Cultivation Begins From The Desert

A person's personality and way of doing things are always greatly influenced by their environment growing up.

The old Clan Leader of the Zhou Family, Zhou Minghan, took over when the family started to decline, so his character is very cautious and steady, prioritizing preserving the family legacy in everything.

Chen Family Ancestor Chen Yaohui was different. When he was at Foundation Establishment, the Chen Family was already a major family not much weaker than today's Zhou Family, yet they were also suppressed by the Purple Mansion Clan, the Zhang Family, which then occupied the Baisha River Oasis.

As a result, after reaching Late-Stage Foundation Establishment, he had to leave the family to travel with another Foundation Establishment cultivator from the family, creating the false impression that he had perished outside, thus reducing the Zhang Family's apprehension towards the Chen Family.

Even the entanglement between him and Zhou Family Ancestor Zhou Yuquan happened during this time.

Because of this experience, Chen Family Ancestor is the type of person who is proactive and strong-willed in his personality.

He likes to strike first, eliminating any opponents who might pose a threat to himself in advance. He does not care whether such actions are honorable or justified.

Yet, Chen Ping'an is different. As the first genius of the Chen Family in hundreds of years, since he started cultivating, there hasn't been a peer who could match him in the Baisha River Cultivation Realm.

Back then, he was like the current Zhouyang, suppressing all peers from every family in the Baisha River Cultivation Realm single-handedly.

This has made him extremely arrogant and confident, believing that he can help the Chen Family firmly hold the position of the first family in the Baisha River Cultivation Realm with one person and one sword, without any conspiracy and scheming.

Regarding the Zhou Family, the Chen Family Ancestor's idea is to strike first, finding a reason to wipe out the Zhou Family before they truly grow into a Purple Mansion Clan that can threaten the Chen Family's supremacy, just like the Zhang Family intended to do to the Chen Family back then.

Honestly, this idea might not be right, but it cannot be said to be wrong either.

A century-old shop, a company at the top in a certain industry, upon discovering a newly opened shop, a new company showing a trend of surpassing them, would also try to suppress or acquire the other, let alone amongst the cruel cultivation clans in the Cultivation Realm!

The Chen Family cannot "acquire" the Zhou Family, nor does the Chen Family Ancestor want the Chen Family to be beneath the Zhou Family in the future, so in his view, if he wants the Chen Family's position to be secure, wants the Chen Family to continue to sit firmly as the top family in the Baisha River Cultivation Realm, the Zhou Family must be destroyed or weakened.

However, Chen Ping'an's earlier words reminded him of one thing, to be wary of Cao Wenjin dealing with the Chen Family to stabilize the Yellow Sand Sect's position.

Thinking of this, his angry expression faded, and he asked sternly to Chen Ping'an, "Before I entered closed-door cultivation, the several Purple Mansion Stage cultivators of Yellow Sand Sect were still endlessly arguing over who should consume the Jade Liquid Golden Pill. Has there been a result yet?"

"This is exactly why I previously advised Ancestor. More than five years ago, Li Zhennan, with his Ninth Layer of the Purple Mansion cultivation, succeeded in convincing Elder Cao to give him the Jade Liquid Golden Pill to consume with the support of Zhang Yunpeng, Guo Shuyun, and other four Purple Mansion cultivators. Yet now, more than five years have passed, and not a hint of Core Formation phenomenon has appeared within Yellow Sand Sect!"

Chen Ping'an, looking at Chen Family Ancestor, answered his question with a solemn expression.

Success in condensing the Golden Core for a Purple Mansion Stage cultivator will certainly cause a massive celestial phenomenon, which once manifests, other cultivators can see clearly even from a thousand miles away, thus it's impossible to hide how many Golden Core Stage cultivators, Nascent Soul Stage cultivators there are among major forces.

Unless someone is not forming their core or nascent soul in the sect clan's Spirit Mountain Blessed Land and never reveals their cultivation in front of others.

Such individuals are not unknown, reportedly, even in some major sects with long-standing heritage, there is a "guardian" who has never revealed their cultivation externally.

This "guardian" must be at least at the Golden Core Stage and their identity must be hidden from anyone outside the Nascent Soul Stage cultivators of the sect.

Their duty is to keep all copies of the sect's cultivation technique legacy, and in case of annihilation threats on the sect, they would preemptively leave the sect, go incognito to a sect secret vault only known by the "guardian", open the vault and utilize treasures within to recruit disciples to rebuild the sect.

However, given Yellow Sand Sect's foundation, having a Golden Core level "guardian" is clearly impossible, and currently, they're even less likely to be withholding a Golden Core Stage cultivator.

Thus, Li Zhennan closing himself for over five years without any sign of Core Formation is already a very bad signal.

If Li Zhennan fails in core formation, then practically, the break in the succession of Golden Core Stage cultivators in Yellow Sand Sect becomes a done deal, then how will Cao Wenjin, a Golden Core Stage cultivator with only decades of lifespan left, break this deadlock?

Upon reaching this point, Chen Family Ancestor's expression changed dramatically.

His own lifespan isn't much either, and compared to Cao Wenjin, it's truly challenging to say who would pass away first.

If he dies before Cao Wenjin, that's easier to explain, if Cao Wenjin dies before him, the Chen Family with two Purple Mansion cultivators, who've already reached the Ninth Layer, would they really be willing to submit to Yellow Sand Sect?

Even if he says he's willing, would Cao Wenjin believe it? Would those few Purple Mansion Stage cultivators in Yellow Sand Sect believe it?

Empathizing with others, Chen Family Ancestor himself probably wouldn't believe it!

Just like he doesn't believe that once the Zhou Family becomes a Purple Mansion Clan, they'd honestly follow behind the Chen Family as a junior.

If we replace him with Cao Wenjin, how would he break the situation?

It's truly terrifying to contemplate!

The Chen Family Ancestor's expression changed slightly, and the atmosphere in the cave mansion suddenly cooled considerably.

After a prolonged silence, the Chen Family Ancestor finally spoke again, "The news of my breakthrough to the Ninth Layer of the Purple Mansion hasn't leaked out, has it?"

Chen Ping'an immediately replied, "No, currently, only I am aware of it."

This answer caused the Chen Family Ancestor to ease his expression slightly, then he waved his hand and said, "Very well. The family affairs will continue to be handled by you. Externally, it should be stated that I am still in seclusion impacting the Ninth Layer of the Purple Mansion. Also, you must keep a close eye on news from the Yellow Sand Sect. If Li Zhennan comes out and shows himself, you must inform me immediately!"

He surprisingly did not mention the matter of removing Zhouyang or annihilating the Zhou Family.

Chen Ping'an knew, since the Chen Family Ancestor hadn't mentioned it again, it indicated he did not intend to pursue the matter of Chen Fangli's demise before he truly emerged from seclusion.

Thus, he didn't bring up the matter insensitively to make his own ancestor uncomfortable, merely nodding and saying, "Rest assured, Ancestor, if any news comes from the Yellow Sand Sect, I will inform you first."

Afterward, when Chen Ping'an exited the Chen Family Ancestor's cave mansion, he didn't disclose the details of Chen Fangli's demise at the Zhou Family to those Foundation Establishment cultivators in the family, merely made a show by dispatching a Foundation Establishment cultivator from the family to investigate the travel location Chen Fangli had previously reported to the family.

Naturally, nothing was found, so the matter eventually became as unsolvable as the "missing" Elder Zhou Yuanjing of the Zhou Family.

The difference was, Chen Fangli left a Soul Token in the family, so he was directly declared dead by the Chen Family.

Far away at the Red Fox Ridge, Zhouyang was stunned for a considerable time upon receiving this result.

He had initially prepared to face the questioning from the Chen Family, even having delivered one of the two Memory Pearls recording his conversation with Chen Fangli to his cousin Zhou Yuanchen at the Yellow Sand Sect in advance.

If the Chen Family Ancestor were to truly descend upon the Jade Spring Peak to question the Zhou Family, he would immediately go to the Yellow Sand Sect and request Cao Wenjin to preside over justice.

Whether Cao Wenjin was willing to stand up for the Zhou Family, Zhouyang was not worried at all.

Whether it was exposing his unusual relationship with Master Cyan Yang or handing over the treasures of Blood Netherworld, it would make Cao Wenjin support the Zhou Family without hesitation.

He relied on these two trump cards for protection to dare to decisively kill Chen Fangli.

Otherwise, Chen Fangli's threatening words would indeed pose a significant threat to him.

"Could it be that the Chen Family really knows nothing of Chen Fangli's actions?"

A flicker of doubt crossed his face, and he was led astray by Chen Ping'an's handling of the situation, harboring a sense of luck.

No wonder he thought so; the Chen Family Ancestor's past style and personality left a deep impression on him.

Whether it was forcing him to accept the "Heart Inquiry Skill" interrogation or later dealing ruthlessly with demon cultivators, as well as years ago using the "borrowing a knife to kill" strategy to plot against the Zhou Family, all showcased the Chen Family Ancestor's unyielding nature vividly.

If the Chen Family Ancestor had no knowledge of Chen Fangli's cause of death, he found it hard to believe the Ancestor would easily let go of such an opportunity to undermine the Zhou Family.

He could never imagine that the Chen Family Ancestor let go of this opportunity to undermine the Zhou Family due to his breakthrough to the Ninth Layer of the Purple Mansion.

Thus, this matter was temporarily set aside.

After Zhouyang spent a year at Red Fox Ridge in paranoia without any action from the Chen Family, he finally relaxed and focused his mind entirely on cultivation.

This incident also served as a wake-up call, illuminating the necessity to swiftly establish his own Purple Mansion.

Without establishing a Purple Mansion, when facing the Chen Family, he would always remain passive, only able to react after the Chen Family struck.

Conversely, once he successfully established his Purple Mansion, with his skills, even if he couldn't match the late-stage Purple Mansion Chen Family Ancestor, he could definitely intimidate the two Purple Mansion cultivators of the Chen Family, preventing thoughts of destroying the Zhou Family.

Furthermore, if he successfully established a Purple Mansion, he would immediately unlock the two storage rings Blood Nether had previously hidden. If he could find Tier Five Spirit Talismans within, he might even have a chance to strike back and kill the Chen Family Ancestor!