The head master has a new female apprentice

Chapter 373 One Lu Yaoyao, Three Zhou Qings, Three Shen Hanyis (6k)

correct!

Zhou Qing suddenly remembered that when he killed Yan Sen at the Kunpeng Palace, the other party recognized the aura of the Boundless Karmic Fire Mirror at a glance.

He blurted out that this was an ultimate weapon and even wanted to possess it. (Chapter 295).

"The four young geniuses of the Yan family, ranked according to 'All Things Under Heaven'..."

Zhou Qing's gaze sharpened. "These four are all at the Spirit Severing Realm; they must have all had access to the family's core secrets."

Therefore, it seems that the Yan family must possess truly powerful weapons!

Otherwise, how could Yama possess such a terrifying replica of the ultimate weapon?

Just then, a deafening roar suddenly erupted in the center of the battlefield!
"Roar--"

Nine golden dragons, symbolizing good fortune, roared to the heavens, their cries echoing through the nine heavens.

The dazzling golden dragon breath, like an inverted Milky Way, collided violently with the countless gray-white threads released from the lamp!
"boom!"

The heaven and earth were shaken!
The eerie lamp trembled violently, and countless gray-white threads instantly intertwined into a deathly net that blotted out the sky.

What was swirling on the web was not ordinary gray mist, but countless twisted and wailing phantoms of vengeful spirits, exuding an ominous aura that sent chills down one's spine.

Wherever the net passed, even the golden dragon's breath was frozen into ice crystals, which fell in a rustling sound.

Zhou Qing's pupils suddenly contracted.

Beneath the crimson double pupils, he could clearly see that within the frozen golden dragon breath, wisps of imperial fortune were being forcibly extracted by gray-white threads!
This counterfeit ultimate weapon can actually devour one's destiny!

"Roar--"

The nine golden dragons let out painful roars, and grayish-white spots began to appear on their bodies.

The old emperor's expression changed drastically. He bit his tongue hard and spat out a mouthful of blood.

The essence of blood transformed into nine crimson suns in the air, merging into the golden dragon's body.

The golden dragon's aura surged instantly, and the runes on its scales shone as brightly as the sun.

They coiled together to form a mysterious formation, with their heads facing each other and their tails connected, and in the void they actually condensed into a giant golden sword that spanned the heavens and the earth!

"cut!"

With a roar from the old emperor, the golden giant sword, carrying the power to destroy the heavens and the earth, crashed down.

Wherever the sword passed, space shattered like a mirror!

"Kacha——"

The teeth-grinding sound of breaking echoed throughout the world.

A huge gap was forcibly cleaved in the gray-white net, and countless wisps of gray mist vanished into nothingness in the golden light.

The lamp's illusory image swayed violently, and the flame at the wick dimmed somewhat.

But in that split second, the lamp suddenly began to spin strangely.

The dense, grayish-white threads surged wildly, eventually coalescing in the void into a gigantic, pale hand that blotted out the sky!

The giant hand spread its five fingers, each wrapped with writhing gray flames, and then fiercely grabbed at the golden giant sword!

"Rumble--"

Two terrifying forces collided violently in the void.

The aftershocks of the collision transformed into a visible shockwave, instantly shattering the clouds within a radius of hundreds of miles.

The main peak of Wuxiang Mountain collapsed under this force, and countless rocks were crushed into dust before they even hit the ground.

Even though Zhou Qing and the others were observing from the outside, they were still shaken by the aftershocks, causing their blood and qi to surge.

Some cultivators with weaker cultivation levels even coughed up blood, their faces turning deathly pale.

"Is this a duel between peak Spirit Severing Realm cultivators?" someone murmured, trembling.

In the center of the battlefield, the golden greatsword and the pale giant hand remained locked in a stalemate.

Each collision triggered extraordinary phenomena in the heavens and earth, sometimes with a brilliant golden light, and sometimes with the sky filled with gray and white light.

Two completely different laws of power were fiercely battling each other in the void, even disrupting the rules of this world.

Zhou Qing stared intently at the eerie lamp, his heart filled with turmoil.

This is just a replica. If it were a real ultimate weapon, what kind of power would it have?

Even the Mirror of Infernal Fire on his body was nothing more than a defective piece.

The real mirror that was missing, according to what Junior Sister Lu once saw in a bookstore, was in a certain black snow mountain.

In his memory, the only truly complete ultimate weapon he had ever seen was the black bell on his second uncle's body.

It was by borrowing the power of that bell that they were able to forcefully break through the crimson scroll obtained from the Sixth Forbidden Zone using the [Copy Post].

Furthermore, he obtained the inscription-level divine power, "Hundred Tribulations Blood Curtain".

"No—" Xuan Yuanshuo suddenly shouted, his figure transforming into a golden streak of light, shooting straight into the depths of Wuxiang Mountain.

Zhou Qing's eyes flickered slightly. With the two Xuanyuan brothers joining forces and holding the advantage of terrain, the outcome of this battle would soon be decided.

As for Yan Luo, since he knows that Zhao Muyi and the others are still secretly watching, unless he is extremely foolish, he will never go all out at this moment.

Both sides will inevitably stop short of reaching their target, and there is no more to see in this ultimate showdown.

"Senior Brother Shen, we should go now," Zhou Qing transmitted his voice.

However, Shen Yunzhou ignored him and remained standing in place, his eyes fixed intently on the distant battlefield.

Zhou Qing cursed under his breath, "Petty," and had no choice but to quietly retreat alone.

On the surface, he appeared calm, but in reality, the wound on his back from Xuan Yuanhao's Dragon Abyss Sword was still throbbing with pain.

Now that our objective has been achieved, we must find a safe place to heal our wounds as soon as possible.

After all, in a place surrounded by powerful individuals, any injury could become a fatal weakness.

……

"Senior Brother Zhou!"

"Fourth!"

Upon seeing Zhou Qing return, Lu Yaoyao, Gui Ao, and Luo Lingling rushed to greet him.

Zhou Qing waved his hand and smiled, "I'm fine."

He paused, then said, "I plan to return to the sect in two years. What are your plans?"

"Wherever Senior Brother Zhou goes, I will go!" Lu Yaoyao immediately declared.

Upon hearing this, Luo Lingling's beautiful eyes flashed with a sharp light. She looked at Zhou Qing as if she understood something and tentatively asked, "Little A-Qing, you won't be going back to the sect—"

Upon hearing this, the Ghost Hound suddenly looked up, its breathing becoming rapid, and its large, coppery eyes stared intently at Zhou Qing.

"Yes, I plan to give it a try!" Zhou Qing nodded frankly.

"Great!" the two cheered in unison, so excited they almost jumped for joy.

The Taiqing Sect finally has its own Spirit Severing Realm.

This is something that generations of sect leaders have dreamed of!

Lu Yaoyao stood to the side, forcing a smile, and vaguely guessed what was going on.

Despite the excitement, I felt like a heavy stone was pressing on my heart.

This means that Dad is about to experience the biggest change in his life.

But to this day, she hasn't found even the slightest clue.

I wanted to remind my father, but I didn't even know where to begin.

If he were to confess, regardless of whether it's believable or not, it would definitely affect his subsequent spirit-slaying.

At this moment, Gui'ao and Luo Lingling exchanged a glance and looked at Lu Yaoyao at the same time.

The secret of Zhou Qing's Four Flowers Gathering at the Top is still known only to the four people on Xiaoling Peak.

Luo Lingling secretly transmitted her voice, her tone solemn: "Little Aqing, do you still remember the day you advanced to the Nascent Soul stage after the Four Flowers Gathering at the Top?"

Zhou Qing nodded slightly, her voice filled with gratitude: "Of course, it was Senior Sister and Master who protected me."

"It's all Old Mo's fault for being so stupid!" Luo Lingling said speechlessly, "He insisted on taking you to that desert to break through."

"Who would have thought that the unique geographical environment of that desert would reflect your breakthrough phenomenon in the form of a mirage, making it clearly visible throughout the entire Lingyun Prefecture!"

Zhou Qing looked embarrassed: "Master didn't expect this either. The situation was urgent at the time, and I suddenly showed signs of a breakthrough, catching everyone off guard."

"The desert is sparsely populated, so it is indeed the best choice."

“I understand.” Luo Lingling’s tone turned serious. “The key point is that even now, your Four Flowers Gathering at the Top must not be exposed in the slightest.”

"The mere fact that he is a fourth-level formation master has attracted the Xuanyuan family to use every means, both openly and secretly. If the never-before-recorded Four Flowers Gathering at the Top were to appear in the world..."

She paused, her voice becoming even more serious: "I'm afraid that powerful figures from the surrounding fourth-level cultivation countries, and even fifth-level cultivation countries, will fight for you."

"No matter which faction you choose to join, the opposing faction will never sit idly by and watch their strength increase because of you. At that time, all sorts of open and covert attacks will be impossible to guard against."

Zhou Qing remained silent for a long time, his gaze gradually darkening.

He understood that what his senior sister said was true; in fact, he had thought about this matter for a long time.

As the Four Flowers Gathering at the Top was a phenomenon that had never been recorded before, he had no way to draw on the experience of his predecessors.

In particular, the wisp of yin and yang energy from the third coffin that his second uncle gave him had undergone a transformation.

It is completely different from the Heavenly Dao Qi refined by ordinary Three Flowers Gathering at the Top.

He had to consider all possible unforeseen circumstances, otherwise he would not only bring disaster upon himself, but also implicate the entire Taiqing Sect.

"Actually, my purpose in returning to the sect this time is to take advantage of the stable environment to refine a four-color restriction."

Zhou Qing said in a deep voice, "As for a place to break through, I will find another one."

Upon hearing this, Gui'ao and Luo Lingling felt not only guilt but also heartache in their eyes.

Since its founding, the Taiqing Sect has never produced a true Spirit Severing Realm expert.

Although my master became the Ghost Emperor, he ended up in such a state.

Now that we finally have a disciple who can openly and honestly attempt to break through to the Spirit Severing Realm, they have to hide like this.

“Perhaps we are overthinking it,” Luo Lingling said hesitantly. “Look at those people from the Holy Martial Dynasty when they broke through to the Spirit Severing stage, almost none of them showed any unusual phenomena.”

"Why don't you break through within the sect? With two senior members of the Lu family protecting you, it'll be safer."

Zhou Qing shook his head and interrupted, "I have my own plans. Elder Mo from the Duobao Chamber of Commerce is helping me collect materials, so I won't be able to return for another two years."

"Then I must go!" Ghost Hound said immediately. "I couldn't protect you when you broke through to the Nascent Soul stage, so I absolutely cannot be absent this time!"

Luo Lingling also said with a firm gaze, "I also want to witness our little Aqing take that step with my own eyes!"

At this moment, looking at the three people who suddenly fell silent and kept staring, Lu Yaoyao pouted and muttered to herself.

Although you are my father's senior brothers and sisters, in terms of closeness, I am his only precious daughter.

Why do you have to discuss things with me behind my back?
……

Soon after, news came that the old emperor had returned safely, but the unknown youth who had slain spirits had disappeared without a trace.

Zhou Qing was not surprised by this result at all.

"Brother Zhou, you've really made me look for you!" Shen Yunzhou appeared in the room with a grin in the night.

Zhou Qing, who was meditating, slowly opened his eyes, looked at his nonchalant appearance, and said indifferently, "Oh, your ears are quite sharp now?"

"I learned this from you," Shen Yunzhou said with an embarrassed smile, rubbing his nose.

Zhou Qing shook his head inwardly. He had deliberately ignored Shen Yunzhou earlier because he was worried about attracting the attention of the royal family.

When he is alone, he can attract all eyes to himself.

As it turns out, this concern was not unfounded—Xuanyuan Shuo still showed up, didn't he?

Shen Yunzhou's expression turned serious, and he lowered his voice, saying, "Yan Luo has already left, and Zhao Muyi and the other two followed him."

"I originally wanted to follow them and take another look, but they tore through the void, and I couldn't even find the direction to track them."

"Then break through to the Spirit Severing Realm as soon as possible," Zhou Qing said with a smile. "Then you can come and go as you please."

"Easier said than done!" Shen Yunzhou scratched his head in frustration.

"You've been in the capital for quite some time now. Have you seen anything that smells bad? Something like that corpse fluid from back then."

Zhou Qing raised his hand and pointed out the window.

"What?" Shen Yunzhou looked bewildered.

"The outhouse." Zhou Qing said expressionlessly.

Shen Yunzhou: "."

……

And then, news spread rapidly through the streets and alleys, teahouses and taverns of the capital.

"Have you heard? Zhan Ling, the young man from Wuxiang Mountain who wields the black sword, actually fought the old emperor to a draw!"

"I'm so envious! They're still so young. Who knows, when they come back to find the old emperor in a few years, they'll completely crush him!"

"I think this person should be from the Jiuli Dynasty. It's a pity that neither you nor I will have the chance to visit a foreign country in this lifetime."

……

The crowd whispered among themselves. As a newly promoted fourth-level cultivation nation, the Holy Martial Dynasty was located east of the Canghai Sea and west of a third-level cultivation nation.

It is bordered by the old rival, the Jiuli Dynasty, to the north, and the Endless Beast Mountain on the border to the south.

This person is most likely from that menacing neighbor to the north.

But not long after, new information was announced by the royal family.

The Seventh Prince, Xuan Yuan Yichen, died at the border, and it is still unclear who killed him.

Nothing in this world is more painful than a parent outliving their child.

It is said that the current emperor, Xuanyuan Hao, has lost six princes in recent years.

A few years ago, the Fifth Prince Xuanyuan Fengtai was killed in Lingyun Prefecture, and now comes the tragic news that the Seventh Prince Xuanyuan Yichen has died on the border.

Since the death of the eldest prince, the royal family seems to have been plagued by misfortune, with one after another of their offspring dying out.

I still remember that the thirteenth prince was killed by Tu Qianyue, the leader of the bandit gang, and later, Young Master Zhou Qing followed the merchant ship of Duobao Merchant Guild to the capital.

He was robbed by them while passing through the Sea of ​​No Light, but was ultimately wiped out, which marked the beginning of Zhou Qing's first path to fame.

Afterwards, a rift developed between the Nangong family and Zhou Qing, and the royal family immediately made its position clear.

Now that the Seventh Prince has been murdered, whoever can find the real culprit will surely receive a generous reward from the royal family.

Just as everyone was discussing the matter, another piece of news completely stunned everyone.

The powerful expert at the Spirit Severing Realm, Nangong Xiongba, was actually killed by Prince Xuanyuan Shuo at the border.

It is said that the most dangerous place is the safest place. It turns out that after Nangong Xiong Ba was seriously injured by the three Spirit Slayers of Taiqing Sect that day, he actually fled to the border.

No wonder they've been completely missing.

But it's obvious to anyone with eyes that this is the Xuanyuan family's pledge of allegiance to Zhou Qing, a fourth-level formation master.

This action alone demonstrates just how extraordinary this "Chicken Prince's" status is in the imperial court.

A Spirit Severing Realm expert, whom they could never reach in their lifetime, was killed just like that?
Moreover, on the day of the Battle of Wuxiang Mountain, many people witnessed Zhou Qing appearing to watch the battle.

He is still lingering in the capital, and it remains to be seen how he will respond to the royal family's obvious overtures.

For a time, various forces were eager to make their move.

Many cultivators have already set off for Yaoguang Prefecture, preparing to take advantage of the Nangong family's leaderless situation to get a share of the spoils.

Zhou Qing, who once again became the focus of countless people, turned a deaf ear to all the commotion.

At this moment, they are checking the storage bags of Nangong Xiong Ba and Xuan Yuan Yi Chen in the quiet room.

After searching for a while, his brows gradually furrowed.

Nangong Xiongba's storage bag was surprisingly shabby; apart from a few top-grade spirit stones, there were almost no valuable items.

This was to be expected—after all, the Nangong family's treasury had long been emptied by him and Sikong Yan together.

But Xuan Yuan Yi Chen's storage bag surprised him greatly.

Those forbidden items from the fifth-level cultivation country were all gone at this moment.

No one knows where the seventh prince hid those things.
On second thought, he quickly felt relieved.

Most of those strange objects originated from that six-armed monster; not only were they mostly incomplete, but they also harbored the danger of backlash.

If you rashly get involved, you might end up like Xuan Yuan Yi Chen, inexplicably possessed by some "old man".

"Never mind." Zhou Qing casually burned the two storage bags into ashes, a hint of vigilance flashing in his eyes.

It's best to keep those things at a distance.

After tidying up, Zhou Qing pushed open the door, intending to go to the [Jintian Palace] to see if Sikong Yan had managed to escape.

He cured Nannan and resolved Gao Xuan's long-standing inner conflict.

He had helped him by opening the ancestral land's restrictions, but in the end, it was all for nothing; the other party hadn't gained any benefit.

After hesitating for a moment in the inn's corridor, Zhou Qing decided to ask Lu Yaoyao to go out with him.

Since they would be returning to the sect in two years, the eldest senior brother and second senior sister were busy buying gifts.

After all, there are so many relatives in the Taiqing Sect. It's a rare trip to the capital, so they should bring back some local specialties.

Not to mention the trouble they caused before, which almost implicated the sect, so they absolutely need to offer some apologies.

I don't know what's wrong with Junior Sister Lu lately; she always seems preoccupied. It would be good to take her out for a walk to cheer her up.

"It's all your fault!"

Just as Zhou Qing raised his hand to knock on the door, a familiar female voice suddenly came from inside the room, causing his outstretched hand to freeze in mid-air.

His pupils contracted slightly, and his knuckles were only inches away from the door panel, yet he abruptly stopped moving.

That voice... is it Shen Hanyi?

When did she come back?

Why isn't there any news about it?

Zhou Qing subconsciously looked around. No wonder Shen Yunzhou hadn't been around for the past two days; he probably knew his sister was back and had run away in fear.

But the next moment, Zhou Qing realized something was wrong.

Although the voice was exactly the same as Shen Hanyi's, it lacked the usual coldness and aloofness, and instead carried a hint of anger and spoiledness that he had never heard before.

It's like a lovers' quarrel.

"Are you being unreasonable? Why are you blaming me?"

Just as Zhou Qing was about to knock on the door again, his voice suddenly came from inside the room, carrying obvious dissatisfaction and grievance.

The voice was so realistic that even he almost thought it was really him speaking.

No, what happened?

Before he could react, the conversation inside the room continued.

"You always do this! You promised to come with me to see the lanterns!"

"I had a last-minute mission."

"Mission, mission! All you can think about is the mission!"

Zhou Qing's temples throbbed; the content of this conversation was simply unbelievable.

Given Shen Hanyi's icy and aloof nature, how could she possibly utter such girlish words?

Even more bizarrely, the apologetic male voice was undoubtedly his own.

"I promise I'll go with you next time!"

"You said the same thing last time!"

"Hey, stop arguing! Can't you talk things out? I get so scared every time I see you two fighting like this!"

Lu Yaoyao's voice suddenly interrupted, with an exaggerated sobbing tone.

Zhou Qing stood outside the door with a strange expression, not rushing in.

A flash of red light appeared in his eyes, and his pupils suddenly split into double pupils, his gaze piercing through the heavy door panel.

But the sight before him made him freeze on the spot—

Golden light flowed through the room, enveloping the entire space in a hazy, dreamlike atmosphere.

But at this moment, three "Shen Hanyi" and three "selves" are having a fierce argument.

One of the "Shen Hanyi" was pointing at "herself" and angrily scolding him, even smashing a teacup on the ground in anger, causing shards to scatter everywhere.

The other "self" knelt on the ground, clinging to "Shen Hanyi's" long legs and begging for mercy, with beads of sweat on its forehead, constantly explaining something.

The third couple was even more outrageous, pulling at each other's sleeves by the bedside, just like a quarreling couple in the marketplace.

Lu Yaoyao was enveloped in a pale golden halo, and like a busy little bee, she crouched down, tilted her head back, and moved among the six people in the manner of a child.

"Stop arguing, can't you talk things out?"

As she spoke, she pretended to wipe away non-existent tears: "Seeing you two arguing like this, Yao Yao is really scared and upset."

The sob was perfectly timed; if Zhou Qing hadn't seen her furtive glance, he would have almost believed it.

"Is this the essence of filial piety?" Zhou Qing's eyes twitched.

Although I already knew that Lu Yaoyao was trying to grasp the essence of things by imitating her own work, I was still deeply shocked to see this scene in person.

And there are three of them.

But what's with the three Shen Hanyis?

Could it be that she had been secretly observing and speculating on the way Shen Hanyi brought her to the capital?
How many people can truly emulate her filial piety?
Just as he was lost in thought, one of the "Shen Hanyi" suddenly turned around, her eyebrows raised, and her jade finger pointed directly at Lu Yaoyao.

"Isn't it because you're always playing around? You pretend not to hear when I call you to eat?"

Lu Yaoyao immediately looked like a frightened little rabbit, pouting and timidly hiding behind a "Zhou Qing".

Her little hands tugged at his clothes, revealing a pair of big, watery eyes: "I was wrong, I'll definitely come home on time from now on."

Zhou Qing, who had been used as a shield, immediately stepped forward, her face plastered with a fawning smile: "See? She really knows she was wrong. This is also my fault."

Before she could finish speaking, a golden light flashed in the hand of "Shen Hanyi" in front of her, and a feather duster appeared out of thin air.

"You still have the nerve to say it!"

Shen Hanyi's cheeks flushed red with anger, and she raised the feather duster high in her hand. "You always spoil her!"

Zhou Qing instinctively shrank his neck, but still steeled himself and stood in front of Lu Yaoyao: "If you want to hit someone, hit me."

Lu Yaoyao hid behind "Zhou Qing" and peeked out half of her head.

Two tears welled up in her eyes, threatening to spill, as she looked pitifully at "Shen Hanyi"...

(End of this chapter)