Cultivation Begins From The Desert-Chapter 57: Purple Mansion is Expected

The Chen Family was busy with the aftermath, and the Zhou Family and other clans on Jingyang Peak seemed to be forgotten. No significant Chen Family cultivator came out to discuss what should be done next.

Without a decision from the Chen Family, the higher-ups of the Zhou Family and other clans couldn’t just leave immediately. Who knew if they’d be halfway gone and the Chen Family would summon everyone back to discuss the bandit situation, which would be quite troublesome.

This was really tough on Zhouyang.

Jingming Peak was not a suitable place for cultivation, and after Zhouyang reached Foundation Establishment, he could no longer absorb the mountain’s spiritual qi for cultivation as previously agreed, which left his transition to the Qianyang Immortal Scripture on hold.

Seeing that switching cultivation techniques was temporarily impossible, Zhouyang decided to focus his energy on other matters.

After obtaining the "Qianyang Treasure Pearl," a Tier Seven Spiritual Artifact, that day, he barely had time to study this treasure before having to leave the seclusion chamber. Now with some free time, he naturally prioritized this as the top matter to attend to.

Speaking of which, although the "Qianyang Treasure Pearl" recognized him as its master, he didn’t even have the ability to move this artifact.

Since the pearl settled into his Dantian Qi Sea, it quietly stayed in a small pond formed by his magical true essence, silently receiving his nourishing magical power.

High-tier magical artifacts above Tier Five can be kept within a cultivator’s body for nurturing. Although the "Qianyang Treasure Pearl," as a Tier Seven artifact, has lost 99% of its former power, its essence as a Tier Seven artifact remains.

As long as Zhouyang continues to nourish this artifact with magical power, its power will slowly recover. In the future, even if it doesn’t regain its full power, restoring thirty percent of its power would make it comparable to a Tier Six artifact.

But when that day comes, Zhouyang thinks he might already be able to refine Tier Six artifacts himself, and may not find this artifact made by others so appealing.

In short, the pearl currently has only two functions for him.

The first function is to assist in cultivation. After Zhouyang transitions to the Qianyang Immortal Scripture, he will be able to use the pearl to release "Qianyang Immortal Light," refining his magical power and physical body, enhancing the purity of his magical power and the strength of his body.

The second function is to amplify the power of the "Qianyang True Flame." Zhouyang was able to melt the mysterious ore enveloping the pearl that day because the pearl amplified the power of his true flame.

Otherwise, relying on the "Qianyang True Flame" emitted with his Foundation Establishment cultivation, it may not have been able to melt that mysterious ore.

If before the pearl amplification, the "Qianyang True Flame" only posed a slight threat to Foundation Establishment cultivators like Zhou Minghan, then after amplification, it definitely possessed the power to severely injure or even kill late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivators.

However, all this assumes that a late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator would foolishly take his amplified "Qianyang True Flame" attack head-on.

And which cultivator who has reached late-stage Foundation Establishment hasn’t lived for over a hundred years and is a savvy individual? Why would they recklessly take on an obviously powerful "Qianyang True Flame" without knowing its details?

Regardless of how it turns out, the amplified "Qianyang True Flame" is still a major killing move for Zhouyang.

Possessing this killing move, he at least has the capital to make late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivators wary, unlike typical newly established Foundation Establishment cultivators who would be unable to resist at all.

Zhouyang is quite satisfied with the two capabilities of the "Qianyang Treasure Pearl." A person shouldn’t be too greedy; expecting to gain an immortal artifact and be able to conquer gods and demons is unrealistic.

After all, no matter how powerful an artifact is, it must be wielded by someone. If one can’t even activate the artifact, how can they expect to conquer gods and demons?

As cultivation has developed to its current state, more than a dozen Tribulation Crossing True Immortals have appeared, each dominating a part of the cultivation realm.

Yet Zhouyang has never heard of any disciples or family descendants of these True Immortals, after their ascension or passing, being able to maintain the legacy and continue dominating through the artifacts left behind.

The existence of the "Qianyang Treasure Pearl" is something Zhouyang plans to keep secret, as the association with a Tier Seven artifact is too significant. Any hint of it leaking could bring disaster upon him and the entire Zhou Family.

However, he has another item in his possession that can be shared with the clan’s Foundation Establishment cultivators.

He reached into his storage bag to reveal a dark green stone. This was the transformed state of the mysterious ore that once enveloped the "Qianyang Treasure Pearl" after melting. This item’s origin was unknown and possibly, like the pearl, from the Upper Realm.

Zhouyang hadn’t had the time to study this stone’s function before, but now with some leisure, as an artifact refiner, he naturally wouldn’t pass up the chance to study such a treasure.

"This item, although containing no spiritual qi and thus cannot be refined into an artifact, has a far superior divine sense isolation effect than a Tier Three Spiritual Object known as a Forbidden God Stone. If refined into a mask to wear on one’s face, it could conceal one’s identity in underground transactions or other clandestine matters, reducing the likelihood of being discovered."

The dark green stone seemed small but was quite substantial; only a fist-sized piece was needed to refine a mask. Zhouyang melted the stone using the amplified "Qianyang True Flame" and crafted five beast face masks - dragon, phoenix, tiger, tortoise, and qilin - gifting the "Tiger Face" to Elder Clan Leader Zhou Minghan.

"The ’Qianyang True Flame’ truly lives up to its reputation. I didn’t expect you’d be able to refine even something Earth Fire couldn’t melt. It seems when we return to the clan, I can pass on the artifact refining legacy I once received to you entirely!"

Zhou Minghan was genuinely envious upon receiving the tiger face mask gift from Zhouyang.

As an Artifact Refiner, who wouldn’t want to master a powerful flame?

One must know that although Earth Fire is useful, it cannot be carried around, nor can it be controlled as freely as a cultivator’s True Flame, which actually reduces the success rate when refining Tier Three and above Magical Artifacts and Spirit Pills.

Artifact Refiners and Alchemists choose Earth Fire for refining out of necessity. If their own True Flame could be as powerful as the Qianyang True Flame, they wouldn’t choose to use Earth Fire for artifact refining and alchemy.

When Zhouyang heard the words of the old Clan Leader, his heart was filled with joy. He had long known that the reason why the old Clan Leader Zhou Minghan could become a Tier Three High-grade Refiner was that he found a predecessor cultivator’s cave mansion in the Desert Sea early in his life and obtained the artifact refining inheritance of a Tier Four Refiner.

This set of artifact refining inheritance is considered the most valuable asset of the Zhou Family. Ever since Zhou Minghan obtained it, he placed the inheritance in his own cave mansion and has never taken it out.

Now that Zhou Minghan is willing to pass the inheritance to him, it is evident that he wholeheartedly acknowledges him, truly beginning to pass on his responsibilities.

If he can study the artifact refining inheritance left by a Tier Four Refiner, it will undoubtedly significantly improve his artifact refining skill, and perhaps he might take the opportunity to advance to become a Tier Three Refiner.

Around the Baisha River Oasis, there are dozens of Foundation Establishment Cultivators, and more than a dozen Foundation Establishment Clans, but only the Chen Family, Zhou Family, and Liu Family have Tier Three Refiners. As for Tier Four Refiner inheritance, only the Zhou Family has it.

Once Zhouyang becomes a Tier Three Refiner, even if his cultivation remains at the First-Layer Foundation Establishment, his status will become extraordinary. It will bring countless conveniences when dealing with other Foundation Establishment Cultivators in the future.

"Great-grandfather’s generosity, grandson..."

Zhouyang, filled with joy, tried to say something, but before he could finish his words, a strange voice suddenly came from outside the courtyard.

"Brother Ming Han, are you home? Liu and Junior Brother Yang heard that the Zhou Family has added a new Foundation Establishment fellow, and we came especially to congratulate you."

Hmm?

Zhouyang frowned, immediately sweeping his Divine Sense towards the source of the voice, and saw two unfamiliar Foundation Establishment Cultivators outside the Zhou Family courtyard.

One of them, with white hair and a wrinkled face, seemed to have not much lifespan left, while the other, like his father Zhou Xuanhao, was just entering middle age, with a square face, looking resolute and stern, not likely to laugh easily. frёeωebɳovel.com

It was the elderly man with white hair who spoke earlier; despite his age, his voice was loud and full of energy, clearly a person who didn’t accept aging.

"It’s the old Clan Leader Liu Qingsong from the Liu Family of Chixia Mountain and the Patriarch Yang Xingyan from the Yang Family of Golden Spring Valley."

Zhou Minghan, with a sweep of his Divine Sense over the two outside, introduced their backgrounds to Zhouyang in a low voice, and then laughed, responding loudly: "Hahaha, Brother Liu and Fellow Daoist Yang are well-informed. Zhou had originally planned to send out invitations for the Foundation Establishment celebration in a few days, but unexpectedly, the both of you have come on your own, please come in, please come in."

The Liu Family of Chixia Mountain and the Yang Family of Golden Spring Valley have been Foundation Establishment Clans for over five to six hundred years. Although these families have never produced Purple Mansion Stage Cultivators, the foundation accumulated over centuries cannot be matched by a family like Zhou’s, which has been established for less than three hundred years.

As far as Zhouyang knows, the Liu Family currently has four Foundation Establishment Cultivators, and the Yang Family has three. Each family has a Foundation Establishment Cultivator in the Yellow Sand Sect to speak on their behalf, so their foundation is very solid.

Additionally, the three Foundation Establishment Pills offered by the Chen Family, besides the one purchased by their Zhou Family at a discounted price of twenty thousand Spirit Stones, the other two were auctioned off at a price of over thirty thousand Spirit Stones each by these two families.

"No one visits the temple for no reason. During my father’s Foundation Establishment celebration, the patriarchs of the Liu and Yang families merely sent a family junior to attend. This time, the two have come together, so their congratulations can’t be that simple."

Zhouyang followed the old Clan Leader out of the room to greet the unsolicited Liu Qingsong and Yang Xingyan, while internally speculating about the sudden visit of these two.

Yet he didn’t know that Liu Qingsong and Yang Xingyan, upon seeing such a young him, were also taken aback. The two exchanged a glance and saw the complexity in each other’s eyes.

"It seems we have come at the right time today. With such a talented member, the Zhou Family will certainly not be content with mediocrity in the future. That old fox Zhou Minghan truly has great luck!" Liu Qingsong sighed inwardly and communicated with Yang Xingyan.

"This young man is indeed extraordinary; if he does not perish young, Purple Mansion is expected!" Yang Xingyan also sighed, having to admit the Zhou Family’s luck.

The Liu and Yang families have been around for hundreds of years, never lacking in Foundation Establishment Cultivators to carry on their legacy, but lacking someone who could lead the family to greater heights as a Purple Mansion Stage Cultivator.

A Purple Mansion Stage Cultivator can have a lifespan of up to five hundred years. If a Foundation Establishment Clan can produce a Purple Mansion Stage Cultivator, the entire family will benefit immensely.

However, transitioning from Foundation Establishment to Purple Mansion is extremely difficult. Without significant opportunities or being born with a Top-grade Spiritual Root or from a major power, many Foundation Establishment Cultivators can’t even reach the Ninth Layer of Foundation Establishment before exhausting their lifespan, let alone touch the threshold of the Purple Mansion Stage.

No one feels this more acutely than Liu Qingsong, as he is currently stuck at the Eighth-Layer Foundation Establishment, unable to break through. Given his age, even if he were to break through to the Ninth Layer now, it would be nearly impossible for him to successfully establish a Purple Mansion.

If he could have achieved Foundation Establishment as young as Zhouyang, the situation would be entirely different. Yang Xingyan, knowing this, made the comment "Purple Mansion is expected."