I am in Yellow Maple Valley, and I have a demonic beast clone!

Chapter Twenty: The Ancestor Bestows a Treasure!

As soon as Ancestor Zhou Yong finished speaking, the hall fell into a deathly silence, so quiet you could hear a pin drop.

Only the rustling of bamboo leaves in the wind outside the window accentuated the heavy and oppressive atmosphere inside.

Bloodstained Forbidden Land!

These four words weighed heavily on Zhou Xue and Zhou Long's hearts like an invisible boulder, making their faces pale and their breathing difficult.

That place is a land of opportunity, but also a millstone of flesh and blood. Of the disciples who have survived each time, only three out of ten have made it out alive!

Although they longed to build their foundation and yearned for immortality, fear instantly gripped their minds when faced with such a near-death mission.

Zhou Ding remained silent, his brows furrowed and his gaze lowered, as if he too was weighing his options and struggling with his decision.

His mind raced: "The ancestor has already said so much, and it concerns the survival of the family. With the authority and determination of a Foundation Establishment cultivator, refusing is probably impossible. It would only arouse suspicion, and might even lead to him using thunderous methods to establish his authority on the spot."

He quickly assessed the pros and cons.

Entering the Crimson Forbidden Land is certainly extremely risky, but with my current true strength, as long as I don't deliberately venture into a deadly place or provoke beings far superior to myself, my chances of survival and even gaining something are much greater than the other two present.

More importantly, if one can "obtain" the Foundation Establishment Pill under the pretext of "coming out of the forbidden area alive and bringing back the spiritual medicine", then the two Foundation Establishment Pills that one already has will have a reasonable and verifiable "source"!

Once he successfully establishes his foundation, it will be difficult for the Zhou family, Huangfeng Valley, or anyone secretly watching Lu Mingyuan's death to focus their suspicions on him again.

Risk and opportunity coexist, but the opportunity seems to outweigh the risk.

With this in mind, Zhou Ding no longer hesitated.

He took a deep breath, stepped forward, clasped his hands in a fist and bowed, his voice steady and clear: "Our ancestor has gone to great lengths for the sake of the family. As a member of the Zhou family, I, Zhou Ding, bear the responsibility for the rise and fall of the family. The Bloodstained Forbidden Land... I am willing to go!"

A relieved smile finally appeared on Zhou Yong's tense face, and his gaze towards Zhou Ding held even more approval: "Good! Fearless in the face of danger, daring to shoulder heavy responsibilities, that's what makes a fine son of the Zhou family!"

Seeing Zhou Ding take the lead, Zhou Xue and Zhou Long exchanged a glance, both seeing struggle and helplessness in each other's eyes.

They knew that there was no turning back now.

Zhou Xue bit her lower lip, and Zhou Long's expression changed several times. In the end, the two of them also stepped forward with steely resolve, their voices trembling slightly: "Disciple...disciple is also willing to go."

"Okay, okay, okay!"

Zhou Yong repeatedly said "good" three times, his face showing even greater satisfaction, as if he saw the hope for the Zhou family's revival: "With sons like you who are not afraid of hardships, how can the Zhou family not prosper!"

He turned his gaze to Zhou Xue, his tone softening slightly: "Xue'er, come forward."

Zhou Xue quickly stepped forward. Zhou Yong took out an item from his storage bag, which was a beautifully crafted, ice-blue slender sword that exuded a chilling aura.

"This is the 'Frost Spike,' a top-tier offensive magic weapon, forged from century-old cold iron mixed with a small amount of ice crystals. It is incomparably sharp and possesses an inherent icy aura. You have dual water and wood spiritual roots, and this sword is compatible with your attributes. I hope you will use it wisely."

Zhou Xue's eyes flashed with surprise. She quickly accepted the treasure with both hands, bowed, and thanked them, saying, "Thank you so much, Ancestor, for bestowing this treasure upon me! Xue'er will certainly not disappoint you!"

"Long'er, come here too." Zhou Yong beckoned to Zhou Long again.

Zhou Long immediately stepped forward, his face full of anticipation.

Zhou Yong took out a round, brass-colored shield engraved with mountain patterns.

"This is the 'Earth Shield,' a top-tier magic weapon with considerable defensive power, especially adept at resisting attacks from the metal and fire elements. Your cultivation is slightly inferior, but having this shield will provide you with more protection."

Zhou Long excitedly accepted the shield and thanked him repeatedly.

After bestowing the two top-tier magic artifacts, Zhou Yong stopped moving, simply stroking his beard and saying calmly, "Alright, this is all I can do so that you can emerge alive from the Crimson Forbidden Land. From now on, it depends on your own abilities, character, and luck."

Zhou Long, holding the Earth Shield, couldn't hide his joy. He secretly glanced at Zhou Ding and saw that Zhou Ding was still standing there empty-handed. A hint of smugness and gloating flashed in his eyes. He thought to himself: It seems that the ancestor still values ​​my sister and me the most. This taciturn Zhou Ding probably won't even get a decent magic weapon.

Zhou Ding remained calm, seemingly oblivious to Zhou Long's gaze, but his heart was filled with icy coldness.

Just then, Zhou Yong suddenly spoke up: "Zhou Ding, stay here. Xue'er, Long'er, you two go back first and make good preparations. Don't slack off."

Upon hearing this, Zhou Xue and Zhou Long's expressions both changed.

Zhou Xue gave Zhou Ding a deep look, her eyes filled with complex emotions, as if she wanted to say something but hesitated. In the end, she bowed and took her leave.

Zhou Long looked on with surprise and uncertainty, but dared not ask any more questions, so he could only follow his sister out of the hall.

The two walked out of Tingzhu Pavilion and went some distance away. Zhou Long couldn't help but whisper, "Sister, why did the Ancestor keep Zhou Ding behind alone? Could it be... that he's going to give him something in secret?"

Zhou Xue frowned and shook her head: "How can we possibly fathom the actions of our ancestor? Perhaps... he simply hasn't bestowed any treasures upon us, and is merely trying to appease him."

Even so, she felt a vague unease in her heart, and the joy brought by the icy thorn faded somewhat.

……

Only Zhou Ding and Zhou Yong remained in the hall.

Zhou Yong's gaze fell on Zhou Ding, scrutinizing him carefully. His admiration deepened: "Zhou Ding, I truly didn't expect this. With your three spiritual roots, you actually managed to surpass Xue'er, who has two spiritual roots, and reach the Qi Refining Perfection realm. This is definitely not something that can be achieved through mere hard work; there must have been some other fortuitous opportunity or good fortune involved, right?"

Zhou Ding felt a chill run down his spine, knowing he couldn't hide it any longer. He didn't intend to conceal it completely, so he respectfully replied, "Ancestor, you are wise. In the past few years, I did have some good fortune and obtained a few bottles of high-quality pills. In addition, I dared not slack off and cultivated diligently day and night, which is why I have achieved what I have today."

He attributed most of the credit to "elixirs" and "ascetic practices".

Zhou Yong nodded, not delving into the matter further.

In the world of cultivation, opportunities are determined by luck, so it's a good thing for disciples to have extraordinary encounters.

He pondered for a moment, then took out two items from his pocket and solemnly handed them to Zhou Ding.

The first item was a yellowish-brown talisman, about half a foot long and two inches wide.

The talisman paper has a peculiar texture, resembling neither leather nor silk. On it, a lifelike arrow with a sharp tip is drawn in silver cinnabar, as if it is about to burst out of the paper at any moment. A fierce and unparalleled pressure, far exceeding that of ordinary magical artifacts, is faintly emanating from it.

"A talisman!" Zhou Ding's eyes narrowed.

The second item was a piece of ordinary blue talisman paper, on which the runes were more complex and profound than those on ordinary talismans, and faintly exuded an aura of spatial fluctuation.

"This is a 'Minor Teleportation Talisman,' a mid-level beginner talisman. Once activated, it can instantly teleport you randomly to a place several miles away. It is a life-saving escape item in critical moments, but it takes some time to activate and can only be used once," Zhou Yong explained.

Zhou Ding was immediately overjoyed.

He had prepared himself for no extra gain, but he never expected that the ancestor would bestow such a precious treasure upon him in private!

Needless to say, talismans are incredibly powerful in crucial moments.

This small teleportation talisman is an even more powerful life-saving tool, its effectiveness is no less than that of an ordinary top-tier magic weapon!