Cultivation Begins From The Desert-Chapter 668 - 652: Seniors Don’t Talk About Martial Ethics!【8000-word - 】
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Chen Ping'an's cave dwelling is located near the top of White Camel Peak, and further up is the cave dwelling of the Chen Family Ancestor.
This cave dwelling is divided into an inner and outer layer. The one inside the mountain is where Chen Ping'an lives alone for his cultivation. The palace complex built on the outside occupies dozens of acres and serves as a residence for his descendants and a place to receive guests.
The three from the Zhou Family followed Chen Ping'an into the outer mansion of the cave dwelling on the surface and suddenly focused their gaze, looking at several of Chen Ping'an's younger generation standing in front of a grand hall.
"Seventh Sister, why are you here? Since you haven't perished, why don't you return to the family?"
Zhouyang's face was filled with suspicion as he looked at the woman who lowered her head, not daring to look at the three of them, his voice slightly angry.
It turns out that among the younger generation standing in front of the great hall, two of them were ones he knew.
One of them was Chen Fangping, Chen Ping'an's son, who tricked him out of over a hundred Spirit Stones when he first arrived at the Baisha River Oasis with just a meal. The other was Zhou Yuanchun, a female cultivator from the Zhou Family who went missing during the sand bandit raid on the Baisha River Oasis.
And now, these two people he was familiar with were standing hand in hand, with Zhou Yuanchun even holding the hand of a four or five-year-old boy.
Seeing this situation, how could Zhouyang not understand the relationship between these two people now?
As it turns out, Zhou Yuanchun hadn't disappeared or perished; she had married up into the family as Chen Ping'an's daughter-in-law. No wonder she didn't want to return to the Zhou Family.
At this moment, hearing Zhouyang's angry questioning, Zhou Yuanchun's delicate body trembled, unable to muster the courage to respond, only tightening her grip on Chen Fangping's hand beside her.
Seeing this, Chen Fangping gently patted his Dao Companion's palm to comfort her, then stepped forward with a smile, cupping his hands at Zhouyang, saying, "Please quell your anger, Elder Zhou. It was all my idea for Yuanchun to stay in the Chen Family. If you want to hit or punish someone, I'll take it all upon myself."
"Elder Chen, what exactly do you mean?" Zhouyang ignored Chen Fangping and directly looked at Chen Ping'an, who remained calm. He knew that Chen Ping'an must have already had a plan in mind when calling the three of them here.
Seeing Zhouyang disregard his words, the smile on Chen Fangping's face froze, and the feelings brewing inside him were indescribable.
Indeed, thirty years on the eastern river, thirty years on the western river.
Once upon a time, Zhouyang, in front of him, was just a small clan member he could tease as he wished without facing any backlash.
Yet, in just a few short years, that junior Qi Cultivation Stage cultivator who had just stepped out of his house had grown to the point where he could ignore him, now standing on equal footing with his Foundation Establishment father whom he leaned on as a pillar.
The complexity of these feelings could only truly be understood by someone who had experienced them firsthand.
"As for the matter of Xia'Er and this boy being together, I was unaware before. By the time I found out, their child was already three years old. Even if I could forcibly separate them, shouldn't I still account for my grandchild?"
Chen Ping'an's expression remained calm as he glanced at his son, first explaining the situation and stating his stance.
Then, he adopted a stern expression, looking seriously at the three from the Zhou Family and said, "We are all from cultivation families, so let's skip the pleasantries. Allow me to state my decision directly."
"Your Zhou Family has been established for a short time and hasn't produced a Tier Three Array Master. I'm afraid you lack the capability to set up the [Bloodline Divine Ban], which is the basis for a compromise between us regarding this matter."
"Therefore, I can give you two options. One is that I offer a Tier Three Pill Formula to your Zhou Family as compensation. The other is that I owe your Zhou Family a favor, which you can use in the future to have me perform a task within my capability."
The three from the Zhou Family exchanged glances, surprised by Chen Ping'an's words.
Their expressions were not particularly pleasant.
It's not that Chen Ping'an's offer wasn't good; quite the contrary. Whether it was the Tier Three Pill Formula or the favor from a Ninth-Layer Foundation Establishment cultivator from a large family like his, both were invaluable.
Zhou Yuanchun, a junior Qi Cultivation Stage cultivator with a lower-grade Spirit Root talent, could exchange for either of these two things, which would be greatly beneficial to the Zhou Family.
But the situation isn't that simple.
No matter how poor Zhou Yuanchun's talent and cultivation, she is still a cultivator from the Zhou Family.
Her marrying and having children with an outsider without notifying the family was already a factual betrayal to the family. As the clan leader and Supreme Elders, Zhouyang and the other two couldn't condone such betrayal. How could they lead the family in the future?
Moreover, if outsiders knew that the Zhou Family married one of their female cultivators into the Chen Family, what would they think of them?
Those who knew the inside story might understand their predicament, but those who didn't might think that the Zhou Family was selling out for glory, attempting to curry favor with the Chen Family!
This is truly a difficult situation. Being the current clan leader of the Zhou Family, Zhouyang really didn't know how to deal with this situation for a moment.
Fortunately, the experienced Zhou Minghan once again solved the problem for Zhouyang with his wisdom.
Suddenly, Zhou Minghan's eyes widened, glaring at Zhou Yuanchun and asking, "Yuanchun, what is your choice? If you wish to return to the clan with me, even if it means becoming enemies with Brother Chen today, I will also take you back to the clan!"
Upon hearing Zhou Minghan speaking like that, Chen Ping'an squinted his eyes but kept silent.
Chen Fangping was utterly astonished, looking at the three from the Zhou Family, eyes reflecting incredulity, never expecting them to actually dare to disrespect his father.
The person involved, Zhou Yuanxia, also raised her head in shock to look at Zhou Minghan, her eyes full of panic and bewilderment.
Chen Fangping had assured her with confidence that as long as Chen Ping'an was here, Zhou Minghan and the others would definitely not dare to forcibly take her away, which is why she dared to show herself.
Even more unexpectedly, Chen Ping'an, whom she relied on alongside Chen Fangping, narrowed his eyes at this moment and not only showed no displeasure at Zhou Minghan's impolite words, but instead looked at her with a gentle smile and said, "It's alright, Xia'er, you can feel free to answer Brother Ming Han. If you really wish to return to the Zhou family, father will not stop you."
"I, I don't want to be separated from Xin'er." Zhou Yuanxia tightly held her son's small hand, her voice trembling as she made her choice.
No sooner had she finished speaking, Zhou Minghan angrily declared, "Fine, since you say so, don't blame this old man for being rude."
Then, glaring, he shouted to Zhouyang, "Zhou Family cultivator Zhou Yuanxia eloped with another and betrayed the family. I, as the Zhou Family's First Supreme Elder, request the Clan Leader to expel her from the family register, never to be reinstated!"
"I, Zhou Family's Second Supreme Elder Zhou Xuanhao, second this motion," Zhou Xuanhao also came to realize the situation, promptly voicing his agreement with Zhou Minghan's proposal.
Zhouyang seeing this, also glanced deeply at the pale-faced Zhou Yuanxia, nodded gently and said, "Given that both Supreme Elders have proposed, and upon verification this matter is indeed true, I agree with this proposal as Zhou Family Patriarch and will implement it immediately."
Having said that, he, in front of several members of the Chen Family, directly took out a copy of the family registry from his Storage Bag and erased the three characters "Zhou Yuanxia."
Seeing this scene, Chen Ping'an couldn't help but nod and say, "From today onwards, there is only Chen Family's Chen Xia'Er, and Zhou Yuanxia no longer exists!"
"Brother Chen, farewell!"
"Take your time!"
Leaving the Chen Family, Zhouyang and the others temporarily settled at "Jade Spring Tower" within Ping'an Marketplace.
"Father, why did you earlier transmit to me not to choose the pill formula? Although Chen Ping'an's favor is valuable, the Tier Three Pill Formula concerns your breakthrough to Tier Three Alchemist, which should be more important to our Zhou Family now, right?"
After settling at "Jade Spring Tower," Zhouyang immediately expressed his doubts and confusion to his father Zhou Xuanhao.
The hundred skills of cultivation in the Zhou Family have a complete Tier Three and above inheritance only in artifact refining, while other arts such as arrays, talisman making, alchemy, spirit planting, and beast taming only have Tier Two inheritance.
The Tier Three Array "Earth and Metal Spear Array" at "Haoyang Cave" does not count as a complete inheritance, because Elder Zhou Qian, who refined this array, passed away after creating it without having left a related legacy, only leaving a damaged array map that even Tier Two High-grade Array Masters find hard to understand.
So, in Zhouyang's view, if his father Zhou Xuanhao could rely on Chen Ping'an's provided Tier Three Pill Formula to break through to a Tier Three Alchemist, it would be an excellent opportunity ten times more important than his breakthrough to a Tier Three Artifact Refiner for the Zhou Family.
"Yang'Er, you are still young, and it is normal not to understand these matters yet. Even if you had not asked, father would have explained it to you!"
Zhou Xuanhao sighed lightly, then bitterly smiled and revealed the reason.
"You think that as an Alchemist, father doesn't want the Tier Three Pill Formula? But you have no idea, the nearby Baisha River Cultivation Realm has the spirit herbs and elixirs needed to refine common Tier Three Spirit Pills almost monopolized by the Chen Family and the Yellow Sand Sect, only the spirit herbs and elixirs they can't use will flow out for others to obtain."
"So the pill formulas Chen Ping'an is willing to offer are either waste formulas with materials that are impossible to gather, or eccentric formulas with little practical use."
"Zhou Family indeed lacks Tier Three Alchemists, but we are not so desperate as to take any unnecessary risks, there is simply no need to fall for his trick!"
Zhouyang was rendered speechless.
He is an Artifact Refiner, not an Alchemist, so he truly has no say concerning matters of alchemy.
Since his father Zhou Xuanhao had spoken this way, then it surely must be correct.
At this moment, Zhou Minghan, who had been silent, nodded as well and said, "Xuanhao is right, the matter of Tier Three Pill Formulas can be planned slowly in the future, whereas in the current situation of Demon Cultivator invasion, the favor from Chen Ping'an may play a major role at any unexpected time."
After speaking, he smiled slightly again and said, "The matter of Yuanxia, although it seems on the surface like something shameful for the Zhou Family, actually illustrates one thing: With Xuanhao and Xiao Jiu, you father and son, successively achieving Foundation Establishment, and with the invasion of Demon Cultivators, our Zhou Family, in the eyes of the Chen Family, has transformed from an insignificant minion they could disregard into a significant ally worth their attention and wooing."
"Otherwise, with their Chen Family's power, they could easily hide Yuanxia from us, so why would they voluntarily expose her and give us benefits using this as a pretext?"
Zhouyang, upon hearing this, could not help but nod in agreement, saying, "Great-grandfather is correct, the Chen Family is indeed anxious now. In the Battle of Golden Dawn Mountain, they lost three Foundation Establishment Cultivators. In this battle against the Demon Cultivators, they lost another Foundation Establishment Cultivator, and last time when they used three Foundation Establishment Pills, only one succeeded. Coupled with the previous loss of Chen Pingzhi, if only counting Foundation Establishment Cultivators, the Chen Family barely has eight left now."
"With this situation, the Chen Family lacks Foundation Establishment Cultivators, and in the future they will certainly rely more heavily on the Foundation Establishment Cultivators of allied clans. Some Tier Three Treasures previously not released and strictly controlled in quantity might now be offered to garner loyalty, which is absolutely a great opportunity for our Zhou Family!"
Zhou Minghan stroked his beard and smiled, joy filling his face.
"Indeed, it is a good thing. Our Zhou Family ultimately established its clan too briefly; its foundation is far less comparable not only to Purple Mansion Clans like the Chen Family, but even to Foundation Establishment Clans like Liu Family of Chixia Mountain and Yang Family of Golden Spring Valley with five or six hundred years of heritage."
"Now our Zhou Family has three Foundation Establishment Cultivators and is at the peak since its founding, coinciding with the invasion of Demon Cultivators, causing chaos in the cultivation realm. If we do not seize this opportunity to accumulate more foundations for the clan, once the situation stabilizes, it would no longer be simple to realize a leap in family foundation."
Zhouyang is also aware of the family's circumstance; before Foundation Establishment, except for lacking treasures like Foundation Establishment Pills, he felt the Zhou Clan lacked nothing and had everything.
However, after achieving Foundation Establishment, he realized the Zhou family's self-sufficiency is only achievable for lower-tier cultivators. For Zhou Family's Foundation Establishment cultivators, besides magical artifacts, there is essentially a shortage of useful resources from the clan.
This is akin to those countries of his previous life; some small countries can sustain their citizens with closed doors, but such sufficiency merely pertains to feeding. For those citizens whose needs have transcended mere sustenance and wish to use high-tech products, they virtually must rely on imports.
Take a simple example: After successfully establishing his foundation, Zhouyang never once consumed a Tier Three Spirit Pill to enhance cultivation, which clearly shows how lacking the Zhou Clan's foundation is.
A case in point is the Liu Family at Chixia Mountain. Though the family lacks a Tier Three Alchemist, due to having Foundation Establishment cultivators in every generation, their clan treasure vault always has ample Tier Three Spirit Pills in reserve, allowing Foundation Establishment cultivators to exchange Spirit Stones for Spirit Pills at a favorable rate.
The Liu Family uses clan funds to purchase expensive Spirit Pills for the vault, allowing Foundation Establishment cultivators to exchange them at a flat rate. This may seem to cause a financial deficit, but in reality, it stabilizes the morale of Foundation Establishment cultivators and enhances their sense of belonging and cohesion with the family.
As long as the clan's Foundation Establishment cultivators continue to serve the family, aren't the Spirit Pills exchanged at a flat rate still retained in the family in another form?
People are practical. If a family can no longer assist its high-tier cultivators in their practice, those high-tier cultivators may gradually become indifferent to the family. After all, they can live well even after leaving the family. The family would then become a burden to them, and given the choice, no one would willingly carry a burden during their journey.
Zhouyang can guarantee his loyalty to the family, and he believes in the loyalty of the elder patriarch Zhou Minghan and his father Zhou Xuanhao as well. However, loyalty can't serve as food.
The three of them have experienced the family's tough times and benefited from the kindness of many clan seniors, turning their love into action to aid the family. But their descendants, those who grew up during prosperous times, can they similarly "turn love into action" and remain loyal to the family?
Zhouyang's experience from his past life tells him, absolutely not!
Therefore, to prevent the loss of talent in the family in the future, as the clan leader, he must strengthen the family's foundation before the younger cultivators mature.
Yellow Sand Sect.
The mountain gate of Yellow Sand Sect is located on a giant oasis, resembling a tightly closed shell, stretching over 5,000 miles south to north and 4,000 miles east to west. The oasis hosts four to five million mortals, most of whom are descendants of generations of Yellow Sand Sect cultivators.
There are over ten thousand cultivators in Yellow Sand Sect, and only about a tenth are direct descendants. The remaining ninety percent consist of half from various affiliated clans and loose cultivators, and half come from the giant oasis and other Yellow Sand Sect-controlled oases containing mortals.
Zhang Yunpeng originally hailed from an ordinary mortal family within the giant oasis of Yellow Sand Sect. After being identified as possessing a Top-grade Spiritual Root talent, he was directly taken as a disciple by a Purple Mansion Stage cultivator from Yellow Sand Sect, leading him to fortune and advancement to his current realm.
Due to this background, Zhang Yunpeng is very grateful to Yellow Sand Sect for nurturing him, personally viewing the sect as his family and being very dedicated to the sect's matters.
Upon discovering the Demonic Dao cultivators' invasion of the Boundless Sea of Sand Cultivation Realm, he understood profoundly how this could impact Yellow Sand Sect. Therefore, upon the battle's conclusion, he couldn't rest and immediately pushed his weary self to fly tens of thousands of miles directly back to Yellow Sand Sect's mountain gate.
Arriving at the mountain gate, he didn't pause for a moment, directly flying to the doors of the caves of the sect's two Golden Core Ancestors, requesting an audience.
Yellow Sand Sect has two Golden Core Stage cultivators: one named Cao Wenjin, who has cultivated for over eight hundred years and reached the Sixth Layer of the Golden Core Stage; the other is Jiang Ming, having cultivated for over five hundred years, being in the Second Layer of the Golden Core Stage.
These two Golden Core cultivators have their caves located on the Tier Five High-Grade Spiritual Vein where Yellow Sand Sect's mountain gate resides, with their caves being less than a hundred miles apart.
Upon receiving Zhang Yunpeng's sound transmission, Jiang Ming, who is in the Second Layer of the Golden Core Stage, immediately exited seclusion and went to Cao Wenjin's cave, entering together with Zhang Yunpeng.
Golden Core cultivators have a lifespan of a millennium. Although Cao Wenjin is actually over eight hundred years old, his appearance still resembles a middle-aged man, while Jiang Ming looks even younger than Zhang Yunpeng.
Upon entering the cave, Zhang Yunpeng and Jiang Ming saw a middle-aged cultivator wearing a hair-binding golden crown, dressed in a golden robe, and holding a white jade ruyi, seated on a thousand-year cold jade couch, his gaze bright and focused on them.
"Greetings, Master Cao!"
"Greetings, Senior Brother Cao!"
Both greeted him, albeit Zhang Yunpeng bowed his head slightly, not daring to meet Cao Wenjin's gaze directly.
Jiang Ming simply exchanged a casual nod with a smile, unafraid to gaze directly at Cao Wenjin.
Those who can condense a Golden Core are exceptional talents, each with their pride, unless facing a Nascent Soul Stage Great Power, no one can make them bow their heads.
"Junior Brother Jiang."
"Junior Zhang."
Cao Wenjin nodded slightly with a smile and waved his jade ruyi, releasing a cluster of cyan spiritual light brimming with vitality that fell on Zhang Yunpeng, instantly merging into his body.
As the cyan spiritual light entered his body, Zhang Yunpeng's former exhaustion was instantly relieved as if he were being bathed in spring breezes, feeling noticeably relaxed.
Jiang Ming, observing this, couldn't help but praise: "Look at that, Senior Brother, is Senior Brother indeed. I can also perform the Cyan Splendor Profound Spirit Spell, but to do it as effortlessly as Senior Brother might require another two hundred years of practice!"
"Junior Brother flatters me. This is just because of the artifact. It doesn't warrant such praise."
Cao Wenjin laughed, modestly dismissing Jiang Ming's compliments, and then his eyes gleamed with seriousness as he looked at Zhang Yunpeng and asked, "Junior Zhang, didn't you go to Baisha River Oasis to assist Chen Yaohui in investigating the sand bandit attacks? Why the sudden urgent return? Has there been a change?"
Zhang Yunpeng straightened his expression, took a deep breath, and in a heavy voice recounted his journey to Baisha River Oasis.
Listening to Zhang Yunpeng mention the Blood Slaughter Demon Sect's invasion of the Boundless Sea of Sand Cultivation Realm, the faces of Cao Wenjin and Jiang Ming changed simultaneously, their eyes filled with astonishment. If it weren't for their years of cultivation, they might have exclaimed in shock.
Upon Zhang Yunpeng finishing his account, the two Golden Core Stage cultivators remained silent, exchanging a long glance.
"The Blood Slaughter Demon Sect was said to have been obliterated by various sects of the Immortal Dao in the Liuyun Continent Cultivation Realm decades ago. I remember Junior Luo mentioning that nearly all Golden Core Stage cultivators of the Blood Slaughter Demon Sect were captured; even if a few escaped, they should be hiding in terror. How could they dare invade the Boundless Sea of Sand Cultivation Realm? Could this be a ruse?"
After a long silence, Cao Wenjin finally spoke, voicing skepticism about the news brought by Zhang Yunpeng.
Upon hearing this, Zhang Yunpeng quickly responded, "Master Cao, your insight is valued. I cannot conclusively say, but the behavior of the Blood Mo Luo seemed genuine. Furthermore, his Tier Five Artifact and Substitute Blood Puppet are real."
At the side, Jiang Ming nodded solemnly and said, "Whether he is lying or it's the truth, we must take this seriously. I suggest we immediately order the sect's cultivators across various regions and the vassal cultivation clans to investigate the scattered cultivators and mortals in their respective territories. If the demonic cultivators have truly invaded our Boundless Desert Sea Cultivation Realm on a large scale, it's impossible for them to leave no traces!"
"Then proceed as Junior Brother Jiang suggested. I will now issue a Level B mobilization order for the sect. All the vassal cultivation families of our Yellow Sand Sect must dispatch one Foundation Establishment Cultivator and five Qi Cultivation Cultivators to the nearby large oases to await the sect's orders. Additionally, anyone who reports traces of demonic cultivators will be given merit rewards by the sect based on the actual situation."
Cao Wenjin, after a brief contemplation, nodded in approval of Jiang Ming's suggestion and promptly issued the order.
After making the decision, he looked at Zhang Yunpeng and said, "It's been hard on you this time, Nephew Zhang. The Celestial Spirit Divine Thunder Talisman you used, the sect cannot replenish it for you at the moment, but I can compensate you with the corresponding sect merit points. You may go to the treasure vault to choose a treasure of your liking."
"Thank you, Master Uncle," Zhang Yunpeng said joyfully, bowing to express his gratitude.
This was a pleasant surprise for him, and he felt a surge of gratitude toward Cao Wenjin and the sect.
This is the sect he loves and protects!
"But before you thank me, Nephew Zhang, you still need to make a trip to the Baisha River Oasis. I will entrust you with the 'Child Snail' of the Mother and Child Golden Conch. If you can find traces of the Blood Mo Luo, immediately use it to inform me, and I will personally come to capture him."
While saying this, Cao Wenjin waved his sleeve, and a fist-sized pale gold conch was tossed into Zhang Yunpeng's hand.
"I will follow Master Uncle's instructions," Zhang Yunpeng said as he held the golden conch with both hands, solemnly storing it in his storage bag.
This "Mother and Child Golden Conch" is no ordinary object but a precious item comparable to a Tier Five Spiritual Artifact. As long as one holds the Mother Conch, no matter how many miles away the holder of the Child Conch is, their voice can transmit clearly to the person holding the Mother Conch.
After leaving Cao Wenjin's grotto, he immediately went to the sect's treasure vault to select a few treasures before heading to the Baisha River Oasis.
Once Zhang Yunpeng left, Cao Wenjin in the grotto looked at Jiang Ming and said, "This is an opportunity. Although the Blood Slaughter Demon Sect is in decline, it does not prevent us from using this situation to deepen our ties with the Liuyun Continent Cultivation Realm. The people over there should know that once the Blood Slaughter Demon Sect takes over our Boundless Desert Sea Cultivation Realm, it will cause them considerable trouble."
"So, I need to trouble you, Junior Brother Jiang, to make a trip to the Liuyun Continent Cultivation Realm and directly communicate with the Profound Sun Immortal Sect, which has a deep grudge against the Blood Slaughter Demon Sect. Tell them we need support. If they are unwilling to send Golden Core cultivators to help us eliminate the demonic threat, ask them to sell fifty Foundation Establishment Pills and three pieces of Purple Heart Jade Marrow to us at half price."
"I remember the sect's medicinal garden still has a Tier Five Middle-Grade Spirit Herb 'Profound Sun Golden Reishi' that has aged over two thousand years. Take this Spirit Herb with you to present to Master Yuyang of the Profound Sun Immortal Sect and ask him to intercede for us."
The Yellow Sand Sect controls a relatively safe secret passage to the Liuyun Continent Cultivation Realm, which is widely known in the Boundless Sand Sea Cultivation Realm. However, not more than ten Yellow Sand Sect cultivators know of this secret passage, not even some less experienced Purple Mansion Cultivators of the Yellow Sand Sect.
Through this relatively safe secret passage, the Yellow Sand Sect regularly sends representatives every few decades to the Liuyun Continent Cultivation Realm for trade, selling special spiritual objects from the Boundless Desert Sea to the cultivators there in exchange for Foundation Establishment Pills, Purple Heart Jade Marrow, and other precious spiritual objects that aid in Foundation Establishment and opening the Purple Mansion.
However, in the past, the people of the Liuyun Continent Cultivation Realm were reluctant to sell these precious spiritual objects in large quantities to the Yellow Sand Sect cultivators.
Firstly, their own sects had a high demand for these precious spiritual objects, and secondly, they did not want to see the Yellow Sand Sect grow stronger, making it difficult to control in the future.
This time, with the invasion of the Boundless Desert Sea Cultivation Realm by the Blood Slaughter Demon Sect, Cao Wenjin saw it as both a crisis and an opportunity. If the crisis can be resolved and the opportunity seized, the power of the Yellow Sand Sect is bound to rise.
"Rest assured, Senior Brother, I know what to do!"
Jiang Ming's eyes flashed with determination as he nodded knowingly, promptly leaving Cao Wenjin's grotto and heading to the Liuyun Continent Cultivation Realm with hundreds of thousands of spirit stones through the secret passage.
Zhouyang certainly would not be aware of the events happening within the Yellow Sand Sect. At this moment, he was dividing the spoils with the old patriarch Zhou Minghan and his father Zhou Xuanhao.
Although they only killed a single Foundation Establishment sand bandit this time, the haul was substantial.
Excluding the part that Chen Ping'an took, the treasures they collected were worth over twenty thousand spirit stones.
These included a Tier Three High-grade Spiritual Artifact "Mountain Leveling Seal," a Tier Three Middle-grade Spiritual Artifact "Soul Suppressing Bell," a Tier Three Lower-grade Spiritual Artifact "Mountain Shattering Hammer," in addition to over five thousand spirit stones and an array of Tier Two Spiritual Artifacts, Spirit Talismans, and Elixirs worth thousands of spirit stones.
Among these, the "Mountain Leveling Seal" and "Soul Suppressing Bell" were treasures of the original owner of the Thousand Machines Grotto Heaven, both of which were rare and fine.
After discussions, Zhou Minghan took the most powerful "Mountain Leveling Seal," while the versatile "Soul Suppressing Bell" that could be used for both attack and defense was given to Zhouyang. The remaining "Mountain Shattering Hammer" was allocated to Zhou Xuanhao.
As for the remaining spirit stones and spiritual objects, the three merely split the spirit stones and some usable spiritual objects, donating the rest to the clan's treasure vault to benefit the clan's future generations.
Shortly after they distributed their haul, a Sound Transmission Talisman fluttered into the room, landing in Zhou Minghan's hand.
"It's a transmission from Yu'Er. She has arrived outside the Baisha River Oasis."
Zhou Xuan Yu was hiding beneath an unnamed sand dune a hundred miles outside the Baisha River Oasis.
Upon receiving her message, Zhou Minghan and Zhouyang left the Baisha River Oasis under the pretense of returning to the clan and secretly went to her hiding place.
To conceal their identities, both wore masks refined by Zhouyang. So even if their secret meeting was discovered, as long as they weren't caught red-handed, they had room to maneuver.
On a dark and windy night, the three of them, wearing dragon, tiger, and phoenix masks, gathered to talk for a while before setting off together to the Yuquan Lake Oasis through sword control.
After discussing with Zhou Xuan Yu, Zhouyang and Zhou Minghan eventually decided to take her back to the clan, at least to let her see her children and family, and take one last look at the scenic places that raised her.
Blood Mo Luo had been severely injured and would not seek her out at this time, making it the best time to take her home.
However, Zhou Xuan Yu's current identity was too sensitive. To prevent news from leaking, she did not dare to meet her daughter Zhou Yuanchun in person and could only watch from the shadows.
