Chapter 480: Full Ground of Fourth Rank

The Five Peaks Immortal Mountain comprises five peaks named Qunxian, Zhixian, Huixian, Wangxian, and Juxian.

Zhongli Tianyu resided on Huixian Peak. When Chen Mobai followed him in, they were granted direct access by the people at the foot of the mountain after their pre-approved application was verified.

Only after entering did Chen Mobai realize that while the area was sparsely populated, he occasionally saw serene-faced cultivators on the path up the mountain.

They all smiled and greeted Zhongli Tianyu.

Upon asking, he learned they were all from Transcendent God families.

"This is my university classmate!" Zhongli Tianyu introduced Chen Mobai. They had clearly heard of his potential to reach the Transcendent God stage, and their eyes showed curiosity and dawning realization.

"Hello everyone!" After exchanging greetings, Chen Mobai followed Zhongli Tianyu further up the mountain.

"Transcendent God families or powers that have left their mark in the history of the Immortal Sect basically have representatives here," Zhongli Tianyu explained. "Besides preserving and looking after the relics left by their ancestors, it also prevents the waste of this Grade Four spiritual vein."

Chen Mobai nodded slightly. Given the Immortal Sect's frugal nature, if no one resided there, they would likely seal off all the spiritual energy of the Five Peaks Immortal Mountain.

"The northern peak is Juxian Peak, where Patriarch Qianxing resided. To the west is Wangxian Peak, Patriarch Baiguang's abode. Then there's our Huixian Peak, Zhixian Peak to the southeast, and finally, Qunxian Peak." As Zhongli Tianyu introduced the Five Peaks Immortal Mountain, Chen Mobai looked around according to his descriptions.

The immortal mountains stretched in staggered rows, clouds encircled their peaks, and springs emerged from stone crevices. Embraced by dense green foliage, pavilions and towers were faintly visible. Although Chen Mobai dared not use his Void Spirit Eye to observe, he still felt waves of astonishing spiritual pressure.

"There have been thirteen Transcendent God Patriarchs in the history of the Immortal Sect, but only five immortal mountains. Therefore, each mountain essentially holds traces of multiple patriarchs. Besides our Zhongli family, Huixian Peak also houses descendants of Patriarch Xuanwu and Patriarch Guangjue," Zhongli Tianyu said as he led Chen Mobai past a courtyard on the mountainside.

"So, this place is where you can find all the descendants of the Immortal Sect's Transcendent God cultivators."

Chen Mobai couldn't help but marvel. Although the Transcendent God Patriarchs of the Immortal Sect were widely known, their descendants had always kept a low profile, seemingly intentionally downplaying their presence in the public eye.

"That's not entirely accurate," Zhongli Tianyu corrected. "Some patriarchs were solely devoted to cultivation and never had partners in life, so naturally, they left no descendants. For instance, Patriarch Yuanyang's former daoist temple is now managed by the Pure Yang Academy." Zhongli Tianyu's words made Chen Mobai slap his forehead, realizing he had forgotten such a possibility.

"You're also a cultivator of the Pure Yang Scroll. Are you interested in visiting Yuanyang Temple? These Five Peaks Immortal Mountains are actually considered scenic spots, and on the patriarchs' birthdays each year, people are allowed to come up the mountains to pay respects." He added, "Of course, this is limited to three of the peaks. The two immortal mountains where Patriarch Qianxing and Patriarch Baiguang resided are never open to the public."

"If possible, that would be ideal," Chen Mobai nodded. He felt deeply grateful to Patriarch Yuanyang; without his revisions to the Pure Yang Scroll, Chen Mobai would never have had the confidence to cultivate the Transcendent God art with his talent.

"I'll help you ask. First, come with me to my home." Zhongli Tianyu led Chen Mobai to a large courtyard with white walls and black tiles at the peak of the mountain. The architecture was antique, and at the entrance stood two horned tortoise stone statues—the family crest of the Zhongli family, the Dragon Tortoise.

Pushing open the red main gate, they stepped over the threshold and entered.

Soon, a middle-aged woman approached, her demeanor gentle and a smile on her face.

"Aunt, do you have the contact information for the manager at Yuanyang Temple? My classmate here is also a practitioner of the Pure Yang Scroll and would like to visit."

The woman, Zhongli Yue, was in charge of the Zhongli residence. Chen Mobai glanced at her and felt a slight jolt. She was a Golden Core True Person! As expected of someone from the Zhongli family overseeing the Five Peaks Immortal Mountain—what a profound foundation!

"You take care of our guest and let him rest. I'll go to Yuanyang Temple," Zhongli Yue said gently. After the two entered, she instructed Zhongli Tianyu to look after Chen Mobai, then left to handle the matter.

"Thank you, Auntie!" Chen Mobai, a polite young man, immediately expressed his gratitude.

With a Golden Core True Person intervening, success was naturally swift. Soon, Zhongli Yue called back. She had already arranged a game of chess with the temple master, who, knowing of their visit, had arranged for a guide to take them on a full tour of Yuanyang Temple, providing explanations.

Zhongli Tianyu immediately took Chen Mobai there.

"It's you!" To his surprise, when they arrived, Chen Mobai discovered the guide was an acquaintance: Sima Xingyu from the Pure Yang Academy.

The two had a history of enmity, but given the special nature of this place and Chen Mobai's powerful background, Sima Xingyu merely frowned upon seeing him.

Chen Mobai asked, "Are you here to open up your Golden Core Domain as well?" While cultivators in the Immortal Sect couldn't freely check others' cultivation levels, Chen Mobai remembered Sima Xingyu was already at Foundation Establishment Level Eight when he first saw him in the Minor Scarlet Heaven. Although he later self-crippled his cultivation to Level Six to target Chen Mobai, given his talent, he must have reached Foundation Establishment Level Nine by now.

"Hmph, I won't lose to you this time," Sima Xingyu replied coldly, effectively confirming Chen Mobai's question.

"You don't actually think you'll succeed, do you?" Zhongli Tianyu interjected, glancing at Sima Xingyu with a mocking tone. Sima Xingyu glared back, wanting to retort that if everyone failed, he wouldn't be considered a loser. However, he couldn't voice such a thought. He looked at Chen Mobai again, then turned to leave without a word.

"Wait, we're here to visit! I remember the temple master arranged a guide for us..." Zhongli Tianyu quickly called out to him. If Sima Xingyu just left, Zhongli Tianyu would lose face.

"Come in with me. I'll only show you around once." Sima Xingyu paused, hesitated for a moment, then turned back, his expression blank. On these Five Peaks Immortal Mountains, everyone had a Transcendent God background, but compared to him, these two were from the Dancing Weapon Dao Academy, backed by the still-living Patriarch Baiguang. The Pure Yang Academy couldn't afford to offend them.

"This place has a Grade Four spiritual vein, so the top graduates from the Pure Yang Academy are usually arranged to cultivate here," Zhongli Tianyu explained what he knew after leading Chen Mobai into Yuanyang Temple. "However, because the Five Peaks Immortal Mountain cannot accommodate too many people, a maximum of five can be here at a time. Only when one of them reaches Foundation Establishment Level Nine can the next top graduate enter."

Resources on Dixing are scarce. For Foundation Establishment cultivators, being able to cultivate on a Grade Four spiritual vein was already the best treatment available in the entire Immortal Sect. This was precisely why the competition for the top graduate spot at the Pure Yang Academy was so fierce.

"First, light an incense stick upon entering!" Sima Xingyu, who was leading the way, spoke up, then produced two incense sticks from somewhere and handed them over.

Chen Mobai stepped over the threshold and saw Sima Xingyu, who had already lit his incense, bow three times before placing it into a bronze cauldron filled with incense ash.

"This is..." Chen Mobai looked at the cauldron, his expression visibly shaken.

"That's Patriarch Yuanyang's Grade Four Pure Yang Cauldron," Zhongli Tianyu explained, having been here before. "It's self-sealed and can only barely maintain its grade by relying on the spiritual energy here and the spirit stones allocated by the Immortal Sect." As he spoke, he skillfully lit his own incense stick.

After lighting his incense, Chen Mobai gazed at the unassuming bronze cauldron, barely managing to suppress his rapidly pounding heart.

"This is the main hall, where the Patriarch's Dharmakaya statue is enshrined!" Sima Xingyu, seemingly eager to finish his guiding duties, led them directly to the largest hall in the temple.

"Could this be..." Chen Mobai approached, his steps faltering as he saw a dusty mirror hanging above the door frame.

"That's the Patriarch's Grade Four Pure Yang Mirror," Sima Xingyu explained, fulfilling his duty as a guide and answering Chen Mobai's question. "Every morning, it lights up and automatically absorbs and refines the Great Sun Purple Qi. Without anyone activating it, a strand of Pure Yang Purple Qi is produced every ten years, benefiting many Golden Core True Persons in the Immortal Sect by helping them break through their cultivation."

"Pure Yang Purple Qi..." Chen Mobai murmured, remembering his own experience of condensing purple qi in the Immortal Sect, where the solar essence he painstakingly absorbed never reached him. Was it due to some special reason at the Five Peaks Immortal Mountain? He couldn't ask this question, as it involved high-grade spirit stones.

"The ownership of this item belongs to the Immortal Sect. After the Pure Yang Purple Qi condenses, the Immortal Sect exchanges it with the Pure Yang Mirror for a high-grade spirit stone. Because of this compensation, it's considered the best-off artifact among Patriarch Yuanyang's Pure Yang set," Zhongli Tianyu began to expose more details at this point.

Sima Xingyu's eyes flashed with anger upon hearing this, but what Zhongli Tianyu said was true. Although Patriarch Yuanyang's Pure Yang set of artifacts nominally belonged to their Pure Yang Academy, these precious artifacts might have already fallen in grade long ago without the spirit stones allocated by the Immortal Sect.

"Come in and pay respects to the Patriarch!" Sima Xingyu now only wanted to quickly show these two annoying individuals around and then get rid of them.

Upon hearing this, Chen Mobai swallowed, forcefully suppressing the urge to abscond with the Grade Four Pure Yang Mirror. His expression was stiff as he reluctantly followed them into the temple's main hall.

Upon entering, they were greeted by a nine-meter-tall, full-color statue of Patriarch Yuanyang. Its lifelike face clearly showed the craftsmanship of a master, but what captivated Chen Mobai most was the dharma robe draped over it, embroidered with patterns of a red sun and flames.

"The Pure Yang Immortal Robe!" Without Chen Mobai needing to ask, Zhongli Tianyu, who had been there once before, automatically assumed the role of a guide and explained the origins of the dharma robe.

After Chen Mobai followed Sima Xingyu in paying respects to the Patriarch's statue, he began to anticipate seeing the remaining items of Patriarch Yuanyang's Pure Yang set. Only the bell, sword, and precious orb remained.

The sword was the only Grade Five artifact in the Pure Yang set, and Chen Mobai knew it had already been cast into the Minor Scarlet Heaven by Gongye Zhixu.

"Let's go to the bell tower to strike the bell!" Before Chen Mobai could even ask, Zhongli Tianyu had already instructed Sima Xingyu to lead the way to another location. *This must be where the Pure Yang Bell is*, Chen Mobai thought. Following them, he indeed saw a large brass-colored bell hanging in a pavilion on the highest point of the mountain.

Zhongli Tianyu bypassed Sima Xingyu, entered the pavilion, picked up the thick wooden mallet used for striking the bell, and struck it heavily. The moment the bell chimed, Chen Mobai felt the complex emotions brought on by the Grade Four artifact suddenly melt away like ice and snow, leaving his mind exceptionally clear.

"Each strike of this Pure Yang Bell can purify the Sea of Consciousness in the Purple Mansion," Sima Xingyu whispered to Chen Mobai. "However, a Foundation Establishment cultivator can only strike it once."

Sure enough, after striking the bell, Zhongli Tianyu sat cross-legged on the pavilion floor, seemingly entering a meditative state, his entire demeanor appearing solemn and majestic. Half an hour later, Zhongli Tianyu opened his eyes. Although his complexion was good, his spiritual power was reduced to less than a tenth, and he seemed a bit unsteady when walking.

"You can try striking it too; it's quite effective for purifying divine sense," Zhongli Tianyu suggested to Chen Mobai after walking over. Chen Mobai smiled faintly and shook his head. He already possessed a Morning Bell, which was also the most suitable embryonic natal artifact for him. Over the years, its occasional chimes had already refined his divine sense to a state of flawless perfection. While this Pure Yang Bell was Grade Four, its effect was similar to his Morning Bell.

"Well, that's basically everything to see in this temple," Zhongli Tianyu said, shrugging when he saw Chen Mobai shake his head. He gestured to Sima Xingyu, indicating they could leave. Sima Xingyu pointed towards the exit, said nothing more, turned, and disappeared.

"Isn't the Pure Yang Precious Orb here in Yuanyang Temple?" Chen Mobai asked Zhongli Tianyu after Sima Xingyu had left.

"The precious orb is in Nangong Xuanyu's hands," Zhongli Tianyu replied. "Together with the Yuanyang Sword, it's considered a symbol of the Pure Yang Academy's successive headmasters. However, he doesn't want to activate the Yuanyang Sword, so he primarily uses the orb to comprehend the True Meaning of Pure Yang." Zhongli Tianyu was indeed well-informed, clearly understanding the secrets among Transcendent God cultivators.

"With so many Grade Four artifacts just left out in the open, exposed to wind, sun, and rain, aren't there any Golden Core True Persons willing to collect and nurture them?" Chen Mobai asked again. Zhongli Tianyu, upon hearing this, looked at him with a strange expression.

"Golden Core True Persons barely have enough spiritual energy for their own cultivation," Zhongli Tianyu explained. "And to properly match with these artifacts, it's best for cultivators of the Pure Yang Scroll to use them. They'd rather split their time in half to cultivate the Pure Yang Dharma Body; how could they do something that would delay their own spiritual progress?"

Chen Mobai nodded with a wry smile; that was indeed the case. If people from the Tianhe Realm saw the scene at Yuanyang Temple, they would surely stomp their feet and beat their chests in great indignation, finding it incredibly unfair. These were Grade Four artifacts, left lying around with no one picking them up.

As the two left Yuanyang Temple, Zhongli Tianyu suddenly received a call. He was told that the information he had previously provided for Chen Mobai was not detailed enough and he needed to go back to property management for further registration.

"Such a hassle. Feel free to look around; I'll go quickly," Zhongli Tianyu said, already leaving Chen Mobai behind. Chen Mobai didn't mind, slowly walking along the mountain path, admiring the scenery of the Five Peaks Immortal Mountain.

"Uncle, I'm lost. Can you take me home?" Just as he passed a corner, a little girl, around five or six years old, called out to him.

The little girl held a wooden doll in her hand and wore a black dress that accentuated her snow-white skin. Her delicate, jade-like face was adorable, and her eyes held a hint of nervousness and unease.

"What's your name?" For some reason, the moment Chen Mobai saw the little girl, he felt an immediate sense of closeness, as if he had met a relative. He couldn't help but squat down, speaking in the gentlest tone, and extended his hand towards her.

"My name is Xiao Hei," the little girl replied. Seeing his kindness, her initially nervous face relaxed. Then, she cautiously extended her right hand and took Chen Mobai's.

"Xiao Hei? That doesn't sound like a girl's name. What's your surname?" Chen Mobai inwardly complained about the girl's parents, wondering how they could give a girl such a common name. His own name, Mobai, also had the meaning of "black," but it sounded far more cultured.

"I don't have a surname, just Xiao Hei," the little girl shook her head, saying something that reminded Chen Mobai of Qing Nü. Qing Nü also had no surname, only a given name. *Could it be...* Chen Mobai thought of Qing Nü's origins, and his heart jolted. He tightened his grip on the little girl's hand slightly, but then remembered that this was the Five Peaks Immortal Mountain, guarded by two Transcendent God Patriarchs, making it the safest place in the entire Immortal Sect.

"Where is your home? Uncle will take you back."

"My home is in that direction!" The little girl pointed west with her left hand, which held the wooden doll.

Chen Mobai looked up, slightly surprised. *Wasn't that Wangxian Peak, Patriarch Baiguang's mountain?*

"No one lives over there, Xiao Hei. Are you sure you haven't mistaken the direction of your home?" "Maybe," the little girl pouted and nodded after hearing Chen Mobai. She also felt she had been out for a bit too long this time and might indeed have gotten the direction wrong.