The head master has a new female apprentice

Chapter 382 So, I can still get nervous! (6k)

As Zhou Qing stepped into the gates of the Duobao Chamber of Commerce, before the attendant could even announce his arrival, Mo Tianheng's hearty laughter echoed in his mind.

"Young friend, we are truly of one mind! I was just looking for you, and here you are."

Before he finished speaking, Mo Tianheng came out to greet him with a beaming smile, but his brows betrayed his exhaustion.

"Greetings, Elder Mo." Zhou Qing bowed respectfully, his gaze lingering for a moment on the other's slightly haggard face, feeling a surge of emotion.

Mo Tianheng nodded with a smile, then turned his gaze to Lu Yaoyao beside him, especially lingering on her frost-white hair.

This reminded him of the woman he had met on his way home.

"Junior Lu Yaoyao, Senior Brother Zhou Qing's junior sister, pays her respects to Senior!" Lu Yaoyao bowed respectfully.

When the nine great spirit-slaying beings of Azure Lake appeared last time, she only caught a glimpse of this guild president from afar.

Now that I've met him up close, I've discovered that this senior is actually quite approachable.

A knowing glint flashed in Mo Tianheng's eyes.

As a disciple of the Taiqing Sect and personally brought by young friend Zhou Qing, he is naturally trustworthy.

"I had long heard that the silver-haired, veiled woman and you were very close friends. Seeing you today, I can confirm that her reputation is well-deserved," Mo Tianheng said with a smile, stroking his beard.

Zhou Qing smiled but remained silent, then asked with concern, "Elder Mo, did something happen that brought you back ahead of schedule?"

Mo Tianheng smiled slightly, flipped his palm, and a storage bag embroidered with gold thread appeared out of thin air: "I have fulfilled my mission!"

Zhou Qing's pupils contracted slightly, and he quickly took it.

The moment his divine sense probed in, his breath caught in his throat—all those rare materials that he had searched for so long were now lying in the bag, without a single one missing.

"It was quite a coincidence," Mo Tianheng explained. "My first stop was the Zhuge family, and who would have thought that those few people I parted ways with at Bibo Tianhu would all gather there."

A hint of amusement flashed in his eyes: "I've heard that the secret realm of the Wuzu Mountain Range in the Vast Expanse Prefecture remains unopened, and even Lin Daochen, who was in charge of breaking the restrictions, has given up."

"We were just discussing going to investigate together, and here you are, the materials you requested have arrived in one go!"

"What else could this be but destiny?" Mo Tianheng clapped his hands and laughed. "Young friend, you are truly blessed!"

Zhou Qing was overjoyed upon hearing this, but he hadn't expected that the matter at the Tai Chu Dojo was still not over.

"Thank you very much, Elder Mo. How much will it cost approximately?" Zhou Qing asked seriously.

After all, the other party didn't take a penny from those materials last time.

Mo Tianheng then changed the subject: "I just returned to the Chamber of Commerce and heard about your feat of single-handedly fighting a Spirit Severing Realm expert. But what's strange is..."

He looked Zhou Qing up and down meaningfully, "Your spiritual energy is fluctuating, clearly indicating that you are still in the Nascent Soul stage. You must have used some kind of secret technique."

"I had guessed before that these rare materials were needed to refine the four-color magic array."

He paused, a rare look of excitement appearing on his aged face. "Could it be... that young friend is about to take that step?"

Zhou Qing met his intense gaze with composure: "Elder Mo has keen insight."

"Can we use the Xuanyuan family's secret medicine?" Mo Tianheng asked urgently.

Zhou Qing shook his head.

Elder Mo's beard trembled with excitement: "It's good that it's useless, it's good that it's useless. In that case, I will congratulate you in advance, young friend. No, I should call you fellow Daoist!"

"May you, fellow Daoist, achieve the feat of severing your spiritual essence and directly attain the Great Dao!"

Zhou Qing returned the greeting with clasped hands: "Thank you for your kind words, Master Mo."

"These materials," Mo Tianheng waved his hand, "can be considered my congratulatory gift. Fellow Daoist, please do not refuse."

"That won't do! One thing at a time!" Zhou Qing immediately refused after hearing this.

Mo Tianheng suddenly became serious and raised his hand to interrupt: "Please hear what this old man has to say."

He slowly stroked his beard, a look of reminiscence in his eyes: "Back then, I spent half of my fortune to obtain that Spirit-Slaying Elixir from the Xuanyuan family, and successfully broke through to the Spirit-Slaying stage."

He chuckled self-deprecatingly, "As you've seen, there's something wrong with this medicine."

"For more than two thousand years, I have tried countless methods, but I still can't make any progress and have been stuck at the early stage of the Spirit Severing Realm."

He turned to look out the window, his voice low: "The same goes for the other dozen or so. As for money and treasures..."

With a flick of his sleeve, a top-grade spirit stone turned to dust in his palm. "I've long since become indifferent to it."

He suddenly turned around, his burning gaze fixed on Zhou Qing: "Which cultivator doesn't cherish life? I'm no exception."

His aged voice carried a hint of self-mockery: "Back then, I chose to invest in the Fourth Prince because I valued his good character and also hoped that he could lend me a hand after he ascended to the throne."

Zhou Qing said thoughtfully, "The old emperor Xuanyuan Chong has reached the late stage of the Spirit Severing realm, and Xuanyuan Shuo has reached the middle stage, but you outsiders have all reached the Spirit Severing realm."

His gaze sharpened. "Still stuck in the initial stage, could it be as you suspected? The problem lies with that medicine?"

“Exactly!” Mo Tianheng’s eyes gleamed. “If we can unravel the mystery, with the strength of my 35 branches, I might be able to advance even further.”

His tone shifted, becoming gentle: "Young friend, you are exceptionally talented. If the opportunity arises in the future, I hope you will lend me a hand. Of course, if there is no such opportunity, that is fine too."

"These materials are just a small token of my appreciation. I hope you will accept them, young friend."

Zhou Qing hesitated for a moment, then took out a thousand top-grade spirit stones and handed them over: "Elder Mo has helped me many times, and I will remember this kindness. If I have the opportunity, I will definitely do my best to help you."

"But the path of cultivation values ​​contentment. Especially since I am about to sever my spirit, I must not be greedy."

Mo Tianheng was taken aback at first, then burst into laughter: "Look at my memory, I almost gave you an obsession."

He took the storage bag and glanced at it. "The amount is just right!"

Then, he stopped smiling, took a step back, and bowed solemnly: "If there is an opportunity in the future, I will trouble you, young friend!"

"Mr. Mo, you're too kind," Zhou Qing returned the greeting.

"I await good news with patience. With your talent, young friend, you will surely succeed!"

"Lend your blessings."

……

Back at his residence, Zhou Qing told Shen Hanyi about the materials.

After all, she had more important things to do after protecting herself.

"With the remaining materials, we can finish in three months if we work together." Shen Hanyi nodded slightly. "Where do you plan to go into seclusion next?"

Zhou Qing hesitated.

The original plan was to return to Taiqing Sect so that I could calm down and refine the four-color magic array "Nine Revolutions Spirit Condensation Array".

To avoid implicating the sect, I originally planned to find another place to cultivate in seclusion after completing the formation.

But the news brought by Elder Mo put him in a dilemma—the several Spirit Severing Realm experts from Azure Lake had already set off for Vast Expanse Palace.

The situation is complicated by the fact that the Vast Expanse Prefecture is adjacent to the Lingyun Prefecture, and with the five Spirit Slayers already attacking the Primordial Daoist Temple, the situation has become even more complicated.

What if there really is some strange phenomenon that even Shen Hanyi can't control? Wouldn't that expose us?
After all, from the perspective of a fifth-level cultivation country, she had repeatedly warned herself not to reveal the matter of the Four Flowers Gathering at the Top.

But Zhou Qing still had something on her mind.

Having been away from his sect for a long time, he longed to see his master again, hoping to regain peace of mind before attempting another breakthrough.

The gifts carefully prepared by his senior brothers and sisters, and the pressure that Lu Yaoyao has been under recently, all made him eager to return home.

"Actually, there's no need to worry about it." Seeing his silence, Shen Hanyi said bluntly, "The Holy Martial Dynasty has a vast territory, with many places to choose from."

Zhou Qing's eyes flickered slightly.

“Just avoid the areas where Spirit Slayers gather,” she continued, “especially the area around the Imperial Capital and Vast Expanse.”

Zhou Qing pondered for a moment, then finally nodded: "But before going into seclusion, I still want to return to the sect first."

“That’s how it should be,” Shen Hanyi said, expressing her understanding. “Otherwise, one would inevitably have something on one’s mind when severing the spirit.”

She took out a jade slip that glowed with a soft light: "This is my experience of severing my spirit back then, which may be of reference."

"Thank you!" Zhou Qing said with a happy expression, accepting the gift with both hands.

Shen Hanyi stood up and said, "Now that everything is ready, let's set off as soon as possible."

“Okay.” Zhou Qing nodded solemnly.

……

At dawn the next day, the group quietly left the inner city.

Ghost Mastiff and the others could no longer contain their longing to return home and couldn't wait to see their master.

"I've got something good to show you." Zhou Qing stopped in front of a hidden node and waved the cyan token in his hand.

Upon learning that they could use the royal-exclusive [Hidden Dragon Path] teleportation array, everyone's eyes lit up—this would save a lot of travel time.

Even Shen Hanyi was slightly surprised, but quickly figured out the mystery.

With a gentle wave of her hand, she tore through space, leading everyone into it, and then summoned her own flying boat.

Within the stable spatial passage, the flying boat headed straight towards Lingyun Mansion.
……

Three months later, a spatial rift suddenly opened up among the vast mountains, and a white jade flying boat broke through the air.

"Because we came from somewhere else, and we're only going in a general direction, it should still be more than two months before we reach Taiqing Sect!"

Zhou Qing said, referring to the map jade slip.

Ghost Mastiff took a deep breath: "I can already smell home, it's so sweet."

Luo Lingling smiled and said, "It's already very fast. I remember when we went to the capital, it took us more than two years to travel day and night. Now we'll be back in less than half a year."

Zhou Qing smiled knowingly and looked at Shen Hanyi beside him.

Along the way, the two had completed the refining of all the subsequent array plates of the "Nine Revolutions Spirit Condensation Array".

Now, everything is ready, except for the final push.

"Let's go." Shen Hanyi said calmly. The flying boat started up again and sped towards the Taiqing Sect.
……

Since Nangong Xiong Ba caused a ruckus at Taiqing Sect and was severely injured by the combined forces of three Spirit Slaying Realm experts, Taiqing Sect has become the undisputed overlord of the Eastern Region.

Looking across the entire Holy Martial Dynasty, apart from the royal family, which other aristocratic family could possess so many Spirit Severing Realm cultivators?
Moreover, they all advanced through their own efforts, and their combat strength is many times greater than those who take drugs.

Surprisingly, after accepting the surrender of the Cangyan Dao Palace, the Taiqing Sect became even more low-key in its actions.

Even when five Spirit Severing Realm experts from the Vast Expanse Palace came to visit, they were politely refused, and everything remained as usual.

Such demeanor commands our utmost respect.

With the current strength of the Taiqing Sect, it would only take a moment for them to annex all the sects, large and small, in the Eastern Region.

This restraint gradually lowered the guard of all parties, but it also left many feeling disappointed.

However, the calm did not last long.

When news came that "Chicken Prince" Zhou Qing had been promoted to a fourth-level array master and that all nine Spirit Slaying Realm experts had expressed their goodwill, the entire Eastern Region was once again in an uproar.

The entire Taiqing Sect was overjoyed.

The thirteen peak masters were all moved to tears, and they set off firecrackers in front of the ancestral hall for a whole month to celebrate and express their gratitude for the protection of their ancestors.

As a result, the smoke from the cannon salute filled the entire Taiqing Sect, and Elder Wuzhu had to activate the Three-Colored Sect Protection Array refined by Zhou Qing to dispel the smoke.

In the following months, the prefects and governors of the eight counties and seventy-two prefectures of the Holy Martial Dynasty came to offer their congratulations with gifts.

Although Cao Zhengyang received them politely, he declined all the congratulatory gifts.

—After all, this is a disciple of the Taiqing Sect advancing to the fourth level of array master, not an official of the imperial court.

Some positions must be made clear. Afterwards, even Lin Daochen, who had deciphered the Primordial Dao Field in the Vast Expanse Palace, made a special trip to visit.

Cao Zhengyang and Mo Xingjian and others treated him with great hospitality, but the array master only stayed for half a month. He left a gift and returned to the nearly deserted Baiyu Taixu Academy to cultivate in seclusion.

As for that secret realm dojo?
Let whoever wants to break it break it; he doesn't care anymore.

……

On this day, the sky was just beginning to brighten, and the morning dew had not yet dried.

The mist in Xiaolingfeng Mountain flows slowly, making the distant mountains appear and disappear in the mist, like a traditional Chinese ink painting.

At this moment, a young man with a round face and small eyes hurriedly descended from the sky and looked around outside Zhou Qing's residence.

"Old hen! Hen, hen—" Yan Xiaohu shouted at the top of his lungs, scanning the surroundings with his divine sense but finding nothing.

He scratched his head and stood there muttering, "Not here again? How many times has this happened?"

Ever since the old hen mysteriously returned, Yan Xiaohu has taken the initiative to take care of it.

After all, this was the fourth brother's spirit pet, and he hadn't been willing to abandon it when Nangong Xiongba attacked.

But this old hen always likes to disappear.

Sometimes when I wake up in the morning, it's gone.

Two days later, it will be found again at the entrance of Zhou Qing's courtyard, soaking wet and emitting a pungent smell of blood and stench.

"This time I'm going to find out where you went!" Yan Xiaohu plopped down on the ground, staring intently at his surroundings.

He sat there until the sun was high in the sky, and his bottom was numb from sitting.

As I got up to move around, I caught a glimpse of that familiar big tree not far away, so I went over and unbuckled my belt to relieve myself.

I had just shaken out and fastened my pants when I turned around and was startled.
The old hen had appeared on the bluestone slab at some point, and was fast asleep with her head tilted to one side.

Yan Xiaohu hurriedly tightened his belt and ran over, looking around.

The familiar stench remained, but with his late-stage Nascent Soul cultivation, he was completely unaware of how this old hen, devoid of any spiritual energy fluctuations, had appeared.

"Wake up!" He squatted down and poked the old hen, but just like the previous times, it was in a deep sleep and couldn't be woken up no matter what he did.

"This is really weird," Yan Xiaohu sighed helplessly, carefully picked up the old hen, and prepared to give it a good bath.

Just then, he suddenly sensed something and took out his identity token from his storage bag.

When he saw the message, he was first stunned, then exclaimed in surprise.

Then, holding the old hen, he took off with his sword, about to fly down the mountain, but then suddenly turned in mid-air and headed straight for the summit.

"Old Mo! Old Mo! Your long-awaited disciples have all returned!"

……

Standing before the mountain gate, Zhou Qing and his companions gazed at the familiar sect, overwhelmed with mixed emotions.

After so long, they are finally back.

"I didn't want to disturb too many people when I came back this time, so I only contacted my third senior brother," Zhou Qing said, looking at Shen Hanyi beside him.

Shen Hanyi waved her hand lightly, tearing open a spatial rift.

The group stepped inside, and when they reappeared, they were outside the old courtyard.

Mo Xingjian and Yan Xiaohu were anxiously waiting in front of the courtyard gate.

"Master!" When Zhou Qing, Luo Lingling, and Gui Ao emerged from the spatial rift one after another, their eyes immediately welled up with tears.

Just as Zhou Qing and the Ghost Hound were about to kneel, Mo Xingjian quickly stepped forward to help them up, his voice choked with emotion: "It's good that you're back, it's good that you're back."

Luo Lingling stood there, gazing at Mo Xingjian, who had aged considerably, her eyes also welling with tears, and softly called out, "Old Mo."

……

Today, the territory of Taiqing Sect is vast. In the past, the mines, markets and other industries of Jinlei Sect, Tianji Sect, Cangyan Dao Palace and even Qingyu Immortal Sect were all managed by the core disciples of Taiqing Sect, and most of them were not in the sect.

But news of Zhou Qing's return spread like wildfire.

Lu Yaoyao was going to pay her respects to her master, and the Lu sisters, sensing the silver-haired woman's aura, also hurriedly came to pay their respects.

When they learned that Zhou Qing was about to achieve the Spirit Severance Realm, Cao Zhengyang and the others were overjoyed—the Taiqing Sect was finally going to have its own Spirit Severance Realm expert.

After learning about the events that led to Nangong Xiong Ba's provocation, Zhou Qing expressed his sincere gratitude to the Lu sisters.

"You relax and get yourself ready, I'll go choose a location and set up."

As night fell, Shen Hanyi's cold voice had barely faded when she tore through the space and left, not even giving Zhou Qing a chance to stop her.

But that’s fine too.

In the days that followed, Zhou Qing seemed to have returned to his carefree childhood – waking up naturally every day and wandering around with his old hen.

The food at Yu Shan Tang was still delicious, and the gifts prepared by the eldest and second eldest brothers and sisters were delivered to everyone one after another.

What's most heartwarming is that Nannan still retains her innocent and carefree appearance, and every day, her uncle Gao Xuan leads her by the hand to Xiaoling Peak to play with him.

Everything seemed so peaceful and serene.

Three months later, Shen Hanyi returned, and Zhou Qing had also adjusted to his best condition.

"Sister, can I really go?" When Shen Yunzhou learned that she had also been selected as a protector, she was overjoyed.

Shen Hanyi gave him a cold look: "If you see anything later, remember to keep it to yourself, or I'll tear your mouth apart!"

"Understood, understood!" Shen Yunzhou nodded repeatedly.

They're just Dharma protectors, what can they possibly see?
Wait, what you're saying sounds so familiar?

Do you intend to do something to Brother Zhou again?
"There's a reason I brought you there." Shen Hanyi glanced at him. "When necessary, I need your wit to disgust people."

Shen Yunzhou: "..."

"I want to go too!" Lu Yaoyao suddenly exclaimed, surrounded by a chilling aura.

"This is the most important moment in Senior Brother Zhou's life, and I must witness it with my own eyes! If anything happens, I can help!"

She blinked her big eyes at Shen Hanyi, but Shen Hanyi didn't say anything.

Lu Yaoyao then realized that the decision was in her father's hands.

She immediately grabbed Zhou Qing's wrist and said pitifully, "Senior Brother Zhou, your Spirit Severing this time is really important to me, I swear!"

Zhou Qing looked at her and didn't know whether to laugh or cry.

After a moment's hesitation, he nodded in agreement.

Besides the four flowers gathering at the top, this girl knew many of his secrets.

Even the mirror of the ultimate weapon, the [Mirror of Infernal Blaze], was provided by her in the Black Snow Mountain incident.

Moreover, the two had cooperated seamlessly on several occasions.

More importantly, this girl is his lucky star. Whether it was gaining points or obtaining Xuan Qingzi's inheritance, she was indispensable.

"Great!" Lu Yaoyao cheered with joy upon seeing Zhou Qing's agreement.

Just then, there was a soft knock at the door.

Immediately afterwards, Mo Xingjian entered in single file, accompanied by Ghost Mastiff, Luo Lingling, and Yan Xiaohu.

The four bowed to Shen Hanyi first, and Mo Xingjian said, "We are all aware of the matter concerning the fourth brother, and we would like to do our part this time. We wonder if you could do us a favor?"

Shen Hanyi said calmly, "My formation requires six people to guard the core of the formation; no more than that is not possible."

She looked at Zhou Qing, "You decide the specifics."

Zhou Qing glanced at the eager eyes of his four masters and nodded solemnly: "Of course, I feel at ease with you all here."

"In that case, let's not delay and set off as soon as possible!" Shen Hanyi waved her wide sleeves, and a dark blue spatial rift opened in response.

The crowd followed closely behind and stepped inside...

……

Two months later, a silver-white flying boat quietly landed in the vast mountains.

The mountains here stretch endlessly like ink, with ancient trees reaching for the sky amidst swirling clouds and mist, their gnarled branches twisting like azure dragons.

This place is located within the territory of Qingming Prefecture under the jurisdiction of Longyuan County. It has always been a remote place with few people and is overrun by monsters.

With no human cities in sight for millions of miles, it was the perfect place for seclusion.

While Zhou Qing was adjusting his mindset, Shen Hanyi had already completed the exploration of this place.

"Are you satisfied with this place?" Shen Hanyi's cool voice rang out.

Zhou Qing looked around and nodded, saying, "It's perfect. Thank you for your hard work."

Shen Hanyi didn't say anything more, then controlled the flying boat to descend, slowly landing in front of a newly opened cave.

Shen Yunzhou looked around the meticulously decorated cave dwelling and couldn't help but say, "Sister, how come I never realized you were so thoughtful before..."

Before he could finish speaking, he felt a chill run down his back and quickly fell silent, hiding behind Zhou Qing.

"You stay here and prepare in peace." Shen Hanyi turned and walked outside. "The rest of you, follow me."

Mo Xingjian looked at Zhou Qing with a gratified expression, then stepped forward and patted Zhou Qing on the shoulder.

"Don't be nervous, relax, Master believes in you, you can definitely do it!"

Zhou Qing's lips curled up slightly: "Do I look nervous to Master?"

"Hahaha!" Mo Xingjian laughed loudly, "Back when you were in the Nascent Soul stage, I was unable to protect you. This time, you can rest assured and leave it to me."

Zhou Qing took a step back and bowed respectfully.

Ghost Mastiff and Luo Lingling hesitated to speak.

In the past, when their cultivation was superior, they could give their junior brother some guidance.

But now, facing the Spirit Severing Realm, a realm they could never reach in their lifetime, they really didn't know what to say.

I'm even more afraid that saying something inappropriate will only add to his stress.

Zhou Qing glanced at everyone and naturally understood their concerns.

He chuckled softly, handed the old hen in his arms to Yan Xiaohu, and said casually, "Where should we have the celebration banquet after this is done? Let's make it clear, I'm not going to be a sucker this time."

Upon hearing this, the tense expressions of the group immediately relaxed.

Yan Xiaohu patted his chest and stepped forward, saying, "While you've been away these past few years, I've certainly saved up quite a bit. This meal is on me; I guarantee you'll have a good time."

"Senior Brother Zhou, I..."

"Oh, stop talking! You don't know my sister's temper. We're always the ones waiting for her. Making her wait for us will get us into trouble!"

Before Lu Yaoyao could say a word, Shen Yunzhou grabbed everyone and rushed out without saying a word.

Lu Yaoyao struggled to turn around and shouted, "Senior Brother Zhou, keep going! After you advance, no matter what happens next, I want to face it with you this time!"

Zhou Qing watched their hurried departure and couldn't help but shake his head and chuckle.

As the laughter subsided, he slowly turned around.

In the empty stone chamber, only the sound of his own footsteps echoed.

“So that’s how it is,” Zhou Qing murmured to himself, gazing at the moonstone that kept lighting up on the stone wall. “I still get nervous.”

(End of this chapter)