Clan Cultivation: Starting from Beast Taming

From these words, it was not hard to tell that he didn't have a detailed understanding of what had happened inside the Hongyu Peak stronghold. Yang Jincai also knew why his reaction was so strong and immediately nodded in response, "Yes, the one who killed Tian Fengyi and other Taoist friends, Zhou Zhengchun, indeed had cultivation at the late Foundation Establishment stage!" "He was alone?" The Huoyang Hermit could hardly believe it as he continued to ask. "He was alone, yes, but he is a beast cultivator and has tamed a few second-order Demon Beasts!" As Yang Jincai got to this part, he couldn't help but recall the scene he had witnessed that day. The majestic figure of the Thunder Flood Dragon and the fierce image of the Golden Winged Tiger that devoured a Foundation Establishment cultivator alive still sent shivers down his spine upon reflection. And after hearing his words and seeing his shaking like a leaf, the Huoyang Hermit became even more curious about Zhou Chun. He waved his hand dismissively, "I won't bother with this letter for now. Taoist Friend Yang, tell me everything about that day in detail, without leaving anything out!" He spoke as if Yang Jincai was his subordinate. But although Yang Jincai was not his subordinate, at this moment he dared not defy his command and could only recount everything he knew about that day honestly. When he finished, he proactively bowed to absolve himself, "Senior Huoyang, please understand that these were all the events I witnessed that day. As for what happened before, I have no clarity." The Huoyang Hermit, however, made no indication regarding his words, as his mind was still reeling from the shocking events described. To be honest, if he didn't know that Yang Jincai had no need to deceive him, and surely wouldn't dare to, the Huoyang Hermit would definitely think he was spouting nonsense. Could a single person barge into a stronghold guarded by seven Foundation Establishment cultivators, rescue someone, and even slay four Foundation Establishment cultivators, forcing the remaining three who controlled the Guardian Great Formation to surrender? Was this something a Foundation Establishment stage cultivator could achieve? Let alone the Huoyang Hermit's disbelief, any Purple Mansion Phase Cultivator who heard of this for the first time would find it hard to believe. However, the situation as Yang Jincai described it seemed hard to dismiss; indeed, if a Foundation Establishment stage cultivator truly had the resources Zhou Chun possessed, it did seem plausible they could take on many adversaries at once. This piqued the Huoyang Hermit's curiosity about Zhou Chun's background even more. Therefore, even though he had initially shown no interest in the letter in Yang Jincai's hand, he now raised his hand to summon it, and began to examine the contents. But reading the letter was shocking and infuriating. He was shocked to find that Lin Hongyu was not some Loose Cultivator but had a major cultivation family behind her. What made him angry was that Zhou Chun, a late Foundation Establishment cultivator, had dared to threaten him with such a letter! He violently threw the letter on the ground and, with a face full of rage, bellowed, "The audacity of this junior!" This sudden outburst also made Yang Jincai's legs tremble, and he quickly knelt down, begging, "Senior, please spare my life! I know nothing, I was just here to deliver the letter!" For a slick operator like him, groveling like this posed no psychological barrier, as it was something he was well accustomed to. Upon seeing this, the Huoyang Hermit immediately glared at him and commanded, "Go back and tell that junior that he has half a month to come and offer his apologies to me in person; otherwise, I will personally pay a visit to Hongyu Peak and teach Lin Hongyu's disrespectful junior a lesson!" "Yes, yes, yes, I will definitely relay the message and inform Taoist Friend Zhou accurately!" Yang Jincai kept nodding his head and then, like a man fleeing for his life, hurriedly stood up and left the Huoyang Hermit's place. Once he returned to the Hongyu Peak stronghold, he vividly conveyed to Zhou Chun all the reactions of the Huoyang Hermit upon seeing him. After finishing, seeing that Zhou Chun remained silent and contemplative, he cautiously suggested, "In Yang's opinion, the Huoyang Hermit is genuinely angry, but he probably does not truly intend to forcibly take over the Hongyu Peak stronghold. His words are mostly about saving face and seizing the opportunity to extort something!" Zhou Chun, upon hearing this, couldn't help but glance at him, fully understanding the implications of his words. Yang Jincai's suggestion undoubtedly was for Zhou Chun to follow the advice of the Huoyang Hermit, preparing a generous gift and visiting the Huoyang stronghold personally to apologize and give the Huoyang Hermit enough face and substance to dissuade him from coveting the Hongyu Peak Stronghold. Truth be told, such an approach wasn't unacceptable—if indeed it could truly calm the situation, Zhou Chun wasn't too proud or stingy to consider it. However, Zhou Chun was more concerned that showing such weakness would only serve to embolden the Huoyang Hermit, leading him to believe that the Zhou Family genuinely lacked the strength to send more powerful forces to the Hongyu Peak Stronghold, which could engender greater greed. Thus, Zhou Chun did not respond to Yang Jincai but simply said indifferently, "Taoist Friend Zhou has taken note, I will consider the matter. Taoist Friend Yang, you should return and attend to your own duties first!" Seeing that he received no response, Yang Jincai felt somewhat disappointed and worried, but he quickly and diligently agreed without any sign of it on his face, "Yes, yes, I shall take my leave then." In the days that followed, Zhou Chun showed no intention of visiting the Huoyang stronghold to offer apologies; instead, he calmly continued his meditation and cultivation at his residence. His composed demeanor left Yang Jincai and Fu Changqing together with another person wondering, unable to grasp his thoughts. But since the Huoyang Hermit's target was only Zhou Chun, even if he really did come knocking, as long as the three of them surrendered quickly, they believed they would likely avoid any fatal outcomes, so they weren't overly concerned. Five days passed, and Lin Wan'er finally exited her cultivation retreat. She had not fully recovered her depleted essence energy, but it no longer affected her ability to think and move properly. Upon her emergence, Zhou Chun informed her of the Huoyang Hermit's response. Then said, "Taoist Friend Zhou doesn't understand this Huoyang Hermit, nor do I know whether his words were just to save face or a deliberate provocation. Elder Lin, do you have any thoughts on this?" Upon hearing his words, Lin Hongyu pondered for a moment before shaking her head and saying, "Actually, I am not particularly familiar with the temperament of the Huoyang Hermit either and cannot discern his true intentions." After finishing, she looked seriously at Zhou Chun and said, "However, if I were to decide, I believe the Clan Leader has no need to apologize to him. Doing so would only belittle the respect he and the Zhou Family command!" "Oh? Why does Elder Lin say so?" Zhou Chun raised his eyebrows, showing a keen interest and looking at Lin Hongyu for more details. Lin Hongyu didn't beat around the bush and immediately explained, "Because the Huoyang Hermit is a true Loose Cultivator, and from my years of interactions with these Loose Cultivators, most of them hold a sense of reverence towards the sects and clan powers." "If such a sect or clan shows weakness before them, it's very likely they'd become even more aggressive in demanding more benefits!" She herself might not understand why, but upon hearing her words, Zhou Chun immediately grasped the point. This was because Zhou Chun in his previous life had seen similar people. An individual who had been oppressed and bullied at the bottom, when one day he turned his fate around and gained the strength to bully others, would bully even more ruthlessly. Often, only those who have suffered oppression and exploitation knew how to better oppress and exploit others. It was ironic, but a reality nonetheless. Even in the Cultivation World, those who exploited the common Loose Cultivators the most weren't various sects or families like the Zhou Family, but high-ranking Loose Cultivators who had risen from the lower ranks. Like the Lower-Ranking Loose Cultivators of the Hongyu Peak Stronghold who, despite being tasked with guarding the "Spirit Cleansing Pavilion," saw little of the collected rent distributed to them. The real benefits they received were mostly the right for themselves or their families to cultivate without time restriction outside of their duties and occasionally the opportunity to consult Foundation Establishment stage Loose Cultivators regarding cultivation problems. "I understand your point, Elder Lin. Let's disregard his response and see if he really dares to make a move!" Zhou Chun nodded, decisively arriving at a conclusion.