Clan Cultivation: Starting from Beast Taming

Tuyun Ridge.

When the news of Zhou Jiahe's death on the battlefield was delivered back to Tuyun Ridge by a messenger from the Heavenly Spirit Legion, Zhou Jiarui, who was in charge of clan affairs, changed his expression and was instantly overwhelmed with grief.

Zhou Jiahe and he were both old-generation meritorious contributors to the rebuilding of the Zhou Family, the first batch of core clan members.

At the very beginning, when the Zhou Family had just established their foundation at Jiufeng Ridge, Zhou Jiahe became the Peak Master of Baozhi Peak, one among the nine mountains, with a status second only to Zhou Mingde, the Clan Leader, and the three Elders at the time.

Back then, Zhou Chun, the present Clan Leader of the Zhou Family, was but a minor Cultivator at the sixth layer of the Qi Refinement Realm.

And at that time, with the Zhou Family just starting to rebuild, they were in a state where everything needed to be revived. Zhou Jiahe, Zhou Jiarui, and other backbone members of the Zhou Family fought side by side for the revival of the family, contributing their own strength, naturally forming exceptionally good relationships with each other.

Especially, as those who had participated in the clan's rebuilding together, most had passed away now, leaving only a handful of their generation's "Jia" character-named Cultivators in the Foundation Establishment stage still alive.

This made their bond even stronger.

Zhou Jiarui had always believed that the three "Jia" character-named Cultivators would all end well, passing away peacefully amidst smiles within the clan.

Who would have thought that Zhou Jiahe would be the first to fall on the battlefield?

"Thirteenth sister, it's my fault! I never should have let you go to the battlefield, you had already made enough contributions for the family over the years, you deserved to enjoy your later years in peace within the family!"

Zhou Jiarui murmured sorrowfully to himself, tears involuntarily streaming down, his face marked by lines of age and lament.

At this moment, his heart was undoubtedly filled with self-reproach and guilt, immensely grieved.

And this is where human nature is the most complex!

At the time of choosing to send Zhou Jiahe to battle, on one hand, her cultivation level was high and her methods stronger than those of the younger generation, making it easier for her to survive on the battlefield. On the other hand, she had reached her potential and her lifespan was not as long as those of the younger ones, making it more suitable from the family's interest perspective.

As the Acting Clan Leader back then, Zhou Jiarui, starting from the interest of the clan, could only make such a decision.

But now, ten years later, suddenly receiving the news of Zhou Jiahe's death, amidst the pain of losing a close friend, he couldn't help regretting his decision and reminiscing about the many merits that Zhou Jiahe had established for the family.

This was not an act of false compassion like a cat crying over a dead mouse, but the complex changes of human nature.

Fortunately, Zhou Jiarui was not the only one present to know of Zhou Jiahe's death on the battlefield; there were a few others who assisted him in clan affairs on hand.

After waiting for a while and seeing him unable to recover from his grief, they conscientiously began to remind him, informing him that he should report the matter to the Clan Leader and the Supreme Elders as soon as possible.

With these reminders from his subordinates, Zhou Jiarui regained a bit of his senses from the grief, then quickly used his Mana to evaporate his tears and hurried off to report the death to Zhou Chun, who was in seclusion.

"What? Thirteenth Aunt is dead!!"

Inside the cave dwelling, Zhou Chun, hearing the news of death brought by Zhou Jiarui, was instantly shocked, and his body also swayed slightly.

Then, just like Zhou Jiarui at first hearing the news, he felt a strong sense of grief rise from his heart, causing him to stumble a few steps.

But ultimately, he was the Clan Leader of the Zhou Family, a Purple Mansion Phase Cultivator. Even though his heart was filled with immense sorrow, he didn't lose his composure and reason on the spot as Zhou Jiarui had.

After closing his eyes in silence for a while, he finally opened them again, his eyes filled with sadness as he spoke softly, "I understand the situation, Uncle Eleven, please go and ring the mourning bell, notify all the Family Cultivators of the clan, and communicate this news to all our Zhou Family Cultivators and clan members scattered abroad with the utmost haste!"

"Yes, I will obey the orders."

Zhou Jiarui answered gravely, then with heavy steps, proceeded to the ancestral hall to ring the bell.

Soon, the solemn bell tolls echoed from the main peak of Tuyun Ridge, ringing out one after another for a total of forty-nine times!

According to the rules of the Zhou Family, nine bell tolls signify a major crisis for the family.

Twelve, sixteen, or twenty-four tolls represent joyous occasions, with the bell ringing in a prolonged, melodious tone.

Thirty-six or forty-nine tolls, however, signify the death of an important member within the clan, usually reserved for the passing of Elders at the Foundation Establishment stage, and the bell tolls would be deep and drawn-out.

Therefore, as the deep tolls rang out one after another forty-nine times, all Zhou Family Cultivators in Tuyun Ridge who were not in closed-door cultivation knew that a member of Elder status had passed away.

Subsequently, some Zhou Family Cultivators who were not on duty started to gather spontaneously at the location of the ancestral hall, waiting with heavy hearts for the higher-ups in the family to announce the details.

By the time dozens of Zhou Family Cultivators had gathered in front of the ancestral hall atop Tuyun Ridge, Zhou Mingde and Zhou Chun, the highest-ranking members of the Zhou Family present in Tuyun Ridge, descended together in front of the ancestral hall.

At this moment, the faces of both decision-makers of the Zhou Family were extremely solemn, their eyes faintly showing sorrow.

After landing, Clan Leader Zhou Chun first scanned the many clan members present, then started to speak in a heavy tone, "Here, I must announce to you all a piece of news that is profoundly saddening. Half an hour ago, the family received terrible news; serving the clan in the Heavenly Spirit Legion, our Fifth Elder, Zhou Jiahe, fell in battle at Green Forest Valley in Fengguo two days ago!"