Chapter 769: Distribution of Core-Forming Spiritual Medicine

Pure Nine Gates

"Teacher Hong, what brings you to Wangwu Immortal Abode?" Chen Mobai was slightly surprised to see Hong Mengkui. After his retirement, Hong Mengkui had been rehired by the Military Instrument Dao Academy to teach and rarely left Chicheng Immortal Abode.

"This year's Artifact Forgers' Convention is about to be held," Hong Mengkui explained. "It's a major event that takes place every ten years. Since our principal, who is also the president of the association, can't make it, the association and the academy asked me to come and hold the fort." He had just landed with Bian Jingchun and met Hua Zijing, who was waiting to pick them up, and they immediately got into the car.

"I completely forgot you're also the Vice President of the Artifact Forgers' Association, Teacher Hong!" Chen Mobai exclaimed, realization dawning on him.

The Artifact Forgers' Association was essentially established by their Military Instrument Dao Academy. Grandmaster Chengxuan, the principal, served as its president, and Hong Mengkui was the honorary vice president. Most of the core members were graduates of the Military Instrument Dao Academy or its affiliated schools and academies.

"Don't change the subject! Why haven't you tried cultivating the 'Cantong Qi', young man?" Hong Mengkui retorted, glaring at Chen Mobai as he suddenly remembered.

"A person's energy is limited," Chen Mobai said truthfully. "I already feel like I'm giving my all cultivating the 'Pure Yang Scroll'. If I were to divert my attention to the 'Cantong Qi' as well, I might not reach the peak in either." He was keenly aware of his own talent; it was only with the aid of resources from the Heavenly River Realm that he had a chance to master the Pure Yang Scroll. Furthermore, the 'Square Inch Scripture' was passively cultivated thanks to the Crown of All Beings that unified the Eastern Wilderness. As for other spells and divine abilities, they were either directly bestowed or quickly achieved with resources. Even so, he still felt his cultivation speed was somewhat slow.

Chen Mobai had a very clear understanding of himself. As a proponent of focusing on cultivation realms, his primary goal was to wholeheartedly elevate his realm first. Only when his realm truly hit a bottleneck and could no longer advance would he dedicate time and energy to things other than the Pure Yang Scroll. The 'Cantong Qi', as a profound Divine Transformation major cultivation method of the Immortal Sect, was vast and profound. Not only had he previously attempted it and found it impossible to comprehend, but even if he could now get started with the help of enlightenment tea and the Crown of All Beings, he didn't want to waste the time. He felt he didn't even have enough time to condense his Pure Yang True Qi and Primordial Chaos True Qi!

"You can practice it if you have time. With your current talent, you're destined to become the master of the Immortal Sect sooner or later. By then, you'll be qualified to possess the Lesser Scarlet Heaven," Hong Mengkui continued. "As you know, that fifth-tier Primordial Yang Sword is within the Lesser Scarlet Heaven, and it's intrinsically linked to your Pure Yang Scroll. If you can cultivate the 'Cantong Qi' alongside the Primordial Yang Sword, the benefits would be immeasurable. When you reach the Great Perfection of Nascent Soul, combining the essence of the Primordial Yang Sword with the fifth-tier Pure Yang Qi from the Heaven-Mending Dao Academy, along with your extraordinary talent, you could become the third person in the Immortal Sect to achieve Divine Transformation, after the two patriarchs, Baiguang and Qianxing!"

Hong Mengkui certainly knew how to speak. The picture he painted in just a few words deeply stirred Chen Mobai's heart! As one of the Immortal Sect's rare fifth-tier flying swords, and one that shared the same origin as the Pure Yang Scroll, if Chen Mobai could obtain it and cultivate it with the 'Cantong Qi', his chances of achieving Divine Transformation would truly be higher than anyone else in the Immortal Sect! This was because it would be like directly copying Patriarch Yuanyang's answer for achieving Divine Transformation. This was exactly what he loved most in life! Even if there was a gap between him and Patriarch Yuanyang, and he couldn't completely follow the patriarch's method to achieve Divine Transformation, it would still be far better than the rest of the Immortal Sect, who couldn't even get started. Hadn't Lin Daoming, who led the Immortal Sect for centuries, ultimately fallen into heterodox paths just to achieve Divine Transformation? This supreme path was open to no one else in the entire Immortal Sect except Wenren Xuewei and Chen Mobai himself!

"Then I'll practice this 'Cantong Qi' when I have time!" Chen Mobai readily agreed, saying something that greatly pleased Hong Mengkui. However, Bian Jingchun, standing nearby, couldn't help but clench her fists. It was truly infuriating how people differed! She had undergone extremely rigorous training and trials to cultivate the 'Cantong Qi', only being permitted to practice this Divine Transformation method after passing them. Yet now, Hong Mengkui was practically begging Chen Mobai to cultivate it. Compared to this junior brother, she, his senior sister, presented a stark contrast. She even felt that if Chen Mobai truly began cultivating the 'Cantong Qi', with his talent, he could very likely catch up to her decades of cultivation in just a few years. Although she had never achieved much in front of Chen Mobai, if even the 'Cantong Qi' was surpassed, she would truly be utterly defeated.

"Senior Sister, why are you here too? I remember you're a public servant of Chicheng Immortal Abode, so you shouldn't be able to leave your jurisdiction easily, right?" At this point, Chen Mobai also noticed Bian Jingchun. After all, there were only a few people in the car, and after talking with Hong Mengkui, he, always polite, naturally greeted Bian Jingchun.

"I came to the Immortal Affairs Hall to handle some matters!" Bian Jingchun replied with a forced smile. Chen Mobai found it strange; what matter would require a public servant from Chicheng Immortal Abode to personally travel to Wangwu Immortal Abode?

"She successfully got a spot in the queue this year and can exchange for a Golden Liquid Jade Restoration Pill. She came with me after receiving the news!" Seeing Bian Jingchun's hesitant manner, Hong Mengkui directly revealed the purpose of her visit.

"So that's it! Congratulations, Senior Sister!" Chen Mobai suddenly understood, realizing that such a significant life event indeed required a personal presence for peace of mind. Hua Zijing, who was driving, also looked envious upon hearing this. For Foundation Establishment cultivators of the Immortal Sect, the most desired news was a notification that they had successfully queued up and could make an exchange.

"After 75 years of service, I finally got this opportunity. I hope I can succeed on the first try!" After Hong Mengkui spoke, Bian Jingchun no longer concealed it. She was somewhat afraid of failing to form her core, which was why she hadn't dared to tell her brilliant junior brother, Chen Mobai, about this matter. Many Foundation Establishment cultivators in the Immortal Sect were like this; even if they acquired core-forming spiritual treasures, they kept it hidden, not only to avoid envy but also to prevent ridicule if they failed.

Next, they began discussing other Foundation Establishment cultivators from the Military Instrument Dao Academy who had successfully exchanged for Golden Liquid Jade Restoration Pills. The Immortal Sect refined one furnace of Golden Liquid Jade Restoration Pills every ten years, yielding ten pills. Five-Element Core Formation Pills, on the other hand, were refined as needed during the ten-year interim when Golden Liquid Jade Restoration Pills were not available. Ostensibly, the specific elemental attribute refined was determined by the number of Foundation Establishment cultivators practicing corresponding Five-Element cultivation methods who were queuing; in reality, it was directly decided by those at the top after discussions. These pills might be distributed all at once after being refined, or they might be stored and made available only when certain exceptional talents reached the required years of service. However, they were certainly all exchanged before the next furnace was refined.

In this ten-year cycle of Golden Liquid Jade Restoration Pills and Five-Element Core Formation Pills, each of the four Great Dao Academies received one slot. For example, if the Military Instrument Dao Academy chose a Golden Liquid Jade Restoration Pill this year, then in the next cycle, they could only choose a Five-Element Core Formation Pill. The remaining sixteen pills were then divided among the various departments of the Three Great Halls like a shared cake! However, despite this division, most department heads in the Three Great Halls originated from the four Great Dao Academies, so the distribution ultimately boiled down to a power struggle among the four factions. The Military Instrument and Jumang factions, being weaker, received two fewer pills, while the Kunpeng and Heaven-Mending factions, being stronger, received two more.

Bian Jingchun's Golden Liquid Jade Restoration Pill was a guaranteed slot from the Military Instrument Dao Academy, largely due to Hong Mengkui's influence. Even so, she had to wait another fifteen years after reaching sixty years of service. This was because many other Foundation Establishment Perfection cultivators from the Military Instrument Dao Academy, with more influence than her, were ahead in the queue. For instance, Sun Daoji and Chi Shicheng, who had come to assist Bian Jingchun earlier, both held positions in Wangwu Immortal Abode and were considered Wang Shuye's people. With Wang Shuye's assistance, their queue order was certainly ahead of Bian Jingchun's. Unfortunately, Sun Daoji failed to form his core, but since he exchanged early, he might have another chance. However, it definitely wouldn't be a Golden Liquid Jade Restoration Pill, only a lower-tier Five-Element Core Formation Pill. Chi Shicheng, on the other hand, was very lucky and successfully formed his core. He was a researcher and not well-suited for officialdom, so he merely held a nominal position in the Kaiyuan Hall. Nevertheless, the Military Instrument faction still helped him secure an academician title in the Immortal Science Academy, which was filled with influential figures, in its latest round of evaluations.

If Hua Zijing or Zhuang Jialan wanted to exchange for a Golden Liquid Jade Restoration Pill in the future, Chen Mobai could reserve a slot using the Heaven-Mending Group and then utilize the Military Instrument faction's guaranteed quota. He was now the principal figure of the Military Instrument faction in the Three Great Halls, and while it came with responsibilities, this was one of his rightful powers. However, the allocation of core-forming spiritual treasures for the next ten years had already been set. This was because the Military Instrument faction had to divide its share internally. For example, Bian Jingchun's pill, secured by Hong Mengkui's influence, had actually been queued for her after she reached sixty years of service. This year's pill went to her, while the next Five-Element Core Formation Pill was allocated to a former chief named Wei Yunling. As for the Golden Liquid Jade Restoration Pill from the furnace ten years from now, the Military Instrument faction initially had no slot, but after some exchanges of benefits, they secured one for Zhongli Tianyu. Chen Mobai calculated that Zhongli Tianyu would only have fifty-eight years of service in ten years, two years short of the requirement. However, at that time, the Immortal Sect's Treasury Department would store that Golden Liquid Jade Restoration Pill for two years, releasing it to him once he reached sixty years of service. After all, Zhongli Tianyu had not only the Military Instrument faction but also the Zhongli family supporting him. Beyond the Immortal Sect, civilian forces like the four Great Dao Academies were qualified and capable of refining Five-Element Core Formation Pills. These pills were either consumed internally or, through beneficial exchanges, distributed to affiliated factories and units. This meant that, theoretically, the Immortal Sect could exchange only two or three core-forming spiritual medicines each year. It was precisely for this reason that the competition among Foundation Establishment cultivators for core-forming spiritual medicines was extremely fierce.

"Then I wish you success in forming your core, Senior Sister! When you do, come to Wangwu Immortal Abode and help me shoulder some of our faction's burden," Chen Mobai said with a smile to Bian Jingchun, who nodded uncertainly. For Immortal Sect cultivators, core formation was truly a step between heaven and hell. Even for a direct descendant of the academy like Bian Jingchun, if she failed this time, it would be difficult to get another chance to enter the core circle. It was precisely because of this that Chen Mobai's enlightened core formation was seen as the future by everyone in the Military Instrument faction! Such talent basically guaranteed nascent soul formation! And only the number of Nascent Soul cultivators truly determined the allocation of core-forming spiritual medicines each time.

Chen Mobai had Hua Zijing first drive Hong Mengkui to the Artifact Forgers' Association, then take Bian Jingchun to the Immortal Affairs Hall, and finally drop him off at the Orthodoxy Hall.

Grandmaster Narcissus was still absent. After Chen Mobai cancelled his leave with Gongsun Jielu, who was swamped with paperwork, they spoke briefly. The main topic was the distribution list for this batch of Golden Liquid Jade Restoration Pills! The Orthodoxy Hall had been allocated two Golden Liquid Jade Restoration Pills this time: one for the Military Department and one for the Enforcement Department. The Heaven-Mending Group could apply for the one allocated to the Enforcement Department, but if their application succeeded, the Enforcement Department would have priority in selecting for the next ten years. Chen Mobai stated that he needed to consider it and did not give Gongsun Jielu an immediate answer.

Upon returning to the Heaven-Mending Group, Chen Mobai found Lin Yin personally bringing him a cup of tea. Ever since Zhuang Jialan joined, this had been her job! Taking the tea, Chen Mobai immediately understood the reason. Lin Yin seemed to have over sixty years of service; she must have been waiting for this Golden Liquid Jade Restoration Pill. Otherwise, she wouldn't have remained in the Heaven-Mending Group after Lan Haitian left.

"Chief, I heard that this year's furnace of Golden Liquid Jade Restoration Pills has been successfully refined..." As expected, Chen Mobai had barely taken a sip when Lin Yin hesitantly spoke, reminding him.

"Oh, has it been refined? I just came out of seclusion after a breakthrough, so I haven't looked into it yet. Wait while I make a couple of calls to inquire," Chen Mobai replied. Although Lin Yin had been diligent during his years as head of the Heaven-Mending Group, for the decades she served prior, he hadn't been her leader. If he helped Lin Yin apply this time, the Heaven-Mending Group wouldn't have a slot for the Golden Liquid Jade Restoration Pill refined by the Immortal Sect ten years later. In that case, to secure Golden Liquid Jade Restoration Pills for Hua Zijing and Zhuang Jialan, he would have to exchange more benefits from the Military Instrument faction. Therefore, he didn't give an immediate answer.

"Alright, Chief, I'll let you get back to your work!" Lin Yin said, her mood somewhat anxious as she closed the door and left. Chen Mobai, too, felt troubled! If possible, he definitely wanted to help Lin Yin, but even as the principal figure of the Military Instrument faction, he felt the common frustration of too many monks and too little porridge when it came to core-forming spiritual treasures. Yet, if he didn't help Lin Yin exchange, he would feel somewhat guilty. After pacing around his office, Chen Mobai finally thought of something. He took out his phone and called Lan Haitian. Lin Yin had been working for Lan Haitian for decades; there was no reason for him, the new leader, to be put in such a difficult position!

Lan Haitian quickly answered the phone. After Chen Mobai explained the situation, he pondered for a moment, then nodded with a wry smile. He agreed that Chen Mobai could use the Heaven-Mending Group's slot this year to secure a Golden Liquid Jade Restoration Pill for Lin Yin, and in ten years, he would use his influence at the Immortal Affairs Hall to return a pill to the Heaven-Mending Group. Although it was just an verbal agreement between them, at their level, such verbal promises were often the most binding. "Consider this a favor I owe you!" Lan Haitian said, genuinely thanking Chen Mobai after finishing. After all, if it were him, he would never apply for a Golden Liquid Jade Restoration Pill for a direct subordinate of a former leader. "Never mind, I also owe you quite a few favors, and Lin Yin is meticulous in her work. When I first took charge of the Heaven-Mending Group, things went so smoothly, and she helped a lot..."

After finishing his conversation with Lan Haitian, Chen Mobai put down his phone, pushed open his office door, and stepped out. At the workstations outside, many Heaven-Mending Group employees immediately looked up at him. "Jialan, help me draft an application document!" Chen Mobai instructed, waving towards Zhuang Jialan, whose workstation was closest to his office door.

"Yes, Chief. What kind of application document is it?" Zhuang Jialan immediately nodded in response, asking.

"An application to the Enforcement Department for our Heaven-Mending Group's Golden Liquid Jade Restoration Pill for this year!" As soon as Chen Mobai spoke, everyone gasped and looked at Lin Yin, whose body was subtly trembling not far away.

"Alright, Chief. Whose name should be listed as the applicant?" Even Zhuang Jialan's voice trembled slightly with excitement upon hearing this. This was the Golden Liquid Jade Restoration Pill! Her lifelong dream!

"Lin Yin." It was only when Chen Mobai actually said the name that Lin Yin let out a long breath, her eyes filled with gratitude as she looked at the refined young man standing at the doorway. "Thank you, Chief!" Lin Yin stood up and expressed her thanks to Chen Mobai.

"This is also well-deserved for your years of diligent work. Jialan, once it's drafted, take a look. If there are no issues, sign it, then bring it in, and I'll stamp it for you!" Chen Mobai said with a gentle smile, then quietly closed his office door.

Just three minutes later, a knock sounded at the door! Lin Yin entered, holding the application form with both hands, and handed it to Chen Mobai. After carefully reviewing it, Chen Mobai signed his name on the "leader" line, then took out the seal representing the Chief of the group and stamped it.

A short while later, Hua Zijing entered. Chen Mobai handed her the sealed application form. "Zijing, could you make a trip to the Enforcement Department and deliver this application?" "Yes, Chief!" Hua Zijing, having witnessed Chen Mobai's decisive allocation of the Golden Liquid Jade Restoration Pill within the Heaven-Mending Group, couldn't help but feel excited. She seemed to see her bright future unfolding before her.

"Lin Yin, you go along too. I can see you're a bit distracted. If this matter isn't resolved, you probably won't be able to focus on work!" Chen Mobai remarked, teasing Lin Yin, who was standing nearby. She lowered her head slightly, a little embarrassed. But her body honestly followed Hua Zijing out!

After dealing with that matter, Chen Mobai received many more calls. They were all from members of the Military Instrument faction, who had largely learned about the successful refinement of the Golden Liquid Jade Restoration Pill and eagerly wanted him, as the person in charge, to help them secure a pill. This gave Chen Mobai the feeling of being the principal of a prestigious school during enrollment season! After answering two calls, he simply muted his phone. Both the current round and the next round of allocations had already been arranged by Wang Shuye, and Chen Mobai certainly wouldn't undermine his arrangements. Besides Hua Zijing and Zhuang Jialan, Chen Mobai also had many good friends.

He proactively called Ming Yihua and Yun Yangbing. "Don't worry about me. The First Arsenal here has also secured a spot for me. I got it based on my own talent, not through connections!" Ming Yihua, clearly touched that Chen Mobai called specifically to inquire about his core-forming spiritual medicine, spoke in the exact same tone as he did back at the Dao Academy. This made Chen Mobai laugh heartily, a feeling he hadn't experienced in a long time. The higher one's position, the more precious such pure friendships felt. The director of the First Arsenal, where Ming Yihua worked, was a Core Formation cultivator and council member from the Heaven-Mending Dao Academy. This factory's status was similar to that of the Heaven-Mending Group; it specialized in cutting-edge weapons, and everyone inside had their identities kept secret. Of course, Chen Mobai could access all this classified information. The fact that Ming Yihua could secure a Golden Liquid Jade Restoration Pill slot here demonstrated that his talent in artifact forging was truly convincing to everyone. He truly lived up to being Chen Mobai's good friend!

After talking with Ming Yihua for a while, Chen Mobai called Yun Yangbing. "Thank you. My department, the Sky Veil and Earth Vein Administration Bureau, also has core-forming spiritual medicine slots, though there are a few others competing with me. With your help, I should be secure!" Yun Yangbing was extremely grateful upon hearing this. The Sky Veil and Earth Vein Administration Bureau's status was even above that of the Heaven-Mending Group, being almost one of the most important core departments in the Immortal Sect. Consequently, its personnel were the most complex; individuals with special expertise in formations from the four Great Dao Academies, ten Great Academies, and even the hundred and twenty prefectures were largely recruited into it. Although Yun Yangbing possessed outstanding talent in formations, the Military Instrument faction had little influence there, making the competition tough for her. "Leave it to me," Chen Mobai said, "though you might have to wait an extra ten or five years after you reach sixty years of service!" Chen Mobai had always been sincere with his friends. "Thank you! When I return to Wangwu Immortal Abode, I'll treat you to a meal!" The Sky Veil and Earth Vein Administration Bureau was distributed across various spiritual vein hubs on Diyuan Star, making it rare for Yun Yangbing to return to the imperial capital for a report. Yun Yangbing was currently in Qingcheng Immortal Abode, fulfilling her duties while also recording mountain ranges and refining her path of formations. "Then it's a deal! I'll make sure to pick an expensive restaurant then!" Chen Mobai laughed heartily and hung up the phone.

Next, he called his good friend, Wang Xingyu. "Brother, you're my true brother!" Wang Xingyu exclaimed, his eyes welling up with tears, stating that having Chen Mobai as a friend in this life was his greatest honor. Because he cultivated a fire-attributed cultivation method, he hadn't pursued the Golden Liquid Jade Restoration Pill. According to his own plan, forming a core in one attempt was unlikely, so he was prepared for a prolonged struggle. He intended to immediately exchange for a Fire Essence Core Formation Pill from the academy after sixty years of service, then use this opportunity to explore various experiences of core formation. After failing the first core formation, he would then enter officialdom by joining the Immortal Sect's civil service, and wait another sixty years of service to exchange for a Fire Essence Core Formation Pill from the Immortal Sect, pinning all his hopes on the second attempt. However, even with his uncle Wang Xinfu now being the second-in-command of the Military Instrument faction in the Kaiyuan Hall, this plan wouldn't be easy to achieve! But with Chen Mobai, it was different! With their combined influence, this matter was practically guaranteed.

"Just give me a call when you need to make arrangements!" After saying this to Wang Xingyu, Chen Mobai glanced at the other members of the Divine Transformation class in his contacts, but ultimately decided not to make any more calls. The Immortal Sect's resources were limited, and all he could do was look after the few people close to him. Even then, he had to operate within the rules. However, if a member of the Divine Transformation class in the future needed just a little assistance to secure a core-forming spiritual medicine slot and came to him for help, Chen Mobai would still be willing to assist. But making promises now would be a bit too early!

After making those three calls, Chen Mobai thought of Meng Huang'er and Yan Bingxuan. Meng Huang'er's art troupe was supported by all the Nascent Soul Grandmasters of the entire Immortal Sect, so she probably wouldn't need his help, right? Despite thinking this, Chen Mobai still called Meng Huang'er!

"Hello!" It had been a long time since Chen Mobai had contacted Meng Huang'er, ever since he took Qing Nu to the Heavenly River Realm. Meng Huang'er herself hadn't dared to call him proactively, only sending occasional greeting messages on holidays as a friend, hoping he would remember her. So, when Chen Mobai called this time, Meng Huang'er's voice had a slight tremor.

"It's been a while. Are you free tonight?" Since he had contacted her, Chen Mobai thought it would be better to discuss such matters in person, so he directly asked her out.

"Yes, yes, I'm free these next few days!" Meng Huang'er immediately replied. Chen Mobai nodded and then said he would come to her place later that night to rest.

After that call, Chen Mobai finally called Yan Bingxuan, the one he cared about most. He checked the time; it was almost quitting time. "Let's have dinner together!" Chen Mobai simply invited Yan Bingxuan to dinner, and she naturally nodded in agreement.

Ever since arriving at Wangwu Immortal Abode, Yan Bingxuan's main focus had been establishing Xuanshuang Company in the Immortal Sect's largest city. Even with Chen Mobai's protection, this was not an easy task. Moreover, she also wanted to prove herself useful to Chen Mobai and only called him when she truly couldn't solve a problem on her own.

Chen Mobai left his office, said a word to Zhuang Jialan, and then left early! Arriving at a beautifully ambient restaurant, he saw the stunning Yan Bingxuan already waiting for him. Smiling, he handed her a gift box he was holding.

"What's this?" Yan Bingxuan took it, curious. Chen Mobai told her to open it, and she found a Water Spirit Pearl that had been mentioned before! "I specifically asked Grandmaster Taohua to refine this Youth-Preserving Pearl; it can grant eternal youth," Chen Mobai said. As his words fell, Yan Bingxuan's eyes widened. Her hands trembled slightly as she took the Youth-Preserving Pearl from the box and cradled it in her palm.