Peach Blossom Dual Cultivation - Chapter 57: Zhou Lang’s Pressure

“Shangguan Family is a cultivation family?”

Zhou Lang was stunned after hearing Zhao Xiaorou’s words. This was something he hadn’t anticipated.

From the Dual Cultivation Manual, he had learned how cultivation realms were divided, but he knew almost nothing about the current state of cultivation forces in a society where even martial arts were in decline. He lacked references and didn’t know how his strength compared to other cultivators, as these individuals were highly reclusive and difficult to encounter.

Since becoming a cultivator, aside from his artifact spirit Xiaoxi, he had yet to meet any other cultivators. Even Master Fang Zhi from Feiyun Temple on Feiyun Peak was only at the grandmaster level and hadn’t stepped into the cultivation realm.

Previously, Zhou Lang had shown no mercy toward the Wang brothers, confident in his strength and believing he could protect Zhao Xiaorou. After all, no matter how skilled a martial artist was, they were no match for him. However, things were different if the Shangguan Family was a cultivation family. If a few highly skilled elders showed up, he might not be able to handle them. This realization made him uneasy.

“Brother Lang, are you feeling pressured by the Shangguan Family? Are you unable to protect me? Am I so unlucky, doomed to be forced into marrying that bastard Shangguan Yu?”

Seeing Zhou Lang fall silent after hearing her words, Zhao Xiaorou sighed, her eyes welling up with tears, evoking pity.

She knew Zhou Lang was a cultivator and understood the weight of the term cultivation family. While she knew Zhou Lang was strong, she wasn’t sure if he could defeat the experts from the Shangguan Family. Moreover, the Shangguan Family had significant influence in both the political and business worlds. If the Zhao Family were to completely sever ties with them, they would face severe repercussions in both arenas.

“Xiaorou, don’t cry. We need to come up with a plan. Tell me, what’s Shangguan Long’s cultivation level? I need to know as much as I can about the Shangguan Family,” Zhou Lang said, voicing his greatest concern.

“These cultivation families are very secretive. The real experts rarely appear. For regular matters, they send people like the Wang brothers. From what my father said, Shangguan Long entered the cultivation realm at thirty, which makes him a genius. However, he’s only the current head of the Shangguan Family. There are likely some ancient figures hidden behind the scenes, practicing in seclusion, and they wouldn’t come out unless something major happens.”

Zhao Xiaorou knew the Shangguan Family had many experts, but she wasn’t clear on the exact cultivation levels of the family head Shangguan Long, or the mysterious elders behind him.

“Xiaorou, your whereabouts have already been discovered. Will you go home to discuss things with your parents and try to convince them, or do you have another plan?”

Zhou Lang asked after a moment of thought.

“My mother is supportive, but in our family, my father makes all the decisions. My mother and uncles don’t have much say, and my uncles are on my father’s side anyway. If I could have convinced my father, I wouldn’t have run away and secretly come to Feiyun City.”

Zhao Xiaorou added, “But luckily, I met you, Brother Lang. Now that I’m your girlfriend, you have to protect me. I don’t have any other options now; I can only rely on you.”

“In that case, you can’t go to work anymore. You’ll have to stay by my side because the Shangguan Family could come for you at any time. You could be taken away at any moment,” Zhou Lang said after some thought.

“I will do my best to protect you, but I hope you’ll try talking to your parents again.”

“Brother Lang, you’re so good to me!”

Zhao Xiaorou was overjoyed by Zhou Lang’s words, more so than if she had heard the sweetest love confessions. Even her father feared the Shangguan Family, but Zhou Lang showed no such fear. She kissed him on the cheek and said, “Next time anyone from the Shangguan Family comes, I’ll tell them you’re my boyfriend, so Shangguan Yu will give up.”

“Let’s hope he backs off after hearing that,” Zhou Lang nodded. He knew very little about the cultivation world and had no confidence in his ability to deal with the Shangguan Family. After all, his time as a cultivator had been short, and his cultivation level was still low. Yet, he wasn’t too afraid, as he had a mysterious helper: his artifact spirit Xiaoxi. Currently, Xiaoxi is at the Foundation Establishment stage, far stronger than him.

Of course, Zhou Lang had no idea how the Shangguan Family would react once they learned Zhao Xiaorou was his girlfriend. His most urgent priority now was to increase his strength. Only by becoming stronger could he protect his woman.

Zhou Lang arranged for Zhao Xiaorou to practice martial arts in the living room while he returned to his bedroom and entered the ancestral coin. Beforehand, he had told Zhao Xiaorou that he desperately needed to improve his strength and should not be disturbed while cultivating.

“Xiaoxi, what level do you think we are in the current cultivation world?” Zhou Lang asked as soon as he entered the Heaven and Earth Palace. Even though he knew Xiaoxi probably didn’t know much, he couldn’t help but ask.

“In the old master’s era, a Golden Core stage expert would already be considered a semi-immortal, a true powerhouse. But back then, the spiritual energy in the world was much denser, so there were far more experts. Nowadays, the spiritual energy is very thin, and I suppose I barely qualify as an expert at my current level.”

Xiaoxi continued, “Of course, this is just my guess. Some cultivation families have deep roots, supported by ancient sects. Such families are terrifying and far beyond what we can contend with.”

It was clear that Xiaoxi had been paying attention to the Wang brothers’ attempt to capture Zhao Xiaorou from within the Heaven and Earth Palace.

“Looks like we’re going to face unprecedented pressure,” Zhou Lang sighed.

“Brother Lang, if we’re going to help Zhao Xiaorou, you need to quickly improve your cultivation. At the very least, you need to reach the Foundation Establishment stage. That way, you can wield the Heaven and Earth Sword left by our ancestors and start learning the formations they passed down. With the old master’s techniques and martial skills combined with the Heaven and Earth Sword, we could fight opponents a small level above us. If you master the formations, we could even fight opponents a whole level higher.”

Xiaoxi knew the Dual Cultivation Manual far better than Zhou Lang.

“Formations?”

Zhou Lang asked curiously, “Doesn’t it take a long time to master formations? According to the Dual Cultivation Manual, I need to first learn how to craft artifacts and treasures to use in the formations. Learning how to craft these things could take ages. I don’t think we have enough time.”

“Brother Lang, the old master was a genius in many fields: martial arts, formations, artifact crafting, and talisman-making. He left behind many artifacts and treasures, so you don’t need to waste time learning how to craft them. You can use those to set up formations directly,” Xiaoxi explained.

“Quick, show me those artifacts and treasures!”

Zhou Lang said excitedly.