Chapter 393: Chapter 378: Zhouyang’s Persistence [Part 1]
After instructing Huang Yi to scout the path for him, Zhouyang greeted his Dao companion Xiao Ying and headed to the ruins of the Yin Puppet Sect.
"Just half a year has passed, Fellow Daoist Zhou, what brings you to Xu this time?"
At the site of the Yin Puppet Sect ruins, upon sensing Zhouyang’s arrival, Xu Song emerged begrudgingly from deep within his underground abode to meet him.
Faced with his complaints, an awkward expression flashed across Zhouyang’s face, and he could only pretend not to notice, changing the subject: "Predecessor, are you accustomed to being here?"
Xu Song, being an experienced ghost cultivator, naturally knew Zhouyang was diverting the topic. However, the situation was beyond his control, so he replied along Zhouyang’s lines: "This place is not bad; it seems many people have died here in the past. Even after countless years, the resentful Qi hasn’t completely dissipated, which benefits my cultivation greatly."
Upon hearing him speak so nonchalantly of such matters, Zhouyang’s eyebrows furrowed, and he couldn’t help but advise: "I urge you to be cautious, Predecessor. Although ghost cultivators can absorb various Yin energies and Evil Qi for cultivation, too much exposure to such resentful Qi can inevitably pollute your will. Will you still be yourself then?"
Hearing this, Xu Song rolled his ghostly eyes in irritation: "You speak as if it’s easy. If this old man doesn’t absorb this resentful Qi for cultivation, how should I advance my cultivation? Do you think I am unaware of the adverse effects of this resentful Qi? This old man has no choice!"
As he spoke, his words were already filled with helplessness.
Zhouyang immediately fell silent.
For cultivators, whether they practice Immortal or Demon cultivation, advancing their cultivation is always a top priority.
If a cultivator cannot even meditate and practice cultivation, what hope is left?
Even as Xu Song’s master, Zhouyang could not quash Xu Song’s desire to enhance his cultivation.
Moreover, Zhouyang himself stood to benefit from Xu Song’s cultivation advancement.
After a moment of silence, Zhouyang finally, with reluctance on his face, couldn’t help but ask: "Predecessor, with your extensive knowledge, is there truly no way to resolve this matter?"
"Of course, there’s a way; it’s just a matter of whether you, boy, will permit this old man to do it!"
Xu Song’s mouth curled into a smile as he leisurely revealed his true objective.
It turned out he had long been waiting for Zhouyang to bring this up!
As a cunning ghost cultivator, he certainly knew what Zhouyang valued most about him.
If he were to lose his mind due to absorbing too much resentful Qi, and subsequently lose his intelligence, his usefulness to Zhouyang would inevitably be greatly reduced, and Zhouyang might then have to personally dispose of him.
For him, it would undoubtedly not be a favorable outcome; similarly, for Zhouyang, it would also be a significant loss.
Therefore, he was convinced that Zhouyang would not allow him to continue cultivating like this.
And although Zhouyang knew from his words that Xu Song was setting a trap, he had no way to escape, so he could only respond: "Then, Predecessor, please tell me your solution, and I will see if it is feasible."
"I know you, boy, are soft-hearted and can’t bear to see this old man use demon methods to harm the innocent."
"So, the solution is actually quite simple: you help me find some vile villains, and I will extract their divine souls to refine them into Ghost Shadow Clones. This way, when I cultivate, these Ghost Shadow Clones will bear the brunt of the resentment and pollution from the resentful Qi. At worst, I’ll just lose a Ghost Shadow Clone!"
Xu Song’s face turned sinister, and he spoke his solution in a chilling tone.
"No!"
Zhouyang’s eyelids twitched. He almost immediately rejected Xu Song’s request without even thinking.
Using people for cultivation is a standard demon method; how could he agree to such a request?
With a grim expression, he stared at Xu Song and stated sternly: "No matter what, using people for cultivation is absolutely unacceptable! Predecessor, please think of another solution!"
Xu Song hadn’t expected him to react so strongly. He was momentarily stunned, then his face darkened, and he, full of anger, exclaimed: "It’s just killing some vile people! Haven’t you killed a few in your cultivation path?"
"It’s not okay for this old man to kill, but it was for you?"
Zhouyang would not be swayed by such words, and immediately retorted with a righteous face: "Predecessor, you are mistaken. Although I have killed many, those were normal combat deaths between cultivators, where life and death are determined by fate, and no one else can be blamed."
"But as you suggested, using people for cultivation is a demon behavior despised and hated by all cultivators. This is a great moral conflict, and as a cultivator, how can I agree to such an act?"
His words were sincere and full of righteousness without a trace of falsehood.
Watching Zhouyang’s righteous demeanor, Xu Song felt an inexplicable fury rise in his heart, and he almost burst out cursing.
However, as the words reached his mouth, remembering his life was in Zhouyang’s hands, he felt a chill in his heart and suddenly changed his tone.
"So what do you intend to do? This old man can’t think of another solution. If you have a good method, feel free to speak up."
He looked at Zhouyang with resentment, like a wronged little wife.
Zhouyang, hearing this, found it rather difficult to answer.
If he had a solution, he wouldn’t be asking Xu Song in the first place.
After some thought, he softened his tone and sincerely advised, "Senior, it’s best not to absorb the Resentful Qi for cultivation yet. I will keep an eye on this matter for you. Until a solution is found, please bear with it!"
Upon hearing his gentle tone, Xu Song couldn’t act like a grievance-suffering person and waved his hand, saying, "Let’s talk about it later. You haven’t mentioned your purpose for visiting me today!"
Hearing this, Zhouyang knew that Xu Song was reluctant to heed his advice and abandon cultivation, yet he couldn’t say much more on this matter. So, he chose to suppress the issue and honestly said, "I was just about to tell you, Senior. I plan to visit the Yellow Sand Sect and hope you can accompany me. There might be a need for your presence to deter the situation!"
Xu Song heard this, the ghostly green light flickering in his ghostly eyes, and he smiled faintly, saying, "Oh, aren’t you afraid that my presence might cause the opposite effect?"
Zhouyang, being scrutinized like this, still remained unfazed and said, "That’s why this is merely a backup plan. If it’s unnecessary, then all the better."
"Since that’s the case, there’s no harm in accompanying you."
Immediately, Xu Song entered the "Spiritual Treasure Token" that Zhouyang carried, and together they headed to the Yellow Sand Sect’s mountain gate.
As this was a formal visit, Zhouyang hadn’t reached the oasis where the Yellow Sand Sect’s mountain gate was located but had already used Flying Sword Communication to notify Zhang Yunpeng.
Therefore, when he arrived outside the Yellow Sand Sect’s mountain gate, Zhang Yunpeng, the sect leader of Yellow Sand Sect, personally came out to welcome his arrival.
This kind of reception fully demonstrated Zhouyang’s current esteemed status in Zhang Yunpeng’s heart.
"After nineteen years apart, Fellow Daoist Zhou, your cultivation has reached such a level, truly worthy of envy!"
Inside the Yellow Sand Sect, Zhang Yunpeng welcomed Zhouyang into the mountain gate’s main hall, and upon speaking, expressed his astonishment at Zhouyang’s cultivation progress.
For ordinary Purple Mansion Stage cultivators, nineteen years might not suffice to advance a single layer of cultivation.
Yet, Zhouyang had been away for nineteen years, and raised his cultivation from the First-Layer of the Purple Mansion to the Fourth-Layer. Even though Zhang Yunpeng had known of this for some time, personally witnessing it compelled him to voice his amazement.
He looked at Zhouyang in amazement, eyes gleaming.
Originally, after Zhouyang opened his Purple Mansion, he hadn’t broken through in cultivation for twenty years. Zhang Yunpeng once believed Zhouyang’s potential was limited, lamenting that his master Cao Wenjin lacked discernment, thus bestowing Zhouyang many benefits unjustly.
Yet now, reality informed him that compared to the shrewd Cao Wenjin, Zhang Yunpeng was relatively inexperienced.
Zhouyang remained Zhouyang, with the same rapid cultivation advancement, markedly exceptional.
"Indeed, a genius admired by Nascent Soul Stage cultivators!"
With a gentle sigh, Zhang Yunpeng, filled with expectation, looked at Zhouyang and asked, "May I ask Fellow Daoist Zhou if he has transferred the master’s inheritance to Master Cyan Yang?"
Back then, Cao Wenjin left a storage bag for Zhouyang to give to Master Cyan Yang, asking him to provide some assistance to the Yellow Sand Sect. Zhouyang fulfilled this mission on his second trip to Immortal Sun City.
Originally, upon his return, he should directly inform Zhang Yunpeng of the situation. However, due to certain reasons, he did not disclose this to his cousin Zhou Yuanchen, who came to inquire.
Now, facing Zhang Yunpeng, having heard him directly bring up this issue, Zhouyang couldn’t keep him hanging.
He immediately responded with a smile, "Master Cyan Yang accepted it and instructed me to relay to Sect Leader Zhang that every fifty years, the Profound Sun Immortal Sect will sell a batch of Foundation Establishment Pills and Purple Cloud Pills at a fair price to the Yellow Sand Sect, spanning five hundred years, with the time starting from your first pill acquisition."
Zhang Yunpeng, hearing this, froze momentarily before his face reflected irrepressible disappointment and asked, "Did Master Cyan Yang only say that?"
He seemed dissatisfied with Zhouyang’s answer.
"Why? Does Sect Leader Zhang find this benefit insufficient?"
Zhouyang’s expression changed, and his tone grew slightly nuanced.
Given the specific restriction placed on the storage bag, one would recognize it if opened later, so he was unaware of the treasures inside.
But to him, Master Cyan Yang’s promise to the Yellow Sand Sect appeared notably significant.
With the availability of reasonably priced batches of Foundation Establishment Pills and Purple Cloud Pills every fifty years, the number of Foundation Establishment Stage and Purple Mansion Stage cultivators, essential to the sect’s strength, would undoubtedly increase.
Is this not enough?
However, to Zhang Yunpeng, who knew the whole story, while the promise was indeed valuable, it wasn’t the one they most desired.
Because within that storage bag was the half-broken horn from the Tier Six Demon King, which Cao Wenjin had risked his life to obtain!
However, with the item already given away, Yellow Sand Sect, as a small sect, had no leverage to bargain with Nascent Soul Stage Zhenren.
Thus, hearing Zhouyang’s nuanced words, Zhang Yunpeng also changed his expression, awkwardly smiled, and quickly said, "Fellow Daoist Zhou, you’ve misunderstood. Zhang naturally is satisfied, naturally is satisfied. If you see Master Cyan Yang again, please remember to thank him and express gratitude for his kindness on behalf of Zhang and the Yellow Sand Sect!"
"If there’s truly an opportunity, I certainly wouldn’t mind assisting Fellow Daoist Zhang with this trivial matter."
Zhouyang smiled faintly without exposing him.
Then, he shifted the topic, stared at Zhang Yunpeng intensely, and asked, "Fellow Daoist Zhang, is Fairy Jiang in the sect? I have important matters to discuss with you both!"