Cultivation Begins From The Desert

Chapter 635 - 620: Successfully Joining [Seeking Subscription]

The [Water-Resistant Golden-Eyed Beast] is an extremely rare exotic beast that excels in gold and water dual system divine techniques. It usually resides on islands and lands, only diving into the sea to hunt when catching prey.

This exotic beast’s entire body is a treasure, valued on par with Flood Dragons of the same tier. What’s more intriguing is that the [Water-Resistant Golden-Eyed Beast] also has a talent for treasure hunting, enjoying collecting various treasures to store in its nest.

Moreover, the beast’s lair is usually located on high-quality spiritual veins. The lair of a Tier Five top-grade [Water-Resistant Golden-Eyed Beast] certainly has a spiritual vein rank no lower than Tier Five top grade.

Knowing all this, it’s not hard to understand why Zhouyang is interested in this team task of finding people to hunt the [Water-Resistant Golden-Eyed Beast].

For him, the reward for hunting the [Water-Resistant Golden-Eyed Beast] is not important; what matters is the spiritual vein where the beast’s lair is located.

According to the information disclosed in the task, that [Water-Resistant Golden-Eyed Beast] is located in the "Celestial Wave Outer Sea."

And as Zhouyang knows, this "Celestial Wave Outer Sea" was actually the "Inner Sea" of the overseas cultivation realm before the "Jiao Long’s Chaos" several thousand years ago.

Nowadays, the name "Celestial Wave Outer Sea" is also in memory of the top major sect "Celestial Wave Sect" that perished in that great war, named so by the overseas cultivation realm’s cultivators.

Although it belongs to a fallen area, there’s still quite a number of cultivators who venture to the "Celestial Wave Outer Sea" for adventure, but few dare to reside and cultivate there for long, let alone establish a sect.

So if he truly manages to kill that [Water-Resistant Golden-Eyed Beast], Zhouyang might have a chance to take over the spiritual vein at the beast’s lair afterwards.

His gaze lingered on that task requirement for a while, deeply memorizing the words "Thunder Whale Island," before he continued to look at other tasks.

Two days later, Zhouyang left the [Golden Turtle Marketplace] under a rising sun background, returning to the undersea cave residence temporarily occupied by his daughter Jiang Yufeng.

When he returned to the cave, Jiang Fengxian had not yet come back, and he waited for nearly half a month before she finally returned.

Seeing Jiang Fengxian safely return, he finally felt relieved and couldn’t help but smilingly ask, "Fengxian, you’re back so late, did you perhaps have a big harvest?"

Unexpectedly, Jiang Fengxian rolled her eyes and said with some annoyance, "What big harvest? Being this late is because some clueless fools, seeing me, a female cultivator, roaming alone outside, had bad intentions, so I had to deal with them and took a detour to come back!"

She was naturally beautiful and couldn’t abandon that. Even with a mask disguising her as a plain-looking woman, she stood out among others, her aura captivating attention.

Coupled with what she said, a lone female cultivator is always more likely to be targeted than male cultivators.

Zhouyang, hearing her words, knew she must have taken care of all loose ends and didn’t ask further, just nodded and said, "This was indeed my miscalculation, we should have acted together knowing the chaos of the overseas cultivation realm is worse than rumored."

"Better not, acting together, the appearance of us high-tier cultivator partners would draw more suspicion. The Dragon Taming Family even posted our portraits on the wanted list of the Seventy-Two Islands Alliance. They are truly extravagant, offering Tier Six spiritual artifacts and Tier Six spirit pills as bounty rewards just to catch the three of us!"

Jiang Fengxian shook her head, speaking with indignation about the wanted affair.

Of course, she hated it, because the descriptions on the wanted list about her were purely defamatory, painting her as a heinous traitor who killed fellow sect members, a completely distorted portrayal that filled her with anger.

Zhouyang, hearing her mention this, just gave a cold laugh and said, "The more they spend, the less they can handle us. We’ll remember this debt for now, and someday, we’ll make them pay back in full with interest!"

Jiang Fengxian thought the same, but contemplating the strength of the Dragon Taming Family left her disheartened.

She had to admit, even though both she and Zhouyang had succeeded in Nascent Soul Formation, unless they could both become late-stage Nascent Soul cultivators, shaking the colossal Dragon Taming Family seemed impossible.

The more she thought, the more annoyed she felt. She couldn’t help taking a deep breath to suppress this frustration, lightly shaking her head as she said, "Forget it, let’s not speak of this. Zhou Lang, did you gain anything from going to the [Golden Turtle Marketplace]?"

"I did gain something, but I’m not sure if it’s feasible."

As Zhouyang spoke, he recounted the task he had seen on the task wall and his thoughts on it.

Listening to him, Jiang Fengxian pondered for a moment then nodded, "I also saw that task, but a [Water-Resistant Golden-Eyed Beast] is no ordinary exotic beast and might already be on the Demon King’s radar in the ’Celestial Wave Outer Sea.’ If those people succeed in catching this beast, they could simply leave, but if we occupy the spiritual vein there, we’d easily be made scapegoats!"

"Fengxian, your concern is not without merit, but given our current situation, achieving our goal without taking any risks is impossible. I believe it’s worth trying, at least to contact the cultivator who posted the task and learn more details from him."

Zhouyang first nodded to affirm Jiang Fengxian’s concern, then shook his head to express his own viewpoint.

"His words make sense. After hearing him out, Jiang Fengxian hesitated for a moment, then nodded, saying, "Alright, let’s give it a try."

"Thus, after some deliberation between the two of them, they explained the situation to their daughter Jiang Yufeng, who was secluded in the cave dwelling, delving into artifact refining skills. Then, they together operated the Fish Dragon Shuttle to head towards the so-called Thunder Whale Island."

"Thunder Whale Island is separated from Golden Turtle Island by a distance of about seven to eight hundred thousand miles, and is an important member island of the Seventy-Two Islands Alliance in the Overseas Cultivation Realm. The Island Master is a Nascent Soul Stage Loose Cultivator who reportedly does not often cultivate on the island but resides in a separate hidden cave dwelling."

"The cultivators managing Thunder Whale Island are disciples of the Nascent Soul Stage Cultivator. These individuals don’t seem to possess much business acumen, so although the conditions on Thunder Whale Island are far better than on Golden Turtle Island, the business in the marketplace on the island has never been thriving."

"And the cultivator who issued the task is one of the disciples of the Nascent Soul Stage Cultivator."

"Zhouyang and Jiang Fengxian operated the Fish Dragon Shuttle and reached the sea area near Thunder Whale Island. There, Zhouyang instructed Jiang Fengxian to stay inside the Fish Dragon Shuttle, hidden in the sea bottom, while he alone used the Illusory Treasure Pearl to disguise himself as a Fifth-Layer Golden Core Cultivator and headed to Thunder Whale Island for a meeting with the task-issuing cultivator."

"The Illusory Treasure Pearl is indeed a very practical auxiliary spiritual artifact. It is refined from pearls produced by a sea exotic beast called the Mirage Shell. Named Mirage Pearl, its function is similar to the Illusory Cloak that Zhouyang once borrowed from the Yuqing Daoist Sect in the Liuyun Continent Cultivation Realm. Not only can it transform appearances so that even Golden Core Stage cultivators can hardly discern them, but it can also simulate and change the cultivator’s aura."

"With this item in hand, Zhouyang dared to venture to communicate closely with other Golden Core Stage cultivators."

"Upon reaching Thunder Whale Island, he followed the clues left by the task-issuing cultivator and visited a cave dwelling on the island."

"Outside this cave dwelling, he sent out a Sound Transmission Talisman, and in less than half an hour, the cave dwelling’s door opened from within, and out stepped a burly man with thick eyebrows and big eyes, and a square face."

"This burly man’s cultivation is extremely high, surprisingly at the same Eighth-Layer Golden Core as Zhouyang, so it’s no wonder that he dared to go after the Water-Resistant Golden-Eyed Beast, that Tier Five High-Grade Demon Beast."

"Greetings, Fellow Daoist, I am Huang Yi, here for the task you’ve issued regarding the hunting of the Water-Resistant Golden-Eyed Beast. May I know Fellow Daoist’s esteemed name?"

"After Zhouyang and the burly man sized each other up for a while, Zhouyang promptly cupped his hands in a gesture of respect and stated his name along with his purpose."

"Seeing this, the burly man ceased sizing him up, nodded slightly, and responded, "Ah, so it’s Fellow Daoist Huang Yi. Greetings, my name is Ruan Xiong, and I indeed issued the task for hunting the Water-Resistant Golden-Eyed Beast."

"Having said this, he stepped to the side, raised his hand in invitation, and said, "This is not a place for conversation. I invite Fellow Daoist Huang inside to discuss this matter over drinks in the cave dwelling."

"I am grateful for Fellow Daoist Ruan’s hospitality."

"Zhouyang said, then followed him into the cave dwelling."

"Once inside the cave dwelling, the two sat down in the positions of guest and host. Then the burly man named Ruan Xiong conveyed a few words through sound transmission, and soon two comely young female cultivators came in from outside the parlor, carrying wine jugs and wine cups, filled their cups, and stood aside to accompany them."

"Come, as Fellow Daoist Huang has traveled a long way, I, Ruan, toast to you."

"The burly man Ruan Xiong lifted his wine cup, gave a distant salute to Zhouyang, spoke, and then tilted his head back and drained the entire cup of wine."

"Fellow Daoist Ruan’s generous hospitality is an honor for me, Huang, and I likewise toast to Fellow Daoist."

"Zhouyang, seeing the spirit wine in the cup, amber in color, chuckled lightly, boldly lifted the cup, drank it all in one go, and then inverted the cup and placed it back on the plate beside him."

"Seeing this, an unusual look flashed in Ruan Xiong’s eyes, and he couldn’t help but look at him and say, "Fellow Daoist Huang is not afraid that I might poison the wine?"

"Upon hearing this, Zhouyang couldn’t help but laugh aloud, "Hahaha, Fellow Daoist Ruan, you jest. Before this, Fellow Daoist hasn’t met me, nor do we have any conflict of interest, so why would you do such a thing?"

"He continued, with his expression turning serious, looking at the burly man earnestly, "Moreover, given Fellow Daoist Ruan’s cultivation level, if you truly wanted to deal with me, you could do so easily without needing to resort to poison. Why bother?"

"Upon hearing this, Ruan Xiong burst out laughing, "Hahaha, Fellow Daoist Huang is indeed straightforward and sincere; I enjoy conversing with straightforward people like you."

"Having laughed, he waved his large hand and said, "Alright, you two may leave now."

"This was said to the two female cultivators who were accompanying them."

"After the two accompanying female cultivators obeyed and left, he nodded at Zhouyang and said, "Fellow Daoist Huang is so forthright, so I shall not test further. If there are any questions you wish to ask, feel free to speak. After resolving your questions, we’ll discuss heading out to sea."

"Since Fellow Daoist Ruan said so, I won’t stand on ceremony. May I ask Fellow Daoist Ruan, do you have any evidence of the existence of the Water-Resistant Golden-Eyed Beast? Furthermore, if the information in your task is correct, and the Water-Resistant Golden-Eyed Beast resides in the outer sea, once we hunt it down, surely we will alert the Demon King there. Has Fellow Daoist thought of how to handle this matter? Lastly, if I join the team, what reward are you willing to offer?"

"Having voiced all his questions in one go, Zhouyang stared intently at Ruan Xiong, waiting for his answers."

Facing his gaze, Ruan Xiong wore a composed and faint smile and said, "Fellow Daoist Huang, those were excellent questions. Allow Ruan to answer them one by one."

"This is the image of the [Water-Resistant Golden-Eyed Beast] recorded by my Memory Pearl. Fellow Daoist, you can discern its authenticity with a glance."

"As for the Demon King behind the [Water-Resistant Golden-Eyed Beast], fellow Daoist need not worry further. I am seeking partners to hunt it now because I learned that Demon King had a great battle with a Nascent Soul Stage senior decades ago and is currently in seclusion at its lair, nursing its injuries. Even if it discovers the [Water-Resistant Golden-Eyed Beast] has been killed, it likely wouldn’t risk aggravating its wounds by taking action."

"Lastly, regarding the reward, the base payment I offer is two hundred and fifty thousand Low-grade Spirit Stones. This amount will be given to you upon reaching the destination, regardless of whether the trip is successful. Any additional rewards will depend on your contribution during the battle, and they will only be provided if the mission succeeds!"

As Ruan Xiong explained to Zhouyang, he waved his hand and tossed the Memory Pearl to Zhouyang.

Zhouyang reached out to catch the Memory Pearl, and with a touch of Magical Power, activated it. He soon saw the figure of the [Water-Resistant Golden-Eyed Beast].

On the azure sea, an Exotic Beast resembling a Qilin with a lion’s head, a dragon’s mouth, fish scales, a bull’s tail, tiger claws, and ox horns, walked across the waves.

This Exotic Beast had a pair of majestic, golden eyes. Its scales were sea-blue, matching the sea, although the hair covering its head, paws, and tail was golden, with two backward-sloping rhino horns on its head.

Judging from its massive thirty-plus-zhang-long body, this [Water-Resistant Golden-Eyed Beast], even if not a Tier Five High-Grade Demon Beast, must certainly be a Tier Five Demon Beast.

"Indeed, it is a Tier Five [Water-Resistant Golden-Eyed Beast]."

Zhouyang nodded, closed the image released by the Memory Pearl, and returned it to Ruan Xiong.

Then he put on a thoughtful expression, pondering silently.

Ruan Xiong, seeing this, did not rush him but instead picked up a jug from the table before him and poured himself a cup of Spirit Wine, patiently waiting as he sipped.

After one or two moments, Zhouyang finally raised his head and said, "Fellow Daoist Ruan, regarding the rewards, I still have some questions. We both know the [Water-Resistant Golden-Eyed Beast] has a talent for treasure-hunting and likes to collect treasures. I wonder if those will be included in the distributable rewards? Additionally, the Spiritual Vein at the beast’s lair and its resources, how does Fellow Daoist Ruan plan to distribute these?"

Upon hearing this, Ruan Xiong’s expression momentarily stiffened, then he chuckled and said, "Haha, Fellow Daoist Huang raises a good point. Any treasures collected by the [Water-Resistant Golden-Eyed Beast] naturally belong to me. Otherwise, why would I provide both rewards and information?"

After a slight pause, he continued, "As for the Spiritual Vein at the beast’s lair, though it is indeed a rich Tier Five High-Grade Spiritual Vein, it’s located in the Outer Sea, and it must be relinquished. Of course, if Fellow Daoist Huang wants to claim it, I have no objections. As for the resources on the Spiritual Vein, I can let fellow Daoists freely explore and gather as they please!"

"Fellow Daoist Ruan’s conditions are quite tricky for me!"

Zhouyang looked at Ruan Xiong with a troubled expression, no longer as straightforward as before, now appearing hesitant.

Seeing this, Ruan Xiong also lost his earlier politeness, his tone turning cold as he said, "If Fellow Daoist Huang feels troubled, I won’t insist. Let me frankly tell you, I have already found four fellow Daoists willing to go with me. Even without your visit today, I would have left in half a month’s time."

"This..."

Zhouyang’s expression shifted uncertainly for a while, and after much hesitation, he finally nodded with a wry smile, saying, "Fine, Fellow Daoist Ruan wins. I accept your terms!"

Upon hearing this, Ruan Xiong’s previously cold demeanor immediately warmed again, and with a hearty laugh, he said, "Hahaha, since Fellow Daoist Huang agrees, we are comrades-in-arms. Let me first tell you about this journey so you can have some understanding of it."

All those who have lived for hundreds of years are sharp-minded. If they couldn’t even manage this small display of changing emotions, they’d have lived in vain for so long.

With that, the two quickly forgot their earlier discord and resumed their previous enthusiastic conversation.

Half a day later, Zhouyang left Ruan Xiong’s residence, then rented a private courtyard to stay in at an Immortal Inn on Thunder Whale Island.

In his conversation with Ruan Xiong, Zhouyang had already learned the names and Cultivation levels of the other four cultivators Ruan Xiong mentioned. After confirming Zhouyang’s participation, Ruan Xiong had already spread the news to those people, setting a departure to "Celestial Wave Outer Sea" to hunt the [Water-Resistant Golden-Eyed Beast] half a month later.

At this time, after settling in the Immortal Inn, Zhouyang immediately used the [Echoing Conch] to send a message to Jiang Fengxian, instructing her to pilot the slower [Fish Dragon Shuttle] to "Celestial Wave Outer Sea" to await his arrival at any time.

"Quite strange, really. In all other respects, Ruan Xiong has acted without fault, yet he didn’t inquire much about my background before agreeing to let me join the team."

"Is it because he simply forgot, or does he have some other plan?"

Within the Immortal Inn, Zhouyang reviewed his meeting and conversation with Ruan Xiong today and soon realized this oversight he had ignored.

In truth, he had an ulterior motive and had consciously avoided mentioning this during his talk with Ruan Xiong. He had even introduced himself boldly at the start of the visit to steer the conversation away from this topic and prevent Ruan Xiong from questioning it more.

But as the host and initiator of the operation, Ruan Xiong not inquiring about his background at all throughout the process is rather unusual.

Before Zhouyang came, he went to great lengths to fabricate a background for himself, still posing as a Golden Core Stage cultivator from the Donghua Continent Cultivation Realm who came to the Overseas Cultivation Realm for the purpose of becoming a high-tier demon beast hunter to earn cultivation resources.

To align with this persona, earlier he haggled with Ruan Xiong over the issue of remuneration.

But now it seems all the painstakingly fabricated background and persona he created for himself have become futile efforts.

"Let’s just wait and see. If after half a month everyone has arrived and Ruan Xiong still hasn’t inquired about it, then it indicates he indeed harbors ulterior motives!"

Zhouyang glanced solemnly toward the direction of Ruan Xiong’s cave dwelling, not thinking further on the matter.

However, unbeknownst to him, inside the cave dwelling, Ruan Xiong was also reviewing and analyzing the conversation they had today.

"There’s something off with this person surnamed Huang. Today, although he introduced himself by name, he didn’t mention his origin or background, which initially makes his sincerity questionable."

"But later he seemed to be so concerned about the remuneration and the action plan, as if he genuinely wanted to participate in this mission. It’s a bit contradictory!"

"Why do I get the feeling his aura carries a sense of intangibility? Could it be that when he met me, he was not showing his true face?"

"No, no, no, I must be overthinking. If he had such a capability, why would he be interested in the mere reward for hunting the Water-Resistant Golden-Eyed Beast?"

"In any case, even if he truly has ulterior motives, once we get there, he won’t be able to stir up any trouble. I better not alert the enemy to my presence."

In the cave dwelling, Ruan Xiong’s eyes flashed with a sharp light as he contemplated for a while before suddenly squinting his eyes, a cold gleam flickering through them as he sneered, ceasing to think about the events of the day.

Half a month passed quickly, and that day, upon receiving a message from Ruan Xiong, Zhouyang immediately went to his cave dwelling and then met four other teammates besides himself and Ruan Xiong.

Among these four, the one with the highest cultivation was a silver-haired elder at the seventh layer of the Golden Core Stage, named Wei Tao, an ancestor of a cultivation clan with a lifespan of less than a hundred years remaining.

Then there was a youth in a yellow robe at the sixth layer of the Golden Core Stage named Huang Yunxing, from a middle-level sect called the Eastern Pole Sect. Although he appeared young, a deep sense of the vicissitudes of time could be seen in his eyes.

Zhouyang thus deduced that this person probably consumed an Appearance Stabilizing Pill or a similar spirit pill when he was young, hence he appears young, but his actual age is probably not as young as it seems.

The third cultivator was a beautiful woman in a long white palace dress, named Qian Bingyun, with a cultivation of the fifth layer of the Golden Core Stage, and of loose cultivator origin.

The fourth cultivator was a middle-aged man in white with a longsword at his waist, named Liu Xingping, also at the fifth layer of the Golden Core Stage, and was a dual cultivation companion with that white-dressed woman, Qian Bingyun. The two were quite renowned in the Overseas Cultivation Realm and were envied by many middle-to-low tier cultivators as immortal lovers.

"I am Huang Yi, who came to the Overseas Cultivation Realm from the Donghua Continent Cultivation Realm less than ten years ago. If there is any inappropriate behavior on the road, I ask for the forgiveness of all fellow daoists!"

When it was Zhouyang’s turn to introduce himself, he humbly cupped his hands towards the others, briefly and politely introducing his background.

Upon hearing this, the others did not react much, but Ruan Xiong already showed a surprised expression and said: "Ruan also forgot to ask last time. I didn’t expect Fellow Daoist Huang to come from the Donghua Continent Cultivation Realm, which is quite rare indeed!"

"Haha, no need for Fellow Daoist Ruan to blame yourself. I was also worried that being new to the Overseas Cultivation Realm, fellow daoists might have some prejudice against me, so I intentionally didn’t say much before. Here, I apologize to fellow daoist first."

Zhouyang laughed heartily and formally cupped his hands separately towards Ruan Xiong in apology.

Seeing this, Ruan Xiong shook his head repeatedly and said, "Fellow Daoist Huang overthinks things. Ruan once traveled to the Donghua Continent Cultivation Realm, and I’m deeply impressed and longing for its prosperity. Knowing Fellow Daoist Huang is from there, I would only show more respect, how could there be any prejudice?"

Though he spoke brilliantly, Zhouyang merely listened without taking it to heart, not truly believing it.

Exclusivity is human nature, and cultivators are no exception. This was evident from the change in the expressions of the other cultivators upon hearing him disclose his background.

What Ruan Xiong said just now, rather than addressing Zhouyang, was more like a reminder to the other four not to cause unnecessary trouble because of it.

Evidently, the four also understood Ruan Xiong’s hint and soon restrained their displeasure, engaging in jovial conversation with Zhouyang.

Thus, the group of six conversed in Ruan Xiong’s cave dwelling for half a day, each exchanging some of their adept methods, and then, led by Ruan Xiong, left Thunder Whale Island and headed straight towards the "Celestial Wave Outer Sea."