Chapter 316: Chapter 303: The Value of Zhouyang’s Favor
Successfully establishing the "Demonic Soul Contract" with the Little Eagle made Zhouyang feel delighted.
However, to have gravely offended a Golden Core Stage Cultivator because of this also made him feel quite troubled and depressed.
Although today’s conflict arose because of him, heaven knows, he was the most innocent person from start to finish.
Who would have thought that Zhong Chuming, a dignified Golden Core Stage Cultivator, would shamelessly break his word, showing no integrity at all.
Using "misfortune" to describe his experiences today couldn’t be more fitting.
Of course, despite the depression and headaches, he couldn’t help but express gratitude to Xu Zhengyang, who helped him greatly today, even saving his life.
He first put the Little Eagle into the Spirit Beast Bag, then, with a face full of gratitude, solemnly clasped his hands to Xu Zhengyang and said, "Thanks to Elder Xu’s timely rescue, otherwise, even if I could survive by luck, I wouldn’t be able to keep this Spirit Pet!"
"This kindness will be remembered by me. Please accept my deepest bow!"
After speaking, he suddenly bent deeply, giving Xu Zhengyang a bow just short of kowtowing.
The life-saving grace truly warranted such action on his part.
Seeing this, Xu Zhengyang quickly stepped forward two steps to personally help him up, then, smiling broadly, said, "Fellow Daoist Zhou, you’re too courteous. According to the rules of the Profound Sun Immortal Sect, when a Golden Core Stage Cultivator finds a Profound Sun Order holder in distress, they must immediately rescue them, not to mention that Xu, being the Deputy City Lord of Immortal Sun City, inherently has the duty to protect cultivators within the city!"
Zhouyang naturally didn’t take his words seriously, for rules are set by people and enforced by people.
If Xu Zhengyang had arrived even half a minute or a minute later, things would be completely different.
So he immediately clasped his hands again and said, "Regardless of everything, gratitude is gratitude, feelings are feelings. Elder Xu, for this graciousness, I will surely repay you many times over when the chance arises in the future!"
Upon hearing Zhouyang say this, Xu Zhengyang’s smile became even more radiant.
The reason he was so diligent today was to take this opportunity to grant Zhouyang a great favor.
Although even now he is still unaware of why Master Cyan Yang values Zhouyang, Xu Zhengyang knows that since Master Cyan Yang is willing to invest heavily in Zhouyang, his future achievements surely wouldn’t remain merely at the Purple Mansion Stage.
In that case, if he could make Zhouyang owe him a significant favor while he is still weak, the benefits he would receive after Zhouyang grows up would surely be many times larger than the cost he paid today.
Anyone who reaches the Golden Core Stage is as cunning as a fox; if there wasn’t a considerable profit, Xu Zhengyang wouldn’t antagonize Zhong Chuming, a fellow Golden Core Stage Cultivator, for Zhouyang.
As for Zhong Chuming, he might wreck his brain but would still be unable to understand why Xu Zhengyang chose to turn against him.
Now, seeing Zhouyang being so "perceptive," while Xu Zhengyang felt pleased in his heart, he also didn’t forget to remind him, "Zhong Chuming is an elder of the Beast Taming Sect at the Golden Core Stage. You greatly offended him this time, so he surely won’t let this go easily!"
"Therefore, for the time being, you mustn’t leave the city, and it’s best not to go to any secluded places within the city. If you truly wish to leave Immortal Sun City to travel in the future, you can also come to the Profound Sun Pavilion to find me, and I will arrange for you to leave the city using our Profound Sun Immortal Sect’s internal teleportation array!"
Such a good opportunity, Zhouyang certainly wouldn’t refuse and quickly nodded in agreement: "Many thanks to Elder first."
Afterward, the two spoke a few more words, and Xu Zhengyang left with his people, while Zhouyang returned to his cave dwelling.
Meanwhile, after Zhong Chuming left Immortal Sun City, he didn’t fly far before finding a place to land and then sent a Communication Flying Sword to his peers in the city, asking them to investigate Zhouyang’s origin and his relationship with Xu Zhengyang.
As a major sect reigning in a nation, the Beast Taming Sect naturally has a dedicated intelligence system for gathering information on the Cultivation Realm.
And Immortal Sun City, as a major Immortal City ranked among the top in the Liuyun Continent Cultivation Realm, is also the closest Immortal City to the Profound Sun Immortal Sect’s mountain gate. Naturally, there are many of the Beast Taming Sect’s intelligence personnel stationed here.
Zhong Chuming, as a Golden Core Stage Cultivator of the Beast Taming Sect, it was no issue to instruct the intelligence personnel within Immortal Sun City to investigate an incoming Purple Mansion Stage Cultivator.
A passing swan leaves a sound, a person leaves a trace.
Although Zhouyang didn’t stay long in Immortal Sun City and kept a low profile, he was still seen by many cultivators when traveling across multiple Immortal Cities from Zhenyue Immortal City.
Even sects like the Yellow Sand Sect can have a Communication Array for remote communication via array formations, let alone a top-tier major sect in the Liuyun Continent Cultivation Realm like the Beast Taming Sect.
The intelligence personnel of the Beast Taming Sect in Immortal Sun City only need to transmit his information to the intelligence points in different countries. Those personnel can then check and compare records of non-local forces of Purple Mansion Stage first-level cultivators appearing within the last year to ascertain Zhouyang’s origin.
Thus, Zhong Chuming waited for merely over ten days before receiving the compiled information on Zhouyang from the Beast Taming Sect’s intelligence personnel.
When he learned that Zhouyang came from the Broken Cloud Mountain Range, his expression changed, a hint of realization appearing on his face.
"I was wondering where this kid found the Golden-winged Thunder Eagle’s egg, turns out he stole it from the Broken Cloud Mountain Range, he indeed has guts!"
He muttered with a look of realization, his face quickly darkened, hatred boiling in his eyes as he said, "But daring to offend me, Zhong Chuming, regardless of how daring or skilled you are, you must die!"
From the information gathered on Zhouyang, although his origins were mysterious, judging by his behavior while traveling through the Immortal City, it was apparent he was not the illegitimate child or registered disciple of a Nascent Soul elder whom Zhong Chuming had previously been most worried about.
Since this is the case, Zhong Chuming had nothing to worry about.
The Beast Taming Sect was, after all, a renowned major sect in the Liuyun Continent Cultivation Realm, even if he killed Zhouyang and caused some trouble, as long as it did not involve Nascent Soul Stage cultivators, the Beast Taming Sect could protect him.
So after verifying Zhouyang’s background, he began to plot revenge without any hesitation.
Zhouyang, naturally, was completely unaware of all this.
Ever since that day, he wouldn’t leave the cave unless necessary, either strolling with his eagle in the bamboo forest outside the cave or studying sword techniques and creating spirit talismans, his days were quite fulfilling.
After more than three months had passed like this, he stepped out of the cave and once again went to the Flying Giant Ship docked in the city, preparing to attend the large auction that takes place every four months.
After leaving the cave, Zhouyang felt as if he was being watched from the shadows.
However, whether he walked to secluded places, fully scanned the surrounding middle-to-low tier cultivators with his Divine Sense, or swept his gaze with the "Separation Fire Golden Eye," he found no suspicious individuals.
Yet he did not let his guard down, becoming even more alert.
Clearly, if someone indeed was secretly watching him, then this person either possessed cultivation far superior to his or employed exceptionally advanced and hidden surveillance techniques.
Either way, he needed to remain vigilant and handle the situation cautiously.
"If someone is indeed monitoring me, it must be someone arranged by Zhong Chuming, that scoundrel seems to have definitely set his sights on me."
Zhouyang’s heart sank slightly, feeling a bit heavy.
Not only him, but any Purple Mansion Stage cultivator would feel uneasy knowing they were targeted as a must-kill by a Golden Core Stage cultivator.
Especially considering, Zhong Chuming was not a loose cultivator without backing, but a Golden Core Elder of a top-tier major sect like the Beast Taming Sect, with manpower and resources far surpassing those of loose cultivators.
Unfortunately, the enemy was hidden while he was exposed, so aside from heightening his guard, he had no other means to counteract this threat.
With this gloomy feeling, Zhouyang entered the Flying Giant Ship.
To his relief, once inside the Flying Giant Ship, the sensation of being monitored disappeared, evidently, the surveillance, remarkable as it may be, dared not act recklessly under the Nascent Soul Stage cultivator’s watchful eyes.
The Human flow inside the Flying Giant Ship was somewhat less than it was during Zhouyang’s first visit, likely because some cultivators had purchased or exchanged for their desired treasures and left.
However, as long as the Flying Giant Ship remains docked here, daily a multitude of cultivators from far and wide will arrive due to the news, ensuring the bustling nature won’t diminish significantly within a year or two.
With a substantial amount of time left before the auction began, Zhouyang started to wander around the various shops on the first floor, hoping for some fortunate discoveries.
This casual browsing did lead him to notice a treasure.
It was a delicate, white Flying Boat Spiritual Artifact, with only a Tier Four Lower Grade, yet its functionality was unique.
According to the information on the Jade Token beside the artifact, this "Illusory Cloud Ship" originated from the Overseas Cultivation Realm, primarily made from a special Spirit Wood known as "Cloud Tower Tree" endemic to that realm, with the Artifact Refiner incorporating a rare Tier Four Demon Beast "Mirage Beast" skull, granting the ship considerable speed and extraordinary invisibility and illusion capabilities.
What Zhouyang valued was precisely the invisibility and illusion capabilities of the ship.
If the Jade Token’s artifact description was not exaggerated, having this artifact would considerably increase his chances of traversing the Broken Cloud Mountain Range without using Hidden Spirit Incense.
If paired with Hidden Spirit Incense, provided he doesn’t encounter a Tier Five Demon Beast head-on, he would almost never be discovered by demon beasts.
"Fellow Daoist, how do you propose to trade for this ’Illusory Cloud Ship’ artifact?"
He immediately transmitted the message to the shop owner, initiating their conversation.