Cultivation Begins From The Desert-Chapter 764 - 747: Radiant and Majestic

As the most revered ancestor of the Zhou Family, every decision Zhouyang makes is like an imperial decree to the Zhou Family cultivators, and must be obeyed.

Since he agreed to Li Hong's nomination of Zhou Liangyu as the successor, naturally no one dared to oppose it.

"This 'Earth God Mountain' magical artifact was something I obtained after slaying a powerful enemy years ago, and has been an artifact that has accompanied me for many years. Now it is of no use to me, so I'll bestow it upon you, Liangyu, for your protection!"

With a wave of his hand, Zhouyang casually gifted the Tier Five High-Grade magical artifact 'Earth God Mountain', which he obtained when he slew the 'Corpse Demon' in the overseas cultivation realm, to Zhou Liangyu, the future leader of the Zhou Family.

Given Zhou Liangyu's current first-layer Golden Core stage cultivation, using the 'Earth God Mountain' Tier Five High-Grade magical artifact is actually a bit challenging, but this artifact could serve him until the ninth-layer Golden Core stage.

Receiving such an invaluable treasure for no apparent reason, especially one personally used by Zhouyang, the patriarch of the family, Zhou Liangyu was naturally overjoyed and hastily bowed to express his gratitude: "Thank you, Ancestor, for bestowing the treasure."

Seeing this, Zhou Lie Feng showed an expression of deep envy in his eyes.

As Zhou Family Golden Core stage cultivators, they were naturally not lacking in Tier Five artifacts, but artifacts of the level of 'Earth God Mountain' were rare even in the Zhou Family Treasure Vault, and none of them could currently afford to exchange for one.

If not for Zhouyang's gift, they would need at least a hundred years of accumulating clan contribution points to exchange for such an artifact.

And just as Zhou Lie Feng was envying Zhou Liangyu for receiving Zhouyang's gift, Zhouyang flicked his sleeve again, tossing two items into his hand.

"This 'Thunderbolt Golden Light Divine Shuttle' is a Tier Five Lower-Grade flying spiritual artifact, also an artifact I used in the past, which I now bestow upon you, Lie Feng. Additionally, here are five 'Ten Thousand Poison Breaking Gang Needles' which I personally refined, also for your protection."

Zhou Lie Feng did not expect to receive a share as well, and with two treasures at that. He was momentarily stunned before following with a joyful bow to express his gratitude: "Thank you, Ancestor, for bestowing the treasure."

"You are both pillars of the Zhou Family. Regardless of your usual relationships or any petty conflicts in private, always remember not to do anything that damages the family's dignity and interests, and do not fight against your kin. Otherwise, just as I can give you treasures today, I will personally have you apprehended and punished in the future!"

Zhouyang gave a stern warning to the two younger family members who were overjoyed after receiving the treasures.

Upon hearing this admonition, Zhou Lie Feng and Zhou Liangyu were immediately apprehensive, quickly bowing their heads to respond: "Yes, we younger generations will definitely heed the Ancestor's teachings and will never let the Ancestor's high expectations down!"

Zhouyang, seeing this, slightly nodded his head and then waved his large sleeve, saying: "Alright, you may both withdraw for now. I still have some matters to discuss with Li Hong."

"Yes, we take our leave."

Zhou Lie Feng and Zhou Liangyu respectfully performed a farewell salute before leaving together.

After they had withdrawn, Zhouyang looked at Li Hong and said: "Originally, I did not intend to let you know about this matter, but since you all raised the topic of revitalizing the Boundless Sea of Sand Cultivation Realm, I reconsidered and decided it's better to inform you."

"But you must remember, this matter is for you alone to know. Even if Zhou Liangyu assumes the position of Clan Leader in the future, you must not tell him!"

Noticing the solemnity in his words, Li Hong's curiosity was immediately piqued, and he hurriedly promised: "Rest assured, Ancestor, without your permission, I will not reveal a single word!"

"The Boundless Sea of Sand Cultivation Realm is reviving!"

Zhouyang expressed the essential message in the briefest terms.

What?

Li Hong looked at Zhouyang in confusion, completely unable to understand his meaning.

"In short, the Boundless Sea of Sand Cultivation Realm will experience a cataclysmic transformation in the future; the desert will turn to grassland, the sand mountains will be lush with greenery, springs will emerge from the ground, forming countless lakes and rivers, restoring the ancient times' scenery!"

Zhouyang explained further in a deep tone.

Instantly, Li Hong's pupils contracted sharply, his whole body tensing up, he looked at Zhouyang with his mouth agape, filled with disbelief. 𝒻𝓇𝑒𝘦𝘸𝑒𝒷𝓃ℴ𝑣𝘦𝑙.𝒸ℴ𝘮

"This, this, this..."

His mouth was wide open as he looked at Zhouyang, trembling uncontrollably.

Zhouyang, seeing this, calmly said: "What? Does this seem unbelievable to you? Are you doubting the truth of my words?"

Li Hong quickly lowered his head, his voice trembling as he replied: "I wouldn't dare!"

"There is no need for fear or excitement. Although what I said will become reality, it requires the right timing and hundreds or even thousands of years to unfold!"

Zhouyang's tone was soothing as he comforted the junior, then his tone shifted slightly more serious: "However, with your wisdom, you should know what it would mean for the Boundless Sea of Sand Cultivation Realm if such a transformation occurs, and what it implies for the Zhou Family currently ruling this realm!"

Li Hong's whole body shook once, and the excitement and thrill that had just begun to rise in his heart suddenly stalled, showing an incredibly serious expression in his eyes.

Of course, he knew what it meant!

If what Zhouyang said is true, then the Boundless Sea of Sand Cultivation Realm, once ignored by major forces, would become a much-coveted land sought after by many cultivators.

The Westernmost Cultivation Realm, the demon race of the Broken Cloud Mountain Range, and even the Liuyun Continent Cultivation Realm, both cultivators and demon beasts would spare no effort to flood this open area, seizing territories and annexing parts of it.

Li Hong had no doubts about that.

Just think about it, even with the Zhou Family's current strength, they haven't managed to secure a sufficiently large domain in the Liuyun Continent Cultivation Realm, and have to spread out their family members to dwell and cultivate on spirit mountains tens of thousands of miles apart.

This illustrates how hard it is to obtain a foothold in the current Liuyun Continent Cultivation Realm.

Those small clans and small sects manage with one or two spirit mountains for their family cultivators.

But for a major family power like the Zhou Family to claim a piece of land that fits their status and strength in a place like the Liuyun Continent Cultivation Realm, there is practically only one way: annihilating an equally powerful force and taking its place.

But saying it is easy, actually doing it is much harder!

Those who currently hold large territories in the Liuyun Continent Cultivation Realm all have several allied powers.

If the Zhou Family were to use such a method to seize land, it would only lead to their being unanimously resisted by other powers. Even if Zhouyang could withstand the pressure from the upper echelons of major powers, the Zhou Family's junior cultivators would face various hostilities and suppressions both overt and covert from cultivators under those major powers, ultimately resulting in more loss than gain.

Even though Zhouyang's personal strength is now comparable to that of an Eighth-Layer Nascent Soul cultivator, and he can command the Nascent Soul stage powers of his Dao companions like Xiao Ying, Qin Yue'Er, Lan Daoist, Bi'Er, and Huan Qianqian, he still never considered taking such taboo-breaking risks.

The Zhou Family is like this, and the forces in the Liuyun Continent Cultivation Realm and the Westernmost Cultivation Realm facing similar situations, like the Zhou Family, are not few either.

At the very least, Zhouyang knows that some Nascent Soul stage loose cultivators actually have the idea of founding their own sects. However, because they are unable to occupy a large enough territory as the foundation of a sect and are not content with just establishing a small sect, they have not truly taken action.

In such circumstances, if the Boundless Sea of Sand Cultivation Realm were to revive in life, it's not hard to imagine what choices those high-tier cultivators who had been suffering without a place to establish themselves in the original cultivation realm would make after hearing the news!

With the vast land of the Boundless Sea of Sand Cultivation Realm, as long as it truly revives in life as Zhouyang claims, it could at least accommodate another superpower as large as the [Profound Purity Dao Alliance], or over a dozen major forces.

Thinking of these, Li Hong suddenly calmed down completely.

"Wise Ancestor, if it is really as you say and the Boundless Sea of Sand Cultivation Realm will fully revive in life in the future, then with our Zhou Family's strength and influence, it will be absolutely impossible to monopolize the entire cultivation realm as we do now, and we might not even be able to hold on to half of the territory!"

"But even if we can only hold on to one-third of the territory, that would be a piece enough to lay the foundation for our Zhou Family's ten-thousand-year legacy. Then, our Zhou Family would no longer have to live under others' eaves, and all Zhou Family cultivators could return to their homeland without worrying about future cultivation sites!"

"Moreover, since we know this information in advance, we can seize the initiative to stake a claim to the territory, and then fully develop and consolidate our staked territory in anticipation of changes to come!"

He cupped his hands and respectfully shared his perspective with Zhouyang.

As his words fell, he too was moved in his heart and suddenly understood Zhouyang's intention for keeping him behind.

So he immediately energized himself and said in a deep voice: "Ancestor, I understand your intentions. After your preaching conference concludes, I will convene all the family's higher-ups to discuss the revival of the Boundless Sea of Sand Cultivation Realm, and I will personally return to oversee this matter, ensuring that our Zhou Family gains the greatest benefits in the future changes!"

"No, you don't understand."

Zhouyang shook his head and denied Li Hong's words under his surprised and puzzled gaze.

"Whether the Boundless Sea of Sand Cultivation Realm can revive in life, and when it will, will be controlled by me, the Ancestor. Everything depends on me!"

"Therefore, on this matter, our Zhou Family has advantages that no one else and no other force possess."

"Moreover, you still don't understand how strong my power is and how much influence and strength our Zhou Family can mobilize now!"

"How could merely one-third of the territory satisfy me? The benefits that I, Zhouyang, have painstakingly gained at the risk of life and death over a thousand years, can't be easily taken by others!"

At this moment, Zhouyang was imposing with a domineering air, his expression was confident and his tone sharp.

Li Hong, having known him for over nine hundred years, was seeing this side of him for the first time.

For a moment, influenced by him, his heart, gradually stilled by the nearing end of his lifespan, suddenly rejuvenated like an old tree sprouting anew, bursting with vitality.

He looked up at Zhouyang with bright eyes full of reverence and excitement and sincerely exclaimed: "Ancestor's divine techniques are unparalleled, and I am in awe!"

This was no flattery, but honest words.

If Zhouyang truly manages to revive the life force of the vast Boundless Sea of Sand Cultivation Realm, regardless of how he does it, he would wholly deserve the phrase "divine techniques unparalleled."

However, when Zhouyang heard this, he showed no trace of pride, only waved his hand and said: "This matter, I, the Ancestor, already have a complete plan in mind, but to officially begin implementing this plan, I must first wait until my cultivation breaks through to the late Nascent Soul Stage, so before that, the Zhou Family can only implement the fundamental parts of the plan under the pretext of revitalizing the Boundless Sea of Sand Cultivation Realm."

Upon hearing this, Li Hong immediately expressed his stance: "Yes, I will certainly lead all members of the Zhou Family to strictly follow the Ancestor's plan and arrangements!"

Then, Zhouyang elaborated on some things he needed to do in his plan, giving Li Hong a clear understanding of his role.

After explaining these matters, he waved his sleeve and tossed a jade scroll to Li Hong.

"This jade scroll documents various materials that, over the next hundred years, you must mobilize the power of the entire Zhou Family to gather them all. All expenses can come from the family's public accounts; don't be stingy with those spirit stones. Gather them as quickly as possible!"

Upon hearing this, Li Hong did not even look at the information recorded in the jade scroll before immediately responding in a deep voice, "Yes, I will definitely follow the Ancestor's instructions and ensure this matter is done to perfection."

The Zhou Family today is indeed wealthy and powerful; unless it involves Tier Six treasures which are difficult to buy with spirit stones, all items available in the Liuyun Continent Cultivation Realm can be collected by the Zhou Family with its vast wealth, which is the basis for Li Hong's confidence in making this statement.

He knew, of course, that if the jade scroll truly detailed those Tier Six treasures challenging to acquire with spirit stones, Zhouyang would not deliver such a strict order to him and the Zhou Family.

The fact is indeed true.

The various materials documented within the jade scroll, though most are Tier Four and Tier Five spiritual objects with significant value, are things produced and circulated within the Liuyun Continent Cultivation Realm. Gathering them all within a hundred years is not a particularly challenging task if one is determined and willing to invest.

The real purpose of these materials is, in the future, to establish an altar array for transmitting the [Innate Five Elements Jade].

Since Zhouyang plans to take out this "Innate Spiritual Object" after his cultivation breakthrough to the late Nascent Soul Stage, preparations naturally need to be made in advance.

Otherwise, if such a spiritual object stays in his hand for too long and news of it leaks, the consequences would be unimaginable.

He does not wish to provoke enemies at the Tribulation Crossing Stage over such a treasure that he cannot utilize.

A day later, Zhouyang's preaching conference hosted by the Zhou Family officially began.

The Zhou Family cultivators who had returned upon hearing the news to listen to the sermon, as well as some permitted Zhou Family outsider cultivators and cultivators from allied forces, collectively numbered over a thousand people.

Zhouyang has never been stingy with his own people; during the ten days of the preaching conference, the knowledge he shared was rich in substance and covered multiple realms and several aspects, allowing many listening cultivators to gain insights, and not a few cultivators directly broke through their cultivation barriers, advancing significantly in power.

He also kept his promise, bestowing magical artifacts and spirit talismans, or granting elixirs and spiritual objects to the outstanding Zhou Family cultivators during the preaching conference.

Originally, the current Zhou Family junior cultivators only had impressions of him, the family's Ancestor, derived from tales passed down by family elders and important events recorded in the family annals; they revered him, yet did not feel close.

But after this preaching conference, Zhouyang's generosity and broad knowledge left an indelible impression on these junior cultivators, making it a memory of a lifetime.

In the future, if outsiders or juniors were to ask them what kind of person the Ancestor Zhouyang was, they could confidently stick out their chests and express their impressions wholeheartedly.