Chapter 398: Chapter 383: Never Forget Why You Started! [2 Updates]
Parents are deceased, earthly ties are severed.
If it were those sect cultivators, faced with this situation, they could return peacefully to the sect’s cave to cultivate diligently, wholeheartedly pursuing the Great Dao.
Honestly, when Zhouyang reviewed his life before his parents’ grave, he indeed had similar thoughts.
After all, with Xuan Hao’s passing, he truly had no close blood relatives left in the Zhou Family anymore, and now, the cultivators of the Zhou Family who have the closest blood relation to him are at least seven or eight generations apart.
Moreover, the things he did for the Zhou Family in his lifetime have already completely repaid their nurturing, and even if he left, he would have no psychological barrier.
However, not everything in this world can be measured by the word "benefit."
The Zhou Family has reached today largely due to Zhouyang’s efforts. For this family, he worked tirelessly for over a hundred years, and led the small clan, which initially only had a handful of members, to develop into the largest cultivation clan in the Boundless Desert Sea Cultivation Realm with hundreds of cultivators.
This clan is soaked in his heart’s blood and carries the deep imprint of his efforts; he’s spent most of his life living in this clan.
To ask him to abandon this family and travel alone, to roam outside, he cannot do it, nor can he accept it!
Though such an analogy might not be fitting, the truth is, for Zhouyang, the Zhou Family is like his child.
Over the past hundred years, he personally raised this frail child who was nearly starving, watching it grow into a mighty and robust adult, becoming a giant presence that others must look up to.
If he were to suddenly leave, this mighty adult would collapse, like one’s backbone being pulled out, never able to stand up again.
This is something he absolutely cannot accept.
If such a thing really happened, what would the meaning be for his century-long persistence and struggle?
"Father, Mother, and the old Clan Leader, please rest in peace, as long as I’m here, I will never let the Zhou Family decline, nor will I let our hard work go to waste!"
In the Zhou Family’s graveyard, Zhouyang, who had been sleepless, fasting, and thirsty for three days there, suddenly knelt before his parents’ tomb and solemnly made a vow, knocking his head loudly on the ground three times.
Then he got up and left the graveyard, beginning to preside over the mourning and funeral activities.
After bustling around for a month, Zhou Xuanhao’s funeral was finally completed.
But the Zhou Family cultivators who had been busy for a month were not allowed any rest, and immediately threw themselves into the preparations for the grand auction event.
This grand auction event is extremely important to Zhouyang. He wants to emulate the grand auction event of Immortal Sun City and hold a grand auction every thirty years.
To make this grand auction event influential like Immortal Sun City’s grand auction, the success of this first hosting is especially crucial.
Only if the treasures auctioned at this event satisfy people will the next grand auction create anticipation and desire.
For this reason, Zhouyang not only searched his own and Zhou Family’s savings to prepare a series of treasures usable from the Qi Cultivation Stage to the Purple Mansion Stage for the grand auction, he also personally crafted spiritual artifacts and painted talismans, producing a batch of premium Tier Three Spiritual Artifacts and Tier Three Talismans to be auctioned.
Additionally, Xiao Ying and Zhou Guangxiang specifically targeted the Foundation Establishment Stage cultivators and specially refined unique Tier Three Spirit Pills and Tier Three Array Plates.
Time flew by swiftly, and soon there were less than three days left until the Zhou Family determined grand auction event on the schedule, and cultivators from all directions, coming to attend the auction, had all checked into the palace built by the Zhou Family outside Liuyun Marketplace.
Of course, if one doesn’t mind spending Spirit Stones, they can still stay at the Immortal Inn run by the Zhou Family inside the marketplace.
At this time, because of the arrival of a large number of cultivators, various shops in Liuyun Marketplace took out premium treasures long prepared for this grand auction, hoping to get a piece of the pie in this large event.
The Zhou Family also timely designated a large area in the west plaza of the marketplace as a temporary trade market, where anyone, by paying one Low-grade Spirit Stone, could set up a stall there for a day.
Meanwhile, atop Red Tiger Mountain where the Zhou Family resides, an apprentice ceremony was being held.
Years ago, when Zhouyang took Lu Xuewei as a disciple, he had said he would use this grand auction event to attract people and invite various cultivators to witness the ceremony, and naturally, he wouldn’t break his word.
A couple of years later, Lu Xuewei had already grown into a graceful eleven-year-old girl.
At this time, having learned in the Zhou Family’s school for several years, she realized the magnitude of the honor in becoming Zhouyang’s first disciple.
To prove she could live up to this honor, she prepared well for today’s initiation ceremony, practiced countless times beforehand, afraid of making mistakes at the ceremony and causing Zhouyang to lose face and others to talk badly.
"Xuewei, you now realize how fortunate and honorable it is to be accepted under Elder Zhou’s tutelage, don’t you?"
"In the future, you must be obedient and sensible under Elder Zhou. You must learn to respect your teacher and adhere to the Dao. Whatever your master asks you to do, you must do, without defying his orders!"
"If, if you achieve Foundation Establishment in the future, no one will dare bully our Old Lu Family again!"
On Red Tiger Mountain, Patriarch Lu, who had traveled far with several of his grandchildren to witness the ceremony, took advantage of the fact that the apprenticeship ceremony had not yet begun. With a face full of joy, he eagerly advised his daughter, his eyes filled with hopeful anticipation.
In recent years, not only has Lu Xuewei benefited from being Zhouyang’s disciple, but their Lu family has also reaped considerable rewards.
Firstly, the clans that previously oppressed the Lu family no longer dared to make a sound. Not only did they not dare to speak up, but some who had deeply offended their family even sent people to apologize.
The small Lu family had never experienced such honor, having Foundation Establishment Clans apologizing to them!
Moreover, when the news spread that Lu Xuewei became Zhouyang’s first disciple, the loose cultivators and clans that previously looked down on their small family underwent a complete transformation in attitude.
Previously, when Lu family cultivators went out for business, selling spirit grains or spirit grasses grown on their spirit mountain, or other materials obtained from hunting demon beasts, they would always be subjected to price suppression.
Now, as long as they stated their identity, many shops scrambled to purchase their goods.
The Patriarch of the Lu Clan was more than clear why these changes occurred.
Originally, he harbored resentment and unhappiness in his heart about sending his daughter to the Zhou family.
But now, he was more worried than anyone about any issues arising from his daughter’s apprenticeship to Zhouyang.
"Alright, alright, father, don’t worry, I understand all this. You’ve mentioned it so many times."
Lu Xuewei, after all, was still a young girl inexperienced in the ways of the world. Today’s grand occasion added considerable psychological pressure on her. Her father’s nagging advice, though meant well, made her feel somewhat irritable, and her words became slightly displeased.
"Oh, you child, I’m doing this for your good. You don’t need to..." Patriarch Lu sighed, wanting to say more. However, at this moment, Zhou Guangxiang, who was hosting the apprenticeship ceremony, had already called Lu Xuewei’s name.
Seeing this, he had no choice but to fall silent, watching his daughter, full of excitement and eagerness, carry the apprenticeship gift as she walked towards Zhouyang.
Accepting a disciple is a significant event for a cultivator, and the apprenticeship ceremony is equally important.
First, the disciple must perform three kneelings and nine kowtows to the master, swear an oath to the heavens not to betray, deceive, or harm their master, and then recite a section of the "Student’s Rules," which contains words about respecting the master and caring for fellow disciples.
As the master, during the disciple’s apprenticeship, some of their rules will be emphasized. The disciple must unequivocally respond with affirmations like "Yes" or "Can."
After completing all these procedures, Zhouyang stood up from the armchair, personally walked to the front of the kneeling Lu Xuewei, took the apprenticeship gift from her hands and placed it on a nearby table, seriously helped her up, and solemnly said: "Since you have decided to accept me as your master and are willing to adhere to my rules, today, I ask all fellow Daoists to bear witness. I, Zhouyang, today accept Zhou Guangwei as my first disciple, to inherit my mantle and announce this to the world!"
"Disciple greets Master!"
Lu Xuewei (Zhou Guangwei) knelt down again, deeply kowtowing as a salute, thus fully establishing the master-disciple relationship between the two.
Once their relationship was confirmed, the cultivators who had come to witness the ceremony began to offer congratulations according to their status, in turn.
"Hahaha, congratulations to Fellow Daoist Zhou on acquiring an excellent disciple. Your disciple possesses extraordinary talent; the Purple Mansion can be anticipated, and the Golden Core is hopeful. The Zhou family has a bright future ahead!"
Zhang Yunpeng, as the Sect Leader of the Yellow Sand Sect and a Ninth-Layer Purple Mansion cultivator, naturally held the highest status among the witnessing cultivators. After the apprenticeship ceremony was completed, he was the first to loudly laugh and come forward to offer his congratulations.
Seeing his face full of smiles, those unaware of the inside situation might truly think he was genuinely pleased that Zhouyang had acquired a disciple of such exceptional talent.
But in reality, those who knew that the Yellow Sand Sect had also once considered targeting Lu Xuewei were secretly laughing in their hearts.
These individuals were envious and jealous that Zhouyang had accepted a disciple as talented as Lu Xuewei, but if given a choice, they would rather benefit Zhouyang than the Yellow Sand Sect.
For these people, the stronger the Yellow Sand Sect becomes, the more difficult their days will be in the future.
Over the years, as the influence of the Yellow Sand Sect diminished, the various cultivation families had fully enjoyed the benefits, and no one wanted to see the Yellow Sand Sect that once dominated the Boundless Desert Sea Cultivation Realm rise again.
The decline of the Yellow Sand Sect had led them to woo these cultivation clans, granting them benefits to stabilize the situation.
If the Yellow Sand Sect were as strong as it was during Cao Wenjin’s time, these cultivation families would, just like before, have to send their Foundation Establishment cultivators to respond and follow orders upon a single decree, even if they knew they were being sent to their deaths with no room for defiance.
The Yellow Sand Sect, the foremost sect in the Boundless Sea of Sand Cultivation Realm, and the Zhou family, the foremost major cultivation clan, not getting along is what all other cultivation clans hope to see.
In fact, to promote this discord, many cultivation clans, knowing the purpose of the Zhou family’s upcoming grand auction, are still willing to bring treasures and spirit stones to participate.
In their opinion, the more successful the Zhou family’s grand auction, the more spirit stones it earns, the more it will provoke the jealousy and fear of the Yellow Sand Sect, leading to irreparable rifts in their relationship.
So far, the signing of the "Nether Blood Contract" between Zhouyang and Cao Wenjin remains an absolute secret, known only to the three parties directly involved: him and the Zhang Yunpeng couple, with no other person in the know.
So, any attempts by those with ulterior motives to sow discord are bound to be fruitless.