Cultivation Begins From The Desert-Chapter 680 - 664: Master Qianyang
Nascent Soul Stage cultivators have a strong recovery ability, and since Zhouyang held back, not truly intending to cause serious harm, Li Shuhua regained consciousness in less than half an hour of fainting.
However, after regaining consciousness, he would rather he hadn't.
Thinking of the image of himself being brutally beaten by Zhouyang in front of everyone made him so ashamed that he found it hard to face people.
It could be foreseen that the result of today's battle would quickly spread throughout the Liuyun Continent Cultivation Realm, and by then, his name, Li Shuhua, would once again spread across the cultivation realm.
But this time, it would be a notorious infamy.
Perhaps in the future, when someone mentions "Master Leijian" Li Shuhua, someone will say: Ah, is that the Nascent Soul cultivator who provocatively challenged and was severely beaten at Senior Zhouyang's Nascent Soul Ceremony?
He couldn't imagine how he would face his past friends and sect disciples when this news returned to the sect.
"No, I can't stay in the Liuyun Continent Cultivation Realm for now, I can only return after the news subsides. Go, I'll leave the cultivation realm now while the news hasn't spread!"
With his face turning blue and then red, Li Shuhua tightly clenched his fists, abruptly stood up from the bed, immediately performed a spell to conceal his figure, quietly left the guest room on Fire Birch Mountain, and headed straight down the mountain to leave.
"Hehehe, just as Fellow Daoist Fang predicted, Fellow Li still couldn't hold up his face and left. I just don't know where he'll go next!"
At the main venue, Ning Daoxuan, the Supreme Elder of the Qiantian Sect, chuckled, glancing with a teasing expression at the departing back of Li Shuhua, then turned to a Nascent Soul cultivator nearby, winking and smiling heartily.
The Nascent Soul cultivator surnamed Fang from the "Liuyun Commerce Alliance" heard this and laughed out loud: "Where else can he go? This time he has lost face completely; he'll probably have to hide in other cultivation realms for decades or centuries before he dares to come back!"
Other Nascent Soul cultivators, upon hearing their conversation, except for "Fairy Honglian" Zhao Honglian and "Master Celestial Serpent" Xu Hanwen, all laughed knowingly.
While laughing, these people's eyes couldn't help but glance at the man who had just displayed great power, with a deep look of fear flashing in their eyes.
Li Shuhua's true strength was not low, yet even such a capable Nascent Soul cultivator was easily defeated by Zhouyang, not even forcing Zhouyang to use his lifebound spiritual artifact. How could this not shock and intimidate others?
Many people secretly classified Zhouyang as a person not to be provoked under any circumstances after this battle.
"Fellow Daoist Zhou, according to tradition, newly promoted Nascent Soul cultivators should be listed in the True Man List after holding their Nascent Soul Ceremony. Has fellow daoist thought about your true man's title?"
After joking with others, the Nascent Soul cultivator surnamed Fang suddenly shifted his gaze to Zhouyang and asked a question that slightly stunned Zhouyang.
Seeing Zhouyang only staring blankly without answering, the Nascent Soul cultivator surnamed Fang frowned slightly and continued to ask: "From the looks of Fellow Daoist Zhou, could it be that you haven't considered this matter?"
Zhouyang truly hadn't considered this matter before.
Unlike others, in Zhouyang's mind, only a Tribulation Crossing True Immortal is worthy of the title "true man." Therefore, although he had already formed his Nascent Soul for some time, he never thought about this matter.
However, upon being asked by the Nascent Soul cultivator surnamed Fang, Zhouyang finally came to his senses but did not immediately answer Fang's question. Instead, he looked at Fang with curiosity and asked, "Can one choose their own true man's title?"
Hearing his question, the Nascent Soul cultivator surnamed Fang nodded slightly and said, "Generally, it's self-chosen, and everyone tries to avoid duplicate titles!"
Upon hearing this, Zhouyang's eyes slightly flickered, then he asked, "Then I wonder if the title 'Master Qianyang' is currently in use?"
"As far as I know, no fellow daoist in the Liuyun Continent Cultivation Realm has used this title before."
The Nascent Soul cultivator surnamed Fang said, smiling lightly, "However, this title does indeed suit Fellow Daoist Zhou well. It seems fellow daoist has already made up your mind."
Zhouyang also laughed heartily at this moment: "Hahaha, if fellow daoists do not object, I will shamelessly use this title."
"Great, since Fellow Daoist Zhou has decided, when I return, I'll have someone prepare a new edition of the True Man List. By then, the title 'Master Qianyang' will surely spread throughout the cultivation realm!"
The Nascent Soul cultivator surnamed Fang responded enthusiastically, finally revealing his true intent.
It turns out that the influential True Man List in the Liuyun Continent Cultivation Realm is compiled and proofread by the Liuyun Commerce Alliance, where the Nascent Soul cultivator surnamed Fang belongs.
Whenever a new Nascent Soul cultivator holds a Nascent Soul Ceremony, a Nascent Soul cultivator from the Liuyun Commerce Alliance attends to gather relevant information from the newly promoted Nascent Soul cultivator, then returns to have a dedicated cultivator record it in the latest edition of the True Man List.
Thus, each update of the True Man List represents the emergence of a new Nascent Soul cultivator in the Liuyun Continent Cultivation Realm. At the same time, the updated list also excludes those Nascent Soul cultivators confirmed to have perished before the update date.
Zhouyang was not originally from the Liuyun Continent Cultivation Realm, but now he has settled there, and holding his Nascent Soul Ceremony in the cultivation realm naturally accounts him as part of the Nascent Soul cultivators of this realm.
And he personally has no objection to this.
"Hehehe, Fellow Daoist Fang compiling a new edition of the True Man List is indeed a good thing, but there's something else all of you should know. Fellow Daoist Zhou has agreed to serve as the Honored Guest Supreme Elder of our Profound Sun Immortal Sect. When you compile the True Man List, don't leave that out."
Master Cyan Yang chuckled, interjecting after things had settled down.
Upon hearing this, the Nascent Soul cultivators present showed no change in expression.
That Zhouyang hosted his Nascent Soul Ceremony on Fire Birch Mountain already demonstrated his extraordinary relationship with the Profound Sun Immortal Sect, so they weren't surprised to hear that he joined the sect.
Of course, since Master Cyan Yang remarked on this, the others graciously congratulated Zhouyang once more on this matter. The Nascent Soul cultivator surnamed Fang readily agreed to fulfill this requirement.
Then, after another half-day of casual conversation among the Nascent Soul cultivators, "Fairy Honglian" Zhao Honglian was the first to bid farewell, followed by "Master Celestial Serpent" Xu Hanwen.
After more than half a day had passed, the Nascent Soul cultivators on Fire Birch Mountain mostly departed. Only Master Cyan Yang, Liu Yunxiang, and a few cultivators close to Zhouyang remained, leaving only after the Nascent Soul Ceremony concluded several days later.
With the conclusion of the ceremony, the bustling Fire Birch Mountain finally calmed down.
"Master, the gift list for this Nascent Soul Ceremony has been compiled. Please review it."
Inside the cave mansion atop Fire Birch Mountain, Wang Yanzhang cautiously approached Zhouyang, presenting him with a jade scroll filled with extensive information.
After the ceremony, Lu Xuewei returned to preside over Chongxuan Mountain, but Zhouyang retained him to tally the gifts received during the ceremony alongside Zhou Ronghua and other Zhou Family cultivators.
"You've been working hard these days. Henceforth, I shouldn't have any tasks for you. You can focus your efforts on improving your cultivation. Even though your talent isn't high, it doesn't mean forming a core is out of reach. It's crucial to see if you're willing to work hard. I, too, had a middle-grade spiritual root talent back then, and yet I successfully formed a core!"
Zhouyang extended his hand, and the jade scroll in Wang Yanzhang's hand flew into his grasp. Holding the scroll, he didn't rush to check its contents but instead earnestly instructed this disciple about cultivation.
After all, as a disciple he personally accepted, he couldn't completely let go and not provide guidance when necessary.
In fact, even though he often traveled or went into seclusion, he didn't entirely neglect Wang Yanzhang.
Under his arrangements, whenever Wang Yanzhang faced cultivation issues, he could seek advice from his senior sister Lu Xuewei, who had formed a core. If Lu Xuewei couldn't solve them, there were still two Golden Core cultivators, Xiao Ying and Lan Cailian, whom he could consult.
As for spiritual pills necessary for regular cultivation, he never lacked them.
But without Zhouyang's ability to use the Qianyang Immortal Light to purify erysipelas, Wang Yanzhang and his wife didn't dare to recklessly consume spirit pills to enhance their cultivation, resulting in stagnant progress.
However, upon Zhouyang's return, he used the Qianyang Immortal Light at available times to purify the erysipelas within them and other Zhou Family Purple Mansion cultivators. Therefore, he encouraged him to focus solely on cultivation, not wasting the opportunity.
Upon hearing the teachings, Wang Yanzhang respectfully replied, "Disciple will certainly adhere to Master's guidance, endeavor to cultivate by your example, and never let down the benevolence you've shown me!"
"It's good that you understand."
Zhouyang nodded slightly before delving his divine sense into the jade scroll to examine its information.
This Nascent Soul Ceremony was attended by hundreds of high-tier cultivators, each presenting a gift, accounting for hundreds of high-grade spiritual objects.
Although the spiritual objects useful to Zhouyang among these gifts were few, their value was indeed substantial.
According to the evaluations made by Wang Yanzhang and other Zhou Family cultivators who handled the gifts, the total value of these gifts exceeded ten million low-grade spirit stones.
This is even excluding the two tier-six spiritual objects, Ten Thousand Years Flame Jade and Celestial Spirit Silver, which were valuable to Zhouyang.
Additionally, the gifts from Nascent Soul cultivators were personally received by Zhouyang and not accounted for in the evaluation.
"Here's the plan: Deliver all tier-five spirit elixirs and pills to your Mistress. As for the remainder, choose items beneficial for your senior sister's and Elder Lan's cultivation, sending them three items each. You and your wife can also each select three items of interest. Lastly, have Li Hong and Rong Hua return the remaining items to the Zhou Family Treasure Vault for safekeeping!"
After viewing the gift list, Zhouyang, after a brief contemplation, made arrangements for the items.
At his cultivation level, spiritual stones below the top-grade were just numbers, as at least ninety percent of the items useful to him couldn't be bought with them.
Therefore, instead of converting unused gifts into spirit stones, he decided to award them to disciples and younger generations to strengthen their foundational power.
If the Zhou Family could produce several more Golden Core stage cultivators, their status as a prestigious family would be solidified.
Wang Yanzhang, of course, did not dare to question Zhouyang's arrangements. After listening to him, he promptly acknowledged, "Disciple understands. Thank you, Master, for your generosity."
After the Nascent Soul Ceremony, Zhouyang became reclusive, focusing solely on cultivation at Fire Birch Mountain, seldom leaving the cave mansion.
However, the outcome of his battle with Li Shuhua quickly spread across the Liuyun Continent Cultivation Realm with the ceremony's end, sparking widespread debate.
To withstand a peer sword cultivator's ultimate move physically with only minor injuries, and then knock unconscious a peer who had been forming his nascent soul for three hundred years with just iron fists—such an event had never been heard in the nearly ten-thousand-year history of the Liuyun Continent Cultivation Realm.
This battle's outcome even sparked a body refining trend within the Liuyun Continent Cultivation Realm.
Many cultivators were captivated by the formidable physical prowess Zhouyang displayed, aspiring to cultivate body refining techniques and divine techniques like him to temper their bodies.
However, those embarking on this path were mostly middle-low tier cultivators, as high-tier cultivators understood the difficulty of achieving such levels through body refining as Zhouyang did.
If all body cultivators were as potent as Zhouyang, they wouldn't have vanished without a trace in today's cultivation realm, nor would there have been only one top-tier body cultivator like Zhouyang for millennia.
In truth, Zhouyang's success was inimitable.
His powerful physique was not just due to practicing the Azure Dragon Body Refining Technique, a top-tier body refining divine technique, but also from long-term usage of the Qianyang Immortal Light to temper his body and refining True Dragon Essence Blood, among other factors.
Moreover, his ability to defeat Li Shuhua with sheer iron fists primarily stemmed from the Heaven-Suppressing Azure Dragon Cauldron's ability to restrict the opponent's flight capabilities. Otherwise, even if Li Shuhua struggled to break his defense easily, he could have maneuvered using speed, rather than being so humiliatingly knocked unconscious.
Of course, these matters bore no concern to Zhouyang, as he immersed himself in closed-door cultivation, paying no attention to external affairs. Even his son, Zhou Guangcheng, found it challenging to see him unless it was of exceptional importance.
Only in the eighth year of his seclusion, when Li Hong successfully formed his core at Chongxuan Mountain and visited Fire Birch Mountain to pay respects, did he emerge briefly to meet this highly-regarded junior, bestowing several magical artifacts for self-defense.
Thus, after sixteen years of seclusion, Zhouyang finally accomplished the initial mastery of the long-desired Thunder Skill, Nine Heavens Qianyang Demon-Annihilating Divine Thunder.
