Chapter 889: Dark Dragon Blood, Discussing the Spirit Venerable

After seeing off Venerable Qingping, Chen Mobai went to Kaiyuan Hall the next day at the invitation of Qi Yuheng.

As the foremost Nascent Soul cultivator in the Immortal Sect, Qi Yuheng felt that recent changes in the world were happening a bit too quickly. He had always been proud of his ability to perform the Great Void Teleportation at the Nascent Soul stage. Who knew that after Cheng Xuan emerged from seclusion, he claimed he could do it too.

However, Cheng Xuan had reached the Nascent Soul stage earlier than Qi Yuheng, and had also utilized 'Momentary Bloom', so Qi Yuheng accepted it. But not long after, Chen Mobai also comprehended it from the Universal Celestial Book.

When news came that Chen Mobai had applied to the Celestial Canopy and Earth Net Bureau for location permissions for the Great Void Teleportation, Qi Yuheng remained silent for a long time. Given that Chen Mobai had only just reached the Nascent Soul stage, Qi Yuheng was concerned that the Great Void Teleportation might become standard for Nascent Soul cultivators in the Immortal Sect.

After some thought, Qi Yuheng decided to invite Chen Mobai for a meeting.

"So that's how it is..."

After their conversation, Qi Yuheng sincerely marveled at Chen Mobai's talent. Although he had previously thought Chen Mobai was indeed formidable, Qi Yuheng believed he could at most compare to himself. Ever since the absence of the Candle Dragon's blood, it had been almost impossible for anyone from Kunpeng Dao Academy to master the complete Six Imperial Sutras.

Qi Yuheng, who had always been proud and arrogant, quickly felt a sense of relief. After all these years, Chen Mobai's journey from Foundation Establishment to his current Nascent Soul stage, coupled with his extraordinary talent publicized by the Immortal Sect, had made him almost universally known. Qi Yuheng had also been subtly influenced. But after this comprehension of the Celestial Book, Qi Yuheng knew that he was inferior to Chen Mobai.

When the Immortal Sect bordered Pluto, the Spirit Venerable intervened and fought a fierce battle with a Nether Dragon, severing its tail, and a drop of the Nether Dragon's essence blood was extracted from it.

After a brief exchange of pleasantries, Chen Mobai and Qi Yuheng discussed the key to Chen Mobai's ability to perform the Great Void Teleportation. Upon hearing that a Tier 5 magic tool was required as a substitute, Qi Yuheng's expression cleared, and he breathed a sigh of relief. If the person surpassing him was the one right before his eyes, then it was not entirely unacceptable.

However, Patriarch Zhongli's Dragon Transformation Scripture also paved a new path for those of the Kunpeng lineage.

"Hall Master Kaiyuan, you flatter me," Chen Mobai said. "You are a role model I wish to emulate. I hope to achieve Tier 5 body tempering at the Nascent Soul stage as well."

Between Tier 4 and Tier 5, there was a world of difference. If Qi Yuheng had access to the resources Chen Mobai did, he would likely have already reached the Dao Integration stage by now. Comparing the two, he realized his talent was not as great as Chen Mobai's.

"Venerable Chunyang is indeed the most talented person in the Immortal Sect throughout history," Qi Yuheng remarked. "Over thousands of years, you are the one with the deepest comprehension of the Universal Celestial Book."

This still provided a path for Nascent Soul cultivators in the Immortal Sect. Previously, only Tier 5 body tempering was viable, but after Chen Mobai, Tier 5 Natal Artifacts became an additional option.

"As the oldest existence on Planet Earth Realm, the Spirit Venerable's cultivation is probably close to the Void Refinement stage, isn't it?" Chen Mobai mused.

Qi Yuheng also voluntarily spoke about the fundamentals of his cultivation. Because he had also comprehended the Seven Great Celestial Books, and had gained insight into the Universal Celestial Book, his ability to master the Great Void Teleportation at the Nascent Soul stage was partly due to this. Thinking along these lines, Qi Yuheng, rarely one to do so, took the initiative to praise someone.

"I also achieved this thanks to a drop of Nether Dragon's blood bestowed by the Spirit Venerable, and Patriarch Zhongli's Dragon Transformation Scripture," Qi Yuheng explained. "Otherwise, I wouldn't have achieved so much."

Chen Mobai genuinely admired Qi Yuheng, as he was well aware that his own achievements were entirely due to an accumulation of resources. After hearing this, Chen Mobai also marveled at the profound heritage of Kunpeng Dao Academy. With the Spirit Venerable present, it was as if there had never been a break in the existence of Dao Integration cultivators.

"We don't know what stage the Spirit Venerable is at currently, but what is certain is that it is the strongest living being on Planet Earth Realm right now," Qi Yuheng continued. "The Spirit Venerable's true form has always been in slumber, because if it were to freely absorb the essence of heaven and earth from Planet Earth Realm for cultivation, it is estimated that in less than a century, this planet would be depleted."

"Once a new Dao Integration cultivator emerges in the sea domain, the Spirit Venerable will leave this planet to pursue a higher level of the Great Dao."

Qi Yuheng, facing Chen Mobai, spoke of many hidden matters, which greatly surprised the latter. According to this description, the Spirit Venerable's cultivation was likely the strongest in the Immortal Sect's history.

However, for thousands of years, under the Spirit Venerable's protection, the sea domain had failed to produce a second Dao Integration cultivator, which was truly a bit disappointing. As Chen Mobai criticized inwardly, he suddenly thought of Narcissus, the Hall Master of his own Righteous Dharma Hall. It was said that she came to the Immortal Sect precisely for Dao Integration. Could it be that she also wanted to refine the 'rules'? But immediately, he knew he was indulging in fantasy. Leaving aside Narcissus's laziness, even if she wasn't lazy, the 'rules' birthed from the humanity of the Immortal Sect's beings could never be refined by a sea creature.

Following this, Chen Mobai and Qi Yuheng conversed for a long time. Since their Dao Integration cultivation methods differed, they focused on exchanging experiences and insights on combat. Qi Yuheng couldn't resist inviting him to spar in the Minor Scarlet Heaven. Chen Mobai was also quite curious about the combat prowess of the Immortal Sect's top Nascent Soul cultivators. Nangong Xuanyu had greatly disappointed him earlier, making him fear that all Nascent Soul cultivators in the Immortal Sect were of such caliber, and would be of little use during the pioneering war. However, his spar with Qi Yuheng made him realize he had been overthinking.

Qi Yuheng's combat prowess far exceeded Chen Mobai's imagination. Although there hadn't been many life-and-death battles due to the Immortal Sect's peaceful environment, Qi Yuheng was truly worthy of being the foremost Nascent Soul cultivator in the Immortal Sect. Besides his Tier 5 body tempering, many techniques from the Six Imperial Sutras had also reached Tier 5. If Qi Yuheng were to fight seriously, Chen Mobai estimated he could at most withstand one move.

However, Qi Yuheng disliked bullying the younger or suppressing others with his cultivation level. Thus, in his spar with Chen Mobai, he used the Minor Scarlet Heaven to suppress his own cultivation to the first layer of Nascent Soul. But even so, Qi Yuheng was exceptionally powerful. Under the Dragon Transformation Scripture, he manifested the shadowy form of a black serpent, a degraded version of the Nether Dragon. The esoteric Grand Arts of the Six Imperial Sutras, combined with this bloodline, could nearly achieve eighty percent of the power of the Candle Dragon's blood.

For the first time facing someone of the same cultivation stage, Chen Mobai was at a disadvantage from the very start of the spar. Fortunately, he was incredibly resilient, and his talent in combat was exceptionally high. Chen Mobai suspended the Douluo Fire above his head. After enduring Qi Yuheng's initial boundless darkness that enveloped heaven and earth, he began to steadily defend and counterattack. He continuously probed with various spells from the Pure Yang Scroll. Finally, using the Inch-Square Book, he discerned Qi Yuheng's weakness, and with the Extreme Yang Slash, tore open the boundless darkness transformed by the black serpent.

However, after tearing open this layer of darkness, an unending stream of darkness immediately surged forth, mending the torn opening. But after reaching this point, the spar was considered over. What followed would merely be a repetition of Chen Mobai continuously tearing open the darkness and the darkness continuously surging forth to seal it, a contest of their respective foundations.

Chen Mobai and Qi Yuheng stopped at the same time, and exited the Minor Scarlet Heaven. This round ended in a draw.

"Venerable Chunyang, when you have time in the future, we can spar more often," Qi Yuheng said.

After they emerged, Qi Yuheng seemed to have enjoyed the experience thoroughly, as if he hadn't had enough. It had been a long time since he had encountered an evenly matched opponent. Often, he had to suppress his own cultivation level to be lower than his opponent's in order to feel the life-and-death stakes of a battle. Thus, encountering someone like Chen Mobai, who was formidable in combat, genuinely delighted him. He hoped Chen Mobai would grow quickly, ideally, when both were at the peak of the Nascent Soul stage, they would have a climactic battle, with their essence, qi, and spirit burning most intensely at that moment, taking the step towards Dao Integration.

"Sounds good, sounds good!" Chen Mobai responded with a smile, but inwardly, he was thinking that any future challenges from Qi Yuheng would be ignored. What a joke! He was a cultivator who, like Venerable Qingping, valued suppressing others with higher cultivation. He always advocated for using one's cultivation level to overpower opponents. Qi Yuheng's mindset of pursuing extremes was only viable because they were currently sparring in the Minor Scarlet Heaven. If this were in reality, one misstep would be fatal. In any case, Chen Mobai's cautious personality made him feel that he and Qi Yuheng were incompatible.

"Yun'e, please see off Venerable Chunyang for me," Qi Yuheng said. After escorting Chen Mobai to the office door, Qi Yuheng called over Ye Yun'e from next door and gave her an instruction.

"Yes, Hall Master," Ye Yun'e replied, nodding in affirmation, then led Chen Mobai towards the main gate of Kaiyuan Hall.

"Venerable Chunyang, do you need me to arrange a vehicle to take you back?" Ye Yun'e, walking ahead, asked.

"No, thank you. My secretary is already waiting outside," Chen Mobai replied. Chen Mobai could actually use the Great Void Teleportation to return directly. However, the time spent in the car was also when he daily conversed with his secretary and handled official duties for the Righteous Dharma Hall, so he had always maintained this habit.

"Venerable Chunyang, will you be free next March?" Ye Yun'e nodded, then suddenly asked.

"I don't have any plans right now," Chen Mobai said, "but I can't guarantee I'll be free." After all, Chen Mobai held responsibilities in two major powers across two realms, so sudden matters could arise any day. Furthermore, he wasn't well acquainted with Ye Yun'e, so he wanted to hear what it was about.

"This is my wedding invitation," Ye Yun'e said, stopping a little embarrassed and handing Chen Mobai a red invitation. "If Venerable Chunyang is free, you are welcome to attend."

"Deputy Hall Master Ye is getting married?" Chen Mobai was greatly surprised upon hearing this. "Who is the lucky individual?" As a Nascent Soul Venerable, he was already at the pinnacle of the Immortal Sect. Their pursuits were primarily Dao Integration and enlightenment. Rarely would anyone consider marriage. After all, those a Nascent Soul cultivator would consider suitable were typically also Nascent Soul cultivators. However, individuals at this level found it difficult to accommodate another. Therefore, many unions between Nascent Soul cultivators ended in divorce.

"My husband graduated from your Martial Arts Dao Academy," Ye Yun'e said, "so he very much hopes to invite Venerable Chunyang to attend."

Ye Yun'e, however, said something that made Chen Mobai's eyes widen even further. Venerable Cheng Xuan wasn't one to pursue younger or less accomplished partners, nor was he likely to be interested in someone of her advanced age. Therefore, it meant Ye Yun'e's husband was not a Nascent Soul cultivator!

"Could it be..."