Chapter 834: Return to the Eastern Wilderness

Golden Crow Immortal City.

Patriarch Baiwu, with a polite expression, saw Immortal Yan Yang of Fire Cloud Palace off into the large teleportation array.

“Junior Brother, we’ve helped you resolve the issue with that One-Yuan Dao Child from the Five Elements Sect. From now on, please don’t cause us any more trouble.” Before leaving, Immortal Yan Yang said this meaningfully.

“Senior Brother, what are you saying? Chen Qingdi and I have no old grudges or recent enmity; it was just a small misunderstanding. Now that peace talks are complete, the gates of my Golden Crow Immortal City will be open to his Five Elements Sect in the future. Perhaps we can even cooperate someday.” Patriarch Baiwu said with a smile. Immortal Yan Yang nodded upon hearing this, then turned and teleported back to the Eastern Land.

The moment Immortal Yan Yang disappeared, the smile on Patriarch Baiwu's face vanished instantly. He returned to the main hall of Sun-Bathing Sea with an expressionless face.

The Ten True Ones of Sun-Bathing Sea followed him in, standing on both sides. Leading on the left was Zhu Jun. Leading on the right was a middle-aged cultivator, dressed in a fiery red robe with an embroidered golden sun rising on his chest. This was none other than Patriarch Baiwu’s second disciple, Xu Yingsheng.

“Liu Nansheng, make another trip to Bright Mirror Mountain…” Patriarch Baiwu sat on the main seat in the discussion hall, his gaze like a torch. He called Liu Nansheng, who had met Chen Mobai before, to his side and explained some matters.

After listening, Liu Nansheng's eyes were filled with bitterness, but he still nodded respectfully on the surface before leaving Golden Crow Immortal City once more.

“Annihilate Empty Mulberry Valley!” Chen Mobai’s expression turned to one of surprise upon hearing what Liu Nansheng said.

“Yes, Sect Master Chen. My master said that the resources here in Dongyi are not particularly abundant, and three Nascent Soul sects are a bit too many. Now that our two factions have reached a peace agreement and established a foundation of mutual trust, if we work together to annihilate Empty Mulberry Valley, each of our territories will increase by at least one-third. To express our apology regarding the Duojiu Mountain Spirit Stone Mine, after Empty Mulberry Valley is destroyed, our Sun-Bathing Sea will only take the fifth-grade Pure Bamboo. We will cede that fifth-grade spirit vein to your esteemed sect, and even resources like Empty Mulberry Valley’s medicinal fields, spirit fields, and mineral veins can be chosen by your sect first.”

Liu Nansheng relayed the conditions that Patriarch Baiwu had verbally conveyed.

Patriarch Baiwu was still somewhat tempted by the Great Yellow Pill, so he considered whether he could draw the Five Elements Sect into this. However, these matters definitely couldn't leave a written trail, lest Ku Zhu truly return after passing the trials of Qianyuan Island and target him. So he sent his disciple Liu Nansheng to probe the situation. He figured that if Chen Mobai was a native of the Tianhe Realm, he would certainly be tempted by Patriarch Baiwu's conditions. When Empty Mulberry Valley was destroyed, the Five Elements Sect would occupy their fifth-grade spirit vein, and Ku Zhu would surely view Chen Mobai as an enemy. This way, Patriarch Baiwu could kill two birds with one stone.

But unfortunately, Chen Mobai was an upright person!

“You can go back now. I led the Five Elements Sect to destroy the Xuanxiao Dao Palace simply because they brought ruin upon themselves. I personally believe in valuing peace, and as long as Empty Mulberry Valley minds its own business, I will absolutely not make a move against them.”

After hearing this, Liu Nansheng, according to his position, should have tried to persuade him further and exerted his full effort to complete the task Patriarch Baiwu had given him. However, he simply nodded, then obediently left the hall immediately and returned to Golden Crow Immortal City.

“If he comes again in the future, tell him to see Zhou Ye; don’t bring him to me.” Seeing Liu Nansheng leave, Chen Mobai said this to Luo Yixuan, who was beside him. She nodded repeatedly, thinking that for her master, a Nascent Soul Immortal, meeting these Core Formation cultivators was indeed a bit condescending.

Upon returning to Golden Crow Immortal City, Liu Nansheng immediately reported the outcome of his mission to Bright Mirror Mountain to Patriarch Baiwu.

Patriarch Baiwu was silent for a moment after hearing this. Although he had anticipated that Chen Mobai might refuse, he hadn't expected the refusal to be so hypocritical. Valuing peace? There was no such word as “peace” in the Tianhe Realm!

However, since the Five Elements Sect wouldn’t make a move, Sun-Bathing Sea couldn’t act against Empty Mulberry Valley either. But watching the Five Elements Sect digest the territory of the Xuanxiao Dao Palace like this left Patriarch Baiwu feeling uneasy.

After all, compared to Chen Mobai, he was already past his prime. As time passed, the Five Elements Sect would only grow stronger. If he didn't find a way to hinder their progress, once Sun-Bathing Sea lost its Nascent Soul expert, even with Golden Crow Immortal City and a fifth-grade grand formation, it would likely be unable to stop the rising power of Chen Qingdi.

Realizing this, Patriarch Baiwu made a firm decision. He first dismissed Liu Nansheng, then called for his eldest disciple, Zhu Jun, and his second disciple, Xu Yingsheng.

“Long ago, I set up a seal in the center of Cloud Dream Marsh. Now, I intend to release that poisonous dragon beast. It will serve as my chess piece, occupying Chen Qingdi’s attention in the Eastern Barrens and preventing him from focusing on other matters.”

Hearing Patriarch Baiwu say this, both Zhu Jun and Xu Yingsheng were startled. They had both accompanied Patriarch Baiwu when the poisonous dragon was sealed in the past. The power of that poisonous dragon was still fresh in their memories. Had it not been for the combined efforts of the three Nascent Soul cultivators, along with the Dao Soldier War Formations of the three major powers, which used their numerical advantage to eliminate most of the first to third-tier demonic beasts, the poisonous dragon beast could not have been sealed by them.

“Master, if we release that poisonous dragon, with its strength, I fear we might not even be able to escape ourselves.” Zhu Jun spoke with some difficulty. Patriarch Baiwu had called them both over, clearly intending to entrust this task to them.

“I’m entrusting this matter to you two. Whoever performs better will be rewarded with a portion of Three Lights Divine Water at the next Big Dipper Assembly.” Patriarch Baiwu didn't bother to say much more to his two disciples, directly stating the reward for the task.

Although Zhu Jun had the closest relationship with him, it was because of her that he had offended the major powers within Golden Crow Immortal City and even almost fell out with the Five Elements Sect. He already had some thoughts about this. As for his second disciple, Xu Yingsheng, who also possessed peak Core Formation cultivation, he had worked diligently and tirelessly over the years. In the Duojiu Mountain Spirit Stone Mine incident, he perfectly executed his orders, bringing tens of millions of raw spirit stones to Sun-Bathing Sea. It was only right to reward him with an opportunity to form a Nascent Soul.

“Yes, Master!” Upon hearing Patriarch Baiwu’s words, Xu Yingsheng immediately accepted the command. Zhu Jun clenched her silver teeth and nodded as well. She knew that her past mistakes couldn't be erased by those few punishments; her master had already begun to doubt her capabilities. If she failed to complete this task of releasing the poisonous dragon beast, she might fall completely out of favor from now on. Her two other junior sisters had always been coveting her position.

“This is the method to release the Bathing Fire Seal. Both of you commit it to memory.” Patriarch Baiwu imparted a set of hand seals. Only disciples who cultivated his direct lineage’s cultivation method and formed Sun-Bathing True Qi could accomplish this task. In all of Sun-Bathing Sea, besides him, only these two in front of him qualified.

Although Patriarch Baiwu knew that whoever released the poisonous dragon beast had a high probability of becoming its meal, those who achieve great things must take risks. His ability to cultivate to his current realm was also forged through countless battles and life-or-death trials.

After both disciples had left Golden Crow Immortal City, Patriarch Baiwu further ordered Liu Nansheng to constantly monitor the situation of the Five Elements Sect.

After the Five Elements Sect and Sun-Bathing Sea completed their peace talks, the other Core Formation forces in Dongyi who had been observing also simultaneously sent their sect masters to express gratitude to the Five Elements Sect for eradicating the Xuanxiao Dao Palace, an evil force that had plagued Dongyi for over three millennia.

However, Chen Mobai no longer met these people; he left Zhou Ye in full charge of the matter. As a Nascent Soul cultivator, his dignified bearing was regarded as perfectly natural.

As time passed, Dongyi, which had been in disarray for a period due to the downfall of the Xuanxiao Dao Palace, gradually returned to its proper order. The Five Elements Sect began to replace the Xuanxiao Dao Palace, covering one-third of Dongyi's sky. Under their formidable power, even if a few escaped Xuanxiao Dao Palace disciples occasionally caused chaos, they were easily suppressed by the Gold Vein Sword Cultivators led by Mo Douguang.

Seeing the situation stabilize, Chen Mobai somewhat wished to return to the Eastern Barrens. However, it was inappropriate for such a large territory as Dongyi to be without a Nascent Soul cultivator to oversee it. So, after discussing it with Zhou Shengqing, he had the latter guard it for the time being. After all, following the peace talks with Sun-Bathing Sea, Nascent Soul cultivators would certainly not engage in conflict with each other again. And against anyone below the Nascent Soul stage, Zhou Shengqing was invincible.

“Senior Brother, I’ll leave things here to you for now.” Besides Zhou Shengqing, Mo Douguang, Zhou Ye, and Fu Zongjue were also left behind by Chen Mobai. He only took a few people back with him, including Luo Yixuan, Yin Qingmei, and Chu Zuoshu.

“Don’t worry, Sect Master Junior Brother.” Zhou Shengqing patted his chest, assuring him that he would handle everything.

On his way back to the Eastern Barrens’ desolate ruins, Chen Mobai encountered some Five Elements Sect cultivators. It turned out that Nu Jiang was still leading a large army, apprehending Xuanxiao Dao Palace disciples who had escaped from the battlefield. Those captured were mostly willing to surrender. After seals were placed on their Dantian and Qi Seas, they were all sent back to the Eastern Barrens Plateau, assigned to mining, desertification control, manual labor, and other tasks.

Near the desolate ruins of the Eastern Barrens, Chen Mobai met Nu Jiang, who had rushed there upon hearing the news, and conversed with him for a while.

“Have all our Five Elements Sect disciples withdraw. The war is over, and it’s time for them to enjoy the fruits of victory.”

Hearing his words, Nu Jiang’s face also lit up with joy. Only Chen Mobai or Zhou Shengqing could declare the war over, as such a declaration would entail the Five Elements Sect expending a large sum in spirit stones, contributions, and other payments to compensate their disciples for this war.

This was a huge expenditure. Even with the accumulated wealth of the Five Elements Sect over the years, it would be a painful cost.

However, this war secured all the territory of the Xuanxiao Dao Palace. In the coming years, if the thirty thousand acres of medicinal fields in Dongyi were developed and utilized well, they could provide at least ten million spirit stones annually.

Upon returning to Beiyuan City and entrusting these matters to his subordinates, Chen Mobai directly took a medium-sized teleportation array to Giant Wood Ridge. From there, he changed course and traveled to Roc Mountain in Yun Commandery.