The head master has a new female apprentice

Chapter 347 Xuan Yuan Yi Chen? How did he end up here? (6k)

Eight months later!

The flying boat and the spatial travel of the Spirit Slaying Realm complemented each other, and the long journey that originally took one year and five months was completed in just eight months, reaching Yaoguang Prefecture.

Zhou Qing stood in mid-air, looking down at the bustling city below, momentarily lost in thought.

I still remember the last time I came here, my second senior sister and I wandered around the streets and alleys, shopping like crazy.

At that time, I also applied for a position as a formation master at Jin Mantang, and hitched a ride on their coattails.

He also experienced the perilous Sea of ​​No Light, killed the nine leaders of the Robbery Cloud Bandits, and made a name for himself in the capital.

After all that has happened, it feels like a lifetime has passed, and I've come full circle back here.

Even more unexpectedly, the main branch of the Nangong family was actually hidden in this bustling Yaoguang Mansion.

"Are you planning to switch to the chicken head mask, or continue wearing this one?" Sikong Yan strolled over and pointed to the three-colored mask on Zhou Qing's face.

Zhou Qing gently touched the mask: "This one will do."

Switching back to the chicken head mask would only add fuel to the fire and accelerate the Nangong family's investigation into the Taiqing Sect's clues.

Sikong Yan smiled and leaned closer: "My ordinary mask can't block the divine sense of a Spirit Severing Realm cultivator, so why don't you give me one too?"

"A dignified Spirit Severing Realm cultivator afraid of being seen?" Zhou Qing glanced at him sideways. "Are you afraid of implicating the sect, or afraid of exposing the Crown Prince's identity?"

"That's a nice thing to say," Sikong Yan waved his hand. "People like to maintain a bit of mystery."

"Although these two identities are no longer relevant to me, I still can't easily show my handsome face to others."

Zhou Qing ignored his nonsense and took out the jade slip given to him by Elder Mo.

A sweep of divine sense quickly revealed the records of the Nangong family:
Nangong Xiongba broke through to the Spirit Severing Realm more than two thousand years ago with the support of the Xuanyuan royal family.

Now that he's in the early stages of the Spirit Severing Realm, and based on a lifespan of six thousand years, he should have at least two thousand more years left, truly in his prime.

Beside him is a portrait of him, depicting a burly middle-aged man with a resolute face, sharp eyebrows, and deep, unfathomable eyes that exude an imposing aura.

Breaking through the Spirit-Slaying Realm allows one to rejuvenate their appearance. The Lu sisters looked much younger back then, as did Sikong Yan.

As for the second uncle... well, he's a thousand faces, and what I saw was definitely not his true appearance.

Nobody knows exactly what it looks like.

However, the phantom that appeared in that Daoist Nangong Lu's jade pendant last time was the figure of a hunched old man. What was going on then?

"Let's get down to business. What are your plans next?" Zhou Qing asked, putting away the jade slip.

Sikong Yan looked down at the city below: "Yaoguang Prefecture is one of the nine prefectures of Tianqiong County, and the Nangong family dominates this area."

"Some people even call this place 'Nangong Mansion,' which shows how powerful it is."

"When I first entered the Nascent Soul stage, I visited the Nangong family and was quite familiar with the terrain."

Zhou Qing frowned: "How can you determine the location of the inner treasury? Perhaps all the treasures are on Nangong Xiong Ba."

“You don’t understand,” Sikong Yan said, his eyes gleaming. “The Nangong family has a history of tens of thousands of years and strict rules.”

“Even the patriarch must abide by the ancestral rules. The treasures in the inner treasury belong to the family and cannot be privately appropriated by the patriarch.”

"This is true for all sects. Do you think Cao Zhengyang of your Taiqing Sect would carry around a dozen storage bags every day?"

"What if we get intercepted and killed? Wouldn't that be like handing a treasure to someone's doorstep?"

Zhou Qing nodded slightly.

He needs to assess the risks and benefits to avoid wasting his time.

"Let's go to the Nangong family first. I'll explain the details of the journey later."

Sikong Yan patted him on the shoulder and said confidently, "Don't worry, no matter what, I, Sikong Yan, would never betray my partners."

Zhou Qing's lips twitched, and he let out a meaningful "hehe".

The five-colored restriction of Canglan Mountain self-destructed, and when dealing with Lei Wuji, the four-colored restriction was activated without any mercy.

This guy is notorious for ripping off his business partners.

……

Half a day later, the two quietly landed on the mountain range surrounding the Nangong family.

Looking around, the entire Nangong family estate resembles a lurking giant beast, nestled amidst the surrounding mountains.

Nine giant bronze cauldrons are arranged according to the nine stars of the Big Dipper, and a spiritual fire that has burned for thousands of years burns inside the cauldrons, illuminating the entire valley as if it were daytime.

In the firelight, faint streams of blue, white, and red light could be seen flowing between the cauldrons.

"Do you see those giant bronze cauldrons?" Sikong Yan lowered his voice and said solemnly, "That's the Nangong family's 'Nine Luminaries Burning Heaven Formation.' It's said that even a Spirit Severing Realm expert would have to suffer a severe injury if they tried to force their way through."

Zhou Qing narrowed his eyes, his brows furrowing slightly: "A three-colored restriction?"

“That’s right,” Sikong Yan nodded, “It’s the same level as the protective array of your Taiqing Sect. It’s said to be a good thing that was brought from the neighboring fourth-level cultivation country.”

Zhou Qing seemed to be deep in thought upon hearing this.

He remembered his second uncle saying that the Holy Martial Dynasty, as a newly promoted fourth-level cultivation country, was bordered by the Canghai Sea to the east, a third-level cultivation country to the west, and another fourth-level cultivation country, Jiuli, to the north.

To the south lies a perilous land bordering the Endless Beast Mountain, the very border region where the Peng Emperor, the Jiao Emperor, and others reside.

In addition to the Holy Martial Dynasty, Jiuli borders several other fourth-level cultivation kingdoms on three sides, and one of these cultivation kingdoms borders a fifth-level cultivation kingdom on one side.

That fifth-level cultivation kingdom was the Heavenly Fortune Holy Dynasty, where Shen Hanyi, number six, resided.

"This restriction is quite ingenious," Sikong Yan continued to explain.

"No token is needed. Instead, the identity is identified by scanning the cultivator's aura, spiritual energy fluctuations, and even pupil characteristics, completely eliminating the possibility of impersonation."

He turned to Zhou Qing and said, "So we'll have to rely on you, the master of formations, to open a side door in the restriction."

Zhou Qing nodded slightly: "Breaking the barrier isn't difficult, but what about after we get inside?"

"Well," Sikong Yan chuckled and rubbed his hands together, "let's talk about it inside."

Helpless, Zhou Qing's pupils suddenly turned into scarlet red eyes, directly piercing through the barrier to see.

The palace complex, built layer upon layer against the mountain, has faint spiritual patterns visible between its eaves and brackets.

The most striking feature is the enormous, entirely black main hall in the center.

A lifelike bronze qilin statue sits atop the palace, its eyes inlaid with fist-sized crimson gems that gleam eerily in the moonlight.

“That’s the ancestral hall of the Nangong family,” Sikong Yan pointed to an inconspicuous side hall behind the main hall. “The inner treasury is right below it. It looks unremarkable on the surface, but in reality…”

Before he could finish speaking, a melodious bell suddenly rang out.

The two quickly concealed themselves, and a squad of guards in crimson armor marched past the main hall in orderly steps, each wearing a flame-shaped badge on their chest.

“Yanwei,” Sikong Yan transmitted his voice, “is the most elite guard of the Nangong family. They are all at the early stage of the Nascent Soul Realm, and the leader is at the Great Perfection of the Nascent Soul Realm.”

Zhou Qing nodded; this formation did bear some resemblance to Zhong Yao's Blood Forbidden Army in Longyuan County.

However, upon closer inspection, the number of Nascent Soul cultivators in this area is clearly much larger.

That makes sense. Serving under a powerful being who can slay spirits might just lead to some guidance, a chance to rise above one's station and achieve great things.

“Strange.” Zhou Qing’s gaze sharpened.

Outside the mountain gate's protective barrier, hundreds of figures sat cross-legged on a floating jade platform, all exuding the aura of the Great Perfection of the Nascent Soul stage.

The protective light barrier enveloping the entire valley glowed with tri-colored light, yet these people waited quietly, seemingly seeking something.

Sikong Yan followed his gaze and said in a low voice, "I guess there are only two reasons."

He held up one finger. "Firstly, I want Nangong Xiong Ba to point out the key to breaking through to the Spirit Severing Realm."

Then he raised a second finger, "The second one."

A playful smile appeared on his lips. "Last time you killed twenty-six Great Perfection cultivators from the Nangong family. These people came to fill the vacancies because they smelled blood."

A knowing glint flashed in Zhou Qing's eyes, but he didn't reply.

He turned around, chose a secluded spot with his back against the cliff, and quietly approached.

Sikong Yan understood and followed closely behind.

……

The moonlight was like a veil, and two dark figures silently drifted down the cliff.

After confirming that no one was around, Zhou Qing stopped hiding and nine thousand spiritual seals suddenly appeared around his body, shimmering with colorful light in the night.

Not only that, its pupils suddenly split, turning into a pair of red double pupils, the deep eyes reflecting the trajectory of the restriction.

Those spiritual energy channels that ordinary people could not see were now clearly visible to him.

"This……"

Sikong Yan's pupils contracted sharply, and the excitement on his face froze instantly.

He stared intently at the nine thousand spirit seals, his heart filled with turbulent emotions.

[Heart Judgment Points +9]

The description above its head, which originally read "[Evil-level Fish]", has now twisted and changed to "[Evil-level Monster]".

That old fellow Nangong Xiong Ba is truly blind; he can't even count the number of spirit seals.

It's clearly nine thousand, but they insist it's eight thousand.

At this moment, in Zhou Qing's eyes, the flow of spiritual energy from the three-colored restriction was as clearly discernible as transparent threads.

Each restriction pattern was broken down into the most primitive rune structure in his eyes.

Under his control, the Nine Thousand Spirit Seals moved with perfect ease, precisely targeting the weakest link in the restriction.

The moment the spiritual seal came into contact with the restriction, it emitted a subtle resonance, continuously rippling outwards.

"The Spider Queen's [Double Pupil] supernatural power is indeed extraordinary," Zhou Qing thought to himself in admiration.

The bloodline talent he gained using the [Corpse-Touching Scroll] gave him an unparalleled advantage when breaking formations and refining weapons.

Sikong Yan held his breath, for he could clearly see the spiritual seals matching and pairing with the restriction at an astonishing speed.

Zhou Qing's hands moved swiftly in the void, and those terrifying restrictions that were enough to kill Nascent Soul cultivators were now like docile fish, their trajectories being gradually changed by him.

"Incredible!" Sikong Yan couldn't help but exclaim in a low voice, his eyes sparkling with envy.

Unfortunately, he wasn't very proficient in this area, and in fact, no one in the entire Xuanyuan family had any talent for it.

They set up a hall for array formations and provided the clansmen with the notes of a fourth-level array master for them to study, but after so many years, not a single person has been able to condense a spirit seal.

Now they've even opened it up to the outside world, wanting to select second-tier array master talents from other aristocratic families—it's truly laughable.

Even so, after two hours and having avoided three waves of patrolling Flame Guards, the three-colored restriction in front of Zhou Qing finally showed a ripple.

"break!"

With a low shout, the last spiritual seal fell, and the restriction cracked open.

Zhou Qingchao gave Sikong Yan a wink, and the two moved with lightning speed, quickly entering the barrier. The instant they entered, the cracks in the barrier began to repair themselves automatically.

Zhou Qing was prepared and immediately cast a concealment rune to perfectly cover up the spiritual energy fluctuations at the entrance.

It can be reactivated and released once they return.

"Follow behind me!" Sikong Yan said in a low voice.

Under the cover of night, the two figures moved like ghosts through the palaces, heading straight for the central area.

As they approached the majestic, dark main hall in the center, Sikong Yan suddenly raised his hand to signal them to stop.

The two lay hidden in the shadows. Zhou Qing's double pupils flickered slightly as he looked towards the top of the palace.

The bronze unicorn statue's eyes were inlaid with crimson gemstones, gleaming eerily in the moonlight, as if it were a living creature watching over the entire valley.

"Be careful of the Qilin Eyes," Sikong Yan warned telepathically. "Those gems are 'Blood Eye Jade,' which can see through illusions."

Zhou Qing understood, and with a flick of his finger, a thousand spirit seals quietly flew out, forming a barrier of distorted light around the two of them.

“If I’m not mistaken, Nangong Xiong Ba should be inside!” Sikong Yan pointed to the dark main hall.

Zhou Qing's gaze shifted to the side hall behind the main hall, his brows furrowing slightly: "Isn't the Imperial Treasury so close to him? Isn't this stealing right under his nose?"

"Relax," Sikong Yan said casually, pointing to himself.

"For those at the Spirit Severing Realm, the distance is only a breath's difference. If something really happens, I, the 'tall guy,' will take the fall."

Zhou Qing didn't say anything more. Just as the two of them passed the main hall, the bronze Qilin suddenly emitted a faint light.

Zhou Qing reacted quickly, grabbing Sikong Yan's shoulder and freezing the two of them instantly.

"call out--"

A beam of blood-red light shot out from the Qilin's eyes, accurately sweeping across the spot where they had just stood.

Wherever the beam of light passed, the air twisted and deformed, and even the air itself emitted a sizzling, burning sound.

"You reacted pretty quickly!" Sikong Yan turned to look at Zhou Qing's blood-red double pupils, a hint of surprise flashing in his eyes.

Zhou Qing did not respond until the pillar of light dissipated, at which point the two of them flashed to the back of the main hall.

Just as they were about to take action, Zhou Qing suddenly narrowed his eyes.

Two figures appeared, walking through the air.

One of them was dressed in the robes of an elder of the Nangong family, while the other was completely wrapped in a black cloak.

But what's most eye-catching is the small golden text floating above the person's head—[A person who can be used for an extended period!]

“Xuanyuan Yichen?” Zhou Qing’s heart skipped a beat.

You know, last time, because of the [Friends' Post], when I pretended to ask him to help me find my senior brother, he politely refused.

It is said that the royal family now knows, through the negotiations of the Duobao Merchant Guild, that Young Master Chicken killed Tu Qianyue, the leader of the Jieyun Bandits, and avenged the thirteenth prince.

The royal family naturally could no longer interfere in the affairs of the Nangong family.

They even brought up a taboo in the court, saying that a prince's private relationship with a family of slaying spirits could easily cause controversy.

So, how did he end up here at this moment?

Especially the Nangong family?
Just then, a beam of blood-red light shot out from the eye of the Qilin statue, but it vanished abruptly upon touching the two people.

A faint light flashed from the sleeve of the elder of the Nangong family, and the two of them stepped into the main hall as if they were in an empty place.

"Heh, the Spirit Slayer Clan is really busy every day."

Sikong Yan lowered his voice, a hint of excitement flashing in his eyes, "Perfect, while Old Ghost Nangong is receiving guests, let's finish this quickly."

Zhou Qing gave him a meaningful look.

This reborn son of the Xuanyuan family, who had been possessed, can no longer even sense the presence of his own blood relatives.

Was the bond of blood ties truly severed so cleanly by him?

However, this was not the time to dwell on that. The two of them turned their attention to the seemingly ordinary side hall.

The gray-white wall tiles are covered with fine, hair-like silver lines, each line flowing slowly, like the veins of a living body.

"That Qilin statue must be the core of the Three-Colored Forbidden Array. This side hall is connected to it. I'll leave the rest to you!"

Sikong Yan twisted his neck, making a slight cracking sound from his bones. "There are still five Nascent Soul Grand Perfection cultivators lurking in the shadows. I'll disrupt their senses."

Zhou Qing nodded slightly and said no more.

He leaned forward, his slender fingers lightly touching the wall, bloodshot eyes swirling, and the Nine Thousand Spirit Seals were already faintly visible around him.

Then the same method of cracking began...

……

Inside the majestic main hall, spiritual energy, like mist, flowed slowly between the gilded beams and pillars.

Nangong Xiongba sat cross-legged on a futon carved from millennia-old black jade, the nine fire python patterns embroidered on his dark gold robe appearing and disappearing in the spiritual energy.

Although this old ancestor of the Spirit Severing Realm maintained the appearance of a middle-aged man, the red vertical line between his eyebrows revealed the vicissitudes of time.

The palace doors opened silently, and the red-robed elder of the Nangong family bowed as he entered, followed by a figure completely shrouded in a dark cloak.

The elder bowed respectfully and then quietly withdrew, leaving only the man in black robes standing alone in the hall.

As the black robe was lifted, the handsome face of the Seventh Prince, Xuan Yuan Yi Chen, was revealed.

He placed his right hand on his chest and performed a standard cultivator's salute: "Junior Xuan Yuan Yichen greets Ancestor Nangong."

Nangong Xiong Ba slowly opened his eyes, his gaze flickering with crimson flames: "I remember that the Seventh Prince has always been fond of nature. What brings you to my Nangong family as a guest today?"

Xuan Yuan Yichen smiled slightly, and with a gentle wave of his wide sleeves, a breeze stirred up: "I have heard that the Ancestor has been troubled by some trivial matters in the past two years, so I have come to offer a small gift."

As he spoke, spiritual energy flowed through his palm, gradually condensing into the clear face of the Ghost Hound.

The Seventh Prince's voice was clear and bright: "I know where this fiend's master came from."

A crimson glint flashed in Nangong Xiong Ba's eyes, and the vortex of spiritual energy floating in front of him paused for a moment: "Master? He's not a rogue cultivator?"

Xuan Yuan Yichen nodded slightly, his spiritual energy shifting again, and the image of the Rooster Prince's bronze mask reappeared: "As for this one..."

He paused meaningfully, "I know even better what kind of unexpected face is hidden behind this mask."

"Conditions?" Nangong Xiong Ba asked directly, his voice like the clang of metal.

Xuanyuan Yichen chuckled and shook his head, his expression as gentle as a spring breeze: "Ancestor, you are overthinking it. I have come here simply to offer my humble assistance."

The hall fell silent instantly, with only the faint sound of spiritual energy flowing through it.

Nangong Xiongba's eyes were sharp as he scrutinized the Seventh Prince, as if trying to see through his every thought.

After a long silence, he spoke slowly, his voice carrying an undeniable authority: "I can do my part in your struggle for the throne, but don't have too high expectations."

Xuanyuan Yichen bowed again, his smile sincere: "In that case, thank you for your kindness, Ancestor."

“Now you can speak!” Nangong Xiong Ba said coldly.

Xuan Yuan Yichen raised his hand and pointed at the ghostly mastiff phantom: "This person comes from the Taiqing Sect in the Eastern Region of Lingyun Prefecture, and is a disciple of a cultivator at the Great Perfection of the Nascent Soul Realm."

He paused, then turned his fingertip to the projection of the rooster-themed mask. "As for this rooster..."

The illusory image of the mask dissipated like ripples on water, gradually revealing Zhou Qing's handsome face.

"His name is Zhou Qing, and he is the same junior brother of Ghost Mastiff. The two of them come from the same master!"

A crimson light surged in Nangong Xiongba's eyes, and his spiritual energy suddenly boiled: "Are you sure?"

“Absolutely true.” Xuan Yuan Yichen said calmly, “Because I have had dealings with them before.”

The ancestor's gaze was sharp as he carefully examined Xuan Yuan Yi Chen.

Xuan Yuan Yichen calmly replied, "To be honest, I have been in seclusion for the past two years, cultivating in seclusion."

"When the Ancestor visited the capital half a year ago, I was still in seclusion and was unable to pay my respects. Only after emerging from seclusion did I learn of the various changes that have occurred in recent years."

He pointed to the ghostly figure: "I met this person by chance when I was traveling in Lingyun Prefecture. We fought once, and we became acquainted through fighting, but our friendship was not deep."

Then, he looked at Zhou Qing's image and said, "As for whether this Chicken Prince is really his junior brother, I am only 50% sure."

"Why only 50%?" Nangong Xiong Ba asked in a deep voice.

The Seventh Prince calmly explained: "After my Fifth Brother was murdered in Lingyun Prefecture, it was the Taiqing Sect and its neighbor, the Cangyan Dao Palace, who joined forces to capture the murderer."

"I went with my grandfather on the orders of my father and grandfather to reward them. When we were at Taiqing Gate, I saw Zhou Qing raising a fat chicken."

"And that fat chicken is exactly the same as the one described by the surviving guards of the Duobao Merchant Guild."

As Xuan Yuan Yichen spoke, a hint of reminiscence flashed in his eyes, "Many years ago, Ninth Sister Mu Qian held it at Taiqing Gate, so I guess the name 'Chicken Prince' may have originated from that."

"As for why we only have a 50% chance of success," Xuan Yuan Yi Chen frowned slightly.

"Ghost Hound is only at the mid-stage of the Nascent Soul realm. His junior brother should not have advanced so quickly, let alone possess such terrifying combat power."

Nangong Xiong Ba nodded slightly: "You've considered things quite thoroughly, which is exactly what I was wondering about earlier."

His gaze was deep. "In any case, we'll know the answer once we make a trip to Lingyun Prefecture, but it will take at least a year one way."

Upon hearing this, Xuan Yuan Yi Chen's eyes flashed with a sharp light: "Our dynasty's unique spatial teleportation array can be borrowed by the ancestor for the time being. It will take at least three months to reach Lingyun Prefecture."

The crimson lines in Nangong Xiongba's eyes suddenly contracted, and his voice abruptly turned cold: "This is... your father's will?"

Xuanyuan Yichen immediately shook his head, smiling modestly: "Of course not, this is just a junior's authority as a prince, and Father Emperor is completely unaware of it."

“Otherwise, how could I dare to make a deal with you, Ancestor? Of course, if you wish to travel there by flying boat, that is also possible.”

Nangong Xiong Ba stared at the Seventh Prince for a moment, then suddenly burst into laughter: "So that's how it is, you've put a lot of thought into it."

"It is all what this junior should do!" Xuan Yuan Yichen bowed respectfully. "If there is nothing else, this junior will take his leave first, lest he be discovered by the other imperial brothers."

After receiving Nangong Xiong Ba's nod, Xuan Yuan Yi Chen turned and left.

As soon as the Seventh Prince disappeared, Nangong Xiong Ba's face instantly turned ashen: "What tricks are this father and son from the Xuanyuan family playing?"

When his only beloved disciple, Nangong Lu, died, he had personally experienced the terrifying power of that Chicken Prince's eight thousand spirit seals and thunderous killing moves.

To eliminate any future trouble, he immediately summoned the ten remaining elders at the Great Perfection of the Nascent Soul Realm within his clan. After briefly explaining the situation, he led them to the capital to conduct a secret search.

However, even before they arrived in the capital, rumors about the Chicken Prince's eight thousand spirit seals and the ancient beast wasteland had already spread like wildfire.

He's not stupid; he naturally knows who's behind this.

Enraged, he immediately conducted a soul search on the ten people and killed three traitors on the spot.

At that time, he thought the Xuanyuan family only wanted to muddy the waters.

But now the Seventh Prince has personally delivered intelligence. What is his intention?
"Fine." Nangong Xiong Ba snorted coldly, his eyes flashing with crimson lines like blood.

"No matter what, we absolutely have to go to Lingyun Prefecture, otherwise, my Nangong family will truly become a laughing stock in everyone's eyes!"

……

(End of this chapter)