The head master has a new female apprentice

Chapter 256 The Fifth Prince Arrives, Sikong Yan's Madness (6k)

Faced with Zhou Qing's question, Xuan Yuanshuo sighed helplessly.

"It's complete chaos. The Flood Dragon Emperor, the Weilun Demon, the Qingluo Beast, and even two more Demon Emperors from a neighboring fourth-level cultivation kingdom have come to join the fun."

"This is why we haven't been able to take action against these demon kings on the border."

At this point, Xuanyuan Shuo couldn't help but shake his head and sigh.

Zhou Qing nodded, indicating his understanding.

"Alright then, I won't bother you any longer. You go ahead with your work!" Xuanyuan Shuo said with a smile.

Zhou Qing nodded in acknowledgment, and was about to speak when he saw Xuan Yuanshuo suddenly extend his finger and sharply point it at his brow.

Before Zhou Qing could react, a wisp of spiritual energy invaded his sea of ​​consciousness as violently as a vicious wolf, clearly trying to search for something.

However, the next second, Xuanyuan Shuo groaned and withdrew his fingers as if he had been electrocuted, his eyes filled with disbelief.

His divine sense, which was at the Spirit Severing Realm, was instantly wiped out by a terrifying force the moment it entered Zhou Qing's sea of ​​consciousness.

What it is?
Realizing what was happening, Zhou Qing quickly took a step back, his brows furrowed, staring at Xuan Yuanshuo with displeasure.

Xuanyuan Shuo was somewhat embarrassed at this moment.

He originally intended to search Zhou Qing's soul to see what the veiled woman had led Zhou Qing to do, and then quietly erase his memory afterward. Unexpectedly, his attempt backfired.

It seems that either the Second Uncle placed a special mark on Zhou Qing's sea of ​​consciousness, or the veiled woman tampered with it to prevent others from spying on him.

“Senior—” Zhou Qing looked at Xuan Yuanshuo with a face full of anger.

Xuanyuan Shuo coughed lightly and explained, "Well, young friend Zhou, you understand, that woman isn't from our Holy Martial Dynasty. As the guardian of the border, I have to be careful."

Zhou Qing suppressed his anger but dared not do anything, so he could only say, "Senior, I can swear that she only took us to that island in the territory of the Bell Beast, and then she came back. You can check if you don't believe me."

"I believe it. This is just in case," Xuan Yuanshuo said, scratching his head sheepishly.

Seeing that Zhou Qing still looked displeased, Xuan Yuan Shuo chuckled and said, "Alright, I'll be going now. Come visit the border sometime."

Only after watching Xuan Yuanshuo's figure completely disappear did Zhou Qing slowly loosen his clenched hands.

Everyone knows that soul searching causes irreversible damage to others, but Xuan Yuanshuo still did it without hesitation.

Even if he considered himself to be the disciple of the Second Uncle, it was of no use.

Under the influence of the Spirit Slayer, everyone is merely an ant of varying size, essentially no different from the others.

Xuanyuan Shuo was polite to him simply because he felt he might need him in the future, such as using him to impersonate the Peng Emperor to balance the power of the demon race on the border.

"In the end, it's still because I'm not strong enough!" Zhou Qing felt helpless and unwilling, and clenched his fists secretly.

After Zhou Qing came out, Mo Xingjian hurriedly went up to him and asked with concern, "Are you alright?"

To avoid worrying his master, Zhou Qing shook his head, forced a smile, and said, "It's nothing!"

Mo Xingjian was finally relieved.

In a short period of time, this border prince has visited Taiqing Gate twice.

"I know there are some things you can't avoid, but I still have to remind you to minimize contact with the royal family. Don't forget the three paintings the Seventh Prince sent us during the Five Sects War!"

Mo Xingjian said earnestly.

Zhou Qing replied, "I understand. Don't worry, I know what I'm doing."

……

By the stream!

As usual, Sikong Yan was dressed in a crimson robe, sitting quietly on a bamboo chair, holding a long fishing rod, his eyes focused intently on the water.

On a hillside not far away, a little girl in a floral dress happily caught butterflies, her silvery laughter echoing throughout the valley.

Just then, Sikong Yan's lips curled up slightly, and a hint of barely perceptible excitement flashed in his eyes.

Because there was a big fish circling the hook, just as he was preparing to welcome the fish biting the hook.

Suddenly, with a "whoosh," a high-grade spirit stone fell from the sky and landed precisely on the water not far from the fishing hook.

With a loud "plop," a splash of water erupted, startling the fish that was about to take the bait. It flicked its tail and quickly disappeared into the depths of the water.

Sikong Yan's face immediately darkened. He raised his head unhappily, his gaze shooting like an eagle towards the direction from which the spirit stone had flown.

On the opposite side of the stream, a figure sat steadily in a large tree.

The person was wearing a bright yellow robe, a black hood and cloak, which completely covered his face.

As Sikong Yan's angry gaze fell upon him, the person in the tree slowly stretched out his hands, gently pinched the edge of the hood, and slowly lifted it upwards.

The first thing that catches the eye is a pair of narrow, sinister eyes, cold and deep. Below the high, straight nose is a pair of thin lips, slightly purplish.

A slight upturn at the corners of his mouth revealed a faint, chilling smile that sent shivers down one's spine.

"Sikong Yan, you've really given this prince a big surprise!" the man said sarcastically.

Sikong Yan frowned, cast the fishing line back down, and looked at the three guardians under the tree.

They were dressed in matching black outfits, wearing hoods, with their arms crossed, staring coldly at Sikong Yan.

It also faintly exuded the aura of the Great Perfection of the Divine Transformation Realm.

"Uncle—" Upon seeing the men with unfriendly expressions, Nannan was so frightened that she quickly came down the hillside, ran behind Sikong Yan to hide, and cautiously peeked out to look at the other side.

Sikong Yan gently patted her head, smiled slightly, and indicated that she shouldn't worry.

"I said last time that I wouldn't be coming to the Eastern Region for a while because I was being watched, but I didn't expect to find out that there has been a ceasefire here. Give me an explanation!"

The Fifth Prince, Xuanyuan Fengtai, began to question him.

Sikong Yan said, "Fifth Prince, there's nothing we can do about it. Since you know about the ceasefire in the Eastern Region, you must have already inquired about the reason."

Xuanyuan Fengtai slowly stood up, his body surging with spiritual energy, and stepped into the air.

"A bunch of brainless beasts! Just because they lost a spiritual herb, they thought they could launch a beast tide, ruining all my preparations over so long!"

Xuanyuan Fengtai's voice was icy cold, filled with undisguised anger and contempt, until his foot touched the water, creating ripples.

Later, when they arrived at the fishing spot, he squatted down and casually tugged at the fishing line.

However, at that moment, Sikong Yan's eyes sharpened, and he suddenly lifted the fishing rod.

The fishhook, which had been hanging quietly in the water, suddenly burst out of the water and, by sheer coincidence, snagged the hem of Xuanyuan Fengtai's brocade robe with a "sizzle".

"We did catch a big fish!" Sikong Yan joked.

Xuanyuan Fengtai frowned slightly, flicked his finger, and the entire fishing rod turned to ashes.

"Sikong Yan, I'm not joking with you. Let's put aside the matter of Canglan Mountain for now. I heard that Taiqing Sect and Qingyu Immortal Sect almost came to blows a while ago. What happened?"

Xuanyuan Fengtai stared intently at Sikong Yan with piercing eyes and questioned, "Why did you remain inactive and not make a move when you had such a good opportunity?"

Sikong Yan remained calm and composed, leaning back slightly as he responded with an indifferent expression.

"Oh? Why did you want to fight? In the end, no fight broke out. Could it be that Your Highness is hoping for the destruction of the Azure Feather Immortal Sect?"

"Destroy? The Azure Feather Immortal Sect is one of the five great sects. How could it be destroyed so easily? Its lineage, passed down for so many years, is not to be trifled with. Besides, there are several other major sects that keep each other in check!"

Xuanyuan Fengtai snorted and said with a disdainful look.

Upon hearing this, Sikong Yan chuckled and explained, "According to the previous plan, during the Five Sects War, all Nascent Soul Realm experts were not allowed to participate in the battle, in order to preserve the best foundation for Your Highness."

"Then find a suitable opportunity to stir up trouble and cause some Nascent Soul Realm experts to perish or be seriously injured. At that time, Your Highness can step in private to lend a helping hand and win people's hearts."

He sighed slightly and continued, "Unfortunately, plans can't keep up with changes. The beast tide of Canglan Mountain, the fall of a Spirit Slaying Realm expert, the secret realm of Lingku Mountain, and so on—this series of unforeseen events has left me overwhelmed."

Xuanyuan Fengtai nodded slightly and said, "I only heard about these things after I arrived in the Eastern Region. But so what? The basic situation has not changed much."

He abruptly changed the subject, his eyes sharpening, "Sikong Yan, don't forget how you advanced to the peak of the Nascent Soul Realm. If I can choose you as my proxy, I can naturally find others as well."

Sikong Yan quickly nodded in agreement, saying, "Yes, yes, of course I know that. However, Your Highness, you have just arrived in the Eastern Region, and there may be some things you are not yet aware of."

"The Tianji Sect Master Xuanjizi has already perished, and the Qingyu Immortal Sect Master's lifespan is less than ten years. Moreover, there are almost no Nascent Soul Realm experts left in these two sects."

"What?" Xuan Yuanfengtai's face was full of shock upon hearing this.

Sikong Yan continued, "This is all the fault of the Spirit Skull Mountain Secret Realm. I have no choice. In addition, many people from the outer prefecture have come, so we really can't start another war. Otherwise, others will only benefit from it."

Xuanyuan Fengtai frowned and pressed, "What exactly is the situation at Spirit Skull Mountain? Have you found out which Spirit Severing Realm expert has fallen?"

Sikong Yan shook his head helplessly and said, "To be honest, I'm still completely baffled. Your Highness, as a prince, and with the Prince appearing back then, didn't you hear a single word about it?"

Xuanyuan Fengtai sighed and said, "My grandfather has always detested the infighting in the capital, so he volunteered to go to the border to guard it. Even if he finds out something, he won't tell us."

"Tell me first, what exactly is inside the Spirit Skull Mountain Secret Realm? How could it have led to such a fate for the sect leaders of these two sects? This is completely ruining my plans!"

Sikong Yan composed himself and slowly said, "I've been inside that secret realm. It's truly terrifying because there's a Ghost Emperor there..."

Half an hour later, Xuanyuan Fengtai paced back and forth on the water with his hands behind his back, looking solemn.

"In other words, the Tianji Sect is now leaderless, the Qingyu Immortal Sect is about to change its sect leader, and it has also reached a compensation agreement with the Taiqing Sect. Who knows how frustrated they are now!"

He muttered to himself, "In this light, it's not a bad opportunity. Although we've lost quite a few Nascent Soul Realm experts, it doesn't matter. My plans extend beyond just Lingyun Prefecture, and at least my progress is much faster than others."

Xuanyuan Fengtai became more and more excited as he thought about it, his eyes sparkling.

"You don't need to say anything about your side. In that case, the most troublesome ones in the Eastern Region are only the Taiqing Sect and the Golden Thunder Sect. Good, excellent!"

Xuanyuan Fengtai suddenly turned his head and looked at Sikong Yan, saying, "Next, I will make a trip to Tianji Sect and Qingyu Immortal Sect."

"We'll discuss the follow-up plan after I return. Just serve me well, and I guarantee you'll reach the Spirit Severing Realm someday." Sikong Yan quickly stood up, his face beaming with delight, and respectfully said, "Then I thank Your Highness in advance!"

Xuanyuan Fengtai frowned, his gaze scrutinizing, and said, "Your sudden attitude is a bit unusual for me."

“You were very tough before, and even claimed that we were just business partners, not superiors and subordinates.”

Sikong Yan's face was full of smiles, his appearance almost obsequious, as he said, "When I was still in the late stage of the Nascent Soul Realm, Your Highness said there was a secret method to break through to the Spirit Severing Realm, but I thought that was too far away."

"But now that I've broken through to the peak of the Nascent Soul Realm, I suddenly feel that the Spirit Severing Realm is just around the corner, so..."

Upon hearing this, Xuanyuan Fengtai burst into laughter.

"It's good that you have this kind of awareness. You know, people have to be a little greedy to get what they want!"

Sikong Yan nodded quickly and echoed, "Yes, yes, we'll have to rely on the Fifth Prince in the future."

"Alright, we'll talk in detail when I get back." Xuan Yuanfengtai was in a great mood. He waved his hand, called over the three protectors, and turned to leave.

Sikong Yan smiled broadly, bowed respectfully, and watched the group leave.

Once their figures had completely disappeared from sight, the smile on his face vanished instantly, replaced by a murderous intent.

"uncle--"

Nannan had been standing obediently to the side, but now she timidly tugged at Sikong Yan's sleeve.

Sikong Yan gently patted Nannan's head, suppressing all his emotions, and asked gently, "Little Nannan, do you want to eat fish?"

Nannan shook her head, her little face full of disgust, and said, "I don't want to eat it, the fish bones will poke my throat."

Sikong Yan couldn't help but burst into laughter and explained, "Some fish do have a lot of bones, but the fish that your uncle caught for you is different. It's fresh and juicy, and after you eat it, your illness might get better."

Upon hearing this, a hint of hesitation flashed in Nannan's eyes, and she asked softly, "Uncle, after I get better, can you take me to find my father?"

Sikong Yan reached out and gently pinched Nannan's little nose, smiling as he said, "Of course you can. But your father looks different now, I don't know if you'll still recognize him?"

Nannan nodded vigorously and said confidently, "Nannan will definitely recognize him because Daddy smells bad, so he's easy to recognize!"

Sikong Yan laughed again, his eyes full of doting, and said, "Okay, after we finish eating the fish, Uncle will take you to find Father and give him a big surprise."

"Great! Nannan is finally going to see Daddy!" Nannan jumped around Sikong Yan excitedly.

Sikong Yan had a faint smile on his lips, then looked up at the other side of the river.

There, a figure in white stood quietly.

"Caught a fish!" Sikong Yan murmured, a fleeting, almost imperceptible madness flashing in his eyes.

……

Above a mountain range!
Several figures sped along, casting long shadows as they passed through the dense forest.

"Your Highness, both families have very few Nascent Soul Realm cultivators left. Isn't it too unwise to try and win them over now?"

One of the protectors couldn't help but speak up.

Xuanyuan Fengtai said, "In this world, there is no such thing as worth it or not. It all depends on whether you have a long-term vision. Sometimes, an ant that you have never paid any attention to can play an unexpected role at a crucial moment."

Xuanyuan Fengtai flicked his sleeves lightly, his expression full of confidence and arrogance, as if everything in the world was under his control.

The protector said respectfully, "Your Highness is wise; it was my shortsightedness... Who!"

The next moment, the three of them immediately became alert and protected Xuanyuan Fengtai in the center.

Suddenly, a figure in white appeared in front of them, standing in mid-air, his face shrouded in a thin layer of white mist, perfectly concealing his features.

Xuanyuan Fengtai frowned, feeling both wary and curious.

"May I ask why you are blocking our way?" Xuan Yuanfengtai asked.

The man in white slowly raised his right hand, and a white longsword materialized in his palm.

The voice was icy as it said, "You people from the Xuanyuan family only look in front and not behind?"

Upon hearing this, the four of them instinctively turned their heads to look.

Suddenly, a black-robed figure wearing a black hood appeared silently behind them.

He also carried a blood-red broadsword that made one want to vomit on his shoulder, standing silently in mid-air.

The appearance of these two was so strange that even with their cultivation levels, they were completely unaware of them.

"This is... a restriction? Your Highness, be careful!" One of the protectors seemed to have realized something, and his expression changed drastically as he hurriedly warned him.

The other party not only knew they were members of the royal family, but also set up a cordon here, clearly indicating they came prepared!

Xuanyuan Fengtai's expression also turned solemn. He stepped forward and cupped his hands in greeting to the two Black and White Duo.

"Sir, I'd like to know which of my brothers hired you to do this? Whatever price they offered, I'm willing to pay three times that amount, how about it?"

Xuanyuan Fengtai looked at the two of them in a calm voice and said.

The moment the words were spoken, the man in white moved instantly.

Suddenly, the longsword in his hand emitted a dazzling light, and runes flashed on the blade. He was like a white lightning bolt, thrusting straight towards Xuanyuan Fengtai.

Its speed was so great that it tore the air apart, producing a sharp whistling sound.

"Protect His Highness!" the three protectors shouted in unison, immediately spreading out to firmly protect Xuanyuan Fengtai in the center.

One of them quickly formed hand seals, and his spiritual power surged around him. In an instant, a layer of earth-yellow shield condensed and enveloped the four of them.

The white-clad man's longsword slammed into the shield, producing a loud bang. The powerful impact caused the shield to tremble violently, creating ripples.

Then, the light on the longsword intensified, and a powerful sword intent erupted, penetrating the shield like fine threads.

This caused the three protectors' expressions to change drastically.

“Prefect-level combat power, Your Highness, be careful! The opponent is not an ordinary Nascent Soul Realm Great Perfection Realm!” someone shouted in shock.

Xuanyuan Fengtai looked displeased.

At the same time, the black-robed man behind them also moved.

He gripped the blood-red broadsword with both hands, and with a sudden swing, a massive blood-red sword aura roared out.

The sword intent, like a surging river of blood, carrying endless killing intent, swept towards the shield.

Boom boom boom!
Faced with attacks from both sides, the three protectors each performed their duties.

One of them stepped out of the shield and launched a counterattack against the man in white with eighteen green swords.

The other person emitted a soft golden light, from which faint Buddhist chants could be heard. A Zen staff emerged from between his eyebrows and attacked the man in black.

"Your Highness, let's go!" The last person, still maintaining the earthen-yellow shield, pulled Xuanyuan Fengtai away.

But soon a faint light screen suddenly appeared in front of them, and as the light flowed, it faintly showed three colors.

"Damn it, it's a three-color restriction!" The protector shielded Xuan Yuanfengtai behind him and began to attack with brute force.

Unfortunately, he is not a formation master, so if he cannot find the formation core, all attacks will be in vain.

Because the damage caused by each attack is quickly repaired by itself.

"Forget it, how can you guarantee there aren't other people waiting for me outside? Rather than being divided and defeated, I'd rather fight to the death!"

Xuanyuan Fengtai spoke, then turned to look at the two combatants, his body suddenly radiating the aura of the early stage of the Divine Transformation Realm.

Faintly, the light of the imperial way flowed around.

Upon hearing this, the protector nodded and said, "Your Highness, don't move here. Leave it to this old servant!"

After saying that, he went straight to the man in white.

In an instant, the fighting continued, and all sorts of artistic conceptions, supernatural powers, and primordial spirits were unleashed.

At the same time, several beams of light flashed past outside, but no one looked down, because to them, everything seemed normal.

……

In less than half an hour, the situation on the battlefield took a sharp turn for the worse.

The man in black exuded a murderous aura that burned like solidified black flames, and as he swung his blood-red broadsword, the air itself was shattered into pieces.

Moreover, the more they fought, the fiercer they became, until finally they were accompanied by an endless bloody aura, slashing down with overwhelming force.

One of the guardians had no time to mount an effective defense and could only watch helplessly as the blood sword came crashing down, cleaving him diagonally from his shoulder to his waist.

Blood gushed out, and just as his primordial spirit escaped, a large ball of purple flame shot out from the black-clad man's eyes.

The guardian's primordial spirit fled in terror, but was still caught up and then burned like a maggot clinging to a bone.

Amidst a piercing scream, the protector's primordial spirit was completely incinerated and vanished into the world.

Then, the man in black glanced at Xuan Yuanfengtai indifferently, made a throat-slitting gesture, and then went straight to meet up with the man in white.

The two of them joined forces and swiftly attacked the remaining two protectors.

Seeing how easily the other party dealt with a protector, Xuanyuan Fengtai finally felt a chill of fear, and his previous composure vanished.

His back was already soaked with cold sweat, and the clothes clinging to his body made him feel a chill.

He had encountered assassination attempts before, but they were usually dealt with swiftly and decisively by a few loyal protectors.

But one day, his protector was so powerless in front of the other party.

(End of this chapter)