Cultivation Begins From The Desert

"Brother Liu, Junior Brother Yang, please take your time. When Xiao Jiu holds the Foundation Establishment celebration in the future, please make sure to grace us with your presence."

"Absolutely, absolutely. We can skip others’ Foundation Establishment celebrations, but we will certainly not miss Zhou Xiaoyou’s celebration."

Outside the Zhou Family’s residence on Jingming Peak, Zhouyang and Zhou Minghan, the grandfather and grandson duo, bid farewell at the courtyard gate to Liu Qingsong and Yang Xingyan after a confidential discussion lasting nearly an hour.

Judging by their beaming faces, it was clear that their conversation had been pleasant, and some sort of agreement had been reached.

After sending off Liu and Yang, Zhou Minghan and Zhouyang returned to their quiet room and set up a sound insulation barrier to discuss the agreement reached with Liu and Yang.

Zhou Minghan, with a worried look, was the first to speak, "I don’t know if what we’re doing is right. If it weren’t for the fact that the Liu and Yang families are leading this, I truly wouldn’t dare to think about it; this is akin to stealing food from the tiger’s mouth!"

Hearing his words, Zhouyang shook his head and said, "Great-grandfather, I must disagree with you!"

He looked at the worried old clan leader and calmly said, "Yang Xingyan was right. What we are doing is mutually beneficial for the Chen Family and us. The Baisha River Oasis needs our strength to help protect it. The resources from loose cultivators there cannot be consumed by the Chen Family alone."

"Our actions may make some of the Chen Family cultivators uncomfortable, but with Elder Chen’s wisdom, he should be able to see our determination in this matter and understand its importance to our families."

"It’s better to diffuse than to block. If the Chen Family is unwilling to share even a little benefit, it shows that they don’t regard us as allies but as enemies threatening their status. In that case, why should we use our resources to help them rebuild the marketplace?"

Upon hearing this, Zhou Minghan’s worried expression deepened, and he sighed heavily, "Ah! Xiao Jiu, I understand what you’re saying. Although our Zhou Family, now that you and your father have achieved Foundation Establishment, no longer lacks high-level combat strength, we have lost quite a number of Qi Cultivation Stage cultivators, and it will be difficult to replenish them in the short term."

"As a bloodline-based family, to avoid becoming subordinate to outsiders, we cannot absorb outsiders as recklessly as a sect. To quickly expand the family scale, following the Chen Family’s ’Fengyue Tower’ model is the only option."

"However, judging by the looks of Liu and Yang, if the Chen Family doesn’t agree to our three families’ request to establish branches in the Baisha River Oasis, they might indeed band together to open a marketplace to compete with the Chen Family for loose cultivator resources. At that time, what will become of our Zhou Family?"

What will become of our Zhou Family?

Looking at the worried old clan leader, Zhouyang wanted to ask if this question still needed asking.

But such an answer would be too disrespectful.

He could only smile wryly and say, "Great-grandfather, you’re overthinking it. If the Chen Family refuses even such a small request from us, we should seek another patron, even if we don’t join forces with Liu and Yang. A family unwilling to spare even the slightest benefit is surely not a suitable ally!"

Zhou Minghan was startled.

He looked at Zhouyang with a baffled expression, furrowing his brow as if wanting to say something.

But when he saw Zhouyang’s youthful face, he suddenly realized, seemingly understanding something, and couldn’t help but join in with a wry smile, "Xiao Jiu, you’re right. If the Chen Family refuses such a request, they’re clearly unwilling to see our family grow. In that case, why should we continue to follow them? I understand what to do now!"

He realized that Zhouyang was not like him. He was old now, satisfied just to see the Zhou Family continue in his hands during his remaining years.

However, a young man like Zhouyang surely harbored ambition, aiming to lead the family to growth and strength. Once upon a time, he too had such ambitions in his youth.

In Zhou Minghan’s view, the plan orchestrated by the Liu and Yang families was a risky venture, one that could inadvertently provoke suppression from the Chen Family, the Purple Mansion Clan.

But to the ambitious Zhouyang, this was a perfect opportunity to test the Chen Family. If the Chen Family was intolerant, the Zhou Family under his leadership would surely cease to follow the Chen Family.

As for the potential suppression from the Chen Family afterward, given the distance between them, the worst consequence would be that the Zhou Family cultivators would no longer set foot in the Baisha River Oasis. Could the Chen Family possibly launch a distant expedition to the Yuquan Lake Oasis to wipe out the Zhou Family?

Unless Elder Chen was insane, it would be impossible for them to do so.

"It seems I am indeed old. Even someone like Liu Qingsong, who has one foot in the grave, still retains strong ambitions, while I’ve only thought of being a watchdog guarding stability. It’s fortunate that you, Xiao Jiu, are here today, or our Zhou Family might have missed a great opportunity!"

Having figured it out, Zhou Minghan shook his head with a bleak expression, feeling quite disheartened.

It’s not frightening to grow old; what is truly frightening is when one’s thoughts become aged, especially for a family ruler. When thoughts age, the entire family is influenced and declines along with them.

Seeing this, Zhouyang quickly comforted him: "Great-grandfather is merely old and prudent. Previously, the whole burden of the Zhou Family was on your shoulders, so you certainly wouldn’t take any risks. If it weren’t for your support of the family, neither your grandson nor father might have been able to safely establish their foundation. Everyone has witnessed your contributions to the family, so there’s no need for you to blame yourself for this matter."

How could Zhou Minghan, being so astute, not understand the comfort hidden in those words? After hearing this, he couldn’t help but roll his eyes and say: "Alright, stop comforting this old man. If I’m wrong, I’m wrong, and I’m not afraid to admit it. Once we return to the family, I will pass the position of Clan Leader to you and peacefully enjoy life as a carefree elder."

Upon hearing these words, Zhouyang was immediately anxious, shaking his head quickly: "How can this be? Great-grandfather, you’re doing well as the Clan Leader, and both my cultivation and experience are far from enough. How can I bear such a responsibility?"

"I am the Clan Leader, and if I say you can do it, you can! It’s decided!" Zhou Minghan seemed truly distressed, refusing to listen to Zhouyang’s advice and adamantly deciding to pass on the position upon returning.

No matter how eloquent Zhouyang was, he couldn’t change the situation.

He wasn’t unwilling to take over the Clan Leader position, but that should happen only after the old Clan Leader Zhou Minghan passed away.

Now, Zhou Minghan suddenly said he wanted to pass the position to him, who wouldn’t be worried?

Not to mention that assuming the Clan Leader position would inevitably hinder his cultivation, just that the old Leader had decades of lifespan left, and transferring the position now would easily provoke gossip.

People ignorant of the matter would likely say he and his father Zhou Xuanhao teamed up to force Zhou Minghan to abdicate early.

This would greatly harm the reputation of both him and his father Zhou Xuanhao, as well as the entire Zhou Family. Zhouyang couldn’t understand why the usually shrewd old Clan Leader was suddenly so unwise.

"This is troubling, I can only hope that upon returning to the clan, I can ask my father and the elders to convince the old Clan Leader."

He inwardly lamented, placing his hopes on his father Zhou Xuanhao and other family elders, hoping they could persuade the old Clan Leader to reconsider.

On this day, as if prearranged, the Clan Leaders of the Liu Family of Chixia Mountain, the Yang Family of Golden Spring Valley, and the Zhou Family of Jade Spring Lake simultaneously ascended White Camel Peak of the Chen Family, directly requesting a meeting with Elder Chen to discuss important matters.

Aside from the Foundation Establishment Cultivators of the Chen Family, no one knew what was discussed between the clan leaders of these three families and Elder Chen. Other clans on Jingming Peak only knew that when the leaders of Liu, Yang, and Zhou returned from White Camel Peak, they all wore unmistakable expressions of joy, and afterward, they brought their clansmen back to their families.

Thousands of miles separate Baisha River Oasis and Jade Spring Lake Oasis, and to accommodate Zhou Xuantai and other Qi Cultivation Stage Cultivators, the Foundation Establishment Stage Cultivators Zhou Minghan and Zhouyang had to travel together on Shatuo Beasts.

The five Shatuo Beasts were the ones Zhou Xuantai and others rode here, kept at the Chen family’s Beast Garden, spared from chaos during the sand bandit attack. However, the two Shatuo Beasts Zhouyang and Zhou Xuan Yu rode when fleeing Golden Dawn Mountain had to be killed.

The sand bandit attack was a significant loss for the Zhou Family. Aside from valuable materials worth thousands of Spirit Stones being lost at Jade Spring Tower, six individuals including Zhou Xuan Yu, Wu Tao, Luo Meiwei, Zhou Yuanxia, Zhou Ping, and Zhou Qi went missing, and combined with those like Zhou Yun, Zhou Qi, and Zhou Xuanjing who perished under demon beast attacks, the Zhou Family’s cultivator team reduced by two-thirds.

Losing nine clan cultivators at once was unprecedented for the Zhou Family in the past hundred years.

Zhouyang could already foresee the grief among clan members waiting at home upon hearing this news.

Having embarked on the path of cultivation, encountering such situations is inevitable and is the cost of pursuing immortality!

The journey home was long, and Zhouyang didn’t want to be idle for months. Thus, while traveling, he learned the "Sword Control Skill" that only Foundation Establishment Stage Cultivators could practice from the old Clan Leader Zhou Minghan.

The "Sword Control Skill" refers not to a singular spell but broadly to the sword control techniques.

The true name of the "Sword Control Skill" in the Zhou Family’s collection is the "Flying Star Sword Technique," which has three layers. Mastering the first layer allows one to form sword light for sword flight, and in battle, using the sword technique to manipulate the flying sword greatly enhances its power, yielding various transformations.

Generally, Foundation Establishment Stage Cultivators can only learn the first layer of "Flying Star Sword Technique," and only those with extraordinary talent can learn the second layer during the Foundation Establishment Stage.

According to Zhouyang, the reason Chen Ping’an from the Chen Family could slay the Tier Three High-Grade Demon Beast "Golden-eating Toad" in a single stroke was not only because his flying sword was a Tier Four Spiritual Artifact but also because he had practiced the Chen Family’s sword control technique to the second layer.

The first layer of "Flying Star Sword Technique" is not difficult to learn, and according to the old Clan Leader Zhou Minghan, he learned the first layer of the sword technique in about a year.

Thanks to the surge in divine sense after foundation establishment and the old Clan Leader’s personal guidance along the way, Zhouyang successfully mastered the first layer of the sword technique when the team returned to the Jade Spring Lake Oasis.