Chapter 154, Clan Trifles and Silver Lightning Thunder Python’s Advancement

Translator: Raznick

 

Pagoda Peak, Central Palace.

 

“Deputy Clan Leader, the Blazing Diamond Monkey is too precious. I know my contributions to the clan aren’t as significant as many clan members’, so I wouldn’t dare to even consider it.

 

“But if the Eight Antlers Stag can be mass-bred, wouldn’t it be reasonable for me to request one for my son as a contract spirit pet?

 

“My son’s spirit root is admittedly lacking, but he’s still a direct descendant of the clan’s bloodline, and he’s always been loyal to the clan, getting along well with the clan members. These are things that everyone has witnessed; it’s not me boasting at all!”

 

Within the grand hall, a Zhou Clan cultivator, his hair streaked with gray, was speaking excitedly to Zhou Chun, presenting his request.

 

This cultivator’s cultivation was unremarkable, only at the Ninth Layer of Qi Refining. For his age, this level of cultivation indicated a low standing within the Zhou Clan, clearly achieved through seniority alone.

 

His name was Zhou Jiakui, ranked twenty-third among his peers, and currently a valued member of the Zhou Clan.

 

He came to find Zhou Chun to request an Eight Antlers Stag as a contract spirit pet for his son, Zhou Zheng Huan.

 

Initially, his words flowed smoothly, presenting a reasonable and empathetic case. Zhou Chun should have considered the senior’s request.

 

However, upon recalling the file of Zhou Zheng Huan, Zhou Chun couldn’t help but shake his head.

 

He spoke gently, “Twenty-third Uncle, it’s not that I’m heartless, but Eighteenth Brother simply isn’t suited to raising a delicate spirit pet like the Eight Antlers Stag. He nearly let a hardy Rock Boar, a pet that’s easy to care for, die. You should abandon this thought.”

 

The Zhou Clan was a beast-taming clan, but not every Zhou Clan cultivator was skilled in beast-taming.

 

Like Zhou Zheng Huan, the son of the elderly cultivator, Zhou Jakui, he possessed a free-spirited nature, always wandering around, seeking out company to drink and brag, and completely lacking ambition and responsibility.

 

He had even gone so far as to place the spirit pet Rock Boar inside the spirit beast pouch, only to forget it in a corner of his residence, failing to open it or feed it for a long time.

 

It caused the Rock Boar to be trapped inside the spirit beast pouch for too long, and it couldn’t bear it anymore, so it defied its master’s commands and forcefully broke out of the spirit beast pouch to find food.

 

How could Zhou Chun possibly feel at ease letting someone like that raise an Eight Antlers Stag that required fresh grass daily?

 

Moreover, Zhou Chun didn’t even need to think twice to know that the wastrel wanted to bind the Eight Antlers Stag, probably with the intention of being able to take him out of the clan to roam around once the spirit pet matured.

 

But Zhou Chun, as a father, naturally had a filter of bias towards his son.

 

He immediately defended his son, saying, “That incident was just my son being careless; who hasn’t been careless at some point? Deputy Clan Leader, you can’t deny my son’s ability because of this one incident!”

 

“Twenty-third Uncle!”

 

Zhou Chun suddenly raised his voice, looking at him with a serious expression, and said, “I respect you as a senior, so I don’t want to say things too bluntly, but you must also maintain your dignity!

 

“If there were many Eight Antlers Stags, as long as you are willing to pay clan merits, I can let you exchange them however you want, but in the case of limited quantity, the clan will definitely prioritize finding suitable people to bind them!

 

“Our clan has always been like this. Do you want me to make an exception for you?”

 

Speaking at the end, Zhou Chun’s tone was already very stern.

 

He was indeed always polite to seniors, but as the Deputy Clan Leader hosting clan affairs, he had more than just politeness; he also had a temper.

 

For most of the senior’s requests, whether he could agree or not, he would politely respond.

 

But if it was like Zhou Chun’s current situation, treating his politeness as bargaining capital, he wouldn’t be polite anymore.

 

At this moment, looking at Zhou Chun’s stern face, Zhou Chun’s body also trembled, and he didn’t dare to say any more.

 

He could only sigh softly, “Yes, Deputy Clan Leader, you are correct. It was my slip of the tongue that offended you, Deputy Clan Leader. I apologize to you!”

 

He then performed a bow towards Zhou Chun, cupping his hands in the gesture.

 

“Twenty-third Uncle, you may return. If you can find a way to change Eighteenth Brother’s temperament and come find me again later, I will certainly help you resolve this matter.”

 

Zhou Chun waved his hand, directly dismissing him.

 

Hearing his words, Zhou Jiakui’s complexion grew even more pallid.

 

He immediately left the Central Palace with a look of disappointment.

 

In this way, some were rejected, others agreed, and Zhou Chun had essentially achieved fairness and impartiality, setting the masters for those demon beast offspring that had not yet been born.

 

Including the monkey cub of the Blazing Diamond Monkey.

 

Zhou Zhengyong’s son, Zhou Xinlan, was quite commendable; he had now successfully entered the Dao and possessed a first layer of Qi Refining cultivation.

 

Once one enters the Dao, they have the ability to contract a demon beast.

 

And as the person with the best aptitude among the Xin generation clan direct cultivators and whose father had made great contributions to the clan, assigning the Blazing Diamond Monkey’s monkey cub as his first spirit pet was also the clan’s support and cultivation of the younger generation.

 

This alone was enough for Zhou Chun to justly and confidently reject other requests.

 

Time flew by, and another two years passed.

 

The Zhou Clan conducted two secret transactions with the Dragonized Sect during this time, reaping a harvest of rare treasures.

 

During this time, the Zhou Clan’s second and third Blazing Diamond Monkeys were born one after another, completely declaring the success of the breeding of this hybrid demon beast.

 

The Deer Pen had also gained several Eight Antlers Stag, their breeding speed accelerating.

 

Even the Musk Spirit Stag brought back by Zhou Chun successfully impregnated two ordinary female musks.

 

The populations of demon beasts within the other beast enclosure were also showing positive growth, with the number of newly born demon beast offspring increasing each year.

 

Simultaneously, under the protection of the Zhou Clan’s security team, the number of rogue cultivators coming to the Zhou Clan to cultivate had increased compared to a few years prior, significantly boosting the Zhou Clan’s rental income.

 

This string of good news greatly satisfied and pleased Zhou Chun and the other members of the Zhou Clan leadership, considerably easing their worries.

 

For Zhou Chun himself, the past two years had also brought significant gains.

 

He had not only initially grasped the two secret arts but also, through repeated refining, had reinforced his meridian to a point where it could withstand minor incursions of metal Qi without harm.

 

This removed a major obstacle to his eventual transition to the Golden Cauldron Mystic Art.

 

At the same time, through his tireless cultivation, the Silver Thunder Python had finally accumulated enough cultivation to reach the peak of a first-tier demon beast, slowly digesting century-old herbs.

 

Normally, at this stage, it would take several more years to break through using slow accumulation.

 

However, the three-hundred-year-old Dragon Blood Ginseng that Zhou Chun had acquired previously was enough to save it from that arduous process.

 

One day, Zhou Chun summoned the Silver Thunder Python he had been cultivating on the mountain to the courtyard.

 

“Whitey, this time you must strive to succeed; you must break through.”

 

In the courtyard, Zhou Chun gently stroked Whitey’s forehead, feeding it the Dragon Blood Ginseng under its expectant gaze.

 

After swallowing the Dragon Blood Ginseng, it immediately coiled around the Dragon Coiling Pillar that Zhou Chun had specifically built for it in the courtyard and slowly began to digest the powerful medicinal power contained within the ginseng.

 

The Rock Turtle, too, sprawled within the courtyard, its eyes welling with envy at the scene unfolding.

 

It had actually reached its first-tier limit long before the Silver Thunder Python.

 

But constrained by its bloodline, it had no way to break through and advance like the Silver Thunder Python and Whitey, relying on ingesting herbs of potent medicinal power.

 

Or, to put it another way, it required consuming herbs imbued with a special power to achieve a breakthrough and advance.

 

Currently, Zhou Chun hadn’t had the time to seek out the spiritual items needed for its breakthrough and advancement, so it could only follow Zhou Chun’s teachings, attempting to develop new applications for its innate talents, exploring this aspect of its potential.

 

“Stone, you don’t need to envy it. Once Whitey successfully breaks through, when our strength grows even greater, we’re then better able to seek out the spiritual items needed for your advancement.

 

“Rest assured, no matter what, I will certainly not abandon you.”

 

As if noticing the envy in Rock Turtle’s eyes, Zhou Chun turned his head, also offering comfort to the spirit pet.

 

He, Zhou Chun, was not a person who easily tired of new things, especially since the Rock Turtle, since following him, had repeatedly saved his life, rendering him great assistance—a true veteran official.

 

He would naturally not slight this old comrade and would spare no effort to ensure its successful advancement.

 

Given that the Silver Thunder Python would require a significant amount of time to achieve its advancement, Zhou Chun instructed the Rock Turtle to guard the house and then left his residence to head to the Central Palace for work.

 

Upon arriving at the Central Palace, he saw that the Diamond Ape, newly appointed as the guardian spirit beast, immediately bowed, cupping hands in greeting.

 

The old monkey, after two years of training from the Wood Spirit Ape, had had many of its simian habits changed; it had now achieved enlightenment, understanding the importance of pleasing humans.

 

And Zhou Chun would also occasionally offer guidance, helping it better develop its innate talents and mystical art power.

 

Of course, the Wood Spirit Ape provided more guidance on that front; it was the true master in that area.

 

He inclined his head slightly toward the old monkey, and Zhou Chun began to peruse the files that had been organized and laid out by the scribe.

 

Recently, a letter arrived from the Wang Clan, proposing a new edition of the Grand Five Clan martial competition, seemingly intending for the Zhou Clan to host the event.

 

This was originally a good thing, a recognition of the Zhou Clan’s strength.

 

However, the Zhou Clan’s current situation was somewhat awkward.

 

Among the group of young people under thirty, there was hardly anyone of value, the highest cultivation reaching only the Eighth Layer of Qi Refining!

 

The elite group under sixty, however, had several cultivators from the Zhou Clan who could contend for the top ten.

 

But due to the Zhou Clan’s outstanding performance last time, the He Clan, the Sun Clan, and other clans have all expressed that there needed to be restrictions on the spirit pets of the Zhou Clan’s cultivators participating; otherwise, they wouldn’t participate in this martial competition.

 

However, if the spirit pet participation was truly restricted, it would be very difficult for the Zhou Clan’s cultivators to achieve any good results.

 

Therefore, Zhou Chun hadn’t yet agreed, intending to first hold a martial competition within the clan to gauge the capabilities of these clan members.

 

“Hmm, it just so happens that I’m also getting rid of those first-rank artifacts that aren’t very useful; I’m going to take a few out to be prizes!”

 

Zhou Chun stroked his chin, quickly formulating ideas for the martial competition’s rewards.

 

Now, Clan Leader Zhou Daoyi was focused on cultivating and no longer involved in clan affairs, unable to be disturbed except for particularly significant events.

 

Events like the clan’s martial competition naturally didn’t warrant disturbing him.

 

So, after Zhou Chun finalized the prizes, he notified all clan members who met the participation requirements, asking them to prepare.

 

A few days later, on the day of the event, Zhou Chun and several elders arrived at the scene.

 

Before the martial competition formally began, the Deputy Clan Leader, Zhou Chun, also delivered a speech.

 

“People of the Zhou Clan, the purpose of this martial competition is to examine the results of your cultivation and allow the leadership to see your abilities.

 

“Therefore, do not harbor any hidden agendas; you must exert yourselves to the fullest.

 

“Anyone who performs exceptionally well today will receive a reward from the clan.”

 

After a brief speech, at Zhou Chun’s signal, the Fourth Elder, Zhou Jiarui, who served as the referee, stepped forward to begin calling names and summoning contestants onto the stage.

 

It was evident that among those participating in the martial competition, there were many familiar faces to Zhou Chun.

 

Individuals like his peer, Zhou Zhengjing, Eighth Brother, Zhou Zhengtao, and Tenth Brother, Zhou Zhengyong, were all participants in the elite group.

 

Their weakest cultivation reached the Tenth Layer of Qi Refining, and they had all nurtured superior first-grade demon beast spirit pets, considered strong cultivators within their respective realms.

 

A number of Jia generation cultivators had also cultivated to the Tenth Layer of Qi Refining, and even the eleventh layer, all under the age of sixty.

 

“Given this situation, if we truly hold a joint martial competition, the Zhou Clan can only focus on the elite group. Being able to get one person into the top ten in the youth group would be enough to save face!”

 

In the audience, the newly appointed Sixth Elder, Zhou Jiapeng, watched the Zhou Clan cultivators participating this time and couldn’t help but shake his head, expressing little optimism.

 

He himself had previously participated in the elite group’s martial competition and even made it to the top ten.

 

Therefore, he undoubtedly had significant say in the matter.

 

“It’s also a normal occurrence, considering their clan’s past practices of holding martial competition events every ten years or so. It’s rare for any clan to perform exceptionally well consecutively.”

 

Zhou Chun spoke calmly, expressing his own views without any regret.

 

A cultivating clan might manage to consistently produce Violet Palace cultivators and Foundation Establishment cultivators across generations.

 

But to have a steady stream of outstanding clan members under sixty and under thirty every decade or so—that was simply unrealistic.

 

This was precisely why several cultivating clans would jointly host these martial cultivation competitions.

 

If no single clan could consistently excel, then everyone had a chance to shine, and that was what made participating worthwhile.

 

Yet the thought of their own clan ending up at the bottom still left several elders feeling distinctly uncomfortable.

 

Third Elder Zhou Daoquan couldn’t help but interject, “It’s just that our Zhou Clan happened to be in a certain period. Had we arrived in the Jing Kingdom decades earlier, producing a few cultivators at the Tenth Layer of Qi Refining under thirty every decade or so wouldn’t have been difficult.

 

“Or if we waited twenty years, allowing the clan’s younger generations to mature and take on responsibility, to shoulder the burden!”

 

That statement was effectively meaningless.

 

Decades earlier, the Zhou Clan wouldn’t have given a second glance at smaller clans like the Wang Clan and the He Clan—they were on entirely different levels!

 

So, including Zhou Chun and the other leadership of the Zhou Clan, they could only force a wry smile.

 

They didn’t pick up on that remark.