to the Patriarch, as a symbol of the Martial Arts Daoist Academy's flourishing future, the Patriarch would surely be very pleased.