Clan Cultivation: Starting from Beast Taming

"Taoist Friend Zhou, you are far too modest. We have all witnessed the transformation of the Zhou Family over the past decade or so. Truly, as a once millennial lineage, your deep roots are incomparable to us smaller clans and families!"

Clan Leader of Sun Family, Sun Zhongping, also spoke up at this time, his words filled with a sense of emotion.

The Sun Family and the Zhou Family are the closest neighbors, so he was clearer than the other clan leaders about just how significant the changes within the Zhou Family were.

Before, he used to think that the Sun Family might not be inferior to the downtrodden Zhou Family.

But having witnessed the transformation of the Zhou Family with his own eyes over the past decade, he had to admit that, in every aspect, the Sun Family was indeed far behind the Zhou Family.

This feeling was not unique to Sun Zhongping; Clan Leader of the He Family and Wang Zhixiong felt the same.

Meanwhile, the helmsman of the Mu Family, Mu Yuntian, said, "What Taoist Friend Sun says is true. In terms of foundational strength, the Zhou Family is indeed beyond our families. Forming an alliance with the Zhou Family was the most correct decision our clans ever made!"

The Mu Family now benefited greatly from the favor of the Zhou Family, so naturally, he did not hesitate to sing their praises in such gatherings.

"Mu Taoist Friend speaks truly. Forming an alliance with the Zhou Family was indeed the right thing to do at the time," Wang Zhixiong said, casting a glance at Mu Yuntian with a light smile, giving his tacit endorsement.

Now, with the Zhou Family’s rise seeming unstoppable, whether they felt envy or jealousy, they certainly wanted to deepen their relations and connections with them.

"You all flatter us. Our Zhou Family has always been grateful for the recognition and acceptance of your clans. We have never forgotten the help your families have offered us over the years," Zhou Chun responded with a clasped-hand salute, his face sporting a smile.

"In the future, our families must continue to support each other, advancing and retreating together!"

It was clear that his response pleased Wang Zhixiong and the others, as smiles of satisfaction appeared on their faces.

In the upcoming competition for the top three, the junior group of the Zhou Family chose to bow out voluntarily, wishing only to compete wholeheartedly in the elite group.

However, in the battle for first place in the elite group, Zhou Zhengyong ended up narrowly losing to a cultivator from the Sun Family. n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

Ultimately, his cultivation level was one tier behind his opponent’s, and it seemed that his opponent had spent many years perfecting his skills at the twelfth tier of the Qi Refinement Realm, even mastering a secret technique that was as powerful as Xinjin Sword Qi.

Even though he wielded the green bronze cauldron and the red bronze sphere magic artifacts given to him by Zhou Chun, he was still defeated by the opponent’s use of the secret technique.

In the previous elite group competition, the Wang Family had presented a Foundation Establishment Pill as the prize for first place.

But they were confident in a sure victory, thus they were willing to offer such an item to save face for their family.

This time, however, the Zhou Family did not have such confidence in winning, nor did they have such a precious item as the Foundation Establishment Pill to offer.

Consequently, the prize for first place in the elite group was replaced with a second-level inferior-grade magic artifact.

To compensate, the Zhou Family offered numerous Demon Beast Eggs and Demon Beast Cubs from their reserves as rewards for the other cultivators.

In any case, although the Zhou Family received considerable prestige from this event, they truly expended a lot of resources.

But it was a necessary expenditure, since when it was the other families’ turn to host such an event, the Zhou Family would also be able to take their items without cost.

After the event concluded, Zhou Chun led the elders of the Zhou Family and personally saw off the cultivators who had come to observe the ceremony.

Once all the visitors had been sent off, several high-ranking members of the Zhou Family gathered to discuss the outcomes of the event.

Zhou Chun was the first to speak, saying, "Although we did not take first place this time, our Zhou Family has managed to maintain our dignity and avoided any major embarrassment."

"Moreover, through this event, our Zhou Family has now truly bonded with the other families. From now on, at least they will not regard our Zhou Family as outsiders anymore!"

Zhou Chongshan then nodded in agreement, saying, "Zhengchun is right. Even though the event was costly for our family, it also showcased our influence. At the very least, the Li Family and the You Family will realize through this event that, although our Zhou Family may currently be less powerful, we are not much worse off than them!"

As these words fell, the Third Elder, Zhou Daoquan, deeply agreed and said, "The Second Elder speaks the truth. The Li Family and the You Family may be strong, but they are essentially isolated by the local forces."

"They can still live on their accumulated wealth now and it doesn’t seem to affect them, but if they have not integrated into Jingguo Country after a hundred years, and their fortune runs out, it won’t be easy for them to support their large families!"

The greater the power, the more resources are required to sustain oneself.

However, the Li Family, the You Family, and the Zhou Family are all outsiders, and the fact that they have a territory to inhabit is already quite difficult, let alone expanding their land holdings, which is simply impossible.

And if they cannot expand their land holdings, occupy veins of ore, Spirit Mountains, and other resource points, they can’t open marketplaces to collect rent either.

For major families like the Li Family and the You Family, which have hundreds of cultivator clan members, times would be tough.

After all, the more people there are, and the higher the cultivation level they possess, the more resources are needed to support them.

If relying solely on the Li Family’s alchemy skills and the You Family’s formation abilities, sustaining such large families is simply not realistic!

But because of their own immense size, other local cultivator families in Lanzhou simply do not dare, nor do they qualify, to ally with them and engage in deep cooperation and exchange.

If they cannot draw resources from local cultivator families, and the family finances are in deficit, their capital will soon run out.

At that point, a massive Li Family and You Family might well split into multiple smaller families, each seeking their own path.

This is nearly an open secret, evident to many.

Therefore, Zhou Chongshan was feeling somewhat happy about their misfortune when he said, "The Li Family and the You Family are in such a state, and the people from the Spirit Beast Manor are the same, perhaps even in a worse position."

"In my view, if the Dragon Transformation Sect doesn’t make a bigger move next, it’s fine. But if they do, as long as the Green Lotus Temple throws them a bone, I’m afraid these families will have no choice but to obediently become cannon fodder for others to consume."

"By then, even the Golden Core Stage ancestors from those families will have to go to the front lines!"

He had relationships with many cultivators from those three families, and it shouldn’t have come to this.

But in recent years, when the Zhou Family fell on hard times and faced dangers, those families disregarded past relations and never came to help.

Moreover, cultivators from both families now seem to have developed an attitude of superiority over the Zhou Family, feeling that the Zhou Family no longer deserved to be mentioned in the same breath as them.

This made him very angry.

Hence, it was not surprising that he was now reveling in their misfortune.

"Let’s not bother with the Li Family and the You Family; after all, if they are willing to maintain the relationship, let them. If not, we do not need to beg them, lest it seem as if our Zhou Family cannot survive without them!"

Zhou Chun too had little regard for these two families that were once on good terms, and thus he did not wish to discuss them further at this time.

As for the Spirit Beast Manor, in his heart, they were a hostile power that the Zhou Family would certainly target for retribution if an opportunity arose; hence, there was even less need to discuss them now.

After a brief sharing of the family’s recent financial income and expenditure situation, as well as the population changes, Zhou Chun then let the elders go back first.

After another half a year passed, Zhou Daoyi, who had been in seclusion for several years, finally achieved a breakthrough to the later phase of Foundation Establishment and emerged from seclusion.

"Congratulations, Clan Leader, on the significant advancement in your cultivation. Our Zhou Family now has another cultivator in the later phase of Foundation Establishment."

Inside the Central Peace Hall, when Zhou Chun saw Zhou Daoyi, who had succeeded in his seclusion and come here, he immediately congratulated him with excitement and haste.

"It’s something that was expected, nothing to be congratulated about."

Zhou Daoyi waved his hand dismissively and then looked at Zhou Chun, asking, "It seems that the family has experienced quite a few events during my years of seclusion?"

"Some events did occur, but none were significant enough to disturb you, Clan Leader."

As Zhou Chun spoke, he briefly recounted the various events that had taken place over the years.

Looking forward with full expectation, Zhou Chun then asked Zhou Daoyi, "Now that you’ve achieved a breakthrough, Clan Leader, when can we expect results from the Sky Azure Cloud Python’s transformation into a dragon?"

"I administered the Green Flood Dragon Inner Pill to Qingqing two years ago, and it is still asleep, assimilating the power of the inner core. It might take another year or two for any results to emerge!"

After Zhou Daoyi finished speaking, his divine sense stirred, and he said to Zhou Chun, "The Supreme Elder has summoned me. I won’t chat with you now; we can talk when I return if there’s anything else."