The head master has a new female apprentice

Chapter 348 A madman, a complete madman! (6k)

The night was as dark as ink. A dark figure quietly left the Nangong family and disappeared into the vast darkness in a few leaps.

Under the moonlight, the figure's clothes fluttered, moving at an extremely fast speed, and in the blink of an eye, they had reached the sky above the mountains a hundred miles away.

Suddenly, two figures dressed in black robes rose into the air from the dense forest below.

After cautiously looking around and confirming that no one was following him, he sped up to catch up.

The three met above the clouds, their black robes fluttering in the wind.

"Your Highness, is everything going smoothly?" The old man in black robes on the left raised his head slightly, revealing a wrinkled and aged face.

Strangely, a faint black vertical line appeared between his eyebrows.

Xuan Yuan Yi Chen nodded, then, to be on the safe side, switched to telepathy: "It went fairly smoothly. Patriarch Nangong should be setting off for Lingyun Prefecture in the next few days, however..."

He paused for a moment, then said, "Given his cautious nature, he most likely won't use my royal teleportation array. Instead, he'll take more time and choose to travel by airship combined with the teleportation arrays of various prefectures and counties."

"This old fox is quite wary!" Chen Xuanming stroked his white beard, his eyes flashing with a sharp glint.

At this moment, the man in black robes on the right also lifted his hood, revealing a middle-aged face with sharp features.

Wu Yuanshan snorted coldly, his scar on his face contorting with his expression: "These old bastards, before they advanced to the Spirit Slayer realm, they fawned over my royal family, wishing they could rip out their hearts, livers, spleens, lungs, and kidneys to show their loyalty."

"Once they gained power, they immediately changed their arrogant attitude. Did they really think that by advancing to the Spirit Slayer realm, they could be on equal footing with our royal family?"

Xuanyuan Yichen's gaze was profound: "That's why Father Emperor decided to give them a warning. My Xuanyuan family can send them to the Azure Clouds..."

Suddenly raising his eyes, a cold glint flashed in them, "Of course, I can also send them—to the deepest hell!"

After hesitating for a moment, Chen Xuanming couldn't help but speak, his aged voice tinged with hesitation.

"Your Highness, this old servant has a question. You and Zhou Qing were acquainted, and if he could truly advance to a fourth-level array master, it would greatly benefit you. Why did he suddenly..."

Wu Yuanshan, who was standing to the side, also cast a questioning glance at him.

Xuan Yuan Yi Chen remained silent for a long time, then looked up at the bright moon in the distance, his voice ethereal: "Do you still remember the first time you came to Taiqing Sect with me?"

The two nodded in unison.

"At that time, I was repeatedly defeated by the Ghost Hound. The one who tied the knot must untie it. In order to break through the realm of intent, I made a special trip there."

A hint of reminiscence flashed in Xuan Yuan Yi Chen's eyes, "It was only then that I learned that Ghost Mastiff had a junior brother named Zhou Qing."

He chuckled self-deprecatingly, "Back then, he was only at the Foundation Establishment stage, while I was already at the Great Perfection of the Nascent Soul stage, and I even defeated the chief disciples of the twelve peaks of the Taiqing Sect."

As the night breeze blew by, his voice gradually deepened: "Now I have gone through countless hardships to break through to the early stage of the Nascent Soul realm, while he has already reached the Great Perfection of the Nascent Soul realm and is famous throughout the capital."

"Furthermore, he became a disciple of Lin Daochen, and in a short period of time surpassed his master, soon to be promoted to a fourth-level array master."

At this point, a complex look flashed in Xuan Yuan Yi Chen's eyes: "Such a person is indeed someone to be envied, jealous of, and hated!"

Chen Xuanming and Wu Yuanshan exchanged a glance and remained silent, both deeply understanding the situation.

They have worked hard all their lives to reach the Great Perfection stage, and have no hope of ever reaching the Spirit Severing Realm.

However, this person was sharp and shrewd, giving people a sense of unstoppable momentum.

"What?" Xuan Yuan Yi Chen suddenly laughed, but the smile didn't reach his eyes. "Do you think I'm narrow-minded and can't tolerate other geniuses?"

"This old servant wouldn't dare!" The two quickly shook their heads.

Xuanyuan Yichen stood with his hands behind his back, the moonlight casting shadows of varying depths on his handsome profile.

"To be honest, there is indeed hatred, but not much. After all, it's only human nature. This decision was made after much deliberation."

He sighed softly, "When Zhou Qing came to me, I didn't connect him with the Chicken Prince, but the more I thought about it afterward, the more something seemed off."

He turned to his two trusted confidants, his eyes sharp: "You know Ghost Mastiff, you're targeting the Spirit Slayer Clan, you keep that old hen, you're a formation master, and you even appeared in the capital at that critical juncture?"

With each point of doubt he raised, his voice grew colder. "The most important thing is his combat strength."

"I originally thought that he had reached his limit in dealing with the Nine Thieves of Jieyun and the six Great Perfection cultivators of Nangong, but who knew that he could kill twenty people of the same level in the blink of an eye, and even destroy the Dharma body of Ancestor Nangong."

The two looked at each other and saw the fear in each other's eyes.

“It is a blessing to meet such a person sooner,” Xuan Yuan Yi Chen continued, his voice tinged with complexity.

"As you all said, I knew his senior brother and became friends with him; I should have cherished that. But—"

His gaze sharpened: "That matter is about to succeed, and there is no room for the slightest mistake."

A glint flashed in Chen Xuanming's eyes: "Your Highness means... those items that Zhou Qing appraised?"

Upon hearing this, a cold glint flashed in Wu Yuanshan's eyes.

Xuan Yuan Yichen nodded slightly: "That's right. The source of those items is actually not far from Lingyun Prefecture. I brought them to Taiqing Sect along the way, hoping to try my luck."

"But who would have thought that no one in the entire sect could recognize him, yet a mere Foundation Establishment cultivator could see right through him in a single sentence?"

At this point, a cold smile appeared on his lips. "Thanks to his guidance, we were able to follow the clues and find more leads."

“But now,” Xuan Yuan Yi Chen’s voice suddenly turned cold, “there were too many witnesses that day. Although no one is paying attention now, just to be on the safe side.”

He made a cutting motion with his right hand.

Chen Xuanming's eyes gleamed: "So Your Highness intends to use Ancestor Nangong to eliminate future troubles forever?"

"Indeed!" Xuan Yuan Yichen let out a long sigh. "As you all saw when we rewarded them last time, all the peak masters of the Taiqing Sect have now advanced to the Great Perfection of the Nascent Soul stage, and they have even annexed the Qingyu Immortal Sect, the Tianji Sect, and the Jinlei Sect."

He paused briefly, then said, "The sect is also protected by the three-colored barrier. We cannot openly take action against such a force, lest it arouse the suspicion of the other princes."

"And even if we could take action, do you think we'd come out on top given our current resources?"

"Moreover," he gave the two men a meaningful look, "they are now benefactors of my royal family, having caught the murderer of my fifth brother. How can my Xuanyuan family repay kindness with enmity?"

The two exchanged a glance and nodded silently.

"Actually, I'm killing three birds with one stone by doing this." The next moment, Xuan Yuan Yi Chen suddenly smiled, but the smile under the moonlight carried a hint of coldness.

Seeing the questioning looks from the two men, he slowly held up three fingers:

"Firstly, it's to prevent that matter from being leaked. Last time, a young punk already stole one of our treasures; we can't afford to cause any more trouble."

"Secondly, my actions have earned the support of the Nangong family. Even if they are unwilling to help in the future, this favor will at least remain."

"Thirdly," a glint of light flashed in his eyes, "is the Emperor's high regard for me."

A sudden gust of night wind blew, and the two men's eyes shone brightly.

Xuanyuan Yichen continued, "For the past two years, Father has been secretly investigating the matter of Young Master Ji, but without any leads. Now that I have resolved this matter for him, he is overjoyed."

He smiled slightly, "You should know that if the dynasty could have a fourth-level array master to help, it would be of great benefit to the next matter."

"But for us to try and win over an already established formation master is merely icing on the cake."

He paused meaningfully, then added, "Unless—it's a matter of life and death."

"As for how this 'snow' will fall," a cold glint flashed in Xuan Yuan Yi Chen's eyes, "that depends on our arrangements."

"The Nangong family is this blizzard."

"The feud between the Nangong family and him is irreconcilable. Do you think that if Ancestor Nangong destroys the Taiqing Sect, Zhou Qing, a mere Nascent Soul Realm cultivator, can contend against a Spirit Severing Realm cultivator?"

Before the two could answer, he answered his own question: "Of course not."

"But if our royal family intervenes to save him in his most desperate moment, even at the cost of sacrificing a Spirit Slayer to avenge him."

Xuan Yuan Yi Chen's eyes flashed with a sharp light, "How do you think he will repay me?"

Upon hearing this, the two men's eyes lit up, and their breathing became slightly more rapid.

"In addition, there's the debt of gratitude he owes for killing Tu Qianyue to avenge my thirteenth brother, his friendship with my grandfather on the border, my personal relationship with him, and Mu Qian's affection for him."

Xuan Yuan Yichen's voice grew softer as he spoke, yet every word was like a knife, "Isn't all of this just a natural progression?"

Under the moonlight, his figure suddenly appeared exceptionally tall and straight: "Now my father greatly appreciates me. Last time, when my fifth brother sought revenge, it was I who went to express my gratitude on his behalf."

"In addition to this task of relieving his burden, there is also the important responsibility of constantly liaising with Zhou Qing, this level four array master."

A meaningful smile appeared on his lips. "Tell me, who else can compete with me for the position of Crown Prince?"

Chen Xuanming and Wu Yuanshan exchanged a glance and bowed in unison: "Your Highness is wise and far-sighted, your subordinate admires you."

Xuan Yuan Yichen nodded slightly, a sharp glint flashing in his eyes: "Those items from the fifth-level cultivation country will become my final bargaining chip to ascend to the position of Dragon Heir."

He suddenly changed the subject, "And for Father Emperor, this matter is also a triple win."

The two stood up and looked up.

Xuan Yuan Yichen said, "Firstly, after the destruction of Taiqing Sect, we will gain the loyalty of a fourth-level array master, which will strengthen the power of our Holy Martial Dynasty."

"Secondly, Father can also take this opportunity to warn other Spirit Slayer families and remind them of the kindness shown to them more than two thousand years ago."

"Thirdly, with Zhou Qing's assistance, the plan to integrate the major sects will be of great benefit."

"Therefore, this plan is a win-win situation for both me and my father."

The two nodded repeatedly, their eyes filled with admiration.

At this point, Xuan Yuan Yi Chen suddenly gave a self-deprecating laugh: "Was I...too despicable?"

"Your Highness, why do you say that!" Chen Xuanming quickly replied, "This is strategy, this is wisdom!"

Wu Yuanshan also said in a deep voice: "Those who achieve great things do not concern themselves with trifles. In this struggle for imperial power, benevolence is the greatest luxury."

Xuanyuan Yichen looked up at the moon, his voice ethereal: "Perhaps. As a prince in this position..."

He sighed softly, "Whether it's survival or acting, sometimes even you can't tell which face is real."

Under the moonlight, a trace of unwillingness flashed in his eyes: "But my talent is limited. Only by reaching that position can I be given the secret medicine and take that step."

He suddenly turned around, the confusion in his eyes vanishing, replaced by a chilling resolve.

"Only when I have a certain amount of power and control the lives of countless people can I make the world remember my true self, Xuanyuan Yichen!"

Upon hearing this, Chen Xuanming and Wu Yuanshan knelt down on one knee simultaneously, their eyes filled with awe.

At the same time, after the three figures rapidly passed through the clouds, a figure slowly emerged from the shadows on a mountaintop not far below.

Looking up at the three departing figures, his thick eyebrows, like those of a caterpillar, furrowed involuntarily.

He then glanced at the location of the Nangong family's residence before disappearing back into the darkness...

……

"Buzz!"

As Zhou Qing raised his hand, a strand of spiritual energy, as thin as a hair, condensed at his fingertips and gently touched the restriction in the center of the palace gate.

"Crack!"

With a barely perceptible crisp sound, the restrictions on the palace gate rippled out like water and slowly dissipated.

Zhou Qing closed his eyes and rubbed his sore eyes. Overuse of the [Double Pupil] had caused a dull ache in his temples, and nearly 30% of the spiritual energy in his sea of ​​consciousness had been depleted.

Having confirmed that the restriction had been broken, he turned and gave Sikong Yan, who was in the shadows, a meaningful look.

Sikong Yan understood, and with a flash, he stepped into the hall with him.

The moment the two stepped into the side hall, a rich spiritual energy rushed towards them.

Zhou Qing's pupils suddenly contracted, and the sight before him made him catch his breath. The inner treasury was extremely spacious, measuring a hundred feet square, with sunstones embedded in the four walls, illuminating the entire space as if it were daytime.

Inside the warehouse, dozens of rows of shelves made of black iron were neatly arranged, each filled with all sorts of treasures.

The thousand-year-old elixir glowed with rosy light within the jade box, while obscure runes flowed across the surface of the high-level magical artifact.

Rare ores emitted various spiritual halos, and piles of jade slips were shrouded in a faint light curtain.
But what is most striking are the restrictions that bind these treasures.

In their view, each treasure was covered with dense silver patterns.

These restrictive patterns are extremely complex, some resembling vines, others like intertwined chains, and still others forming small arrays that slowly rotate around the treasure.

"Old ghost Nangong has locked up all his assets like a dumpling!" Sikong Yan couldn't help but spit, but his eyes gleamed with excitement.

Fortunately, these restrictions are not the kind of restrictions that are common in the main hall, but rather temporary restrictions set up with spiritual power. Although they are complicated, they are not insurmountable.

With the two working together, it's only a matter of time before they crack the code.

Of course, you have to be careful to avoid triggering anything that might be noticed.

"Then let's each get what we want?"

Sikong Yan grinned, and before he finished speaking, he had already turned into a blur and headed straight for a materials shelf deep inside the warehouse.

Zhou Qing let out a long sigh of relief, his eyes flashing like lightning as he quickly scanned the entire inner warehouse.

Soon, his gaze settled on a row of shelves at the very back.

There were more than two hundred jade boxes neatly arranged there, each engraved with intricate runes and emitting a faint spiritual light.

"A top-grade spirit stone!" Zhou Qing's heart suddenly raced, and he strode over.

He was very familiar with the design of these jade boxes.

The Five Elements Spirit Stones that were found in the storage bags of the many Nascent Soul Realm elders who were killed in the past were stored in boxes like this.

"They should all be Five Elements Spirit Stones!" Zhou Qing's breathing quickened slightly, and he had already vaguely guessed what was going on.

If only two hundred ordinary top-grade spirit stones were placed, it would be too beneath the prestige of a family that specializes in spirit-slaying.

To ensure everything went perfectly, he activated his [Double Pupils] again, carefully examining the restrictive patterns on the jade box.

Fortunately, these restrictions are not very complex, and compared to the outer defenses, they are much easier to break.

"Nine thousand spirit seals, activate!"

He quickly formed hand seals, and spiritual light flowed around his body, with countless spiritual seals appearing and swirling around him like stars.

With a light tap of the fingertip, the spirit seal was precisely embedded into the key node of the restriction.

"untie!"

With a soft shout, the first jade box opened, and a burst of intense fire elemental energy rushed out.

Inside the box lay a top-grade fire spirit stone, its surface covered with a ring of golden sealing talismans to ensure that its spiritual power would not dissipate.

Zhou Qing took it without hesitation.

"It's a bit like using a sledgehammer to crack a nut, but it's quick!" Zhou Qing chuckled and quickly turned to the second person.

It was a wood-attribute spirit stone that he desperately desired, with a shimmering green light flowing inside, and the vitality it contained invigorated him.

Then the third, the fourth...

In less than the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, all two hundred jade boxes were emptied, while Zhou Qing's heart was still pounding violently.

Forty-one top-grade wood-attribute spirit stones, the rest being spirit stones of the other five elements.

Adding the twenty he had left over, he had more than enough materials to condense ten thousand spirit seals!

He took a deep breath to calm himself and turned to look at the other shelves.

Sikong Yan was, after all, a powerful expert at the Spirit Severing Realm, and his speed was extremely fast. He had already collected nearly half of the treasures.

Zhou Qing didn't dare to delay and immediately rushed to the other side of the spirit medicine shelf and magic weapon area, and began to frantically sweep them up.

Before long, the entire inner treasury was completely empty!

The two looked at each other through their masks and smiled simultaneously.

However, Zhou Qing's smile quickly froze.

Because he saw in Sikong Yan's eyes a near-manic excitement, and... an eager fighting spirit.

Zhou Qing's heart skipped a beat, and she immediately said warily, "Don't mess around!"

Sikong Yan grinned, a dangerous glint in his eyes: "If we just sneak away like this, who knows how long it will take them to find out the inner treasury is empty? That's too boring."

He paused, his tone growing increasingly excited: "Besides, I haven't really fought against a veteran Spirit Severing Realm expert yet, so this is a good opportunity to give it a try."

As he spoke, he patted his storage bag and took out an item.

It was a jet-black metal sphere, its surface covered with obscure runes, faintly radiating a chilling aura of destruction.

The Mysterious Fiery Thunder Explosion Bead is a terrifying magical artifact capable of destroying the entire inner treasury!
It was also the deadly weapon that Sikong Yan had extracted from the flesh wall of that restricted area.

"Go away!"

Sikong Yan casually tossed the metal ball, which traced a beautiful arc and landed steadily in the center of the inner storage room.

Then he turned to look at Zhou Qing, his eyes gleaming with a maniacal smile: "What are you all standing there for? Let's go!"

"What a madman!" Zhou Qing cursed as he rushed out of the inner warehouse.

Taking advantage of the opportunity, the two moved through the shadows, avoiding the patrolling Flame Guards, and soon arrived at the gap in the barrier that had been broken earlier.

Zhou Qing made a hand seal, and the barrier parted like ripples on water, creating a gap.

The two filed out, a cool night breeze blowing in their faces.

"You go first." Sikong Yan suddenly stopped, his voice unusually calm. "I won't drag you into this. I'll go and meet this Ancestor Nangong."

Zhou Qing gave him a deep look, then turned and left without hesitation.

With a few leaps and bounds, the figure disappeared into the vast night.

And Sikong Yan—

"Hehe. Hehehe." He chuckled softly, his shoulders twitching unnaturally.

With a flash, he appeared directly above the Nangong family's location.

"Ten, nine, eight..." he counted on his fingers, his voice growing softer and more excited, "Two one..."

Suddenly, he threw his arms wide, laughing as if embracing the whole world, and yelled, "Boom!!!"

With a soft shout, a blinding white light suddenly shone from the direction of the Nangong family's inner treasury.

Immediately afterwards——

"boom!!!!"

The deafening explosion resounded through the sky, and the entire Nangong family was shaken violently.

A giant mushroom cloud rose into the sky, and the scorching heat wave swept in all directions, leveling all the nearby buildings.

Wherever the shockwave passed, bricks and stones turned to dust, trees snapped in half, and even the three-colored barrier in the sky trembled violently, rippling outwards.

"Enemy attack! Enemy attack!"

"The vault has exploded!"

"Quickly put out the fire!"

……

The Nangong family was thrown into chaos, with countless clansmen fleeing in panic.

Several elders hurriedly set up a protective array, but were still shaken by the aftershocks and coughed up blood.

Nangong Xiongba's figure appeared in mid-air instantly, his face so gloomy it could drip water.

He quickly scanned the ruined inner vault with his divine sense and found that it was already empty.

It's obvious that everything inside was looted before the explosion!
"You're courting death!" Nangong Xiong Ba was furious. He immediately looked to the side and flashed to the outside of the Nangong family.

He stared intently at the masked figure not far away, his voice icy and chilling: "Did you do this?"

Sikong Yan stood with his hands behind his back, a slight smile playing on his lips beneath the mask: "That's right, it's me."

"Does Your Excellency have a grudge against the Nangong family?"

Nangong Xiongba also sensed the aura of the opponent's Spirit Severing Realm, and his expression grew increasingly gloomy.

"No." Sikong Yan shrugged casually. "I just feel that your Nangong family has been quite unlucky these past two years, so I wanted to make you a target for criticism."

Upon hearing this, Nangong Xiong Ba's eyes instantly blazed with murderous intent.

This is why, even though he knew that going to Lingyun Prefecture was a trap set for him by the royal family, he still had to go.

If they don't establish their authority soon, the Nangong family will become a laughingstock in the eyes of others, a soft persimmon to be squeezed at will!
"Hand over my clan's most precious treasure!!" Nangong Xiongba's voice seemed to come from the deepest hell, chilling to the bone.

"I won't hand it over." Sikong Yan's smile grew even brighter. "I'm inherently rebellious; the more you want it—"

He deliberately dragged out his words, "The more I don't want to give it, the more..."

As he spoke, he flipped his hand, and a piece of crimson "Burning Heaven Blood Jade" nimbly twirled between his fingers.

This treasure, which was taken from the imperial treasury, still exudes a scorching heat, leaving a trail of fire in the air every time it is tossed up.

"Fine! Fine! Fine!" Nangong Xiongba laughed in fury, his spiritual power erupting like a volcano. "Then so be it!"

Before he finished speaking, he raised his hand and struck out with a palm.

In an instant, the world changed color, the wind and clouds reversed, and a giant palm of spiritual power appeared out of thin air, pressing down on Sikong Yan with a world-destroying force!

Sikong Yan neither dodged nor avoided the attack; instead, he excitedly licked his lips: "Well done!"

He formed a hand seal, and a strange purple flame suddenly ignited around his body, shooting into the sky to meet the giant palm!

Two terrifying forces collided in mid-air—

"Boom!!!"

Another earth-shattering roar erupted, and a blinding flash of light instantly illuminated the entire night sky.

A violent storm of spiritual energy swept outwards like a tsunami, distorting space and shattering clouds wherever it passed.

A huge hole was forcibly torn open in the sky for hundreds of miles around, revealing a dazzling Milky Way.

On a distant mountain peak, Zhou Qing stood gazing into the distance.

Feeling the ground tremble beneath his feet, he rubbed his temples in exasperation.

"This madman..."

Zhou Qing sighed softly. He really needed to think carefully about the upcoming cooperation.
"Fine, let him play around." Sensing the ongoing energy fluctuations in the distance, Zhou Qing raised his hand and summoned his flying boat.

Then he leaped onto it and headed straight for the capital...

(End of this chapter)