Cultivation Begins From The Desert-Chapter 820 - 803: Affairs of the Younger Generation

Within the Secret Realm space, Zhouyang sat cross-legged on the ground, a golden Treasure Pearl quietly hovering above his head, emitting golden flames that illuminated the surroundings.

This damaged Tier Seven Immortal Artifact, after over a thousand years of nurturing, was finally restored to its peak when his cultivation reached the Ninth-Layer Nascent Soul "Half-Step True Immortal" realm.

At this time, the [Qianyang Treasure Pearl] possessed about fifty percent of its original power, which is nearly its limit for self-recovery.

After all, its original master perished long ago.

In fact, as a Lifebound Spiritual Artifact of a Tribulation Crossing True Immortal, that it can recover to such a state numerous years after its owner's demise is beyond ordinary cultivator knowledge.

Zhouyang was also puzzled as to how it could do this, but he could never find an answer.

It wasn't until his cultivation broke through to the Ninth-Layer Nascent Soul that he nurtured this Tier Seven Immortal Artifact to its limit and discovered some clues.

If Zhouyang's guess is correct, this Tier Seven Immortal Artifact was likely infused with some kind of Fire Attribute Innate Spiritual Object during its refining.

It might even be that [Master Qianyang], after becoming immortal through tribulation crossing, refined his Lifebound Spiritual Artifact using some Fire Attribute Innate Spiritual Object.

With [Master Qianyang]'s cultivation during the Tribulation Crossing Stage and the information Zhouyang heard from his master [True Monarch Donglai] about [Master Qianyang]'s sect, it was entirely possible for him to acquire Innate Spiritual Objects.

Innate Spiritual Objects contain a world's primordial power, and primordial power is inherently a kind of "universal elixir."

If the [Qianyang Treasure Pearl] was indeed refined using Innate Spiritual Objects as Zhouyang speculates, then it wouldn't be surprising that it defies the common knowledge of the cultivation realm.

In a previous magical combat with Fengyang Old Monster, the Grand Elder of the Nine Yang Sect, Zhouyang was unscathed in the face of Fengyang Old Monster's most powerful strike because at that time, he activated a new divine technique [Law Body] after maximizing the nurturing of the [Qianyang Treasure Pearl].

[Law Body] is Zhouyang's own name for this new divine technique. The original name of this divine technique doesn't really matter.

The function of [Law Body] is to transform his body into a form entirely composed of the flame law in an instant.

Because it was entirely composed of the flame law, the damage from the fire element divine techniques at the time couldn't harm him at all.

In fact, not to mention fire element divine technique attacks, when he used the [Law Body], any attribute attack wanting to harm him would first have to shatter the fire attribute law he controlled on the law level.

That's something almost impossible for entities below the Tribulation Crossing True Immortal stage to achieve!

Zhouyang is even certain that even if [Heaven-Reaching Demon King] used his silver-gray spindle artifact that can tear through space to attack him, it wouldn't harm him in that state.

This is the main reason why he chose to withstand Fengyang Old Monster's fierce attack despite recognizing its ferocity.

And the fact undoubtedly proved he did the right thing.

When Fengyang Old Monster saw that his strongest strike could not harm Zhouyang, his mentality collapsed, allowing Zhouyang to easily defeat him with one move of [Fire Lotus Eye].

This incident will undoubtedly become a psychological shadow for Fengyang Old Monster, a nightmare he can't shake off for the rest of his life.

Due to the defiance of the heavens by the effect of [Law Body], Zhouyang suspects it might not be a divine technique graspable by Tribulation Crossing True Immortals, but one that Returning Void Stage True Monarchs can comprehend and master.

Of course, this is only his suspicion, without evidence to confirm it.

Moreover, such a powerful divine technique comes with a significant cost.

Last time, using it for just three breaths' time exhausted all the power accumulated by the [Qianyang Treasure Pearl].

As a high-quality energy-storing Tier Seven Immortal Artifact, the [Qianyang Treasure Pearl], after restoring fifty percent of its full power, stores an amount of energy no less than Zhouyang's total magical power as a Ninth-Layer Nascent Soul cultivator!

However, Zhouyang now takes out this damaged Immortal Artifact to utilize its property of assisting cultivators in comprehending the fire element law to help himself comprehend the law.

The laws in this Secret Realm space are inherently more active than in the outside world, and with the assistance of the [Qianyang Treasure Pearl], Zhouyang's efficiency in law comprehension is more than twice that of other Ninth-Layer Nascent Soul cultivators.

...

Over the pale grass plains where green shoots were just sprouting, three streaks of Escape Light rapidly pursued across the sky.

In the front cyan Escape Light was a round-faced youth in a cyan magic robe, riding a cyan flying sword under his feet to soar through the air, his speed slightly faster than the gold and red Escape Lights trailing behind.

The two sides had been chasing for half an hour, and the distance had not only failed to close but increased, now spanning twenty or thirty miles.

Seeing that at this rate, the two would never catch up to the round-faced youth fleeing ahead, the man in red on a red round disc finally couldn't help but shout loudly, "Zhou Jiabao, aren't you one of the Seven Princes of the Zhou Family? Why run away as soon as you see us? Are you discarding the fame of your Zhou family's superpower?"

His voice was full of ridicule and sarcasm.

The owner of the golden Escape Light, chasing not far behind, quickly added loudly, "Yeah, yeah, is your reputation as one of the Seven Princes of the Zhou Family built on running away? Is the mighty Zhou Family down to not having anyone else, and even people like you, just knowing how to flee, can become leaders of the younger generation?"

The round-faced youth controlling the flying sword heard this and immediately showed an angry expression.

He turned his head and glared at the two behind him, shouting angrily, "If you two bastards dare to face me one-on-one, would I, Zhou Jiabao, be afraid of you? The Great Brightness Immortal Palace has intimidated the Westernmost Cultivation Realm for tens of thousands of years, and now you've fallen to use numbers to bully the few just for reputation?"

"Fine, one-on-one it is. Qin is just eager to meet you, a member of the Seven Princes of the Zhou Family. Let me show you upstarts the depth of my Immortal Palace's eternal legacy!"

The man in red on the red round disc shouted in response without hesitation.

Upon hearing this, the round-faced youth controlling the sword slyly chuckled, slowing down slightly, "You said it yourself, now let me, Zhou, see your Immortal Palace techniques, and see if you have something to back that eternal legacy besides just a name!"

"Mark my words, the one defeating you today is the second disciple under the Great Brightness Immortal Palace [Fiery Sun Hall]'s Vice Hall Master, Qin Lie!"

The Immortal Palace cultivator named Qin Lie sneered and immediately formed a spell with his hands, shouting. A giant red fireball, the size of a water barrel, appeared above his head, and like a red blazing sun, heaved forcefully towards the round-faced youth.

"Same words sent back to you, Zhou is the one defeating you today, third cultivator of the Zhou's 'Shan' character generation, Zhou Jiabao!"

The round-faced youth shouted back, also forming a spell with his hands, summoning a cyan Divine Thunderbolt as thick as an arm, striking the approaching red fireball.

Boom!

With a loud explosion, the red fireball and the cyan divine thunder extinguished simultaneously, seemingly evenly matched.

"Hmph, just a mere [Wood God Thunder], watch as I shatter it with my [Fiery Sun Fire Thunder]!"

Immortal Palace cultivator Qin Lie spoke, flicking his sleeve, sending two fist-sized crimson Thunder Pearls hurtling towards the round-faced youth.

At the same time, he tapped his storage bag, instantly releasing a crimson fire fork artifact and a small crimson banner artifact, both spewing fiery flames as they charged towards the round-faced youth.

With secret Thunder Pearls and relentless artifact attacks, he showed no mercy.

Fortunately, the round-faced youth had not expected him to hold back, quickly reacting by summoning three palm-sized, earth-yellow small shields, transforming into three half-human-height shields that swirled around him, shielding him from the explosive fiery impact of the crimson Thunder Pearls.

He then formed a sword technique with his hand, and the cyan flying sword he had been using for sword flight suddenly surged with light, slashing towards the incoming crimson fire fork, easily knocking it away.

Simultaneously, a white pearl flew from his sleeve, enveloping him in a white mist of cold air, preventing Immortal Palace cultivator Qin Lie's crimson small banner from getting close.

"A tier four artifact refined from [Thousand-year-old Ice Jade], is the Zhou family's Artifact Refiner squandering the treasures like this?"

With an ugly expression, Qin Lie gazed at the white pearl artifact hovering above the round-faced youth's head, his eyes filled with jealousy.

[Thousand-year-old Ice Jade] is a tier five spirit jade, sufficient for some Golden Core Stage cultivators to refine Lifebound Spiritual Artifacts, yet now it's made into a tier four high-grade artifact and given to Zhou Jiabao, who is only at the sixth-layer of the Purple Mansion for self-defense. Isn't this squandering?

"Didn't you say earlier that our Zhou family was a nouveau riche? Since we're a nouveau riche, what's wrong with using [Thousand-year-old Ice Jade] to refine a tier four artifact?"

Round-faced youth Zhou Jiabao coldly retorted, forming a sword technique with his hand, and the cyan flying sword shot directly towards his opponent.

Immortal Palace cultivator Qin Lie's crimson fire fork artifact was slightly damaged in the previous clash, and upon seeing the flying sword approaching, he could only grit his teeth and summon the round disc artifact he used for flight to meet it.

However, the round disc artifact was only a tier four lower-grade artifact, and after being struck by the tier four high-grade flying sword, it instantly cracked.

Seeing this, Qin Lie's face changed dramatically, his eyes showing deep regret.

Even as a disciple of the Immortal Palace [Fiery Sun Hall] Vice Hall Master, tier four artifacts are not easily obtained, and in this short period, he had two tier four artifacts damaged.

At this point, another Immortal Palace cultivator who had been watching saw Qin Lie at a disadvantage and shouted, "Senior Brother Qin, I'll help you!"

Before the voice faded, disregarding Qin Lie's consent, he immediately summoned three golden flying sabers towards the round-faced youth.

"Agreed on a one-on-one duel, yet now you're bullying with numbers. Are all Immortal Palace cultivators as despicable and shameless as you?"

Round-faced youth Zhou Jiabao's expression changed, quickly recalling his flying sword to block the three flying sabers, angrily shouting curses.

But the two Immortal Palace cultivators ignored his curses, focusing solely on coordinating their fierce attack, forcing him into a defensive struggle.

"Damn it! You forced me!"

With Zhou Jiabao's angry shout echoing, he summoned a cyan spirit talisman, instantly transforming into a whirlwind of wind blades sweeping towards the two Immortal Palace cultivators, almost reaching tier five magic.

"Are you insane! Willing to use a tier four high-grade spirit talisman!"

"Damn nouveau riche!"

The furious curses erupted continuously from the two Immortal Palace cultivators.

Originally having the upper hand, the duo was suddenly injured due to the tier four high-grade wind attribute spirit talisman, with wind blades cutting open bloody wounds on them.

Zhou Jiabao ignored their curses, raising his hand to reveal another pair of gold and crimson spirit talismans, coldly saying, "If you dare act again, these remaining two tier four high-grade spirit talismans are yours!"

Seeing this, the two Immortal Palace cultivators' faces dramatically changed, eyes filled with hesitation.

Both sides knew that no matter who won today, neither dared really kill the other, or dire consequences awaited them upon return.

Over the years, Immortal Palace and Zhou family's cultivators clashed openly and secretly countless times, but no Purple Mansion Stage cultivator had ever died.

Reaching the Purple Mansion Stage is already considered high-tier; such a level within both forces is mid-to-high rank, significantly above Foundation Establishment and Qi Cultivation cultivators.

If it truly came to killing, the two Immortal Palace cultivators surely had trump cards from their elders, capable of killing a sixth-layer Purple Mansion cultivator like Zhou Jiabao.

"Fine, consider yourself lucky today, Junior Brother Wang, let's go!"

Qin Lie, the Immortal Palace cultivator, took a deep look at the cold-faced Zhou Jiabao, grit his teeth, and left with his fellow disciple.

After confirming their departure, round-faced youth Zhou Jiabao finally relaxed.

Remembering the tier four high-grade spirit talisman he used, he cried out in anguish, "That was the reward for winning ninth place in the family contest fifty years ago, a rare treasure crafted by Grandfather Xiaofeng!"

A tier four high-grade wind attribute spirit talisman, worth at least twenty thousand lower-grade spirit stones, gone just like that.

Even for Zhou Jiabao, a well-regarded young cultivator in the Zhou family, it's terribly distressing, as he gained little benefit from using such a talisman.

Little did this Zhou family junior know that the entire battle was witnessed by eyes from the "Nine Heavens Forbidden Realm" above.

"Zhou Xiaofeng? Seems familiar; if I'm not mistaken, he's a wind attribute upper-grade Spiritual Root Zhou family descendant. Judging by the spirit talisman's quality, it's likely crafted by a Golden Core Stage cultivator. Seems the Zhou family has changed significantly after my seventy-year retreat."

Zhouyang mumbled to himself, his gaze deepened as he looked at the green grassland below.

He had seen such grasslands numerous times after leaving the Secret Realm Space.

The appearance of these grasslands signifies that the Boundless Desert Sea's recovery process has reached deep levels, and once the prairie fully forms, the recovery speed will slow down, even losing the world origin's special favor.

"Better to visit Ying'Er and their mother and son; it's inappropriate for me, as Cheng'Er's father, not to show up at this wedding."

Shaking his head, Zhouyang stopped contemplating far-off matters, quickly leaving, disregarding the complaining Zhou family junior below.