Cultivation Begins From The Desert
Chapter 193 - 191: 7 Years

Chapter 193: Chapter 191: 7 Years

Although the name "Golden Marrow Pill" contains the word "gold," like the "Nourishing Essence Pill," it is a Tier Three Lower Grade Spirit Pill that can be consumed by all Foundation Establishment cultivators.

Alchemy is different from artifact refining. Apart from a few special elixirs, most elixirs yield several to even dozens of spirit pills once successfully refined.

However, including the previous failed attempt, this was only Xiao Ying’s second time refining the "Golden Marrow Pill." As such, although she succeeded in alchemy, the pill yield was only five, while normally it should be seven or more.

But at this moment, Zhouyang and she were both past caring about this detail.

Upon hearing Xiao Ying’s delighted cry from within the Earth Fire Chamber, Zhouyang couldn’t help but burst into the chamber. When he saw the three pigeon-egg-sized golden spirit pills in Xiao Ying’s jade-like hand, a look of immense joy instantly spread across his face.

"Wonderful, truly wonderful! Ying’Er, you’ve finally succeeded. You’ve successfully advanced to a Tier Three Alchemist!"

He rushed forward in excitement and lifted Xiao Ying, spinning joyously with the girl in his arms, feeling even more thrilled than when he himself advanced to a Tier Three Refiner.

This was natural!

Even if he had failed to advance to a Tier Three Refiner, the Zhou Family still had Zhou Minghan, a Tier Three High-grade Refiner, so there was no need to worry about artifact refining.

But Xiao Ying’s advancement to a Tier Three Alchemist was hugely significant for the Zhou Family.

In more than two hundred years of the Zhou Family’s legacy, there had never been a Tier Three Alchemist, and the role of a Tier Three Alchemist to a family or power was undoubtedly greater than that of a Tier Three Refiner!

Alchemists are always the most sought-after profession in the Cultivation Realm, without exception!

"Brother Zhou!"

Suddenly lifted by Zhouyang, Xiao Ying was flustered.

Her jade-like face blushed as she gazed at Zhouyang, her eyes brimming with so much affection it seemed ready to overflow, and her heart was filled with joy.

Upon hearing the girl’s soft, shy, and joyful murmur, Zhouyang felt a ripple in his heart.

His impulsive act of lifting the girl was merely a way to express the excitement in his heart.

But seeing the girl’s expression now, it was clear there was a misunderstanding.

Of course, it wasn’t exactly a misunderstanding, for his instinctive gesture of embracing the girl showed that he already regarded her as someone close, otherwise he wouldn’t have recklessly embraced a fellow female cultivator.

Thus, he bit his lip, and instead of putting the girl down, he boldly asked, looking into her flushed face, "Ying’Er, do you like Brother Zhou?"

"Mm."

Xiao Ying shyly nodded slightly, closing her beautiful eyes, not daring to look at Zhouyang’s handsome face that made her heart race.

Zhouyang’s heart was racing as he asked, and the girl’s response left him exhilarated and his heartbeat even faster.

"Brother Zhou also likes Ying’Er."

He gazed at the girl with her eyes tightly shut and voiced the words he had never uttered before.

After speaking, he slipped his arms around the girl’s body, and when she widened her eyes and looked at him in response to his words, he deeply lowered his head and kissed her gentle lips.

Ah~

In a low moan, the girl’s first kiss was claimed.

After a long while, their lips parted, and Zhouyang set the girl down, holding her in a different manner, and whispered into her ear, "When we return to the Zhou Family, I’ll announce to my father and everyone that we’re becoming Dao companions; from now on, you belong to me, Zhouyang!"

"Brother Zhou!"

The girl exclaimed, her voice filled with unparalleled joy and happiness.

"Silly, since you’ve agreed to become my Dao companion, why still call me Brother Zhou? You’ll have to change what you call me now!"

Zhouyang gently bit the girl’s earlobe, reminding her.

The girl’s body shivered at his action, hastily correcting herself, "Yes, Zhou Lang, I will remember."

"Mm, my dear is so obedient." Zhouyang gently smiled, feeling infinitely comfortable as the girl called him "Zhou Lang."

He released the girl from his embrace, his eyes flashing with divine light, and finally looked at her with a serious face, saying, "My dear, although you and I have become Dao Companions, for those devoted to cultivation, everything must prioritize advancement. So if I don’t form the Golden Core, I won’t truly engage in dual cultivation with you. Can you understand and support my thoughts?"

Xiao Ying seemed not to have returned from the sweetness and shyness just now, and after hearing his words, she quietly nodded her forehead and responded softly, "Mm, I will listen to whatever Zhou Lang says!"

Seeing this, Zhouyang frowned slightly, but quickly regained his smile, as if he had thought of something, and said, "Then we have agreed!"

For cultivators, cultivation is always the priority.

Although they formally became Dao Companions, confirming their relationship, it didn’t change the lives of Zhouyang and Xiao Ying. They even continued to sleep in separate beds, usually busy with their own affairs. The time they spent together in one room each day didn’t add up to more than one hour.

In fact, they weren’t exceptions; most Dao Companions among cultivators were similar.

Cultivators who have been practicing alone for years are accustomed to solitude and won’t change their lifestyle just because they have a Dao Companion.

Furthermore, cultivation requires silence. Two people cultivating in the same room, not to mention potential conflicts due to different cultivation techniques, if one makes any movements after having an epiphany, it might disturb the other. The minor consequence is a chaotic magical power resulting in slight injuries, while the major consequence could be deviation.

Those who live like ordinary married couples, sticking together every day, exist but only among Dao Companions of cultivators without further ambitions. Any Dao Companion who wishes to advance won’t let romance affect their cultivation.

Zhouyang still managed to spend half an hour to an hour daily walking, chatting, drinking tea, and having meals with Xiao Ying. This was already rare among Dao Companions in the Cultivation Realm.

Though Xiao Ying wasn’t aware of how other Dao Companions lived, she enjoyed her life with Zhouyang.

She might wish for Zhouyang to spend more time with her, but even if he didn’t, she wouldn’t complain.

After all, she had lived this way for decades, and compared to her former mentor who often went out to gather herbs and then secluded herself for alchemy, Zhouyang’s insistence on spending an hour daily with her was already a huge improvement.

Time flies, and in the blink of an eye, seven years had passed since Zhouyang and Xiao Ying moved into the cave residence.

Over seven years, Zhouyang had only achieved one of the three goals he set initially: advancing his cultivation to the sixth layer of Foundation Establishment.

In Artifact Refining Skill, he increased the success rate of refining Tier Three Lower Grade Spiritual Artifacts to forty percent, which was the limit for a Tier Three Lower-grade Refiner. To break through further, he needed to become a Tier Three Middle-grade Refiner.

However, Zhouyang tried refining Tier Three Middle-grade Spiritual Artifacts three times and failed each time, forcing him to pause refining and deeply reflect on his failures.

As for mastering the "Five Elements Life and Death Sword Array," he was far from achieving it. He estimated it would take two or three years of focused research without distractions to succeed.

Yet he felt no discouragement because, although he hadn’t completed his goals, his Dao Companion Xiao Ying had made significant progress during those seven years.

Xiao Ying originally possessed a Top-grade Spiritual Root Talent, allowing her fast cultivation speed. Plus, Zhouyang saved a Spiritual Peach given by Master Cyan Yang for her consumption. Thus, over seven years, her cultivation reached nearly the Third-Layer Foundation Establishment, and it was estimated she’d advance to the third layer within three years.

During these seven years, Zhouyang spent over ten thousand Spirit Stones to purchase enough Spirit Elixir ingredients for three batches of "Immortal Ganoderma Jade Dew Pills," and she successfully refined two furnaces, producing six pills in one batch and eight in another, totaling fourteen pills.

Considering the price of each "Immortal Ganoderma Jade Dew Pill" at about six hundred Spirit Stones, fourteen pills amounted to eight thousand four hundred Spirit Stones, causing Zhouyang a minor loss of one thousand six hundred Spirit Stones.

It’s perfectly normal for a Tier Three Lower-grade Alchemist to lose money while refining Tier Three Lower Grade Spirit Pills!

For both alchemists and refiners, to avoid losses and gain small profits, they must refine pills and artifacts with a grade lower than their profession level, and for significant profits, they must refine ones two grades lower.

Even so, sects and clans still devote resources to training their own alchemists and refiners.

Because having one’s own alchemists and refiners directly reflects the foundation of a power, and without them, the force lacks independent survival ability and control over its lifeblood.

If the lifeblood isn’t in one’s control, what future does the power have?

"Ying’Er, Elder Cao sent a Communication Flying Sword, saying Master Cyan Yang’s Nascent Soul Ceremony has concluded, and the auction in Immortal Sun City will begin tomorrow. Let’s visit Elder Cao now, and tomorrow we’ll go to the auction together with him."

In the cave residence, upon receiving Cao Wenjin’s Communication Flying Sword, Zhouyang pushed open the stone door and entered Xiao Ying’s boudoir bedroom.

Though they confirmed their Dao Companion relationship years ago, despite agreeing not to engage in dual cultivation in the same room, Dao Companions shouldn’t mind such things, lest it creates distance.

Xiao Ying was studying the Alchemy Scripture left by her mentor and, upon hearing Zhouyang’s words, she put down the Jade Scroll with a gentle smile and said, "I have no objections. Zhou Lang, wait for me a moment. I’ll tidy up and go see Elder Cao with you."

Compared to Zhouyang’s preference for calling her "Ying’Er" as he used to, she preferred addressing Zhouyang with the intimate title "Zhou Lang," representing their Dao Companion relationship.