Cultivation Begins From The Desert-Chapter 743 - 727: All Set

The Thunder Feather Demon King is doing quite well in the Broken Cloud Mountain Range.

Currently, he is also respectfully called the "Celestial Roc Demon King," ranking second only to the "Heaven-Reaching Demon King" in the Broken Cloud Mountain Range, and above the "Piercing Mountain Demon King" and the "Strong Ape King."

However, what surprised Zhouyang a little was that the Cai Xia Demon King, whose true form is the "Five-Colored Spirit Deer," did not choose to cultivate within the Broken Cloud Mountain Range but instead secluded themselves in the Wilderness Jungle.

"Fellow Daoist Lei Yu, to be frank, I, Zhou, have come to visit you this time with a request for help."

In the cave abode, after reminiscing and chatting with the Thunder Feather Demon King about their experiences since parting ways, Zhouyang became serious and solemnly stated his purpose for coming.

The Thunder Feather Demon King, upon hearing this, did not seem surprised at all and only nodded calmly, saying, "Please speak, Fellow Daoist Zhou. If there is anything I can assist with, I will certainly not refuse."

"I need Fellow Daoist Lei Yu's help to kill a person, namely the Dragon-Taming Star Feather, whom you once fought in the Donghua Continent's Cultivation Realm. This person's cultivation recently advanced to the Ninth-Layer Nascent Soul, and they have been lurking, ambushing me, making me afraid to return home or even show up publically!"

"Unless this person is eliminated, I will have no peace!"

Zhouyang stated his request with a heavy expression.

Even for the experienced and powerful Thunder Feather Demon King, hearing Zhouyang's words caused his expression to change dramatically.

He had indeed fought against Dragon-Taming Star Feather before and knew well the person's prowess, even when the latter was at the Eighth-Layer Nascent Soul level.

Immediately, he was prepared to refuse Zhouyang's request.

But just as the words were about to leave his mouth, he seemed to recall something, and his expression changed slightly, thoughtfully regarding the calm and solemn Zhouyang. He said, "Killing a Ninth-Layer Nascent Soul cultivator wielding a Tier Seven Immortal Artifact is no easy task. Unless you've enlisted the help of other formidable experts, apart from myself?"

"Indeed, I won't hide it from you. Besides you, I have also invited several other masters who all possess the powerful ability to contend against a Ninth-Layer Nascent Soul cultivator!"

Zhouyang repeated to the Thunder Feather Demon King what he had once told Yin Hanguang.

Of course, that's not enough by itself; you have to offer something in return for help.

Thus, after revealing his reliance, he solemnly promised to the Thunder Feather Demon King, "I promise that if Fellow Daoist Lei Yu is willing to help, I will temporarily lend Donglai Immortal Island to you as a location for Crossing the True Spirit Heavenly Tribulation, ensuring that you are undisturbed during the attempt!"

Considering the Thunder Feather Demon King's cultivation is only one step away from Crossing the True Spirit Heavenly Tribulation, Zhouyang even suspected that he could already trigger the tribulation but hesitated due to uncertainty about succeeding.

This was apparent from his choice not to seclude himself like Lu Caixia in the Wilderness Jungle and instead join the lineage of Heaven Pillar Peak.

After all, if they were to cross the tribulation in the Wilderness Jungle, aside from finding a richly endowed site similar to Heaven Pillar Peak, it would be hard to gather any willing demon kings to act as guardians.

The grandeur of the True Spirit Heavenly Tribulation would, once it began, attract notice unless conducted in a desolate and remote place like the Extreme North Icefield or Boundless Desert Sea.

However, such barren locations cannot serve as tribulation sites, for the Celestial Tribulation Thunderclouds need vast amounts of Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi to form. In places like that, it's impossible to initiate the tribulation.

Moreover, if the tribulation is attempted elsewhere, the Thunder Feather Demon King's status as a member of the Demon Race would ensure that neither Human cultivators nor other Alien Races would stand idly by as he attains True Spirit status.

Most likely, as soon as the Celestial Tribulation Thunderclouds begin to gather power, many cultivators of the same tier would converge to attack him, depleting his Magical Power and energy, preventing him from overcoming the subsequent tribulation.

Though Heaven Pillar Peak is good, it pales compared to Donglai Immortal Island with its rich Spiritual Qi and protective Tier Seven Immortal Array.

The enclosed environment of Donglai Immortal Island would allow the Thunder Feather Demon King to focus on the tribulation without concerning himself with any external disturbances, resting securely afterward to strengthen his realm through the period of weakness.

Zhouyang understood this clearly, which is why he proposed such a condition.

Indeed, upon hearing this offer, the Thunder Feather Demon King's expression shifted, engaging seriously in contemplation.

Seeing this, Zhouyang remained calm, patiently waiting.

He didn't worry about the Thunder Feather Demon King declining the offer.

Compared to Yin Hanguang, with his deep roots and extensive concerns, the Thunder Feather Demon King had fewer qualms about acting against Dragon-Taming Star Feather.

Firstly, with his unmatched Nascent Soul Stage speed and having battled Dragon-Taming Star Feather before, there was virtually no risk of life-threatening danger.

Secondly, even if besieging Dragon-Taming Star Feather failed, he didn't have to fear retaliation.

He had no relatives or descendants needing care, wasn't afraid of stealth attacks or assassination from Dragon-Taming Star Feather, and had assistance from powerful demons like the Heaven-Reaching Demon King, making his situation exceptionally favorable.

"Fellow Daoist Zhou is indeed farsighted. Even the ancient demon Mu Qingyun suffered a great loss under your plans; I doubt Dragon-Taming Star Feather will be an exception this time. Very well, I agree to this arrangement—let's proceed as you propose!"

As Zhouyang anticipated, after brief thinking, the Thunder Feather Demon King resolved to accept the request.

"Your noble spirit is immensely appreciated, Fellow Daoist. Please accept my obeisance!"

Saying this, Zhouyang bowed deeply, expressing his gratitude to the Thunder Feather Demon King.

Seeing this, the Thunder Feather Demon King hurriedly waved his hand, "You've always been too polite, Fellow Daoist Zhou. Considering your life-saving kindness to me back then, assisting you now when you have a request is only reasonable. Just let me know when you plan to act?"

"Approximately one or two years from now. Once I'm fully prepared, I will contact you, Fellow Daoist Lei Yu, and inform you of the detailed action plan."

Zhouyang straightened up, conveying an air of readiness.

"That would be ideal. I shall make preparations too. Here is my token; you won't need to travel here again. Simply ignite this at the periphery of the Broken Cloud Mountain Range, and I can locate you through the signal to meet."

The Thunder Feather Demon King nodded, and with a raise of his hand, he handed a silver eagle feather with faint lightning circling its surface to Zhouyang.

"That settles it. I must now go and contact others as well, so I will take my leave."

Zhouyang put away the feather and immediately bid farewell.

"In that case, I'll see Fellow Daoist Zhou off," said the Thunder Feather Demon King.

Afterward, the Thunder Feather Demon King personally escorted him for a hundred thousand miles, ensuring Zhouyang's safe departure before returning to Heaven Pillar Peak.

Meanwhile, Zhouyang, upon receiving news from his avatar, immediately hurried to the Wilderness Jungle to seek out the Vermilion Bird Demon King, Zhu Zizhen, who was cultivating in a cave mansion near the underground Magma Lake.

Among the many powerful external aids, Vermilion Bird Demon King Zhu Zizhen was undoubtedly the easiest to persuade. Convincing her was even easier than persuading Master Yujing, who was also facing the threat of vengeance from Dragon-Taming Star Feather.

Zhouyang simply promised her that during the battle, she could use the Vermilion Bird Fan and that in the future, when she was Crossing the True Spirit Celestial Tribulation, Donglai Immortal Island would be open for her, and she readily agreed.

Having thus persuaded the three major external aids, Zhouyang had Zhu Zizhen take the Vermilion Bird Fan to meet Yin Hanguang at Liuyun Immortal City, while he himself switched directions to secretly meet with Master Yujing at the Yuqing Daoist Sect.

During the great battle outside Chongxuan Mountain back then, Zhouyang had witnessed Master Yujing's strength, definitely a Ninth-Layer Nascent Soul "Half-Step True Immortal" level powerhouse, although publicly claiming to be at the Eighth-Layer Nascent Soul.

This time, after Zhouyang explained his intentions on his revisit, Master Yujing unsurprisingly agreed to his plan after hearing it.

"I understand Fellow Daoist Zhou's meaning. I can agree to this and help you persuade Fellow Daoist Wang of the Profound Sun Immortal Sect. However, there's one condition: if Dragon-Taming Star Feather is indeed killed, I require the Tier Seven Immortal Artifact in his possession. This must be settled with you first!"

The Yuqing Daoist Sect, ranked among the top major sects in the Liuyun Continent Cultivation Realm for tens of thousands of years, had only one regret: it lacked a Tier Seven Immortal Artifact as an inheritance spiritual artifact, unlike the Profound Sun Immortal Sect. Thus, its reputation and influence were significantly weaker than the Profound Sun Immortal Sect.

Master Yujing now saw a chance and the hope to alleviate this regret, and naturally, he wouldn't let it slip by.

As for Zhouyang, as long as Dragon-Taming Star Feather could be killed and this major threat eliminated, anything else was negotiable.

Therefore, upon hearing Master Yujing's condition, Zhouyang immediately agreed without hesitation, "No problem, senior, I accept this condition."

He was even quite pleased that Master Yujing had proposed such a condition.

Because in this way, Master Yujing, wanting to obtain the Tier Seven Immortal Artifact from Dragon-Taming Star Feather, would naturally go all out to prevent his escape.

Being a long-standing top-tier sect with profound foundations, Zhouyang eagerly anticipated Master Yujing's performance in this operation.

Since Master Yujing had taken on the task of persuading Wang Lingxiao, Zhouyang didn't need to visit the Profound Sun Immortal Sect for now and only needed to wait quietly for good news.

However, he wasn't idle, because with all the external aids ready, he had to consider how to draw out Dragon-Taming Star Feather.

Dragon-Taming Star Feather wasn't a fool. If he discovered that Zhouyang was accompanied by other cultivators with similar strength, he definitely wouldn't easily reveal himself to attack.

And it was impossible for Zhouyang to keep these individuals with him permanently for protection.

So he had to devise a way to make Dragon-Taming Star Feather feel he could make a move against him, while also being able to promptly summon external aid for support.

Considering the previous lesson the Dragon Taming Clan learned in the Liuyun Continent Cultivation Realm, Zhouyang estimated that his previous method would certainly raise suspicion this time. If he used it again, it might even be exploited by the opponent for advantage.

Hence, he immediately excluded that approach while considering a solution.

He then thought of several feasible plans, but after careful deliberation, he rejected them all one by one.

For him, there was only one chance, and missing this opportunity would make it almost impossible to gather such a formidable team again to deal with Dragon-Taming Star Feather.

He must think it over, over, and over again!

After pondering for nearly a month, Zhouyang finally came up with an ingenious plan.

Coincidentally, at this time, Master Yujing had also persuaded Wang Lingxiao, and Zhouyang immediately informed him of his idea.

"I see this plan as feasible. If I were Dragon-Taming Star Feather, and unaware of the details, I certainly wouldn't miss this opportunity!"

Upon learning Zhouyang's plan through the Communication Array, Master Yujing quickly approved of it.

Thus, Zhouyang used the information system of the Profound Sun Immortal Sect to send messages to Yin Hanguang and Zhu Zizhen in Liuyun Immortal City, instructing them to meet at a designated location, while he headed to the Broken Cloud Mountain Range to contact the Thunder Feather Demon King.

As for Master Yujing and Wang Lingxiao, they were certainly being closely watched by Dragon-Taming Star Feather, and couldn't make a move until the critical moment.

Half a year later, Zhouyang, Yin Hanguang, Zhu Zizhen, and the Thunder Feather Demon King—these two people and two demons—successfully met at a location on the outskirts of the Broken Cloud Mountain Range.

Then Yin Hanguang tested the Thunder Feather Demon King's strength, confirming he was as powerful as Zhouyang claimed, and formally agreed to Zhouyang's request.

With everything now ready, they only awaited the execution of the plan.

Several months later, the Yuqing Daoist Sect suddenly announced that their sect's Supreme Elder, Master Yujing, had already advanced to a Ninth-Layer Nascent Soul "Half-Step True Immortal" realm several years ago and would host a grand celebration event in a year.

The news spread quickly and became a hot topic throughout the Liuyun Continent Cultivation Realm.

Since the passing of the previous Grand Elder Lu Xuanji of the Profound Sun Immortal Sect, the Profound Purity Dao Alliance—a superpower—lacked a Ninth-Layer Nascent Soul "Half-Step True Immortal" realm cultivator to preside over them, and some even questioned if it should still be considered on par with the Liuyun Commerce Alliance and the Six Paths Alliance, the two other superpowers.

Now, with Master Yujing's promotion to the Ninth-Layer Nascent Soul "Half-Step True Immortal" realm, many cultivators within the Profound Purity Dao Alliance breathed a sigh of relief, genuinely happy for the occasion.

The various forces affiliated with the Profound Purity Dao Alliance racked their brains to prepare gifts, hoping that Master Yujing, the distinguished elder, would hold a favorable impression of their sects and clans.

The year naturally passed quickly, and to show the respect due to Master Yujing, the top expert of the Dao Alliance, Wang Lingxiao, who currently had the highest cultivation level in the Profound Sun Immortal Sect, personally carried lavish gifts and arrived at the Yuqing Daoist Sect using the Teleportation Array. He appeared at the celebration with many Nascent Soul cultivators to express congratulations to Master Yujing.

This scene was witnessed by many cultivators at the celebration.

However, some "interested parties" noticed that the Zhou Family, also part of the Profound Purity Dao Alliance, only sent an elderly Purple Mansion Stage junior to offer congratulations. Not only did the current head of their family, Golden Core Stage cultivator Li Hong, not attend, but even Lu Xuewei, the Golden Core disciple of their clan's Supreme Elder Zhouyang, was absent.

Simultaneously, a certain "interested party" suddenly discovered that something left on several Purple Mansion Stage cultivators from the Zhou Family, along with Li Hong and Lu Xuewei, the two Golden Core Stage cultivators, was unexpectedly triggered, and several targets were moving rapidly together.