Chapter 773

## Refining the Pure Bamboo

After the main disagreements were resolved, the atmosphere between the two parties began to ease. Chen Mobai even refilled Grand Ancestor Muqin's cup with Immortal Peach Wine.

During their conversation, Chen Mobai learned that Grand Ancestor Muqin was residing in a Tier 3 spiritual cave dwelling. He immediately expressed that a dignified Nascent Soul cultivator should not be so inconvenienced, and he promptly arranged for a Tier 4 cave dwelling on Beiyuan Mountain's peak to be prepared for her.

The Tier 4 cave dwellings on Beiyuan Mountain were of the highest grade but not for sale to outsiders. These were reserved for Chen Mobai and other high-ranking members of the Five Elements Sect when they visited, as the Tier 4 spiritual vein of this immortal city had only recently been upgraded, resulting in just ten such dwellings. However, this situation would improve this year because the Longevity Soil on the mountaintop had been fully upgraded. Chen Mobai had instructed Zhuo Ming to visit and use the Universal Spirit Rhinoceros to communicate with the peak-Tier 3 Golden Sun Spirit Tree on the mountaintop, so that it could be enlightened and upgraded when the summer conditions were right.

Chen Mobai had also watered this Golden Sun Spirit Tree with a full tube of Tier 4 Myriad Transformation Thunder Water, sensing its vital energy grow stronger daily. Compared to the one on Liujia Mountain, the Golden Sun Spirit Tree in Beiyuan City seemed to possess a stronger spiritual essence. It might even upgrade successfully on its own, without Chen Mobai's forced intervention. Once the Golden Sun Spirit Tree upgraded into a Longevity Wood, Chen Mobai could have personnel from the Formation Department and the Spiritual Vein Department come over to continue investing spirit stones to upgrade the spiritual vein. At that time, the Tier 4 cave dwellings could be expanded to dozens, or even a hundred. Yuan Chiye would arrange Tier 4 cave dwellings for any Core Formation cultivators from the Five Elements Sect visiting Beiyuan City. Among these, the cave dwellings of Chen Mobai, Fu Zongjue, Zhou Shengqing, and Mo Douguang were permanently assigned and considered their private property.

Master Muqin demurred slightly before accepting. After all, as a Nascent Soul cultivator, if she relied solely on spirit stones for daily cultivation without a Tier 4 spiritual vein supply, the consumption would be too great. Furthermore, accepting the dwelling served as a means to resolve their past grievances. After a brief exchange, Grand Ancestor Muqin took her leave. Chen Mobai personally escorted her and her two disciples to the entrance of the Heavenly Feast Restaurant.

Just as Grand Ancestor Muqin and her two disciples were about to leave, Chen Mobai activated a sound-insulating barrier and spoke. "Master," he said, "please keep the news of Senior Brother Zhou achieving Nascent Soul hidden. This is a trump card our sect has prepared for the Profound Scourge Dao Palace. Originally, if your Kongsang Valley hadn't engaged the Profound Scourge Dao Palace, Grand Ancestor Jinfeng would probably have already died in our Eastern Wilderness."

"I understand!" Hearing his words, Grand Ancestor Muqin looked up at the ceiling and gave a slight nod. Meanwhile, Ming Wen and Yi Chenghan, standing nearby, felt a sense of regret. Had they known this, they would certainly have prevented Kuzhu's reckless pursuit of revenge. But now, it was too late for any regrets. They only hoped that in the future, the Five Elements Sect could help them deal with the Profound Scourge Dao Palace.

After seeing the three off, Chen Mobai exchanged a few words with Shen Shanqing, who had rushed out after hearing the news, then returned to the private room on the top floor.

When only their own people remained, Zhou Shengqing came over from the adjacent private room and voiced his thoughts. "Junior Brother," he said, "Grand Ancestor Muqin wouldn't come to the Eastern Wilderness for no reason, especially taking an interest in Huitian Valley's assets. Don't you think she might have received some news about Yan Shaoyin from somewhere?"

Chen Mobai had just discussed this with Shen Shanqing when he came up. "By my estimation, the time should be about right," he said. "It's just a pity that our sect has no intelligence network in Dongyue." His connections were limited to the Eastern Wilderness and two neighboring regions; the branch in Dongyue was simply too distant. Any news that reached them was common knowledge, lacking timeliness or specialized detail.

"So, should we make the first move, to prevent another powerful Nascent Soul sect from 'picking the peaches'?" Zhou Shengqing seemed indecisive. As a Dharma Body Nascent Soul cultivator, if he were to openly confront Grand Ancestor Muqin, she would certainly detect his true nature. Therefore, he had stayed in the adjacent room the entire time, merely displaying the Celestial Wood Divine Needle to show that he indeed possessed Nascent Soul realm and power. However, given Grand Ancestor Muqin's condition, Zhou Shengqing actually felt that he might be able to defeat her.

According to local custom, after Yan Shaoyin's death, the Five Elements Sect, as the overlord of the Eastern Wilderness, should lead a large army to intervene. But Huitian Valley was a bit special, having connections with the Star Heaven Dao Sect.

"Let's not take the lead," Chen Mobai said. "I'll send someone to convey this news to Huitian Valley, letting Yan Shaoyin's disciples and grand-disciples confirm it." As soon as Chen Mobai spoke, Zhou Shengqing and Mo Douguang's eyes lit up, and they both expressed approval. The most concerned party about Yan Shaoyin's life or death was not the Five Elements Sect, but Huitian Valley itself. Without Yan Shaoyin, Huitian Valley would decline into a Foundation Establishment sect. At that time, facing the subtle pressure from the Five Elements Sect, Huitian Valley would surely experience internal unrest first. Chen Mobai had already positioned loyal personnel within Huitian Valley, ready to defect when the opportune moment arrived. After discussing this matter, the three of them talked about some cultivation-related issues.

After Mo Douguang reached the perfected Core Formation stage, he could prepare for Nascent Soul formation. However, spiritual items for Nascent Soul formation were almost nonexistent in the Eastern Wilderness. Thus, he planned to seek his own opportunities for advancement and further refine his sword dao after current matters were resolved.

"Actually, arrangements for Nascent Soul spiritual medicine have already been made," Chen Mobai said. "The year before last, I invited a disciple of an extraordinary senior from the Wilderness Ruins to visit our sect. Her mastery of alchemy surpasses even Yan Shaoyin's. The Longevity Elixir Scripture I inherited contains a formula for an elixir that aids Nascent Soul formation. If we can gather another batch of ingredients, she can successfully refine it." He continued, "If Senior Brother Mo truly wishes to travel, he could accompany the Five Elements Chamber of Commerce. His protection would allow them to transport more valuable goods to the Eastern Lands."

When Chen Mobai spoke of Qing Nü's background, Mo Douguang was greatly astonished. His thoughts mirrored Zhou Shengqing's: Qing Nü's master was at least a Nascent Soul cultivator, possibly even a God Transformation True Monarch! "The disciples on Tianpeng Mountain must serve this woman well!" Zhou Shengqing was even more delighted to hear that Qing Nü could refine Nascent Soul spiritual medicine.

"Don't worry, Senior Brother, I've made all the arrangements," Chen Mobai nodded with a smile. Next, Mo Douguang shared deeper insights into the Sword Fiend Thunder Sound, which he had gained during his closed-door cultivation to perfect Core Formation. Although he had previously mastered this sword dao realm, his understanding was limited to its practical application. Now, however, he had achieved a considerable fundamental understanding of this realm. Chen Mobai found her explanation incredibly insightful! After all, his own sword dao realm had lingered at the threshold of Sword Fiend Thunder Sound for a long time.

The next day, Chen Mobai had Yuan Chiye prepare a Tier 4 cave dwelling, then dispatched someone to Kongsang Valley to deliver the news. Before long, Grand Ancestor Muqin arrived with two Core Formation disciples! "Thank you for your trouble, Sect Master Chen!"

Although Beiyuan Mountain's spiritual vein was only low-grade Tier 4, it represented a significant upgrade for a Nascent Soul cultivator who had previously resided in a Tier 3 cave dwelling. While True Person Ming Wen and others helped rearrange the Tier 4 cave dwelling, Chen Mobai sat outside with Master Muqin. He personally brewed a pot of Snow Needle Immortal Bud tea and sought her guidance on upgrading Beiyuan City's mountain protection grand formation.

"This matter is easy..." Upon hearing this, Master Muqin condensed water in the air and, before Chen Mobai, drew the layout of Beiyuan City's Sumeru Nine Palace Array. With a thought of her divine sense, she gestured, altering the formation diagram from its core spiritual pivot outwards to the surrounding formation nodes. Soon, a new, vastly different, wider, and more intricate formation diagram, condensed from tea water, appeared in the space between Chen Mobai and Master Muqin.

"Sect Master Chen," Master Muqin said with a slight smile after explaining, "I spoke a bit fast. Can you understand?" Across from her, the golden lines in Chen Mobai's pupils slowly dispersed, and he also nodded with a smile. "I think I understood most of it."

"Oh, I didn't expect Sect Master Chen to have such outstanding mastery in the way of formations!" Master Muqin was somewhat surprised. Having just accepted the Tier 4 cave dwelling, she couldn't refuse Chen Mobai's request for guidance on formations. However, she had deliberately made it difficult by speaking very quickly; only a Tier 4 formation master, or her direct disciples, could likely keep up and understand. However, she quickly realized that Sect Master Chen, fearing loss of face in front of her, had probably pretended to understand. Master Muqin did not expose him; she even offered a compliment. After all, in some respects, she and Sect Master Chen were not friends; they had even nearly fought to the death yesterday. It would be best if Beiyuan City's grand formation upgrade failed! With this thought, Master Muqin changed the topic, no longer discussing the Sumeru Nine Palace Array.

Chen Mobai, who had already memorized every step of her explanation, activated his Introspection of Self ability and began to analyze it bit by bit. Many of Master Muqin's words were specialized terminology for formation dao in the Heavenly River Realm, some even exclusive to Kongsang Valley. Even if it were recorded as a video for other cultivators or formation masters to watch repeatedly every day, they might not fully understand it. But Introspection of Self was different. Chen Mobai had long memorized the Five Elements Sect's formation master inheritance, which included knowledge common to the Eastern Continent and even the Heavenly River Realm. Even if he encountered an unfamiliar term, he could deduce its meaning from context or supplement it with immortal sect formation knowledge. Moreover, this thorough analysis and re-understanding eliminated the possibility of Master Muqin leaving behind any hidden contingencies. By the time Chen Mobai left, Introspection of Self had already analyzed 80% of this new Sumeru Nine Palace Array diagram. It would be fully analyzed in approximately two or three days.

The Kongsang Valley cultivators remained in Beiyuan City for ten days, purchasing sufficient spiritual rice, Bigu Pills, and other resources before departing by flying boat. Chen Mobai and Zhou Shengqing personally escorted them into the Wilderness Ruins before returning with peace of mind. However, with an additional Nascent Soul cultivator residing nearby, Zhou Shengqing felt somewhat uneasy and decided to remain in Beiyuan City for a period. Chen Mobai was naturally pleased about this.

Mo Douguang, meanwhile, requested the formula for the Infant Nurturing Pill and decided to leave the Eastern Wilderness to help collect the main and auxiliary ingredients that were unavailable locally. If it were Core Formation cultivators like Yin Qingmei leaving the Eastern Wilderness, Chen Mobai would certainly be uneasy. But Mo Douguang was different. As a perfected Core Formation sword cultivator, as long as he didn't deliberately provoke Nascent Soul cultivators, he could travel freely throughout the six realms of the Eastern Region. "Senior Brother Mo," Chen Mobai said when bidding him farewell, "if you encounter these three herbs, please help collect them as well." Chen Mobai also informed him of the missing main ingredients for the Spirit Yuan Elixir, which Qing Nü had improved upon. During this period, he had finished consuming the second batch of True Return Pills. His progress at the eighth layer of Golden Core had reached 42%. Beyond this point, even consuming more True Return Pills would only increase his progress by 1%. This would be somewhat wasteful. Chen Mobai intended to reserve the third batch of True Return Pill ingredients, sent by Huitian Valley, for Fu Zongjue and others once Qing Nü had refined them. The complete unification of the Five Elements and Five Meridians required gradual progress and opportunity, and this would be very suitable for that purpose.

After Mo Douguang departed, Yi Shaoqing, the head of the Formation Department, also arrived in Beiyuan City. Besides him, there were two other Tier 3 formation masters from the Earth and Water meridians. Chen Mobai divided the Tier 4 Sumeru Nine Palace Array, which he had fully analyzed using Introspection of Self, into twenty detailed lessons for them. Cultivators in the Heavenly River Realm who achieved mastery were generally those with exceptionally strong self-learning abilities. This was because the educational system here was very rudimentary: "the master leads you to the door, but cultivation depends on the individual." Although Yi Shaoqing and the other two were only Tier 3 formation masters, under Chen Mobai's flawless and meticulous instruction, they quickly understood the Tier 4 Sumeru Nine Palace Array diagram. At least in terms of this particular formation, they had all reached the Tier 4 level. However, deploying this formation would still require the involvement of Core Formation cultivators.

Chen Mobai certainly didn't have the time himself. He reviewed the Five Elements Sect's personnel, excluding those who were difficult to command directly, and found that only Luo Xue'er and Yin Qingmei could spare the time to come. Beiyuan City's Tier 4 grand formation was crucial to the Five Elements Sect's millennium-long future plans and had to be taken very seriously. Thus, Chen Mobai directly summoned both women. After giving instructions, Chen Mobai also took them to pay respects to Zhou Shengqing. Although Chen Mobai had asked Master Muqin to keep the secret, he estimated it couldn't be hidden for long. Therefore, he decided to reveal it to the sect's Core Formation cultivators first, also making them feel like trusted confidantes. "In the future, if you encounter any problems you can't resolve, report them to Senior Brother."

"Yes!" Knowing that Grand Ancestor Zhou had indeed formed a Nascent Soul, both women were extremely excited amidst their shock, and their confidence in the sect was greatly bolstered. At the same time, they harbored a greater aspiration. If Grand Ancestor Zhou could successfully form a Nascent Soul, then perhaps they too could... After arranging matters in Beiyuan City, Chen Mobai also took his leave.

He first returned to Jumu Ridge, then brought the master and disciple, Zeng Woyou and Yan Jinye, to Tianpeng Mountain. "My friend Qing Nü resides here in seclusion," Chen Mobai introduced as he led the two up the mountain. "Her master is a Tier 5 alchemist, and her own mastery of alchemy is no less than Yan Shaoyin's. I specifically sought her guidance for you..." Zeng Woyou and Yan Jinye, upon hearing this, showed solemn respect and expressed their gratitude to the Sect Master for his patronage. In the Heavenly River Realm, the capable were always revered as teachers. For them, who had spent their lives refining Tier 3 elixirs, a Tier 5 alchemist was almost as legendary as a God Transformation True Monarch.

The three arrived at the mountaintop. Qing Nü, who had already received Chen Mobai's message, dispersed the clouds and mist. Dressed in a light white qipao and adorned with green flowing ribbons, she descended gracefully, appearing like a celestial immortal. "Greetings, Senior!" Seeing the exceptionally graceful Qing Nü, Zeng Woyou and his disciple immediately bowed.

"Rise," Qing Nü said, playing the part of an otherworldly expert as instructed by Chen Mobai. "The alchemy I'm going to teach you might differ from what you've learned. If you can rebuild your knowledge system, it will greatly benefit your future. If not, merely being able to refine the Three Treasures of Foundation Establishment is acceptable." However, her graceful appearance and elegant temperament, distinct from local norms, made Zeng Woyou and his disciple believe she must come from a prominent sect, even without her pretense. Her alchemy inheritance must be among the best in the Heavenly River Realm.

"Then I'll trouble Qing Nü to guide them. I'll take my leave now." Chen Mobai, remembering his vacation time was almost exceeded, didn't linger. After exchanging a knowing glance with Qing Nü, he bid farewell and departed.

After returning to the Immortal Gate, Chen Mobai immediately called Hua Zijing, asking her to book a flight back to the Wangwu Grotto-heaven. However, just as he was descending the mountain to bid farewell to his family, he received a call from Pei Qingshuang. Her realm and bloodline had been fully consolidated, and she intended to have Master Sanjue open a realm gate to establish her Golden Core domain.

"Alright, alright. When you arrive at the Wangwu Grotto-heaven, I'll pick you up." Chen Mobai and Pei Qingshuang were considered friends. Moreover, her lending him the Azure Frost Sword constituted a favor, so it was only right and proper to treat her well upon her arrival. After their call, Chen Mobai immediately contacted Xue Yuzhuo, the director of the Realm Gate Management Bureau. Xue Yuzhuo was already aware of the matter; a recent internal meeting had set the realm gate's opening for one month later, still at the Five Peaks Immortal Mountain.

After confirming the news, Chen Mobai felt relieved and called out to Xiao Hei, who was watching TV with Tang Pancui. "Daughter," he said, "pack your bags and ask for leave from work." As soon as he mentioned the impending opening of the realm gate, Xiao Hei immediately jumped up in delight. As expected of Chen Mobai's daughter, she possessed exceptional talent, having already learned to perceive and grasp the power of the void using void stones over the years. Therefore, she had considerable confidence in opening a Golden Core domain. She had long desired this portable space to store all her belongings. "Okay, Dad!"

As she went to pack her luggage, Chen Mobai walked onto the balcony and called Yan Bingxuan to inform her of the news. "Mm," Yan Bingxuan said, her tone slightly apprehensive. Although she had perceived the power of the void under Chen Mobai's guidance over the years, and even had experiences of successfully freezing it, she still felt somewhat apprehensive about actually opening a domain. "Don't worry, you're sure to succeed," Chen Mobai said, sensing the worry in her tone, and smilingly encouraged her. "Thank you, then I'll practice a bit more!" After ending the call, Yan Bingxuan took out the void stone, now only the size of a grain of rice, and began her final review.

"Grandma, don't worry," Xiao Hei said, bursting with confidence, "I'll definitely succeed in opening a domain at the Foundation Establishment stage, just like Dad." On the day of departure, Tang Pancui held Xiao Hei's hand, a little worried, advising her not to feel too much pressure and to maintain a normal state of mind. But Xiao Hei was brimming with confidence, believing that as Chen Mobai's daughter, aided by the void stone, she had no reason to fail. "Alright, alright, son, take good care of your granddaughter, don't let her get lost!" Hearing this, Chen Mobai could only nod with a wry smile, then bid farewell to the somewhat reluctant Shi Wanyu, and headed to the airport with Xiao Hei.

Upon arriving at the Wangwu Grotto-heaven airport, as Chen Mobai was still contemplating whether his daughter should stay in his apartment or a hotel room, a familiar figure was already waiting for them in the lounge. "Grandma, I missed you so much!" Xiao Hei spotted Yu Huiping, and immediately, carrying her large suitcase, ran over to take her hand, her face beaming with joy. "Knowing you were coming, I've already tidied your room for you. It's exactly as you left it; I was just worried you wouldn't be used to it upon your return." Yu Huiping looked at Xiao Hei with a benevolent expression. Chen Mobai walked over and greeted her with a nod.

"Commissioner Chen, I'll take Xiao Hei now," Yu Huiping said. "If you want to see her, you can come directly to Wangxian Peak. I've already notified the property management." "Then I'll trouble True Person Yu to take care of her," Chen Mobai immediately thanked her upon hearing this. He had considered this, but even with his current status, he couldn't arrange accommodation on Five Peaks Immortal Mountain. He hadn't expected Yu Huiping to be even more concerned about Xiao Hei, having already made all the arrangements.

"I'll have Zijing give you a ride," Chen Mobai offered, noticing Xiao Hei's large suitcase. But Yu Huiping smiled, took out a talisman, and then, with a flash of silver light, Xiao Hei waved at him as the two vanished instantly. "Lesser Teleportation Talisman? No, it looks a bit like a Greater Teleportation Talisman?" Chen Mobai was slightly surprised to see this. He was capable of drawing Lesser Teleportation Talismans himself, and recalling the talisman in Yu Huiping's hand, he knew it differed significantly from a Lesser Teleportation Talisman, yet wasn't quite a Greater Teleportation Talisman either. It was likely a talisman somewhere between the two, and he wondered if Yu Huiping had refined it herself or if it was the work of Grand Ancestor Baiguang.

Just then, Chen Mobai received a text message from his daughter, along with a picture of her standing on a mountaintop with beautiful scenery—clearly Wangxian Peak. Chen Mobai himself hadn't even been up there yet! Suddenly, he felt a little envious of his daughter, to be so close to Grand Ancestor Baiguang. He wondered when he would finally be able to pay his respects to this God Transformation True Monarch of the Dancing Weapons lineage.

Getting into the car driven by Hua Zijing, Chen Mobai first went to the Hall of Orthodox Law. After completing all the matters at the beginning of the year that required his personal presence, he re-entered the cultivation chamber of the Heaven Patching Group. With an ethereal grip in his right hand, a forearm-length, crystal-clear bamboo segment appeared in his palm. This top-grade Tier 4 Pure Bamboo, according to Grand Ancestor Muqin, once refined, would elevate his divine sense to the perfected Core Formation realm. For him, this was a godsend. His cultivation of the Pure Yang Scroll had already reached perfected Core Formation, only lacking the final elixir assistance. However, his divine sense had progressed somewhat slower. Although his conditions for cultivating divine sense were already excellent compared to other Golden Core True Persons in the Immortal Sect, having grown accustomed to the rapid surge in Pure Yang spiritual energy recently, this slower pace of progress felt somewhat insufficient.

This Pure Bamboo was a renowned heavenly material and earthly treasure throughout the Eastern Continent. It was said that within Kongsang Valley, there was even a Tier 5 Pure Bamboo. It was personally planted by a God Transformation True Monarch when he opened up the Eastern Yi region. Kongsang Valley's heritage could be traced back to a holy land. Zhou Shengqing speculated that Kuzhu's return as a Nascent Soul was likely due to this very connection. As this Pure Bamboo grew, it absorbed the clear Qi of the nine heavens above and drew the essence of the earth's veins below, naturally forming a pure, clear Qi. When cultivators refined it, besides being able to suppress foreign spiritual energy, it was even more effective for enhancing divine sense, and it had no side effects. Different grades of natural pure Qi corresponded to cultivators of different realms. This top-grade Tier 4 natural pure Qi was typically for Nascent Soul cultivators to absorb for their cultivation. Master Muqin had clearly given her cultivation resources to Chen Mobai. However, for her, whose lifespan was nearing its end, using such precious resources on herself would have been a waste. Giving it to Chen Mobai not only served as an apology but also earned her goodwill.

Before returning, Chen Mobai had already consulted the Five Elements Sect's ancient texts regarding Pure Bamboo. After integrating all relevant information using Introspection of Self and determining the optimal refining and consumption method, he no longer hesitated. The natural pure Qi was contained within each bamboo segment. When using it, one could open a small aperture and gradually pour it out for refinement. However, because Golden Core True Persons certainly couldn't refine the entire bamboo segment's natural pure Qi in one go like Nascent Soul cultivators, a special mud film was needed to seal the opening when not refining. But this crude method was merely due to the lack of better spirit-sealing materials in the Heavenly River Realm. Chen Mobai had already prepared a row of spirit-sealing tubes! He slowly poured out the natural pure Qi from this top-grade Tier 4 bamboo segment, filling all twelve spirit-sealing tubes.

After confirming there was no more natural pure Qi, he did not discard the bamboo segment. Instead, he took out a pre-prepared crucible, then retrieved the Haotian Mirror, activated the Grand Sun Pure Yang Fire, and began to roast it. Before long, bamboo sap began to exude, dripping into the crucible. This was Kongsang Valley's method for fully utilizing Pure Bamboo, and since Pure Bamboo was sold externally, most sects in the Eastern Wilderness knew about it. Half a day later, the bamboo segment in Chen Mobai's hand had completely turned to ash. But inside the crucible, there was now half a bowl of light green bamboo sap. He nodded in satisfaction, then took a sip of the bamboo sap. After drinking, he opened another tube of natural pure Qi and began refining it into his body through his mouth and nose. Instantly, a cool, pure Qi surged upwards into his Zifu Sea of Consciousness.