Cultivation Begins From The Desert

Chapter 403: Seriously Injured



When Zhouyang awoke, the battle at Rhino Horn Continent had already ended half a day ago.

At that time, he had been sliced from the clouds by a sky full of Wind Blades. Though the Tier Four High-Grade Defense Spiritual Artifact—a Celestial Silkworm Treasure Robe—and his own formidable physical defenses prevented him from dying on the spot, he had fainted from the fall and suffered severe injuries.

Fortunately, he had brought his Dao Companion, Xiao Ying, with him to Rhino Horn Continent.

At that moment, Jiang Yuyan activated a Tier Five Lower-Grade Spirit Talisman, the "Celestial Fire Meteor Talisman," heavily wounding the Cyan-haired Giant Wolf. Xu Song seized the opportunity to step in, immediately deploying the Demon Banner along with the Soul-Capturing Ghost Technique to suppress the beast soul of the Cyan-haired Giant Wolf, preventing it from detonating its Demon Pill in a final struggle.

Then, with a flick of Jiang Yuyan's Flying Sword, the Cyan-haired Giant Wolf, whose beast soul and Demon Pill had been subdued by Xu Song, was beheaded.

After the Cyan-haired Giant Wolf was killed, Xu Song only had time to collect its beast soul and Demon Pill before hurriedly seeking out Xiao Ying to administer spells to heal Zhouyang.

After Xiao Ying, with tears in her eyes, cast the "Qinghua Tribulation Crossing Immortal Light" a dozen times, Zhouyang, who had most of his bones broken and a significant part of his internal organs shattered, finally preserved his life.

"Guangxiang, take my Void Traveling Tower Ship and refine it; proceed as planned and immediately bring over those middle-to-lower-tier cultivators from the clan."

"Fellow Daoist Jiang, thank you for your assistance this time. It was only with your help that our Zhou Family could seize the Rhino Horn Continent in one fell swoop. For your aid, Zhou and the Zhou Family are immensely grateful, and there will certainly be future repay. I also trouble you to take this Puppet Beast back to Sect Leader Zhang."

"Elder Xu, this junior needs to return to the clan to recuperate. Please help keep watch over the Rhino Horn Continent for a while; once this junior's injuries have healed, I will come to relieve you."

In the cave dwelling of the Tier Five Demon Beast "Heart-devouring Demon Wolf," Zhouyang, after listening to the aftermath of the battle, endured the excruciating pain within his body and calmly addressed everyone present about how to proceed.

He was well aware of his injuries; even with Xiao Ying's divine techniques and the use of Healing Spirit Pills, it would take two to three years to fully recover.

During this period, it was imperative that the development plans for the Rhino Horn Continent by the Zhou Family not be delayed due to his injuries.

Now, with the Tier Five Demon Beast "Heart-devouring Demon Wolf" dead, and other Tier Four Demon Wolves and numerous Tier Three Demon Wolves slain, the fertile land of Rhino Horn Continent was entirely open for the Zhou Family to develop.

"Ninth Uncle, rest assured and focus on healing; your nephew will handle all matters of the clan."

Zhou Guangxiang thumped his chest earnestly, acutely agreeing to his instructions.

Jiang Yuyan, with a complex expression, gazed at the pale, gold-paper-like face of Zhouyang on the bed and spoke in a deep voice: "After I return, I probably only have a year left before I sit in meditation permanently. I entrust the Yellow Sand Sect to Fellow Daoist Zhou for care, hoping you will not forget the agreement with my master to ensure the Yellow Sand Sect remains unbroken!"

Although Zhouyang appeared critically injured and in dire straits, Jiang Yuyan dared not underestimate this young junior any longer.

Rumors, after all, were just rumors and could never be as impactful as witnessing something firsthand.

Having personally taken part in the besieging of the Tier Five Demon Beast "Heart-devouring Demon Wolf" today, though Jiang Yuyan had contributed greatly, she was fully aware that her efforts merely ensured the slaying of the "Heart-devouring Demon Wolf."

Even without her intervention, the techniques displayed by Zhouyang and Xu Song today would have sufficed to defeat the "Heart-devouring Demon Wolf" without difficulty.

Therefore, even though she was reluctant to admit it, she had to concede that the Zhou Family was now the undisputed dominator of the Boundless Sea of Sand Cultivation Realm.

The era of the Yellow Sand Sect ruling the Boundless Sea of Sand Cultivation Realm had ended!

"Rest assured, Fellow Daoist Jiang, the Rhino Horn Continent and the surrounding desert regions offer more than enough for our Zhou Family to develop over hundreds or thousands of years. The promise I made to Elder Cao will always hold true; please also convey this reassurance to Sect Leader Zhang."

Zhouyang understood the meaning behind Jiang Yuyan's words immediately and reassured her with earnest promises to uphold the agreement, leaving the Yellow Sand Sect's foundational territory untouched.

"I will now take my leave."

Jiang Yuyan's expression eased visibly, then with a slight nod, she was the first to turn and leave the cave dwelling.

After she left, Zhouyang, with great effort, channeled a trace of magical power to open his storage ring and took out the Void Traveling Tower Ship, wiping away his own divine sense mark before handing it to Zhou Guangxiang.

"Guangxiang, you refine this item first, and after tidying up, we shall also return to the clan."

Being eager to return to the clan to recuperate, Zhouyang naturally worried about repeating Cai Wenjin's previous mistakes.

Though he deeply trusted Master Cyan Yang's judgment, he valued his own life more.

If he weren't suffering from such grave injuries now, he might not have been so conservative, but as it was, he preferred to call this caution.

About a month later, Zhouyang and his entourage finally returned safely to Red Tiger Mountain.

Upon returning to Red Tiger Mountain, Zhou Guangxiang, who had just refined the Void Traveling Tower Ship, immediately started transporting the low-to-middle-tier cultivators.

Now, a month had passed since the death of the "Heart-devouring Demon Wolf," and transporting the cultivators to Rhino Horn Continent would take at least over a month.

Even if the Demon King within the Broken Cloud Mountain Range sensed the demise of the "Heart-devouring Demon Wolf" and dispatched the Tier Five Top Grade Demon Beast, the Golden-winged Thunder Eagle, to exact revenge, there was ample time for it to fly back and forth several times.

However, during their journey, they encountered no demon beast attacks nor received any warnings from Xu Song, who was stationed at Rhino Horn Continent, so the situation was actually clear as day.

Thus, Zhouyang wasn't worried about the safety of the Zhou Family cultivators headed to Rhino Horn Continent.

Even to exaggerate a bit, even if Tier Five Demon Beasts continue to come over in the future, the Zhou Family would at most just lose some middle-to-low tier cultivators.

And to gain benefits, isn't it necessary to take some risks?

As the Supreme Elder of the family, Zhouyang dares to risk his life fighting at the front, so those middle-to-low tier cultivators naturally should contribute their share for the family's development.

In the next two or three years, Zhouyang was calmly recuperating on Red Tiger Mountain, receiving his Dao Companion Xiao Ying's "Qinghua Tribulation Crossing Immortal Light" treatment every day.

Due to the severity of his injuries, he couldn't even engage in regular cultivation and couldn't wield magical power beyond the Foundation Establishment Stage.

Thus, he could only spend his time accompanying his Dao Companion Xiao Ying, occasionally advising the two disciples coming to seek guidance and other Foundation Establishment cultivators of the Zhou Family.

This leisurely lifestyle made him very unaccustomed and quite depressed.

In contrast to him, Xiao Ying was extremely satisfied with these two or three years of life.

The two have been together for over a century, and ever since Zhouyang's cultivation level got higher and higher, rarely did he spend every day accompanying her like in recent years.

Usually, even if Zhouyang wasn't in seclusion, he always had various matters to attend to, and their time spent together each day wouldn't exceed an hour.

Now, by claiming that Zhouyang's injuries required quiet recovery, she forbade the Zhou Family cultivators from excessively disturbing Zhouyang, finally being able to monopolize his time for several years.

Of course, Zhouyang also noticed the little schemes of his Dao Companion, and he felt quite guilty about it, so as compensation, he consented to her arrangements.

However, compared to Zhouyang's leisurely and relaxed life, the movements within the Zhou Clan and the cultivation realm outside were quite active.

First, after his return to the family, the news of the Zhou Family occupying the Rhino Horn Continent was officially announced, along with the announcement allowing cultivators from outside to explore towards Rhino Horn Continent.

At this time, Zhouyang's "New Home Plan" was no longer a secret; the Zhou Family's endeavor to create a "Path of Life" connecting the Rhino Horn Continent with the existing cultivation realm areas was widely publicized.

Then, as Zhouyang expected, many unsatisfied small clan cultivators and daring loose cultivators, even some Foundation Establishment loose cultivators, were drawn to the exploration news of the new cultivation realm.

In the existing Boundless Desert Sea Cultivation Realm, although cultivators can occupy a masterless oasis with a spirit vein, establishing a clan upon discovery,

actually, without a powerful backing sheltering them, without strong personal strength to oversee, it's very difficult to maintain the integrity of a spirit-vein oasis against invasions.

The new cultivation realm is different; the Zhou Family, aiming to attract cultivators to help develop the new realm, not only shelters those who discover new oases and establish clans but also provides Array Master support to help set up Tier Three arrays for protection.

Under these generous conditions, it's no wonder that some Foundation Establishment loose cultivators couldn't resist the temptation to explore the new cultivation realm for oases.

In the Boundless Desert Sea Cultivation Realm, wanting to progress further as a Foundation Establishment loose cultivator is extremely difficult; besides a small portion with extraordinary talent and lofty aspirations aim for higher realms, most loose cultivators turn their pursuit towards establishing cultivation clans once reaching the Foundation Establishment Stage.

Compared to the Liuyun Continent Cultivation Realm, the geographical environment of the Boundless Desert Sea Cultivation Realm is undoubtedly more suitable for cultivation clans to thrive.

A medium oasis with a Tier Three spiritual vein is enough to support a Foundation Establishment clan, and unless publicly disclosed, apart from guarding against an occasional invading demon beast, almost no external threat exists.

The Zhou Family, at its weakest with only twenty-odd cultivators, managed to endure until the family resurged, proving this fact.

If such a situation was placed in a place like the Liuyun Continent Cultivation Realm, a clan slightly declining would soon be annexed by nearby other clans unless assisted by a powerful main clan.

Currently, among many cultivation clans in the Boundless Desert Sea Cultivation Realm, only a few like the Zhou Family directly established clans by Foundation Establishment cultivators resigning from the Yellow Sand Sect; most were founded by loose cultivators.

Including the Zhouyang known Chen Family, whose founder at the start was also a Foundation Establishment loose cultivator.

Previously, after these cultivators founded clans, they would attempt to form ties with the Yellow Sand Sect, striving to become a vassal clan under its shelter.

Yet, the Yellow Sand Sect, which once dominated the Boundless Desert Sea Cultivation Realm, wouldn't easily shelter a cultivation clan; families founded by Foundation Establishment cultivators seeking reliance on the Yellow Sand Sect had to continuously offer thrice the regular vassal clan tribute for a hundred years.

A newly established clan would still lack resources to cultivate the family descendants after offering such high tribute.

Hence, later some clans founded by Foundation Establishment loose cultivators turned to rely on Purple Mansion clans like the Chen Family, hoping for their protection.

For instance, the subordinate Foundation Establishment clans on the Baisha River Oasis under the Chen Family, and clans currently sheltered by the Zhou Family like the Guo Shaoyang Clan, Huang Yi Clan, are examples.

However, the number of Foundation Establishment clans a Purple Mansion clan can protect is actually limited; the Chen Family can only shelter its few Foundation Establishment clans on the Baisha River Oasis, the aid to Foundation Establishment clans beyond the Baisha River Oasis is uncertain even if accepted.

The Zhou Family was similarly constrained before.

But it's different now; the Zhou Family possesses the strength to shelter the cultivation realm of a region.

As long as families explore new oases in the new cultivation realm and establish clans, they can receive the Zhou Family's protection; this alone tempts many aspiring to establish clans, or even those already established but yet to find a main clan.

Thus, in these two or three years, cultivators exploring the new cultivation realm have poured in continuously, new members joining daily.


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