Chapter 429: Ten Thousand Year Warm Jade

After transforming the Green Yang Spirit Tree, which had failed its tribulation, into a seed, Chen Mobai nodded with satisfaction.

During the previous war with Mount Shanshan, he had used a Tier 2 tree seed, but unfortunately, it was a sect asset and had to be returned later. Although he primarily relied on his sword arts in combat, he had also dedicated considerable effort to the Immortal Longevity Scripture of the Divine Wood Sect, and had always wanted a Tier 2 tree seed of his own. Now, he finally had one.

In fact, Foundation Establishment cultivators in the Divine Wood Sect could apply for a Green Yang tree seed, but Chen Mobai felt it wasn't worth spending his sect contributions and spirit stones, so he had put it off until now.

He immediately drew a Heavenly Wood Talisman and then activated the Immortal Longevity Scripture's signature domain expansion. As the seed landed, a Green Yang Spirit Tree, much smaller than before its tribulation, quickly took root and sprouted, enveloping Chen Mobai under its dense canopy. Chen Mobai performed techniques like the Spirit Leaf Art and Heavenly Wood Aura Art. In the abundant wood spiritual energy of the Divine Tree Secret Realm, he resembled a tree god controlling all vegetation, plucking leaves to fly like flowers and sending forth green light like swords. From a distance, half the sky was filled with emerald spiritual light.

After practicing all the spells from the Immortal Longevity Scripture, Chen Mobai contentedly put away the Tier 2 tree seed. After all, it was a Green Yang Spirit Tree that had triggered a spiritual fire tribulation, so the resulting seed was of a very high grade. It would be very effective for clearing lower-ranked cultivators on the battlefield in the future.

Chen Mobai also considered that if he formed his Golden Core in the future and his Longevity spiritual power was absorbed by the Pure Yang Scroll, this tree seed could be bestowed upon his eldest disciple, Liu Wenbai. After all, among his three disciples, only Liu Wenbai cultivated the Immortal Longevity Scripture. Just then, his Avatar Puppet, left behind in Xiaonan Mountain, sent a message: Liu Wenbai had returned.

Chen Mobai had originally intended to visit the Great Dao Tree, but that would have to wait. Yan Bingxuan had told him that she planned to attempt Foundation Establishment for the first time during the holidays at the end of the year, and he felt obligated to repay her kindness for helping him comprehend the Ice Breath. Besides, the Great Dao Tree was right there; he could visit it any time.

With that thought, Chen Mobai buried the Heavenly Calculation Orb, which controlled the spider puppets, underground. He then instructed the remaining puppets to search for any spirit trees of Tier 2 or higher within a hundred-mile radius, centered on their current location. Over the past year, he had used his spider puppets to explore a 3,000-kilometer range within this Divine Tree Secret Realm, discovering four Green Yang Spirit Trees.

However, for him now, Tier 2 Green Yang Spirit Trees were no longer particularly valuable. It would be best if he could find a Golden Yang Spirit Tree, as that would enable him to refine the Tier 3 sword talismans recorded in the Red Flame Sword Art. In the Eastern Barrens, all Tier 3 talisman paper was made from rare heavenly materials, such as the leaves and bark of spirit trees or the hides of demonic beasts. Chen Mobai's factories in the Immortal Sect could only produce Tier 2 Jade Talisman Paper, and its quality was quite ordinary. Therefore, if he were to use it here, he would definitely first follow local customs and use spirit tree leaves to make talisman paper.

Since the Divine Wood Sect intended to send him out as the main general for the battle against Mount Shanshan, Chen Mobai would certainly seize the opportunity to secure some strategic resources. Without him even needing to mention it, Chu Zuoxu hinted that he would soon have the Spiritual Treasure Pavilion stock three Green Wood Evils, allowing Chen Mobai to cultivate three more sword evils to enhance his combat power. Although Xie Yuntian was somewhat reluctant, he understood the bigger picture. Especially since Chen Mobai had mastered the Green Flame Sword Evil earlier than him, Chen Mobai was clearly more qualified to refine the Green Wood Evil. According to the rules of the Eastern Barrens, the capable should lead. The sect could even directly give the Green Wood Evil to Chen Mobai. Chu Zuoxu's willingness to consult Xie Yuntian repeatedly was already a great show of respect for Xie Yuntian as the head of the Sword Cultivation Department.

With Chen Mobai's current spiritual sense cultivation, controlling seven Green Flame Sword Evils was more than sufficient. However, in his battles, he usually decided the outcome within a few sword strikes, so seven sword evils felt a bit excessive. He was considering whether to use one of them to refine a "Green Flame Sword Talisman." After all, this was also a Tier 3 talisman. If he could successfully refine it, it would mean he was a Tier 3 Talisman Master in the Eastern Barrens.

Back in Xiaonan Mountain, Liu Wenbai was already waiting outside the cloud and mist formation. Chen Mobai put away his Avatar Puppet and leisurely stepped out of the wooden house.

"Greetings, Master. Elder Lan Lingping of the Snowfall Palace is waiting for you in Baiyue Market."

"Oh, is she in such a hurry?" Chen Mobai was slightly surprised by Liu Wenbai's words. Logically, he should be the one in a hurry, as Snowfall Palace currently held a monopoly on Frozen Ice Crystals. But now, it seemed Snowfall Palace valued their meeting with him more than he had anticipated. This was a good thing, though. The chances of a successful negotiation were higher.

With Chu Zuoxu's authorization, Chen Mobai decided not to hide anything. He openly brought Liu Wenbai through the sect's teleportation array and conspicuously went to Baiyue Market.

"Lord Guardian, long time no see." Bai Dingxian, the head of the Bai family, who had already received news, was waiting outside the teleportation array. After several transactions, Chen Mobai considered him a friend and responded with a smile.

"Elder Lan is waiting at your Xiaonan Mountain shop. I have some matters at my clan's tea mountain, so I won't accompany you." However, Bai Dingxian seemed hesitant to get involved in matters between the Divine Wood Sect and Snowfall Palace. After exchanging a few polite words with Chen Mobai and mentioning Lan Lingping's location, he quickly departed.

"Wenbai, you should really learn from Old Brother Bai's cautious approach." Chen Mobai looked at Bai Dingxian's retreating back with approval. Such individuals could thrive in environments like the Eastern Barrens. No wonder the Bai family, under his leadership, was subtly gaining the reputation as the nation's foremost aristocratic family. Baiyue Market was located at the northernmost edge of the nation, bordering the Snow Country. The Bai family's business extended there, so Bai Dingxian had to greet Lan Lingping upon her arrival, as she was someone he couldn't afford to offend. However, after attending to both sides, he promptly withdrew, an action Chen Mobai greatly admired.

"Lan Lingping of the Snowfall Palace Outer Sect greets Elder Chen of the Divine Wood Sect." Inside the Xiaonan Mountain shop in Baiyue Market, a beautiful woman in blue robes bowed to Chen Mobai. Behind her stood a female cultivator in a light blue dress, seemingly her disciple. Her face was veiled, obscuring her features, but her eyebrows were like painted strokes, her skin snow-white, and her figure tall and slender, suggesting she was also an outstanding beauty.

"I've long heard of Elder Lan's great reputation. Seeing you today, your grace is truly unparalleled." Lan Lingping had been a famous fairy in the Eastern Barrens in her youth. Though now a woman, she was even more strikingly beautiful. However, Chen Mobai was not interested in female beauty. After a few polite words, he led them to the reception room on the shop's upper floor.

As the guardian of the nation, the Xiaonan Mountain shop in Baiyue Market was located in a prime area and was a three-story building. The third floor served as a warehouse, the second as a reception room, and the first floor was the regular retail shop.

After Chen Mobai and Lan Lingping took their seats, Liu Wenbai skillfully began to brew tea. The veiled female cultivator knelt to the side, listening intently.

"I need Frozen Ice Crystals. Elder Lan, name your price. What will it take for you to sell them?" Chen Mobai was a straightforward person, getting straight to the point about why he invited Lan Lingping.

"Please forgive my directness, but these Frozen Ice Crystals are obtained by our academy from the cold pools of the snowy mountains. They have remarkable effects for our Snowfall Palace cultivation, but they shouldn't be of much use to the Divine Wood Sect. Elder Chen, as a sword cultivator, why are you so fixated on this item?" Lan Lingping did not answer directly; instead, she posed her own question.

"Does that relate to the transaction?" Chen Mobai asked, puzzled. Lan Lingping nodded gravely, her expression serious.

"To be frank, my cultivation of the Red Flame Sword Art has reached an extremely high realm. My Red Flame spiritual energy has transformed, becoming immensely fervent. I need cold-attributed spiritual items to neutralize its dryness so I can continue progressing. After much inquiry, I learned that your esteemed sect possesses such a marvelous item as Frozen Ice Crystals, which is why I specifically sought them."

Chen Mobai naturally wouldn't tell the truth. He recalled a TV series he watched in his youth about Patriarch Yuanyang. This Soul Transformation True Monarch's Pure Yang spiritual energy once encountered a tribulation because it was too overwhelmingly masculine and domineering, preventing the essence, qi, and spirit from converging and breaking the core to form the nascent soul. Later, he used a realm gate to travel to the Lunar Star, absorbed Lunar Profound Qi, and neutralized his Pure Yang spiritual energy before he could successfully form his nascent soul. Chen Mobai slightly adapted this story and applied it to himself. He initially thought Snowfall Palace might not believe him, but to his surprise, Lan Lingping looked enlightened after hearing it.

"So that's it. I didn't expect Elder Chen to encounter such a problem as well."

"Huh?" Chen Mobai looked bewildered by her words. He had just made it up on the spot.

"It's like this: our Snowfall Palace cultivates the *Ice Purity Sky Heart Art*. Although it allows one to cultivate ice spiritual energy with a water spiritual root, if one doesn't have a true ice spiritual root, the body will gradually stiffen as cultivation progresses." Lan Lingping explained with a smile. This situation was the exact opposite of what he had described, yet it achieved a similar effect. As she spoke, she gestured for the veiled female cultivator nearby to step forward and extend her hands, which had been hidden within her long sleeves. Chen Mobai saw hands as pale and bloodless as ice and snow. The blood in her veins seemed to have lost its warmth, turning a faint blue. "Xueteng is an example. If she doesn't constantly absorb mild fire spiritual energy, as her cultivation advances, her body will gradually grow cold and lose sensation. This is also the trade I wish to discuss with Elder Chen."

Hearing this, Chen Mobai shifted his gaze from Xueteng's pale hands to Lan Lingping, dimly understanding why she had sought him out. "Elder Lan, what are your requirements? Please speak freely!"

Lan Lingping nodded, then took a handful from her storage pouch. As she loosened her fingers, a handful of spirit rice fell onto the tea table. The spirit rice resembled crystal jade but glowed with a faint reddish hue. Chen Mobai was very familiar with it; it was precisely their Xiaonan Mountain's Fire Spirit Rice.

"This spirit rice is useful to you?"

"After practicing their cultivation techniques, Qi Condensation disciples consume a bowl, and their blood and qi circulate smoothly throughout their bodies." As Lan Lingping spoke, she took out a small rice cooking vessel, put the Fire Spirit Rice from the tea table into it with water, and soon a faint aroma of rice wafted out. The female cultivator named Xueteng, in front of Chen Mobai, lowered her head and brought the cooked Fire Spirit Rice under her veil to her cherry lips. Before long, her originally pale hands became rosy, showing signs of life.

"So that's it. Is it only useful for Qi Condensation disciples?"

"This is already very good. As for Foundation Establishment cultivators, they wear Thousand-Year Warm Jade to activate their blood and qi. Since there aren't many of them, every elder in our Snowfall Palace can have one." As Lan Lingping spoke, she pulled out a milky-white jade tablet from inside her collar. It was warm and smooth, imbued with a gentle yang essence. Chen Mobai's eye twitched slightly at this sight.

There was also a piece of Warm Jade in the Immortal Sect, which was True Monarch Taiyuan's innate magical artifact. Having accompanied the Soul Transformation True Monarch for a thousand years, it was already a low-grade Tier 5 spiritual treasure. Wearing it prevented inner demons from arising and external devils from invading; it was also the inherited spiritual treasure of successive headmasters of the Taiyuan Academy. Chen Mobai had absolutely never imagined that Warm Jade was something every Foundation Establishment cultivator in Snowfall Palace possessed.

"May I ask, how do Golden Core cultivators solve the problem of physical stiffening?"

"Our Snowfall Palace also possesses two Ten-Thousand-Year Warm Jades." Upon hearing this, Chen Mobai forcefully suppressed the sudden urge that surged in his heart. He strategically picked up his teacup, curbing the thought of becoming a rogue cultivator. True Monarch Taiyuan's Warm Jade was essentially also a Ten-Thousand-Year Warm Jade. In other words, Snowfall Palace had two precious materials that could be refined into low-grade Tier 5 magical artifacts. No wonder the Eastern Barrens was full of rogue cultivators; who could resist such temptation!

"Each year, we spend a large amount of spirit stones to have Return-to-Heaven Valley help refine Fire True Pills. However, because the main ingredient, fire lotus, is scarce, we can at most ensure its use by true disciples and some outstanding disciples."

"Therefore, our Snowfall Palace's lower-ranked Qi Condensation disciples have always lived very difficult lives. Many weak disciples never woke up again after a night of meditation."

"This year, Elder Chen's Xiaonan Mountain shop opened in our Snow Country's market. After a disciple bought and consumed Fire Spirit Rice, they discovered its remarkable effects, which is why I took the liberty of coming to discuss this business."

By this point, Chen Mobai had also suppressed his restless emotions and regained his composure. "This is good news. However, the matter of spirit rice concerns cultivators' foundations. While I can decide on small quantities, if it's to supply all your esteemed sect's disciples, I would need to report to my Sect Master."

Lan Lingping expressed understanding. The Eastern Barrens still had basic strategic considerations; large-scale cross-sect transactions of spirit rice would certainly require agreements from both parties' high-level authorities. "This is a mutually beneficial arrangement. Our Frozen Ice Crystals can also help cultivators of your sect who practice the Red Flame Sword Art neutralize their Yang energy. If Elder Chen is willing to supply Fire Spirit Rice to our Snowfall Palace, the benefits afterward will not be small."

Lan Lingping didn't know that the Frozen Ice Crystals were merely what Chen Mobai needed. However, the latter felt the time was right and brought up the task assigned by Chu Zuoxu. "If True Monarch Kong can guarantee to stand by, I can persuade our Sect Master and even the two Ancestors to supply all future Fire Spirit Rice to your Snowfall Palace."

"This... I need to report back." Chen Mobai made a gesturing motion. Lan Lingping requested a quiet room, and though he didn't know how she contacted Kong Lingling, she returned with a solemn expression after about the time it took to steep a cup of tea.

"Patriarch Kong says she can agree, but there's one condition."

"Please state it."

"Your esteemed sect needs to provide our Snowfall Palace with the Fire Spirit Rice seeds and the cultivation methods for the spirit plant." Lan Lingping's face showed a hint of embarrassment as she said this.

Chen Mobai remained expressionless, but Liu Wenbai, standing nearby, had already furrowed his brows. He knew best the hard work and effort his master and junior sister had put into this Fire Spirit Rice. Xiaonan Mountain had only grown three or four harvests, and now Snowfall Palace wanted to snatch it away! But with his master silent, he, as a disciple, couldn't overstep his bounds.

After pondering for a moment, Chen Mobai already had an answer in mind.