CHAPTER 150: CHAPTER 148: GOOD THINGS COME KNOCKING (SUBSCRIPTION REQUESTED)

The sky after the rain was gloomy, just like Zhouyang’s mood at this moment.

Not long ago, he successfully broke through to the Fourth Layer Foundation Establishment after taking the "Three Yang Barrier-Breaking Pill," and his mood should have been happy and delighted.

But a piece of bad news brought his mood to the lowest point.

A few days ago, his mother Lin Yuting, who had just celebrated his 57th birthday with him, passed away!

Lin Yuting died sitting in meditation, having exhausted her lifespan.

Although her age at death was still two years away from the Qi Cultivation Stage cultivator’s limit of one hundred and twenty years.

But she indeed died of old age.

Before a cultivator’s lifespan is exhausted, they receive a spiritual calling, understanding that they are about to end.

So before her death, Lin Yuting had essentially explained the matters she wanted to, and seen the people she wanted to, and passed away with a smile, without regrets.

But for her son Zhouyang, the loss of a beloved kin left him immensely sorrowful and in extreme pain.

He anticipated this day would come, but when it truly arrived, it was still hard for him to accept.

Thus, he stared in a daze at his mother’s peaceful body for half a day, until his father Zhou Xuanhao called him back to reality. Then, with tears in his eyes and a heart filled with immense grief, he watched as his mother’s body was personally cremated by the old clan leader Zhou Minghan.

It has been five days since his mother Lin Yuting passed away in meditation. Zhouyang may no longer be shedding tears, but his mood remains gloomy and sorrowful, not entirely recovered from this event.

The Zhou Family hadn’t experienced the death of a cultivator from lifespan exhaustion in over a decade. Lin Yuting’s passing not only saddened Zhouyang but also made him realize that soon, the cultivators of the "Xuan" generation, the same generation as his parents, would also begin to pass away.

By then, more members of the Zhou Family will have to endure the sorrow of losing their loved ones, just like he did!

The more pressing issue is that those who will soon pass away from lifespan exhaustion will mostly be the elders of the Zhou Family.

Once these people pass away, the overall strength of the Zhou Family will decline significantly, and there will be far fewer highly valuable individuals.

How to minimize the negative impact of these people’s passing on the family is an issue Zhouyang, as the clan leader, needs to consider.

The only good news that can provide him some comfort right now is that, after seven or eight years of training, the Zhou Family’s management system is gradually being established. Some "Yuan" generation cultivators have learned and improved to the point where they can take on steward positions.

With these stewards and deputy stewards in place, even if the elders pass away, the normal operations of the family won’t be disturbed or damaged.

"Brother Nine, Great-Grandfather sent me to tell you that we just received a message from the Chen Family, saying that Elder Cao of the Yellow Sand Sect has issued a message upon coming out of seclusion, asking you to visit the Yellow Sand Sect."

A soft and gentle voice suddenly spoke from behind, awakening Zhouyang from his thoughts.

He turned his head and saw a delicate girl in mourning clothes, who had somehow appeared behind him, looking at him with concern.

The girl was his foster sister Zhou Yuanyao.

Zhou Yuanyao is nineteen this year; she has lived with Zhouyang’s mother Lin Yuting since she was four or five. After living together for more than ten years, their relationship is no different from that of a biological mother and daughter.

And because Zhouyang has spent a lot of time accompanying his mother Lin Yuting over the years, their relationship has become much closer than his relationship with Zhou Yuanchun, Zhou Yuanbao, and others, despite being separated by twenty or thirty years in age.

"Yao’er, are you really not going to see your mother?"

Zhouyang suddenly asked an unrelated question as he looked at the delicate girl in front of him.

The mother he spoke of wasn’t his mother Lin Yuting, but Zhou Yuanyao’s biological mother, Zhou Xuan Yu.

Because of her status, Zhou Xuan Yu seldom had the chance to return to see her daughter Zhou Yuanyao, sometimes only once a year.

Especially as Zhou Yuanyao grew older and learned about the various evil deeds of demon cultivators from other elders, she gradually began to distance herself from and intentionally avoid her mother, who practiced demon techniques, somewhat escaping from reality.

When Zhou Xuan Yu discovered this, she was, of course, deeply saddened. But she also understood that she couldn’t blame her daughter; she could only blame herself, as she was indeed a demon cultivator!

So even when she secretly came to see Lin Yuting for the last time, Zhou Xuan Yu did not face Zhou Yuanyao. After witnessing Lin Yuting’s passing in meditation, she left Jade Spring Peak quietly, crying behind her hands.

Zhouyang originally thought that it was good for Zhou Yuanyao and Zhou Xuan Yu not to have much contact, so as to avoid any complications from arising due to frequent interactions.

But after personally experiencing the pain of losing a loved one, when he looked at Zhou Yuanyao again, he suddenly felt that his previous thoughts were a bit too selfish.

However, upon hearing his words, Zhou Yuanyao’s expression changed, and she fell silent, her head lowered, indicating clearly that she had no such intention.

Zhouyang, upon seeing this, couldn’t help but stand up. He reached out and gently patted the girl’s fragrant shoulders, sighing, "Ah, if you have the time, you should go over there and take a look. Foster Mother is living alone on that side, it’s quite pitiful!"

"I understand."

Zhou Yuanyao’s fine head nodded slightly, her voice as faint as a mosquito, almost inaudible.

Zhouyang was familiar with his foster sister’s personality, and seeing this, he immediately knew that she probably didn’t take his words seriously.

Thus, he couldn’t help but frown. He suddenly placed both hands on the girl’s shoulders, lifting her head to face him, and said seriously, "Don’t take it lightly. The cultivation technique that Foster Mother practices is more prone to deviation than our Immortal Dao techniques. If you don’t visit her for a long time, her frustrations may accumulate to the point of threatening her life. You wouldn’t want to see her go mad and kill all the clan cultivators and mortals on Haoyang Mountain, would you?"

Sure enough, upon hearing him say this, the girl’s pretty face changed color immediately.

No matter how much she resents Zhou Xuan Yu, her biological mother, it doesn’t change their relationship. If Zhou Xuan Yu truly goes mad due to her issues, the guilt would fall heavily on her.

She immediately changed her tone, her pretty face tense, and nodded solemnly, "Brother Nine, I understand. After fulfilling the three-month mourning for Foster Mother, I will go to Haoyang Mountain for a while."

"That’s a good girl." Zhouyang reached out and lightly tapped the girl’s forehead with a finger, smiling gently, greatly improving his mood.

However, the girl blushed from his gesture, somewhat dissatisfied as she shrugged off his hands, muttering, "Brother Nine, you’re so annoying. I’m not a child anymore, why are you still tapping my forehead like that?"

"Hahaha, whether or not you’re a child isn’t up to you; it’s up to us elders who watched you grow up."

Zhouyang laughed heartily, ignoring the girl’s embarrassed and angry expression, and he reached out to mess up her neatly combed hair into a bird’s nest before laughing uproariously and riding his sword into the air to leave.

Zhou Yuanyao was so vexed by this that she almost cried.

Flying back to the top of Jade Spring Peak on his sword, Zhouyang immediately went to see the old Clan Leader Zhou Minghan to discuss the visit to the Yellow Sand Sect.

At this time, Cao Wenjin suddenly sent a message, asking him to visit the Yellow Sand Sect. Clearly, there was something he needed him to do. He needed to arrange the clan affairs properly before he could proceed to the Yellow Sand Sect with peace of mind.

Fortunately, all three Foundation Establishment Cultivators of the Zhou Family were currently cultivating on Jade Spring Peak. Normally, the various affairs of the Zhou Family were handled together with Zhou Xuanhao and Zhou Minghan, so even if he, as the Clan Leader, was absent, the normal operations of the clan wouldn’t be significantly impacted.

More than ten years ago, to completely exterminate the remnants of the Blood Slaughter Demon Sect, Cao Wenjin did not hesitate to deplete his lifespan by continuously using the "Blood Escape Technique," which injured his Primordial Qi.

Now, after more than ten years of secluded healing, he finally replenished the depleted Primordial Qi and emerged to preside over sect affairs once again.

Of course, while the depleted Primordial Qi was replenished, the lifespan lost due to the consumption of a large amount of essence blood could not be recovered through normal means.

Therefore, his first major task upon coming out of seclusion was to personally lead a team to the Liuyun Continent Cultivation Realm for trade procurement, to see if he could obtain any life-extending treasures or treasures that could aid Purple Mansion Stage Cultivators in Core Formation.

And the reason he called Zhouyang over this time was simple: he wanted to make use of the "Profound Sun Order" that Zhouyang possessed to take advantage of the Profound Sun Immortal Sect’s shops.

It’s known that one function of the "Profound Sun Order" is to enjoy a 20% discount at any official franchise store of the Profound Sun Immortal Sect.

However, the "Profound Sun Order" can only display its effect when used by its true owner, so Cao Wenjin invited Zhouyang over because he intended to bring him along to the Liuyun Continent Cultivation Realm.

"I heard that you want to procure healing medicine for your father? You don’t need to spend your Spirit Stones on that; as long as you accompany me on this trip, I’ll cover the cost of the healing elixirs, and you can use this opportunity to purchase some Spiritual Objects useful to you!"

In the cave of the Yellow Sand Sect, the cave’s owner, Cao Wenjin, was sitting on a thousand-year Cold Jade Couch, smiling as he looked at Zhouyang, standing below.

The terms he offered were undoubtedly generous.

Ordinary people couldn’t even get the opportunity to go to the Liuyun Continent Cultivation Realm.

Not only was he taking Zhouyang for free, but he also offered to reimburse Zhouyang for purchasing healing Spirit Pills, which is a rare opportunity.

No matter how much Zhouyang racked his brains before coming, he never expected that coming to the Yellow Sand Sect would result in such a great opportunity landing on his lap.

"With Elder Cao’s kind favor, I and the Zhou Family are deeply grateful!" He bent over, clasped his hands, and bowed deeply in gratitude.

Then he asked, "But I dare to ask, Elder, how dangerous is the journey to the Liuyun Continent Cultivation Realm? With my level of cultivation, is it really safe for me to go?"

This was a very realistic question.

The benefits of going to the Liuyun Continent Cultivation Realm were well-known to everyone, but to get there, one has to first cross the Broken Cloud Mountain Range, teeming with Demon Beasts. The dangers involved are known by anyone in the Boundless Sea of Sand Cultivation Realm who has heard of the Liuyun Continent Cultivation Realm.

Although the Yellow Sand Sect controls a relatively safe passage, everyone knows that in the Cultivation Realm, "safety" is always linked to one’s cultivation level.

What is safe for Golden Core Stage and Purple Mansion Stage Cultivators might not be safe for Foundation Establishment Cultivators!