Chapter 547: Returning to the Sect

"You are the master of the Violet Lightning Sword, and my daughter is the master of the Azure Frost Sword. If you two practice the Violet-Azure Demon Refining Scripture together, consolidating the Nine Heavens Pure Spirit Violet Radiance Qi, your chances of breaking through to the Nascent Soul stage would significantly increase. Wouldn't it be wonderful to become the second pair of Qing Shi and Qing Jing, a divine couple admired by all, with your dual swords combined?"

Daoist Peach Blossom tried to persuade him again. This was indeed her primary reason for wanting Chen Mobai as her son-in-law.

With her backing, Pei Qingshuang's successful formation of a Core was assured. Even if she failed this time, Daoist Peach Blossom could use her own years of service as a Nascent Soul cultivator to help Pei Qingshuang exchange for another Golden Liquid Jade Elixir.

However, when it came to Nascent Soul-forming spiritual treasures, even she couldn't procure a second one for Pei Qingshuang.

This meant that if Pei Qingshuang didn't succeed in forming a Nascent Soul on her first attempt, she might be stuck at the Golden Core stage for life.

Within the Immortal Sect, the cultivation method best suited to Pei Qingshuang and most likely to increase her chances of forming a Nascent Soul was the Violet-Azure Demon Refining Scripture.

Although her daughter had not yet fully bonded with the Azure Frost Sword, Daoist Peach Blossom knew it was only a matter of time. As long as Pei Qingshuang could form a Core and her cultivation grew, the Azure Frost Sword, seeing hope, would eventually yield.

Daoist Peach Blossom, given her standing, knew that the combined power of the Violet Lightning and Azure Frost swords would allow them to absorb the Qi of the Two Polarities more easily, refining it into the Nine Heavens Pure Spirit Violet Radiance Qi.

After reading Lan Haitian's battle report detailing the slaying of the Pavilion Master of Blooming Flowers, Daoist Peach Blossom was utterly shocked to learn that Chen Mobai had already achieved a state of complete unity with the Violet Lightning Sword, their sword hearts clear and connected.

She was most aware of her daughter's talent in swordsmanship. Although she had given her daughter a boost with enlightenment tea, within the Immortal Sect, her talent was still only slightly inferior to the likes of Hao Cao, Nangong Xuanyu, and four others.

However, compared to Chen Mobai, the gap was simply too vast!

One could only say that his potential for Soul Transformation was terrifying!

The vast difference, evident when compared to her own daughter, solidified Daoist Peach Blossom's firm belief in Chen Mobai's qualifications as the Immortal Sect's top genius.

This was also one of the reasons she accepted the mission concerning Danxia City this time.

She wanted to see if she could find herself an ideal son-in-law.

"Thank you for your generous offer, Daoist," Chen Mobai replied. "However, I believe that relying on external help or objects to form a Nascent Soul can destabilize one's foundation. Therefore, I wish to achieve it on my own."

Since Chen Mobai had refused from the beginning, he naturally wouldn't go back on his word.

Still, he found an excuse and even stated that if he succeeded in forming a Nascent Soul in the future, he would use the Violet Lightning Sword to assist Pei Qingshuang, provided it didn't compromise his own foundation.

Upon hearing this, Daoist Peach Blossom's expression turned somewhat cold.

"Rely on himself to form a Nascent Soul!?"

"What a joke!"

Even she, a spiritual plant with a profound foundation, had to rely on the continuous drip irrigation of Myriad Transformation Thunderwater by the ancient sages of Gou Mang Daoist Academy to take human form.

She admitted that this young man might possess the potential for Soul Transformation, but he was overly confident and arrogant.

It seemed she would have to wait for him to experience enough setbacks before considering him as a son-in-law.

Daoist Peach Blossom had a long lifespan and was confident she could wait until Chen Mobai reached the peak of the Golden Core stage and faced a wall before the Nascent Soul breakthrough.

Behind Daoist Peach Blossom stood a group of young men and women with youthful faces. Although they all possessed Foundation Establishment cultivation, it was clear at a glance that they were students from the Gou Mang Daoist Academy, fresh out of their ivory tower.

At that moment, they all looked at Chen Mobai with expressions of reverence.

In the last two or three decades, Chen Mobai had been a legend in the Daoist Academy, a goal they all aspired to achieve.

And today, Chen Mobai's resolute refusal of Daoist Peach Blossom's offer, expressing his confidence in achieving Nascent Soul on his own, shocked and deeply impressed them even further!

Neither exceptional beauty nor the opportunity for a Nascent Soul breakthrough could make him bow his head or yield.

Was this the confidence and Dao heart of the Immortal Sect's top genius?

"In that case, I'll take over here. You may leave," Daoist Peach Blossom said.

After Chen Mobai's repeated refusal, the smile vanished from Daoist Peach Blossom's face. She gently flicked her sleeve and turned to walk towards the Jadeite Parasol Tree.

How could she just turn hostile like that?

Chen Mobai was somewhat unaccustomed to Daoist Peach Blossom's demeanor; everyone else in the Immortal Sect treated him with courtesy.

"That's just how the Principal is," Qing Nü interjected, leaning closer to Chen Mobai's ear to explain. "She's quite straightforward and doesn't like beating around the bush."

Perhaps because she was a spiritual entity that transformed directly into the Nascent Soul stage, Daoist Peach Blossom was unlike Daoist Narcissus, who had spent ten years mingling in Kunpeng Daoist Academy. Daoist Peach Blossom was characterized by her spontaneity and bluntness in her interactions.

After all, her starting point was the Nascent Soul stage; only Soul Transformation grand ancestors in the entire Immortal Sect could make her hesitate.

Therefore, hearing Chen Mobai repeatedly reject her good intentions, Daoist Peach Blossom was naturally very displeased.

If it weren't for the fact that the Dancing Weapon Daoist Academy, the power behind this young man, had a Soul Transformation grand ancestor named Ancestor Baiguang, Daoist Peach Blossom would certainly not have let the matter drop.

However, Chen Mobai, upon hearing Daoist Peach Blossom's words of dismissal, was secretly delighted.

"Then I'll leave this troublesome task to you, Daoist," he said.

After this polite exchange, Chen Mobai cheerfully packed up his tea table, tea sets, and other belongings from the mountaintop, and left with a relaxed expression.

This fellow...

Seeing Chen Mobai's demeanor, Daoist Peach Blossom grew even more irritated. In the past, whenever she showed her displeasure at the academy, her subordinates would respond with helpless, bitter smiles and agree to almost any of her demands.

"Principal, if there's nothing else, I'll take my leave as well," Qing Nü said, approaching Daoist Peach Blossom.

"We'll be setting up the Water Elemental Clear River Grand Array soon," Daoist Peach Blossom replied, stopping Qing Nü. "I recall you have a Heavenly Water Spiritual Root, which would be quite helpful."

"Oh..."

Upon hearing this, Qing Nü's face, which had been beaming with amusement from Chen Mobai's refusal of Daoist Peach Blossom, instantly fell. She lowered her head and assented.

"Lan Haitian, lead the Immortal Sect cultivators to suppress the fire veins of Danxia Mountain in these designated areas using spirit nails," Daoist Peach Blossom commanded. "Once I instruct the students to embed the formation flags, you may release them..."

Soon, Daoist Peach Blossom began giving commands. With a graceful wave of her slender right hand, a massive three-dimensional map of the entire Danxia Mountain Range appeared vividly in the air. Then, her left hand moved, and an azure-blue formation diagram materialized, settling over the 3D map. As the two overlapped, red and blue points immediately began to light up.

The red points indicated the spiritual nodes of the fire veins that Lan Haitian and his team needed to suppress with spirit nails.

The blue points marked the locations where the students from Gou Mang Daoist Academy needed to implant the formation flags.

All present were at least Foundation Establishment cultivators, and after Daoist Peach Blossom's single explanation using the 3D projection, they all understood the plan thoroughly.

Then, through continuous coordination, they began suppressing the fire veins and spiritual plants, and setting up the grand array.

When Chen Mobai reached the foot of the mountain, he glanced back, saw that intense activity had already begun on the peak, and left feeling relieved.

With Daoist Peach Blossom in command, even if the Pavilion Master Shenyu himself appeared, he wouldn't be able to cause any trouble!

Furthermore, due to the Pavilion Master of Blooming Flowers incident, Danxia City was likely now on the Immortal Sect's priority list. The Heaven-Mending Group would surely focus their attention here in the future, so there was no longer any need to worry about infiltration by the Ascension Cult.

After leaving the Danxia Mountain Range, Chen Mobai returned to Danxia City.

Besides visiting his parents and family, he also wanted to find out if any acquaintances had been apprehended by Lan Haitian.

He found quite a few.

The principal of Immortal Sect Fifth High School, along with several teachers who had graduated from the two local academies, were still being held.

In addition to these, his former deskmate Lu Hongsheng, who had returned from military service and attended a local academy, was also among them.

Besides these Qi Cultivators, there was also Shi Qujin, a Foundation Establishment cultivator with whom Chen Mobai had a good relationship.

After learning of Chen Mobai's return, his high school homeroom teacher Chai Deyun, Lu Hongsheng's wife Yu Shu, his old classmate Shi Jingjing, and others all came to his door with gifts.

"I'll go and ask about them for you," Chen Mobai said.

Chen Mobai had always been a compassionate person, but since it concerned the Ascension Cult, he needed to understand the situation first.

Chen Mobai waited two days until Lan Haitian returned from the Danxia Mountain Range, then invited him to dinner.

"Most of these individuals have been thoroughly investigated and can be released," Lan Haitian confirmed.

Lan Haitian readily agreed and released everyone except Shi Qujin the very next day.

"Foundation Establishment cultivators have a different status," Chen Mobai explained from his home to Shi Jingjing, Cao Yaling, Shi Yuanqing, and Xu Yuan, who sat opposite him. "If they are to be released, the procedure will be much more complex, requiring approval from the Enforcement Department in Wangwu Grotto-Heaven. But rest assured, I've already spoken with Lan Haitian and asked him to expedite the process as much as possible."

Shi Qujin had graduated from Chixia Academy and, as a Foundation Establishment cultivator who had rarely left Danxia City, he was arrested under strong suspicion.

Even though Cao Yaling and Shi Yuanqing were also Foundation Establishment cultivators and had personally come to intervene, there was nothing they could do.

"Thank you, old classmate, for helping to smooth things over," Shi Jingjing said, expressing her gratitude repeatedly to Chen Mobai as she left.

As Shi Qujin's daughter, Shi Jingjing repeatedly thanked Chen Mobai as she left. She had married Xu Yuan, and although neither had successfully reached Foundation Establishment, they held their wedding after returning from military service and now had a son and a daughter.

Had it not been for Shi Qujin's arrest, their lives would have been perfectly happy.

"It's nothing," Chen Mobai replied. "Brother Shi and I have a good relationship. As long as it's not related to the Ascension Cult, I'll certainly help."

After a brief exchange of pleasantries, Chen Mobai watched his four old classmates depart, feeling a slight pang of emotion.

The scenes of them playing and laughing in the classroom seemed still vivid in his mind, yet in the blink of an eye, the lively and adorable Shi Jingjing had become a mature woman.

Even Cao Yaling and Shi Yuanqing, who were Foundation Establishment cultivators, treated him with reserved respect. This sight made Chen Mobai feel a sense of loneliness.

Time flowed on, and nothing could return to how it once was.

Feeling this, Chen Mobai knew that his time with his family would become increasingly limited. Therefore, he specially took his parents back to Qingshan Village to celebrate the Lunar New Year with his grandparents.

After the New Year, Chen Mobai returned to Yumu City.

He didn't go to see Gu Changfeng, maintaining his usual hands-off approach to governance.

Instead, Yumu City and Qingsang Academy, having heard of Chen Mobai's glorious achievement of slaying the Pavilion Master of Blooming Flowers with three swords, proactively came to him, seeking his instructions for the new year.

In response, Chen Mobai stated that everything should proceed as usual, then left behind a Formless Puppet and returned to Redwood Ridge.

He first checked Luo Yixuan's soul lamp, confirming his young disciple was still alive, then summoned Zhuo Ming.

"Master, recently, while tending to that black spiritual plant, I heard an inexplicable voice guiding me..." Zhuo Ming reported after finishing her update on her current tasks, then hesitated before also mentioning Zhou Shengqing's guidance.

"That is the Dao sound left by an elder," Chen Mobai explained, reassuring Zhuo Ming. "Just listen to it. If you encounter anything you don't understand in the future, you may confide in it; you might find answers."

Knowing it was Zhou Shengqing, Chen Mobai reassured Zhuo Ming to treat him as another teacher.

"Yes, Master!"

With Chen Mobai's permission, Zhuo Ming finally relaxed. In the Heavenly River Realm, even within the same sect, changing allegiances while one's master was still alive was a very serious matter.

Liu Wenbai was not at Redwood Ridge; he had traveled to the State of Ming last year, arriving at the Five Elements Sect's Primal Chaos Immortal City ahead of Chen Mobai.

After seeing his disciple, Chen Mobai then summoned Yue Zutao, who reported on various sect matters.

Primarily, there was considerable resistance in the recently conquered territories of Yan, Xiao, and Hong states. Fortunately, the three state guardians had brought many disciples from the sect, and with the Divine Wood Sect's backing, they could always send Foundation Establishment cultivators. The rebellions were now mostly suppressed.

"In Yan State, the Profound Splendor Dao Palace has sent another Golden Core cultivator, Fang Xuanyang. Centered around the Nanxuan Sect of Baose Mountain, he is gradually eroding and recruiting rogue cultivators using Foundation Establishment Pills. Master, how do you think we should handle this?" Yue Zutao finally asked, presenting a matter he couldn't resolve on his own.

Another Golden Core cultivator?

Chen Mobai's brows furrowed slightly. He felt like taking his sword to Yan State and eliminating him, but then he remembered that Zhou Shengqing had not yet transformed into a Dharma Body Nascent Soul, and the Profound Splendor Dao Palace had genuine Nascent Soul cultivators. He quickly calmed down.

Perhaps this Fang Xuanyang was sent by the Profound Splendor Dao Palace specifically to test whether Zhou Shengqing had truly formed a Nascent Soul.

"I'll write a letter," Chen Mobai decided after some thought. "You can deliver it to E Yun."

After thinking it over, Chen Mobai decided to defeat the Nanxuan Sect honorably through commercial means.

After Yue Zutao left, Chen Mobai began his secluded cultivation at his Longevity Wood Dao field.

With the continuous conversion of high-grade spirit stones, his speed in enhancing the Golden Flame with Incendiary Art greatly increased. In just one month, he condensed the nine Azure Flame Sword Qi into a fist-sized Golden Flame.

This Golden Flame was precisely the minimum required to cast the Blazing Sun Slash.

That day, Yue Zutao and others, who were working in Divine Wood City, suddenly felt two powerful and intense spiritual energy fluctuations emanating from the direction of the Longevity Wood. Following this, a warm breeze swept through, causing the snow on the rooftops to suddenly melt into water. This scene caused them to be slightly surprised.

Among them, only Xie Yuntian from the Sword Practice Department seemed to realize something.

He looked towards Chen Mobai's Longevity Wood Dao field, his face filled with awe.