The head master has a new female apprentice

Chapter 344 So, this is the truth of everything! (6k)

Sikong Yan smiled in response to Zhou Qing's question.

“That’s exactly what I’m about to say!” A deep light flashed in his eyes.

"Back then, Xuanyuan Chong—who is the old emperor you mentioned—became acquainted with a genius in alchemy, and the two became sworn brothers."

"Once, after drinking, that person inadvertently revealed that he was researching a secret formula that could increase the chances of breaking through to the Spirit Severing stage, but it was not yet fully developed."

"At that time, Xuanyuan Chong had already reached the Great Perfection of the Nascent Soul stage and was about to die, so he volunteered to test the medicine."

Zhou Qing couldn't help but interject, "So the old emperor broke through like that?"

“Not bad.” Sikong Yan smiled meaningfully. “Then guess what the first thing he did after breaking through?”

Zhou Qing's eyes darkened: "Kill them to silence them and keep the secret formula for yourself."

“Exactly!” Sikong Yan said sarcastically, “However, Xuanyuan Chong’s breakthrough was also by chance; the secret formula only had a 10% success rate at the time.”

"Later, he devoted all the resources of the dynasty to improving it, which increased the success rate to 30%—that is the version we have today."

"Even so, of the more than thirty people who tried afterward, only his younger brother Xuanyuan Shuo succeeded."

"Don't be fooled by the fact that the Holy Martial Dynasty now has more than a dozen Spirit Severing Realm cultivators; back then, they released hundreds of pills."

"People only see the glory of these Spirit Severing Realm cultivators today, but they don't see how many nameless bones have been piled up on this road."

Zhou Qing nodded thoughtfully, his eyes flashing slightly.

"Although I haven't seen the complete recipe, I've memorized two of the main ingredients," Sikong Yan said in a low voice. "One is the Xuan Tian Qing Teng, and the other is—the Nine Netherworld Demon Lotus."

"After escaping death, I believed I had some talent, so I wanted to deduce the complete secret recipe based on these two medicinal herbs."

A ruthless glint flashed in Sikong Yan's eyes: "So he took the disguise pill, changed his name to Lin Jin, and his first step was to find the Nine Nether Demon Lotus."

Upon hearing this, Zhou Qing seemed to have thought of something.

“Consort Chen…” he murmured, his voice tinged with a hint of realization.

Sikong Yan looked at him intently: "That's right, it seems you've already guessed it."

A cold smile crept across his lips. "That old fox, Xuanyuan Chong, had already secretly plundered all the Nine Nether Demon Lotuses within the Holy Martial Dynasty's territory when he announced that the Nine Nether Demon Lotus could increase the probability of slaying spirits."

"He deliberately leaked the information to lure the snake out of its hole. As soon as any clues about the Nine Netherworld Lotus appear, the royal Nascent Soul Legion will be mobilized immediately."

His tone was full of sarcasm: "That's why it was so difficult for me to find a Nine Netherworld Demon Lotus back then."

"I traveled all the way to the far north and unexpectedly met Lu Yuanchen. I learned from her that her family had been guarding a Nine Nether Demon Lotus for generations."

Zhou Qing suddenly realized: "So, you never truly loved Consort Chen?"

"Of course not," Sikong Yan scoffed. "It's purely exploitation."

“Her two older sisters are both at the Great Perfection of the Nascent Soul Realm. What can I, a mere Nascent Soul cultivator, do? I can only resort to some special methods.”

"However, she didn't like me much either, and then she married Xuanyuan Hao with the Nine Nether Demon Lotus."

Zhou Qing frowned: "She married your father, the Emperor..."

"Stop!" Sikong Yan interrupted sharply. "He is not my father. You should either call him Emperor or address him by his name, Xuanyuan Hao. I have long since severed all ties with the Xuanyuan family."

Zhou Qing had no choice but to change his tune: "Alright. She was forced to marry the Emperor. After you 'died,' your body was never found, and her eldest sister failed to sever her spirit twice, which led to her becoming like that..."

"In the end, he chose to sacrifice himself and take away the Nine Netherworld Demon Lotus, all to do the same thing as you: steal the Spirit-Slaying Secret Formula for his eldest and second eldest sisters to use..."

Sikong Yan couldn't help but laugh. "What a joke! With me as a cautionary tale, the Xuanyuan family's defenses will only be even tighter. Do you think she can succeed?"

Zhou Qing was speechless.

Because the facts are right in front of us—Consort Chen not only failed, but was also tricked by the Emperor, and now she is imprisoned.

"Then what about you and Lin Jin being two separate individuals?" Zhou Qing had no choice but to change the subject and press on.

Sikong Yan's expression was complicated: "To be honest, this is a case of trying to steal a chicken but losing the rice instead. I kept hinting to her to steal the Nine Nether Demon Lotus for me, but she always hesitated because of her sisters."

"So I decided to take a drastic step—invite her to go on an adventure in a dangerous place, and then play the hero to save her at a crucial moment. It would be best if I got seriously injured myself, after all, women are all susceptible to this."

“But I went too far.” Sikong Yan chuckled self-deprecatingly. “I wanted to pretend to risk my life to save her, then reappear a few days later covered in blood, miraculously surviving.”

"After all, the feeling of something lost and then regained is the most touching, and she will agree to any conditions you ask for."

Zhou Qing was stunned.

You really know how to have fun!

Lin Jin's heroic act of saving Consort Chen still makes Lu Yuanzhi and her sister feel guilty towards their future brother-in-law.

Who would have thought that this was a meticulously planned scam!

Sikong Yan's expression was solemn: "In that desperate situation, I was almost on the verge of death. In the end, I fell into a strange space and was completely trapped inside."

"I exhausted all means to survive, but I still ended up with only a Nascent Soul."

"Misfortune may be a blessing in disguise. I obtained a secret technique for severing spirits there. However, this technique is extremely dangerous—it requires splitting the nascent soul in two, with each part cultivating the severing spirit technique."

He paused, a shadow of malice flashing in his eyes: "But the split nascent soul will develop an independent consciousness. What if it refuses to merge, or even turns the tables and becomes the dominant force..."

At this point, his Adam's apple bobbed, and his voice deepened: "But I had no choice but to escape."

"I will name one of the Nascent Souls Lin Jin and let him leave first to reshape his physical body."

"Then they will take me out using special methods. Since my nascent soul has lost the opportunity to form a physical body, I can only possess it."

"Since we want to find a suitable body to possess, the more wealthy the better, since cultivation is too expensive."

Zhou Qing nodded thoughtfully, then his eyes suddenly lit up: "So you chose the Palace Master of the Azure Flame Dao Palace?"

"It was just a coincidence." Sikong Yan's lips curled into a faint smile: "That old fellow was ambushed by the Tianji Sect. Not only was he seriously injured and on the verge of death, but his heart's blood was also taken from him."

"My original name was Xuanyuan Xuanhuang, and my residence was also called Jintian Palace, both of which are related to fire."

"Moreover, I used to refer to myself as 'this palace,' and the Palace Master of the Azure Flame Dao Palace also refers to himself as 'this palace.' This way, I won't expose anything due to occasional slips of the tongue. It's a perfect match."

Upon hearing this, Zhou Qing understood.

If I'm not mistaken, the place of opportunity he mentioned should be the restricted area of ​​Number Seven.

No wonder when he invited me into the restricted area last time, the first thing I saw was an ice field. It turns out that the restricted area was in the hometown of Lu Yuanzhi and the others.

Moreover, last time he said that to save Nannan, he needed a spiritual herb from the forbidden area, which delayed his journey to the capital for a year or two.

Looking back now, I suppose they went to that restricted area.

These details match up one by one, so it doesn't seem like a lie.

But then again, back in the restricted area, I spoke to him as number one.

According to him, he saved Nannan out of gratitude, because he obtained the number seven token because of Nannan.

Upon closer examination, this explanation is riddled with flaws.

Perhaps repaying a debt of gratitude is indeed true, but Zhou Qing now has a new guess—the matter of saving people is probably also related to his Spirit Slaying!

However, since things have come to this point, there is no point in pursuing these matters further.

"Then why didn't you look for Consort Chen and the others after you came out..." Zhou Qinggang said, then suddenly realized what he meant.

If I'm not mistaken, when he came out, Consort Chen had already lost all hope and married into the royal family, taking the Nine Netherworld Lotus with her.

"It seems you made the right bet; Lin Jin is willing to let you fuse with him," Zhou Qing said meaningfully.

Sikong Yan nodded and said, "Yes, when I split my Nascent Soul, I left most of my feelings for my grandmother with him, so he was willing to merge with me, advance to the Spirit Severing stage, and plot revenge together."

"What a clever scheme," Zhou Qing sighed, shaking his head.

Sikong Yan didn't take it to heart: "This was a last resort. He is me, and I am him."

Zhou Qing thought for a moment and then asked, "But where did you get that Nine Netherworld Demon Lotus from in Canglan Mountain?"

Sikong Yan said frankly, "It still comes from that place of opportunity."

Zhou Qing nodded, now it was clear; it must have been obtained from that restricted area, like opening a clam to retrieve a pearl.

"With the help of your families, I used the essence blood of millions of demon beasts to ripen the Nine Nether Demon Lotus. As agreed, I also gave two to each of your families."

A hint of mockery flashed in his eyes: "The rest were tested according to my ideas. Although they all failed and no one in the Azure Flame Dao Palace made a breakthrough, it still relieved me of a worry."

Zhou Qing continued, "I was curious at first, how come you didn't refine a single one of the many Nine Nether Lotus Seeds that your Cangyan Dao Palace received? Now I see."

Sikong Yan laughed loudly: "Haha, I'm already on the path to breaking through to the Spirit Severing stage, why bother refining those things? Besides, I'm missing some things, and the risk is too great."

Zhou Qing seemed to understand something: "Now I understand why you have no feelings for the Cangyan Dao Palace at all. You didn't even care about the few geniuses I killed, and you even asked my Taiqing Sect to annex it before you left."

“That place was just a temporary stop.” Sikong Yan’s tone was icy. “Since the destruction of my mother, my grandmother, and the entire family, I have no feelings left.”

"What about the Fifth Prince?" Zhou Qing suddenly changed the subject. "He's your own brother."

A cold glint flashed in Sikong Yan's eyes: "When I stole the secret recipe, it was he who accidentally stumbled upon it and informed on me."

"As the eldest prince, countless people hoped I would make a mistake. After my maternal grandmother died, my mother was heartbroken, and after my 'death,' she died even more depressed—Consort Ying and the Liu family were 'indispensable' in this regard."

Zhou Qing pondered for a moment, then asked, "What about Gao Xianzong? Why was he killed?"

"When I was imprisoned in the Heavenly Decree Prison under his control, seeing that I had lost power, this fellow fawned over the Liu family and took great care of me."

Sikong Yan emphasized the word "take care of," his tone filled with hatred.

"So, back in the Eastern Region of Lingyun Prefecture, Lin Jin asked you for the [Bad Luck Scroll], so I made him suffer a bit first. When I break through to the Spirit Severing Realm, I'll settle all the old and new scores together."

Zhou Qing looked at him quietly, facing Sikong Yan, her heart filled with mixed feelings.

He quickly remembered something: "Your wet nurse, Granny Su, is still at Jintian Palace."

“I know.” Sikong Yan’s expression softened slightly. “She’s like a mother to me. Once this matter is settled, I will take her away and care for her until her death.”

Zhou Qing hesitated for a long time, his eyes flickering: "Now that you've advanced to the Spirit Slayer realm on your own, you no longer need that secret formula, yet you still need my help."

"If I'm not mistaken, you want me to steal that secret formula."

"Hahaha!" Sikong Yan suddenly burst into laughter, then his expression turned serious, and he lowered his voice, saying, "That's right! Do you dare?"

Zhou Qing remained silent, while Sikong Yan leaned forward: "This time, I really want to reveal the secret recipe to the public."

"Don't you want your master, senior master, and the Grand Elder to fight for you? Are you just willing to watch their lifespans run out?"

Zhou Qing felt his heart pounding violently, and his palms were already damp.

This proposal truly appealed to him.

"If we join forces, our chances of winning are very high." Sikong Yan's eyes were burning. "Tell me, do you dare?"

Zhou Qing took a deep breath and did not answer immediately.

This matter is of great importance, and he needs time to weigh the pros and cons.

Seeing this, Sikong Yan didn't urge him. Instead, he relaxed and leaned back in his chair: "Deep down, we're actually the same kind of people. We're both crazy."

"You not only completed the agreed-upon twenty-year deadline ahead of schedule, but you also exceeded it. Although I don't know what you went through," he smiled meaningfully, "I know you're even more insane than I am!"

As he spoke, he pushed a communication talisman made of green jade in front of Zhou Qing: "I'll give you time to consider. Anyway, there's plenty of time, and I also need to make some preparations."

“If you’ve made up your mind, you can contact me anytime.” He paused, then added, “If the Nangong family causes you trouble, I can arrive in time to take action.”

As he rose to leave his seat, Sikong Yan left one last sentence: "By the way, let me tell you, breaking through to the Spirit Severing stage can add six thousand years to your lifespan, which is four thousand years more than the Nascent Soul stage."

"Don't you want your master and the others to stay with you for another four thousand years? Otherwise, in another two or three hundred years, they will pass away..."

Before he finished speaking, his figure had already vanished into the teahouse like wisps of smoke.

Zhou Qing sat alone in the same spot, his brows furrowed.

Looking in the direction where Sikong Yan disappeared, he had already made up his mind.

"What a complete madman!" he muttered to himself.

But inside his chest, an irrepressible excitement was stirring.

After confirming with the "Daily Check" that there was nothing wrong with the message talisman, he got up and headed out of the teahouse.

……

"Don't worry, he's gone!" Zhou Qing said to Gui Ao and Luo Lingling who came to greet him.

Luo Lingling subconsciously tucked the old hen in her arms further inside and transmitted her voice, "Sikong Yan was already crazy back in the Eastern Region. Cooperating with him is like asking a tiger for its skin."

Ghost Hound frowned and chimed in, "Besides, he's already at the Spirit Severing Realm. During the Five Sects War, the three of us killed quite a few people from the Azure Flame Dao Palace."

Zhou Qing's gaze lingered on the two of them for a long time.

Although the eldest brother and second sister are at the Heavenly Dao Foundation Establishment stage and have a solid foundation, they can only hope to reach the Great Perfection of the Nascent Soul stage at most.

The realm of slaying spirits is still far beyond their reach.

He didn't want to see the two of them risk their lives to slay spirits in the future, only to end up dead or like Lu Yuanjiu, neither human nor ghost.

What worried him even more was his third senior brother.

The upper limit of the Earth Vein Foundation Building is destined to stop at the Nascent Soul Realm, or even the Great Perfection of the Nascent Soul Realm.

Although his third senior brother always seemed carefree and busy saving money to support their master in his old age, Zhou Qing knew that it was just a facade.

If it weren't for fulfilling the wishes of the three of them, why would the third senior brother have chosen to "lie flat"?
If possible, he also wanted his third senior brother to take that step.

All four of them are indispensable.

"Don't worry, I know what I'm doing." He smiled, concealing all his thoughts.

Neither of them knew what else to say, so Ghost Mastiff asked, "What are your plans next?"

Zhou Qing looked at the spirit stones in the storage bag.

According to the previous calculation, to condense nine thousand spirit seals, one would need forty wood-attribute spirit stones and a year of comprehension time.

With abundant resources available now, it is the perfect time to go into seclusion.

Moreover, with two people eyeing the secret recipe in succession, getting their hands on it will be an impossible task.

He had to race against time to improve his strength—especially that killing move that fused lightning with array spirit seals, the number of spirit seals directly determining its power.

"I'm planning to go into seclusion again," Zhou Qing said decisively.

The two looked at each other and nodded in unison.

The capital city is currently in turmoil, with various forces currying favor with "Young Master Chicken," and countless powerful cultivators at the Spirit Severing Realm lurking in the shadows.

It is indeed a wise move to temporarily avoid confrontation.

Moreover, the top-grade spirit stones that the fourth brother gave them were enough for them to focus on cultivation for a while.

"You and the eldest go first, I'll cover the rear," Luo Lingling said in a low voice, then gently patted the old hen in her arms, still worried.

Zhou Qing was both amused and exasperated, but she understood her second senior sister's concerns.

The three immediately split up and sped off towards the outer city.

After finding a new secluded spot, Zhou Qing carefully inserted the wood-attribute spirit stone into the Enlightenment Ancient Tea Tree Formation.

A month later, when the familiar ethereal atmosphere filled the air once more, his figure had already disappeared into the quiet room where he was in seclusion.
……

Taiqing Gate!
It has been five years since Zhou Qing left!

Just today, above the residence of the core disciples of Shenyue Peak, spiritual energy surged, clouds gathered, and a vast pressure swept across all directions!
Lu Yaoyao sat cross-legged in the center of the cave, surrounded by spiritual light, her aura rising steadily.

Her eyes were closed, and a dazzling divine light burst forth from between her brows, shooting straight into the sky!

"boom--"

The heavens and earth trembled, and a gigantic phantom of her primordial spirit, identical to her true form, slowly condensed, hanging high in the sky, majestic and vast, like a god descending upon the world!
"The primordial spirit has solidified into form, and the transformation into a divine being has been achieved!"

In the distance, Cao Zhengyang, the leader of the Taiqing Sect, stood with his hands behind his back, his eyes filled with satisfaction.

Beside him, He Han and his three senior brothers looked up at the towering, illusory image of the primordial spirit, both shocked and envious.

"The sixth brother joined the sect the latest, yet he became the second person after the eldest brother to successfully transform into a Nascent Soul cultivator," He Han said with a wry smile. "We've really wasted these past few years."

The four looked at each other, their faces filled with shame.

shhhhhh!
Several whooshing sounds rang out, and Mo Xingjian and the other peak masters who were still in the sect rushed over and stood in mid-air to watch this scene.

"This girl is truly remarkable; she has become the fifth Nascent Soul cultivator among the younger generation!" Mo Xingjian exclaimed, stroking his beard in admiration.

Cao Zhengyang nodded and said, "I have to thank Zhou Qing for this. Every time she comes back with Zhou Qing, her cultivation level improves by leaps and bounds. He is a true benefactor."

Mo Xingjian's expression darkened at the mention of Zhou Qing.

I wonder if the child and the second young lady had a smooth journey to the capital?

Have you found the leader yet?

None of these three children are easy to deal with.

The third brother, who was by his side, was the same. He was even busier than someone in the Nascent Soul stage, to the point that he was rarely seen. All he thought about was money.

"Daddy, what's that? It's so big and magnificent!"

Not far away, Nannan rode on Gao Xuan's shoulders, excitedly waving her little hand as she pointed at the illusory image of the primordial spirit in the sky.

Over five years, through their daily interactions, Nannan finally realized that the stranger named Gao Xuan was her father, Dong Lisheng.

What worries Gao Xuan is that, although he doesn't know what secret method Sikong Yan used to resurrect his daughter.

Five years have passed, but Nannan's figure and mind remain that of a five or six-year-old, except that her cultivation has reached the late stage of the Golden Core realm.

But what if it always is like this? In his eyes, she is his most precious daughter.

"That's your little deer sister's primordial spirit," Gao Xuan explained softly, his eyes full of doting affection.

Nannan swung her little feet and said innocently, "I haven't seen Sister Little Deer much since I joined the sect. I heard she's been in seclusion."

"Once she's out of quarantine, I'm going to visit her and bring her some candied hawthorns!"

"Okay, Daddy will buy you lots and lots of candied hawthorns, and you two can share them."

Gao Xuan smiled and agreed, gently pinching his daughter's rosy cheeks.

At the same time, two figures, faintly visible, stood in mid-air above the clouds.

Looking at the towering, illusory image of the primordial spirit, Lu Yuanzhi said with satisfaction, "I originally thought her artistic conception was just child's play, but I never expected that it would actually lead her to a path to heaven."

A sly glint flashed in Lu Yuanjiu's eyes: "I'm more curious to know if she'll actually 'summon' that kid Zhou Qing."

Lu Yuanzhi's eyes also lit up, and she said with curiosity, "We'll find out after she's done!"

Time passed slowly, and Lu Yaoyao's primordial spirit gradually opened her eyes. The divine light in her eyes was restrained, and then she transformed into a stream of light and returned to her original body.

She let out a long sigh of relief, a smile playing on her lips.

"Finally, I've broken through to the Nascent Soul stage!"

Feeling the surging new spiritual energy in her meridians, she couldn't hide her excitement.

Then his gaze pierced through the quiet room and looked into the distance: "Dad, I'll finally stop holding you back! I'll be able to go to the capital to find you soon!"

When she pushed open the door to the quiet room, there was already a large crowd outside.

Looking at the dense crowd in front of her, she was taken aback at first, then smiled and bowed respectfully.

"Disciple pays respects to Master, all senior uncles and elders, Supreme Elder, and fellow disciples."

Cao Zhengyang took two steps forward, carefully sensing the still unstable Nascent Soul aura emanating from her, and a gratified smile appeared on his face: "Well done, Sixth Brother!"

The other disciples were about to step forward to offer their congratulations when they saw Lu Yaoyao's figure suddenly vanish into thin air.

Everyone's expression changed drastically, and they looked at each other in bewilderment.

Cao Zhengyang and the other peak masters exchanged glances and immediately understood—it must have been Senior Lu who took the person away.

After all, Lu Yaoyao had been cultivating under her tutelage at the Baiyu Taixu Academy.

Now that she has broken through to the Nascent Soul stage, this senior is probably even more delighted than they are.

"It's alright, it's alright, everyone can go home!" Cao Zhengyang said.

Although many of the direct disciples were full of doubts, they dared not ask any more questions.

The changes at Taiqing Sect over the past two years have indeed been unpredictable.

Previously, the Golden Thunder Sect was divided between the Taiqing Sect and the Cangyan Dao Palace, but now the other party has voluntarily given up all its benefits.

The Taiqing Sect now directly controls the three major sects, and its strength has already overwhelmed the Cangyan Dao Palace.

What's even more puzzling is that the entire sect is shrouded in an inexplicable atmosphere, as if they are secretly plotting something big.

After the disciples dispersed, Cao Zhengyang turned to Mo Xingjian and the other peak masters and quietly transmitted his voice.

“Three Supreme Elders of the Azure Flame Dao Palace have already pledged allegiance and will arrive secretly tonight. You will come with me to receive them.”

Mo Xingjian frowned: "Are you sure you want to do this?"

Cao Zhengyang nodded and said, "I have been secretly planning this for more than three years. Sikong Yan should have indeed left."

"Such a good opportunity should not be missed. Besides, even if there is a trap, we still have two senior members of the Lu family to oversee things."

The peak masters exchanged glances and finally nodded slowly.

Since the headmaster has made up his mind, they will risk their lives to accompany him and go crazy with him!

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(End of this chapter)