Chapter 518: Ten Directions Hall

“How did the Purple Lightning Sword become so greedy?”

This thought was the only one in Chen Mobai's mind after he heard it.

He instinctively felt he couldn't indulge it. It dared to ask for more spirit stones now; what would it demand in the future! However, with the arrow already on the string, he needed the Purple Lightning Sword's full cooperation to contend with Xuan Shu, who was in the late Core Formation stage. Therefore, Chen Mobai could only agree for now.

Chen Mobai: “How many spirit stones to kill him? Name your price.”

Purple Lightning Sword: “Well... I probably can't kill him.”

The Purple Lightning Sword, which had been so confident and demanding more spirit stones, suddenly deflated a bit.

Chen Mobai: “Can't kill him?! And you still dared to ask for more spirit stones!”

Purple Lightning Sword: “Uh... how about... I don't ask for more for now.”

The naive Purple Lightning Sword thought it over and realized he had a point. After all, it had only asked for half a spirit stone to slay previous enemies, and now it wasn't even sure it could kill, so asking for more would be a bit embarrassing.

Chen Mobai: “However, the opponent's cultivation is higher. If you can wound him, I'll reward you with another half, making it a full one.”

Upon hearing this, the Purple Lightning Sword, whose morale had been a bit low, instantly became highly motivated.

Amidst rumbling thunder, a purple current flashed in the void, winding and coiling like a dragon-serpent, pouring into the long-handled sword in Chen Mobai's palm. Chen Mobai felt three-tenths of the vast pure Yang spiritual energy in his Dantian Qi Sea being instantly drained, and even his Golden Core dimmed considerably. However, with this, he felt the power gathered by the Rank 4 sword in his palm was even more terrifying and sharp than the previous strike.

Amidst sizzling sounds, Chen Mobai raised his sword!

A streak of purple light burst from the sword tip, like a purple rainbow tearing through the sky and rending the earth, soaring straight to the heavens. Clouds across the sky rotated around it. The spiritual energy of heaven and earth above Giant Wood Ridge was stirred by this sword, generating faint purple electric flashes in the void that shimmered and submerged into the sword and Chen Mobai's body holding it.

A tingling sensation, like acupuncture, spread from the hand holding the sword throughout his entire body. Had Chen Mobai not cultivated the Longevity Dao Body, he would likely have been injured by this. Before he could ask the Purple Lightning Sword, a dazzling golden meteor had already burst forth from Xuan Shu's right hand. The renowned "Sun-Shooting Divine Halberd Art" from Xuanxiao Dao Palace, wielded by him, unleashed power far exceeding that of Nan Xuanjing.

Chen Mobai waved his left sleeve, and an ancient bronze mirror flew out. After pure Yang spiritual energy was infused, the Six Yang Divine Fire Mirror instantly transformed into a semicircular light shield, blocking in front of Chen Mobai.

With a crash!

The golden meteor directly collided with the Xuan Yang Divine Light Shield, erupting in a dazzling, blinding golden-red shockwave. The air currents from the explosion rippled continuously like water waves in mid-air. Chen Mobai felt the pure Yang spiritual energy in his Dantian Qi Sea being frantically absorbed by the Six Yang Divine Fire Mirror, and he couldn't help but frown slightly.

It consumed four times the amount compared to facing Nan Xuanjing! After only two brief exchanges with Xuan Shu, Chen Mobai had already used up more than half of his spiritual energy.

This can't go on. One last strike to save face!

With this thought, Chen Mobai, who had originally intended to strike three times, felt his eyes suddenly brighten. He reached out and released the Purple Lightning Sword.

“Master...”

The Purple Lightning Sword only felt the tight grip on it disappear and was filled with doubt. It thought Chen Mobai couldn't withstand the purple lightning infusion after its power increased by another ten percent. Just as the Purple Lightning Sword was wondering whether to disperse one-third of the condensed purple aura, a translucent skeletal hand emerged from the void to Chen Mobai's right. Five-colored light shimmered around the skeletal fingertips, conveying a sense of continuous circulation and flawless perfection, as it firmly grasped the long-handled sword suspended in mid-air!

“I want to try out the maximum power I can control from you right now. Continue refining the spiritual energy of heaven and earth into purple lightning. Don't stop until I tell you to!” Chen Mobai's consciousness transmitted this to the Purple Lightning Sword, which didn't hesitate. It hadn't realized how long it had been since it last unleashed its full power. Although it still couldn't display its peak form, being able to enhance itself further was still very exciting.

And so, the Purple Lightning Sword began to run wild!

Rumble!

In the void, what had initially been just one thick purple current, like a dragon-serpent, was instantly joined by another! The purple currents were absorbed by the sword tip, extending along the blade to the translucent five-element sword arm of the Myriad Laws Body. Although Chen Mobai's physical body no longer had to endure the pain of the purple lightning infusion, his spiritual consciousness still bore the heavy pressure of controlling this power. Soon, as two half-dragon-serpent purple lightning currents appeared in the void, he felt his spiritual consciousness, at the second level of Golden Core, reach its limit and immediately called a halt.

At that moment, the collision between the Six Yang Divine Fire Mirror and the Sun-Shooting Divine Halberd Art also reached its peak! Amidst the thunderous roar, the golden halberd's spiritual energy was depleted, and it fell dismally from mid-air. The Six Yang Divine Fire Mirror also trembled and flew back into Chen Mobai's sleeve. The defensive spell of this magical artifact, the Xuan Yang Divine Light, actually showed signs of damage. This showed the immense power of Xuan Shu's spell!

However, after Chen Mobai blocked one Sun-Shooting Divine Halberd Art, Xuan Shu, standing on the jade bridge opposite, had already taken out two more golden halberds from his storage bag. With golden light flashing in his palms, two more comet-like golden streams of light shot forth from his hands. But a dark purple sword aura, obscuring the sky, simultaneously burst forth from the translucent five-colored arm beside Chen Mobai. The sword aura, like a wheel, instantly centered on the Purple Lightning Sword, cutting towards Xuan Shu's location as if mowing grass.

The two golden meteors formed by the Sun-Shooting Divine Halberd Art encountered the dark purple sword aura midway. They only resisted for two breaths before being crushed into a sky full of golden dust. Xuan Shu's eyes widened at this sight. The golden jade bead he had retrieved was expelled once more. A surge of immense spiritual energy erupted, transforming into a golden gale that enveloped Xuan Shu like a whirlwind. As the dark purple wheel-like sword aura sliced through, the golden gale burst forth with an extremely dazzling brilliance, instantly surpassing the Rank 3 level.

“A Rank 4 defensive artifact!?”

Only then did Chen Mobai realize why this former Saint Son of Xuanxiao Dao Palace dared to come knocking after he had effortlessly slain Nan Xuanjing with the Purple Lightning Sword. It turned out he also had a Rank 4 magical artifact to rely on!

The purple lightning and golden gale collided in mid-air, each dominating half the sky above Giant Wood Ridge. The vast fluctuations of heaven and earth spiritual energy caused over a hundred Foundation Establishment cultivators from Divine Wood City, who had come to celebrate Chen Mobai's Core Formation, to tremble involuntarily. Foundation Establishment cultivators could already initially control the spiritual energy of heaven and earth to cast spells. Compared to Qi Condensation cultivators, who only vaguely perceived the dazzling brilliance, they could more acutely feel the terrifying power of the two combatants above. If the two magical artifacts colliding in mid-air were to fall here now, at least half of the Foundation Establishment cultivators present would likely perish.

“Is this the power of Core Formation cultivators, the strongest force in the Eastern Barrens!?”

While some family Foundation Establishment cultivators were still in awe of Chen Mobai and Xuan Shu, Kong Shanxu of the Five Elements Sect and Ye Bogui of the Heaven-Returning Valley wore solemn expressions. They were both direct disciples of their respective Core Formation masters and had personally witnessed their teachers in action. However, they felt that either of the two fighting in the sky seemed slightly stronger than their own masters.

That Xuan Shu was so powerful, they could still understand. After all, a century ago, he was a peerless genius who dominated the Eastern Yi, even considered to possess the potential to form a Nascent Soul. But how could Ancestor Chen of the Divine Wood Sect, even if he was a peerless sword cultivation genius like Xuan Shu, fight so fiercely against late Core Formation Xuan Shu, given that he had only just formed his Core? Could it be that Ancestor Chen's talent was even more heaven-defying than Xuan Shu's!?

At this thought, both Kong Shanxu and Ye Bogui became a little restless. Zhou Shengqing of the Divine Wood Sect forming a Nascent Soul had already made their two sects feel like thorns in their sides. Now, this newly formed Core Formation cultivator possessed such terrifying talent; didn't that mean the more time he had, the less room they would have to resist!?

Just as the two were contemplating how to curb the Divine Wood Sect's development, the collision of the two Rank 4 magical artifacts in mid-air finally yielded a victor. The Myriad Laws Body that had appeared beside Chen Mobai began to vanish inch by inch like wisps of smoke. With a hum, the Purple Lightning Sword descended before him. Across from him, Xuan Shu's face was slightly pale. He opened his mouth and swallowed the golden jade bead back into his body.

“Master, I sense that the opponent isn't fully attuned to his artifact; its operation is somewhat hindered. Also, he likely expended his Golden Core's foundational spiritual energy to unleash its Rank 4 power. With us united as one, if we just strike one more time like before, we might be able to kill him.”

The Purple Lightning Sword's excited emotions transmitted to Chen Mobai's mind, but feeling the almost empty pure Yang spiritual energy in his Dantian Qi Sea, Chen Mobai could only shake his head. If he were to act again, he would have to activate his Golden Core's foundational spiritual energy, and that was something that depleted with each use. There was no need to damage his foundation for the sake of Xuan Shu.

“What is the origin of your sword?”

At this moment, Xuan Shu, in front of Chen Mobai, took a pill. In an instant, his somewhat pale complexion became rosy. He looked up at the Purple Lightning Sword, his gaze sharp.

“And what is the origin of your bead?” Chen Mobai smiled and retorted. The last remaining spiritual energy in his Dantian Qi Sea began to circulate, preparing to activate the Earth-Leaving Flame Light Escape at any moment to descend into the Myriad Woods Grand Formation below.

“A hundred years ago, a relic appeared in Wandering Mountain of the Eastern Yi, left by the Overturning Sea Sect, one of the Ten Direction Palaces. I entered it and obtained this Golden Gale Pearl.”

Xuan Shu actually revealed the origin of his Rank 4 treasured bead, which slightly surprised Chen Mobai. Though he wasn't very clear about the rise and fall of various minor forces during his many years in the Divine Wood Sect, he had read all the legendary epics in the Heavenly River Realm concerning Sacred Lands, Soul Transformation cultivators, and even ascended Grand Powerhouses. The name of the Ten Direction Palaces was among them. They were sects dispatched during the peak of the Eastern Land Imperial Court to suppress the ten directions of heaven and earth. When the ten palaces united, even the great Sacred Lands with Soul Transformation cultivators had to retreat a significant distance. After the Eastern Land Imperial Court disintegrated, some of these Ten Direction Palaces were destroyed, some left the Eastern Land to continue their legacy, and some, relying on their immense power, managed to survive the great catastrophe and even became one of the Sacred Lands. Since Xuan Shu possessed a treasure from the Ten Direction Palaces, had he also inherited the legacy of the Overturning Sea Sect? The Overturning Sea Sect was said to practice arts of overturning rivers and seas. At its peak, under the imperial decree of the Eastern Land Imperial Court, it suppressed the dragon kings of the waters and seas outside the Eastern Land, to the point where they dared not step ashore.

“I'm finished. What about yours?”

Xuan Shu spoke again. After taking the pill, the pale and weakened aura he had after using the Golden Gale Pearl completely vanished. He seemed to have recovered all his spiritual energy, his gaze burning as he looked at the Purple Lightning Sword in Chen Mobai's hand.

It seems I need to bring *that* out.

Chen Mobai had thought long ago about how to explain the various magical artifacts and spiritual items he brought from the Immortal Sect side here in the Heavenly River Realm. That was to use the name of the Longevity Sect. Zhou Shengqing and Fu Zongjue were already deeply convinced of this, firmly believing that Chen Mobai had obtained the true inheritance of this ancient grand sect and was the living descendant of the Longevity Sect's Azure Emperor.

Chen Mobai raised the Purple Lightning Sword in his hand and lightly released it. With his Golden Core Domain activated, the void opened up like a gaping maw, slowly swallowing the Rank 4 sword until it completely vanished in mid-air. Xuan Shu's eyes suddenly narrowed at this sight. At his cultivation level, he was actually unable to see how the sword had disappeared?

“I am the Saint Son of the Longevity Sect!”

At this moment, Chen Mobai had already declared his 'true' identity with absolute certainty!

Upon hearing this, Xuan Shu was first shocked, then a flicker of realization crossed his face. His gaze turned solemn as he looked at the clear-faced youth who had just formed his Core. The Longevity Sect was an even older power than the Eastern Land Imperial Court. It was said to have venerated a Longevity Celestial Venerable. Unfortunately, one day, for unknown reasons, all the high-level cultivators of the Longevity Sect vanished overnight. However, the Longevity Sect's ruins were spread across the six domains of the Eastern Land. True Monarch Yiyuan's ascension was due to cultivating the Longevity Art, greatly increasing his lifespan and restoring his youth. If this person had indeed obtained the Longevity Sect's inheritance, then everything made sense. For this grand power that once venerated a Longevity Celestial Venerable, a Rank 4 sword artifact was merely commonplace. In that case, his inability to defeat Chen Mobai wasn't because his opponent was exceptional, but simply because the Longevity Sect's sword artifact was powerful.

With this thought, Xuan Shu, his mind now balanced, cast another deep glance at Chen Mobai. Then, without another word, he turned and rode his jade bridge, disappearing into the horizon.

“Is this guy just here to seek revenge for Nan Xuanjing? Or was he sent by Xuanxiao Dao Palace to be stationed in the Eastern Barrens?” Chen Mobai watched Xuan Shu's disappearing figure, contemplating this.

Just then, a golden light flared at the teleportation array in Giant Wood Ridge, and Mo Douguang's figure appeared. He quickly flew to Chen Mobai's side with Fu Zongjue.

“Junior Brother Chen, can we pursue him?” Mo Douguang asked.

“My spiritual energy is depleted; I can no longer act. Senior Brother Mo has also just broken through, so it's more important for you to consolidate your realm. Let's let him off the hook today.”