Cultivation Begins From The Desert-Chapter 763 - 746: The New Clan Leader!

Li Hong, upon being named by Zhouyang, naturally dared not remain silent.

He composed himself slightly and saluted Zhouyang, saying, "Respected Ancestor, I have some matters here that I would like to report to you for your advice."

"The first matter is regarding the selection of the next helmsman for the Zhou family. Junior is now nine hundred and seventy-two years old. Though I have taken some longevity-extending substances, my remaining lifespan is less than a hundred years. It is urgent and imperative to determine the succession without delay."

"The second matter concerns the establishment of an Immortal City by the Zhou family. Currently, the number of cultivators and mortal clansmen within the Zhou family is vast, numbering in the millions, spread across various regions. This distribution hinders the nurturing of familial bonds. I have pondered this for a long time and discussed it extensively with high-tier cultivators in the family. We believe the best solution is to establish an Immortal City where mortals and cultivators coexist, to serve as the true foundation of the Zhou family."

"The Zhou family currently has sufficient manpower and resources to establish the Immortal City; however, we have yet to reach a consensus on the location of the city. Ancestor, we seek your decision, and your assistance is required in arranging the City Defense Array."

"The third matter involves revitalizing the Boundless Sea of Sand Cultivation Realm. Thanks to your favor, Ancestor, the family's high-tier cultivators can safely traverse the Broken Cloud Mountain Range on Void Traveling Tower Ships with your token, facilitating personnel and material transfers between our two locations."

"With the exchanges becoming more convenient, and the difficulty in obtaining large independent territories in the Liuyun Continent Cultivation Realm, wise members of the family have proposed revitalizing the Boundless Sea of Sand Cultivation Realm, a proposal that has gained considerable support from cultivators within the family at all levels."

"Junior also believes that with the current wealth and resources of the family, if we are willing to invest heavily in the Boundless Sea of Sand Cultivation Realm to create oases and spirit veins, connecting the major oases and utilizing their resources fully, it would greatly benefit the family both now and in the future."

After articulating what he deemed the three most important matters in one breath, Li Hong bowed to Zhouyang again to indicate that he had finished speaking.

Zhouyang, having heard the three matters, also became quietly reflective.

After a moment passed, he turned to Zhou Lie Feng and Zhou Liangyu and asked, "What about you two? Do you have anything you wish to say?"

"Respected Ancestor, Junior also has something to request your assistance with!"

Zhou Liangyu took a deep breath and spoke boldly while Zhou Lie Feng was still in hesitation.

He first made a grand salute to Zhouyang, then respectfully said, "Respected Ancestor, allow me to report. Before Junior formed the Golden Core, I developed mutual affections with a beautiful female cultivator, reaching the point where we were prepared to become Dao Companions and spend our lives together."

"However, that female cultivator is the daughter of a Golden Core Elder of a major sect, and her father is somewhat unwilling for his daughter to marry Junior."

"Eventually, after her fervent pleas and due to fear of your formidable reputation, Ancestor, her father promised Junior that if I could form a Golden Core before turning three hundred, he would consent to the marriage."

"At that time, Junior was eager and couldn't bear to see my beloved break with her father for my sake, so I readily agreed to this condition."

"Unfortunately, Junior underestimated the difficulty of forming the Golden Core and failed to complete it within the agreed time!"

At this point in his story, Zhou Liangyu's face was filled with remorse and regret.

He formed his Golden Core at the age of three hundred and twenty-seven, which is already quite fast. As long as he doesn't have any untimely death, reaching the ninth layer of the Golden Core isn't difficult, and there would be potential to form a Nascent Soul.

After a pause, he continued, "Originally, since unable to fulfill the agreement on time, Junior had intended to give up this marriage, accepting that it was destined not to be, that fate willed it so!"

"Yet, what Junior did not anticipate was how much stronger and determined she was compared to me. To buy me time and resist her father's decision to marry her off to another elder's son, she actually went so far as to close off her Divine Soul, putting herself into a deep sleep!"

"After closing off her Divine Soul, only Junior, whom she acknowledges, can awaken her through a dual cultivation technique, but her father, enraged by her defiance, is adamantly opposed to Junior awakening her."

At this point, Zhou Liangyu suddenly knelt on both knees before Zhouyang, deeply bowing with fervor, "Junior impetuously asks Ancestor to intervene and save my beloved. As long as she can be rescued and awakened, Junior is willing to pay any price!"

Golden Core cultivators belong to the upper echelons in any cultivation realm and are genuinely high-tier cultivators. Normally, when meeting Nascent Soul stage cultivators, a simple gesture of clasping hands suffices. Only when confronting senior cultivators of their own faction would they bow to show respect.

Previously when paying respects to Zhouyang as the family ancestor, Zhou Liangyu and other Zhou family high-tier cultivators merely bowed, without the grand gesture of kneeling.

But now, he was willing to abandon all dignity, kneeling like a humble mortal before Zhouyang, solely to beseech the family ancestor to help him rescue his beloved.

This alone demonstrated the depth of his love for the female cultivator.

Looking at Zhou Liangyu, who was kneeling and prostrating continuously, Zhouyang couldn't help but show a trace of poignant reminiscence in his eyes.

This situation was not unfamiliar to him at all.

Back in the Donghua Continent Cultivation Realm, to save his beloved and daughter, he too risked everything, nearly kneeling to beg others!

Zhou Liangyu's current situation bore a great resemblance to his own at that time.

The difference was merely that Zhou Liangyu's circumstances now were slightly better than his back then, and the urgency was not as intense and pressing.

"Easier to find priceless treasures, harder to find a true lover. Since you and that girl are both willing to abandon dignity and life for each other, how can I, your Ancestor, not grant this romantic wish?"

Zhouyang looked at Zhou Liangyu with a face of poignant emotion, nodding slightly, and said in a deep voice, "Very well, I agree to this matter. You just wait a while, after the Preaching Conference, I shall help you fulfill your wish!"

"Thank you, Respected Ancestor, for your great kindness, thank you for your benevolence!"

Zhou Liangyu was overjoyed, expressing his gratitude incessantly, repeatedly bowing excitedly.

"Enough, stand up, a dignified Golden Core cultivator should have some spine; do not kneel so easily in the future!"

Zhouyang waved his hand, offering guidance and advice to the younger one.

Then he turned his gaze to the last Golden Core cultivator, Zhou Lie Feng, and asked, "And you? Is there nothing you wish my help with?"

Zhou Lie Feng heard the words and immediately replied respectfully, "Ancestor's wisdom is clear; at the moment, this junior has no matter that requires your assistance."

His response was somewhat cunning; the words "at the moment" carried deep meaning.

However, Zhouyang did not care about his little schemes, nodding slightly, "Very well, then if you encounter any difficult matter in the future, you can seek my assistance again."

Seeing this, Zhou Lie Feng felt relieved and quickly bowed to express his gratitude, "Thank you for your kindness, Ancestor."

After resolving these requests from the two juniors, Zhouyang turned his attention back to Li Hong, "Li Hong, the matter of the successor you mentioned is indeed an important issue, but I have long stopped concerning myself with clan affairs, being unaware of the conduct and abilities of the current juniors. It's better to leave the nomination to you; I trust your judgment."

"As for the matter of establishing an Immortal City, if you are unable to decide on a location, there's no need for me to make a decision. You can use a voting method to select a location satisfying the majority. Each high-tier cultivator of the clan counts as one vote. Once a decision is made, just inform me, and naturally, someone will assist you in setting up the City Defense Array!"

"Lastly, regarding the revitalization of the Boundless Desert Sea Cultivation Realm, I strongly agree with this matter. One must not forget their roots. The Boundless Desert Sea Cultivation Realm has nurtured our Zhou family; now that we have the ability, we should naturally give back."

Zhouyang expressed his views and decisions on each matter fluently.

His response evidently took Li Hong and the other two by surprise, leaving them to ponder the implications of his words.

After quite some time, Li Hong suddenly looked up at Zhouyang, bowing his head and saying, "I understand Ancestor's intention. Grateful for your regard, I am willing to nominate Zhou Liangyu for the position of Clan Leader of the Zhou family, to be the future helmsman of the Zhou family."

What?

Zhou Liangyu's eyes widened in shock as he looked at Li Hong, full of surprise.

The expression of Zhou Lie Feng beside him also changed slightly, struggling to maintain composure.

"Elder Li, you..."

Zhou Liangyu looked at Li Hong with astonishment, his mouth moving slightly as if wanting to speak but stopping.

From his expression, it was clear that Li Hong had definitely not mentioned this matter to him beforehand, suggesting that Li Hong might have made this decision during his earlier contemplation.

"Liangyu, there's no need for you to say more. Listen as Li explains the reasons to the Ancestor,"

Li Hong gestured towards Zhou Liangyu to remain silent, then calmly looked at Zhouyang and said, "Ancestor's wisdom is clear. The main reasons I nominate Liangyu for Clan Leader are as follows."

"Firstly, Liangyu possesses a pure Zhou family bloodline; among his ancestors of eight generations, six were Zhou family cultivators. Currently, his branch in the Zhou family has nearly two hundred cultivators, including seven Foundation Establishment cultivators, and one Purple Mansion cultivator."

"Secondly, Liangyu not only has good talent and aptitude but also exceptional determination and perseverance. He is the most likely candidate within the Zhou family to reach the Nascent Soul Stage in the future. As Clan Leader, his cultivation will at least not fall behind anyone, able to command the clan's elders without anyone undermining the Clan Leader's authority due to their cultivation!"

"Thirdly, Liangyu is young and energetic. The Zhou family has been established for a thousand years; more and more within the clan are content with maintaining the status quo, many just wanting to relax under the family's protection without ambition. We need someone young and dynamic like him to serve as Clan Leader to lead the family to grow stronger!"

Li Hong clearly articulated his reasons for selecting Zhou Liangyu, making it hard to believe he made this choice in such a short time.

Yet after hearing him, Zhou Lie Feng couldn't resist speaking, "Elder Li's points are indeed reasonable, but Liangyu has been solely focused on cultivation since childhood, and has never been involved in managing family affairs. His experience in handling such matters is virtually none!"

"I don't deny Liangyu's cultivation talent, but a cultivation genius may not necessarily be a management genius. In the cultivation realm, sect leaders and clan leaders are not all chosen from cultivation geniuses!"

What he said was the truth, but raising these points now inevitably hinted at jealousy.

Thus, after speaking, he couldn't help but glance at Zhouyang's expression.

Being at the Golden Core Stage, he might not care about how Li Hong perceived him, given Li Hong's nearing time of death, but he was concerned Zhouyang might form a negative view of him.

However, this worry was unnecessary, as Zhouyang was not a shallow person.

Whether Zhou Lie Feng's words stemmed from jealousy was irrelevant to him; he wouldn't form an opinion based on this matter.

Therefore, his expression remained calm and cool, showing no bias whatsoever.

Facing Zhou Lie Feng's challenge, Zhou Liangyu's expression became slightly unnatural, with a mix of shame from his shortcomings being pointed out and anger from his dissatisfaction.

However, being wise, though emotionally stirred, he knew better than to refute Zhou Lie Feng, avoiding a quarrel.

Responding unhurriedly and calmly, Li Hong said, "What you said, Lie Feng, is right. The lack of management experience is indeed Liangyu's biggest shortcoming."

"But experience can be accumulated. Although my lifespan is short, I can still hold on for several decades. During this time, there's ample opportunity for Liangyu to learn and gain experience."

"And even if we consider the worst-case scenario, where he's not suited to be Clan Leader by then, I can spend these decades assessing others in the family and select suitable candidates as alternatives."

Hearing this, Zhou Lie Feng was temporarily at a loss for a counterargument, leading him to fall silent.

Unconsciously, the three of them turned their gaze to Zhouyang, awaiting the final verdict from the family ancestor.

"Since I have said that Li Hong should nominate the candidate, this matter follows his opinion. Let it be this way: in the following decades, Zhou Liangyu will serve as Vice Clan Leader. If he can assume Clan Leader responsibilities during this time, then he will succeed as Clan Leader after Li Hong's passing, becoming the new helmsman of the Zhou family. If he cannot fulfill Clan Leader duties, someone else suitable will be appointed,"

Zhouyang glanced over the three, making the final decision with certainty.