Chapter 386: Chapter 371: Long-term Plan [1st Update, Please Subscribe]
For Xu Song, a Tier Five Array Master’s level, setting up an illusion array to test a Qi Cultivation Stage Cultivator is a piece of cake.
The Zhou Family already possesses a "Misty Jade" mine, and the "Misty Jade" produced is essential material for setting up illusion arrays, so array materials are never a shortage.
The female cultivator from the Zhou Family, Zhou Guangyin, who is romantically involved with Zhou Tongming, was personally brought back to the Haoyang Mountain Spirit Vein by Zhou Guangtai, a Foundation Establishment Cultivator from the Zhou Family, riding an Eagle Lion Beast.
In Zhouyang’s eyes, Zhou Guangyin is merely average in appearance; not only does she fail to compare with such gorgeous beauties like Jiang Fengxian and Yun Yiyi whom he has seen, but she also pales in comparison with his Dao Companion, Xiao Ying.
In fact, among the female cultivators in the Zhou Family Council Hall that day, quite a few possessed appearances at the same level as hers.
Thus, Zhouyang was puzzled as to why Zhou Tongming would be willing to go to such lengths for her.
"Perhaps this is love!"
Watching the young couple reunite after years, hugging and crying and laughing together, he thought with slight distraction.
In that moment, he found himself somewhat envying that young couple.
He knew his own situation well; although he and Xiao Ying had been Dao Companions for decades, their relationship had always been lukewarm, lacking the intense love that Zhou Tongming and Zhou Guangyin shared.
Zhouyang recalled hearing a saying in his past life that love eventually turns into familial affection.
Two people who love each other can grow old together not because their love persists for so long, but because they’ve shared so much time together, they’ve come to regard each other as family and are unwilling to separate, simply because they cherish this familial bond.
Zhouyang sensed his relationship with his Dao Companion Xiao Ying was gradually developing in that direction over time.
"Perhaps it’s because we’ve never truly had dual cultivation,"
He found comfort in this self-given reason as light flickered in his eyes.
The illusion array for the test was set up and constructed by Xu Song, but the person controlling the array was the Zhou Family Patriarch, Zhou Guangxiang.
On the day of the test, many Zhou Clan Members who were still on Red Tiger Mountain came over to watch voluntarily, which added immense pressure on Zhou Tongming and Zhou Guangyin.
Imagine, if under such scrutiny the couple failed the test, they would be too ashamed to face anyone for the rest of their lives.
"Aunt Yin, let’s go in. Our love is stronger than gold, no illusion obstacles can keep us apart!"
Zhou Tongming tightly held his beloved’s hand, glanced at the clansmen watching with entertained expressions, and resolutely led Zhou Guangyin into the array.
Zhou Guangyin, although naturally shy as a woman in such public circumstances, did not show any hesitation, only gazing closely with autumnal waves at the man holding her hand, her eyes full of uncontainable love.
"I hope you truly succeed!"
Watching from afar, Zhouyang offered his blessing in a low voice.
Among the entire Zhou Family, probably only he maintained a neutral or even supportive attitude towards this romantic involvement between older nephew and aunt.
The illusion realm test began quickly.
According to Xu Song’s arrangement, the young couple entering the illusion array would face various trials like knife mountains and sea of fire, a hundred years of solitude, the sea of love, being pointed out by thousands, and the whole world as their enemy.
In these illusion trials, for a young couple with only Qi Cultivation Stage Cultivation to pass the tests, they must hold steadfast to their feelings for each other.
For instance, in a sea of fire, the couple would be placed in a fiery sea, facing the choice of who would survive first, and only by choosing each other would they pass the test.
In a century of solitude, the couple would face a situation of separation across distant lands for a hundred years, requiring them to hold to a promise for a century without forgetting it, still loving each other.
In a world where everyone is their enemy, their romantic involvement as nephew and aunt is rejected by the world; wherever they go, they face finger-pointing and sneers, yet they must still move forward together with no regrets.
The creative ideas for these illusion tests were conceived by Zhouyang and realized into illusions by Xu Song.
However, to protect the privacy of those undergoing the tests, Zhou Tongming and Zhou Guangyin’s silhouettes automatically disappeared from the eyes of Zhou Clan Members watching; only those with Foundation Establishment Stage or higher cultivation could clearly see the changes in their expressions within the illusion array and hear the sounds they made.
In Zhouyang’s eyes, he saw two young lovers encountering various illusions. At times, they looked frightened and angrily screamed, sometimes they cried bitterly and cursed the heavens, other times their faces were flushed as they softly sang, and sometimes they were grimly biting their lips, full of rage and grievance... all sorts of expressions were revealed.
Thus, when the scheduled two-hour trial ended, Zhou Tongming and Zhou Guangyin in the illusion array had indeed sustained their deep love for each other to the very end!
"Priceless treasures are easy to obtain, true love is hard to find!"
"You two, despite facing numerous illusion obstacles, still did not forget each other, steadfast in your love for one another. Heaven can see, people can see, and I found no reason to break you two apart!"
Outside the illusion array, Zhouyang looked at the young couple who had just succeeded in the numerous trials and reunited successfully, he sighed with emotion.
Then, he turned his serious face toward the Zhou Clan members who were watching the spectacle, and loudly declared: "As the Supreme Elder of the Zhou Family, I hereby acknowledge and bless the relationship between Zhou Tongming and Zhou Guangyin. Any Zhou Clan member, external relative or Guest Elder who dares to attack them over this matter shall be punished according to the clan rules for slandering fellow members!"
"Yes, we shall adhere to the Supreme Elder’s decree!"
As Clan Leader, Zhou Guangxiang immediately took the lead, kneeling on one knee and loudly responding to Zhouyang’s command.
The rest of the Zhou Clan members, seeing this scene, dared not hesitate any longer and quickly followed suit, some even kneeling on both knees, and all echoed: "We adhere to the Supreme Elder’s decree."
Upon hearing these voices, Zhou Tongming and Zhou Guangyin, who were tightly embracing each other within the illusion array, regained their senses.
Then Zhou Tongming immediately knelt heavily before Zhouyang and respectfully bowed, loudly expressing his gratitude: "Thank you, Supreme Elder, thank you, Clan Leader, for your great benevolence. Zhou Tongming will never forget your grace. In the future, should the clan have any commands, Zhou Tongming will not hesitate to die!"
"I leave you with these words: if love is long-lasting, why worry about the days and nights ahead!"
"If you truly wish to be together forever, you should strive diligently in cultivation, focusing your energy on that. If you can reach Foundation Establishment, won’t the lifespan of over two hundred years be enough for your love affair?"
Looking at these two youngsters, Zhouyang left a bit of earnest guidance and then turned to leave.
As a Purple Mansion Stage Cultivator, Zhouyang actually had no need to concern himself with the matters of two Qi Cultivation Stage Cultivators. The reason he was interested in this matter was to establish a benchmark rule for similar situations in the future.
With the example of Zhou Tongming and Zhou Guangyin in front, if similar incidents happen in the Zhou Family later on, people will have to face the illusion array to prove themselves.
This time, Zhou Tongming and Zhou Guangyin succeeded because their love was truly indestructible.
Zhouyang doesn’t believe every pair of lovers can persevere in the illusion array till the end.
Returning to the Qianyang Cave for cultivation, Zhouyang began preparing for another task, designing a set of specialized magical artifact equipment for the Zhou Family Martial Hall cultivators.
A set of specialized standard equipment not only greatly enhances the fighting power of a cultivator, but also significantly boosts the user’s sense of honor, encouraging more Zhou Family cultivators to join the Martial Hall and prompting other cultivators to pay respect and make way when they encounter Zhou Family Martial Hall cultivators.
However, for Zhouyang, designing such a set of specialized magical artifact equipment holds more importance, serving as preparation for achieving the status of a Tier Five Refiner in the future.
While a Tier Four Refiner is also called an Artifact Refining Master, the gap between them and a Tier Five Refiner is akin to the gap between a Purple Mansion Stage and a Golden Core Stage cultivator, if not larger.
An authentic Artifact Refining Master must possess creativity and the ability to invent unique magical artifacts, that is, self-created artifacts.
Once, shortly after achieving Foundation Establishment, Zhouyang attempted to create artifacts but naturally failed.
Looking back now, he realized how laughable his initial attempt at creating artifacts was.
For a refiner who hasn’t even reached Tier Three to wish to create artifacts, the difficulty is akin to a Golden Core Stage cultivator wishing to undergo Nascent Soul Formation, a failure was to be expected.
But now, as a Tier Four Middle-grade Refiner guided by Xu Song, a genuine Tier Five Refining Master, Zhouyang could retry artifact creation.
Moreover, this time, his self-created artifact shouldn’t target simple Tier One Artifacts like the "Flame Sword" but should aim for Tier Two High-grade Spiritual Artifacts fit for magical combat by Qi Cultivation Stage cultivators.
After discussing with Xu Song, Zhouyang decided the first design for his self-created artifact would be a Tier Two High-grade Defensive Spiritual Artifact Shield.
The equipment set designed for the Zhou Family Martial Hall cultivators includes Flying Sword, Shield, Inner Armor, Iron Armor, Puppet Beast, and at least ten different Tier Two High-grade Spirit Talismans.
A Seventh-Layer Qi Cultivation cultivator equipped with these five items and talismans could easily kill a Tier Two High-grade Demon Beast or an ordinary Ninth-Layer Qi Cultivation Loose Cultivator.
This represents the combat power of a single cultivator. Zhouyang envisioned that the Zhou Family Martial Hall cultivators would eventually be equipped with Tier Two High-grade Arrays, allowing nine Late-Stage Qi Cultivation cultivators to form the array, making it difficult for ordinary Early-Stage Foundation Establishment cultivators to overcome them in a short period.