The Zhou Clan of Western Desert

Half a month passed quickly. Shen Long and Master Ice Silkworm frequently attended gatherings held by the Core Formation Cultivator of the Wang Clan, made many Core Formation Cultivator, exchanged cultivation experiences, and listened to other Core Formation Cultivator talk about their experiences and interesting stories from various places, which greatly broadened their horizons.

Shen Long benefited greatly, and his identity as Alchemist spread. However, he had not yet been able to refine High-Grade Medicinal Pill, so he did not attract much attention from other Core Formation Cultivator.

Shen Long and Master Ice Silkworm were skilled in insect control and beast taming techniques. The Core Formation Cultivator who came to the Wang Clan to attend Wang Tianhua's birthday celebration all kept Spirit Beast. They humbly asked for their advice on insect control and beast taming techniques, and Master Ice Silkworm and Shen Long patiently answered their questions, thus expanding their social circle.

On this day, more than forty Core Formation Cultivator gathered in a stone pavilion in the Red Plum Garden to enjoy tea and discuss the Dao.

"Daoist Wang, Senior Wang's birthday celebration is almost here, why haven't the Zhou Clan members arrived yet?"

Shangguan Yunjie asked in confusion.

"Yes! Tomorrow is Senior Wang's birthday. Is the Zhou Clan unable to attend due to other commitments?"

Song Ming asked curiously.

"I'm not quite sure either, maybe something came up and I was held up!"

Wang Yuesen gave a vague answer.

He was also unclear about what had happened. The Wang Clan had sent out Invitation long ago, and the Zhou Clan had also agreed to send someone to attend. Logically, the Zhou Clan should have arrived long ago, but Zhou Clan were late, which puzzled the Wang Clan's higher-ups.

If the Zhou Clan is unable to attend due to other commitments, they should inform the Wang Clan; however, there has been no such news.

"Could something have happened to the representative sent by the Zhou Clan? The Western Desert Cultivation World to the East Hua Cultivation World passes through the Hengduan Mountains. I've heard that fifth-tier Demon Beast have appeared in the Hengduan Mountains before."

Shangguan Yunjie said.

"That was over a thousand years ago. There were quite a few Fourth-Rank Spirit Beast then, but I haven't heard of any fifth-tier Demon Beast appearing."

"Master Ice Silkworm said."

The Hengduan Mountains are located at the border of the East Hua Cultivation World and the Western Desert Cultivation World. They stretch for millions of miles, with high mountains and dense forests, and are rich in Demon Beast resources. Fifth-order Demon Beast have appeared there in the past.

"Cultivators at the Spirit Transformation live for over two thousand years, and fifth-tier Demon Beast generally live longer than Spirit Transformation cultivators. That fifth-tier Demon Beast might still be in the Hengduan Mountains. I've heard that in recent years, some Nascent Soul Cultivator have entered the Hengduan Mountains and disappeared without a trace."

Song Ming said.

"A friend of my great-grandfather went into the Hengduan Mountains in search of spirit medicine, but his whereabouts are unknown."

Qi Mei said.

Wang Yuesen took out a Dharma Disk that shimmered with blue light, cast a spell on it, and said with a joyful expression, "The Zhou Clan family has arrived. I'll have someone invite them over!"

He gestured on the blue Dharma Disk Dharma Disk for a while, then put it away.

"It seems we misunderstood; perhaps we were delayed on the way!"

Ye Hongyao said.

"I have long admired the Zhou Clan of the Western Desert, and today I am finally able to meet a member of the Zhou Clan."

Song Ming said with a smile.

Not long after, a tall, thin young man in a yellow shirt and a pretty Yellow-Skirted Girl walked in.

The young man in the yellow shirt had handsome features and a face as white as jade, while the Yellow-Skirted Girl had a graceful figure and a hint of heroism between her brows.

"My name is Zhou Yuheng, and I greet you fellow Daoists."

"This humble sister, Zhou Yuyan, greets all fellow Daoists."

The young man in the yellow shirt and the Yellow-Skirted Girl introduced themselves and gave their names.

Shen Long and the others introduced themselves, thus becoming acquainted.

"Fellow Daoist Zhou, Fairy Zhou, you've finally arrived. Please have a seat."

Wang Yuesen smiled slightly and gestured for them to sit down.

"Fellow Daoist Zhou, why are you only arriving now? We thought something had happened to you. Fortunately, you are all safe and sound."

Wang Yuesen asked curiously.

"When we passed through the Hengduan Mountains, we discovered a Third-Rank Spirit Beast with Bloodline Purity of three. Ancestor Hualong personally took action and finally managed to capture the beast. During the process, we encountered some Fourth-Rank Spirit Beast, which delayed us for a while."

Zhou Yuheng explained.

"Third-Rank Spirit Beast with Bloodline Purity of three! You've got quite fortuitous opportunity of luck!"

Wang Yuesen exclaimed in surprise, his face full of envy.

"Senior Zhou personally took action and it took him a lot of effort to capture this beast? Are Third-Rank Spirit Beast really that powerful?"

Qi Mei asked, puzzled.

"The main problem was that a Fourth-Rank Spirit Beast blocked our way. We dealt with the Fourth-Rank Spirit Beast before we were able to subdue this beast. If we hadn't discovered that its Bloodline Purity had reached level three, Divine Ability people, Ancestor Hualong wouldn't have personally intervened, and we would have arrived much earlier."

Zhou Yuyan explained.

"Fellow Daoist Zhou, Fairy Zhou, how did you discover that the Bloodline Purity of that Third-Rank Spirit Beast reached three? Do you use treasures to detect Third-Rank Spirit Beast you encounter?"

Qi Mei looked on with curiosity.

"When we discovered it, two Core Formation Cultivator were trying to kill it, but it killed them both. Only then did we use a treasure to examine it and confirm that its Bloodline Purity reached level three."

Zhou Yuheng explained.

The cultivators suddenly understood; this made sense.

"If Third Rank already possesses such great Divine Ability, imagine how incredible they would be if they advanced to the fourth rank."

The Fairy Ice Flood Dragon looked on with envy.

"It won't be easy to cultivate it to the fourth rank. I hope that it can advance to the fourth rank, thanks to Madam Wang's auspicious words."

Zhou Yuheng said.

"By the way, Fellow Daoist Zhou, when you passed through the Hengduan Mountains, did you encounter any powerful Fourth-Rank Spirit Beast? I heard that in recent years, some Nascent Soul Cultivator entered the Hengduan Mountains and have since disappeared without a trace."

Song Ming said.

"We encountered a mutated fourth-tier Earth-Splitting Rhinoceros. Fortunately, it possessed the ability to conceal Divine Ability, making it difficult to detect, rather than any of the more Divine Ability. Otherwise, we wouldn't have escaped so easily."

Zhou Yuheng said.

"A mutated fourth-order Earth-Splitting Rhinoceros, that's quite rare."

Qi Mei said.

"It was indeed rare. We were lucky enough not to encounter that mutated Great Strength Golden-Backed Ape. It possessed a Divine Ability that could temporarily deprive cultivators of their magical Law Power. The Three Immortals of Western Desert joined forces to hunt Fourth-Rank Spirit Beast in the Hengduan Mountains, but they encountered a mutated fourth-tier Great Strength Golden-Backed Ape and were completely wiped out. Master Gansha's Nascent Soul escaped the calamity, but he has not yet recovered his cultivation."

Zhou Yuheng's expression turned solemn as he finished speaking.

"A mutated fourth-tier Great Strength Golden-Backed Ape! It can temporarily deprive cultivators of their Law Power? That's incredible."

Shen Long asked in surprise.

In a battle between high-level cultivators, a small mistake could determine the outcome.

"Yes! There are quite a few Mutated Spirit Beast and insects in the Hengduan Mountains, but the direction of Demon Beast is uncontrollable. That Great Strength Golden-Backed Ape is quite special; not every Mutant Spirit Beast Spirit Insect can master great Divine Ability."

Zhou Yuheng said.

"That's true. However, the potential of Mutant Spirit Beast is still very high. Take the Earth-Splitting Rhinoceros as an example. It only hasn't mastered a great Divine Ability at the fourth rank. Perhaps it can master a great Divine Ability when it advances to the fifth rank. There are many such examples. Mutated Spirit Beast can't master great divine powers right away. It can only be said that they are more likely to master great Divine Ability Divine Ability ordinary Demon Beast."

Master Ice Silkworm spoke slowly.

When an ordinary Demon Beast advances to a higher realm, the Divine Ability it masters are fixed; when Mutated Spirit Beast advances to a higher realm, the Divine Ability it masters are unknown.

Shen Long wholeheartedly agreed, noting that the Iron Tail Scorpion was Mutated Spirit Insect, and wondered what Divine Ability it would acquire upon advancing to the Third Rank.

After chatting for most of the hour, the cultivators went back to rest.