Cultivation Begins From The Desert
Chapter 213 - 211: The Clan Leader’s Wish [3 Updates, Seeking Subscription]

Chapter 213: Chapter 211: The Clan Leader’s Wish [3 Updates, Seeking Subscription]

The Chen family ancestor had been preparing for a long time, and once the "Qingyang spiritual fire" was released, the "Gold-eating beast" was naturally left with no chance of survival.

And as the "Gold-eating beast" let out an unwilling roar and fell dead, Zhouyang and the ten Foundation Establishment cultivators who had been painstakingly maintaining the array took a deep breath, each face filled with exhaustion.

Although it was merely a battle that lasted half a day, with the ten of them not being the main combatants, such a prolonged battle was still rare for Foundation Establishment cultivators.

Maybe Zhouyang was the exception.

He had once continuously fought for days and nights to resist the "beast tide" attack at Zhenyue Immortal City. Though the continuous fighting wasn’t really non-stop, it was certainly much more intense and challenging than today’s battle.

Therefore, despite his fatigue, he immediately supported his weary body over to Zhou Minghan, helping the pale-faced elder.

"Great grandfather, are you alright? I have healing elixirs here, please take one to suppress your injuries!"

He forcefully helped the elder sit down slowly and hurriedly took healing elixirs from the storage bag to feed the elder.

Zhou Minghan was already over two hundred and ten years old, and while it might not show much normally, after being injured, recovery was certainly not as easy as when he was younger.

He swallowed the healing spirit pill Zhouyang fed him without saying much, directly sitting cross-legged to circulate his cultivation technique and refine the medicinal power.

After nearly an hour had passed, he spat out another mouthful of blood, wiped the bloodstains from the corner of his mouth with his sleeve, and said in a low voice to Zhouyang, "Don’t worry, these injuries are not enough to take my life. I just need a few years of rest after we return."

Resting for a few years meant postponing the Zhou family’s development of the new oasis, while the Zhou family’s mortal population was already ballooning.

Zhou Minghan and Zhouyang both knew this, so although they didn’t say much, they harbored deep resentment towards the Chen family ancestor’s strategy of using a borrowed blade to kill.

It must be said, the Chen family ancestor achieved his goal of undermining the Zhou family. Although Zhou Minghan did not die by the "Gold-eating beast," his actions slowed the Zhou family’s development.

"It was truly thanks to you, Minghan, that if you hadn’t blocked the attack of the [Gold-eating beast], someone might have perished here today. This makes me think of how last time during the hunt for the fourth-order beast, it was you who used the poison needle to weaken the creature’s power, ensuring no one was dragged down before its death. You’re truly our lucky star!"

While Zhouyang and Zhou Minghan were talking, the Chen family ancestor came over upon seeing Zhou Minghan awaken and expressed his gratitude, looking at him with a face full of sentiment.

But when Zhouyang heard these words, they were extremely jarring to his ears.

He glanced at the Chen family ancestor, lowered his head, lest he couldn’t resist vocally cursing.

In contrast, Zhou Minghan was much more composed.

He retrieved the piece of "Taiyi fine gold" from his storage bag, respectfully handing it to the Chen family ancestor, "I dare not accept such praise from the ancestor. Being able to kill the [Gold-eating beast] was completely due to the wisdom and divine techniques of the ancestor. The little I did was really not worth mentioning. This item now returns to its true owner. Please take it back."

Upon hearing his words, a strange gleam flashed in the Chen family ancestor’s eyes, then he waved his hand with a smile, "No need for that. I never expected this item to return. Minghan, your ability to keep this item from the [Gold-eating beast] shows that it’s fated to be with you. Consider it the reward for your heroics this time!"

"How can that be acceptable! Such a precious item, though the ancestor is willing to reward it, I dare not accept. Please, ancestor, reclaim it!"

Zhou Minghan shook his head repeatedly, refusing to agree, raising his hands further to directly offer the item to the Chen family ancestor.

Seeing this, the Chen family ancestor waved his hand continuously, "Minghan, you’re mistaken! I observe that your cultivation is but one step away from opening the Purple Mansion. If you successfully open the Purple Mansion, this piece of [Taiyi Essence Gold] would be perfect for crafting a Tier Four flying sword for protection. You should accept it."

"Ancestor’s kindness is appreciated but I reached the ninth-layer Foundation Establishment entirely by relying on the elixir’s power. I have no hope for Purple Mansion in this lifetime, so I truly can’t use this item. Please, ancestor, reclaim it!"

Zhou Minghan openly admitted borrowing the power of elixirs for his breakthrough, firmly refusing to accept the piece of "Taiyi Essence Gold."

Seeing him speak this way, the Chen family ancestor could no longer insist, had to collect the "Taiyi Essence Gold" and nodded to him, "Since you’re resolute, I won’t force you."

Next, the Chen family ancestor divided the corpse of the "Gold-eating beast" on the spot into several parts, giving two beast teeth and twenty percent of the body to the Zhou family, while retaining forty percent of the body and the most important eyes and teeth, only to have the remaining forty percent divided among Golden Spring Valley’s Yang family and three other clans and the loose cultivator.

The corpse of this exotic beast "Gold-eating beast" wasn’t flesh and blood that could be used as beast meat, but after refinement with earth fire or cultivator’s true flame, it could refine special spiritual gold enough to craft Tier Four magical artifacts.

Moreover, the two beast teeth the Zhou family received contained the essence of the "Gold-eating beast," fully suitable as the main material for crafting a Tier Four flying sword.

The Zhou Family was able to share these two beast teeth clearly because Zhou Minghan used a Tier Four Lower-Grade Defense Spirit Talisman to block an attack from the "Gold-devouring Beast."

The Chen Family Ancestor’s distribution is actually a statement; even if he wants to suppress the Zhou Family, he will act within the rules and not easily break them.

The importance of rules between factions cannot be overstated.

Although the Chen Family is much stronger than the Zhou Family, they still do not have the power to break rules arbitrarily, because those who set the rules are far stronger than they are.

In the Boundless Sea of Sand Cultivation Realm, there is only one power that can act outside the rules, and that’s the Yellow Sand Sect who sets and guards these rules.

The Chen Family Ancestor’s maneuvering within permissible boundaries includes dividing the Gold-devouring Beast’s teeth according to the cultivators’ joint demon-slaying distribution rules.

For the Zhou Family, it is indeed fortunate that the Chen Family Ancestor is willing to act according to the rules.

After all, the Zhou Family is still significantly weaker than the Chen Family. If both sides were to completely disregard the rules, the final outcome would undoubtedly be mutual destruction, merely benefiting others.

After handling the distribution of spoils, the Chen Family Ancestor immediately steered the Void Traveling Tower Ship to return Zhouyang and others to the Baisha River Oasis.

As for the Gold-devouring Beast’s lair and that Tier Three ore vein of "Silver Star Stone," no one cared about it.

The Gold-devouring Beast has a very unique trait: it only eats and does not excrete. They feed on metals, absorbing the useful parts to strengthen their bodies and cultivation, then spit out the waste devoid of spirituality.

Moreover, these beasts have no interest in hoarding treasures. They disdain the spirit elixirs that other beasts fight over, and only enjoy consuming various Spiritual Gold.

Therefore, there is no value in exploring these beasts’ lairs.

Although "Silver Star Stone" can be refined into Tier Three Spiritual Gold "Star Pattern Silver," a thousand catties of "Silver Star Stone" can only be refined into three or four ounces of "Star Pattern Silver." Zhouyang and others are Foundation Establishment Cultivators; who would be willing to become miners for such a small reward?

Days later, Zhouyang and others returned to the Baisha River Oasis, and the Chen Family Ancestor immediately took a batch of auxiliary herbs for refining Foundation Establishment Pills from Zhouyang back to White Camel Peak for secluded alchemy refinement, while Zhouyang and Zhou Minghan stayed in the Ping’an Marketplace waiting for the pills to be completed.

"Xiao Jiu, are you wondering why I insisted on refusing that piece of [Taiyi Essence Gold] before?"

In the backyard of the Jade Spring Tower within the Ping’an Marketplace, Zhou Minghan and Zhouyang sat facing each other in a quiet room, discussing the events that had occurred days ago.

"Great-grandfather, please enlighten me. I truly do not understand. By reason, you used a Tier Four Lower-Grade Spirit Talisman and got injured because of it. Even if you took that piece of [Taiyi Essence Gold], you would owe the Chen Family no favor. Why did you insist on refusing it back then?"

Zhouyang looked at Zhou Minghan with a puzzled expression, patiently waiting for him to unravel the mystery.

Little did he know that upon hearing these words, Zhou Minghan became visibly emotional and said, "The reason I didn’t accept it is simple: I want their Chen Family Patriarch one day to personally deliver it as a gift to our Zhou Family, congratulating us on our promotion to the Purple Mansion Clan!"

Upon hearing this, Zhouyang was taken aback and instantly understood Zhou Minghan’s intention.

He had always been puzzled by how the old clan leader, Zhou Minghan, appeared so calm and complacent in the face of the Chen Family Ancestor’s overt attempts to use a borrowed knife to kill someone — it was entirely out of character to him.

Now Zhou Minghan’s words made him realize that even though the old clan leader had aged, his pride and ambition had not diminished in the least.

The Chen Family Ancestor had first used a piece of "Taiyi Essence Gold" as bait to put Zhou Minghan in peril, and after Zhou Minghan narrowly escaped, he acted as if nothing had happened, presenting an air of superiority and charity, attempting to gift this thing that nearly caused Zhou Minghan’s death as compensation.

This undoubtedly struck a nerve within Zhou Minghan, touching upon the hidden pride deep in his heart.

A piece of "Taiyi Essence Gold" is precious, but could it hold more value than the life of Zhou Minghan, a Ninth-Layer Foundation Establishment Cultivator?

If he had accepted that "Taiyi Essence Gold" back then, wouldn’t it have been self-deprecation, a belittling of his own life and dignity?

He didn’t even throw that piece of "Taiyi Essence Gold" to the Gold-devouring Beast for escape because he was holding back a breath, wanting to show the Chen Family Ancestor that he and the Zhou Family are not mud that can be crumpled at will!

Understanding all this, Zhouyang looked resolutely at the old clan leader Zhou Minghan and said firmly, "Grandson understands. Rest assured, Great-grandfather, there will come a day when I make the Chen Family Patriarch personally deliver that piece of [Taiyi Essence Gold] to the Zhou Family and make them pay the due price for this event!"