Cultivation Begins From The Desert-Chapter 830 - 813: Heavenly Dao Warning!
After three hundred years of secluded cultivation, when he returned to the Zhou Family, Zhouyang was already over two thousand one hundred years old.
Although, due to having taken the Youthful Appearance Elixir in the past, the years did not seem to have left any marks on his face, even with the long lifespan of a Nascent Soul Stage cultivator, he was still a standard "elder."
He was once the fourth clan leader of the Zhou Family, but now, Zhou Chuanxing, the eighth clan leader, was in charge. If Li Hong, who had the power of a clan leader but not the title, was counted, then it would be the ninth leader.
Indeed, the previous clan leader Zhou Liangyu did not live to see the return of this family patriarch, Zhouyang, as he dissolved into the immortal realm due to a failed Nascent Soul Formation.
At this moment on Lingxi Peak, upon learning of the return of Zhouyang, the family patriarch, the current clan leader Zhou Chuanxing hurried over to ask for forgiveness: "Patriarch, please forgive us. Elder Liangyu failed in forming his Nascent Soul, and since we could not contact you, we could not get your consent. Instead, we followed Elder Liangyu's last wishes and the elders' recommendation, allowing me to succeed the clan leadership with the approval of Elder Lu and our younger ancestor."
"You followed the clan rules in handling this affair. What blame is there? It's just a pity about that child Liangyu, he couldn't overcome this hurdle in the end!"
Zhouyang waved his hand and sighed deeply with a look of regret.
The descendant he once praised as the "talented jade" of the Zhou Family, ultimately, failed.
Zhou Liangyu was likely the closest descendant to reaching the Nascent Soul Stage after Zhou Guangcheng, as he too used the Fetus Nurturing Pill and Holy Infant Fruit during his Nascent Soul Formation.
But even with such spiritual objects supporting him, success in forming a Nascent Soul also depended on one's luck.
Obviously, Zhou Liangyu's luck was unfavorable, as he couldn't truly take that step.
"Elder Liangyu fell during the Heart Demon Tribulation. When Elder Lu noticed something amiss and forced his way in, he found that Liangyu's meridians were already shattered, and his soul had scattered!"
Zhou Chuanxing, unable to hide his grief, recounted the events with a somber and disappointed tone.
It's undeniable that Zhou Liangyu's failure was a heavy blow to the Zhou Family cultivators who held high hopes for him.
The high-level members of the Zhou Family, like Zhou Chuanxing, were aware of the favorable external conditions during Zhou Liangyu's attempt at forming a Nascent Soul. Spiritual objects like the Holy Infant Fruit could not be found anywhere else but the Zhou Family.
And yet, Zhou Liangyu, in whom the Zhou Family cultivators placed great expectations, still failed!
His failure was not just the personal cost of his life, but it also cast a shadow over the hearts of the Zhou Family cultivators.
Zhouyang's lifespan was no secret, and the high-level members knew that their patriarch was already over two thousand years old.
Although the younger generation spoke of his inevitable ascent, pinning the Zhou Family's future on his crossing the tribulation and becoming immortal was not something a major clan should do.
Thus, what the high-level members of the Zhou Family most hoped for was not his early Immortal Ascension, but rather for a few more Nascent Soul Stage cultivators to emerge.
This way, if he was no longer around, the Zhou Family could rely on the many trump cards he left behind to maintain their foundation in the Boundless Desert Sea Cultivation Realm and not decline too much.
But Zhou Liangyu's failure dealt a heavy blow to the Zhou Family high-level members.
Rumors were even spreading that the Zhou Family, having Zhouyang as their patriarch, had exhausted thousands of years of good fortune, which was why, despite being a superpower, they hadn't produced another Nascent Soul Stage successor yet.
While these rumors were not credible, they certainly added significant pressure to the Zhou Family high-level members.
Zhouyang, not inclined to involve himself in family affairs, noted Zhou Chuanxing's unease but casually remarked, "Life and death are ordained; each person has their fate. Since Liangyu is already gone, the successors must inherit the virtues of the ancients, manage the family well, and not let the millennia-old foundation decline because of their own mistakes."
Zhou Chuanxing felt even more pressure hearing this, but out of respect and reverence, he could only obediently reply, "Yes, this junior will remember the patriarch's guidance and ensure no problems occur under my watch."
After sending off the clan leader Zhou Chuanxing this way, Zhouyang went to meet Lu Xuewei and Lan Daoist, who were stationed at the Zhou Family, to learn about the events of the past three hundred years.
"In recent years, when Lan Daoist was unoccupied, he traveled across this Cultivation Realm and found that, although centuries have passed, the Power of the World Origin in this realm seems to have dissipated. In the last forty to fifty years, the changes in the outer prairies have been almost imperceptible."
"Fellow Daoist Zhou's family bases their roots here, but the future development might not be as significant as Fellow Daoist Zhou would hope!"
Lan Daoist spoke his observations with a calm tone, seemingly not optimistic about the potential of the Boundless Desert Sea Cultivation Realm.
Lu Xuewei spoke blandly, "Zhou Liangyu's failure in forming a Nascent Soul has made the high-level members of the Zhou Family restless. They are now eager to cultivate a new Nascent Soul Stage cultivator to prove to outsiders that these descendants are not useless!"
"Originally just a small clan, the Zhou Family growing to its present size is already a miracle. As long as it maintains its current state in the future, it is commendable. Sometimes flying too high or too fast is not necessarily a good thing!"
"As for the aspirations of the descendants, as the saying goes, the descendants will have their own blessings. If they wish to prove something, let them do so. So long as they do not overstep, we need not trouble ourselves with these matters."
Zhouyang could only slightly shake his head at this point, saying, "Forget it, let us not speak of these matters. Now that I am ready, I will soon retreat to the Dome Heaven Immortal Realm to impact the Door of Immortality. Please continue to oversee the Desert Sea Cultivation Realm for some time."
Zhouyang seemed to have a sense of urgency at this moment.
Though he had a millennium of lifespan remaining, seemingly long, this time was only sufficient for cultivating the Three Treasures Ruyi Technique two or three more times.
Since forming his Nascent Soul, it was the first time he felt time was so fleeting.
And after returning to the Boundless Desert Sea Cultivation Realm, Zhou Guangcheng soon came with two Dao companions and a pair of children to visit him and Xiao Ying.
In over three hundred years, thanks to his two Dao companions frequently using the Primordial Embryo Technique to assist with conception, Zhou Guangcheng successfully had each of the two Dao companions give birth to one son and one daughter.
However, since Zhouyang and his wife were secluded cultivating on Donglai Immortal Island, they were unaware of this news.
Only when Zhou Guangcheng brought his now Foundation Establishment-successful children to visit, did they meet their grandchildren.
After three hundred years had passed, Zhou Guangcheng's cultivation was at the Sixth-Layer Nascent Soul, the same as his mother Xiao Ying, and equal to his master, Master Cyan Yang, in cultivation level.
When he brought his children to meet their grandparents, he told Zhouyang, "I have already communicated with my master, and in the future, Tonghui and Tongyue will be included in the Zhou Clan Genealogy for cultivation at the Zhou Family,"
Zhou Guangcheng, being Zhouyang's son, naturally had children with the clan name "Tong."
As he possessed the Profound Sun Spirit Body of top-grade talent, and already had Mid-Stage Nascent Soul cultivation when conceiving the two children, they both had Top-grade Spiritual Root talent.
Having these outstanding descendants join the Zhou Family was seen as support for the clan from him.
"Elder Cyan Yang is quite reasonable, let's proceed with the matter in this way."
Zhouyang slightly nodded, feeling very satisfied with his son's arrangement.
Actually, when he agreed to let his son Zhou Guangcheng join the Profound Sun Immortal Sect, he mentioned that if Zhou Guangcheng had descendants, they must return to the Zhou Family to inherit the family business.
However, at that time, he was just a Golden Core Stage Cultivator, and it has been over a thousand years since then. The fact that Master Cyan Yang is willing to honor this agreement, regardless of whether it is influenced by his current cultivation power, is a very gratifying thing.
To him, having his grandchildren return to the Zhou Family means that he has not disappointed his ancestors; it's a way to honor his parents.
Because of the arrival of his two grandchildren, Zhouyang also postponed his retreat to the Dome Heaven Immortal Realm, deciding to spend some time with his grandchildren to foster their familial bond.
He returned to Yuquan Lake Oasis with his son, daughter-in-law, and grandchildren, the place where the Zhou Family first prospered, and personally narrated the stories of his father and grandfather, recounting the tales of the Zhou Family's ancestors.
Starting from Yuquan Lake Oasis and moving to Haoyang Cave, named after his father Zhou Xuanhao and himself, he especially elaborated on the heroic deeds of Eighth Aunt Zhou Xuanyan, who spent twenty years building the oasis with her Qi Cultivation Stage Cultivation.
Then he moved on to Baituo Mountain Oasis, Purple Cloud Cave, Red Tiger Mountain Oasis...
Chen Family Ancestor, Cao Wenjin, Chen Ping'an, Jiang Yuyan, Zhang Yunpeng...
One by one, names of old acquaintances two thousand years ago were brought up by Zhouyang, and he remembered them very clearly.
Thus, Zhouyang led his family to retrace the places he had traversed, recounting stories and experiences previously untold even to his son Zhou Guangcheng, allowing them to understand how difficult the journey had been for the Zhou Family to reach where it is today.
Through this journey of revisiting the past, not only did the youngsters Zhou Tonghui and Zhou Tongyue gain a lot, learning about the hardships their grandfather with vast divine techniques had faced in the past, but also to Zhou Guangcheng and Zhouyang himself, it brought a lot of realizations and reflections.
After one to two thousand years, many places have drastically changed in appearance, but what remains unchanged is Zhouyang's heart that yearns for the immortal path.
He regained the initial yearning for the Immortal Dao as he did when he first encountered cultivation.
The difference is that back then, he only aspired to succeed in establishing a Foundation and dreamt of one day becoming a Golden Core Ancestor.
And now his goal is to break through the Door of Immortality and become a genuine Tribulation Crossing True Immortal!
"It's just about time; I have about a twenty to thirty percent chance of successfully breaking through the Door of Immortality this time!"
On Lingxi Peak, Zhouyang, who had returned from traveling with his descendants for a year, quietly reported his preparation status to Lan Daoist, who had been waiting here.
Besides himself, Lan Daoist cared most about his matter of immortal ascension.
Due to Lan Daoist's assistance, Zhouyang also felt obligated to update him on his situation.
Upon hearing Zhouyang's words, Lan Daoist's eyes lit up with a gleam, and he looked at Zhouyang and nodded, saying, "Fellow Daoist Zhou, rest assured to go into retreat. With Lan watching over the Zhou Family, I will definitely not let you be troubled by these mundane matters!"
"As for Lan Daoist, Zhou naturally…"
Zhouyang was about to respond with a smile when suddenly he frowned and paused his words.
"What's the matter? Do you have any other concerns, Fellow Daoist Zhou?"
Lan Daoist looked at him with a puzzled expression, not understanding what was happening.
"Zhou has an inexplicable feeling of foreboding suddenly surfacing, as if something significant has occurred, yet I cannot specify what exactly."
Zhouyang replied to Lan Daoist's query with a heavy expression, his mood taking a downturn.
At his level of cultivation, experiencing such an ominous sign typically indicates a major disaster.
This inevitably led him to associate it with his matter of retreating to break through the Door of Immortality.
Lan Daoist was evidently aware of this as well; upon hearing Zhouyang's words, his expression changed slightly, and he looked at Zhouyang and said, "If that's the case, Fellow Daoist Zhou should wait for a while, perhaps you will soon find out what's going on."
"There's no other choice. Let's hope it's a false alarm!"
Zhouyang slightly nodded, but his expression did not improve.
At the same time, just before Zhouyang felt the foreboding, in the "Sea of Death" over a million miles away from Lingxi Peak, a major incident occurred.
In the Sea of Death, the spatial rift that had existed for one or two thousand years suddenly "spat" out a jet-black beast horn half an hour earlier.
This beast horn was exceedingly black, covered in cracks that seemed ready to shatter into hundreds of pieces at any moment.
Once it was "spat" out from the spatial rift, it immediately drew the attention of the Great Bright Immortal Palace cultivator stationed there.
But just as this Golden Core Stage cultivator was about to investigate, the beast horn suddenly emitted a black light, from which a cloud of black gas emerged, transforming into a somewhat ethereal image of a giant unicorn beast.
Upon appearing, the unicorn beast image only opened its mouth to inhale towards the Golden Core Stage cultivator; the cultivator couldn't even let out a scream before being swallowed clean.
After consuming the Golden Core Stage cultivator, the unicorn beast image quickly acquired all his memories.
"So this Mortal Realm is called the Spirit Realm? Such a Tier Five minor figure is actually from the largest force in this realm; it seems my bad luck in that spatial storm is finally spent!"
"Wait, a Ninth-Layer Nascent Soul cultivator mastering Qianyang True Flame? Moreover, possessing a Tier Seven Immortal Artifact?"
"Hmm, this person has been gone for three hundred years, and currently does not appear to be at home, while their clan has several Tier Six humans and Tier Six demons."
"Great, just perfect. To reforge my True Demon Body, I require a large amount of high-quality blood food. Let's start with this so-called Zhou Family!"
Outside the spatial rift, after digesting the Golden Core Stage cultivator's memories, the unicorn beast's gaze instantly targeted the eastern sky, its body swiftly transforming into a dark demon light that flew rapidly towards the east.
