Chapter 392: Huge Gains

Yuan Hongyuan’s storage bag indeed contained many good things.

What first caught Chen Mobai’s eye were naturally the six Immortal Peach fruits. He eagerly picked up the pink, white, and tender fruits, holding them in his palm. After examining them carefully for a moment, he noticed something was off.

Of the six Immortal Peach fruits, only three were fully ripe, while the other three were still green.

Yuan Hongyuan likely knew he wouldn’t be able to return to Black Cloud Mountain anytime soon after the ambush, so he picked all the fruits from the Immortal Peach tree.

Thinking this, Chen Mobai happily set aside the three ripe Immortal Peach fruits, planning to eat them immediately after dealing with his current tasks.

As for the three green, unripe Immortal Peach fruits, though not fully mature, they were still valuable spiritual items.

Chen Mobai thought of having Zhuo Ming use them to brew wine, to see if she could concoct another type of Tier 2 spirit wine.

Besides the Immortal Peach fruits, Chen Mobai also found items Yuan Hongyuan had exchanged in the market.

These included Liang Jinggui’s spirit beast egg, as well as Spirit Awakening Pills and Blood Qi Pills for raising Azure Phoenix birds...

However, what truly caught the attention of Chen Mobai’s Void-Piercing Spiritual Eye was a palm-sized wooden box.

The wooden box had a small restriction seal on it, apparently to contain spiritual energy.

Upon opening it, he found a box full of silver-white tea leaves, as exquisite as fine jade.

Snow Needle Immortal Sprout!

Having recently tasted it at Yue Zutao’s place, Chen Mobai naturally recognized it.

He picked up the wooden box and weighed it. It contained roughly two jin of Snow Needle Immortal Sprout. If he drank it sparingly, it would probably last him half a year.

His spiritual consciousness had been stuck at a bottleneck for some time, and the last time he drank this tea, he had subtly felt a slight effect.

He hoped that finishing these two jin of Snow Needle Immortal Sprout would help him break through this bottleneck.

Besides the Immortal Peach fruits and Snow Needle Immortal Sprout, both Tier 3 spiritual items, Yuan Hongyuan’s storage bag also contained nearly 30,000 low-grade spirit stones.

It was a pity that Yuan Hongyuan’s five magic flags had been detonated by the ghost cultivator to activate the grand formation; otherwise, this set of top-grade Tier 2 formation artifacts would have been quite valuable.

In addition to these items, Chen Mobai also found several books.

Among them, a cultivation manual called “Black Cloud Misty Waves Art” was somewhat interesting, allowing cultivation up to the mid-Core Formation stage. However, for him, this highly valuable cultivation technique, precious to other cultivators, was essentially useless.

A rough estimate showed that Yuan Hongyuan’s spiritual items alone, converted into low-grade spirit stones, amounted to seventy to eighty thousand.

Adding the contents of the other three’s storage bags, this loot directly increased Chen Mobai’s assets by over 100,000 spirit stones.

After inventorying, such immense wealth made Chen Mobai, who was usually calm, feel his heart pound uncontrollably.

He finally understood why the trend of rogue cultivators was so prevalent in the Heavenly River Realm.

It truly affirmed the saying: "No windfall, no wealth; no night fodder, no fat horse."

With this haul, Chen Mobai felt he had enough resources to cultivate the Pure Yang Scroll to the peak of the Foundation Establishment stage.

However, he maintained his usual composure.

After the inventory, Chen Mobai sorted and stacked all his gains.

The most precious item, naturally, was the piece of Tier 3 Soul Nurturing Wood.

He then picked up the Immortal Peach fruit from the Tang siblings and placed it with the others. While eating four Immortal Peach fruits might seem a bit wasteful, not eating them would feel like an even greater loss.

Next were the more than 50,000 spirit stones found in all the storage bags, with Yuan Hongyuan and Hong Xu contributing the most, while the Tang siblings’ share wasn’t even a fraction of theirs.

Some of these were mid-grade spirit stones, which Chen Mobai stacked together, wondering if he could find a way to exchange them all for high-grade spirit stones in the future.

There were also four Tier 2 magic artifacts. Chen Mobai didn’t value them highly himself, but he could bestow them upon disciples or give them to friends in the future.

Finally, there was a miscellany of books, elixirs, and other sundries.

These were largely useless to him.

He planned to offer them to the Transmission Department later to see if he could earn some contribution points. If the sect already had them, he would make multiple copies and sell them at the Little South Mountain Shop.

After deciding how to handle these unneeded spoils of war, Chen Mobai contentedly picked up a ripe Immortal Peach fruit and consumed it directly.

These spiritual items, naturally formed by heaven and earth, were truly different. They melted upon entry, transforming into a pure spiritual liquid, much higher in grade than spiritual energy. This liquid was exceptionally gentle, merging seamlessly into Chen Mobai’s meridians and internal organs, yet it did not immediately convert into liquid spiritual power.

Chen Mobai immediately began circulating the Pure Yang Scroll.

Under the guidance of his spiritual consciousness, the spiritual energy at the summit of Little South Mountain began to be refined and absorbed into his body.

The effects of the Immortal Peach fruit also began to manifest.

Previously, it would take several grand circulation cycles to refine external spiritual energy into Pure Yang spiritual power, and a full day of arduous meditation might yield only a single wisp of spiritual power. But now, under the harmonizing influence of the Immortal Peach’s spiritual liquid, a single grand circulation cycle directly converted spiritual energy into a drop of the purest liquid spiritual power.

However, this naturally consumed a much greater amount of spiritual energy.

Chen Mobai felt that the spiritual energy at the summit of Little South Mountain was becoming somewhat insufficient, as a drop of liquid Pure Yang spiritual power was generated in his Dantian Qi Sea every few breaths.

There was no alternative; he had to take out the large unrefined spirit stone he had treasured for a long time.

Even mid-grade spirit stones couldn’t withstand his current rate of absorption and refinement.

Chen Mobai placed his right hand on the unrefined spirit stone, which was shaped like a white jade altar and had been obtained from Solitary Soul Ridge. Instantly, vast and magnificent pure spiritual energy poured into his body ceaselessly, as if a floodgate had been opened.

If not for his right hand’s fingers, which had been strengthened by Tier 3 medicinal paste, making his muscles, bones, and skin robust, he might not have been able to withstand such an influx.

With ample spiritual energy, Chen Mobai could finally meditate with peace of mind.

“Has Master not emerged from seclusion yet?”

At the foot of Little South Mountain, Luo Yixuan, who had returned, looked at the sight of spiritual energy converging at the summit, so dense it was almost forming a long, white mist-dragon. She asked Zhuo Ming, who was beside her, with a hint of helplessness.

“Isn’t it normal for Master to be in seclusion for half a year or a year?” Zhuo Ming said with her usual composure, while inspecting the growth of the spiritual rice seeds in the spirit fields.

“Clan Head Bai Dingxian of the Bai family has been waiting in Sacred Wood City for almost half a month. A few days ago, the Sect Master returned and summoned me to inquire in detail about the White Moon Market incident,” Luo Yixuan sighed.

As the administrators of the White Moon Market, the Bai family was naturally held responsible for the ambush on Sacred Wood Sect disciples that occurred within the Jian Kingdom’s market.

For decades, the Bai family had flourished under the patronage of the Sacred Wood Sect, selling their tea pills far and wide to neighboring countries, even possessing enough financial power to bid for Foundation Establishment Pills within the Eastern Yi territory. This had long attracted the envy and resentment of ambitious individuals.

When Chen Mobai was ambushed this time, many factions within the Sacred Wood Sect stirred, contemplating whether they could reclaim the Bai family’s administrative authority over the White Moon Market.

Bai Dingxian personally came to Giant Wood Ridge, bustling about. Fortunately, the annual Snow Needle Immortal Sprout offerings to his two ancestors weren’t in vain. With further arrangements made both high and low, the matter was largely pacified.

Finally, Chu Zuoshu stated that as long as Chen Mobai didn’t pursue the matter, it would be considered resolved.

Unfortunately, Bai Dingxian arrived late; Chen Mobai was already in seclusion, refining the Tier 3 Immortal Peach fruits. However, the former dared not leave and could only wait in Sacred Wood City.

As Chen Mobai’s disciples, Zhuo Ming and Luo Yixuan had already been attended to by Bai Dingxian.

He didn’t make things difficult for them; he simply asked to be informed when Chen Mobai emerged from seclusion, stating he would immediately come to offer a humble apology.

“This kind of Fire Spirit Rice ripens early, doesn’t require much spiritual energy, yields two harvests a year, and can be harvested in a few days,” Zhuo Ming said.

Zhuo Ming, however, was fully focused on farming. More than half of the spiritual rice and spirit wine accumulated in the warehouse over the years had already been moved by Liu Wenbo to the newly opened Little South Mountain shops in the Jian Kingdom’s five major markets.

The emptiness of the storeroom and wine cellar made her feel a very uncomfortable sense of unease.

Therefore, she had recently begun harvesting some early-ripening spiritual rice seeds, preparing to replenish the stockrooms.

“Senior Sister Zhuo, I’ll help you with the harvest then…”

Just as the two disciples were conversing at the foot of the mountain, Chen Mobai at the summit opened his eyes.

After the clear, crystalline light in his pupils faded, he stood up, looking refreshed and invigorated.

He hadn’t expected the Immortal Peach fruits to be so effective. After consecutively refining the spiritual energy from four of them, he unexpectedly broke through two layers, advancing the Pure Yang Scroll from the third to the fifth level of Foundation Establishment. He now had a full 90 drops of Pure Yang spiritual power within his body.

It was a pity that by the fourth fruit, the effect of the Immortal Peach’s spiritual liquid had diminished significantly for him, only increasing his Pure Yang spiritual power by three drops.

Otherwise, Chen Mobai would have even considered eating the three green Immortal Peaches.

While familiarizing himself with his increased spiritual power, he read the contents of the communication talismans that had flown in after his emergence from seclusion.

“Come up and see me!”

At the foot of the mountain, Zhuo Ming and Luo Yixuan heard Chen Mobai’s telepathic message and couldn’t help but show joyous expressions.

“How was the Yuan family sect of Black Cloud Mountain dealt with?”

As Chen Mobai’s representative within the sect, Luo Yixuan had naturally been very attentive to the aftermath of the White Moon Market ambush. When Chen Mobai asked, she immediately answered.

“Reporting to Master, most of the Yuan family’s core disciples have escaped from the Sacred Wood Sect’s territory, but the sect has issued a pursuit order.”

“What about that Tier 3 Immortal Peach spiritual tree?”

This was the most valuable possession of the Yuan family in Black Cloud Mountain. Especially after personally experiencing the effects of the Immortal Peach spiritual liquid, Chen Mobai was somewhat tempted.

“Two Senior Uncles from the Sect’s Spiritual Plants Department personally visited Black Cloud Mountain and stated that they weren’t fully confident in transplanting that Immortal Peach spiritual tree to Giant Wood Ridge. Therefore, the Sect Master’s intention is to establish Black Cloud Mountain as a branch academy of the Sacred Wood Sect, specifically dispatching disciples to guard the Immortal Peach spiritual tree and the Yuan family’s tens of mu of spiritual fields,” Luo Yixuan explained.

This was, in a sense, a legitimate way to swallow up the Yuan family’s assets.

However, transplanting a Tier 3 spiritual tree was indeed a very risky undertaking.

Chen Mobai himself had gone to great lengths to transplant a Vermilion Fruit tree back then, even enlisting the help of Wang Xingyu and Gong Ranran to ensure success.

When transplanting spiritual trees, factors such as ley lines, water essence, spiritual energy, and even celestial phenomena like sunlight, moonlight, and starlight must all be considered.

The higher the tier of the spiritual tree, the more difficult the transplant.

For example, for the Immortal Sect’s primary spiritual plant, the Great Chinese Toon Tree, there was no second spiritual land on the entire Earth Realm Star capable of sustaining its growth.

The Tier 5 Vermilion Fruit tree at the Martial Artifact Daoist Academy was the same.

Once these spiritual trees are transplanted, not only do they have difficulty surviving, but the spiritual energy level of the ley lines they originally suppressed will also decline and be damaged. It could even cause crustal undulations, plate vibrations, and lead to extremely severe consequences.

However, while the large peach tree couldn’t be transplanted, planting some small peach trees from its seeds would be no problem.

“Ming’er, take these four fruit pits. Find a spot on the mountain and plant them. See if an Immortal Peach grove can grow there in a few years.”

Zhuo Ming deftly took the four fruit pits Chen Mobai handed her.

“Here are also three green Immortal Peaches. Find Junior Sister Yan and have her brew them with spiritual rice into Green Peach Wine.”

After giving everything to Zhuo Ming, Chen Mobai turned to Luo Yixuan, whose eyes were fixed on the green Immortal Peaches, and asked about the rogue cultivator alliance.

Snapping back to attention, Luo Yixuan immediately stated that the organization’s other Foundation Establishment cultivator had already been slain by Xie Yuntian.

Currently, no one within the Sacred Wood Sect’s territory dared to claim affiliation with the rogue cultivator alliance anymore.

In other words, there were essentially no enemies left alive for Chen Mobai to personally exact revenge upon.

What a pity. It was a rare occasion for his cultivation to advance again, and he had wanted to test if his sword had become sharper!

Seeing Chen Mobai’s regretful expression, Luo Yixuan finally brought up the Bai family’s situation.

She briefly outlined Chu Zuoshu’s opinion: a minor punishment would suffice. After all, with the Sacred Wood Sect having swallowed Black Cloud Mountain and the Yuan family’s shops in various markets, other cultivation families were already feeling somewhat insecure.

If the Snow Peak Bai clan were also suppressed, the cultivation families in the four kingdoms might become disloyal.

“I understand. If I’m free tomorrow, I’ll meet with Bai Dingxian.”

Upon hearing this, Luo Yixuan immediately went to Sacred Wood City.

“Guardian Lord, the preservation of White Moon Market this time is entirely due to your astounding cultivation. This old man doesn’t know how to adequately express his gratitude, so I’ve only prepared these meager gifts. Please accept them.”

When Bai Dingxian arrived at Little South Mountain, he wasted no pleasantries and immediately presented three gifts.

Firstly, they were branch cuttings of Snow Needle Immortal Sprout tea seeds. To ensure successful cultivation, he also included ten Tier 2 tea seeds and ten Tier 1 tea seeds.

Secondly, a Tier 2 elixir called “Jade Tea Pill.” This was a unique elixir formula of their Bai family, very popular among Foundation Establishment cultivators, and a rare spirit pill capable of enhancing spiritual consciousness.

Its main ingredient was Snow Needle Immortal Sprout, which made Chen Mobai sigh in regret upon seeing it, feeling it was a waste.

Thirdly, a rather mundane gift of exactly 10,000 low-grade spirit stones.

“As the Guardian of the Jian Kingdom, I have the duty and responsibility to protect all markets within the kingdom’s borders and ensure the safety of cultivation families and all rogue cultivators. I feel undeserving of these gifts.”

Previously, Chen Mobai would naturally have been greatly tempted by these items. However, having just acquired a substantial fortune, he now found Bai Dingxian’s offerings somewhat mediocre.

“This… Guardian Lord, this old man has always been quite direct. Name a figure, and as long as our Bai family can afford it, we will certainly present it with both hands.”

Bai Dingxian, an old fox, patted his chest and said something that made Chen Mobai feel a little awkward.

He wasn’t trying to extort him, but he happened to be short on high-grade spirit stones and remembered that the Bai family seemed to have accumulated quite a lot.

“I might be leaving the Eastern Barrens soon to visit other regions in the Eastern Domain, but I’m short on high-grade spirit stones. I’ve heard the Bai family is affluent; could you help me exchange the spirit stones I have for high-grade ones? How about a twenty percent premium over the market price?”

Though Bai Dingxian looked heartbroken, he knew that without the Sacred Wood Sect’s protection, their Bai family wouldn’t be able to expand. This person before him, as long as he didn’t die young, would likely have prospects of forming a Core in the future. Therefore, after weighing his options, he made his decision.

“May I ask how many Guardian Lord wishes to exchange? I fear the Bai family may not have accumulated enough!”