Cultivation Begins From The Desert-Chapter 40: Qi Cultivation Level 9

The spirit vein level on Golden Dawn Mountain is Tier Three Top Grade, one level higher than that of Jade Spring Peak of the Zhou Family. Even though "Jade Spring Tower" is not located at the spiritual eye of this mountain's vein, the spiritual qi environment is entirely sufficient for a Qi Cultivation Stage cultivator like Zhouyang to break through minor realms.

He secluded himself in the seclusion chamber at the back courtyard of "Jade Spring Tower" for only nine days before successfully breaking through the cultivation barrier that had trapped him for over a year, reaching the Ninth Layer of Qi Cultivation. He became the first cultivator in the Zhou Family in over two hundred years to reach the Ninth Layer before turning forty.

It was also after breaking through to the Ninth Layer that Zhouyang understood why only those at the Ninth Layer of Qi Cultivation could assume the position of a clan elder in the Zhou family.

He wasn't sure about others, but when he broke through from the Eighth Layer to the Ninth Layer, his magical power doubled, and his divine sense increased by half, with its external reach extending up to three hundred meters!

Such magical power and divine sense were enough for him to simultaneously wield four or five Tier Two High-Grade Spiritual Artifacts in magical combat for half an hour, making his combat power incomparable to before.

According to the Zhou Family's rules, once a Zhou Family cultivator reaches the Ninth Layer of Qi Cultivation, they only need to report to the clan to be formally conferred the position of clan elder by the old clan leader, Zhou Minghan, on behalf of the family.

Had Zhouyang reached the Ninth Layer at the Yuquan Lake Oasis, he would have likely become the ninth elder of the Zhou Family on the same day.

The reason he would be the ninth elder is that his father, Zhou Xuanhao, after successfully establishing his foundation, was granted the higher-ranking position of Supreme Elder by the old clan leader, Zhou Minghan, after the foundation establishment celebration, thus leaving one elder position vacant in the Zhou Family.

In principle, the Supreme Elder and the Clan Leader are of equal standing. Even the Clan Leader has no authority to issue direct orders to the Supreme Elder. Moreover, if the Clan Leader makes a grave mistake that causes significant losses to the family, the Supreme Elder has the right to convene the Elder Council to vote on removing the Clan Leader from office.

However, in reality, under the clan system, the position of the Supreme Elder is still slightly below that of the Clan Leader. To put it bluntly, the Supreme Elder is a prestigious position with little real power, serving primarily as an illustrious figurehead unless the Clan Leader makes mistakes that provoke widespread dissatisfaction among the clan members.

For those with a strong desire for power and control, being a Supreme Elder, who appears prestigious yet wields little real authority, is hardly appealing. However, such people are not common among cultivators.

Therefore, the actual situation in the cultivation realm is that high-tier cultivators within various powers typically prefer to be Supreme Elders who receive stipends and perform less work, rather than waste their valuable cultivation time managing sect affairs.

After all, the great power of cultivators lies within themselves, so as long as their cultivation remains intact, even if they become idle Supreme Elders, no one dares to overlook their existence.

Hence, Zhouyang was extremely envious of his father Zhou Xuanhao becoming a Supreme Elder.

Unfortunately, he could only covet such a position, as being the near-designated next Clan Leader of the Zhou Family, he wouldn't even think about becoming a leisurely Supreme Elder even if he successfully established his foundation. In the future, the Zhou Family ship could only be steered by him.

"Brother Nine, Brother Nine, the family trade mission is back, Sixth Uncle and Eleventh Uncle have returned with the trade mission to the marketplace!"

That day, Zhouyang was looking at a Marvels Collection book bought at the third floor of "Jade Spring Tower" when Zhou Xiong, who had been attending to guests downstairs, suddenly rushed in, shouting with a face full of excitement.

"Trade mission? Sixth Uncle and Eleventh Uncle? Wait a minute... Are you referring to the trade mission that went with the Chen Family trade mission to tribute and trade at the Yellow Sand Sect a few years ago?"

Mumbling along with his kinsman's words, Zhouyang's face suddenly froze, and his eyes became serious in an instant.

Whether it was the Chen Family or the Zhou Family, both were families affiliated with the Yellow Sand Sect. Every ten years, the families affiliated with the Yellow Sand Sect would jointly organize a trade mission, carrying a large amount of spiritual objects to the Yellow Sand Sect mountain gate for tribute and trade.

This trade mission was generally led and overseen by Foundation Establishment Stage cultivators from the Chen Family, while other Foundation Establishment Clans like the Zhou Family would contribute a few Qi Cultivation Stage cultivators to join in, forming a caravan that would set out from the Baisha River Oasis, traveling over twenty thousand miles to reach the giant oasis where the Yellow Sand Sect mountain gate is located.

According to Zhouyang's knowledge, more than two years ago, Sixth Uncle Zhou Xuanjing, a clan elder, and Eleventh Uncle Zhou Xuankun, who had an Eighth-Layer Qi Cultivation power, took two Zhou Family outsider cultivators and three juniors of the "Yuan" generation with the trade mission to the Yellow Sand Sect.

Clan cultivators like Zhou Xiong, who held an ordinary status, only knew that this time the trade mission went to the Yellow Sand Sect for the same tribute and trade as usual.

However, Zhouyang knew that this trade mission to the Yellow Sand Sect also had another task, which was to retrieve the last few pre-ordered auxiliary spiritual objects needed for refining the Foundation Establishment Pill for Chen Yaohui, the ancestor of the Chen Family.

Now that the trade mission has returned, it means that the "Foundation Establishment Conference," which the old clan leader Zhou Minghan previously mentioned to him, is about to be held.

Indeed, upon meeting with Sixth Uncle Zhou Xuanjing and Eleventh Uncle Zhou Xuankun, he immediately saw the invitation personally written by the Chen Family Ancestor in Sixth Uncle's hand, inviting the old clan leader Zhou Minghan to gather at the Chen Family ancestral land at White Camel Ridge in six months.

"Xiao Jiu, I suppose the old clan leader has also told you about the [Foundation Establishment Conference]? Now that you have reached the Ninth Layer of Qi Cultivation, it's imperative for our Zhou Family to secure a Foundation Establishment Pill at all costs, so be sure to stay in the marketplace during this time and do not leave!"

Inside "Jade Spring Tower," Zhou Xuankun looked at this junior whose cultivation level had already surpassed that of his, both gratified and envious.

He was nearly twenty years younger than Zhouyang's father, Zhou Xuanhao. Originally, if Zhouyang hadn't reached the Ninth Layer, Zhou Family might have allowed him to consume the Foundation Establishment Pill once it was purchased.

Unfortunately, although he also had the middle-grade spiritual root talent, due to an injury he suffered during a magical combat in his early years, he delayed several years of his cultivation, causing his cultivation level to remain at the Eighth Layer, thus completely missing the opportunity for the Foundation Establishment Pill this time.

"Old Eleven is right, Xiao Jiu, you should be more mindful at this time. The outside is not like the inside of the clan, where you need to watch out for everything."

Zhou Xuanjing glanced at his complex-faced kinsman beside him and also looked at Zhouyang with a hint of meaning, advising him.

"Don't worry, uncles, at a time like this, unless the old clan leader gives a direct order, I won't step outside the marketplace!"

Zhouyang understood the meaning of his two uncles; they were worried he might be harmed if he left the marketplace, losing his chance for foundation establishment, which had precedents in history.

After all, even if the Chen Family ancestor manages to refine the Foundation Establishment Pill, the number will certainly not be plenty. If the Zhou Family obtains one, it will mean others will leave empty-handed.

Under these circumstances, some families, to reduce a competitor, might covertly harm the "Foundation Establishment Seed" in another family who is likely to establish their foundation, which is quite a logical course of action.

The old clan leader, Zhou Minghan, particularly instructed Zhouyang about these matters when he left the clan, which is why since arriving at the marketplace, he hasn't left it even once.

As long as he stays in the marketplace, with the Chen Family backing his safety, anyone who dares to make a move against him there is basically opposing the entire Chen Family.