The head master has a new female apprentice

Chapter 279 Buddhist Zen Questions and Wit (6k)

As Li Daoxuan recounted his aggrieved story, Zhou Qing finally understood the whole story.

It turned out that ever since Lu Yaoyao recommended him to Shen Yunzhou for a match, the sparring had just begun, and the two sides were only tentatively exchanging blows.

But not long after, as Shen Yunzhou's artistic conception unfolded, that nauseating aura instantly spread, almost making Li Daoxuan vomit.

Out of respect for his guest, Li Daoxuan gritted his teeth and forced himself to maintain a proper demeanor.

After finally enduring the sparring session, he left in a hurry without even saying goodbye, and found a secluded spot to vomit loudly into the bushes.

I thought the matter was over, but to my surprise, the sect leader arrived that very night.

It turned out that after Shen Yunzhou lowered his cultivation level to spar with Li Daoxuan, his mood, which had been depressed because of Nannan, improved considerably.

Back at Xiaoling Peak, he was still eager to spar with Zhou Qing again, since he still didn't know what kind of artistic conception Zhou Qing had comprehended.

Upon learning that Zhou Qing had announced his seclusion, he had no choice but to find Yan Xiaohu and ask if Li Daoxuan would be free the next day.

The main problem is that Zhou Qing doesn't know how long he will be in seclusion. He's all alone in this unfamiliar place, Taiqing Sect, so he needs to find something to do to pass the time.

Moreover, through this sparring match, he felt that Li Daoxuan was not a bad person. At least he was not like those who had sparred with him before, who looked at his artistic conception with disdain and disgust.

Yan Xiaohu dared not make the decision on his own and quickly reported the matter to his master, Mo Xingjian.

After careful consideration, Mo Xingjian contacted Cao Zhengyang again.

After all, Shen Yunzhou's older sister is a powerful expert in the late stage of the Spirit Slaying Realm. In addition, Zhou Qing and Lu Yaoyao had helped her when they went to the border before. Now that her brother has come, this is a good opportunity to get closer to him.

In any case, we must make sure this distinguished guest leaves a good impression at Taiqing Gate.

Since the other party specifically requested to spar with Li Daoxuan, this important task really has to be entrusted to Li Daoxuan.

Moreover, sparring is beneficial to improving the artistic conception of both parties, so Cao Zhengyang was naturally happy to see it happen.

What else could Li Daoxuan do?
Zhou Qing had finally managed to secure an opportunity for the Taiqing Sect to establish a relationship with a Spirit Slaying Realm expert.

As the chief senior brother, if he couldn't even help with this little bit, wouldn't he be letting down Zhou Qing's efforts, causing the sect to miss a great opportunity, and making himself seem irresponsible? He would never be able to hold his head up in front of his junior brothers and sisters again.

He had no choice but to bite the bullet and accept the task.

But who could have imagined that this assignment would last for a whole month!
Li Daoxuan has now reached the point where the sight of any yellow fabric triggers a conditioned reflex of nausea, let alone the urge to eat.

Sometimes at night, he dreams that he is trapped in that terrifying ocean of excrement, swimming desperately.

They wanted to get ashore, but no matter how hard they tried, all they could see was endless filth, and they couldn't see any land at all.

The despair, helplessness, and collapse felt during that time are something that people who haven't experienced it firsthand simply cannot understand.

So now he doesn't eat or sleep, and spends his time sparring with Shen Yunzhou at the training ground at set times, and then the cycle continues.

After listening to Li Daoxuan, who was pale and about to vomit his bile, Zhou Qing felt not only sympathy but also deep guilt.

"Senior Brother Li, I'm really sorry. Don't worry, leave this to me!" Zhou Qing comforted him.

Li Daoxuan nodded repeatedly, tears streaming down his face from the excitement.

……

"Brother Zhou, what kind of seclusion did you go through? How come you came out after only a month?" Upon seeing Zhou Qing, Shen Yunzhou greeted him with a face full of surprise.

Zhou Qing smiled gently: "It's just a few insights I've gained. How have you been this past month?"

"Very good, I'm growing to like the atmosphere of your Taiqing Sect more and more. It's just that the little girl's matter is still a thorn in my side!"

Shen Yunzhou sighed deeply as he finished speaking.

Zhou Qing reassured him, "Don't worry, we're already thinking of a solution. By the way, we ran into Senior Brother Li when we arrived."

"After a month of sparring with him, he has gained some insights and is preparing to go into seclusion for further training. He also asked me to convey his gratitude to you."

Shen Yunzhou was somewhat surprised after hearing this: "That's great! I knew Brother Li was no ordinary person, he grasped the concept so quickly."

"By the way, Brother Zhou, now that you've emerged from seclusion, why don't you spar with me?" Shen Yunzhou looked at Zhou Qing with anticipation.

Zhou Qing's gaze was calm, but suddenly a smile appeared on his lips: "Okay!"

Shen Yunzhou was overjoyed by this quick agreement.

He quickly said, "Let's go, let's go. I've been very curious about your artistic conception, but I haven't been able to find out anything about it. Don't worry, I will suppress my cultivation to the middle stage."

"No need!" Zhou Qing said calmly.

Shen Yunzhou was taken aback, a look of astonishment on his face: "What?"

“I said, just do your best, don’t hold back. I also want to test my strength!” Zhou Qing said with burning eyes.

Shen Yunzhou's eyes lit up instantly, and he said excitedly, "You said it yourself, so I won't stand on ceremony."

……

On the training ground!

Zhou Qing subtly rubbed his nose, looking at the shocking yellow marks on the ground and the empty, deserted surroundings, and sighed inwardly.

Clearly, Shen Yunzhou's previous sparring session with Li Daoxuan had terrified everyone, and now even the cleaning staff dared not approach the area.

"Brother Zhou, be careful!" As soon as Shen Yunzhou finished speaking, his aura suddenly surged.

As he rapidly formed hand seals, the once clear sky was instantly enveloped by a layer of yellowish-brown clouds that pressed down at an extremely fast speed.

Immediately afterwards, a yellowish-brown sky appeared around him and behind him.

The filth inside surged and churned, as if a huge cesspool had been suspended upside down from the sky, and a nauseating stench permeated the air, penetrating straight into Zhou Qing's nostrils.

Zhou Qing sniffed lightly, feeling a surge of acidic fluid rise into her nasal cavity, and tears uncontrollably streamed down her face.

It seems that this guy's artistic conception has indeed improved considerably since he obtained those two jars of corpse water that are thousands of years old.

call out!
The next moment, its artistic conception instantly enveloped Zhou Qing.

Zhou Qing frowned and looked around, his stomach churning immediately.

"Brother Zhou, here's a little appetizer for you, listen up!" Shen Yunzhou said smugly.

Then, the surrounding filth instantly transformed into countless wriggling yellow "insects and snakes," which flew rapidly toward Zhou Qing.

Zhou Qing's artistic conception had already been quietly detected and was now being deciphered at lightning speed.

The next moment, just as those yellow "insect snakes" were about to touch the hem of his clothes, his aura suddenly subsided, and a hint of coldness appeared in his eyes.

Then he slowly raised his hand, his palm glowing slightly, and an incomparably domineering aura emanated from him.

"Break!" Zhou Qing spoke calmly, his voice gentle yet resounding like a great bell in the filthy space.

As the words fell, a layer of golden ripples instantly appeared.

Wherever the golden light touched, cracks appeared in Shen Yunzhou's earthen-yellow sky, and it quickly dissipated.

Even the wriggling yellow "insects and snakes" all around instantly turned into pools of foul-smelling sewage.

Shen Yunzhou's eyes widened immediately, his face filled with shock and disbelief.

No, what about one's own artistic conception?
Where have you been?
"Again!" Without saying a word, he quickly formed a hand seal again, drawing out a large amount of spiritual energy. Just as the initial form of the artistic conception reappeared in the sky, Zhou Qing spoke softly again.

"Break!" Its artistic conception immediately shattered layer by layer.

"The lotus buds of this desolate place are just beginning to emerge..."

"break!"

"The seven orifices of the Shit Realm overflow with excrement..."

"break!"

"Going against the current in the realm of excrement..."

"break!"

……

Before long, Shen Yunzhou's face turned pale, he was panting heavily, and his spiritual energy was completely depleted.

He never imagined that his proud concept of excrement would be so easily defeated in front of Zhou Qing.

Zhou Qing simply lifted his foot and was already in front of him, saying with a faint smile, "If this were a real fight, you would be dead by now!"

Shen Yunzhou swallowed hard, his throat bobbing, and finally realized what was happening. He gasped and said, "Your artistic conception... can break through other people's artistic conceptions?"

Zhou Qing smiled and said nothing.

Shen Yunzhou stood there stunned, then gave a bitter smile.

“Everyone racks their brains to comprehend the essence of the realm when they reach the Nascent Soul stage. But no matter how fancy your essence is, it can be broken so easily in front of you!”

"You're even more freakish than me, no, where did you get this idea from? How is it possible to comprehend something like this?"

Zhou Qing slowly said, "One force can overcome all laws; that's all!"

Then, Zhou Qing looked at him again and said seriously, "Have you ever thought about what you would do if your artistic conception is still there, but someone else is fast enough, like now?"

Shen Yunzhou seemed to be deep in thought.

Seeing this, Zhou Qing said nothing more, then left with his hands behind his back.

……

"Senior Brother Zhou——"

Upon seeing Zhou Qing emerge from the martial arts arena, Lu Yaoyao quickly approached him with a beaming smile.

After all, she already knew from her senior brother that their father had emerged from seclusion, and she felt very guilty seeing her senior brother getting thinner and thinner over the past month.

Zhou Qing asked in confusion, "What are you doing here?"

Lu Yaoyao quickly said, "Master is looking for you, so I came here to wait for you. Uncle... that Brother Shen lost?"

Zhou Qing nodded and said, "Then you wait for him here. I'm going to see my senior uncle."

Lu Yaoyao shook her head and said, "I'll go with you. Senior Brother He Han will be here later and he'll lead the way."

Zhou Qing had no choice but to follow Lu Yaoyao toward the council hall.

Upon entering the hall, he discovered that all the peak masters who were not in seclusion were gathered together, and even the eight supreme elders were present.

"Zhou Qing is here, come in quickly!" Cao Zhengyang's voice rang out, and the noisy discussion stopped abruptly. Everyone turned their attention to the doorway.

Seeing the solemn expressions on everyone's faces, Zhou Qing couldn't help but ask, "What happened?"

Cao Zhengyang gave Lu Yaoyao a wink, and the little girl's face immediately fell, her lips pursed.

He could only stomp his foot and reluctantly turn to leave.

After the palace doors slowly closed, Cao Zhengyang solemnly spoke: "Now that you have emerged from seclusion, there are some things you should know." "For the past few months, the Taiqing Sect's mines have been repeatedly attacked by others. Last time, Li Daoxuan led a team to investigate, but ultimately found nothing. Now, another mine has been attacked."

"This is an image left by a Golden Core Realm disciple before his death. Take a look."

As he spoke, an image stone slowly floated up in front of Zhou Qing.

Zhou Qing took it with a puzzled look, her brows furrowing slightly.

After all, he had already heard about this from his master before he and Shen Yunzhou went to the border.

Unexpectedly, several months passed, and not only did no progress occur, the situation became even more serious.

As spiritual energy was injected, the light and shadow distorted, and a picture was projected.

The screen was shaking violently, with constant booming sounds, and many disciples seemed to be rushing to prepare for battle.

Various colors of supernatural powers burst forth haphazardly.

But in the next instant, a withered, dark figure, accompanied by a foul stench, suddenly pounced over.

It was a rotting, humanoid mummy, its skin cracked and peeling away to reveal the stark white bones beneath, with eerie green flames burning in its empty eye sockets.

It let out an inhuman roar that shook the air.

Subsequently, the image stone was knocked to the ground, and in the skewed view, the desiccated corpse's sharp claws easily pierced through the chest of the Golden Core disciple.

Then he plucked out the still-pulsating golden core, swallowed it in one gulp, and immediately bit off the disciple's neck, causing blood to splatter everywhere.

At that moment, others attacked in anger, and the mummified corpse leaped away.

"So far, we have had thirteen mines attacked, and as many as a thousand disciples have died, including six Nascent Soul Realm cultivators."

Cao Zhengyang's voice was low, and his eyes were filled with pain.

"Moreover, judging from the order in which the enemy attacked the mines and the cultivation level of the disciples stationed there, the strength of this mummified corpse is constantly increasing."

Mo Xingjian looked at Zhou Qing and slowly added, "Almost all the disciples in the mine had their life essence drained. Their golden cores and nascent souls were used as nourishing nutrients."

Zhou Qing asked with a solemn expression, "What about the mines of other sects?"

The Dragon Ridge Peak Master shook his head with a wry smile: "The other four sects, and even some smaller sects, are all safe and sound. It's obvious that the other side is targeting our Taiqing Sect."

After a moment's hesitation, Zhou Qing said in a deep voice, "May I see the body of my deceased disciple?"

Cao Zhengyang handed over another image stone: "All the bodies have been transported back for burial, but this was two days ago."

Zhou Qing took the image stone and activated it again.

In the projected image, mutilated corpses lay on the ground, some with twisted limbs, some with sunken chests and missing internal organs, and their faces were all filled with terror and resentment.

Seeing this scene, Zhou Qing's eyes were filled with murderous intent.

These are all his junior brothers and sisters from the Taiqing Sect.

Upon closer inspection, the surfaces of these corpses were almost entirely covered with a layer of dark purple mucus, as if the rotting flesh was fermenting.

"By the way, all the corpses had an indescribable stench," Cao Zhengyang suddenly said. "Like the stench of decay, yet with an eerie quality."

Zhou Qing's eyes sharpened as he stared intently at the screen: "Have all their bodies been brought back?"

Cao Zhengyang then looked at the peak master of Yunmeng Peak, since she was in charge of this matter.

The peak master of Yunmeng Peak took out his identity token and asked a question before saying, "Reporting to the young sect leader, in two hours, the bodies of the disciples who died in the spirit sand mine will be transported back for unified burial."

Zhou Qing decisively said, "I'll go take a look then. Also, I'd like to bring Shen Yunzhou with me. He's more sensitive to smells and might be able to find some clues."

“Agreed!” Cao Zhengyang nodded in agreement: “At present, it is still impossible to determine who did it, and even the Qingyu Immortal Sect cannot be completely trusted.”

"Speaking of the Azure Feather Immortal Sect, the next thing is the second matter!"

Cao Zhengyang looked at Zhou Qing and said, "I'm afraid Fairy Xuanyou's days are numbered."

Zhou Qing looked up in surprise and said, "So fast?"

Cao Zhengyang sneered: "She misjudged you as having the Three Flowers Gathering at the Top physique and tried to force you into dual cultivation, but what was the result? She reaped what she sowed."

"Logically speaking, he should have had another seven or eight years to live, but he was probably still unwilling to accept his fate. I don't know what he did recently, but it accelerated his death."

Zhou Qing didn't feel anything after hearing this, only a little regretful.

Afterwards, Cao Zhengyang discussed the next steps regarding the Qingyu Immortal Sect with the other peak masters.

It is speculated that the other party will most likely act like the Tianji Sect, and will not rush to elect a new sect leader, so as to leave room for maneuver and calmly deal with any possible changes.

Zhou Qing continued to study the images on the two image stones.

Not long after, Cao Zhengyang spoke again: "By the way, there's something else you don't know."

Zhou Qing looked up at the sound, her eyes filled with confusion: "What?"

Cao Zhengyang said solemnly, "While you were on your way to the border, we were secretly investigating what the Golden Thunder Sect was up to in the Gobi Desert caves when we discovered that two monks, one big and one small, had come to their place."

"Monks?" Zhou Qing's expression changed slightly upon hearing this, and the image of the two monks who stood by and watched when he killed Ma Cheng, the third elder of the Hunyuan Sect, flashed through his mind.

Seeing Zhou Qing deep in thought, Cao Zhengyang continued, "After they entered the Golden Thunder Sect, they seemed to be searching for someone, but no one knows who it is. However, they did ask the Golden Thunder Sect three questions."

As he spoke, he took out a piece of paper and handed it over.

Zhou Qing took the paper and glanced at the handwriting on it.

[How to unlock the chains of obsession?]

Where is the other shore?

All beings suffer; how can we liberate them?

"Is this a Buddhist Zen riddle?" Zhou Qing thought for a moment and said.

Cao Zhengyang nodded and said, "Well, after discussing it, we guessed that the person they are looking for is also a monk, but this monk may have lost his memory after a great battle."

"There is a very high probability that he has joined one of our five sects. After all, after the battle at Canglan Mountain, the Eastern Region was severely weakened, and various sects recruited disciples from other sects to replenish their strength, including our Taiqing Sect."

"Last time, we were going to start a war with Qingyu Immortal Sect with great fanfare. More than 30,000 people were selected and secretly left. There are still many of them now."

Zhou Qing looked at his senior master with some surprise after hearing this.

That's quite an imaginative idea.

If someone has amnesia, even if they grow hair or something, these two monks should still be able to recognize them, right?

No, it's possible that the other person has both possessed another body and lost their memory, which is why they would use this method to search for them.

Seeing Zhou Qing deep in thought, Cao Zhengyang added, "These two monks only left the Golden Thunder Sect the day before yesterday."

"Judging from their direction of travel, their next stop should be the Azure Feather Immortal Sect, and then they will probably come to our Taiqing Sect."

Zhou Qing nodded slightly, guessing it was something insignificant; let them look for it if they wanted to.

……

Two hours later, the peak master of Yunmeng Peak received news that the bodies of the murdered disciples had been transported back by a large flying boat.

Zhou Qing then contacted Yan Xiaohu and asked him to bring Shen Yunzhou, who had returned from the martial arts arena, to [Heroic Souls Return to Dust Valley].

This place is the final resting place for the disciples of the Taiqing Sect who sacrificed their lives for the sect throughout the ages. Each tombstone is engraved with the life story of the deceased, witnessing their loyalty and sacrifice.

The sect has always valued loyalty and righteousness, and will grant the descendants and families of these heroes precious opportunities to enter the sect and provide corresponding compensation.

Even Senior Brother Du Kui, who once tried to kill Zhou Qing to comprehend the essence of the art, is buried here.

When Zhou Qing and the others arrived at the Valley of Returning Souls, a heavy atmosphere of sorrow washed over them.

A gentle breeze howled as it swept across the valley floor, where countless tombstones stood in dense rows.

Further away, the monument is covered with the marks of time, bearing the marks of the disciples who died during the reigns of the previous and subsequent sect leaders.

Fortunately, there are people who take care of the place. If the name engraved on the stone tablet starts to become blurry, someone will immediately trace it.

Cao Zhengyang and the others silently bowed in respect to the vast valley.

Yan Xiaohu and Shen Yunzhou arrived quickly.

At this moment, Shen Yunzhou looked at Zhou Qing with awe. The ability to break through the intent of others was truly astonishing.

He first looked around at the numerous tombstones standing in the canyon and couldn't help but feel a sense of emotion.

Then, after glancing at the solemn-looking Cao Zhengyang and the other Nascent Soul Grand Perfection cultivators, he finally fixed his gaze on Zhou Qing.

"Brother Zhou, what brings you here?" Shen Yunzhou asked.

Zhou Qing replied, "I need your help in a little while."

Shen Yunzhou was filled with doubt, wondering how he could be of any help.

Just then, a low hum came from the sky.

Immediately afterwards, a huge transport ship slowly sailed in, its hull as black as ink, and its massive canvas had long since been replaced with a plain white one.

Countless copper bells hung from the edge of the flying boat, making soft, tinkling sounds as it moved forward.

This is the sect welcoming their disciples home!
On the deck, disciples with solemn expressions stood silently, holding white banners, creating a suffocatingly oppressive atmosphere.

Everyone waited quietly, their eyes filled with sorrow.

As the airship slowly descended, everyone immediately gathered around it.

The disciples on the deck disembarked first, clasped their hands and bowed, their voices filled with sorrow: "Greetings, Sect Leader! Greetings, Peak Masters!"

Cao Zhengyang's face was gloomy. He nodded slightly, waved his sleeve, and took the lead in stepping onto the flying boat, with the crowd following closely behind.

Just then, Shen Yunzhou's nostrils twitched slightly, and his eyes lit up instantly.

“This taste is…”

He muttered to himself, his Adam's apple bobbing involuntarily.

He quickly took out an old-fashioned earthenware pot from his storage bag and abruptly opened the lid.

Soon, a black dung beetle the size of a fist crawled out.

Its carapace shimmered with an eerie glow, and its overlapping elytra on its back whirred like metal gears.

In an instant, it unfolded into two pairs of transparent membrane wings as thin as cicada wings, and shot towards the flying boat like an arrow released from a bow.

"I knew I wasn't mistaken, it really is!"

Shen Yunzhou could not hide his excitement and hurried after the dung beetle.

(End of this chapter)