Chapter 43: Qingnu

The Azure Jade Parasol Tree, a rare high-grade Fourth-tier spirit wood within the Immortal Sect, is equivalent to the Nascent Soul realm in cultivation. However, it is extremely difficult for spirit wood to achieve enlightenment. Even with spiritual energy vast enough to rival a Nascent Soul cultivator, the Azure Jade Parasol Tree has not yet developed sentience. Since its elevation to the Fourth-tier a millennium ago, though it has elevated the fire-vein level and expanded the scope of the Scarlet Mist Academy, it has shown no signs of transforming into a spirit.

This spirit tree perfectly met the conditions of being powerful yet not overwhelming.

Chen Mobai, with a clear conscience, began meditating and visualizing.

However, the first step, "meditation," proved challenging for him.

Perhaps he had experienced too much recently, and his mind was clearly filled with complex thoughts. To suppress all of them and maintain a clear and empty mind was truly quite difficult. Fortunately, the Immortal Sect's predecessors had already considered such a situation for cultivators like Chen Mobai. The Divine Soul Forging Art began with a corresponding "Calming Incantation." He memorized it and recited it silently several times. After approximately two hours, he finally achieved a state of profound clarity and tranquility, where all sounds ceased.

Within this serene meditative state, Chen Mobai visualized the towering tree he had seen earlier that day.

He didn't know how much time had passed, but he felt his consciousness was like a seed. After a long slumber, its dormant vitality began to awaken, and a green sprout slowly broke through the earth along a crack.

This process was fascinating. All of Chen Mobai's senses seemed to have transformed into this green sprout. While absorbing nutrients from the earth, it also yearned for the sunlight outside. The sensation of breaking through the soil, tiring yet progressing bit by bit, allowed him to feel his consciousness growing at every moment. He had a feeling that when this green sprout completely broke free from the earth's constraints, it would be the day his divine sense was fully cultivated.

This process might take considerable time, but the satisfaction of seeing his continuous progress and improvement filled Chen Mobai with joy.

After a night of visualizing to forge his divine soul, Chen Mobai woke up. Although he was mentally exhausted, his mind was clearer than ever before, as if all dust had been swept away from his heart.

“The Divine Soul Forging Art truly lives up to its reputation as a legitimate path. One only needs to meditate daily, and over time, divine sense will naturally be cultivated.”

Chen Mobai was thrilled, but he didn't know that many ordinary Level 6 Qi Refinement cultivators often get stuck at the first step, "meditation." It typically requires practicing the Calming Incantation for a period, ranging from ten-odd days to several months, before they can dispel distracting thoughts and sense the revival of their consciousness. He was precisely still under the effect of the "Awakening Dream Melody," his consciousness already awakened, which allowed him to achieve initial success overnight.

Chen Mobai was unaware of these crucial details, but Chen Baolan knew. That's why she reminded him not to cultivate spiritual power these days, but instead to focus on sensing his divine sense. However, she hadn't expected her nephew to have such profound luck, enabling him to successfully enter meditation by visualizing the Azure Jade Parasol Tree.

After eating a quick breakfast, he spent the entire morning at school resting with his eyes closed.

By the time school was dismissed at noon, Chen Mobai had fully recovered his energy, and felt that his learning efficiency on the auxiliary cultivation software had significantly increased.

“No wonder cultivators always prioritize realm advancement. I've only just begun to sense my divine sense, yet my learning and comprehension speed has already doubled. If it were Foundation Establishment cultivators whose divine sense is fully developed and can leave the body, wouldn't their efficiency be many times greater!”

When one's realm improves, for the same amount of time, the efficiency and progress of learning knowledge far surpass that before divine sense is cultivated. Precisely for this reason, Immortal Sect cultivators only divert their attention to the myriad cultivation arts when they encounter a bottleneck, hoping to gain insights from other fields.

If one could single-mindedly cultivate in seclusion, who would choose to work?

Although Planet Earth has become a cultivation civilization, various social relationships still remain an unavoidable restraint for cultivators. For instance, Chen Mobai wanted to acquire "Qi Replenishing Spiritual Water." Not only could he rapidly advance his own realm with it, but it could also help his father complete the Ninth Level of Qi Refinement.

Therefore, after much deliberation, he finally decided to cooperate with Qing Nü.

Although there were quite a few alchemists in Danxia City, Second-tier alchemists were few and far between. Since Qing Nü was able to become an apprentice to the owner of Evergreen Pharmacy, it was likely her talent in alchemy was also exceptional. Chen Mobai also checked the elixir formula for Qi Replenishing Spiritual Water on the bottle. All the ingredients listed were First-tier. He checked the prices online: the cost to refine a pot of spiritual water concentrate was roughly 6,000 merit points. If successful, one pot of concentrate could be diluted into 50 tubes of Qi Replenishing Spiritual Water.

Based on the price during the last rush purchase, at 200 merit points per tube, the profit would be considerable.

However, it was well-known that the initial investment for nurturing an alchemist was immense. It was hard to say whether they could be successfully trained, and even if they were finally nurtured, they might then seek better opportunities elsewhere. But Chen Mobai himself didn't have the time to learn alchemy. The teacher who taught alchemy at his school was merely a First-tier Spiritual Aide. Since First-tier alchemists could earn more by working in pharmaceutical factories, Fifth High School, with its limited faculty resources, could only afford to hire a Spiritual Aide, whose main responsibility was teaching the cultivation and preservation of medicinal herbs.

Even this Spiritual Aide had to be personally invited by the principal from the Danzhu Academy.

Without the resources from the Heavenly River Realm, Chen Mobai would certainly not have considered supporting an alchemist.

But now, he wanted to give it a try.

Because elixirs released by the Immortal Sect onto the market were incredibly difficult to purchase in time; even Foundation Establishment cultivators had to abide by this rule. Therefore, many high-level cultivators would cooperate with alchemists, benefiting both parties.

However, such trust required long-term cooperation.

Chen Mobai wondered if Qing Nü could be trusted.

But wasn't all trust built from scratch?

After school, he first went home to change out of his school uniform. Then, seeing it was almost time, he headed towards Evergreen Pharmacy.

“Hello…”

When he walked in, Qing Nü was already waiting behind the counter. She was wearing a casual white shirt, her long hair slightly wavy. Upon seeing Chen Mobai, she smiled and greeted him. Since she wasn't extracting medicinal liquids today, she wasn't wearing a mask. Chen Mobai finally saw her face clearly: snow-white skin, a delicate oval face, an elegant nose, and rosy lips. Paired with her bright and sparkling eyes, her sweet smile, and the small dimples at the corners of her mouth, her overall demeanor was pure yet with a hint of childishness.

“Apologies, I seem to be late.”

“No, no, no, I only just arrived after school myself. Let's go grab a meal first; it's on me.”

Qing Nü seemed to have snagged tickets to the Jade Phoenix Opera Troupe, and appeared very happy. She proactively offered to treat Chen Mobai to a meal.

“If you leave, will the shop close?”

No sooner had Chen Mobai finished speaking, Qing Nü grabbed her small bag and shouted loudly towards the back door: “Teacher, I'm leaving now for an errand. Please keep an eye on the shop.”

“Mm, just remember not to stay out overnight.”

From the back door came an old and resonant voice, presumably that of the Evergreen Pharmacy owner. But his words made Qing Nü's cheeks flush, and she couldn't help but let out a soft huff.

“What are you talking about? We're just going to eat and watch a play!”

She stepped out from behind the counter, and Chen Mobai finally saw her full graceful figure: a slender waist, blue denim shorts, and a pair of faded canvas shoes. These accentuated her straight, long legs, which also exuded vitality. Bathed in the sunlight at the entrance, her entire being was as fair as beautiful jade, utterly flawless.

“Oh, by the way, I still don't know your name?” she asked.

“Chen Mobai!”

“My name is Qing Nü.”

“And your surname?”

“I don’t have a surname. Just call me Qing Nü.”