CHAPTER 279: CHAPTER 266: PASSING THE TORCH

"Over the past year, we have gradually gathered more than 24,600 mortals scattered across the oasis, and they have all been settled in the west district of the small city. We will continue to search for other scattered mortals and relocate them here for concentrated residence."

"At the same time, the Spirit Mountain mines have completed their handover with the stationed cultivators of the Yellow Sand Sect. Following the Clan Leader’s instructions, we have gifted each stationed cultivator a hundred spirit stones as a hardship fee."

"The only exception now is those three medium and small oases, as they are occupied by a few independent Foundation Establishment cultivators. As per the Clan Leader’s instructions, we have only sent them messages, asking them to come and pay respects at Red Tiger Mountain in three years, and they still have two years to consider."

"Lastly, the main family cultivators have already been transferred to the Red Tiger Mountain Oasis and have begun clearing the demon beasts above the oasis."

In "Qianyang Cave," Zhouyang sat on a jade bed, quietly listening to Zhou Guangxiang’s report on the various aspects of the Red Tiger Mountain Oasis.

Because Xuan Hao needed to oversee the Jade Spring Lake Oasis to handle various family migration affairs, Zhouyang entrusted Zhou Guangxiang with handling various family affairs at the Red Tiger Mountain Oasis.

This was done not only because he didn’t want to waste his time and energy on these matters but also to train Zhou Guangxiang’s management skills, preparing him to take over as Clan Leader in the future.

That’s right, Zhouyang was already considering cultivating his successor.

As his cultivation increased and the various affairs he needed to manage grew, as the Zhou Family expanded increasingly large, he certainly would be unable to allocate substantial time to handle family affairs.

Thus, he naturally couldn’t keep holding the Clan Leader title without doing actual work.

However, due to his cultivation and influence, even if he stepped down as Clan Leader, when true major issues arose, he would surely have to make decisions within the family.

This is also a management style common among major forces in the Cultivation Realm.

In major sects like the Profound Sun Immortal Sect, although Nascent Soul Stage cultivators usually remain behind the scenes, not interfering with the sect’s daily management affairs, any issue regarding sect inheritance and the rise or fall of the sect must be deliberated by Nascent Soul Stage cultivators before a decision can be made.

Therefore, after listening to Zhou Guangxiang’s report, a flicker of satisfaction flashed in Zhouyang’s eyes, and he couldn’t help but nod and praise, "Not bad, not bad, I have also seen that small city. Guangxiang, this time you did really well, you did not disappoint my expectations."

"Thank you for the praise, Ninth Uncle."

Zhou Guangxiang smiled broadly, happily accepting Zhouyang’s praise.

"Next, you’ll need to put in a bit more effort. Following the model of that small city below the mountain, construct three identical small cities here, here, and here, and then, using the small city as the center, build a small town capable of accommodating ten thousand residents every hundred miles around it. A small city must have at least eight subsidiary small towns, and each town must have a cultivator with a mid-stage Qi Cultivation or higher stationed."

"These stationed cultivators can be supplied by the family with spirit stones for their daily cultivation needs, and each year they can additionally receive twenty clan contribution points. Their task is to protect the mortals from demon beast attacks while opening up land."

"Our goal is to clear all demon beasts on Red Tiger Mountain within five years, and in ten years, ensure that the food produced here can supply the daily consumption needs of thirty thousand people. In twenty years, triple the mortal population on the oasis!"

Zhouyang took out a map of the Red Tiger Mountain Oasis, circling each location for city building, and sternly shared his plans and requirements with Zhou Guangxiang.

A closer look reveals that the points he circled are all near Tier Three Spirit Mountain locations, with nearby independent water source areas.

Water’s importance is indisputable for people in the desert.

For a large oasis like Red Tiger Mountain Oasis, influenced by abundant green vegetation, the climate is no longer entirely desert arid conditions, with hardly any rain throughout the year.

While the annual rainfall on the oasis doesn’t match places like the Liuyun Continent Cultivation Realm, it does reach about a foot, enough to form small lakes and rivers in many places on the oasis.

Moreover, because this place is less than ten thousand miles from the Broken Cloud Mountain Range, several underground dark rivers formed by the snowy water from the Broken Cloud Mountain Range pass through underground here, making underground water resources far more abundant than other large oases.

In conclusion, it’s not a difficult task for Zhouyang to say that the mortal population on the Red Tiger Mountain Oasis will increase threefold within twenty years.

Knowing these circumstances, Zhou Guangxiang immediately nodded and agreed after listening to Zhouyang’s demands: "No problem. Please rest assured, Ninth Uncle, nephew will definitely complete the tasks you assigned."

Seeing this, Zhouyang couldn’t help patting his shoulder, encouraging him: "Work hard, achieve some results, only then will other family members truly recognize you and trust you. When you take charge in the future, only then can you command respect."

"Nephew understands, I will not let you down, Ninth Uncle." Zhou Guangxiang nodded firmly, his face full of smiles.

Watching him full of vigor, Zhouyang’s eyes slightly dazed, almost seeing himself back then.

Back then, in front of the old Clan Leader Zhou Minghan, he was equally full of vigor, determined to lead the family to prosperity through his efforts.

Now, the old Clan Leader Zhou Minghan has passed away, he has replaced this elder’s role, continuing this spirit for the next generation of Zhou Family cultivators.

"This is what the books call the passing of the torch!"

"Generations pass on the torch, all advancing towards the same goal. As long as the torch continues, the goal will surely be accomplished one day!"

In the cave residence, Zhouyang watched the departing figure of Zhou Guangxiang, having an epiphany in his heart, a broad smile involuntarily appearing on his face.

For the next two years, Zhouyang remained stationed on Red Tiger Mountain, silently refining his magical power and cultivating the second divine technique "Rainbow Light Gold Escape," rarely leaving the cave residence.

"Rainbow Light Gold Escape" is a kind of escape technique divine technique, an advanced variant of "Gold Escape Technique." Once mastered, with just a single spell, one can transform into golden rainbow light and escape a hundred miles away.

However, this escape technique allows only the cultivator to flee and cannot carry others like sword flight or soaring through the clouds.

After two years of practicing this escape technique, Zhouyang had only grasped the basics, barely succeeding in three or four out of ten attempts, still a considerable distance from truly mastering the divine technique.

During these two years, with the help of three hundred Shatuo Beasts rented for free from the Chen Family, all the mortals the Zhou Family desired to migrate to Red Tiger Mountain Oasis were finally relocated.

Of course, such large-scale, long-distance migration could not possibly ensure the survival of every mortal. On the contrary, quite a few perished, at least one percent of the total population.

Zhouyang was well aware of this situation, but despite knowing it, he could not halt the migration because of it.

Although speaking of it might sound cold and cruel, the truth is, to cultivators, mortals are akin to cattle and horses reared by shepherds!

If all cattle and horses raised by a shepherd perish, the shepherd’s family who relies on them would also struggle to survive; however, losing some cattle and horses during the migration to new pastures is something a shepherd can accept.

This analogy, while not entirely accurate, closely resembles the current situation of the Zhou Family.

The mortals who died during the migration are indeed innocent, but if they hadn’t migrated, hindering the Zhou Family’s development, then those who would suffer later would be them or their descendants.

Now that the mortals’ migration and settlement are complete, it essentially signifies the perfect relocation of the Zhou Family’s foundation. Their next plan is to engage in extensive development.

Cultivators are to develop all spirit mountains, establishing resource points like spirit fields, spirit medicine gardens, spirit fruit gardens, and spirit beast gardens, maximizing revenue for the clan.

Ordinary mortals are also tasked with reclaiming wasteland, transforming areas overgrown with weeds and shrubs into lush fields full of grains and vegetables.

Of course, the main actors in this extensive development are those Foundation Establishment cultivators; cultivators in the Purple Mansion Stage like Zhouyang, or even a few Foundation Establishment cultivators, need not waste time on such "trivial matters."

Their cultivation advancement or progress in one of the Hundred Skills of Cultivation is far more important than cultivating hundreds of acres of spirit fields.

What brought Zhouyang joy was that after several attempts over these years, Xiao Ying finally succeeded in refining a batch of Tier Three Middle Grade Spirit Pills, becoming a Tier Three Middle-grade Alchemist.

The success rate of a Tier Three Middle-grade Alchemist in refining Tier Three Lower Grade Spirit Pills has reached above sixty percent. This implies that even when refining Foundation Establishment Pills, Xiao Ying has over fifty percent success rate.

Furthermore, Zhouyang still had stored away four Tier Four Demon Pills obtained from the storage rings of two Golden Core Stage cultivators!

This means that even if the two Foundation Establishment Pills stored by the clan are exchanged by clan cultivators, Zhouyang can have Xiao Ying concoct Foundation Establishment Pills to ensure their supply.

The significance of this is self-evident.

Of course, to maximize the use of the four Tier Four Demon Pills at hand, Zhouyang would certainly not have Xiao Ying refine Foundation Establishment Pills now unless absolutely necessary.

At the very least, he would wait until Xiao Ying has improved her alchemy to Tier Three Top Grade, increasing the success rate of refining Tier Three Lower Grade Spirit Pills to over ninety percent, before considering this matter.

"Ninth Uncle, those independent Foundation Establishment cultivators are already waiting outside. Do you want to let them in now?"

In "Qianyang Cave," Zhou Guangxiang hurriedly walked into the cave residence, speaking urgently upon seeing Zhouyang seated on the jade bed.

"I understand. Let them in."

Zhouyang glanced at his nephew, nodding lightly in approval.

"Then Ninth Uncle, please wait a moment. I will inform them to come in."

Upon receiving permission, Zhou Guangxiang promptly sent out a sound transmission talisman to inform those waiting outside of the situation.

Moments later, four men and one woman, all foundation establishment cultivators of varying ages, entered the cave and approached Zhouyang.

These five individuals stopped three feet away in front of Zhouyang, first sneaking glances at Zhouyang sitting cross-legged on the jade bed. Upon noticing that Zhouyang’s pupils were a golden-red hue, examining them, all five were startled, hurriedly lowering their heads, bending their waists, and facing Zhouyang, performing a grand salute to pay respect: "Junior Guo Shaoyang, Ma Xingrui, He Lin, Yu Ping, Wang Hailiang, pay respects to Elder Zhou!"

These five were precisely the dominant figures of the three medium-sized oases around Red Tiger Mountain before the Zhou Family’s migration.

ps: Had some affairs today, only had time to finish one Chapter. The remaining Chapter can only be posted in the evening, sorry! In a few days, I’ll release three updates to thank all the legitimate subscribers for their support! Lastly, I’d like to ask for your subscriptions on ’Qidian Reading’ to support the author!