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

The structure of power in the Eastern Continent still consists of two dominant factions and two lesser ones.

Residing Spirit Transformation cultivators exist within the Dao Morale Sect and the Taixu MiaoMiao Palace, ensuring they 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, merely one or two years remain before the Communicating Holy Spirit Pill can be refined.

Given this brief period, Chen Mobai feels no urge to impose the minor Immortal Gate framework in this region.

His intention is to hold off on actions until he advances to the Spirit Transformation Stage.

Considering this, Chen Mobai adopted a hands-off approach in the Dongling Domain, mirroring the Immortal Gates’ strategy.

The cultivator forces of the Five Elements Sect were simply instructed by him to reclaim barren lands in their assigned zone, building five Immortal Cities according to the original blueprint, and steadily pushing forward to encompass the entire Kun Position.

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

Plenty of observers in Dongling Immortal City had seen it firsthand, after all.

As a result, aside from the Golden Core Cultivators stationed at the Qian Position of the Star Heaven Dao Sect, hordes of Loose Cultivators started flooding into the Five Elements Sect’s domain.

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

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

Besides, numerous among them had already traded for essential cultivation methods at the Yi Yuan Dao Palace, and the Five Elements Sect offered the richest variety and top-tier quality of resources.

Aided by these Loose Cultivators, what was projected as a decade-or-two-long project wrapped up astonishingly fast, largely finished in only three years across the Kun Position’s wilds.

Observing such swift advancement, Chen Mobai acted without delay, firmly ordering the Nascent Soul duo Mo Douguang and Yin Qingmei to guide the Five Elements Sect’s troops into the neighboring Zhen and Gen Positions, offering support for their expansion too.

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

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

The Zhen Position, though, stood apart; it was formerly under the Burning Heaven Meridians’ control. But after their forces shifted to surround the Golden Flame Manticore, the front lines pulled them away, so developed areas fell back into demonic beasts’ grasp.

Sympathetic toward the Zhen Position’s Loose Cultivators, Chen Mobai chose to extend aid in his role as an upright cultivator.

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

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

Hong Yun’s compliant demeanor left Chen Mobai in a bind.

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, since Dustless True Monarch had loaned the Cleansing World Pot and vowed a Sacred Spirit Pill. As a key figure in the Eastern Continent’s Righteous Dao, turning against comrades simply wasn’t viable.

His aim had been merely to check 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 conversed a bit more, during which Hong Yun cheerfully presented a storage bag; Chen Mobai insisted he wasn’t the sort to accept such things and urged him to keep it.

"It contains some Fifth Rank Sun Holy Fruits. Upon hearing Taoist Ye Qing say that Sect Master Chen seeks these, I gathered every last one from the Burning Heaven Meridians’ reserves and delivered them here. Please, Sect Master Chen, take them."

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

"Back in my days at the Divine Wood Sect, tales of the Eastern Continent Frontier’s Three Regions’ premier spirit plant caught my ear. With my fire-based cultivation technique, I daydreamed then about possessing a Sun God Tree someday—what a glorious sight that would be."

While Chen Mobai reminisced aloud, he 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.

Major sects across the Tianhe Realm hoard such treasures!

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

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

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.

Its yields not only boosted their personal progress but also let them barter for all sorts of Golden Core and Nascent Soul elixirs. Even distant Holy Lands beyond the Eastern Continent, like the Southern State’s Mysterious Fire Sect, frequently sought Sun Holy Fruits and similar items.

Faced with Chen Mobai’s interest, Hong Yun resorted to invoking the Dao Morale Sect and fellow Eastern Continent Holy Lands, aiming to instill caution.

"I merely mused aloud, but since the pact binds Fen Tianjing Di’s descendants, that implies if the Burning Heaven Meridians ceased 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 in Fen Tianjing Di boast an ascended forebear as well!"

That revelation stunned Chen Mobai.

From what he knew, Fen Tianjing Di had no ascenders in the Eastern Continent.

"Our sect’s founding ancestor came from the Central State and shares mastership with the Southern State’s Mysterious Fire Sect patriarch. That Central State originator was an ascension-level powerhouse!"

To prove Fen Tianjing Di wasn’t an easy mark and possessed powerful connections, Hong Yun invoked this far-off heritage.

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

Its Deity Transformation leader, the Immortal in Flames, places in the Tianhe Realm’s top fifteen, rubbing shoulders with the Three Immortals.

"Ah, it seems I was the one lacking knowledge."

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

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

Wrapping up there, Hong Yun knew the Sun Holy Fruits batch could at best settle past rifts between the Fire Cloud Palace and Five Elements Sect. Lingering disputes with the Sun Bathing Sea and Five Elements Sect loomed ahead.

The heart of it all hinged on his success in using the Communicating Holy Spirit Pill for Deity Transformation breakthrough.

Should he triumph, Hong Yun would rally the Burning Heaven Meridians straight into battle against the Five Elements Sect.

Should he falter...

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

Clutching this resolve, Hong Yun left Venus Valley behind.

Per Chen Mobai’s orders, Han Zhiling saw Hong Yun off, then ushered in the pair of Nascent Soul cultivators lingering outside.

"Who’d have thought Taoist Hong Yun got an audience ahead of us."

As Hong Yun departed, Han Xingzi noted it with a cool stare and a wry smirk.

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

"Hmph!"

Yet Hong Yun ignored Han Xingzi entirely, morphing into a rainbow streak and vanishing in an instant.