Chapter 781: Fangcun Book Infinity

“This business trip might be a long one…” Chen Mobai said to Meng Huang’er that morning, a hint of apology in his tone as he bid farewell.

“It’s okay, I’ll be waiting for you,” Meng Huang’er responded with a gentle expression.

Truth be told, among all his confidantes, she was the one who provided Chen Mobai with the most comfort and emotional support. When he was with her, Chen Mobai never felt any pressure.

After leaving Meng Huang’er’s home, he headed to the airport. The members of the Heaven-Mending Group had already departed from Wangwu Cavern that morning, traveling to the far north on military aircraft. Chen Mobai, however, had some matters to attend to at home and two people to meet, so he was delayed by two days. Nevertheless, as a Golden Core cultivator, he could fly the final leg of the journey to the Extreme North Cavern himself.

With a roar, he was airborne. Chen Mobai sat in his window seat, watching the Wangwu Cavern below shrink until it disappeared from his sight, and he couldn’t help but fall into contemplation.

Over the past two days, he had bid farewell to his friends in Wangwu Cavern one by one. Yan Bingxuan subtly hinted that the environment in the Extreme North Cavern was suitable for her cultivation. But Chen Mobai could only pretend not to understand, parting ways with her at a street intersection. After all, if Yan Bingxuan accompanied him, it would be difficult for him to disappear for long periods, and he would inevitably have to spend a lot of time with her. Moreover, Chen Mobai had intentionally sought this departure. Being in Wangwu Cavern, the core of the Immortal Sect, prolonged seclusion would not be ideal and would place significant pressure on his subordinates. However, in the Extreme North Cavern, he would be able to operate in the Tianhe Realm more, just as he did in Yumu City. Especially at this critical juncture, as he was about to achieve Golden Core completion, he felt that using Nangong Xuanyu’s ascent to the Hall of Righteous Law as an excuse to distance himself from the Immortal Sect’s center was the wisest and most appropriate choice.

“I’ll return after forming my Nascent Soul!” These were Chen Mobai’s last words to Yan Bingxuan.

***

On the outskirts of Yumu City, within a military-guarded prison, Gu Changfeng was fully engrossed in carving a root sculpture. He had been incarcerated here for nearly sixty years, and besides eating and sleeping, his days were spent selecting roots and carving artworks to generate income for the military.

The prisoners’ cultivation was sealed, and there was no spiritual energy for them to cultivate. However, as a Foundation Establishment cultivator, his hands were steadier than those of other inmates. He was currently carving a monkey, and the gnarled roots gradually came to life under his knife, becoming exquisitely detailed. He had been sentenced to sixty years for practicing a forbidden art, and with only one year left, he would complete his sentence and be released. It was precisely for this reason that he increasingly looked forward to the days, cherishing the hope of seeing the light of day again.

Just as he was about to carve the most crucial part—the eyes—footsteps approached.

“No. 40756, someone wants to see you.” The door opened, and a military cultivator spoke to Gu Changfeng.

“Yes, sir.” Nearly a full cycle of forced labor had trained Gu Changfeng to immediately put down his tools and follow the guard out.

Who wanted to see him? Gu Changfeng was puzzled. He was alone in the Immortal Sect, with no relatives to visit him. Previously, he had some classmates who would interact, but after the incident, they had all distanced themselves.

Soon, Gu Changfeng realized he was being led to an interrogation room. He walked in, sat down in his designated seat, and his hands were immediately bound by a restriction.

“Chief Chen will be here soon,” the military cultivator in the room said, then affixed a Heart-Seeking Talisman to the wall.

Chief Chen? Who was that? The new chief of the Heaven-Mending Group? Shouldn’t Lan Haitain have taken over?

Holding a heart full of questions, Gu Changfeng watched a young man with delicate features enter, accompanied by a male and female military cultivator.

Huh, he felt somewhat familiar? The moment he saw Chen Mobai, memories from decades ago, long sealed in Gu Changfeng’s mind, began to resurface. Soon, they aligned with a very distant scene: his Changqing Pharmacy, and a brief conversation between himself and this young man. After Lan Haitain approached him, Gu Changfeng knew he couldn’t escape and made a decision. From now on, he wouldn’t come looking for her here; he had already expelled her from his sect!

The memory became perfectly clear. Gu Changfeng vividly remembered Chen Mobai’s incredulous expression when he uttered those words to him, who had come looking for Qing Nu.

“Long time no see,” Chen Mobai’s voice rang out. Gu Changfeng looked up at him, his eyes filled with shock and bewilderment.

“You…”

“This is Committee Member Chen from the Kaiyuan Hall, also the Chief of the Heaven-Mending Group. He has some questions for you; just answer truthfully,” Miao Wanliang, the officer in charge of the prison, immediately introduced Chen Mobai’s identity and background. Gu Changfeng’s conjecture was verified, and his pupils suddenly widened.

It hadn't even been a hundred years. Not only had he formed his Golden Core, but he was also a powerful figure in one of the Three Great Halls. The once callow and naive youth had actually grown to such a realm and status!

In his shock, Gu Changfeng recalled the scene where he had coldly scoffed at the young man’s offer to compensate him for the pharmacy pond’s losses and asked him not to expel Qing Nu from the sect.

“Chief… Chen!” Finally, Gu Changfeng lowered his head and respectfully greeted Chen Mobai.

“You don’t need to be nervous. I’m just here to ask some simple questions.” The Immortal Sect had previously encountered the Zi Xiao Palace ruins. That time, Gu Changfeng and others had inadvertently entered and obtained forbidden arts from an ancient Daoist lineage.

“Yes, Chief. Please ask. I will tell you everything I know,” Gu Changfeng’s attitude was extremely respectful.

Chen Mobai took out Gu Changfeng’s file, which contained Lan Haitain’s previous interrogations. It covered almost all aspects related to the Zi Xiao Palace and the ancient Daoist lineage. However, one thing was not recorded: Qing Nu! According to Chen Mobai’s estimation, with Lan Haitain’s intelligence, he should not have overlooked this clue. But it was possible that because Qing Nu also involved Lin Daoming, a prominent figure who was then the Hall Master of the Immortal Affairs Hall, this aspect was deliberately not delved into during interrogation. It was also possible that it was asked, but the answers were difficult to handle, so they were deleted from the file. Chen Mobai’s purpose in coming this time was to ask about this.

“Was your acceptance of Qing Nu as a disciple coincidental, or was someone behind it arranging for you to do so?”

As soon as he asked this question, Gu Changfeng’s respectful expression instantly changed. A strange atmosphere began to emerge in the room. The military cultivators, including Miao Wanliang, who were observing the interrogation, waited in vain for Gu Changfeng’s answer and also sensed that something was amiss. Who was Qing Nu? They didn’t know, but they knew that this matter was not simple.

“She performed exceptionally well in the herb identification course, and I happened to need an assistant, so I took her as a disciple.” After Gu Changfeng finished speaking, Chen Mobai looked at the Heart-Seeking Talisman, confirming it was the truth. But he shook his head and asked a deeper question.

“Do you know that Qing Nu is a product of the Immortal Sprout Cultivation Project?”

A look of struggle appeared on Gu Changfeng’s face, but under Chen Mobai’s piercing gaze and with the Heart-Seeking Talisman on the wall, he finally sighed heavily and nodded wearily. “I know.”

“In your acceptance of Qing Nu as a disciple, besides your own will, who else or what force was pushing you from behind?”

“Ancestor Longhu of the Ascension Sect.”

Once the breakthrough was made, Gu Changfeng no longer resisted. He knew that since Chen Mobai had come, he must have relevant evidence, so he answered truthfully.

“How did you come into contact with Ancestor Longhu?”

“Within the Zi Xiao Palace ruins, there was a Dharma-performing puppet. After we entered, we obtained some forbidden arts from it. Some people couldn’t control themselves and began cultivating them, thus becoming puppets of the Ascension Sect.”

“And you?”

“At that time, my cultivation had been stuck at a bottleneck for thirty years. Three years after leaving the Zi Xiao Palace, I couldn’t resist the temptation to break through and cultivated the Devouring Spirit Art. After that, I was approached by Ancestor Longhu’s puppet, and under his instruction, I took Qing Nu as a disciple.”

Hearing this, Chen Mobai vaguely confirmed one thing. Yan Xinjin should be Ancestor Longhu. He just didn't know if it was a disincorporation and reincarnation, or if he had received the inheritance of that ancient Daoist lineage and inherited the title.

After asking these questions, Chen Mobai inquired about the Zi Xiao Palace ruins again. However, these details had already been covered in previous interrogations. After confirming that the information matched the file in his mind, Chen Mobai nodded to Miao Wanliang beside him, and they both left the room.

“The criminal is involved with the Ascension Sect. Should we report this to the Law Enforcement Department and see if his sentence needs to be extended?” Miao Wanliang tentatively asked as soon as they stepped out.

“Just report the matter truthfully. Let the higher-ups decide the rest,” Chen Mobai said. Then he left a box of tea and departed from the prison. He and Gu Changfeng had no real grievances, but after this report, Gu Changfeng’s impending release would surely face complications.

***

After the interrogation, Chen Mobai returned home. He informed Shi Wanyu and Chen Xiaohei about his business trip to the Extreme North Cavern, and mother and daughter were naturally very reluctant to see him go. But being part of the Immortal Sect, they understood the importance of the larger picture.

“Dad, come back soon then.” The next day, Chen Xiaohei took leave and, along with Shi Wanyu, saw Chen Mobai off at Danxia City.

“You’re an adult now. Take good care of your mother while I’m gone.” After a few words with his daughter, Chen Mobai turned to Shi Wanyu and spoke gently to her alone. “It will be hard for you to manage things here at home after I leave.”

“Be careful out there,” Shi Wanyu nodded softly, her voice filled with concern.

Chen Mobai heard her, waved goodbye to the mother and daughter, and then used the Underworld Great Formation to directly enter the airport.

***

After leaving home, Chen Mobai arrived at the closest point to the Extreme North: Snow Sea Cavern. This was Wang Shuye’s hometown and the final transit point to the Extreme North Cavern. The Immortal Sect’s regular flights could only go as far north as this.

Upon his arrival, Chen Mobai was met by a Foundation Establishment cultivator and taken to where Wang Shuye was recuperating.

“Cough, cough, cough… why did you specially come here…” Wang Shuye sat in a chair, his face much older, his entire being exuding an aura of decay.

“How is your body?” Chen Mobai sat down and asked with concern.

“It’s alright. It’s just that my Pill Embracement Art was broken, and my vital energy can no longer be contained. And I even wasted your Nine Heavens Pure Spirit Purple Splendor Qi.” Wang Shuye offered Chen Mobai a cup of tea with a bitter smile, which Chen Mobai accepted with both hands. “It’s a pity my time and cultivation weren’t enough to refine a complete strand…”

After exchanging pleasantries, the two began discussing the current situation in the upper echelons of the Immortal Sect.

“Your choice was correct. Nangong Xuanyu has the backing of the Heaven-Mending lineage. If you had stayed, the Kunpeng lineage would have pushed you forward to contend with him in the Hall of Righteous Law.”

“Given the Heaven-Mending faction’s strength, even if you combined the power of the three lineages and used your methods, you might win, or even trap Nangong Xuanyu in the military. But in that case, you would completely antagonize Ying Guanghua.”

“Taking a step back now is like finding open skies. It’s better to return later, after the Kunpeng and Heaven-Mending factions have determined a victor and the situation has stabilized, to align yourself properly.”

Hearing Wang Shuye’s analysis, Chen Mobai sighed, acknowledging that he was indeed worthy of being their lineage’s former head in the Three Great Halls; his thoughts were almost identical to Chen Mobai’s. However, one thing, due to a lack of intelligence, he had not judged correctly.

“The Kunpeng faction likely won’t win. This time, besides Nangong Xuanyu, another person from the Heaven-Mending lineage has also successfully formed their Nascent Soul.”

As soon as Chen Mobai said this, Wang Shuye was first shocked, then his brows furrowed deeply. Finally, he let out a long sigh and uttered a name. “Gongye Zhixu!” He was generally well aware of the recipients of this batch of Nascent Soul Cultivation Pills. Recalling the list, he knew who it was.

“Although I don’t know why it hasn’t been announced yet, it’s clearly prepared for the Kunpeng lineage. I wonder if Ye Yune will be sensible enough to retreat gracefully like me?” If Chen Mobai hadn’t retreated, he would have had to contend with Gongye Zhixu. This person, as the former Vice Hall Master of the Immortal Affairs Hall, possessed almost top-tier abilities in the Immortal Sect. After all, the three Hall Masters often did not handle daily affairs. Gongye Zhixu’s actual political management skills were recognized by everyone. Chen Mobai was confident he could contend with Nangong Xuanyu, but against Gongye Zhixu, he had no such confidence.

“Ancestor Qianxing’s ‘Infinite Realm’ is truly unfathomable,” Wang Shuye remarked with emotion.

“Oh, is this matter also related to Ancestor Qianxing?” Chen Mobai asked, somewhat curiously.

“Ancestor Qianxing’s Inch-Square Book grants him an ability called ‘Infinite,’ which means he can see the exact moment when a realm has no boundaries. With this ability, he cultivates and breaks through realms at the most opportune times, succeeding effortlessly on the first try.”

“He was only stuck for a period before the threshold of Soul Transformation.”

“And after he reached Soul Transformation, this ability could even be used on other cultivators. The numerous Nascent Soul cultivators in the Immortal Sect’s Heaven-Mending lineage have basically all benefited from Ancestor Qianxing’s guidance behind the scenes.”

“This time, Nangong Xuanyu and Gongye Zhixu were able to form their Nascent Souls, certainly with Ancestor Qianxing’s guidance.”

Hearing this, Chen Mobai was greatly astonished. He thought the ability he had manifested from the Inch-Square Book, through the Crown of Heaven, Earth, and All Beings, was already incredibly impressive. He hadn’t expected Ancestor Qianxing’s to be even more heaven-defying.

“With the Infinite ability, can Ancestor Qianxing advance even further?” Chen Mobai immediately thought of this. In the Tianhe Realm, above Soul Transformation was Ascension. On the Immortal Sect’s side, there was also exploration of this realm, called Void Refinement. It was said that upon reaching this realm, one could completely refine the World Gate, the first ultimate treasure. However, no one had truly succeeded, at most only taking half a step.

“Perhaps, but the Ancestor doesn’t speak of this matter, and none of us dare to pry,” Wang Shuye said. Hearing this, Chen Mobai couldn’t help but feel a sense of regret. He regretted that he couldn’t receive Ancestor Qianxing’s guidance.

“You don’t need to worry too much about Wangwu Cavern. After all, Ancestor Baiguang is still there; they wouldn’t dare go too far. Cultivate diligently and strive to achieve Golden Core completion in the shortest time possible, then return to contend for the next spiritual item for Nascent Soul formation.”

Hearing Wang Shuye’s words, Chen Mobai nodded with a somewhat peculiar expression.

The two chatted for a while longer. Before leaving, Chen Mobai left a box of tea.

“It’s so late, won’t you rest for a day before you go?”

“No, I’d better not. It takes three days and three nights to fly to the Extreme North Cavern anyway; I can’t make the people below wait any longer.” Chen Mobai declined Wang Shuye’s invitation and then, riding his Red Mist Cloud Silk Robe, headed for the northernmost tip of the Earth Elemental Star.

***

The Extreme North Cavern was perennially cold, and the site of the Zi Xiao Palace ruins was even deeper within the extreme cold. The Immortal Sect’s archaeological team had to excavate nearly a thousand meters of ice before reaching the ruins. By the time Chen Mobai arrived, most people had already entered the depths. He found Zhuang Jialan waiting outside.

“Chief,” Zhuang Jialan greeted him as he descended from the sky.

“No abnormalities found?”

“Not yet. We have our people in the archaeological team, and those inheritors of ancient Daoist non-heritage traditions are also adhering to the rules. No traces of the Ascension Sect have been found either.” Zhuang Jialan gave a general report of the situation. Chen Mobai nodded, then performed the One Leaf Obscures the Eye Technique, toured the ruins, and, sensing no strange puppets or the like, felt somewhat relieved.

“The discovery of the Zi Xiao Palace ruins will definitely attract people from the Ascension Sect to spy. If I’m present, they won’t dare show themselves easily, so I’ll hide in the shadows next, to see if I can lure out some less intelligent cultists.” Chen Mobai gave a reason, and Zhuang Jialan nodded, indicating understanding.

“This is Zijing’s Azure Origin Treasure Gourd. I’ve placed a Formless Puppet inside. If you encounter a situation you can’t handle, release the puppet, and a wisp of my divine sense within it will be activated…” Hua Zijing had previously found a bronze gourd in the Ten Thousand Treasures Cave, which was an extremely precious storage artifact in the Immortal Sect. Chen Mobai had temporarily requisitioned it for this trip.

“Yes, Chief,” Zhuang Jialan nodded, taking the Azure Origin Treasure Gourd with a solemn expression.

After arranging matters here, Chen Mobai went to the nearby extremely cold sea. It was possible to mine Water Mist Ice Crystals there. Chen Mobai could also use this opportunity to legitimize these resources, providing a foundation for either Yan Bingxuan or Chen Xiaohei later. Of course, what he actually did was find an uninhabited ice reef, use a talisman to conceal the surroundings, and then tap the Turtle Treasure to return to the Eastern Desolation.

***

At Giant Wood Ridge, he inquired about recent affairs. The main topic was the installation of the Heavens-Connecting Instrument and the establishment of Liantong. Although E Yun and others had his guiding principles, they still stumbled, as this world had no experience in this area. Besides that, Zhou Wangshen had delivered this year’s Five Elements Essence Qi. Combined with previous collections, it was just enough for him to condense a complete strand of Mixed Primordial True Qi, with some left over.

“Sect Master, when Senior Brother Zhou came, he also mentioned that two individuals at Flying Dragon Pond, after consuming the Foundation Establishment Three Treasures, broke through their bottlenecks and successfully established their foundations,” Gu Yan said, delivering this good news when she presented the Five Elements Essence Qi.

“Excellent, excellent! With this, I can instruct the Alchemy Department to start collecting materials and vigorously refine this,” Chen Mobai was very pleased. The materials needed for one Foundation Establishment Pill could refine more than a dozen sets of Foundation Establishment Three Treasures. Distributing a set of Foundation Establishment Three Treasures to all the former true disciples at Flying Dragon Pond would at most cost the materials for one batch of Foundation Establishment Pills. If half of this group could successfully establish their foundations, then the Five Elements Essence Qi Chen Mobai harvested each year would be enough to condense at least two or three strands of Mixed Primordial True Qi. If he spared no expense, he estimated that within ten years, he could achieve great mastery in refining Mixed Primordial True Qi. Thinking of this, Chen Mobai felt his hope of forming a Nascent Soul growing stronger.

He checked the time and found that only twenty-three days remained until the Northern Dipper Assembly. He briefly instructed E Yun and the others on Liantong matters from a user’s perspective, then left Giant Wood Ridge. Of course, before going to Beiyuan City, he didn’t forget to visit Tianpeng Mountain Villa.

“You can see if you have the chance to acquire a discarded satellite artifact from the sky; that would greatly speed up the efficiency of installing the Heavens-Connecting Instrument,” Qing Nu offered her suggestion after they had a tender moment and Chen Mobai brought up recent sect matters.

“I’ll ask my friends at the Heavenly Canopy and Earth Net Administration when I have time.” The satellite artifacts outside the Earth Elemental Star were array nodes of the Heavenly Canopy and Earth Net Great Array. However, over time, they could be damaged by prolonged exposure to the essence of the sun and moon and cosmic tides. Some could be repaired, while others, due to high costs, were simply discarded and replaced.

“How are Zeng Woyou and Yan Jinye progressing with their training? I plan to have them mass-produce the Foundation Establishment Three Treasures.”

“They’re barely usable. Let them refine here. I can oversee them, so if any accidents occur, I can help,” Qing Nu’s words made Chen Mobai very grateful.

The next day, Chen Mobai issued a Sect Master’s Edict to Zeng Woyou for the refining of the Foundation Establishment Three Treasures. Zeng Woyou immediately returned to the sect to prepare materials. Yan Jinye, however, stayed behind for final practice under Qing Nu’s guidance. After the Foundation Establishment Three Treasures, the chief responsibility of the Alchemy Department would be transferred from Zeng Woyou to Yan Jinye.

“Then I’ll be going now,” Chen Mobai said to Qing Nu on the mountaintop that day, bidding her farewell.

“Alright. When you go to the Northern Dipper Assembly, don’t forget to collect those herbs,” Qing Nu reminded him. Besides Spirit Origin Pills, Golden Liquid Jade Elixir, Water Elemental Gold Elixir, there were also those related to the three spiritual medicines for Nascent Soul formation. Knowing that Chen Mobai was about to form his Nascent Soul, Qing Nu was somewhat worried and wanted to refine a complete set of spiritual medicines for him. Chen Mobai committed all the main and auxiliary herbs she mentioned to memory. However, he felt that it would be impossible to collect all of them at once. But he still held onto that hope. What if they were all there?

***

Upon arriving in Beiyuan City, Chen Mobai first went to the mountaintop to visit the Golden Sun Spiritual Tree that had been irrigated with Ten Transformations Thunder Water. This spiritual tree should have already been enlightened and advanced by him using forced growth, but Zhuo Ming, who had been looking after it, discovered that it showed a tendency to advance on its own. Moreover, this intent grew stronger and more intense after being watered with the Ten Transformations Thunder Water. Chen Mobai thought about it and decided to give it a chance. After all, spiritual plants enlightened with forced growth would no longer have the possibility of further advancement. Beiyuan City, as the future grand center of his Five Elements Sect, might not end at a Fourth-Tier spiritual vein. If this tree retained the possibility of reaching Fifth-Tier, then for him, he would have one more option to suppress a Fifth-Tier spiritual vein in the future.

Under his Empty Valley Sound, this Golden Sun Spiritual Tree exuded a strong aura of growth. The spiritual energy of Beiyuan City’s earth脉 was continuously absorbed by it, and under the neutralization of the Ten Transformations Thunder Water, it fused with the tree’s natural energy, promoting the growth of its trunk and the flourishing of its branches and leaves. Chen Mobai could hear that every moment, this Golden Sun Spiritual Tree was growing. Its original bottleneck, under the efficacy of the Ten Transformations Thunder Water, no longer existed. It was steadily advancing towards the Fourth-Tier. Chen Mobai estimated the time, diluted the remaining Ten Transformations Thunder Water, and handed it to Yuan Chiye, instructing him to water the tree on schedule during his absence.

For the remainder of his time, Chen Mobai refined Five Elements Essence Qi on the mountaintop. With the help of the Dusita Fire, he easily condensed the second complete strand of Mixed Primordial True Qi. Besides Mixed Primordial True Qi, he did not neglect Pure Yang True Qi either. Just as he had mostly condensed the second strand of Pure Yang True Qi, someone from Kongsang Valley arrived.

“I didn’t expect Venerable Mingwen to grace us with her presence. You’ve waited long,” Chen Mobai said politely upon seeing the visitor.

“Not at all, not at all…” Venerable Mingwen had come this time not only to inform them about the Northern Dipper Assembly in Dongyue but also to purchase a batch of supplies like spirit rice and elixirs. They had just established themselves in the Barren Ruins, and all their cultivated spiritual fields were used to grow Pure Tranquility Bamboo, so they could only buy spirit rice and other items from the Five Elements Sect. Fortunately, Chen Mobai was not a greedy merchant; he had Yuan Chiye sell at normal prices. And because the Eastern Desolation Plateau had been successfully developed, the price of First-Tier spirit rice had dropped to an unprecedented low. This surprised Kongsang Valley, who had expected to spend a fortune. However, these accumulated events made them realize that Chen Mobai, the Sect Master of the Five Elements Sect, was indeed a rare and sincere individual in the Tianhe Realm.