Chapter 701: Memories of the Underworld

Song Huangda, having received Chen Mobai's summons, arrived at the main hall in Beiyuan City. Upon entering, he saw his grand-ancestor conversing pleasantly with True Monarch Nujiang of the Water Vein.

"Senior Brother, this is the disciple's grand-disciple I mentioned to you. He might need your guidance later on." Chen Mobai immediately called Song Huangda over to introduce him to Nujiang. The latter, out of respect for Chen Mobai, nodded to Song Huangda, who was still in the Qi Cultivation stage.

"Greetings, True Monarch Nujiang!" After exchanging greetings, Song Huangda withdrew.

Over the years, this grand-disciple had handled various miscellaneous tasks in Beiyuan City quite well. His recent work in clearing Beiyuan City's property inventory, which helped the Divine Wood Sect secure thousands of rogue cultivators, provided ample manpower for the development of the Eastern Wilderness Plateau. This greatly pleased Chen Mobai, who decided to give him an opportunity. Chen Mobai planned to send him to Wind and Rain Dock to oversee matters related to the Myriad Transformation Thunder Pond. Regardless of success, it would be a valuable experience, even if he failed. "I only hope that this grand-disciple can start with the basics and first set up a Tier 1 Myriad Transformation Thunder Pond in Wind and Rain Dock."

Beiyuan City had also considered inviting a Tier 7 formation master from the Starry Heaven Dao Sect, but Lou Xuelong reported that their Uncle-Master Lin was currently studying in the Eastern Lands and would likely not have time to visit the Eastern Wilderness in the next few years. On An Yun Peak, there were three such masters. Beiyuan City had Chu Zuoshu send an invitation, hoping to invite one of them to upgrade the Divine Wood Sect's Sumeru Four Palaces Array to Tier 7. Unfortunately, none of them responded. Even after inviting the Starry Heaven Grand Merchant Association to mediate, eight An Yun formation grandmasters did not respond. After all, the Eastern Wilderness was far away, and Yan Shaoyin was bound to clash with Xuanxiao Dao Palace. These grandmasters were unwilling to offend Golden Wind Patriarch for a single business deal. The drawback of the Eastern Wilderness's insufficient foundation was deeply felt by Chen Mobai for the first time. Nevertheless, he was also trying to compensate for this deficiency as much as possible, including nurturing advanced talents.

After seeing True Monarch Nujiang off, Song Huangda, who was waiting outside the main hall, was called in by Chen Mobai. Chen Mobai called him back and asked a question. After all, he was his grand-disciple, and since he had summoned him today, he inquired about his cultivation. Song Huangda felt a mix of excitement and apprehension. With his keen perception, he knew that Chen Mobai's introduction of him to True Monarch Nujiang clearly meant there was something important to be assigned.

"I see your cultivation is already at the Qi Cultivation Perfection stage. In the sect's grand competition two years ago, you, as one of the true disciples, also received a Foundation Establishing Pill. Why haven't you attempted Foundation Establishment yet?"

Facing Chen Mobai, Song Huangda revealed his true thoughts. "Reporting to Grand-ancestor, I wanted to cultivate the Void Dharma Body to Tier 7 before attempting Foundation Establishment. That way, I would almost certainly succeed in Foundation Establishment on the first try and not bring shame to Lesser Southern Mountain." As a member of the Lesser Southern Mountain lineage, especially since Han Zhiling had succeeded in Foundation Establishment on her first try, if he were to take a Foundation Establishing Pill and fail, it would indeed bring shame to his Grand-ancestor.

"I see. Do you have any questions or resource shortages regarding your daily cultivation?"

He didn't hesitate at all and immediately brought up the issues he encountered during his cultivation of the Void Dharma Body. Chen Mobai had not cultivated the Void Dharma Body himself, but his external avatar had refined countless Mobai Stones and had also opened up a Golden Core Domain. His understanding of the void far surpassed that of Song Huangda, who was still in the Qi Cultivation stage. Chen Mobai waved his hand casually. His external avatar had already cultivated to the Heavenly Marrow Realm using Mobai Stones, and with the Echo of the Empty Valley, he could listen to the void. As long as he wished, he could absorb void power, which was omnipresent, just as one absorbed spiritual energy from heaven and earth, for cultivation. That was equivalent to an alternative form of Void Walking.

"Your Void Dharma Body has actually reached the time for a breakthrough. It's just that there's insufficient void power, which is why you haven't advanced. Later, with my command token, go to the Hall of Rewarding Goodness on An Yun Peak to receive ten pieces of Mobai Stone. Have E Yun deduct the contribution points from my account." As soon as Chen Mobai said this, Song Huangda repeatedly declined, stating he couldn't possibly let his Grand-ancestor incur such an expense. "Consider it a reward for cleaning up the property inventory, and it will be more convenient for you to set up the Myriad Transformation Thunder Pond at Wind and Rain Dock after you've established your foundation." Song Huangda immediately accepted the reward.

"Indeed, you have good talent in formations, especially in earth formations. In the future, you can focus on developing in this direction. I hope you can become the first Tier 7 formation master in our sect!" Song Huangda originally had a foundation as a geomancer. Now, suddenly learning about formations, he found it somewhat unaccustomed at first, but he understood extremely quickly. Especially regarding earth formations that used mountain and sea spiritual veins as their power source, he displayed unusual keenness. However, regarding heavenly formations and human formations, Chen Mobai tested him and found he wasn't as talented as he was in earth formations. After all, eighty percent of the formations in the entire Heavenly River Realm, and even among the immortal sects, were earth formations. Human formations were too profound and subtle, and heavenly formations were vast and obscure. Even Chen Mobai's good friend and formation genius, Yun Yangbing, focused more on studying earth formations in the later stages of the academy, hoping to master them before delving into heavenly and human formations. So, seeing Song Huangda's talent in formations, Chen Mobai diligently guided him.

"From now on, whenever you have time, transition towards becoming a formation master. It just so happens that I need to return to Void-Dark Stone, you can come with me. Then, with my command token, you can go to the Transmission Department to receive formation inheritances." Song Huangda was also very excited upon hearing this. Chen Mobai, as the recognized Great Sage of the Eastern Wilderness, had disciples who, after receiving his guidance, generally achieved great things. "It is this disciple's greatest honor to relieve Grand-ancestor of his worries."

Chen Mobai had not yet fully imparted the Myriad Transformation Thunder Pond blueprints to Song Huangda, so he wouldn't send him to Wind and Rain Dock just yet; he needed to keep him close for further cultivation for a while. Chen Mobai briefly explained, giving Song Huangda a general impression of the Myriad Transformation Thunder Pond. This grand array was primarily a vast and complex grand array of heaven and earth, combining the phenomena of heavenly thunder with the spiritual veins of mountains and rivers to evolve a colossal formation imbued with the profound mysteries of creation. The Myriad Transformation Thunder Pond at Jumang Daoist Academy was personally set up by a Tier 7 formation master from Wuqi Daoist Academy. It was precisely because of this that, when fully activated, it could condense Tier 7 Myriad Transformation Thunderwater. As for Tier 7, at least a Tier 7 formation master would be required. Chen Mobai himself aimed to condense Tier 3 Myriad Transformation Thunderwater, which would essentially provide an abundance of Tier 3 spiritual rice and tea.

After receiving ten pieces of Mobai Stone, Song Huangda entered seclusion on the seventh day and broke through to Tier 7 of the Void Dharma Body. He then spent ten days consolidating his realm before taking the Foundation Establishing Pill in one go. With Chen Mobai's timely guidance, Song Huangda avoided various issues he would have encountered during Foundation Establishment. Also, because his physical body had completed its transformation ahead of schedule, he effortlessly crossed the bottleneck of the great realm. Facts proved that sufficient resources indeed led to qualitative change.

A month later, Song Huangda, having successfully established his foundation, visited Chen Mobai at his highest peak cave abode on An Yun Peak, bringing with him various questions about the Myriad Transformation Thunder Pond blueprints.

"Alright, these are the blueprints for the Myriad Transformation Thunder Pond. Take them and read through them first. Come back in a month, and if you have any questions, ask me."

Chen Mobai was returning to Void-Dark Stone because his spiritual root had undergone another change, and he needed to go to An Yun Peak to acquire a grand spell. The grand spell he acquired this time from An Yun Peak was of the metal element. He didn't need it, but it was perfectly suited for Duan Shuyu on the battlefield. Then there was no need to waste any more Mobai Stones. After all, this material was very precious as a strategic resource for activating teleportation arrays.

This time, nurturing Song Huangda, helping him resolve questions about the Void Dharma Body, and teaching him formations, also reminded Chen Mobai of something he had forgotten for a long time. That was the Underworld Grand Array he had obtained in Lone Soul Ridge! This grand array required the cultivator's physical body to be robust, then for the array to be refined into the body, combined with an array plate, allowing for instant teleportation within the array's range. It was just that in the past, Chen Mobai's physical training wasn't sufficient, so he had pressed that corner-missing array plate to the bottom of his storage bag and almost forgotten about it. The only remaining issue was refining the array into his body. Now that his Longevity Dao Body had reached Tier 3 perfection, Void Walking would certainly not be a problem. He found that this array had a faint shadow of ghost cultivation, but unfortunately, Granny Ming was with Luo Yixuan in Hong Kingdom establishing the White Water, so Chen Mobai couldn't ask her immediately. He could only first comprehend it himself; it was certainly best not to use Enlightenment Tea.

"Once the matter of the One-Yuan Secret Realm has a result, Junior Brother, send someone to inform me." Thinking this, Chen Mobai used the Heavens-Reaching Instrument to summon Yue Zutao.

"Sect Master, these are the medicinal ingredients collected by the sect." Yue Zutao had already prepared all the necessary ingredients for the Infant Nurturing Pill. Chen Mobai inspected them and was very satisfied.

After arranging all these matters, Chen Mobai felt quite busy.

After this matter, he also planned to make a detour to Yan Kingdom, where Sheng Zhaoxi was stationed. By then, at the Yan Kingdom border, he could also give True Monarch Nujiang's jade pendant to his Formless Puppet.

In Returning Heaven Valley, Chen Mobai received the most solemn reception from Divine Tree Mystic. After exchanging a few polite words with him, Divine Tree Mystic, whose hair had grown considerably grayer, directly placed a storage bag full of medicinal ingredients on the table and solemnly took out seven sealed pill bottles. These were the agreed-upon seven Golden Liquid Jade Return Pills. Both parties inspected them.

"Grandmaster Yan, I consumed the Nirvana Pill you refined a few days ago, and it indeed elevated my Longevity Dao Body to Tier 3 perfection. But from your appearance, it seems you haven't taken it yet?" Chen Mobai felt that the amount of pill toxins this time was less than when he took it last time. Divine Tree Mystic was, after all, a grandmaster alchemist; the higher his refining skill, the lower the toxicity.

After the transaction was complete, Divine Tree Mystic invited Chen Mobai to stay for a few more days, so he could fulfill his host's duties, but Chen Mobai was very busy and politely declined. Before leaving, Chen Mobai said something significant, and incidentally displayed a spiritual energy fluctuation that was close to the late Golden Core stage. This caused Divine Tree Mystic to subtly change his expression. "I will see Senior Brother off."

As Zhou Shengqing had a Dharma Body Nascent Soul and could not further advance his cultivation, Chen Mobai had mentioned to him that, besides cultivating spells, he should dedicate some time to the Hundred Arts of Immortal Cultivation. He was a Tier 2 talisman master, and if he could also become a Tier 2 alchemist, artifact forger, and formation master in the future, then Yan Shaoyin's position as the overlord of the Eastern Wilderness would truly be secure.

Upon leaving the Divine Wood Sect, Chen Mobai called over E Yun, gave some instructions, and then, taking Song Huangda with him, stepped into the teleportation array.

Upon arriving at An Yun Peak, Chen Mobai, just as he had arranged for Han Zhiling, called over Yi Duoqing, the head of the Formation Department, and had the latter guide Song Huangda for a while. Yi Duoqing acted straightforwardly sometimes, so he directly stated why he had called Song Huangda over. But even so, it had not yet made him very happy. Along the way, Yi Duoqing imparted all the knowledge he had about the Myriad Transformation Thunder Pond to Song Huangda. After gaining enough experience and actually setting up formations, it would be best if he could also set up Tier 3 ones.