Chapter 790: Golden Core Ninth Layer

Amidst a flash of silver light, Chen Mobai arrived at Jinwu Immortal City.

This immortal city was built on the coast, near the Profound Sea. However, that area was the territory of the Profound Dragon Demonic Court, overseen by a Soul Transformation Profound Dragon. Consequently, despite the abundant resources, cultivators from Dongyi dared only gather from the fringes closer to the mainland.

For cultivators in Dongyi, the Profound Sea was akin to the Cloud Dream Lake for those in Donghuang.

If cultivators found life on land unsustainable, they would venture deep into the Profound Sea to hunt demonic beasts, gather pearls, and collect spiritual herbs.

In the nearly ten thousand years since Dongyi was established, many cultivators had their lives transformed this way.

The most famous example was the patriarch of Xuanxiao Dao Palace.

He was originally just a disciple of a small sect. While accompanying a merchant fleet at sea, he was ambushed and fell into the deep sea, only to enter a mysterious underwater cave. There, he obtained Nascent Soul cultivation techniques, alchemy jade scrolls, and even countless spiritual herbs, some thousands or tens of thousands of years old.

Subsequently, Xuanxiao Dao Palace quietly developed, relying on the gains from this cave. It eventually became the sect with the highest alchemy techniques in Dongyi, even cultivating Nascent Soul cultivators like Patriarch Jinfeng, and was renowned alongside Kongsang Valley and Bathing Sun Sea.

Unfortunately, after thousands of years of consumption, the legacy of the underwater cave was largely exhausted.

By now, Xuanxiao Dao Palace has shown signs of decline.

In Jinwu Immortal City, Chen Mobai found Chu Zuoshu, who had been staying there. Chu Zuoshu had rented a shop at the dock, selling specialties from Donghuang, and while earning spirit stones, he was also gathering information for the Five Elements Sect.

"Sect Master," Chu Zuoshu said, "here in Dongyi, every now and then, fleets depart from Jinwu Immortal City to the deepest parts of the Profound Sea in the Sky River Realm, hoping to change their fate."

The two sat on the third-floor balcony of the shop, conversing while gazing at the vast Profound Sea visible before them. Chu Zuoshu's words seemed filled with longing.

"Another undeveloped treasure trove," Chen Mobai remarked.

The resources and treasures within the ocean were always the most abundant.

Unfortunately, just like on Terrestrial Star, these vast sea areas were the backyards of Soul Transformation cultivators.

"If the Sect Master achieves Soul Transformation in the future and unifies the Donghuang and Dongyi regions," Chu Zuoshu said, "our Five Elements Sect might be able to harness the endless resources of this Profound Sea."

Chu Zuoshu spoke his mind, and Chen Mobai shook his head slightly after hearing it.

"I haven't even formed my Nascent Soul yet, and you're already thinking so far ahead," Chen Mobai replied.

At this point, he took his leave.

This trip to Jinwu Immortal City via the large teleportation array of Xingtain Dao Sect was originally just a transit stop.

He had merely thought of Chu Zuoshu, his old leader, who had toiled there for over two decades, and felt it would be inappropriate not to meet him since he had come.

Now that they had met and reminisced for half a day, it was time to leave.

"Sect Master, won't you stay for a couple more days?" Chu Zuoshu asked. "Jinwu Immortal City has many interesting places."

Chu Zuoshu had not expected Chen Mobai would not even stay for a day.

As the foremost immortal city in Dongyi, and arguably the gateway for exchange between the three border regions of Dongzhou and the central lands of Dongtu, Jinwu Immortal City's grandeur and abundant resources were no less than those of immortal cities belonging to major sects.

Here, with connections and enough spirit stones, one could procure almost all resources produced in Dongzhou.

Several batches of elixirs refined by Yan Shaoyin contained many precious thousand-year spiritual herbs, all of which were exchanged or purchased here.

"No, I've been away too long," Chen Mobai said with a smile. "I miss Donghuang a bit."

As he left, he also mentioned to Chu Zuoshu about collecting Wind Spirit Vine, the final main ingredient for the Spirit Yuan Pill.

"Yes, Sect Master," Chu Zuoshu immediately replied, adding, "However, Wind Spirit Vine from Bathing Sun Sea has always been directly supplied to the Dao Sect, so it might be difficult to acquire."

"Just do your best," Chen Mobai said. "By the way, you've been here for a long time. If you wish to return to the sect, I can send someone else to replace you after I go back."

Chen Mobai brought this up again, and Chu Zuoshu felt a slight stir in his heart upon hearing it.

He had left the sect previously to come here, aiming to form a Core. After failing, he remained here to recover. Then, following Chen Mobai's orders, he opened a shop and has been collecting necessary resources and information for the sect ever since.

Last year, Chu Zuoshu also met Yue Zutao here, who was leading the Five Elements Merchant Guild to Dongtu.

His former disciple had surpassed him, the master, successfully forming a Core and gaining an advantage, which made him feel both pleased and bittersweet.

They both had the same conditions, each with a Golden Liquid Jade Reversion Pill.

But he failed, while his disciple succeeded.

This filled Chu Zuoshu with a sense of regret and desolation.

And after hearing that Meng Hong had still failed to form a Core, despite using a Golden Liquid Jade Reversion Pill and an external Core, Chu Zuoshu felt even more strongly that the era no longer belonged to old cultivators like them.

"Sect Master," Chu Zuoshu said, "if the sect wishes to train disciples, it can send someone over. If there aren't enough hands, I can support it for another ten-odd years."

Chen Mobai smiled faintly. After finishing the wine in his cup, he disappeared from the spot with a flash of silver light.

Half a day after he left.

Zhu Jun, with a somber expression, emerged from the large teleportation array with two of her junior brothers.

"Have the disciples on duty for this month's teleportation array come to see me," she instructed.

As soon as she emerged, she first sent her two junior brothers to handle tasks, then spoke to the Bathing Sun Sea cultivator on guard.

A short while later, an elder at the late Foundation Establishment stage arrived. Upon seeing Zhu Jun, he quickened his pace.

"Greetings, Senior Aunt Zhu..."

"Have any of you seen this person?" Zhu Jun interrupted, immediately materializing Chen Mobai's image with fire.

The elder immediately called over all disciples who had been on duty these past few days, as the large teleportation array was guarded by shifts every two hours.

Soon, a group of disciples recognized him.

"We saw this senior emerge from the teleportation array this morning," a female disciple, with good memory, immediately told Zhu Jun. "According to the records, he was teleported from Dongyue."

With a wave of her sleeve, Zhu Jun immediately took her away.

A short while later, they arrived at Bathing Sun Sea's grand hall in Jinwu Immortal City.

After the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, Liu Nansheng and Zhou Zhenhai, who had left earlier, returned.

Liu Nansheng also brought another person with him.

It was none other than Chu Zuoshu.

"Senior Sister," Liu Nansheng reported, "that Sect Master Chen must have already left. When he departed, he was alone."

Liu Nansheng was also one of the Ten True Ones of Bathing Sun Sea; with his intervention, Chu Zuoshu had no power to resist.

Zhu Jun waved her sleeve, releasing the restrictions on Chu Zuoshu, and questioned him about Chen Mobai. Unfortunately, he remained silent, not uttering a single word.

"How about Junior Brother Zhou?" Zhu Jun asked.

Under normal circumstances, Zhu Jun would have a myriad of ways to make Chu Zuoshu speak, but at this moment, time was of the essence, so she immediately turned to her other junior brother, Zhou Zhenghai, and asked.

"The disciples at the immortal city gates found no record of his departure," Zhou Zhenghai replied. "He's either still within the city, or he's already left through another teleportation array."

As the foremost city in Dongyi, Jinwu Immortal City's grand array had anti-flight capabilities. Thus, for conventional entry and exit, one could only pass through the city gates.

But if he left via a teleportation array, they would have no way to track him.

"There are only a few factions with teleportation arrays set up in the city," Zhu Jun stated. "And all of them are linked to the large teleportation array in the city center. Go check the records and see if any factions activated their arrays today."

Zhu Jun said this, startling Liu Nansheng and Zhou Zhenghai.

"Senior Sister, this might not be appropriate," Liu Nansheng said.

As the city's masters, they naturally wished to control everything within it. Therefore, Bathing Sun Sea generally did not allow other cultivation factions to set up teleportation arrays beyond their control.

It was precisely because of this that any faction in Jinwu Immortal City capable of independently possessing its own teleportation array was, without exception, a super sect.

The Four Sacred Lands, including Xingtain Dao Sect, were among them.

Among these, Yiyuan Dao Palace had sealed its mountain, and thus its teleportation array's permissions had been sealed by Bathing Sun Sea.

These teleportation arrays were all subsidiary arrays to the large teleportation array. Therefore, each time they were activated, Bathing Sun Sea could ascertain who was using them through their sect's records.

But if such a matter became known to the Sacred Lands, they would certainly be displeased.

When did Bathing Sun Sea dare to pry into the affairs of the Sacred Lands?

"Do as I say," Zhu Jun said without hesitation. "I will bear any consequences."

Zhu Jun spoke without any hesitation. If her conjecture aligned with the truth, then this was her greatest hope for forming a Nascent Soul, an opportunity she absolutely could not miss.

Moreover, as long as they were discreet, this matter could be completely overlooked after she formed her Nascent Soul. At worst, she could leave Dongyi to avoid the limelight, just like Kuzhu.

As it concerned forming a Nascent Soul, Zhu Jun was extremely decisive.

Liu Nansheng and Zhou Zhenghai exchanged glances, and could only proceed with the task.

Soon, Core Formation Elder Ran Zhaoming, responsible for the teleportation array, also arrived.

After the investigation, Zhu Jun discovered good news.

Throughout that