The Patriarch's Summons, and a Plea for Continued Support

Nine Peaks Ridge, Flying Stone Peak.

Flying Stone Peak had dense spiritual energy and ranked third among the Nine Peaks. It was the cultivation grounds of Zhou Daoquan, the Zhou Family Third Elder.

The Zhou Family's Book Repository was also built on Flying Stone Peak.

That day, after Zhou Chun completed his duty guarding the Spirit Cleansing Pavilion, he went to Flying Stone Peak, intending to read the books in the Book Repository.

He climbed the mountain along the stone steps of the newly opened path. Before long, he arrived beneath a three-story building.

His gaze swept over the three large, gilt characters reading "Book Repository" hanging above the building's entrance, and Zhou Chun stepped inside.

In the first-floor hall, a Green-furred Ape dressed in a gray cloth robe was lying on a long table, fast asleep.

It seemed to hear the noise. Its nostrils immediately twitched as it woke, and it glanced at him. Then it gave him a slight nod before lying back down and continuing to sleep.

Although this was not the first time he had witnessed this scene, Zhou Chun still found it astonishing.

This Green-furred Ape was no ordinary creature. It had once been the spirit pet of a deceased Zhou Family cultivator, and at the time, it had only been a low-level Greenwood Ape.

Before that Zhou Family cultivator died after reaching the end of his lifespan, he had specifically dissolved his contract with it, hoping to release it into the wilderness and grant it freedom.

Yet it had cleverly rejected the Zhou Family cultivator's good intentions, willingly remaining with the Zhou Family and continuing to serve it.

As a result, more than twenty years after that Zhou Family cultivator passed away, it had actually evolved from a First-grade High-tier Demonic Beast into a second-tier Greenwood Spirit Ape.

At the time, this matter had caused quite a stir even within the Three Absolute Sect. After hearing about it, several Golden Core stage cultivators had come specifically to take a look at the Green-furred Ape.

In the end, after studying it, Yu Jinghua, who had been a Golden Core stage cultivator at the time, concluded that the Green-furred Ape likely possessed a Recessive Greenwood Spirit Ape Bloodline.

Then, for reasons unknown, the recessive bloodline that had remained dormant for so long had transformed into a dominant bloodline. This elevated its racial level, allowing it to break through the shackles that made it difficult for low-level demonic beasts to advance to the second tier, and become a second-tier demonic beast.

Now, this Greenwood Spirit Ape was already a Second-tier Mid-grade Demonic Beast. Its status in the Zhou Family was equivalent to that of a core clan member, and it had even received the title of "Elder Ape."

Even the important grounds of the Book Repository had been entrusted to its care.

Although it could not speak human language, its intelligence was actually no lower than that of an ordinary person. It could read and recognize characters, and could even write to communicate with people.

The first time Zhou Chun came to the Book Repository and saw it, he had been curious and exchanged written messages with it for quite a while.

At the time, he had found it incredibly novel. He only regretted not having a phone in hand, so he could not record a video and post it on Douyin. Otherwise, it would surely have shot straight to the trending charts and gone viral across the internet!

After unable to resist taking a few more glances at the soundly sleeping Green-furred Ape, Zhou Chun finally tiptoed toward the rows of bookshelves at the back.

The Zhou Family's rule was that the first floor of the Book Repository was freely open to all Zhou Family cultivators. Only core clan members could apply to enter the second floor, while only elders could enter the third floor.

But even the first floor alone contained a thousand books, enough to keep Zhou Chun reading for a long time.

After all, he did not have particularly much time to read each day.

Zhou Chun did not read just any books. What he prioritized now were various classics related to the Beast Taming Arts, especially the beast-taming experiences summarized by the Zhou Family's ancestors and records of all kinds of unusual demonic beasts.

The longer he stayed with the Zhou Family and the more varieties of demonic beasts he encountered, the greater his interest in the Beast Taming Arts became.

He also wanted to raise several intelligent spirit pets like "Elder Ape." They could not only provide him with tremendous assistance during spell battles, but could also amuse and entertain him in his daily life, and even cook and do the laundry for him.

Of course, he could not count on that Rock Earth Turtle for any of this. It would have to be those "fur babies" that were inherently intelligent and beautiful.

As the sun rose and the moon set, spring passed and winter arrived. In the blink of an eye, a year had already passed since Zhou Chun came to this world.

Ever since he arrived at the Zhou Family of Nine Peaks Ridge, aside from briefly leaving the mountain gate when carrying out hunting missions, he had spent all his remaining time within the mountain gate.

His life was also very regular. After his daily meditation cultivation and duty guarding the Spirit Cleansing Pavilion, he would complete some minor tasks, then spend his time immersed in the Book Repository reading and studying.

He was occasionally invited by other clan cultivators to participate in gatherings where they exchanged cultivation and beast-taming experiences, sharing their insights into the Beast Taming Arts.

After a year like this, his cultivation had also steadily improved, and he had opened three more acupoints.

At the same time, the Rock Earth Turtle he had spent a year raising had finally grown to the size of a washbasin. It had successfully awakened two innate spells, "Stone Skin Technique" and "Earth Spike Technique," and possessed strength equivalent to that of a fourth-layer Qi Refining cultivator.

Everything was developing in a favorable direction, including the Zhou Family.

Although Zhou Chun had not left the mountain during that year, he had never relaxed his observation of the Zhou Family leadership's movements or the changes within the Zhou Family.

Based on his observations and cross-checking from various sources, the Zhou Family leadership's frequent trips outside during that year were likely visits to the various powers in Misty Prefecture and the surrounding prefectures of Jing Kingdom. They were working hard to eliminate those powers' hostility and wariness, getting them to acknowledge the Zhou Family's future status as a member of Jing Kingdom.

Judging from several changes within the Lineage, the Zhou Family leadership's efforts had clearly achieved some results.

At the very least, during the past six months, some Jing Country cultivators had accepted invitations from the Zhou Family leadership and come to Nine Peaks Ridge for a visit.

That day, when Zhou Chun went to the Spirit Cleansing Pavilion atop Precious Lingzhi Peak to take his usual guard duty, he received another piece of good news from Peak Master Zhou Jiahe, who was guarding the place alongside him.

After the Zhou Family had established itself in Nine Peaks Ridge for a year, several Rogue Cultivators had finally mustered the courage to come to the Zhou Family and rent cultivation rooms.

Renting cultivation rooms to outside cultivators was a business through which various Cultivation Families and sects could readily earn Spirit Coins.

Now that Rogue Cultivators were willing to cultivate at the Zhou Family, it showed that the notoriety the Zhou Family had gained by seizing Nine Peaks Ridge was gradually fading.

At the very least, some Rogue Cultivators were now willing to believe that the Zhou Family would not harm Rogue Cultivators who came to cultivate there.

This was truly excellent news.

Because as long as enough Rogue Cultivators came to cultivate at the Zhou Family, they would not only continuously bring in Spirit Coin income for the Zhou Family.

The Zhou Family could also, in turn, use free cultivation as an incentive to have some Rogue Cultivators participate in the work of guarding the Spirit Cleansing Pavilion.

This would free up some Zhou Family cultivators and give them time to go outside and do the things they wanted to do.

And the good news did not end there.

Two days later, while Zhou Chun was reading in the Book Repository, a large blue parrot with bright, glossy feathers suddenly flew inside. Looking at him, it spoke in a human voice and called out, "Brother Chun, Brother Chun, the Patriarch has ordered you to go see him at Pagoda Peak immediately."

When Zhou Chun saw this, his expression first tightened. Then he nodded lightly and replied, "I understand. Lanlan, go back and tell the Patriarch that I'll head to Pagoda Peak right away to pay my respects to him."

"Lanlan received it. Goodbye, Brother Chun."

The blue parrot answered, then flapped its wings and flew out of the Book Repository.

This blue parrot was a spirit pet that Zhou Daoyi, the Zhou Family Patriarch, had specially tamed and trained for the convenience of handling matters within the Lineage.

It was only a First-grade Mid-tier Demonic Beast, but it was extremely intelligent. It had mastered the art of mimicking speech, could recognize the appearances of more than a hundred Zhou Family cultivators, and could easily locate any Zhou Family cultivator within the mountain gate and promptly relay Zhou Daoyi's orders.

There were quite a few Zhou Family cultivators who tamed low-level demonic beasts to work for them like this.

Daring not to delay, after the blue parrot left, Zhou Chun quickly returned the book in his hands to its original place. He then strode out of the Book Repository and headed straight for Pagoda Peak.

When he arrived at Zhongping Hall atop Pagoda Peak, Zhou Chun discovered that he was not the only one summoned. Another male and female Zhou Family cultivator of the "Chun" generation had also been called there.

When they saw him arrive, he completed his salute. The Zhou Family Patriarch, Zhou Daoyi, then looked at the three of them and said, "The reason I summoned you three in such haste is that there is a mission I need you to carry out. I wonder if you dare go?"

Hearing this, the three of them exchanged glances. The oldest Zhou Family youth immediately answered respectfully, "What kind of mission is it? We ask that the Patriarch explain it clearly."

Zhou Daoyi immediately said, "The mission itself is not difficult. The Zhou Family has reached an agreement with three Cultivation Families in Jing Kingdom. They are willing to send Zhou Family cultivators versed in the Beast Taming Arts to reside in their families for three years and train some of their clan members in the Beast Taming Arts."

After saying this, he looked deeply at the three of them and continued blandly, "I have also investigated the matter. With the knowledge and cultivation of the three of you, you are entirely qualified for this work."

"What about the issue of safety? We will be going alone to reside with other families. Will they guarantee our safety?"

The Zhou Family female cultivator among the three softly asked about the matter she was concerned with.

"Of course. They will treat you as honored guests and absolutely guarantee your personal safety!"

Zhou Daoyi nodded without hesitation and spoke with complete certainty.

Hearing this, the female cultivator immediately stated her position. "Since that is the case, this junior is willing to submit to the Lineage's arrangements and serve the Lineage."

"This junior is also willing to serve the Lineage."

Zhou Chun and the other youth also answered in succession.

"Very good. Then go back and prepare. I have already compiled the specific details of the mission into booklets. You can read them several times first so that you know what to expect."

Zhou Daoyi nodded in satisfaction. He immediately flicked his sleeve and sent three booklets into the hands of the three cultivators.

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