Chapter 424: Hidden

"Then it’s settled," Chen Mobai said to Pei Qingshuang, high-fiving her as they sealed their agreement, a non-binding intent contract. However, it wasn't mandatory; if Pei Qingshuang gained enlightenment on her own in the future, Chen Mobai wouldn't need to help. Besides, this matter would at least have to wait until both of them had formed their Golden Cores, or even reached Golden Core perfection, which could be years away.

"I'll see you off tomorrow, and don't forget to say goodbye to Teacher Hao Cao," Pei Qingshuang reminded Chen Mobai before turning and walking away gracefully.

Since he was going back, he definitely had to greet Meng Huang'er first. Chen Mobai had been worried about her Foundation Establishment progress for over half a year.

Chen Mobai: I'm heading back to Chicheng Grotto-heaven tomorrow. How are your preparations for Foundation Establishment coming along?

Meng Huang'er: Thanks to you, I've managed to get my hands on the Spirit Ascension Powder and Qi Condensing Liquid. After I get back, I can try to establish my Foundation with a little more preparation.

The Turtle Treasure proxy's capabilities were excellent. Chen Mobai had used the excuse that he had asked a Golden Core Perfected Being for help to learn in advance when the Three Treasures for Foundation Establishment would be available online this month on the Immortal Sect's website. As a celebrity, Meng Huang'er had no shortage of good deeds (merit points). Once she knew the exact time, she kept a close eye on the site and naturally managed to snag the Spirit Ascension Powder and Qi Condensing Liquid she needed.

Chen Mobai couldn't help but feel relieved seeing this. Now, he just hoped that with the Critical Method as her foundation, she would successfully establish her Foundation immediately upon her return.

Meng Huang'er: Okay, I'll book my return train ticket then.

Chen Mobai: Why book a train ticket?

Meng Huang'er: ?

Chen Mobai: Before, that was to help your cultivation. Now that you've mastered it, there's no need to do that anymore. Besides, those things are taxing on the mind and body. You're about to prepare for Foundation Establishment, so you should take good care of yourself and try to adjust your condition to the best possible state.

In her hotel room, Meng Huang'er blushed, feeling both embarrassed and annoyed upon hearing these words. Yet, she also felt that what Chen Mobai said made a lot of sense, and she sensed that he was at least genuinely considering her well-being, rather than just coveting her. So, she took two deep breaths and, with the gentlest and kindest tone, nodded and acknowledged that she had learned a lesson.

Chen Mobai: Book two return plane tickets. You and I shouldn't be on the same flight, in case someone takes a picture and affects your reputation.

Meng Huang'er: Okay, I'll do it right away.

After hanging up, Chen Mobai felt something was still not quite right. Shouldn't he tell Zhongli Tianyu and Zhai Jianbai? After all, they were students from his own academy, and if they could go back together, it would be better. So he called Meng Huang'er again, telling her to just book her own ticket.

Chen Mobai: I might be coming back with Zhongli Tianyu and the others. Your Foundation Establishment is important, and there's a lot of preliminary preparation, so you can go back first.

Although Meng Huang'er was a little disappointed, she knew what was important. For her, successfully establishing her Foundation before graduation was the most crucial thing.

***

Sword Polishing Hall.

Hao Cao looked at Chen Mobai, who was taking his leave, with a strange gaze, seemingly seeing him in a new light. To be honest, he had never imagined that the winner of the final round would be Chen Mobai, a mere Foundation Establishment cultivator. Considering his own arrangements, Hao Cao could only lament that man's schemes are no match for heaven's.

"Cultivate well," Hao Cao finally said, "and I hope to see you fully dedicated to the Way of the Sword in the future." He waved his hand, signaling goodbye.

Chen Mobai bowed and nodded, then rose, gripping the Violet Lightning Sword, and turned to leave the Sword Polishing Hall.

After Zhongli Tianyu and Zhai Jianbai arrived, the latter shook his head. "I won't be going back for now. There are many excellent sword cultivators here, and I've applied to Director Zuo for an external internship. I might be staying here for half a year." Zhai Jianbai had already felt that with Chen Mobai's unparalleled talent, he definitely wouldn't be able to compete with him for the Violet Lightning Sword. After arriving at Shanhai Academy, he had focused entirely on interacting with the sword cultivators there, gaining immensely and sensing the opportunity to cultivate his own sword light. So, he had no plans to leave now and wanted to continue his studies at Shanhai Academy.

"Alright then, take care of yourself." As the chief student of the academy, Chen Mobai was quite concerned about Zhai Jianbai's stay at Shanhai Academy. When Pei Qingshuang drove over to see them off, he also mentioned this matter and asked her to help look after him.

"I'll talk to Linghu Xian about it." Pei Qingshuang herself was definitely too lazy to deal with such minor matters, so she simply called the current chief student of Shanhai Academy.

"Thanks." After Chen Mobai and Pei Qingshuang reached their cooperative agreement, he felt they were now friends, and their conversation became a bit more casual.

"Let's go, I'll take you to Baishi Grotto-heaven." Pei Qingshuang nodded and started her car. Cultivators couldn't fly inside the Grotto-heaven, but they could drive registered vehicles. Pei Qingshuang had picked up Chen Mobai when he arrived.

Just as Chen Mobai and Zhongli Tianyu got into the car and it started moving towards a bus stop, he suddenly saw Shi Wanyu carrying large bags. He turned to Pei Qingshuang and asked, "Do you mind if we pick up one more person?"

"There's still room, no problem."

Chen Mobai nodded and rolled down the window. As a female, Shi Wanyu had rarely visited Shanhai Academy. Besides her travel essentials, she had bought many souvenirs for her friends and family. Since she didn't have a storage bag, her luggage looked quite bulky. After the Violet Lightning Sword chose its master, she had little interest in the Way of the Sword and didn't plan to stay long at Shanhai Academy. After buying her souvenirs, she booked a ticket back to Chicheng Grotto-heaven, coincidentally running into Chen Mobai and his group. As she waited for the bus, a car stopped in front of her. The window rolled down, revealing a face that filled her with pleasant surprise.

"Come with us." Hearing Chen Mobai's words, Shi Wanyu's face lit up with joy.

Chen Mobai got out to help her put her luggage in the trunk, then had her sit in the front passenger seat, while he and Zhongli Tianyu sat in the back. After Chen Mobai brought Shi Wanyu into the car, introductions were naturally in order.

"This is Pei Qingshuang, a teacher at Shanhai Academy, and also my friend." Pei Qingshuang, who was already driving, nodded somewhat coolly in response.

"And this is Shi Wanyu, a student from Liuguang Academy, a good friend of mine, and also one of the participants in the final round for the Violet Lightning Sword." After Chen Mobai's introduction, Shi Wanyu greeted the strikingly beautiful Pei Qingshuang with some restraint.

Upon hearing her name, Pei Qingshuang's hands tightened, and her pupils slightly contracted. She gave Chen Mobai and Shi Wanyu a very strange look, and then her usually cold and beautiful face suddenly softened like spring rain, brimming with smiles.

"Hello," she said, "My friends all like to call me Cui'er. If you like, you can call me that too."

Chen Mobai was completely baffled by Pei Qingshuang's words. Didn't this person usually ignore everyone? Even Zhongli Tianyu hadn't received much attention from her. Could it be because Shi Wanyu was beautiful? Thinking about it, Pei Qingshuang's close friends, Wenren Xuewei and Yan Qiongzhi, were all attractive. It seemed she was someone who valued beauty.

Since students got half-price tickets, Shi Wanyu had booked a train ticket, so Pei Qingshuang dropped her off first. As they parted, the two girls even added each other as friends.

"Bye-bye." Shi Wanyu happily waved goodbye to them. Chen Mobai smiled back, but in his heart, he felt he might never have the chance to see her again.

***

"For the final round of the Violet Lightning Sword selection, because there were also Qi Cultivators involved, participants could choose to remain anonymous to avoid excessive public attention," Pei Qingshuang suddenly told Chen Mobai as Zhongli Tianyu got out to retrieve luggage at the airport.

"Oh, if I had known that, I would have chosen to be anonymous too." Chen Mobai genuinely hadn't known this. He had been bothered by his excessive fame recently, so he couldn't help but sigh upon hearing her words.

Pei Qingshuang saw that Chen Mobai had only grasped the surface meaning of her words. She hesitated for a moment but ultimately said nothing more. If she hadn't coincidentally met them today, and if she hadn't handled that white stone, she probably wouldn't have known that Teacher Hao Cao would go to such lengths to avoid future blame. No wonder he also chose twelve unparalleled sword dao geniuses to deliberately create a diversion. But after knowing the truth, Pei Qingshuang was even more astonished by Chen Mobai's talent.

"Keep in touch when you have time." After saying these words with a smile she wasn't accustomed to, Pei Qingshuang watched Chen Mobai and Zhongli Tianyu enter the airport.

***

Waiting lounge.

"She's Peach Blossom Perfected Being's daughter, isn't she? I can't believe she's doing so well..." Zhongli Tianyu, as a descendant of a Divine Transformation family, seemed to know some inside information, muttering to himself after Pei Qingshuang left.

"What do you mean by that?" Chen Mobai asked, somewhat confused by his words, wondering if Pei Qingshuang had been seriously ill as a child, like him.

"Do you know who her father is?" Zhongli Tianyu retorted. Chen Mobai shook his head. Information was relatively transparent in the Immortal Sect, but the 'Partner' section for Peach Blossom Perfected Being had always been empty, so no one knew who Pei Qingshuang's father actually was.

"You know?"

"I don't know either."

"Then why did you say—" Before Chen Mobai could finish his exasperated remark, he heard the boarding announcement for his flight.

The two had booked first class. After the tall, beautiful flight attendant left, Zhongli Tianyu began to recount something he had heard as a child.

"Peach Blossom Perfected Being is a peach tree spirit who transformed from a demon into a human."

Chen Mobai paused, slightly stunned. "Isn't it said that there's a reproductive barrier between humans and demons, and it's absolutely impossible for them to have offspring?"

"Exactly. That's why Pei Qingshuang nearly died when she was born."

"Jumang Academy even came to our Zhongli family for help, because our ancestor had left behind a few pieces of profound turtle shell, which are great tonics for vital essence."

"However, they weren't needed later. Perfected Being San Jue from Taiyi Medical Palace intervened and sealed Pei Qingshuang back into her mother's womb."

After hearing Zhongli Tianyu's account, Chen Mobai couldn't help but fall into thought.

"Could it be that Pei Qingshuang's father isn't human either?" No sooner had he asked the question than he shook his head. In the Immortal Sect, there were only legal regulations prohibiting marriage registration between humans and demons with reproductive barriers. If both were the same type of demon, there would be no need to hide it at all.

"The higher-ups must know the truth about this matter. Our Zhongli family hasn't produced a Nascent Soul Perfected Being for a long time, so our connections with the higher-ups have weakened, and we aren't very well-informed either." Zhongli Tianyu only remembered this because he had heard his family mention it when talking about Peach Blossom Perfected Being during his childhood. Seeing Pei Qingshuang today brought it all back to him.

"Her father should have the surname Pei. Are there any Golden Core or Nascent Soul cultivators in the Immortal Sect with that surname?" Chen Mobai asked. As a grand cultivator in the Nascent Soul realm, her partner would at least need to be Golden Core.

Zhongli Tianyu waved his hand, indicating he never cared about that question. Fortunately, the internet was well-developed now. Golden Core and above cultivators were all councillors of the Kaiyuan Hall. Chen Mobai searched and found two Golden Core Perfected Beings named Pei. He wondered if either of them was Peach Blossom Perfected Being's partner. Chen Mobai treated this matter as mere gossip, something to pass the time during his journey. When he returned to Chicheng Grotto-heaven, he promptly forgot about it. Who Pei Qingshuang's father was, what did it matter to him?

***

Divine Weapon Academy, Building No. 1.

"You little rascal, you certainly didn't disgrace me." In the office, Che Yucheng looked at the Violet Lightning Sword Chen Mobai had brought, nodding with a sense of pride. He had worked tirelessly on this matter, finally getting it to Perfected Being Chengxuan's ears. If Chen Mobai hadn't acquired the Violet Lightning Sword, all his effort would have been for naught.

"Teacher, I told you, this Violet Lightning Sword is perfect for me. On the Sword Tower, just by holding its hilt, I felt the supreme wonder of man and sword becoming one. If I hadn't yet formed my Golden Core, the Violet Lightning Sword would probably have chosen me as its master on the spot..." In front of Che Yucheng, Chen Mobai was like a child boasting about his excellent achievements to a parent. He simply rephrased what the media outside had been exaggerating about him, almost believing it himself.

"Alright, alright, I've heard all that before." Che Yucheng immediately interrupted Chen Mobai's retelling. He had seen all of it while surfing the internet.

"The Violet Lightning Sword is a Rank 4 sword artifact. If you want to wield it, you'll need to reach at least the Golden Core realm, or master the 'Can Tong Qi' (Contract of the Triad) to make it your Natal Companion." Chen Mobai looked troubled upon hearing this. If he could have learned the 'Can Tong Qi', he would have done so long ago.

Che Yucheng merely mentioned it. Since the Violet Lightning Sword was already in Chen Mobai's hands, he brought up another matter.

"You're graduating next year. Which department are you planning to choose for your graduation project?" The graduation project at Divine Weapon Academy was relatively simple: choose one of the departments you've studied and create a Rank 2 artifact. For example, a Talisman Department student would draw a Rank 2 talisman; an Artifact Forging Department student would forge a Rank 2 magical artifact...

"Naturally, I'll prioritize your Puppet Department, Teacher." Chen Mobai spoke his mind. For him, creating a Rank 2 puppet was a very simple matter.

"This year, the Headmaster has just emerged from seclusion and will be giving additional rewards to students who have submitted Rank 3 achievements for their graduation projects over the past few years." Che Yucheng finally got to the point.

"What kind of rewards?" Chen Mobai's eyes lit up as he asked. Anything offered by a Nascent Soul Perfected Being couldn't be bad.