Clan Cultivation: Starting from Beast Taming

Facing the world-overbearing Demon Flood Dragon, those mortals were as weak as ants.

A mischievous child could overturn a bowl of hot water and annihilate a nest of ants.

A single rampage by a Flood Dragon could also wipe out multiple mortal villages and towns.

At this moment, Zhou Chun's heart was filled with both sympathy for those innocently slaughtered mortals and anger towards the malevolent Flood Dragon.

And alongside those feelings, fear filled him as well.

The fear of the power of the strong!

In front of a powerhouse like the Demon Flood Dragon, he, a Qi Refinement Realm cultivator, was nothing more than a slightly larger ant, easily crushed with a flick of the wrist!

"Is this the power of a Purple Mansion Phase powerhouse? The gap is so vast!"

The Purple Mansion Phase and the Qi Refinement Realm were only separated by the Foundation Establishment Stage.

However, the levels of power that the two held were as different as heaven and earth.

Comparing to the weaponry from Zhou Chun's previous life, a Qi Refinement cultivator was at best a humanoid tank.

But, judging from the power displayed by that Demon Flood Dragon, even just a glimpse of its scale and claw suggested that its strength was at least of a missile cruiser caliber.

In reality, the gap might even be greater.

Soon, news of the Demon Flood Dragon suspected to be the Dark Flood Dragon reappearing downstream of Sanjiangkou quickly spread around.

Zhou Chun shared this news with Zhou Jiapeng, Zhou Zhengyu, as well as with Xu Kaishan.

Though he had seen the silhouette of the Flood Dragon from a distance this time, he had not managed to gather much useful information.

Even the identity of the person who had made a move to test the Flood Dragon's strength was unknown to him.

However, to Zhou Chun's surprise, not long after Xu Kaishan received his message, he personally came to seek him out.

"Taoist Friend Han provided critical information this time. Xu has been contacting fellow cultivators these days, including an old senior nearing a hundred years of age. After perusing the information provided by Taoist Friend Han, he recognized the origins of the Purple Mansion Cultivator who made the move."

"If that senior has not guessed wrong, that person should be the Supreme Elder Lu Jianqiu from the Lu Family of Mingjian Mountain, who has a mid-stage Purple Mansion cultivation level."

In the private room of the tavern, as Xu Kaishan and Zhou Chun talked about the recent appearance of the Flood Dragon, he suddenly uttered words that quite astonished Zhou Chun.

To identify the owner of a Flying Sword Talisman with just the talisman alone, generally only a cultivator who had interacted with the owner of the talisman would be able to do so.

Xu Kaishan pushed all of this onto an old, hundred-year-old Loose Cultivator, but Zhou Chun did not believe it.

After his expression changed unpredictably, he looked at the other party with genuine surprise and sighed softly, "Taoist Friend Xu truly has broad and profound divine skills, to be aware of even such matters. Taoist Friend Han is genuinely astonished!"

This surprise was not feigned, but truly came from the heart.

Yet Xu Kaishan merely hinted at the topic and did not pursue the conversation further.

Instead, he changed the subject and continued, "Since Supreme Elder Lu Jianqiu from Mingjian Mountain's Lu Family made a move to test the Flood Dragon's strength, presumably when the Flood Dragon reappears, the high-ranking cultivators will take action. That will be our opportunity."

"Thus, I have come this time to ask Taoist Friend Han to join me in meeting other fellow cultivators, so that we can all get used to working together and avoid fighting separately when it's time for real action."

To meet other cultivators?

Upon hearing Xu Kaishan's words, Zhou Chun couldn't help but fall silent.

He had originally cooperated with Xu Kaishan only to have additional channels for obtaining information, not to truly get involved in his schemes.

Yet Xu Kaishan's words today made Zhou Chun realize that the power of the person behind him might be beyond his imagination.

He was now very curious about which faction stood behind the other party and what their purpose was in pulling together other cultivators.

But he also knew very well that curiosity could easily kill a cat.

If he followed Xu Kaishan to meet the other fellow cultivators, could he, with his modest strength, really turn any tides?

With that thought, Zhou Chun no longer hesitated and immediately shook his head in refusal, "There's no need to meet other fellow cultivators. Han has long been accustomed to acting alone. When it is time to take action, Taoist Friend Xu just needs to send a message, and Han will go forth to participate."

No sooner had he spoken than Xu Kaishan's expression darkened.

He then looked at Zhou Chun with a grim expression and rebuked, "Taoist Friend Han, you are being foolish! Us Loose Cultivators are often bullied by those Family Cultivators and sect cultivators precisely because we like to act independently, like scattered sand, unable to exert any real power."

"Now, after Xu's repeated efforts, I've persuaded a group of fellow cultivators to join forces for a great cause, willing to unite and work together."

"Taoist Friend Han, you speak now of taking solitary action, but then what was the purpose of all that Xu has done?"

He looked genuinely pained and aggrieved, as if his intentions had been sincerely for Zhou Chun's benefit.

Zhou Chun's choice demonstrated a complete lack of appreciation and recognition of goodwill.

But Zhou Chun had long been aware of Xu's malicious intent; how could he be deceived by it?

With calm, he simply said, "Everyone has their own aspirations, Taoist Friend Xu need not persuade me further, I must be excused first."

Having said that, he got up, ready to leave.

Upon seeing this, Xu Kaishan's expression changed again, followed by a long sigh, "Ah! Since Taoist Friend Han insists on going it alone, Xu will not force you to stay, I shall see you out."

After finishing his words, he also stood up and walked towards the door with Zhou Chun, seemingly intending to see Zhou Chun off.

But when he got within three steps of Zhou Chun, his expression suddenly twisted, and his pupils flashed with a pale golden light, constricting into vertical slits like those of a reptile.

"You damned bastard, die!!"

A roar, akin to that of a beast, erupted from Xu Kaishan's throat as he lunged forward to Zhu Chun's back, his right hand viciously stabbing towards Zhou Chun's spine.

But just as he thought he was about to extract the heart of this scoundrel Loose Cultivator who had played him for a fool.

A yellowish haze of light suddenly burst forth from Zhou Chun's chest, blocking the claw that burst forth in an instant.

Yes, a claw!

Xu Kaishan's right hand, from the wrist down, had completely transformed into a claw covered with green scales, resembling a hawk's talon.

This beastly claw tore at the protective light from the Bright Dawn Pendant, shaking it violently as though it were under a fierce attack.

Zhou Chun was forced to continually sprint forward, simultaneously channeling Mana into the Bright Dawn Pendant to enhance its defensive light.

"What secret technique is this?"

In the tavern's hall, having temporarily escaped Xu Kaishan's close-quarter assault, Zhou Chun, while summoning the Golden Scale Shield to swirl protectively around himself, stared in amazement at Xu Kaishan's vertical pupils and beastly clawed right hand, shocked by the transformation.

He could still sense the aura of a Cultivator from Xu Kaishan, albeit slightly more wild and frenzied.

This indicated that Xu Kaishan was not some sort of abomination; rather, it was the use of some secret technique that had caused this transformation.

Adding to Zhou Chun's surprise was the fact that Xu Kaishan, previously a mere Qi Refinement ninth layer practitioner, now possessed an aura comparable to that of a twelfth layer Qi Refinement Cultivator.

It was uncertain whether Xu Kaishan had previously used some secret technique to conceal his Cultivation Level or if his transformation also significantly increased his Mana.

However, faced with Zhou Chun's questions, Xu Kaishan had no intention of offering any explanations.

With a cold look in his eyes, he glanced at Zhou Chun, said nothing, and turned to leave, with no intent to continue fighting Zhou Chun.

"Where do you think you're going!"

Zhou Chun certainly wasn't about to let Xu Kaishan leave easily after breaking down the door; he immediately roared and chased after him.

Let alone Xu Kaishan's recent surprise attack, the peculiar transformation Xu Kaishan had just displayed had piqued Zhou Chun's intense curiosity.

If possible, he naturally wanted to capture the other party and forcefully interrogate him.

But after Zhou Chun gave chase, he found that Xu Kaishan, in his current state, moved incredibly fast, much faster than when Zhou Chun himself employed the "Wind Control Skill" for traveling.

Seeing this, Zhou Chun had no choice but to urgently summon his Flying Artifact, and in front of many Mortals in the small town, he flew up into the sky to pursue.

However, after chasing Xu Kaishan out of town, before Zhou Chun had the chance to attack with his talismans.

Xu Kaishan suddenly dove into the Cangyun River outside the town and swiftly evaded Zhou Chun's Divine Sense.

"To be so fast even in the water!!"

Zhou Chun's face showed shock; he looked out over the river with a mingled expression of surprise and bewilderment, thoroughly stunned by the skills Xu Kaishan had demonstrated.

He did not know whether the secret technique employed by Xu Kaishan came with any severe drawbacks or costs.

But he did know it must be a very powerful and rare technique.

And how had Xu Kaishan, who claimed to be a Qi Refinement Loose Cultivator, acquired such a formidable technique?

Who could have taught him this secret technique?