The head master has a new female apprentice

Chapter 325 Little Aqing, where did you run off to? It's become driverless again (6k)

Upon receiving the news, Gao Xuan rushed out like a madman. From afar, he saw Nannan holding a worn-out rattle drum, standing timidly outside the mountain gate.

His heart clenched violently, almost bursting out of his chest.

He wanted to rush over, to hug her tightly, to tell her that her father was there, that her father had returned…

But his feet seemed rooted to the spot, and he couldn't take a single step.

After all, she had already seen him outside the gates of the Azure Flame Dao Palace before, so she didn't recognize him at all.

During this time, he searched through countless ancient texts, but a cultivator could only possess a body once in their lifetime, and he could never transform back into the father she remembered.

The only way is to take it slowly, to gradually wear her down with time, so that she can accept this unfamiliar father again.

He gritted his teeth, his eyes stinging with pain, but he could only suppress his surging emotions, force a stiff smile, and walk towards her step by step.

But Nannan recognized him first. Her eyes lit up, and she took a step forward: "You're that crybaby uncle! Nannan knows you!"

Gao Xuan's knees buckled, and he almost fell to his knees in front of her.

He reached out to touch her, but stopped in mid-air. In the end, he simply squatted down gently to look her in the eye.

He swallowed hard before finally speaking: "Yes... I'm that crybaby uncle. Your dad... he had something to do, so he asked me to pick you up."

He dared not blink, afraid that tears would fall at any moment.

Wu Sha stood to the side, his face beneath his black robe cold as ice, and he remained silent.

Inside the barrier, Cao Zhengyang, Mo Xingjian, and the others watched quietly, their expressions complex.

Luo Lingling, Zhou Qing, and Lu Yaoyao, who had also heard the news, rushed over.

Having already learned the whole story, Luo Lingling's eyes were already slightly red, and she unconsciously looked at Mo Xingjian.

Standing beside Zhou Qing, Lu Yaoyao secretly sniffed and sighed inwardly, "How are we supposed to recognize each other now? No one will believe us!"

At this moment, Nannan's eyes suddenly lit up when she heard Gao Xuan's words.

"really?"

Gao Xuan forced a smile, suppressing her heartache: "Your father promised to buy you candied hawthorns. Knowing you were coming back today, he went out of his way to buy them for you."

Nannan's eyes immediately crinkled into crescent moons as she smiled: "I knew Daddy loved Nannan the most."

Just then, Zhou Qing stepped out.

“Brother Zhou Qing—” Nannan recognized Zhou Qing and called out happily.

Zhou Qing stepped forward and said with a gentle smile, "Nannan, welcome home."

"Thank you, Brother Zhou Qing!" Nannan said excitedly. "My dad went to buy me candied hawthorns, and I'll see him soon!"

Zhou Qing gently rubbed the top of her head, while secretly releasing his divine sense to investigate.

After a moment, he nodded slightly to Gao Xuan, whose tense shoulders relaxed a little.

"Didn't he say two years?" Zhou Qing turned to Wu Sha, his brows furrowed slightly. "How could it be so soon?"

Wu Sha expressionlessly took out a jade slip: "I don't know what you're talking about, but my palace master asked me to give this to you before he left."

After Zhou Qing took it, he did not place it directly on his forehead. Instead, he first used the "Daily Assessment" to confirm its safety before looking at it.

Inside the jade slip, there were only three words, "Waiting for you," written in a flamboyant style, with a smiley face drawn at the end.

After reading it, Zhou Qing frowned even more deeply.

“The Palace Master also said,” Wu Sha continued, “that he has kept his promise and put your mind at ease, leaving no room for maneuver. After all, this is a rare sense of accomplishment for him.”

"As for the third condition, he still hasn't decided." He paused. "He said if you go to find him, he might have decided by then."

"Has he already left?" Zhou Qing asked.

Wu Sha suddenly took a step back and bowed solemnly: "Although the Palace Master often says he would kill me if I taught him how to do things, I always feel that there is a future if I follow him. I want to know where he went?"

Zhou Qing looked at him, hesitated briefly, and then said, "The capital!"

A glint flashed in Wu Sha's eyes, and he bowed again, saying, "Thank you!"

Before he finished speaking, he had already vanished in a black shadow.

Cao Zhengyang stared in the direction Wu Sha had left, unconsciously licking his lips, a glint of fanaticism flashing in his eyes.

The two conditions Sikong Yan had previously proposed were that Zhou Qing go to the capital to help him, and the other... was that Taiqing Sect would annex Cangyan Dao Palace.

Now that the other party has left, isn't that—

"No, we can't rush things. It might be a trap. We have to proceed slowly."

……

After Gao Xuan brought Nannan back to the mountain gate, he immediately went to find the Lu sisters and asked them to check her over again.

Only after confirming that there were no other hidden dangers did I finally feel completely relieved.

As for the other peak masters, some were puzzled as to when Senior Brother Gao Xuan had a daughter.
But soon, under Cao Zhengyang's expression that seemed to say something beyond words, everyone suddenly realized.

It turns out that although Senior Brother Gao had no Daoist partner, he was not ignorant of matters between men and women.

Looking at the girl who was about five or six years old, could it be that she was left behind by her senior brother who secretly went down the mountain in the past few years?
They've kept it well hidden, even using the alias Dong Lisheng. That's interesting.

……

The next day, after the Lu sisters had answered everyone's questions, Zhou Qing finally pushed open the door and entered.

"How are you feeling?" Zhou Qing asked.

Lu Yuanzhi sorted through the jade slips and smiled, "Not bad. At least I'm living a fulfilling life. I haven't felt this at ease in a long time."

Lu Yuanjiu took a sip of tea and replied, "Your senior uncles and senior masters are all very intelligent and eager to learn."

Zhou Qing smiled and then explained his plans to go to the capital, hoping they could help look after the sect.

The two remained silent for a moment upon hearing this.

Lu Yuanzhi gazed at Zhou Qing and said softly, "Your growth rate far exceeds my expectations. When we first met, you were only in the late Nascent Soul stage, but now you are already at the Great Perfection of the Divine Transformation stage."

“I even feel that slaying spirits would be a piece of cake for you.”

"You have your own path to walk. Taiqing Sect is now also our sect, so you can rest assured."

As she spoke, she took out a jade slip. "This is our latest compilation of insights on slaying spirits. We hope it can help you."

Zhou Qing solemnly accepted it and thanked him repeatedly.

Lu Yuanjiu then presented a uniquely shaped lamp—the lamp base was shaped like a nine-tailed fox lying down, and inside the glass lampshade was a pure white wick.

“This is a foxfire lantern,” she explained. “If you need help, Ah Chen will sense it when it is lit.”

"But if it can't be used, then it can be avoided. The current emperor, Xuanyuan Hao, might be monitoring her. After all, he tricked her with a fake Spirit Severing Realm secret formula last time at the academy."

Zhou Qing thanked him again, and the three chatted for a while longer before he took his leave.

……

“We should go too!” Two nights later, Luo Lingling quietly arrived at Zhou Qing’s residence.

Inside the room, Zhou Qing had already tidied everything up, and even thoughtfully made a small flying cap for the old hen.

"Are you sure you want to leave tonight?" Zhou Qing looked around his residence, suddenly feeling reluctant to leave. The journey to the capital was long, and he didn't know when he would be able to return.

He also planned to treat everyone to a meal at Yu Shan Tang.

"Let's go, or it will be too late!" Luo Lingling sighed softly.

Zhou Qing frowned: "What happened?"

"This afternoon, I passed by Sanhuzi's place and saw him squatting in the yard, almost plucking the crabapple blossoms bare!"

Zhou Qing's expression changed slightly.

He knew his third senior brother's problem best—every time he was torn between telling on someone, he would pluck flower petals all over the ground.

Yan Xiaohu returned from the Golden Thunder Sect this morning via the teleportation array. The two of them found him at noon and told him about their departure.

This guy started to struggle with it in the afternoon.

"Alright, let's leave tonight!" Zhou Qing said helplessly, picking up the dozing hen.

After confirming that they had brought everything, the two quickly disappeared into the night.

As the token was inserted, the barrier at the mountain gate rippled and then quickly returned to calm.

A few breaths later, several figures slowly emerged from the shadows.

The moonlight, like water, reflected the complex expressions on everyone's faces.

Mo Xingjian frowned, his eyes filled with reluctance, and Cao Zhengyang sighed heavily.

Gao Xuan's eyes were red, and he pulled the sleeping girl closer to his chest.

There is never any charity in this world that comes without a price; everything has a cost.

Back then, Zhou Qing went in alone in front of the Cangyan Dao Palace, so he must have agreed to Sikong Yan's other conditions, which is why Nannan returned to his side so quickly.

He could never repay this kindness in his lifetime!
"With Lingling following along," Cao Zhengyang patted Mo Xingjian's shoulder, but all he could say was a long sigh.

Mo Xingjian gazed at the deserted mountain path, his voice hoarse: "Young eagles must spread their wings eventually. I just hope they are safe and sound."

Yan Xiaohu grinned and sidled up to Mo Xingjian: "Master, you see, your disciple is the most considerate, isn't he? If I hadn't tipped them off, you wouldn't have even seen them one last time..."

Before he could finish speaking, a sharp "smack" rang out, and Mo Xingjian kicked him.

"What do you mean by 'last time'?!" Mo Xingjian's beard trembled with anger. "Can't you speak properly?"

Yan Xiaohu clutched his groin and jumped up and down, crying out, "Ouch! Master, you kicked my hip bone!"

Mo Xingjian sighed deeply, his sleeves trembling with anger.

"Old Mo, so ungrateful," Yan Xiaohu muttered under his breath, rubbing his sore spot. "Can't he tell the difference between good and bad people? Doesn't he even think about who will take care of him in his old age?"

……

As dawn broke, a slender figure landed on Little Spirit Peak.

Lu Yaoyao stared at the tightly closed courtyard gate, her fingertips just touching the door knocker before she pulled them back.

Tears welled up in her eyes, but ultimately didn't fall.

He knew his father's good intentions in not telling her; his cultivation was still shallow, and he could no longer keep up with his pace.

If I had known, I would have followed him and become a burden.

“It’s alright,” she wiped her eyes, her skirt billowing in a resolute arc as she turned around. “The insights I gained from the Kunpeng Palace and the Primordial Dojo are enough for me to perfect my artistic conception.”

"Father, I'll come find you once I break through to the Nascent Soul stage!"

After Lu Yaoyao finished speaking, she returned to Shenyue Peak and began her seclusion.

Now, she is truly only one step away from reaching the Nascent Soul Realm!

One month later!
Zhou Qing and Luo Lingling arrived at Lingyun Prefecture safely.

Since it was their first time visiting the capital, they wanted to do some research and planning.

At the very least, we need to get a detailed map first.

And the Vientiane Auction House is certainly the most suitable choice.

As soon as I stepped into the auction house, I heard a joyful shout: "Brother Zhou!"

Zhang Wanbao rushed down the stairs, took three steps at a time, and warmly pulled Zhou Qing to a seat, instructing the maid to serve him some fine tea and snacks.

"Brother Zhou, I'm really sorry, but since you asked me to help collect wood-attribute spirit stones, I only have one so far!"

After a brief reminiscing, Zhang Wanbao rubbed his hands together, looking ashamed.

Zhou Qing quickly replied, "You wouldn't dare say that. The one you asked Elder Fu to bring back was a great help to me."

"Why don't you come with me to Haomiao Prefecture?" Zhang Wanbao suddenly lowered his voice. "You should know the situation there recently. The southwest region is in great chaos right now."

"There are several Spirit Severing Realm experts now. I plan to restart the Treasure Pavilion over there. Maybe I can get some wood-attribute spirit stones through this."

Zhou Qing shook her head slightly, but her gaze lingered on Zhang Wanbao's noticeably thinner face: "Don't worry about that for now. I've noticed you seem to have lost a lot of weight recently?"

Upon hearing this, Zhang Wanbao's face lit up, and his eyes narrowed into slits: "I'm getting married!"

Zhou Qing was taken aback: "Congratulations! Is it Xiao Cancan?"

“Absolutely!” Zhang Wanbao rubbed his hands excitedly. “Ever since the Fifth Prince perished in the Eastern Region, and Consort Ying and the Liu family suffered misfortune, Uncle Xiao has been frowning all day long and unable to eat or sleep.”

"My fat old man has been running back and forth so much that his legs have gotten thinner from all the running," he said, patting his round belly and grinning.

"Later, thanks to the joint efforts of Taiqing Sect and Cangyan Dao Palace, the Jinlei Sect gang of thieves was captured, which finally settled the matter."

"Having gone through this ordeal, both families have come to terms with many things," Zhang Wanbao chuckled.

"Not only did they readily agree to our marriage, but that girl Can Can is also extremely adoring of me, calling me 'Brother Wanbao' all day long!"

Zhou Qing nodded slightly and said gently, "Having found such a good match, you should cherish the person before you. Has the wedding date been set?"

"The day I break through to the Nascent Soul stage!" Zhang Wanbao patted the bulging storage bag at his waist with full confidence.

"With the help of these rare and precious materials, and the foundation I have laid over the years, I will surely achieve success in less than thirty years."

Zhou Qing's divine sense stirred slightly, and he sensed that although the other party was only in the middle stage of the Golden Core realm, his spiritual power was solid and profound, and he was indeed expected to break through to the Nascent Soul realm in the short term.

Just as he was about to speak, Zhang Wanbao asked hesitantly, "Brother, will you be coming to the wedding?"

"If I have the time, I will definitely go!" Zhou Qingwen replied gently.

Thirty years has passed; he should have returned long ago, so there should be plenty of time.

The two then discussed the topographical map of the capital. Although Zhang Wanbao looked surprised, he wisely refrained from asking further questions.

Before long, a lustrous jade slip was delivered to Zhou Qing.

A sweep of divine sense revealed a remarkable level of detail in the records.

Just before parting, Zhang Wanbao suddenly stopped: "Are Cancan and Sister Tao really not going anywhere?"

Zhou Qing smiled and shook his head: "There are still people waiting for me outside. We can get together on your wedding day!"

Before he finished speaking, the man in the green robe had already gracefully disappeared into the distance.

After walking through several streets and alleys, Zhou Qing found his second senior sister in an inconspicuous inn.

Upon entering, I saw two brand-new outfits neatly arranged on the table.

"Here you go!" Luo Lingling tossed over a set of black, close-fitting clothes. "When you're out in the world, you give yourself your identity. From now on, you'll be called 'Chicken Prince'."

She glanced mischievously at the old hen on Zhou Qing's shoulder, a sly glint in her eyes.

Zhou Qing chuckled, "You and your third senior brother really do think alike."

"And what about you?" Zhou Qing asked after taking the clothes.

With a flick of her wrist, Luo Lingling produced a ferocious bronze bull's head mask in her palm.

She proudly shook her mask, her voice suddenly becoming rough and bold: "Niu Dali is here!"

Seeing Zhou Qing's helpless expression, she gently stroked her delicate face and in the blink of an eye, her charming female voice returned.

"That's what makes it interesting~ Who would have thought that 'Niu Dali' is actually such a beautiful young lady?"

She then lowered her voice, "Even if I cause any trouble in the future, no one will ever suspect me, a girl."

Hearing her senior sister's deep male voice switch instantly, Zhou Qing couldn't help but smile.

This level of caution is truly admirable.

Then, he ran his fingers over the runes on the inside of the mask, where a kind of restriction was hidden, which could block ordinary divine sense from probing.

Judging from the appearance, it wasn't bought today, but rather a treasure that my second senior sister kept hidden away.

However, with his current skill as a level three array master, if he could make some improvements, even ordinary Spirit Severing Realm cultivators would find it difficult to see through their true forms.

"How's it going on your end? Did you get the stuff?" Just as Zhou Qing was pondering, Luo Lingling suddenly leaned closer and asked.

Zhou Qing handed over the jade slip he had obtained from Zhang Wanbao.

Luo Lingling read intently, her delicate brows gradually furrowing: "It actually requires traversing four prefectures and twenty-four counties: Tianqiong, Jiuyou, Chiyan, and Canglan."

She traced the contours of the mountains and rivers on the jade slip with her fingertips and sighed softly, "Even traveling day and night, with your flying boat, it will take at least two years."

Zhou Qing nodded and sighed, "Yes, if we could use the royal private space passage, it would definitely save time, but unfortunately it's not open to the public."

"By the way, senior sister, where's the farthest you've ever been?"

Luo Lingling put down the jade slip, rested her chin on her hand, and thought for a moment before saying, "Anyway, I've never left Longyuan County. I heard from Old Mo that the governor of Longyuan County is very familiar with you?"

"We've only met a few times," Zhou Qing explained. "Back then, when the border magic array was damaged, Lord Zhong was ordered to invite Master Lin, and I was just accompanying him."

"I saw him a few more times when the Fifth Prince and Consort Ying were murdered, but that's all."

Upon hearing this, Luo Lingling pouted slightly and said, "Oh, I see."

She suddenly sighed, "Speaking of which, we've all cultivated to the Nascent Soul Realm, yet we haven't even traveled through all eight prefectures and seventy-two counties of the Holy Martial Dynasty."

"Not to mention that our fourth-level cultivation nation is the weakest among the surrounding powers."

Zhou Qing took a deep breath and said, "Yes, this world is very, very vast!"

"I want to see it with my own eyes!" Luo Lingling suddenly stood up, her bright eyes sparkling with an unusual light.

Zhou Qing met her intense gaze and nodded solemnly: "Me too."

"Then let's start our first step with the Holy Martial Dynasty!" Luo Lingling clapped her hands excitedly.

"The boss has good judgment; he went out to check things out beforehand."

Zhou Qing smiled and nodded, saying, "When we get to the capital, we'll give him a surprise."

“No, I want to give them a fright,” Luo Lingling said, her face beaming with excitement as if she had just imagined something.

"We'll disguise ourselves and ambush him on the way! You'll lead the attack from the front, and I'll provide support from the shadows. We'll scare him half to death!"

The two looked at each other and burst into laughter.

The eldest brother probably never imagined that in just a few years, the second senior sister would advance to the mid-stage of the Nascent Soul Realm, and he would become the number one person below the Spirit Severing Realm.

And so, after a hearty meal, Zhou Qing, carrying a not-so-bright old hen on his shoulder, walked side by side with Luo Lingling toward the teleportation plaza...

……

Two months later, on a clear morning, the flying boat traveled through the vast sea of ​​clouds.

Zhou Qing, who was meditating on the deck, heard a series of hurried footsteps.

"Little Qing! Where did you go? How come it's unmanned again? The airship is going out of control!" Luo Lingling shouted in panic.

"Senior sister, you stepped on my hand!" Zhou Qing replied helplessly.

"Oh dear!" Luo Lingling was startled by the sudden sound. She looked down and realized that Zhou Qing was right next to her. She quickly moved her feet away.

She patted her chest, looking like she was still in shock: "How did you appear and disappear so suddenly? As expected of a Nascent Soul Realm Great Perfection cultivator, your methods are almost on par with those old monsters in the Spirit Severing Realm!"

Zhou Qing smiled bitterly to himself.

Since arriving on the flying boat, this was the sixth time his innate skill, "Reduce Presence," had taken effect in front of his second senior sister.

Already cautious, she often found the airship unmanned, causing her to scream in fear.

If you let her take the helm, she complains that it's too tiring, saying that her younger brother is right there with her, so why should she have to worry about it?

It's better to relax in the cabin and pamper yourself.

Although she always found it strange, she always attributed it to his "Four Flowers Gathering at the Top".

"Did you need something, Senior Sister?" Zhou Qing asked, waving his hand.

Luo Lingling sat down beside him, holding the old hen, and gently combed its feathers with her fingers: "I suddenly remembered that you said you saw the boss many years ago?"

Zhou Qing nodded: "In Qingmu City."

"These past few days of traveling have been so boring, tell me more about it!"

Luo Lingling's eyes lit up, and she leaned forward unconsciously. Even the old hen in her arms stretched its neck, as if it wanted to hear some gossip.

Zhou Qing smiled helplessly and sorted out his thoughts, saying, "That day, Li Hanshan and Yu Ziqi from the Cangyan Dao Palace joined forces to set a trap, intending to scheme against me and my third senior brother."

"After I killed Yu Ziqi, Sikong Yan suddenly appeared. At that time, I had the Spirit Severing Realm strike given to me by Senior Shen Hanyi..."

"And who is Shen Hanyi?" Luo Lingling interrupted.

Zhou Qing explained, "It's that silver-haired woman wearing a veil from Canglan Mountain. I was just about to use her when my senior brother appeared with five young Nascent Soul cultivators..."

"Do you still have that treasure that allowed you to strike at the Spirit Severing Realm?" Luo Lingling interjected again, her eyes sparkling with curiosity.

"Later, when Sikong Yan set up the Four-Colored Killing Array at Canglan Mountain, I had already given it to my senior master," Zhou Qing said with a somber expression.

"It was thanks to this item that my master and the others were able to carve out a path to survival in their desperate situation and preserve the core strength of the Taiqing Sect."

Luo Lingling's eyes darted around, and she lowered her voice to ask, "Among the five young Nascent Soul Realm cultivators that the boss brought, are there any women?"

"There were indeed two," Zhou Qing recalled. "One carried an ornately carved longbow and possessed a cool and aloof demeanor; the other held a zither and had a completely different temperament."

"Sigh!" Luo Lingling suddenly slapped her thigh and sighed, "Poor Junior Sister Shi Zhen, ever since she was saved by the boss, she has been unable to forget him."

"I ran into her a while ago, okay, okay, I won't interrupt, you can continue..."

Zhou Qing had no choice but to briefly recount the general events of that day.

(End of this chapter)