Nine Peaks Ridge, Flying Stone Peak.
Flying Stone Peak was rich in 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 had also been built atop Flying Stone Peak.
That day, after Zhou Chun completed his assignment guarding Spirit Cleansing Pavilion, he came to Flying Stone Peak, intending to read the books in the Book Repository.
He followed the mountain path that had been carved out along the slope, ascending step by step. Before long, he arrived beneath a three-story building.
His gaze swept across the three large gold-painted characters, "Book Repository," hanging above the entrance. Then Zhou Chun stepped inside.
In the first-floor hall, a Green-furred Ape wearing a gray cloth robe was sprawled atop a long table, asleep.
Seemingly hearing the noise, it immediately twitched its nostrils, sniffed the air, woke up, and glanced at him. It gave him a slight nod, then lay back down and continued sleeping.
Although this was not the first time Zhou Chun had seen such a scene, he still clicked his tongue in wonder.
This Green-furred Ape was no ordinary creature. It had originally been the spirit pet of a deceased Zhou Family cultivator, and had then merely been a low-grade demonic beast, a Greenwood Ape.
Before that Zhou Family cultivator exhausted his lifespan and passed away, he had deliberately dissolved their contract, intending to return it to the mountains and forests and grant it freedom.
Yet it had cleverly refused the Zhou Family cultivator's goodwill, willingly remaining with the Zhou Family and continuing to serve them.
Then, more than twenty years after that Zhou Family cultivator passed away, it had unexpectedly evolved from a First-grade High-tier Demonic Beast into a second rank Greenwood Spirit Ape.
This matter had caused no small amount of discussion even within the Three Absolute Sect. Several Golden Core stage cultivators had specifically come to see this Green-furred Ape for themselves.
In the end, after studying it, the Golden Core stage cultivator Yu Jinghua had concluded that this Green-furred Ape likely possessed a Recessive Greenwood Spirit Ape Bloodline.
Then, for some unknown reason, the recessive bloodline that had lain dormant without stirring had transformed into a dominant bloodline. This elevated its racial rank, allowing it to break through the shackles that made it difficult for low-grade demonic beasts to advance to the second rank and become a second rank demonic beast.
By now, this Greenwood Spirit Ape was already a Second-tier Mid-grade Demonic Beast. Its standing within the Zhou Family was equivalent to that of a Core Clansman, and it had even earned the title of Elder Ape.
Even a vital location like the Book Repository had been entrusted to its care.
Though it could not speak human language, its intelligence was in fact no lower than that of an ordinary person. It could read and recognize characters, and could write to communicate with people.
When Zhou Chun first came to the Book Repository and saw it, curiosity had led him to specifically communicate with it through writing.
It had felt especially novel at the time. He had only regretted not having a phone in hand to record a video and post it on Douyin. Otherwise, it would definitely have shot to the trending page in an instant and gone viral across the entire internet!
After once again unable to resist looking a few more times at the soundly sleeping Green-furred Ape, Zhou Chun finally crept lightly toward the rows upon rows of bookshelves behind it.
The Zhou Family's rules stated that the first floor of the Book Repository was freely open to all Zhou Family cultivators. Only Core Clansmen could apply to enter the second floor, while only elders could enter the third.
But even the first floor alone contained a thousand books, more than enough to keep Zhou Chun reading for a long time.
After all, the time he could devote to reading each day was not particularly abundant.
Zhou Chun did not read just any books either. His priority now was all kinds of beast-taming texts, especially the various beast-taming experiences summarized by Zhou Family ancestors and records of all sorts of unusual demonic beasts.
The longer he stayed with the Zhou Family and the more varieties of demonic beasts he saw, the greater his interest in the path of beast taming became.
He too wanted to raise several intelligent spirit pets like Elder Ape. Not only could they provide tremendous assistance during spell duels and battles, but they could also relieve boredom and play with him in daily life, perhaps even cook and wash clothes for him.
Naturally, there was no hope of that from the Rock Earth Turtle. He would need those "fur babies" that were naturally intelligent and beautiful to look at.
The sun rose and the moon set; spring departed and winter came. In the blink of an eye, a full year had passed since Zhou Chun came to this world.
Ever since arriving at the Zhou Family of Nine Peaks Ridge, apart from briefly leaving the mountain gates during routine hunting assignments, he had spent all his other time within them.
His life was also highly regular. After his daily meditation cultivation and duty guarding Spirit Cleansing Pavilion, he completed some minor assignments, then buried himself in the Book Repository to read and study.
From time to time, he was invited by fellow clansmen to take part in exchanges on cultivation and beast-taming experience, sharing their own insights into beast taming.
Over the course of that year, his cultivation had steadily advanced, and he had opened another three acupoints.
At the same time, the Rock Earth Turtle he had raised for a year had finally grown to the size of a washbasin. It had also successfully awakened two innate spells, Stone Skin Technique and Earth Spike Technique, gaining strength equivalent to a fourth layer of Qi Refining cultivator.
Everything was developing in a positive direction, including the Zhou Family itself.
Although Zhou Chun had not left the mountain gates over the past year, he had never relaxed his observation of the movements among the Zhou Family higher-ups and the changes within the Zhou Family.
Based on observations and corroboration from many sides, the frequent outings of the Zhou Family higher-ups over the past year should have been visits to the various powers in Misty Prefecture and several neighboring prefectures of Jing Kingdom. They were working to eliminate those powers' hostility and wariness, making them accept the Zhou Family as a future part of Jing Kingdom.
And judging from some of the changes within the Lineage, the efforts of the Zhou Family higher-ups had clearly achieved a certain degree of success.
At the very least, over the past six months, some cultivators from Jing Kingdom had finally accepted invitations from the Zhou Family's higher-ups and come to Nine Peaks Ridge for a visit.
That day, when Zhou Chun as usual went to Spirit Cleansing Pavilion on Precious Lingzhi Peak to stand guard, he received more good news from Peak Master Zhou Jiahe, who was guarding the pavilion alongside him.
One year after the Zhou Family established itself at Nine Peaks Ridge, several Rogue Cultivators had finally gathered their courage and come to rent cultivation rooms from the Zhou Family.
Renting cultivation rooms to outside cultivators had always been a relatively easy way for Cultivation Families and sects to earn Spirit Coins.
Now that Rogue Cultivators were willing to come cultivate with the Zhou Family, it showed that the Zhou Family's notorious reputation for seizing Nine Peaks Ridge was gradually fading.
At the very least, some Rogue Cultivators were already willing to believe that the Zhou Family would not harm those who came to cultivate there.
This was truly very good news.
For as long as enough Rogue Cultivators came to cultivate with the Zhou Family, they would not only provide the Zhou Family with a steady stream of Spirit Coin income.
The Zhou Family could also use free cultivation as bait to recruit some Rogue Cultivators into guarding Spirit Cleansing Pavilion.
This would free up some Zhou Family cultivators, giving them time to go out and do what they wanted.
And the good news did not end there.
Two more days later, Zhou Chun was reading in the Book Repository when a large blue parrot with bright, beautiful feathers suddenly flew inside. Speaking human words, it looked at him and called, "Brother Chun, Brother Chun, the Patriarch has ordered you to go to Pagoda Peak immediately and see him."
At this, Zhou Chun's expression first tightened. Then he nodded lightly and replied, "I understand. Lanlan, go back and tell the Patriarch that I will head to Pagoda Peak at once to pay my respects to him."
"Lanlan received the order. Goodbye, Brother Chun."
The blue parrot answered, flapped its wings, and flew out of the Book Repository.
This blue parrot was a spirit pet specially trained and raised by Zhou Daoyi, the Zhou Family Patriarch, to make it easier for him to conduct affairs within the Lineage.
It was itself only a First-grade Mid-tier Demonic Beast, yet it was extremely intelligent and had mastered the art of mimicry. It could recognize the appearances of more than a hundred Zhou Family cultivators, easily locate any Zhou Family cultivator within the mountain gates, and promptly convey Zhou Daoyi's orders.
There were quite a few Zhou Family cultivators who raised low-grade demonic beasts like this to help with their work.
Not daring to delay, after the blue parrot departed, Zhou Chun quickly returned the book in his hands to its original place. Then he strode out of the Book Repository and headed straight for Pagoda Peak.
Upon reaching Zhongping Hall atop Pagoda Peak, Zhou Chun discovered that not only had he been summoned, but two other Zhou Family cultivators of the "Zheng" generation, one man and one woman, had also been called there.
When they saw him arrive, Zhou Daoyi, the Patriarch, spoke to the three of them after Zhou Chun finished paying his respects. "I summoned the three of you in such haste because there is a task that requires the three of you to carry it out. I wonder whether you dare accept it?"
Hearing this, the three exchanged glances. Then the oldest Zhou Family youth immediately answered respectfully, "What task might it be? We ask the Patriarch to speak plainly."
Zhou Daoyi immediately said, "The task itself is not difficult. The Zhou Family has reached an agreement with three cultivation families of Jing Kingdom. They are willing to have Zhou Family cultivators proficient in Beast Taming Arts reside with their families for three years and train some of their clansmen in Beast Taming Arts."
Having said that, he gave the three a deep look before continuing calmly, "I have also investigated matters. With your knowledge and cultivation, the three of you are fully qualified for this work."
"What about safety? If we travel alone to reside with other families, will they ensure our safety?"
The Zhou Family female cultivator among the three also asked softly about the matter that concerned her.
"Of course. They will treat you as honored guests and absolutely guarantee your personal safety!"
Zhou Daoyi nodded without hesitation and replied with utter certainty.
Upon hearing this, the female cultivator immediately stated, "If that is the case, this junior is willing to obey the Lineage's arrangements and serve the Lineage."
"This junior is also willing to serve the Lineage."
Zhou Chun and the other youth both responded in turn.
"Very good. Then go back and prepare. I have already compiled the detailed circumstances of your assignments into booklets. You may read them several times first, so you know what to expect."
Zhou Daoyi nodded in satisfaction. With a sweep of his sleeve, he distributed three booklets into the hands of the three.
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