Chapter 1209: Chapter 513: Lifebound Beast Plaque [4 Updates Seeking Subscriptions]_2

After speaking, he couldn’t hide his excitement and continued, “Back then, even when the Sanjue Sect had the three families collaborating to refine Foundation Establishment Pills, our Zhou Family could at most get seven or eight pills each time, and that was once every several decades!”

“Who would have thought, who could have imagined that now, our Zhou Family could produce several dozen Foundation Establishment Pills in a single batch!”

By the end of his words, his face blossomed into a jubilant smile.

Only those like him, who had experienced the hardest times of the Zhou Family, could truly understand just how troubled and challenging it once was for their clan.

They could also appreciate what these sixty-one Foundation Establishment Pills meant for the Zhou Family at this moment.

It could be said without exaggeration that for the next hundred-plus years, the Zhou Family wouldn’t need to worry about Foundation Establishment Pills at all.

In the coming century, the Zhou Family was bound to see the addition of dozens of Foundation Establishment Stage cultivators!

Zhou Chun was just as elated as he saw Zhou Mingde’s delight, but he still cautioned, “We must keep these Foundation Establishment Pills strictly confidential. If outsiders were to learn of this, there’s no guarantee we wouldn’t attract suspicion from the Senior Sect!”

Upon hearing this, Zhou Mingde immediately nodded repeatedly and said, “Naturally. I’ll personally oversee the safekeeping of these Foundation Establishment Pills. In the future, I’ll release just one or two pills every few years to the Family Treasure Vault, claiming they were purchased at high prices from external sources!”

“With you handling matters, I can rest assured, Elder Zhou.”

Zhou Chun chuckled as he offered a polite compliment. He then brought out several kinds of spirit materials meant for crafting Dharma Treasures that he had gathered for Zhou Mingde.

Seeing these spirit materials laid out one by one, Zhou Mingde’s smile grew even wider, and he couldn’t help but exclaim with praise repeatedly, “Excellent, excellent! With these spirit materials, I can finally begin the crafting of my Lifebound Dharma Treasure.”

His face was a picture of joy as he carefully stored everything away.

However, just as he thought the matter was settled, Zhou Chun pulled out a large piece of “Soul Nurturing Wood” he had purchased from a high-tier auction.

“Is this ‘Soul Nurturing Wood’? And such a large section of it!”

Zhou Mingde, being someone who knew his goods, immediately recognized the item upon seeing it. Thoroughly overjoyed, he called out excitedly as soon as Zhou Chun revealed the spiritual object.

Zhou Chun spoke at the opportune moment, “This piece of ‘Soul Nurturing Wood’ was purchased by me at a high price during a grand auction. Given its size, it is enough to craft dozens of ‘Lifebound Soul Plaques.’ From now on, every Purple Mansion Phase cultivator or superior-grade spiritual root talent within our Zhou Family can leave behind a ‘Lifebound Soul Plaque’ in the family.”

Hearing this, Zhou Mingde nodded repeatedly, “Precisely. It is indeed time to craft ‘Lifebound Soul Plaques.’ With this piece of ‘Soul Nurturing Wood,’ all the elders of the family will be able to leave behind a ‘Lifebound Soul Plaque’ within the family for several centuries to come.”

He then excitedly brought up another matter related to their plans, “And this ‘Soul Nurturing Wood’ has arrived at just the right time. Zhou Daoquan’s Bloodflame Dragon Python has already reached the limit of a Second Order high-grade demon beast. It will require the ‘Millennium Dragon Transformation Grass’ in your possession, Zhengchun. If it can successfully transform into a Flood Dragon, the essence of its demon soul can be extracted to refine a ‘Lifebound Beast Plaque’ and ensure that it will serve the family perpetually!”

By extracting the essence of a high-order demon beast’s soul, one could craft a plaque that controlled its very life and death. This was the key reason major sects and aristocratic families were able to domesticate and command high-order demon beasts inherited from their predecessors.

Without such means, proud and unruly high-order demon beasts would rarely consent to being enslaved and controlled by human cultivators after the death of their original masters.

Take the Commanding Spirit Sect of the Great Zhou Kingdom, for instance; their sect relied entirely on this method to retain the Fourth Order demon beasts bred by the senior cultivators of previous generations.

However, such efforts were worth it only for demon beasts with long lifespans and immense strength.

Lower-order demon beasts, such as those in the Second Order, lacked either the lifespan or the strength to make such effort worthwhile.

In the past, the Zhou Family, too, had high-order demon beasts left behind by their ancestors. Unfortunately, even high-order demon beasts, with few exceptions, lived only seven to eight hundred years.

The last Third Order demon beast bequeathed to the Zhou Family by prior generations had exhausted its lifespan and perished over two centuries ago!

If the Bloodflame Dragon Python could evolve into a Third Order Bloodflame Flood Dragon, its lifespan would extend to a thousand years, with even the potential to break through to the Fourth Order!

However, Zhou Daoquan’s hope for Core Formation was incredibly slim.

The same uncertain prospects applied to Zhou Daoyi.

Thus, to avoid the possibility of releasing or killing much-cultivated Green Flood Dragons or Bloodflame Flood Dragons in vain, crafting ‘Lifebound Beast Plaques’ to enslave and drive them for the Zhou Family’s benefit was the best solution!

After hearing Zhou Mingde’s explanation, Zhou Chun promptly replied, “The ‘Millennium Dragon Transformation Grass’ has always been reserved by me for the Great Elder. It’s just that Taoist Friend Luo is currently in secluded cultivation. If a Dragon Transformation Pill is to be refined, we will likely need to wait several more years!”

In response, Zhou Mingde waved his hand dismissively, saying, “No matter. Zhou Daoquan has already waited for so many years; a bit longer won’t make much difference.”

He then took it upon himself to oversee the crafting of the ‘Lifebound Soul Plaques.’

In his early years, Zhou Mingde had studied artifact refining and, after achieving Core Formation, had specialized further in this craft. Coupled with his cultivation in fire element techniques, which facilitated artifact refinement, his skills now surpassed Zhou Chun’s.

For the crafting of ‘Lifebound Soul Plaques,’ a competence at the level of a Second Order Artifact Refiner would ensure flawless results.

The primary challenge lay in acquiring rare materials like ‘Soul Nurturing Wood’!

With Zhou Mingde fully devoted to refining the ‘Lifebound Soul Plaques,’ Zhou Chun temporarily stayed within the family to oversee its affairs.

During this time, while handling clan matters, Zhou Chun came to learn that Zhang Liang, the Zhou Family’s live-in son-in-law with whom he had forged a connection years ago, had successfully comprehended the array deployment techniques of the ‘Five Directions Meru Array’–a gift from the You Family during their Golden Core grand ceremony. With this breakthrough, Zhang Liang had advanced his array mastery to the threshold of a master-level Array Master!

Upon hearing this news, Zhou Chun immediately summoned Zhang Liang for a meeting.

Zhang Liang, possessing superior-grade spiritual root talent, had enjoyed far better resource access after joining the Zhou Family compared to his days as a loose cultivator. His bond with the Zhou Family Array Master, Zhou Xindie–who later became his Dao companion–had further elevated the cultivation resources available to him.

As a result, despite being only a mere hundred and eighty years old, Zhang Liang had already reached the late Foundation Establishment Stage for several years.

When he was suddenly summoned by Zhou Chun alone, Zhang Liang was both elated and slightly nervous, recognizing that the opportunity he had been waiting for might have arrived.

Upon stepping into Zhou Chun’s cultivation abode, Zhang Liang merely glanced briefly at Zhou Chun before stepping forward, bowing, and respectfully saluting, “Junior Zhang Liang greets the Clan Leader.”

“There’s no need for such formalities, Young Zhang. Please take a seat, and let’s talk,” Zhou Chun said with a smile, his demeanor appearing exceptionally amiable.

This unexpectedly kind attitude eased Zhang Liang’s initial nervousness. Still, out of caution, he quickly bowed again and said, “Thank you for your kindness, Clan Leader, but this junior prefers to remain standing.”

Zhou Chun appreciated Zhang Liang’s careful demeanor but responded resolutely, “No need to stand on ceremony. Sit where I told you.”

His tone took on an unmistakable firmness, leaving no room for refusal.

Startled by the sudden change in tone, Zhang Liang’s expression shifted slightly before he hurriedly complied, “Yes, I obey your command, Clan Leader!”

He then nervously took a seat on a nearby chair.

Once Zhang Liang was seated, Zhou Chun smiled warmly and looked at him, saying, “It seems fate has brought us together. Your wife was someone I personally brought into the family from Fengguo, and you and I also crossed paths in Shenguo. Through those serendipitous encounters, you joined the Zhou Family and later became Dao companions with her!”

Hearing this, Zhang Liang promptly rose to his feet and replied respectfully, “The Clan Leader speaks the truth. Both my wife Xindie and I owe you our very lives. Your immense kindness to the two of us is something we can never repay!”

His every word was laced with gratitude and sincerity.

In truth, this shared indebtedness was a significant factor in bringing the couple together, leading both to develop profound respect and loyalty toward Zhou Chun. Zhou Chun, being aware of this, mentioned it only to set the stage for what he was about to discuss.

Now sensing that the conversation had reached an opportune moment, Zhou Chun waved his hand and said, “Take a seat first. The reason I’ve called you here today isn’t merely to reminisce but to discuss some important matters.”

“As you wish, Clan Leader. This junior is all ears and ready to carry out your instructions!” Zhang Liang replied respectfully. He then returned to his seat, maintaining an attentive posture as he awaited the true purpose of this summons.