Chapter 53: Expelled from the Sect

Although he knew the success rate of Foundation Establishment was very low, witnessing a failed attempt still profoundly impacted Chen Mobai.

He remembered his first encounter with Wu Wan, who held a book and exuded a scholarly elegance, making everyone he interacted with feel comfortable and at ease. If not for his later attempt to fabricate transactions for points, Chen Mobai's first impression of him would have been exceedingly positive.

"Are you selling gold?"

"Yes, take a look at these; how much can they fetch?"

Chen Mobai didn't ask Wu Wan about the specifics of his Foundation Establishment failure. After Wu Wan spoke, he immediately placed the forty gold bars he had exchanged at the Five Elements Sect's silver exchange in Nanxi Market on the table.

"Please wait, I'll get the scale."

Wu Wan coughed lightly and retrieved the artifact scale, specifically designed for measuring gold weight and purity, from the rack.

Since the gold was used for trade among cultivators in the Celestial River Realm, it had been refined with spiritual energy, so its purity was unquestionable.

"The price of gold has risen slightly. How about 4300 good deeds for these?"

"No problem, let's go with that price."

Chen Mobai nodded, and the two quickly completed the transaction.

"Did that needle case sell?" Wu Wan asked suddenly after transferring the funds.

"No, I'm using it myself."

"If you need any artifact appraisals in the future, you can come back to me. I'll give you a discount."

"Okay." After agreeing, Chen Mobai bid farewell and left Wu's Gold Shop.

He wondered if Wu Wan could cultivate to the late-stage Qi Condensation before turning 60. If so, he surely wouldn't miss another chance to attempt Foundation Establishment.

Many cultivators in the Immortal Sect did not consider marriage before the age of 60, all for the sake of achieving Foundation Establishment. For instance, Chen Mobai's grandparents both attempted Foundation Establishment twice before turning 60. Only after reaching that age limit did they consider procreation and establish a family. Consequently, after giving birth to Chen Xinglan and his two siblings, the two elders, weakened by the depletion of their vital essence, passed away when Chen Mobai was very young.

This was one of the two main prevailing philosophies within the Immortal Sect. One believed that worldly attachments would inevitably hinder the path of cultivation. The other maintained that only by embracing the world could one achieve God Transformation and transcend the mundane.

Chen Mobai had seen cultivators from both factions debating this topic on many forums and had contemplated the issue himself.

If possible, he naturally wished to cultivate with a clear mind, unbothered by worldly trivialities. However, if achieving Foundation Establishment meant abandoning his family, friends, and emotions, he would certainly be unwilling.

At that moment, he yearned for a teacher who could answer the doubts in his heart.

Unbeknownst to him, he had already returned to his neighborhood. He looked up and saw the Evergreen Pharmacy.

He couldn't help but smile faintly. After selling the gold, he now had over 6000 good deeds in his account, enough to purchase the medicinal ingredients for another pool of Qi-Replenishing Spiritual Water.

However, to avoid attracting the attention of the Immortal Sect's regulatory department by trading too much gold, he was already planning to investigate the medicinal ingredient market in the Celestial River Realm to see if he could acquire the three main ingredients there. The four auxiliary ingredients were industrial raw materials that could only be produced on Earth Star. Fortunately, they were inexpensive and not exclusively needed for alchemy, so buying a bit extra shouldn't raise any concerns.

Suppressing the distracting thoughts in his mind, Chen Mobai stopped overthinking. His own progress in cultivation was what truly mattered. As long as there was an ample supply of Qi-Replenishing Spiritual Water prepared by Qing Nü, and having already mastered divine sense, he could advance to the seventh layer of Qi Condensation before the entrance exams for the Four Great Dao Academies.

He entered the Evergreen Pharmacy and waited for a while. But Qing Nü never came out.

Huh? Had the small formation that signaled in the backyard stopped working?

He waited a bit longer, but still saw no one. Chen Mobai couldn't help but call out, "Is anyone here!"

After calling out three times, just as Chen Mobai was about to call Qing Nü, an old man with a prominent nose, deep-set eyes, and a purple robe emerged. He glared irritably. "What's all this noise? Can't a man even get a nap in peace!"

"Uh, excuse me, Senior Gu? I'm a friend of Qing Nü." Qing Nü had once mentioned her teacher's name, and Chen Mobai, naturally remembering the Foundation Establishment expert, asked politely after bowing.

"Don't come looking for her here anymore. I've already expelled that girl from my tutelage!"

"What?!" Chen Mobai's eyes widened in disbelief.

"Senior Gu, what do you mean by that? What happened to Qing Nü?"

"Now that I hear your voice, I recall. You're the young boss who supplies my unworthy disciple with alchemy ingredients, aren't you? Hmph, don't you know that every alchemist's pill furnace and medicine pool are their exclusive taboos? I could overlook that wretched disciple using you as a scapegoat, but she should not have used my medicine pool to practice. Committing such a transgression, expulsion from the sect is a light punishment. In the past, I would have crippled her cultivation entirely!"

"Just for that? What kind of feudal, pedantic thinking is this!" Upon hearing Gu Changfeng's words, Chen Mobai couldn't help but raise his voice, defending Qing Nü.

"How dare you, young man, speak to this old man like that." Gu Changfeng flew into a rage, and the powerful spiritual aura of a Foundation Establishment cultivator erupted, making it difficult for Chen Mobai to breathe, his legs turning weak, almost forcing him to his knees.

Under the invisible, oppressive pressure, Chen Mobai's initial anger gradually dissipated, and clarity returned to his mind. He couldn't help but speak again. "Senior Gu, Qing Nü used your medicine pool for alchemy because she was acting on my behalf. If you're angry, I can compensate you for your losses, or even help you build a new medicine pool. Qing Nü is innocent. If you expel her from your tutelage, I will carry that guilt for the rest of my life."

"Quite a big claim. Do you know how many good deeds even the smallest medicine pool requires?"

"No, I don't, Senior. Please tell me. Even if I don't have that many good deeds immediately, I assure you I won't default on the debt."

"The medicine pool in my shop is a low-grade second-tier artifact, worth eight hundred thousand good deeds."

"I don't have that much right now, but I will definitely give it to you once I gather it. I only ask that you reconsider, Senior." Hearing this, Gu Changfeng narrowed his eyes. At some point, he had withdrawn his spiritual pressure, and Chen Mobai could breathe freely again.

"It's too late. This old man has already canceled her disciple registration at the Ministry of Education's Inheritance Hall. She is no longer my disciple, Gu Changfeng's." Having said this, he waved his sleeve, and a powerful spiritual force pushed Chen Mobai out of the pharmacy.

"Don't come here again. You're not welcome."

"Then tell me where I can find Qing Nü?"

*Bang!*

His reply was met with the loud thud of a closing door.

Chen Mobai naturally couldn't force open the shop door sealed by a Foundation Establishment cultivator. He could only turn and head towards the place he remembered Qing Nü lived. He recalled the platform where Qing Nü had alighted when they went to see the Jade Phoenix Troupe.

It was two stops away. He had no time to wait for a vehicle and instead used his Lightness Technique to hasten his journey.

Inside the pharmacy, Gu Changfeng watched Chen Mobai's hurried departure with a silent expression. He then turned to look at the blue-backed, black-lettered jade business card lying on the counter.

Lan Haitain.