Cultivation Begins From The Desert
Chapter 208 - 206: In Full Swing

Chapter 208: Chapter 206: In Full Swing

Approximately four months after Huang Yi successfully established his foundation, Zhou Minghan, who had been in seclusion for nearly ten months, also emerged from his retreat.

During these ten months, after refining the "Jade Moon Fruit" and two "Fire Flood Dragon Pills," Zhou Minghan’s cultivation successfully advanced to the Ninth-Layer Foundation Establishment.

Yes, two "Fire Flood Dragon Pills."

In order to ensure he could advance to the Ninth-Layer Foundation Establishment before the "Foundation Establishment Conference" held by the Chen Family, Zhou Minghan directly sacrificed his future path of advancement, taking two potent "Fire Flood Dragon Pills" in succession to forcefully elevate his cultivation to the Ninth Layer.

"Grandfather, why, why did you have to go this far!"

On Jade Spring Peak, Zhouyang looked at the old clan leader Zhou Minghan who had successfully exited his retreat, but his face bore no sign of joy.

"I am old, to be able to pass away with a Ninth-Layer Foundation Establishment cultivation is already a blessing from the heavens. To open the Purple Mansion, it will rely on all of you young ones!"

Zhou Minghan waved his hand, not minding this matter at all, seeing it quite openly.

Zhouyang felt both helpless and moved.

He knew Zhou Minghan did this completely for him and for the Zhou Family.

The Ninth-Layer and Eighth-Layer Foundation Establishment, though seemingly only one tier apart, actually differ by at least fifty percent in overall combat strength.

"By the way, during my seclusion, I seemed to sense a change in the Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi outside. Could it be that rascal Huang Yi succeeded in establishing his foundation?"

Zhou Minghan did not wish to dwell on this topic, so he deliberately steered the conversation elsewhere.

Upon hearing this, Zhouyang could only follow along, saying: "Indeed, and he has chosen to cultivate the ’Earth Guarding Golden Body Technique’, currently he’s adjusting his cultivation technique in father’s cave dwelling."

Zhou Minghan was aware of the side effects of the ’Earth Guarding Golden Body Technique’. Once he heard Zhouyang say this, he immediately understood Zhouyang’s plan.

"Is that so?"

Zhou Minghan’s gaze sharpened, then he nodded and said, "That’s also good. Outsiders are after all outsiders; they can share wealth, but not hardship, it’s never wrong to be cautious of them."

"I think the same way. Now, since you’ve come out of seclusion, Grandfather, you should first oversee the clan and keep an eye on that kid. Meanwhile, I’ll send Brother Yuan Chen back to the Yellow Sand Sect soon and exchange the ’Nether Blood Contract’ and Tier Four Defense Spirit Talisman."

Zhou Yuanchen has been with the Zhou Family for over half a year; the beast hides Zhouyang originally gave him have all been crafted into Talisman Paper for talisman making, and he’s nearly exhausted all his Talisman Paper.

However, due to his talisman making grade being only Tier Three Lower-grade, his success rate in talisman making was not great. After turning the beast hides into Talisman Paper, at least three hundred sheets of Tier Three Talisman Paper could be made.

Yet when he finally consumed all his Tier Three Lower-grade Talisman Paper, he handed over just thirty-seven Tier Three Lower-grade Spirit Talismans to Zhouyang, with a success rate barely above ten percent.

Although somewhat disappointed, Zhouyang understood.

Talisman making, unlike Artifact Refining and Alchemy, truly does not allow for even the smallest mistake. Even a minor error would cause the talisman to fail.

Thus, even a Tier Four Rune Master cannot guarantee certain success when crafting Tier Three Lower-grade Spirit Talismans.

Under normal circumstances, a Tier Three Lower-grade Talisman Maker producing Tier Three Lower-grade Spirit Talismans, a success rate of fifteen to twenty percent is not difficult.

However, Zhou Yuanchen was special. His uniqueness lies in cultivating the Thunder Element Technique, and the characteristics of Thunder Element Magical Power are aggressive and explosive, making it difficult to control.

So his success rate in talisman making being lower than that of regular same-tier rune masters is normal.

Fortunately, although there were poor results in making Tier Three Spirit Talismans, Zhou Yuanchen demonstrated the appropriate skill level of a Tier Three Talisman Maker by producing over 120 various Tier Two High-Grade Spirit Talismans for the clan.

"Brother Yuan Chen has worked hard. With these talismans, the clan’s disciples’ safety during their travels will greatly improve, enabling them to return safely, which will all be thanks to Brother Yuan Chen’s efforts!"

In the cave dwelling atop the mountain, Zhouyang looked at the categorized stacks of talismans prepared by Zhou Yuanchen and showed genuine joy on his face.

"Though it’s been tiring, it was worthwhile. My talisman-making skills have greatly improved, and once back in the sect, I can start taking sect-commissioned talisman-making tasks to earn Merit Points."

Zhou Yuanchen, despite looking fatigued, waved his hand, his eyes still bright, and his words carried a tone of happiness.

In a sect like the Yellow Sand Sect, tasks related to Artifact Refining, Talisman Making, and Alchemy are regularly issued. Cultivators who receive materials provided by the sect and complete a certain quantity of tasks will earn certain Merit Points. The higher the success rate, the more Merit Points one can earn.

As long as Zhou Yuanchen elevates his talisman-making skills, he can live comfortably by focusing on these sect tasks.

"No matter what, Brother Yuan Chen has made a great contribution to the clan. This bottle of ’Golden Marrow Pill’ was personally refined by Ying’Er, please accept it as a congratulatory gift from me and my wife for your advancement to Tier Three Talisman Maker!"

Zhouyang patted his Storage Bag and took out a White Jade Pill Bottle, handing it to Zhou Yuanchen.

The pill bottle contained 5 "Golden Marrow Pills," which were worth three to four thousand Spirit Stones. Though these Spirit Stones couldn’t compare to the many Spirit Talismans Zhou Yuanchen made, the reward was still not low.

Moreover, using the Elixirs that Zhou Yuanchen could directly consume instead of Spirit Stones showed the clan’s sincerity even more.

"Well... alright then, I will shamelessly accept it."

Zhou Yuanchen looked at the pill bottle in Zhouyang’s hand and ultimately couldn’t resist the temptation.

His cultivation growth had been slow because he hadn’t been able to use Elixirs. After all, even though the Zhou Family lent him Merit Points to exchange for Foundation Establishment Pills, post-Foundation Establishment Magical Artifacts and Elixirs are not something they would provide.

Therefore, the Spirit Stones and Sect Merit Points he earned over the years were spent on exchanging Magical Artifacts and Blank Talisman Paper, leaving him with no money for Spirit Pills.

Seeing him accept the Elixirs, Zhouyang’s smile grew a bit wider, then he cupped his hand and said, "Then I won’t disturb Brother Yuanchen’s rest any longer. When you’ve rested well, I’ll escort you back to the Yellow Sand Sect."

After speaking, he gathered up all the Spirit Talismans Zhou Yuanchen had drawn over the days and took them out, depositing all Tier Two Spirit Talismans into the Clan Treasure Vault, while only placing seven Tier Three Spirit Talismans.

The exchange price for those Spirit Talismans in the Clan Treasure Vault was only ninety percent of the market price, giving Zhou Family cultivators profit even if they exchanged the treasures and resold them into Spirit Stones.

However, this type of behavior of exchanging Clan Treasure Vault items to resell is something no clan member dares do. Once discovered, it means severe punishment of having the cultivation abolished and being expelled from the clan.

Several days later, Zhou Yuanchen took a good rest, restored his spirit, then emerged from his cave to pay respects to the Clan Leader Zhou Minghan, and together with Zhouyang, he rode the Eagle Lion Beast to the Yellow Sand Sect.

Upon reaching the Yellow Sand Sect, Zhouyang and Zhou Yuanchen first paid respects to his master Li Feiyu, presenting ten pieces of Blank Talisman Paper made from the hide of Tier Three Middle Grade Demon Beasts as a gift, and inquired about who had Tier Four Defense Spirit Talismans within the Yellow Sand Sect.

Li Feiyu, as a Tier Three Top Grade Talisman Maker and a Thunder Element cultivator able to make Thunder Talismans, naturally knew more about the spirit talisman flow within the sect than most.

The ten sheets of Blank Talisman Paper given by Zhouyang were not in vain, as shortly he learned from Li Feiyu that Jiang Yuyan, a female Purple Mansion Cultivator from the Yellow Sand Sect who once tracked him, was indeed a Tier Four Middle Grade Talisman Maker and certainly possessed Tier Four Defense Spirit Talismans, in addition to the Vice Hall Master Guo Shuyun and several Ninth-Layer Foundation Establishment Cultivators who also had such treasures.

Having understood the situation, Zhouyang first went to visit the Yellow Sand Sect’s Vice Hall Master Guo Shuyun.

Unfortunately, although Guo Shuyun had a Tier Four Defense Spirit Talisman, he did not intend to transfer it, wishing to keep it for his descendants’ protection.

Having no choice, Zhouyang spent ten thousand Merit Points to exchange for two "Nether Blood Contracts," then proceeded to visit Jiang Yuyan’s cave to pay respects.

"Oh, you want to use Sect Merit Points to exchange for a Tier Four Defense Spirit Talisman? What makes you think I would be willing to trade with you?"

Inside Jiang Yuyan’s cave, after listening to Zhouyang’s explanation, her fair face showed a seemingly mocking smile as she looked at Zhouyang, speaking quite indifferently.

Tier Four Spirit Talismans are scarce treasures, and the materials needed to make the talisman paper are difficult to find, so the Yellow Sand Sect’s Sect Treasure Vault seldom sees such treasures, and they are quickly exchanged once they appear.

This made Jiang Yuyan so self-assured.

However, Zhouyang was not swayed by her assurance because even if he couldn’t exchange from her, he had other options, and he still remembered when Jiang Yuyan once tracked him!

"Elder Jiang speaks too much, I don’t presume you must exchange with me, and if you don’t wish to trade, consider me as if I never came!"

Zhouyang cupped his hands, ready to turn away.

"Wait!"

Jiang Yuyan’s beautiful eyes narrowed as she spoke to stop Zhouyang.

Then she gathered herself from her disdainful expression, looked earnestly at Zhouyang, and said, "You can exchange for a Tier Four Spirit Talisman, but you must answer a question first: how many Spirit Stones did your master spend to purchase the Jade Liquid Golden Pill?"

"Doesn’t Elder find this question inappropriate to ask? Not to mention that I’ve signed a blood contract forbidding me from revealing Liuyun Continent Cultivation Realm matters, even if I could, do you think I’d dare disclose Elder Cao’s background for a mere Tier Four Spirit Talisman?"

Zhouyang looked strangely at Jiang Yuyan, completely surprised that someone of her stature would ask such a question.

He was also secretly shocked that Cao Wenjin didn’t disclose the price of the "Jade Liquid Golden Pill" to the sect’s Purple Mansion cultivators, wondering why.

Jiang Yuyan fell silent upon hearing his words.

Zhouyang had no way of knowing that for the "Jade Liquid Golden Pill" rights, the Purple Mansion late-stage cultivators within the Yellow Sand Sect were fiercely competing and anxiously scheming, fighting both openly and covertly.

After all, it’s the "Jade Liquid Golden Pill," a treasure all Purple Mansion Stage cultivators would desire!

After staying silent for a while, Jiang Yuyan gathered her thoughts and said to Zhouyang, "I misspoke earlier; you can exchange for a Tier Four Spirit Talisman, but you must pay additional Merit Points worth half the value." 𝙛𝓻𝒆𝓮𝒘𝙚𝙗𝒏𝙤𝙫𝓮𝒍.𝓬𝒐𝙢

ps: I can’t keep doing this; it’s been a month of waking and washing before writing endlessly, with breaks only for meals and sleep, staying in front of the computer all day. I’m truly feeling sick of the screen; I need to relax and ease my brain tomorrow, otherwise, nothing will come out!