Cultivation Begins From The Desert
Chapter 212 - 210: Borrowing a Knife to Kill

Chapter 212: Chapter 210: Borrowing a Knife to Kill

"Great-grandfather, let me take care of that piece of [Taiyi Essence Gold]!"

In the Boundless Desert Sea, Zhouyang and others, having relocated and set up the array again, hid underground once more, waiting for the Chen Family Ancestor to lure the "Gold-devouring Beast."

While waiting, Zhouyang once again couldn’t resist transmitting to the old Clan Leader Zhou Minghan, expressing his desire to take care of the "Taiyi Essence Gold" used to lure the "Gold-devouring Beast" into the array.

By now, the reason why the Chen Family Ancestor chose the "Gold-devouring Beast" as the target was already very clear.

Apart from the "Gold-devouring Beast" being a solitary and ferocious target, there was also an important reason, which was his attempt to use the chance to kill the "Gold-devouring Beast" to severely injure two cultivators from the Zhou Family.

That the "Gold-devouring Beast" would discover the "Five Elements Reversed Array" and therefore hesitate was undoubtedly within the expectations of the Chen Family Ancestor, and he had therefore deliberately prepared the "Taiyi Essence Gold" as bait.

Previously, he did not take out this bait, of course, to establish himself as being above reproach, telling Zhouyang and the others that without bait, the "Gold-devouring Beast" would definitely not take the hook.

When the "Gold-devouring Beast" indeed stopped outside the array as expected and prepared to leave, he then conveniently took out the bait, thus demonstrating his foresight and preparation, leaving Zhou Minghan no excuse to refuse being the bait!

At the same time, it was at this moment that Zhouyang understood why the cultivator from the Golden Spring Valley Yang Family attending the Foundation Building Assembly was not the familiar Patriarch Yang Xingyan, but another Mid-Stage Foundation Establishment Cultivator with Fifth-Layer Cultivation.

Because Yang Xingyan possessed a Top-grade Spiritual Root and was already a Ninth-Layer Foundation Establishment Cultivator. If he had also come, how could the Chen Family Ancestor then conveniently let Zhou Minghan take over the "Taiyi Essence Gold" bait?

Knowing this, Zhouyang, being of the younger generation and confident in his superior abilities, naturally did not want the old Clan Leader Zhou Minghan to take risks and wished to replace him in possessing the "Taiyi Essence Gold" as bait.

However, how could Zhou Minghan be willing to let the hope of the Zhou Family undertake such a dangerous task?

"Xiao Jiu, you need not say more; this matter is mine alone. You just protect yourself; I can die, but you must not come to harm!"

Zhou Minghan resolutely refused Zhouyang, his voice filled with a sense of tragic determination.

If the "Gold-devouring Beast" attacked, he would undoubtedly be the first to suffer the attack, and with the power of the "Gold-devouring Beast," under a direct attack, even with a Tier Four Defense Spirit Talisman in hand, he could not guarantee his life.

"Damn it!"

Zhouyang, of course, understood this too, so when he heard Zhou Minghan’s resolute words, his hands involuntarily clenched into fists, his eyes full of hatred.

Even though before attending this "Foundation Building Assembly," they had already anticipated that the Chen Family Ancestor might play some tricks in this matter and had made some preparations in advance.

However, neither of them expected that the Chen Family Ancestor would so brazenly use this method of killing by proxy to strike at the Zhou Family.

If they had known the Chen Family Ancestor was so determined to strike against the Zhou Family, Zhouyang would never have attended this "Foundation Building Assembly," even if it meant losing the Foundation Establishment Pill afterward.

Unfortunately, there is no regret medicine in the world, and once they followed the Chen Family Ancestor out, they had no retreat.

At this moment, if they suddenly gave up on attending the "Foundation Building Assembly," it would not only give the Chen Family Ancestor an excuse to openly strike at them but also offend other accompanying cultivators and clans.

Then, the Zhou Family’s assets at the Baisha River Oasis, including "Fengyue Tower" and those common Zhou Family mortals already rooted at the Baisha River Oasis, would be reclaimed and driven out by the Chen Family, and Zhou Family cultivators wouldn’t be able to trade at the marketplace on the Baisha River Oasis in the future.

This was clearly unacceptable for the Zhou Family.

For now, the two sides hadn’t completely torn their faces off, and the Chen Family Ancestor could only strike against the Zhou Family within the rules.

For example, in the future, not selling Tier Three Spirit Pills to the Zhou Family, canceling the Zhou Family’s participation rights in the next "Foundation Building Assembly," or like now, using the "Gold-devouring Beast" to kill by proxy.

But if the Zhou Family first tore their face off, giving the Chen Family an excuse, the means by which the Chen Family Ancestor could strike against the Zhou Family would increase, and by then, under the Chen Family’s blows, the Zhou Family would be grateful just to maintain the status quo, let alone continue to grow.

Therefore, even though Zhou Minghan and Zhouyang knew clearly that the Chen Family Ancestor was playing the game of killing by proxy, they had no choice but to grit their teeth and endure. As long as they endured this time, the Chen Family Ancestor’s trick wouldn’t fool them again in the future.

Time passed slowly, and in Zhouyang’s agonizing and anxious mood, the "Gold-devouring Beast" once again appeared in his sight, chasing after the Chen Family Ancestor.

This time, the "Gold-devouring Beast" pursued much more aggressively than before, likely because the Chen Family Ancestor left it some injuries to lure it over, causing it to become so furious.

When it chased to the outside of the array set up by Zhouyang and others, it indeed stopped just like last time.

At this moment, Zhou Minghan suddenly shook his sleeve, revealing the "Taiyi Essence Gold" in his hand and used magical power to activate the refined Geng Metal Qi contained within this spiritual object.

Roar!

As a metal-type demon beast that feeds on various metals, the "Gold-devouring Beast" is extremely sensitive to Geng Metal Qi. The refined Geng Metal Qi emitted by the "Taiyi Essence Gold" held by Zhou Minghan was no less attractive to the beast than the Foundation Establishment Pill is to Qi Cultivation Stage cultivators.

Sensing this refined Geng Metal Qi that could help it advance to a Tier Four High-Grade demon beast, the "Gold-devouring Beast" could no longer care about any dangers. It immediately roared and transformed into a golden light shooting towards Zhou Minghan.

With a flash of golden light, the massive body of the "Gold-devouring Beast" quickly appeared in front of Zhou Minghan, and its blood-filled mouth full of sharp fangs directly aimed to bite Zhou Minghan, trying to swallow not just him, but the "Taiyi Essence Gold" in His hand.

However, being a Ninth-Layer Foundation Establishment cultivator, Zhou Minghan had been prepared for this. How could he let it have its way?

Just as Zhou Minghan waved his sleeve, a Tier Four Lower-Grade Defense Spirit Talisman he had been clutching in his other hand transformed into a yellow earth-colored Spirit Shield and blocked in front of him.

When the "Gold-devouring Beast’s" blood-filled mouth bit into the yellow earth-colored Spirit Shield, the Tier Four Lower-Grade Defense Magic "Shield of Earth," capable of defending against a full-strength strike from an Early-Stage Purple Mansion cultivator, immediately cracked with countless spider-web-like fine lines, finally bursting into countless fragments of spiritual light.

After biting through the shield conjured by Zhou Minghan’s Tier Four Lower-Grade Defense Spirit Talisman, the "Gold-devouring Beast" saw Zhou Minghan attempting to escape and raised its beast claw to swipe at Zhou Minghan. A golden beast claw mark formed from Geng Metal Qi chased after Zhou Minghan.

Although this golden beast claw mark was merely a casual attack from the "Gold-devouring Beast," its power was no less than any sword attack by an Early-Stage Purple Mansion cultivator.

Seeing that he couldn’t avoid this attack, Zhou Minghan could only employ the Tier Three High-Grade defense magical artifact shield he had personally refined to block behind him, taking the hit directly.

The outcome was, of course, not suspenseful at all.

Zhou Minghan, shield in hand, was smashed away by the golden beast claw mark, flying tens of feet back and landing heavily on the ground, spitting out a mouthful of fresh blood.

At this moment, the "Gold-devouring Beast" moved once more, pouncing towards the incapacitated Zhou Minghan as though intending to deliver the final blow.

But just then, an angry shout reverberated close to the "Gold-devouring Beast’s" ears.

"Beast, get out of my way!"

With his eyes wide open staring at the "Gold-devouring Beast," Zhouyang shook the array banner in his hand, instantly enveloping the "Gold-devouring Beast," which was originally lunging at Zhou Minghan, in a multi-colored spiritual light and shifting it dozens of feet away.

Upon seeing this, Zhou Minghan hurriedly put away the "Taiyi Essence Gold" and pulled out another array banner, channeling magical power into it to help teleport himself out of the array.

By this time, the Chen Family Ancestor who had flown past the array seemed to have finally realized that the "Gold-devouring Beast" had entered the array and arrived back belatedly.

Upon landing in the array, he immediately deployed a red flag banner, unleashing raging flames towards the "Gold-devouring Beast," while not forgetting to instruct the people controlling the array, Zhouyang and others, "Maintain the array to trap this vile creature; leave the rest to me."

Being at the Eighth-Layer of the Purple Mansion, the Chen Family Ancestor was close to advancing to the Ninth-Layer of the Purple Mansion, far more powerful than the "Gold-devouring Beast." With Zhouyang and others operating the Tier Four Lower-Grade array "Five Elements Reversed Array" as support, it was undoubtedly easy to suppress the arrogance of the "Gold-devouring Beast."

However, the "Gold-devouring Beast" had astonishing defense, with a body comparable to Tier Four Middle-Grade defense spiritual artifacts and knowledge of several gold element defense magic techniques, making it difficult for ordinary attacks to inflict harm.

The Chen Family Ancestor could only utilize the array’s assistance, releasing raging flames to gradually weaken its defense while avoiding a desperate self-detonation of its demon pill.

After trapping it and refining it for half a day, as cracks faintly appeared on the "Gold-devouring Beast’s" seemingly refined gold-forged body, the Chen Family Ancestor finally launched his killing strike.

This killing strike was the same cyan-red flame he had unleashed while teaming up with Zhang Yunpeng to combat the Blood Mo Luo wielding a Tier Five artifact.

This cyan-red flame, named "Cyan Yang Spirit Fire," was a Heaven and Earth Spiritual Fire the Chen Family Ancestor had subdued early in his adventures in the Cultivation Realm, due to fortuitous circumstances.

The Chen Family Ancestor’s ability to become a Tier Four High-Grade Alchemist owed much to this Heaven and Earth Spiritual Fire.

Now, the cyan-red flame spewed from him, immediately being condensed into a cyan firebird through fire control techniques, and merged towards the "Gold-devouring Beast."