Chapter 489: Demonic Cultivator

It’s finally complete!

Upon hearing the news, Chen Mobai felt a profound sense of relief. His greatest confidence in forming his Golden Core stemmed from two things: first, his Dual Phase Technique, and second, the Golden Liquid Jade Return Pill.

However, the elixir recipe from the Immortal Sect differed significantly from those in the Heavenly River Realm. Even Yan Shaoyin of Return Sky Valley, acclaimed as the Eastern Wilderness’s foremost alchemist, barely managed to complete it after two failed attempts. Chen Mobai was immensely grateful that he had initially provided this recipe to the sect, allowing them to manage its refinement. If he had painstakingly collected the medicinal ingredients himself, then commissioned someone to refine them, only for it to ultimately fail, his frustration would have been immense. Had it failed twice, Chen Mobai would likely have given up immediately and retired to the Immortal Sect for sixty years. Unlike now, he could focus wholeheartedly on his cultivation and self-improvement, secure in the knowledge that the sect would support him no matter how many times it failed.

“Old Ancestor, should I go retrieve the elixir?”

Even the usually composed Chen Mobai couldn't help but feel a surge of excitement upon hearing the news. Once the elixir was in hand, his chances of forming a Golden Core would be slightly higher than Lan Haitian’s had been.

“Your disciple’s disappearance is likely a ploy targeting you. It’s best not to leave the sect before you form your Golden Core. I’ll dispatch a puppet body to Return Sky Valley to retrieve it.”

Fu Zongjue shook his head, forbidding Chen Mobai from leaving. After annihilating Trembling Mountain Peak, the Divine Wood Sect’s primary objective, while simultaneously consolidating the territories of Yan Kingdom and Xiao Kingdom, was to await Zhou Shengqing’s formation of a Nascent Soul. Beyond that, they also awaited Chen Mobai’s Golden Core formation. In the Eastern Wilderness, the presence of one more high-level cultivator would dramatically alter the situation. Furthermore, neither Fu Zongjue nor Zhou Shengqing harbored great hope for a Nascent Soul formation. They merely wished to take a chance during the final twilight years of their peak. Given the high probability of Zhou Shengqing failing to form a Nascent Soul, cultivating a new Golden Core cultivator to succeed him was the optimal choice. Among the Divine Wood Sect’s next generation, Chen Mobai stood out. Both Meng Hong and Chu Zuoshu, though at Foundation Establishment Perfection, were utterly overshadowed by Chen Mobai, whose talent seemed almost overflowing. It was precisely for this reason that the two Golden Core Old Ancestors of the Divine Wood Sect spared no expense to have Yan Shaoyin of Return Sky Valley assist in refining the Golden Liquid Jade Return Pill. Only because Return Sky Valley and the Divine Wood Sect possessed the first and second largest medicinal fields in the Eastern Wilderness, and Yan Shaoyin had connections with the Star Sky Grand Merchant Association, could the 666 types of herbs required for the Golden Liquid Jade Return Pill have been gathered for three attempts. Otherwise, it would have been impossible.

After his conversation with Fu Zongjue, Chen Mobai felt reassured. It was regrettable, however, that there was still no news of Luo Yixuan, and he had no idea what had befallen her.

Upon returning to his Longevity Wood Daoist Temple, Chen Mobai began to adjust his state, preparing for his Golden Core formation. His spiritual power had long been refined to a pure and flawless level by the Lamp Lighting Art, and with the Dual Phase Technique as a foundation, it was certainly sufficient for Golden Core formation. Though his physical body was cultivated in the Longevity Dao Body, it remained unperfected due to the scarcity of Longevity Tree sap. However, based on his deductions using the Formless Puppet, he believed this would not impede his Golden Core formation. The only remaining weakness was his spiritual sense. His recent expansion of the Golden Core domain also revealed to Chen Mobai that his talent in spiritual sense was not particularly outstanding. According to the theories of the Immortal Sect’s Imperial Medical Academy, while everyone encounters bottlenecks, the capacities of their Dantian Qi Sea and Purple Mansion Sea of Consciousness vary after breaking through them. Individuals with exceptional talent and profound foundations could store significantly more spiritual power and spiritual sense upon reaching Foundation Establishment Perfection. Evidently, Chen Mobai’s Purple Mansion Sea of Consciousness capacity was merely adequate.

After his spiritual sense reached the ninth level of Foundation Establishment, all the phoenix tree saplings that fragmented his spiritual sense had merged into a single tall, emerald phoenix tree, occupying his entire Purple Mansion Sea of Consciousness. Under normal circumstances, his spiritual sense should no longer have been able to grow. However, the extraordinary Spirit Control Art that Chen Mobai cultivated allowed him to store the increased spiritual sense as fruits. It was precisely for this reason that he would accept invitations whenever Meng Huang’er’s cultivation realm achieved a breakthrough. He condensed the spiritual sense gained from listening to the Profound Sound of the Heart into fruits, which he then hung on the emerald phoenix tree within his Purple Mansion Sea of Consciousness.

The Golden Liquid Jade Return Pill, the Immortal Sect’s foremost Golden Core elixir, could enhance one’s essence, qi, and spirit. The more thoroughly Chen Mobai prepared for Golden Core formation, the fewer deficiencies the Golden Liquid Jade Return Pill would need to compensate for, thereby increasing his success rate. Therefore, whenever he had spare time, he would sound the Morning Bell to purify himself.

Return Sky Valley.

After a brief conversation with Yan Shaoyin, Fu Zongjue received two Golden Liquid Jade Return Pills from him. As expected of the Eastern Wilderness’s foremost alchemist, after two failures, Yan Shaoyin successfully refined four pills in this batch. One of them, however, was of slightly inferior quality with minor flaws. However, Return Sky Valley possessed a special pill-nurturing technique capable of dissolving and improving elixirs with excessive toxicity or flaws. Aware of this, Fu Zongjue unhesitatingly took the two superior pills. Yan Shaoyin made no further comment, understanding that there would be many more opportunities for cooperation in refining the Golden Liquid Jade Return Pill in the future.

“I hear a peerless sword cultivation genius has emerged among your Divine Wood Sect’s younger generation, who slew two true disciples of the Profound Exaltation Daoist Palace and Ji Dingjin on the Yan Kingdom battlefield.”

As he was leaving, Fu Zongjue heard Yan Shaoyin’s pointed remarks, frowned, and cast a cold glance his way.

“What do you mean by that?”

“Two Golden Liquid Jade Return Pills: one for Chu Zuoshu. Surely, the other isn’t intended for him?”

Fu Zongjue, naturally, wouldn’t reveal the truth: “He’s been in Foundation Establishment for less than twenty years. His strength is merely due to mastering Sword Fiend. He’s still far from Golden Core formation.”

Yan Shaoyin: “That’s true, but with his aptitude, I imagine he’ll reach Foundation Establishment Perfection quite quickly, won’t he?”

Fu Zongjue: “What exactly are you trying to say?”

Yan Shaoyin: “Given Zhao Xuankang’s nature, he won’t idly stand by concerning a genius like this in your Divine Wood Sect.”

Fu Zongjue: “He came to see you?”

Yan Shaoyin: “We met. I won’t tell you the specifics of our conversation.”

After receiving Yan Shaoyin’s warning, Fu Zongjue nodded subtly, acknowledging his goodwill.

After leaving Return Sky Valley, Fu Zongjue’s puppet body suddenly split into four, each heading in a different direction.

“This fellow is quite cautious. Do we still need to intercept him?”

Nan Xuanjing, waiting in the shadows, frowned upon witnessing this scene and looked at Zhao Xuankang beside him. After a moment of contemplation, Zhao Xuankang shook his head.

“We still don’t know what elixir the Divine Wood Sect and Return Sky Valley are cooperating to refine, and we might not even be able to track the specific puppet carrying the elixir. Let’s not alert them and prematurely provoke a decisive battle with the Divine Wood Sect.”

Despite this, Nan Xuanjing still felt somewhat unwilling.

“What else could it be? Over the years, they’ve exchanged and purchased so many millennium herbs through the Star Sky Grand Merchant Association. It can only be to help Zhou Shengqing form a Nascent Soul.”

During their last encounter, he used a secret technique to discern Zhou Shengqing’s Golden Core Perfection realm. For years, the two of them had mobilized the Profound Exaltation Daoist Palace’s forces, monitoring every move of the Divine Wood Sect. Finally, two years ago, they uncovered the collusion between the Divine Wood Sect and Return Sky Valley. However, the primary reason for this collaboration was still the refinement of the Golden Liquid Jade Return Pill. Yan Shaoyin had already exhausted his connections and relationships in gathering the ingredients for the first two batches. The millennium herbs for the third batch simply couldn’t be sourced, forcing the Divine Wood Sect to step in and acquire them from the Sunken Sun Sea. Even though Fu Zongjue had maintained the utmost discretion, his activities were still detected by the Profound Exaltation Daoist Palace, the local overlords of Dongyi. Following the clues, they discovered that Yan Shaoyin was assisting the Divine Wood Sect in refining a Rank 4 elixir. For this matter, Zhao Xuankang even personally visited Return Sky Valley to probe, but was cleverly evaded by the cunning Yan Shaoyin.

“Yan Shaoyin has experienced the harshness of Old Ancestor Hunyuan before; he wouldn’t allow another Nascent Soul Old Ancestor to emerge in the Eastern Wilderness.”

Zhao Xuankang did not fully concur with Nan Xuanjing’s assessment. He was intimately familiar with all the Golden Core cultivators in the Eastern Wilderness and understood Yan Shaoyin’s character and disposition. He believed that even with the greatest temptation, Yan Shaoyin would not assist Zhou Shengqing in forming a Nascent Soul.

“Besides Nascent Soul elixirs, what other kind of elixir could compel the Divine Wood Sect and Return Sky Valley to collaborate on its refinement? Is it for advancing Golden Core cultivation? Do Yan Shaoyin and Fu Zongjue also seek Golden Core Perfection?”

Upon hearing this, Nan Xuanjing conceded that Zhao Xuankang had a point and began to speculate.

“Junior Brother, besides that, I’ve considered another possibility. Could what they’re refining be a Golden Core elixir?”

A gleam flickered in Zhao Xuankang’s aged eyes as he spoke, words that first caused Nan Xuanjing to frown, then to suddenly realize.

“A Golden Core elixir? It’s not impossible. The Divine Wood Sect has two Foundation Establishment Perfection cultivators; if they could gain another Golden Core cultivator, it might indeed change the situation in the Eastern Wilderness.”

Upon hearing this, Zhao Xuankang shook his head: “Meng Hong and Chu Zuoshu are not a concern; their chances of forming a Golden Core are less than twenty percent. What worries me is Chen Guixian.”

“Chen Guixian!?”

Upon hearing that name, Nan Xuanjing recalled his two disciples who had died in the Eastern Wilderness—his most promising inner-chamber true disciples, whom he had intended to pass on his legacy to. He had presumed that in the Eastern Wilderness, as long as Golden Core cultivators did not interfere, they would be invincible. Yet, no sooner had they entered the battlefield than they were slain by Chen Guixian. Though he was reluctant to admit it, comparing the deaths and defeats of his two disciples made it clear that Chen Guixian’s talent was in no way inferior to that of their Profound Exaltation Daoist Palace’s Dao Son. If not for this remote region of the Eastern Wilderness, Chen Guixian might have long soared to prominence, perhaps even having formed his Golden Core, just like their Dao Son.

“If it truly is a Golden Core elixir, what should we do?”

After the reminder, Nan Xuanjing also recognized the gravity of the situation. This Chen Guixian had mastered Sword Fiend during Foundation Establishment, making him invincible among his peers. If he truly succeeded in forming a Golden Core, with his peerless talent in sword cultivation, wouldn’t he become another Mo Douguang!

“The Grand Elder has not yet decided to act, so we cannot directly confront the Divine Wood Sect for now. Let’s employ some covert means.”

Zhao Xuankang spoke calmly, then parted ways with Nan Xuanjing and ventured deep into the Cloud Dream Marsh. After two months of continuous flight, nearing the Eastern Wu Region, he arrived at a mist-shrouded island.

“Zhao Xuankang of Profound Exaltation Daoist Palace pays his respects.”

He hovered in mid-air, concentrating his qi in his Dantian, and called out to the island.

“Zhao Xuankang? I didn’t expect you to be able to find this place?”

An eerie voice echoed from within the island, and the surrounding mist condensed into a gigantic ghostly face, staring down at the diminutive Zhao Xuankang.

“Tu Daohua, you once showed yourself in our Profound Exaltation Immortal City, and I provided you convenience then. Do you acknowledge this favor?”

Zhao Xuankang’s expression remained unperturbed as he calmly and confidently addressed the ghostly face in mid-air.

“Heh, this old man visited your Profound Exaltation Daoist Palace’s territory because I deigned to. Furthermore, I honestly paid my spirit stones. Since when does regular commerce count as a favor?”

“For ordinary cultivators, it naturally isn’t a favor. But you are a demonic cultivator. If I had spoken up then, I imagine my Grand Elder would have been delighted to slay you, a Golden Core demonic cultivator.”

After Zhao Xuankang’s words, Tu Daohua fell silent. Clearly, the Nascent Soul Grand Elder of the Profound Exaltation Daoist Palace still held considerable sway over him.

“Speak, what is your purpose in coming to me?”

Upon hearing this, Zhao Xuankang knew the deal was struck and offered a slight smile.

“A genius has emerged from the Divine Wood Sect. If given time to mature, he might very well form a Golden Core or even a Nascent Soul. I need you to use the Demonic Prayer Art of the demonic path to ruin his cultivation.”

“Three Profound Heaven Dark Gold Pills!”

Tu Daohua named his price. Zhao Xuankang shook his head and raised a single finger.

“Two pills, no less. Each use of this Demonic Prayer Art depletes my own destiny, and excessive use will also harm my own cultivation. If you don’t agree, you can leave now.”

Zhao Xuankang frowned slightly but still nodded. After all, he was asking for a favor, yet he also had his own conditions.

“Perform it in front of me now. Once it’s done, I’ll give you one pill. I only have one on me. After I confirm Chen Guixian’s cultivation is ruined, I’ll return to the Daoist Palace to retrieve the other pill for you.”

“This…”

Tu Daohua was keen to receive both pills immediately, but he understood the mutual lack of trust between them and recognized this as the most practical approach. He could only nod in agreement, but stated it couldn’t be done today.

“I have a distinguished guest to receive tomorrow, and this Demonic Prayer Art also requires the preparation of an altar and a straw effigy. Return in a month.”

Zhao Xuankang frowned slightly upon hearing this, but said nothing further, simply nodding in agreement.

“Provide me with the name and birthdate of the person you wish to curse, and I’ll prepare the straw effigy first.”

“That person’s name is Chen Guixian…”

Zhao Xuankang had conceived this idea after learning that Nan Xuanjing’s two disciples had been slain by a sword. Over the years, he had already meticulously gathered all of Chen Guixian’s information.

“Are you sure this is correct?”

Tu Daohua muttered “Chen Guixian” twice. After receiving Zhao Xuankang’s unequivocal confirmation, he dismissed his guest.

Zhao Xuankang, however, did not depart far from the island. He cast a concealment formation and hid somewhere beneath the water. He was somewhat curious about the person Tu Daohua was expecting. Demonic cultivators were typically solitary and unruly. What kind of person could Tu Daohua consider a “distinguished guest”? With this in mind, and knowing he would have to return in a month anyway, he decided to simply wait there.

At dusk the following day, Zhao Xuankang finally saw the arrival. It was an old woman in colorful attire. She was accompanied by a beautiful female cultivator, dressed in a long palace gown, with smooth, fair skin and a slightly melancholic jade-like face. They flew directly onto the island.

“Who is this person?” Zhao Xuankang murmured to himself. The old woman’s aura was unfathomable, and her cultivation far surpassed his own. In contrast, the strikingly beautiful female cultivator in the white palace gown beside her was merely at Foundation Establishment, and appeared to have only recently broken through, as she couldn’t fully conceal her aura. They must be master and disciple.