Cultivation Begins From The Desert

The principle of 'One mountain cannot host two tigers' will never become outdated.

The Baisha River Cultivation Realm is only so big, accommodating one Purple Mansion Clan is already more than enough, but wanting to accommodate two Purple Mansion Clans is simply impossible!

If the Zhou Family advances to become a Purple Mansion Clan, the position of the Chen Family will become very awkward.

Everyone is under the command of the Yellow Sand Sect. If the Zhou Family also advances to become a Purple Mansion Clan, how can the Chen Family still make the Zhou Family obey?

By then, even if the upper echelons can restrain themselves from acting, what about the people below?

The Baisha River Cultivation Realm is only so big, resources are limited. With the Chen Family being the dominant force, no one dares to say anything. But if the Zhou Family advances to become a Purple Mansion Clan, the situation becomes complicated.

Therefore, regardless of how good the Chen Family Ancestor's relationship with the Zhou Family might have been before, or how deep their friendship, when faced with family interests, it is necessary to strike or warn the Zhou Family.

For Zhouyang, if it was the former Chen Family, even if he received such a warning, he wouldn't take it seriously.

Because the Chen Family Ancestor's lifespan was also nearing its end, he only needed to delay for a few decades until the Chen Family Ancestor dies naturally. Without a Purple Mansion Stage cultivator, the Chen Family might not even be worth his attention.

But now it's different. The Chen Family has already become the only dual-Purple Mansion Clan in the Boundless Sea of Sand Cultivation Realm, having Chen Ping'an as a newly advanced Purple Mansion Cultivator who is yet even not half the age of a typical Purple Mansion cultivator.

Even if the Chen Family Ancestor dies and achieves nirvana, the Chen Family will still remain a Purple Mansion Clan, being the overlord of the Baisha River Cultivation Realm for centuries to come.

He believes that the Chen Family Ancestor probably dared to warn or reprimand the Zhou Family despite knowing his good relationship with Cao Wenjin, because of this very reason.

It's important to know that the current Chen Family Ancestor is the only Tier Four High-grade Alchemist in the entire Boundless Sea of Sand Cultivation Realm. With such a status, unless he goes mad enough to personally kill Zhou Family Foundation Establishment cultivators, even Cao Wenjin wouldn't punish him.

"It seems that Elder Chen thinks that our recent sale of the [Profound Pure Pill] was too conspicuous, which is why he decided to slightly reprimand us, to remind us to recognize the reality!"

"In that case, we will accept the reprimand and try to act more discreetly in the future. As long as there is no one from our Zhou Family advancing to Purple Mansion, not touching the Chen Family's core interests, he likely won't directly act against us!"

After pondering for a moment, Zhouyang calmly expressed his analysis and thoughts.

"Xiao Jiu, you're right in all you said. But my worry now is that since Elder Chen has developed concerns towards our Zhou Family, even if he doesn't personally act against us, if he lets up a little during the Tier Four Demon Beast hunt, it could threaten our lives!"

Zhou Minghan looked heavily at Zhouyang, expressing his worries with a face full of concern.

This matter is what truly concerns him.

"Great-grandfather, your concern is not without reason, but we can also make preparations for this matter. Didn't Elder Cao give me ninety thousand Yellow Sand Sect Merit Points? We can inquire which cultivators within the Yellow Sand Sect possess Tier Four Defense Spirit Talismans, and then exchange for them at a high price with merit points. If danger truly arises, we can at least sacrifice a talisman!"

"As long as we survive this [Foundation Establishment Conference], next time even if facing a Tier Four Demon Beast attack directly, I may not be afraid!"

After thinking for a moment, Zhouyang solemnly revealed his countermeasure.

"That is the only way!"

Zhou Minghan let out a long sigh, nodding in agreement with his method.

Spending money to avert disaster is also a way out.

After the two finished discussing the matter, they walked out of the cave dwelling and headed to the newly built Council Hall of the Zhou Family.

This Council Hall was specifically constructed to facilitate family meetings. The hall is located on a mountain terrace below the ancestral shrine and is as grand as the Imperial Palace Main Hall, capable of accommodating two to three hundred people for discussions.

Xiao Ying also attended this family meeting and sat right next to Zhouyang, the Clan Leader.

This was originally the position of the old Clan Leader Zhou Minghan, but under Zhou Minghan's insistent request, she had no choice but to take this position, receiving the salutations of all Zhou Family members alongside Zhouyang.

In a cultivation clan like the Zhou Family, the Clan Leader naturally has the authority of a leader. Normally, one can disregard ceremonies and casually chat and laugh, but in formal occasions such as family meetings, everyone must maintain respect towards the Clan Leader's authority.

Xiao Ying, as Zhouyang's Dao Companion, holds the status of the Clan Leader's Wife in the Zhou Family, and naturally shares his leader's authority.

"Greetings to the Clan Leader."

As Zhouyang entered the council hall and took his seat, all the Zhou Family cultivators who had arrived early stood and respectfully saluted him.

"Uncles and brothers, please be seated."

Zhouyang waved his hand, and the doors of the council hall closed tightly.

He then surveyed the hundred individuals of varying ages within the hall and said in a deep voice, "It has been over a decade since the last family meeting. During these years, I have been away due to external matters and have neglected my duties as Clan Leader. Therefore, upon returning, I wished to call a family meeting to help me understand the current situation of the family, discuss solutions to issues the family faces, and plan for future development!"

After explaining the reason for this family meeting, Zhouyang decisively turned his gaze to Zhou Xuan Kun, the Grand Elder of the Zhou Family, seated toward the front on the lower side: "Eleventh Uncle, as the family's Grand Elder and head of personnel, please report on personnel matters, along with everyone's cultivation realms!"

Several days had passed since Zhouyang's return, and the old Clan Leader Zhou Minghan had already mentioned holding this family meeting. The elders and stewards of the family have been busy preparing materials, and they are now fully prepared.

Hearing Zhouyang call his name, Zhou Xuan Kun immediately stood up and said, "To report to the Clan Leader, our Zhou Family currently has 103 cultivators of various levels, including one late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator, one mid-stage and one early-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator, six Ninth-Layer Qi Cultivation elders, five late-stage Qi Cultivation cultivators, nineteen mid-stage Qi cultivators, forty-three early-stage Qi cultivators, twenty Innate realm cultivators, and seven who have not yet touched cultivation."

"Furthermore, our Zhou Family has eleven foreign relative cultivators, including one at the Foundation Establishment stage, two at Ninth-Layer Qi Cultivation, two at late-stage Qi Cultivation, five at mid-stage Qi Cultivation, and one at early-stage Qi Cultivation."

"Oh, and there are five cultivators from the visiting Lu Family, including two at late-stage Qi Cultivation, one at early-stage Qi Cultivation, and two at the Innate realm."

"Regarding mortals, according to data from an investigation a year ago, our Zhou Family includes 168,432 secular clansmen, along with 42,635 mortals of other surnames."

Zhou Xuan Kun's report was quite detailed, clearly showing careful effort.

This is only natural; after experiencing two family meetings, there should be progress, or else living so many years would be in vain.

"Very well, I didn't expect that in just over a decade, our Zhou Family cultivators have doubled; this is excellent, truly excellent!"

Zhouyang expressed genuine happiness with delight, sincerely elated.

Having over a hundred clansmen with spiritual roots, this is something Zhouyang had never experienced before, proving that under his leadership, the Zhou Family indeed flourished and prospered.

This alone showed he was a competent Clan Leader, not disappointing the elders who initially had high hopes for him.

"However, in the Lu Family, it's quite unfortunate that two generations only produced three offspring with spiritual roots in over a decade; it seems their luck is exhausted in this lifetime!"

Thinking of the Lu family father and son who discovered a natural oasis, Zhouyang also felt quite sentimental.

This father and son undoubtedly had fateful encounters, otherwise, they wouldn't have survived wandering in the Desert Sea for years, eventually discovering a medium-sized natural oasis.

Yet fate and luck don't perpetually follow a person.

Otherwise, hiding at home for a decade shouldn't result in merely three offspring with spiritual roots!

Shaking his head, Zhouyang dismissed the thought and focused on the current custodian of Zhou Family finances, Fourteenth Uncle Zhou Xuanhe.

"Fourteenth Uncle, you manage the family finances now. Have the family's financial conditions improved in these years? How many clan contribution points are issued annually?"

At the last family meeting, the deceased elder Zhou Xuanlin managed finances poorly, and Zhou Xuanhe has keenly learned from his cousin's lesson. Hearing Zhouyang's inquiry, he promptly stood and said:

"To report to the Clan Leader, the types of our family's industries have not changed compared to over a decade ago, the difference lies in industry scale. Our family now owns 260 acres of spirit field, with annual net income around 1300 spirit stones. The Red Flame Iron Ore Vein production is at peak state, with annual net income reaching 1500 spirit stones."

"After implementing stewardship management in the spirit fruit garden according to your directives upon departure, our family's spirit plant cultivators boldly propagated White Jade Grapes on a large scale. Despite numerous failures, the successes were more, with the spirit wine brewed from this spirit fruit yielding 300 spirit stones a year currently!"

"Additionally, our family's domesticated Flame-devouring Spider spirit beast has laid eggs again, with an egg count of seventeen, with future earnings expected to double from prior peak periods."

"Oh, and the Shatuo Beast population increased by eight heads, while the Golden Rock Sheep grew by four heads, though these spirit beasts are for family use, and their income isn't easily calculated."

"Overall, based on last year's family annual net income, the family now annually nets approximately 6500 spirit stones."

"Regarding expenditures, the family mainly incurs costs discussed at the last family meeting. Alterations include expenditures for Hundred Skills of Cultivation special subsidies. Due to the increased population of family cultivators and your encouragement for everyone to learn a skill, our annual expenditure on this initiative now reaches 1500 spirit stones in value!"

"Regarding clan contribution point issuance, matches have increased as cultivators rise annually eligible for points issuance. Just the welfare offering must issue over 4700 annually, along with managerial supplementary grants, and special supplements for executing dangerous and arduous tasks by family cultivators. Currently, annual contribution point issuance exceeds 5200 points!"

"Finally, the family currently has a balance of 15286 spirit stones."