Chapter 4, The Cruelty of the Cultivation World

Translator: Raznick

 

The Three Absolute Sect had been destroyed, but the Zhou Clan might still remain!

 

Jing Kingdom’s top cultivation sect, Green Lotus Monastery crushed the Absolute Sect, but it didn’t go to extremes.

 

After being split up, the Three Absolute Sect became four factions: the Alchemy Li clan, Talisman You clan, Spirit Beast Manor, and the Spirit Beast Zhou Clan.

 

Li and You clans among them, were once part of the Three Absolute Sect. They had all become cultivating clans in the Jing Kingdom. Moreover, many disciples from these clans were preparing to join the Green Lotus Monastery.

 

The Spiritual Beast Manor was established by Zhou Jinghua, a Golden Core cultivator from the Zhou Clan. The disciples within were mostly clan outsiders from the Three Absolute Sect.

 

Of course, the former son-in-law regained his previous name of Yu Jinghua.

 

The Spirit Beast Zhou Clan was a cultivation clan composed of most of the Zhou clansmen from the former Three Absolute Sect.

 

As for why it was mostly, it was because a number of Zhou Clansmen had been swept into the so-called Spirit Beast Manor by Yu Jinghua, a Golden Core Stage cultivator.

 

At the same time, due to the loss of Yu Jinghua, Zhou Clan, who relied solely on a Violet Palace Stage cultivator to carry the burden, became the weakest among the four factions after the split of the Three Absolute Sect.

 

Therefore, Zhou Chun had two options: one was to go to that so-called Spiritual Beast Manor and become a member there; the other was to return to his clan and walk through the world of cultivation as a descendant of the Zhou Clan.

 

How these two places should be chosen—Zhou Chun hardly needed to deliberate.

 

Zhou Chun came from the legitimate line of the Zhou Clan but if he went to rely on the Spirit Beast Manor, he would inevitably not be entrusted with important tasks.

 

The Spirit Beast Zhou Clan was established by the direct descendants of the Zhou Clan. If Zhou Chun were to return, he would find it relatively straightforward to gain clan support once he demonstrated his capabilities and strength, as there were ample opportunities for him to rise within the clan hierarchy.

 

Thinking along these lines, Zhou Chun waited until the table of rogue cultivators had left the teahouse before he too exited. Then he intercepted that mustached man halfway and inquired about the whereabouts of the Zhou Clan.

 

He was disappointed to find that man only knew about the news that The Three Absolute Sect had been split into four factions but didn’t know where exactly those factions settled.

 

However, Zhou Chun still managed to extract the location of a cultivator market within Mist Province from him and prepared to travel there for further inquiries.

 

Zhou Chun quickly reclaimed the three spirit coins he had paid as security and left Clear Valley behind.

 

However, not long after leaving Zhou Chun’s brows knitted, and his gaze turned ominous.

 

A long-beaked bird landed on his wrist with a wave, chirping.

 

The bird known as the Red Beak Sparrow was exceptionally intelligent and had sharp eyes. It was small and, being a common bird, tended to be overlooked.

 

Therefore, they were often tamed by low cultivators skilled in beast-taming to serve as spies, for tracking and guarding.

 

When Zhou Chun was recovering in Cloud City, on one of his strolls he came across this Red Beak Sparrow captured by hunters for sale at the city’s market. He purchased it and began training it.

 

Zhou Chun was able to spot the rogue cultivator who would later guide him in Misty Mountain because this little bird had detected his presence.

 

Zhou Chun mentally reviewed his recent experiences in Clear Valley, and soon gained a clearer sense of purpose.

 

Zhou Chun immediately dove into the grass beside him, and gestured with his hands to cast an art. The Wood Concealment Art, an average first-grade mystical art, allowed him to blend into his surroundings by drawing on the life force of the grass and plants, thereby concealing both his presence and movements.

 

Thus, after a while, a man in a yellow robe and a youth clad in black emerged into Zhou Chun’s line of sight.

 

Zhou Chun looked at the man with a goatee beard wearing a yellow robe and instantly confirmed his initial suspicion.

 

The black-cloaked young man beside the yellow-robed man was also a rogue cultivator that Zhou Chun had previously seen at the teahouse.

 

The yellow-robed man was cautious, employing the help of the black-cloaked youth in his plan to go after him.

 

“Where is he? Where did the guy go? How did he just vanish?”

 

The yellow-robed man’s face looked around in alarm, his tone fast and angry, filled with a sense of anxiety.

 

The black-clothed young man was also on high alert, looking left and right. He said in a serious tone, “It’s possible that he discovered us. These cultivators from sects and clans often learn arts that ordinary rogue cultivators like us can’t touch.”

 

Zhou Chun listened to their conversation and immediately realized why they had come.

 

However, this also gave him a direct understanding of the cultivation world’s cruel nature.

 

Just because he inquired about a piece of information, it would lead to assassination attempts filled with hatred. Was this the cruel and treacherous nature of the cultivation world?

 

Zhao Chun’s expression darkened as he looked at the two people in the forest, and he couldn’t help but feel a surge of malice.

 

[Since you wan’t to kill me, we’ll just see who kills who in the end.]

 

Then he looked at his target and raised his hand to strike.

 

In a flash, a black light flew out of his hand, piercing a large tree and hitting the black-clothed youth in the chest.

 

“Bastard!”

 

A furious shout came from the yellow-robed man as he slapped a talisman on his body, forming a yellow shield around himself.

 

He lifted his hand and tapped the storage bag at his waist. Forthwith, he brandished a purple-red copper mace artifact, smashing toward Zhou Chun’s hiding spot.

 

Zhou Chun had taken initiative so of course he’d left the spot afterward.

 

By the time the hammer fell, he launched a golden flying dagger to slit the  throat of the black-clothed youth who had fallen from the previous blow.

 

After Zhou Chun took the initiative to defeat one enemy, he looked at the remaining panicking man and couldn’t help but show a smirk.

 

He spoke with a cold smile on his face. “If it ins’t my Fellow Daoist Dai? You’ve been secretly following all this time. Could it be that you want to invite me out for tea?”

 

As he spoke, Zhou Chun gestured for the two artifacts to return to his hand.

 

When the yellow-robed man saw this, his heart sank.

 

He quietly glanced at the body and with a slight twitch of his eyes, he shouted, “Fellow Daoist Zhou, please hear me out. I’ve come to my senses and bey you for the chance to redeem myself!”

 

Zhou Chun, upon hearing this, spoke coldly: “No redemption needed. After all, when a person dies, their sins are washed away. Even if you have the greatest wrongdoings, death is the great leveller.”

 

He made a gesture and the incoming two artifacts flew straight at the yellow-robed man.

 

In terms of cultivation, this yellow-robed man was at the Seventh Layer of Qi Refining Stage, just one level higher than Zhou Chun. But when it came to the quality and quantity of their mystical artifacts, Zhou Chun, who had inherited Li Han’s items, completely overwhelmed him.

 

After an intense battle, Zhou Chun managed to break through the shield of the man in a yellow robe just before his spiritual power was exhausted. He pierced the man’s forehead with the golden dagger.

 

“The strong devour the weak; survival of the fittest. That’s what cultivation is all about!”

 

Looking at the dead man in yellow robes on the ground, Zhou Chun muttered softly to himself, raised his hand and retrieved the flying dagger, then quickly began cleaning up the scene.

 

Half an hour later, Zhou Chun systematically searched both corpses on the ground. After extracting whatever he deemed valuable, he set fire to the bodies until they were reduced to ashes. He then left the scene with his loot.