Cultivators do not have as many common rituals as mortals. Even in a cultivation clan like the Zhou Family, when Grand Elder Zhou Qian passed away, only the clan cultivators residing at the Yuquan Lake Oasis were summoned to the ancestral hall to guard the spirit for three days. Then, the elder clan leader Zhou Minghan personally used Foundation Establishment True Flame to cremate Elder Zhou Qian's body, and the ashes were buried in the family's cemetery.
Cremating the body of clan cultivators after their death is the helpless measure of small cultivation clans.
This is because small cultivation clans do not have sufficient power to protect their family cemeteries, making it impossible to stop demon cultivators who practice demonic corpse refining techniques from stealing the bodies of their ancestors to refine them into zombies.
If the bodies of clan ancestors are refined into zombies by demon cultivators, not only would it be a great desecration to the ancestors' bodies, but it might also endanger the lives of clan cultivators and mortals under their clan's rule.
This is because newly refined zombies require a large amount of blood food to grow, and it's more effective to use people whose blood matches the zombie's for feeding.
Therefore, in small cultivation clans like the Zhou Family, if anyone in the family passes away, their body will be cremated and buried to prevent it from being exploited by demon cultivators.
Only major sects and large families like the Yellow Sand Sect, which have Golden Core Ancestors or even Nascent Soul Great Cultivators in residence, would bury the bodies of their high-tier cultivators who pass away, protecting them with arrays and dedicated guards.
After handling the affairs of Grand Elder Zhou Qian, Zhouyang was summoned by the elder clan leader Zhou Minghan to the mountain peak cave residence for a private conversation.
"You know the reason for your grand uncle's death. The clan is planning to deploy people to clear out the demon beasts at the Red Flame Iron Ore Vein. You just broke through to the Seventh-Layer Qi Cultivation, and you are the future Foundation Establishment hope of our Zhou Family. I can decide to exempt you from this matter. What do you think?"
"Please, great-grandfather, do not do this!"
Zhouyang's expression changed, he deeply bowed to the elder clan leader, then raised his head and said loudly, "That Red Flame Iron Ore Vein was discovered by your grandson, and there will be future dividends given to your grandson. If your grandson does not fight but also enjoys the results, how can other clan members be satisfied? How can the fairness and justice of the clan's rules be demonstrated?"
"Although your grandson is not very talented, he is willing to contribute what he has learned throughout his life to expand the boundaries of our Zhou Family!"
By the end of this, Zhouyang was already unconsciously taking out an Armor-Piercing Dagger magical artifact from his waist, seemingly trying to prove his determination.
Seeing his heroic demeanor, the elder clan leader Zhou Minghan felt both gratified and amused.
"Alright, alright, I know your determination now. Put away the magical artifact. You'll definitely be counted as one in the battle!"
The elder smiled while waving his hand, genuinely appreciating Zhouyang's courage to draw blades in his presence.
The act of a Qi Cultivation Stage cultivator daring to draw blades in front of a Foundation Establishment Stage cultivator, no matter the reason, takes immense courage.
Moreover, this also proves Zhouyang's loyalty to the Zhou Family. If he wasn't truly committed to the clan, how could he have spoken such passionately heroic words? How could he have accidentally drawn blades to show his resolve before the Foundation Establishment clan leader?
He hasn't been doted on in vain!
The elder sighed with gratitude and his expression softened considerably, looking at Zhouyang with the love and tenderness of a grandfather viewing his grandchild.
"Since Xiao Jiu, you have such determination, I will reveal a secret: in about ten years, at most no longer than fifteen years, the Chen Family Ancestor from Jinsha Marketplace will organize people to plan the refining of the Foundation Establishment Pill. Our Zhou Family and the Chen Family have an alliance, so as long as a Foundation Establishment Stage cultivator participates in this, we'll get the right to bid for the Foundation Establishment Pill."
"Once the clan wins the bid for the Foundation Establishment Pill, it will immediately be given to someone to consume. So Xiao Jiu, in the next ten years, you must diligently cultivate up to the Ninth-Layer Qi Cultivation, or else you'll miss this opportunity!"
The elder clan leader looked at Zhouyang with loving eyes and seriously unveiled this secret which could provoke a major stir among all Zhou Family cultivators.
Upon hearing these words, Zhouyang's pupils contracted sharply, and his breathing became rapidly heavy.
That's the Foundation Establishment Pill!
Through years of cultivation, Zhouyang had never been particularly drawn to any spiritual object, but the Foundation Establishment Pill was the one exception, capturing his keen interest and desire.
In terms of grade, the Foundation Establishment Pill is only a Tier Three Lower Grade Spirit Pill, but its allure to the countless Qi Cultivation Stage cultivators surpasses even Tier Five Elixirs.
The rarity of the Foundation Establishment Pill is known to all.
To refine a batch of Foundation Establishment Pills, not only does the main ingredient require the rare Tier Four Spirit Elixir Yuan Condensing Fruit or a Tier Four Demon Beast demon pill, but also thirty-six types of exceedingly rare Tier Three Spirit Elixirs as auxiliary ingredients. The combined value of these elixirs is even greater than what is needed to refine a batch of Tier Four Spirit Pills.
Even in a major sect like the Yellow Sand Sect, which boasts a tradition of thousands of years and has Golden Core Ancestors in residence, they can only refine one batch of Foundation Establishment Pills every ten years, with merely five to seven pills produced each time.
With such a small quantity, even the Yellow Sand Sect doesn't have enough Foundation Establishment Pills for its own members, let alone a small cultivation clan like the Zhou Family, which is dependent on the Yellow Sand Sect.
Therefore, for a small cultivation clan like the Zhou Family to obtain a Foundation Establishment Pill, they must either exchange for it with a main ingredient used in refining Foundation Establishment Pills or collaborate with other cultivation clans for alchemy.
The Chen Family mentioned by Elder Zhou Minghan is one Zhouyang has heard of since childhood. The Chen Family is a cultivation clan with over seven hundred years of heritage, and the current Chen Family Ancestor is not only a late-stage Purple Mansion expert but also a Tier Four Middle Grade Alchemist.
As a cultivator not born into a sect, even the Chen Family Ancestor, a Purple Mansion expert, cannot obtain a "Foundation Establishment Pill" from the Yellow Sand Sect for the younger generation of his clan to consume.
Thus, after advancing to the Purple Mansion Stage, the Chen Family Ancestor organizes a "Foundation Establishment Assembly" every thirty to fifty years. Any invited cultivation clans or Loose Cultivator experts who are willing to team up with the Chen Family Ancestor to hunt Tier Four Demon Beasts in the Boundless Desert Sea to acquire Tier Four Demon Pills, can gain the auction rights to purchase a "Foundation Establishment Pill" once it's refined.
The "Foundation Establishment Pill" the Zhou Family purchased over sixty years ago was acquired in this way.
At that time, not only did purchasing the "Foundation Establishment Pill" deplete the Zhou Family's savings, but it also severely injured Zhou Jian, the second Foundation Establishment Cultivator following the ancestor Zhou Yuquan in the "Hua" generation, greatly reducing his lifespan. He passed away before reaching the age of two hundred.
That Zhou Jian was the grandfather of the recently deceased Grand Elder Zhou Qian of the Zhou Family.
Now, learning from Elder Zhou Minghan about the Zhou Family's plans to participate in the "Foundation Establishment Assembly," Zhouyang felt a mix of excitement and anxiety.
He was not worried about the only ten years or so he had to prepare, but rather concerned about Elder Zhou Minghan's participation in the "Foundation Establishment Assembly."
Although Elder Zhou Minghan is already a late-stage Foundation Establishment Cultivator of the Seventh Layer and a Tier Three Top Grade Artifact Refiner, against Tier Four Demon Beasts, whose power is equivalent to that of Purple Mansion cultivators, such strength is far from sufficient. A single full-force strike from a Tier Four Demon Beast could mean Elder Zhou's demise.
Elder Zhou Minghan is the only surviving Foundation Establishment Stage cultivator in the Zhou Family, and if he were to be severely injured or killed, it would be devastating news for the entire Zhou Family, likely leading to its destruction.
At that point, even if Zhouyang successfully obtains a Foundation Establishment Pill and establishes his foundation, he would find it difficult to live peacefully for the rest of his life.
Therefore, after careful consideration, he finally couldn't help but ask, "Great-grandfather, I have heard that crossing forty thousand miles of the eastern desert sea and climbing over the towering Broken Cloud Mountain Range, one can reach the Liuyun Continent Cultivation Realm, where resources are abundant, and even Foundation Establishment Pills can be purchased with Spirit Stones in the marketplaces. Why don't we go there to purchase Foundation Establishment Pills, instead of having you, a Foundation Establishment cultivator, take the risk of hunting Tier Four Demon Beasts?"
Zhouyang had learned about the Liuyun Continent Cultivation Realm from the artifact refining classics over the years, when he accidentally came across the notes of an Artifact Refiner.
Later, he asked Elder Zhou Quan, but even the centenarian Elder Zhou Quan only knew the name of the Liuyun Continent Cultivation Realm and had less knowledge about it than Zhouyang.
Initially, Zhouyang intended to inquire about this matter with Elder Zhou Minghan during his return to the clan. Unfortunately, upon returning, he went into seclusion and temporarily forgot about it until the mention of the "Foundation Establishment Pill" jogged his memory.
Just as he expected, as a Foundation Establishment Stage cultivator and clan leader, Elder Zhou Minghan indeed knew much about the Liuyun Continent Cultivation Realm.
"It's rare for you, Xiao Jiu, to know about the Liuyun Continent Cultivation Realm. However, you only know about its prosperity and not the dangers lying in between!"
"Not to mention the countless powerful Demon Beasts and sand bandits hidden in the forty thousand miles of desert sea, the Broken Cloud Mountain Range is teeming with Tier Three and Tier Four Demon Beasts. It's rumored that there are even Tier Six Demon Beasts comparable to Nascent Soul Stage great cultivators residing deep within the mountains!"
"Going over the Broken Cloud Mountain Range without Purple Mansion Stage cultivation is essentially gambling with your life, betting on whether you will be discovered by Demon Beasts and become their prey!"
"In the end, even if you miraculously cross the Broken Cloud Mountain Range and arrive at the Liuyun Continent Cultivation Realm and purchase a Foundation Establishment Pill, do you think a foreign Foundation Establishment cultivator carrying such a treasure will be able to safely return to the Land of the Far West?"
Zhouyang found himself lost for words.
An innocent man gets into trouble because of his wealth!
The Elder was right. The "Foundation Establishment Pill" is too precious, so precious that even carrying it as a Foundation Establishment cultivator attracts deadly risks.
If a small clan like the Zhou Family were to obtain such a treasure, it would usually have a Ninth-Layer Qi Cultivation Stage cultivator in the clan immediately consume it. Otherwise, if the news were to spread, it could provoke a disaster leading to the clan's demise.
That's why the Elder previously insisted on telling him that he must cultivate to Ninth-Layer Qi Cultivation before the "Foundation Establishment Assembly" in ten years; otherwise, even if the clan obtained the "Foundation Establishment Pill," it would definitely not be for him.
"I understand, great-grandfather. Rest assured, I will definitely cultivate to Ninth-Layer Qi Cultivation before the "Foundation Establishment Assembly." I won't let your and the family's efforts go to waste!"
He pursed his lips, looking at the Elder with firm determination, pledging his commitment.