Cultivation Begins From The Desert
Chapter 214 - 212: Killing the Chicken to Warn the Monkey [Request for Subscription]

Chapter 214: Chapter 212: Killing the Chicken to Warn the Monkey [Request for Subscription]

The Chen Family Ancestor was quick in refining the Foundation Establishment Pill. After waiting for half a month at the Ping’an Marketplace, Zhou Minghan and Zhouyang finally received the elixir.

"I am ashamed to admit that during this refinement of the Foundation Establishment Pill, due to an error in handling the excessive gold-type attribute of the Gold-devouring Beast’s demon pill, I only managed to refine four pills. According to the rules, I will keep two pills, and Zhou Family, for their merits in the Demon Chaos last time, were promised a free pill, leaving the rest of you to bid for the remaining pill!"

At White Camel Peak, inside the cave dwelling of the Chen Family Ancestor.

As Zhouyang and other Foundation Establishment Cultivators outside the Chen Family received the message from the Chen Family Ancestor and arrived, they were greeted by these words.

Upon hearing this, everyone, including Zhouyang, immediately had a change of expression.

The original number of Foundation Establishment Pills was already insufficient for everyone, and now the Chen Family Ancestor only produced four pills, with two being taken by his family. How could the remaining two pills suffice for others?

For those outside the Zhou Family, for one of the two distributable Foundation Establishment Pills to be freely taken by the Zhou Family was even more unacceptable.

They dared not harbor resentment towards the Chen Family Ancestor, as only he could slay Tier Four Demon Beasts and ensure the successful refinement of the Foundation Establishment Pills with at least four pills.

But the Zhou Family was a different matter; they were not essential for the refinement of the Foundation Establishment Pills, and the next "Foundation Establishment Conference" could proceed without them.

"Fellow Daoist Zhou, your Zhou Family currently has five Foundation Establishment Cultivators, and it’s said you have two Foundation Establishment Pills in reserve. You won’t lack Foundation Establishment Pills for decades. Why not let the pill this time go to us, and after the next ’Foundation Establishment Conference,’ we can return one to you?"

Sure enough, as Zhouyang contemplated the ramifications of the Chen Family Ancestor’s words, a patriarch of a Foundation Establishment Clan already demanded, face darkening, with words that made Zhouyang furious.

Zhouyang immediately replied with a cold laugh: "Heh, Fellow Daoist Gao, don’t you find your words ridiculous? Who would ever have too many treasures like the Foundation Establishment Pill? And why don’t you dare to say this to Elder Chen?"

The cultivator who spoke was immediately stunned and enraged, and couldn’t help but point and shout, "You... the Zhou Family is so greedy! Aren’t you afraid of retribution?"

"What do you mean by greedy? Are you deaf, Fellow Daoist Gao, unable to hear Elder Chen’s words just now? Our Zhou Family had already assigned this Foundation Establishment Pill more than twenty years ago, and by the principle of first come, first served, we rightfully deserve it!"

"Moreover, if it weren’t for my great-grandfather willing to be the bait to lure the Gold-devouring Beast into the trap, you wouldn’t even have a chance to compete for that remaining pill!"

Zhouyang sneered at the Gao Family patriarch, his words completely merciless.

He didn’t need to think to know that this person had probably received the message from the Chen Family Ancestor in advance, which prompted him to jump out and attack the Zhou Family.

For such bootlickers eager to take sides, he certainly wouldn’t hesitate to break their legs.

He might not dare to confront the master of the Chen Family, but a lackey was a different story.

Seeing the two arguing in his cave dwelling, the Chen Family Ancestor acted as if he hadn’t heard anything, just squinting his eyes at them without any reaction.

The other Foundation Establishment Cultivators in the cave, including those from the Yang Family of Golden Spring Valley, also watched the two argue coldly, with no intention of joining.

These people weren’t fools. The dispute between the Chen and Zhou Families, starting with the Chen Family Ancestor’s tactic of using another hand to kill, had been completely exposed to them.

Now, with open and covert strife between the two families, they didn’t want to end up like the eager Gao Family, so the best choice was to watch by the sidelines, observing the conflict of tigers from a distance.

However, when they wanted to watch from the sidelines, the Gao Family patriarch, after being ridiculed by Zhouyang, immediately looked at them angrily and shouted, "Fellow Daoist Yang, Fellow Daoist Xue, Fellow Daoist Zheng, are you just going to sit back and watch the Zhou Family’s greed? Don’t you want Foundation Establishment Pills?"

Hearing the Gao Family patriarch’s words, a few watching cultivators exchanged glances, and then one of them spoke up, "What do you suggest we do, Fellow Daoist Gao?"

"The Zhou Family’s greed ignores our familial survival; we should make them reap what they sow, resist their participation in future ’Foundation Establishment Conferences,’ and let them taste the bitter fruit of their lineage being cut off!"

The Gao Family patriarch looked at Zhouyang with a sinister expression, finally revealing his true intention.

He, too, realized that getting the Zhou Family to relinquish a Foundation Establishment Pill was nearly impossible, so the initial plan of the Chen Family Ancestor was to squeeze the Zhou Family out of the "Foundation Establishment Conference," cutting off their access to Foundation Establishment Pills.

However, having the Zhou Family join the "Foundation Establishment Conference" was a decision the Chen Family Ancestor made himself. Now, if he wanted to drive them out, he couldn’t say it himself; that would be contradicting himself.

Thus, he seized this opportunity to have a henchman like the Gao Family incite conflict and suggest the idea, allowing him to "reluctantly" agree to it according to public opinion.

Zhouyang knew these twists and turns, and so did the other observing Foundation Establishment Cultivators.

Moreover, Zhouyang understood that even if these bystanders didn’t agree on the spot, the Chen Family Ancestor was sure to have other means to make it happen.

Therefore, he simply flung his sleeve and said, "No need to trouble yourself, Fellow Daoist Gao. Our Zhou Family has decided not to participate in future ’Foundation Establishment Conferences.’ As for letting us taste the consequence of our lineage being cut off, I will remember this, and we shall see in the future who loses their lineage first!"

Zhouyang finished speaking and didn’t bother to look at the suddenly shocked face of the Gao Family Patriarch. He directly cupped his hands towards the Chen Family Ancestor and said, "Esteemed Ancestor, my Zhou Family still has urgent matters waiting for me and my great-grandfather to attend to. I kindly ask the Ancestor to grant us the Foundation Establishment Pill so that we may quickly return to our clan and report safety to our family!"

The Chen Family Ancestor saw this, narrowed his eyes slightly, and said with a faint smile, "Little friend, your previous words, I’ll consider as words spoken in anger. Fellow Daoist Gao was also impudent because he was anxious about his family’s inheritance. I hope you can understand that. I’ll grant you this Foundation Establishment Pill, and in the next ’Foundation Establishment Conference’, I will still send you an invitation!"

"Thank you, Esteemed Ancestor, for the pill. This junior takes his leave!"

Zhouyang respectfully performed a salute but directly put away the Foundation Establishment Pill and left Chen Family’s White Camel Peak, completely ignoring the Chen Family Ancestor’s comment about "words spoken in anger."

Both parties understood whether those were just words spoken in anger.

Even if decades later, the Chen Family Ancestor indeed sent the invitation for the "Foundation Establishment Conference" to the Zhou Family, they would never send anyone over again.

"Hmph, with the Chen Family Ancestor’s lifespan, this ’Foundation Establishment Conference’ can only be held at most two more times!"

"When the Chen Family Ancestor, a Late-Stage Purple Mansion expert and Tier Four High-grade Alchemist, is no longer around, the continuation of this so-called ’Foundation Establishment Conference’ itself will become questionable!"

"Since the Gao Family is so eager to take sides, once our Zhou Family ascends to become a Purple Mansion Clan, you’ll be the first to suffer the consequences!"

On the back of the Eagle Lion Beast, Zhouyang recalled the events that transpired on White Camel Peak earlier, his eyes flashed with a cold light, and a surge of murderous intent rose in his heart.

He hadn’t anticipated that just as the conflict between the Chen and Zhou Families began, there would be clans so eager to take sides.

This is not a good sign!

For now, it’s just the insignificant Gao Family taking sides, which isn’t much of a concern, but the fear is that more families might follow the Chen Family in making trouble for the Zhou Family. That would make things very difficult for them.

"Something must be done about this!"

Zhouyang murmured to himself, inevitably lost in thought.

Upon returning to Ping’an Marketplace, Zhouyang narrated the entire incident on White Camel Peak to the recuperating Elder Clan Leader, Zhou Minghan.

"The Chen Family doesn’t want our Zhou Family participating in the next ’Foundation Establishment Conference’, which was within my expectations. But I didn’t expect the Gao Family to be so eager to take sides. It seems we’ve been too quiet all these years, causing others to overlook our strength!"

Upon hearing Zhouyang’s recount, Zhou Minghan’s eyes flashed with a cold light, mirroring Zhouyang’s earlier reaction.

They both knew the Zhou Family’s rapid development over the years naturally provoked envy and jealousy.

And they hadn’t taken any significant actions in recent years to demonstrate the Zhou Family’s strength visibly.

So even though the Zhou Family’s current Foundation Establishment Stage combat power far surpasses the once prime Foundation Establishment Clan of the Baisha River Cultivation Realm, the Chixia Mountain Liu Family, in the eyes of other cultivation clans, the Zhou Family’s prestige and strength have not yet matched the Chixia Mountain Liu Family, and perhaps not even the Golden Spring Valley Yang Family.

"Xiao Jiu, you are now the Clan Leader of the Zhou Family; do you have any plans regarding this matter?"

Zhou Minghan’s eyes sparkled as he inquired about Zhouyang’s plans.

Upon hearing this, Zhouyang replied immediately, "Grandson hasn’t thought of any good plans yet, but I do feel we cannot continue to react passively. We can’t just wait for the Chen Family to make a move and then respond; we must take initiative!"

"Then let me give you two points to consider and see if they can work!"

Zhou Minghan said, his lips moving slightly, yet using Telepathy to communicate with Zhouyang.

"The first point is to ally with the weak to resist the strong. The Chen Family’s attack on our Zhou Family is certainly welcomed by small clans like the Gao Family, who hope for our downfall to follow the Chen Family in picking our bones; but influential grand clans like the Golden Spring Valley Yang Family will surely be alerted to this, especially Yang Xingyan. He possesses a Top-grade Spiritual Root and Ninth-Layer Foundation Establishment Cultivation, and there’s a significant chance he will open the Purple Mansion in the future."

"Our Zhou Family and the Yang Family had a previous alliance during the establishment of a branch in Baisha River Oasis. Visiting them again to explain the stakes, even if we cannot forge an overt alliance with the Yang Family, we can at least ensure they remain neutral and don’t aid the Chen Family!"

"The second point is to make an example out of them! Since the Gao Family is eager to take sides, jumping out to be used as an instrument by the Chen Family, they cannot blame our Zhou Family for being ruthless!"

"I know the Gao Family once yearned for a Tier Three Spiritual Object over fifty years ago and had someone impersonate sand bandits to kill the loose cultivator who had it, seizing the treasure. Later, the treasure was refined into a Tier Three Middle-grade Spiritual Artifact by the Gao Family Patriarch with my help!"

"Though I was aware of this back then, you know the situation of our Zhou Family in those days, so I did not attempt to bring justice for a deceased person at the time!"

"However, I know the loose cultivator who was killed had a close friend who has since become a Foundation Establishment Cultivator, and when I refined this artifact, I used a Memory Pearl to record it. Later, I will find that Memory Pearl and hand it over to that loose cultivator’s Foundation Establishment friend. Surely, the Gao Family will have their troubles then!"