Chapter 348: Golden Boy and Jade Girl

You don't say! Although Lou Fengcheng knew of Chen Mobai, he had no idea he had personally witnessed Chen Mobai pass the entrance exam and get into the Wuqi Dao Academy in Danxia City.

After all, new students arrived every year, and he had overseen countless entrance exams for various Grotto-Heaven Blessed Lands. He kept these less important memories tucked away in the back of his mind, only retrieving them when necessary.

After Chen Mobai's reminder, Lou Fengcheng thought back and realized it was indeed true.

Back then, as the representative of the Butian Dao Academy, he had indeed been in Danxia City with that annoying Lan Haitian.

"So, it was you."

As his memories of that time flashed through his mind, Lou Fengcheng recalled the events of that year, and his face showed surprise and a dawning realization.

It was him! No wonder he had already made such a name for himself after only seven years at the Wuqi Dao Academy.

That title, "Victor of Combat Arts"—was it Red Robe True Man who first called him that?

One had to admit, Golden Core cultivators' foresight was indeed far superior to that of Foundation Establishment cultivators like themselves.

"Should we walk with our fellow alumni from Butian?"

Chen Mobai turned to ask Song Yuexin and Wang Mengyuan, who were there to greet him. Both paused for a moment, then immediately shook their heads.

"Each Dao Academy has its own dedicated shuttle service."

"What a pity," Chen Mobai said with a look of regret. "I was hoping to chat more with Senior Brother." He then prepared to leave with his group.

"Oh, by the way, this must be Senior Brother Ling Daoshi. I almost forgot to greet you. I hope we can have an exciting sparring match during this in-person exchange."

Just as Chen Mobai turned to leave, he suddenly remembered something. He turned back and extended his right hand to Ling Daoshi, who stood silently behind Lou Fengcheng.

Upon hearing this, the four students from Jumang Dao Academy, including Song Yuexin, couldn't help but twitch their mouths slightly and looked at Chen Mobai with stunned expressions.

Shouldn't Senior Brother Ling Daoshi be the one saying that?

We know you went on a rampage in the Minor Scarlet Heaven, but this is an in-person exchange! You're only at the early stage of Foundation Establishment, while the chief disciple of Butian Dao Academy standing before you was the first among the four major academies to break through to the seventh layer of Foundation Establishment!

"Interesting!"

Ling Daoshi seemed a bit stunned, not reacting immediately. However, he soon broke into a strange smile, extended his right hand, and clasped Chen Mobai's.

In an instant, hundreds of phone cameras in the waiting hall were pointed at their handshake.

But to everyone's surprise, Ling Daoshi didn't seem intent on embarrassing Chen Mobai here. Their hands clasped briefly, then gently parted.

"Before I challenge you," Ling Daoshi suddenly said as he released his grip, "make sure you don't lose to those people from Chunyang Academy." Everyone in the Immortal Sect knew that ever since the Minor Scarlet Heaven event, the Chunyang Academy and Wuqi Dao Academy, both located in the Scarlet City Grotto-Heaven, had been at odds, almost treating each other as sworn enemies.

"I understand, Senior Brother Ling. Don't worry, since you put it that way, I'll leave Sima Xingyu, who defeated you before, to you. I promise to only cause trouble for Xiahou Weihuan."

Chen Mobai uttered words that made everyone's eyes widen in disbelief.

This person's audacity was greater than the heavens themselves!

Did he truly believe this in-person event would be like the Minor Scarlet Heaven? Could he still go on a killing spree with his sword light?

"I've never seen anyone so arrogant in my life," Ling Daoshi muttered to himself, watching Chen Mobai and the Wuqi Dao Academy group leave.

"Even Lan Haitian isn't this arrogant!"

It was Lou Fengcheng who said this, feeling that even as a Peak Foundation Establishment cultivator, he had been completely overwhelmed by Chen Mobai's presence.

He couldn't understand how this guy, a mere early-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator who had only mastered sword light, dared to speak so brazenly in public, showing no regard whatsoever for Chunyang Academy or their Butian Dao Academy.

"Let's go. The shuttle is at Exit C."

At that moment, the two Jumang students who had greeted the Butian Dao Academy group immediately urged Lou Fengcheng and the others to leave the waiting hall.

After both the Wuqi and Butian teams had disappeared, the previously quiet hall immediately erupted into a buzz of conversation.

"I hereby declare him the Immortal Sect's most arrogant individual!"

"I'd say he's the most arrogant of all time."

"Even Soul Transformation Grand Ancestors aren't this arrogant."

Chen Mobai's earlier remarks were completely unmasked and were easily overheard by the cultivators in the hall. Many also recorded footage of the two academies' "friendly exchange."

Within just a few minutes, numerous videos from various angles had circulated online.

Representatives from other Dao Academies and Palaces merely frowned after watching them.

However, after the people from Chunyang Academy saw them, their faces turned ashen, and the more hot-headed ones were already preparing to draw their swords and confront Chen Mobai.

"Let him bark for now. When it's time for the sparring, I'll make him understand what true pain and despair are."

Xiahou Weihuan's icy tone stopped the others from his academy. With the help of Earth Master Min Fangheng, he had finally synthesized the Fiery Yang Evil Qi half a month ago.

Due to the limited time, his Primordial Yang Sword Evil Qi was not yet fully perfected.

He still needed a few more days to fully complete the "Sword Light Condensation of Evil Qi." After his disastrous defeat in the Minor Scarlet Heaven, Xiahou Weihuan had learned a noble quality called patience.

He just needed to wait two more days, and once he perfected his Primordial Yang Sword Evil Qi, no one in any Dao Academy or Palace would be his match.

Just a little longer!

Although the other Chunyang Academy members were seething internally, Xiahou Weihuan held an extremely high position in their minds. Since he had spoken, they could only endure for now.

"We're here. This is our Jumang Dao Academy."

Chen Mobai and his group followed Song Yuexin to a massive lake. In its very center stood a giant Great Toon Tree, with a trunk so wide it would take ten people to encircle it. As a gentle breeze blew, its verdant leaves began to sway, emitting a refreshing fragrance.

Everyone who smelled it felt their minds purified, becoming clear and pure from within.

"This is the Immortal Sect's foremost spiritual plant, the Great Toon Tree!"

Many were seeing this sixth-tier spiritual plant for the first time. Legend had it that the founder of Jumang Dao Academy brought this spiritual plant from beyond the heavens, chose this location to plant it, and after thousands of years, it had rooted itself throughout the entire Diyuan Star.

The Great Toon Tree bore fruit every eight hundred years.

Anyone who consumed the Immortal Toon Fruit could extend their lifespan by four hundred and eighty years.

Besides the fruit, the Great Toon's leaves, roots, bark, and sap were all among the Immortal Sect's most valuable alchemical ingredients.

Chen Mobai had heard Yu Rulin mention that one of the main ingredients of the Turtle Longevity Pill, the pinnacle masterpiece of the Longevity Academy, was the bark of the Great Toon Tree.

Qing Nü had also said that the Enlightening Dao Pill he had taken previously used the Great Toon flower as a main ingredient, which was why it possessed such spiritual potency.

Jumang Dao Academy's Foundation Establishment spiritual medicine, the Jade Marrow Pill, had seen reduced production in recent years due to a decrease in the Great Toon Tree's sap.

"Everyone, your accommodations are on Little Leaf Island."

Song Yuexin gestured to them by the lake. With a wave of her hand, the water beneath her feet transformed into an invisible bridge. She walked ahead, Wang Mengyuan followed at the rear, and Chen Mobai's group was in the middle, as if a swiftly moving water bridge carried them towards an island to the right of the Great Toon Tree.

Jumang Dao Academy was situated on the Immortal Sect's largest lake and wetland. Only its fifth-tier water veins could allow the Great Toon Tree to flourish.

The lake was said to span thirty thousand *qing*, and contained one thousand nine hundred and sixty-eight islands. It was known as "One Water, One Wood, A Thousand Peaks Scattered Like Stars."

Each island dotted the beautiful lake like a star.

This lake was named "Ten Thousand Waters."

It was precisely for this reason that Jumang Dao Academy was elegantly referred to as "A Thousand Mountains, Ten Thousand Waters."

Chen Mobai and his companions soon arrived at a scenic island. Wooden houses nestled on various cliffsides, offering distant views of the Ten Thousand Waters Lake's shimmering green ripples. The island was adorned with lush trees and vibrant flowers; the scenery here alone was more beautiful than any spot on Scarlet City Mountain.

After everyone had chosen a wooden house, Luo Hezheng, as a teacher, found Song Yuexin. "Thank you. However, I've arranged to meet Mei Shuan today. Would it be convenient to take me to Wood God Island?" He had an acquaintance at Jumang Dao Academy, who was the teacher in charge of Kongqing, one of the six major pharmaceutical factories.

Luo Hezheng's main reason for coming this time was that the pharmaceutical factories of their four major Dao Academies each had a batch of mature spiritual herbs. They wanted to see if they could pool their resources to refine a batch of Five Elements Golden Core Pills.

"I'll take you there now."

Song Yuexin nodded. Wang Mengyuan stayed on Little Leaf Island, responsible for looking after and receiving the Wuqi Dao Academy group.

"I also have a friend I need to see," Chen Mobai said as he walked over, having chosen a wooden house and overheard Luo Hezheng and Song Yuexin's conversation. "Let's go to Wood God Island together."

Wood God Island was the largest island, where the Great Toon Tree was located, and it was the core of Jumang Dao Academy's campus.

Since he didn't know where he would be staying, Chen Mobai had arranged to meet Qing Nü there.

"This way, please."

Song Yuexin once again performed her water bridge technique, carrying the two of them towards the location of the Great Toon Tree.

"Senior Brother Chen's reputation is indeed formidable," Song Yuexin suddenly said on the way, "but if you're alone, it might be best to keep a low profile."

"Oh, why?"

"Many of our senior brothers and sisters at Jumang Dao Academy were defeated by you in the Minor Scarlet Heaven. For this in-person sparring session, they're all eager to challenge you. If you don't have Wuqi Dao Academy graduates by your side to hold the line, I'm afraid some people won't be able to resist."

Hearing Song Yuexin's words, Chen Mobai chuckled softly. He recalled his rare experience of going to the Scarlet City Grotto-Heaven with Hua Zijing and using the Azure Scale Armguards to form a mask for disguise.

It was also during that trip that he met the fortune-telling girl with sunglasses from the Divine Mechanism Bureau in an alley, and a junior schoolmate from Liuguang Academy, whom he hadn't contacted in a long time, who he thought was named Shi Wanyu.

His mood that day seemed particularly joyful.

Perhaps it was the sunglasses girl's fortune-telling that resolved a lingering issue in his heart, or perhaps it was the vibrant presence of a youthful, beautiful girl by his side back then.

Thinking of this, Chen Mobai felt a renewed sense of anticipation.

After all, Qing Nü, whom he was meeting today, was also a beautiful girl, and could be considered his best friend.

"Senior Brother Chen, which friend are you going to meet?"

Seeing the smile on Chen Mobai's lips, Song Yuexin couldn't help but feel curious. She had already preconceived him as an arrogant person, so for his expression to be so peaceful and happy, he must be meeting a highly anticipated friend.

"She and I graduated from high school in Danxia City in the same year. Unfortunately, each Dao Academy only admitted one new student, so I had to be separated from her. She came here to the 'Thousand Mountains, Ten Thousand Waters,' while I went to Scarlet City Mountain."

Song Yuexin listened to Chen Mobai's words. Having watched many television dramas, she couldn't help but imagine a convoluted love story.

"That's wonderful! The two of you were able to enter different major Dao Academies, which is a perfect match. If you were to be together in the future, you could help each other on your cultivation paths, without holding each other back."

Song Yuexin had also dated in high school. Unfortunately, after the entrance exam, she ascended to a higher branch by entering Jumang Dao Academy, while her boyfriend could only go to the Hundred and Twenty Prefectures. For the first two years, they would return to their hometown annually to express their longing for each other.

But after Song Yuexin comprehended the Critical Limit Method, she realized that person simply couldn't walk with her until the end.

After achieving Foundation Establishment, that simple and budding romance came to an end.

She had always savored this memory in her heart, but if she could go back to that time, she would still choose to break up.

Because she didn't want to see her beloved grow old and frail.

"Entered? Oh, no," Chen Mobai said, shaking his head after hearing Song Yuexin's words, saying something that surprised her slightly. "She didn't get into Jumang Dao Academy through an exam. Qing Nü was directly admitted."

Direct admission?

Could a Golden Core cultivator have intervened, pulling strings for her? If so, perhaps they would also break up in the future.

Wait, what name did he just say?

Qing Nü!!

After repeating the familiar name, Song Yuexin suddenly realized that this "direct admission" wasn't the kind obtained through backdoors, but rather the special invitation for enrollment issued by Jumang Dao Academy.

"Didn't you arrive at the airport a while ago? Why are you only getting here now?"

At that moment, they had arrived at Wood God Island. A clear, melodious voice rang out from the shore, and they looked up.

A girl in a white shirt and black leather shoes was leaning against a tree by the shore, waving at them. Her face was beaming with smiles, and her clear eyes held joy. Tight jeans clung to her perfect waist and hip curves, revealing her slender, long legs. With her slightly wavy, waist-length hair, she, along with the lake and trees, formed a truly beautiful picturesque scene.

"I had to take the academy's people to Little Leaf Island and get them settled first. Didn't I come straight to find you right after that?" Chen Mobai smiled and waved at Qing Nü, whom he hadn't seen in a long time, across the shore. Then, he bid farewell to Luo Hezheng and Song Yuexin on the water bridge.

"Then I'll be going now. I know the way to Little Leaf Island, so I'll find my own way back later."

Luo Hezheng nodded. Song Yuexin, meanwhile, was still wide-mouthed, unable to recover from her surprise.

She never imagined that Chen Mobai's friend would be Qing Nü, and from the looks of it, their relationship seemed to be exactly what she was imagining.

"Thank you, Junior Sister Song, for leading the way. See you next time."

Seeing her lack of reaction, Chen Mobai called out again.

"Uh... alright, Senior Brother, take care."

So this is what they call a perfect match, a golden boy and jade girl!