The head master has a new female apprentice

Chapter 381 Sister Yuyan, she has always been following you (6k)

Shen Yunzhou felt a piercing pain in his head and was in a daze.

In a daze, he seemed to see the old man who fought against his older sister on Wuxiang Mountain suddenly appear in front of his bed.

Then he looked down at him with a mocking expression.

"Little yellow-haired boy, sleeping?" The old man grinned, revealing a mouthful of yellow teeth and bad breath.

Shen Yunzhou felt his hair stand on end and was about to retaliate when he saw the old man's withered finger already pointing at his brow.

In an instant, a sharp pain swept through my entire body—

"what!!"

He screamed and immediately sprang up from the bed.

His hands instinctively formed hand seals, and his entire being suddenly enveloped in a powerful aura: "The Realm of Excrement - A Thousand Purges"

The last "里" stuck in his throat before he could finally see the scene in the room.

Ghost Mastiff was leaning against the table with his arms crossed, a playful smile on his lips.

"Nice sleeping posture." Ghost Mastiff raised an eyebrow.

Shen Yunzhou awkwardly withdrew from his reverie, wiping the cold sweat from his forehead: "Damn it, this dream was too real."

He rolled out of bed, grinned sheepishly, and leaned closer, pulling out a dozen or so high-grade spirit stones from his storage bag and stuffing them into his hand. "Um... don't tell anyone about what happened just now."

Ghost Mastiff slowly put the spirit stone into his pocket: "Don't worry, I, Ghost Mastiff, am known for keeping my mouth shut."

"Brother Gui is truly righteous!" Shen Yunzhou had just breathed a sigh of relief when Gui Ao suddenly leaned closer and whispered, "Speaking of which, when that old man attacked you, you really didn't react at all?"

"Hey, he's a Great Perfection Spirit Slayer... Wait a minute!" Shen Yunzhou's eyes widened suddenly. "How do you know it was that old man who did it?!"

"Everyone knows already," Ghost Mastiff blinked innocently, "It was my junior brother who saved you."

"Then what did you just say?" Shen Yunzhou jumped up in anger, "Give me back the spirit stones!"

Ghost Mastiff remained unfazed: "What spirit stone?"

"Pah, you shameless bastard!"

……

The elegant room was filled with the aroma of tea.

Lu Yaoyao carefully poured tea for Shen Hanyi, then glanced at her father, who was squatting in the corner like a silent gourd.

He sighed inwardly, his gaze shifting back and forth between the two silent figures.

Then, she coughed lightly, breaking the silence: "Don't worry, Sister Shen, now that the poison has been cured, Brother Shen should wake up soon."

Shen Hanyi nodded slightly and held the old man's storage bag, carefully probing it with her divine sense.

Zhou Qing's gaze would occasionally drift guiltily towards her.

The unchanging comment above her head, "What a destined person!", made him frown slightly.

This was the result of the transformation that occurred when she first took herself and Junior Sister Lu to the Kunpeng Palace to break through the six-colored restriction entrance.

Whether it was what happened with her or his own advancement to a level four array master, this was all due to the circumstances.

She even received a divine power of the same origin as her, "bestowed" by the number one predecessor.
This series of major events, enough to change anyone's opinion, failed to cause the slightest fluctuation in her attitude.

This is too incredible.

Is your mindset really that stable?

But then again, this indirectly proves that she really didn't intend to kill him.

Otherwise, given her personality, the entry would have already become "lecher" or even more terrifying "dead person".

"A destined person, perhaps—" Zhou Qing murmured to himself.

"Don't worry," Shen Hanyi suddenly spoke, her clear, cold voice breaking the silence.

“I killed the people from the Blood Pact Pavilion. Zhao Muye and Yanluo both witnessed it. It has nothing to do with you or the Taiqing Sect.”

Zhou Qing then realized the question was directed at him and quickly replied, "It's nothing. By the way, is the Blood Pact Pavilion very powerful?"

Lu Yaoyao also cast a curious glance at her.

Shen Hanyi continued working with her hands, but unusually explained, "The Blood Pact Pavilion is a renowned assassin organization in the Heavenly Fortune Holy Dynasty. As long as you can afford the price, they even dare to take on the Emperor."

"The emperor of a fifth-level cultivation kingdom?!" Lu Yaoyao exclaimed in surprise.

Zhou Qing's pupils contracted slightly, his heart filled with horror.

The strength of a ruler who can govern a fifth-level cultivation country is unimaginable. Is the Blood Pact Pavilion really that terrifying?

At this moment, Shen Hanyi took out a silver diamond-shaped badge from her storage bag. The badge was engraved with the number "47" and had blood-red patterns around its edges.

“Blood Pact Pavilion assassins don’t have names, only numbers.” She lightly stroked the badge with her fingertips. “They are divided into three levels: gold, silver, and bronze. This is silver badge number forty-seven.”

"A mere silver medal for a Great Perfection of the Spirit Slaying Realm?" Zhou Qing's voice tightened. Such a terrifying person could only be ranked forty-seventh based on strength?

How strong must a gold medal be, and how many people must participate in it?
"Don't worry." Shen Hanyi flicked her finger, dispersing the residual divine consciousness in the silver token, her voice as cold as frost.

"The Blood Pact Pavilion is very strict about rules. A mission failure is a failure, and there will be no tricks like 'if you beat the little guy, the old guy will come to punish you'."

She put the badge back into her storage bag and continued, "According to their rules, if a mission is cancelled, the deposit will be returned to the employer in full. If you want to place another order, you need to reassess the target's strength."

Zhou Qing frowned: "So your third aunt will continue to send people?"

"Mm." Shen Hanyi nodded slightly, her veil fluttering slightly. "Once things are settled here, I will go back and handle them myself."

Upon hearing this, Lu Yaoyao unconsciously clenched the hem of her clothes, her eyes filled with worry.

Zhou Qing hesitated for a moment, then said, "Actually, I'm not in a rush, you can..."

"I won't easily change my mind once I've made up my mind!" Shen Hanyi interrupted Zhou Qing directly.

Seeing that Zhou Qing was about to speak, she changed the subject: "Xuanyuan Shuo said that he did not kill Peng Huang, is that true?"

Since he couldn't persuade her and insisted on protecting him, Zhou Qing couldn't say anything more.

He then nodded: "He was not lying about that. He severely injured Peng Huang and made him escape first. Later, my second uncle and I encountered him by chance and joined forces to kill him."

Upon hearing this, Lu Yaoyao's eyes widened as she looked at Zhou Qing.

She knew of the Peng Emperor's demise, but she never expected it to be the work of her father and that second uncle.

When did this happen?
Shen Hanyi's eyes flickered slightly: "I've heard you mention Second Uncle more than once. Is this man from your Taiqing Sect?"

Zhou Qing smiled knowingly. "Actually, Second Uncle, you've already met him."

Last time in the restricted area, the one we saw standing next to the divine beast with a fawning smile using the [Eightfold Scroll] was him.

However, his appearance is uncertain, and no one knows exactly what he looks like.

Then, Zhou Qing briefly recounted the story of his second uncle.

After listening, Shen Hanyi nodded thoughtfully: "He's quite a remarkable person. So, he's gone to the Heavenly Fortune Holy Dynasty now?"

"Yes." Zhou Qing nodded in confirmation.

Shen Hanyi said softly, "It's a pity that the Heavenly Fortune Holy Dynasty has a vast territory, with dozens of states, each comparable in size to the Holy Martial Dynasty."

She paused for a moment, then said, "If I have the chance to meet him, I will definitely thank him in person for avenging Master Situ."

Zhou Qing simply nodded silently and said nothing more.

After all, apart from himself being able to identify him through the notes on his profile above his head, probably no one in this world could see through his true identity.

"How much of your lifespan did you lose this time?" Shen Hanyi suddenly changed the subject, her gaze fixed intently on Zhou Qing.

Zhou Qing was taken aback for a moment: "W-what?"

“You are clearly only at the Nascent Soul stage,” Shen Hanyi’s voice carried a hint of coldness.

"Yet you forcibly advanced to the Great Perfection of the Spirit Severing Realm in order to save Yunzhou. The secret technique left to you by that senior must have come at an extremely heavy price."

She paused, then said solemnly, "My siblings and I in the Shen family owe you a favor for this matter."

Zhou Qing then realized what was happening and quickly waved his hand, saying, "Don't worry about that. It wasn't entirely to save Brother Shen; that old devil also wanted to harm Junior Sister Lu."

Hearing this, Lu Yaoyao, who had been silent all along, suddenly understood something, and her eyes instantly turned red.

She finally understood why her father was able to unleash his Spirit Severing Realm cultivation to contend with powerful enemies—it was at the cost of burning his lifespan!

Thinking of this, tears welled up in Lu Yaoyao's eyes.

No matter which timeline you're in, your dad's love for you has never diminished.

At any time, she is always the first person to stand in front of him.

Upon hearing the sobbing, Shen Hanyi turned to look at Lu Yaoyao and sighed softly.

"This matter arose because of us. When I return to Nanhuang Prefecture, I will go to the forbidden area to find a spiritual herb that can increase his lifespan and do my best to make amends."

Lu Yaoyao wiped her face haphazardly with her sleeve, and hummed in response with a bright red nose.

Zhou Qing watched from the side, not knowing whether to laugh or cry—this girl's tears came so easily, why did she cry so much?

“By the way,” Shen Hanyi turned to Zhou Qing again, “Judging from his remaining memories, he originally planned to use the cloud boat as bait to set up a five-colored killing array somewhere to lure me into the trap.”

"So, I plan to leave for half a day to retrieve that five-colored array plate, so I'll have to trouble you to keep an eye on that guy!"

Zhou Qing nodded solemnly: "Don't worry."

Shen Hanyi nodded slightly, and with a gentle stroke of her jade hand in the void, a spatial rift appeared.

She vanished into the air in a flash, leaving only a few wisps of cold air slowly dissipating.

"Senior Brother Zhou!" No sooner had Shen Hanyi left than Lu Yaoyao rushed over with red eyes, "Just how much of your lifespan did you lose?"

Zhou Qing couldn't help but chuckle and said, "There really isn't much. If you cry any more, you'll look like a little kitten."

"It's all my fault," Lu Yaoyao sobbed, tears welling up again. "If it weren't for protecting me, you wouldn't have used that secret technique that burns your lifespan."

Just as Zhou Qing was about to comfort her, he saw her suddenly stand on tiptoe and rummage through his hair.

"What are you doing?" Zhou Qing asked, both amused and exasperated.

"Check if you have any gray hairs!" Lu Yaoyao said seriously. "You always lie to me, I have to check for myself."

She carefully ran her slender fingers through each strand of hair until she was sure there wasn't a single gray hair, then she breathed a sigh of relief.

"I don't want anything to happen to you." Lu Yaoyao tilted her head up, her voice so soft it was almost inaudible. "Even more, I don't want parents to bury their children."

Zhou Qing frowned. Why did this sound so awkward?

But then she thought of the day she saw her use imagery to simulate the scene between herself and Shen Hanyi, and couldn't help but smile.

He gently patted the girl's head: "Silly girl, it's really okay."

Just then, there was a light knock on the door.

Shen Yunzhou pushed open the door and entered. His face was still somewhat pale, but his eyes had regained their clarity.

Before Zhou Qing could speak, he suddenly clasped his hands in a respectful bow.

"Brother Zhou, I am deeply grateful and cannot express my thanks. I, Shen Yunzhou, owe you my life!"

Seeing his earnest expression, Zhou Qing's lips unconsciously curled into a smile, and he reached out to support Shen Yunzhou: "Brother Shen, you flatter me." ...

In the afternoon, Shen Hanyi returned on time, her sleeves still carrying the chill of the past, clearly indicating that she had made a considerable gain on her trip.

Shen Yunzhou was sobbing as he recounted things like, "My sister almost lost her dearest brother."

But the conversation stopped abruptly the moment a chill suddenly rose around Shen Hanyi, and she awkwardly touched her nose.

"I met someone when I returned from the outer city," Shen Hanyi said to Zhou Qing, her voice still cold.

"He claims to be Mo Tianheng, the president of the Duobao Chamber of Commerce. Is he the one who collected the materials for you?"

Zhou Qing was taken aback upon hearing this.

As previously agreed, it would have taken at least another year for Elder Mo to collect all those rare materials, so why did he return ahead of schedule?

"I'll go take a look." Zhou Qing quickly put on his mask and was about to step out the door when a pale yellow figure hopped and blocked his way.

"I want to go too!" Lu Yaoyao put her hands behind her back, stood on tiptoe, and looked up with a grin. "I've been in the capital for so long, but I haven't seen the Duobao Merchant Guild yet!"

Zhou Qing frowned slightly: "This is important business."

"Take me with you~" The girl suddenly grabbed his wrist and shook it gently, her voice so sweet it could drip honey.

"We're about to return to Taiqing Sect, and who knows when we'll be able to come back again~"

Zhou Qing was so dizzy from being shaken that he had no choice but to raise his hands in surrender: "Okay, okay, let's go!"

"Great!" Lu Yaoyao cheered, jumping up and down, her silver hair flying in the air.

Zhou Qing sighed, rubbing his forehead, but couldn't help but smile.

This girl is clearly qualified to be an elder of the Taiqing Sect, so why does she still act like a child?

However, seeing her cheerful figure, I couldn't help but smile and quickly followed after her.

……

As night deepened, the inner city of the imperial capital remained brightly lit.

As Zhou Qing walked through several bustling streets, he suddenly caught sight of two familiar figures in the crowd.

Ninth Princess Xuanyuan Muqian was supporting Consort Chen as they walked slowly. Both mother and daughter were dressed in simple casual clothes, their brows furrowed with deep sorrow.

Several disguised guards followed behind him.

“Those are Sister Mu Qian and Consort Chen.” Lu Yaoyao followed Zhou Qing’s gaze and lowered her voice unconsciously.

Zhou Qing remained silent.

Lu Yaoyao didn't run up to reminisce as cheerfully as before.

Ever since her father told her about the Seventh Prince's actions, she felt not only anger but also a chill in her heart.

People's hearts are hidden behind their skin; who can truly see through another person's thoughts?
At this moment, she looked at Xuan Yuan Muqian with the same sense of estrangement she felt when facing Xuan You Fairy of Qingyu Immortal Sect.

These two people had already been removed from her list.

Now, only the Third Mother and the female bodhisattvas of Jiyuan Temple remain.

After all, the demon emperors who were chasing them must have come from a fifth-level cultivation country, and only there could so many demon emperors meet the requirements.

In other words, my father will go to the Heavenly Fortune Holy Dynasty sooner or later.

The most interesting thing is that the father's godson happened to be practicing at Jiyuan Temple.

Moreover, my father somehow comprehended a Buddhist supernatural power, and even the Venerable Jueming, who was at the Spirit Severing Realm, praised him for "having great wisdom" and gave him a guiding token.

Who knows, maybe one day Dad will be in a good mood and actually become a monk!
“You are now at the Nascent Soul stage, while she is only at the early Nascent Soul stage. It’s no longer appropriate for you to call her ‘sister’,” Zhou Qing said calmly.

Lu Yaoyao nodded gently, understanding that from now on, they would truly be strangers to the mother and daughter.

"Senior Brother Zhou," she suddenly looked up, her gaze intense, "did you kill the Seventh Prince?"

Zhou Qing raised an eyebrow and smiled: "Why do you ask that?"

"Because you're never one to suffer in silence." Lu Yaoyao winked slyly.

Zhou Qing couldn't help but laugh out loud, carefully examining her: "Sometimes I really feel like you're a tapeworm in my stomach."

"Hehe, actually I'm a giant roundworm!" the girl made a face.

Looking at her silver hair, which was exactly the same as Shen Hanyi's, Zhou Qing couldn't help but sigh at the stark difference in their personalities.

He then nodded slightly and said softly, "Besides the Seventh Prince, Nangong Xiong Ba also died at my hands."

Lu Yaoyao was taken aback upon hearing this, and then her eyebrows curved into crescent moons.

It seems I underestimated my father's fighting strength.

That makes sense. Even ruthless characters like Yan Sen and his nephew fell into the hands of this father and daughter, so what is a mere Nangong Xiong Ba?
Zhou Qing shook his head helplessly, but his gaze turned to Consort Chen in the crowd again.

She must have been imprisoned. It seems that the death of the Seventh Prince was a big blow to Xuan Yuan Muqian.

Only then was she released to spend time with her daughter and offer her guidance.

Zhou Qing subconsciously glanced into her storage bag at the foxfire lantern that the two Lu family elders had asked her to bring before she left.

It is said that if one encounters difficulties in the capital, once lit, Consort Chen, who is also a member of the fox clan, will sense it.

Now, he is about to leave, but he has never used it.

Looking at Consort Chen forcing a smile to comfort her daughter, he sighed softly.

Her eldest sister, Lu Yuanjiu, has not only fully recovered from her injuries, but has also broken through to the Spirit Severing Realm together with Lu Yuanzhi.

He didn't want to tell her about this either.

To avoid revealing something due to a lack of resolve, which would put the two elders of the Lu family in a difficult position later.

Sometimes, silence is the best way to express goodwill.

"Let's go!" Zhou Qing turned around and resolutely walked forward.

Lu Yaoyao gave a soft "hmm" and followed.

……

As they drew closer to the Duobao Chamber of Commerce, Zhou Qing whispered instructions on precautions.

Lu Yaoyao glanced at it casually, then froze on the spot, quickly rubbing her eyes.

"Sister Yuyan—" Lu Yaoyao blurted out, then hurriedly covered her mouth and looked at Zhou Qing nervously.

Zhou Qing was taken aback, and this time followed her gaze.

On the bustling street ahead, a young girl dressed in a moon-white silk dress stood in front of a lantern shop.

Her slightly tilted head and profile, illuminated by the lamplight, resembled a delicate ink painting.

The girl looked to be around sixteen years old, with snow-white skin and a serene, untroubled look when her eyes were lowered.

Her plain silk skirt was embroidered with a few pale blue orchids.

A night breeze blew by, and she raised her hand to tuck a strand of her hair behind her ear, revealing her delicate profile.

She seemed to be separated from the bustling streets by an invisible barrier, exuding an indescribable elegance and refinement.

"Swift? You know her?" Zhou Qing looked at Lu Yaoyao with a puzzled expression.

Lu Yaoyao immediately shook her head like a rattle drum.

Zhou Qing narrowed his eyes: "If you don't tell the truth, don't even think about coming out with me next time."

Lu Yaoyao lowered her head, hesitating for a moment.

Suddenly, she raised her head, and her eyes, which always held a smile, now revealed a hint of determination: "Senior Brother Zhou, if I tell you, will you think I'm crazy?"

Zhou Qing frowned slightly: "Why would you say that?"

Lu Yaoyao gently bit her lower lip with her pearly teeth, her gaze involuntarily drifting towards the figure in pure white.

Her voice suddenly became ethereal: "I had a very, very long dream. In the dream, there was you, there was me, and there was her."

A look of surprise flashed across Zhou Qing's face.

“She’s always very quiet,” Lu Yaoyao’s voice gradually lowered, “like a shadow silently following you. No matter how you try to drive her away, she just stands quietly not far away.”

Lu Yaoyao's voice trembled slightly as she said this: "Until that day, she lured away the three-headed demon king by herself... When we found her, there were only a few pieces of blood-stained clothes left."

Looking at her red eyes, Zhou Qing affectionately ruffled her hair: "You silly girl, you never even wish people well in your dreams."

"I want to have a sweet dream too!" Lu Yaoyao wiped her eyes haphazardly with the back of her hand, her nose red from crying. "But...but..."

"Alright," Zhou Qing softened his voice, "it's just a dream, don't think about it too much."

Lu Yaoyao stubbornly shook her head: "She is a really good person. Although I don't know how you met in the dream, she is like a gentle older sister who always takes care of me in a meticulous way."

Zhou Qing looked at the moon-white figure in the distance with a wry smile, then turned back to look at Lu Yaoyao's reddened eyes.

She sighed softly, "Perhaps you've been too tired lately. We'll be heading back to Taiqing Sect soon, so you can get some rest then, okay?"

Before she could finish speaking, Lu Yaoyao suddenly said, "Senior Brother Zhou, wait for me here!"

After saying that, she quickly ran towards the woman.

Zhou Qing instinctively reached out to stop him, but in the end he could only helplessly lower his arm, quickly followed, and observed the other person warily.

When Lu Yaoyao stopped panting in front of the girl, looking closely at the girl's profile, a flood of memories came back to her.

Tears welled up uncontrollably.

The girl seemed to sense something, put down the lotus lantern in her hand, frowned slightly, and turned around.

Under the moonlight, her beautiful face showed a hint of confusion: "What's wrong?"

The familiar voice made Lu Yaoyao burst into laughter through her tears. She hastily wiped away her tears and said, "N-nothing! I just think you look especially beautiful!"

The girl was clearly taken aback, and before she could speak, the lantern shop owner chimed in, "Both of you are like celestial beings, why not choose a few more lanterns? My lanterns are definitely of high quality and inexpensive..."

"Thank you." The girl smiled politely at Lu Yaoyao, interrupting the shopkeeper's sales pitch. "Have a good time."

Having said that, he turned and walked away.

Lu Yaoyao opened her mouth, but ultimately didn't call out to her.

Watching her retreating figure, she murmured to herself, "She's so much better now than she was back then..."

Zhou Qing slowly stepped forward, stood beside Lu Yaoyao, and watched the moon-white figure gradually disappear into the distance. He smiled and asked, "Is that the person from your dream?"

Lu Yaoyao pouted: "That's right, Senior Brother Zhou, how about we make a bet?"

"Oh?" Zhou Qing raised an eyebrow, looking at her with interest. "What are you betting on?"

“I’ll bet,” Lu Yaoyao pointed to the other person’s disappearing figure, “that we will meet her again!”

Upon hearing this, Zhou Qing couldn't help but smile indulgently.

"Okay, let's bet!"

……

(End of this chapter)