Clan Cultivation: Starting from Beast Taming

"Then let's do that, and also explain the situation to the other clan members to prevent them from getting any ideas," Zhou Daoyi said in a solemn tone, making a decision after glancing at the fourth Elder Zhou Jiarui.

Then, turning his gaze, he looked at the third Elder Zhou Daoquan and said, "As for the expansion of the Redflame Vajra Ape population, I will have to trouble Elder Daoquan to put in more effort. If there is any resource you need, feel free to inform the clan, and we will certainly support you as appropriate!"

Upon hearing these words, Zhou Daoquan's expression became grave as he replied, "Clan Leader, rest assured; I will do my utmost in this matter."

With the tone thus set, the family Foundation Establishment cultivators then dispersed.

Zhou Chun, however, was not in a hurry to leave; instead, he took the opportunity to wander around the Beast Garden.

As the Clan Leader's secretary, he had seen records of which Demon Beasts were bred in the Zhou Family Beast Garden and their numbers, so he had a good idea of the details.

However, he hardly ever came to the Beast Garden in person and had not inspected it himself.

Now seemed like a good chance to do just that.

According to the plan and the actual situation, the current Zhou Family Beast Garden consisted of six major areas: the Monkey Garden, Snake Garden, Bear Garden, Wolf Garden, Fox Garden, and the Cattle and Horse Garden, along with several smaller gardens that housed a few smaller populations of Demon Beasts.

Each garden had a Zhou Family cultivator in charge, responsible for the care and supervision of the Demon Beasts being raised there.

The person in charge of the Monkey Garden was Zhou Chun's good friend Zhou Zhengyong.

These managers generally trained the corresponding Demon Beasts themselves and were able to communicate and pacify the beasts in the gardens effectively to prevent them from causing trouble or injuring people.

Of course, the real reason the Demon Beasts obediently stayed in the gardens without causing trouble was due to the deterrence of several mid-level Demon Beasts.

The mid-level Demon Beast, the Vermilion Flame Crane, that Zhou Daoquan trained, was the true steward of the Beast Garden. It would immediately suppress any Demon Beast that dared to cause trouble in any of the gardens.

Others, like the Sky Azure Cloud Python of Clan Leader Zhou Daoyi and another mid-level Demon Beast, the Earth Armored Bear trained by Zhou Daoquan, as well as the Green Wood Spirit Ape guarding the Book Collection Tower, would also often stroll around the Beast Garden to deter those of the same species, keeping their younger kin from causing trouble.

To train beasts with humans, beasts may not comply, but to control beasts with beasts, they must submit.

After so many years of inheritance, the Zhou Family had summarized an effective method of raising and taming these Demon Beasts, and their experience was plentiful.

By the time Zhou Chun reached the Snake Garden, he saw the Emerald Crown Flying Snakes he had brought back nesting on a huge trellis, with green vines serving as their perfect camouflage and shelter.

Besides the Emerald Crown Flying Snakes, the Snake Garden also bred Golden Ring Pythons, Rockarmored Pythons, Seven-Step Soulchaser Snakes, and other demonic snakes.

In fact, over a thousand years of inheritance, the Sanjue Sect Beast Garden once had as many as dozens of different Demon Beast species, with a total number of two to three thousand.

But unfortunately, due to the hasty retreat, most of the Demon Beasts could not be taken and had to be either killed on the spot or set free.

And the Demon Beasts that were taken away were mainly claimed by the Spirit Beast Manor, leaving only a paltry amount for the Zhou Family.

Now, the Zhou Family had to retrace the path their ancestors once took, gradually expanding the variety and number of Demon Beasts in the Beast Garden through capturing and taming wild Demon Beasts again.

After walking through each section of the Beast Garden and inspecting the number of Demon Beasts inside, Zhou Chun returned to Pagoda Peak.

Half a month later, Clan Leader Zhou Daoyi returned from a trip outside the family and brought back two premium quality Dharma Artifacts for Zhou Chun.

The two artifacts were a vest-style Defensive Inner Armor and a square shield measuring two feet in length and one foot in width.

"A first-grade high-quality Dharma Artifact 'Golden Scale Soft Armor', crafted mainly from the scales and skin of the Golden Armored Piercing Mountain Beast. It offers strong defense against the piercing of flying swords and needles."

"A first-grade high-quality Dharma Artifact 'Golden Scale Shield,' made from Pure Gold as the primary material and supplemented with scales from the tail of the Golden Armored Piercing Mountain Beast. It can orbit around the owner as they will, providing formidable defense against spells and the physical attacks of artifacts."

In the Central Peace Hall, Zhou Daoyi took out the two artifacts from his Storage Pouch and elucidated their names and functions to Zhou Chun.

Then he passed the magic artifact into his hands and patted Zhou Chun on the shoulder with a smile, saying, "Zhengchun, you're very lucky, these two magic artifacts are both rare treasures. Even the Artifact Refiner said that being able to create such pieces was an exceptional performance that has improved his artifact refining skills."

Having finished speaking, he looked at the inner armor magic artifact in Zhou Chun's hands with a sense of emotion, "Especially this 'Golden Scale Soft Armor,' such wearable inner armor artifacts are extremely rare, and even a cultivator at the Foundation Establishment Realm would rely entirely on chance and luck to obtain one of this caliber!"

"With it protecting you, plus the 'Bright Dawn Pendant' you carry as a supplement, you can be quite at ease about your safety when you venture outside."

The reason he said this was that, as the Clan Leader of the Zhou Family, he too wore such an inner armor artifact, and the quality of his was much higher than the 'Golden Scale Soft Armor' in Zhou Chun's hands.

However, that was a Zhou Family heirloom, not his personal possession; he was given it to wear for protection due to the importance of his role as Clan Leader.

"For the Clan Leader to show such favor, this junior is truly unworthy!"

Zhou Chun held the two artifacts in his hands, looking at Zhou Daoyi with a face full of gratitude, his heart filled with both joy and a sense of being overwhelmed by the favor granted.

Just as Zhou Daoyi had said, these two magic artifacts were indeed rare treasures, each more precious than the other.

A life-saving inner armor artifact like the 'Golden Scale Soft Armor' could fetch a price of over a thousand Spirit Coins!

To obtain these two artifacts, Zhou Daoyi probably had to pay the Artifact Refiner a crafting fee of one to two hundred Spirit Coins.

"These are all things you've earned on your own merit. There's nothing to feel unworthy about."

Zhou Daoyi waved his hand, also with an emotive sigh, "If every younger member of the Zhou Family had your abilities, I would happily spend all our wealth without any regrets!"

Upon hearing this, Zhou Chun immediately held Zhou Daoyi in reverential respect, admiring his selfless and noble character immensely.

He asked himself if he could do the same and had to admit that he did not yet possess such lofty principles.

But that did not prevent him from admiring and respecting such a person.

For the Zhou Family to have such a Clan Leader was indeed a blessing for the family.

After receiving the 'Golden Scale Soft Armor' and 'Golden Scale Shield,' two defensive artifacts, Zhou Chun finally made up his mind to continue practicing the second level of the 'Xinjin Sword Qi.'

Now, with his defenses already very strong, if he could master a second flow of Taibai Gold Power, then both his offense and defense would be among the best in the Qi Refinement Realm.

By then, even with slightly weaker cultivation, he would hardly find an equal adversary within the Qi Refinement Realm.

But just when Zhou Chun was halfway through cultivating the second flow of Taibai Gold Power, an unexpected visitor arrived at the Zhou Family residence, seeking specifically to meet him.

"So it's you, Taoist Friend Liu, I was wondering who would make a special trip to visit me at the Zhou Family!"

Outside Jiufeng Ridge, having received the notice, Zhou Chun hurried to the location and, upon seeing the cultivator who had come to visit him, his face revealed a look of realization.

It turned out that the visiting cultivator was none other than Liu Shiyun, the Loose Cultivator who joined the Green Lotus Temple a few years ago.

"My apologies for this presumptuous visit, disturbing Taoist Friend Zhou. I hope you won't take offense," said Liu Shiyun, her beautiful eyes briefly meeting Zhou Chun's before she modestly lowered her head.

Zhou Chun couldn't help but smile gently and replied, "Taoist Friend Liu is too polite. They say 'a friend from afar brings joy.' I'm too happy to take any offense."

After speaking, he glanced at the other two middle-aged cultivators dressed in the Green Lotus Temple's disciple attire standing next to Liu Shiyun, gestured with his hand, and said, "This isn't a place for chatting. Taoist Friend Liu and the others, please follow me inside for a more comfortable talk."

After leading Liu Shiyun and her two companions into the Zhou Family Mountain to a guest reception area, Zhou Chun barely mentioned the purpose of the visit when Liu Shiyun revealed her intentions straightforwardly.

"This presumptuous visit to see Taoist Friend Zhou is firstly to express our gratitude for the care you showed to Shiyun and her father in the past. The life-saving care from the Taoist Friend has always been remembered in our hearts," she said.

"Secondly, during my time at the temple gates, I happened to come across information that may be useful to Taoist Friend Zhou, and I took the opportunity to pass it on to you."