Chapter 859: A Corner of Peace

Before Zhuo Ming and the other two departed, they delegated their ongoing tasks. The cultivation of fertile land in the Eastern Wilderness was entrusted to Han Zhiling, Xiaonanshan's third-generation senior disciple. The connectivity project, meanwhile, was taken over by Song Huangda.

A month later, Ning Leshan of the Gold Vein successfully formed his core and emerged from seclusion. His first act after consolidating his realm was to pay respects to Chen Mobai. "Excellent, excellent. Cultivate diligently, and I hope that one day, you will be among the eminent figures of our generation," Chen Mobai said, always prioritizing encouragement for his cultivators. Ning Leshan, though confident in his abilities, humbly demurred, acknowledging that reaching the Nascent Soul realm was currently beyond the capabilities of Jinguang Cliff's foundation.

"This is simple," Chen Mobai stated. "Take my token to the Beiyuan City library. There, you'll find 1,200 Daoist books I gathered from the Xuanyao Dao Palace. Most are gold-attribute cultivation techniques, secret arts, and divine abilities. There's also the 'Clear Mirror Still Water Sword Art,' which can be cultivated to the complete Nascent Soul realm. If your attribute is suitable, you may switch to that." Chen Mobai generously wrote a note, which Ning Leshan gratefully accepted.

With the complete merger of the Five Elements Sect's five veins, the Spirit Treasure Pavilion was responsible for managing tasks and distributing spirit stone resources. The library, on the other hand, housed all Daoist scrolls, jade slips, and books from all five veins. Chen Mobai, representing the Wood Vein, contributed all the cultivation methods and secret manuals acquired from years of conquering major sects in the Eastern Wilderness, and the other four veins immediately followed suit. The Daoist books he had taken after the destruction of Xuanyao Dao Palace were also placed in the library, allowing any disciple with sufficient contributions to exchange for knowledge relevant to their current cultivation level. Chen Mobai even uploaded his personal insights on core formation. Consequently, cultivators within the Five Elements Sect who sought self-improvement invariably made their way to Beiyuan City. Not only could they acquire various necessary resources in the immortal city, but they could also easily access a vast array of knowledge that was previously difficult to obtain.

The other prominent families and rogue cultivators of the Eastern Wilderness deeply coveted this resource. In their eyes, the Beiyuan City library had become a sacred place. They believed that merely gaining entry to browse its collection would be worth sacrificing years of their lives.

Chen Mobai had initially considered opening the library to outsiders, but he decided against it, taking into account the local cultural norms. Nevertheless, he offered an opportunity: cultivators not affiliated with the Five Elements Sect could contribute books not already in the library. If the knowledge within these books proved useful to the sect, they would be permitted to exchange them for three books of equivalent level from the library's collection.

This regulation was implemented by Chen Mobai after the fall of the Xuanyao Dao Palace. By then, the Five Elements Sect's influence was firmly established, allowing him to easily maintain overall control, even if a few Core Formation cultivators emerged among rogue cultivators or other immortal cultivation families.

All cultivators in the Eastern Wilderness lauded this new regulation, believing that even titles like "Great Sage and Virtuous Teacher" could not adequately describe Sect Leader Chen's greatness and virtue. To them, he was simply the living embodiment of an ancient sage!

Following the introduction of this regulation, the Beiyuan City library's collection tripled in a mere month. While many of the new additions were only first or second-tier books and knowledge, with very few at the third-tier, they significantly expanded and enriched the existing knowledge base, filling many gaps in the hundred arts of immortal cultivation.

However, the quality of these new additions was inconsistent, requiring specialized personnel to organize them. Chen Mobai had already considered this and planned to personally oversee the task with Jiang Zongheng.

Compiling and writing books could not only record past history and preserve various legacies but also, in the process, promote the progress of the entire Eastern Wilderness cultivation world, fostering a more brilliant culture and advanced techniques. Concurrently, Chen Mobai intended to use the Immortal Sect's ideology as a central theme, integrating the straightforward cultivation knowledge of the Tianhe Realm, to create a set of scriptures that would endure for eons, serving as guiding principles for billions of future cultivators! This endeavor embodied the principles of establishing virtue, achieving merit, and leaving behind words of wisdom. Writing and compiling scriptures represented a virtue of enlightenment, an accomplishment of intellectual illumination, and a legacy for all generations.

This idea had germinated in Chen Mobai's mind a long time ago. He felt that since he had arrived in the Tianhe Realm, it was imperative to contribute something to this world. His aim was to uphold the profound teachings of past sages, usher in an era of lasting peace, inherit the wisdom of his predecessors, and inspire prosperity for future generations. With peace now established, he believed it was time to compile these scriptures.

After seeing Ning Leshan off, Chen Mobai made a trip to Pipa Valley. "Master, why have you come?" Jiang Zongheng asked, not yet in seclusion, as he opened the formation to welcome him inside.

"I was concerned that upon hearing of O Yun and the others' successful core formation, you might act rashly, so I came to check on you," Chen Mobai explained. He held great expectations for this disciple, as among his four apprentices, only Jiang Zongheng possessed the wisdom and comprehension necessary to inherit his philosophical insights. However, having grown up in the Eastern Wilderness, Jiang Zongheng had some concepts that needed refinement. Chen Mobai knew that compiling and establishing scriptures would be a futile effort without a successor to carry them forward.

"Thank you, Master, I am preparing to form my core…" Jiang Zongheng replied. After refining the Yimu power from the green gourd, he had reached the peak of Foundation Establishment last year. A year of diligent cultivation since then had brought his essence, energy, and spirit to what he felt was their most perfect state. Chen Mobai offered him further guidance, sharing the successful core formation experiences of both O Yun and Zhou Wangshen. He explained that as more people formed cores using the *Everlasting Life Scripture*, it would become progressively easier for future disciples to break through realms, benefiting from the accumulated wisdom of their predecessors. "This," Chen Mobai emphasized, "is precisely why knowledge must be passed down!"

"After you form your core, help your master transcribe a set of scriptures!" Chen Mobai stated before leaving. These words greatly boosted Jiang Zongheng's confidence, signifying that his master had faith in his ability to successfully form his core.

"Master, what kind of scriptures will they be?" Jiang Zongheng asked. "I haven't settled on a name yet," Chen Mobai confessed, speaking openly with his disciple. "The main purpose is to organize fundamental cultivation knowledge, helping future generations avoid unnecessary detours before embarking on this path."

Upon hearing this, Jiang Zongheng was deeply impressed by his master's grand vision. Simultaneously, his resolve to form his core solidified, fueled by his strong desire to assist Chen Mobai in compiling these scriptures.

After leaving Pipa Valley, Chen Mobai traveled to Tianpeng Mountain. He discussed his plans with Qing Nü, who offered strong support. "With the Immortal Sect's knowledge system as the central framework, and the indigenous traditions of the Tianhe Realm as the supporting branches," Qing Nü remarked, "you could compose a scripture truly worthy of a sage."

Chen Mobai replied, "When the time comes, I'll need you to take the lead on the alchemy sections." Although he had studied alchemy, Chen Mobai knew he couldn't match Qing Nü's genius, and he also wished to share this significant undertaking with his Dao companion. "No problem," Qing Nü responded, smiling and nodding.

After spending several more days at Tianpeng Mountain, Chen Mobai departed for Beiyuan City. This once-planned settlement had now fully blossomed into the magnificent immortal city he had envisioned, teeming with people and vibrant activity. Upon exiting the medium-sized teleportation array, Guan Xiaolong, a Foundation Establishment cultivator from the Five Elements Sect who guarded the area, immediately approached. Guan Xiaolong, a former true disciple of the Divine Wood Sect's formation department, had successfully achieved Foundation Establishment on his second attempt, largely due to the Five Elements Sect's burgeoning resources.

Chatting with Guan Xiaolong, Chen Mobai, on a sudden whim, decided against using his Void Walk ability. Instead, he joined the other cultivators and boarded a flying boat destined for the city center. Since the medium-sized teleportation array was established here, it transported thousands of non-Five Elements Sect cultivators daily, excluding wartime. Because Beiyuan City prohibited flying for anyone below the Core Formation realm, travel between the main city and the outskirts was inconvenient for many cultivators. To address this, Yuan Chiye had set up twelve flying boats, which departed punctually every hour. The fare was one low-grade spirit stone for ten trips, which was not considered expensive. Tickets could be purchased at shops located outside the Five Elements Sect's teleportation array, providing ten special talismans imprinted with the Five Elements Sect's magical seal; one talisman was submitted each time a passenger boarded a flying boat.

However, for many cultivators with limited funds, especially rogue cultivators traveling from various parts of the Eastern Wilderness, even the minimum cost of one spirit stone for ten trips was still somewhat expensive. Consequently, several enterprising factions established ground transportation services utilizing spirit beasts for carrying. These services offered more flexible pricing, accepting payment in fragmented spirit stones, medicinal herbs, pills, or even cultivation techniques, largely depending on the rogue cultivator's bargaining prowess.

"Typically, during the final few departures, they'll leave if people pool together and offer even a single pill," Guan Xiaolong explained. "Thanks to the Five Elements Sect's rules, no one dares to act as a bandit cultivator anymore, so rogue cultivators feel safe, even if the speed is a bit slow." As the official in charge of this medium-sized teleportation array, Guan Xiaolong was exceptionally knowledgeable about these informal arrangements, having dealt with numerous factions.

These observations made Chen Mobai feel a tangible connection to the everyday life of the Immortal Sect. The peaceful and prosperous era ushered in by the Five Elements Sect in the Eastern Wilderness unfolded before his eyes, deepening his interest in the lives of the common people.

After disembarking from the flying boat and entering the main city, he felt as if he had truly returned to the Immortal Sect. Towering buildings, constructed according to his plans, encircled the central Beiyuan Mountain, soaring into the clouds and reaching towards the sky. Along the bustling streets, shops lined both sides, showcasing a dazzling array of immortal herbs, spirit stones, pills, and magic treasures—a sight to behold. Cultivators busily moved through the crowds, some conversing in small groups, others, clearly new to Beiyuan City, curiously examining shop signs before being quickly ushered inside by enthusiastic employees.

Leaving the central area, Chen Mobai then explored a street specifically designated for stalls, a cherished tradition of the Tianhe Realm that he had purposefully maintained within Beiyuan City. In several squares, restricted arenas allowed cultivators to practice their spells. There were even dedicated stages for alchemy and artifact forging, serving as venues for cultivators to demonstrate their skills when seeking employment.

Beiyuan City was now an unprecedentedly prosperous immortal city in the Eastern Wilderness. With the Five Elements Sect guaranteeing safety, cultivators could even forge friendships with like-minded individuals. It was a stark contrast to the past, where a local's first reaction to a stranger approaching for a chat would invariably be suspicion: "What do they want from me?"