CHAPTER 265: CHAPTER 252: CANNOT DECEIVE THE HEAVENS! [4000-WORD MAJOR CHAPTER]

Zhouyang successfully advanced to the Ninth-Layer Foundation Establishment and exited seclusion, which is undoubtedly a tremendously joyous event for all Zhou Family cultivators.

Zhouyang is not Zhou Minghan; he is only a hundred and three years old and still has a significant opportunity to establish the Purple Mansion.

Even the dullest cultivator in the Zhou Family knows what it means once Zhouyang successfully establishes the Purple Mansion.

It not only signifies that Zhouyang himself becomes a Purple Mansion cultivator, joining the ranks of high-tier cultivators, but also means that the Zhou Family will henceforth be a Purple Mansion Clan with a Purple Mansion cultivator providing protection.

Once the Zhou Family becomes a Purple Mansion Clan, they will certainly take more territory and obtain more cultivation resources, allowing these Zhou Family cultivators to naturally benefit and gain more advantages.

Upon hearing this news, Zhou Xuanhao, who had originally gone to inspect Haoyang Mountain, hurried back to meet him.

"Father, during the years I’ve been in seclusion, has anything major occurred?"

In the Purple Cloud Cave, after a few words with his father Zhou Xuanhao, Zhouyang first asked about what happened during his years in seclusion.

"There were indeed a few major events, but quite a few minor ones occurred as well."

Zhou Xuanhao organized his thoughts and then recounted the major events that occurred during Zhouyang’s seclusion.

Upon hearing of the Yellow Sand Sect’s great victory over Guo Shuyun, Zhouyang remained unmoved, as this was something he had already anticipated before his seclusion.

However, when he heard that Cao Wenjin had died on the frontlines, causing the Boundless Desert Sea Cultivation Realm, which was about to settle, to fall back into chaos, his countenance finally changed.

"What a pity!"

He sighed deeply, feeling a myriad of emotions over Cao Wenjin’s death.

He could almost imagine, before Cao Wenjin’s death, the deep unwillingness he must have felt.

Just giving Cao Wenjin three to five more years, he would surely have led the Yellow Sand Sect to pacify the rebellion, ensuring a complete transition of sect leadership.

Yet, fate had its own plans, beyond the control of man.

After such a moment of regretful reflection on the passing of Cao Wenjin, Zhouyang composed himself, turning back to his father Zhou Xuanhao and saying, "Now please tell me about those minor events."

"The first matter is that Guangxiang and his sister, while following the Yellow Sand Sect cultivators to quell the rebellion, seized a large amount of cultivation technique inheritance and Hundred Skills of Cultivation inheritance. Although the Yellow Sand Sect may not value these inheritances, our Zhou Family’s alchemy, artifact refining, talisman crafting, arrays, spirit planting, and beast taming inheritances have all been elevated to Tier Three. According to Guangxiang, he will be able to advance to a Tier Three Array Master within ten years!"

"The second matter is that five years after you entered seclusion, that guy Huang Yi actually returned alive to the clan. Since you were in seclusion, I dared not let him come to Red Fox Ridge, and only stationed him at Haoyang Mountain for cultivation."

"The third matter is that during your years in seclusion, the clan cultivators, when training and exploring around this Red Fox Ridge desert, discovered a Purple Copper Ore Vein. According to exploration results, it is a small-rich mine."

"The fourth matter is that Ying’Er’s skills as a Spirit Plant Cultivator elevated to Tier Three when transplanting spirit elixirs and spirit woods from the Yang Family. She has become the first Tier Three Spirit Plant Cultivator in our Zhou Family’s history. Furthermore, her success rate in refining Tier Three Lower-Grade Spirit Pills is now over forty percent, and she is preparing to advance to a Tier Three Middle-grade Alchemist."

"The fifth matter is that the spirit talismans you once entrusted Yuan Chen to produce were completed three years ago and delivered to the clan. There are a total of fifty-seven Tier Three Lower-Grade Spirit Talismans and four hundred and thirty-two Tier Two High-Grade Spirit Talismans. These items are your personal gains and need to be allocated by you personally."

"The sixth matter is that the number of Qi Cultivation Ninth-Layer Elders in the clan has increased to fifteen, and it is expected to grow to twenty within the next ten years. Is this amount somewhat excessive?"

Zhou Xuanhao recounted each matter he deemed noteworthy, allowing Zhouyang to keep them in mind.

Zhouyang listened to each item without interruption and only began to ponder after Zhou Xuanhao finished speaking.

After a moment of contemplation, he raised his head and said, "Guangxiang aiming to become a Tier Three Array Master is a good thing. No matter what support he needs to achieve this, as long as it is within the capabilities of our Zhou Family, Father, you may freely provide it to him, and we will certainly fulfill it."

"Regarding Huang Yi, I will meet him before I go to the Yellow Sand Sect, and then we will discuss his arrangements."

"The Purple Copper extracted from the Purple Copper Ore Vein is excellent artifact refining material. The discovering clan cultivators should receive a substantial reward, and as for the mining operation, Father, you and the clan elders should take charge."

"The spirit talismans made by Brother Yuan Chen were originally prepared for the clan cultivators. Father, you may put them all in the clan treasure vault, allowing clan cultivators to exchange for them freely, and temporarily credit the contribution points gained to my name."

"As for the significant increase in the number of clan elders, I understand your concerns, Father. However, this matter should not be changed for now. We should wait until I establish the Purple Mansion before making any changes!"

After addressing each matter, Zhouyang paused, then quietly informed his father Zhou Xuanhao about the arrangement he had previously made with Cao Wenjin.

For confidentiality reasons, the entire Zhou Family only he and the late patriarch, Zhou Minghan, knew about this.

But now, with Zhou Minghan’s passing and his own cultivation reaching the Ninth-Layer Foundation Establishment, there was no need to keep it as tightly guarded.

After speaking about this matter, before Zhou Xuanhao could recover from the shock and bewilderment the news brought, Zhouyang continued, "I will soon go to the Yellow Sand Sect to prepare for establishing the Purple Mansion, so Father, you can now start organizing the migration of mortals. When I return successfully, it will be the time for our Zhou Family to truly soar!"

"Isn’t that a bit too quick? You’ve just advanced to the Ninth-Layer Foundation Establishment; a more solid foundation for another year or two wouldn’t be unwise!"

Zhou Xuanhao, regaining his composure, spoke with a face showing seventy percent excitement and thirty percent concern.

The news that Zhouyang disclosed naturally filled him with immense excitement, since it was his son, Zhou Xuanhao, who was about to establish the Purple Mansion.

Once Zhouyang succeeds in establishing the Purple Mansion, Zhou Xuanhao will be the father of a Purple Mansion Stage cultivator, an honor enough to boast of for a lifetime.

However, as a cultivator himself, he was also acutely aware that impulsiveness and haste are to be avoided during a breakthrough.

Zhouyang had just increased his cultivation to the Ninth-Layer Foundation Establishment, and he was already eager to establish the Purple Mansion; isn’t this the very definition of impulsiveness?

As a father, Zhou Xuanhao felt it necessary to caution his son on this matter, to prevent a moment of recklessness from leading to irreversible mistakes!

"There’s no rush at all!"

Looking at his father, whose eyes were filled with concern gazing at him, Zhouyang spoke with determined conviction, "Father, have you forgotten? I once swore a Dao Heart Oath to slay Luo Yunqing within fifteen years. Now ten years have passed, and if I do not establish the Purple Mansion soon, once the pledge period is over, I’ll fear I won’t have any hope of establishing the Purple Mansion in this life!"

"This..."

Zhou Xuanhao’s face changed, rendered speechless.

The constraint of a Dao Heart Oath on a cultivator depends entirely on whether the cultivator still harbors ambition for advancement.

If it’s a cultivator whose cultivation has stagnated for years and has completely lost hope for the next realm, there’s no harm in not adhering to the Dao Heart Oath they have made.

But for a genius young cultivator like Zhouyang with limitless potential, the binding force of this Dao Heart Oath is just as potent as the "Nether Blood Contract".

Moreover, once this kind of Dao Heart Oath is made, it must be resolved by oneself personally.

If one deliberately seeks others’ help, it would first mean they have violated their own Dao Heart.

People can deceive people, but cannot deceive the heavens!

Zhouyang’s Dao Heart is steadfast, so naturally he disdains to engage in self-deception and vain efforts to deceive the heavens.

Thus, seeing Zhou Xuanhao’s expression change, he immediately comforted, "Father, please rest assured. Since I dared to make this oath, I naturally have the confidence to fulfill it, you need not worry about this matter!"

"Alright, in the path of cultivation, you have indeed surpassed your father. Your father can no longer assist you in this regard and only hopes that you exercise caution in everything and think thrice before acting!"

Zhou Xuanhao sighed in a bewildered manner, nodded in agreement, acknowledging Zhouyang’s words.

He has always been very self-aware and never meddles in matters he is unfamiliar with. In the way of cultivation, he has long been unable to teach Zhouyang, this fact he knows well.

Additionally, every cultivator has their independent will, and the higher a cultivator’s cultivation, the more steadfast and pure their will becomes.

Any attempt to interfere with another’s will, regardless of father-son or husband-wife, will invoke resentment and aversion.

Zhou Xuanhao, not being foolish, naturally wouldn’t leverage his fatherly status to forcefully intervene in Zhouyang’s will and decisions.

After discussing with his father Zhou Xuanhao, Zhouyang stayed at Red Fox Ridge for a month to accompany his Dao companions and family, then departed for Yuquan Lake Oasis and Haoyang Mountain.

He intended to inspect these two Spirit Mountains first, then directly proceed to Yellow Sand Sect for seclusion to open the Purple Mansion.

At this time, Jade Spring Peak was somewhat desolate due to Zhou Family cultivators having yet to return, with only a dozen low-tier cultivators tending to the Spirit Fields on the mountain.

Zhouyang met with the Zhou Family cultivators cultivating on the mountain, said some encouraging words, and then proceeded to the cemetery in the rear of the mountain.

The old clan leader Zhou Minghan’s ashes had already been interred in the cemetery. Zhouyang stood in front of the tombstone engraved with "Yuquan Zhou Clan’s Third Generation Clan Leader Zhou Minghan’s Tomb" for a full hour before turning away without saying anything.

He would return again, and next time, he would use the enemy’s blood to dye the white cloth red and wrap it around Zhou Minghan’s tomb, fulfilling the promise made to this elder.

Leaving Jade Spring Peak, Zhouyang went to Haoyang Mountain where he met Huang Yi who was cultivating there.

From Huang Yi’s mouth, he learned that when the Tier Five Top-Grade Golden-winged Thunder Eagle attacked, although Huang Yi was electrocuted from inside out, he managed to hold on to life using the Earth Guarding Golden Body Technique’s formidable defensive recovery ability.

After the demon beast departed, he buried himself underground, slowly absorbing the Earth Spirit Vein Qi from the Tier Five Spiritual Vein to recuperate his injuries.

After over seven years, not only did he fully recover, but he also improved his cultivation to the Third-Layer Foundation Establishment. Moreover, the defensive recovery ability of the Earth Guardian Golden Body improved significantly by several levels.

Learning this, Zhouyang couldn’t help but marvel at his luck.

Although Huang Yi didn’t explicitly say it, he knew that enduring such circumstances was largely due to Huang Yi’s steadfast will, never giving up.

Unfortunately, this person’s heart isn’t with the Zhou Family; otherwise, Zhouyang wouldn’t hesitate to train him with the best resources.

"As the saying goes, having survived a disaster, there must be future fortune. After staying in Rhino Horn Continent for seven years, you must have gained considerable benefits?"

Light flashed in his eyes, and he suddenly asked Huang Yi like this.

Upon hearing this, Huang Yi’s expression changed, and he quickly said, "Clan Leader misunderstands. When I came out after recuperating, there were already a number of unknown monkey demon beasts and giant rat demon beasts on Rhino Horn Continent, and even a Tier Five demon beast occupied the mountain cave where the Golden-Horned Rhinoceros resides."

"With those demon beasts present, how could I dare to linger there, let alone search for treasures?"

"Oh, so monkey demon beasts and giant rat demon beasts appeared on Rhino Horn Continent?"

Zhouyang’s expression turned into a stupor, his thoughts raced, and he quickly recalled the Spirit Stone ore vein.

Thinking of this, his heart tightened, and he hurriedly asked, "Do you know what those demon beasts were doing on Rhino Horn Continent?"

"Naturally, they were mining Spirit Stones!" Huang Yi replied somewhat unnaturally.

In his heart Zhouyang thought "I knew it", not surprised at Huang Yi’s response.

When Huang Yi earlier mentioned the appearance of monkey-type demon beasts and giant rat-type demon beasts, he recalled the previous attack on the Spirit Stone ore vein by the Tier Five Top-Grade Golden-winged Thunder Eagle and arrived at the conclusion.

Once he confirmed the information, he inevitably felt distressed.

It’s crucial to know that he had great plans for that Spirit Stone ore vein and for Rhino Horn Continent which is a super large oasis, originally thinking of checking if he could possibly occupy it once he succeeded in opening the Purple Mansion.

Now, it seems that his idea definitely cannot be realized until he condenses the Golden Core.

By the time he condenses the Golden Core, the Spirit Stone ore vein would likely have been thoroughly mined out, leaving him to at most occupy the super large oasis to serve as the new foundation for the Zhou Family.

"Alright, I’ve got it. Rest assured, whatever treasure you obtained on Rhino Horn Continent, it’s earned with your life, the clan will not demand you hand it over."

"But I must tell you, I will soon seclude myself to open the Purple Mansion, and once successful, you know what that signifies!"

"During this period, continue your cultivation here. Also, consider thoroughly what I just said. I truly appreciate your perseverance!"

Zhouyang cast a deep gaze at Huang Yi, not bothering to conceal some information for him to know.

Then he didn’t mind looking at how Huang Yi’s expression changed upon hearing his words, and immediately released his Flying Sword and headed towards the mountain gate of Yellow Sand Sect.

He had said everything needed, and if Huang Yi didn’t grasp it, it would be his own lost opportunity.