The head master has a new female apprentice

Chapter 285 A Four-Hit Wonder: A Chilling Scheme! (6k)

Yun Jing and the other three unconsciously took a half step back. Although they knew Cao Zhengyang, they had never felt the terror of this Taiqing Sect Leader so vividly as they did at this moment.

Cao Zhengyang walked up to Tian Shuzi and said softly, "Actually, I think highly of you, after all, you are the youngest compared to Ling Xuzi."

"Otherwise, why would I only hurt him and not you?"

Then, he leaned down and approached.

"But whether you can seize this opportunity depends on your performance."

At this moment, Tian Shuzi had already panicked. His desire to survive made him tremble all over, and he nodded repeatedly, almost roaring.

“I’ll talk, I’ll talk. We did control and drive the mummified corpse away. It’s now locked in a cage in the back mountain.”

"Moreover, this whole affair was orchestrated by Senior Brother Yuhengzi from beginning to end. To be specific, it all started during the Five Sects War. We discovered the cave beneath the Gobi Desert mineral vein by chance..."

At this moment, Tian Shuzi no longer cared about anything and revealed all the secrets of Tianji Sect, his eyes filled with a frantic pleading look.

As one secret after another was revealed, everyone's expressions grew increasingly solemn.

This scheme, spanning several years, was far more insidious and ruthless than imagined, and far more extensive.

Until halfway through the conversation, everyone almost instinctively turned to look at Zhou Qing.

The boy stood with his hands behind his back, his expression unusually calm.

Because Tian Shuzi's confession was exactly the same as Zhou Qing's meticulous analysis!

If Zhou Qing hadn't insisted on investigating, the Taiqing Sect and the Jinlei Sect would probably have already suffered heavy losses, allowing the Tianji Sect to reap the benefits.

Yun Jing and the other three were even paler. They had always thought they had a perfect plan, but they never expected that they were already caught in the middle of it all.

They never imagined that the Tianji Sect, which usually kept a low profile, had such a far-reaching plan!
As for Lu Yaoyao, her eyes were already sparkling, looking at Zhou Qing with adoration.

It was as if the person standing before him was not a fellow disciple, but a peerless hero who had turned the tide.

Yan Xiaohu and Li Daoxuan frowned, looked at Zhou Qing, then at them, and sighed softly in unison.

Indeed, there are differences between people.

This sudden sect war now seems to be the most correct decision.

If we hesitate any longer, and the Tianji Sect's conspiracy succeeds, the Taiqing Sect will surely be plunged into an abyss of no return.

“Tian Hong was also deliberately sent by us to cause confusion… We also have a few spies on your side, here’s the list… Lei Wuji, the sect leader of the Golden Thunder Sect, should be half-human and half-ghost by now…”

"Originally, according to the plan, we were to use him and our covert efforts to use the lives of the two peak masters of the Taiqing Sect... Oh, right, if I stay, I can still manipulate the decisions of Sikong Yan, the palace master of the Cangyan Dao Palace..."

"A total of eight drops of heart's blood, this is from back then..."

Tian Shuzi racked his brains, revealing useful clues one by one, just to exchange for a chance to survive.

As Zhou Qing heard the last part, his brows furrowed, and a palpable killing intent surged in his eyes.

If this sect war hadn't been launched in time, the two senior uncles would have truly been killed by their schemes a year later.

Even if a sect seeks revenge, it might end up taking the wrong revenge in a muddled way.

Such a series of vicious schemes truly kill without shedding blood!

Cao Zhengyang's face was also filled with murderous intent, but he never expected that they could control Sikong Yan.

The dozen or so peak masters had grim expressions. Who would have thought that the usually timid and submissive Tianji Sect actually harbored such deep fangs?

On the surface, they are vassals of the Azure Flame Dao Palace, but in reality, they are the manipulators hiding behind the scenes.

No wonder that during the Battle of Canglan Mountain, even though Sikong Yan betrayed everyone, the Tianji Sect was still willing to be his lackeys afterwards.

Wow, that's really amazing!

The four major sects were almost all manipulated by them silently.

"There's one more thing, it concerns Fairy Xuanyou of the Qingyu Immortal Sect!" Soon, Tian Shuzi finished speaking, as if he suddenly remembered something, and his voice suddenly rose.

Yun Jing and the other three were startled as four sharp gazes shot towards them like swords.

Damn Tianji Sect, what sinister scheme are they plotting against them now?
But Tian Shuzi cowered and stole a glance at Cao Zhengyang, his Adam's apple bobbing as he said, "This matter... this matter can only be reported to the Taiqing Sect."

Cao Zhengyang glanced at Yun Jing and the other three subconsciously. Although they were unwilling, they could only prepare to leave to avoid suspicion.

Unexpectedly, Cao Zhengyang said calmly, "You stay. Now that Qingyu Immortal Sect and Taiqing Sect are of one mind, we should be honest with each other, no matter what the secrets are."

In an instant, Yun Jing and the other three trembled, their eyes instantly reddening.

In fact, given the current strength of the Taiqing Sect, they don't need to pay any attention to them at all. In fact, if they wanted to, the Qingyu Immortal Sect could be the next Tianji Sect.

But Cao Zhengyang not only did not treat them as vassals, but at this critical moment, he gave them enough trust and respect in the most straightforward way.

This magnanimity weighs far more heavily than any alliance oath.

"Thank you, Master Cao!" The four men clasped their fists and bowed in greeting.

Zhou Qing clicked his tongue in amazement. This trick of manipulating people's hearts had been thoroughly mastered by the headmaster.

Tian Shuzi felt a pang of anxiety. He had originally intended to leave some room for sowing discord, but in the face of Cao Zhengyang's frankness, it all seemed so pale and powerless.

At this moment, Tian Shuzi had no choice but to turn his gaze to Yun Jing: "May I ask the four of you, did Fairy Xuan You fall seriously ill after she entered the Qingyu Immortal Sect?"

Yun Jing's pupils contracted slightly, and after a brief pause, she nodded with difficulty: "Yes, but how did you know?"

When Xuan You first entered the sect, before he changed his name, he was just an insignificant Qi Condensation cultivator, and because so much time had passed, he was completely overlooked.

Tian Shuzi said somewhat awkwardly, "Because that illness was something we deliberately created!"

As soon as the words were spoken, Yun Jing and the other three suddenly sprang up, their spiritual energy surging involuntarily, their clothes fluttering in the wind.

If it weren't for the intimidating aura emanating from Cao Zhengyang, he would probably have rushed up and torn Tian Shuzi to pieces right now.

"It wasn't me!" Tian Shuzi had anticipated their reaction and hurriedly stepped back to explain, "It was Senior Brother Yu Hengzi, he was the one in charge!"

"What exactly happened?" Yun Jing asked in an icy voice, barely suppressing her anger.

She doesn't care who did it specifically. Anyway, from the time you revealed the secrets of Tianji Sect until now, almost all the blame has been placed on the already deceased Yuhengzi. Everything is long gone and there's no way to verify it.

Cao Zhengyang and the others frowned, leaned forward slightly, and waited for what was to come.

Tian Shuzi shrank his neck, his voice trembling: "It's an open secret that the five sects have been spying on each other, and no one can deny that."

At this point, he stole a glance at the fiery looks in Yun Jing and the other three's eyes, swallowed hard, and continued.

"Of course, for a long time after Fairy Xuanyou entered the sect, she remained unknown until our scouts inadvertently discovered that when she meditated, the surroundings would be unusually quiet."

"In other words, the chirping of insects or birds will immediately stop, for fear of disturbing her."

Yun Jing and the others looked solemn and did not respond, while Cao Zhengyang and the others cast curious glances at them, their faces showing deep thought.

After all, Mo Xingjian had already told them about Fairy Xuanyou, especially since he had previously regarded Ghost Mastiff as the Three Flowers Gathering at the Top.

I never expected that the Tianji Sect was involved in this.

Seeing this, Tian Shuzi continued, "After repeated investigations, we determined that Xuan You should possess a special physique called the Void Cicada Body."

He licked his dry lips, a sinister glint in his eyes. "This kind of physique is useless to my Tianji Sect, but it happens to be the cultivation foundation that your Qingyu Immortal Sect dreams of most."

"Those who possess this physique will be able to achieve twice the results with half the effort in the art of sound attack, and will surely become the leading figures of your Qingyu Immortal Sect in the future."

“We originally wanted to get rid of her as soon as possible, but Senior Brother Yuhengzi thought that keeping her alive might be of great use.”

"So, we first put some kind of poison on her and then guided you to discover it. Sure enough, she quickly became your key disciple."

Upon hearing this, Yun Jing and the others were already furious.

His aura surged, causing ripples to appear in the surrounding air.
Especially when they thought about the inhuman torture and pain their sect leader had suffered every night for so many years, they wished they could make Tian Shuzi wish he were dead right now.

Zhou Qing frowned deeply.

After all, Fairy Xuanyou had visited the sect once before, and Second Uncle had even secretly taken him to spy on her.

He had personally witnessed the pain Xuan You suffered, and afterwards he was almost discovered, but he pretended to be sleepwalking to dispel the suspicion.

"Despicable!" the four men cursed through gritted teeth, their eyes red with rage.

They never imagined that the suffering Xuan You endured was actually part of a carefully planned scheme by the Tianji Sect.

Tian Shuzi said to himself, "After that, everything proceeded normally until the toxins broke out, making you think she was sick."

"Then, we had Dong Ninggui... who was an elder of your Qingyu Immortal Sect at the time. He was one of our people, but unfortunately he was later eliminated by you. We made him deliberately mention the 'Spirit Sealing Forbidden Law'."

Yun Jing and the others recalled the scene from the past and, after connecting these events, suddenly understood.

At this moment, I felt my whole body trembling, and the blue bricks under my feet were cracking inch by inch. I was on the verge of losing control at any moment.

"This forbidden technique can save lives and make people progress rapidly, but it completely cuts off the path to the future. At most, one can cultivate to the late stage of the Nascent Soul Realm, and then one will be unable to improve any further."

"He can only slowly erode his lifespan and die; no, he should die even faster than others of the same realm," Tian Shuzi honestly replied.

Cao Zhengyang and the others watched all this in silence, feeling a chill run down their spines.

The layout of the Tianji Gate is truly profound, and every step is so intricately linked.

No wonder Fairy Xuanyou was suddenly appointed as the sect leader of Qingyu Immortal Sect; this is the reason.

At this moment, Zhou Qing couldn't help but think of his second uncle.

He also said that Fairy Xuanyou was the last to join the sect. At that time, he had just faked his death and left. He didn't expect that when they met again, the girl had not only made rapid progress, but had also become the sect leader.

He also said that if he could achieve the Three Flowers Gathering at the Top of His Head and cultivate with her, he would definitely gain unimaginable benefits.

In retrospect, this advantage is precisely the unique physique of Fairy Xuanyou.

Seeing that the atmosphere was not right, Tian Shuzi quickly explained, "It was all planned by Senior Brother Yu Hengzi. I was just the executor. It has nothing to do with me!"

Cao Zhengyang said coldly, "Continue."

Tian Shuzi had no choice but to swallow hard, but then changed the subject, saying, "Actually, we have already developed an antidote for this 'Sealing Spirit Forbidden Technique'."

Upon hearing this, Yun Jing and the other three took a half step forward simultaneously, their eyes filled with disbelief.

What did they just hear?
Antidote?

Zhou Qing was also surprised, after all, he had gone to the Qingyu Immortal Sect with his master Mo Xingjian and had personally witnessed the pitiful state of Xuan You. Tian Shuzi's forehead was covered in cold sweat as he continued, "The antidote is in Senior Brother Yu Hengzi's storage bag. As for the dual cultivation with the Three Flowers Gathering at the Top, that was just bait we deliberately laid out!"

"After all, it is almost impossible to find someone who has achieved the Three Flowers Gathering at the Top. Our plan is to wait until Xuan You is in extreme despair before taking out the antidote and providing timely help, so that she can be used by us."

"If they refuse, it's actually easy to handle. We can either discuss it with the higher-ups of the Azure Feather Immortal Sect and exchange it for the massive resources we need."

"Either let Fairy Xuanyou pass away at the end of her lifespan, causing the Qingyu Immortal Sect's years of cultivation to go to waste, and even leaving them in a leaderless state for a short period of time."

"Of course, if she is lucky enough to find the Three Flowers Gathering at the Top, we will keep a close watch on her and take action in secret. We will use special methods to trap such a prodigy and then use her for our own purposes, so that our Tianji Sect can rise to prominence!"

"Therefore, Fairy Xuanyou's move can be described as killing four birds with one stone!"

As soon as these words came out, the whole place fell silent.

The four members of the Qingyu Immortal Sect, including Yun Jing, trembled with rage, their hair standing on end.

A murderous glint flashed in Cao Zhengyang's eyes.

Such a meticulously planned and ruthless scheme made him tremble with fear.

He really wouldn't dare to use someone with such a deep mind.

If he stays, he might end up like Xuan You Fairy or Sikong Yan, being used as a pawn and manipulated at will.

And now, Lei Wuji has also been tricked and turned into something neither human nor ghost.

Still willingly.

"This person cannot be allowed to live!" This was Cao Zhengyang's first reaction.

He can't handle it, and he might even get himself into trouble.

Thinking of this, Cao Zhengyang looked at Zhou Qing again, feeling a surge of gratitude.

This sect war was launched at the perfect time, allowing the Taiqing Sect to narrowly avoid future schemes.

Zhou Qing was equally alarmed. He then glanced discreetly at Yu Hengzi's storage bag, which contained many pills, but he couldn't immediately determine which one it was.

"Where's the antidote?" At this moment, Yun Jing and the others stepped forward in unison, their eyes filled with hope.

Their lifespans are nearing their end; they won't live for more than a few years, let alone reach the Spirit Severing stage.

However, Xuan You is indeed very young. If he can break free from the shackles of the "Spirit Sealing Technique" and successfully reach the Great Perfection stage...

Then, by taking some pills or rare herbs to prolong life, the lifeline of the Qingyu Immortal Sect might be extended.

But as soon as the words left her mouth, Yun Jing and the other three felt as if they had fallen into an ice cellar, and subconsciously looked at Cao Zhengyang.

No wonder Tian Shuzi wanted to avoid them and have a private conversation with Cao Zhengyang. If this antidote falls into the hands of Taiqing Sect, wouldn't it be a new shackle to restrain Qingyu Immortal Sect?

They could even pretend they knew nothing, and after Xuan You died, after they passed away, the entire Qingyu Immortal Sect would eventually be subtly controlled by the Taiqing Sect.

Facing the gazes of Yun Jing and the other three, Cao Zhengyang merely glanced at them indifferently before turning to Tian Shuzi and asking, "Where is the antidote?"

Tian Shuzi's gaze involuntarily drifted towards Zhou Qing.

The others also turned their heads, and Zhou Qing could only nod slightly to Cao Zhengyang.

Cao Zhengyang immediately understood.

Tian Shuzi sighed, "Senior Brother Yu Hengzi originally planned to wait a year, scheme to kill the two peak masters of Taiqing Sect, provoke a great war between you and Jinlei Sect, and then use the antidote to make a deal with Fairy Xuanyou."

"I just didn't expect things to change so suddenly, you all came to our door together..."

As Tian Shuzi finished speaking, his voice grew softer and softer, as if all his strength had been drained away, and he sat down on the ground.

Cao Zhengyang and the others breathed a sigh of relief, their eyes filled with relief and gratitude as they looked at Zhou Qing.

It seems that everything is fate.

Zhou Qing is truly a lucky star they've cultivated for eight lifetimes!
Not long after, Mo Xingjian and the others returned with Ling Xuzi's primordial spirit and handed an image stone to Cao Zhengyang.

Cao Zhengyang didn't open it publicly, but instead placed it on his forehead and looked at it.

But Ling Xuzi looked at Tian Shuzi with an icy expression.

If only one of the two could survive, he desperately wanted to be that survivor.

Upon seeing this, Tian Shuzi inwardly cried out in alarm.

Brother, don't drag me into this! I've already pinned everything on Senior Brother Yuhengzi, who's dead and can't prove anything. You haven't been implicated at all.

Ling Xuzi simply moved his lips expressionlessly, making an "sorry" gesture.

These two simple words instantly turned Tian Shuzi's face pale, his eyes filled with despair and fear.

After viewing the image stone, Cao Zhengyang showed no expression on his face and simply put it away.

He said in a deep voice, "Take them back to Taiqing Sect. The rest of you, clean up the battlefield first. Oh, and we must keep that mummified corpse safe."

"Yes!" Seeing that their senior brother had a plan, everyone immediately dispersed.

The wealth accumulated by Tianji Sect over thousands of years awaits inventory, the fate of its disciples needs to be decided, the attitudes of surrounding sects large and small need to be appeased, and countless trivial matters urgently need to be dealt with.

Yun Jing and the others stood still, staring at Zhou Qing with anxious and expectant eyes.

Zhou Qing pretended not to see it and followed behind his master, Mo Xingjian, with his head down.

Ultimately, whether Xuan You can continue to live depends on his master's attitude.

……

Soon after, news of the Taiqing Sect joining forces with the Qingyu Immortal Sect to break through the Tianji Sect in just one day resounded like thunder throughout the entire Eastern Region.

Countless sects were shocked.

Even more incredibly, the Taiqing Sect actually harbored as many as twenty cultivators at the Great Perfection of the Nascent Soul Realm.

Such terrifying strength is enough to intimidate any force.

The inaction of the Cangyan Dao Palace and the Jinlei Sect has sparked much speculation.

Some say that the Taiqing Sect acted too quickly, catching everyone off guard, while others suspect there are other hidden motives.

But what's most amazing is Zhou Qing, the future young master of the Taiqing Sect.

He actually managed to kill Yu Hengzi, the Supreme Elder of the Tianji Sect, single-handedly, despite only having the cultivation level of the mid-stage of the Nascent Soul Realm.

Such achievements have both shocked and envious countless young cultivators.

It also reminded them of the time when Zhou Qing killed five of the most outstanding talents of the Cangyan Dao Palace during the Five Sects War.

For a time, the top leaders of various sects began to re-examine this rising genius.

……

Inside Taiqing Gate!

Ling Xuzi and Tian Shuzi were imprisoned in separate cages, and were under the joint supervision of eight Supreme Elders to ensure that they could not escape.

As for how to deal with Tianji Sect, Zhou Qing did not want to get involved, but judging from his master's words, the sect leader would most likely expel them.

In other words, the landscape of the Eastern Region will be completely rewritten, and the former five major sects will now be reduced to only four major sects.

The reason Ling Xuzi and the other man were still alive was because Cao Zhengyang was quite interested in their ability to manipulate Sikong Yan's decisions using their heart's blood.

However, according to them, apart from the three of them and Xuanjizi, the sect leader of Tianji Sect, they did not know who the other eight drops of heart's blood were on.

To prevent Sikong Yan from searching their souls, they had all erased their relevant memories.

The four drops of heart's blood that disappeared were purely for deterrence, to prevent Sikong Yan from making any rash moves.

But Cao Zhengyang didn't think so. He believed that this was a life-saving bargaining chip that the other party had deliberately left for him.

Whether it's true or false, with his methods, he'll find a way to obtain it gradually.

Zhou Qing did not ask any further questions, but instead planned to first search the soul to see what was going on with the ultimate weapon, the "Mirror of Infernal Karma".

Just as he stepped out the door, Shen Yunzhou ran over excitedly.

"Brother Zhou, impressive, truly impressive! I heard that after you were captured and taken hostage, you not only escaped in less than an hour, but also killed one of them?"

Shen Yunzhou's voice was filled with amazement and admiration.

After the sect war, Shen Yunzhou did not go there to avoid suspicion, but stayed obediently at Taiqing Sect.

At this moment, the sect has returned in triumph, and especially after hearing the news that Zhou Qing was the first to return, he couldn't wait to come over.

Faced with Shen Yunzhou's question, Zhou Qing simply smiled and said calmly, "They were just careless and got lucky."

"You're being modest again. Never mind, whatever, as long as you're alright, that's all that matters." Shen Yunzhou waved his hand.

Then he continued, "However, your Taiqing Sect has definitely made a fortune this time. A sect with thousands of years of history must have a lot of hidden resources, but because you caught them off guard, they couldn't even unleash their full fighting power!"

Shen Yunzhou became more and more excited as he spoke, his eyes blazing with fervor. "The Qingyu Immortal Sect now follows the lead of Taiqing. In my opinion, we should take advantage of this opportunity to annex the Jinlei Sect in one fell swoop."

"Use the three factions as cannon fodder to attack the Cangyan Dao Palace. Once they are both exhausted, the Taiqing Sect will reap the benefits. At that time, the position of the overlord of the Eastern Region will belong to you!"

Zhou Qing shook his head after hearing this.

If the cultivators of the three sects are pushed into a battle where they are certain to die, it is hard to guarantee that they will not defect on the battlefield and join forces with the Azure Flame Dao Palace to turn against them.

Moreover, if the snipe and the clam fight, who knows if other forces won't take the opportunity to rise up?
"Everything is up to Master Uncle to decide; I won't get involved!" Zhou Qing had no choice but to say.

Shen Yunzhou scratched his head and chuckled dryly, "I was just saying it casually, Brother Zhou, don't take it to heart."

"Is there something you need from me?" Zhou Qing asked astutely, noticing Shen Yunzhou's unnatural expression.

Shen Yunzhou scratched his head sheepishly, a sheepish smile on his face: "There is something. You see, I noticed that the stench emanating from that half-exposed demon beast corpse greatly helped to improve my artistic conception."

He rubbed his hands together: "Then, following the clues, we discovered Lei Wuji, the sect leader of the Golden Thunder Sect, in the Gobi Desert."

At this point, he lowered his voice, "Although the mummified corpse that the Tianji Sect deliberately released this time caused serious damage to your sect's mines, the smell emanating from the corpses of all the disciples who died tragically is actually no different from that of the demon beast's corpse."

Upon hearing this, Zhou Qing frowned and asked in confusion, "What exactly are you trying to say?"

(End of this chapter)