The head master has a new female apprentice

Chapter 362 Seventh Brother... What exactly happened? (6k)
Somewhere in the Beast Mountain Range!

Here, towering ancient trees block out the sun, and thick miasma flows slowly through the forest.

"Roar--"

A deafening roar suddenly rang out, and a three-zhang-tall crimson-eyed demonic ape was seen tearing apart the carcass of an armored rhinoceros.
The splattered blood continuously stained its silvery-gray fur.

Suddenly, it raised its head alertly, its scarlet eyes fixed on a certain empty space, and a low, threatening growl emanated from between its fangs.

"Crack!"

The space shattered like a mirror, and a silvery-white crack appeared out of thin air.

A violent spatial turbulence swept out, startling all the monsters within a hundred miles into hiding.

In particular, the flocks of Ironwing Eagles in the vicinity fled in panic.

Immediately afterwards, a figure in cyan calmly stepped out of the crack, his robes fluttering as his immense divine sense swept across the surroundings.

"It doesn't seem to be too far off!" Zhou Qing took out the map, compared it with the several strangely shaped mountain ranges in the distance, and secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

Even though I'm hitching a ride, I can't just walk out of the official exit of the [Hidden Dragon Path] teleportation array in a perfectly legitimate way.

That would be far too ostentatious.

He had to keep a low profile, so when Zhou Qing was certain that he was about to reach the Great Wall at the border, he chose the nearest spatial node to disembark.

Unexpectedly, they ended up in the Ten Thousand Beasts Mountain Range.

"I'll take a stroll around Penghuang's Taiyao Mountain territory while I'm on the way. I wonder if Number Six has already left?"

With his mind made up, Zhou Qing's figure flashed, transforming into a streak of azure light and disappearing into the depths of the dense forest.

……

Three days later, at Wanyao Mountain.

When Zhou Qing returned to the place, the sight before him made his pupils shrink slightly.

The once majestic Wanyao Mountain is now a scene of devastation.

Mountains collapsed, ancient trees broke, and the earth cracked open with countless jagged fissures, as if it had been torn apart by some terrifying force.

The air was still filled with a bone-chilling cold. Even with Zhou Qing's cultivation level, he could feel the residual ice-type spiritual power—cold and sharp, as if it could freeze even his soul.

"It seems that Number Six really vented his anger." Zhou Qing muttered to himself, quickening his pace toward the core area.

Before long, Black Feather Peak, where the Peng Emperor once resided, came into view.

This once towering mountain has been completely leveled, the caves on its summit have been reduced to ruins, and thick ice crystals cover the broken walls, reflecting a dazzling cold light in the sunlight.

Recalling the scene when I, my second uncle, and Xuanyuan Shuo went to great lengths to sneak into this place, it feels like yesterday.

"The five-colored array plate is gone; it must have been moved by Xuanyuan Shuo beforehand!"

Zhou Qing remembered that when he used the [Corpse Touching Scroll] to touch Master Situ, his third last wish was that someone could help him retrieve the Five-Colored Array Plate.

It took him over three hundred years to painstakingly extract it from some ruins.

When the spoils were distributed later, the second uncle took the half-dead, ten-thousand-year-old blood ginseng, while Xuanyuan Shuo kept the five-colored array plate for himself.

However, in order to maintain stability on the border, he did not take the array with him, but left it there as a deterrent.

Faint human voices could be heard in the distance.

Zhou Qing scanned the area with his divine sense and found that the people were human soldiers wearing border armor, searching in groups of three or five through the ruins, trying to find something they could find.

"Peng Huang is long dead, so how did Shen Hanyi determine that it was him who did it?" Zhou Qing wondered.

But soon, a guess formed in his mind—the old ape!
As the strategist of the Roc King, this transformed old demon king held a prestigious position, and was deeply trusted by his direct descendants, including the Xuanhu and the Chixiao Falcon.

They must have known about the matter of Situ Jiuyao's corpse, or even been involved in it.

Shen Hanyi came here seeking revenge, and since she couldn't find Peng Huang, she naturally conducted a soul search on his confidants.

From their memories, the true culprit can certainly be identified.

"Wait a minute." Zhou Qing suddenly realized something, and his gaze sharpened.

Strictly speaking, apart from Xuanyuan Shuo and his second uncle, almost no one knew about Peng Huang's death.

Even when Xuanyuan Shuo asked him for help, and Shen Yunzhou followed him, he only saw him transform into the Peng Emperor and negotiate with other demon emperors.

He wasn't very familiar with the power structure in this area, and he didn't explain it much.

In other words, Shen Hanyi might still be wandering around this area until she finds Peng Huang, the real culprit.

"Forget it, with her cultivation level, she can practically do whatever she wants on the human border. If we run into her, we can just tell her the truth!"

Zhou Qing quickly made a decision.

If it weren't for the "Corpse-Touching Scroll" that brought him back to the scene where Master Situ once taught Shen Hanyi and Yan Sen, who would have known that he came from a fifth-level cultivation country?

Afterwards, Zhou Qing headed straight for the Great Wall on the border.
……

About two days later, Zhou Qing's figure suddenly stopped on a mountaintop, his green robe fluttering in the biting wind.

He looked up and gazed into the distance. At the end of his vision, the majestic black Great Wall lay like a sleeping dragon coiled on the vast land.

The city wall was entirely constructed of black iron and black rock, its surface covered with mottled marks of swords and dried blood.

At the top of the city wall, seven meteorites as large as mountains floated in the air, arranged in the order of the Big Dipper.

Each meteorite's surface is engraved with obscure and ancient runes, radiating a suffocating sense of oppression.

The purple-gold chains coiled around it like living things, with tens of millions of demon heads hanging from them, gently colliding in the north wind and making a chilling "click" sound.

The four-colored spiritual light of the Seven Star Demon-Binding Array flowed across the surface of the city wall, weaving together to form an indestructible barrier.

Looking at this familiar formation, a trace of reminiscence flashed in Zhou Qing's eyes.

Once upon a time, he and Master Lin repaired this formation side by side, but now, Su Lishan and Wu Tiangang, who destroyed the formation, have long since perished in the Taichu Dao Temple.

Lin Shiyi was invited by the five great Spirit Severing Realm experts to decipher the entrance to that secret realm, and he was already the number one person below the Spirit Severing Realm.

Moreover, Sikong Yan gave him the core key to this formation, so now he can even move it silently.

A sudden gust of cold wind dispelled the brief moment of confusion in his eyes.

Zhou Qing's eyes flashed sharply, his green robe fluttered without wind, and his icy voice cut like a blade slicing through the sky:
"Xuanyuan Yichen—"

"are you ready?"

Before he finished speaking, his figure transformed into a streak of azure lightning, piercing straight through the Great Wall barrier and hurtling towards the legion's encampment!

……

The Holy Martial Dynasty has nine legions stationed along the border, like nine unsheathed swords guarding different sections of the Great Wall.

Zhou Qing still remembered the scene when he fought five generals here to fulfill the bet between his second uncle and Xuan Yuanshuo.

Among them, the one with the most compatible temperament was Jiang Pojun, the Right Deputy General of the Longxiang Army—that forthright and honest man, I wonder if he is still well now?

Unfortunately, in order to perfect the final artistic conception, they will have to fight each other.

This caused a complex look to flash in Zhou Qing's eyes.

But soon, that feeling was resolutely replaced.

He did not intend to conceal his whereabouts this time, but rather to confront Xuan Yuan Yichen openly and honestly.

He wanted to see whether, after he dealt with the seventh prince, the current emperor would choose to make a drastic sacrifice and abandon his son, or would be willing to tear off all pretenses to protect this scourge.

As I pondered this, the outline of a military camp came into view ahead.

Banners fluttered, war drums resounded, and bronze palaces gleamed coldly in the sunlight.

The patrolling soldiers were clad in gleaming armor, their long spears forming a forest.

As Zhou Qing approached the military camp, several sharp divine senses locked onto him like arrows.

But the next moment, these divine senses trembled in unison and then receded like a tide.

"Hahaha--"

A hearty laugh echoed through the sky, and a burly figure descended from the heavens.

The newcomer wore a crimson-gold dragon-patterned battle armor, with a black cloak draped over his shoulders. His face was resolute, as if carved by a knife and axe, and his eyes were like torches. He was none other than Wu Zhenyue, the commander of the Dragon Soaring Army!

"Master Zhou, it really is you! I thought I was seeing things!" Wu Zhenyue's voice boomed as he stepped forward with eager eyes.

Zhou Qing smiled slightly and returned the greeting with a cupped hand: "Greetings, Commander Wu."

Wu Zhenyue looked Zhou Qing up and down, his tiger-like eyes filled with emotion: "I never expected this, I really never expected this!"

"The array apprentice who followed Master Lin to repair the array on my border years ago has now become the first level four array master of my Holy Martial Dynasty. That's incredible!"

Hearing Wu Zhenyue's words, Zhou Qing felt much more at ease.

"The Seventh Prince told you, didn't he?" Zhou Qing's eyes flickered slightly as he asked directly.

When I was promoted to a fourth-level array master, Shen Hanyi and Xuan Yuanshuo had already set off for the border.

After constantly calculating the time, Xuan Yuan Yi Chen calmly applied to go to the border, hoping to avoid the crisis by staying in the dark.

Upon hearing Zhou Qing's words, Wu Zhenyue nodded and said, "That's right, just as the Seventh Prince said. It's a pity that Your Highness has already returned to the capital. Let's not talk about this anymore, please come into the camp for a chat!"

Wu Zhenyue quickly extended an invitation.

Zhou Qing nodded in agreement, then suddenly changed the subject: "By the way, how has Jiang Pojun been lately?"

When Jiang Pojun was mentioned, Wu Zhenyue's expression froze, and a trace of grief flashed in his eyes.

Upon seeing this, Zhou Qing felt a bad premonition: "What's wrong with him?"

Wu Zhenyue sighed deeply, his voice low and somber: "Many years ago, while on patrol, he encountered a foreign expert at the Spirit Severing Realm who searched his soul... Although the prince rescued him in time, his soul was damaged."

"He had recovered under the prince's treatment, but unexpectedly, while exploring the territory of the Jiao Emperor, he was still corrupted by the obsession of the fallen Spider Emperor and became a tomb keeper."

"His sworn brothers personally saw him off on his final journey."

At this point, the Iron-Blooded Legion Commander's Adam's apple bobbed, "He used Po Jun's favorite strong liquor, and he passed away peacefully."

Upon hearing this, Zhou Qing felt as if a huge rock was pressing down on his chest, heavy and unbearable.

Based on the timeline, the foreign Spirit Slayer who made the move was most likely Yan Sen!

"It must have been Yan Sen who searched Jiang Pojun's memories to confirm my and Yao Yao's identities as members of the Taiqing Sect, which led to the later incident where he forcibly took us to the Kunpeng Secret Realm..."

Zhou Qing gritted his teeth inwardly, his heart filled with self-reproach.

"The path of cultivation is inherently about defying fate." Wu Zhenyue patted Zhou Qing's shoulder heavily with his rough hand.

His hoarse voice carried a sense of world-weariness and detachment from life and death. "Over the years, too many brothers have fallen on the border. Po Jun got what he wanted; dying on the battlefield is the fate of a soldier."

Zhou Qing remained silent for a long time before finally nodding slowly.

Throughout his cultivation journey, he has witnessed far too many life-and-death separations.

This road has always been paved with blood.

Taking a deep breath, Zhou Qing circulated his spiritual power, condensing a lifelike image in his palm: "Commander Wu, have you ever seen this person before?"

In the scene, a woman with snow-white hair stands quietly, her face veiled by a light gauze, revealing only a pair of icy blue eyes that seem to contain the cold of millennia.

"This!" Wu Zhenyue's pupils shrank sharply, and he subconsciously took half a step back, a deep sense of fear appearing on his face. "I saw her from afar; she leveled the entire Taiyao Mountain..."

Then, Wu Zhenyue described in detail what he had seen that day. "Many years ago, a strange area of ​​obsession suddenly appeared on the island where the Qingluo Beast was entrenched. It is said to be the transformation of a fallen Spirit Slayer."

"The prince went to investigate personally, but found no clues whatsoever, and even the bell-shaped beast was unaware of it."

"Later, several more demon emperors caused chaos in the Vast Expanse Prefecture, slaughtering dozens of cities."

Wu Zhenyue clenched his fist. "The prince immediately contacted five friends at the Spirit Severing Realm, who have been working tirelessly there to suppress the rebellion all these years."

At this point, he changed the subject: "But just over half a year ago, the prince suddenly rushed back to camp and ordered all legions to stay away from the area. Even the teams exploring the territory of the Jiao Emperor were all recalled."

Zhou Qing nodded slightly.

At the island of the Bell and Gong Beast, Yan Weiyi, who was in the late stage of the Spirit Slaying Realm, perished. As for the Primordial Dojo of the Vast Expanse Palace, he participated in the entire process.

"Just two months after the ban was issued, a deafening roar suddenly came from the depths of the Ten Thousand Beasts Mountain Range."

A look of fear flashed in Wu Zhenyue's eyes. "His Highness immediately led us to Penghuang's territory, where we witnessed it firsthand."

He swallowed hard: "That silver-haired senior stood in mid-air, freezing a thousand miles with a single sword strike. The entire Taiyao Mountain was reduced to ashes by her sword!"

"But strangely, the Roc Emperor never showed up. Judging from what that senior said, it seems she couldn't find the Roc Emperor either."

“What’s even stranger,” Wu Zhenyue said in a low voice, “is that the prince said something to that senior. She was clearly stunned after hearing it, and even mentioned your name.”

"Me?" Zhou Qing frowned slightly, a hint of surprise flashing in his eyes, but it quickly turned into understanding.

According to Sikong Yan, Lu Yaoyao took Shen Hanyi to Xuanyuan Yichen to inquire about her whereabouts.

Xuanyuan Yichen once sent someone to follow him, but was warned by Shen Hanyi.

In addition, Shen Hanyi had previously led the two of them across the border to Kunpeng Palace, and had even killed the Spider King along the way.

That's why Xuanyuan Shuo wanted to search his soul to see exactly where Shen Hanyi had taken them.

Combining these two events, Xuan Yuanshuo must be clear that Shen Hanyi has a close relationship with him and Lu Yaoyao.

Therefore, Zhou Qing guessed that Xuan Yuan Shuo must have told Shen Han Yi that Peng Huang was actually dead.

And he mentioned himself.

After all, although he used the Suanni bone from the bottom of Lingku Mountain to kill Peng Huang, he blamed it on his second uncle when facing Prince Xuanyuan Shuo.

Even the "Emperor's Scripture" dispelled Xuanyuan Shuo's covetousness.

Instead of stating it explicitly in the capital, he had Shen Hanyi make the trip herself, so that she could confirm for herself that Situ Jiuyao's death had nothing to do with him, Xuan Yuanshuo.

Since you have a good relationship with Zhou Qing, you can ask him later to find out if it's true or not.

That must be how it is.

"Where did she go after that?" Zhou Qing asked in a deep voice.

Wu Zhenyue shook his head and smiled bitterly: "How could we possibly fathom the whereabouts of a powerful being who has slain a spirit? She casually tore through the void and vanished in an instant."

Zhou Qing nodded slightly.

Before coming, he had guessed that if Shen Hanyi couldn't find Peng Huang, she might linger at the border.

Now it seems that she has most likely returned to the capital to verify with him.

"Let's not talk about that now!" Wu Zhenyue patted Zhou Qing's shoulder warmly. "The Seventh Prince is in the camp now. You old friends are reunited, so you must catch up properly. Let me, old Wu, also share in the good fortune of being a Level Four Master!"

Zhou Qing glanced at the patrolling soldiers in the distance and suddenly said seriously, "Commander Wu, the border soldiers have guarded the border for many years and protected hundreds of millions of people. They are all true heroes."

"Please forgive me if I have offended you in any way afterward."

"Huh?" Wu Zhenyue scratched his head, looking bewildered. "What makes you say that, Master?"

"It was just a casual remark." Zhou Qing smiled calmly, but a deep meaning flashed in his eyes before he stepped forward.

Although Wu Zhenyue was full of doubts, he could only hurry to catch up.

……

The border situation is quite tense now, and with Prince Xuanyuan Shuo absent, the other legion commanders are leading their respective legions to guard different sections.

At present, only one legion of the Longxiang Army is stationed at the main camp.

But for Zhou Qing, that was enough.

The legion has nearly a million soldiers, among whom there are countless experts at the Nascent Soul stage, and the various realms of enlightenment are enough for him to perfect his own cultivation.

Just as I entered the main hall, before I could even take a couple of sips of tea, a familiar voice came from outside.

"Brother Zhou! Oh, congratulations!"

The Seventh Prince, Xuan Yuan Yichen, walked in with a beaming smile, followed by the Ninth Princess, Xuan Yuan Muqian, who looked equally excited.

The moment Zhou Qing's gaze fell upon Xuan Yuan Yichen, a cold glint flashed in his eyes.

The note floating above his head, "Person available for extended periods," seemed particularly glaring at that moment.

Despite Xuan Yuan Yichen's enthusiastic greeting, Zhou Qing remained seated as still as a mountain, leisurely sipping his tea without even lifting his eyelids.

Xuan Yuan Yichen's smile froze for a moment, but he still forced a smile and stepped forward: "Brother Zhou, I never expected that you would become the first level four array master in the history of my Holy Martial Dynasty. You are truly remarkable."

"Brother Zhou!" Xuan Yuan Muqian excitedly interjected, "I saw the extraordinary phenomenon you manifested in the sky that day, it was just like a god descending to earth!"

Zhou Qing remained silent, only gently blowing on the surface of the tea.

Wu Zhenyue finally realized something was wrong. Zhou Qing's attitude towards the Seventh Prince and the Ninth Princess was completely different from his attitude towards him just now.

The smile on Xuan Yuan Muqian's face gradually disappeared, replaced by confusion and unease.

The atmosphere inside the hall immediately became heavy.

Xuan Yuan Yi Chen was also full of doubt, so he coughed lightly and sat down opposite Zhou Qing: "Brother Zhou, what's wrong? By the way, the capital is far from the border, how come you suddenly..."

"Is she the shield you prepared for yourself?" Zhou Qing asked, his gaze shooting towards Xuan Yuan Yichen like lightning.

"What do you mean by that, Brother Zhou? I really..."

"Don't you understand?" Zhou Qing sneered, slamming his teacup down on the table. "How could the dignified Seventh Prince of the Holy Martial Dynasty, who is so adept at strategizing and outwardly complying while inwardly resisting, not understand what I'm saying?"

Seeing this, Wu Zhenyue quickly tried to smooth things over: "Master Zhou, is there some misunderstanding between you and the Seventh Prince?"

Zhou Qing ignored him, leaned forward slightly, and stared at Xuan Yuan Yichen with eyes as sharp as knives: "Do you want me to describe in detail the scene that night when you were all wrapped up and secretly went to see Old Ghost Nangong?"

Upon hearing this, Xuan Yuan Yi Chen's fingers tightened suddenly on the armrest, but his expression remained unchanged, with only a fleeting hint of panic flashing in his eyes.

"Brother Zhou, this is absolutely a misunderstanding!" His voice involuntarily tightened.

"Back in Yiyun Manor, I said that due to my father's prohibition and the surveillance of my other brothers, I dared not contact the Zhanling Clan at all, let alone give it to Nangong Xiong Ba..."

"Did I say that Nangong the Old Ghost is Nangong Xiong Ba?" Zhou Qing's voice suddenly turned cold, interrupting him directly.

Xuan Yuan Yi Chen's face turned deathly pale instantly, and his lips trembled uncontrollably.

"I..." His Adam's apple bobbed with difficulty, his voice was dry, and fine beads of sweat appeared on his forehead.

The air inside the hall seemed to freeze; even breathing could be clearly heard.

Xuan Yuan Muqian bit her lip nervously, while Wu Zhenyue narrowed his eyes, his gaze sweeping back and forth between the two of them.

Zhou Qing watched Xuan Yuan Yichen's flustered state with a calm and collected expression, a cold smile curving his lips.

"Brother Zhou," Xuan Yuan Muqian said timidly, but was stopped by a look from Zhou Qing.

He glanced indifferently at the Ninth Princess; there were still two spots available for the [Heart's Eye] skill.

He originally intended to use one of his abilities to bind her and see if she would participate as well.

But then I felt it was unnecessary. Xuan Yuan Yichen was going to die today, so we could just search his soul directly. Why bother with all that?
"Let's not beat around the bush." ​​Zhou Qing's voice was icy, each word seemingly carrying a chilling killing intent.

"Old Ghost Nangong already told me that without your tip-off, how could he have locked onto the Taiqing Sect so quickly? The reason I haven't made a move yet is just to ask you one question—"

"why?"

As the last word fell, Xuan Yuan Yichen suddenly stood up, and the chair behind him crashed to the ground.

His eyes were bloodshot as he stared intently at Zhou Qing, his former gentle and refined demeanor completely gone.

This scene startled Xuan Yuan Muqian so much that she staggered to her feet.

She looked at her seventh brother and quickly asked, "Seventh... what exactly happened?"

Xuan Yuan Yichen seemed not to hear, and suddenly burst into a hoarse laugh: "Brother Zhou, that's a brilliant joke!"

"As far as I know, Nangong Xiongba was severely injured by the combined attack of three Spirit Severing Realm experts from your sect. He was left with only a wisp of remnant soul and fled in panic. He has been missing for many years."

"How can such a scoundrel accuse me of leaking the secret?"

Zhou Qing simply watched him quietly.

Yes, Old Ghost Nangong was secretly rescued by your imperial grandfather, and who knows where he is now. Of course, he had no chance to tell me.

"So, you think I'm bluffing you?" Zhou Qing sneered.

Xuan Yuan Yichen stepped forward and said, "I don't know who instigated Brother Zhou, but Brother Gui is my close friend, and Brother Zhou has repeatedly lent a helping hand."

"How could I, Xuanyuan Yichen, be an ungrateful wretch? If I truly wanted to leak information, I could have done so when the Nangong family issued the arrest warrant. Why wait until today?"

Xuan Yuan Muqian finally understood.

After all, the rumors that Nangong Xiong Ba's sneak attack on Taiqing Gate resulted in severe damage had already spread throughout the capital city in recent months.

She rushed forward: "Brother Zhou, this must be a misunderstanding! Seventh Prince, he..."

"Then let him swear an oath to Heaven." Zhou Qing interrupted coldly.

Xuan Yuan Yichen's pupils suddenly contracted, and a cold glint flashed in his eyes.

Xuan Yuan Muqian hurriedly grabbed his sleeve, her voice trembling with tears: "Seventh Brother—"

Xuan Yuan Yichen stared at Zhou Qing, the anger on his face suddenly receding, replaced by a chilling calm.

A vow to Heaven?

Just ridiculous.

His abilities are limited, and all these years he has kept a low profile and endured humiliation, all for the sake of one day being able to ascend to that supreme position.
As the future emperor, he will undoubtedly receive the full support and cultivation of his grandfather and father.

Even if he is of mediocre talent, the royal family will spare no expense to forcibly help him break through to the Great Perfection of the Nascent Soul stage using secret methods and elixirs.

Then, with that secret medicine, he could also have a chance to try his hand at the Spirit Severing Realm.

Only in this way can one rule over the vast territory of this great dynasty with supreme power.

However, once he made the oath to the Heavenly Dao, his Dao heart was damaged. The probability of breaking through with the secret medicine was already low, and this blow directly prevented him from ever reaching that step.

Moreover, Zhou Qing's confident demeanor clearly indicated that he had already obtained conclusive evidence.

To continue making excuses will only bring shame upon oneself.

“I’m confident I’ve done a flawless job,” he suddenly chuckled, but a dangerous glint flashed in his eyes. “Who exactly leaked the information?”

Upon hearing this, Xuan Yuan Muqian trembled.

She instinctively released her grip on her brother's sleeve, staggered back two steps, and exclaimed in disbelief, "Seventh Brother, you..."

Her voice was barely audible, yet it conveyed a deep sense of disappointment and heartache.

(End of this chapter)