Cultivation Begins From The Desert-Chapter 741 - 725: Luxurious Array!
After the exchange meeting, Zhouyang reaped tremendous rewards.
The various Spiritual Objects he acquired during this exchange meeting are enough to support his cultivation for a long time. In the next hundred or two hundred years, his cultivation is bound to improve rapidly.
However, to cultivate peacefully, he must first resolve the major problem of Dragon-Taming Star Feather.
Therefore, after the exchange meeting ended, he eagerly visited Yin Hanguang, the Palace Master of the Great Brightness Immortal Palace.
"Fellow Daoist Zhou's illustrious deeds in the Beiting Continent Cultivation Realm of Demon Extermination and Dao Protection have reached my ears frequently. It's said that even Immortal Venerable Chongyang, who rarely appears, is very fond of you and has personally awarded you treasures to commend you. Truly enviable!"
In the cave residence where Yin Hanguang temporarily stayed, as soon as Zhouyang was welcomed in, he heard him mention his deeds in the Beiting Continent Cultivation Realm of Demon Extermination and Dao Protection.
In fact, he has heard similar words countless times within Liuyun Immortal City over the past year.
Since more than twenty years ago, when Xu Tianlin and others safely returned to the Liuyun Continent Cultivation Realm, the stories of the journey of the group of reinforcement cultivators to the Beiting Continent Cultivation Realm have spread widely.
The Nascent Soul Stage cultivators who fell in the Beiting Continent Cultivation Realm naturally became heroes and martyrs respected and praised by everyone, and their respective sects and clans received vast cultivation resources in compensation from the Beiting Continent Cultivation Realm.
But undoubtedly, the ones who gained the most were Zhouyang and the other five cultivators who returned alive.
Whether to account to the forces where the deceased cultivators belonged or to demonstrate to other cultivators the perilous and arduous journey they experienced.
When Xu Tianlin and others talk about the battles in the Beiting Continent Cultivation Realm, they invariably exaggerate the wickedness and strength of the Demon Cultivators to explain why so many Nascent Soul Stage cultivators fell, thus showcasing their achievements.
No matter which battle they mention, Zhouyang is invariably the central figure who cannot be avoided.
The Tier Seven Immortal Artifact [Vermilion Bird Fan] he possessed, the Demon Cultivators he slew and captured, and the treasures awarded to him by the Tribulation Crossing True Immortal Du Chongyang are all topics that attract attention.
Even after more than twenty years, these stories are still frequently discussed by middle-lower tier cultivators over meals.
If asked who the most renowned cultivator in the Liuyun Continent Cultivation Realm is now, Zhouyang, even if not the first, is definitely among the top three.
It's only because he attended the [Thousand-Year Dharma Assembly] in disguise that otherwise, whether at the assembly or afterward, countless cultivators would be seeking to converse and make connections with him.
Upon hearing Yin Hanguang's words, he quickly replied humbly, "Fellow Daoist Yin overpraises me. Those rumors have also reached my ears, and many of them are exaggerated. Please do not be misled by them."
"It's Fellow Daoist Zhou's humility. How could I, Yin, be one to believe rumors? I personally inquired with Fellow Daoist Xu Tianlin, who holds Fellow Daoist Zhou in high esteem, even proclaiming you possess True Immortal Talent. It's the first time I hear a Nascent Soul Eighth-Layer cultivator esteeming a junior cultivator whose cultivation falls far short of theirs!"
Yin Hanguang looked at Zhouyang, full of amazement and sentiment in his words.
He could indeed be said to have watched Zhouyang rise.
The first time he saw Zhouyang within the [Kunxu Realm], Zhouyang was merely a newly formed First-Layer Golden Core junior cultivator, yet he was valued by Lu Xuanji, who was then already a Ninth-Layer Nascent Soul "Half-Step True Immortal", participating in the actions of refining the ancient true demon [Heaven-Sundering True Demon], and even surviving the demon refining operation.
Afterwards, he watched closely as Zhouyang stirred up the Westernmost Cultivation Realm, causing the Haoyang Sect, which they at the Great Brightness Immortal Palace had spent thousands of years trying to eradicate, to decline to a point where he no longer bothered to pay them any attention.
And just when he thought he had approximately assessed Zhouyang's strength and potential, Zhouyang once again demonstrated through one glorious victory after another that what he had seen was actually only a small portion of the reality.
Now, although Zhouyang's cultivation is merely at the Nascent Soul Third Layer, Yin Hanguang no longer dares to underestimate him or treat him as simply an Early-Stage Nascent Soul cultivator.
"Fellow Daoist Xu's words put Zhou here in a tough position. What virtue or capability does Zhou possess to warrant such evaluation!"
Zhouyang sighed with a bitter smile, feeling genuinely somewhat disheartened.
He doesn't mind Xu Tianlin publicizing his achievements from the battle in the Beiting Continent Cultivation Realm because it benefits him without harm.
But the evaluation of "True Immortal Talent", those four words, indeed make him feel pressured.
In the cultivation realm, to reach the Nascent Soul Stage, which cultivator isn't exceptionally talented and fortunate?
How many of those people, upon hearing Xu Tianlin's evaluation of "True Immortal Talent", would truly be convinced?
Although these individuals wouldn't go out of their way to trouble him over this statement, even if a few Nascent Soul Stage cultivators who aren't of open mind hold onto this matter, it would silently create some enemies for him.
"Fellow Daoist Xu meant well. Since Fellow Daoist Zhou has caught the attention of Immortal Venerable Chongyang and holds the Tier Seven Immortal Artifact [Vermilion Bird Fan], it's certainly likely you will have unlimited prospects. Anyone with foresight can see this, and surely few people would unwarrantedly seek enmity over a mere statement!"
Yin Hanguang naturally sensed the hint of displeasure in Zhouyang's words and instead spoke kindly on behalf of Xu Tianlin.
Seeing this, Zhouyang couldn't help but wave his hand and say, "Forget it, let's not discuss it further. To be frank, I came to visit Fellow Daoist Yin with a request."
"Oh, with Fellow Daoist Zhou's cultivation and strength, is there something you can't resolve?"
Yin Hanguang had a look of intrigue, his eyes full of curiosity as he waited for Zhouyang to explain in detail.
"It's a long story. Let me explain briefly!"
Zhouyang spoke, then simply explained the enmity between himself and the Dragon Taming Clan, and outlined the fact that Dragon-Taming Star Feather was secretly targeting him, and he was planning to counterattack. 𝒇𝒓𝙚𝒆𝔀𝓮𝓫𝒏𝓸𝙫𝓮𝓵.𝓬𝙤𝙢
After finishing, he sincerely bowed to Yin Hanguang and said, "I know this request might be quite demanding for Fellow Daoist Yin, yet among the cultivators I know, only Fellow Daoist Yin and a few others can participate in such an affair. Since I happen to meet you, how could I not try? I wouldn't be reconciled otherwise!"
Yin Hanguang had long been stunned by his plan.
To encircle and kill a Nascent Soul Ninth-Layer "Half-Step True Immortal" cultivator who holds a Tier Seven Immortal Artifact—this sort of statement coming so casually from Zhouyang made Yin Hanguang truly speechless.
It's worth noting that ever since the former Palace Master of the Great Brightness Immortal Palace "Master Chihua" and the former Alliance Leader of the Anti-Light Alliance "Master Tianjian" both perished in a mortal combat, there had been no Nascent Soul Ninth-Layer "Half-Step True Immortal" cultivators in the Westernmost Cultivation Realm.
Yet now, Zhouyang, with only Nascent Soul Third-Layer cultivation, openly proposed to involve him in helping to encircle and kill such an entity, which Yin Hanguang thought was sheer madness!
He widened his eyes, staring at Zhouyang, his throat moving for a while, eventually smiling bitterly and sighing, "Fellow Daoist Zhou truly possesses great courage!"
Considering their decent relationship, he only used the word "courage" to express his view on Zhouyang's plan.
But in reality, the implication of these two words at this time was undoubtedly derogatory.
Zhouyang wasn't angered upon hearing his words, instead, he calmly asked in a deep voice, "Fellow Daoist Yin, do you think I'm being too arrogant?"
Yin Hanguang didn't speak, but the look in his eyes told Zhouyang that he believed so.
"Yes, the power of Dragon-Taming Star Feather is indeed formidable, but no matter how strong he is, there's a limit. Since I dare to plan to kill him, naturally, I've made adequate preparations!"
"I won't hide it from you, Fellow Daoist Yin. Now I can confirm that the people I can enlist include Master Yujing of the Yuqing Daoist Sect, Master Lingxiao of the Profound Sun Immortal Sect, who wields the Tier Seven Immortal Artifact, the Red Sky Divine Spear, and Fellow Daoist Zhu Zizhen, the Vermilion Bird Demon King whose cultivation has reached Tier Six Upper Grade. If we add Fellow Daoist Yin, our side will have three Nascent Soul Stage cultivators wielding Tier Seven Immortal Artifacts!"
"Moreover, if everything goes smoothly, I could invite another Tier Six Upper Grade demon king with cultivation equal to a Ninth-Layer Nascent Soul cultivator to this matter. If this demon king fully exerts the True Spirit Transformation divine technique, it would be almost equivalent to a Ninth-Layer Nascent Soul cultivator wielding a Tier Seven Immortal Artifact!"
"Fellow Daoist Yin, imagine, is it really impossible for such a lineup to besiege a Dragon-Taming Star Feather?"
Zhouyang looked brightly at Yin Hanguang, speaking steadily and forcefully, articulating his confidence with conviction.
It was clearly seen that Yin Hanguang, who was initially indifferent, became serious because of these words, obviously taken aback by them.
"Fellow Daoist Zhou, are you sure you're not deceiving me? Can you really enlist so many strong figures in this matter?"
With a serious expression, Yin Hanguang looked at Zhouyang and asked, still full of doubt in his tone.
It's not that he didn't trust Zhouyang, but the information revealed by Zhouyang's previous words was somewhat shocking.
If all this were true, then what Zhouyang said might indeed have a significant chance of being accomplished.
And if all this were true, he would need to re-evaluate Zhouyang's influence.
After all, even for him, as the Palace Master of the Great Brightness Immortal Palace, it was extremely difficult to enlist so many powerful allies to fight on his behalf.
"How would I dare to deceive Fellow Daoist Yin in such matters? If what I said proves false, Fellow Daoist Yin can back out at any time!"
Zhouyang met Yin Hanguang's incredulous gaze, answering his doubts with firm conviction.
Seeing this, although Yin Hanguang still felt incredulous, he no longer doubted the authenticity of the matter.
He looked at Zhouyang with flickering eyes, lost in thought.
This matter is of great importance, and even he needs to carefully weigh the pros and cons before he can give Zhouyang a reply.
After all, it concerns a cultivator at the Ninth Layer Nascent Soul "Half-Step True Immortal" realm wielding a Tier Seven Immortal Artifact!
To besiege such a strong person, one must consider not only the risks faced in battle but also the retaliation after a failed siege; the latter is often more critical.
Zhouyang and Master Yujing, among others, are already in conflict with Dragon-Taming Star Feather and have no other choice.
While the Vermilion Bird Demon King, Zhu Zizhen, is a lone wolf unafraid of retribution.
However, Yin Hanguang is different; he has no grievances with Dragon-Taming Star Feather and has a massive sect behind him.
Once involved in Zhouyang's organized siege, if they could kill Dragon-Taming Star Feather, that would be ideal, but if they couldn't and allowed him to escape, it would mean creating a formidable enemy for himself and his sect.
The risk here is indeed too considerable!
Yin Hanguang had to think carefully.
After pondering, he finally looked gravely at Zhouyang and said, "Fellow Daoist Zhou, it's not that I don't want to help, but the risk is simply too high. Even if I disregard my own safety, I must consider the risks my sect might face if things go wrong. Perhaps you should seek someone else more suitable!"
He remained unwilling to take this risk!
Although Zhouyang had yet to state the rewards for his help, as the Palace Master of the Great Brightness Immortal Palace, Yin Hanguang lacked neither magical artifacts nor elixirs, and he didn't think Zhouyang could offer him something he absolutely couldn't refuse.
In simple terms, this matter, in his opinion, does not have a risk-to-reward ratio worth gambling on.
But Zhouyang clearly didn't see it that way.
Upon being rejected, Zhouyang immediately said, "Don't be so quick to refuse, Fellow Daoist Yin, why not hear my offer first before deciding!"
"Please speak, Fellow Daoist Zhou."
Yin Hanguang thought for a moment and ultimately didn't want to appear too heartless, nodding slightly in agreement.
"Of course, I'm aware of Fellow Daoist Yin's concerns. If I were in your position, I would also be cautious," Zhouyang said.
"However, I believe that actually, Daoist, your concerns aren't as severe as you imagine!"
"Firstly, under our siege, even if Dragon-Taming Star Feather survives, he would surely be severely injured, with his primordial energy deeply damaged. Whether he can escape our subsequent pursuit is another matter."
"Secondly, even if he truly manages to escape, when seeking revenge, he would undoubtedly target me and the Profound Sun Immortal Sect, as well as the Yuqing Daoist Sect, rather than your Great Brightness Immortal Palace, which is far in the Land of the Far West and significantly influential."
"Lastly, 'you can kill the monk but not the temple.' If Dragon-Taming Star Feather suffers serious injury, he is bound to return to his Dragon Taming family's lair to recuperate. Should he indeed escape, I am prepared to disband and relocate the Zhou Family to an unknown place and directly attack the Dragon Taming Clan's mountain gate, targeting other cultivators from the Dragon Taming Clan, to counterattack him. At least before my fall, he would have no energy to retaliate against Fellow Daoist Yin!"
"And if Fellow Daoist Yin is willing to join this undertaking, my promise to you is that in the future, whenever the Great Brightness Immortal Palace engages in war with the Anti-Light Alliance, I will heed your faction's call to battle. This promise will not change for a millennia!"
