I Have A Cultivation World Chapter 2396 - 1077: Taiyin Treasure Pearl (Part 4)

The power structure across the Eastern Continent still consists of two dominant sects alongside two lesser ones.

With Spirit Transformation experts dwelling within, the Dao Morale Sect and Taixu MiaoMiao Palace are destined to seize the bulk of the rewards from exploration. Although the Nine Heavens Morality Sect lacks Spirit Transformation cultivators, the heritage from Yuan Qingque’s ascension allows it to match the Five Elements Sect, which now holds Deity Transformation level strength.

Furthermore, just one or two years remain before the Communicating Holy Spirit Pill finishes refining.

In this brief period, Chen Mobai sees no point in imposing the minor Immortal Gate framework in this region.

His intention is to hold off until he reaches the Spirit Transformation Stage before taking further steps.

Keeping that strategy in mind, within the Dongling Domain, he adopted a hands-off approach much like the Immortal Gates.

He merely guided the Five Elements Sect’s cultivator forces to reclaim barren lands in their assigned zone, building five Immortal Cities according to the earlier blueprint, and steadily pushing outward to encompass the entire Kun Position.

Yet, word of his success in cultivating the Yi Yuan Dao Body at the Spirit Transformation level quickly circulated far and wide.

After all, numerous individuals in Dongling Immortal City had personally observed it.

This sparked a rush where, excluding the Golden Core Cultivators stationed at the Qian Position of the Star Heaven Dao Sect, most Loose Cultivators flocked en masse to the Five Elements Sect’s domain.

Under the watch of a Deity Transformation guardian, they could even harbor chances of enduring clashes with savage Fifth Rank True Spirits.

While Loose Cultivators crave gains, they value their lives above all.

Besides, a great number had already traded for essential cultivation methods at the Yi Yuan Dao Palace, and the Five Elements Sect offered the widest variety and finest caliber of resources.

Aided by these Loose Cultivators, the project slated for ten to twenty years wrapped up astonishingly in merely three years across the Kun Position’s wild expanses.

Noting such swift advancement, Chen Mobai acted without delay, firmly ordering the two Nascent Soul experts Mo Douguang and Yin Qingmei to spearhead the Five Elements Sect’s forces into the neighboring Zhen and Gen Positions, lending support to their expansion too.

The Gen Position posed no issue; it had been left empty originally as a neutral zone between the Yi Yuan Dao Palace and the Five Elements Sect, intended for Loose Cultivators.

Claiming it for the Five Elements Sect drew zero objections from Earth Virtue.

Yet the Zhen Position differed sharply; it formerly fell under the Burning Heaven Meridians’ control. But after shifting troops to surround the Golden Flame Manticore, the Burning Heaven Meridians’ defenders all moved to the battlefront, letting developed areas fall back into demonic beast hands.

Pitying the Loose Cultivators enduring hardships in the Zhen Position, Chen Mobai chose to extend aid as an upright figure.

Learning of this, Hong Yun even arrived to offer a sincere apology, admitting that as overseer of the Zhen Position, he had mismanaged affairs, permitting demonic beasts to rampage and Loose Cultivators to endure torment.

"Elder Hong Yun, your words carry too much weight; after all, you acted for the greater cause!"

Seeing Hong Yun’s cooperative stance, Chen Mobai felt somewhat at a loss.

He had figured that outright resistance from Hong Yun would give him grounds to intervene and showcase Deity Transformation prowess. Killing wasn’t on his agenda, given Dustless True Monarch’s loan of the Cleansing World Pot and pledge of a Sacred Spirit Pill. As a key pillar of the Eastern Continent’s Righteous Dao, turning against comrades wasn’t viable.

The aim had been merely to test if he could snag the pesky Golden Crow Immortal City for the Five Elements Sect.

But with Hong Yun owning up to his errors, Chen Mobai could only courteously urge him to stand.

They exchanged more words briefly, and Hong Yun cheerfully presented a storage bag, which Chen Mobai insisted he wasn’t the sort to accept, telling him to keep it.

"It holds some Fifth Rank Sun Holy Fruits; upon hearing Taoist Ye Qing say Sect Master Chen seeks these, I gathered every bit from the Burning Heaven Meridians’ reserves and delivered them. Please, Sect Master Chen, take them."

At Hong Yun’s explanation, Chen Mobai halted his demurrals right away.

"Back when I visited the Divine Wood Sect, tales of the Eastern Continent Frontier’s premier spirit plant across the Three Regions caught my ear. And with my fire-based cultivation art, I once dreamed of possessing a Sun God Tree someday—how magnificent that would be."

As he uttered this, Chen Mobai accepted the storage bag from Hong Yun. A sweep with his divine sense revealed twelve intact Sun Holy Fruits, making his breath hitch just a touch.

These grand sects of the Tianhe Realm hoard such treasures!

"The Sun God Tree came from efforts by Fen Tianjing Di’s Deity Transformation ancestor, who called in Spirit Transformation masters from the Dao Morale Sect and various Holy Lands. Once the Eastern Barbarians opened up back then, our sect settled that the Sun God Tree would stay with Fen Tianjing Di’s lineage eternally..."

Hong Yun caught Chen Mobai’s underlying hint and wore a distressed look, fully aware he couldn’t surrender the Sun God Tree to ease tensions with this powerhouse.

For the Burning Heaven Meridians boasted numerous Nascent Soul cultivators and kept the Three Veins of Ice Heaven under firm control largely thanks to this Fifth Rank spirit plant, the Sun God Tree.

Through its yields, they not only advanced their own realms but traded for key pills to form cores and nascent souls. Even distant Holy Lands beyond the Eastern Continent, like the Southern State’s Mysterious Fire Sect, frequently sought Sun Holy Fruits and similar.

Facing Chen Mobai’s interest, Hong Yun could only invoke the Dao Morale Sect and other Eastern Continent Holy Lands, aiming to instill caution.

"I merely mused aloud, but since the pact binds Fen Tianjing Di’s descendants, should your Burning Heaven Meridians cease to exist..."

Chen Mobai zeroed in on the vital detail the moment he heard it.

Hong Yun’s complexion drained of color instantly.

"Sect Master Chen, mind your speech—we of Fen Tianjing Di boast an ascended forebear as well!"

This revelation startled Chen Mobai.

From what he knew, no ascendant from Fen Tianjing Di graced the Eastern Continent.

"Our sect’s founding ancestor originated in the Central State and shared mastership with the Southern State’s Mysterious Fire Sect patriarch. That original Central State founder was an ascension-level giant!"

Hong Yun invoked this remote connection to prove Fen Tianjing Di wasn’t pushover prey and possessed influential kin.

The Mysterious Fire Sect, a powerhouse in the Southern State, rivaled the Central State’s Holy Land giants in might.

Its Deity Transformation leader, the Immortal in Flames, placed in the Tianhe Realm’s top fifteen, rivaling the Three Immortals.

"Evidently, I lacked the full picture."

Chen Mobai conceded, showing he’d absorbed the fresh insight.

"Sect Master Chen, duties call me elsewhere, so I’ll depart now."

Wrapping up there, Hong Yun grasped that the Sun Holy Fruits sack might settle past rifts between Fire Cloud Palace and Five Elements Sect at best. Lingering frictions over Sun Bathing Sea and Five Elements Sect loomed ahead.

The heart of it hinged on mastering the Communicating Holy Spirit Pill for Deity Transformation breakthrough.

Should he triumph, Hong Yun’s initial move would be rallying the Burning Heaven Meridians against the Five Elements Sect.

Should he falter...

[No, failure isn’t an option; victory is mine!]

Clutching this resolve, Hong Yun left Venus Valley behind.

Per Chen Mobai’s directive, Han Zhiling saw Hong Yun off, then ushered in two additional Nascent Soul cultivators lingering outside.

"Who would’ve thought Taoist Hong Yun got an audience ahead of us."

Spotting Hong Yun’s exit, Han Xingzi commented with a cool glint in his eyes and a wry smirk.

He’d long marked Hong Yun for payback over nearly dooming the Three Veins of Ice Heaven via the Cleansing World Pot trap.

"Hmph!"

But Hong Yun ignored Han Xingzi entirely, shifting into a rainbow streak and vanishing from view.