Chapter 416: Mountain and Sea Academy

The Violet Lightning Sword was, after all, a Fourth-Tier sword artifact. If he could get his hands on it, Chen Mobai would have nothing to fear in the Eastern Wilds.

Because the highest cultivation level in the Eastern Wilds was that of a Core Formation cultivator, Chen Mobai felt that even if he couldn't defeat an opponent, he could use the Violet Lightning Sword to buy enough time for Turtle Treasure to return to the city.

So, as soon as he heard this news, he once again claimed to have gained a new insight and returned to Xiaonan Mountain for seclusion.

“Teacher, have some tea.”

Upon returning to the Dao Academy, Chen Mobai naturally went to see Che Yucheng first, skillfully boiling water and brewing tea for him.

“This matter is a bit strange.”

However, Che Yucheng, who was usually well-informed, was also somewhat puzzled by the news that the Violet Lightning Sword had resonated with twelve peerless sword dao prodigies.

“Teacher, what’s strange about it? Could it be that the Shanhe Academy doesn’t want to give up the Violet Lightning Sword, so they’ve created this illusion?”

Since the Violet Lightning Sword was still in the hands of Shanhe Academy, the selection of its master was entirely managed by them.

Even if the number of cultivators in the Immortal Sect was vast, it was impossible for twelve peerless sword dao prodigies to emerge in just one year.

It was worth noting that in the past decade, the Wuqi Dao Academy had only produced one Chen Mobai and half a Zhai Jianbai.

“This matter has been approved by several venerables; Shanhe Academy wouldn’t dare to manipulate it,” Che Yucheng said.

Che Yucheng shook his head. While the general public was unaware of the specifics of the Violet Lightning Sword’s selection process, all Core Formation cultivators in the Immortal Sect understood its intricacies.

If anyone dared to cheat in this matter, they would have to be prepared to face the scrutiny of the Hall Master of Righteous Law, the enforcer of the Immortal Sect’s disciplines.

“The Headmaster should know, right?” Chen Mobai asked hesitantly.

“I asked as well, but the Headmaster simply told me not to worry about it, not to delve too deeply into it, and to remain silent on the matter.”

Che Yucheng was quite fond of Chen Mobai as a disciple and knew he was very keen on the Violet Lightning Sword. So, after learning about the situation, he immediately sent a message to Venerable Chengxuan.

It was Venerable Chengxuan’s reply that made him sense the strangeness of the situation.

“Teacher, perhaps I should go to Shanhe Academy ahead of time to take a look.”

Chen Mobai thought that since he had already resigned from his duties as student council president and the Divine Wood Sect had completed the sale of the Fire Spirit Rice, he would be completely free in the latter half of the year. He might as well use this time to spend more time with the Violet Lightning Sword.

“That works too. But don’t take the matter of the Violet Lightning Sword too seriously. After all, your competitors are Core Formation cultivators, so there's no need to be discouraged if you fail.”

As Che Yucheng spoke, he was already trying to alleviate Chen Mobai’s pressure.

“Okay, Teacher. If I go there, who should I contact?”

In Shanhe Academy, Chen Mobai only knew Pei Qingshuang.

However, they had clashed fiercely back at the Jumang Dao Academy, and Chen Mobai felt their relationship was only ordinary, so he didn't intend to seek her out.

“Hao Cao once studied at our Dao Academy. Once you arrive at Shanhe Academy, you can go directly to him.”

Because the Four Great Dao Academies only admitted about fifty new students each year, many talented individuals were scattered among the ten great academies. To ensure these "pearls lost in the sea" also had the opportunity to receive the education and resources of the Four Great Dao Academies, there were postgraduate entrance exams within the Immortal Sect.

Last year, Dai Shiqing, the chief of Lingbao Academy, passed the postgraduate exam and was promoted to Wuqi Dao Academy.

Back when Chen Mobai was still the student council president, Dai Shiqing had specifically come to visit, and the two had a pleasant conversation.

Hao Cao, the Headmaster of Shanhe Academy, was also such a case. During his studies, he even collaborated with the current Head of the Artifact Forging Department, Deng Daoyun, to forge a Third-Tier sword embryo, which became a celebrated tale.

To this day, Hao Cao was a recognized Sword Dao Grandmaster, a Great Sword Cultivator at the peak of Core Formation.

After Che Yucheng made the call, Chen Mobai didn't waste any more time.

Shanhe Academy was located in Baishi Grotto-Heaven, the easternmost part of the Immortal Sect, and was a coastal city.

Chen Mobai checked the route and booked a flight for tomorrow morning.

The reason he wasn't rushing back today was that there was still someone here who needed to be appeased.

That evening.

In the mountaintop villa, after their strenuous activity, Chen Mobai held the sweat-perfumed Meng Huang'er and told her about his business trip tomorrow.

“Oh, I see. So when will you be back?”

Meng Huang'er seemed a little worried. Although she had gained some understanding of the Critical Law through her diligent cultivation over the past six months, she hadn't fully mastered it yet. She was afraid that if Chen Mobai left, her progress would stall, and all her efforts would be in vain.

“That's hard to say, perhaps not until the end of the year.”

Because, according to the established schedule, the final round for the Violet Lightning Sword's selection of its master was set for the end of this year. Chen Mobai’s early arrival was mainly to investigate what was truly going on with these twelve peerless sword dao prodigies.

If it didn't affect their final round, he might return immediately, but it was also possible he'd stay there for six months.

“How about I go with you?”

Meng Huang'er thought for a moment. She only had six months left, so she gritted her teeth and leaned closer, wanting to stay with Chen Mobai, her good teacher, during this period.

“This… alright then, you book a ticket too.”

Chen Mobai instinctively wanted to refuse, but seeing Meng Huang'er's eyes, filled with both anticipation and worry, he understood her thoughts. Considering she was just one step away from mastering the Critical Law, he finally nodded and decided to take her, hoping to complete this 'agreement' as soon as possible and avoid prolonged effort in the future.

Upon hearing his words, Meng Huang'er's slightly worried expression instantly brightened. She smiled, brushing back the loose strands of hair from her pale cheek, and once again sought Chen Mobai’s guidance on cultivation.

“Our first meeting, I recall, was at the train station.”

After another perfect cultivation session, Chen Mobai let out a long breath. Stroking Meng Huang'er, who was gently trembling beside him as she calmed her mind after holding back, he spoke of past events.

“Didn’t you say you'd seen my concert when you were in Danxia City?” Meng Huang’er asked, slowly calming her thoughts.

“In Danxia City, although I was watching you from the audience, you definitely didn't notice me, so that doesn't count as our official meeting.”

Chen Mobai said solemnly. Meng Huang'er found his reasoning sound and nodded.

“How about we take the train to Shanhe Academy?”

After they had spent a little more time together, Chen Mobai suddenly said this. Meng Huang'er, looking puzzled, raised her head from his chest.

“Here’s the thing: while you’re cultivating the Jade Lock Golden Gate Art, you can mostly endure it with your willpower. However, the Critical Law still needs a final push. I think it’s time for some more stimulating scenarios to increase your threshold.”

After hearing Chen Mobai’s words, Meng Huang’er’s beautiful eyes widened abruptly, and her breathing became rapid.

“Isn’t this…”

She instinctively wanted to refuse, but Meng Huang'er thought carefully. Her hard work cultivating the Critical Law over the past six months had brought her from complete ignorance to a partial understanding, indicating that the method was correct.

Furthermore, she only had six months left until graduation. She had already invested so much; she couldn't possibly give up right before achieving success.

Besides, her original intention in accompanying Chen Mobai to Shanhe Academy was to use that time to cultivate diligently and strive to master the Critical Law as quickly as possible, wasn't it?

“...Is that feasible?”

Finally, Meng Huang'er lowered her head and quietly expressed her agreement.

“Don't worry, if you can endure in such an environment, then all the difficulties of the Critical Law will be nothing to you.”

Chen Mobai said solemnly. He had grown a little weary from painstakingly guiding Meng Huang'er's cultivation over the past six months; he had never been so dedicated to his own disciples.

Seeing that she hadn't mastered the Critical Law yet, Chen Mobai was quite worried. What if she really didn't succeed in Foundation Establishment before graduation? Wouldn't he suffer a complete loss?

If Meng Huang'er didn't want to serve in the military then, would he have to offer himself to her?

Thinking of this, Chen Mobai felt it would be better to help Meng Huang'er establish her foundation as soon as possible.

So, a few days ago, he secretly consulted Tian Wenguang again, who told him about this method.

Since she could endure in ordinary cultivation settings, they should switch to a more challenging environment to train, gradually increasing her threshold and tempering her endurance, until she completely mastered it.

As for what kind of challenging environment, Tian Wenguang left it to Chen Mobai to ponder, suggesting it should ideally be a place that held fond memories for both of them.

Chen Mobai pondered over it repeatedly but couldn't quite grasp the meaning of that statement.

It wasn't until after this cultivation session that he suddenly thought of it.

He and Meng Huang'er had only met in a handful of places; he figured they could just try them one by one.

Since they were leaving anyway, a train would be quite suitable.

“Then… I’ll book a ticket.” Meng Huang'er whispered.

Upon hearing her, Chen Mobai immediately canceled his flight ticket.

“Oh, by the way, tomorrow, wear the same outfit you wore when we first met at the train station. Let’s relive those wonderful feelings.”

“What outfit? That was ages ago; how could I remember?”

“It was a light yellow tight-fitting dress, I remember it really showed off your slender figure, and those white high heels.”

That night, the man and woman in the bedroom had this unexpected conversation.

Foundation Establishment cultivators and students of the Four Great Dao Academies could be upgraded to first class for free on trains.

Chen Mobai and Meng Huang'er perfectly met the criteria.

As Meng Huang'er was a major star, she needed to be extra careful when traveling. Sunglasses, hats, and scarves were essential. Moreover, to avoid being discovered in an intimate relationship with Chen Mobai, they boarded the train at separate times.

The first-class compartment on this train to Shanhe Academy was a luxurious soft-sleeper private room for two.

To avoid suspicion, they naturally occupied separate rooms.

But at night, Meng Huang'er, having changed her attire, quietly slipped into Chen Mobai's private compartment.

Cultivating in this environment was indeed much more challenging than in ordinary settings.

However, to help Meng Huang'er master the Critical Law as soon as possible, Chen Mobai could only push himself.

Because the train was slow, and Baishi Grotto-Heaven, where Shanhe Academy was located, was on the easternmost side of the Immortal Sect, their journey lasted four days and three nights.

Tian Wenguang truly lived up to his reputation as an expert. In this uniquely challenging environment, Meng Huang'er's cultivation progress was remarkably swift.

Remarkably, on the final night, with her legs trembling while wearing white high heels, she suddenly achieved enlightenment.

She truly grasped all the profound mysteries of the Jade Lock Golden Gate Art. Consequently, the Critical Law also became fully integrated, and the intricacies of locking essence blood, closing qi gates, and opening and closing the Purple Mansion all became clear to her in that instant.

“I finally understand, so that’s how it is…”

In that moment of enlightenment, Meng Huang'er suddenly felt that all her hard work had paid off. She couldn't help but shed clear tears and wept again.

And after comprehending the Critical Law, she no longer needed to hold back; her already trembling slender legs suddenly gave way.

In the waiting room of the train station in Baishi Grotto-Heaven, Chen Mobai and Meng Huang'er sat in separate corners.

“When are you planning to establish your foundation?”

Although they sat apart, both communicated cheerfully via their phones.

Although only six months remained, she might not succeed in Foundation Establishment before graduation. However, after mastering the Critical Law, it would certainly be no problem for Meng Huang'er, given her status, to apply for an extension of a year or so.

Since her enrollment in Wuqi Dao Academy, the decade-long gloom that had shrouded her heart had dispersed in an instant. Meng Huang'er felt an unprecedented joy, both physically and mentally.

She felt that everything was so beautiful: the air was fresh, and the sun was bright.

At the same time, an impulse surged within her: to buy a return ticket and immediately go back to Wuqi Dao Academy for Foundation Establishment.

However, she was still shrewd and knew that doing so would seem too utilitarian. So, she decided to stay with Chen Mobai for a while longer to properly express her gratitude.

Upon returning to the academy, she would first attempt it. However, the Three Foundation Establishment Treasures could only be exchanged at the end of the semester. She hoped to succeed in Foundation Establishment before graduation.

After using the Critical Law, it meant having unlimited opportunities to pause and correct errors. However, to successfully establish her foundation, her own inherent foundation still needed to meet the requirements.

Pills could rapidly advance the Foundation Establishment process.

Meng Huang'er had already completed the first step of Marrow Cleansing. She had been failing at the second step, qi condensation into liquid, but was only two or three drops short.

With the Critical Law and the aid of Qi Condensation Liquid, she could likely pass this stage with ease after one or two attempts.

Conversely, the final stage of Spirit Consciousness Excursion, even with the Critical Law, might still require many attempts to fully succeed.

However, with the aid of Spirit Ascension Powder, and considering Meng Huang'er's profound musical method would attract heavenly music of the Grand Dao during her Foundation Establishment, overcoming this hurdle would merely be a matter of time.

“I’ll see if I can buy some Qi Condensation Liquid and Spirit Ascension Powder for you on the Immortal Sect’s network. Baishi Grotto-Heaven should also have cultivation rooms providing Third-Tier spiritual energy. If suitable, you could even try to establish your foundation here.”

With the Critical Law, there was no fear of failure, so she didn't need to be too concerned about the location or conditions for Foundation Establishment.

However, many cultivators had obsessive-compulsive tendencies, believing the chances of breakthrough were higher in familiar environments.

“Hmm, I’ll try it myself. You've really worked hard these past few days.”

Meng Huang'er was also thinking of succeeding in Foundation Establishment as soon as possible to spite certain people in Wuqi Dao Academy and the media in the entertainment industry who constantly slandered her.

However, she knew in her heart who the greatest contributor to her mastering the Critical Law was. Although many images in her mind were unbearable to recall, she sincerely thanked Chen Mobai.

“I just did what I had to do.”

As Chen Mobai said this, he let out a long sigh inwardly.

Finally, he wouldn't have to work so hard anymore.

He wasn't sure if Meng Huang'er's comprehension was a bit slow, or if the cultivation method for the Jade Lock Golden Gate Art he had devised was somewhat unsuitable, requiring half a year of 'labor.'

If one of his own disciples couldn't learn a spell in half a year, Chen Mobai certainly wouldn't have the patience to teach them.

“Oh, long time no see.”

Just as Chen Mobai was wondering if he could use his alternate account, 'Turtle Immortal,' to check the Immortal Sect's network for any Three Foundation Establishment Treasures to be listed soon, someone he never would have expected appeared before him.

Pei Qingshuang's lustrous black hair was tied into a cascading ponytail. Her oval face, unadorned by makeup, was fair and pristine. Coupled with the dark green uniform of Shanhe Academy she wore, she appeared utterly refreshed and clean-cut.

“Why are you here?” Chen Mobai asked, surprised.

Chen Mobai stood up, a little curious. Before coming, he had, of course, contacted Shanhe Academy. Given Hao Cao’s status, it was impossible for him to personally pick Chen Mobai up; he had only said he would arrange someone, and to contact that person for any future matters.

“Linghu Xian is busy today, and I happen to be free. My status is also acceptable, so picking up you, the chief of Wuqi Dao Academy, is quite appropriate,” Pei Qingshuang replied.

Linghu Xian was the chief of Shanhe Academy, so if he had come to pick up Chen Mobai, their statuses would have been comparable.

However, Pei Qingshuang coming to pick him up showed even more respect to Chen Mobai.

“Shall we go now?”

As Chen Mobai spoke, his gaze inadvertently flickered towards Meng Huang'er in the corner, whose entire head was almost covered by sunglasses, a scarf, and a mask.

“If you haven’t booked a room yourself, come with me. The accommodation arranged for you by our academy is almost equivalent to that for a Core Formation cultivator,” Pei Qingshuang said, gesturing with her hand before turning and walking out.

“Find a hotel and stay there; I’ll contact you later.” Chen Mobai could only send this text message to Meng Huang'er. She hesitated for a moment, then replied with an 'Okay.'

Baishi Grotto-Heaven was located by the sea, famous for producing a special kind of pure white stone.

This white stone could be used as a whetstone and could also store special spiritual energy, making its uses very wide-ranging.

The predecessor of Shanhe Academy could be traced back to an ancient mountain villa that specialized in sharpening swords and maintaining treasured blades. Within the villa were thirteen stone swords, said to have been forged by ancient cultivators from mountains, a truly magnificent sight.

After the Immortal Sect established its rule, it was discovered that these were thirteen heaven-and-earth nurtured treasured swords, containing the mysteries of the heavens, earth, mountains, and rivers, suppressing the boundless sea so it would never encroach upon the land.

The original Shanhe Academy was founded by a group of Immortal Sect cultivators who studied these stone swords.

They lived in the villa, studying and teaching simultaneously, gradually developing it into what is now the Immortal Sect’s most renowned sword cultivation university.

“Is this the white stone?”

Chen Mobai followed Pei Qingshuang into a car. Seeing that he seemed a bit bored during the ride, Pei Qingshuang, who was driving, handed him a piece of glowing white, jade-like stone that fit perfectly in his palm.

“Indeed. For this Violet Lightning Sword selection, the preliminary stage requires interested sword cultivators from the Immortal Sect to fully inject a stream of their sword qi into a white stone and mail it to our Shanhe Academy. We will then select the suitable white stones and send them to the Violet Lightning Sword for its judgment.”

“However, these are mostly for show. We will only symbolically select a few 'lucky ones' from these preliminary participants, just to make up the numbers, and they will enter the final round along with you four predetermined individuals.”

In this final round, each person would have a full day alone with the Violet Lightning Sword. The one who achieved the highest resonance with this Fourth-Tier sword artifact would become its master.

“Then what about those twelve peerless sword dao prodigies who resonated with the Violet Lightning Sword?” Chen Mobai asked, playing with the white stone, addressing the matter that concerned him most.

“As expected, you also came early because of this,” Pei Qingshuang chuckled and pressed the accelerator. Chen Mobai, sitting in the back seat, instantly felt a strong push as they sped onto the high-speed flight zone, breaking free from road limitations, and soared towards Shanhe Academy, which stood majestically atop a cliff.

“Oh, who else came?” Chen Mobai asked casually, looking out the window at the towering, enormous stone swords of varying lengths, seemingly wielded by celestial beings, arranged crisscrossing on the cliffs.

“You are the last of the four.”

Hearing Pei Qingshuang's words, Chen Mobai was speechless. It turned out these Core Formation cultivators held the Violet Lightning Sword in such high regard.

“You still haven’t answered my question.”

“I can only say that the twelve peerless sword dao prodigies were personally selected by the Headmaster two days ago, after he reviewed each and every sword qi white stone himself.”

Pei Qingshuang’s words left Chen Mobai with a strange expression.

Hao Cao, that Sword Dao Grandmaster, personally checked them?

He must know that the Violet Lightning Sword’s master would only be chosen from their four, so why would he do something so meaningless?

Not to mention twelve peerless sword dao prodigies, even a hundred and twenty wouldn't be able to reverse the will of a Nascent Soul Venerable.

Wait, Teacher Che said that Venerable Chengxuan told them to remain silent about this matter.

In that case, Hao Cao's actions must have been reported to the relevant Nascent Soul Venerables beforehand.

The more Chen Mobai thought about it, the more confused he became about the matter.

He asked Pei Qingshuang again, as her mother was Venerable Taohua, who might know the truth, but the latter just smiled faintly and shook her head, saying nothing.

By this time, they had arrived at Shanhe Academy.

It was situated on the hilt of a thousand-zhang stone sword.

It was also the tallest and largest of the thirteen stone swords in Baishi Grotto-Heaven.

After Chen Mobai got out of the car, he looked down at the tumultuous sea nearby, then turned to gaze at the thirteen stone swords of varying heights towering on the cliffs. He couldn't help but exclaim in admiration at their wonder.

Such magnificent scenery truly had to be seen in person to be fully appreciated for its grandeur and unparalleled beauty.

“Let’s go see the Headmaster first. Your accommodation is on another stone sword.”

Pei Qingshuang led Chen Mobai towards the academy buildings, which were constructed on the hilt of the thousand-zhang sword.

Among the Thirteen Sea-Quelling Swords, the three tallest were a thousand zhang high, the next four were only a hundred zhang, three more were just ten zhang, and the final three barely reached one zhang.

As Chen Mobai listened to Pei Qingshuang describe the extraordinary scenery of Shanhe Academy, he was filled with awe.

“Actually, there were originally fourteen stone swords, but one of them absorbed the essence of all the others, shed its stone shell, and transformed into a supreme sword embryo, which was then forged into the Sea-Stabilizing Sword by your Wuqi Dao Academy’s Patriarch Yun Ya.”

Chen Mobai had previously heard Bian Jingchun say that the Sea-Stabilizing Sword was forged by Wuqi Dao Academy, but he never imagined that it was personally forged by their patriarch. He couldn’t help but marvel.

“May I pay my respects to the Sea-Stabilizing Sword?”

“You may. The Sea-Stabilizing Sword is sealed on the top floor of the Sword Pagoda. You're going to see the Violet Lightning Sword anyway, so you can pay your respects to both at the same time.”

Within the Immortal Sect, Fifth-Tier magical artifacts required too much spiritual energy to activate, so they were usually sealed and sustained with the minimal spiritual energy necessary to prevent their grade from dropping.

It was precisely for this reason that high-tier magical artifacts, without a master, were a burden to the Immortal Sect.

The Sword Pagoda of Shanhe Academy nurtured half of the Immortal Sect's flying swords, and the Myriad Treasures Cave of Wuqi Dao Academy nurtured tens of thousands of magical artifacts. Sustaining these relied heavily on Immortal Sect appropriations, as the academies' own resources would struggle to support them.

Therefore, choosing a master for the Violet Lightning Sword was also a way to slightly alleviate the burden on the Immortal Sect.

As they spoke, the two arrived at a place for sharpening swords.

A square-faced middle-aged man with short hair, no eyebrows, and a bushy beard was sharpening a rusty long sword with a white stone.

“Greetings, True Person Hao Cao.”

Chen Mobai had looked up Hao Cao’s photos online and, knowing he was the Headmaster of Shanhe Academy, immediately greeted him respectfully.

“Where is your sword qi?”

Hao Cao seemed to be a man of few words. After nodding, he directly asked a question that confused Chen Mobai.

“You need to inject a stream of your sword qi into the white stone and hand it to the teacher. After all, to appease everyone, you four also need to go through this preliminary selection step,” Pei Qingshuang immediately explained, leaving Chen Mobai enlightened.

No wonder she gave him a white stone earlier.

However, just as he was about to inject his sword qi, he encountered a problem.

“What’s wrong?” Pei Qingshuang asked. Hao Cao had continued sharpening his sword ever since he asked for the sword qi.

“I cultivate Five Elements Sword Qi. A single stream cannot allow the Violet Lightning Sword to properly assess my true skill. Could I have four more white stones?”

Hearing Chen Mobai's words, Hao Cao finally stopped his movements. He raised his head, looked at the delicate-faced youth before him with his unique dark gray eyes, and spoke.

“The most elite sword cultivators can inject fourteen complete streams of sword qi into a single white stone without causing it to crack.”

Chen Mobai truly hadn't known this.

“Teacher, don’t make it difficult for him. Even I can only inject three complete streams of sword qi into a white stone,” Pei Qingshuang said, coming to Chen Mobai’s aid.

“If he wishes to surpass Core Formation cultivators with his Foundation Establishment realm and gain the Violet Lightning Sword’s recognition, then he must achieve this feat.”

After saying this, Hao Cao lowered his head again, picked up the white stone in his hand, and resumed sharpening his sword.

It was then that Chen Mobai finally noticed that the white stone Hao Cao was sharpening shimmered with nine different colors, yet remained perfectly integrated within the small stone, as if forming the most stable and firm sword array within that confined space.

Swordlight Manifestation!

Chen Mobai’s heart jolted. He remembered what Zuo Gong had said back then.

Among those in the Immortal Sect who had carved their own path beyond the 'one sword gives birth to myriad laws' technique was Hao Cao, one of the Four Great Sword Dao Grandmasters of the Immortal Sect, on par with Nangong Xuanyu.

Indeed, his reputation was well-deserved.

“I’ll try.”

Chen Mobai nodded and began to fully concentrate on injecting his most proficiently cultivated Scarlet Flame Sword Qi into the white stone.

For him, a sword cultivator who had already reached the Swordlight Manifestation realm, this was naturally an effortless task.

The preliminary threshold for the Violet Lightning Sword's selection of its master was the second realm of sword cultivation: Sword Aura Transformation.

To inject a complete stream of sword qi into a white stone without causing cracks, one not only needed to master sword qi but also required an extremely high level of control over it.

Despite this, thousands upon thousands of white stones were still sent to Shanhe Academy.

Among these, Hao Cao selected twelve peerless sword dao prodigies.

After injecting the Scarlet Flame Sword Qi, Chen Mobai began to inject Earthen Sword Qi in the order of the Five Elements' generation, but his approach seemed flawed. The moment he injected the second stream of sword qi, the white stone in his palm suddenly developed a crack, then completely split and shattered into two halves.

“This…”

“Just try a few more times; it’s still early before the final round anyway.”

Pei Qingshuang seemed to have anticipated this scene. With a light chuckle, she walked to the corner and brought over a basketful of white stones.

These were all stones Hao Cao used for sharpening swords. She brought them for Chen Mobai, and Hao Cao merely glanced at her before continuing to sharpen his sword.

“Do I need to inject all five streams of Five Elements Sword Qi simultaneously to form a stable circulation within the white stone?”

After failing once, Chen Mobai realized the key.

“Exactly. But to infuse five complete streams of sword qi into a single white stone requires extremely high control over sword qi, something typically only achieved by Core Formation sword cultivators.”

Pei Qingshuang was a pure sword cultivator who had loved wielding swords since childhood. Thus, she was sent to Shanhe Academy by Venerable Taohua. She also studied diligently in her daily life, possessing an almost complete grasp of sword cultivation knowledge.

After hearing her words, Chen Mobai nodded gently. He then activated his Five Elements Sword Fingers, and using his Swordlight Manifestation realm, he carefully channeled five minuscule strands of sword qi into the white stone.

At first, it went well, but the white stone’s capacity was limited. Chen Mobai could only inject about one-third of each sword qi stream before it was completely filled. Then, with a crack, it exploded, turning into a pile of stone powder.

“Do I need to compress it?”

After failing twice, Chen Mobai summarized his experience, picked up another white stone, and was about to try again.

“He’s tired from the journey. Take him down to rest first.”

Hao Cao was getting a little impatient. He usually purified his sword heart by sharpening swords, and at times like these, he most disliked being disturbed.

If it weren't for Chen Mobai's strong background, he would have long since told him to leave.

But even so, after two consecutive attempts, he couldn't hold back.

“Understood, Teacher.”

Pei Qingshuang also understood her teacher's personality and felt she hadn't explained things clearly on the way. After pulling Chen Mobai, she picked up the basket of white stones, said her goodbyes, and left.

“I’ll take that.”

After stepping out of Hao Cao’s sword-sharpening room, Chen Mobai took the basket of white stones from Pei Qingshuang and thanked her.

“It’s nothing. I think highly of you anyway. At least, if you become the master of the Violet Lightning Sword, I wouldn’t object.”

Pei Qingshuang’s straightforward nature left Chen Mobai a little at a loss for words.