Chapter 42: Chapter 42: Testing, Heading to the Sun Family【Today’s Catch-up is Very Important】

“That kid of Ninth Brother is nothing but lower Spirit Root Aptitude,” Zhou Zhengyong suddenly said on the way back to Baozhi Peak, looking at Zhou Chun and uttering these words.

Originally preoccupied with his thoughts, Zhou Chun was slightly taken aback by his words, then glanced at him and asked curiously, “If you understand this, Brother Yong, what are your plans?”

Hearing this, Zhou Zhengyong immediately replied without any hesitation, “Of course, it’s to respond to the Clan Leader’s call and find a partner to have more children as quickly as possible!”

At these words, Zhou Chun’s brows twitched, and he looked at Zhou Zhengyong with his mouth slightly open, hesitating for a long while before asking in a low voice, “But what if, I’m just saying what if, what if you have children without Spirit Root Aptitude?”

To his surprise, Zhou Zhengyong gave an answer to this difficult issue without a moment’s hesitation.

“If there’s no Spirit Root Aptitude, then there’s none. It’s all a matter of luck; if they don’t have it, it’s their own bad fortune for not having the destiny to pursue cultivation!”

This kind of response that blamed everything on fate made Zhou Chun frown deeply.

He soon asked the most troubling question in his heart, “Aren’t you afraid that after you successfully reach Foundation Establishment and your lifespan greatly increases, you’ll witness the deaths of your children who cannot cultivate?”

Sure enough, Zhou Zhengyong fell silent at this question.

Just when Zhou Chun thought he would be silent for a long time before he could answer, Zhou Zhengyong suddenly looked at him with a strange expression and said, “The questions you’re asking today are so odd, Thirteenth Brother. Don’t tell me that the reason you don’t want to find a partner and have children is because you’re worried about these things?”

At that, Zhou Zhengyong shook his head, then looked seriously at Zhou Chun and said, “If that’s really the case, Thirteenth Brother, you need to change your mindset quickly; otherwise, it could be very dangerous!”

“What you just mentioned can happen not only to us cultivators but also to ordinary mortals. Wild beasts, disease, wars, all kinds of natural and man-made disasters—these can all leave parents powerless to do anything as they watch their children die before their eyes!”

“Just because of this worry, should all parents stop having children?”

“To put it more bluntly, even if you can ensure that all your own children have Spirit Root Aptitude, can you guarantee that they will be safe and sound when they leave home, that they won’t encounter any trouble? Can you ensure that they will all reach Foundation Establishment?”

“If you can’t guarantee this, does it mean that you will also not have children?”

“This is truly a case of ‘refusing to eat for fear of choking,’ worrying needlessly about future calamities!”

Am I really worrying needlessly?

Zhou Chun’s mouth moved, but in the end, he sighed softly, “Ah, perhaps you’re right, Brother Yong, I’m just overthinking it.”

After speaking, he pursed his lips and muttered softly, “But I still feel that if I can wait until my cultivation is higher before finding a partner and having descendants, at least my offspring would have a much higher starting point and could travel much farther on the path of cultivation!”

Zhou Zhengyong this time nodded in agreement and said, “That’s true, many of the elders in our family who haven’t married or had children have this same idea, but still…”

But still what, Zhou Zhengyong did not elaborate, yet he knew Zhou Chun certainly understood.

After their conversation, the two of them returned to Baozhi Peak and went to their respective homes.

It should be said that in a cultivation clan like the Zhou Family, the words of the Clan Leader are very influential.

Since the full moon celebration that day, some of the elders in the Zhou Family with partners indeed became pregnant again very quickly.

When Zhou Chun was sitting at the Spirit Cleansing Pavilion, he could often hear some elders complaining teasingly about a certain clan brother or clansmen taking leave to visit other cultivating families, aiming to charm a female cultivator from another clan into marriage.

Among them was that guy Zhou Zhengyong.

Sometimes even some visiting female Loose Cultivators would act coquettishly toward him, hoping to attract his attention.

This made Zhou Chun feel somewhat amused and helpless.

He could only blame himself for being too charming, too much of a ladies’ man!

And on this day, half a month after his last appearance, Zhou Zhengyong finally showed up before Zhou Chun again, seeking his help once more.

It turned out that during these last half a month, he went to Sun Yujiao of the Sun Family at Golden Maple Ridge, whom he had met through the Wang Family in Hongyao Valley.

It should be said that this guy did have some skills; in less than half a month, he had managed to make the cultivator Sun Yujiao develop feelings for him and even introduced him to her parents.

Her father was a Qi Refinement Realm Level Twelve Cultivator of the Sun Family, and her mother also hailed from another small cultivation clan.

Sun Yujiao’s father did not oppose the idea of her becoming Zhou Zhengyong’s cultivation partner. However, he posed a challenge for Zhou Zhengyong to overcome.

The challenge from Sun Yujiao’s father was not impossible for Zhou Zhengyong to complete, yet it was not easy either.

He was tasked to kill a first-class high-grade Demon Beast, the Purple Flame Marten, and retrieve its pelt as a betrothal gift under the condition that he could only bring along one helper of a lower cultivation level than late-stage Qi Refinement.

In such circumstances, naturally, Zhou Zhengyong could only ask Zhou Chun for help.

“In any case, this time, Thirteenth Brother, you must help me. Whether I can succeed and win the beauty depends on whether I can satisfy Miss Yujiao’s father this time!”

In the guest hall, after explaining the situation, Zhou Zhengyong looked at Zhou Chun with puppy-dog eyes, full of hopeful expectation.

Zhou Chun saw this and immediately nodded earnestly, saying, “Since this concerns Brother Yong’s happiness in life, I naturally cannot refuse to help!”

After speaking, he looked at Zhou Zhengyong and asked, “But have you discussed this matter with the Clan Leader?”

Hearing this, Zhou Zhengyong slapped his forehead and exclaimed, “Ah, not yet, if it weren’t for you mentioning it, thirteen younger brother, it would have completely slipped my mind!”

Then he hastily added, “Then let’s go see the Clan Leader now.”

“Alright then.”

Zhou Chun agreed, and immediately went with Zhou Zhengyong to Pagoda Peak to see the Clan Leader, Zhou Daoyi, and explain the situation.

In the Central Peace Hall, after listening to Zhou Zhengyong’s account, Zhou Daoyi also looked at him with a face full of approval and nodded, saying, “The Clan Leader is aware of this matter. If you can succeed, Zhengyong, it would be beneficial for the family as well, and the clan will surely bestow a reward.”

Then, turning his gaze to Zhou Chun, he said, “As for you, Zhengchun, although you are helping Zhengyong with his mission due to a personal connection, you are also indirectly assisting the family. As long as the mission is successful, the Clan Leader will also reward you.”

“The younger generation thanks the Clan Leader.”

Zhou Chun and Zhou Zhengyong quickly expressed their thanks and then together left Jiufeng Ridge.

Compared to the Wang Family of Hongyao Valley, which was relatively distant, the Sun Family of Golden Maple Ridge was quite close to the Zhou Family’s Jiufeng Ridge, being only a little over three hundred li away.

If riding an Ink Scale Steed, this distance could be covered in less than two hours.

Unfortunately, the Zhou Family had not yet purchased and bred Ink Scale Steeds, and they had only domesticated the Large-Horned Green Sheep, adept in climbing mountains and traversing ridges, as mounts for short-distance travel by the clan members.

This type of Large-Horned Green Sheep had hard horns like those of water buffaloes, sturdy builds, and weighed over a thousand jin. They could scale mountains and cross rivers, and carrying a person on their back for a journey posed no problem at all.

However, the physical strength of ordinary beasts was limited. Carrying a person over mountains and ridges, without the use of special herbs to stimulate their vital potential, they would reach their limit after traveling two to three hundred li a day.

At this time, Zhou Chun and Zhou Zhengyong headed to the Sun Family at Golden Maple Ridge, riding this kind of Large-Horned Green Sheep.

On the way, they climbed over mountains and traversed ridges, taking over a day to arrive at the gates of the Sun Family’s residence on Golden Maple Ridge.

Since it was a test, to prevent cheating, it was natural for Sun Yujiao’s father to personally supervise.

After resting for a while at the Sun Family, Zhou Zhengyong soon brought with him a middle-aged couple and the lady Sun Yujiao to meet Zhou Chun.

After meeting each other, Zhou Zhengyong immediately began introductions, saying, “Thirteen younger brother, this is Uncle Sun Lianzhong from the Sun Family, this is Aunt Lin, and there’s no need to introduce Miss Yujiao, as you have already met her.”

“Uncle Sun, Aunt Lin, this is Zhou Zhengchun, my closest brother in the family. He is here this time to help me complete the trial set by Uncle Sun.”

Upon seeing this, Zhou Chun promptly saluted the middle-aged couple and said, “Junior Zhou Zhengchun, greets Uncle Sun and Aunt Lin.”

“Nephew Zhou, no need to be so formal.”

Sun Lianzhong gently raised his hand, his gaze sweeping over Zhou Chun’s handsome face, and then he glanced at his daughter beside him, shaking his head slightly with a silent sigh of regret.

It had been less than a year since the last competition held by the five great Cultivation families. Considering that Zhou Zhengyong had also mentioned Zhou Chun before, Sun Lianzhong naturally knew of Zhou Chun’s achievements at that event.

Now, having seen Zhou Chun in person, his appreciation for Zhou Chun grew even stronger.

In his eyes at this moment, if the one who wished to become dual cultivation partners with his daughter were Zhou Chun, then this trial would have been completely unnecessary.

Zhou Chun and Zhou Zhengyong both noticed Sun Lianzhong’s gesture, but since neither of them could read his mind, they could only pretend not to see.

After these pleasantries, the group of five headed towards the habitat of the Purple Flame Marten.

The Purple Flame Marten was a solitary Demon Beast with a strong territorial instinct and was also extremely clever and alert.

The Purple Flame Marten that Sun Lianzhong tasked Zhou Zhengyong with hunting was located in the forests over a hundred li east of the Sun Family’s gates at Golden Maple Ridge.

According to him, multiple Sun Family Cultivators had previously failed to hunt the Purple Flame Marten and ended up injured in surprise attacks instead.

If Zhou Zhengyong managed to hunt down this Purple Flame Marten, even with assistance, that would prove he was more capable than those Sun Family Cultivators, worthy of having Sun Lianzhong’s daughter entrusted to him.

Now the group had traveled for half a day and reached the outskirts of a forest filled with tall Red Pine trees.

Sun Lianzhong pointed to the forest ahead and said, “It is this Red Pine Forest ahead where the Purple Flame Marten normally moves about.”

After speaking, he turned to Zhou Zhengyong and Zhou Chun and said, “Our family will not enter. We’ll set a time limit of three days; if you can’t succeed within these three days, then it will be considered a failure.”

He then patted the Storage Pouch at his waist, took out a specially prepared Talisman, and handed it to Zhou Zhengyong, “Also, if you encounter danger and cannot overcome it, you can release this distress flare. At that time, I’ll surely come to your aid.”

“Uncle, rest assured, we won’t need three days, we will definitely bring the carcass of that Purple Flame Marten to present to you!”

Zhou Zhengyong took the specially prepared Talisman, confidently thumping his chest with bravado.

Then he pulled Zhou Chun and strode into the Red Pine Forest.