[Spiritual Energy Value: 581]

Chen Mobai stood atop a cloud-enshrouded peak, nodding slightly as he looked at the spiritual vein grade displayed on his phone screen.

Although Xiao Nanshan was considered to be on the verge of falling from a third-grade mid-level, it still had plenty of reserves. Aside from the main peak where he was, there were five other slightly lower peaks nearby.

Standing at the summit, looking down.

A winding path stretched from the foot of the mountain all the way up here. It seemed that no one had tended to it for a long time, as the mountain was full of rain-eroded, slightly rounded boulders.

However, there were vigorous Chi Yang trees growing among the rocks, and occasionally, some wild grasses could be seen growing haphazardly in the crevices. Chen Mobai also spotted two bright red flowers.

Upon closer inspection, he discovered they were a type of spiritual herb called Golden Lantern Flowers, which could replenish vital energy and treat poison from snakes and insects when consumed.

“Uncle-Master Chen.”

At this time, two people walked up the path from the foot of the mountain.

A man and a woman, it was Liu Wenbo and Zhuo Ming, who had joined the Shenmu Sect with Chen Mobai from Yun Guo’s Nanxi Fang Market.

“Mm, you’ve worked hard.”

Liu Wenbo had not only come by himself but also brought quite a few mortals. These were the laborers Chen Mobai had hired to re-cultivate the sixty mu of spiritual fields near Xiao Nanshan.

“Uncle-Master Chen, the Yu Ya Spiritual Rice at Xiao Yang Ridge will take some more time before it can be harvested. I’ve already instructed Junior Brother Wang and Junior Brother Feng to pay close attention to rainfall and pest control. I will also check on it from time to time.”

As Zhuo Ming spoke, her little face was excitedly looking at Xiao Nanshan.

Although the mountain was not high, the rich spiritual energy was truly palpable. She felt more and more that joining Chen Mobai was the most correct decision of her life.

She thought that if she had known this back in Nanxi Fang Market, she should have pledged her allegiance earlier, and perhaps she would already be a direct disciple by now.

“Uncle-Master Chen, you have just established your Foundation, and Xiao Nanshan is sparsely populated. We need a disciple to handle miscellaneous tasks. I wonder if I am fortunate enough to be accepted under your tutelage.”

Zhuo Ming was shy and still pondering how to broach the subject when Liu Wenbo, who was more experienced, brazenly asked to become a disciple.

“This…”

Chen Mobai was caught off guard by this kind of situation for the first time.

He was still a student himself, not yet graduated, and the idea of taking disciples made him feel inadequate.

But then he remembered that in the Tianhe Realm, unlike the Immortal Gate, the relationship between master and disciple was more about reliance than just inheritance.

Moreover, Liu Wenbo made a good point. In the future, it would indeed be difficult to manage the sixty mu of spiritual fields alone, and he really needed to cultivate some capable disciples.

However, compared to Liu Wenbo, he felt Zhuo Ming was more suitable.

After all, since the last sect competition, she had followed him to Xiao Yang Ridge, and Chen Mobai had already trained her in professional knowledge. After half a year of practice, she had a thorough understanding of the cultivation process of Yu Ya Spiritual Rice.

But since Zhuo Ming did not take the initiative to speak, Chen Mobai felt awkward about accepting disciples.

“After all, you are currently working under Brother E Yun. If I were to take you as a disciple, I would still need to give him a heads-up.”

“This is actually Uncle-Master E Yun’s intention as well. He said that a genius like Master should focus on cultivation, and the rest of the miscellaneous tasks can be handled by the disciples.”

Hearing this, Liu Wenbo knew that Chen Mobai had agreed, and his face lit up with joy as he bowed in respect.

“Uncle-Master Chen, why don’t you take me as well?”

Seeing this, Zhuo Ming became anxious, her pretty face flushing red. If she had known it would be this easy, she would have asked to become a disciple right after the sect competition half a year ago.

“Well, taking one is the same as taking two. You two will first be considered nominal disciples. After I return from the Shenmu Secret Realm, and last year’s Yu Ya Spiritual Wine is ready to be unsealed, I’ll invite Brother Qi and other friends over, and then you can formally become my disciples.”

Chen Mobai went with the flow.

“Greetings, Master!”

Liu Wenbo and Zhuo Ming immediately bowed in respect, and their status as master and disciples was preliminarily established.

“Take these two Chi Yan Sword Talismans as a meeting gift.”

Chen Mobai took out two talismans he had drawn, and the two disciples did not refuse, happily accepting them.

They also thought about what gifts they should prepare for the formal discipleship ceremony.

“Now, let’s discuss any confusions you have in your cultivation. Although I haven’t been cultivating for as long as you have, I’ve taken a step ahead and have some unique insights into the Longevity Scripture.”

This was an understatement.

In the entire Shenmu Sect, among those of the same realm, he had the deepest understanding of the Longevity Scripture.After all, with the help of puppet deduction and the efficacy of the Spirit Awakening Enlightenment Pill, his understanding of this technique during the Qi Refining stage was almost on par with the sage who created it.

“Yes, Master.”

Liu Wenbo and Zhuo Ming spoke at the same time, then exchanged glances, realizing that they had not yet settled who was senior and who was junior.

“Wenbo, you go first. From now on, you will be the eldest senior brother.”

Upon hearing this, Zhuo Ming’s face showed a hint of annoyance, having missed the chance to be the eldest senior sister.

“Master, I have been cultivating both the Elixir of Immortality and the Crimson Flame Sword Art. The former has already reached the eighth level of Qi Refining, but the latter is stuck at the sixth level. It is precisely because of this that I have been unable to master the Dual Phase Rotation.”

The ultimate move of the Dual Phase Technique required both techniques to reach the seventh level of Qi Refining before it could be executed.

If both the Elixir of Immortality and the Crimson Flame Sword Art were at the eighth level of Qi Refining, executing the Dual Phase Rotation would grant the power of the ninth level of Qi Refining for a short period.

Of course, this could only elevate one within a minor realm. The bottleneck between Qi Refining and Foundation Establishment could not be broken through with this technique.

“Channel a strand of your spiritual energy to me.”

Although Liu Wenbo did not understand why, he obediently did as instructed.

Chen Mobai lifted his palm to reveal the Spirit Root Detector and checked his disciple’s spiritual root.

Liu Wenbo: [Metal 13, Wood 27, Water 28, Fire 22, Earth 10]

“How old are you this year?”

“I will be exactly thirty at the end of the year.”

Liu Wenbo answered truthfully. Reaching the eighth level of Qi Refining in the Elixir of Immortality at this age, especially while also focusing on the Dual Phase Technique, was quite impressive.

“It’s not too late to switch. You are not suited for cultivating the Crimson Flame Sword Art. You can focus on water and wood Qi Refining techniques with the Dual Phase Technique. However, this concerns your entire life, so you need to make the decision yourself.”

After saying this, Chen Mobai asked Liu Wenbo about some difficulties he encountered while cultivating the Elixir of Immortality.

He found that although his disciple had reached the eighth level in this technique, it was mostly through the forced use of spirit stones and elixirs, and his understanding of the essence of the technique was limited to a few spells suitable for combat.

Chen Mobai had Liu Wenbo circulate his spiritual energy once more. Without using the Formless Puppet for deduction, he still pointed out over a dozen areas for improvement based on his own experience and insight.

“Thank you for your guidance, Master.”

Liu Wenbo followed Chen Mobai’s tips and circulated the Elixir of Immortality’s spiritual energy again, finding that both the speed and efficiency of refining spiritual energy had increased by half. He was so astonished that he sincerely offered a grand salute to his new master.

In the Tianhe Realm, the transmission of knowledge and experience was highly valued. Only true disciples or direct blood relatives would receive such unreserved instruction.

Chen Mobai’s actions in the eyes of the two disciples made them feel that they were truly regarded as successors, not just as laborers.

“Alright, you can temporarily stop cultivating the Crimson Flame Sword Art and focus on advancing the Elixir of Immortality to the ninth level of Qi Refining. Then you can try to compete for a position as a true disciple.”

E Yun and Yuan Chiyi had also planned to cultivate Liu Wenbo as a successor for their faction. After all, the originally designated figurehead, Chen Mobai, had only been a true disciple for half a year before successfully reaching Foundation Establishment, which was incredibly fast.

If Yuan Chiyi also achieved Foundation Establishment, then among their faction, there would only be another true disciple from the Spirit Beast Division, which seemed a bit few in number.

“Teacher, what about me? My aptitude is average, and I didn’t think about cultivating the Dual Phase Technique. I just hope to obtain a Foundation Establishment Pill in my lifetime.”

After Zhuo Ming channeled her spiritual energy, she saw Chen Mobai looking at his palm with a serious expression and thought that the spiritual energy she had cultivated was too poor, greatly dissatisfying her teacher.

“When you first tested your spiritual root in the market, it was a triple spiritual root, right?”

Chen Mobai suddenly asked.

“That’s correct, I remember clearly, it was blue, black, and yellow.”

Zhuo Ming would never forget the scene when she measured her spiritual root in the Nanxi market.

Although she did not have the nearly dual spiritual root top-tier aptitude like her current teacher, an ordinary triple spiritual root was already very satisfying for her as an independent cultivator.

After listening, Chen Mobai looked at the Spirit Root Detector in his palm with a strange expression, observing the displayed result.

Zhuo Ming: [Metal 3, Wood 20, Water 21, Fire 9, Earth 47]

The earth attribute points nearly took up half of the screen.

To avoid a measurement error, he had Zhuo Ming channel another strand of spiritual energy.

However, the result was exactly the same, and perhaps due to some emotional fluctuation, the metal attribute decreased slightly, and the fire attribute increased.

But Earth 47 remained unchanged.

This child, she was born to be a farmer.

“Have you ever considered switching to an earth attribute technique?”

“Ah?”Zhuo Ming had been cultivating the “Hundred Herbs Scripture” passed down by her father since she was young. After entering the sect, she switched to cultivating the same attribute’s “Eternal Youth Scripture.” She felt that she was suited for wood attribute techniques.

However, now Chen Mobai was saying that she was suited for earth attribute techniques.

This made it somewhat difficult for her to accept at the moment.

“Having a triple spiritual root aptitude is already above average, yet you’ve been stuck at the sixth level of Qi Refining for four years. I think it’s because your constitution isn’t suited for the ‘Eternal Youth Scripture.’”

Chen Mobai was simply telling the truth. Whether Zhuo Ming, his disciple, was willing to give up the wood attribute technique she had been cultivating for nearly twenty years was still up to her to decide.

Like with Liu Wenbo, he gave Zhuo Ming some guidance on her “Eternal Youth Scripture” and found that although her realm was low, her foundation was very solid.

After running a complete cycle, Chen Mobai could only find five or six issues, but even so, it made Zhuo Ming’s eternal spiritual energy flow more smoothly, and even the bottleneck at the sixth level of Qi Refining that had been blocking her showed signs of loosening.

But this made Zhuo Ming even more conflicted.

After Chen Mobai’s guidance, she felt that with another year and a half of cultivation, she could break through to the seventh level of Qi Refining.

If she switched to cultivating earth attribute techniques, since it wasn’t the same attribute spiritual energy, she didn’t know how many years it would delay her.

“Teacher, I…”

“I’m just making a suggestion. Like with Wenbo, this ultimately concerns your whole life, and you need to make your own decision.”

After giving guidance to two disciples, Chen Mobai looked up to see that the sun, which had just risen, was now high in the sky, indicating it was noon.

He planned to comprehend the Foundation Establishment chapter of the “Eternal Youth Scripture” and the “Crimson Flame Sword Art” himself, waving his hand to dismiss the two disciples lost in thought.

“Disciple takes his leave.”

The two immediately turned around, ready to leave.

“Wait.”

But at this moment, Chen Mobai suddenly remembered something and called the two disciples back.

“Master, do you have any instructions?”

“I will be waiting in the sect for the Divine Tree Secret Realm to open. I happen to have two matters at hand; please help me with them.”

“Yes.”

Liu Wenbo and Zhuo Ming exchanged a glance, nodding in unison, seemingly a bit happy.

Having tasks from the teacher is a labor the disciples are willing to undertake.

Being asked to do tasks by the teacher, in the Tianhe Realm, is a treatment reserved for the closest disciples.

“Before I joined the sect, I had a water mansion in the Yun Kingdom, where I planted some spiritual plants that are about to mature. Help me harvest them.”

Chen Mobai took out a piece of white paper and drew a simple map.

Anyway, the most valuable top-grade spirit stones in the water mansion had already been taken by him, and the Qingtong sapling had been raised by him at Chicheng Mountain.

The remaining Jade Bamboo was originally planned for sustainable development, but now that Chen Mobai’s realm had increased, he felt it wasn’t worth his constant attention and decided to just harvest it.

“Wenbo, I remember you are from the Spirit Beast Department, right? I need some second-order Xuanling Rabbit fur for making talisman brushes. Go inquire about it first, see how many spirit stones are needed or which elder needs to be greeted. Let me know after you have news.”

After assigning the two tasks, Chen Mobai finally had some peace.

He activated a wooden house talisman at the peak of Xiao Nanshan and then entered it, sitting on a meditation cushion, and began to read the subsequent chapters of the “Eternal Youth Scripture” he had just obtained from the library.

There are four levels, starting from the eleventh level to the fourteenth level.

They respectively represent the early, middle, late, and complete stages of Foundation Establishment.

This final fourteenth level, in addition to the complete stage of Foundation Establishment, also includes the mental method from Foundation Establishment to Golden Elixir, theoretically, the “Eternal Youth Scripture” Chen Mobai had was already sufficient for him to form a Golden Elixir with the Dual Phase Method.

According to E Yun, this technique has a total of twenty levels and can be cultivated up to the mid-stage of Elemental Infant.

However, the highest cultivator in the Shenmu Sect, Ancestor Zhou, had only cultivated up to the seventeenth level.

After reconciling with the Five Elements Sect, this ancestor had been in seclusion, attempting to break through to the eighteenth level, the complete stage of Golden Elixir, and then try to form an Elemental Infant.

Since he was already a Foundation Establishment elder, Chen Mobai’s “Eternal Youth Scripture” also came with matching cultivation spells.

What he was most interested in was the so-called “Heavenly Wood Divine Light Formation,” which was said to unfold a domain.

However, to cultivate this formation, one needed “tree seeds.”

These tree seeds are refined from spiritual trees, and the most complete system in the Shenmu Sect is the first-order Chiyang Spirit Tree, the second-order Qingyang Spirit Tree, and the third-order Jinyang Spirit Tree.

As for the fourth-order spiritual trees, in the entire Giant Wood Ridge, there are only those three divine trees, and even the two Golden Elixir ancestors could not refine them.