Chapter 418: Taking the Blame

Chen Mobai’s eyes widened in disbelief after hearing this. Not only him, but even the usually gentle and composed Yan Qiongzhi couldn't help but gasp, raising a hand to cover her mouth in surprise, completely losing her composure after Pei Qingshuang revealed the truth. The revelation was clearly too shocking for both of them.

After a long silence, Chen Mobai swallowed hard and asked, "What do you mean by the reincarnated body of Ancestor Baiguang? Has the Ancestor already passed away?"

"I don't know," Pei Qingshuang replied. "I asked my mother, but she wouldn't tell me. However, it's certain that the genius who can infuse fourteen streams of sword qi into white stone is the reincarnation of Ancestor Baiguang. We're sure because no one in the Immortal Sect, not even a Nascent Soul Perfected Immortal, can achieve that."

"Then what are we even competing for?" Chen Mobai asked with a bitter smile. "Why not just give the Violet Lightning Sword directly to Ancestor Baiguang? Who in the entire Immortal Sect would dare to contend with a God Transformation Ancestor?"

"Don't worry," Pei Qingshuang revealed another secret. "Teacher Haocao has already eliminated Ancestor Baiguang. But just in case, he created a smokescreen with twelve other peerless sword dao geniuses to conceal the Ancestor's reincarnation."

Chen Mobai and Yan Qiongzhi exchanged glances, both swallowing hard.

"This... Isn't Principal Haocao afraid of Ancestor Baiguang's displeasure for doing something like this?"

"The Ancestor's reincarnated body doesn't know they are Ancestor Baiguang," Pei Qingshuang explained. "It seems the Ancestor is either playfully experiencing the mortal world, or this is a form of cultivation. Currently, they are just an ordinary Qi Refining cultivator, still struggling to achieve Foundation Establishment. Furthermore, with the Palace Lord of Zhengfa Hall and the other Perfected Immortals putting pressure on him, Teacher Haocao simply had to take the fall."

Hearing Pei Qingshuang's words, Chen Mobai couldn't help but feel a moment of sympathy for Haocao. No wonder he had seemed out of sorts and kept sharpening his sword when Chen Mobai visited him yesterday. Although it was an order from several Nascent Soul Perfected Immortals, eliminating the reincarnation of a God Transformation Ancestor for no good reason would surely cause Ancestor Baiguang to remember him for this unfairness if he ever found out. Even if Haocao were to eventually achieve Nascent Soul, his future would likely be bleak. Yet, when leaders demand you take the fall...

"So, the Violet Lightning Sword ultimately depends on the four of you," Pei Qingshuang concluded, and Chen Mobai felt a slight sense of relief.

"Cui'er, you're a teacher at Shanhai Academy. You must have already guessed how our Nature Academy intends to reclaim the Violet Lightning Sword," Yan Qiongzhi said with a slight smile, bringing up Chen Mobai's earlier question. Pei Qingshuang nodded in agreement.

"If Ruan Zixiu were to become the Violet Lightning Sword's master, he would certainly not abandon the Myriad Rivers Sword Canon, which he has cultivated for hundreds of years. This would require the Violet Lightning Sword to adapt to him, and even if they eventually merge, the sword's spiritual essence would be significantly diminished. Only after Ruan Zixiu achieves Nascent Soul cultivation might the Violet Lightning Sword possibly recover."

"As for Huo Xiqing, the Violet Lightning Great Art he cultivates is perfectly compatible with the Violet Lightning Sword. However, he is not a sword cultivator. His intention is to use the Spirit Weapon Dual Cultivation Technique to absorb the sword's essence for his own benefit. While this would also bind the cultivator to the sword, it's uncertain whether the Violet Lightning Sword would be willing to take such a gamble."

"Sister Yan, if you were to tell the Violet Lightning Sword that choosing you as its master would require neither a loss of its spiritual essence nor the offering of its intrinsic power, but merely a change of location for its veneration, then in a situation where it absolutely must choose a wielder, it's quite possible the Violet Lightning Sword would overlook resonance and choose your Nature Academy."

Pei Qingshuang shared her speculation. While Fourth-tier swords were rare in the Immortal Sect, without any expansionist wars for many years, cultivators primarily focused on improving their own cultivation realms and extending their lifespans. Even Golden Core cultivators, who greatly desired the Violet Lightning Sword, would not sacrifice their own foundations for it. Ruan Zixiu would not switch to cultivating the Violet Lightning Great Art, which was compatible with the sword. Huo Xiqing desired the Violet Lightning Sword precisely because he could use the Spirit Weapon Dual Cultivation Technique to harness the power of this Fourth-tier sword for his own advancement.

If either of these two Golden Core Perfected Immortals were to become the sword's master, the Violet Lightning Sword would initially have to make significant sacrifices. After making such a sacrifice, the sword's only hope for the future would be the master successfully forming a Nascent Soul. If the master failed, the Violet Lightning Sword's rank would consequently drop, potentially even falling below the Fourth-tier. In contrast, if Yan Qiongzhi were chosen, while she would be the master, she would not demand a fusion of human and sword with the Violet Lightning Sword. This means the Fourth-tier sword would have no hidden risk of its rank declining. It would simply be akin to moving the sword's place of nurture from Shanhai Academy to Nature Academy.

Chen Mobai's face cleared with understanding after listening to the two women. It seemed that the Violet Lightning Sword's selection of a master was akin to a job interview. It was as if three companies were making proposals to the Violet Lightning Sword:

Ruan Zixiu's offer was: "Violet Lightning Sword, come with me. Although conditions are a bit tough now, and your innate skills won't be of much use as you'll need to self-study the Myriad Rivers Sword Canon to adapt to me, your future is bright. Once I achieve Nascent Soul, you will become an even more versatile Fourth-tier sword."

Huo Xiqing's offer, on the other hand, was a perfect professional match for the Violet Lightning Sword; it could start immediately with him. However, the 'company' was currently a bit sluggish, requiring the sword to work for free and even contribute its own savings. Nevertheless, the future was still bright: once he achieved Nascent Soul, the sword would be able to unleash its full power from its peak era.

Yan Qiongzhi's terms were the best for the Violet Lightning Sword: as long as it was willing to come, it would receive full room and board without having to do any work. The drawback was a lack of future prospects; its life would essentially remain as it was.

"So, it's a choice for the Violet Lightning Sword: does it want a promising future, or does it prefer to 'lie flat'?" Chen Mobai concluded, his face showing sudden realization.

The two women initially found his summary a bit odd, but quickly realized it was a remarkably apt description of the situation.

"What conditions have you prepared?" Pei Qingshuang asked Chen Mobai, who was still processing everything. He thought about his own advantages and realized the matter might be relatively simple. He could just offer better terms.

"Mine are similar to Perfected Yan's," Chen Mobai said with a self-deprecating smile. "But as a mere Foundation Establishment cultivator, I doubt the Violet Lightning Sword would even consider me." Although he was regarded as the second Lan Haitian, he would remain only a Foundation Establishment cultivator until he successfully passed the Golden Core stage. Compared to the other three Golden Core Perfected Immortals, all of whom at least had a hope of achieving Nascent Soul, he—even with his exceptional aptitude—would require the Violet Lightning Sword to wait at least sixty more years if he were to form a Golden Core.

After a spiritual weapon chose its master, the Immortal Sect would no longer provide minimum spirit stone and spiritual qi conditions. If the Violet Lightning Sword were to follow a Foundation Establishment cultivator for sixty years, it might even drop in rank. Furthermore, any magical artifact, once forged, had a limited lifespan. This was because only a handful of eternal-grade materials existed in the Immortal Sect; all others, no matter how precious, would eventually decay after enduring the passage of time. For this very reason, the Myriad Treasures Cave would periodically select artifacts nearing the end of their lifespan to be refined into talisman treasures and artifacts, maximizing their final value.

Although the Violet Lightning Sword was a Fourth-tier sword, it could theoretically remain stable for over a thousand years under conditions of abundant spiritual qi. The problem was the lack of spiritual qi; the Immortal Sect would certainly prioritize supplying supreme treasures of the Fifth-tier and above. Shanhai Academy's annual budget was largely consumed by the Sea-Stabilizing Sword, leaving only enough for the Violet Lightning Sword to maintain minimal function. At this thought, an idea flashed through Chen Mobai's mind: "I wonder if the Violet Lightning Sword likes spirit stones?"

Meanwhile, Pei Qingshuang was already consulting Yan Qiongzhi for advice on forming a Golden Core. Yan Qiongzhi, thorough in every detail, not only played an edited video of her own Golden Core formation right then and there but also proactively explained the subtle transformations of her body's essence, qi, and spirit during that period. Chen Mobai also watched with great interest.

Yan Qiongzhi had formed her Golden Core at Jumang Daoist Academy, which housed one of the Immortal Sect's most potent water veins. After the academy's offline exchange meeting concluded, she borrowed a cultivation chamber with high-grade Fourth-tier spiritual qi to begin her Golden Core formation. This was largely thanks to the influence of Wenren Xuewei and Pei Qingshuang; otherwise, with her Foundation Establishment cultivation at the time, she would likely have only been able to apply for a low-grade Fourth-tier chamber at best.

Yan Qiongzhi's Golden Core formation process lasted a full year. She didn't immediately take the Water Element Golden Core Elixir. Instead, she slowly elevated her spiritual power and divine sense, initiating the Golden Core process without the aid of a Golden Core spiritual object. She successfully triggered the process, but her own foundational accumulation was insufficient to pass this stage relying solely on herself. However, this year of attempts allowed her body to adapt to the rhythm of Golden Core formation. Thus, after consuming the Water Element Golden Core Elixir, success came naturally. This was only possible in the Immortal Sect. In the Eastern Barren, merely enduring a year-long heavenly tribulation would be enough to disturb one's mind, leaving no concentration for forming a Golden Core.

Yan Qiongzhi shared her successful experience, explaining that she possessed a Freezing Art that could delay the condensation of spiritual power at critical moments. It was precisely by using this art to prolong the Golden Core formation process that she had the opportunity to make more attempts and undergo further tempering, thus laying the foundation for her ultimate success.

After listening, Chen Mobai inquired about this Freezing Art. Yan Qiongzhi did not conceal it, but explained that it was a powerful spell for cultivators with Ice Spiritual Roots, requiring the cultivation of the Profound Ice Art to master. Although Pei Qingshuang also possessed a True Metal-Water Spiritual Root, she had not transformed it into an Ice Spiritual Root in order to cultivate the Azure Sky Sword Canon. Chen Mobai, needless to say, with his Pure Yang Scroll foundation, was even more fundamentally incompatible with this Freezing Art. Nevertheless, both of them still requested the Freezing Art from Yan Qiongzhi, reasoning that even if they couldn't master it, it would be beneficial to study.

After sending the digital version to both of them, Yan Qiongzhi cautioned, "The Immortal Sect has many cultivation arts that are beneficial for Golden Core formation. You should focus your efforts on those that are compatible with your own cultivation methods and spiritual roots, rather than spending too much energy on my Freezing Art."

After chatting for a while longer, Chen Mobai and Pei Qingshuang bid their farewells and departed.

Before leaving, Chen Mobai inquired about Yan Bingxuan's situation. After all, his old classmate had only a year and a half left, and if she didn't achieve Foundation Establishment by then, given her personality, she would certainly have to enlist for military service.

"After I advanced to Golden Core, my permissions on the Immortal Sect Network greatly increased," Yan Qiongzhi explained. "I've already helped Xuan'er reserve a portion of 'Snow Spirit Water'." One of the most powerful privileges for Third-tier users on the Immortal Sect Network was the ability to select one item officially released by the Immortal Sect each month and reserve it for themselves before it was publicly available. After Yan Qiongzhi was promoted to a Golden Core cultivator, this privilege could be perfectly utilized to pre-order the Snow Spirit Water.

"I heard her say that Water Mist Ice Crystal is also useful for her Foundation Establishment?" Chen Mobai asked. Chen Mobai was still somewhat concerned about the beautiful Yan, constantly keeping these two spiritual objects, useful for her Foundation Establishment, in mind.

"'Water Mist Ice Crystal' is not in stock with the Immortal Sect officials," Yan Qiongzhi said with a sigh. "If I were to personally go to the Polar Grotto-Heaven Sea Region to extract it, it would take several years, and I wouldn't make it before her graduation. Now, I can only hope she succeeds in achieving Foundation Establishment with the help of the Three Treasures of Foundation Establishment and the Snow Spirit Water." Yan Qiongzhi also sighed, explaining that if Water Mist Ice Crystal was to be artificially synthesized at or above the Second-tier, it would require traveling to the deep-sea ice regions of the polar caps on Dizun Star to extract and condense extreme cold water essence qi. With Yan Bingxuan having only a year and a half left until graduation, there simply wasn't enough time. Chen Mobai made a mental note of this, planning to ask his eldest disciple, Liu Wenbai, who was establishing a market in the Snow Country, once he returned to the Divine Wood Sect.

After departing from Yan Qiongzhi's residence, Chen Mobai and Pei Qingshuang were flying when he suddenly heard her say, "I've told you everything about the Violet Lightning Sword. Don't disappoint me."

"Do you really hope for me to become the Violet Lightning Sword's master?"

"After all, the tale of 'Violet Lightning and Azure Frost' is too well-known," Pei Qingshuang explained. "Since I am already the master of the Azure Frost Sword, I'm bound to be compared with the Violet Lightning Sword's master by the public in the Immortal Sect. The other candidates are all Golden Core Perfected Immortals, so the pressure would be immense if I were to be compared to them."

Pei Qingshuang gave her reason, and Chen Mobai looked at her with a surprised expression.

"If you're being compared, shouldn't the Golden Core Perfected Immortals be the ones feeling the pressure?"

"Once they achieve Golden Core, they are already part of the Immortal Sect's upper echelons, becoming councilors of the Kaiyuan Hall and nominally administrators of the Immortal Sect," Pei Qingshuang patiently explained to Chen Mobai. "These individuals all have the potential for further advancement and won't feel pressure just because I'm the daughter of Perfected Peach Blossom." Chen Mobai simply smiled.

"I'll do my best," Chen Mobai said. "But what if I become the Violet Lightning Sword's master and achieve Golden Core before you? Wouldn't that put more pressure on you?"

"Absolutely no such possibility," Pei Qingshuang declared, shaking her head with confident certainty. Given the Immortal Sect's sixty-year restriction on Golden Core elixirs, she was guaranteed to form her Golden Core earlier than Chen Mobai. Chen Mobai did not mention the possibility of her failing to form her Golden Core, as that would have been a rather insensitive thing to say. He, for his part, had no intention of acquiring Golden Core spiritual objects from the Immortal Sect.

"I'm leaving now," Pei Qingshuang said. "Call me if you need anything. You still need to work harder on the white stone; resonance is still useful for the Violet Lightning Sword." By this point, they had flown to the middle section of the sword hilt. Chen Mobai's residence was just beyond, so Pei Qingshuang did not escort him all the way, bidding him farewell there.

"Yes, after your demonstration, I've understood the knack," Chen Mobai said lightly. "Five streams of sword qi should be no problem." Some difficulties were indeed that simple; once that barrier was broken, everything became clear.

"It's precisely that confident tone of yours that I like," Pei Qingshuang said, and then flew away, satisfied.