Chapter 314: Xuan Yin Sha

For more than twenty years since Yue Zutao established his foundation, he had only managed to collect two fire seeds. One of them he had handed over to the sect, and this current one was his own personal gain.

In the Divine Wood Sect's own Spirit Treasure Pavilion, a Qingyang Fire Seed was priced at 10,000 contribution points. However, due to high demand and limited supply, it usually sold for a premium of about 20%.

Chen Mobai gave Yue Zutao everything from the two storage bags he had acquired this time, which totaled just over 10,000 spirit stones.

Yue Zutao genuinely wanted to thank Chen Mobai; for anyone else, he wouldn't have considered selling this Qingyang Fire Seed at all.

“Junior Brother, please make a copy of this 《Nine Ren Body Cultivation》. The sect doesn't have this cultivation method yet. I'll hand it over to the Transmission Department when I return, and I can even exchange it for some contribution points.”

In the Divine Wood Sect, contribution points were equivalent to merit points in the Immortal Sect. However, these points could be directly exchanged for spirit stones, and they were also required to obtain Foundation Establishment Pills and various herbal resources from the sect. Therefore, many sect disciples took on tasks to accumulate them.

As a Foundation Establishment cultivator, Chen Mobai could also post tasks in the Spirit Treasure Pavilion. Of course, he could choose to pay rewards with contribution points or spirit stones; the sect did not enforce a specific method.

“Then thank you, Senior Brother Yue. Coincidentally, I have a disciple with a good earth spiritual root, and this 《Nine Ren Body Cultivation》 can be taken back for her reference.”

In truth, Chen Mobai didn't think much of the Nine Ren Body Cultivation. After all, he could download as many such cultivation methods as he wanted from the Immortal Sect.

However, he couldn't pass on the Immortal Sect's cultivation methods to his three disciples. In comparison, the Nine Ren Body Cultivation was quite renowned among the earth-attribute cultivation methods in the Eastern Desolate region.

This was a body cultivation method with a total of nine stages.

The Nine Ren Body Cultivation was difficult to master, but the complete version could be cultivated up to the Nascent Soul realm.

However, the version in Ji Daoyuan's possession only contained stages one through six.

After Chen Mobai finished copying, he briefly reviewed it and discovered that cultivation not only required long-term consumption of various spirit grains and spirit meats but also special blood-replenishing and qi-nourishing pills for each stage. It was very detailed and significantly more advanced than the Divine Wood Sect's "Earth Spirit Body" cultivation method.

The Nine Ren Body Cultivation could perfectly fill the void of high-end earth-attribute body tempering cultivation methods in the Divine Wood Sect.

It was a pity that it wasn't the complete version, but perhaps Shaking Mountain Peak only possessed this much.

After all, in the Eastern Desolate region, only one Primordial Ancestor had successfully formed a Nascent Soul in the past thousand years. Cultivation methods capable of reaching the Nascent Soul level were even more valuable than Tier 3 magical artifacts.

It was said that after Ji Zhenshi formed his Golden Core, in order to purchase a body cultivation method that could reach the Nascent Soul realm, he mortgaged twenty percent of the Empty Nether Stone mine's profits from Shaking Mountain Peak to the Profound Roar Grand Merchant Association.

“Junior Brother Chen, each Qingyang Fire Seed contains different spiritual properties. When you integrate and refine them, you must not rush.”

Before leaving, Yue Zutao offered another reminder.

Qingyang Fire Seeds were elemental fires of heaven and earth, born during the process of a Qingyang Spirit Tree ascending to become a Golden Yang Spirit Tree. Each spirit tree had a different divine soul, and thus each fire seed possessed unique spiritual properties.

In the Divine Wood Sect, apart from the two ancestors, only three or four other individuals had successfully cultivated the complete "Qingyang Fire".

Yue Zutao had read their notes left in the Transmission Department and knew that refining Qingyang Fire Seeds also required a gradual, step-by-step approach.

“Thank you for the reminder, Senior Brother Yue.”

Chen Mobai possessed the Pure Azure Art from the Divine Tree Secret Realm, which allowed him to quickly integrate and refine Qingyang Fire Seeds. However, Yue Zutao's advice came from good intentions, so he thanked him very politely.

“After cultivating the Qingyang Fire, if Junior Brother further improves the realm of the Scarlet Flame Sword Art, you can begin to condense the Azure Flame Sword Qi. However, the Azure Wood Qi in our Great Wood Ridge had been greatly depleted after being refined by the two Golden Core Ancestors and was always regarded as exclusive by the Sword Cultivation Department. If Junior Brother wished to condense Sword Qi, you needed to consider this beforehand.”

Chen Mobai truly hadn't known about this.

Yue Zutao only revealed these matters because he regarded him as a close friend.

The next day.

Chu Zuoshu arranged for Quan Shanlin and the twenty other Foundation Establishment cultivators who arrived that evening to hide in the mine tunnels of Rolling Thunder Mountain. He also deliberately maximized the power of the Wutu Golden Blade Array, misleading Shaking Mountain Peak into believing they intended to defend to the death until the Divine Wood Sect's main army arrived.

After half a day of hesitation, Ji Dingjin finally decided to launch an attack after the remaining three late-stage Foundation Establishment peak masters from Shaking Mountain Peak arrived with their sect's main army.

As soon as they expended a massive amount of spirit stones to activate their battle formation and break through the Wutu Golden Blade Array, Chu Zuoshu burst into laughter, and Quan Shanlin along with the other twenty Divine Wood Sect Foundation Establishment cultivators charged out.

Although the cultivators from Rock Country, reinforced by Shaking Mountain Peak's main forces, still held an advantage in terms of overall numbers, the number of Foundation Establishment cultivators, however, was now inferior.

Upon seeing Quan Shanlin and the others, Ji Dingjin did not hesitate and immediately ordered a retreat.

However, this time, Chu Zuoshu did not let go of this excellent opportunity to pursue.

He led twenty-six Divine Wood Sect Foundation Establishment cultivators, along with three from Thunder Country and the remaining more than three hundred Qi Condensation cultivators, relentlessly pursuing the twenty flying boats of Shaking Mountain Peak.

However, Ji Dingjin was not renowned for nothing; leading the three late-stage Foundation Establishment peak masters from Shaking Mountain Peak and the Foundation Establishment cultivators from Rock Country, he firmly resisted the Divine Wood Sect's pursuit without collapsing.

This pursuit and retreat was exceptionally brutal.

A late-stage Foundation Establishment peak master from Shaking Mountain Peak, in an attempt to block Chu Zuoshu, proactively challenged him despite the disparity in cultivation levels. His end was tragic: although he endured seven rounds of azure light attacks with his resilient physique, he was ultimately riddled with holes and died from depleted vital energy and spiritual power.

However, the Divine Wood Sect also lost three Foundation Establishment cultivators.

With Chu Zuoshu no longer obstructing him, Ji Dingjin, at the cost of severe vital energy depletion, unleashed his Vacuum Dharma Body, shattering the Divine Skywood Light Array that surrounded him. Three Punishment Hall inspectors who had expanded their domains to participate in the formation were instantly torn in half by Ji Dingjin's ruthless attack.

Besides these three, another Divine Wood Sect Foundation Establishment cultivator had bad luck and was killed by a hidden late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator from Rock Country.

But Shaking Mountain Peak suffered even more severe losses.

Besides the peak master killed by Chu Zuoshu, five more Foundation Establishment cultivators perished.

The flying boats without Foundation Establishment cultivators protecting them, along with the more than three hundred Rock Country Qi Condensation cultivators inside, naturally turned into pools of blood, flesh, and broken bones on the vast land as they were shot down.

This pursuit only halted upon reaching a Tier 3 spirit land within Thunder Country, where Ji Dingjin had already set up a defensive array.

Chu Zuoshu then led the Divine Wood Sect and Thunder Country cultivators to blockade this Tier 3 spirit land and its grand array for an entire day, only sounding the retreat and returning to Rolling Thunder Mountain after nightfall.

“Hahaha...”“We're rich this time!”“I killed three late-stage Qi Condensation cultivators.”“You're amazing! I only killed two. What good stuff did you get? Let's show each other.”

That night on Rolling Thunder Mountain, Chen Mobai and Yue Zutao sat at an outdoor table, drinking wine. Around them, the remaining fewer than two hundred Thunder Country cultivators cheered boisterously, celebrating the immense gains from the war, their expressions varied.

“Although we won, three Senior Brothers and one Senior Sister have died.”

Chen Mobai sighed, downing the new variety of spirit wine brewed by Zhuo Ming in his cup. This wine had just matured before their departure, and Zhuo Ming had unearthed it for him to bring along.

Since today was a great victory, Chen Mobai decided to open this large jar of wine and share it with the Foundation Establishment cultivators present.

Compared to the usual Jade Bud Spirit Wine, this spirit wine was much stronger. The moment it went down, it felt like a blade rolling, but the subsequent sensation of boiling blood and rising intoxication made many people praise it endlessly.

Of course, there were also ascetic cultivators who never touched alcohol.

However, Yue Zutao and Chen Mobai found a spot and drank heartily. After several rounds, they began to speak from their hearts.

“Junior Brother, I can understand your feelings. In the beginning, I also found war very difficult to comprehend. You might not know, but when I was accepted as a disciple by my master, it was still under the name of the Five Elements Sect. Although I was just a young child then, I personally witnessed and experienced twenty bloody years of disciples fighting and slaughtering each other.”

Yue Zutao's expression didn't change at all as he spoke. During those twenty years of internal strife within the five lineages, his best friend died, and seven of the nine disciples in Chu Zuoshu's lineage who were senior to him also perished.

From initial tears to later hatred, then to numbness, and finally, bewilderment after the reconciliation.

As Chen Mobai listened to Yue Zutao recount his life experiences one by one, he couldn't help but drink another cup of wine.

“One day, I will surely put an end to this chaos in the Eastern Desolate.”

For the first time in his life, Chen Mobai expressed his inner vision in this world.

Having grown up in the Immortal Sect, he had never been accustomed to the Heavenly River Realm's environment of constant conflict and resource plundering. If possible, he wanted to use his abilities to end this chaotic era and bring unprecedented peace and tranquility to this tumultuous land of another world.

Yue Zutao heard Chen Mobai's true words, spoken under the influence of wine, and a ripple stirred in his long-undisturbed mind.

He looked at Chen Mobai's serious face, a smile appeared at the corner of his mouth, and he raised his wine cup, filling it.

“No wonder Junior Brother's realm in the path of the sword is so high. Your Dao heart, aspirations, and ambitions perfectly align with the way of sword cultivation—all are valiant, progressing relentlessly, and moving forward without hesitation. If you truly achieve what is in your heart, you might even reach the supreme realm that the Primordial Ancestor regretted not achieving in his lifetime.”

In the past, True Monarch Yiyuan was able to ascend because he pacified the Yellow Dragon demonic beast that had plagued the Cloud Dream Great River for a thousand years, establishing great merit.

The higher echelons of the Five Elements Sect all knew that the Primordial Ancestor had actually obtained the legacy of True Monarch Yiyuan to become the first Nascent Soul cultivator in the Eastern Desolate in the past thousand years.

And before his demise, the Primordial Ancestor's greatest regret was that he could not emulate his master, who had ascended to the upper realms, by establishing great merit for his birthplace, thus stopping at the Nascent Soul realm.

The environment of the Heavenly River Realm made all cultivators selfish from the very beginning.

The Five Elements Sect, upholding the Primordial Ancestor's dying wishes, tried its best to change this prevailing attitude.

It was precisely for this reason that while there were occasional frictions and competitions among fellow disciples in the Divine Wood Sect, they were actually relatively harmonious.

When Yue Zutao was in the Five Elements Sect, his nine senior brothers and sisters above him were also very caring towards him, the youngest. That period was the happiest childhood of Yue Zutao's life.

Unfortunately, however happy it was then, recalling it now brought equal pain.

“I've had too much to drink, just a jest, Senior Brother Yue, please don't mind it.”

At this moment, however, Chen Mobai came back to his senses.

Zhuo Ming's new wine seemed capable of amplifying various emotions in cultivators' hearts. He had taken a couple of extra sips just now, and reflecting on the brutal fighting and sacrifices of the day, he had accidentally uttered such words.

Fortunately, Chen Mobai's spiritual sense was strong; he had already suppressed the effects of the alcohol and let out a chuckle, making Yue Zutao think he had merely spoken boastfully.

“Hahaha, Junior Brother, please.”

Yue Zutao didn't say much more, simply assuming Chen Mobai had drunk too much. However, he then raised his own cup and drained the new wine that could stir up long-dormant memories in his heart.

After finishing that cup, Yue Zutao seemed to find it insufficient. He directly picked up the small jar beside him and tilted his head back, pouring it down.

Chen Mobai stared blankly as Yue Zutao drank the entire jar. Afterward, Yue Zutao leaned against the table with a flushed face, singing a children's nursery rhyme, his eyes half-closed in a daze, seemingly lost in memories, his expression distant.

Oh no, had Zhuo Ming made a mistake in the medicinal wine brewing process and accidentally brewed poison wine?

Chen Mobai was so alarmed that he sobered up. He immediately rushed over to Chu Zuoshu and the others. Fortunately, although they had also drunk some, they had not lost control.

Only two or three seemed to be grieving deeply for deceased Foundation Establishment cultivators, seeking solace in alcohol and thus behaving somewhat unrestrainedly.

“You're here. This wine of yours is good. Let's have a couple of drinks together.”

Chu Zuoshu saw Chen Mobai and raised his wine cup, but he and Fu Huakun next to him only took a small sip.

It seemed that as long as one didn't drink too much of this wine, there would be no problem.

At this point, Chen Mobai also realized that Zhuo Ming's new wine was at most a Tier 1 product. If a Foundation Establishment cultivator didn't want to get drunk, they could simply suppress the effects with their spiritual sense.

Yue Zutao must have been overcome by emotions today.

The next day, after sobering up, Chen Mobai received thanks from many people.

Because the Foundation Establishment cultivators who had gotten heavily drunk all felt their minds a bit clearer after waking up, and their spiritual sense seemed to have slightly increased.

According to Yue Zutao's personal experience, he said this wine could preemptively trigger some suppressed thoughts, allowing cultivators to vent them in advance and greatly reduce the probability of inner demons arising during breakthroughs.

Chu Zuoshu and others, upon learning this, specifically sought out Chen Mobai to order this new wine.

“Junior Brother, what was this wine called again?”

“My humble disciple brewed it casually; it doesn't have a name yet. Senior Brother Yue, do you have a good name for it?”

“When one understands it's a dream, what more is there to seek? Why not call it 'Enlightenment Wine'?”

“A good name.”

Chen Mobai immediately felt the name was very fitting and thus settled on it.

At this moment, he noticed a gourd in Yue Zutao's hand. When his gaze fell upon it, he felt a slight, piercing chill, which sparked his curiosity.

“What is this?”

“After I sobered up this morning, I wandered around the stalls set up by the Qi Condensation cultivators. I was very lucky to see this gourd of Profound Yin Fiend Qi. It's exactly what my Profound Yin Thunder Pellet was missing, so I bought it for a hundred spirit stones.”

Profound Yin Fiend Qi!

This stuff was already protected in the Immortal Sect, and its extraction was forbidden.

Here, it could actually be bought at a Qi Condensation cultivator's stall?!

Chen Mobai felt that his hard-trained Void-Piercing Spiritual Eyes shouldn't go to waste. It was necessary to stimulate consumption at the Rolling Thunder Mountain market.