I Have A Cultivation World Chapter 2503 - 1121: Purple Cloud Heavenly Palace (Part 2)

Yet, Perfected Jingchi was well aware that the Five Elements Sect and the Burning Heaven Meridians stood as bitter rivals at their core.

Notably over the last few years, he had forged increasingly tight bonds with the Sun Bathing Sea and Fire Cloud Palace.

Still, the prospect that could propel him to Fifth Rank Artifact Refiner dangled tantalizingly before him, forcing Perfected Jingchi to weigh whether this might be his singular shot at greatness.

Having pondered deeply for three full days, Perfected Jingchi clenched his teeth and sought out Yan Huo from the Yi Yuan Dao Palace.

Both men were peak Fourth Rank Artifact Refiners, having shared insights regularly across the previous century in their shared quest to ascend to the Fifth Rank, which marked them as genuine comrades.

But during his visit, Yan Huo dodged the subject entirely, insisting no such opportunity existed—until Perfected Jingchi flashed proof, prompting Yan Huo's grudging admission.

"That's correct, yet this perk comes straight from the Sect Master for us in the branch sect; as a Nascent Soul Cultivator tied to the Burning Heaven Meridians, you ought not to dream of it."

Though Yan Huo held the key to progress yet refused to include him, Perfected Jingchi silently branded him a selfish ingrate while maintaining a courteous facade in his plea.

"Word is your sect's Sect Master Chen seeks premium materials for artifact refining, and the Chi Yan Sect holds a Fifth Rank Peak Nine Yang True Fire Stone—retrieved from the treasury by my grandmaster amid the family division..."

At Perfected Jingchi's words, Yan Huo's gaze sparked with excitement; sealing this deal would lock in the Fire Burning Boy quota for him without fail.

"Fine, given our longstanding camaraderie, I'll journey to the Eastern Wilderness myself and plead your case with the Sect Master."

With Yan Huo's assurance, Perfected Jingchi finally exhaled in relief.

"Incidentally, I must inspect the treasure first. Should I raise it with the Sect Master only for you to fail in delivering it, I'll lose all favor in his eyes forever."

Yan Huo prided himself on his thorough caution; even toward an old ally like Perfected Jingchi, he insisted on voicing the hard truths upfront.

"Very well, though this secret stays between us two—and your Sect Master Chen alone."

Perfected Jingchi had resolved himself upon arriving that day, so when Yan Huo demanded to check the item, he agreed without fuss and promptly led him to the Chi Yan Sect's treasury.

...

"Go ahead and consent; inquire about any further demands he might have, and I'll do my utmost to fulfill them."

Chen Mobai responded without a second's pause to Yan Huo's report.

"Sect Master, granting him the chance to tend the flames and watch the Fifth Rank Artifact Refining is more than enough already."

Yan Huo sensed Chen Mobai's excessive leniency; the Fifth Rank Peak Nine Yang True Fire Stone held great value, but not to warrant such deference from a Deity Transformation True Monarch.

"Your branch sect suffers from such abysmal service awareness, leading to your legacy's reputation crumbling generation by generation..."

Noting Yan Huo's bewildered look, Chen Mobai shook his head ruefully and launched into a lesson.

In the Tianhe Realm, those versed in the Hundred Arts of Cultivation Immortal thrived exceedingly well.

Over in the Immortal Gate, regardless of prestige, poor service doomed a place to shutter within a mere year.

Deity Transformation True Monarch though he was, Chen Mobai had accepted Perfected Jingchi's tribute; despite the Burning Heaven Meridians' enmity, he aimed to trade artifact refining wisdom cordially and offer guidance on queries without hesitation.

The Five Elements Sect enjoyed unparalleled prestige across the Eastern Continent, eclipsing all rivals, thanks wholly to Chen Mobai's impeccable behavior through the ages.

"Indeed, Sect Master, your wisdom rings true!"

Yan Huo lowered his head in deference to the scolding, though doubt lingered in his heart.

Evidently, Perfected Jingchi sought their aid, and by Eastern Continent norms, one would extract every possible advantage in such scenarios.

Yet with Chen Mobai now at the helm as Sect Master, Yan Huo had no choice but to follow his directives.

Perfected Jingchi grew tense upon the relayed message: "I truly seek only to witness the artifact refining procedure; while I'd cherish seeing Sect Master Chen's masterful techniques, I vow not to overreach.

The Immortal Gate's ingrained service mindset unsettled locals deeply, leaving Perfected Jingchi wary that this Deity Transformation True Monarch might soon teleport from the Eastern Wilderness to seize his Nine Yang True Fire Stone outright.

"Ponder it well: the official refining commences in a month, awaiting arrivals from Central State. The Sect Master invites you to the Eastern Wilderness ahead of time, where he'll ensure proper reception."

Yan Huo passed along Chen Mobai's instructions before gathering his things in Yi Yuan Immortal City, eager to depart for the Eastern Wilderness right away.

Thanks to handling Perfected Jingchi's affair, Yan Huo earned merit, with Chen Mobai granting him a Fire Burning Boy position directly, fueling his urgency.

Hearing this, Perfected Jingchi wasted no time and trailed him to the Eastern Wilderness.

As they reached Northern Abyss City, both were awestruck by this burgeoning hub, so unlike the Immortal Cities scattered across the Eastern Continent.

"Behold, the Heaven Heart Sword Talisman crafted by the Sect Master himself, your entry pass for this artifact refining event..."

Su Ziluo welcomed them, presenting two exclusive talismans only Chen Mobai could forge, while detailing the refining site's whereabouts.

Chen Mobai had selected Huozhen Immortal City.

Through the years, his direction had steered the Eastern Wilderness's Immortal Cities toward specialized growth; take Wanhua Immortal City, which drew every medicinal trade group from the Three Regions of the Eastern Continent Frontier—superior goods guaranteed purchase by Danxia Pavilion.

Major trade firms from East Land had even established outposts in Wanhua Immortal City to trade with Danxia Pavilion.

Today, Wanhua Immortal City ranks as the Eastern Continent's premier elixir hub second only to Dao Morale Sect's Wuwei Immortal City, sustaining countless cultivators in the elixir trade's full chain.

By contrast, progress in the Eastern Wilderness's other Immortal Cities lagged disappointingly.

Chen Mobai resolved to intervene once more.

Leveraging this Fifth Rank Artifact refining, he aimed to crown Huozhen Immortal City as the Eastern Continent's top artifact refining center.

With Yi Yuan Immortal City's fall from grace, other Holy Lands prized artifact refining but balked at massive investments.

Yan Huo and his peers offered no real objections, given the Eastern Wilderness's linked teleportation arrays allowing swift travel between Northern Abyss City and Huozhen Immortal City.

That said, their craving for Fifth Rank refining overrode all else; aware Chen Mobai had preceded them to Huozhen Immortal City, they skipped delays and joined Su Ziluo's assigned disciples at the teleportation array.

Soon after, the once-tranquil Huozhen Immortal City erupted in fame across the Eastern Continent.

Every notable Artifact Refiner caught wind of Chen Mobai's intent to craft a Fifth Rank Magic Artifact and flocked to the Eastern Wilderness, converging on Huozhen Immortal City.

Artifact Refiners tended to brim with wealth, so they opted for Huozhen Immortal City's finest cave abodes on rent.

Chen Mobai had long deployed the Sky Curtain Ground Network Formation, boosting the local Spirit Veins to Fifth Rank potency.

As a backwater spot in the Eastern Wilderness, Huozhen Immortal City's property costs stayed modest, prompting affluent Artifact Refiners to snap up residences outright.

They foresaw this Immortal City gaining legendary status continent-wide from the occasion, with property values bound to skyrocket ahead.

This frenzy even lured Shen Shanqing and fellow property flippers from Northern Abyss City, spiking Huozhen Immortal City's real estate values rapidly to nearly one-fifth of Northern Abyss City's norm.

On that day, a Message Talisman from Zhang Pankong reached Chen Mobai, announcing Yuwen Baozhi—the Taoist Child of Purple Cloud Heavenly Palace—had crossed into the Eastern Continent through the Super Teleportation Array from Taixu MiaoMiao Palace.

Traveling with him was the child's mother, Ao Yuxia, Deity Transformation True Monarch of Purple Cloud Heavenly Palace.

Ah, the offspring of a Deity Transformation True Monarch—no surprise Azure Fall's Palace Master stepped in personally.

Realizing this, Chen Mobai's face lit with comprehension.

He proceeded to review details on Purple Cloud Heavenly Palace, Central State's venerable sacred land, as Ye Qing had once described; its reigning Great Elder, Purple Qi True Monarch Yuwen Yin, numbered among the Four True Ones.

Hmm, Yuwen Yin alongside Yuwen Baozhi!

Might they share blood as father and son?