Chapter 872: Ice Broken Between Old Friends

“Thank you, Master!” Zhuo Ming also thanked Chen Mobai after hearing this.

For her, communicating with spirit beasts and spirit objects was already second nature. Previously, while at Xiaonan Mountain, she had also learned the skills of a beast tamer, having raised green oxen, azure rainbow birds, mountain civet cats, and other creatures. Although not as remarkable as an Earth Master or Spirit Planter, her skills had naturally advanced to the third tier when she formed her Core. If other beast tamers of the Five Elements Sect knew that simple care could earn them a Tai Sui almost at the fourth tier, their eyes would likely turn red with envy.

“For the next few decades, or even a century, before the Eastern Continent’s Sacred Land is developed, it will be a time of peace,” Chen Mobai said. “After the grand ceremony, I, your master, will enter seclusion with Qing Nü to cultivate a higher realm. All three of you have the potential to form a Nascent Soul, so you must cultivate diligently. The future of the sect relies on you.” Yin Qingmei, Zhuo Ming, and Luo Yixuan were all by Chen Mobai’s side, so he openly shared his plans for the coming decades.

“Master, what did you say...” But as soon as he finished speaking, Luo Yixuan looked utterly shocked. Yin Qingmei also widened her eyes in disbelief.

“I’m going into seclusion for a long time. What’s wrong?” Chen Mobai thought their long separation was making them sad. Just as he was about to tell them to be more independent, Luo Yixuan spoke, her voice trembling, “Master just said... with Qing Nü...”

“Oh, you mean that,” Chen Mobai said. “Qing Nü and I are perfectly aligned in our hearts. We’ve agreed to become cultivation partners, and the ceremony will be held during the Nascent Soul Formation Grand Ceremony. From now on, she will be your Master’s Wife.” As soon as Chen Mobai finished speaking, Luo Yixuan and Yin Qingmei exchanged a look, their eyes filled with bitterness.

“Disciple congratulates Master!” Zhuo Ming, on the other hand, had a very good impression of the exceptionally graceful Qing Nü. Although Qing Nü’s cultivation was only at the Core Formation stage, as a fourth-tier alchemist, she was considered worthy of Chen Mobai. Thus, Zhuo Ming happily offered her congratulations.

“After the grand ceremony, Ming’er, you will begin reforming the farmlands of the Eastern Barrens,” Chen Mobai instructed. “Jian County will be the center of the Eastern Barrens. At that time, the area around Xiaonan Mountain will become your future cultivation ground. There’s a medium-sized teleportation array there, making it convenient for you to travel across the Eastern Barrens. Also, the Tianpeng Mountain Villa in Yun County, which has an abundance of fire spiritual veins, will be vacated by Qing Nü and me after we become cultivation partners. Han Zhiling can go there to cultivate. If she is able to form her Core, the Tianpeng Mountain Villa can also be bestowed upon her as her cultivation ground.”

After Zhuo Ming formed her Core, Chen Mobai legitimately bestowed upon her the Xiaonan Mountain area, where their lineage had originated. This act also acknowledged Zhuo Ming as his true successor.

Hearing this, Luo Yixuan’s face showed even greater disappointment. However, Luo Yixuan also knew very well that although she was the first among the second-generation disciples of the Xiaonan Mountain lineage to form her Core, her foundation, talent, and even experience were far inferior to Zhuo Ming’s. Therefore, she had long anticipated this.

“Congratulations, Master! Congratulations, Senior Sister!” After composing herself, Luo Yixuan still forced a smile and spoke. Yin Qingmei, standing nearby, did the same.

After implanting the Earth Mother Stone into the Tai Sui, Chen Mobai did not linger long on Mount Liujia. He intended to return to Tianpeng Mountain as soon as possible to discuss the cultivation partners’ ceremony with Qing Nü. Zhuo Ming was to leave with him and immediately placed the Tai Sui into her spirit beast bag. Besides that, she also intended to take the green oxen, azure rainbow birds, and mountain civet cats that had been kept there back to Xiaonan Mountain.

“Senior Sister Yin, thank you for taking care of them all these years,” Zhuo Ming said as she put away the spirit beasts, not forgetting to thank Yin Qingmei. The latter gently shook her head, indicating it was her duty.

“Master, I just remembered I have some matters at Hanying Lake, so I won’t be returning with you for now,” Luo Yixuan suddenly said. Chen Mobai nodded.

Soon after, he and Zhuo Ming vanished into the horizon.

“Would you like to have a drink?” Yin Qingmei looked at Luo Yixuan, whom she had always found disagreeable, and suddenly had the idea to invite her for tea.

“Do you have wine?” Luo Yixuan asked, not wanting tea.

“Junior Sister Zhuo left all the spirit wines in her cellar to me. Which kind would you like?”

“The strongest one!”

Under the spreading branches of the Jade Phoenix Tree, Yin Qingmei and Luo Yixuan soon polished off two jars of wine together. Neither of them used their spiritual energy to stay sober, letting the alcohol seep into their blood, wanting to get drunk.

“I’ve decided!” After finishing the third jar of wine, Luo Yixuan suddenly slammed the jar down and shouted loudly.

“Decided what?” Yin Qingmei’s pale, delicate face was flushed, her eyes slightly glazed over as she asked.

“I will cultivate,” Luo Yixuan said, her eyes resolute.

“Haven’t you been cultivating all this time?” Yin Qingmei asked, looking perplexed.

“I will catch up to Master and cultivate to the Nascent Soul realm as well,” Luo Yixuan declared. “As long as I live as long as Master, I’ll surely outlive that Master’s Wife!”

Hearing Luo Yixuan’s words, Yin Qingmei burst into laughter. She had never expected that this person’s ultimate realization would be something like this.

“What if the Sect Master’s wife is also exceptionally talented and reaches the Nascent Soul stage?”

“Then I’ll cultivate to the Spirit Transformation stage,” Luo Yixuan retorted. “With Master’s talent, he will surely reach Spirit Transformation. I absolutely refuse to believe that this Master’s Wife, who appeared out of nowhere, can reach Spirit Transformation.”

Yin Qingmei laughed again, but as she laughed, she suddenly stopped. She stared at Luo Yixuan and asked, “Are you serious?”

“In the end, it will definitely be me who remains by Master’s side,” Luo Yixuan said, her face flushed with alcohol but her eyes resolute.

Hearing this, Yin Qingmei fell silent. Then, she looked up at the Jade Phoenix Tree.

“With the Sect Master’s guidance and this Heaven and Earth Spirit Root, I will definitely be able to form a Nascent Soul, and Spirit Transformation is also possible,” Yin Qingmei said. “I hope that when I eventually stay by the Sect Master’s side, you won’t be old and decrepit because you couldn’t break through your realm.”

Yin Qingmei’s words ignited Luo Yixuan’s competitive spirit.

“Just a mere Heaven Spirit Root. Just you wait, I’ll catch up to you.”

Facing Luo Yixuan’s words, Yin Qingmei did not get angry; she merely smiled sweetly and then offered a reminder.

“My Azure Emperor Longevity Scripture includes the Spirit Transformation realm,” Yin Qingmei said. “But your Imperial Sea Profound Art doesn’t, you know!”

Hearing this, Luo Yixuan furrowed her delicate brows. Although she knew her current Core Formation realm meant her primary concern was forming a Nascent Soul, the boast about Spirit Transformation was her own. After being reminded, she began to worry about her cultivation technique.

“The Imperial Sea Profound Art originates from the Overturning Sea Sect, one of the Ten Directions Halls, and it also has a Spirit Transformation inheritance,” Yin Qingmei said. “You should pay more attention to this matter in the future.”

Yin Qingmei’s words made Luo Yixuan look up, utterly puzzled.

“Are you helping me?”

“We are, after all, fellow disciples. After so many years together, our bond is certainly deeper than that of the Sect Master’s wife, who appeared out of nowhere.”

Hearing Yin Qingmei’s words, Luo Yixuan raised the wine jar in her hand and offered it to her.

Yin Qingmei smiled and took it.

That day, under the Jade Phoenix Tree, the two women reconciled, letting go of their past grievances, and drank strong wine together.

After Chen Mobai returned to Beiyuan City, he entrusted the grand ceremony arrangements to E Yun. E Yun immediately put aside all his work and began leading the cultivators of the Five Elements Sect’s five lineages to prepare with full effort.

The ceremony was to be held in Beiyuan City.

As no Nascent Soul cultivator had ever held a cultivation partners’ ceremony in the Eastern Barrens before, E Yun needed to consult ancient texts for the rules and procedures.

Chen Mobai did not supervise this matter, stating that everything should be kept simple according to his wishes.

After all, the main purpose was to announce to the entire Eastern Continent that the Five Elements Sect had become a major Nascent Soul sect, and that he and Qing Nü had become cultivation partners.

Once the main title was established, all other elaborate formalities were to be omitted if possible.

However, the entire Five Elements Sect regarded it with great importance. E Yun even sent a letter to Yue Zutao in the Eastern Continent. Since cultivation partners’ ceremonies for Nascent Soul cultivators definitely existed in the Eastern Continent, he asked Yue Zutao to research the appropriate rituals and procedures.

By this time, Chen Mobai had already returned to Tianpeng Mountain.

When he descended, Qing Nü was already waiting on the mountaintop.

Their eyes met, and sweetness filled their hearts.

“How were things in Dongyi this time?” Qing Nü asked, having already received a message from Chen Mobai before he left for Golden Crow Immortal City.

“The harvest was abundant. Look!” Chen Mobai smiled and took out a stone box. Inside, after he opened it, was the Sun Sacred Fruit.

“This is the first time I’ve ever seen such a spirit item,” Qing Nü said. She gazed at the fruit, which looked like solidified golden flames, her eyes dazzled. As an alchemist, nothing could attract her more than this.

“You’ll see it often from now on,” Chen Mobai said with a smile, handing both the stone box and the Sun Sacred Fruit to Qing Nü. She took them without ceremony and began to examine them using the methods of identifying spirit fruits from the Immortal Sect.

“I’ve also looked at the Nascent Cultivation Pill formula that Yan Shaoyin improved back then. The medicinal ingredients are somewhat too wasteful,” Qing Nü said while examining the Sun Sacred Fruit. “If I were to refine the same batch, the pill formation rate would at least double.”

“He certainly can’t compare to you,” Chen Mobai said as a matter of course.

“He still has skill. If he had received formal education and supplemented his fundamentals, becoming a fourth-tier alchemist would definitely not be an issue,” Qing Nü acknowledged. To become a recognized alchemy master in an environment like the Eastern Barrens, Yan Shaoyin’s talent and comprehension were naturally top-notch, and Qing Nü quite approved of him.

“By the way, I have something to tell you,” Chen Mobai said. At this moment, he walked up to Qing Nü and naturally reached out to wrap his arm around her slender waist. She, too, leaned into him submissively.

“What is it?” Qing Nü asked, turning her head slightly to look at Chen Mobai with a hint of curiosity.

“I’ve already instructed the Five Elements Sect to arrange the ceremony for us to become cultivation partners. I want to announce that you are my cultivation partner to the entire Eastern Continent!” As soon as Chen Mobai finished speaking, Qing Nü’s entire delicate body stiffened, and her eyes widened. An unprecedented surge of immense joy almost made her heart burst!