Beast Taming Immortal Clan

After using a top-grade magic weapon to completely sever ties with Luo Qingni regarding the ownership of the token for entering and leaving the secret island, Zhou Chun was finally relieved of a long-standing worry.

He didn't disturb Luo Qingni's alchemy and magic weapon refinement any further, and soon took his leave.

After leaving Luo Qingni's cave, Zhou Chun followed the information she had provided and visited each of the cultivators who might possess spiritual items that could help a mid-stage Golden Core cultivator improve their cultivation.

Unfortunately, Zhou Chun's visit yielded absolutely nothing.

It wasn't that those people didn't have the spiritual items he needed, but rather that they simply didn't find what he offered worthy of their attention.

He couldn't possibly exchange a high-grade magic weapon for such a consumable spiritual item.

Therefore, Zhou Chun could only regretfully put this matter aside for the time being and turn his attention to seeking spiritual treasures for Core Formation.

Among the younger generation of the Zhou family, Zhou Yuanlian, Zhou Xinyan, Xu Fu, and others all have the potential to break through to the Golden Core stage.

Although Zhou Chun had made a promise to Xu Fu, he had never promised to help anyone else obtain a Core Formation Spiritual Object.

However, as the person with the highest cultivation level in the family, he would definitely help these younger generations in this regard if he had the ability.

After nearly a year of this arduous journey, Zhou Chun successfully obtained two portions of [Extreme Yang Fire Spirit Liquid], one portion of [Extreme Cold Ice Marrow Liquid], and a [Mysterious Unity Qi-Merging Pill] that would aid in the fusion of pills.

Having accomplished this much, Zhou Chun felt he had done his best for the younger generation.

He wasn't their parent, after all, to prepare a complete set of Core Formation spiritual items for each of them.

If there aren't enough spiritual materials for Core Formation, then these people will have no choice but to seek opportunities on their own.

When Zhou Chun returned to Tianyuan Immortal City, found Luo Qingni, collected the pills she had entrusted to refine, and was about to bid farewell to Zhou Daoyi, he suddenly learned from Zhou Daoyi that someone had come to the Zhou family's Mingde Trading Company, claiming to be "Zhang Liang" and requesting an audience.

Since Zhou Daoyi knew that Zhou Chun traveled the world of cultivation and often used this pseudonym, he knew that the person had actually come to find Zhou Chun.

After learning about this, Zhou Chun decided to meet that person.

That day, after having someone from the business contact the person in advance, he waited for the other party to arrive in the backyard of the business.

When the person arrived, Zhou Chun immediately saw through her disguise and cheerfully greeted Bai Zhiqin, who was disguised as an old woman, saying, "So it's young friend Bai! What a rare guest!"

The old woman in front of him was none other than Bai Zhiqing, a disciple of the Heavenly Fire Sect in the cultivation world of the far west.

When Zhou Chun was a guest at the Heavenly Fire Sect, the sect helped him collect many specialties from the cultivation world in the far west, and the two became acquainted because of this.

During her conversations with him, Bai Zhiqing learned about the prosperity of the cultivation world in the Great Zhou Kingdom and felt a longing to visit it.

At the time, Zhou Chun was not very optimistic about the other party's plan, because it would be difficult and dangerous for someone with the Purple Mansion stage cultivation to achieve this.

However, looking at Bai Zhiqing, who had already reached the late stage of the Purple Mansion realm, Zhou Chun understood that she had ultimately chosen to take the risk and it seemed that she had already succeeded.

At this moment, after Zhou Chun exposed her true identity, Bai Zhiqin simply stopped hiding it and immediately dropped her disguise to reveal her true face. She respectfully bowed to him and said, "Junior greets Senior Zhang. I apologize for my presumptuous visit and for disturbing your cultivation. I hope you will forgive me."

"Young friend Bai, there's no need to be so polite. As the saying goes, 'It is a great pleasure to have friends coming from afar.' I am also extremely happy to meet a friend from a foreign land like you in the Great Zhou Kingdom."

Zhou Chun waved his hand and said with a smile.

Hearing his words, Bai Zhiqin's anxiety immediately dissipated, and she immediately flattered him, saying, "Senior Zhang has a broad mind and a magnanimous heart. I sincerely admire him."

Zhou Chun merely smiled faintly at such flattering words, unconcerned. He then looked at Bai Zhiqing and said directly, "Young friend Bai, with your mere Purple Mansion stage cultivation, you've traveled thousands of miles to the Great Zhou Kingdom. Your perseverance is truly admirable. I wonder if there's anything I can do to help you?"

However, he knew in his heart that Bai Zhiqing must have asked him for something when she came to Mingde Trading Company.

Sure enough, after hearing his words, Bai Zhiqing immediately replied respectfully, "I dare not deceive Senior Zhang. The reason why I have taken the liberty of visiting you is to ask for your help in exchanging Core Formation spiritual items with someone."

"Oh, so what you're saying, young friend Bai, is that you've already found someone to exchange with, but are just worried about unexpected things happening during the exchange?"

Zhou Chun's expression shifted, and he looked at the other person thoughtfully and asked.

"Yes, that is exactly what I'm worried about."

Bai Zhiqing nodded, directly acknowledging this.

Seeing this, Zhou Chun did not refuse and readily nodded, saying, "Alright, since that's the case, I'll help you with this small favor. Young friend Bai, please explain the situation to me in detail."

"Thank you very much, Senior Zhang. I am deeply grateful for your great kindness."

Bai Zhiqing was overjoyed and quickly thanked him profusely before explaining the situation.

After Zhou Chun understood the situation, he quickly had Bai Zhiqing contact the other party and personally facilitated the exchange on his behalf.

With Zhou Chun, an elder, facilitating the exchange, Bai Zhiqing then rented a cave dwelling in Tianyuan Immortal City to prepare for seclusion and core formation.

After completing this task, Zhou Chun returned directly to his family.

After returning to his family, Zhou Chun did not publicly put those Core Formation spiritual items up for sale. Instead, he privately revealed some information to a few promising juniors.

This wasn't because he had any selfish motives, but because he didn't want the family elders to ruin their relationships or do anything detrimental to family unity because of these Core Formation spiritual items.

Since Zhou Chun didn't directly announce the news about these Core Formation spiritual objects, some Purple Mansion stage elders who originally had little hope might not have any ideas yet, and just wanted to live out the rest of their lives in peace.

If he were to announce this news, I'm afraid everyone would be tempted to covet it and spend all their wealth to try and win it.

This is actually not a good thing for either them or the Zhou family.

Because if they fail, they risk losing their lives and their life savings.

For the family, these people's failures not only caused them to lose an elder, but also wasted the precious Core Formation artifact they had acquired with great difficulty.

Therefore, unless the family has an abundance of Core Formation spiritual items, or he successfully forms his Core and Nascent Soul in the future, Zhou Chun would definitely not easily release such treasures for people to exchange.

At the same time, the Zhou family elders who had received Zhou Chun's hints suddenly became full of energy, and their spirits were completely different.

The Golden Core and the Purple Mansion may seem to be separated by only one realm, but there are huge differences in their status, strength, and lifespan.

Only cultivators at the Golden Core stage can truly be called high-level cultivators.

Only by becoming a Golden Core cultivator can one truly enter the core circle of the Zhou family and become a decision-maker.

Two years passed quietly, and the four little insects that Zhou Chun had almost given up on finally ushered in their crucial third transformation!

After the four little insects underwent their third molt, they finally grew a pair of crystal-clear ice wings.

Those wings were as wide as butterfly wings, and with a flap of them they could carry small insects into the sky, and at a considerable speed.

Furthermore, after this transformation, the insect not only gained enhanced stealth abilities but could also spit out silk threads as a means of attack.

The silk threads they spit out are extremely tough; even a first-tier high-grade demon beast with brute strength cannot break them, and they contain an extremely cold aura.

Once bound by these silk threads, the chill emanating from them alone can impede the target's blood flow, making it difficult to exert the strength to break free.

Zhou Chun released them out to fight against some first-tier high-grade demonic beasts raised by the Zhou family, and found that even in one-on-one combat, no first-tier high-grade demonic beast could match them.

Even many monsters couldn't detect them when they were invisible!

This result surprised Zhou Chun, but it also essentially confirmed their true identities.

It's highly likely that it's the legendary six-winged ice silkworm!

Upon discovering this, Zhou Chun's attitude towards the four six-winged ice silkworm larvae changed drastically, and he began to nurture them with genuine care.

Not only were their food changed to the flesh and blood of various high-level demonic beasts and the leaves of high-level spirit trees, but they were even slaughtered and fed some "Heavenly Frost Frost Bees" that were about to die.

As Zhou Chun had guessed, the six-winged ice silkworm larvae, which showed little effect from eating the flesh and blood of high-level demonic beasts and the leaves of spirit trees, visibly experienced an increase in aura after consuming the "Heavenly Frost Frost Bee," a rare insect.

It is obvious that for the six-winged ice silkworm, only by feeding on other strange insects with the same attributes as the "frosty bee" can they accelerate their growth.

However, Zhou Chun did not actually feed all the "Frost Bees" to the Six-Winged Ice Silkworms because of this.

Because he knew very well that even if he fed all the "Heavenly Frost Bees" to these four larvae, he might not be able to get them to maturity and have the strength to instantly kill a Golden Core cultivator.

Since that's the case, it's better to let them grow naturally while they are still in their infancy, when their growth rate is relatively faster than it will be later.

Once they enter adolescence and even adulthood, when their growth rate becomes extremely slow, taking hundreds of years, they are then fed large quantities of "Frostbees" to promote their faster adulthood and maturity.

While Zhou Chun was focused on his cultivation, the Zhou family, after decades of recuperation, began to demonstrate its influence.

In the newly built market town of Baishou in Lianzhou, an auction that the Zhou family had been preparing for many years was also held.

The Zhou family had been preparing for this auction for nearly ten years, and even started promoting it a year in advance through the "Tianling Morning Post," with the news reaching other nearby countries.

Because a partial list of auction items was released during the pre-auction period, including precious items such as Foundation Establishment Pills and spiritual objects that assist in opening the Purple Mansion, it attracted many interested cultivators.

On the day of the auction, five Golden Core cultivators from the Wanshoufang market arrived, and there were so many Purple Mansion and Foundation Establishment cultivators that the auction hall's private rooms were not enough.

After all the cultivators participating in the auction had entered, Zhou Mingde personally appeared on the auction stage with the fourth-order Fire God Jackal to ensure the success of the auction.

The person in charge of hosting this auction was Zhou Yuanyuan, an elder of the Zhou family.

"Welcome, seniors and fellow Daoists, to the Hundred Beasts Market for this auction. On behalf of the Zhou family, I would like to express my sincerest gratitude to you all."

On the auction stage, Zhou Yuanyuan first looked around politely and gave an opening speech. Then, without hesitation, she patted her storage bag, took out a pill bottle, and announced loudly, "The next item in this auction is the first treasure: a Foundation Establishment Pill. The starting price is eight thousand spirit coins, and each bid must be at least one hundred spirit coins!"

As soon as the words were spoken, the eyes of those Qi Refining cultivators who were not strong enough to enter the private rooms immediately turned red.

They all stared intently at the pill bottle in Zhou Yuanyuan's hand, wishing they could immediately possess it.

For cultivators in the Qi Refining stage, the most precious treasure is always the Foundation Establishment Pill.

Even if they were asked to exchange their magic treasures for Foundation Establishment Pills, they would agree.

After all, they can't use magic weapons, but Foundation Establishment Pills can give them a great chance to successfully establish their foundation, thus taking the most important step on their cultivation path.

For a time, various bidding voices rose and fell, creating quite a lively scene.

In the end, this Foundation Establishment Pill was auctioned off for a high price of 14,500 spirit coins!

At the subsequent auction, various unique spiritual items from the Zhou family became the main products of the auction.

From small items like the [Demon Spirit Pill] which enhances the cultivation of second-tier demon beasts, to musk produced by the Fragrant Spirit Musk Deer, to large items like the cubs and eggs of mid-level demon beasts such as the Cloud-Stepping Dragon Steed and the Azure-Patterned Water Turtle, and even the essence blood of a fourth-tier flood dragon, all of them were put up for auction in turn.

Furthermore, Zhou Chun brought out various thousand-year-old spiritual herbs, magical treasures, and spiritual materials, which attracted Golden Core stage cultivators to make a move.

The final, most anticipated treasure is actually a low-grade magic weapon!

Daring to put a low-grade magic weapon up for auction undoubtedly demonstrates the Zhou family's extraordinary resources.

After all, for the vast majority of Golden Core families, there is never too much magic weapon.

Even if there are so many that even the Golden Core stage cultivators of the family cannot control them, they can still be transformed into "pseudo-magic weapons" or refined into talismanic treasures.

If the Zhou family dares to put their magical treasures up for auction now, it means they're either putting on a show or they have a stable way of acquiring magical treasures, or they have so many that they don't need one or two more.

In either case, it shows that the Zhou family is now on a completely different level from ordinary Golden Core families.

Therefore, after this auction, many cultivators who participated in the auction couldn't help but look at the Zhou family with even higher regard.

Perhaps they haven't truly come to regard the Zhou family as a Nascent Soul power or acknowledged its strength, but they certainly no longer dare to treat it as an ordinary Golden Core family.

However, this auction was only part of the Zhou family's demonstration of its strength and resources.

Shortly after the auction, the Zhou family convened a demon-hunting event, gathering various families and independent cultivator strongholds in Lanzhou and Lianzhou.

This demon-hunting operation mainly involves sweeping away and killing the demonic beasts that occupy the mountains and lakes within the two states, including even a few third-tier demonic beasts!

It should be noted that over the years, although the demonic beasts occupying Yunzhou have not launched large-scale invasions of Lanzhou, Lingzhou and other places, small groups of beasts or lone demonic beasts have often entered these Jingguo territories from Yunzhou.

When such monstrous creatures enter the country, the border patrol teams, which are more symbolic in nature, are simply powerless to stop them.

Therefore, even after decades, the threat of monsters in the central and southern states of Jingguo has not been eliminated.

When some Qi Refining cultivators with low cultivation levels go out, they have to avoid those deep mountains and forests, for fear that a few demonic beasts might suddenly jump out and take them as prey.

But this time the Zhou family is serious!

More than two hundred Zhou family cultivators, along with their many times larger number of spirit pets and cultivators from various vassal forces they had gathered, totaling five or six hundred people, were divided into dozens of teams to conduct a dragnet-style search and hunt, clearing out the demonic beasts within the two states.

Many demonic beasts usually hide very well, either sleeping during the day and coming out at night, or hiding when they smell the scent of cultivators, which is why they have escaped some previous extermination operations.

This time, however, the Zhou family's teams all brought along demonic beasts skilled in tracking. By using these demonic beasts to find other demonic beasts, they immediately made those cunning beasts nowhere to hide.

This massive demon-hunting operation lasted for more than three months before it ended.

During this demon-hunting operation, not a single Golden Core cultivator from the Zhou family made a move, and they didn't even send out any fourth-tier demon beasts.

Even under these circumstances, the Zhou family killed three third-tier demonic beasts, more than fifty second-tier demonic beasts, and more than twenty thousand first-tier demonic beasts!

However, fewer than fifty cultivators perished during the event, and less than half of them belonged to the Zhou family.

It was a very successful monster-hunting event!

After this monster-hunting operation, the monsters in Lanzhou and Lianzhou were basically all eliminated, and the safety level was restored to what it was before the monster tide.

The Zhou family's execution capabilities during this event, as well as the individual strength displayed by the Zhou family cultivators, greatly deterred the vassal forces that participated in the battle.

There is no harm without comparison!

While hunting demonic beasts with the Zhou family members, the cultivators from the vassal forces were all humbled by the strength and skills displayed by the Zhou family cultivators.

After this event, when these vassal cultivators talked about the Zhou family, they were filled with awe.

Only then did these cultivators realize that they were inferior to the Zhou family, not only because they lacked a Golden Core cultivator, but also because they themselves were not at all on par with the Zhou family cultivators of the same realm!

Once this understanding is formed, they will only have awe and reverence for the Zhou family, the sect leader.

On the other hand, this demon-hunting activity is also a test and assessment of many members of the Zhou family.

Those clansmen who performed exceptionally well in the demon-hunting activities received various material rewards from the clan afterward. Some outstanding individuals even caught the eye of the clan elders or even the supreme elders, gaining the favor of these true power holders of the clan.

All of these outstanding clansmen were personally received and awarded by Zhou Xinyan.

"Zhou Yuanxin, hmm, your father is Zhou Gaoping? Not bad, not bad. Your performance in this demon-hunting operation can be considered a case of 'like father, like son'!"

"This Thunder Lizard Beast egg is the family's reward for your outstanding performance. We hope you will not let the family down, nurture this beast well, and advance to the second or even third tier together in the future!"

Inside the Zhongping Hall, where the clan chief conducts his business, Zhou Xinyan patted a round-faced young man on the shoulder with an encouraging smile. After offering some encouragement, he distributed the prepared reward to the young man.

After receiving the jade box containing the beast eggs, the round-faced youth could not hide his joy. He quickly hugged the jade box tightly and bowed deeply to Zhou Xinyan, saying, "Zhou Yuanxin thanks Elder for the gift. This junior will definitely cultivate diligently, serve the family loyally, and live up to the family's cultivation and the elder's kindness!"

Speechless. I could have finished writing six thousand words, but my family kept calling me for an hour tonight to pressure me to get married. It's driving me crazy!