Chapter 291: Second-tier Spiritual Wine

After staying in Danxia City for half a month, Chen Mobai had to return to Chicheng Grotto-Heaven because the new semester had begun. This year, he officially became a sixth-year student. However, for Chen Mobai, the grade divisions no longer held much significance. After establishing his Foundation, he generally wouldn't attend classes, only appearing for year-end exams to earn credits.

As usual, this year Chen Mobai chose three major courses: Talismans, Puppetry, and Spiritual Plants. He simply swapped last year's Sword Control for Spiritual Plants. This was mainly because he had already completed all the knowledge related to "Agronomy" at the Daoist Academy, mastering everything from first to second-tier spiritual rice cultivation and spiritual field maintenance. Beyond that, knowledge involving third-tier or higher spiritual rice and fields required further study within the Spiritual Plants department.

After the three major courses, there were several elective subjects. Having earned all the credits for Agronomy, his previously favored and diligently studied subject, Chen Mobai began to focus on "Herb Identification" and "Treasure Appraisal." These two subjects were also crucial for his future as a major trader. However, to accumulate more credits, he still chose Mineral Identification and Talisman Ink and Pigment Extraction. Having also completed his Calligraphy course, Chen Mobai further selected Spiritual Plant-related subjects such as Earth Vein Surveying, Mine Geology, and Spiritual Medicine Cultivation and Protection.

After registering for his courses, Chen Mobai found time to meet Yu Rulin. Learning from Yu that the reserves of Longevity Supplement Pills and Longevity Pills were quite abundant, he did not immediately mortgage his Talisman factory in Danxia City. He decided to wait until he had collected a complete set of Longevity Tree Fruits before proceeding with this matter. After all, mortgages incur interest, and every bit saved counted.

The following days settled into their usual steady rhythm. After achieving Foundation Establishment with the Pure Yang Scroll, Chen Mobai began to focus on advancing his cultivation and realm in this Deity Transformation magnum opus. After all, even if he perfectly established his foundation with the Everlasting Scripture by consuming Longevity Tree Fruits in the future, this technique would still need to be elevated to the same realm if he wished to form a Core using the Two-Phase Art. Fortunately, the Immortal Sect had Spirit Replenishment Water. As long as his realm was sufficient, he could use this elixir to replenish his spiritual power.

In the Minor Chitian, Chen Mobai had restored the glory of the Wuqi Daoist Academy, earning a reward of one hundred bottles of second-tier Spirit Replenishment Water from the academy. This was just enough to perfect the first layer of his Pure Yang Scroll's Foundation Establishment. Zhongli Tianyu's ability to break through one realm per year, besides the profundities of the Cantong Qi, was largely due to this Spirit Replenishment Water and the high-tier spiritual veins of Mount Chicheng. After comparing the cultivation situations in both the Tianhe Realm and the Diyuan Star, Chen Mobai concluded that the most outstanding spiritual medicine on the Immortal Sect's side was likely this Spirit Replenishment Water. Regarding the accumulation of spiritual power, an act that relies on time and spiritual energy, while the Tianhe Realm did possess some elixir recipes that could shorten this process, their applicability was nowhere near that of the versatile Spirit Replenishment Water.

Although not everyone in the Immortal Sect could afford Spirit Replenishment Water, Chen Mobai at least had the means. Furthermore, after consuming Spirit Replenishment Water, it required corresponding spiritual energy to take effect. Whether on Mount Chicheng or in the Tianhe Realm, what Chen Mobai never lacked was spiritual energy.

Throughout this year, Chen Mobai refined his fire and wood-attribute spells using the Minor Chitian while simultaneously boosting his Pure Yang spiritual power with Spirit Replenishment Water. It must be said that, as time passed, the combat prowess of the Foundation Establishment cultivators in the Minor Chitian grew stronger and stronger. Initially, Chen Mobai could easily suppress and defeat early-stage Foundation Establishment cultivators with his rich combat experience and spells. However, by the time the new semester began, some astonishing individuals could force him to use his sword light to achieve a kill. Mid-stage Foundation Establishment cultivators, in particular, progressed rapidly. When facing the most elite among them, Chen Mobai sometimes needed to go all out to secure a victory. However, this also served as immense training for him.

After the Minor Chitian, aided by Mount Chicheng's spiritual veins and the Yuanyang Sword, expanded into a grotto-heaven encompassing half of the Immortal Sect, Chen Mobai encountered an increasing number of opponents. On one occasion, his undefeated record nearly came to an end. That challenger was a prodigy from Kunpeng Daoist Academy named Nangong Xiu. Although his cultivation was only at the third layer of Foundation Establishment, he had mastered a portion of the Six Royal Scripture and was hailed as the second Lan Haitian. The battle between Chen Mobai and him still ranked first in video-on-demand views in the Minor Chitian. Fortunately, Chen Mobai ultimately proved superior, using the Ascending Yang Flame Burst Art to unleash his Azure Yang Fire Sword Light, piercing through Nangong Xiu's Six Royal Scripture and securing the victory.

Besides Nangong Xiu, Chen Mobai also encountered the Deity Transformation Dao Seeds from the other two major Daoist Academies. Apart from Qing Nü, Jumang Daoist Academy also had a born Heavenly Spiritual Root. However, fortunately, his Eight Desolations One Qi Art was still at a shallow stage, and he was not proficient in combat, so he put far less pressure on Chen Mobai than Nangong Xiu. Beyond the four major Daoist Academies, the other ten Great Academies also harbored hidden talents. There were surprisingly several individuals similar to Lu Qiulong. However, luckily, their fighting spirit was average, and their combat skills were not yet fully honed. When encountering Chen Mobai, they all readily accepted defeat. But Chen Mobai had a feeling that in a few years, once they became fully familiar with their own powers within the Minor Chitian, his victories would no longer come so easily. For cultivators, time passed most swiftly.

Shenmu Sect. It was again time for the sect's year-end grand competition. For Qi Cultivation disciples, this was a battle to change their fate. For Foundation Establishment cultivators, however, it was merely a rare period of leisure and rest after a year of busy work.

"It's a pity Senior Brother Yuan is still in seclusion; he won't get to taste this Jade Bamboo Spirit Wine." In his own courtyard in Shenmu City, Chen Mobai sat on the ground and opened a large jar of second-tier Jade Bamboo Spirit Wine, brewed from last year's harvest. The rich, clear aroma of the wine diffused, causing everyone present to narrow their eyes in intoxicated pleasure.

"It seems I've returned just in time this year," E Yun, who was sitting next to Chen Mobai, remarked. This year, there weren't many battles in Yunmeng Marsh, so E Yun escorted precious items like demon beast cores back to the sect and also applied for next year's spirit stone arrays and other resources.

Besides the two of them, Yan Jinye and Yue Zutao were also present. The former had grown very close to Chen Mobai since Lone Soul Ridge, as they could be considered companions through life and death. Yue Zutao, on the other hand, was someone Chen Mobai had always wanted to befriend, as he was the only one who had consumed a sample of the Longevity Tree Fruit. Previously, when invited to Xiaonanshan, Yue Zutao found it too far and didn't come. But today, being in Shenmu City and hearing about the opening of a jar of second-tier spirit wine, he gladly arrived.

As expected, the Jade Bamboo Spirit Wine did not disappoint the four Foundation Establishment cultivators present. After each taking a sip, their faces flushed, and faint white mist emerged from their foreheads. After a long while, everyone exhaled, feeling the comfort in their qi and blood and the fullness of their spirit, marveling at the effect. "Who would have thought that a single sip of this spirit wine, brewed from second-tier spiritual rice, would almost match the effect of consuming a Nourishing Yuan Pill?"

The Nourishing Yuan Pill was a low-grade second-tier elixir, used by early-stage Foundation Establishment cultivators to warm and nourish their physique and invigorate their vital essence. Long-term consumption also aided in spiritual power cultivation and divine sense enhancement. Although its price was acceptable at 10 spirit stones per pill, the large quantity required for consumption meant that most well-off Foundation Establishment cultivators would carry a hundred pills with them. As for body-refining cultivators, they would consume it day and night.

"Junior Brother Chen, when will this second-tier spirit wine be available in your shop?" Yue Zutao asked, unable to resist ordering after tasting it.

"That will likely take ten years." Chen Mobai's words startled everyone present.

"Junior Brother, why would it take so long?"

"Zhuo Ming, please explain it to Senior Brother E and the others." Chen Mobai immediately called over his young apprentice, who was serving nearby. Her cultivation had reached the sixth layer of Qi Cultivation. Over the past two years, she had dedicated herself to cultivating spiritual rice and blending medicinal wines, and her originally fair skin had taken on a slightly jade-yellow tint, almost making E Yun unable to recognize her.

"Esteemed Senior Uncles, the situation is this: Jade Bamboo spiritual rice requires ten years to mature. The spiritual rice used for brewing this wine was artificially ripened by Master using a special method, so its actual quality is below second-tier." E Yun and Yue Zutao exchanged surprised glances upon hearing this. Yan Jinye, on the other hand, frequently visited Xiaonanshan this year. The two registered disciples assigned to Zhuo Ming had also informed her of what they saw, and she herself had even participated in the brewing process, so she had known about this for a long time.

"But that's not right," E Yun countered, "this jar of spirit wine is truly second-tier." As Foundation Establishment cultivators, they could distinguish between first and second-tier. First-tier elixirs and spirit wines were mostly useless to them; only second-tier spirit wines could truly intoxicate their bodies and minds and clear their qi and blood.

"That's because the artificially ripened spiritual rice does possess some of the Jade Bamboo spiritual rice's characteristics. And during the brewing process, with the help of Senior Uncle Yan, we incorporated the recipes for the Hundred Herbs Pill and the Spirit Nourishing Soup, brewing it using the medicinal wine method. Even so, only two out of twenty-six jars were successful." As Zhuo Ming spoke, she took another jar of spirit wine from her storage bag. Although it also had an intoxicating aroma when opened, it was far inferior to the jar they had been drinking. "This one failed. While it can still be considered first-tier spirit wine, it's completely useless to you Senior Uncles." E Yun and Yue Zutao poured themselves large bowls and took a sip. While the taste was pleasant, as Zhuo Ming had said, it had no significant effect on them as Foundation Establishment cultivators.

"It can still be considered a success," Yan Jinye interjected, "After all, these spirit wines are greatly nourishing for Qi Cultivation cultivators." Yan Jinye, who was standing nearby, spoke up. Without her help as a Foundation Establishment cultivator, brewing second-tier spirit wine would have been virtually impossible. Therefore, to thank her, Chen Mobai gave her a second-tier elixir recipe in exchange for Xiaonanshan's exclusive right to the second-tier spirit wine brewing method. Yan Jinye was very pleased with this. She even privately told Zhuo Ming that if she encountered any difficulties brewing new medicinal wines in the future, she should notify her, and Yan Jinye would come to help whenever she was free.

"Junior Brother Chen, there's still another jar! Open it quickly!" Knowing the full story, E Yun immediately set his sights on the other jar of second-tier spirit wine.

"Senior Brother, let's finish this jar first." Chen Mobai patted the almost waist-high wine jar beside him. Given their drinking capacity, finishing even half of this jar would be an accomplishment.

"Junior Brother Chen, I was reserved with my drinking before because the wine wasn't good enough. This jar of yours, I can finish by myself!" E Yun's words made Chen Mobai burst into laughter.

"If Senior Brother E truly possesses such an immense capacity, then I will naturally present my other treasured jar immediately."

"Good! And with me, both of your jars must be emptied today!" Suddenly, another familiar voice echoed in the air. A streak of green light flashed, and Yuan Chiye stood smiling on the rooftop.

"Oh, did you smell it? Weren't you in seclusion and unavailable?" Chen Mobai's face beamed even more with joy upon seeing his old friend, who had guided him into the Shenmu Sect.

"The Sect Master called me out of seclusion, and I happened to see the communication talisman you sent. Wasn't that a fortunate coincidence?" Yuan Chiye chuckled as he descended, sitting opposite Chen Mobai. Liu Wenbai, standing nearby, immediately filled a large bowl and presented it to him.

"You rascal, you never miss out on good things," E Yun said with a laugh, seeing this scene.

Ultimately, Chen Mobai's other jar of wine remained untouched. This was because E Yun and the others had never consumed second-tier spirit wine before and were unaware of its potent kick. Halfway through, all four of them began to feel overwhelmed. Yan Jinye, being a woman and mindful of her demeanor, left early. The other four then drank themselves into a stupor until dawn.

Upon waking, Chen Mobai packed a small jar for each of them to take away. E Yun and Yuan Chiye accepted without hesitation, but Yue Zutao felt a little embarrassed. He wanted to buy it with spirit stones but felt it was inappropriate for the occasion. "Senior Brother Yue, just visit more often in the future."

"Absolutely. Junior Brother Chen, feel free to come and sit in my courtyard whenever you're free." Their friendship had taken its first step.

After seeing off his guests, Chen Mobai was about to return to meditate and refine the alcohol's potency within his body. Suddenly, he saw Zhuo Ming sitting upright in a corner, her skin flushed, her body enveloped in a hazy glow like a cloud-enshrouded immortal. Liu Wenbai stood nearby, protecting his junior sister. Chen Mobai took one look and immediately understood what had happened. Zhuo Ming had broken through to the seventh layer of Qi Cultivation. Before she switched cultivation techniques, she was already at the sixth layer of the Everlasting Scripture. After becoming Chen Mobai's disciple for over two years and switching to the Earth Mother Scripture, she had finally broken through the bottleneck that had long hindered her. It seemed that last night, she had drunk half a cup of second-tier spirit wine, and combined with her existing accumulation, it was a natural breakthrough.

Upon waking, Zhuo Ming's round, flushed face was full of excitement as Liu Wenbai beckoned to her. "Congratulations, Junior Sister."

"Thank you, Senior Brother, for protecting me. And thank you, Master, for the wine." Chen Mobai thought for a moment; it seemed he had said something last night, letting his two disciples also taste the wine. Liu Wenbai, being at the ninth layer of Qi Cultivation, could refine the effects of a single cup by meditating for a few cycles. Zhuo Ming, however, happened to break through her bottleneck with it, which could only mean her accumulation was sufficient.

"Both of you should also fill a jar. It will be beneficial for your cultivation if you take a sip each time." Chen Mobai pointed to the jar, which still had about a quarter of its wine left, and spoke to his two apprentices. Neither of them declined. After personally experiencing the efficacy of this second-tier spirit wine, they naturally knew it was better than any first-tier elixir.

"As for those failed first-tier Jade Bamboo Spirit Wines, they are also suitable for your long-term consumption. Take two jars each, and the rest will be sold at Xiaonanshan Shop. It's time to recoup some costs." Since Chen Mobai had decided to become a major trader across both realms, having acquired a talisman factory in the Immortal Sect, it was natural for him to establish some enterprises in the Tianhe Realm as well. It was high time to properly manage Xiaonanshan Shop, which he had not paid much attention to previously.

"Yes, Master." After his two apprentices accepted their instructions, Chen Mobai then instructed his eldest apprentice, Liu Wenbai, who was about to participate in the sect's grand competition and had good prospects of becoming a True Disciple this year. Chen Mobai appropriately imparted some combat experience to him. Zhuo Ming, having only been at the sixth layer of Qi Cultivation previously and busy with Xiaonanshan's year-end spiritual rice harvest, had not registered for the competition. Although she had now broken through, she had no confidence in combat and wasn't listening attentively, her mind solely focused on how to expand and strengthen Xiaonanshan Shop.