Chapter 395: Red River

Chapter 395: Red River

After experimenting with the life force of the Wood God Thunder, Chen Mobai became interested.

He then proceeded to accelerate the ripening of all the spiritual rice planted in Xiaonan Mountain, discovering that there were still some limitations.

Firstly, this accelerated ripening could not ignore the grade of the spiritual plant itself. For instance, a first-grade spiritual plant could, at most, be ripened to its first-grade peak.

Of course, occasionally, some robust first-grade plants might grow to the second grade, such as the hybrid variety of Qingke Spiritual Rice and Jade Bamboo Spiritual Rice. However, even with Zhuo Ming's diligent care, only three plants in that acre of spiritual rice managed to reach the second grade.

For this accelerated ripening, the Wood God Thunder's life force merely acted as a catalyst. The primary energy sources for the spiritual rice's maturation were still the terrestrial energy of the spiritual field in Xiaonan Mountain, along with spiritual qi and other elements.

Chen Mobai accelerated the ripening of that acre of Qingke Jade Bud spiritual rice, causing the original second-grade spiritual field to nearly drop to the first-grade level.

However, Xiaonan Mountain has abundant terrestrial energy, and if the crops are changed and fertilized next year, the lost terrestrial energy can be recovered.

Furthermore, the target for accelerated ripening must already be mostly grown to withstand the powerful infusion of life force.

If a seed were to be ripened this way, it would be overwhelmed and directly killed by the potent life force.

After several consecutive days, Chen Mobai finally gained an accurate understanding of the Wood God Thunder's life force.

Unless it's a critical spiritual plant, it's best not to use this technique, as it somewhat exhausts the resources.

This is only permissible here in the Eastern Barrens; in the Immortal Sects, such actions that damage spiritual veins and terrestrial energy are forbidden.

"Ming'er, I see you're cultivating the Nine-Ren Dharma Body. Take this stalk of Jade Bamboo Spiritual Rice to nourish your body."

That day, Chen Mobai ripened a second-grade Jade Bamboo Spiritual Rice stalk. He broke off a section for himself to taste, giving the entire remaining stalk to Zhuo Ming.

"Master, this is too precious!"

Zhuo Ming's eyes widened, and she shook her head repeatedly, holding the Jade Bamboo Spiritual Rice stalk, which was about as thick as her forearm, over three meters tall, and consisted of more than a dozen sections.

"For body tempering, sufficient vital energy and blood are crucial. You've been eating Jade Bud spiritual rice for two years, which has strengthened your physical foundation. However, to cultivate the Nine-Ren Dharma Body, you'll need significant nourishment."

"This second-grade spiritual rice is just right. However, your cultivation level is still a bit low, so mix it with first-grade spiritual rice for now. Cook one section every seven days; that's just right for your body to digest. Come ask me for more when you finish it."

"By my estimation, after five or six years of eating this, your Nine-Ren Dharma Body should reach the introductory level. Then, during the sect's grand competition, even if your combat experience isn't great, at least no one will be able to defeat you."

As soon as Chen Mobai spoke, Zhuo Ming understood his painstaking efforts; he was still worried about her limited combat abilities.

"Thank you, Master, I will not disappoint you!"

Zhuo Ming said with a resolute expression, clutching the tall Jade Bamboo Spiritual Rice stalk in her arms, vowing to work hard and definitely master the Nine-Ren Dharma Body to bring no shame to the Xiaonan Mountain lineage.

Listening nearby, Luo Yixuan wondered if she should also cultivate a water-attribute body-tempering technique, so as not to waste the endless supply of various spiritual rice in Xiaonan Mountain's storehouse.

"What's there to be disappointed about? Just cultivate normally, don't feel pressured, and don't think this spiritual rice is too precious. In about ten years, I'll make sure everyone in the sect can eat this second-grade spiritual rice."

Although Chen Mobai's family was of average means when he was young, because Qingshan Village cultivated spiritual rice, his mother would add a handful of second-grade spiritual rice to almost every meal. Therefore, despite suffering from a serious illness in his youth that caused a deficiency in vital energy and blood, he grew up to be full of vigor and vitality.

"Master, I'll help you cook the rice!"

At the foot of the mountain, Luo Yixuan took the section of Jade Bamboo Spiritual Rice Chen Mobai had broken off. After starting a fire, she took out a flat stone from her storage bag, heated it, and then placed the bamboo section on top to roast.

A faint, refreshing aroma immediately diffused into the air.

Seeing this, Chen Mobai sat on a large stone, while Zhuo Ming fetched a pot of mountain spring water.

Before long, the two disciples brought over the cooked mountain spring water and spiritual rice.

"You two try some too."

Chen Mobai smiled as he split open the section of Jade Bamboo Spiritual Rice. The fresh fragrance of the bamboo, combined with the rich, unadulterated aroma of the rice grains after roasting, created an invigorating fragrance. The grains were uniformly plump, crystalline, and translucent, like tiny white jades, soft, fragrant, and glutinous.

"Thank you, Master."

Spiritual rice is the mildest of spiritual plants. Luo Yixuan, having reached Qi Condensation perfection, and Zhuo Ming, a seventh-level Qi Condensation practitioner also cultivating body tempering techniques, could both eat a small portion. Chen Mobai, with a sweep of his right hand, gave them the best-tasting end of the bamboo section.

Just as the two girls were happily eating the Jade Bamboo Spiritual Rice, a communication talisman lit up in the distant sky.

Luo Yixuan immediately stood up to help intercept the talisman and handed it to Chen Mobai.

"Senior Brother E and Senior Brother Yuan have both returned. Pack up; tomorrow, you'll accompany me to Divine Wood City."

Speaking of which, Chen Mobai hadn't seen E Yun for quite some time.

Reuniting with old friends was indeed a joyous occasion.

"Master, should we bring a stalk of Jade Bamboo Spiritual Rice?"

Luo Yixuan whispered a reminder. Chen Mobai slapped his forehead, immediately turned around, ripened another stalk, and handed it to his young disciple for processing.

The next day, Zhuo Ming stayed home as usual.

The master and disciple arrived in Divine Wood City. Many people were already present in E Yun's courtyard.

It wasn't until evening, when fewer people were around, that Chen Mobai came over to visit.

"Senior Brother E, try the spiritual rice cultivated in my Xiaonan Mountain."

That evening, it was a small gathering of Foundation Establishment cultivators. E Yun, Chen Mobai, Yuan Chiyue, and Yue Zutao all tasted the cooked Jade Bamboo Spiritual Rice, showering it with praise.

"Junior Brother Chen's talent truly makes me feel inferior. There's nothing he sets his mind to that he can't do well."

In the past, when Chen Mobai went to farm, Yuan Chiyue had inwardly lamented his lack of ambition. Now, thinking back, he realized his own shallowness.

Whether it was farming, sword practice, or even cultivation, Chen Mobai had reached the pinnacle. At least among his peers, he was unrivaled.

"High cultivation levels only make one individually powerful. I hope that when it's our turn to govern the Divine Wood Sect in the future, we won't need to personally intervene; any disciple could go forth and stabilize a region. That's why I've been considering if every disciple could have free spiritual rice, which is why I've become so engrossed in farming."

Chen Mobai's words plunged the three present into deep thought. After a long while, Yue Zutao shook his head, indicating that this goal would be difficult to achieve.

Even with the sect's ten-fold contribution points subsidy for cultivating first-grade spiritual rice, it was barely enough to meet the needs of some disciples, and some even had to purchase it from other immortal cultivation families.

Apart from disciples in body-tempering departments, who ensured their consumption of spiritual rice and spiritual meat, most other Qi Condensation disciples primarily used Grain-Abstinence Pills to satiate their hunger.

One could only say that cultivators in the Eastern Barrens were not only ruthless towards their enemies but also towards themselves.

Aside from essential cultivation elixirs, many renounced all forms of entertainment and indulgence to advance their cultivation, focusing solely on breaking through their realm and achieving Foundation Establishment.

For many cultivators, spiritual rice was a luxury.

However, E Yun and the others knew that long-term consumption of spiritual rice could aid in Foundation Establishment, making the critical body transformation stage a bit easier.

"Success depends on human effort. I will propose this to the Sect Master in the future. There are many abandoned spiritual fields in the Giant Wood Ridge, and it pains me to see them. I'll see if we can find a way to reclaim them and plant various kinds of spiritual rice."

Chen Mobai expressed his aspiration, and everyone present greatly admired his breadth of vision and ideals, wishing him success.

In the Giant Wood Ridge, there were actually more abandoned spiritual fields than medicinal fields, totaling an estimated several thousand acres.

After all, this area was originally the entire Five Elements Sect's logistical base, responsible for supplying spiritual rice to tens of thousands of Qi Condensation cultivators a century ago.

However, due to a shortage of personnel in the Divine Wood Sect, they could only maintain the most crucial and valuable medicinal fields.

Spiritual fields, on the other hand, received a ten-fold contribution point subsidy. As long as a disciple was willing to farm, seeds, formations, spiritual water, and other necessities were provided free of charge by the Spiritual Plant Department.

Unfortunately, even with such incentives, very few responded.

Individuals like Chen Mobai were considered anomalies.

That day.

At Yin Qingmei's celebratory feast, Chen Mobai finally met Hong He, about whom he had heard for a long time.

He was a seemingly quiet young man, dressed in a white robe, with a tall and handsome physique and very thin lips. He sat gracefully in his seat, his eyes constantly narrowed in a smile.

Chen Mobai had initially thought he was arrogant but found him to be surprisingly amiable.

"Greetings, Senior Brother Hong!"

After presenting his gift to Yin Qingmei, Chen Mobai voluntarily walked over to greet Hong He.

"You must be Junior Brother Chen. Senior Brother E has spoken of you; you're quite excellent."

Hong He nodded at Chen Mobai with a narrowed smile, then gestured to an empty table beside him, inviting the latter to sit.

"I don't particularly enjoy overly lively events, but I couldn't miss Junior Sister Yin's Foundation Establishment celebration."

After Chen Mobai sat down, Hong He began conversing with him in a very familiar manner.

The other Divine Wood Sect members, who were entering in small groups, witnessed the scene of the sect's two generations of unrivaled chief disciples conversing. Their light footsteps involuntarily became a bit heavier, and after presenting their gifts, they cautiously sought seats far away from the pair.

"My master wanted to arrange a match between Junior Sister Yin and me, but in reality, I only feel a sibling affection for her. Because of this matter, Junior Brother Yuan and I also had some misunderstandings in the past, and I've always wanted an opportunity to clarify things. However, I've been busy guarding the Rain Kingdom and only returned to the sect today."

Hong He spoke of a secret that Chen Mobai was unaware of. The latter was greatly surprised, vaguely understanding why Yue Zutao had made that remark back then.

"Could it be that Junior Brother Yuan and Junior Sister Yin had a romantic relationship?"

"I'm not sure if it could be called a romantic relationship, but Junior Brother Yuan and Junior Sister Yin came from the same place, so they naturally became closer. Then, some people who wanted to curry favor with me started causing him trouble."

As Chen Mobai conversed with Hong He, he learned that when Yuan Chiyue first joined the sect, he was also suppressed by other true disciples of the Divine Wood Sect due to his close relationship with Yin Qingmei. However, through his own efforts and aligning himself with E Yun, he achieved his current success.

To this day, Yuan Chiyue has reached Foundation Establishment. Some of the true disciples who suppressed him in the past have become ordinary sect disciples, such as the ninth-level Qi Condensation deacons and shopkeepers in various market towns. Others remain in the Giant Wood Ridge, struggling to maintain their true disciple status and seeking Foundation Establishment Pills.

Yuan Chiyue's current achievements were already a significant refutation of their past actions.

Just then, E Yun and Yuan Chiyue also walked in. Both of them were momentarily stunned to see Chen Mobai sitting with Hong He.

After presenting their congratulatory gifts, the two walked over.

"Junior Brother E, Junior Brother Yuan, would you like to sit with us?"

After exchanging greetings, Hong He warmly invited the two. The misunderstanding between them had already been resolved when Yuan Chiyue called him back to the sect.

However, E Yun and Yuan Chiyue waved their hands repeatedly, claiming they had already arranged to sit with others.

Hmm, something felt a bit off.

It was only then that Chen Mobai noticed that ever since he sat down, no one around dared to approach them.

What was going on?

Was Hong He's reputation bad?

Or was his prestige too great, intimidating the other Divine Wood Sect disciples from approaching?

"Thank you, fellow disciples, for coming to celebrate today. Qingmei has prepared some humble wine and fruits here, please enjoy them."

At this moment, Yin Qingmei emerged.

Having not seen her for nearly eight years, the little girl from back then had now fully matured. Beneath her silver-white gown was a proud, graceful figure, and her exquisite, dignified face, with charming and alluring eyes, made her truly beautiful and captivating.

Chen Mobai tasted the fruit wine; its flavor was decent, better than he had imagined.

Beside Yin Qingmei was an elderly cultivator who was essentially hosting the celebration. After all, she was just a recently matured young woman from a small place and needed guidance on etiquette.

"This is Fu Yuyu."

Hong He pointed to the elderly cultivator beside Yin Qingmei and mentioned his name. Chen Mobai's expression immediately cleared; he had heard of this person.

He was Grand Ancestor Fu's grandson, but his spiritual root aptitude was ordinary, and he hadn't achieved Foundation Establishment.

However, Fu Yuyu had an exceptionally talented son, the renowned Fu Xingzhou.

"Speaking of which, after the last battle at Quaking Mountain Peak, only Senior Brother Fu Xingzhou went missing and hasn't returned yet."

At this moment, Chen Mobai remembered this matter.

In fact, there were other missing Divine Wood Sect disciples, but all those Qi Condensation disciples were declared deceased after a year.

But only Fu Xingzhou was still listed as "missing" because the sect could confirm he was still alive.

"After I expressed that I only harbored sibling affection for Junior Sister Yin, Fu Yuyu consistently tried to pair her with Senior Brother Fu, hoping they would produce outstanding descendants. Now that Senior Brother Fu is missing, it's actually a good thing for Junior Sister Yin."

Hong He said with a light chuckle.

"Even Junior Sister Yin, with her Heavenly Spiritual Root, couldn't escape such a fate."

Chen Mobai knew that in the Eastern Barrens, many female cultivators with exceptional spiritual root aptitudes were treated as tools for breeding by immortal cultivation families. For instance, his young disciple Luo Yixuan grew up under this kind of shadow.

However, he never expected that Yin Qingmei, with her Heavenly Wood Spiritual Root, would also face such troubles.