Chapter 277: Superior Methods

One sword.One sword.Still one sword.

After twenty battles, Chen Mobai left the Little Scarlet Heaven with a look of utter boredom.

Among the Foundation Establishment cultivators he was matched with, some were from the Hundred and Twenty Prefectures, some from the Ten Great Academies, and one was even from the Heaven-Mending Daoist Academy.

Yet, not a single one could withstand his single sword strike.

“Tomorrow, at the same time, I’ll be waiting for you all,” Chen Mobai said before turning and leaving the plaza.

The dozen or so members of the student council immediately followed him. As half of them wore the academy’s distinctive red and black robes, their collective movement resembled a fiery cloud of red and black, exuding an unparalleled sense of pressure.

“The Martial Arts Academy’s red and black robes—it’s been a long time since I’ve seen such a sight.” On a tall building to the right of the plaza, a middle-aged man with grayish-black hair and a gentle face stroked his long beard, a look of emotion on his face.

He watched as the dense crowd on the street below instinctively parted as the dozen or so members of the Martial Arts Academy moved, clearing a path for them.

“This child is impressive.” Across from him sat an old man also wearing the Martial Arts Academy’s red and black robes. A beautiful woman in a traditional court dress was diligently preparing tea for both of them.

The middle-aged man was Gongye Zhixu, Deputy Head of the Immortal Affairs Hall. The old man was Hong Mengkui, Lord of Scarlet City Grotto-Heaven. He was also a graduate of the Martial Arts Academy, a Core Formation cultivator. Being older, he was of a similar generation to Che Yucheng.

“What do you make of the Pure Yang Academy’s actions?” Gongye Zhixu asked after seeing Chen Mobai leave.

“Before you want something, you always have to stir up a bit of trouble,” Hong Mengkui said. He then took a sip of tea, his eyes narrowing in apparent enjoyment.

“How will you handle it?” Gongye Zhixu’s question made Hong Mengkui look at him in surprise.

“You still care about such trivial matters?”

“Nangong Xuanyu approached me earlier.” Nangong Xuanyu was the current headmaster of Pure Yang Academy, reputed to be the foremost Core Formation cultivator. He once used the Pure Yang Scroll and the Primal Yang Sword Art to spar with the Nascent Soul realm cultivator, Venerable Qingping. Although he eventually lost, he did not appear to be at a disadvantage during the exchange. Many speculated that if Nangong Xuanyu were to unleash the ‘Primal Yang Sword,’ even a Venerable of the Nascent Soul realm might fall before his blade.

“He’s about to achieve Nascent Soul?” Gongye Zhixu’s brief remark was enough for Hong Mengkui to grasp the underlying implication.

“If the realm gate weren’t fluctuating, he might already be in secluded cultivation for breakthrough.” Resources on Dizang Star were scarce. Even Gongye Zhixu, who ranked just below the three Grand Hall Masters of the Immortal Sect, possessed only one Nascent Soul-forming elixir. While Nangong Xuanyu was the headmaster of Pure Yang Academy, it was estimated he would mostly have to rely on his own brute force to achieve a Nascent Soul breakthrough. However, with the fluctuation of the realm gate, everything changed. After all, no one knew how many resources the approaching otherworld held. In the absence of other options, Nangong Xuanyu, as the foremost Core Formation cultivator, naturally had no choice but to enter secluded cultivation to seek a slim chance of forming a Nascent Soul. Now that there was hope, who would willingly risk near-certain death to form a Nascent Soul?

“Alright, I’ll try my best to dissuade those former top disciples of the Martial Arts Academy who graduated long ago, then?” Since Gongye Zhixu had brought it up to this extent, Hong Mengkui, though slightly displeased, still had to save face for him.

“Thank you.” After exchanging pleasantries, Gongye Zhixu smiled and departed.

“Teacher, if we don’t intervene, I fear no Foundation Establishment cultivator in the academy can stand against Xiahou Weihuan now.” The beautiful woman in the court dress, who had been diligently brewing tea with her head bowed, raised her delicate chin after only Hong Mengkui remained. Her graceful brows furrowed slightly, and her fair hands presented him with a fresh cup.

“Then let him be arrogant for a while.”

“Teacher, the Martial Arts Academy’s thousand-year reputation cannot be ruined in our generation’s hands.” The beautiful woman in the court dress pouted slightly in dissatisfaction as she emptied the used tea leaves from the pot.

“Don’t worry. I just saw him; this generation’s top disciple has what it takes. He’ll likely achieve an unprecedented record.” Hong Mengkui recalled Chen Mobai’s single sword strike that had defeated twenty opponents in a row. With his discerning eye, he naturally saw through the essence of Chen Mobai’s sword at a glance. His ‘Sword Rainbow Dividing Light’ technique was potent enough to contend even with late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivators. Moreover, the Little Scarlet Heaven’s realm protection mechanism would ensure that Chen Mobai, a first-level Foundation Establishment cultivator, would at most be matched against opponents at the sixth level of Foundation Establishment. To be honest, Hong Mengkui felt that Che Yucheng letting this disciple of his out was a bit like bullying. However, working in such a sly, underhanded manner had always been the style of that figure-collecting individual.

He had thought that with age, his methods wouldn't be so cunning anymore, but it turned out that old habits die hard; he was still as devious as ever.

But precisely because of this, Hong Mengkui agreed to Gongye Zhixu’s request. Because he knew that given Che Yucheng’s modus operandi, after Xiahou Weihuan shouted, “The true orthodoxy of Scarlet City lies with Pure Yang,” there would be at least three waves of overt or covert countermeasures.

“Next, we’ll just sit back, drink tea, and watch how your senior martial brother suppresses the Pure Yang Academy.”

The next day.

Chen Mobai no longer went out with the large group from the student council. Besides his dislike for being surrounded, it was also because after activation, he could project into the Little Scarlet Heaven from anywhere covered by the spiritual vein of Mount Scarlet City using his phone.

The same time, the same result. Facing the beautiful, fair-skinned senior student before him, he regrettably maintained his persona of defeating opponents with a single sword strike. It was a shame; Chen Mobai quite wanted to know the name of this senior student from Taiyuan Academy. But even though he had held back, it seemed she had already lost her will to fight the moment she was matched with him. With a single sword strike, she merely put up a token shield before being burned to ashes.

This beautiful, fair-skinned senior student seemed quite well-known in certain communities. That day, after Chen Mobai had defeated twenty opponents as usual, he searched for himself online for a while and found many people scolding him for having no pity for beautiful women. Chen Mobai immediately logged into his alt account and began to role-play in the comments section of that post. Under his guidance, the ‘flower protectors,’ who had initially been calming down, began to vehemently denounce the Martial Arts Academy as a bunch of boors. As the trend took off, his experience points soared.

Soon, Chen Mobai had achieved an astonishing record of a hundred victories in a hundred battles over five days in the Little Scarlet Heaven.

A hundred percent win rate was not unprecedented. Before Chen Mobai, Patriarch Yuanyang had set a record of 119 consecutive wins with a 100% win rate in the Little Scarlet Heaven. In his 120th battle, Patriarch Yuanyang, who was then at the seventh level of Foundation Establishment, was defeated by a Pseudo-Core cultivator from Kunpeng Academy. Could Chen Mobai break this record?

Five days earlier, if someone had raised this topic, even students of the Martial Arts Academy would have scoffed. 119 battles, 100% win rate. Even if Patriarch Yuanyang were reincarnated, it was unlikely he could achieve it. But today, everyone eagerly awaited that day’s arrival.

“Breaking down, one by one, the things that Pure Yang Academy takes pride in—that is one of the reasons I sent you out,” Che Yucheng said this to Chen Mobai in his office at Building No. 1, Mount Scarlet City.

“Teacher, you already knew that Pure Yang Academy intended to challenge our Martial Arts Academy’s standing?” Chen Mobai looked surprised. He had thought that becoming student council president was merely a stroke of luck—running into Zuoqiu Shi, who wanted to leave, and conveniently having a teacher who was also the Director of Academic Affairs.

“More or less. With the realm gate fluctuating, people will certainly need to be sent to the other side to scout out the situation before the two realms officially connect. Nangong Xuanyu is the closest to forming a Nascent Soul; he definitely won’t miss this opportunity. Gongye Zhixu has a decent relationship with him and will likely lend some subtle support. As long as Pure Yang Academy performs exceptionally well in the Little Scarlet Heaven, there will be justification to place Pure Yang Academy members in the scouting party sent to the otherworld.”

After listening to Che Yucheng’s words, Chen Mobai patted his chest, indicating he understood what he needed to do. “Don’t worry, Teacher. I’ve taken down more than twenty Pure Yang students in the past five days. As long as I’m in the Little Scarlet Heaven, no one in the early or mid-stage Foundation Establishment tiers will be more brilliant than me.”

After saying this, Chen Mobai thought of Xiahou Weihuan and other former top disciples of Pure Yang Academy who had graduated many years ago. “I might lose in the late-stage Foundation Establishment tier, and I can’t even be matched with them, so there’s no way to target them.”

Just as he was troubled, Che Yucheng smiled. “Our Martial Arts Academy also has many former top disciples who have graduated. However, they are all busy pursuing the Golden Core Dao. While they would come out if I called them, it would be too obvious and a rather crude tactic if our former top disciples were to directly suppress Pure Yang Academy.”

Chen Mobai understood, yet he also didn’t quite understand. “Then, Teacher, what is the truly superior method to suppress Xiahou Weihuan and others who are running rampant in the late-stage Foundation Establishment tier?”

Che Yucheng did not conceal it from his disciple, Chen Mobai. In front of him, he made two phone calls. He called the directors of academic affairs for Kunpeng Academy and Heaven-Mending Daoist Academy. First, he chatted idly for a while, then subtly brought up the recent events in the Little Scarlet Heaven, mentioning how their top disciples had been defeated. He feigned surprise when he learned it was by Pure Yang Academy’s former top disciples, then casually remarked that it was understandable if their current disciples couldn't defeat those who had graduated years ago, mentioning Daoist Ling and Taishi Shu.

After finishing both calls, Che Yucheng hung up, a smile plastered across his face.

“If I had called them a few days earlier to provoke them with this matter, they would surely have mocked our Martial Arts Academy for being short-handed and full of cowards, having to resort to making a first-level Foundation Establishment cultivator like you our top disciple.”

But not anymore, because Chen Mobai, with his hundred victories, was the most prominent figure in the Little Scarlet Heaven and had brought supreme glory to the Martial Arts Academy.

Che Yucheng looked at his disciple, Chen Mobai, growing more satisfied with each glance, his aged face beaming with a smile.

“Teacher, I’ve brought such great honor to you and the academy; shouldn’t the academy give me an extra two credits?” As Chen Mobai spoke, he feigned a slightly sore hand, as if the hundred sword strikes over the past five days had been immensely strenuous.

“Credits are the fundamental system of the academy; no teacher has the authority to award additional credits to students.” Che Yucheng, at this moment, very earnestly rejected Chen Mobai’s request.

“I was just kidding. By the way, Teacher, when will True Lord Shaoyang emerge from seclusion? Ming Yihua, who is in my cohort and also cultivates the Pure Yang Scroll, has already reached Foundation Establishment but still hasn’t met that mentor.” Chen Mobai immediately changed the topic. He knew that while Che Yucheng was an excellent teacher, he was also somewhat traditional and rigid, being the staunchest defender of the Immortal Sect’s laws.

Because only through this could the Immortal Sect remain a civilized world of cultivation. As cultivators advanced in realm and power, they would increasingly disregard worldly laws and order, leading to a collapse of etiquette and a rule by strength, just like in the Heavenly River Realm. The fact that seniority was determined by cultivation realm indicated the extent of the breakdown of order in the Heavenly River Realm. In contrast, the Immortal Sect, from top to bottom, maintained a set of effective divine rules and precepts, ensuring the orderly inheritance of civilization on Dizang Star, allowing everyone to strive for greatness. This was the greatest difference between the Heavenly River Realm and the Immortal Sect. Order!

“Speaking of which, it reminds me: Senior Sister Duanmu has several artifact-containing orbs with third-tier magical artifacts hidden away. You haven’t used your artifact fragment yet, have you? Since you’ve contributed to the academy this time, I’ll take you to the depths of the Ten Thousand Treasures Cave when next semester begins.”

Upon hearing Che Yucheng’s words, Chen Mobai’s eyes immediately widened. “Teacher, aren’t the artifacts within the artifact-containing orbs in the Ten Thousand Treasures Cave supposed to be random?”

“They are random, yes. The artifact-containing orbs on Senior Sister Duanmu’s island randomly yield a third-tier magical artifact,” Che Yucheng spoke meaningfully, implying that some things didn’t need to be stated too explicitly.

Chen Mobai gave him a thumbs-up.

“Don’t get too excited too soon. A third-tier magical artifact might not necessarily suit you. And I can only suggest this; whether Senior Sister Duanmu agrees is still a question.”

However, the fact that Che Yucheng dared to say this indicated he had a certain degree of confidence. After all, Chen Mobai had certainly brought significant prestige to the Martial Arts Academy in the Little Scarlet Heaven this time. If the academy didn’t offer some rewards, where would future students find motivation?

That evening, as Chen Mobai was looking at the illustrations and descriptions of the third-tier magical artifacts in the Ten Thousand Treasures Chart, a person he hadn’t contacted in a long time called him: Lan Haitian.

“Is something wrong?” They had cooperated once, and Chen Mobai also owed him a favor regarding the Yangjing matter, so he answered the call.

“Can we talk in person? I’m on Mount Scarlet City,” Lan Haitian’s voice came through the phone.

At the entrance of the Martial Arts Academy, Chen Mobai looked at Lan Haitian, who seemed both familiar and a little strange, with a puzzled expression. “What’s going on? Is it possible that cult members have infiltrated during this opening of the Little Scarlet Heaven?” Chen Mobai could only think of this reason. He had already imagined that Gongye Zhixu, this important figure, was the target of a cult attack, and perhaps, in the shadows unseen by ordinary people like them, the Heaven-Mending Group was already engaged in a bloody battle with the Ascension Cult.

“Director Nan from the academy asked me to come and secure first place for Kunpeng Academy in the Little Scarlet Heaven,” Lan Haitian said casually.

Chen Mobai immediately gave his teacher, Che Yucheng, a mental thumbs-up. This tactic truly was superior! I must learn it!