Cultivation Begins From The Desert-Chapter 738 - 722: Cultivation Breakthrough, Return to Flowing Clouds
Time passed slowly, and in a blink of an eye, ten years had gone by.
In the past ten years, aside from occasionally taking breaks to talk with his Dao Companion Xiao Ying and having dual cultivation sessions with her, Zhouyang spent the rest of the time in closed-door cultivation within the Extreme Yang Fire Pool.
During these ten years of arduous cultivation, his cultivation level successfully advanced to the Third Layer Nascent Soul stage.
After he advanced to the Third Layer Nascent Soul, less than thirty percent of the fire attribute spiritual qi in the Extreme Yang Fire Pool had been consumed, which was vastly different from what he had initially anticipated.
Thus, with the idea that such opportunities were rare, he continued cultivating here for another fifteen years until less than ten percent of the fire attribute spiritual qi in the Extreme Yang Fire Pool remained before he stopped.
At this point, after his twenty-five years of absorption and refinement, the Extreme Yang Fire Pool, originally several hundred feet in diameter, had shrunk to less than twenty feet, just a step away from completely collapsing.
Zhouyang stopped at this time because he felt that the formation of the Extreme Yang Fire Pool was not easy, and if it were to collapse and dissipate due to his excessive absorption, it would be too much of a pity.
Moreover, with his current cultivation level, even if he absorbed and refined the remaining ten percent of the fire attribute spiritual qi, it would only enhance his cultivation by an additional twenty or thirty years.
"Most importantly, after more than thirty years have passed, the Thousand-Year Dharma Assembly of the Liuyun Continent Cultivation Realm should be about to convene. If I cannot return before the assembly, the losses may not be less than this twenty or thirty years of cultivation!"
By the Extreme Yang Fire Pool, Zhouyang withdrew his power and stood up, looking towards the southern sky with deep eyes, already prepared to return to the Liuyun Continent Cultivation Realm.
Having absorbed almost the entire fire attribute spiritual qi contained in the Extreme Yang Fire Pool, he was now close to advancing to the Mid-Stage Nascent Soul. After returning, he only needed to retreat for another twenty or thirty years, refining some of the spirit elixirs and spirit pills he had accumulated to enhance his cultivation, and advancing to the Mid-Stage Nascent Soul would be a sure thing.
But how could he be content with just that!
The Thousand-Year Dharma Assembly only convenes once every millennium, at which time dozens to hundreds of Nascent Soul cultivators will gather to exchange the items they need, naturally including various spiritual objects that can enhance cultivation.
Zhouyang now possessed various Tier Six magical artifacts and spiritual objects that he could not use, and he had long been prepared to bring out these things at this Thousand-Year Dharma Assembly to exchange with others for spiritual objects that could enhance cultivation.
"Having been out for so many years, it's about time to go back!"
This was destined to be a long journey.
From the depths of the Extreme North Icefield, millions of miles away from the Beiting Continent Cultivation Realm, crossing the entire Beiting Continent Cultivation Realm and the Endless Snowfield, finally reaching the Liuyun Continent Cultivation Realm.
This journey, even in a straight line, was over two million miles!
And even for a Third-Layer Nascent Soul cultivator like Zhouyang, even if he and his demon servant Bi'Er, as well as his external incarnation, took turns flying and traveling nonstop, it still took them a full two and a half years!
Naturally, it was impossible for this journey to be entirely peaceful; whether it was the demon beasts on the Extreme North Icefield and the Endless Snowfield, or the territory-conscious "Bingyi People," they would not turn a blind eye to Zhouyang crossing their territory.
In the span of two and a half years, Zhouyang encountered attacks from same-tier powerhouses more than a dozen times. In the most perilous situation, five Tier Six powerhouses of the "Bingyi People" besieged him, with the leader's power even reaching the level of a Late-Stage Nascent Soul cultivator.
However, those "Bingyi People" clearly underestimated his strength, having no idea just how terrifying the actual capabilities of this human Early-Stage Nascent Soul cultivator were.
During that final ambush, Zhouyang revealed all his trump cards, not only releasing his external incarnation, demon servant Bi'Er, and Tier Six puppet to join the battle, but also the demoness Huan Qianqian, whom he had been nursing in the Dongxuan Pearl, to participate in the fight.
In the five-on-five situation, faced with Zhouyang wielding the Vermilion Bird Fan, those "Bingyi People" besieging him soon tasted the bitter fruit.
By the end of that grand battle, the leader of the "Bingyi People," whose power was comparable to that of a Late-Stage Nascent Soul cultivator, was severely wounded by Zhouyang's Vermilion Bird Fan. The remaining four "Bingyi People" also paid the price of one death and two injuries, fleeing the battlefield in disarray.
Since that battle, Zhouyang did not encounter any same-tier obstructions for the rest of his journey until he successfully reached the Liuyun Continent Cultivation Realm.
"Finally home!"
Above a verdant peak teeming with various shades of lush vegetation, the weary but returning Zhouyang couldn't help but smile as he looked down at the green expanse below.
Having stayed in the Extreme North Icefield for so long, the scenery now before him, which could be seen anywhere in the Liuyun Continent Cultivation Realm, had become a rare sight of beauty in his eyes.
Zhouyang was not unfamiliar with desolate places; many parts of the Boundless Desert Sea were equally desolate, with nothing but endless yellow sand in sight.
But even in the Desert Sea, one could still find resilient desert plants and animals like sand scorpions and sand sparrows.
Yet in the depths of the Extreme North Icefield, there was nothing but ice and snow. Not to mention ordinary plants, even certain cold-resistant spirit woods could hardly grow there, let alone ordinary animals.
"Hmm, better conceal my identity first, find a nearby Immortal City to contact Elder Qingyang, inquire about the situation, and then decide where to go."
With a gleam in his eyes, Zhouyang waved his sleeve to bring out the long-unused Tier Five Spiritual Artifact, the Illusory Treasure Pearl, transforming into a red-haired middle-aged man with Mid-Stage Golden Core cultivation, and set off toward the nearest Immortal City.
Several days later, in an Immortal City called "Red Jade Immortal City," Zhouyang found a branch of the Profound Sun Immortal Sect's intelligence agency, and through the communication array set up there, he contacted Master Cyan Yang.
After half a day of exchange through the communication array with Master Cyan Yang, Zhouyang left "Red Jade Immortal City" with a sullen expression.
The situation was indeed somewhat unfavorable for him.
It was now almost certain that the Dragon-Taming Star Feather had arrived in the Liuyun Continent Cultivation Realm, waiting somewhere to ambush Zhouyang when he appeared.
The reason he came to this conclusion was because, over the years, there were several unknown cultivators disguising themselves as Zhou Family cultivators and Profound Sun Immortal Sect disciples in attempts to approach and kidnap his son, Zhou Guangcheng, taking him out of the Profound Sun Immortal Sect.
These individuals had Golden Core stage cultivation and had never appeared in the Liuyun Continent Cultivation Realm before, clearly coming from other cultivation realms.
Moreover, not only were there attempts to abduct Zhou Guangcheng, but in recent years, several Zhou Family cultivators had gone missing or fallen, including three Purple Mansion Stage cultivators like Zhou Shengyu!
What worried Zhouyang the most was that even in the Boundless Sea of Sand Cultivation Realm, Zhou Family cultivators were inexplicably missing and falling on their own Spirit Mountain, with no bodies to be found.
This indicated that the Dragon Taming Clan had thoroughly uncovered the origins of the Zhou Family, with their focus not only on the Zhou Family in the Liuyun Continent Cultivation Realm.
Though he hadn't been too fearful of others discovering the origins of the Zhou Family since forming his Nascent Soul, now that the enemies had indeed found the Zhou Family's ancestral home, Zhouyang couldn't help but worry.
He knew well that as he remained absent for a long time, the patience of Dragon-Taming Star Feather would wear thinner, and they would eventually disregard everything to target the entire Zhou Family, using the lives of thousands of Zhou Family cultivators as leverage to force him out.
If it ever came to that point, even if he survived the catastrophe, the Zhou Family would suffer severe damage, or even...
"It seems this matter can no longer be delayed; once the Millennial Conference is over, we should start resolving it, even if it means paying a higher price!"
Zhou Yang pressed his lips together, a glint of cold hostility flashed in his eyes.
Though Yu Long Xing Yu, with the cultivation of the Nascent Soul Ninth Layer, was very powerful, he was not unbeatable nor unkillable.
As long as someone could directly hold off the Tier Seven Immortal Tool in his hand, and with several Late-Stage Nascent Soul cultivators of similar strength attacking together, there was hope of killing him.
However, to encircle and kill such a Nascent Soul Ninth Layer "Half-Step True Immortal" with a Tier Seven Immortal Tool, the participants themselves would be taking a considerable risk; finding experts willing to take such a risk would require Zhou Yang to pay a painful price.
Yet, despite this, he decided to proceed.
Compared to those material possessions, he valued the lives of his family and clan members more. To him, treasures could be found again if lost, but lives, once lost, could not be saved.
"To avoid alerting him, I'll not inform the Zhou Family of my return for now. There's still a little over a year until the Millennial Conference convenes. I should find a way to create an alternate identity to participate in the conference, and act after it's over!"
Zhou Yang made up his mind and immediately headed to Liuyun Immortal City, preparing to take part in the upcoming Millennial Conference.
Not long after, under a concealed identity, he arrived at Liuyun Immortal City and secretly contacted Xu Tianlin, the local figure, informing him of his plan to attend the conference under a hidden identity.
Their friendship, forged during their time fighting side by side in the Beiting Continent Cultivation Realm, and Zhou Yang's indirect life-saving deed in the Demon Realm for Xu Tianlin, ensured Xu would not refuse such a small request.
He quickly used the authority of the organizer to issue Zhou Yang a new invitation, transforming him into Lu Tianyang, a Third-Layer Nascent Soul cultivator from the Westernmost Cultivation Realm.
With the Westernmost Cultivation Realm being largely isolated from the outside world, Zhou Yang had no worry of his disguised identity being uncovered.
Moreover, to assist him in concealing his aura and identity at the conference, Xu Tianlin lent him a Tier Six Middle-grade Spiritual Artifact, the Mysterious Heaven Banner.
The Mysterious Heaven Banner was a famed magical artifact belonging to a Nascent Soul stage cultivator within the Liuyun Commerce Alliance. With this magical artifact's aid in concealment, even a Nascent Soul Ninth Layer "Half-Step True Immortal" would find it difficult to discern Zhou Yang's true identity without using a special Pupil Technique Divine Techniques.
And during the Millennial Conference, even a Nascent Soul Ninth Layer "Half-Step True Immortal" would be unlikely to employ such divine techniques to identify each attendee in person.
With Xu Tianlin providing cover, Zhou Yang temporarily stayed in Liuyun Immortal City.
As the Millennial Conference drew near, many Nascent Soul cultivators from afar had already arrived and taken up residence in Liuyun Immortal City. Following Xu Tianlin's advice, Zhou Yang, under the alias of Lu Tianyang, proactively visited some of his peers, letting it be known that he was a participant in this grand event.
The year passed quickly, and the once-in-a-millennium Millennial Conference finally commenced amidst great anticipation.
Since it was a conference, it was not just a closed-door exchange among Nascent Soul cultivators; it was to be held publicly.
In preparation for the conference, Liuyun Immortal City even opened up part of the mid-mountain section of Liuyun Immortal Mountain, setting the conference venue on a plateau midway up the mountain.
This open space could accommodate over ten thousand cultivators without seeming cramped, and it offered a panoramic view of the many splendid scenes of Liuyun Immortal Mountain and the Immortal City below.
Evidently, those coming to listen to the Nascent Soul cultivators' lectures also had certain requirements to meet.
These requirements were neither overly stringent nor overly easy.
There were three ways to gain entry to listen: the first was free admission for Golden Core Stage cultivators; the second allowed each attending Nascent Soul cultivator to bring thirty juniors; the third required purchasing an admission ticket, each priced at ten thousand low-grade spirit stones, transferable.
The first two methods aside, the third method alone allowed the Liuyun Commerce Alliance to earn over thirty million low-grade spirit stones from the issuance of three thousand admission tickets!
There was no worry that the tickets wouldn't sell. Though ten thousand low-grade spirit stones was not a small amount, the number of Purple Mansion Stage cultivators in the vast Liuyun Continent Cultivation Realm must be close to ten thousand, or at least eight thousand.
For the majority of Purple Mansion Stage cultivators, spending ten thousand low-grade spirit stones to hear dozens to a hundred Nascent Soul cultivators discussing the Dao was a rare and invaluable opportunity.
Even some wealthy Foundation Establishment cultivators would grit their teeth and spend the spirit stones to take part in this once-in-a-millennium grand event, even if they ended up gaining nothing at the conference—it would still be a significant point of personal pride, one they could boast about endlessly.
Thanks to the Liuyun Commerce Alliance's early publicity, any cultivator of the Liuyun Continent Cultivation Realm who was not entirely cut off from external communication knew that this Millennial Conference was taking place in Liuyun Immortal City.
Hence, the three thousand admission tickets were in such demand that they would sell out with no possibility of any being left unsold.
"Master Wang He from the Celestial South Continent Cultivation Realm has arrived!"
"Master Bai Lan from the Overseas Cultivation Realm has arrived!"
"Master Lu Tianyang from the Westernmost Cultivation Realm has arrived!"
...
The announcer's voice rang clear, as Zhou Yang, under the alias Lu Tianyang, arrived with two Nascent Soul stage cultivators, joining their peers on the Dharma Platform prepared specially for them.
The two accompanying him were cultivators he had befriended over the past year. The three came from various cultivation realms from all over, without prior knowledge of each other, finding much in common during their exchanges and quickly becoming familiar.
"Honored guests from the Celestial South Continent and the Overseas Cultivation Realm, we are honored to have you at this grand event on behalf of our alliance, and I, Xu, would like to extend our gratitude to you three," said Xu Tianlin, the host representing the organizers, with a broad smile as he greeted the three with a courteous bow upon their arrival on the Dharma Platform.
"It is our honor and opportunity to attend the conference and exchange insights on cultivation," replied Wang He, the eldest of the three visitors, with a warm smile. He spoke graciously on behalf of the three.
With some formalities exchanged, Xu Tianlin and the three of them settled down on the platform prepared for Nascent Soul stage cultivators.
However, beneath the platform, the number of cultivators who came to listen numbered six to seven thousand, including several hundred Golden Core Stage cultivators!
