Chapter 571: Inspection of the Six States

Pure Nine-Lotus Lamp:

After Nujiang left, Chen Mobai stayed in Yun Nation for another three days. He was mostly at the Liu family, as it was his eldest disciple's family, and as a master, he certainly had to offer some support.

Besides this, Liu Jingxian was also planning an industrial upgrade to cultivate second-tier flower rice, which involved filling in the family's spiritual pond used for raising Azureblood Carp.

The knowledge required for this was far beyond what a cultivation family could possess. It involved various aspects, necessitating not only spiritual plant cultivators but also geomancers, and even formation masters, among others.

Since Chen Mobai happened to be free, he came over to help Liu Jingxian assess the situation.

"This spiritual pond is located at the lower opening of your Liu family's spiritual vein, serving as a crucial hub for circulating spiritual qi. If it's filled in, your Liu family's third-tier spiritual vein will gradually decline. You absolutely must not proceed with this plan," Chen Mobai stated. He input the Liu family's spiritual vein map into the Faceless Puppet's chip, then added the nearby mountains, rivers, and water systems, quickly extrapolating a 3D topographic map.

After hearing his words, Liu Jingxian looked greatly astonished. The main reason he wanted to fill in the spiritual pond was that raising Azureblood Carp wasn't very profitable. Qi Cultivators generally couldn't afford it, and while cultivators from aristocratic families and sects could, most preferred to use their spirit stones to buy pills or spirit rice that enhanced cultivation.

Most of the Azureblood Carp raised by their family were acquired by Tiancan Tower. Since this was their only major client, the price could never be raised.

Before the patriarch passed away, leading the Zhou family to align with Chen Mobai was indeed the correct decision. Among the guardians of the eight nations, He Shanyong had the weakest background. If his authority were to disappear, my Great Eight Halls and Seventeen Divisions could likely gain another eight or seven Foundation Establishment cultivators.

Yun Mengze somewhat understood Zhou Shengqing's thoughts. After all, Liu Jingxian was a senior from Nanxuan Sect, and since he encountered him after his Foundation Establishment, he might as well offer some guidance.

In recent years, Liu Jingxian was the most outstanding in terms of spiritual roots and comprehension within the Zhou family, apart from myself.

"Reporting to the sect master," Zhou Shengqing began, "currently, I only have the hall masters of the Great Eight Halls as Foundation Establishment cultivators. If we were to have a full-scale conflict with Zhou Bingyan in the future, this manpower would be insufficient. Over the years, I've increasingly realized how crucial the Guardian position is under Yun Mengze's new policy. It was likely established to cultivate the next generation of sect masters. If my cultivation is high enough, and I have enough Foundation Establishment cultivators under my command, along with the support of a Core Formation patriarch, I could even, in the future, overturn the status quo at Redwood Ridge and declare myself the true inheritor of the Zhou Royal God." Yun Mengze affirmed Zhou Shengqing's achievements over the years and subtly revealed some upcoming plans targeting the Snow Blowing Palace and Returning Spirit Pond.

"Sect Master, the tea is here!" After leaving, Chen Mobai specifically instructed Dong Xuanze, the Guardian of Yun Nation, to pay special attention to the Tiangu family, to prevent anyone from getting jealous seeing them profit from spirit rice and turning into rogue cultivators to attack them.

"Many thanks, Sect Master..."

"Do you have any questions regarding your cultivation?" Yun Mengze asked. "Since I'm here, I might as well offer you some guidance."

"As for the Azureblood Carp cultivated in that second-tier pond, if Tiancan Tower's price is too low in the future, send them to Zhou Royal God. I will acquire them at a price of 300 spirit stones." He added that when rogue cultivators have ample spirit stones, they no longer just blindly buy pills; they selectively purchase various spirit rice types that are compatible with their cultivation methods and physiques.

Under those circumstances, Sect Master Chen (Liu Jingxian) could no longer sit idly by. He prepared to fill in the family's second-tier pond to convert it into fields for cultivating second-tier spirit rice.

Besides their previous clash with Mount Shaking Peak, Yun Mengze and Lian Chenghai were comrades. Also, Lian Maozhi, whom Yun Mengze brought this time for spiritual vein-based Foundation Establishment, was also from the Lian family.

"As the sect master, I cannot give you special treatment," Yun Mengze told Zhou Shengqing. "However, you indeed face great pressure in Xiao Nation... How about this: after I return, I will reopen the authority of the guardians, allowing your 'Seventeen Divisions' to recruit Foundation Establishment cultivators." Once cultivated, they were all preferentially supplied to Yun Mengze, the sect master.

Fu Zongjue also had to come and take charge for a period.

"Many thanks, Sect Master!" After hearing this, Zhou Shengqing's eyes lit up, and he expressed his willingness to lead that matter on behalf of the spiritual vein.

"It seems we still need to find a way to thoroughly clear out the Divine Wood Sect." Therefore, even kings and nobles in the mortal world are trying to acquire spirit rice for consumption. Even if it cannot generate spiritual roots, it can at least improve their physique, hoping that the next generation, or even the generation after that, might produce descendants with spiritual roots.

"Chen Mobai," someone said, "several families in your Yun Nation also had that idea before, jointly demarcating an area near He Shanyong and setting up formation restrictions. But when the beast tide came, everything was lost, so you all gave up afterwards."

"When it comes to cultivation, just let nature take its course," Yun Mengze advised. "Rushing for quick success will destabilize your foundation, which is detrimental to breakthroughs in minor realms later on."

"This second-tier cultivation is, after all, limited in scale," Yun Mengze said. "Your Tiangu family can try cultivating near the Divine Wood Sect in the future. Coincidentally, you and Senior Brother Nujiang are acquainted, and I will also have the spiritual vein's Foundation Establishment cultivators at Divine Wood Sect protect you." When Chen Mobai was in Lei Nation, Zhou Shengqing had been eagerly anticipating his arrival.

Some sensitive-minded individuals likely guessed something. While feeling sorrowful, they also loosened restrictions on their family members operating within the spiritual veins, deeming it no longer necessary to be excessively low-key.

Although Zhou Shengqing was not like Yin Qingmei or Hong He, who were Core Formation seeds, he was second only to them. At least he was capable of achieving Foundation Establishment perfection and attempting Core Formation. Therefore, Yun Mengze also paid a little attention to him.

Even the strongest formations cannot withstand hordes of seventh-tier demonic beasts.

Previously, Zhou Shengqing could still consult Nanxuan Sect, but before the latter prepared for Nascent Soul formation, he lost contact with them.

"I didn't expect the Sect Master to still recognize my grand-niece," Zhou Shengqing said. "She has been training by your side for the past few years, and her cultivation level is almost mature. A few days ago, Zhou Bingyan auctioned Foundation Establishment Pills, and I sent someone to buy one. I was just about to send her back to Heshanyong to prepare for Foundation Establishment." Zhou Shengqing thought this, then asked how to break through to the late Foundation Establishment stage most quickly.

Yun Mengze and Sect Master Chen (Liu Jingxian) returned to their initial topic. With the aid of the Faceless Puppet's global, omnidirectional deduction and planning, he easily formulated the most suitable industrial upgrade route for Tiangu.

With more and more successful examples, the price of spirit rice naturally rose.

"Cultivate diligently; Foundation Establishment shouldn't be a big problem."

"You needn't worry about this," Yun Mengze reassured him. "Soon, the Snow Blowing Palace and Returning Spirit Pond will no longer have the capacity for such petty actions."

"You and I have some karmic affinity," Yun Mengze said to the grand-niece. "Extend your hand." The Longevity Dew was an ancient formula. Some of its ingredients were hard to find in the current Tianhe Realm, and Zeng Woyou had only recently discovered a successful method after wasting many batches using substitution techniques.

First-tier Azureblood Carp were much harder to sell than seventh-tier ones. If there was anything good, it should first prioritize one's own people.

It was even more so after Nanxuan Sect successfully formed its Nascent Soul, as no one from the Zhou family could contact Nanxuan Sect anymore.

"Sect Master," Zhou Shengqing said, "I don't want to fall behind Senior Brother Hong He. After all, if we compete for the sect master position in the future, my realm certainly can't be lower than his. If the Zhou family could produce another Foundation Establishment cultivator after me, it would also be an achievement for me, who can almost be considered the Zhou family head." After establishing a cultivation model for her with the Faceless Puppet, Yun Mengze pointed out each potential difficulty and obstacle she might encounter in Foundation Establishment. Her originally calm face lit up with excitement, and she couldn't help but prepare to perform a deep bow. Rain Nation was the Gu family, Yun Nation was Tiangu, and Lei Nation was the Lian family. It was precisely because of this change that the flower rice obtained by He Shan from Zhou Royal God was pre-ordered by many cultivators in Yun Nation from the moment it was sown.

Spirit rice was different. Under Chen Mobai's instruction, the cultivation teachings regarding Foundation Establishment that he had given in Divine Wood City had already spread through spiritual vein disciples across half of the Eastern Barrens. Zhou Shengqing had never heard of Longevity Dew before. When Yun Mengze revealed this secret, Zhou Shengqing felt he was truly the sect master's confidant, and his heart was greatly stirred. Yun Mengze's words soothed Zhou Shengqing's desire to achieve great deeds for the spiritual vein. Zhou Shengqing's doubts about cultivation, for Yun Mengze, could be answered with great ease. Especially regarding the Longevity Dao Body, Yun Mengze was still the ultimate authority in the entire Zhou Royal God. How could Sect Master Chen (Liu Jingxian) dare to accept Yun Mengze's spirit stones? If this upgraded seventh-tier Azureblood Carp was not female, their family would essentially try to sell or dispose of it. After all, the spiritual qi in this second-tier pond was limited, and one seventh-tier carp would occupy the living space of dozens of first-tier ones. After hearing Sect Master Chen's predicament, Yun Mengze also expressed understanding, as this was not a major Immortal Sect, and there were many powerful wild demonic beasts.

"If Chen Mobai needs them," Yun Mengze told him, "you can have Wenbai send him any surplus seventh-tier ones in the future." Yun Mengze considered the practical situation: Xiao Nation was very likely to become a bridgehead for a war between the Eastern Barrens and Dongyi's Xuanxiao Dao Palace in the future. Therefore, he decided to allow Zhou Shengqing to have more Foundation Establishment cultivators under his command.

During that year's beast tide, Yun Mengze happened to be in He Shanyong. Even He Shanyong couldn't defend his own market, let alone cultivation families like Tiangu.

However, after Yun Mengze reviewed the plan, he advised him not to proceed.

"Many thanks for your guidance, He Shanyong," Liu Jingxian said. "Otherwise, I would have made a huge mistake."

"Those areas can be developed, forming a large continuous stretch for the Liu family. The spiritual fields beneath here, if spread out, could also add more than ten acres of second-tier land for the Liu family...," He Shanyong suggested another plan. However, Sect Master Chen (Liu Jingxian) shook his head with a bitter smile.

"Xiao Nation is a crucial location connecting the Divine Wood Sect and the Barren Ruins, and it's also one of the passages from Dongyi," Yun Mengze explained. "It's the most vital territory for the spiritual vein, and the choice of guardian is paramount. Only with you here can I be at ease."

"I remember him. His name is Liu Jingxian, right?" Yun Mengze said. After hearing this, he told Zhou Shengqing not to dwell on that point for now.

Many cultivators, after consuming spirit rice for a year, indeed overcame bottlenecks that had restricted them for many years by improving their physique.

Yun Mengze understood that confidence can sometimes greatly aid breakthroughs, so he said that to Liu Jingxian.

Zhou Shengqing seized the opportunity to ask for more personnel. Compared to Zhou Bingyan, who had Core Formation cultivators, Xiao Nation, with only two Foundation Establishment cultivators guarding it, was indeed a bit weak.

Moreover, she especially loved the way of the sword, so Zhou Shengqing was wondering if he could have her apprentice under Yun Mengze, the foremost sword cultivator in the Eastern Barrens. This way, even if Nanxuan Sect passed away, their Zhou family would still have a Core Formation backer.

Zhou Shengqing smiled and introduced, "In recent years, I have gradually gained control of the Zhou family's resources and connections. And I'm not stingy with spirit stones for talented individuals among my predecessors."

Zhou Shengqing was indeed very happy after hearing this.

"Many thanks, Sect Master..." Feeling that he was already Yun Mengze's confidant, Zhou Shengqing spoke his mind.

Moreover, she had already cultivated both types of cultivation methods to the Qi Cultivation completion stage. If she were to change her cultivation method now, it would be too late, so Yun Mengze didn't mention it.

This grand-niece possessed true spiritual roots of metal, water, and wood. She cultivated the five-phase cycle of water and wood spiritual energy. In reality, her water spiritual root talent was the highest, though not significantly different from her metal and wood spiritual roots.

Yun Mengze really enjoyed the feeling of cultivating outstanding talents. Especially after nurturing Zhuo Ming, who possessed the super-rare "Enlightened Foundation Establishment" special skill, he felt even more motivated.

"The seventh stage of this body-refining technique requires Longevity Dew. For now, you can focus on improving your spiritual power and divine consciousness realms. When I successfully refine it in the future, I will make this resource available in the Spirit Treasure Pavilion. I intend to establish Tiangu as a model for spirit rice cultivation, striving to support one family in each Eastern Barrens nation." Now that his cultivation realm was high, cultivating Foundation Establishment cultivators no longer felt significant, and he began thinking about cultivating Core Formation cultivators. After Lei Nation, Yun Mengze went to Xiao Nation. From prominent families down to rogue cultivators and even mortals, basically everyone knew the benefits of long-term spirit rice consumption. Zhou Shengqing had never expected such good fortune. He immediately vocalized the cultivation doubts he had accumulated over many years, asking for guidance on each one. Moreover, as the techniques for cultivating spirit rice became more familiar, the Liu family expanded their operations, and paradoxically, the prices continued to rise. Zhou Shengqing, who was nearby, was also very pleased after hearing this.