Clan Cultivation: Starting from Beast Taming

"If a Golden Core Stage Cultivator uses the Earth-Splitting Mountain-Opening Divine Skills to destroy the Rat King’s nests, it will inevitably damage the earth veins, and the impact this would have on the mines would definitely not be less than the destruction caused by the Gold-Eating Rats’ rampage,"

"And if one can’t use the Earth-Splitting Mountain-Opening technique, the rat nests hidden two to three hundred zhang below ground are not easily accessible even for a Purple Mansion Phase Cultivator who has cultivated the Earth Escape Technique,"

Hu Changyou said with a helpless expression as he revealed the truth.

For a force with Golden Core Stage Cultivators, why would they condescend to ask for help if they weren’t facing this kind of high-level problem which their senior monks couldn’t handle?

After hearing the reason from him, Zhou Chun also understood and nodded, "So that’s how it is, Taoist Friend Zhou understands."

Then, he bowed his hands to Hu Changyou, "Please, Taoist Friend Hu, wait a moment. I will go and explain the situation to our Supreme Elder and hand over some family affairs to the Clan Leader."

"Of course, Taoist Friend Zhou, please go ahead,"

With a word of agreement, Hu Changyou waited in the guest reception hall.

Zhou Chun went to see the Supreme Elder, Zhou Mingde, and after understanding the situation clearly, Zhou Mingde had no objections to his trip.

Just looking at him, he said, "Since the Zhao Family of Cangzhou is a Golden Core family, your trip should not encounter any troubles, but just to be safe, take the Fire Divine Jackal with you for protection!"

"Yes, Junior greatly appreciates the Supreme Elder’s kindness,"

Zhou Chun offered his thanks and then had settled the matter.

Subsequently, he and Hu Changyou set off for Cangzhou together.

Since they had to accommodate Hu Changyou on the road, Zhou Chun had to slow down his pace, flying and stopping along the way, resting and meditating in several Cultivator gatherings to restore mana.

The two flew for five to six days before finally arriving within Cangzhou’s borders.

Then, led by Hu Changyou, Zhou Chun continued to fly through Cangzhou for over a day, finally reaching the location of the Zhao Family’s Glowing Gold Iron mine vein.

There the two quickly met with the Purple Mansion Cultivator from the Zhao Family who was in charge of dealing with this rat infestation. n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

"Senior Zhao, I have brought Taoist Friend Zhou Zhengchun,"

Once inside a stone house, Hu Changyou entered and immediately bowed to a green-robed elder sitting at the head of the room, introducing Zhou Chun, who was next to him.

And then, with an outstretched hand, he introduced, "Taoist Friend Zhou, this is Senior Zhao Deyan of the Zhao Family!"

Upon seeing this, Zhou Chun also promptly bowed his hands to the green-robed elder, "Junior Zhou Zhengchun greets Senior Zhao."

"Taoist Friend Zhou, there’s no need for formalities. Both of you have had a hard journey, please sit down and have some tea,"

The green-robed elder waved his hand, indicating for them to take a seat.

"Thank you, Senior,"

Hu Changyou and Zhou Chun thanked him and then took their seats below.

After the two of them politely sipped some tea, the green-robed elder turned to Zhou Chun and said, "Taoist Friend Hu must have explained the situation to Taoist Friend Zhou. How confident is Taoist Friend Zhou in clearing out this rat infestation?"

Upon hearing this, Zhou Chun immediately answered, "If the Mutant Gold-Eating Rat King’s cultivation level is truly that of a second-order lower grade, Taoist Friend Zhou has a sixty to seventy percent confidence level. If its cultivation is higher, then it’s only twenty to thirty percent,"

Even a Mutant Gold-Eating Rat King, no matter how strong, couldn’t withstand Baibai for a few moves if their cultivation levels were equal; escaping would be difficult.

But if its cultivation were higher, its Earth Escape Technique could grant it a great ability to flee, and Baibai might not be able to catch it in time.

Therefore, Zhou Chun dared not speak too confidently.

Yet, his answer had already surprised Zhao Deyan.

He quickly said, "The Mutant Gold-Eating Rat King is indeed a second-order lower-grade Demon Beast; this I can guarantee with certainty,"

He then personally promised, "If Taoist Friend Zhou truly can kill this vermin, the promised bowl of Earth Spirit Stone Milk will not be a drop short for you!"

"Junior will do his best,"

Zhou Chun nodded but still didn’t speak too definitively.

After a short rest, Zhou Chun followed a Foundation Establishment Cultivator from the Zhao Family to the location of the Gold-Eating Rats’ nest.

Before his arrival, the Zhao Family had already located the rat tunnels leading to the nest but couldn’t use the narrow tunnels to destroy the nest itself.

"This is the place. We’ve tried multiple cultivators who tamed Demon Beasts before, including one who tamed a second-order lower-grade Demon Fox,"

"But after that Green-Eyed Fire Fox went down, it too was injured by the Mutant Gold-Eating Rat King and almost didn’t make it back,"

Standing in front of a rat hole nearly two feet in diameter, the leading Zhao Family cultivator pointed at the hole and explained the situation to Zhou Chun.

Hearing his words, Zhou Chun didn’t show the slightest hint of surprise.

Though the Gold-Eating Rats were weak, such weak Demon Beasts, if they managed to advance to the second rank, would usually master some remarkable spells.

Moreover, that was a Mutant Gold-Eating Rat.

As a Mutant Demon Beast, even its natural predatory Demon Beasts were mostly no match for it.

If the Silver Lightning Python Baibai wasn’t a powerful Dragon Descendant Demon Beast, and Zhou Chun didn’t have the move "Ancestral Resurrection" up his sleeve, he wouldn’t dare say that it could definitely defeat that Mutant Gold-Eating Rat King.

Especially since the battlefield was underground.

"Thank you for the warning, Taoist Friend Zhao. Zhou will ensure his Spirit Pet is cautious,"

He responded and immediately slapped his Storage Pouch at his waist, releasing the Silver Lightning Python Baibai.

Seeing him release a second-rank Demon Snake, the Zhao Family cultivator was not surprised.

After all, a cultivator who was specially requested by an Elder of the Purple Mansion Phase of his family would certainly have some ability.

However, when he saw the Silver Lightning Python enter and Zhou Chun also prepared to crawl into the rat hole, he was taken aback.

He hurriedly exclaimed, "Taoist Friend Zhou, what are you doing?"

"What do you mean, Taoist Friend Zhao? Naturally, I intend to go down and slay the Mutant Gold-Devouring Rat King!"

Zhou Chun looked at him in astonishment, taking his question as a matter of course.

Hearing this, the Zhao Family cultivator furrowed his brows slightly, showing a tinge of anger as he said, "Do you realize the dangers of going down there, Taoist Friend Zhou? There isn’t even enough space for you to stand up inside. Once you encounter an attack from the rat swarm, you will have no way to fight back, and you could even be cut off from your way back, eventually dying from exhaustion within!"

If it were feasible to enter and kill the Mutant Gold-Devouring Rat King by burrowing through the rat tunnels, the Zhao Family would have already sent someone to do it.

The problem was, if the cultivator who went down had too high a cultivation level, the Mutant Gold-Devouring Rat King would immediately flee.

If the cultivator was of too low a cultivation level, then once the retreat was cut off, it would virtually mean certain death.

Letting a Spirit Pet go down to try was fine.

After all, even if something went wrong, it would just mean the death of a Spirit Pet, and the Zhao Family could simply compensate with some Spirit Coins.

But if the person himself personally went down, and if he perished, as a guest of the Zhao Family, they would have to pay a large sum for his death -- it would be hard to justify otherwise.

And Zhou Chun, upon hearing his words, understood his concerns.

He immediately said, "If Taoist Friend Zhao is worried, you can go report the situation to Senior Zhao Deyan. I am willing to sign a life-and-death contract, stating that once I go down, whether I live or die is no concern of the Zhao Family!"

The Zhao Family cultivator was shocked by his boldness.

After looking at him intently, he nodded and said, "Fine, since Taoist Friend Zhou has said so, please wait a moment, I shall consult with the Elder!"

He then went to report the situation.

Before long, Zhao Deyan personally arrived at the scene.

Upon reaching the site, Zhao Deyan first swept the Silver Lightning Python Baibai with his Divine Sense, a flicker of surprise crossing his eyes, as if he recognized Baibai’s origins.

Then he looked intently at Zhou Chun and said, "Taoist Friend Zhou comes from a Beast Taming family, and is likely more aware than Zhao of the dangers of facing an underground rat swarm alone!"

"Since that is the case, Zhao will prepare a banquet at my residence and wait for the good news from Taoist Friend Zhou!"

He didn’t mention anything about having Zhou Chun sign a life-and-death contract at all.

This wasn’t because he believed Zhou Chun would be in no danger.

Rather, he was confident that if Zhou Chun did not return, his words would suffice as an explanation to the Zhou Family, ensuring that they would not blame the Zhao Family.

Such was the confidence of the Zhao Family, being a Golden Core family!

"I will not let Senior Zhao down,"

Zhou Chun clasped his fist and bowed, and then, watched by Zhao Deyan, he followed the Silver Lightning Python Baibai into the rat hole.