Beast Taming Immortal Clan

Zhou Chun was also curious and wary about why Ukuru was demanding more Black Lotus Pills.

Therefore, after parting ways with Ukuru and agreeing on another date for the handover, Zhou Chun secretly went to the Black Spear Tribe and captured a second-tier sorcerer who was leading a hunting party to search his soul.

After a thorough soul search, Zhou Chun easily learned the true purpose of the Black Lotus Pill for the Scaled Frog race.

"So that's how it is? The Black Lotus Pill can actually strengthen the bloodline of the Scaled Frog race, and even stimulate its power, allowing some Scaled Frogs who would normally find it difficult to become sorcerers to become sorcerers!"

Zhou Chun's gaze sharpened, and he finally understood why Ukuru had done that.

Fortunately, he was observant and noticed this, otherwise, not only would the Scaled Frog alien race have greatly increased their overall strength by obtaining a large number of [Black Lotus Pills], but the Zhou family would also have become a sucker.

To give a simple example, if there were a pill in the cultivation world that could allow mortals without spiritual roots to develop them and embark on the path of cultivation, and that was not difficult to refine, then such a pill would definitely change the entire landscape of the cultivation world and the entire human race!

Although spiritual roots and bloodlines are not the same thing, the significance of the Black Lotus Pill to the Scaled Frog race is just as important as the pills mentioned in the example.

Therefore, after understanding this, Zhou Chun not only could no longer trade large quantities of [Black Lotus Pills] to the Scaled Frog aliens, but he also had to significantly increase the selling value of this elixir.

Instead of rushing to expose the matter, he returned to his family to investigate the situation of the Black Lotus Pill.

After Zhou Chun brought back the lotus seeds from the secret island, four kinds of them sprouted and grew. Two of them were the [Clear Fire Lotus] and the [Golden Thread White Jade Lotus] recorded in the Zhou family's collection of books.

The other two types were not recorded by the Zhou family; they may be some kind of mutated lotus variety or an unknown lotus variety.

The black lotus used to refine the Black Lotus Pill is one type; another type grows extremely slowly and has never flowered or borne fruit.

The black lotus had also been studied by alchemists from the Zhou and Su families. Apart from the fact that the water-attribute spiritual power it contained was relatively pure and suitable for use as the main ingredient in refining the [Water Lotus Pill], no special effects were found. It was not as valued as the [Clear Fire Lotus] and the [Golden Silk White Jade Lotus].

The former can be used to refine the "Fire-Clearing and Detoxifying Pill," which has a very good effect on resolving fire poison. The Yan Yang Sect has been purchasing large quantities of this kind of elixir for its disciples to use in their cultivation.

While the lotus seeds of the latter are not particularly rare, the golden threads that grow inside the stem are a rare spiritual substance, making them very suitable for making banners and robes for array formations. At the same time, the white jade lotus root is also sweet and delicious, and can be eaten raw as a spiritual fruit or cooked into soup as a spiritual meal.

Therefore, the Zhou family now has limited land suitable for planting these spirit lotuses, and they plant more of the [Clear Fire Lotus] and [Golden Silk White Jade Lotus], while the number of black lotuses is relatively much smaller. The same is true for the Su family.

After thoroughly investigating and clarifying the relevant situation, Zhou Chun did not rush to order the family to increase or decrease the production of black lotus. He would wait until he met with Wukulu again before making a decision.

Two more months passed, and Zhou Chun met with Ukuru again, along with his chosen successor.

"Senior Zhou, this is Bahar, whom Ukuru mentioned to you before. He will be our tribe's new High Priest, and he will be responsible for trade and cooperation with your family from now on!"

It was in the same water mansion that Lu Ran had built that Zhou Chun met with two third-tier sorcerers.

Upon hearing Ukuru's words, he couldn't help but turn his gaze to Bahar.

This person is similar to Ukuru, who had just taken over as the High Priest of the Scaled Frog Alien Clan. He is a third-tier low-grade sorcerer and should also be a rising star cultivated by the Black Spear Tribe, and a direct subordinate of Ukuru.

Faced with Zhou Chun's scrutiny, the High Priest Bahar quickly bowed and said, "Junior Bahar greets Senior Zhou."

He spoke human language quite fluently, which suggested he had put in a lot of practice.

Zhou Chun didn't try to intimidate the other party, but smiled kindly and said, "Fellow Daoist Bahar, you are too kind. I hope you will take good care of our two clans in future trade exchanges."

Upon hearing this, High Priest Bahar immediately replied solemnly, "This junior will certainly do his utmost."

After the two had met, Zhou Chun turned his gaze back to High Priest Ukuru, looking at him meaningfully and saying, "Fellow Daoist Ukuru, you weren't entirely truthful about the specific uses of the Black Lotus Pill last time, were you? From what I understand, the truth is quite different from what you said!"

Upon hearing his words, Ukuru and Bahar both paled, their eyes immediately filled with undisguised panic.

The two exchanged a glance, and then Ukuru immediately bowed to Zhou Chunshen and said, "This junior is guilty of deceiving Senior Zhou. Please forgive me."

Upon seeing this, Zhou Chun waved his hand and said, "In business, it's normal to deliberately conceal product information in order to buy low and sell high. I don't have any intention of blaming Fellow Daoist Wukulu."

Then, changing the subject again, he continued, "However, since the true function of the [Black Lotus Pill] is not simply to improve one's magical power, then the price can't be exchanged at the low price we used to pay."

"Moreover, if you wish to acquire such a treasure, you will likely need to offer some truly valuable items as a token of your sincerity; otherwise, it would violate the principle of fair exchange!"

Judging from his words, he clearly did not intend to completely prohibit the sale of the Black Lotus Pill to the Scaled Frog race.

After Ukuru and Bahar realized this, they breathed a sigh of relief.

Their biggest worry was that Zhou Chun, once he learned the true effects of the Black Lotus Pill, would find an excuse to stop selling it to the Scaled Frog Clan.

Since everything is still negotiable, things are much easier to discuss.

Ukuru immediately nodded repeatedly and said, "Yes, yes, Senior Zhou is absolutely right. I completely agree with your point of view."

Then, looking at Zhou Chun cautiously, he said, "But I wonder what Senior Zhou thinks is a suitable price for a single Black Lotus Pill?"

"What do you think is a suitable amount, Fellow Daoist Ukuru?"

Zhou Chun looked at the other person with a half-smile, but threw the question back at them.

"This, this..."

Ukuru stammered, his mouth agape, and after a long pause, he couldn't utter a single complete sentence.

He certainly wanted to set a low price, but he also knew in his heart that Zhou Chun would not let them take advantage of him again.

However, he was hesitant to decide on the exact price to offer.

Upon seeing this, Zhou Chun immediately smiled and said, "It seems that Fellow Daoist Ukuru also knows that such treasures cannot be easily measured by money!"

Before Ukuru could deny it, he immediately continued, "In that case, I have a preliminary plan. Fellow Daoist Ukuru, please take a look and see if it's feasible!"

Upon hearing this, Ukuru swallowed back the denial he was about to utter and could only look at him helplessly, saying, "Please enlighten me, Senior Zhou."

Zhou Chun raised his finger and said, "My plan is very simple. My Zhou family will not require the Scaled Frog Clan to pay an extremely high price for this Black Lotus Pill. Instead, we will include it as a gift in every trade exchange."

"The more rare and precious items the Scaled Frog Clan brings out in each trade exchange, the more gifts our Zhou family will give. Conversely, the fewer items they bring out, the less gifts they will receive, or even none at all!"

Upon hearing this, both Ukuru and Bahar frowned, pondering the pros and cons.

Then the two of them quickly changed their expressions and realized the key to the matter.

Ukuru immediately put on a mournful face and said, "Senior Zhou, could you perhaps offer a different proposal? Our clan is willing to exchange ten times the original price for the [Black Lotus Pill], only asking that the Zhou family grant us more purchase slots!"

However, he also realized the "sinister intentions" behind Zhou Chun's plan.

If they follow Zhou Chun's plan, not only will the number of Black Lotus Pills their Scaled Frog Clan obtain be difficult to guarantee, but they will also have to sacrifice their clan's sorcerers to obtain precious spiritual items from dangerous areas within Dragon Abyss Marsh, indirectly weakening the clan's power.

But now that Zhou Chun understands the true purpose of the Black Lotus Pill, he certainly wouldn't sell it in large quantities to the Scaled Frog Clan.

So, abandoning his previous amiable demeanor, he put on a stern face and said, "Fellow Daoist Ukuru, you jest. If you can produce a pill that allows even mortals of my human race to develop spiritual roots and cultivate immortal techniques, let alone ten times the original price of the [Black Lotus Pill], even a hundred or a thousand times the price, I, Zhou, will buy as many as I can, without any haggling!"

Upon hearing this, Ukuru immediately panicked and hurriedly retorted, "But the Black Lotus Pill can't turn every ordinary member of our tribe into a sorcerer; it only has an extremely low probability!"

He then added, "Moreover, those clansmen who become sorcerers by relying on the [Black Lotus Pill] have almost no chance of breaking through to the second tier!"

No matter what he said, Zhou Chun had already made up her mind.

After all, the Zhou family doesn't necessarily have to use the Black Lotus Pill to earn the wealth accumulated by the Scaled Frog Clan. Even if they don't sell the Black Lotus Pill to the Scaled Frog Clan, they can still earn the wealth they deserve through other means.

Therefore, he didn't care about the small profits he could make from directly selling the Black Lotus Pill.

He immediately shook his head slightly and said, "Fellow Daoist Ukuru, there's no need for further words. My mind is made up. Either do as I say, or I will remove the [Black Lotus Pill] from all future trade goods. You choose one!"

After these words were spoken, both Ukuru and Nabahar's expressions turned extremely ugly, and they fell silent.

Zhou Chun wasn't in a hurry to urge them, believing that the two of them had no better choice.

In terms of trade between the two tribes, it has always been the Scaled Frog tribe that needs the Zhou family's help, not the other way around.

Even if trade is cut off, the Zhou family will at most only lose one source of income.

Sure enough, after a moment of silence, Ukuru said in a hoarse voice, "In that case, let's proceed according to Senior Zhou's decision!"

"Very well, then it's settled. I will explain this matter to my clansmen when I return, and we can begin implementing it next time our two clans engage in trade!"

Zhou Chun nodded in satisfaction, and the matter was settled in just a few words.

He then paid no attention to the two disheartened scaled frog alien sorcerers and went straight back to his family to cultivate in seclusion.

"High Priest Ukuru, the Zhou family is truly bullying us! Over the years, we have sacrificed so many lives of our people and offered them so many rare aquatic treasures, yet we are still being toyed with and humiliated by them at will. It's simply too much!"

Back in the Black Spear tribe, High Priest Bahar, recalling his meeting with Zhou Chun in the Water Palace, could no longer contain his resentment and began to complain loudly to High Priest Ukuru.

Ukuru, who didn't want to hear his complaints, immediately changed his expression, his eyes turning icy as he snapped, "Bahar, shut up! Have you forgotten my warnings? Have you forgotten your promises to me?"

"No, I just..."

Bahar hurriedly opened his mouth and waved his hands, trying to explain, but Ukuru directly waved his hand and interrupted him, "Alright, stop explaining. You go and face the wall for three months now, and properly recite my previous teachings to you. This is for your own good and for the good of the tribe!"

His words were filled with an air of unquestionable authority.

"Yes, Bahar obeys the High Priest's command!"

Bahar opened his mouth, but in the end, he dejectedly agreed in a low voice.

But just as he was about to go and reflect on his actions, Ukuru called out to him again, "Wait a moment."

Ukuru looked at Bahar with a serious expression and said in a very solemn tone, "Bahar, remember this: the Zhou family is not someone our Scaled Frog Clan can afford to offend. At least until a fourth-tier sorcerer appears in our clan, we absolutely cannot offend them in the slightest!"

"You must understand that only through trade with the Zhou family can our clan obtain those elixirs and magical artifacts, and only then can our clan hope to produce fourth-tier sorcerers!"

"Therefore, I hope you will remember this very well: as long as the Zhou family is still willing to trade with us and provide what our tribe needs, no matter how much humiliation you personally endure, you must bear it. You absolutely cannot offend the Zhou family, otherwise you will be a sinner to the entire tribe and will be despised by all the Scaled Frog people!!"

At this point, Ukuru raised his hand and gently placed it on Bahar's head, then whispered, "Do you understand what I'm saying?"

"Yes, Bahar understands, and Bahar will certainly remember High Priest Ukuru's teachings!"

After exchanging a glance with Ukuru, Bahar nodded emphatically and responded in a serious tone.

He then went to face the wall and reflect on his actions.

As Ukuru watched Bahar's departing figure, his gaze suddenly turned deep and unfathomable.

In just six months, Zhou Chun received the "sincerity" of the Scaled Frog alien race.

"This [Ren Water Mystic Pearl] is the most precious spiritual item that the Scaled Frog alien race brought out in this trade. It is said that it was a treasure obtained from the depths of Dragon Abyss by High Priest Ukuru at the cost of his own life!"

"According to the standards set by you, Chieftain, and including other rare spiritual items, Xu Fu, who was in charge of the trade, gave the other party fifty-five [Black Lotus Pills] as a reward!"

Inside Zhou Chun's cave, Zhou Xinyan presented a jade box containing a water-white spirit pearl and respectfully reported on the Zhou family's trade with the Scaled Frog alien race.

Normally, there would be no need to ask Zhou Chun for instructions or report on this matter; he has more than enough authority to handle it.

However, the [Ren Water Mystic Pearl] obtained this time was too precious, so Zhou Xinyan made a special trip to visit and report on the matter in order to show his merit.

When Zhou Chun saw the water-white spirit pearl, his eyes lit up, and he immediately raised his hand to take it into his hand for careful examination.

After examining it, he nodded repeatedly, unable to hide his smile, and said, "Excellent, excellent! This [Ren Water Mystic Pearl] is indeed a rare water-attribute spiritual object, and it will be of great use to me!"

He then nodded slightly to Zhou Xinyan and said, "You did a good job on this matter. Thank you for your thoughtfulness."

The words "Thank you for your kindness" immediately brought a smile to Zhou Xinyan's face. She quickly lowered her head and replied respectfully, "It is my honor to serve the clan leader."

He then tactfully took his leave and departed.

After he left, Zhou Chun looked at the [Ren Water Mystic Pearl] in his hand and became more and more satisfied.

This item contains extremely pure Ren water power, making it a very rare water-attribute spiritual object of the level of a magic weapon material.

More importantly, this item can also serve as an auxiliary material for cultivating the third level of the "Minor Five Elements Breaking the Restriction Mystic Light".

In this way, Zhou Chun will have the wood-attribute [Azure Wood Spirit Heart] and the water-attribute [Ren Water Mysterious Pearl]. As long as he gathers spiritual objects of the three attributes of metal, fire, and earth, and masters the second level of the "Minor Five Elements Breaking Restriction Mysterious Light", he can cultivate the third level of secret techniques that even Lin Canghai has never ventured into.

With the Black Lotus Pill, a treasure that gives them leverage over the Scaled Frog race, the Zhou family will no longer have to worry about the Scaled Frog race refusing to offer rare spiritual items in exchange.

Perhaps spiritual objects of the level of [Ren Shui Xuan Zhu] are rare and hard to come by, but the number of spiritual objects of the next level will definitely increase significantly in the future.

……

On an arena shrouded in an array, two young cultivators, a man and a woman, are engaged in fierce combat.

The young couple looked very young; the man was handsome and extraordinary, and the woman was dashing and spirited. Judging from their appearances, they seemed to be only in their early twenties, but their cultivation levels were already at the Foundation Establishment stage.

As the young man formed hand seals, a white mist engulfed the vast arena. Then, his hand gestures changed, and several white water snakes, each ten feet long, hissed and lunged at the female cultivator in the mist.

The female cultivator in green, upon seeing the rising mist, remained completely calm, instead revealing a hint of mockery in her eyes.

She didn't use any magical artifacts either; she simply made hand seals and flicked her sleeves.

Suddenly, a gust of blue wind appeared out of nowhere, instantly dispersing most of the water mist in the arena.

Several white water snakes that lunged at the scene were blown away by the blue gale.

The young man was slightly stunned by this scene.

Then, looking at the female cultivator in green opposite him with increasing admiration, he said, "Fairy Zhou, your wind-attribute magic is truly powerful. I, Su, have finally met my match today!"

Unexpectedly, after hearing his words, the female cultivator in green simply replied, "You're alright, barely qualified to fight me."

Upon hearing this, the usually arrogant young man immediately felt he was losing face and let out a long roar, saying, "Since that's the case, then let me, Su, experience the skills of Fairy Zhou!"

Before the words had even faded, he channeled his magical power, forming hand seals and instantly completed the casting of a mid-grade second-tier spell, summoning a white water shark five or six zhang long that lunged at the female cultivator in green.

Faced with his somewhat enraged attack, the female cultivator in green smiled and casually made a hand seal. A green wind dragon of the same size roared towards the white water dragon.

The two dragon shadows collided in mid-air, and soon the azure wind dragon tore the white water dragon to pieces from head to tail. Then, the azure wind dragon, now much smaller, continued to pounce on the young man.

The young man's face darkened at the sight, and he hurriedly activated his technique with supernatural powers, creating a white water wave shield to protect himself.

But he soon discovered that the female cultivator in green opposite him was far more skilled in magic than he had expected, and the power of her spells was inexplicably strong.

He had just blocked the weakened azure wind dragon when another azure wind spear shot towards him.

Such attacks, which were highly effective against the protective shield, made the young man dare not rely on the shield to withstand them, and he was forced to resort to his magical artifact.

Unexpectedly, just as he summoned a black tortoise-shell magic weapon to block the cyan wind spear, more than a dozen cyan wind blades shot towards him in succession.

The young man then realized that he seemed to have become a target for his opponent to practice his spells. One wind-attribute spell after another was launched at him without repeating any, giving him no chance to fight back at all.

In the end, the young man tried his best but could only force his opponent to reveal a blue spear magic weapon before he lost!

"Zhou Zhiying wins!"

As Zhou Zhengyong, the elder of the Zhou family who was acting as referee, announced the result, both of them flew off the stage, handing it over to the next pair of cultivators.

Then the two flew to the main stands and landed next to Zhou Chun and the Su family patriarch, both Golden Core cultivators.

It turns out that today's event is a martial arts competition hosted by the Zhou family, which has invited several cultivation families, including the Su family, to participate. Furthermore, Foundation Establishment cultivators who meet the age requirements are allowed to compete on stage.

Just now, it was a clash between a young Foundation Establishment cultivator from the Zhou family and a young Foundation Establishment cultivator from the Su family.

Seeing his junior drooping like a wilted eggplant, not daring to look at him, the Su family patriarch looked at him with a disappointed expression and scolded, "Look! I've told you all before that there are always people better than you. Don't underestimate the heroes of the world just because you've achieved some success and are ahead of your peers in the family!"

After saying that, he looked at Zhou Chun with envy and said, "Zheng Chun, your disciple is truly remarkable! At such a young age, he has already reached the mid-stage of Foundation Establishment and has such profound attainments in magic. It's truly amazing and enviable!"

Upon hearing this, Zhou Chun immediately waved his hands and said, "Ancestor, please don't praise this girl. The more you praise her, the more arrogant she becomes! It's also because I didn't supervise her properly that she secretly swallowed a third-tier [Phoenix Essence Fruit]. Although she was lucky enough to break through to the mid-Foundation Establishment stage with a surge in cultivation, she overdrawn her potential, which is truly infuriating!"

The "Phoenix Essence Fruit" he mentioned was naturally fabricated, a fabricated reason to cover up Zhou Zhiying's rapid breakthrough to the mid-Foundation Establishment stage.

To be honest, he originally did not approve of his disciple participating in this martial arts competition, but unfortunately, the Zhou family cultivators were not up to par, and no one could suppress the Su family's momentum.

So Zhou Zhiying, unable to contain her anger, disregarded his previous objections and forcibly helped her clansmen get revenge, forcing him to fabricate a story about the "Phoenix Essence Fruit," a rare fruit in the cultivation world, to help him conceal his true talent.