Chapter 556: Earth Spirit Locust (Extra Chapter with Monthly Ticket Bonus)

Pure Nine-Lotus Lantern

Chen Mobai decided to leave. Mo Douguang naturally wouldn't stop him; in fact, he insisted on personally escorting him to the border between Feng Country and Xia Country.

"Senior Brother Mo, you're too kind."

"I have nothing else to do anyway. Escorting you to the border will also help to deter Yan Shaoyin."

Since Mo Douguang put it that way, Chen Mobai no longer refused. Although Revert Heaven Valley only had Yan Shaoyin, a Core Formation cultivator, backing the Starry Sky Merchant Guild meant that the Divine Wood Sect couldn't really do anything to him. However, a necessary show of deterrence was still required. For a century after Patriarch Hunyuan's passing, Revert Heaven Valley had enjoyed too much comfort.

When the two went out, Muyuan and his group were already waiting outside. Besides them, the Twelve Sword Bearers of Golden Light Cliff were also present. Mo Douguang asked Chen Mobai to wait a moment, as he needed to give some instructions to a few managing Foundation Establishment cultivators.

"Uncle Chen, although I've made progress in cultivating the Azure Flame Sword Qi, I always struggle to wield it smoothly..." Taking advantage of the time, Jia Songyang shamelessly approached Chen Mobai to ask for guidance on various confusions he encountered while cultivating the Crimson Flame Sword Art. Golden Light Cliff and Divine Wood Sect were brother sects, so Jia Songyang was considered Chen Mobai's junior disciple-nephew. Therefore, Chen Mobai casually offered guidance. With his mastery of the Crimson Flame Sword Art, guiding a Foundation Establishment cultivator was naturally effortless. Coincidentally, he still had a few strands of Azure Flame Sword Qi that hadn't been refined into Golden Flame, so he simply demonstrated for Jia Songyang.

He opened his mouth and spat out a treasured pearl, its cyan-blue hue faintly glowing.

"Forming a Sword Pellet!"

Jia Songyang's eyes widened in envy at this sight. This was a sign of complete mastery over the power of Sword Qi, something he had always pursued but never achieved. The power of Azure Flame Sword Qi was simply too domineering and explosive. For a Foundation Establishment cultivator with his spiritual sense and physique, merely controlling it was already extremely difficult. After all, not everyone possessed a Fire Spirit Body like Chen Mobai, where the high temperature of the flames actually made his qi and blood flow more freely.

"Watch closely!"

As Chen Mobai spoke, the sword pellet formed from Azure Flame Sword Qi in front of him intentionally disintegrated slowly under his spiritual sense control, transforming into a streak of cyan-blue light that gently flew towards the summit of Golden Light Cliff. With a soft hiss, a green pine tree on the mountaintop was circled once by this streak of sword qi. Afterward, all the branches and pine needles were severed. But to Jia Songyang's shock, none of the branches cut by the Azure Flame Sword Qi were burned to ash. Even the severed points had clean, smooth cuts, showing no charring. This indicated that Chen Mobai had restrained all the high temperatures of the Azure Flame Sword Qi, achieving this feat solely with the sharpness of the sword qi.

"From now on, follow my method: find any tree, and when you can cut branches with clean, uncharred breaks, it means your Azure Flame Sword Qi has matured. However, to form a sword pellet, the severed parts must remain moist and be able to survive if re-grafted."

"Uncle Chen, your guidance is unforgettable."

Jia Songyang had only intended to clear up his confusion, but he never expected Chen Mobai to impart the "true scripture" of forming a sword pellet. Upon hearing it, he immediately prepared to perform a solemn bow. This trick was something Chen Mobai had found on a cultivation assistance software before he even began cultivating sword qi, initially thinking it would be useful for himself. But who knew his Fire Spirit Body was so mystical that after mastering the sword qi, he could directly form sword pellets?

"Although the Divine Wood Sect and Golden Light Cliff are two factions, they are one. You are my junior disciple-nephew, and not only you, but all junior disciple-nephews present can use this method to cultivate. It's also my hope that once you all mature, Senior Brother Mo and I can have an easier time."

Chen Mobai spoke nonchalantly. All the other Foundation Establishment cultivators from Golden Light Cliff looked over at this moment, their faces filled with gratitude, and in their excitement, they didn't forget to bow. Even Mo Douguang stopped speaking, his eyes slightly wide with shock. He considered himself a generous patriarch when it came to cultivation techniques, having imparted all twelve sword arts copied from the Five Elements Sect to the Twelve Sword Bearers without reservation. However, some of the tricks and methods for sword cultivation, Mo Douguang would only pass on to his direct disciples. After hearing Chen Mobai's words, Mo Douguang felt his own perspective was a bit narrow.

"Uncle Chen, I also have some questions about my cultivation..." Seeing the treatment Jia Songyang received, another Foundation Establishment cultivator from Golden Light Cliff couldn't help but shamelessly speak up.

"Enough. Junior Brother is leaving on a long journey. We'll stop here today. All of you, disperse." Mo Douguang spoke, stopping the crowd's impulse to rush forward and ask for guidance. His prestige at Golden Light Cliff was profound. The moment he spoke, everyone regretfully took their leave.

"Junior Brother, let's go."

Chen Mobai nodded, unfurled his Scarlet Cloud Mist Gauze, and the Divine Wood Sect group immediately stepped onto it. Mo Douguang led the way, and they followed, transforming into a five-colored auspicious cloud, flying away from Golden Light Cliff.

Xia Country is located on the southeastern side of the Eastern Barrens. Due to constant volcanic eruptions, it is the hottest place in the entire Eastern Barrens, directly opposite to Snow Country and Frost Country. Feng Country and Jian Country, situated between these two nations, are the most habitable places in the entire Eastern Barrens in terms of climate.

"Because Xia Country has volcanoes, its subterranean fire resources are extremely rich. The founding patriarch of Revert Heaven Valley saw this potential, which is why he established his sect there."

Along the way, Mo Douguang and Chen Mobai discussed the major sects of the Eastern Barrens. The two flew rapidly, soon arriving at the border.

"Greetings, Sect Master Chen, Patriarch Mo!"

At the border between Xia Country and Feng Country, Ye Bogui of Revert Heaven Valley was already waiting. Seeing Chen Mobai's group, he immediately flew up to greet them.

"Where's Yan Shaoyin? Not coming to greet us personally? Isn't that a bit disrespectful?" It was Mo Douguang who said this; he seemed to have come specifically to provoke.

"Please forgive us, both Patriarchs. My master had originally intended to personally come and greet you, but earth spirit locusts were suddenly discovered in the spiritual fields in Hua Country. To ensure that a locust plague doesn't form, he has already rushed there himself. Sect Master Chen, would you prefer to wait two days at Revert Heaven Valley, or should I take you directly to Hua Country to meet my master?" Ye Bogui listened with an apologetic expression, then explained the reason.

"Locusts?" Upon hearing this, Chen Mobai looked at Ye Bogui with some surprise. Could such a minor matter be more important than the visit of the sect master of the Eastern Barrens' largest sect? However, he noticed that the Divine Wood Sect members around him, and even Mo Douguang, all wore solemn expressions upon hearing the word "locusts," as if it were truly an earth-shattering event.

"If a locust plague forms, it would be a major catastrophe for the entire Eastern Barrens. Do you need our help?" It was Mo Douguang who spoke, his tone a complete reversal from his previous coldness.

"Thank you for your kindness, Patriarch Mo. It happens to be the season for Panlong Spirit Rice harvest, and Master Yu of the Starry Sky Merchant Guild is conveniently within the valley; he has already rushed there with my master."

"Yu Shuji! Heh, I suppose he was invited to stabilize Revert Heaven Valley, wasn't he?" Hearing that this person was present, Mo Douguang instead scoffed. Ye Bogui pretended not to hear, remaining silent. Chen Mobai had also heard of Yu Shuji's great name. He was a Core Formation cultivator of the Starry Sky Dao Sect and a fourth-tier spirit plant cultivator, arguably the foremost spirit plant cultivator within the three realms of Eastern Yi, Eastern Barrens, and Eastern Wu.

"Junior Brother Chen, I will escort you no further." Hearing that Yu Shuji was present, Mo Douguang knew that his presence likely wouldn't be enough to deter them, so he didn't waste any more time.

"Senior Brother Mo, I have a few more words to speak with you." Seeing Mo Douguang about to leave, Chen Mobai immediately called out to him. The two Core Formation cultivators then ascended higher into the sky. Ye Bogui, Muyuan, and the others could only wait where they were until the two finished their conversation and descended.

"Junior Brother, what else is it?"

"Are locust plagues really that terrifying?" As a sect master, Chen Mobai found it inappropriate to ask these questions of his subordinates, so he could only detain Mo Douguang.

"I had forgotten, Junior Brother, that you are young and probably haven't experienced the despair of an overwhelming locust plague. When I was a child, I personally watched a cow get gnawed to bones in a few breaths." As Mo Douguang spoke of this, a rare hint of fear flashed in his eyes, clearly indicating how terrifying the impression from his childhood was. "In this region of the Eastern Barrens, locust plagues have a long history, dating back to its very inception." Mo Douguang reminisced for a moment before beginning to recount.

"Junior Brother, don't you find it strange why Snow Country and Frost Country have a constantly cold and snowy climate? They are clearly located at the very center of the Eastern Barrens, and their terrain isn't high. Logically, they should have distinct seasons like Jian Country and and Feng Country." Chen Mobai had indeed never considered this question. Even if he had noticed it before, he would have merely attributed it to spiritual ley lines or unique geographical features, as it wasn't a significant matter, so he hadn't paid attention.

Chen Mobai: "Oh, is this also related to locust plagues?"

Mo Douguang nodded: "My master once told me that tens of thousands of years ago, when the Eastern Barrens was still a desolate ruin, a nest of earth spirit locust demon beasts infested the central region. Besides devouring spirit grasses and rice seeds, they could also consume trees, beasts, and even humans. Wherever they passed, all spiritual energy and life would be extinguished. Yan Country, Xiao Country, Hong Country, and even our Feng Country, along with the neighboring Frost Country and Snow Country, became barren and desolate due to these locusts devouring them for untold thousands of years. The great Eastern Land sect that originally presided over the opening of the Eastern Barrens encountered these earth locusts, losing more than half of their personnel. In the end, they even had to invite a Sacred Land to barely exterminate this overwhelming horde of demon beasts.

"The final battlefield was in Snow Country and Frost Country, where a patriarch from a great Eastern Land sect named Ice Heaven Snow Land intervened. At its peak, this sect was as renowned as Blazing Heaven Pure Land, and it had even produced Soul Transformation cultivators, specializing in ice-elemental Daoist techniques. Although earth locusts reproduce rapidly, they need to absorb the energy of subterranean fire to grow. The patriarch of Ice Heaven Snow Land employed forbidden Daoist techniques, transforming Frost Country and Snow Country, which were originally full of volcanoes, into their current icy worlds. Only then were they able to exterminate this nest of high-tier locust mothers that had nearly devoured the entire Eastern Barrens."

Hearing this, Chen Mobai couldn't help but be surprised. He never imagined that the Eastern Barrens had such a perilous environment before its development. However, if locusts were to become a widespread plague, they would indeed be a difficult problem to handle. There were records of such occurrences even in the ancient civilizations of the Immortal Sect. Even now, if one isn't careful, there can be news of various pests devouring the Immortal Sect's precious rice seeds. But within the Immortal Sect, there are many methods to deal with these. When Chen Mobai studied agronomy at the Dancing Weapon Dao Academy, half of his knowledge, besides spirit plants, was on how to efficiently and harmlessly eradicate various pests. Among these, the methods for dealing with locusts were the most numerous.

"It is said that Patriarch Yiyuan was born during the initial development of the Eastern Barrens. His parents were rogue cultivators from the Eastern Land who came here as pioneering cultivators to seek resources for Foundation Establishment, but his mother unexpectedly became pregnant." Mo Douguang then recounted another matter. As disciples of Patriarch Hunyuan, they had always regarded True Monarch Yiyuan as their own founding ancestor.

"So, the origins of Blowing Snow Palace are from Ice Heaven Snow Land, meaning it also has a Sacred Land heritage?" Chen Mobai suddenly thought of this and asked Mo Douguang.

"That's right. After the patriarch of Ice Heaven Snow Land killed the Mother of Locusts, he was also injured. So he entrusted the task of exterminating the remaining low-tier locusts to a disciple. Because of the vast numbers of locusts, one person traversing the Eastern Barrens would inevitably miss some areas. This disciple also didn't want to stay in this desolate land permanently, so she took on a disciple with an ice spirit root from among the pioneering cultivators. This person became the founding patriarch of Blowing Snow Palace. She took on the task of suppressing and exterminating the locusts, and feeling that she couldn't accomplish it alone, she began to widely accept disciples, founding the lineage of Blowing Snow Palace. Once her disciples also reached Core Formation, she put everything aside and went to the Eastern Land to join the Ice Heaven Sacred Land. Whenever a Core Formation cultivator appeared in Blowing Snow Palace, the previous Core Formation cultivator would go to the Eastern Land to seek further Daoist techniques and inheritances, until the Ice Heaven Sacred Land itself fell apart during a great catastrophe."

Without the Ice Heaven Sacred Land, even if the Core Formation cultivators of Blowing Snow Palace went to the Eastern Land, they would have no backing. Nevertheless, the reputation of a Sacred Land inheritance still held some sway. When Patriarch Hunyuan dominated the Eastern Barrens, he destroyed many great sects with Core Formation cultivators, but he spared Blowing Snow Palace precisely for this reason.

"Therefore, in the Eastern Barrens, if there's any possibility of locusts becoming a plague, they must be eliminated immediately."

"Thank you for clarifying, Senior Brother." After listening to Mo Douguang's explanation, Chen Mobai suddenly understood.

"Junior Brother, I'll be leaving now. If anything comes up, call me; I'll be here quickly!" After greeting Chen Mobai, Mo Douguang transformed into a streak of sword light and flew directly towards Golden Light Cliff.

"Let's go. Take me to Master Yan." After seeing off Mo Douguang, Chen Mobai flew down and said to Ye Bogui. He still held great respect for Yan Shaoyin, the foremost alchemist in the Eastern Barrens; after all, his own Golden Liquid Jade Restoration Pills were refined by Yan Shaoyin. Moreover, if he were to collect resources from the Eastern Barrens in the future to refine the Immortal Sect's three Spirit Medicines for Nascent Soul formation, he might still have to rely solely on Yan Shaoyin. After all, among the alchemists of the Divine Wood Sect, Zeng Woyou's potential was exhausted. As for the next generation, although Yan Jinye possessed outstanding talent in alchemy, she would at least need to reach Core Formation before she could refine high-grade fourth-tier elixirs. Chen Mobai felt he might not be able to wait until that day. Therefore, it was still very necessary to maintain good relations with the Eastern Barrens' foremost alchemist.

Ye Bogui led Chen Mobai and his group through Revert Heaven Valley's teleportation array, heading towards Hua Country, which possessed the most spiritual and medicinal fields in the Eastern Barrens.