Father's Teachings

The arrival of Father Zhou Xuanhao and Mother Lin Yuting finally made Zhou Yang's daily life a little less dull.

Ever since he was seven years old, their family had spent more time apart than together. Now that they could finally reunite and live together, all three of them treasured this wonderful time immensely.

Zhou Yang had even paused his daily cultivation. Every day, he either went outside with his mother to help build the oasis and dig through the desert for unique edible plants, or listened to his father recount the strange tales and curiosities he had seen and heard at the market. His days were both full and happy.

Still, this family was made up of cultivators after all. Even while chatting about everyday matters, they could not help bringing up things related to cultivation.

One day, as Father Zhou spoke of what he had seen while visiting a certain Cultivation Family, his expression suddenly shifted. He looked at Zhou Yang and asked, "Yang'er, the Old Clan Leader said Haoyang Cave would be entrusted to you in the future. Have you made any plans for developing and utilizing the spirit vein here?"

Hearing this, Zhou Yang answered somewhat awkwardly, "Father, you have truly stumped your son. These past years, I have been busy cultivating and have not really considered such matters."

"Cultivation comes first. That is correct." Zhou Xuanhao nodded, approving of Zhou Yang's answer. Then, encouragement in his eyes, he said, "But since you have now reached a bottleneck, you may as well begin planning for it. Your mother and I are both here. Whatever ideas you have, speak them freely, and we can help you weigh them."

At that point, Zhou Yang knew that his father already had ideas in mind. This was merely a small test.

To be honest, he had always held a few complaints about how his father and the other elders liked to test the younger generation before doing anything.

Though they were juniors in name, they were all people in their thirties or forties. In the mortal world, they would nearly be grandfathers already, yet the elders still treated them like children. Who would be happy about that?

Even if they passed the test and received a few words of praise from the elders, so what?

Were they supposed to happily ask the elders for candy like children receiving praise?

He grumbled inwardly, but on the surface, he lowered his head with a thoughtful expression. After a moment, he raised his head with a troubled look and said, "Your son's knowledge is shallow. I truly cannot think of any good ideas regarding construction like this. Father, you have seen much and know much. I will need your guidance in this matter."

"Ha ha ha! So there are things even you do not understand, Yang'er!"

Zhou Xuanhao laughed heartily, as though seeing Zhou Yang at a loss was something greatly worth celebrating.

It was no wonder he reacted this way. Over the past few days, whenever he chatted with Zhou Yang, aside from the strange tales and curious events of the Cultivation World that Zhou Yang could not interrupt, Zhou Yang always had something to say on any topic involving customs, human affairs, or even systems of governance. He would offer unique insights, sometimes leaving Zhou Xuanhao, his father, unable to answer for quite a while.

Zhou Xuanhao had no idea how his son, who had always cultivated within the Lineage, had become knowledgeable about everything. He only felt that before this son of his, he simply could not put on a father's airs.

If Zhou Yang did not look so young, and if he were not Zhou Xuanhao's own son whom he had watched grow up, then even if someone told Zhou Xuanhao that this was some Golden Core old monster who had cultivated for centuries, he would not have doubted it in the slightest.

Yet he could not tell anyone about this frustration in his heart. Would he not be laughed to death if he did?

Knowing all this, it was not hard to understand why he was so pleased now.

In his delight, he finally recovered his confidence as a father. With a hearty laugh, he looked at Zhou Yang with a proud expression and listed his points one by one.

"Haoyang Cave's spirit vein lies deep underground, and the surroundings are all rock. It is definitely impossible to open Spirit Fields here as they did at Jade Spring Peak!"

"But that is not entirely a bad thing. The rocks around the spirit vein have been nourished by spiritual energy year-round and are far harder than ordinary stone. They are perfect for opening Spirit Beast rooms and raising some low-tier demonic beasts. When the time comes, slaughtering the beasts for their meat will also be a decent source of income."

"Also, you can borrow some storage bags from the Old Clan Leader and dig up more spirit soil from the Spirit Fields on Jade Spring Peak. Bring it here and spread it through the outer caverns to grow Tier 3 and Tier 4 spirit herbs that require abundant spiritual energy."

"Lastly, Haoyang Cave's spiritual energy leans toward the Fire Element, which means the underground fire and magma layer here is relatively shallow. Once you reach Foundation Establishment, you can gather a sum of spirit stones and invite Old Ancestor Chen from Golden Sand Market to help open an Underground Fire Channel. Then, when the Lineage's alchemists and Artifact Forgers need to refine high-tier pills or artifacts, they will no longer need to make a special trip to Golden Sand Market to rent an Underground Fire Room."

Zhou Xuanhao had lived for nearly a century, had long been stationed at a cultivator's market, and had visited other Cultivation Families many times as a representative of the Zhou family. In terms of cultivation knowledge and experience, Zhou Yang, a "young man," could not compare to him at all.

The suggestions he offered sounded simple, but in truth, they had only come after he had spent many days thoroughly investigating the condition of Haoyang Cave's spirit vein and racking his brains to adapt measures to local conditions.

Every suggestion was the best choice after taking every aspect into consideration.

Though Zhou Xuanhao had not said these things aloud, Zhou Yang, who had been an office worker in his previous life, understood them perfectly well.

Then Zhou Yang remembered how he had just blamed his father for not being considerate toward the younger generation. Shame and guilt surged within him. He lowered his head in embarrassment and gave his father a deep bow. "Father's insight is profound. Your son is ashamed. I sit atop a treasure mountain without realizing it. I have truly failed the Lineage, failed the Old Clan Leader, and failed the kind expectations of all the elders!"

"My son, why must you be like this?"

Zhou Xuanhao looked at Zhou Yang in surprise, completely unable to understand why he had suddenly become so solemn.

"Ah, Father, do not mind your son. I merely feel ashamed in my heart and lost my composure somewhat."

Zhou Yang's expression stiffened. He quickly circulated his spiritual power to suppress the strange emotions in his heart, then raised his head with a dry laugh and found an excuse to muddle through.

"Mhm. Knowing shame is also a good thing. At your age, with your current cultivation and achievements, arrogance will inevitably arise. You may look down on cultivators your own age and even senior cultivators. That sort of mindset is very bad! I suggest that you go out more in the future, see the world beyond, and interact with more cultivators outside the Lineage. Once you have seen and heard of enough geniuses in the cultivation world, you will understand that your current accomplishments amount to nothing when placed within the whole Cultivation World!"

Zhou Xuanhao nodded lightly. He did not pursue the reason for Zhou Yang's shame, but merely looked at him and patiently instructed him in the principles of life.

"Father is right. Your son had the same intention, but we should wait until Father finishes that matter before reporting it to the Old Clan Leader."

When Zhou Yang mentioned "that matter," Zhou Xuanhao fell silent.

Using Earth Origin Spirit Milk to break through into the Foundation Establishment Realm was a venture where nine died and one survived. Whether he succeeded depended entirely on heaven's will. Nothing he said now would matter, so there was truly no need to say more.

Seeing this, Zhou Yang cursed himself inwardly for bringing up the one pot that would not boil. He hurriedly changed the subject. "Father, since you have suggested opening Spirit Beast rooms, and we have nothing to do right now, why not try it immediately and see whether the method is feasible?"

"Very well."

Zhou Xuanhao's gaze flickered. He nodded slightly, steering around that heavy topic.

Opening Spirit Beast rooms was simple enough. They only needed to take out their flying swords and carve through the stone walls. Zhou Yang was at Qi Refining Layer Eight, while Zhou Xuanhao was at Qi Refining Layer Nine. Both possessed Tier 2 High-grade flying sword artifacts, so such rough labor could not have been easier.

In less than half a year, father and son used the tunnels dug by Poison Fire Scorpions in the outer caverns to open four circular stone chambers, each over two hundred zhang long, one zhang wide, and seven chi high.

The circular stone chambers were surrounded above, below, left, and right by thick stone walls. Even a Tier 2 Demonic Beast could not escape once trapped inside, unless it was a beast like the Gold-Eating Rat, skilled at burrowing and earth escape.

The Zhou family also raised a kind of Tier 1 mid-grade demonic beast called the Phoenix Crown Fire Turkey on Jade Spring Peak. This demonic beast could grow to forty or fifty kilograms at its heaviest, and its meat was firm and satisfyingly chewy... Most importantly, it filled the stomach easily, making it deeply beloved by low-tier Rogue Cultivators.

Zhou Yang planned that once he reached Foundation Establishment, he would bring over a batch of Phoenix Crown Fire Turkeys from Jade Spring Peak and raise them in the Spirit Beast rooms to see how effective it was.

Not long after the Spirit Beast rooms were completed, Earth Origin Spirit Milk flowed out from that ten-thousand-year stalactite.

The Earth Origin Spirit Milk that flowed out was amber in color and gave off an enticing, strange fragrance. There was not much of it either, less than one liter in total.

"Half will be enough for me. Yang'er, keep the remaining Earth Origin Spirit Milk safe and hand it to the Old Clan Leader for disposal later."

As an alchemist, Zhou Xuanhao naturally collected the Earth Origin Spirit Milk himself. After gathering the flowing liquid into a jade bottle, he poured half into another jade bottle and handed it to Zhou Yang.

Then he gazed deeply at his wife and son standing beside him. Only after a full quarter of an hour did he give a carefree smile. "All right. Everything that needed to be said was said long ago. No one is allowed to cry today. Just wait quietly for my good news!"

"Husband!"

With tears in her beautiful eyes, Lin Yuting gave a soft cry. Her jade-like hands tightly gripped her husband's hands, unwilling to let go.

Though she had tried to persuade him long ago and understood his choice, when this moment truly arrived, she still could not stop herself from crying as a woman.

In contrast, Zhou Yang was exceptionally calm. When his gaze met that of his father Zhou Xuanhao, he nodded lightly. Then he reached out, took hold of Mother Lin Yuting, and softly persuaded her, "Mother, let us go. What Father needs most right now is a peaceful mind. We cannot let him enter seclusion with worries weighing on him!"

"Take good care of your mother. Do not let her do anything foolish!"

Spiritual power surged from Zhou Xuanhao's body. He gently pushed his wife's hands away, then turned around and walked into the secluded cultivation chamber without looking back. With a rumble, the chamber's gate fell shut.

Thanks to big boss Wulin Mengzhu for the 10,000 Qidian Coins reward. That single reward directly pushed me to second place on the New Book Ranking! Also thanks to reader Shiyan Xiaoxiao Bu for 500 Qidian Coins, reader Villager Growing Vegetables to Sell for 300 Qidian Coins, and three other readers including Past Events Drift with the Wind for 100 Qidian Coins each. Several of you have rewarded me for the second time already, thank you! Finally, please vote with recommendation tickets, recommendation tickets, and join the new book investment group!