Chapter 299: Small Transfer Talisman

Luo Yixuan sat cross-legged on the peak of Xiaonan Mountain, her eyes closed, aided by Chen Mobai's Lamp-Lighting Art. She cultivated a Water-Wood method, connected by a Dual-Phase technique. Within her Dantian Qi Sea, black water spiritual energy formed ripples like a pond, while longevity spiritual energy materialized as a verdant tree rooted beside the ripples.

The green tree drew water, but at that moment, a point of light, like a miniature sun, descended into the tree. This was the manifestation of Chen Mobai's Lamp-Lighting Art, destined to become a seed of fire. As it slowly dissolved the longevity spiritual energy, it also refined away the deeply ingrained pill toxins, leaving behind only the most refined and pure wood-attribute spiritual energy. This purified energy was then absorbed by the black water spiritual energy, enhancing Luo Yixuan's foundation.

Chen Mobai sat on a wooden chair on the mountaintop, took out a teapot, and activated his Water Condensation Art and Fire Lighting Art. Soon, a kettle of boiled water was ready. He observed Luo Yixuan, still seated on the grass, her fair, delicate skin shimmering with both green and red light, and nodded slightly. This indicated that his Lamp-Lighting Art had been successfully implanted into his young disciple's Dantian.

However, his cultivation was not as profound as True Human Chi Pao's; this spell would only last for about seven days. After that, the seed of fire from the Lamp-Lighting Art in Luo Yixuan's Dantian would be depleted. He would simply have to replant it then, though it might be a bit troublesome for him. Thinking back to when True Human Chi Pao helped him transform his Five Elements cultivation, effortlessly imbuing his Dantian with the Lamp-Lighting Art for half a year, Chen Mobai couldn't help but feel immense admiration. The gap between Foundation Establishment and Core Formation truly was immense, a world apart.

Just as a pot of tea was almost finished, Luo Yixuan finally completed her cultivation and opened her bright, spirited eyes.

"Thank you, Master, for bestowing this art upon me."

After rising, she felt a profound sense of ease and invigoration, as if she had just bathed. She was about to perform a grand bow to Chen Mobai, but he stopped her.

"Stand up. My disciples are more relaxed; there's no need for such formality."

Chen Mobai offered an ethereal lift, helping Luo Yixuan stand. He then motioned for her to extend her hand, taking her pulse again. He was contemplating whether he could layer the Lamp-Lighting Art to avoid casting the spell every seven days.

However, halfway through the experiment, Luo Yixuan's originally pristine, fair complexion suddenly turned crimson. She began to sweat profusely, large beads of perspiration constantly seeping from her pale skin, soaking her plain white palace dress. The clinging fabric revealed her slender and graceful curves.

"Why didn't you say anything if you felt something was wrong?" Chen Mobai asked. Seeing this, he withdrew the Lamp-Lighting Art spiritual energy he had just transferred into Luo Yixuan's body, then immediately removed his fingers from her delicate wrist.

"Master's kindness is profound; how could a disciple refuse merely due to a slight physical discomfort?" Luo Yixuan replied, breathing softly, her sweat-dampened face shimmering with a dewy glow. As she spoke, she couldn't help but raise her long sleeve to wipe the perspiration from her forehead and cheeks.

"Alright, I'll see you down the mountain. Rest well, and when the effect of the Lamp-Lighting Art wears off, you can come back up."

Observing Luo Yixuan's somewhat undignified posture due to her sweat, Chen Mobai unfurled the Crimson Cloud Silk Robe from his wrist. It transformed into swirling mist, shrouding her body from the neck down. Then, borne by the misty clouds, the two of them, like a streak of colored mist, flew down Xiaonan Mountain.

"You can stay with Zhuo Ming for now," Chen Mobai instructed. After escorting Luo Yixuan to the wooden houses at the foot of the mountain, he pointed to his second disciple's residence. Upon dismounting the Crimson Cloud Silk Robe, she instinctively prepared to perform another grand bow.

"Thank you for going to such trouble, Master; this disciple is overwhelmed with humility," she said. However, her memory served her well, and she recalled Chen Mobai's earlier words. Her intended grand bow transformed into a slight bow and curtsy, yet her words remained as respectful as ever.

"Don't cultivate for the next few days. Only refine spiritual energy once you're certain your body is fine. If anything comes up, feel free to inform me via a communication talisman; don't worry about being presumptuous."

After saying this, Chen Mobai turned and ascended Xiaonan Mountain on his Crimson Cloud Silk Robe. Luo Yixuan watched his retreating figure fly into the sky. The docile expression vanished from her face, replaced by a slight bewilderment in her eyes. This teacher was unlike anyone she had ever encountered. He seemed different from the cultivators in the Eastern Wilderness. He lacked the awe-inspiring pressure and majesty typically associated with Foundation Establishment cultivators. Despite being the most outstanding genius of the Divine Wood Sect in a century, he wasn't arrogant like Mu Yuan or her brother. Instead, he was gentle as jade, calm, and serene, as if nothing could disturb his composure.

Perhaps, this was what a true exiled immortal looked like. Compared to her teacher, the other true disciples were truly as different as common tiles and beautiful jade. Luo Yixuan watched Chen Mobai become a mere speck in the sky, silently clenching her small fist. She thought to herself that this time, she had truly found the right patron.

After Luo Shupin's incident, the Luo family had been adrift in a storm, their survival dependent entirely on the whims of the Divine Wood Sect's upper echelons. Luo Yixuan's first instinct, naturally, was to abandon ship. However, she had been a member of the Luo family since childhood, and that label was already intertwined with her surname. As long as the matter of the depleted spirit stone mine in Lei Kingdom remained uninvestigated, no one in the Divine Wood Sect would risk entanglement by taking in her and her brother.

At this crucial moment, Chen Mobai appeared. She shrewdly seized this sole ray of light, and her dramatic display of misery indeed stirred his compassion. It was fortunate, though; Luo Yixuan had originally been contemplating how to subtly reveal a weakness, to let Chen Mobai unintentionally discover her true cultivation. Yet, to her surprise, he had already seen through her. This was even better, as intentional actions always left traces and might have been seen through, leading to aversion.

Initially, Luo Yixuan merely wanted to find a patron to avoid being implicated if the Luo family collapsed. But after truly becoming his disciple and interacting with him, she realized that perhaps her unfortunate childhood was all for this turning point. There was actually such an excellent and responsible teacher in the world. If she had known earlier, back in the Sprout Hall—no, in Nanxi Market—she should have immediately bowed and pledged allegiance. Then she would have been the senior sister. Wait, no, her mother said men preferred younger ones. Perhaps being the youngest disciple was even better.

As Luo Yixuan pondered, she secretly resolved that she absolutely could not be expelled from Xiaonan Mountain. She had to demonstrate her worth. Her lifelong habit of concealing her abilities now had to change. She would strive to secure a True Disciple position at next year's sect competition, bringing great honor to her teacher.

Chen Mobai, however, was completely unaware of the extensive drama unfolding within his young disciple's mind. After returning to the mountain, he activated the Cloud Mist Grand Array to seal off the summit, then returned to the Immortal Gate via his Turtle Treasure. After exchanging his current year's academic credits for a Vermillion Fruit, he gave it, along with the three Bamboo Fruits and spiritual herbs he had obtained from Zeng Woyou, to Wang Xingyu. However, this meant he was still short two Vermillion Fruits, and his academic credits were insufficient. But Chen Mobai had already devised a plan; he couldn't let his authority as student council president go to waste.

At the plaza of the student council's headquarters in Myriad Treasures Cave, nearly half of the Foundation Establishment cultivators from the Dance of Instruments Daoist Academy had already gathered. It was year-end again, meaning they could exchange academic credits for instrument fragments and activate Instrument Orbs. However, this year, many students who wanted to activate orbs had sought out Chen Mobai through various connections.

At the end of last year, his reputation soared after he helped Ming Yihua activate a Profound Sun Cauldron. It was well known that Chen Mobai had, in effect, surpassed Ming Yu, the student council vice president who was implicitly considered the foremost spiritual eye user in the academy. Because of this incident, the student council's reputation had taken a significant hit. If not for the former president Zuo Qiushi's self-sacrificing act, disregarding his own reputation by repeatedly visiting Chen Mobai's humble dwelling to persuade him to return and take over as student council president, perhaps no Foundation Establishment cultivator in the Dance of Instruments Daoist Academy would take the student council seriously anymore. Furthermore, with the opening of the Minor Scarlet Heaven this year, Chen Mobai, the unrivaled chief disciple of the Dance of Instruments Daoist Academy, became known as "Battle Victor," making his reputation soar even higher. It was precisely for this reason that the Foundation Establishment cultivators who sought Chen Mobai's help offered relatively valuable items.

Inside the president's office on the third floor, Chen Mobai stroked the little white cat in his arms. The table was covered with packaged boxes. Hua Zijing, seated opposite him, opened one, took out a shimmering silver talisman, and introduced it with an envious expression: "This Minor Teleportation Talisman is from Senior Brother Jing Zuyin. He was also part of the student council previously, though he graduated several years ago. He wants you to help him examine a few Instrument Orbs."

"Your professional experience is still lacking," Chen Mobai commented, looking at Hua Zijing's obvious words. "If you really wanted to help Senior Brother Jing Zuyin, you should have started by presenting a few common items that I wouldn't care for. Then, when I seemed disappointed, you could have produced this Minor Teleportation Talisman. That way, the matter would pretty much be settled." Still, Hua Zijing couldn't be entirely blamed. She had only been training within the small student council group for five or six years, whereas Luo Yixuan had lived in fear for over two decades in the cutthroat cultivation world of the Sky River Realm. The cunning honed in such an environment was indeed something Hua Zijing couldn't compare to.

"Just tell me if you're going to help or not," Hua Zijing said huffily, feeling annoyed by Chen Mobai's critical gaze and directly placing the Minor Teleportation Talisman on the table. Asking for favors was indeed not her strong suit. If Senior Brother Jing Zuyin hadn't treated her well when she first joined the student council, she wouldn't have bothered to put herself out there.

"Of course I'll help! This Minor Teleportation Talisman is one of the most popular second-tier talismans, involving the Way of Space. Since Senior Brother Jing has produced something like this, never mind a few Instrument Orbs, I'd appraise ten for him."

The Minor Teleportation Talisman was the best-selling second-tier talisman in the Immortal Gate. When used, it allowed instant teleportation to a pre-set location. Moreover, it wasn't a one-time use item; it could be used multiple times. This was equivalent to a simplified version of the Turtle Treasure: one would first anchor a location, then use the Minor Teleportation Talisman to teleport there at any time. However, the range was limited, typically within a hundred kilometers. Even so, it was a favorite among many Foundation Establishment cultivators, because there were always urgent situations, and using the Minor Teleportation Talisman would allow one to quickly return home, or go to work or school. After all, a hundred kilometers was enough to cover a significant portion of the Scarlet City Grotto-Heaven.

After receiving it, Chen Mobai immediately set its anchor point to this office. He planned to return to his wooden house tonight and then try out the difference between the Minor Teleportation Talisman's teleportation and his Turtle Treasure's transmission tomorrow morning. Upon hearing this, Hua Zijing immediately said that Jing Zuyin was already waiting in the conference room on the second floor, along with Ming Yu and other student council cadres, who wanted to observe the president's display of skill and learn from him. Chen Mobai wasn't worried about them learning his methods, as his Void-Piercing Spiritual Eye was purely cultivated through resources and involved no special techniques.

Jing Zuyin was a disheveled man, with a scraggly beard, and his clothes had two tears, suggesting he had been in secluded cultivation in Myriad Treasures Cave for quite some time. However, his personality was similar to Zuo Qiushi's—simple and direct. Upon seeing Chen Mobai enter, he immediately placed the six Instrument Orbs he had brought onto the table. Chen Mobai wasted no time. After examining them one by one, he cross-referenced them with the visual data in the Myriad Treasures Atlas and confirmed four of them. The other two were not in the Myriad Treasures Atlas either, but based on the shapes of the magical artifacts seen by his Void-Piercing Spiritual Eye, the student council cross-referenced them with past graduates' records and still managed to identify them, thus adding information on two more magical artifacts to the Myriad Treasures Atlas. Jing Zuyin was full of exclamations of surprise, remarking that seeing was believing and that Chen Mobai's spiritual eye technique, even when considering the entire Immortal Gate, could likely rank among the top tier of Foundation Establishment cultivators.

Ultimately, Jing Zuyin chose a second-tier, high-grade turquoise inkstone. He took the Instrument Orb to the balcony of the student council's small Western-style building. Following the student council's annual tradition, he inserted the instrument fragment in front of everyone gathered in the plaza. The result was naturally identical to what Chen Mobai's Void-Piercing Spiritual Eye had seen. After the divine fire light dissipated, a finely textured, silk-grained, elegantly dark blue inkstone landed in Jing Zuyin's hand. He was a second-tier talisman crafter, so this inkstone perfectly complemented his profession.

After this promising start, Chen Mobai comfortably took a back seat. The dozen or so Foundation Establishment cultivators in the academy who had exchanged academic credits for instrument fragments this year had already spent a hundred credits. Naturally, they wanted to ensure perfection and not waste such a significant investment accumulated over years of hard work. This was a sunk cost.

Chen Mobai instructed Hua Zijing to return all gifts except for the Minor Teleportation Talisman. It wasn't that he was rigidly upright and refused gifts; rather, he believed this should be a long-term business, allowing for a steady flow of benefits.

"Will they agree to this?" Hua Zijing asked, her face full of suspicion after hearing Chen Mobai's proposal.

"Just spread my intentions," Chen Mobai replied. "Those who agree will naturally be willing to come."

Chen Mobai's terms for using his Void-Piercing Spiritual Eye to examine Instrument Orbs were very simple: similar to the Myriad Treasures Atlas, and as one of the student council's symbols, it would cost only 1 academic credit per instance. It was fortunate that he was now the student council president and controlled the Myriad Treasures Atlas, giving him the authority to trade academic credits. Otherwise, even if his Void-Piercing Spiritual Eye reached its peak, he wouldn't be able to exchange credits with other Foundation Establishment cultivators.

As expected, once the news spread that he would examine an Instrument Orb for just 1 academic credit, the student council's doors were immediately besieged. Outside Chen Mobai's office, all the Foundation Establishment cultivators who had exchanged for instrument fragments this year lined up obediently, much to Hua Zijing's wide-eyed disbelief. Some carried two or three Instrument Orbs, while others brought a whole sack, perhaps a dozen or more. Hua Zijing counted: sixteen people, which was exactly the number of instrument fragments the academy had exchanged this year. In other words, everyone except for those who had just achieved Foundation Establishment this year had come. The President was about to make a fortune!