Chapter 327: The Sect's Reward

The Divine Wood Sect separated from the Five Elements Sect less than a century ago, and the Demonic Beast Foundation Establishment Pills have been refined only a few times. Among the successful practitioners, only Chen Mobai and Yu Lian have experience.

Everyone, including Yu Lian himself, attributed his successful Foundation Establishment to Senior Brother Chen's guidance.

For this reason, Mu Yuan and Li Yixian, who had not yet consumed their Foundation Establishment Pills but were wary of delaying and feared that a failed attempt would jeopardize their chances in the sect competition coinciding with the Jade Marrow Golden Ganoderma's maturation in three years, sought out their respective masters to leverage connections upon learning of Chen Mobai's emergence from seclusion.

As the Sect Master's youngest closed-door disciple, Mu Yuan naturally had the easiest path; his only challenge was overcoming his own psychological barrier.

Once he made up his mind, Meng Hong was naturally obligated to assist him.

Upon learning the full story, Meng Hong had initially planned to visit Xiaonanshan himself to inquire about a few matters.

However, at that very moment, two immense spiritual lights penetrated the Great Wood Ridge's mountain protection array and descended into the Divine Wood Hall.

Meng Hong and Cang Qi immediately dropped their fishing gear and hurried to the front hall to greet the two revered ancestors.

Shortly after, Chu Zuoshu, having received the Sect Master's summons, also arrived.

Chen Mobai, located in Xiaonanshan, naturally noticed the return of the sect's two Core Formation ancestors. Zhou Shengqing and Fu Zongjue made no attempt to conceal their spiritual aura, perhaps intentionally.

They likely achieved a decisive victory on the front lines, which prompted such a display.

Chen Mobai mused, concluding that it was highly probable.

After all, as Yue Zutao had previously stated, Ji Zhenshi was nearly killed and only managed to survive with the help of the two ancestors from Heaven-Reverting Valley and Blowing Snow Palace.

Everyone understands the principle of "where there's life, there's hope," especially a Core Formation ancestor like Ji Zhenshi.

At the final critical moment, even if Shaking Mountain Peak were annihilated, he would likely prioritize preserving his own life.

However, Chen Mobai's conjectures were cut short as a communication talisman from the Divine Wood Sect swiftly arrived in his hand.

The two ancestors returned triumphant, and the sect had secured two spirit stone mines, one fine iron mine, and a cavern capable of producing malevolent energy from Yan Kingdom.

With this, the war between the Divine Wood Sect and Shaking Mountain Peak had conclusively ended.

The next step was the distribution of rewards based on merit.

This matter had, however, already been largely settled, as the extent of contributions was clearest on the battlefield.

Chen Mobai had slain three Foundation Establishment cultivators from Yan Kingdom: a prodigy from Shaking Mountain Peak, the renowned Mu Hanxiong, and the traitor Zheng Wulv. He was indisputably credited with the most enemy kills.

Nevertheless, Chen Mobai could only be ranked fourth on the merit list.

The first and second positions went to Zhou Shengqing and Fu Zongjue; without their intervention to suppress Core Formation ancestors like Ji Zhenshi, Chen Mobai's numerous kills of Foundation Establishment cultivators would have been futile.

Chu Zuoshu took the third position.

He was the commanding general. Although he ultimately failed to defend Rolling Thunder Mountain, the enemy's use of the Vein-Severing Orb meant it was not a failure of strategy.

Furthermore, his series of strategies and decisions from the outset—whether defending Rolling Thunder Mountain against Ji Dingjin's army or orchestrating the encirclement after reinforcements arrived—were commendable, and most accepted his third-place ranking.

A few, however, were not entirely convinced.

During the war, the Divine Wood Sect had maintained a semblance of unity. However, after the decisive victory, subtle power struggles began to emerge among the various factions. Nevertheless, Meng Hong ensured these were kept under wraps for the time being.

Furthermore, many had already discerned that this war between the two sects might have been orchestrated to legitimately elevate Chu Zuoshu to the position of Sect Master.

Chen Mobai's fourth-place ranking, conversely, was undisputed.

After all, he had the highest number of kills.

Moreover, Chen Mobai was now a direct subordinate of Chu Zuoshu, who had ranked him first when requesting rewards for the Foundation Establishment cultivators from the Hall of Merits who participated in the battle.

Before the two ancestors returned, both Meng Hong and Chu Zuoshu could only issue 1,000 contribution points as a basic reward to each departing Foundation Establishment cultivator. While the main allocations had largely been drafted, an expenditure of nearly hundreds of thousands of spirit stones for rewards still required the ancestors' final approval.

Now, the rewards could finally be disbursed.

Chen Mobai received ten thousand sect contribution points, ten thousand spirit stones, five bottles of Tier 2 elixirs capable of enhancing a Foundation Establishment cultivator's spiritual power, a top-grade Tier 2 defensive magical artifact, and a Tier 3 Spiritual Leaf Talisman personally refined by Ancestor Zhou.

Converted into spirit stones, the total value approached thirty thousand.

Throughout the entire sect, only Chu Zuoshu received a greater reward. However, as he was set to become the next Sect Master, the two ancestors did not bestow any more elixirs or magical artifacts upon him, instead directly crediting him with one hundred thousand sect contribution points.

The Divine Wood Sect had an obscure rule: to assume leadership of any of the three great halls or the position of Sect Master, one must accrue one hundred thousand contribution points for the sect.

Chu Zuoshu's diligent efforts over more than a century had already earned him far more than one hundred thousand contribution points for the sect. Nevertheless, the two ancestors specifically awarded him this amount during the merit assessment, overtly signaling to the rest of the Divine Wood Sect that he was the designated successor.

However, Chen Mobai knew that Chu Zuoshu had actually received only thirty thousand sect contribution points, with the one hundred thousand being a public declaration. Chu Zuoshu had revealed this to Chen Mobai when discussing Li Yixian, seemingly to avoid any potential ill-will from his formidable subordinate.

Following Chen Mobai, the fifth position was occupied by Xie Yuntian, head of the Sword Cultivation Department, who received sixteen streams of Azure Wood Malevolent Qi, equivalent to sixteen thousand sect contribution points.

Both the sect and Xie Yuntian were content with this outcome.

Weng Chuanyou, who returned safely to Great Wood Ridge, ranked sixth, receiving ten thousand sect contribution points and three bottles of Tier 2 elixirs.

Beyond the top six, the sect's rewards decreased in value.

Most received only a few thousand contribution points or spirit stones, and a single bottle of elixir.

Nevertheless, every Foundation Establishment cultivator was quite content, as this, combined with their previous 1,000 contribution points, amounted to several years' worth of benefits from the sect.

This sum was even enough to exchange for a respectable set of magical artifacts at the sect's Spiritual Treasure Pavilion.

However, Chen Mobai noticed that most cultivators invested the majority of their spirit stones into purchasing elixirs.

This was because the two ancestors had signed agreements with other major Eastern Desolation sects, guaranteeing no major conflicts for at least one or two decades.

Consequently, cultivators' desire for magical artifacts significantly diminished, with many even seeking ways to divest themselves of their spoils of war.

Upon receiving the communication talisman, Chen Mobai traveled to Divine Wood City to claim his rewards from the Spiritual Treasure Pavilion.

The magical artifact was a top-grade Tier 2 Divine Wood Shield, a matching piece to his Flying Sparrow Hairpin, both crafted from the Tier 3 Golden Sun Spirit Tree.

Its quality was purely due to the superior material. Crafting a Tier 3 spiritual wood into a Tier 2 defensive magical artifact would, for an immortal sect's artificer, likely mean the end of their business.

Nevertheless, Chen Mobai was quite pleased. Although he already possessed the Six-Yang Divine Fire Mirror, that Tier 3 artifact required excessive spiritual energy for each activation.

A top-grade Tier 2 defensive magical artifact was virtually impenetrable at the Foundation Establishment stage, making it perfectly suited for his current early Foundation Establishment cultivation level.

The five bottles of Tier 2 elixirs, named "Spirit Augmentation Pills," were among the best elixirs for boosting spiritual power at the Foundation Establishment stage. Each bottle cost two hundred eighty sect contribution points at the Spiritual Treasure Pavilion.

Finally, there was the Tier 3 Spiritual Leaf Talisman personally crafted by Ancestor Zhou.

This was a life-saving artifact, rumored to block any Tier 2 spell below the Core Formation stage.

"Junior Brother Chen, please sign here."

Chen Zhenwu, who was still on duty at the Spiritual Treasure Pavilion, handed Chen Mobai his sect rewards, then presented a signature sheet.

"Thank you, Senior Brother."

After storing everything in his spatial pouch, Chen Mobai checked his sect account once more, then, satisfied, bid farewell and departed.

However, he encountered an acquaintance at the entrance.

It was Shan Hongyi.

"Is Senior Brother Shan also here to claim his rewards?"

Chen Mobai greeted him, but Shan Hongyi subtly frowned, though he still nodded in acknowledgment. He then walked past Chen Mobai directly and went upstairs with Chen Zhenwu to collect his items.

Chen Mobai sensed a flicker of discontent in Shan Hongyi's gaze, but it was well-controlled. This restraint likely stemmed from Chen Mobai's status as Chu Zuoshu's direct subordinate and his formidable combat prowess, deterring a direct confrontation.

Was it because of Yu Lian?

Chen Mobai quickly identified the root cause. Yu Lian had nominally been Shan Hongyi's disciple, and while Chen Mobai had guided him to successful Foundation Establishment, this had inadvertently led to rumors within the sect that Shan Hongyi was not adept at teaching.

Chen Mobai found this situation difficult to explain. He realized he would need to find an opportunity in the future to resolve it, preventing any lasting resentment between them.

Lost in thought, Chen Mobai slowly exited the Spiritual Treasure Pavilion.

He observed that the entrance was lined with various stalls, much like the market at Rolling Thunder Mountain. The prices of magical artifacts and talismans had plummeted, while elixirs of all kinds were in high demand.

Involuntarily, Chen Mobai recalled the five bottles of Spirit Augmentation Pills in his spatial pouch. Despite possessing the Lantern Lighting Art, he preferred to avoid consuming elixirs from the Heavenly River Realm if possible, concluding it would be best to find a way to offload them.

"Senior Brother Shan, all elixirs suitable for Foundation Establishment cultivators in the Spiritual Treasure Pavilion have already been claimed," Chen Zhenwu said, shaking his head with a wry smile. "You may have to try the shops and markets outside."

Shan Hongyi could only sigh in response. As he turned to leave, he spotted Chen Mobai, but simply walked in the opposite direction with an expressionless face.

Chen Zhenwu pretended not to notice.

Chen Mobai, however, became pensive.

"Xuan'er," Chen Mobai instructed, "take this and these five bottles of elixirs to visit Senior Brother Shan Hongyi."

Back in his courtyard in Divine Wood City, Chen Mobai personally wrote a note and, along with the five bottles of Spirit Augmentation Pills, handed them to Luo Yixuan. Though she didn't understand the purpose, she nodded and departed.

The note read: "I heard Senior Brother is looking to acquire elixirs for cultivation enhancement. I happen to possess five bottles received from the sect and would like to offer them to Senior Brother at their original price in exchange for spirit stones. Would this be amenable?"

After reading the note, Shan Hongyi's previously furrowed brows relaxed.

He gestured for Luo Yixuan to sit, then picked up the five bottles of Spirit Augmentation Pills, examining them before giving a barely perceptible nod.

"Please convey my gratitude to Junior Brother Chen," he said. "Here are the spirit stones for the Spirit Augmentation Pills."

Luo Yixuan promptly accepted the fourteen mid-grade spirit stones from Shan Hongyi, exchanged a few more words, then bowed and departed.

After hearing Luo Yixuan's report, Chen Mobai nodded in satisfaction.

With elixir prices on the market having risen by twenty to thirty percent, his act of selling these unused Spirit Augmentation Pills to Shan Hongyi at their original cost was a clear gesture of goodwill. Evidently, Shan Hongyi was quite pleased with Chen Mobai's gesture.

The minor resentment in Shan Hongyi's heart was thus dispelled.

"Master's methods are so astute," Luo Yixuan remarked, "this disciple has much to learn."

Luo Yixuan, standing nearby, began to grasp the underlying strategy, feeling a sense of sudden enlightenment.

This scene reminded Chen Mobai of his time with Che Yucheng, from whom he had learned many principles of life and conduct.

"Tonight, the Sect Master has invited me for drinks," Chen Mobai informed her. "Go to Ming'er and fetch two jars of new wine."

Luo Yixuan acknowledged the order and departed.

Chen Mobai largely understood Meng Hong's invitation. Chu Zuoshu had already informed him yesterday about the Puppet Department Head seeking his intercession. Chen Mobai had readily agreed, as this aligned with his own goals and allowed him to gain favor with his superior.

Meng Hong's reason for seeking him today was undoubtedly related to Mu Yuan.

However, upon arriving at the Divine Wood Sect and taking his seat at the banquet table, Chen Mobai sensed a subtle unease.

He couldn't quite place his finger on what was wrong, but there was an indescribable air of suppression within the hall.

"I've asked you here today because I have a favor to ask," Meng Hong began.

Meng Hong opened a jar of Tier 2 spiritual wine that Chen Mobai had presented to him earlier in the year, even personally pouring the drinks.

"Sect Master, your kindness to me is immense," Chen Mobai replied. "Please, just command me."

"Mu Yuan is about to take his Foundation Establishment Pill," Meng Hong stated. "He would like you to share your insights and techniques."

"No problem," Chen Mobai readily agreed.

It was, as expected, about this.

Just as Chen Mobai exhaled in relief, Meng Hong, as if an afterthought, raised another topic.

"That Tier 3 magical artifact you used against Mu Hanxiong on the Rolling Thunder Mountain battlefield is quite formidable," Meng Hong casually remarked.

Chen Mobai's heart tightened upon hearing this.

Given his perfectly clear background and the fact that he had never left the Eastern Desolation in his lifetime, inexplicably owning a Tier 3 magical artifact was highly suspicious.

Furthermore, for thousands of years in the Eastern Desolation, the ownership of every Tier 3 magical artifact by Core Formation ancestors was meticulously documented and well-known.

A simple check by the Divine Wood Sect would reveal that the Six-Yang Divine Fire Mirror had never appeared in the recent history of the Eastern Desolation.

Although he was a disciple of the Divine Wood Sect, failure to clearly explain this matter would undoubtedly raise suspicions among the higher echelons.

However, he had already prepared an explanation when he first used it, intending to leverage a subtle hint he had previously dropped.

"I wouldn't dare deceive you, Sect Master," Chen Mobai replied. "I acquired this magical artifact within the Divine Tree Secret Realm."

The moment Chen Mobai uttered these words, Meng Hong set down his wine cup in surprise.

It was then that Chen Mobai finally understood the source of his earlier feeling of suppression.

A Core Formation ancestor must have been eavesdropping on their conversation within the Divine Wood Hall.