The head master has a new female apprentice

Chapter 311 The Mysterious Forbidden Zone of the Seventh Purple Ball (6k views, requesting monthly votes)

Soon after, amidst a series of earth-shattering explosions, cracks finally appeared in the sect's protective formation.

Through the crack, one could even see the panicked figures of the Golden Thunder Sect disciples inside.

"Go for it!" Sikong Yan laughed loudly, and with a flick of his sleeve, another round of fierce attacks followed.

This time, the sect's protective formation completely collapsed.

A violent surge of spiritual energy swept in all directions, and most of the heavy bluestone steps in front of the Golden Thunder Sect's mountain gate were blown away, with rubble flying everywhere.

"Children, charge!" Sikong Yan laughed heartily, raised his arms and shouted, his heroic spirit soaring to the heavens.

But he quickly realized that the people standing behind him were a group of white-haired elders, and he coughed awkwardly twice.

He then waved to the Cangyan Dao Palace disciples on the flying boat: "Follow me to fight the enemy!"

After saying that, he took the lead and rushed into the Golden Thunder Sect's mountain gate, with the others following closely behind.

Upon seeing this, Zhong Yao reactivated the image stone and said, "Your Majesty, please look, your subordinates, in conjunction with the local Taiqing Sect and Cangyan Dao Palace, have successfully breached the Jinlei Sect's mountain gate..."

They say when the tree falls, the monkeys scatter!

The swift destruction of the Golden Thunder Sect exceeded everyone's expectations.

In just one day, this sect, which had stood in the Eastern Region for tens of thousands of years, crumbled into pieces.

All cultivators at the Golden Core realm and above were detained by the Blood Forbidden Army.

Furthermore, in the cage located in the former Thunder Pool area, more than a hundred infected mummies were discovered.

Among them were more than a dozen at the Nascent Soul stage, nearly half of whom were missing elders of the Golden Thunder Sect, while the rest were no longer recognizable.

“It’s all recorded!” Zhong Yao used the image stone to capture each and every moment.

Subsequently, two experts joined forces to destroy these sources of danger, ensuring that no hidden dangers remained.

The distribution of the spoils went surprisingly smoothly.

Both Taiqing Sect and Cangyan Dao Palace got what they wanted, so everyone was happy.

"Gong Zhen is actually a spy planted by my Taiqing Sect in the Jinlei Sect. I beg Brother Zhong to show mercy!"

As he watched as members of the Golden Thunder Sect were escorted onto the flying boat, preparing to depart for Kyoto, Gao Xuan couldn't help but step out onto the path.

Gong Zhen, who was originally bound by spiritual energy chains, suddenly looked up, his eyes filled with shock.

Gao Xuan nodded slightly, and Cao Zhengyang also stepped forward to corroborate.

Back then, the Golden Thunder Sect was in turmoil, and the Azure Flame Dao Palace attacked the Azure Feather Immortal Sect.

To relieve Qingyu's crisis, the Taiqing Sect used a clever escape plan, deceiving Xuanjizi of the Tianji Sect, and detoured to aid the Jinlei Sect.

He then crushed the token of Gao Xuan's past friendship with Gong Zhen, which allowed him to open the mountain gate barrier, thus helping Lei Wuji quell the internal strife and then work together to rescue the Qingyu Immortal Sect.

Zhong Yao's gaze swept between the three people, and a knowing smile gradually appeared on his lips.

To him, adding or subtracting one prisoner was merely adding or subtracting one entry from the roster.

"You should have said so earlier!" Zhong Yao laughed and waved his hand, the spiritual energy chains snapping instantly. "We almost hurt our own people."

Gong Zhen staggered two steps, his eyes still filled with shock.

Just half an hour ago, the prefect's calls for surrender echoed throughout the mountain gate, and he learned that the death of the Fifth Prince, the fall of Consort Ying, the extermination of the Liu family, and even many other tragedies in the Eastern Region were all the work of the high-ranking members of the Golden Thunder Sect.

"Greetings, Sect Master!" Gong Zhen knelt on one knee, his voice choked with emotion.

He knew that if it weren't for this identity that had been suddenly bestowed upon him, he would have been taken to Kyoto and would have no chance of survival.

Gao Xuan helped him up, patted his shoulder gently, and said nothing more.

A whooshing sound came from afar; reinforcements from the Taiqing Sect and the Qingyu Immortal Sect had finally arrived.

The group quickly took over key locations throughout the Golden Thunder Sect, thus establishing a new tripartite balance of power in the Eastern Region.

……

Taiqing Gate!
On the mist-shrouded Shenyue Peak, Zhou Qing handed the radiant three-colored magic array plate to Cao Zhengyang.

"Good! Good!"

Cao Zhengyang stroked the intricate patterns on the array plate and repeatedly praised it.

The elders were overjoyed and immediately began to replace the protective mountain formation.

Not long after, the replaced dual-color magic array lay quietly in the center of the main hall of the Azure Feather Immortal Sect.

"This...this..." Fairy Xuanyou and the others trembled slightly, not daring to touch it.

The Azure Feather Immortal Sect has gone through countless generations of sect leaders, who were unable to even set up the most basic single-color magic array, but now it has directly jumped to level two.

The Supreme Elder Yun Jing and others pinched themselves hard, wincing in pain before they were sure they weren't dreaming.

The people in the hall looked at each other and smiled, their eyes filled with relief.

It was really worth it to latch onto this powerful figure!
……

More than two months have passed since the Golden Thunder Sect was destroyed!

The peak masters of each peak were almost constantly shuttling between the Taiqing Sect, the Tianji Sect, and the old site of the Jinlei Sect, and even their personal disciples and true disciples were all dispatched.

Lu Yaoyao and her third senior brother, who spends all his time studying ways to make money, are no exception.

Zhou Qing was the only exception.

His ability to create a three-color magic array was enough to allow him to enjoy a life of leisure with a clear conscience.

At this moment, he was playing with the Divine Ruins Heavenly Palace token, staring thoughtfully at the flashing purple light on the back.

Since the day after the destruction of the Golden Thunder Sect, the No. 7 Purple Sphere has been online for one hour every day without fail—this is clearly sending him some kind of signal.

"Looks like they want to see me. In that case, let's go in and check!"

Zhou Qing then activated the barrier, injected spirit stones, and his consciousness was instantly drawn into it.

"Hey, you're finally here!" The voice of number seven purple ball rang out excitedly as soon as I entered.

Zhou Qing looked at him calmly and asked, "What do you want?"

"You really do understand! We're truly on the same wavelength!" Sikong Yan's voice was filled with laughter.

Zhou Qing frowned: "Speak quickly if you have something to say."

Sikong Yan quickly asked, "How do you think I handled the matter with the Golden Thunder Sect?"

Alarm bells rang in Zhou Qing's mind, but he showed a puzzled expression: "Golden Thunder Sect? What's wrong?"

"You do not know?"

"Do you think I should know?" Zhou Qing asked rhetorically.

Since the battle with Jin Lei Sect, he has seen more and more clearly the terrifying cunning hidden beneath Sikong Yan's seemingly crazy exterior.

Dealing with a cunning old fox like him requires extreme caution.

After all, through their previous conversation, he had set traps in his words at every turn.

His seemingly casual inquiry about the Golden Thunder Sect was actually a trap.

If he responds to the topic, it will be tantamount to revealing that he is in the Eastern Region and that he participated in the entire battle of the Golden Thunder Sect.

Although the matter of the forbidden area of ​​Taiqing Gate is a secret, only a handful of people can enter, which will instantly narrow down the range of those who can enter.

He simply said he didn't know, after all, there might be other people who had seen things that were off-limits, like his second uncle.

"Ah……"

Sikong Yan laughed with a hint of amusement after hearing Zhou Qing's answer.

Zhou Qing ignored him and, seemingly uninterested in learning more, prepared to enter his restricted area to take a look.

Truth and falsehood, reality and illusion—this is the way of survival in the Divine Ruins Heavenly Palace.

“Number One,” Sikong Yan suddenly spoke, his tone unusually serious, “Since you don’t know anything about the Golden Thunder Sect, then forget it. But as a fellow villager, please do me a favor.”

He pointed to the screen in his restricted area and extended an invitation.

Zhou Qing's mind stirred slightly.

To be honest, he was quite curious.

Sikong Yan's forbidden zone is very likely hidden somewhere in the Eastern Region.

Those astonishing five-color and four-color magic arrays mostly originated from here.

Perhaps it contains the relics of a formation master like Situ Jiuyao.

Sikong Yan sighed, "There's a place inside where a Rebirth Lotus grows. I want to take it down to save a poor little girl. If this doesn't work, she might really not make it back to life."

Zhou Qing's mind stirred slightly, and he was about to ask a question when he suddenly became alert.

This guy is setting him up again.

"Ha," he sneered, "someone like you would risk your life to save someone?"

Zhou Qing pretended not to know about Nannan's existence.

After all, at present, only Shen Yunzhou, Cao Zhengyang, Mo Xingjian and he should know about this matter.

Last time, when Master Gao Xuan was in seclusion, he sent over a stone containing images of Nannan, and only the three of them received it.

Upon hearing this, Sikong Yan immediately said with a hint of resentment, "Prejudice in people's hearts is a mountain! I also have a kind heart, you know. Before, to save that little girl, I..."

"Alright, alright..." Zhou Qing said impatiently.

He then feigned no interest in the "little girl," saying, "I'm rather interested in your forbidden zone, so I might as well go and take a look."

Sikong Yan's purple sphere flashed, clearly not expecting Zhou Qing to agree so readily.

But she quickly and warmly replied, "Please!"

Then, the two disappeared into the purple forbidden zone one after the other...

……

When Zhou Qing opened his eyes again, a bone-chilling cold rushed towards him.

Before me stretched an endless expanse of ice, the pale sky merging seamlessly with the glistening ice surface, the dazzling reflection almost blinding.

He subconsciously circulated his spiritual energy to resist the severe cold, and only then did he feel a little better.

“Strange…” Zhou Qing wondered to himself.

From the outside, the view of Sikong Yan's restricted area was clearly a different scene; how could it have turned into an ice field?

But then I thought about it again, and realized that what appeared to be a dead tree, a river of blood, and a coffin in my forbidden zone actually started from the gravity zone, so I felt relieved.

Turning his head, Sikong Yan's figure was shrouded in a hazy halo, just like when he was seen in the Sixth Restricted Area.

Including myself.

"Surprised, aren't you?" Sikong Yan's voice carried a hint of smugness. "There are no ice plains like this in the Eastern Region."

Zhou Qing said calmly, "It seems that the dignified Palace Master of the Cangyan Dao Palace has traveled to quite a few places in the past."

“Of course,” Sikong Yan’s tone suddenly became nostalgic, “I started traveling around when I was in the Golden Core stage. I was still very innocent back then, and I met many people.”

“I have no interest in your past,” Zhou Qing interrupted directly. “Let’s begin.”

Sikong Yan sighed: "I'm actually quite lonely; it's hard to find someone to talk to."

As he spoke, he took a step forward.

"Click——"

Suddenly, spiderweb-like patterns appeared on the ice surface, and countless dark blue ice crystals rose from the cracks, condensing into eerie runes in mid-air.

The temperature of the entire ice field suddenly dropped again, and even the breath exhaled froze into ice crystals and fell to the ground.

“You might not believe it,” Sikong Yan said smugly, “but currently, only I can enter this restricted area.”

He flipped his hand and took out a huge, snow-white bone from his storage bag.

The bone was over two meters long, its surface covered with intricate patterns, gleaming eerily under the refraction of the ice crystals. Zhou Qing's eyes twitched slightly: "This is..."

"The key." Sikong Yan said no more and threw the giant bone directly into the center of the rune array.

"boom!"

A blinding blue light shot into the sky, shattering the space above the ice plains like a mirror.

Amidst the swirling ice crystals, the phantom of a gigantic whale slowly emerges.

It is completely transparent, with its bones clearly visible, and each vertebra shimmering with ancient runes.

As it moved, ripples spread across the entire sky.

"Let's go!" Sikong Yan leaped into the whale's shadow.

Zhou Qing looked up at the transparent whale that was raising its head and letting out a long cry, and was deeply shocked.

Could it be that Sikong Yan's forbidden zone is hidden inside some kind of living creature?
Without a second thought, he leaped into the whale's shadow.

In a dizzying moment, when Zhou Qing opened his eyes again, the scene before him was the same as what he had seen in the outside world.

The scarlet sky resembled peeled flesh, with countless lumpy clouds hanging low and writhing, their surfaces oozing viscous blood that seemed ready to drip at any moment.

The ground was not soil, but rather a dense carpet of overlapping pale arms.

Each finger twitched and scratched as if it were alive, making a sickening "clucking" sound.

In the very center, there is a towering bronze tower, its body covered with bulging vein-like patterns that pulsate rhythmically as if it were alive.

A huge eyeball is embedded at the top of the tower, its scarlet pupil constantly moving, as if searching for something.

Even Zhou Qing, who was well-informed and experienced, couldn't help but feel a chill run down his spine at this moment.

This is probably the most disgusting place he has ever seen since Shen Huangmao's artistic conception.

Sikong Yan opened his arms and took a deep breath: "Every time I come to this place, it feels like coming home, giving me a strange sense of security!"

Zhou Qing frowned – could this guy's madness be influenced by this godforsaken place?

“I’ve named it ‘Rotten Flesh Sky,’ what do you think?” Sikong Yan asked, turning his head.

"Not very good," Zhou Qing said coldly.

“I don’t think it’s very good either,” Sikong Yan shrugged. “But you only realize how little you know when you need it. Since we’re already here, why don’t you get me one?”

Zhou Qing glanced at him: "Before you do anything, have you always been this fond of being so indecisive?"

Sikong Yan laughed and said, "I know I like to talk nonsense, but it's become a habit. It helps relieve stress and increase my sense of security."

"Where did you lose your sense of security?" Zhou Qing sneered.

How could a sect leader, a ruthless killer, claim to lack a sense of security?
Sikong Yan's smile faded slightly: "He left it behind before he died."

Zhou Qing: "..."

But soon, Sikong Yan resumed his nonchalant demeanor and pointed to the giant bronze tower in the center.

"I have a feeling there's something good inside, but unfortunately, no matter how many times I simulate it, I can't get close to it."

Zhou Qing followed his gaze and saw that the tower gave off a strange feeling, which reminded him of the black heart on the withered tree in his forbidden area.

"This is it!" Sikong Yan suddenly ran excitedly to a wall of flesh and pointed to a scar-like crack on it.

"I dug out a jade slip from here, which contained a forbidden technique—the Life-Replenishing Technique."

Zhou Qing frowned slightly: "Life-restoring technique?"

“That’s right,” Sikong Yan’s eyes gleamed with fervor, “It’s not just about restoring your current life, but also your future life!”

"What do you mean?" Zhou Qing didn't quite understand.

"This method can not only revive people, but also rebuild their foundation. Even those who are born with a useless body that cannot cultivate can be transformed into cultivation prodigies!"

Sikong Yan said excitedly, then added cursingly, "Unfortunately, it was a scam..."

Zhou Qing was speechless.

He looked around and found that although the restricted area was disgusting, it was surprisingly calm.

Unlike their own restricted area or number six, there are hidden dangers everywhere.

Sikong Yan then ran to the other side of the crack with a grin and said, "I dug out the [Demon Sealing and Extermination Formation] from here. I was so happy at the time."

Zhou Qing looked at the crack that was about to heal and was secretly alarmed.

During the battle at Canglan Mountain, Sikong Yan used the [Demon Sealing and Extermination Formation] to trap so many demonic beasts.

He had promised that this formation would not harm the human race, but he had hidden a four-color killing formation inside it.

etc--

Soon, Zhou Qing realized that he might have obtained the Nine Netherworld Demon Lotus from here.

"Number One, have you ever seen a fisherman open a pearl from a clam?" Sikong Yan suddenly asked after reminiscing.

Zhou Qing looked around at the writhing walls of flesh, lost in thought.

"See those bulges?" Sikong Yan pointed to the raised lumps on the fleshy wall. "These are the 'clams' outside the restricted area; opening them is all down to luck."

He casually patted a deflated bulge: "If you're lucky, you might find rare treasures; if you're unlucky..."

He made a gesture of fear, "Compared to the three of you, I was the last to receive the Divine Ruins Heavenly Palace token. There have been no fewer than ten times before that I almost lost my life here."

Zhou Qing carefully observed the area and found that the flesh wall was covered with healed scars and new bumps, some of which were still wriggling slightly.

It seems that Sikong Yan has indeed obtained a lot of good things from here—no wonder he didn't hesitate to detonate those four-colored magic arrays.

"Unfortunately, new bulges haven't grown out yet, and the old ones haven't been replaced, so there's nothing good here right now."

Sikong Yan said with some regret.

"Where did you get your token?" Zhou Qing suddenly asked, as if something had occurred to him.

Sikong Yan grinned: "From a little girl."

Zhou Qing's pupils contracted slightly: "The one you mentioned before you came in?"

Sikong Yan nodded and said, "That's right, it took many years to research the activation method. How about yours?"

At this point, Zhou Qing couldn't help but recall the Nascent Soul level Blood Tai Sui, as well as the mysterious space beneath the ghost city and the dead skeletons.

"I picked it up from a street stall!" Zhou Qing said without changing his expression.

Sikong Yan laughed heartily, clearly not believing it, but he didn't press the matter further.

He pointed deeper into the restricted area: "That lotus of rebirth is further inside, but there's a head there."

Before he could finish speaking, Sikong Yan's expression changed drastically, then brightened with joy: "He actually woke up at this moment!"

He turned to Zhou Qing with an apologetic smile: "Sorry, something unexpected happened. Shall we reschedule?"

"Why don't you give me your address? I'll treat you to a meal as an apology."

Zhou Qing laughed.

Is this a case of trying to get rid of people because they can't extract any useful information?
Without saying a word, he withdrew from the restricted area and transformed back into a red ball of light.

I don't fall for that "playing hard to get" trick!
"Number One, I really have an urgent matter to attend to. You know I never lie!"

Sikong Yan's purple sphere flickered a few times and then quickly withdrew.

Zhou Qing looked at the empty space and fell into deep thought.

"Life-Repairing Technique Divine Ruins Heavenly Palace Token," he muttered to himself, "Could it be that Nannan is alive because of this Life-Repairing Technique?"

"And the reason he saved Nannan was to repay a debt of gratitude?"

Although Sikong Yan acts erratically, there are some things he can still see through.

The battle at Canglan Mountain, on the surface, seemed to have led to the overall decline of the Eastern Region, but in reality, it prematurely ended the infighting among the five sects.

Moreover, the Fifth Prince, who was the mastermind behind the Five Sects War, was also personally killed by him.

The Golden Thunder Sect, too, aims to nip potential threats in the bud.

"As for that ice field—"

There really isn't one in the Eastern Region.

But there should be many such places. He seemed to remember that Lu Shi and her two sisters came from the far north, a land full of ice and snow.

"Well, since we're already here, we might as well take this opportunity to see what the other coffins are like."

Zhou Qing was curious.

Now his strength has greatly increased, making him arguably the number one person below the Spirit Slayer level.

The original ancestral puppet in the gravity zone is no longer a threat; pushing open the other coffins should not be difficult.

"Senior—" Just as Zhou Qing was about to go in, a voice suddenly rang out.

He turned his head and noticed that it was the number six basketball that had come online.

Speaking of which, ever since I taught her the Inscription-level Divine Power, I haven't seen her online again.

I wonder if Shen Yunzhou has gone back yet?

What's the situation with the Yan family?
Hopefully, those two selfish individuals haven't revealed their whereabouts to their own families.

"It's been a long time!" Zhou Qing greeted him with a smile.

The number six basketball floated over, excitedly saying, "Thank you for bestowing this divine power upon me, senior. Its power is indeed extraordinary."

Zhou Qing was shocked: "You've mastered it?"

Shen Hanyi said softly, "Currently, only a wisp of Phoenix Dao Pattern has been condensed, but its power is already evident. I now believe that if I can condense three thousand Phoenix Dao Patterns, it will truly be comparable to a Dao Mark-level divine power."

Zhou Qing: "..."

This talent is simply too terrifying.

He has used the ancient tea tree to cultivate the Dao, and so far he has only managed to extract five strands.

How long has it been, and the other party has already made some progress?
"Comparison is the thief of joy," Zhou Qing thought to himself with a bitter smile. "Being born in a fifth-level cultivation country is indeed extraordinary."

At this moment, he suddenly began to believe what his second uncle had said: that the geniuses of those advanced cultivation countries were already at the Nascent Soul stage or even the Spirit Severing stage while still in their mother's womb.

Furthermore, powerful supernatural abilities are imprinted on their bloodline, innate to them.

"Thank you, senior!" Shen Hanyi expressed her gratitude again, but unfortunately, since both of them were now spheres of light, they were unable to perform the proper bow.

Zhou Qing laughed loudly, and the ball of light flickered slightly: "Didn't I say that inscription-level divine abilities are nothing but ordinary things to me? Once you have mastered these, what harm is there in giving you a few Dao-mark level ones as well?"

Shen Hanyi's sphere of light trembled slightly, revealing her undisguised joy.

She truly believed that.

He casually gifted her the lost Four-Colored Magic Array. He had never been to his own forbidden zone, yet he was knowledgeable and insightful about many secrets.

The extremely difficult-to-cultivate "Demon-Subduing Golden Bone" from Jiyuan Temple generously bestows upon those who possess inscription-level supernatural powers—a wondrous post unlike anything ever seen before…

In her mind, Number One now can only be described as mysterious, powerful, and knowledgeable.

After boasting, Zhou Qing looked at her and asked indirectly, "Now that you have condensed the first wisp of Phoenix Dao Pattern, you have entered the path. The rest can be done slowly, so don't be too hasty."

Shen Hanyi respectfully replied, "I will heed your teachings, senior. I was recently planning to leave Tianyun to seek out two old friends. However, due to my personal matters, I fear they may be implicated."

Upon hearing this, Zhou Qing's heart stirred slightly.

If I'm not mistaken, these "two old friends" must refer to him and Lu Yaoyao.

It seems that Shen Yunzhou has returned safely and told the truth about what happened on the island.

"But what about the uncle and nephew from the Yan family?" Zhou Qing asked, feigning hesitation.

This matter must be thoroughly investigated. If the Yan family has already traced it back to them, the entire Taiqing Sect must make plans as soon as possible.

If all else fails, we should flee with our entire clan first.

(End of this chapter)