Cultivation Begins From The Desert
Chapter 216 - 214: Not to be Repeated (Third Release, Subscription Requested)

Chapter 216: Chapter 214: Not to be Repeated (Third Release, Subscription Requested)

Zhou Guangxiang was a Top-grade Spiritual Root cultivator and only in his early thirties. Even without using a Foundation Establishment Pill, his success rate was over thirty percent.

A thirty percent success rate was unimaginable for Middle-grade Spiritual Root cultivators and Lower-grade Spiritual Root cultivators, something they could only dream of.

However, if one does not use a Foundation Establishment Pill, even for a Top-grade Spiritual Root cultivator, the outcome of a failed Foundation Establishment would not be any better than that of Middle-grade or Lower-grade Spiritual Root cultivators.

Therefore, neither the cultivation sects nor the cultivation clans would risk losing a talented disciple just to save a Foundation Establishment Pill because a Top-grade Spiritual Root cultivator has a success rate of over thirty percent.

Not to mention Top-grade Spiritual Root cultivators, even the legendary Spirit Body cultivators who were said to have a ninety-nine percent chance of succeeding without a Foundation Establishment Pill, no sect or family would dare to skimp on that pill when they undergo Foundation Establishment.

As precious as a Foundation Establishment Pill is, it is insignificant compared to a Spirit Body cultivator or a Top-grade Spiritual Root cultivator.

So when Zhou Guangxiang decided to attempt Foundation Establishment, Zhouyang didn’t hesitate to give him a Foundation Establishment Pill.

However, what Zhouyang never expected was that, even with a Foundation Establishment Pill in hand, Zhou Guangxiang chose not to take this life-saving pill and instead opted to gamble on that thirty-plus percent success rate!

"Give me a reason?"

At the summit of Jade Spring Peak, Zhouyang looked at Zhou Guangxiang, who had just completed Foundation Establishment, with a somber expression, his voice devoid of its usual warmth.

"I want to save this Foundation Establishment Pill for my sister!"

Zhou Guangxiang lowered his head, voice deep as he revealed the reason.

It turns out that after he was introduced to cultivation and gradually matured, he understood what it meant to have a Top-grade Spiritual Root.

As twins born of the same mother, Zhou Guangxiang was also more than once envious of his brother’s good fortune.

At the time, Zhou Guangxiang might have spoken without intent, but as a brother, Zhou Guangxiang always kept it in his heart and ultimately made a risky decision.

He even prepared his last will before attempting Foundation Establishment, requesting Zhouyang to save the Foundation Establishment Pill for his sister Zhou Guangxiang should he fail.

"Brother!"

When Zhou Guangxiang revealed his reasoning, Zhou Guangxiang, who had been guarding outside the cave since he began his seclusion for Foundation Establishment, couldn’t hold back her tears and rushed to her brother Zhou Guangxiang, embracing him tightly, the sibling who almost lost his life for her.

Zhouyang, witnessing this scene, found himself unable to utter the words of reproach he intended.

As an only child for two lifetimes, he couldn’t comprehend the feelings Zhou Guangxiang had for his sister, but he asked himself, if it were his parents, he might have made the same choice as Zhou Guangxiang.

Moreover, as the clan leader, he should be glad when the family’s outstanding younger generation values familial bonds and unity.

Above all, most importantly, Zhou Guangxiang succeeded in his Foundation Establishment!

Zhou Guangxiang’s success meant that the Zhou family saved a Foundation Establishment Pill, which could potentially enable the clan to foster another Foundation Establishment Stage cultivator.

In the face of this win-win situation, how could he find fault with a hero who had made great contributions to the clan?

"This matter shall not be repeated!"

Looking at the weeping siblings embracing each other with tears of happiness, he could only wave his sleeve and leave with those words.

Seeing this, how could Zhou Guangxiang not understand that Zhouyang had tacitly approved his decision and agreed to let his sister Zhou Guangxian use the Foundation Establishment Pill in his possession.

"Thank you, Ninth Uncle. Thank you, Clan Leader!"

The siblings bowed together, expressing their gratitude as they watched Zhouyang’s departing figure.

"For the next few months, do not leave the cave residence. Even if the old clan leader asks, you must insist you used a Foundation Establishment Pill for your Foundation Establishment. If anything happens, don’t blame Ninth Uncle for not warning you!"

Zhouyang’s ethereal, elusive voice lightly echoed in the siblings’ ears as his figure disappeared.

Upon hearing this transmission, the siblings exchanged glances and nodded resolutely.

Indeed, if news of Zhou Guangxiang’s successful Foundation Establishment without a Foundation Establishment Pill spread, the pill he possesses might not necessarily belong to his sister Zhou Guangxian.

After all, it was because of his Top-grade Spiritual Root that the clan had temporarily loaned him the Foundation Establishment Pill.

Now that he has successfully reached Foundation Establishment without using the Foundation Establishment Pill, logically speaking, the clan should reclaim the Foundation Establishment Pill for redistribution.

Currently, Zhouyang tacitly allows him to keep the Foundation Establishment Pill for his sister to use, which is essentially a breach of rules, or it could be seen as the clan showing him special favoritism.

If they don’t keep this information under wraps, and other clan members find out about it, then Zhouyang, as the clan leader, would have to reclaim the Foundation Establishment Pill for redistribution to appease the discontent among the other clan members.

In the following months, Zhou Guangxiang indeed followed Zhouyang’s instructions, using the excuse of shifting cultivation techniques to stay secluded in the mountaintop cave residence, solidifying his cultivation, while Zhou Guangxian continued tending to various spirit medicines in the Spirit Medicine Garden as usual.

The other members of the Zhou family, including Foundation Establishment cultivators like Zhou Xuanhao, only knew that Zhou Guangxiang had successfully reached Foundation Establishment and rejoiced over it.

With Zhou Guangxiang’s successful Foundation Establishment, adding in Zhou Xuan Yu and Huang Yi, the Zhou family now boasted seven Foundation Establishment cultivators!

For a clan with seven Foundation Establishment cultivators, even within the Boundless Desert Sea Cultivation Realm, they were renowned as a prominent family.

Had it not been for the Chen family beginning to suppress the Zhou family, they would surely have hosted an extensive celebration, inviting numerous guests.

However, while having more Foundation Establishment cultivators is certainly beneficial, it also places significant stress on the spirit veins.

Jade Spring Peak only has a Tier Three Middle-Grade Spiritual Vein. With over 200 acres of Spirit Field opened on the mountain, along with the planting of over a hundred Spirit Woods and numerous spirit medicines, coupled with the dozens of Qi Cultivation Stage cultivators practicing on the mountain, seventy percent of the produced spiritual qi is consumed, leaving insufficient spiritual qi to support multiple Foundation Establishment cultivators in their practice.

Therefore, Zhouyang had to let the old clan leader, Zhou Minghan, and Zhou Guangxiang recuperate and cultivate in silence on Jade Spring Peak, while he took his Dao Companion Xiao Ying and Huang Yi to cultivate in the spiritual vein of Haoyang Mountain.

It just so happens that Zhou Xuan Yu is still monitoring the Gao family, so with Xiao Ying and Huang Yi going to cultivate at Haoyang Mountain, they wouldn’t encounter her, the demon cultivator.

Zhou Minghan was injured by a "Gold-devouring Beast." Even with the help of numerous elixirs for healing, it will still take at least two to three years to recover.

If not for Zhou Minghan, a Ninth-Layer Foundation Establishment cultivator, holding the ground, with the current Zhou family’s cultivators usually at the first and second layers of Foundation Establishment, despite their number, there is still a considerable risk in opening up a new oasis. Thus, despite facing a mortal population explosion crisis and unbearable strain on the spiritual vein, the Zhou family can only wait until he recovers before venturing out to develop a new oasis.

Two to three years is short for Zhouyang’s long-term seclusion, so he simply took the opportunity to once again attempt to break through to a Tier Three Middle-grade Refiner.

Thus, after another half a year passed, and after failing three more times, Zhouyang finally crafted his first Tier Three Middle-grade Magical Artifact just as he was about to exhaust all his materials.

This Tier Three Middle-grade Magical Artifact is shaped as a bone whip, refined from the spine of a Tier Three Middle-grade earth-element monster, the "Mountain Ape Beast."

The "Mountain Ape Beast" is proficient in various earth-element magic, wielding the tremendous power to shake mountains and split the earth. Its spine contains its spiritual power essence, and after Zhouyang refined it into a magical artifact, it significantly boosts the potency of earth-element magic below Tier Four. It was specially crafted by Zhouyang for Zhou Guangxiang.

Zhou Guangxiang is not only an earth-element cultivation practitioner but also an array master. In his hands, this "Mountain-shifting Whip" can be used not only as a combat artifact but also to assist in adjusting earth veins, altering terrain, and enhancing array power.

And shortly after Zhouyang ascended to a Tier Three Middle-grade Refiner, Zhou Xuan Yu, who had been watching outside the Gao Family’s Spirit Mountain, finally brought good news.

After over half a year of preparation and through secret messaging from the Zhou family, Zhong Ziming moved to action after gathering sufficient intelligence.

Following his plan with Zhouyang, he specifically sought out two late-stage Qi Cultivation sand bandits and waylaid a relatively esteemed young disciple of the Gao family near their Spirit Mountain. Using the distress signal sent by this young disciple, he successfully lured the Gao family patriarch out of the Spirit Mountain.

When the Gao family patriarch appeared on the battlefield, Zhong Ziming, who’d been waiting, immediately launched several Tier Three Lower-Grade Spirit Talismans, heavily injuring him on the spot. Then, before the patriarch could return to the Spirit Mountain to initiate the Mountain Protection Array, Zhong Ziming overtook him and severed his head.

After slaying the Gao family patriarch, Zhong Ziming briefly tidied the battlefield before heading to the Gao Family’s Spirit Mountain. By activating multiple Tier Three Spirit Talismans given by Zhouyang, he decisively shattered the Mountain Protection Array, which lacked a Foundation Establishment cultivator to preside over it.

After breaking the Gao family’s Mountain Protection Array, Zhong Ziming adhered to his agreement with Zhouyang, only killing a few Gao family late-Qi Cultivation elders and some middle-grade spiritual root Qi Cultivators with Foundation Establishment potential.

Then, in front of the remaining Gao family cultivators, he activated the Memory Pearl given by Zhou Minghan to explain his reasons for attacking the Gao family. Finally, he took the wealth plundered from the Gao family and disappeared into the vast desert sea, leaving the Baisha River Oasis territory.

"Very well. With the Gao family serving as a cautionary tale, those clans considering currying favor with the Chen family will have to think twice. Is it truly worth offending our Zhou family for a paltry gain?"

On Haoyang Mountain, after reading Zhou Xuan Yu’s Flying Sword Communication, Zhouyang finally revealed a smile.

The "kill the chicken to warn the monkeys" tactic is complete. Next, it depends on the Chen family and those observing clans’ reactions.

The demise of the Gao family was universally known to be facilitated by the Memory Pearl provided by the Zhou family. Everyone was aware that the Tier Three Spirit Talismans on Zhong Ziming were also supplied by the Zhou family.

However, no one could overtly blame the Zhou family for this, as the Gao family’s actions in killing and stealing treasures were already disreputable.

At this time, anyone who criticizes the Zhou family would put themselves against all loose cultivators, admitting they’re in the same league as the Gao family!

ps: Recommended new book by a friend, Bai Yuhuan’s "Dragon Knight’s Joy." Old Bai’s "The Dragon is Dead" was once a fantastic novel ranking only second to the Witch in the farming genre, and won the Yuewen 2018 Twelve Kings, a testament to its quality!