Chapter 140, Don’t Just Take, and an Ominous Guest

Translator: Raznick

 

Flying Stone Peak.

 

When Zhou Chun was sent off, Zhou Daoquan’s mood was incredibly complex.

 

He had always known Zhou Chun was bold and resourceful.

 

But he never imagined Zhou Chun would be that bold!

 

Whether it was choosing to cultivate the Golden Cauldron Mystic Art, a technique that no one had dared to cultivate for over two centuries, or attempting a major overhaul of the clan’s power structure shortly after becoming Deputy Clan Leader, these were things that ordinary people wouldn’t even dare to consider.

 

“They say that calves don’t fear tigers, and it seems some things are indeed done with more determination and momentum by the young people than by us old-timers!”

 

He murmured to himself, a hint of anticipation flickering in his eyes.

 

He was curious to see if Zhou Chun’s proposed reforms would live up to his words.

 

He was also eager to see if Zhou Chun could become the second cultivator in a thousand years to successfully cultivate the Golden Cauldron Mystic Art within the Zhou Clan.

 

On the other hand, having secured the support of Third Elder Zhou Daoquan, Zhou Chun brought his plan to the returning Fourth Elder Zhou Jiarui, seeking his endorsement.

 

However, Fourth Elder Zhou Jiarui wasn’t as willing to commit as Zhou Daoquan had been and simply stated that he would act according to circumstances.

 

As for Fifth Elder Zhou Jiahe, it went without saying that he owed Zhou Chun a great debt during his Foundation Establishment, and naturally supported Zhou Chun’s reform plan.

 

Besides these elders, convincing Zhou Chun was Second Elder Zhou Chongshan’s priority.

 

This respected Zhou Clan elder, regardless of his seniority or cultivation or his identity as the Zhou Clan’s strongest array master, was, in fact, the clan’s second in command.

 

If he could be convinced, his reform plan would be largely successful.

 

Not long after, he appeared on Array Peak, where Second Elder Zhou Chongshan resided, and handed him his plan.

 

He watched the elder’s reactions, estimating when he had finished reading, and then spoke up, “I know, Second Elder, you are most eager for the Zhou Clan to develop, just like an array can only function at its best when it operates steadily.

 

“However, the way of the array also speaks of change; an array that doesn’t embrace change is doomed, and even if its grade is high and its power is strong, it would break.

 

“If you consider the clan to be an array, you should also know that if an array master can control the array and make beneficial changes based on circumstances, then it can better unleash the power and mystery of the array.”

 

In a previous life, Zhou Chun had also worked in sales for a time and knew a little about how to do a sales pitch.

 

Appealing to their interests was a very effective method.

 

Zhou Clan Second Elder Zhou Chongshan was conservative in nature and, aside from arrays, was not particularly interested in other matters; he hadn’t even formed a contract with a demon beast.

 

Therefore, before attempting to convince him, he did some research and read annotations about the way of the array.

 

He was now applying what he had learned, using the concepts of stability and change from the way of the array to apply them to the governance of the clan.

 

He hoped that the elder would understand his earnest intentions and agree to support him.

 

After listening to his words, Zhou Chongshan raised his head slightly and gazed at him with deep eyes, saying, “But how can you be sure that the changes you are about to make are beneficial to the clan?

 

“I may not be very clever, but I can see that many of your reform measures are playing with people’s hearts.

 

“But human hearts are fickle. Today, they might strive for betterment because of your measures, working hard for the clan and for themselves. Tomorrow, they might become disheartened, self-destructive, and even betray the clan!”

 

As he spoke, his tone shifted, his voice heavy with warning, “And most importantly, our cultivating clan values unity above all else. A major reason for that unity is that everyone shares the same bloodline, naturally creating close relationships that encourage mutual support. Senior cultivators in the clan won’t harass junior cultivators!

 

“If you implement the incentive and elimination system you proposed, it can stimulate the potential of some clan members and bring out more elite cultivators and core cultivators for the clan. However, it would also hurt the feelings of some lagging members, causing them to completely lose their sense of belonging and destroy the clan’s unity!

 

“Have you considered these serious consequences?”

 

His voice held a palpable sense of questioning as he finished speaking.

 

Zhou Chun listened to his words, his expression subtly changing as he fell silent.

 

Zhou Chun’s reform plan was largely based on the structures of former companies and nations, with many rules directly copied or slightly modified.

 

Because countless companies and nations in his previous life used this structure, it proved to be a very effective system.

 

That was why he was so confident that he could use this reform to enhance the overall strength of the Zhou Clan and make it even more powerful.

 

But now, after Zhou Chongshan’s explanation, he realized that sometimes reforms that seem beneficial to a group aren’t always as good as they appear.

 

It could even undermine the group’s foundations!

 

Just as Zhou Chongshan said, the Zhou Clan is a cultivating clan, and the natural closeness brought about by shared bloodline means that clan cultivators are inherently more united and reliable than sect cultivators.

 

A cultivator might betray a sect for profit, and perhaps half of ten people would condemn such behavior.

 

But a cultivator who betrayed even family members, including parents and children, would likely be condemned by nine out of ten people!

 

If a person is willing to betray those closest to them by blood, what else won’t they betray?

 

Zhou Chun’s current reform plan might elevate the clan’s strength, but it would divide the clan’s emotions, creating a barrier between the strong and the weak, preventing them from being as close as before.

 

Over time, even if the clan became stronger, the original large clan might fracture into countless small groups, with people only being close to and caring for only a few of their closest blood relatives.

 

If the clan were to encounter a major crisis, it would be impossible to unite these small groups and have them face the crisis together!

 

At that time, the Zhou Clan would be nothing more than a name.

 

Thinking about this, Zhou Chun also broke out in a cold sweat.

 

He glanced at Zhou Chongshan, who was covered in sweat, and quickly lowered his head and said, “Second Elder’s reprimand was justified. I was careless; I didn’t consider everything.”

 

Then he paused in his speech, straightened his head with a firm expression, and said, “I will return and redo the reform plan. I will focus on clan unity when I create the new plan, ensuring that the new plan is truly beneficial to the clan as a whole and beneficial to every member of the clan.”

 

“Then go; I want to see what you can come up with.”

 

Zhou Chongshan waved his hand dismissively.

 

Zhou Chun was too embarrassed to speak grandiose words at this time.

 

He immediately retrieved the plan and returned to Pagoda Peak.

 

No sooner had he returned to Pagoda Peak than he was summoned by Clan Leader Zhou Daoyi.

 

The two met in Zhou Daoyi’s residence, and Zhou Daoyi looked at him with a faint smile and said, “You received a scolding from Second Elder, didn’t you?”

 

“How did Clan Leader know?”

 

Zhou Chun looked at Zhou Daoyi in astonishment, surprised at how he knew about his experience.

 

He quickly regained his senses, shaking his head with a wry smile. “Of course, even the Second Elder could see that; how could you fail to notice?”

 

Then, a look of bewilderment crossed his face as he looked at Zhou Daoyi, asking, “So, why didn’t you mention it to me earlier?”

 

After he completed his reform plan, the first person he showed it to was the Clan Leader, Zhou Daoyi.

 

At that time, Zhou Daoyi had also said he would wholeheartedly support him in promoting the clan’s reform initiatives.

 

Now, reflecting on it, Zhou Daoyi’s words then were veiled with meaning!

 

Facing his question, Zhou Daoyi calmly stated with an unchanging smile, “Because I also wanted to see how much standing you have with the elders and to gauge their insights into the clan’s reform.”

 

He paused, his gaze deepening as he looked at Zhou Chun, “Even if the Second Elder didn’t reprimand you, I would have made you aware when you eventually came to find me. I wouldn’t truly implement reform according to your plan.”

 

“I see, I understand!”

 

Zhou Chun nodded slightly, his heart tinged with bitterness, feeling somewhat wounded.

 

He had always experienced an easy path, never having been struck like this before, so his mood naturally couldn’t be easily lifted.

 

As if sensing his thoughts, Zhou Daoyi offered words of comfort, “I and the elders know of your good intentions. I have also been considering reforming the clan.

 

“However, there are so many people in the clan, and each person has different aspirations and abilities. To satisfy their aspirations and develop their abilities while maintaining their sense of belonging to the clan is indeed a difficult balancing act.

 

“If you truly want to reform the clan, then spend more time and effort carefully understanding the thoughts of every clan cultivator and understanding their limits.”

 

He trailed off, adding gently, “Remember, haste makes waste. We cultivators have plenty of time, and the clan is not in a situation where it will perish if it doesn’t reform!”

 

Hearing his comforting words, Zhou Chun’s mood did improve somewhat.

 

He also realized that he had been rushing things a bit.

 

He then answered calmly, “I understand, and I will certainly remember Clan Leader’s words today and continue to dedicate myself to the reforms.”

 

“Good.”

 

Zhou Daoyi nodded slightly before dismissing him.

 

After that, Zhou Chun indeed stopped mentioning the reforms and instead focused on diligently cultivating a secret art and handling clan affairs.

 

Following Zhou Daoyi’s instructions, he systematically inquired about each clan member’s requests for the clan and the boundaries of reform they could tolerate.

 

It was roughly half a year after Zhou Chun took over as Deputy Clan Leader that the two artifacts he had ordered from the market, capable of collecting and containing metal Qi, arrived.

 

The two artifacts looked like precious vials, and each artifact, once filled, contained enough metal Qi to supplement his fourth Hard Gold Sword Energy.

 

And according to his estimates, the total amount of metal Qi he would need to use the Golden Cauldron Mystic Art for smelting would require filling ten such precious vials!

 

However, storing metal Qi did not necessarily require such specialized artifacts.

 

The collected metal Qi could be safely stored in artificially created chambers, with an array used to restrain and prevent its dissipation.

 

As long as it was not stored for too long, its natural dissipation rate would be very slow and practically negligible.

 

Therefore, the two such specialized artifacts were more than enough for Zhou Chun’s needs.

 

And he paid a staggering 1,800 spirit coins for them!

 

Once these artifacts arrived, Zhou Chun offered generous compensation and tasked clan cultivators to help him collect metal Qi.

 

Even news of this reached several clans, including the Wang Clan, Sun Clan, and He Clan, allowing cultivators from those clans to come and claim the task.

 

Of course, cultivators from clans outside the Zhou Clan who claimed the task had to first obtain a guarantee from their Clan Leader.

 

Otherwise, Zhou Chun would genuinely worry about someone pocketing his artifact.

 

This practice of allowing cultivators from friendly clans to claim tasks, though uncommon, wasn’t entirely unexpected; it usually happened when there was an urgent need for something.

 

Previously, the Zhou Clan had also helped other clans locate items, purely as a mutually beneficial arrangement.

 

It was at this time that good news also arrived from the Cloud Province battlefield.

 

After receiving reinforcements from other factions in the Jing Kingdom, the Dragonized Sect’s invasion of Cloud Province suffered a complete rout; many were wiped out, and two Guardians were even ambushed and killed!

 

Having experienced the Jing Kingdom’s determination and strength, the Dragonized Sect seemed to retreat, rallying its forces.

 

Now, only scattered members of the Dragonized Sect remain hidden in Cloud Province, looking for opportunities to cause havoc.

 

And after achieving such a significant victory, the various factions of the Jing Kingdom didn’t seem inclined to pursue the matter further, instead establishing several large cultivator gathering places in Cloud Province as garrison posts.

 

Overall, the Dragonized Sect undoubtedly lost this battle and lost it decisively.

 

However, they also partially achieved their strategic objectives.

 

Not only did they single-handedly provoke Jing Kingdom’s various factions to unite against them, revealing the current relationships between them, but they also slaughtered thousands of cultivators and millions of mortals from Cloud Province!

 

As a result of this battle, the Dragonized Sect’s reputation spread throughout the Jing Kingdom, and the centuries-old ban of its name was effectively lifted.

 

Furthermore, no one knew whether this disruption of the Jing Kingdom was merely the Dragonized Sect’s preliminary probe.

 

The future actions of the Dragonized Sect, whether they would launch a more intense attack, were something even the elder cultivators in the Nascent Soul stage from various factions in the Jing Kingdom weren’t sure about.

 

With the cessation of the war in Cloud Province, the various cultivating clans in Mist Province, which had lived in fear for over a year, completely loosened their restrictions, and everything reverted to the state it was in when the war in Cloud Province first began.

 

The Zhou Clan was no exception, and Zhou Jiapeng, along with another Jia generation cultivator who had obtained an Elevating Spirit Fruit, began to enter seclusion to start Foundation Establishment.

 

However, just as the Zhou Clan and other clans completely lifted the restrictions after the end of the war in Cloud Province, an unexpected guest arrived outside of Nine Peaks.

 

“Nine Peaks Zhou Clan, is this the place?”

 

A graceful woman in red attire was looking eagerly at the Zhou Clan estate in the distance from within a mountain forest outside the Zhou Clan estate.