Clan Cultivation: Starting from Beast Taming

Only they knew how little regard and scorn those who stayed behind at Spirit Beast Manor like Zhou Zhenkun had for them.

Now, just thirty years later, those who looked down upon them and ridiculed them met with a miserable defeat before their eyes, and had no choice but to leave in disgrace.

This feeling of overcoming hardship to emerge triumphant, this sensation of vindication, only those who personally experienced it could truly understand!

Zhou Chun, although he participated in the rebuilding of the Zhou Family, hadn't personally gone through what Zhou Jiarui and the others had, so he did not feel as much sentiment at this time.

When Zhou Mingde and the others returned, he asked in a low voice, "Supreme Elder, what should we do next?"

"Search, we must find Zhou Yu and the others. We absolutely cannot let them take the Black Jade Toad elsewhere!"

Zhou Mingde's face was grim as he gave his directive in a deep voice.

Everyone present knew they had been played by Zhou Yu and his group that day.

If it weren't for the false signals given by Zhou Yu and his group to Zhou Zhenkun and the rest, they would never have rashly attacked Jiufeng Ridge.

The previous battle could have been avoided altogether.

Even then, even though both sides were aware of this, for the sake of their respective pride, they could only pretend not to know and go through with the confrontation.

Now that the fight was over, they naturally would not forget the instigators and would not let them get away scot-free.

And the Black Jade Toad was indeed far too important. Neither the people from Spirit Beast Manor such as Zhou Zhenkun nor Zhou Mingde were willing to let Zhou Yu and his group squander it.

"I'm afraid they've been plotting this for a while; by now, they're probably not even in Lanzhou anymore. It won't be easy to find them!"

Zhou Chun sighed deeply, not holding much hope for Zhou Mingde's directive.

When cultivators at the Foundation Establishment Stage plan their escape, they can easily flee beyond the borders of a state, or even out of Jingguo Country.

Spirit Beast Manor failed to catch Zhou Yu and the others at the beginning, and it became significantly harder to find them afterwards.

"Whether we find them or not, let's do our best!"

Zhou Daoyi reached out and patted Zhou Chun on the shoulder, softly consoling him.

Seeing this, Zhou Chun had no choice but to rally his spirits and mobilize all the Zhou Family's connections to search for Zhou Yu and the others, who had fled to who knows where.

But as he said, after missing the best opportunity, the chances of finding a few cultivators who had planned their escape were indeed slim.

Both the Zhou Family and Spirit Beast Manor deployed a large number of people to search, but after more than half a month, they still had no leads.

In the end, the Zhou Family had to give up the search first.

At this time, seeing that they still could not find anyone, Zhou Zhenkun and his group had no choice but to risk angering Yu Jinghua by waking him from his seclusion to report the situation.

As expected, Yu Jinghua, once he learned of the loss of the Black Jade Toad, was very enraged. He severely punished the personnel responsible for the oversight and then personally visited the Zhou Family at Jiufeng Ridge.

However, in this matter, the Zhou Family truly did not conspire with Zhou Yu, and finding no answers from Zhou Mingde, Yu Jinghua eventually had no choice but to return to Spirit Beast Manor resignedly.

But the incident of Zhou Yu and others taking the Black Jade Toad still affected the Zhou Family.

It seemed that the people from Spirit Beast Manor, like Zhou Zhenkun, were convinced that the Zhou Family had aided in the defection of Zhou Yu and his group, and began to openly target the Zhou Family in many places. Your next journey awaits at My Virtual Library Empire

At this time, Yu Jinghua's attitude towards the Zhou Family was no longer as friendly as before. He stayed behind the scenes, allowing Zhou Zhenkun and his group to act as they pleased.

Faced with this situation, the Zhou Family also had to muster their spirits to respond, determined not to show any weakness.

That day, after Zhou Chun had just approved the requests of two clan members to travel abroad, he suddenly saw his fifth brother, Zhou Zhengxun, rushing into Central Peace Hall with a gleeful expression.

"Fifth brother, weren't you leading a group out to test the Spirit Root Aptitude of the newborns among the mundane clansmen? What's made you so happy? Could it be that you've discovered some promising talents?"

Zhou Chun greeted the incoming Zhou Zhengxun with a smile, inquiring about his reasons for being so happy.

To his surprise, upon hearing his question, Zhou Zhengxun ecstatically held up his thumb and exclaimed, "Clan Leader, you really are clairvoyant, you guessed right on the mark!"

"That's right, we have discovered a promising child, and not just any child—an exceptional one with superior Spirit Root Aptitude!"

Superior Spirit Root Aptitude?

Zhou Chun was slightly taken aback but then his face lit up with great joy.

He immediately waved at Zhou Zhengxun and said, "Don't worry, Fifth Brother, tell me more, take your time."

Upon seeing this, Zhou Zhengxun hurriedly recounted the details.

It turned out that he had taken people to test the Spiritual Root Aptitude of children born in the last three years in the dwelling place of the Zhou Family's mundane clansmen. They had tested fewer than two hundred children when they discovered a boy who possessed superior Spirit Root Aptitude.

Once he discovered this, Zhou Zhengxun himself jumped up excitedly on the spot, and then he hurried back to the family to personally bring the news to Zhou Chun.

After listening to Zhou Zhengxun's recount, Zhou Chun kept nodding and said, "I understand the situation. I will go there myself with you, Fifth Brother."

Then he left the mountain gate with Zhou Zhengxun, riding the Golden Winged Tiger directly to the scene.

Because they had found someone with superior Spirit Root Aptitude, many of the Zhou Family's mortals had gathered at the testing site to watch the excitement.

When Zhou Chun and Zhou Zhengxun arrived in the air above the scene, they saw that the streets around the testing site were filled with people, a throng that must have numbered in the tens of thousands.

The arrival of the Golden Winged Tiger caused those Zhou Family mortals to cry out in surprise, shouting and exclaiming nonstop.

A few Zhou Family cultivators whom Zhou Zhengxun had left on the scene also promptly called out loudly, "The Clan Leader of the Zhou Family has arrived; make way immediately and clear a space for the Clan Leader's Spirit Pet to land!"

When they heard that the person on the back of the Golden Winged Tiger was the Clan Leader of the Zhou Family, those Zhou Family mortals were quite frightened.

Immediately, a space about thirty feet in diameter was forcibly cleared for the Golden Winged Tiger to land, and those present all knelt down and began to pay their great respects to Zhou Chun.

"My fellow clan members, there's no need for such formality; we are all one family, and these worldly rituals can be spared."

Zhou Chun stood on the back of the tiger with a smile, waving to the mundane clansmen and signaling that they need not be overly courteous.

Then, under the guidance of Zhou Zhengxun, he met the boy who had the superior Spirit Root Aptitude.

The boy looked to be no more than three years old and was plump and fair.

Since he possessed no cultivation level, Zhou Chun focused his Divine Sense upon him and easily discovered his Spiritual Root, which certainly was of an exceptional aptitude.

Zhou Chun himself then checked again, confirming that the boy did indeed have a superior Spirit Root Aptitude, with the Spiritual Root attributes of wood, earth, and fire all present.

Once he was certain, Zhou Chun happily cradled the boy in his arms, then asked softly, "What was the child originally named?"

Upon hearing this, Zhou Zhengxun's gaze unbiddenly turned toward a couple standing to the side—the boy's biological parents.

The couple, who had never seen such a high-ranking person as Zhou Chun, immediately fell to their knees in the face of Zhou Zhengxun's watchful eyes. The man, with a trembling and excited tone, said, "Zhou Muxian, in response to the Clan Leader, the child is called Zhou Muxian!"

Muxian, seeking immortality, dreaming of immortality—these names were common for the mundane families of cultivator clans to use when naming their offspring.

As mundane clansmen of a cultivator family, these mortals all hoped that one among their offspring might become a cultivator.

However, to cultivators, such names are somewhat out of place.

Therefore, after hearing what the man said, Zhou Chun gestured dismissively and said, "He doesn't need to yearn for immortality anymore, because he will be an immortal!"

After a brief moment of contemplation, he nodded and said, "Hmm, from now on, his name will be Xinyan—Zhou Xinyan!"

The man on the ground, very tactfully and promptly, thanked him with a kowtow, "Yes, thank you for giving the name, Clan Leader; from now on, the child will be called Zhou Xinyan!"

Zhou Chun, seeing his tact, was satisfied and nodded, then spoke softly, "Your child has extraordinary aptitude and will undoubtedly achieve great things in the future. If you agree, I will take him back to the family mountain gate today. Once he grows up and comes to understand, then he can return home and reunite with you and the others!"

The man, upon hearing this, was simultaneously overjoyed and anxious. The woman beside him couldn't help but tightly grip his sleeve, her eyes filled with reluctance.

Zhou Chun, seeing this, did not rush them, simply waiting quietly for the man's decision.

The man did not dare to keep him waiting long and, after a short hesitation, he firmly grasped his wife's wrist and respectfully replied, "Clan Leader, it is our son's good fortune that you hold him in such regard. How could I possibly disagree?"