The Top of Yuquan Peak

The top of Yuquan Peak was hundreds of meters high. The higher the elevation, the denser the spiritual Qi. Qi Refining cultivators of the Zhou clan would usually cultivate on the mountainside where comfortable palaces and pavilions had been built for them to live in, staffed with others who would cater to their needs.

Only Foundation Establishment cultivators would live in the cave at the top of Yuquan Peak and cultivate with the denser spiritual Qi there.

The entire Yuquan Peak was surrounded by an Advanced Grade 3 array formation, the Ten-Thousand Flora Array, which could absorb the spiritual Qi of any plants inside the formation to increase its power. As such, aside from the established spiritual fields and herb gardens, the entirety of Yuquan Peak was covered with all kinds of tall trees. Some of them were hundreds to thousands of years old.

The density of these towering trees formed a canopy that blocked the sunlight and reduced the mountain's temperature to be several degrees lower than its surroundings. Waves of winds that blew through the mountain forest further cooled the area.

Zhou Yang was dressed in a fluttering white robe as he used a light-body spell to assist his climb to the top. He followed the stone steps that had been placed through the forest and soon arrived at his destination.

The top of Yuquan Peak was only ten acres large, despite the richness of its spiritual Qi, and had become quite flat as the Zhou clan had planted a high-level spiritual herb garden in front of three cave shelters for the cultivators.

As Zhou Yang entered the area, a medicinal fragrance that was a mixture of various spiritual herbs entered his nose. Just a whiff of it boosted his spirit and enhanced the circulation of mana throughout his entire body.

If he could cultivate here all year round, his cultivation speed would be much higher than when he was at the mountainside.

But this was simply impossible.

The spiritual herb garden was a sacred place of the Zhou clan. Many of the spiritual herbs planted were precious varieties that the Zhou clan had cultivated for one to two hundred years. The loss of any one plant would be enough to make Zhou Minghan's heart ache for several decades.

Therefore, other than the two Grade 2 spiritual herb farmers of the clan, even Zhou Yang, the highly-favored genius disciple of the clan was strictly prohibited from taking even half a step onto the top of Yuquan Peak unless the clan leader summoned him.

Moreover, even if Zhou Yang or anyone else tried to enter without permission, they wouldn't be able to. After all, this was the core of the Ten-Thousand Flora Array, protected by a powerful barrier and guardians who could not manipulate it at will to let just anyone pass. Even a Foundation Establishment cultivator would have to break the array formation to force his way through.

"I am Zhou Yang of the Yuan generation. I have been ordered to pay my respects to the clan leader. Please allow me to pass," said Zhou Yang as he respectfully cupped his hands and bowed towards the white foggy array formation from the outside.

"So, it's Zhou Yang, the ninth ranker. The clan leader has already informed me about your arrival. You may enter."

An old voice came from beyond the white fog which suddenly had a small clearing that revealed a safe passage for just one person to walk through.

Zhou Yang quickly cupped his hands again and thanked the person. "Thank you, Seventh Grandfather."

Then, he followed the path and eventually found himself standing next to a white-haired old man sitting cross-legged under a dozens-of-meters-tall tree.

The old man was Zhou Yun, the fourth elder of the Zhou clan and the seventh among the Guang generation. He was at Qi Refinement Level 9 and was also one of the only two Grade 2 spiritual herb farmers of the Zhou clan.

The youngest cultivator of the Zhou clan's Guang generation was already over eighty years old. Thus, it wasn't a surprise that the fourth elder, Zhou Yun, was already close to a hundred. This put him very close to the lifespan limit of 120 years old for a Qi Refinement cultivator.

Although an increase in age did not reduce the ability of a cultivator to fight, older Qi Refinement cultivators of major cultivation families who were getting close to a hundred years in age would leave for their ancestral lands to retire in peace. Only a threat to their clans would disturb the retirement of the meritorious elders who had served their clans for most of their lives.

And since Zhou Yun was a Grade 2 spiritual herb farmer, he was allowed to live in seclusion at the top of Yuquan Peak so that he could take care of the spiritual herbs.

When he saw Zhou Yang walking over, the old man waved his sleeve, and a tea table, tea set, and a praying mat appeared out of thin air before him. He pointed at the empty praying mat and said, "The clan leader is just finishing up. Yang, have a cup of tea with me while you wait. I hear you can be quite a chatterbox."

It was rare for a junior of an ordinary family to be summoned to the top. Other than the clan leader, who often went into Closed Door Cultivation, Zhou Yun was all alone with no one else to talk to. Retirement could be peaceful but also lonely and boring sometimes.

Now that Zhou Yang. the most outstanding junior of the younger generations was around, Zhou Yun was naturally very happy.

Any other young person might not understand Zhou Yun's happiness, but Zhou Yang had lived two lifetimes. Thus, he understood the elder quite well. He was also looking forward to chatting with these old men without the influence or interruption of official clan business. Zhou Yang wanted to hear more about the interesting things in the immortal cultivation world.

"Well, it's not every day I get to drink a cup of herbal tea made by Seventh Grandfather himself. So today, I must drink until I'm full." Zhou Yang smiled and walked over to the praying mat to sit down. He picked up the tea set and began to brew tea.

Immortal cultivators brewed tea differently from mortals. The flames used to brew the tea was formed from mana. It only took a moment for the tea to boil and there was no smell of smoke.

After the pot of tea was ready, Zhou Yang poured the tea for the two of them. He then impatiently picked up his cup of fragrant hot tea and drank it in one gulp.

If mortals drank tea like this, they would probably burn their throats. However, immortal cultivators' bodies had been tempered by mana. Thus, the temperature of the tea to them felt just like the warm temperatures comfortable for ordinary people to drink in.

Rather than displeased, Zhou Yun smiled happily at Zhou Yang as the latter gulped down his tea. The former asked, "How is it? How do you like my new herbal tea?"

After asking, Zhou Yun gently picked up his teacup and took a sip, then closed his eyes with a look of enjoyment on his face. Zhou Yun proudly said, "This is a new tea that I concocted with the withered leaves of the Grade 2 Immortal Cloud Grass, the root of a twenty-year-old White Jade Ginseng, the Grade1 Fragrant Leaf Chrysanthemum, and five other spiritual herbs. I was able to concoct three taels of tea. Even the water used to make this tea is from the spiritual dew I collected from the spiritual herbs in the garden this morning."

"The tea does taste good. No tea that I've drunk so far can match up to the herbal tea Seventh Grandfather has made, both in terms of taste and efficacy. If we can mass produce it, the Zhou clan will have an additional income!"

Zhou Yang put down the teacup and sensed the changes in the mana within his body. He savored the remaining herbal fragrance on his lips and looked back at Zhou Yun admiringly.

When the old man heard his praise, he initially looked overjoyed, but then he shook his head a little sadly and helplessly said, "I also had the same idea. Unfortunately, Immortal Cloud Grass is the main ingredient to refine the Grade 2 Immortal Cloud Pill. We can't just waste the spiritual herb just for the sake of making tea, right?"

"Well..."

Zhou Yang lowered his head in embarrassment, not knowing how to respond.

There was only one Grade 2 alchemist in the family, and that was his father, Zhou Xuanhao. Once the Immortal Cloud Grass matured, it would be used by his father to refine pills. If he dared to tell his father that he wanted to use the spiritual herb to make tea, the latter would definitely slap him to death.

"Don't worry, I am still able to see the bigger picture too, you know? Those were just casual words that I said just now!"

The old man smiled. He knew what Zhou Yang was thinking. He comforted Zhou Yang first, then told him some interesting stories from his youth to resolve the awkwardness.

The two chatted for about fifteen minutes before the door of the cave opened. The clan leader's vigorous voice came from the door. "Is Zhou Yang here? Come in."

Zhou Yang and Zhou Yun stopped talking the moment they heard the clan leader's voice. Then, Zhou Yang stood up and cupped his hands to Zhou Yun, "Seventh Grandfather, I'll be leaving to pay my respects to the clan leader now."

"Alright, go ahead. Don't keep the clan leader waiting."

After saying goodbye to Zhou Yun, Zhou Yang walked into the cave through the open door. Soon, he entered a cultivation room deep inside the cave and finally faced the current clan leader of the Zhou clan, Zhou Minghan, a Foundation Establishment cultivator.

Zhou Minghan was already more than 150 years old this year, but he looked much younger than Zhou Yun. The hair on his head was not completely white and his face was still as rosy as a baby's.

Such an appearance for a Foundation Establishment cultivator was normal as they usually had a lifespan of more than two hundred years. If nothing unexpected happened, Zhou Minghan still had at least forty to fifty years to live. Moreover, his cultivation level was high, which explained how he looked younger than Zhou Yun.

Zhou Minghan was sitting cross-legged on the Cold Jade Bed, meditating. Zhou Yang didn't dare to stare at him too much. He simply bowed deeply and said, "Zhou Yang is here to pay respect to the clan leader."

"Xuanhe has already informed me of your performance in Yuyang Cave. Zhou Yang, well done. Even when I was at your age, I was still far inferior to you in terms of my overall performance!"

Zhou Minghan opened his eyes slightly and looked at Zhou Yang with undisguised admiration. Despite his praises, the joy that Zhou Minghan felt was beyond words.

It would be a lie to say that Zhou Yang did not feel the smallest bit of happiness from Zhou Minghan's words. Zhou Yang was the first person to receive such praise from the clan leader. If word of this was to spread, his reputation among the Zhou clan's elders and disciples would definitely rise by another level.

However, Zhou Yang did not allow himself to be carried away because of this. He hurriedly responded with respect. "Clan Leader, you're too kind. I merely did what should be done. I don't believe I deserve such praise from you."

"How humble of you! If every member of the Zhou clan was as sensible as you, imagine how harmonious our clan would be."

Zhou Minghan could not help but reveal a wide smile on his face. It was obvious that he was extremely satisfied with Zhou Yang's answer.

He raised his hand and an invisible force brought Zhou Yang's bent-over body to him.

"Come, stand up straight. Let me have a good look at the Zhou clan's unicorn!"

For the clan leader to have so joyfully called him a unicorn, Zhou Yang must have been a highly-valued person to Zhou Minghan.