Chapter 812: Purple Lightning Ascends

As a great contributor to Chen Mobai's refinement of the Tushita Fire, the Violet Lightning and Azure Frost Swords have spent years being tempered by this immortal flame. Their spiritual essence has grown, and the material of their sword bodies has been continuously refined and improved.

However, compared to the Violet Lightning Sword, the Azure Frost Sword had followed Chen Mobai for a shorter period and absorbed less spiritual energy from spirit stones, so its progress in refinement and enhancement was not as significant as the Violet Lightning Sword's.

During this heavenly tribulation, the Violet Lightning Sword refined its body and absorbed the essence of the lightning, showing signs of transcending its limitations.

The Azure Frost Sword, with its childlike nature, naturally refused to be outdone upon witnessing this.

"It's still tribulation lightning now, which suits Violet Lightning. There should be frost winds and cold currents later, then you can go show what you can do," Chen Mobai said.

Although the Azure Frost Sword eagerly volunteered, Chen Mobai, as its current guardian, had to protect it carefully and prevent it from overexerting itself.

The Violet Lightning Sword was a lightning-attributed magic artifact, making it very adept at absorbing tribulation lightning. However, if the Azure Frost Sword were to face it, it would be counterproductive, potentially amplifying the early power of the heavenly tribulation to its extreme.

Nevertheless, since Chen Mobai was forming his Nascent Soul using the Pure Yang Scroll, and his aura resonated with heaven and earth, the heavenly tribulation would gradually transform into natural disasters with opposing attributes, ensuring an opportunity for the Azure Frost Sword to participate.

Hearing his words, the Azure Frost Sword could only restrain itself.

At this moment, Chen Mobai activated the *Cantong Qi* (Alchemical Scripture) to help the Violet Lightning Sword absorb and refine the power of the tribulation lightning.

This great Nascent Soul cultivation technique from the Immortal Sect, in his hands, had completely become a tool for artifact refinement.

Others at the Dance of Weapons Daoist Academy worried that prolonged symbiotic cultivation with artifacts would alter their vital essence and spirit. While it might lead to greater synergy, it could also become a hindrance.

But Chen Mobai had no such concerns.

He had no intention of changing himself for the sake of an artifact. Whenever such a tendency appeared, he would switch to a different symbiotic artifact.

As long as he changed frequently enough, he would remain unaffected, always preserving his true self.

At least until now, no single artifact had captured his unwavering affection.

Indeed, he had just switched his symbiotic artifact from the Heavenly Origin Pearl to the Violet Lightning Sword, with the Azure Frost Sword waiting its turn.

"Thank you, Master!"

Upon becoming Chen Mobai's symbiotic artifact, the Violet Lightning Sword's morale soared, and its fighting spirit surged. Its already intense and brilliant purple sword-light became even more dazzling, like a grand purple sun, descending heavily into the very center of the heavenly tribulation.

With a violent roar, all the tribulation lightning filling the sky was instantly swallowed by the sword at the heart of the purple sun!

The center of the dark clouds, which had enveloped half of Beiyuan City, immediately opened up, revealing light!

At this moment, Chen Mobai's divine consciousness had completely merged with the Violet Lightning Sword, achieving the profoundly advanced state of 'man and sword as one.'

Although he had never cultivated the Violet Splendor Sword Manual, under the influence of the *Cantong Qi*, he became entirely one with the Violet Lightning Sword, experiencing its complete transformation into a fifth-grade artifact from within, as if Venerable Qing Shi himself had been reborn.

Concurrently, he took out the complete Tushita Fire and placed it upon the Violet Lightning Sword, assisting it in overcoming the final bottleneck.

The transition of a magic artifact from fourth to fifth grade signifies the complete maturation of its spiritual essence.

In human terms, it's like a child growing from one or two years old to just over ten.

The Violet Lightning Sword, with years of accumulation, ample spiritual stone nourishment since following Chen Mobai, and tempering by the Tushita Fire, was now at the equivalent of a nine-year-old stage.

It needed only this final step to 'cross the year' and become a ten-year-old child.

Under the effect of Chen Mobai's Tushita Fire, the Violet Lightning Sword emitted tiny flashes of brilliant light. These were remnants of lower-grade materials within the sword body that had become hindrances during the ascension, thus requiring removal.

As the last spark of brilliant light burst forth, the Violet Lightning Sword subtly shrank in size. However, its lines, while retaining their original majesty, became more fluid, and the arcs of lightning flickering around its blade resembled spiritual serpents dancing.

At this point, the dark clouds, previously rent open by the Violet Lightning Sword, began to re-gather, replenished by an endless flow of heaven and earth spiritual energy.

Threads of bone-chilling cold currents poured forth and spread. The cultivators in Beiyuan City felt the temperature drop by dozens of degrees in an instant. Some low-level Qi Cultivators even felt their exposed skin turning pale and bluish, almost losing sensation.

At Zhou Shengqing's signal, the power of the Sumeru Nine Palaces Formation was activated. Yi Shaoqing and the six Foundation Establishment cultivators around him each held a formation disc and placed an upper-grade spirit stone upon it.

Immediately, the subsequent, even more bone-chilling cold currents were blocked outside Beiyuan City by the grand formation.

In the sky, large goose-feather snowflakes had just condensed but hadn't yet fallen when they were absorbed by a clear, water-like sword in Chen Mobai's palm. In an instant, the center of the dark clouds transformed into a colossal ice sphere.

However, the ice sphere remained suspended in mid-air, not descending.

"Is Junior Brother Chen refining an artifact using the heavenly tribulation?"

The Core Formation cultivators of the Five Elements Sect on Beiyuan Mountain Peak below, seeing this scene, couldn't help but look bewildered, then all turned to Sheng Zhaoxi.

She was the chief artifact refiner of the Five Elements Sect, a true professional.

"This... my cultivation is too low; I cannot presume to guess the artifact refining techniques of Sect Master Junior Brother," Sheng Zhaoxi replied.

Sheng Zhaoxi had cultivated for many years but had never heard of a cultivator being able to refine artifacts using the power of heavenly tribulation during their own tribulation.

However, Chen Mobai was already approaching legendary status in their minds, so Sheng Zhaoxi believed it was her own inadequacy and dared not comment.

Among those present, only Qing Nü knew what Chen Mobai was doing.

But she certainly wouldn't reveal the profound mysteries of the *Cantong Qi*.

At this moment, Zhou Shengqing and the others also noticed that the frosty ice tide evolving from the heavenly tribulation, accompanied by continuous dark clouds, began to surge incessantly towards the central ice sphere.

Slowly, the ice sphere's diameter grew larger and larger, quickly becoming the size of a glowing white small meteorite, falling towards the peak of Beiyuan Mountain below.

"All junior brothers, junior sisters, and junior nephews, please protect yourselves!"

Zhou Shengqing, seeing this, instructed those around him, then unhesitatingly flew up, controlling the Golden Mist Pearl, preparing to block the ice sphere.

Since Chen Mobai was inside, he had no intention of unleashing the destructive power of the Golden Mist Pearl, only planning to support it.

But soon, he realized his intervention might not be necessary.

With every inch the ice sphere descended, a crack appeared.

Faintly, a figure wielding dual purple-green swords could be seen standing within, with a cluster of purple-green divine flames burning fiercely before him. Wherever they passed, frost and ice melted into water.

Just as the ice sphere was about to hit the peak of Beiyuan Mountain, its surface was covered in dense cracks. Accompanied by a crisp thunderous roar, a brilliant purple sword-light, like a pillar, burst forth from above the ice sphere's center, then spun 360 degrees, neatly slicing the ice sphere into two halves.

Chen Mobai's posture, with one hand holding the Azure Frost Sword behind him and the other wielding the Violet Lightning Sword in a direct strike, immediately came into everyone's view.

"Senior Brother, please wait a moment. I'll bring some rain to Beiyuan City," Chen Mobai said with a smile to Zhou Shengqing, who had just flown out from the peak. Then, controlling an orange-red glow, he shattered the halved ice sphere beside him into countless fragments.

The original power of the frost and ice from this sphere had already been absorbed by the Azure Frost Sword, so it was now just ordinary ice, shattering like tofu under the might of the Primordial Yang Sword Qi.

Next, he brought out the Haotian Mirror, which erupted with golden flames, melting all the ice fragments into water and showering it down upon the entirety of Beiyuan City.

After completing all this, he looked up at the sky again.

The dark clouds formed by the heavenly tribulation still retained a final, smaller scale, surging towards the now-empty center. Streaks of dark green lightning converged within, resembling madly dancing green serpents, seemingly brewing the final assault.

"Master, let me handle this!"

The Violet Lightning Sword, having just upgraded to fifth-grade, immediately conveyed this message upon seeing the scene, expressing its desire to alleviate Chen Mobai's burdens.

The Azure Frost Sword on the other side also wanted to speak, but it had just absorbed its fill and was now somewhat overstuffed, feeling powerless.

"You've just ascended in grade; you need to stabilize your realm and rest properly. And while you're at it, look after little Qing," Chen Mobai said.

Chen Mobai, however, shook his head. As he spoke, the dark green lightning in the sky, like a beam of divine light from beyond the heavens, hurtled towards him at an extremely high speed.

Wherever it passed, space warped, and the melted ice water suddenly froze into hail.

This was the incredibly fearsome Gui Water Yin Lightning!

Yet Chen Mobai showed no fear. He immediately switched his symbiotic artifact to the Heavenly Origin Pearl, and with a dazzling five-colored spiritual light shield enveloping him, he flew directly towards the dark green lightning.

The moment they met, the dark green lightning immediately burst apart.

However, after this Gui Water Yin Lightning shattered, ten, dozens, or even hundreds of Gui Water Yin Lightning bolts followed, striking down consecutively.

But Chen Mobai remained completely fearless. He flew straight up, protected by the five-colored spiritual light shield, dispersing all the Gui Water Yin Lightning bolts that blocked his path, finally crashing directly into the center of the heavenly tribulation.

Accompanied by a violent roar!

Suddenly, another dazzling sun appeared between heaven and earth. The dark clouds were then dyed in five vibrant colors, becoming incredibly magnificent.

Yet, in an instant, all the five-colored clouds collapsed towards a single point at the center, eventually transforming into the purest five-elemental spiritual energy in Chen Mobai's palm, refined by his Primordial Chaos True Qi.

The Heavenly Origin Pearl, which uniquely favored five-elemental spiritual energy, quickly absorbed and stored all of it.

At the same time, the heavenly tribulation completely dissipated, vanishing into thin air.

Laughing heartily, Chen Mobai sent the Violet Lightning and Azure Frost Swords, the Tushita Fire, the Heavenly Origin Pearl, and other items into his personal domain. Then, controlling the pervasive rainwater to nourish the recently advanced Longevity Wood, he descended upon the peak of Beiyuan Mountain.

"It took a bit longer than I expected. I wonder if the tea has gone cold," Chen Mobai remarked upon landing.

Upon hearing him, everyone was both impressed and astonished.

In all their years of cultivation, it was the first time they had ever heard of a Nascent Soul heavenly tribulation being overcome with such ease!

"Master, the tea is still warm, please drink!"

At this moment, Luo Yixuan immediately handed Chen Mobai the half-finished cup of tea she was holding. Although the heavenly tribulation's cold currents had swept through Beiyuan City, any person present could easily block its after-effects, so the tea was indeed still warm.

"Though it's still warm, it's a bit over-steeped. My cultivation still has some shortcomings," Chen Mobai reflected after drinking.

After drinking, Chen Mobai was, in fact, reflecting on himself.

"Sect Master Junior Brother is so disciplined; no wonder he has achieved such astonishing accomplishments. We should learn from you," Zhou Ye said with admiration upon hearing this.

Everyone else also nodded in agreement.

Meanwhile, Yan Shaoyin, who had stood at the very edge and witnessed Chen Mobai's entire tribulation, stood with his mouth agape, still looking utterly stunned.

The heavenly tribulation, which cultivators across the entire Heavenly River Realm feared like tigers, had been overcome so easily?

Recalling how he couldn't even trigger a heavenly tribulation after taking an Infant Nurturing Pill, Yan Shaoyin deeply felt the immense gap between himself and Chen Mobai.

It was at this moment that he harbored no more ulterior motives.

For he knew that even if he expelled the elixir poison of the Three Lights Divine Water and successfully formed his Nascent Soul to a higher degree, he would still be no match for Chen Mobai.

Yan Shaoyin now had only one thought: he must leverage his strengths, contribute more to the Five Elements Sect, and make himself an indispensable part of the sect's rise.

If his alchemy couldn't surpass Qing Nü's, he would focus on quantity.

He had trained so many disciples and grand-disciples in Restoration Valley; it was time for them to play their part.

"Oh, no, no," Chen Mobai demurred. "Coincidentally, this spiritual plant also advanced to a fourth-grade Longevity Wood, so it's a double blessing. We should celebrate properly..."

Unaware that Yan Shaoyin had been completely convinced, Chen Mobai, upon descending, immediately called out to Zhuo Ming, asking her to bring a large jar of fourth-grade Immortal Peach Wine for everyone to drink.

After just two sips, Zhou Ye's eyes lit up.

He was originally just one strand of Primordial Chaos True Qi short of achieving mastery. But after drinking the fourth-grade Immortal Peach Wine, he felt a continuous surge of five-elemental spiritual power from his Dantian's Sea of Qi, and he couldn't help but sit in meditation to refine it.

Three days later, Zhou Ye awoke from his meditation and couldn't help but laugh heartily towards the sky.

His Primordial Chaos True Qi had finally reached mastery!

"Junior Brother Zhou, congratulations."

Zhou Shengqing's voice sounded nearby. Zhou Ye immediately looked over and saw Zhou Shengqing standing under the recently upgraded Longevity Wood, watching him.

"Thank you, Second Senior Brother, for guarding me."

Zhou Ye hesitated for a moment, then went over to thank Zhou Shengqing. The two brothers, with a long-lost peaceful demeanor, began to converse.

However, during their conversation, they were very discreet, avoiding topics that might lead to disagreements and exchanging polite pleasantries.

As they chatted, Zhou Ye inquired about the others.

Only then did he learn that he had been in meditation for three days, while Mo Douguang and others were in their respective cave dwellings, refining the effects of the Immortal Peach Wine.

There were not many fourth-grade cave dwellings on Beiyuan City's mountain peak, but most of the older generation Core Formation cultivators of the Five Elements Sect had one.

Unfortunately, Zhou Ye did not.

After all, he had previously taken a wrong path and had been marginalized internally.

However, this issue had already been resolved by Chen Mobai during Zhou Ye's three days of meditation.

After the Longevity Wood upgraded to fourth grade, he directly opened ten new fourth-grade cave dwellings. Besides Zhou Ye, he also allocated one each to Luo Yixuan, Yin Qingmei, and Qing Nü.

If Zhuo Ming hadn't yet formed her Core, Chen Mobai would have wanted to arrange one for his precious disciple too.

However, since he had set the rules himself, he certainly couldn't break them.

Fortunately, Zhuo Ming didn't mind, and Luo Yixuan, to demonstrate their deep sisterly bond, directly shared her newly acquired fourth-grade cave dwelling in Beiyuan City with her.

The Immortal Peach Wine's potency was strong, and being purely natural with no elixir poison, it caused several Core Formation cultivators of the Five Elements Sect to enter seclusion for refinement in the following days.

After arranging everything, Chen Mobai also entered seclusion, citing the need to stabilize his realm.

Of course, before entering seclusion, he first saw Qing Nü off.

Qing Nü belonged to the 'Foundation Faction' of the Immortal Sect and, unless absolutely necessary, disliked using elixirs for cultivation advancement. Thus, she only drank a small half-cup of the Immortal Peach Wine.

She knew Chen Mobai was gathering cultivators from the Five Elements Sect to practice the Five Elements Dao Soldiers, preparing for a major battle against the Profound Desolation Dao Palace in the Eastern Yi region. Therefore, she obediently did not stay behind, so as not to interfere with Chen Mobai's important affairs.

After Qing Nü departed, Chen Mobai directly returned to the Immortal Sect.

Upon his return, he went directly from Danxia Mountain to his home in the city.

Shi Wanyu and her daughter were home. They said that Wang Xinying's emotions had stabilized, and she had accepted her parents' departure, but she had become even more emotionally guarded.

Chen Mobai had no solution for this, so he could only invite Wang Xinying over for another meal before he left again.

Although the brother and sister had grown up and seen little of each other due to distance, their profound childhood affection had now deepened to a bond like true siblings.

"If you feel lonely by yourself in Danxia City, you can come with us to Wangwu Grotto-heaven," Chen Mobai suggested to Wang Xinying after dinner. The latter, however, directly shook her head.

"Brother, at my age, I've gotten used to this place and don't want to adapt to a new environment. Besides, I'm afraid that if I leave, I'll gradually forget scenes related to our parents."

Hearing Wang Xinying's words, Chen Mobai said no more.

The brother and sister then spoke of more childhood memories. When they touched upon amusing moments, a smile involuntarily bloomed on Wang Xinying's lips, and the two seemed to return to that carefree time.

On the day of their departure, Wang Xinying saw the family of three off at the airport.

"Sigh, with this departure, I don't know when I'll be able to return," Chen Mobai sighed softly, looking at Danxia City shrinking beneath them.

As his cultivation grew higher, his long-term residences would either be in Wangwu Grotto-heaven or Mount Chicheng. Opportunities to return to his hometown would only become rarer.

"I've heard that Nascent Soul cultivators might spend years, even decades, in seclusion. Will I not see you one last time in the future?" At this moment, Shi Wanyu, sitting beside Chen Mobai, suddenly spoke these words.

As a most ordinary housewife in the Immortal Sect, she would center her life around Chen Mobai and their daughter for the next few decades, yet she was merely a Qi Cultivator.

She greatly feared that one day her lifespan would end and she would pass away while Chen Mobai was in seclusion.

"Don't worry," Chen Mobai said. "No matter where I am on that day, I will rush back to see you one last time." Sensing Shi Wanyu's unsettled emotions after leaving her hometown, Chen Mobai immediately took her hand, comforting her.

Upon hearing this, Shi Wanyu's tense body visibly relaxed, and she leaned against Chen Mobai's shoulder.

Across from them, Chen Xiaohei, seeing her parents in such an intimate posture, immediately turned her head to look out the window.

Upon returning to Wangwu Grotto-heaven, Zhuang Jialan was waiting with a car, as Hua Zijing had gone into seclusion to form her Core.

Zhuang Jialan was visibly surprised when she saw the family of three getting into the car, but she effectively performed her duties as a secretary, maintaining a calm and composed demeanor, acting as if it were business as usual.

"Venerable Sir, where shall we go first?"

Chen Mobai thought for a moment and named his courtyard in Wangwu Grotto-heaven.

After all, Shi Wanyu was now his Dao companion and Chen Xiaohei his daughter, so they had to go home first.

Fortunately, because he frequently traveled between the two realms, he hadn't hired any other cultivators for his courtyard.

After dropping off the family of three, Zhuang Jialan had intended to leave but was called back by Shi Wanyu to share a meal.

After dinner, Chen Mobai retrieved the mother and daughter's numerous suitcases from his personal domain.

Zhuang Jialan had originally wanted to stay and help unpack, but Shi Wanyu, feeling a bit awkward, politely declined her offer.

"From now on, if you need anything in Wangwu Grotto-heaven, you can tell Jialan, and she will arrange everything for you," Chen Mobai told Shi Wanyu late that night after they had been intimate.

He was quite career-driven, so he would be busy with official matters in the coming period. Fortunately, he had Wang Shuye and others assisting him in the Immortal Sect; otherwise, Chen Mobai genuinely felt he might not be able to manage everything.

Upon hearing this, Shi Wanyu, however, felt that it was only natural for Chen Mobai, as the head of the Dance of Weapons lineage in the Three Great Halls, to be busy, and she immediately nodded obediently.

The next day, Zhuang Jialan arrived to take Chen Xiaohei to handle her file transfer and position promotion matters.

Chen Mobai, meanwhile, directly used Void Walk to go to the Finance Department for a meeting.

The meeting's topic was still the allocation of the Golden Liquid Returning Jade Pills.

Earlier in the year, when he was on Danxia Mountain, Ying Guanghua, in his capacity as the Head of the Immortal Affairs Hall, had proposed adding another batch of Golden Liquid Returning Jade Pills in preparation for the upcoming expansion war.

Since arrangements had been made in advance, the proposal passed smoothly at the Kaiyuan Hall.

However, the Finance Department only dared to convene the allocation meeting after the arrival of Chen Mobai, the key figure.

The moment Chen Mobai appeared in the meeting room, everyone, whether they knew him or not, approached with beaming smiles to greet him.

Nangong Xuanyu did not attend this meeting.

However, Ying Guanghua was present, though he only appeared in the meeting room at the last minute. The first thing he did upon entering was walk over to Chen Mobai's seat and greet him with a smile.

Seeing this scene, all the tense department heads felt a wave of relief.

Ultimately, the allocation meeting concluded successfully in an atmosphere of harmony.

There were no opposing votes, only abstentions.

Chen Mobai nominated three individuals for the Dance of Weapons lineage, and all were approved.

They were Zhuang Jialan, Ming Yihua, and Yun Yangbing.