The head master has a new female apprentice

Chapter 332 How could your broken sword possibly break through my Azure Dragon Scale Armor? (6k)

As the altitude decreased, the magnificent scenery of the capital city became increasingly clear.

The main road beneath our feet is paved entirely with crystal glass, which reflects a rainbow of colors under the sunlight.

Dozens of mechanical puppets, each hundreds of feet tall, stand majestically on both sides of the road.

These bronze colossi, powered by spirit stones, wield long halberds made of black iron, their eye sockets glowing with eerie blue spirit fire, as they meticulously carry out their patrol duties.

Above the sky, countless streaks of light streaked across the horizon.

Those were cultivators flying on magical artifacts; some rode on flying swords, some stood on jade flutes, and some even directly rode bronze alchemy furnaces through the air.

A web of colorful lights wove together, rendering the sky magnificent and extraordinary.

Faced with this magnificent sight, Zhou Qing and Luo Lingling, who were new to the place, couldn't help but stop and look around.

Only Lan Caiwei seemed to be used to it, but at this moment her brows were furrowed, as if she was thinking about something.

"Fellow Daoist Lan, where are we going next?" Zhou Qing withdrew his gaze and turned to ask.

Lan Caiwei seemed to wake up from her reverie, her fingers unconsciously twisting the hem of her clothes: "Xiang Chuan, he is in the Qixia Mountains outside the capital. We rented a cave there to settle him."

Zhou Qing frowned slightly and said helplessly, "Why didn't you say so earlier on the way here?"

"I," Lan Caiwei said, her eyes flickering, "seeing that you two are engrossed in your studies since you've just arrived in the capital, I shouldn't disturb you."

Zhou Qing sighed softly and summoned the flying boat again: "Please lead the way."

……

As the flying boat pierced through the clouds and mist, no one noticed that Lan Caiwei quietly crushed the communication jade talisman in her sleeve, and a wisp of green smoke silently dissipated into the depths of the sea of ​​clouds.

"We've arrived!" After an unknown amount of time, Lan Caiwei pointed to the mountainside cave shrouded in a thin mist below, her voice unusually soft.

Zhou Qing piloted the flying boat to land, and looking at the open gate of the cave, he looked puzzled: "Fellow Daoist Xiang Chuan is seriously injured, how come the cave's restrictions are wide open?"

Lan Caiwei frowned slightly: "Perhaps Xiang Chuan's injuries have worsened, making him unable to maintain the restriction. After all, I have been gone for more than a year."

Just as Zhou Qing was about to take a step, Luo Lingling suddenly grabbed his sleeve, a hint of wariness flashing in her eyes.

Then, turning to Lan Caiwei, she smiled warmly and said, "Fellow Daoist Lan, we are guests, while you and Senior Brother and the others are close friends. According to etiquette, you should be the one to announce our arrival first."

Lan Caiwei stiffened slightly, and after a moment's hesitation, she forced a smile: "That makes sense."

She then stepped forward and called out at the cave entrance, "Brother Xiang Chuan? Are you there? It's me, Caiwei. I've come in first..."

As she spoke, she quickly stepped into the cave, her back view revealing a hint of panic.

"This woman is seriously acting strangely!" Luo Lingling said secretly, looking at the cave in front of her.

Zhou Qing nodded slightly; she had looked preoccupied the whole way.

Logically speaking, now that they have received the life-saving medicine, they should be extremely happy.

But he couldn't sense any joy from her.

It was indeed suspicious that he had lagged behind the two of them by half a step the whole way, showing no sign of urgency.

But since the other party has supported the senior brother and the others all the way to where they are today, let's wait and see.

Just then, a scream suddenly came from inside the cave.

The two exchanged a glance, each drew their weapons, and in a flash, they had already entered the cave.

……

The cave was dimly lit, and the air was filled with a faint smell of blood, mixed with a musty, decaying odor, which was unsettling.

Zhou Qing condensed a wisp of spiritual fire at his fingertips, illuminating the surroundings.

Lan Caiwei collapsed to the ground, her face deathly pale, pointing ahead and trembling as she cried out, "Xiang Chuan... Xiang Chuan is gone!"

Luo Lingling's sharp eyes quickly scanned the interior of the cave.

Several deep, jagged scratches crisscrossed the ground and walls, as if they had been brutally cleaved by some sharp weapon.

She crouched down, her fingertips lightly touching the marks. A sharp, piercing sensation ran through her fingertips, and she frowned slightly: "They're gunshot wounds."

Zhou Qing's heart skipped a beat.

The eldest brother, Ghost Hound, used a black gun, and these marks were most likely left by him.

He suppressed his excitement, carefully examined the situation, and asked in a deep voice, "Fellow Daoist Lan, how are Fellow Daoist Xiang Chuan's injuries? Why did he suddenly disappear?"

Lan Caiwei's eyes flickered, and her voice carried a hint of panic: "I...I don't know either. When I came in, there was no one here anymore."

Luo Lingling examined the area carefully for a while longer, then frowned and analyzed, "There are signs of a fight, but the battle ended quickly, so it must have happened at least half a year ago."

Zhou Qing frowned and also searched for clues in the cave.

Soon, his gaze fell on a patch of dried blood in the corner.

He walked over slowly, dipped his fingertip in the blood, and sniffed it lightly, his brow furrowing slightly: "There's a faint fishy smell in the blood; it's clearly poisoned."

Upon hearing this, Lan Caiwei's face turned even paler, and her lips trembled slightly.

She bit her lip and suddenly said, "It's Xiang Chuan's. He was the one who was poisoned."

"Could something have happened, and the mastiff came back in time and took Xiang Chuan away?"

Zhou Qing and Luo Lingling exchanged a glance, a hint of doubt flashing in their eyes.

Zhou Qing pondered for a moment, then asked, "Who owns this cave dwelling? Isn't anyone in charge?"

Lan Caiwei managed to compose herself and explained, "The cost of living is high here in the Royal Dynasty area, and since we're renting long-term, we rented a place in a more remote area to save money."

"The other party only leases the property and doesn't care about the rights and wrongs involved."

Zhou Qing nodded.

It seems that her guess is the only explanation available now.

“Fellow Daoist Lan,” Luo Lingling asked, her gaze fixed on Lan’s expression.

"If it really was my senior brother who came back early and took Xiang Chuan away, where else could they possibly go?"

A struggle flashed in Lan Caiwei's eyes, then she said in a low voice, "There is another place to go, the Nangong family we met in the capital."

“The mastiff once saved their young master by accident, and we also lived there for a while. Perhaps we will go there.”

Luo Lingling stared intently at Lan Caiwei for a moment, then suddenly smiled and said, "In that case, let's go there and take a look. Fellow Daoist Lan, lead the way."

The three of them left the cave and boarded a flying boat, heading straight for the direction of the aristocratic family that Lan Caiwei had mentioned.

……

The flying boat pierced through the clouds, and Zhou Qing and Luo Lingling stood by the railing on the deck amidst the whistling wind.

"Senior sister, how credible do you think her words are?" Zhou Qing asked telepathically, a cold glint in her eyes.

Luo Lingling sneered, "Three parts truth, seven parts falsehood. When she mentioned that aristocratic family, her heart was filled with fear."

Zhou Qing's pupils contracted slightly. He suddenly recalled how Zou Lun had feigned mourning for the two array masters when he applied for the position of ship-stabilizing array master at the Yun Mansion in Yaoguang Prefecture.

At that time, the second senior sister immediately saw through the other person's secret joy.

It seems that Senior Sister has mastered some kind of supernatural ability that allows her to perceive other people's emotions. Could it be Nascent Soul amplification?
You should know that the Second Senior Sister seems to have refined Lingxi, which ranks eighteenth among the Heavenly Dao Qi!
The eldest brother is Zhen Yue, who ranks thirteenth!

"How about I just use soul-searching to see what's going on!" Zhou Qing's eyes flashed with killing intent.

Since Lan Caiwei was afraid when that family was mentioned, yet she still led them there, she clearly harbored malicious intentions.

Luo Lingling gently shook her head, her voice carrying a hint of gravity: "She has been away from the capital for a long time and her knowledge is limited. Now..."

She gazed intently into the distance, saying, "I'm more worried about the boss's safety."

Then she looked at Zhou Qing and said, "Instead of alerting her, let's play along and see what she's up to."

"Once we get there, I'll go in and scout, and you'll be outside to provide backup."

“No!” Zhou Qing refused outright. “I am stronger than you, and if anything unexpected happens, I am more confident that I can escape unscathed.”

Luo Lingling remained silent for a moment, then finally sighed softly, "Alright! I will set up some measures outside to support you at any time."

The two exchanged a glance and began to secretly discuss the details of the operation.

……

The flying boat cut through the clouds and headed straight for the inner city.

After some time, Luo Lingling suddenly pointed down and exclaimed, "Look! There's a food street over there!"

She turned to look at Zhou Qing, her tone becoming lighter: "I'm about to see the boss. He loves roasted chestnuts from the street vendors. I'll go buy some."

Zhou Qing nodded slightly: "Alright then, Fellow Daoist Lan and I will wait here."

"Don't worry, I'll be back soon!" Before she finished speaking, Luo Lingling had already jumped down with the old hen in her arms.

She found a general store in a few leaps and casually tossed a few spirit stones to the shopkeeper: "Shopkeeper, I have a question for you. Do you know how many families the Nangong family has in the capital?"

The shopkeeper caught the spirit stone with quick reflexes and sized up the man in front of him who was wearing a bull-head mask and had a deep accent.

He immediately put on a smile: "Sir, you've come to the right person. There's only one Nangong family..."

On the flying boat, Zhou Qing stood with his hands behind his back, his clothes fluttering in the wind.

Lan Caiwei, however, seemed somewhat restless.

Suddenly, she bowed deeply to Zhou Qing: "Fellow Daoist Zhou, Xiang Chuan loves steamed perch the most. I'd like to go down and buy him a portion as well."

“No need,” Zhou Qing interrupted. “The Nangong family you mentioned sounds extraordinary. Would such a wealthy family be short of fish?”

"But!" Lan Caiwei said urgently, "There are a thousand ways to cook a fish, and Xiang Chuan has a very discerning palate..."

"Fellow Daoist Lan," Zhou Qing's tone turned cold, "once Senior Sister returns, you just need to lead the way."

Lan Caiwei's face stiffened, and she could only force a smile and take half a step back, "Fellow Daoist Zhou is right."

She then quietly retreated to the side of the ship and gazed at the scenery, her eyes constantly scanning the street below.

Half an incense stick later, a figure suddenly leaped onto the deck, the three-inch short sword in his hand instantly lengthening, pointing directly at Lan Caiwei: "Bitch!"

"Senior Nangong! I've found the Ghost Mastiff!"

Lan Caiwei's expression changed drastically. She suddenly crushed the jade talisman in her sleeve, and her whole body transformed into twelve white afterimages, fleeing in all directions.

The furthest afterimage had already reached within thirty feet of the flying boat, and was about to disappear into the clouds.

Zhou Qing snorted coldly, and nine bolts of purple lightning suddenly struck down from the sky, each bolt hitting a stray afterimage with pinpoint accuracy.

When the tenth bolt of lightning struck, a cloud of blood mist exploded in mid-air.

Lan Caiwei's body fell like a kite with a broken string, and was entangled by the Spirit Binding Rope thrown by Zhou Qing, hanging upside down.

She curled up in agony, blood trickling from the corner of her mouth, yet she still struggled to reach out to the sea of ​​clouds below: "Senior Nangong, save me!"

"boom--"

Suddenly, a huge vortex burst open in the sea of ​​clouds, and three crimson flame beasts roared as they charged out.

Each of the ferocious beasts wore a golden ring engraved with runes around its neck, and the flames it spewed scorched and distorted the air.

On the gilded carriages they pulled, the black banners of the Nangong family fluttered in the strong wind.

"Don't be in such a hurry, little beauty." Inside the carriage, an old man with disheveled white hair was reaching his withered hand into the clothes of the female cultivator beside him, which made the woman giggle.

Another female cultivator held a glass cup and poured the spiritual wine into the old man's mouth.

Suddenly, the old man's cloudy eyes flashed with a sharp light.

He abruptly pushed the woman away from his arms, and countless ice crystals instantly formed around the carriage.

"Ghost Mastiff?!"

The old man's voice was harsh and chilling; in a flash, he appeared atop the carriage.

His wide sleeves fluttered even without wind, revealing arms covered in blue scales. He stared intently at the airship in the sky, his eyes filled with murderous intent. Then, he took a step, causing the void to tremble, and appeared in front of the airship like a ghost, meeting Zhou Qing's gaze at him.

Zhou Qing remained expressionless, raised his hand and waved, using spiritual energy ropes to pull Lan Caiwei onto the deck, then casually tied her up and tossed her aside.

At this moment, blood trickled from the corner of Lan Caiwei's mouth, and her eyes were filled with terror.

"It seems that my senior brother's matter is inextricably linked to your Nangong family," Zhou Qing said calmly, his voice eerily so.

"Eldest brother?"

Nangong Ye's gaze shifted between Zhou Qing and Luo Lingling, then he suddenly grinned maliciously.

Lan Caiwei struggled and shouted, "They are Ghost Hound's junior brothers and sisters!"

"Snapped!"

Luo Lingling raised her hand and slapped Lan Caiwei across the face, causing her mouth to split open and blood to spill out.

Just as she was about to speak, Luo Lingling flicked her finger, and a restriction sealed her mouth, leaving her only able to let out muffled groans.

Nangong Ye's eyes lit up, and he burst into laughter: "Good, good! That little bastard Gui Ao killed my Nangong family's direct descendants, today is the perfect day to take you down!"

Zhou Qing narrowed his eyes, flipped his right hand, and the Pain Wind Sword appeared out of thin air in his palm, humming continuously.

The eldest brother has always acted with integrity, and he would never kill someone unless provoked.

The Nangong family must be a group of people who bully others by abusing their power.

Since that's the case, there's nothing more to say. Let's focus on capturing the other party first to find out the specifics of what happened.

"Don't let her get away!" Zhou Qing turned to Luo Lingling and instructed her, but his eyes remained fixed on Nangong Ye.

Luo Lingling nodded, knowing that this was not the time to be stubborn.

With a flick of her wrist, dozens of spiritual ropes bound Lan Caiwei even tighter, ensuring she could not escape.

"We must finish this quickly!" Zhou Qing's eyes flashed with murderous intent.

This is the imperial capital, and they are newcomers who are unfamiliar with many of the powers here.

Since this battle is unavoidable, delaying it for too long and attracting other powerful figures will only create more trouble.

At that moment, fine lightning suddenly wrapped around the blade of the Tetanus sword. Wherever the blade passed, the air was ionized, producing a faint crackling sound.

Nangong Ye sneered, his gaze sweeping over Zhou Qing's chicken-head mask, and mocked, "You've got guts, young man, but aren't you afraid of obstructing my view with that mask on?"

Zhou Qing did not answer, but slowly raised the sword, the tip pointing directly at Nangong Ye's brow.

"Om-"

The sword rang out like a dragon's roar, and a terrifying sword intent erupted from Zhou Qing's body, instantly draining the spiritual energy within a hundred feet and transforming it into a storm of sword energy that swirled around him.

Nangong Ye's expression changed slightly, but he quickly grinned maliciously, clasped his hands together, and his spiritual energy surged like a tide.

"Since you're courting death, I'll grant your wish!"

"boom!"

Nangong Ye took a step forward, the void beneath his feet trembled, and he approached Zhou Qing like a ghost, striking out with a palm!
This palm strike, though seemingly simple, actually contained the terrifying power of a Great Perfection of the Divine Transformation Realm. Wherever the palm wind passed, space distorted, as if even light was being swallowed up.

Instead of retreating, Zhou Qing advanced, slashing horizontally with his Tetanus Sword. The lightning on the sword's edge suddenly surged, transforming into a dazzling arc of lightning that clashed head-on with the palm strike!

"boom!"

The shockwave exploded, instantly shattering the clouds within a thousand feet radius. Buildings on the ground shook, and countless cultivators looked up in horror at the fierce battle in the sky.

"A battle between cultivators at the peak of the Nascent Soul realm?" someone exclaimed.

"That looks like an elder of the Nangong family! Who's that person opposite? They can actually stand up to him head-on!"

"What has happened to the Nangong family in recent years? They've been provoked time and time again. Their ancestor was a legendary expert at the Spirit Severing Realm!"

……

Zhou Qing and Nangong Ye separated immediately upon contact, each retreating dozens of feet.

A hint of seriousness flashed in Nangong Ye's eyes. His palm strike was enough to shatter mountains, but it was blocked by Zhou Qing's sword. The force of the recoil even made his palm feel slightly numb.

"No, it's bleeding!" Looking at the cut on his palm from the rusty sword, his face turned even uglier.

Ghost Hound is at the mid-stage of the Nascent Soul Realm. Since the other party is his junior brother, his cultivation level should be even lower.

But now, he's already injured after just one initial test?
He's not a junior brother, he should be a senior brother!

That damn Lan Caiwei, she can't even get a proper response when I call out to her.

"Something capable!"

At this moment, Nangong Ye sneered, formed a hand seal, and his spiritual power suddenly materialized, condensing into a ferocious blue dragon that coiled around his right arm.

"Green Dragon Palm!"

He attacked again, this time his palm wind transformed into the shape of a dragon, roaring as it pounced on Zhou Qing, causing the space to shatter inch by inch wherever it passed!

Zhou Qing's gaze sharpened, and the lightning on the Tetanus Sword suddenly receded, while the sword's edge became even sharper.

With a single sword strike, the sword light flashed like lightning, instantly tearing apart the dragon's palm force. Its momentum remained undiminished, heading straight for Nangong Ye's throat!

Nangong Ye's pupils contracted sharply. In a haste, he dodged to the side, the sword light grazing his neck and leaving a bloody mark.

"You—!" He was shocked and furious, never expecting Zhou Qing's sword to be so fast!

Zhou Qing gave him no chance to catch his breath. In a flash, he appeared directly behind Nangong Ye, his sword sweeping across!
Nangong Ye roared, his spiritual power erupted wildly, and a layer of blue scales appeared around his body to withstand the sword strike!
"clang!"

The sound of metal clashing rang out, and Nangong Ye was cleaved hundreds of feet away by the sword. Blood spilled from the corner of his mouth, but his scales remained intact.

He grinned maliciously as he wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth: "Junior, your broken sword can't even break through my Azure Dragon Scale Armor!"

Zhou Qing's expression remained unchanged; he simply raised the tip of his sword slowly.

The lightning on the sword condensed again. This time, the lightning was no longer fine arcs of electricity, but transformed into writhing lightning snakes that coiled around the sword.

"is it?"

He took a step forward, and his figure vanished instantly!

Nangong Ye's expression changed drastically. He frantically scanned his surroundings with his spiritual sense, but could not find any trace of Zhou Qing.

"where?!"

The next instant, Zhou Qing's figure appeared directly above his head, and the Tetanus Sword, carrying the force of a thousand thunderbolts, slashed down fiercely!
"boom!"

The sword light fell like thunder from the heavens. Nangong Ye hurriedly raised his arm to block, and his Azure Dragon Scales erupted with dazzling blue light, colliding fiercely with the lightning!
"Crack!"

The scales finally gave way, and fine cracks appeared.

Nangong Ye's expression changed drastically as he frantically channeled his spiritual power to repair his scales, but Zhou Qing's sword momentum remained undiminished, and lightning poured down like a tidal wave!

"break!"

Zhou Qing gave a cold shout, and the sword suddenly pressed down!

"boom!"

The Azure Dragon's scales shattered completely, and Nangong Ye's right arm was severed by a sword, spurting blood!

"what--!"

He let out a piercing scream, his body retreating rapidly, fear finally appearing in his eyes.

"Impossible! How could a rusty, broken sword possibly pierce my Azure Dragon Scale Armor?!"

Zhou Qing did not answer, but simply stood there with his sword, the lightning on the blade still blazing fiercely.

Blood was dripping from Nangong Ye's severed arm, but he grinned maliciously and pressed his remaining left hand against his chest, spitting out a mouthful of blood!

"Young man, I admit I was careless, but do you think this is the end of it?"

His voice was hoarse like a demon's, and his spiritual power suddenly surged, condensing into a blood-red rune in the void!
"Artistic Conception: A Sea of ​​Blood and a Mountain of Corpses!"

"boom--"

In an instant, the color of the world changed!

Zhou Qing felt the scene before him suddenly distort. He was no longer surrounded by clouds and flying boats, but instead found himself in a boundless sea of ​​blood!
Blood surged and corpses floated, each drop of blood containing terrifying corrosive power.

Even more terrifying, countless hideous corpses crawled out from the sea of ​​blood, roaring as they pounced on Zhou Qing!

"Within my realm of perception, you cannot even mobilize spiritual power!"

Nangong Ye's maniacal laughter echoed in the sea of ​​blood, his figure merging with the sea of ​​blood, as if he had become the will of this world!
Zhou Qing tried to circulate his spiritual power and found that his spiritual meridians seemed to be frozen, and even the lightning on the Tetanus Sword dimmed a bit!

but--

Zhou Qing slowly closed his eyes, a strange smile curving his lips.

If he weren't currently high above the inner city of the capital, watched by countless people below, preventing him from using or exposing many of his methods...

After all, he is now the Chicken Prince, not Zhou Qing of the Taiqing Sect!

Otherwise, how could this mere Nangong Ye have been able to dart around in front of him for so long?

However, this is also good. This atmosphere, which is full of extreme killing intent towards him, is the perfect nourishment for the growth of his artistic conception.

Just like how Second Uncle used those scandalous materials to force the people of Haomiao Mansion to kill him without reservation, thus perfecting the artistic conception.

At this moment, golden ripples quietly spread from Zhou Qing's body, silently permeating the crimson realm before him.

Like a fine spider web, it is gradually analyzed, integrated, and deciphered...

Nangong Ye's one arm loomed in and out of existence amidst the sea of ​​blood as he sneered, "No matter how sharp your sword is, can it cleave through this boundless sea of ​​blood?!"

Zhou Qing remained calm, but just as the corpse demons were about to touch him, he suddenly opened his eyes!
"break!"

The word fell as if it were the pronouncement of Heaven!
"Om-"

A golden ripple spread out from Zhou Qing's body, and wherever it passed, the sea of ​​blood churned like boiling water, and the corpse demons howled and turned into ashes!

"what?!"

Nangong Ye's maniacal laughter abruptly stopped, his eyes filled with horror.

"That's enough!" Zhou Qing's eyes flashed like lightning, and the Thunderclap Sword in his hand surged with lightning.

With a single sword strike, as swift as lightning, it pierced through Nangong Ye's chest in an instant!
"Pfft!"

Blood splattered as Nangong Ye's body disintegrated inch by inch amidst the lightning.

"Do not--!"

He let out a furious roar of resentment, and his primordial spirit burst forth from his tattered body, transforming into a streak of blood-red light as he tried to escape.

Zhou Qing was prepared. With a grab of his left hand, a net of lightning instantly formed, firmly imprisoning Nangong Ye's primordial spirit.

"Want to escape?"

He sneered, stored his primordial spirit in a jade talisman, and then flashed back to the flying boat.

"go!"

Upon seeing this, Luo Lingling was overjoyed. She had already activated her flying boat and transformed into a streak of light, rushing into the distance.

Below, countless cultivators watching the battle were dumbfounded.

"The elder of the Nangong family... has been defeated?"

"Who is that person? How could he break through the realm of intent with a single sword strike and kill a Nascent Soul cultivator at the peak of the Great Perfection stage?!"

"Yes, I've never seen a battle between cultivators at the peak of the Nascent Soul stage end so quickly, and it was almost a crushing defeat."

"The Nangong family has been humiliated again, and they will probably become a laughing stock for the other dozen or so families next."

……

(End of this chapter)