Chapter 445: Insights on Infant Formation

After Ji Dingjin’s death, the cultivators Aituan gathered to ambush Zhou Wangshen and his group were clearly Tremor Peak’s last elite force. Following this strategic failure, although they scattered and fled, dozens of them were still lost during the pursuit by Zhou Wangshen and other Foundation Establishment cultivators.

Afterward, two hundred cultivators led by Luo Yixuan and Li Yixian arrived. Under Chen Mobai's command, they coordinated with the Divine Wood Sect's Foundation Establishment cultivators to launch a widespread pursuit against the fleeing Tremor Peak cultivators. This round of pursuit proved far bloodier, as it involved battles primarily between Qi Condensation cultivators. Luo Yixuan herself encountered a formidable opponent—a true disciple of Tremor Peak. Had she not possessed the Divine Wood Sword, she might not have been able to pierce her opponent's defenses. Her subordinate Qi Condensation cultivators were not as well-equipped. Over a dozen advanced too far during the chase and never returned after the agreed rendezvous time. Ten of these were rogue cultivators, and it was unclear if they had truly been killed, or if they had simply secured their spoils and quietly fled, unwilling to get further involved.

Chen Mobai paid them no mind. Once Yue Zutao arrived with the main Divine Wood Sect army, he began a direct advance toward Tremor Peak's stronghold.

Within Yan Nation resided an immortal cultivation family known as the Changzhuan Zhuang clan. Their ancestral land was on Changzhuan Mountain, which sat atop a low-grade third-tier spiritual vein, overseen by a Foundation Establishment cultivator. During the great war between Tremor Peak and the Divine Wood Sect, the Zhuang clan's elder was naturally conscripted. However, he was fortunate. After Ji Dingjin ordered the retreat, his clan's territory being close by allowed him to safely return with fifty Qi Condensation cultivators from his clan.

However, while one might escape, their home remains. With a bitter expression, the Zhuang clan elder watched as more than twenty massive airships approached from the distant sky, then instructed his clan members to disable their mountain protection formation.

“I am willing to pledge allegiance to the Divine Wood Sect.”

Standing on the airship, Chen Mobai surveyed the Zhuang clan below, then nodded to Yuan Chizhi and Yue Zutao at his side. The two immediately descended, taking control of the Zhuang clan's third-tier spiritual vein territory and ensuring no hidden cultivator armies were present.

“Changzhuan Mountain is roughly equidistant from those two spirit stone mines. Junior Brother Yuan, you should lead a team and remain here.”

During the previous war with Tremor Peak, the Divine Wood Sect had targeted the two spirit stone mines near the border. However, shortly after the conflict began, Ji Dingjin led his forces to retake them. Now, with Ji Dingjin dead and the Tremor Peak army dispersed, precautions were still necessary to prevent opportunistic rogue cultivators from plundering the two spirit stone mines during the inter-sect conflict. Chen Mobai already considered Yan Nation and Xiao Nation as his sect's territory, meaning these two spirit stone mines would also need protection.

The Zhuang clan's willingness to surrender voluntarily was indeed beneficial for the Divine Wood Sect. With the Zhuang clan acting as local guides, they could reduce the number of cultivators they left behind. However, to be safe, a team was still assigned to Yuan Chizhi. As long as he could manifest the Jia Mu Dao soldiers, he possessed the strength to suppress any situation.

The Zhuang clan's surrender was not an isolated incident. Chen Mobai, valuing swiftness in military action, rested for only a day at Changzhuan Mountain before leading the Divine Wood Sect army toward Tremor Peak's main headquarters. Along the way, however, some chose to stubbornly resist. One Tremor Peak Foundation Establishment elder, relying on a market city's third-tier formation, gathered hundreds of Qi Condensation cultivators who had fled from the front lines, intending to halt the army's advance. With dedicated defense, the third-tier formation proved quite effective. It managed to block the Divine Wood Sect army for three days and three nights before finally being breached by a colossal azure giant.

Once the market city was breached, all Tremor Peak elders and disciples inside were naturally slaughtered. The remaining cultivators who hadn't escaped became spoils of war for the Divine Wood Sect army. After breaching this market city, Chen Mobai slightly frowned, concerned that every Tremor Peak disciple might prove so unyielding, willing to sacrifice their lives to impede their advance. As expected, the next market city also activated its third-tier formation, standing like an unyielding rock, once again obstructing Chen Mobai's army. Chen Mobai could only once more manifest a large Jia Mu Dao soldier and commence a relentless bombardment. This time, the formation was breached significantly faster. This was not only due to the market city having fewer cultivators than the previous one, but also because Chen Mobai's mastery over Core Formation-level power had grown increasingly proficient after several practice sessions.

After successively breaching two market cities, when Chen Mobai and his forces reached the third, internal strife had already erupted before they even made a move. Shortly after, the market city's formation was withdrawn, and its gates opened wide. Two Foundation Establishment elders from local immortal cultivation families respectfully presented a severed head to Chen Mobai.

“This is Fei Ziqiang of Tremor Peak,” they stated, “He was stubbornly foolish, like a mantis trying to stop a chariot. We, in accordance with the will of heaven, have slain him. We hope your esteemed sect will spare our two families.”

“A splendid ‘accordance with heavenly will’! Very good, indeed!”

Upon hearing this, Chen Mobai found the phrase particularly agreeable and showed a look of approval to the Foundation Establishment cultivators of the two prominent families. He naturally understood the principle of ‘buying horse bones with a thousand gold’ – the importance of making a generous gesture to encourage others. Since the two prominent families had taken this action, the Divine Wood Sect would not only spare them but also reward them generously.

“The future management rights of this market city will be granted to your two families.”

At Chen Mobai’s words, the two Foundation Establishment cultivators’ faces lit up with surprise and delight. They felt profoundly that their decision to pledge allegiance to the Divine Wood Sect was the wisest choice they had ever made. Besides Fei Ziqiang’s head, the cultivators of the two prominent families within the market city had also slaughtered all Tremor Peak disciples, leaving the ground awash with blood and corpses.

Chen Mobai left no Divine Wood Sect cultivators behind. Instead, he immediately incorporated the allied Zhang and Fu families, along with the remaining cultivators from the market city, into his forces, and together they marched towards Tremor Peak’s main headquarters. With the two local Yan Nation Foundation Establishment cultivators, the Zhang and Fu elders, now allied, Chen Mobai’s subsequent journey became considerably easier. Along the way, more than half of the families and market cities surrendered at the sight of their forces. Even those who foolishly resisted were neutralized by these local collaborators who arranged for insiders through various connections. Their coordinated efforts, both internal and external, breached formations, saving Chen Mobai much trouble and reducing their casualties. Eventually, the Divine Wood Sect’s main cultivator army wasn't even needed; the local allies had already preemptively annihilated the Tremor Peak loyalist families blocking their path. What was initially estimated to be a month-long journey to Tremor Peak’s main base was completed ten days ahead of schedule.

“Greetings to the three Ancestors!”

After conquering more than half of Yan Nation with minimal bloodshed, Chen Mobai led the Divine Wood Sect’s cultivator army to besiege Tremor Peak. There, he paid respects to the three Core Formation cultivators who had already been blockading the entrance.

He had already met Zhou Shengqing and Fu Zongjue. However, it was his first time meeting Mo Douguang of Golden Light Cliff. He stood on a rock, his face ordinary, build slender. Dressed in a blue-gray long robe, his eyes held a calm yet chilling sharpness.

“Junior Brother Mo, this is Chen Guixian, whom I told you about. His talent in sword arts is comparable to your own.”

Zhou Shengqing gestured Chen Mobai closer, then led him to Mo Douguang and made the introductions.

“When I was his age, I hadn’t even mastered divine sense yet.”

Mo Douguang, however, shook his head, asserting that his talent was not comparable to Chen Mobai’s.

“Junior Brother Mo, you are too modest. You were the last of us five to be taken as a disciple by Master. Had it not been for Zhou Ye, who possessed an Earth Heavenly Spiritual Root, Master originally intended for you to inherit the Hunyuan Dao Fruit.”

Zhou Shengqing’s words mildly surprised Chen Mobai. He hadn’t realized Mo Douguang could also cultivate the Hunyuan Dao Fruit. Could he also possess a Heavenly Spiritual Root?

“Let’s not dwell on the past. For now, let’s focus on how to slay Ji Zhenshi.”

Mo Douguang shook his head. He was solely dedicated to sword cultivation, and his original purpose in coming to assist was to test Ji Zhenshi’s Vacuum Dharma Body with his sword. However, the opponent had retreated into his long-established fourth-tier formation, leaving the three of them unable to fully utilize their strength.

“The Vein-Shattering Orb has also been brought, but its use would ruin this fourth-tier spiritual vein. Therefore, we still hope to breach Tremor Peak’s grand formation through conventional means. Even if Ji Zhenshi destroys all precious items like cultivation techniques and spirit herbs before his death, securing this spiritual vein alone would be a tremendous gain.”

In the Eastern Barrens, only the sites of the Seven Great Sects possessed fourth-tier spiritual veins. Tremor Peak’s spiritual vein, specifically, had only just been upgraded to fourth-tier by Ji Zhenshi after he spent tens of millions of spirit stones, making its value immense. Precisely for this reason, even with the three Core Formation cultivators blockading the entrance, they found themselves helpless against Ji Zhenshi, who remained entrenched within his stronghold. Their only option was the Vein-Shattering Orb, but using it would destroy the fourth-tier spiritual vein. And Chen Mobai’s arrival with the Divine Wood Sect’s army was precisely to address this situation.

Xie Yuntian was already present, and combined with the local Yan Nation immortal cultivation forces assimilated along the way, as well as rogue cultivators who arrived upon hearing the news, the number of cultivators under Divine Wood Sect’s command had astonishingly reached four thousand. Upon their arrival, Zhou Shengqing personally assumed command. He produced ten third-tier tree seeds, which bloomed at ten crucial nodes of Tremor Peak’s spiritual vein. Subsequently, Chen Mobai and the nine other strongest Foundation Establishment cultivators each guarded a Golden Sun Spirit Tree. With an additional thousand of the Divine Wood Sect’s most elite Qi Condensation cultivators, a large Heavenly Wood Divine Light Array’s domain expanded, slowly beginning to suppress and sever Tremor Peak’s spiritual vein connection to the earth. Zhou Shengqing did not overlook the remaining three thousand Qi Condensation cultivators either. The Divine Wood Sect’s Core Formation elder then produced thirty second-tier tree seeds from his storage bag, which also bloomed.

After completing these preparations, Zhou Shengqing’s expression sharpened, and he settled into a cross-legged position atop his Golden Sun Spirit Tree. At that instant, Chen Mobai felt the spiritual energy within his body surge into the nearby tree seed, then seemingly transform into a stream within a vast ocean, merging into the hundred-meter azure-gold giant slowly manifesting above. Chen Mobai’s Jia Mu Dao soldier was entirely incomparable to the one controlled by Zhou Shengqing. Beyond the vast difference in size, golden tree leaves circulated across the hundred-meter azure giant’s surface, as if it were clad in a layer of golden armor, making it appear exceptionally heroic and mighty.

After Zhou Shengqing manifested the azure-gold Jia Mu Dao soldier, he did not immediately bombard Tremor Peak’s fourth-tier formation. Instead, he continuously expanded the Heavenly Wood Divine Light Array’s range, which soon enveloped the entire ten-kilometer radius around Tremor Peak. Subsequently, Chen Mobai felt the earth-vein qi being continuously absorbed by this azure-gold Jia Mu Dao soldier. It seemed Zhou Shengqing was cultivating by drawing on their power. Moreover, the source of power for this cultivation was precisely Tremor Peak’s fourth-tier spiritual vein.

Noticing this, Ji Zhenshi flew out. His expression subtly shifted upon seeing the hundred-meter-tall Jia Mu Dao soldier, and he then launched a palm strike towards Zhou Shengqing in mid-air.

With a whoosh! Mo Douguang, who had been anticipating his move, unleashed his flying sword, slicing through Ji Zhenshi’s spiritual energy hand. However, just as Mo Douguang and Fu Zongjue prepared to make their move, Ji Zhenshi retreated back into the fourth-tier grand formation. With a grim expression, he watched Zhou Shengqing, who was cultivating by using the Jia Mu Dao soldier to absorb Tremor Peak’s earth veins, and suddenly proposed a solution.

“I will lead my disciples out of the Eastern Barrens and hand this spiritual vein over to you completely intact. In exchange, you give me the Nascent Soul formation insights left by Ancestor Hunyuan. How does that sound?”

Ji Zhenshi’s proposal greatly surprised Chen Mobai. He had never imagined that Tremor Peak’s Core Formation elder would be willing to abandon a foundation he had cultivated for three hundred years.

“Impossible. While a fourth-tier spiritual vein is precious, it cannot compare to Nascent Soul formation insights.”

Zhou Shengqing refused without a second thought. In the entire Eastern Barrens, only the Five Elements Sect possessed insights into Nascent Soul formation. When the Myriad Gu Sect was previously destroyed by the Five Elements Sect, their Nascent Soul formation insights were also seized. When the Divine Wood Sect and Golden Light Cliff split from the Five Elements Sect, they copied all documents from the sect’s library, with the sole exception of the Hunyuan Dao Fruit. The Nascent Soul formation insights were naturally no exception. Other Core Formation cultivators in the Eastern Barrens were aware of and greatly coveted the Nascent Soul formation insights of both Ancestor Myriad Gu and Ancestor Hunyuan. This knowledge was arguably the most precious in the entire Eastern Barrens. It embodied the hopes of these Core Formation cultivators for achieving Nascent Soul. Especially after Ji Zhenshi cultivated to the late Core Formation stage, he harbored an even greater desire to attempt reaching the Nascent Soul realm.

He was a powerful figure in the Eastern Barrens, having led his family to seize control and become the ancestor of Tremor Peak. While he had invested half his life into this sect and felt a connection to it, when weighed against his own future, it was a price he was willing to pay. Especially with a vast army pressing down, even if Tremor Peak could rely on its fourth-tier formation, how many more years could it possibly hold out? Exchanging all of Tremor Peak’s assets in the Eastern Barrens for the Nascent Soul formation insights was Ji Zhenshi’s carefully considered plan.

Unfortunately, it was rejected by Zhou Shengqing without hesitation. That was Nascent Soul formation insights, a priceless treasure. Although Ji Zhenshi, due to his body cultivation path, was unlikely to achieve a breakthrough using these insights, what if? If this were to aid an enemy and he truly succeeded in forming his Nascent Soul outside the Eastern Barrens, it wouldn’t just be the Divine Wood Sect; the entire Eastern Barrens would likely be forced to submit to him.

“Tremor Peak possesses more than just this fourth-tier spiritual vein. We also have the Space-Void Stone Mine, whose immense value you must be aware of. Furthermore, our sect holds numerous hidden spirit stone mineral deposits across Yan Nation and Xiao Nation. Combined, these are worth at least tens of millions of spirit stones. Trading all of this for a copy of Nascent Soul formation insights would surely be a profitable deal.”