Chapter 906: East Wu Demon Trail

After the small sky-screen array was set up in the Eastern Wilds, Chen Mobai returned to Beiyuan City and summoned Song Huangda.

"Yes, Ancestor," Song Huangda replied, a look of surprise and delight on his face after hearing Chen Mobai's words.

The Small Sky-Screen Big Dipper Array, if signal strength were not an issue, could cover the three border regions of Dongzhou when fully activated. However, those territories do not yet belong to the Five Elements Sect. Therefore, Chen Mobai currently focused on covering the entire Eastern Wilds, parts of Yunmeng Marsh, the former Xuanxiao Dao Palace territory in Eastern Yi, and the Barren Ruins at the border of the two realms.

Nevertheless, because Heaven-Reaching Transmitters have not yet been installed in the Barren Ruins and Eastern Yi, even with signal coverage, communication services cannot actually be activated there. This is the Five Elements Sect's next goal. At the very least, the Eastern Yi region, centered around Mirror Mountain, needs to establish signal connectivity with Beiyuan City.

However, considering that Song Huangda is currently responsible for the array renovation in Beiyuan City and also manages the connectivity projects in the Eastern Wilds, Chen Mobai assigned the matters in Eastern Yi to Zhou Wangshen. Since his Core Formation, Zhou Wangshen has been personally mentored by Zhou Shengqing. Having been in Eastern Yi for a long time, it was time to give him something to do.

Zhou Wangshen was very pleased with Chen Mobai's arrangement. He stayed in Beiyuan City for a period, learning about the Small Sky-Screen and Heaven-Reaching Transmitters from Chen Mobai. Only after confirming he had fully grasped the knowledge did he return to Eastern Yi.

After these arrangements were made, Chen Mobai then attended the first Eastern Wilds Academy Array Master Competition. The Six Academies of the Five Elements Sect, led by their respective teachers, showcased their learning achievements one by one. The championship in the team competition was won by the Longevity Academy, which had the strongest faculty and student body. However, in the individual competition, surprisingly, the victor was Chunyu Zhengyuan, a student from the Earth Academy in Hunyuan Immortal City.

Despite his mere Qi Cultivation realm, Chunyu Zhengyuan set up a second-tier Earth Array and a Sharp Metal Array. On the arena, using the principle of Earth generating Metal, he skillfully manipulated these two second-tier arrays, steadily suppressing Lin Miaoning, the chief disciple of the Longevity Academy, and securing the victory.

"What is this person's background?" Chen Mobai asked E Yun, who was beside him, after watching the final match and observing Lian Maozhi presenting awards to the winners of the individual and team competitions.

"Reporting to the Sect Master," E Yun replied after having someone investigate, "this person is a descendant of Chunyu Su, the former Sect Master of the Five Elements Sect, and can be considered his grand-nephew."

"Chunyu Su? He's still alive?" Chen Mobai was somewhat surprised. Before the major battle with Xuanxiao Dao Palace, to prevent this Sun-Bathing Sea mole from leaking information, he had Zhou Ye confine him. According to local customs, after the Five Elements Sect's great victory, Zhou Ye should have removed this thorn that had been in their side for centuries.

"Martial Uncle Zhou has always been stationed in Eastern Yi," E Yun explained. "The only time he returned was to attend your enthronement ceremony, and then he took his maidservant with him. Furthermore, without your command, Martial Uncle Zhou would not dare to act on his own initiative. Thus, Chunyu Su has remained under house arrest in Hunyuan Immortal City." As the former Sect Master of the Five Elements Sect, Chunyu Su had been an undercover agent for over a century. He had married a Dao companion and established a small family. Before the great war with Xuanxiao Dao Palace, the entire Chunyu family had also been placed under house arrest. However, after the war, knowing that Chen Mobai disliked indiscriminate killing of innocents, although Chunyu Su remained imprisoned, the Chunyu family was released. Due to their background, the Chunyu family could not easily join the Five Elements Sect as before. Therefore, Chunyu Zhengyuan, this genius, by joining the Earth Academy, sought to join the Five Elements Sect indirectly.

"Summon Kong Shanxu," Chen Mobai chuckled softly after hearing E Yun's words. Kong Shanxu was the head of the Earth Academy. Chen Mobai did not believe that without Kong Shanxu's tacit approval, Chunyu Zhengyuan, with his problematic background, could have participated in this Array Master Competition. It was probably a deliberate use of this stage to bring Chunyu Zhengyuan to his attention.

"Sect Master, please forgive me. This child's talent in array formations is exceptional, and I couldn't bear to see it go to waste..." As expected, Kong Shanxu immediately confessed upon arrival. Although Chunyu Su was an undercover agent, his mastery of array formations could rank among the top three Foundation Establishment cultivators in the Five Elements Sect. Chunyu Zhengyuan had perfectly inherited his talent. However, because Chunyu Su was under house arrest, Chunyu Zhengyuan learned most of his skills through self-study, occasionally asking teachers at the Earth Academy for clarification on difficult parts. Kong Shanxu had personally witnessed Chunyu Zhengyuan's admission and his gradual growth, confirming him as a well-deserved array genius. When Chen Mobai ordered the Array Master Competition, he immediately thought of Chunyu Zhengyuan. If someone else were in charge, Kong Shanxu would certainly not have allowed Chunyu Zhengyuan, with his tainted background, to participate in the competition. But Chen Mobai was different. Kong Shanxu had once spent some time in Beiyuan City, where he became good friends with Qi Rui due to their shared sentiments, and had heard him speak about Yu Lian. Ultimately, for the sake of the Earth Academy and to prevent the Five Elements Sect from losing a genius, coupled with his trust in Chen Mobai, Kong Shanxu, despite the pressure from the Earth Vein faction, allowed Chunyu Zhengyuan to step onto the arena. And Chunyu Zhengyuan did not disappoint him, ultimately overpowering all opponents to win the individual competition championship.

"The winner of this individual competition came from your Earth Academy, which shows your excellent teaching methods. Do you have any reward requests?" Chen Mobai said with a smile, putting Kong Shanxu's anxious mind at ease. Indeed, Ancestor Chen's magnanimity was as vast as the sun, moon, and sea.

"This is merely a disciple's duty..." Kong Shanxu immediately replied, declining any rewards. E Yun, who was nearby, heard this and glanced at him, thinking, "This is the most astute response." Since Chen Mobai had offered, a reward would certainly be given. By saying this, Kong Shanxu not only demonstrated his selflessness and earned the students' respect, but also made Chen Mobai, a Nascent Soul Ancestor, believe that he was truly dedicated to his work. The rewards would only increase, not decrease.

"Your last Core Formation attempt failed, damaging your foundation. Fortunately, Qing Nü has just refined a batch of Rejuvenation Pills, which can greatly restore vital energy. Take my token and go to Danxia Pavilion to claim one. In Thunder Commandery, Ming'er recently discovered a Limestone mine, with its core being of third-tier quality. I'll refine an earth-attributed Natal Artifact embryo for you..." As expected, Chen Mobai's rewards stirred Kong Shanxu's face with excitement.

With the establishment of large-scale teleportation arrays, connections between the Eastern Wilds and the Eastern Lands began to form. Many cultivators of status from the Eastern Wilds had visited the Eastern Lands. They also learned that their Sect Master had another identity: Chen Qingdi, the Dao Child of the One-Yuan Dao Palace. And this Chen Qingdi, when he first appeared in Dongzhou, was at the Star-Heaven Dao Sect in Dongyue, where he displayed near-fifth-tier artifact forging skills. Such a level made him the undisputed top artifact forger in the Eastern Wilds, and even in the Eastern Lands, he was considered an artifact grandmaster.

Chen Mobai, in order to refine the Grand Abyss Blue Pearl for Qing Nü, had also been continuously improving his artifact forging skills. And the best way to improve artifact forging, without a doubt, was through practice. Utilizing the excellent resources available in the Eastern Wilds, he refined many artifacts to solidify his forging foundation. However, these artifacts, which he considered practice pieces, when circulated in the Eastern Wilds, were considered top-tier masterpieces. Even if Sheng Zhaoxi forged them, the quality would be far inferior to his. This naturally enhanced his reputation as a near-fifth-tier artifact forger. And some of these artifacts he refined also circulated to the Eastern Lands, further convincing more people that he was indeed Chen Qingdi.

Among the artifacts refined by Chen Mobai, the most sought after by Foundation Establishment cultivators were naturally the Natal Artifact embryos. Compared to other casually forged artifacts, because these were to be refined into Natal Artifacts by cultivators, Chen Mobai essentially strived for perfection, perfectly utilizing the material's properties, and even leaving room for future upgrades. However, meticulously crafted pieces were certainly rare, so even Foundation Establishment Completion cultivators within the Five Elements Sect found it difficult to obtain one with suitable attributes. Kong Shanxu could be said to be the first Foundation Establishment cultivator from the Earth Vein to receive a Natal Artifact embryo refined personally by Chen Mobai.

"Since Chunyu Su is an array master, keeping him confined would be a waste. Go back and ask him if he's willing to work. The reconstruction of Hunyuan Immortal City's protective array just happens to lack someone to oversee it." After Chen Mobai finished speaking, he then remembered the current severe shortage of array masters in the Five Elements Sect, and that Chunyu Su's labor should not be wasted. He then instructed Kong Shanxu.

"Yes, Sect Master. However, arrays are, after all, the foundation of the sect. If we let him get involved, will there be hidden dangers in the future?" Kong Shanxu nodded. Seeing E Yun's expression subtly change beside him, he immediately voiced this concern. In case Chunyu Su were to reveal the Five Elements Sect's array variations to the Sun-Bathing Sea in the future, he, as the one who recommended Chunyu Zhengyuan, would certainly be implicated.

"No need to worry," Chen Mobai stated. "Once the Profound Mechanism Five Elements Array structure is complete, even if the Sun-Bathing Sea knows all the array diagrams, it won't affect the overall layout of the grand array." The Heaven-Canopy Earth-Net Grand Array, its core lies in continuously adjusting and changing according to spirit veins, water systems, and so on, making it a living array. This is also the core of the Immortal Sect's array path: it rotates with the world, transforming and changing infinitely. Only in this way can it constantly merge with the natural world, moving with the great power of heaven and earth. This was a principle Chen Mobai learned after receiving instruction from Ancestor Qianxing. However, this also presents a flaw: the array's power depends on the mighty forces of heaven and earth it is rooted in. If heaven and earth weaken, the array's power will naturally diminish. It was precisely for this reason that Zhang Daosun, the former Lord of the Immortal Sect, failed in his attempt to forge an ultimate Dao array (the Heaven-Canopy Earth-Net) and achieve Void Refinement by constructing it with the Earth Element Star. Chen Mobai guessed that Ancestor Qianxing might have already comprehended the ultimate Dao array, but after deducing it to an infinite degree, he knew that achieving Void Refinement through this path was impossible in the environment of the Earth Element Star, which is why he had not taken that step.

"Both of these individuals have good talent in array formations. They should be given focused cultivation." Chen Mobai glanced at the arena, at the young Chunyu Zhengyuan, who still looked somewhat dull after winning the individual competition, and at Lin Miaoning, the chief disciple of Longevity Academy, who stood beside him, frowning delicately and looking unwilling to concede. Both were already at the ninth level of Qi Cultivation, and their talent in the path of array formations was exceptional. If they could successfully establish their Foundation, and be guided by Song Huangda for a period, they could then be responsible for setting up third-tier grand arrays.

"Yes, Sect Master!" E Yun and Kong Shanxu, who were nearby, immediately nodded.

This Six Academies Array Master Competition concluded successfully. And Chen Mobai, attending the competition in person as a Nascent Soul Venerable, sent a strong signal to all cultivators in the Eastern Wilds. Many cultivation families and even smaller sects decided that in the future, when cultivating their disciples, they would slightly emphasize array formations. Compared to projects like reclaiming spiritual fields, diverting rivers, or planting trees to combat desertification, setting up arrays could not simply be advanced by accumulating manpower and material resources. This project still required a certain level of technical expertise. It was precisely for this reason that Chen Mobai had to build from scratch, having the Five Elements Sect start from the academies to cultivate talent in array formations.

While the Eastern Wilds flourished with vitality, the neighboring Eastern Wu grew increasingly weak. Although the identity of Rogue Cultivator Yuji as a demonic cultivator was exposed, the Foundation Establishment cultivators from small families she brought to Beiyuan City in the Eastern Wilds became a spark that ignited a blaze. Particularly Miao Yibao, who was rescued by Chen Mobai from Zhu Jun, he had completely become a supporter of the Five Elements Sect. Relying on his status as an official resident of Beiyuan City, he constantly traveled to Eastern Wu, promoting the wonders of the Eastern Wilds to the Foundation Establishment families he knew, as well as its complete range of resources and vast free-trade market. Most importantly, it was safe! In the Eastern Wilds, as long as you abide by the rules set by Immortal Venerable Chen of the Five Elements Sect, even if someone from a Holy Land arrived, he would protect your life.

Those in Eastern Wu who could cultivate to the Foundation Establishment realm were naturally individuals with firm resolve. They wouldn't fully believe Miao Yibao's few words. However, due to the great development of the Eastern Wilds, they could directly enter Beiyuan City via the medium-sized teleportation array at Fengyu Dock. When Sun Huanglong, the Supremacy of Eastern Wu and from the Sun family of Huangwu, first visited Beiyuan City, his eyes were utterly stunned. Let alone these people from small families. Led by Miao Yibao, they visited Beiyuan City for the first time. Seeing the dazzling array of rare resources, almost too much to take in, they couldn't help but open their storage bags and purchase items that could only be obtained in Eastern Wu at inflated prices by entrusting large merchant associations like the Star-Heaven Grand Merchant Association. Yet, these very items were common goods in Beiyuan City. Miao Yibao, seeing the rustic behavior of his fellow villagers, was reminded of his past self. Back then, when he saw a high-grade second-tier artifact, he couldn't move his legs.

After touring Beiyuan City, three Foundation Establishment cultivators from Eastern Wu immediately decided to settle there. However, with their financial standing, they already couldn't afford houses in the main city's core area. Miao Yibao immediately took them to the new district where large teleportation arrays were installed. Housing prices there hadn't risen exorbitantly yet. Coincidentally, some of the people who were relocated earlier wanted to sell their resettlement homes. He acted as a middleman and earned a commission. As for the other Foundation Establishment cultivators who returned to Eastern Wu, they subsequently couldn't help but repeatedly travel to Beiyuan City. After several such trips, they quickly discovered that although their ancestral lands possessed a third-tier spirit vein, their cultivation progress was far inferior to that in resource-rich Beiyuan City. Consequently, they all brought out their family's savings and gritted their teeth to purchase a third-tier cultivation cave in the new district.

Soon, this trend began to spread throughout Eastern Wu. Cultivators from large families with ample spirit stones, after visiting Beiyuan City once, generously spent vast sums, acquiring various cultivation caves and shops, and settled there. As for the Foundation Establishment cultivators from small families, even if they didn't come themselves, they bought school district housing and sent their most talented family disciples to the Eastern Wilds. If they couldn't afford school district housing in Beiyuan City, they would go to the other five major immortal cities. They also understood very clearly that as long as their disciples could join the Five Elements Sect, then in the future, even the Sun family would not be able to arbitrarily kill their small families as before. They would certainly have to consider the Five Elements Sect's reputation. Under these circumstances, the spirit stones and various treasures accumulated by the major cultivation families of Eastern Wu over centuries, began to pour into the Eastern Wilds at an astonishing rate.

E Yun, as the Sect Master, immediately noticed this. He was naturally overjoyed by this, even secretly summoning Miao Yibao and commending his actions. When Chen Mobai learned of this, he merely told E Yun to keep an eye on the Sun family's movements. If it were in the past, Chen Mobai might have even stopped this, but after achieving Nascent Soul, he no longer needed to worry about such matters. Moreover, this wasn't really undermining the Sun family, because these cultivation families were never truly under the Sun family's direct command. In Eastern Wu, although the Sun family was the leader, it was merely a loose alliance formed under the threat of demonic beasts from Yunmeng Marsh. Nominally, only during a beast tide did the Sun family have the authority to command all families in Eastern Wu. If Sun Huangji had successfully formed his Nascent Soul back then, this Eastern Wu alliance might have been able to, like the Five Elements Sect, absorb all other families under the Sun family's name. Unfortunately, Sun Huangji failed.

This matter, naturally, could not be hidden from the Sun family. Sun Huanglong listened to his family members' reports, his brows knitting tightly.

"Patriarch, if this continues," a horse-faced Sun family cultivator said, his expression grim, "when the next beast tide comes, these people will simply hide in Beiyuan City, and we might not be able to conscript them." He was Sun Jude, an Outer Core Golden Core cultivator of the Sun family. During peacetime, he was responsible for leading the family's cultivators to hunt demonic beasts in Yunmeng Marsh, or cultivate spiritual fish and gather aquatic medicinal herbs. But these days, the reputation of Beiyuan Immortal City in the Eastern Wilds had even spread among the low-level cultivators of Eastern Wu. Many rogue cultivators began to cross the border in groups, wanting to enter the Eastern Wilds and enjoy the air of freedom. Sun Jude captured several groups of rogue cultivators. After interrogation, he learned of this situation and immediately went to the main family to report to Sun Huanglong.

"Send out all available family cultivators and treasure ships," Sun Huanglong thought for a moment and decided this was the only immediate course of action. "Set up a perimeter along the border line, to prevent Eastern Wu cultivators from disturbing the Eastern Wilds."

"Patriarch," Sun Jude spoke with some reluctance, "shouldn't we negotiate with the Five Elements Sect? There must be their instigation behind this matter?" He was immediately met with Sun Huanglong's stern gaze.

"Do not speak of this outside," Sun Huanglong warned. "If it reaches the ears of the two Nascent Soul Ancestors of the Five Elements Sect, the respect left by Ancestor Huangwu may not be enough to save us." Sun Huanglong, as the ruler of Eastern Wu, was most keenly aware of the weight of Nascent Soul cultivators. Although their Sun family was considered a regional overlord, and in the past, was even stronger than the separated Five Elements Sect, in front of Chen Mobai and Zhou Shengqing, two Nascent Soul cultivators, even if they had twenty more Core Formation cultivators, they would still not be qualified to question a Nascent Soul-level major sect. That Sect Master Chen of the Five Elements Sect, since his emergence, had continuously destroyed sects and exterminated factions. Even Xuanxiao Dao Palace in Eastern Yi was personally crushed by him. If he were to learn that the Sun family had grievances, he might use it as an excuse to come and prevent future problems, eradicating their Sun family. Sun Huanglong was very clear about the local way of doing things, because if he were in Chen Mobai's position, he would do the same.

"Yes, Patriarch!" After hearing this, Sun Jude understood and reluctantly withdrew. He returned to the shore, leading the Sun family's cultivators and treasure ships. They once again positioned themselves along the border of Yunmeng Marsh, forming a long, single-file array, to prevent Eastern Wu cultivators from fleeing to the Eastern Wilds. However, this method could not fully stop the exodus. Because not everyone within the Sun family was completely loyal. Along such a long border, there were always some greedy individuals who would accept spirit stones, and then turn a blind eye, allowing Eastern Wu cultivators to pass. Some powerful cultivation families even directly set up small teleportation arrays. They even charged other rogue cultivators and small families for this service. At any other time, these families would naturally not dare to offend the Sun family. But now, many of the upper-level cultivators from these families had already fled to Beiyuan City to settle. Even if the family cultivators remaining in Eastern Wu were caught, they wouldn't be afraid.

And Sun Jude, as the one guarding the border, was naturally fully aware of these matters. However, his actions of executing family traitors and slaughtering small families in Eastern Wu instead made Eastern Wu cultivators yearn for the Eastern Wilds even more, and the trend of fleeing became increasingly prevalent. "Damn the Five Elements Sect!" After realizing this, Sun Jude angrily punched, shattering the wine cup in his hand. But he dared not utter the words aloud, only shouting them in his heart.

"Father," just then, a handsome, armor-clad youth with red lips and white teeth entered. Seeing the shattered wine cup on the floor, he spoke, "the decline of Eastern Wu is an inevitable trend. Why don't we seize this opportunity to make a huge profit?"

"What are you trying to say?" The youth was named Sun Baili. He was already a Foundation Establishment cultivator at a young age, hailed as the most likely genius to form a Core in the next generation of the Sun family, and had always been Sun Jude's pride.

"I know an senior cultivator who lives in seclusion on a spirit island in Yunmeng Marsh," Sun Baili said. "He wants to use this opportunity to cultivate a powerful demonic art using these defectors from Eastern Wu as sacrifices. He is willing to pay a high price." As soon as Sun Baili uttered these words, Sun Jude's eyes immediately widened. Powerful spiritual energy surged out, transforming into an invisible pressure that heavily enveloped the youth.

"You're colluding with demonic cultivators!" Only demonic cultivation methods required the use of cultivators as sacrifices for their arts. As soon as Sun Baili spoke, Sun Jude understood his meaning.

"Father," Sun Baili's expression remained unchanged, and he calmly stated his pre-prepared words, "considering the Five Elements Sect's style, without a Nascent Soul cultivator, the Sun family will be annexed sooner or later. The Patriarch is weak-willed; he might be the first to surrender his entire family when the time comes. We also need to prepare for ourselves in advance!" At the same time, a highly bizarre spiritual energy shimmered around him, surprisingly breaking free from Sun Jude's restraint. Witnessing this, Sun Jude's pupils contracted, and anger surged within him.

"You've actually cultivated a demonic art!"

"Father, if I'm discovered by the Nine Heavens Demonic Cleansing Sect, you won't escape death, and even the entire Sun family might be implicated." Sun Baili had also gone all out today. His reputation as a young genius relied entirely on his demonic cultivation. And this fact would certainly not remain hidden when he formed his Core and triggered heavenly tribulation. His cultivation had already reached the late Foundation Establishment stage, so seeing this opportunity, he decided to reveal himself to Sun Jude. However, it was precisely because the person before him was his father that he dared to do so.

"Which demonic cultivator is backing you?" As expected, after Sun Jude discovered his son had cultivated a demonic art, he quickly calmed down and asked.

"Father, please follow me!"

And while the father and son went to meet the demonic cultivator, Sun Huanglong was looking at a letter that had just been delivered to him, and couldn't help but tremble slightly. This letter had been delivered into his study without anyone knowing. Clearly, the sender's cultivation was far superior to his. And Sun Huanglong was already at Core Formation Completion. Above him would be... But why would such a cultivator do these things? The letter contained only one piece of information. It was the true identity and background of Zhou Ye, the Earth Vein Elder of the Five Elements Sect.

"He's actually a survivor of the Zhou family..." After reading, Sun Huanglong gripped the letter tightly in his hand. He recalled the time he attended Ancestor Chen's grand ceremony in Beiyuan City, and Zhou Ye had specifically approached him to greet him. At that moment, he fully understood the meaning behind Zhou Ye's words. Sun Huanglong also recalled information about Zhou Ye: Heavenly Earth Spirit Root, inheritor of the Hunyuan Dao Fruit, a Core Formation Completion cultivator, and the third person in the Five Elements Sect with the potential to form a Nascent Soul. If Zhou Ye truly formed his Nascent Soul, then the Sun family, who had annihilated the Zhou family, would have no way out! A dark shadow suddenly filled Sun Huanglong's heart! It was also at this moment that he understood why this letter was delivered to him! Was it an enemy of the Five Elements Sect?

Chen Mobai, naturally, was unaware of what was happening in Eastern Wu. He was currently at Jumang Dao Academy. And before him was Yan Bingxuan, who had just emerged from secluded cultivation after forming her Core. After listening to Chen Mobai's apologetic confession, Yan Bingxuan stared at him with a cold expression, remaining silent. After a long moment, she directly transformed into a streak of icy light and vanished above the water's surface. Chen Mobai hesitated for a moment, but could only sigh.

"Aren't you going to go comfort her?" A silver light shimmered, and Wenren Xuewei appeared beside Chen Mobai, tilting her head and narrowing her eyes as she asked.

"Oh, you've actually mastered Void Walking." Chen Mobai did not answer her question. Even if he went after her and consoled her, what good would it do? Ever since he announced the mother and daughter, Shi Wanyu, he had already prepared for this.