Chapter 449: Chapter 434: Dragon Slayer Conference [4000 Words]
Li Hong is indeed a talent.
His formidable combat ability displayed at the "Treasure Hunting Conference" was already impressive enough, and the two suggestions he presented upon arriving at the Land of the Far West further caught Zhouyang’s attention.
Zhouyang even believed that if Li Hong was not born in a place like the Boundless Desert Sea Cultivation Realm, but instead in the Liuyun Continent Cultivation Realm or the Westernmost Cultivation Realm, with his mindset, wisdom, and strength, he would certainly make a name for himself.
The Zhou Family’s ability to recruit such a talent through marriage is indeed a fortunate event.
Overall, Zhouyang was quite agreeable to the plans suggested by Li Hong.
Taking decades to establish a branch of the clan, although quite different from his initial plan, considering the unique circumstances of the Land of the Far West, Zhouyang found it acceptable.
The benefits gained from developing the Rhino Horn Continent could sustain the Zhou Family for decades to a century, allowing the family’s growth to continue during this time.
As long as the Zhou Family’s branch can be established and gain a foothold during this period, providing an origin to conceal the identity of the main cultivators when they arrive, it would essentially achieve Zhouyang’s goals.
If he wants the Zhou Family in the Land of the Far West to become the main branch and realize his dream of treating the Boundless Desert Sea Cultivation Realm as a backyard, it will only be possible after he forms a Golden Core.
Therefore, before forming a Golden Core, as long as the Zhou Family’s branch in the Land of the Far West is genuinely established and secured, it will meet Zhouyang’s requirements.
Of course, Li Hong’s proposal is just a general plan, with many details needing refinement.
In the following days, Zhouyang and several Zhou Family cultivators brainstormed, centering around Li Hong’s proposal, to finally draft a detailed plan.
According to the plan, Zhou Tongyue will act as the founder of the Zhou Family, leading Zhou Fuyun, disguised as a Qi Cultivation Stage cultivator using the "Golden Cicada Concealment Technique," along with eleven other Zhou Family Qi Cultivation Stage cultivators, openly entering Cangyuan Immortal City to establish the family.
A previously unknown small Qi Cultivation Stage family hiding in the deep mountains, suddenly having a success in Foundation Establishment with aspirations to establish a true cultivation clan, is quite common in any cultivation realm and would raise no suspicion.
Once Zhou Tongyue successfully joins the Cangyuan Immortal City Guard Team and receives Spirit Mountain awards to establish the family, after a few years, Zhou Fuyun will present herself as a newly Foundation Establishment cultivator.
Then, Li Hong will pretend to be a loose cultivator who was severely injured while being pursued by a nemesis, saved by the adventuring Zhou Fuyun, and thereby invited by Zhou Tongyue to marry into the Zhou Family as an outside family Elder.
Subsequently, Zhou Guangxiang, who traveled to Cangyuan Immortal City, will, due to the Zhou Family’s assistance, become an honored guest elder of the Zhou Family and attempt to seclude himself in Cangyuan Immortal City to open the Purple Mansion.
If Zhou Guangxiang successfully opens the Purple Mansion, the Zhou Family will have the protection of a Purple Mansion Stage cultivator, stabilizing their standing in Cangyuan Immortal City.
If Zhou Guangxiang is unsuccessful, then the Zhou Family will rely on his introduction, offering a "Condensing Pill Grass" that assists in Core Formation to invite his mentor Xiao Ying as an honored guest Elder.
At that time, Zhouyang, as Xiao Ying’s Dao Companion, could naturally also become an honored guest Elder of the Zhou Family.
Finally, if Zhouyang can form a Golden Core in the Land of the Far West, the Zhou Family can officially join the Anti-Light Alliance and become a member of it.
In this plan, unquestionably, the greatest sacrifices are made by Zhou Tongyue, Zhou Fuyun, and Li Hong’s original Dao Companion Zhou Fuxiang.
If Zhou Tongyue joins the Cangyuan Immortal City Guard Team, he will likely be conscripted to the battlefield when the Anti-Light Alliance and Great Brightness Immortal Palace battle and need mid-to-low tier cultivators to participate.
Such perilous battlefields, even though Zhou Tongyue hails from the Zhou Family Battle Hall, may not guarantee his survival back.
Zhou Fuyun’s sacrifice is not small; she and Li Hong must truly become Dao Companions to deceive other cultivators.
Fortunately, she is not very resistant to the idea of forming a Dao Companion with Li Hong.
Though Li Hong joined the Zhou Family not long ago, his performance over the years has been commendable, making him an excellent choice for a Dao Companion.
Especially with this trip to the Land of the Far West, Li Hong’s successful suggestions not only won Zhouyang’s favor and recognition but also made many Zhou Family cultivators, including Zhou Fuyun, feel inferior.
And Li Hong’s original Dao Companion Zhou Fuxiang will have to be demoted from the main wife to a concubine.
Of course, Zhouyang is never one to shortchange his people, and he is generous in rewarding these cultivators making sacrifices for the Zhou Family’s development.
For Zhou Tongyue, Zhouyang guarantees that he can aid one of his descendants in becoming a Foundation Establishment cultivator, and offers three Tier Four Lower-Grade Spirit Talismans and ten Tier Three Top-Grade Spirit Talismans for protection.
To Zhou Fuyun, Zhouyang promises that as long as she can cultivate to the Ninth-Layer Foundation Establishment before turning two hundred, she will have the priority to exchange for the family’s "Purple Heart Jade Marrow."
As for Zhou Fuxiang, Zhouyang directly awards her a Foundation Establishment Pill for Foundation Establishment.
With the plan finalized, Zhouyang immediately took action.
He first brought Zhou Tongyue and a dozen other cultivators to a remote area within the borders of Yu Country, where they resided among the local mortal population to learn the local accent and alter their accent.
Subsequently, he also needed to find or artificially create a Tier Two Spiritual Vein hidden in a deep mountain in that region, so that if someone investigated the Zhou Family’s previous hiding place, they would find something substantial.
After locating the spiritual vein, Zhouyang also tasked Zhou Guangxiang with leading the Tier Three Demon Beast "Flying Divine Leopard" to appear near the spiritual vein, leaving traces and aura for others to see, giving the Zhou Tongyue family a reason to relocate to Cangyuan Immortal City.
Meanwhile, Li Hong dispersed the remaining Zhou Family cultivators throughout various parts of Yu Country to learn the local accent, and only when they became accustomed to it, would they return to Cangyuan Immortal City as loose cultivators to secretly aid in the Zhou Family’s development.
These people can never reveal themselves as Zhou Family cultivators in their lifetimes, but their descendants left behind in the Land of the Far West can secretly join the Zhou Family and enjoy the benefits due to Zhou Family cultivators.
Furthermore, to compensate these individuals, Zhouyang slightly increased the welfare offerings they receive from the family, and they could freely dispose of all the earnings obtained during their time as loose cultivators.
He was not worried about these individuals betraying the Zhou Family.
After all, when selecting these people, loyalty to the family was the first criterion considered.
Moreover, Zhouyang had already promised to provide each of their descendants with a Foundation Establishment Pill; the benefits of betraying the Zhou Family may not be more significant than staying with it, and they might not even live to enjoy those benefits.
After over two years of continuous energetic efforts, Zhou Tongyue and the others finally adapted their accents to the Yu Country accent and set off for Cangyuan Immortal City.
By this time, the quick-learner Li Hong had already settled down with some Zhou Family cultivators in Cangyuan Immortal City and mingled with other loose cultivators.
Half a year after Zhou Tong arrived at Cangyuan Immortal City, he finally passed the assessment and joined the Guard Team of Cangyuan Immortal City, becoming a leader of thirty men.
Upon enlisting in the Guard Team, the City Lord’s Mansion of Cangyuan Immortal City quickly granted him an estate outside the city with a Tier Two Middle-Grade Spiritual Vein as the clan’s residence, according to his request.
If Zhou Tongyue performs well in the Guard Team in the future, or if he is actually called to battle and returns with meritorious achievements, obtaining a Tier Three Spirit Mountain as a reward is not out of reach.
Of course, the Zhou Family cannot wait that long, and since the estate is already acquired, it won’t be long before Zhou Tongyue himself infuses spirit stones to elevate the spirit vein to Tier Three.
It should be noted that if Zhou Tongyue invests spirit stones to upgrade the spirit vein in the estate to Tier Three, unless he betrays Cangyuan Immortal City, Cangyuan Immortal City cannot reclaim the spirit vein.
However, the Zhou Family must ensure that every generation has a Foundation Establishment Cultivator serving in the Guard Team of Cangyuan Immortal City, or else Cangyuan Immortal City can rightfully reclaim the spirit vein.
Once Zhouyang confirmed that Zhou Tongyue had secured a foothold in Cangyuan Immortal City, he left Yu Country with his Dao Companion Xiao Ying and Zhou Guangxiang.
Yu Country is not a prosperous land in the Land of the Far West; it’s rather remote, and it’s hard to purchase the "Purple Heart Jade Marrow" and spirit pills needed for Zhouyang’s cultivation with spirit stones here.
The truly prosperous places in the Land of the Far West are those with Nascent Soul Stage Cultivators holding the fort.
Take the Anti-Light Alliance, for example. The most prosperous places within its territory are countries where the Six Great Sects are located.
The nearest to Yu Country is Jinyang Country, where the Haoyang Sect is located.
Between Jinyang Country and Yu Country lies Great Yun Country. Although Great Yun Country isn’t as prosperous as Jinyang Country, it is far more prosperous than Yu Country.
Unlike Yu Country, which is full of sects, Great Yun Country has only three sects. The largest among them, the Celestial Cauldron Sect, may not be as powerful as top sects like Haoyang Sect, but it’s still a major sect with Nascent Soul Stage Cultivators.
The other two sects, although not currently having Nascent Soul Stage Cultivators, have produced such cultivators in the past, boasting a foundation that ordinary sects cannot compare with.
Although Zhouyang’s ultimate goal is Jinyang Country, after entering Great Yun Country from Yu Country, he didn’t rush forward, but rather toured Great Yun Country along the way.
Great Yun Country is mountainous, with many mortals establishing mountain towns or building cities on alluvial plains formed between mountain rivers.
Among the mountains, there are many wild beasts and demon beasts. Zhouyang piloted the "Illusory Cloud Ship" carrying Xiao Ying and Zhou Guangxiang flying across Great Yun Country, sometimes seeing silhouettes of low-tier Qi Cultivation Stage cultivators chasing demon beasts in the forests.
"There is a great river within Great Yun Country called Long River, the largest river in the Land of the Far West. It’s said that flood dragons hide within the river, and since we’re not in a hurry, why don’t we visit Yunlong Square located on the banks of Long River as marked on the map?"
On the "Illusory Cloud Ship," Zhouyang, while piloting the flying ship, held a map jade scroll talking about his plan to his Dao Companion and niece.
Xiao Ying always followed her husband’s lead, and Zhou Guangxiang respected him as an elder. Since it was her first time exploring the cultivation realm, she was keen to broaden her horizons, naturally not opposing his suggestion.
With consistent opinions, Zhouyang accelerated slightly towards Yunlong Square.
Running through Great Yun Country, Long River is but a segment of its total thirteen thousand miles.
Yunlong Square, built on an island in the river’s heart.
Following the map, Zhouyang flew all the way to Yunlong Square, finally seeing the largest river of the Far West.
The section of water where Yunlong Square is located is the widest part of Long River within Great Yun Country.
The river surface here spans nearly two hundred miles wide, with mortal ships sailing the waters, being giant vessels of two to three hundred feet long. Ships within a hundred feet entering here can easily be wrecked by the fierce current.
The island hosting Yunlong Square sits at the center of Long River.
Shaped like a banana, the island stretches over three hundred miles long, with its narrowest part less than twenty miles wide and its widest part over seventy miles wide.
Yunlong Square is built atop the highest peak of the island, Cloud Dragon Peak.
Although Yunlong Square is merely a marketplace, its historical existence outdates many immortal cities within Great Yun Country.
The initial founders of the square are said to be Dragon Slayers active on Long River.
That Long River hosts flood dragons is no myth but a truth.
A cultural heritage within Yunlong Square called "Dragon Slayer Stone" documents the names and dragon-slaying exploits of dozens of cultivators who have killed flood dragons within Long River.
The stone even records cases of Nascent Soul Stage cultivators slaying Tier Six Flood Dragons.
"Oh, you two seem unfamiliar, might you be foreign cultivators drawn here by the Dragon Slayer Conference?"
Outside Yunlong Square, just as Zhouyang docked his flying ship intending to enter the marketplace, he suddenly heard an exclamatory voice from behind.
He turned around to find a Black Giant Turtle emerging from the river, its back carrying a burly middle-aged man who was looking at them with surprise.
This middle-aged man’s cultivation was high, reaching Eighth-Layer of the Purple Mansion, and beneath him, the black giant turtle was a Tier Four Lower Grade Demon Beast. The aura Zhouyang sensed from him was even stronger than Purple Mansion Ninth-Layer cultivators like Zhang Yunpeng.
"I am Zhouyang, this is my wife Xiao Ying, and this is my disciple Zhou Xiang. May I know your name, Fellow Daoist?"
With a flash of intrigue in his eyes, Zhouyang respectfully cupped his hands at the burly middle-aged man on the turtle’s back, politely greeting him.
"Heh heh heh, you don’t even know King Wei, you must not be a cultivator from Great Yun Country," the middle-aged man chuckled, speaking with great confidence as if the cultivators of Great Yun Country were bound to know him.
Upon hearing this, Zhouyang quickly responded, "To be honest, Fellow Daoist Wang, we are indeed not cultivators of Great Yun Country. We passed through Great Yun Country during our journey and, hearing of Yunlong Square’s reputation, came here to witness it for ourselves."
The middle-aged man understood with a laugh, nodded, and then said, "You’ve come at the right time. Currently, Yunlong Square is hosting the Dragon Slayer Conference, which is the most bustling event of the century. If you’re interested, you could register and take part for fun."
After speaking, he seemed to recall that he hadn’t yet introduced himself, promptly adding, "My name is Wang Wei, a loose cultivator from Great Yun Country. If Fellow Daoist Zhou wishes to participate in the Dragon Slayer Conference, you may register in the marketplace with Mr. Wu. I have other matters to attend to, so I’ll leave now."