Chapter 443: Chapter 428: Mass Teleportation
Dong dong dong——
Inside the Yellow Sand Sect mountain gate, the funeral bell signifying the passing of a Purple Mansion Stage cultivator rang continuously.
Upon hearing this bell, all the cultivators within the Yellow Sand Sect mountain gate showed expressions of sorrow and gathered towards the Sect Leader’s Hall.
The Yellow Sand Sect currently has six Purple Mansion cultivators, and aside from the Sect Leader Zhang Yunpeng, the other five have lifespans of no more than four hundred years. Naturally, it’s clear who the deceased is.
Meanwhile, in the Sect Leader’s Hall, Yang Wenxiong, the Purple Mansion Stage cultivator already determined to succeed as the Yellow Sand Sect sect leader, sat in the leader’s position, pondering something.
He was contemplating the words spoken by the former sect leader Zhang Yunpeng before his passing.
In the moments near his passing, only then did Zhang Yunpeng reveal to him all the secrets of the Yellow Sand Sect, including the agreement Cao Wenjin made with Zhouyang back then.
Yang Wenxiong thus understood why Zhouyang, despite having a Golden Core Stage ghost cultivator as a servant, had never acted against the Yellow Sand Sect over the decades.
"Zhouyang’s growth speed is terrifying, and now he has become a significant force that is difficult to control. Junior Brother Yang, once you assume the sect leader position, you must maintain good relations with him and not make enmity!"
"Originally, the master stipulated a five-hundred-year agreement with him, more than a century has passed now, and I see that Zhouyang has a great possibility of forming his Golden Core in the future!"
"If he truly forms his Golden Core and is willing to continue honoring the agreement without secretly suppressing our Yellow Sand Sect, you may offer the method for creating the Hidden Spirit Incense to him, to gain his sincere protection."
"If, after forming his Golden Core, he wishes to secretly suppress our Yellow Sand Sect in a way that doesn’t break the Blood Contract to dominate the Boundless Desert Sea Cultivation Realm, you should then offer the method for creating the Hidden Spirit Incense to the Beast Taming Sect, and have their cultivators deal with him!"
Reflecting on Zhang Yunpeng’s instructions before his passing, Yang Wenxiong mumbled with a complicated expression: "Senior Brother, oh Senior Brother, if you knew that Zhouyang could be befriended but not provoked, why did you repeatedly provoke him?"
Human nature is truly complex.
Zhang Yunpeng plainly witnessed Zhouyang grow step by step, and witnessed his extraordinary growth speed and terrifying ability to fight across levels.
Logically, after realizing these things, he should have chosen to make friends with Zhouyang.
Yet he did not.
Since assuming the sect leader position of the Yellow Sand Sect, although he honored Master Cao Wenjin’s will by providing Zhouyang with benefits on several occasions, he never actively expressed a desire to befriend Zhouyang.
Moreover, as Zhouyang continued to shine brighter and the Zhou clan grew stronger, he felt jealousy and apprehension towards Zhouyang in his heart, starting to guard against Zhouyang and the Zhou clan.
Even though he knew clearly that with the constraint of the Nether Blood Contract, Zhouyang could not strike against the Yellow Sand Sect.
But he simply could not resist pondering these things, and as he grew older, as the Zhou clan flourished, his worries grew day by day.
Thus, fourteen years ago at the Zhou clan’s 400th-anniversary celebration, upon seeing Chen Ping’an publicly yielding and apologizing to the Zhou clan, hinting an attitude of following them, his sensitive nerves were touched, which led him to utter those sarcastic and provocative words during the celebration.
Afterwards, Zhang Yunpeng deeply regretted the matter, yet for his face, he could not bring himself to apologize to Zhouyang, and even wanted to avoid meeting him.
A few years ago, when the Zhou clan hosted the third auction, invitation letters sent to the Yellow Sand Sect were declined by Zhang Yunpeng, who let Yang Wenxiong attend in his place.
Yang Wenxiong didn’t quite understand Zhang Yunpeng’s mindset, but the mess left by Zhang Yunpeng was for him to clean up.
Consequently, in the following half month, after laying Zhang Yunpeng’s body to rest, he personally traveled to Rhino Horn Continent to meet Zhouyang, using the occasion to invite Zhouyang to his succession ceremony to express goodwill and clearly indicate his differing stance from Zhang Yunpeng.
To his relief, Zhouyang wholeheartedly accepted his goodwill and graciously attended the succession ceremony, fully expressing his willingness to forgive past grievances and honor the agreement to protect the Yellow Sand Sect.
This was Zhouyang’s sole public appearance in the upcoming decades, at the succession ceremony of the new Yellow Sand Sect sect leader.
...
In the boundless desert sea, a green-colored Void Traveling Tower Ship was speeding through.
Inside the ship, over forty Zhou Clan Members were peering through every window, watching the boundless desert sea outside.
The desert sea, which they had grown weary of seeing since they became adults, now held a vastly different significance in their eyes.
They knew this might very likely be the last time they ever cast their gaze upon this sea.
After today, they would follow the most revered Supreme Elder of the clan, transmitting to a completely foreign land, waging battles far and wide, to establish meritorious achievements and rebuild a new Zhou family.
Therefore, they’re taking the last chance to gaze upon this land that has nurtured them, for they’ll never again see the desert sea that once annoyed them.
And in the control room of the Void Traveling Tower Ship, Zhouyang was also watching the desert sea outside.
Fourteen years had passed, and he finally awaited Zhang Yunpeng’s passing.
With Zhang Yunpeng of the Ninth Layer of the Purple Mansion Cultivation gone, only Yang Wenxiong with Fifth-Layer of Purple Mansion Cultivation is left to take the helm at the Yellow Sand Sect.
At this time, while the Yellow Sand Sect still had five Purple Mansion Cultivators stationed, it posed no threat to the Zhou Family.
Despite being the newly appointed sect leader, for Yang Wenxiong, managing the sect and winning the trust of others would be a time-consuming and labor-intensive task, even if Zhouyang was not within the Zhou Clan, he surely wouldn’t dare entertain any ideas against them.
Therefore, shortly after attending Yang Wenxiong’s sect leader inauguration, he eagerly set out with his followers.
Over the past fourteen years, he had already selected cultivators to accompany him to the region where the Great Brightness Immortal Palace was located, and conducted related training for them.
Although his cultivation hadn’t improved much over the fourteen years, he successfully mastered the "Eight Desolates and Six Harmonies Sword Array", and practiced another secret skill from the "Profound Sun Fire Manipulation Technique," the "Fire Dragon Drill", so his strength continued to grow.
Meanwhile, in those years, the Zhou Family increased its number of Foundation Establishment Cultivators with the addition of Zhou Futong and Zhou Fuxi, bringing their total to fifteen.
Moreover, after over ten years of expansion and development, the passage between Rhino Horn Continent and the Boundless Sea of Sand Cultivation Realm had been fully opened, allowing any cultivator to directly reach Rhino Horn Continent through the Oasis Passage.
Tens of batches of mortals migrated by the Zhou Family over the years had managed to successfully settle on Rhino Horn Continent in this super-large oasis.
Everything was steadily progressing in a favorable direction.
As long as the next few decades in the Boundless Desert Sea Cultivation Realm remain relatively unchanged, the Zhou Family, commanding Rhino Horn Continent, was bound to experience a period of rapid ascension.
The thirty-six Foundation Establishment Pills Zhouyang entrusted to Zhou Guangxiang before his departure assured that, in the coming century, the Zhou Family wouldn’t have to worry about Foundation Establishment Pills even after Zhouyang left the Boundless Desert Sea Cultivation Realm.
"I’ve explained everything that needs explanation."
"Guangxiang has never disappointed me all these years, and there shouldn’t be any problem this time either."
"Once I stabilize my position at the Great Brightness Immortal Palace, I can return and take Guangxiang and Xue Wei there to broaden their horizons."
On the Void Traveling Tower Ship, Zhouyang gazed at the boundless desert sea outside the window, his mind whirling with thoughts, and his mood was far from calm.
Heading towards a completely unfamiliar new region filled him with anxiety.
Particularly as he was not traveling alone, but taking his Dao Companion Xiao Ying and several dozen Zhou Clan Members with him, which added considerable pressure on him.
Amidst these thoughts, they quickly arrived at the underground relic.
In the underground relic, Xu Song, who consistently researched the teleportation array, had already received word from Zhouyang and was prepared for the teleportation.
As Zhouyang led his people into the underground relic, the "Profound Crystal Stone" and the top-grade Spirit Stones were already installed.
"Come, this is the day I’ve long awaited, the legendary location of the Great Brightness Immortal Palace. I’m also curious about how it differs from the Liuyun Continent Cultivation Realm!"
Within the underground relic, Xu Song revealed his ghost body as he stood on the altar teleportation array, looking at the arriving Zhouyang and party, his eerie green ghost eyes sparking with brilliance.
When he was alive, except for the "Kunxu Realm" trip, he had never ventured outside the Liuyun Continent Cultivation Realm. Transforming into a Ghost Cultivator, he followed Zhouyang away to the Boundless Sea of Sand Cultivation Realm.
However, compared to the Liuyun Continent Cultivation Realm — a genuine great cultivation realm — the small Boundless Sea of Sand Cultivation Realm in Xu Song’s view wasn’t worthy of bearing the "Cultivation Realm" title.
He only found the vast land where the Great Brightness Immortal Palace lies, truly situated in the Land of the Far West, worthy of anticipation.
"Everyone, step into the teleportation array; everything proceeds according to plan."
Zhouyang spared a glance at Xu Song on the altar teleportation array, waved his hand, and sternly instructed the forty-plus Zhou Family Cultivators behind him.
Before departing, these cultivators had received repeated reminders that, regardless of what they see or hear, they should refrain from asking questions and act solely by orders during the trip.
Upon hearing Zhouyang’s orders, the four Foundation Establishment Cultivators — Zhou Guangxiang, Zhou Tongyue, and others — immediately led the Qi Cultivation Stage Cultivators onto the teleportation array.
Once dozens of cultivators surged in, the space on the altar teleportation array became mostly filled, leaving room for less than ten more once Zhouyang and Xiao Ying boarded the array.
"Elder Xu, I’ll be counting on you for everything."
Zhouyang ascended the teleportation array, raising his hand to toss the "Great Transposition Order" towards Xu Song.
This time, the teleportation involved numerous cultivators, including many with low cultivation in Qi Cultivation Stage; Zhouyang feared he couldn’t ensure their safety by himself using the "Great Transposition Order" and could only rely on Xu Song to wield it.
"Leave it to me."
Xu Song grabbed the "Great Transposition Order" thrown by Zhouyang, immediately casting a spell to activate the teleportation array. He then infused his entire magical power into the "Great Transposition Order," creating a dazzling silver light that enveloped everyone in the teleportation array.
A moment later, the teleportation concluded, leaving no trace of any Zhou Family Cultivators in the underground relic.