The Disciple Surpasses the Master

Three years passed in the blink of an eye. The four southern counties flourished, with one or two new immortal clans rising in each, bringing the total number of immortal clans in the region to seventeen.

However, these newly established clans had been burdened with massive debts from their very inception, nearly reducing them to vassals of the Huang Clan.

This left their clan properties barely able to break even, just enough to cover their annual debts. How could they possibly spare any extra Spirit Stones to trade for hundred-art inheritances?

Without hundred-art inheritances as a new source of clan income, let alone expanding the clan, even the cultivation of their Qi Condensation cultivators became a problem. It was entirely possible for their cultivation levels to stagnate for decades.

As for the original eight clans, they were reaping immense profits, especially the Huang Clan. Supported by a vast sea of cultivation resources, the cultivators of the Huang Clan advanced at a noticeably faster pace overall. They even gained two more Qi Condensation cultivators, though one of them was a Rogue Cultivator who had married into the clan.

Although the Zhao and Fang Clans did not increase their number of Qi Condensation cultivators, their clan members had grown considerably wealthier.

Clans like the Fan, Zhou, and Meng, by dominating the trade of medicinal herbs and spiritual plants, had visibly enriched their foundations.

Among them, the Huang Clan gifted a Green Jade Pill to the Fan Clan, along with some beneficial Spirit Pills and treasures, as compensation.

But although the Fan Clan now had the Pill, they did not have a second cultivator at fifteen strands of the Spirit Awakening Realm. Now was a critical moment for growth; having one more Qi Condensation cultivator meant seizing a greater advantage. Fan Yu had no choice but to recruit a Rogue Cultivator to marry into the clan, planting a hidden danger within the family.

As for the Zhou, Meng, Wei, and Wan Clans, although they were developing well, they had only managed to buy three Green Jade Pills among them so far. The Zhou Clan had not obtained a single one.

This was the Huang Clan's deliberate, if subtle, suppression of these four clans. On the surface, they drew them close, but in secret, they plotted to limit the number of cultivators in these clans, trapping them within their territories. Given time, these four clans would not fare much better than the newly established ones.

The Zhou Clan was a particular target. With Zhou Ping being young and possessing formidable strength, the Huang Clan naturally would not allow the Zhou Clan to produce a second Qi Condensation cultivator.

For the Huang Clan, having four clans or just their single clan in the four southern counties made no difference. As for the other immortal clans, it was enough for them to become vassals and produce materials.

However, the Huang Clan likely never imagined that the Zhou Clan possessed their own treasures to aid in breakthroughs, nor that they had a junior on the verge of Qi Condensation hidden within their ranks.

Baixi Mountain

Zhou Minghu paced back and forth in front of the Golden Vine Pool, occasionally glancing toward the distant stone chamber, his eyes filled with anxious worry.

"Alright, stop pacing in front of me. It's making me restless," Zhou Ping said in exasperation.

Zhou Ping was now forty-six years old. Because of his Qi Condensation cultivation, his appearance remained that of a man in his early thirties. If not for the beard he had grown to appear more dignified, he and Zhou Minghu would look more like brothers.

"Father, I'm worried," Zhou Minghu said, wringing his hands anxiously. "Cheng Yuan is only nine years old. If he fails the breakthrough and damages his body, what will we do?"

"What are you worried about? Cheng Yuan's foundation is so solid, and he has the White Marrow Brew to aid his breakthrough. How could he possibly fail?" Zhou Ping then mused, "Though, drinking at such a young age... I wonder if he'll get so drunk he passes out."

Back then, Zhou Ping had cultivated to the peak of the Spirit Awakening Realm in five years. This was firstly because the Azure Cloud Sect was rich in Spiritual Qi, and secondly because he could only gather eight strands of Spiritual Qi at the start, naturally requiring less effort.

Although the Spiritual Qi concentration on Baixi Mountain was far inferior to that of the Azure Cloud Sect, the steady supply of Jade Rock Green Origin Pills and Qi-Enhancing Pills over the years had allowed Zhou Cheng Yuan to cultivate to fifteen strands of Spiritual Qi in just six years. His foundation was solid, and his condensed Spiritual Qi was like a substantial white light.

Due to her demon bloodline, Zhou Qianling cultivated even faster than Zhou Cheng Yuan. However, her innate talent was slightly inferior, and she reached her limit at just over fourteen strands of Spiritual Qi.

Of course, if she attempted a breakthrough a few times, she would still have a high chance of success.

Zhou Ping did not let her break through, instead telling her to polish her foundation well, making her Spiritual Qi more condensed so she could succeed in a single stroke later.

She sat by the pool, continuously nourishing the Purple Gold Vine with her Spiritual Qi, making it more vibrant and full of vitality.

When she was younger, influenced by her instincts, she had often stolen and eaten the leaves of the Purple Gold Vine. This was one of the reasons for her rapid cultivation.

Now that she was older and more sensible, she naturally wanted to help the Purple Gold Vine grow stronger for the benefit of the clan.

The Purple Gold Vine had been planted in the Zhou Clan for eight years. It was now only six Chi tall, its winding, ink-black vines dotted with many purplish-red leaves, possessing a unique charm.

However, the range of the Purple Gold Vine's influence had expanded considerably, now spanning an area of eighteen Zhang in radius, and it was still slowly growing.

Zhou Ping asked, "Worrying won't help. How is the collection of jade going?"

"Everything is prepared," Zhou Minghu replied absently. "A sizable jade mine was discovered in Qingtian Town to the east. Zhou Hu has already arranged for people to start excavating it."

Just as cultivating the Mountain Clear Stream required refining Mountain Clear Qi, the Jade Rock Spirit Origin Art naturally required cultivating a special heaven and earth Qi: the Qi of Jade.

However, the Zhou Clan did not know the method for gathering this type of heaven and earth Qi, so they could only mine large quantities of jade for Zhou Cheng Yuan to cultivate with.

Zhou Ping nodded and asked no further. He trusted that Zhou Minghu and the others could handle it. His nagging was simply due to his worry for his grandson.

Soon, a powerful aura surged from within the stone chamber, sharp and keen, before quickly concealing its edge.

Zhou Minghu's face lit up with joy, and he rushed toward the stone chamber. Zhou Ping was naturally delighted as well, but he also felt a hint of melancholy. A high-grade cultivation art was truly different. That aura just now was not much weaker than his own at the second level of Qi Condensation, and it was even more condensed.

One was the sharpness of a blade's edge, the other the gentleness of a clear breeze. Within the same realm, the former would naturally hold the upper hand.

However, from now on, Zhou Cheng Yuan's cultivation speed would not be able to match Zhou Ping's.

Over the past few years, aside from enhancing Zhou Chengming's talent, Zhou Ping had not used the Ding Fire. This allowed the Ding Fire to accumulate to thirty-three points, and he naturally took the opportunity to raise his own talent to three and a half Cun.

This increase in talent naturally loosened his cultivation bottleneck. As long as he refined a few dozen more strands of Mountain Clear Qi, he would be able to break through to the fourth level of Qi Condensation.

If the Huang Clan knew that Zhou Ping was cultivating so rapidly, they would probably come to strike him down right now.

The stone chamber rumbled open, and a slender youth stumbled out, already completely drunk and unconscious on his feet.

Seeing this, Zhou Ping and the others felt a twinge of worry. If Zhou Cheng Yuan had gotten drunk before his breakthrough, it would have been a massive problem.

Zhou Minghu stepped forward to support his son, but Zhou Cheng Yuan grabbed his sleeve.

"Minghu, go get me some wine. I still want to drink."

"You little brat, know your place," Zhou Minghu scolded with a laugh, then helped Zhou Cheng Yuan lie down on the ground to rest properly.

Zhou Cheng Yuan lay on the ground, babbling nonsense in a drunken stupor, leaving Zhou Ping and the others at a loss whether to laugh or cry. Zhou Qianling smiled sweetly, secretly committing Zhou Cheng Yuan's drunken antics to memory.

Zhou Xuanya also brought Zhou Chengming over to see how Zhou Cheng Yuan's breakthrough had gone, only to find him rolling on the ground.

Three-year-old Zhou Chengming curiously stepped forward to poke his older cousin, only to have his cheek pinched entirely too hard by Zhou Cheng Yuan. He plopped onto the ground and wailed loudly.

Although the White Marrow Brew was a spiritual wine, under the constant refinement of Zhou Cheng Yuan's Spiritual Qi, the drunkenness gradually dissipated. By the time he sat up, he was mostly sober. Naturally remembering what he had just done, his face flushed a brilliant crimson.

"Father, Grandfather, Uncle..."

Zhou Minghu patted Zhou Cheng Yuan's head with a teasing half-smile. "Want some more wine?"

Zhou Cheng Yuan frantically shook his head. "No, no. You drink it, Father, you drink it."

For a moment, everyone burst into roaring laughter. Zhou Chengming was still crying and wiping his tears, but when no one comforted him, he pouted and ran to the poolside. It was only when Zhou Qianling went over and patted his head that he quickly forgot his pain.

Zhou Ping looked at the harmonious scene of his children and grandchildren, his heart filled with joyous contentment.

As a parent, his greatest wish was to see his children and grandchildren happy and healthy, and for future generations to surpass their predecessors.

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