CHAPTER 616: CHAPTER 601: A SUDDEN WARNING

Master Cyan Yang is a Nascent Soul Stage Zhenren, and when he accepts disciples, he naturally holds the related ceremonies.

According to the rules of the Profound Sun Immortal Sect, a disciple under a Nascent Soul Stage Cultivator directly enjoys the treatment of a core disciple within the sect. During the initiation ceremony, all cultivators above the Purple Mansion Stage within the sect must attend to witness, unless they have particularly important matters keeping them from leaving their abodes.

Therefore, the ceremony held that day was extremely grand, with over a hundred Purple Mansion Cultivators and dozens of Golden Core Stage Cultivators, as well as several Nascent Soul Stage Cultivators currently at the Profound Sun Immortal Sect mountain gate, attending in person to witness the significant event of Zhou Guangcheng becoming disciple to Master Cyan Yang.

This would be a highly commemorative witness meeting.

To protect Zhou Guangcheng, the matter of him possessing the Profound Sun Spirit Body would not be disclosed to anyone beyond those currently aware until he possesses sufficient ability to protect himself.

Thus, the cultivators witnessing today, apart from a few Nascent Soul Stage Cultivators in the front, only know Zhou Guangcheng as the son of Zhouyang, a cultivator with a fire attribute top-grade spiritual root talent.

Most of them believed that Zhou Guangcheng was able to become Master Cyan Yang’s disciple due to the efforts of Zhouyang, his father.

Despite this, they could not comprehend what benefit Zhouyang offered to persuade Master Cyan Yang to take his son as a disciple.

After the disciple ceremony was completed, Zhouyang and Xiao Ying merely bid a simple farewell to their son Zhou Guangcheng, and then left the Profound Sun Immortal Sect together, heading towards the Zhou Family Mountain Gate in Daoxuan Country to visit and comfort the clan members there.

Afterwards, the two returned to Chongxuan Mountain, each busy with their own matters.

Xiao Ying was busy attempting to advance as a Tier Five Alchemist, as Zhouyang frequently used "Qianyang Immortal Light" to refine her body and remove erysipelas. Although less than a hundred years after forming the core, her cultivation had already reached the Third-Layer Golden Core, progressing at an extraordinary speed.

This allowed her to save significant cultivation time for divine techniques practice and enhancing her alchemy skills.

Zhouyang, on the other hand, had a multitude of tasks. He continued to refine Tier Five Spiritual Artifacts, improving his artifact refining skills, while utilizing the "pregnancy artifact" idle time for divine techniques practice and refining cultivation.

A Golden Core Stage Cultivator, unless choosing to take a break, always finds an endless cycle of work.

When occupied with busyness, one often has little concept of time passing.

Only upon Zhou Guangxiang’s request for a meeting with Zhouyang, intending to return to the Boundless Desert Sea Cultivation Realm for elder care after a failed attempt at core formation, did Zhouyang realize that eighteen years had gone by!

"You want to return to the clan? Very well, fallen leaves should return to their roots. If you wish to go back, then go!"

Within the cave abode, Zhouyang looked at his nephew, now with a head full of white hair, and sighed deeply in his heart, powerful emotions merely transformed into this brief sigh.

He had mentally prepared for Zhou Guangxiang’s failure in core formation long ago.

After all, this was Zhou Guangxiang’s first attempt at core formation, and he had previously suffered severe injuries that damaged his foundational primordial qi.

Regarding the barrier of core formation, top-grade spiritual roots and middle-grade spiritual roots make no difference.

The real difference lies in the number of attempts for core formation. Upper-grade spiritual root cultivators can quickly reach the Ninth Layer of the Purple Mansion, giving them multiple chances for core formation, while middle-grade spiritual root cultivators may never have a single opportunity in their lifetime.

Although Zhou Guangxiang is an upper-grade spiritual root cultivator, he previously dedicated too much effort to clan affairs and array research, causing his subsequent cultivation speed to be much slower, only reaching the Ninth Layer of the Purple Mansion Stage at the age of over three hundred eighty.

From this perspective, Zhou Guangxiang has made great contributions to the Zhou family by sharing some of Zhouyang’s responsibilities, allowing Zhouyang to travel outside in pursuit of opportunities and enhancing his cultivation.

Originally, Zhouyang ought to reward him with the "Jade Liquid Golden Pill" for his dedication to the clan over the years.

However, considering the family, Zhouyang made a decision contrary to expectations at the last moment.

In Zhouyang’s view, if Zhou Guangxiang had not suffered serious injuries, he could have used the first core formation attempt as a learning experience, and in the second attempt with the assistance of the "Jade Liquid Golden Pill," he would have had at least a thirty to forty percent success probability, making it worth the attempt.

But without any accumulated experience, even with the assistance of the "Jade Liquid Golden Pill," Zhouyang deemed it difficult for Zhou Guangxiang’s success rate to reach thirty percent.

Under such circumstances, he decided to reserve the "Jade Liquid Golden Pill" for his disciple Lu Xuewei, considering the family’s benefit.

As an upper-grade spiritual root cultivator, Lu Xuewei, at just over three hundred years old, had already reached the Seventh Layer of the Purple Mansion Stage. She could likely reach the Ninth Layer within forty to fifty more years, granting her a couple of core formation opportunities.

However, that’s not the most important aspect. The critical factor is that Lu Xuewei is an Ice Element cultivator, able to utilize the "Cold Jade Essence" from the clan Treasure Vault as an auxiliary spiritual object in her core formation.

With the effects of the "Cold Jade Essence" combined with the assistance of the "Jade Liquid Golden Pill," Lu Xuewei, after accumulating one or two core formation experiences, her success rate on the third attempt will definitely exceed sixty percent!

One chance with less than thirty percent success compared to another with over sixty percent success—choosing becomes apparent.

Moreover, talking about contributions, Lu Xuewei has also made significant contributions to the Zhou family.

The spirit stone mine of the Zhou Family was initially discovered by her. The millions of spirit stones Zhouyang took from the Zhou Family over the years primarily came from the output of the mine she found.

Later, she contributed the extremely rare Divine Sense Attack Divine Technique, the "God-slaying Sword Technique," to Zhouyang, helping him fill a crucial gap. This was also a significant contribution.

Therefore, when Zhouyang saw Zhou Guangxiang in his current state, although he felt bad for him, he was not regretful.

After all, he was just a Golden Core Stage Cultivator, and his abilities were limited. He couldn’t help everyone or manage every situation.

He could make Zhou Guangxiang’s son the Zhou Family Patriarch; this was within his capabilities. Even if someone complained about nepotism, it wouldn’t affect him at all.

However, treasures like the [Jade Liquid Golden Pill] cannot be bought with spirit stones; they are volatile items, available only under specific circumstances.

Even with Zhouyang’s current strength and wealth, unless by a stroke of luck, obtaining it under normal circumstances would be extremely difficult.

Thus, with only one [Jade Liquid Golden Pill], he could only make the most rational choice by setting aside emotions among his disciple and nephew, both dear to him.

Zhou Guangxiang wasn’t aware of Zhouyang’s complex thoughts. Failure in forming the Golden Core had devastated his Essence, Qi, and Spirit, leaving him extremely despondent.

Usually good at reading the room, when he heard Zhouyang’s sigh at this moment, he assumed his Ninth Uncle had completely lost hope in him, feeling a pang of bitterness and saying somewhat self-deprecatingly to Zhouyang, "Nephew is leaving, Ninth Uncle, please take care!"

Zhouyang naturally noticed all of this, but even for him, there was no useful comfort he could offer. He could only say, "In your current state, it’s not suitable for you to travel alone. Let Tongxuan accompany you. Coincidentally, Rong Hua also needs to return to the clan to exchange for someone else. You three should travel together, looking after each other."

"Nephew understands."

Zhou Guangxiang nodded slightly, then his nose tingled. Unable to hold back, he finally burst into tears, kneeling before Zhouyang with tears in his eyes, and cried, "Thank you, Ninth Uncle, for your care and support over the years. It’s a pity that nephew is incompetent and has failed the expectations of Ninth Uncle. Nephew can only repay Ninth Uncle’s great kindness and virtue in the next life!"

Seeing this, Zhouyang hurriedly stepped forward to help him up, saying, "Get up quickly. Since I’m your elder, it’s only right to look after you, not expecting anything in return. All you’ve done for the clan over the years hasn’t gone unnoticed, and you’ve lived up to the care and support you’ve received!"

"I’ve always remembered Ninth Uncle’s great kindness and virtue. If it weren’t for Ninth Uncle back then, the matter of nephew privately storing the Foundation Establishment Pill for my sister’s Foundation Establishment would have been enough for the clansmen to condemn me."

"Later, when I didn’t heed Ninth Uncle’s advice and recklessly attempted to open the Purple Mansion but failed, it was again Ninth Uncle who selflessly bestowed the [Purple Heart Jade Marrow] to help me open the Purple Mansion."

"Later still, nephew did something foolish paving the way for Tongxuan, and Ninth Uncle, ignoring the clansmen’s doubts, helped me achieve my wish, forcefully supporting Tongxuan to ascend to the Patriarch’s seat."

"Not to mention when nephew was harmed by villains, the moment Ninth Uncle received the news, he rushed over to rescue me and, regardless of the villains’ backgrounds, avenged me."

Zhou Guangxiang looked lost in tears as he gazed at Zhouyang, choking on his words.

"It’s because you were capable that you made it this far. What I did was merely to give you a chance!"

Zhouyang sighed softly, patting his nephew’s shoulder, and didn’t say anything more.

Previously, he had given Zhou Guangxiang opportunities, but this time, he left the opportunity for his disciple. Even though he wasn’t regretful, hearing Zhou Guangxiang recount these past events, he still felt some shame and regret.

"Nephew returning home this time may never see you again, Ninth Uncle. I hope you take care of yourself. The Zhou Family can do without Zhou Guangxiang, but it cannot do without you, Ninth Uncle!"

Zhou Guangxiang held Zhouyang’s hand, with tears streaming down his face, murmuring with a choked voice, "The only way nephew can repay Ninth Uncle in this lifetime is to pray for you every day at the clan, praying to the ancestors and forefathers for your early advancement to the Nascent Soul Dao and attaining immortality!"

"Alas!"

Zhouyang let out another long sigh without saying anything more.

Afterward, Zhouyang personally sent Zhou Guangxiang to the Zhou Family in Daoxuan Country, entrusting him to his son Zhou Tongxuan, instructing Zhou Tongxuan and Zhou Ronghua to take good care of him on the journey, and thus watched the three leave the Zhou Family.

With the departure of Zhou Tongxuan and the others, Zhouyang temporarily delegated the family affairs of the Zhou Family to Zhou Shengyu.

At this time, Zhou Shengyu already had the cultivation of the Seventh-Layer Foundation Establishment, and through decades of handling family affairs, he had trained to become a qualified clan leader.

Since he’d reached Daoxuan Country, Zhouyang naturally also took the opportunity to visit his son Zhou Guangcheng at the Profound Sun Immortal Sect.

Now thirty-four, Zhou Guangcheng had successfully established his Foundation five years ago, officially starting his cultivation of the Sect’s Technique, the "Profound Sun Treasure Manual."

The father and son, unseeing for eighteen years, were momentarily at a loss for words upon meeting again.

But blood ties could not be denied, and after a brief silence, the slight estrangement quickly dissolved in conversation.

During their chat, Zhouyang was pleased to find that Zhou Guangcheng had finally changed. While he remained quiet, he was no longer so gentle and introverted, becoming more robust and open.

Through their conversation, he learned that over the years, Zhou Guangcheng had been sent on various trials by Master Cyan Yang, witnessing the cruel acts of demon cultivators slaughtering mortals and low-tier cultivators, witnessing low-tier loose cultivators betray friends and brothers for a single spirit grass, and seeing much of the world’s dangers.

Having witnessed these things frequently, an average person can easily be filled with suspicion towards the world, doubting the people around them, questioning whether they have ulterior motives for getting close.

But Master Cyan Yang naturally has ways to help his disciples correct such abnormal thoughts.

So, after many training sessions, Zhou Guangcheng has now become a "qualified" cultivator, with the standards being naturally those in Zhouyang’s eyes.

"Foundation Establishment cultivation is still somewhat lacking. When your cultivation reaches the Purple Mansion Stage, I’ll take you back to the Boundless Desert Sea Cultivation Realm to pay respects to your grandparents. Keep working hard in your cultivation. If you truly miss your father and mother, send a message back, and as long as we see it, we’ll definitely come to visit you!"

When parting, Zhouyang raised his hand and patted his son’s shoulder, giving some advice.

"I understand, father."

Zhou Guangcheng opened his mouth, but only responded dryly with this line.

He actually wanted Zhouyang to take him back to cultivate at Chongxuan Mountain for a period, but he knew Zhouyang certainly would not agree.

"Cultivate well."

Zhouyang stared at his son’s face for a while before finally repeating the advice and leaving.

When he returned to Chongxuan Mountain, the registered disciple Wang Yanzhang who went out traveling had already broken through to the Ninth Layer of Foundation Establishment and returned.

Back then, Zhouyang had promised Wang Yanzhang that if he cultivated to the Ninth Layer of Foundation Establishment, he would be formally accepted as a disciple and would be granted the Purple Heart Jade Marrow to assist him in opening the Purple Mansion.

Since Wang Yanzhang has now met his requirements, Zhouyang naturally did not go back on his word.

Thus, in the presence of many registered disciples and his Dao Companion Xiao Ying on the mountain, Zhouyang held an official disciple acceptance ceremony, accepting Wang Yanzhang as his third disciple and giving him a piece of Purple Heart Jade Marrow as a gift for accepting him as a disciple.

Upon receiving this gift, Wang Yanzhang did not rush to open the Purple Mansion but patiently cultivated on the mountain, studying the experiences and insights Zhouyang had given him about opening the Purple Mansion, while replacing Zhouyang in teaching his junior brothers and sisters.

This steadiness made Zhouyang quite appreciative, feeling that he didn’t choose the wrong disciple.

In terms of talent, Wang Yanzhang only has a Middle-grade Spiritual Root, the same as his second disciple who passed away early, Liu Xuanxuan, Zhou Guangxiang’s Dao Companion.

This spiritual root talent led Wang Yanzhang to be over one hundred eighty years old by the time he reached the Ninth Layer of Foundation Establishment cultivation.

Yet he can withstand the temptation and not rush into things; this mental cultivation is already beyond many Foundation Establishment Cultivators at the same realm.

Just based on this mental cultivation, Zhouyang feels he has a great chance of successfully opening the Purple Mansion.

Indeed, as he had thought, after cultivating his mind and body and preparing calmly for two years, Wang Yanzhang began closed-door practice to open the Purple Mansion and succeeded in becoming a Purple Mansion Stage Cultivator in just seven months.

However, when he successfully opened the Purple Mansion, his master Zhouyang had already been in closed-door practice for several years and did not manage to congratulate him or present him with gifts.

This time in closed-door practice, Zhouyang planned to consume the Tier Five Top Grade Spirit Pill, Purple Sun Treasure Pill, which he had exchanged for fifty thousand merit points, to breakthrough to the Late Stage of Golden Core.

His cultivation has steadily grown over the years, with every few decades resulting in a breakthrough to another layer.

Counting the time from his Core Formation, it has now been over two hundred years, averaging roughly one layer every forty years.

This speed is absolutely considered fast among Golden Core Stage cultivators, even exceedingly fast.

Excluding those exceptionally talented Spirit Body Cultivators, not many Golden Core Stage cultivators with Top-grade Spiritual Root talents achieve this cultivation efficiency.

In reality, over these past two hundred years, Zhouyang had spent much time on other affairs instead of solely focusing on refining his cultivation.

Calculating it this way, his cultivation speed is nearly faster than those Spirit Body Cultivators.

At least according to the records of the Profound Sun Immortal Sect, Lu Xuanji who possesses the Profound Sun Spirit Body, reached the Ninth Layer of Golden Core at over six hundred fifty years of age.

Yet Zhouyang has just reached five hundred not long ago.

Nonetheless, the difficulty from the Middle Stage to Late Stage of Golden Core is much higher than Zhouyang anticipated. After using the Purple Sun Treasure Pill, he did not successfully advance to the Late Stage of Golden Core; instead, he got stuck at the Sixth Layer of Golden Core.

Helpless, he had to leave his closed-door practice hoping to slowly progress his cultivation through patience and grinding.

This closed-door practice lasted seven years, not long.

Upon emerging, Zhouyang first met with the now successfully opened Purple Mansion Third Disciple Wang Yanzhang, granting him some personally crafted Tier Four Spiritual Artifacts and some Spirit Talismans and elixirs as rewards.

Then, along with his Dao Companion Xiao Ying, who also felt dissatisfied after failing to become a Tier Five Alchemist, left Chongxuan Mountain and headed to the Profound Sun Immortal Sect to visit his son Zhou Guangcheng.

Subsequently, as planned, Zhouyang went to the Zhou Family in Daoxuan Country, meeting with Zhou Shengfan and Zhou Shenghan, the Purple Mansion cultivators from the Zhou Family who had come to the Liuyun Continent Cultivation Realm for traveling.

Having recently arrived in the Liuyun Continent Cultivation Realm, the core affairs of the Zhou Family there are mainly handled by Foundation Establishment cultivation cultivator Zhou Shengyu.

For Zhou Shengfan and Zhou Shenghan, who hadn’t seen this family patriarch for a long time, Zhouyang’s arrival was a great joy, prompting them to seize the opportunity to consult with Zhouyang on cultivation issues.

Reflecting on the fact that he hadn’t held a lecture for the Zhou Family cultivators in quite a while, Zhouyang decided to host a preaching conference in the Zhou Family, explaining the path of cultivation and addressing doubts in their cultivation.

Initially planning to follow tradition and conduct it over three days and nights.

However, halfway through answering a question posed by a junior Foundation Establishment cultivator, Zhouyang suddenly felt a heart-stopping premonition, his brow jumping violently, and his heart beat far exceeding its normal pace.

"Husband, what’s happening to you?"

The change in Zhouyang did not escape the notice of his Dao Companion Xiao Ying, who had been with him for hundreds of years. After spotting his anomaly, she immediately transmitted her inquiry with a worried expression.

"The preaching conference ends here; I, the patriarch, have to leave."

He did not respond to his Dao Companion’s question but, suppressing his discomfort, announced the end of the conference, giving his Dao Companion a reassuring nod before disappearing from the site, entering a quiet room on the mountain.

In that quiet room, Zhouyang emptied his mind and focused entirely on sensing the cause of this sudden premonition.

Time passed heedlessly until his expression shifted, eyes glancing towards the east.

"Why the east? What significance does the east have related to me?"

His eyes had a deep look as he gazed towards the east, murmuring to himself.

"The east... Could it be that Fengxian is in trouble?"

Suddenly his expression changed and he swiftly stood up from the ground.

Having carefully sensed the omen, he vaguely perceived that someone extremely close to him in the far east might be in danger.

Yet upon reflecting, he could recall no such significant connection to anyone in the east.

Normally, an omen of this intensity would indicate someone with his bloodline or someone with whom he’d engaged in Spirit and Body Dual Cultivation.

Thinking over and over again, fulfilling this condition, only led him to his confidante Jiang Fengxian, whom he hasn’t seen for two hundred years.

Initially parted in the Kunxu Realm, Jiang Fengxian had stated her desire for traveling through the Celestial South Continent Cultivation Realm before heading to Donghua Continent, afterward returning to the Liuyun Continent Cultivation Realm.

But with two hundred years having passed, under normal circumstances, she should have long returned from her travels.

Yet till now, Zhouyang hadn’t been found by her.

And now with him suddenly struck by a premonition, sensing someone related to him in extreme peril in the far east, he couldn’t help but suspect whether Jiang Fengxian met with misfortune in the Donghua Continent Cultivation Realm.

With a swift motion, he retrieved a Soul Token from his storage ring, breathing a sigh of relief upon seeing it unscathed.

"Phew, the Soul Token is unharmed, suggesting Fengxian is safe for the time being!"

He exhaled, cautiously stowing the Soul Token away again.

Before parting, under his insistence, both he and Jiang Fengxian exchanged Soul Tokens for emergencies just like this, proving his foresight.

But this was only a temporary relief.

Regardless of the lingering premonition, it indicates that person in the east is undoubtedly facing grave danger, with the fear that more peril awaits even if this one is overcome.

Moreover, the strong premonition awakened an uncontrollable yearning buried deeply in his heart.

"I can’t leave it like this. It seems before forming the Nascent Soul, I must make a trip to the Donghua Continent Cultivation Realm. I need to see Fengxian again, ensure she’s safe, or I won’t fathom peace in forming my Nascent Soul, let alone safely undergo the Heart Demon Tribulation!"

Determination flashed in Zhouyang’s eyes, having decided something firmly.