Chapter 588: Chapter 588

Ye Yunshan was suddenly accepted as a direct disciple by Mistress Xiao Ying, an event so shocking that even she herself was extremely taken aback.

In front of Xiao Ying, she merely hoped to earn a Foundation Establishment Pill, never daring to dream of such a grand opportunity.

Of course, after the shock comes ecstasy.

Even those newly acquainted with cultivation know the vast difference between being a registered disciple and a direct disciple.

Becoming the direct disciple of Xiao Ying, a fresh Golden Core Stage cultivator, not only assures Ye Yunshan’s success in Foundation Establishment, but also holds promise for her to open up the Purple Mansion in the future, making her cultivation journey smooth and placing her in a whole different tier compared to the registered disciples on Chongxuan Mountain.

Wang Yanzhang was equally pleased; Ye Yunshan is his sworn sister and Dao Companion, and if she prospers, he, as her elder brother and Dao Companion, would surely not lag behind.

With Xiao Ying, such a Golden Core Stage cultivator, watching over, he need not worry further about his sister and Dao Companion being harmed.

In the past, he often feared that if members of the Six Paths Alliance attacked, Master Zhouyang might fail to resist and abandon the registered disciples to flee back to Yuqing Daoist Sect.

But now, he can wholly put aside such worries.

For even if a retreat is necessary, Ye Yunshan, as Xiao Ying’s direct disciple, would surely be taken along, and being Ye Yunshan’s Dao Companion, he would unlikely be casually abandoned.

Though bearing a reputation of relying on someone else’s favor is inevitable, it pales compared to the immense benefits.

Yet, compared with the jubilant Wang Yanzhang and Ye Yunshan, the others on Chongxuan Mountain had mixed feelings.

Undoubtedly, aside from the five Zhou Family cultivators Zhouyang brought, the other registered disciples came to Chongxuan Mountain to learn in hopes of acquiring a Foundation Establishment Pill from Zhouyang, while also hoping to impress him someday to be truly valued and accepted as official disciples of the Golden Core Stage cultivator.

After all these years, while still seeing no hope, Ye Yunshan suddenly stood out and took a different path, becoming the direct disciple of the newly formed Golden Core Stage mistress, achieving what they all had dreamed of.

How could this outcome not provoke envy and jealousy among them?

If Ye Yunshan had been a Spirit Body Cultivator or had a Top-grade Spirit Root Talent, they might not envy; yet Ye Yunshan had a Middle-grade Spirit Root Talent just like ninety percent of them.

Everyone has Middle-grade Spirit Root Talent, joining at the same time, so why are they still registered disciples, still seeing no hope for Foundation Establishment while Ye Yunshan has become Mistress’s direct disciple, with a promising future for the Purple Mansion? Why?

Such thoughts not only arose in the hearts of those who joined the sect along with Ye Yunshan but also among the five Zhou Clan juniors who arrived from Liuyun Continent Cultivation Realm with Zhouyang.

As Zhou Clan members sharing the same ancestral blood with Zhouyang, they had served Zhouyang and his wife earlier than Ye Yunshan. Logically, if disciples were truly to be accepted, consideration should have first gone to them.

Why? Why did Ye Yunshan, an outsider, earn more favor from the clan’s patriarch and matriarch than them, the Zhou Clan members?

Such thoughts lingered in the hearts of registered disciples, making it hard for them to focus on cultivation.

Momentarily, heart disquieted the registered disciples on Chongxuan Mountain, devoid of enthusiasm for tasks and cultivation.

Of course, though dissatisfied and jealous, none dared foolishly question Zhouyang and Xiao Ying’s decision, nor publicly doubt it, fearing to voice their displeasure.

Everyone knows the dangers of speaking out of turn.

The Divine Sense of Golden Core Stage cultivators easily covers Chongxuan Mountain, so no one could guarantee their words wouldn’t be overheard by these cultivators.

As for these registered disciples’ thoughts, Zhouyang and Xiao Ying were naturally aware.

This is but human nature, and put in their shoes, they might also find it hard to resist such sentiments.

So long as none courted self-destruction by offending them, they would not reprimand or punish these individuals.

Time serves as the best mediator, as Zhouyang believes that as time passes and Ye Yunshan’s cultivation surpasses theirs, these feelings will naturally change.

Thus, after the disciple acceptance ceremony, Ye Yunshan moved to the peak area to cultivate, no longer partaking in mundane chores with the other registered disciples.

Zhouyang cared little for how Xiao Ying instructed her disciple, choosing to delve into the "Blood Soul Sacrificial Artifact Technique" acquired from Master Cyan Yang after resting for several days, intending to refine the Beast-Faced Dragon Cauldron using this secret technique.

This "Blood Soul Sacrificial Artifact Technique" is not particularly complex but does come at a great cost.

To refine an artifact using this technique, one must first arrange a sacrificial altar array with rare materials, then place the artifact upon it, daily offering one’s essence blood in sacrifice, persevering for forty-nine days to succeed.

Zhouyang calculated that if he didn’t take any Spirit Elixirs to replenish his Essence Blood, using this Secret Technique to refine the Beast-Faced Dragon Cauldron might cost him half his life. No wonder Master Cyan Yang advised against it back then.

However, if he took some Spirit Elixirs to restore and replenish his Essence Blood, he might be able to recover after resting for ten or eight years.

Given this, after a brief hesitation, he decided to use this Secret Technique anyway.

Thus, Zhouyang personally made a trip to several Immortal Cities around Chongxuan Mountain to purchase the materials for the Array to be set up at the altar.

He then announced he was going into seclusion and secretly began refining the Beast-Faced Dragon Cauldron inside his cave abode.

After forty-nine days passed , he finally succeeded in refining the Beast-Faced Dragon Cauldron and learned the true name and function of this magical artifact.

It turns out that the true name of the Beast-Faced Dragon Cauldron is "Heaven-Suppressing Azure Dragon Cauldron," and indeed, as Lu Xuanji said, it is a Tier Six Middle-Grade Spiritual Artifact.

At the same time, Master Cyan Yang was not wrong. If Zhouyang wanted to cultivate the "Azure Dragon Body Refining Technique" to the fourth layer, he needed to pour Flood Dragon Spirit Blood into the cauldron, activate the cauldron’s "Azure Dragon Flame" to purify, and then sit inside the cauldron for cultivation.

Of course, assisting in the cultivation of the "Azure Dragon Body Refining Technique" is merely an auxiliary function of the "Heaven-Suppressing Azure Dragon Cauldron." Its true function is to suppress the void, forming a No-fly Zone.

If Zhouyang had Nascent Soul Stage cultivation, he could exert the full power of the "Heaven-Suppressing Azure Dragon Cauldron," and the range of the No-fly Zone would extend over a hundred miles.

At that time, within a hundred miles, all existences below the Late-Stage Nascent Soul would lose the Power of Flight, except for the owner of the "Heaven-Suppressing Azure Dragon Cauldron."

It is a terrifying ability!

It is foreseeable that the cultivator who refines the "Heaven-Suppressing Azure Dragon Cauldron" must be a formidable body cultivator with the "Azure Dragon Body Refining Technique" cultivated to a very high realm.

Facing such a powerful body cultivator, suddenly losing the Power of Flight, even a Nascent Soul Stage cultivator could be easily beaten to death by sheer force!

It is a magical artifact specifically designed for top-tier body cultivators.

The combat power of a body cultivator with this magical artifact in hand is completely different from one without it.

"What a treasure, what a treasure indeed!"

"It’s worth the great expense of refining this item."

"With this treasure in hand, the vast world is mine to traverse freely!"

In the secret chamber of his cave abode, Zhouyang, with sunken eyes, emaciated figure, and a face pale as snow, looked at the large cauldron in front of him, eyes full of excitement and joy as he laughed heartily.

At this moment, his breath was extremely feeble, caused by the massive loss of Essence Blood from days of using the Essence Blood to refine the "Heaven-Suppressing Azure Dragon Cauldron."

Even with the help of Elixirs, his current Essence Blood was reduced to less than sixty percent of his peak state—a considerable depletion indeed.

Thus, for the next five years, cultivators on Chongxuan Mountain, including his Dao Companion Xiao Ying, did not see Zhouyang even once.

It wasn’t until seven years later that a message arrived, prompting Zhouyang to walk out of his seclusion chamber.

The message was passed on by Master Cyan Yang, pertaining to Zhouyang’s previous request to find a Tier Five Tree Demon, and now there were some findings.

"Wilderness Jungle, huh? Seems like I’ll have to make a distant journey again!"

In the cave abode, after reading the letter from Master Cyan Yang, Zhouyang’s brows slightly furrowed, but soon returned to normal.

The Wilderness Jungle is indeed somewhat far, but if there is a chance of finding a Tier Five Tree Demon anywhere, it has the highest probability.

So this message appears to be genuine.

As for the long distance, there’s no solution for that; crafting the Lifebound Spiritual Artifact is a matter of great importance, and completing it even a year earlier is highly beneficial.

So he quickly called his Dao Companion Xiao Ying to the cave abode and discussed the matter with her.

"Elder Cyan Yang has sent word that someone has discovered a Tier Five Tree Demon in the Wilderness Jungle. For you, my dear, I need to make a trip there to obtain the ’Heart of the Tree Demon,’ for your sake. During my absence, Ying’er, you must remain vigilant as before, not letting any disciples leave the mountain to avoid leaking the news of my absence!"

Over the years, within An Country, tranquility has prevailed; the "Six Paths Alliance" seems to have quietly accepted the existence of Chongxuan Mountain with no intention of removing this thorn, which gives Zhouyang the confidence to travel far alone.

Otherwise, he would have certainly taken his Dao Companion Xiao Ying with him to the Wilderness Jungle.

And Xiao Ying, upon hearing that he was going out to find materials for refining his Lifebound Spiritual Artifact, sensibly did not dissuade him or request to accompany him.

She only expressed the customary concern by saying "take care" and then remarked, "Since you are going on a journey, husband, you might as well go to Immortal Sun City to purchase a copy of the ’Qinghua Calamity Crossing Scripture’ for Yun Shan. She will soon be able to take the Foundation Establishment Pill to establish her foundation. By the time you return, she should have successfully established it, and at that time, she can switch to cultivating this technique."

The ’Qinghua Calamity Crossing Scripture’ that Xiao Ying was practicing was initially given to Zhouyang for free by Master Cyan Yang through Profound Sun Pavilion.

However, this type of purchased cultivation technique can only be practiced by oneself and cannot be passed on. Therefore, if Ye Yunshan wishes to cultivate this advanced technique, Zhouyang still has to purchase it for her with Spirit Stones.

But upon hearing Xiao Ying’s words, Zhouyang uncharacteristically refused her request, shaking his head and saying, "Ying’Er, you have a nature that dislikes conflict, so cultivating the ’Qinghua Calamity Crossing Scripture’ suits you well. However, your disciple has a gentle exterior but a strong interior. If she practices such a purely auxiliary technique, the effects might not be as desired."

After saying this, he paused and glanced at Xiao Ying’s expression. Seeing her pensive look, he knew she was considering his words.

He then continued, "Coincidentally, I have a ’Supreme Wood Profound Technique’ here, which is also a wood attribute advanced technique. Once she successfully establishes her foundation, you can first teach her the first half of this technique for cultivation."

The ’Supreme Wood Profound Technique’ was a high-level technique Zhouyang obtained when he plundered a Purple Mansion Clan’s Treasure Vault in the Land of the Far West. Although this technique is not as profound as the ’Qinghua Calamity Crossing Scripture,’ it is sufficient for cultivation up to the Nascent Soul Stage. Fınd the newest release on novᴇlfire.net

There were some things Zhouyang didn’t mention.

That is, Xiao Ying can cultivate the ’Qinghua Calamity Crossing Scripture’ because Zhouyang can protect her and provide ample cultivation resources for her.

If Ye Yunshan were to cultivate this auxiliary technique, she would also be Xiao Ying’s direct disciple, meaning Zhouyang might have to support another non-combat high-tier cultivator in the future, which he was unwilling to see.

Spirit Plant Cultivators are, after all, not Alchemists, and no matter how talented, a Spirit Plant Cultivator is not as useful to a force as an Alchemy Master.

Zhouyang can support an Alchemy Master regardless of resource consumption but would not want to support a Tier Four or Five Spirit Plant Cultivator in the same way.

He felt it unnecessary to explicitly tell Xiao Ying these things, as he didn’t want her to bear any burden from this issue.

Sure enough, after listening to his reasoning, Xiao Ying quickly dismissed her original idea, gently nodding and saying, "Husband, you are right. Let’s pause on this matter. Once Yun Shan establishes her foundation, I’ll explain the situation to her and let her choose for herself."

"That’s the way it should be. It is her own path, and it is up to her opinion. As a master, you don’t have to oversee everything, as that would only make people weary."

Zhouyang smiled gently, then handed the ’Supreme Wood Profound Technique’ to Xiao Ying. After giving some instructions, he quietly left Chongxuan Mountain.

Half a year later, deep within a valley in the Wilderness Jungle, golden flames soared into the sky, illuminating a colossal ancient tree with dancing branches.

This ancient tree stood nearly three hundred zhang tall, with a trunk diameter of over ten zhang. At this moment, under the burning of golden flames, an exceptionally beautiful female face appeared on the trunk.

"Immortal, spare me! Little Demon didn’t intend to offend Immortal. Please, considering the difficulty of Little Demon’s cultivation, spare my life. Little Demon is willing to offer all treasures to the Immortal!"

The female face on the trunk opened its mouth wide, pleading in a pitiable and sharp voice for mercy.

For tree demons like itself, its greatest fear is cultivators who wield Supreme Yang True Flame. In front of such cultivators, sometimes their strong life force becomes a tool for torture against themselves.

Even with its cultivation reaching Tier Five Top Grade, under the "Qianyang True Flame" reinforced by the "Qianyang Treasure Pearl," the tree demon found itself helpless before Zhouyang.

Upon hearing the tree demon’s plea, Zhouyang remained unmoved, responding calmly, "If this seat spares you because of your difficult cultivation, why didn’t you spare the demon beasts, barbaric beasts, and barren alien races whose essence blood and divine souls you drained?"

Upon hearing this, the tree demon loudly argued, "But Immortal is neither a demon beast nor a barbaric beast, much less a barbaric alien race. Although Little Demon resides in the Wilderness, I know that Immortals like you also hunt demon beasts and barbaric beasts, and are likewise enemies of the barbaric alien race. Why would you help these enemies deal with Little Demon?"

Zhouyang laughed, replying with a smile, "You admitted that cultivators hunt demon beasts and barbaric beasts—aren’t you a demon yourself? Do cultivators need a reason to kill demons?"

"You—you deceive a demon too much!"

The tree demon was infuriated, its face twisting in fury, its emerald green eyes full of resentment, glaring at Zhouyang in the air.

Originally a cannibalistic evil tree, its temper wasn’t good. If not for its divine techniques being restrained by Zhouyang, it wouldn’t have wasted any words and would have turned Zhouyang into fertilizer!

"Born a demon, this is your misfortune. If there is a next life, reincarnate as a human!"

After murmuring these words to himself, Zhouyang waved his hand, summoning the "Taiyin Soul-cutting Saber" to slash at the tree root.

The sharp silver blade cut into the trunk, causing a brownish-red liquid to slowly seep from the wound, trying to heal the trunk, but under the golden flame, the liquid quickly burned into red smoke.

Despite the tree demon’s desperate struggle, it was ultimately cut down by Zhouyang.

With the trunk falling, the tree demon remained alive, but without the trunk, it could no longer resist Zhouyang’s attacks.

Not long after, this ancient demon tree, alive for countless years, was uprooted and tossed to the ground by Zhouyang.

This wasn’t the first time Zhouyang had killed a tree demon . Previously, in the Broken Cloud Mountain Range, he had slain a Tier Four tree demon, a hundred-zhang ancient pine, to seize the Yuan Condensing Fruit tree.

A tree demon’s most precious part is naturally its Heart of the Tree Demon.

The Heart of the Tree Demon of this Tier Five High-grade Tree Demon was half a zhang long and two feet wide, enough to produce two "Rejuvenating Immortal Bottles" with ease.

Besides the Heart of the Tree Demon, which contained a rich vitality, the tree demon’s roots and trunk were excellent materials for alchemy and artifact refining.

Having learned from his past experience, Zhouyang was careful this time, only burning the outer layer of the tree demon’s trunk and preserving most of the inner core.

Unfortunately, tree demons are exceedingly dominant creatures, leaving little room for other spirit elixirs to grow where they live, let alone Spirit Woods.

The tree demon in the Broken Cloud Mountain Range allowed the Yuan Condensing Fruit tree to grow nearby because it wanted to use the fruit to lure other beasts close to devour and nourish itself.

The tree demon Zhouyang just killed could naturally grow a kind of spirit fruit that tempted demon and barbaric beasts to eat it, so it didn’t need to cultivate other spirit elixirs as bait.

However, the few spirit fruits originally on the tree demon had been absorbed by it during the battle to replenish its strength, leaving Zhouyang no chance to harvest them.

After processing various materials left by the tree demon, Zhouyang stored them in his Storage Ring, then released the "Golden-winged Thunder Eagle" from the Spirit Beast Ring and rode away from the place.

But he did not return directly to the Liuyun Continent Cultivation Realm; instead, he diverted to the wilderness jungle where Ghost Servant Xu Song once opened a cave abode, intending to see if Jiang Fengxian had returned.

When he calculated carefully, it had been nearly a hundred years since he parted ways with Jiang Fengxian in the Kunxu Realm.

In such a long time, Jiang Fengxian would have had plenty of time to return to the Liuyun Continent Cultivation Realm from the Celestial South Continent by way of the Donghua Continent.

But to Zhouyang’s disappointment, when he arrived at that cave in the depths of the wilderness jungle, it was empty and the only thing he found was a tall, beautiful Five-Colored Peacock.

"I don’t know how much longer your master will be away. If you feel lonely here, you can leave with me; when your master returns and finds the letter I left, she will naturally come looking for you."

In Jiang Fengxian’s cave abode, looking at the Five-Colored Peacock that had been left to guard the place, Zhouyang had the idea of taking it away.

This Five-Colored Peacock, having lived in the valley cave for over a century, was truly lonely.

Now it was a Tier Four High-Grade Demon Beast, and having been raised by Jiang Fengxian, its intelligence was on par with Zhouyang’s "Golden-winged Thunder Eagle," making it hard to endure such a caged life.

Earlier, when Zhouyang used the token Jiang Fengxian left him to enter the place, it got very excited, thinking its master had returned.

Even after realizing it was just Zhouyang, it unusually didn’t get angry. Instead, it danced around Zhouyang, calling out to inquire about its owner’s whereabouts.

Though Zhouyang couldn’t understand bird language, the intelligent Five-Colored Peacock surprisingly knew how to write and draw on the ground to communicate with him, allowing him to explain Jiang Fengxian’s whereabouts.

His intention to take away this Five-Colored Peacock was not only due to sympathy but also because he considered "holding the bird as leverage."

Leaving just a letter, Jiang Fengxian might hesitate to come find him.

However, with this Five-Colored Peacock in his grasp, Zhouyang believed Jiang Fengxian wouldn’t abandon this spirit pet she had raised since youth.

True to its intelligence, the Five-Colored Peacock tilted its head in thought, its brown-yellow eyes lingering on him as if assessing whether he was trustworthy.

Seeing this, Zhouyang waved the token Jiang Fengxian gave him and said, "Don’t worry, I’m not tricking you. My relationship with your master is closer than you think; otherwise, she wouldn’t have entrusted me with access to this cave. I even guarded her when she was forming her core!"

Once the Five-Colored Peacock heard this, it seemed to understand something and suddenly scratched two flying birds on the ground, then looked at Zhouyang with wide eyes.

"That’s right; your master and I are now companions. Follow me, and I promise you won’t be wronged!"

Zhouyang beamed a bright smile, filled with joy.

Sure enough, upon hearing his words, the initially hesitant Five-Colored Peacock nodded in agreement and even lowered its body, inviting him to ride upon it.

To be willing to act as a mount was its way of showing trust.

Only someone it trusted and accepted could receive such an open invitation to mount it.