The head master has a new female apprentice

Chapter 336 The Crown Prince of the Holy Martial Dynasty (6k)

Deep within an abandoned mine vein!

The ghost mastiff sat cross-legged on a blue stone, its body radiating spiritual energy.

Under Luo Lingling's meticulous care, his injuries have mostly healed.

To his surprise, through his junior sister's rambling, he learned that in the short few decades since he left the Taiqing Sect, the Eastern Region had undergone earth-shaking changes.

Qingyu Immortal Sect, Tianji Sect, Jinlei Sect, Lingku Mountain, Canglan Mountain, the Lu sisters, the former headmaster, Master Canglong...

What shocked him the most was Zhou Qing.

Now, he has not only reached the Great Perfection of the Divine Transformation Realm, but has also become the foremost array master in the Holy Martial Dynasty.

Of course, he also knew about his junior brother's Four Flowers Gathering at the Top. Many years ago, when he was still in Lingyun Mansion, he had unexpectedly encountered his second junior sister.

She once recounted in detail the time she and her master protected their junior brother in the desert.

However, this speed of advancement was simply too terrifying, even causing the second junior sister to break through to the mid-stage of the Nascent Soul realm.

The third brother has also reached the late Nascent Soul stage, and the sixth brother, whom the sect leader has recently taken in, has already grasped the rudimentary form of the concept and is striving towards the Divine Transformation stage.

You all seem to be climbing a ladder to heaven while you're cultivating.

“I can feel it,” Luo Lingling said, gently stroking the feathers of the old hen in her arms, her gaze falling on Zhou Qing, who was cultivating with his eyes closed in the temporary cave below.

"The Taiqing Sect will soon have its own Spirit Slaying Grandmaster."

Ghost Hound stretched his newly grown muscles and bones, a smile appearing on his scarred face: "They say that those who gather the three flowers at the top of their heads will surely enter the Spirit Slayer realm, and our little junior brother..."

He suddenly shook his head and chuckled, "I'm afraid the saying 'When one attains enlightenment, even his chickens and dogs ascend to heaven' will truly come true in the future."

"You're quite magnanimous," Luo Lingling glanced at him sideways, "Aren't you envious, jealous, or resentful?"

Ghost Mastiff said speechlessly, "Look at what you're saying. If it were someone else, they might say something sarcastic, but this is my junior brother. I'm overjoyed."

Luo Lingling then leaned closer and asked, "What about Zhao Hanyue and the other four?"

Ghost Mastiff's smile suddenly froze. His gaze fell on the stalactites hanging from the cave ceiling. After a moment of silence, he let out a long sigh.

"Stop making fun of me. Between me and them... never mind, let's not talk about it anymore, it's all in the past."

But then his expression darkened, and he said in a low voice, "Actually, I originally planned to return to the sect after the auction."

"Back then, I came to the capital to investigate the truth behind the war between the five sects."

He shook his head, his tone tinged with self-mockery, "Unfortunately, I lacked connections and acted impulsively, killing Nangong Xiao."

"After causing trouble, he dared not return to the sect, for fear of implicating his sect."

Upon hearing this, Luo Lingling sighed softly: "Fortunately, the war between the five sects has come to an end. The mastermind behind it all, the Fifth Prince, was killed by Sikong Yan, and his maternal clan was also wiped out."

"Old Mo once revealed that the real purpose of the Five Sects War was for the Xuanyuan family to create a completely unified cultivation kingdom."

Ghost Mastiff nodded slightly.

Over the years, he and Zhao Hanyue, among others, had speculated about this idea on several occasions.

The current emperor's ambitions are indeed far beyond imagination.

With eight prefectures and seventy-two counties, and countless sects passed down their traditions for generations, who would willingly accept an additional shackle on their head?
If unification is truly achieved, future conflicts between sects and struggles for resources will be subject to the laws of the imperial dynasty, and even killing an individual or seizing a piece of land will be punished.

“But then again…” Ghost Hound narrowed his eyes, “Now that the Holy Martial Dynasty has over a dozen Spirit Severing Realm experts, all of them have settled their direct descendants in the capital, doesn’t that mean—”

"The Xuanyuan family has already laid out a grand plan!"

He shook his head, no longer thinking about it, and said in a deep voice, "Right now, we have completely offended the Nangong family, and there is nowhere left for us in the capital."

"If we wait for that Spirit Severing Realm ancestor to arrive in person, we probably won't even have a chance to escape."

Luo Lingling frowned slightly: "But the Seventh Prince Xuan Yuan Yichen and the Ninth Princess Xuan Yuan Muqian know your identity. If we leave, what if..."

Ghost Hound sneered: "If they really wanted to leak it, they would have done so long ago. Since no one has mentioned Taiqing Sect yet, it means that guy has chosen to remain silent."

"Even so, it will probably cause trouble for the two senior members of the Lu family within the sect."

Luo Lingling nodded: "Let's wait until Xiao Aqing comes out before we discuss it..."

"I want to stay!"

Before she could finish speaking, Zhou Qing had already emerged from the cave below.

In the past two days, he refined the Blood Phoenix Tribulation Crystal condensed by more than 20 members of the Nangong family, and with his comprehension of the artistic conception, his cultivation has improved once again.

At this moment, his gaze was firm, and his tone was steady:
"Senior Brother, Second Senior Sister, since this matter arose because of us, we should face it calmly instead of hoping for a lucky escape and fleeing in panic!"

Ghost Mastiff was silent for a moment, then finally nodded: "It's not that I'm afraid of death, but I'm afraid of implicating you all. This whole thing started because of me..."

"None of your business!" Zhou Qing interrupted, a cold glint in his eyes. "Nangong Xiao is narrow-minded. Despite fair bidding at the auction, he still sought revenge in private. He deserves to die!"

Luo Lingling nodded slightly, then turned her gaze to Ghost Hound: "Boss, this matter really has nothing to do with you, so there's no need to blame yourself."

Upon hearing this, Ghost Hound was taken aback at first, then burst into laughter: "I didn't do anything wrong, so why should I blame myself? That Nangong Xiao was courting death, I was just protecting myself!"

Seeing that their senior brother didn't take it to heart, Zhou Qing and Luo Lingling exchanged a glance and secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

"Alright!" Ghost Hound waved his hand and said magnanimously, "It's fate that the three of us can reunite here. In that case, let me, your senior brother, show you around this capital city!"

The two nodded in agreement.

Zhou Qing's purpose in coming here was to obtain top-grade wood-attribute spirit stones. Although the battles along the way were fraught with danger, they also fueled his fighting spirit and improved his cultivation.

Luo Lingling sought to perfect her own artistic conception, while Gui Ao also had his own cultivation goals.

It would be too frustrating to slink back to the Eastern Regions like this.

What's more, this time, three top-grade wood-attribute spirit stones were actually found in the storage bags of the six elders of the Nangong family.

Among the relics of those twenty Nascent Soul cultivators, one was also unexpectedly discovered.

Four top-grade wood-attribute spirit stones!
In the Eastern Regions, it would probably take countless years just to gather all of these things.

……

A few days later, the three changed their appearances and quietly returned to the capital, only to learn of the dramatic changes that had taken place in the outside world in the past few days.

Everyone on the streets and alleys was talking about the mysterious "Chicken Prince".

He single-handedly fought against the nine leaders of the Jieyun Bandit Gang, killed six elders of the Nangong family, and was also a rare level three formation master...

Ghost Mastiff listened to these rumors, and although they weren't praising him, he was still full of pride, after all, this was his junior brother!
Most surprisingly, the royal family announced that they would not intervene in the matter, which secretly relieved the three of them.

"It seems that Jin Mantang mediated between them..." Zhou Qing understood and silently noted down this favor.

When Luo Lingling mentioned Zhou Qing's gains in the Battle of the Sea of ​​No Light, Ghost Hound's eyes widened in disbelief: "The Treasure Merchant Guild still owes you more than five hundred top-grade spirit stones?!"

He has traveled all the way from Qingmu City, experiencing life and death, and has only managed to accumulate seven top-grade spirit stones.

Zhou Qing not only obtained more than 360 coins after killing the bandits, but the merchant guild also incurred such a huge debt!
Zhou Qing nodded calmly: "They're desperate criminals, after all. They're quite wealthy, probably from looting."

"Then what are we waiting for!" Ghost Mastiff wrung his hands anxiously. "Let's hurry and collect the debt! What if they try to renege on their payment?"

For a "poor man" like him, this huge sum of money, without any proof, was simply unsettling.

Luo Lingling shook her head helplessly: "The situation is tense right now, let's wait until it calms down before talking about it."

Ghost Hound then realized what was happening, his expression froze, and he slapped his head in frustration: "It's all my fault... If I hadn't offended the Nangong family, you would have already received these spirit stones."

The two quickly reassured him that the matter had nothing to do with him.

Zhou Qing had other plans for the time being.

When Zhang Wanbao gave him the insider price, it was ten ordinary top-grade spirit stones in exchange for one top-grade wood-attribute spirit stone.

The Wanxiang Auction is limited to Lingyun Prefecture, while the Duobao Chamber of Commerce has thirty-five branches, and its president is a powerful expert at the Spirit Severing Realm.

If we can use its channels
The three of them stood on a bustling street in the inner city of the imperial capital, surrounded by a cacophony of voices.

Ghost Mastiff rubbed his hands together and asked in a low voice, "So where do we go next?"

Luo Lingling also turned to look at Zhou Qing, her eyes filled with inquiry.

Their choice to come from the outer city to the inner city was a testament to the saying, "The most dangerous place is the safest place."

Here, they can not only evade detection but also get the latest news immediately.

The three of them had changed into ordinary black iron masks. In a place like the capital, where all sorts of people mingle, such attire was perfectly common.

After all, there are many people in this huge city who dress even more strangely than them.

After a moment of contemplation, Zhou Qing finally spoke, "I want to find the Seventh Prince."

The [Friends' Post] shows that among his connections, the Seventh Prince, Xuan Yuan Yi Chen, can drop eight top-grade wood-attribute spirit stones and thirty ordinary top-grade spirit stones for him.

If he could obtain these, along with the four he had already acquired, he might be able to break through the six thousand mark in the number of spirit seals.

"What do you want with him?" Ghost Mastiff and Luo Lingling asked in unison, their eyes full of doubt.

Zhou Qing could only say, "I have an unresolved karmic debt with him."

Seeing that he was unwilling to say more, the two wisely stopped asking.

Ghost Mastiff slapped his thigh: "We'll go with you."

Zhou Qing shook his head with a smile, while tucking the old hen in his arms further inside: "Aren't you afraid that the three of us will be wiped out at once?"

"He dares!" Ghost Mastiff's eyes widened.

“Of course he wouldn’t dare,” Zhou Qing explained, “but the prince’s residence has many spies, and three targets would be too conspicuous.”

"Don't worry, as long as it's not someone at the Spirit Severing Realm who makes a move, no one can do anything to me."

Luo Lingling was silent for a moment before finally speaking: "I believe in Xiao Aqing. He must have his reasons for doing this. Let's not make things worse."

Seeing that even his usually cautious second junior sister said so, Ghost Mastiff had no choice but to give up.

Luo Lingling also told him about Gao Xuan and Nannan.

Perhaps the junior brother did this because Sikong Yan asked him to help with something.

Thinking of this, he immediately took out his sect's identity token and waved it: "Then we can't be too far apart. Contact me anytime if there are any problems!"

Zhou Qing took out three communication jade slips that were flashing with three colors of light from his storage bag.

This is something he made in just one day using materials he found in the storage bags of the Nangong family members after improving the chicken head and bull head masks.

These jade slips transmit messages over greater distances and with more stable signals, and cannot be blocked by ordinary restrictions. They are more than a hundred times stronger than the sect's communication tokens.

The two were utterly astonished as they watched the three-colored light flowing across the jade slip. Was this the benefit of having an array master?

It should be noted that any item with a three-color restriction is a priceless treasure on the market.

"Use this to contact them!" Zhou Qing handed the jade slip to the two of them.

The two took the jade slip and played with it with great delight, their faces filled with amazement.

……

The three traveled at a brisk pace and finally arrived at their destination two days later.

What comes into view is a magnificent palace, but it has been abandoned for many years.

The palace walls, hundreds of feet high, were dilapidated, with peeling red paint and covered in moss.

Only the three gilded characters "Jintian Palace" on the palace gate, though faded, still exude a majestic aura of the past.

The stone steps in front of the door are broken and overgrown with weeds. Several unknown birds flutter their wings and fly through the ruins, adding to the desolation.

"What is this...?" Luo Lingling frowned slightly and looked around.

Ghost Mastiff said in a deep voice, "Jintian Palace is rumored to be the residence of the First Prince, Xuanyuan Xuanhuang."

"To the west of this area are the residences of princes, princesses, and nobles."

He paused, his gaze sweeping over the surroundings. "This place has been abandoned for hundreds of years. Back then, Zhao Hanyue and I took refuge here temporarily. Besides, it's not far from Xuan Yuan Yichen's residence."

Zhou Qing nodded thoughtfully.

To be honest, he has only met a handful of princes so far—the fourth prince Bai He and the seventh prince Xuan Yuan Yi Chen.

As for the Fifth Prince, Xuanyuan Fengtai, they had never met before.

The thirteenth prince had already died at the hands of the bandit Tu Qianyue in his early years.

"The eldest prince is dead?" Zhou Qing frowned slightly as he looked at the dilapidated scene before him.

Ghost Mastiff nodded and said in a low voice, "It is said that he was poisoned and died suddenly overnight."

He raised his hand and pointed to the plaque above the palace gate. “All the princes’ residences are named with ‘fu’ (府), such as the seventh prince’s ‘Yiyunfu’ (逸云府), but the first prince’s residence is called ‘Jintiangong’ (烬天宫) – the deeper meaning of which is self-evident.”

"The Crown Prince?" Zhou Qing's eyes flashed.

"I suppose so." Ghost Mastiff sneered. "The current emperor, Xuanyuan Hao, has many children. The princes and their maternal clans are engaged in open and covert struggles. It's not surprising that this eldest prince was murdered."

He waved his hand: "Forget it, let's not talk about this anymore. These old stories have nothing to do with us."

"About half an hour to the west from here is Xuan Yuan Yi Chen's residence. Your second senior sister and I will wait here so we can provide timely assistance should anything happen."

Zhou Qing nodded in agreement and handed the old hen in his arms to Luo Lingling, asking her to take care of it for the time being.

"Alright, I'm off then. Be careful!" After giving these instructions, Zhou Qing leaped onto the wall and disappeared westward.

After Zhou Qingyuan left, Ghost Hound frowned as he looked at the plump old hen in Luo Lingling's arms: "Egg Treasure Chicken? Fourth Brother has such cultivation level, and he still carries food with him?"

Luo Lingling gently stroked the rooster's comb and laughed, "It's worth much more than you."

"Give me a break, this fat chicken?" Ghost Mastiff scoffed.

"It can lay spirit eggs and ignore the three-colored restrictions." Luo Lingling's casual remark made the Ghost Hound's eyes widen instantly.

……

Half an hour later, Zhou Qing stopped in front of an elegant mansion.

Unlike the luxurious residences of the other princes they passed on their way here, the Seventh Prince Xuan Yuan Yichen's [Yiyun Mansion] exuded a refined and otherworldly air.

The courtyard walls, built of jade, are covered with lush green vines, interspersed with tiny white flowers.

On either side of the gate of the mansion stands a thousand-year-old pine tree, its branches and trunks gnarled like dragons, its canopy like clouds.

"stop!"

In front of the mansion gate, two guards dressed in light blue outfits stood with their halberds across their sides.

Their eyes were like lightning, and spiritual energy flowed around them; they were all at the late Nascent Soul stage.

Zhou Qing remained calm and took out a deep blue token from his pocket.

The token is decorated with swirling cloud patterns, and in the center is an ancient-style character "逸" (yi), which gleams softly in the sunlight.

"Please inform him," Zhou Qing handed over the token, "An old friend requests an audience with His Highness the Seventh Prince."

The guard took the token and examined it carefully. When he saw the faint blue lotus mark on the back of the token, his expression changed immediately.

The Azure Lotus Token—only three were personally forged by the Seventh Prince, and those who held the tokens were the most distinguished guests among distinguished guests.

"Please wait a moment, esteemed guest!"

One of the guards turned and strode into the mansion. Soon after, a clear and melodious sound of jade pendants rang out from inside.

A young man dressed in a moon-white robe strode over. He had a handsome face and a composure beyond his years.

Soon, Xuan Yuan Yichen stood ten steps away, his gaze sweeping over the masked stranger in front of the door.

Although he hadn't seen his face, Xuan Yuan Yichen knew that this person was Zhou Qing.

Of the three Qinglian tokens, the owners of the first two have already visited, so it is self-evident who the remaining one belongs to.

"Brother Zhou!" Xuan Yuan Yichen laughed loudly and stepped forward in two quick strides.

Zhou Qing raised his hand and took off his mask. Rather than hiding and arousing suspicion, he would rather meet his old friend openly.

"Seventh Prince, how have you been?" Zhou Qing bowed respectfully, his voice gentle and refined. "I apologize for my unauthorized visit."

Xuanyuan Yichen, however, had already affectionately taken his arm: "There's no need for formalities between us!"

He turned to the guards and ordered, "Prepare tea, the batch of Yunding Wuya tea harvested last year."

He then happily led Zhou Qing into the mansion.

"Why did you suddenly come to the capital? If I had known this would happen, I should have come with you at Taiqing Gate last time."

"Mu Qian was talking about you just a few days ago, saying that Consort Chen tried to arrange a marriage for you at the Baiyu Taixu Courtyard, but you politely declined, and she's still holding a grudge."

……

Inside the reception room, the air was filled with the fragrance of sandalwood and tea.

The Seventh Prince, Xuan Yuan Yichen, smiled warmly and spoke with the hospitality of a host: "Brother Zhou rarely comes to the capital, so please let me do my part in showing you hospitality."

He personally poured Zhou Qing a cup of spiritual tea and casually asked, "By the way, Brother Zhou, what brings you to the capital? If you need any help, please feel free to ask."

Others might not know, but he was well aware that Zhou Qing was a formation master personally taught by Master Lin.

Not only that, the Emperor also held Zhou Qing in high regard.

Several times when they went to the border, the Emperor would secretly take Zhou Qing away, and no one knew what they were doing.

Zhou Qing lightly stroked the teacup with his fingertips, his gaze sweeping over the servants in the hall, and then he smiled and said, "I'm just here to broaden my horizons."

Xuanyuan Yichen understood immediately and waved for his men to step back.

With only the two of them remaining in the waiting hall, he looked slightly solemn and said in a low voice, "Brother Zhou, now that we're all alone, please feel free to speak your mind."

Zhou Qing did not speak directly, but instead transmitted his voice, saying, "There is indeed something, but I don't know if I should say it."

Xuanyuan Yichen paused slightly in the hand holding the pot.

For Zhou Qing to be so cautious, it must be no ordinary matter.

He nodded calmly: "Between you and me, there's no need for formalities."

"If it weren't for the Taiqing Sect's keen observation and avoidance of Consort Ying and the Liu family's trap, my fifth brother's death would probably have been attributed to me, and I'm probably still being investigated by Father Emperor."

Zhou Qing pondered for a moment, then transmitted his voice, "To be honest, I came to the capital to find my senior brother, but I heard about the Nangong family... Your Highness should understand what I mean."

Xuan Yuan Yichen's smile faltered for a moment, then he slowly said, "I am naturally aware that this matter has caused quite a stir in the city. However, there are many people in the world with the same name, so it may not necessarily be..."

Zhou Qing's eyes were sharp: "But when he was fighting back against Nangong Xiao, he carelessly allowed one of the enemy's followers to escape."

"This person not only heard how they addressed each other, but also accurately described their appearances to the Nangong family."

"That's why they were able to find Zhao Hanyue, Lan Caiwei, and the others so quickly."

Zhou Qing suddenly leaned forward: "The Nangong family now possesses portraits of my senior brother and others; Your Highness cannot be unaware of this."

"If you tell the Nangong family the address of Taiqing Sect, you will surely gain a great favor in return."

Having said that, Xuan Yuan Yichen stared at Zhou Qing for a moment and sighed, "Fine, I admit that when I heard about Ghost Hound killing Nangong Xiao, the first person I thought of was your senior brother."

"After seeing the portrait, I was even more certain. And I immediately instructed the protectors who had accompanied me to Taiqing Sect in the past, including Ninth Sister, to keep quiet about this matter."

He paused, a hint of reminiscence flashing in his eyes: "As I said before, although I am not close to your senior brother, we became friends after a fight back then."

Xuanyuan Yichen stood up, his tone becoming even more sincere: "In addition to your repair of the border array for my dynasty, and the matter of my fifth brother, I will remember all these favors."

"Moreover, the Holy Martial Dynasty has a vast territory, and your senior brother and others act cautiously, so everyone thinks they are rogue cultivators."

"Zhao Hanyue and others even sealed their memories and concealed their origins."

Upon hearing this, Zhou Qing felt a surge of gratitude.

In any case, the fact that he didn't kick someone when they were down is the best possible outcome.

Xuan Yuan Yichen changed the subject and asked with interest, "Speaking of which, I am quite interested in that 'Chicken Prince' who helped your senior brother."

"This person's combat power is astonishing. He not only completely overwhelmed the six Nascent Soul Realm Great Perfection experts of the Nangong family, but I also heard that he killed all nine experts of the Jieyun Bandit."

He walked to the window and continued, "What's even more remarkable is that he's a level three array master. I've heard that the Duobao Merchant Guild has already announced that they're willing to offer a large sum of money to recruit him."

Zhou Qing feigned a wry smile, then shook his head: "I'm more curious than Your Highness."

"I just arrived in the capital these past two days. As you know, Lingyun Prefecture is a long way from here. I have been traveling day and night for two years."

"So," Xuan Yuan Yichen said thoughtfully, "you came to find me to look for your senior brother?"

Upon careful consideration, this is indeed the case.

Zhou Qingchu had just arrived when he heard of this unexpected turn of events.

In this capital city, with no connections whatsoever, he's probably the only person I can turn to for help.

Zhou Qing nodded, his gaze sincere, and said, "That is precisely why I came. I wonder if Your Highness could offer any assistance?"

(End of this chapter)