The head master has a new female apprentice

Chapter 385 Lu Yaoyao's fingers have turned transparent! (6k)

As Zhou Qing continued his journey, the scenery along both banks of the Blood River gradually became monotonous.

The viscous blood flowed silently, and the dead crows floating on the surface swirled slowly with the current, occasionally colliding and making dull sounds.

But there were no more messages from the predecessors.

He had hoped that he would at least see his second uncle's proud handwriting.

It seems that although later generations can go further by drawing on the experience of their predecessors, they are ultimately constrained by those three alabaster crows and cannot truly penetrate into the core of the forbidden zone.

"Ok?"

After walking for half an incense stick's time, Zhou Qing suddenly frowned.

The blood mist dissipated ahead, revealing a familiar silhouette—the ancient tree entwined with six coffins stood prominently on the opposite bank of the river!

Zhou Qing's breath hitched, and he rushed to the shore.

That's right, this is exactly where we started.

Looking at the familiar scene across from him, Zhou Qing couldn't help but chuckle.

He finally understood that this blood river, which could seal spiritual power and mental strength, along with the floating dead crows, was like a moat, completely surrounding the ancient tree and coffin in the center.

Our ancestors explored along the riverbank, wandering around and eventually returning to the starting point.

"Picking flowers in the morning and gathering them at dusk, the starting point is the end point." Zhou Qing shook his head and sighed softly.

If those predecessors who poured their hearts and souls into this place knew the truth, they would probably laugh in anger.

Then, Zhou Qing's gaze fell on the six coffins on the opposite bank of the Blood River.

The ancient tree's thick roots coiled around it like writhing dragons, binding it tightly. Each root gleamed with a dark metallic luster, as if it had endured millions of years of immortality.

After a brief hesitation, he jumped.

Sure enough, even though he was already at the Spirit Severing Realm, the moment he stepped into the Blood River, all his spiritual power was lost.

He swam slowly to shore, and by the time he reached the bank, his spiritual energy had finally recovered somewhat.

"Grandmaster, this is Zhou Qing, a disciple of Mo Xingjian from Xiaoling Peak, who has come to pay his respects!"

Upon arriving at the first coffin, Zhou Qing solemnly bowed.

But after waiting for a long time, there was no reaction from the coffin.

Left with no other choice, he straightened up, glanced at the ancient tree, and took a deep breath.

He gripped the tree roots that were wrapped around the coffin with both hands, and the physical power of his Spirit Severing Realm body erupted!

Since his master wasn't coming out, he decided to go in and take a look.

"crunch-"

As the spiritual energy around him surged, the tree roots emitted a teeth-grinding sound, yet remained completely still.

Instead, it tightened suddenly when he exerted force, making the coffin creak.

Zhou Qing frowned, and purple-gold lightning burst forth from his palm. Ten thousand spiritual seals merged, and a lightning spear materialized out of thin air.

"break!"

The lightning spear pierced the tree roots fiercely, sparks flew, but only shallow scorch marks were left on the surface.

Zhou Qing's pupils shrank sharply—this was a killing move that could slay the Corpse Wax Crow, yet it only caused this little damage?

Unconvinced, Zhou Qing's lightning surged, electric snakes crackled through his hair, and his eyes transformed into pools of lightning.

Just as he was about to strike, he suddenly felt a chill on the back of his neck.

Turning my head slowly, I saw the branches of the towering ancient tree moving without wind, as if silently gazing at me.

Zhou Qing froze, awkwardly stopping his stance, and respectfully bowed to the ancient tree: "Senior, this junior has no intention of offending you, but my master is still in the coffin, may I ask him to come out for a chat?"

silence.

Only the river of blood flowed on.

Zhou Qing smiled wryly; this ancient tree was definitely sentient.

According to Second Uncle, those few green leaves on the tree crown alone are a hundred times more precious than the Transformation Elixir, not to mention that they also nourish that enormous heart.

Last time, when digging for spiritual soil to revive the ancient tea tree, I was warned for digging too much.

Seeing that the ancient tree still ignored him, Zhou Qing pondered for a moment and took out the Enlightenment Ancient Tea Tree.

After all, the tokens of the Divine Ruins Heavenly Palace are far superior to those of the forbidden zones; everything is currently just a simulation.

Once you leave, you will have absolutely no memory of anything in this place.

However, in simulation, they can exhibit the most realistic reactions.

“Senior,” Zhou Qing respectfully presented the potted plant, “I was fortunate enough to obtain this ancient tree, and it has been cultivated to a considerable size. However, it requires a large amount of wood-attribute spirit stones to nourish it each time.”

"I wonder if you, senior, have a good method to allow it to absorb the essence of heaven and earth on its own and then feed it back to me, so that I don't have to struggle to find spirit stones for it?"

To his astonishment, the ancient tree, which had been silent all along, suddenly let out a clear, soft "Eh," a sound that was clearly a woman's voice.

Zhou Qing was shocked; this ancient tree truly possessed its own consciousness!
But apart from that soft sound, the ancient tree did not react in any other way.

Zhou Qing waited respectfully for a long time, but in the end, he could only helplessly put away the potted plant.

Staring at the mysterious giant tree, he immediately used his appraisal technique.

[Ancient Tree: This is a primordial spirit that fell from the battlefield of stars. Carrying the heart of its dearest friend, it has endured countless years here and is now undergoing a rebirth.]

Although the information was brief, it left Zhou Qing utterly shocked.

Innate spirit?

What level of existence is this?

However, he had seen the name "Starry Sky Battlefield" more than once.

Because of the refinement of that mutated Yin-Yang energy, a jade slip appeared in the first coffin in the simulation state.

After countless attempts and the painful lesson of being blown off the head by a corpse wax crow, they finally obtained the jade slip in reality using the fastest and safest method.

The jade slip contains the supreme mental cultivation method of "Yin Yang Jue," which is most suitable for Yin and Yang energies, and is signed by Zhongli Bo.

The message mentioned that the other party discovered this still-nascent yin-yang energy in this place.

He recalled that his former best friend had risen to power by relying on this very power of the heavens, but had perished on the battlefield of stars while trying to save him.

Seeing the object evoked memories of the person, and overwhelmed with emotion, he concealed this wisp of Yin-Yang energy and left behind the "Yin-Yang Manual" created by his friend for future generations.

I hope that those destined to meet will meet in the starry battlefield in the future.

Later, at the foot of Spirit Skull Mountain, Zhou Qing encountered the remnant soul of Senior Xuan Qingzi.

The other party claimed to be a level nine formation master under General Zhongli Bo, who had perished in an ambush on the star battlefield and was now only a wisp of his soul, which he managed to escape to this place with all his might.

Originally, he wanted to leave behind the entire inheritance, but due to the destruction of the Suanni in the late stage of the Spirit Severing Realm, his remnant soul was severely damaged, and in the end, he could only leave behind the inheritance related to the level 5 formation.

Before his remnant soul dissipated, Xuan Qingzi asked Zhou Qing to convey his message to General Zhongli Bo if he ever reached the Starry Sky Battlefield.

He did not fail to arrive at the designated location as agreed, nor was he a deserter; he simply had no other choice.

So when Zhou Qing saw the identification results, he was even more shocked—he never expected that this ancient tree also came from the Starry Sky Battlefield.

What kind of place is it exactly?
Since the first generation of Taiqing Sect discovered this place and designated it as a restricted area to be protected, countless years have passed.

Even beings above the Spirit Severing Realm probably cannot achieve such a long lifespan.

Thinking of this, Zhou Qing felt a deep sense of awe.

What shocked him even more was that the black heart on the tree was left by the tree's close friend, a spirit of nature.

Is it male or female?

So, what is it doing on the old hen?
Could it be a case of possession?

"It shouldn't be that bad," Zhou Qing thought to himself, shaking his head.

How could an existence that fell from the star battlefield be so bored as to possess a chicken?

Unless the other person has lost their mind.

Seeing that the ancient tree still showed no reaction, Zhou Qing had no choice but to leave the restricted area.

He opened his eyes and pushed open the courtyard gate.

Sure enough, the old hen reappeared on the bluestone slab outside the door, her familiar fishy stench particularly pungent.

Zhou Qing stared at it blankly, sighed softly, and silently took a wooden basin to wash it.

After drying its feathers, Zhou Qing placed it on the bed and sat quietly at the table, gazing at it.

Suddenly, a thought flashed through my mind—

This old hen was a stall owner who sold oddly shaped things at the Five Sects Treasure Gathering back then.

I was initially attracted by its bulging eyes and fluffy body, and I planned to buy it as a treat, but it turned out to be just bloated.

Unexpectedly, a spirit egg was laid the next day. After identification, it was found that it was an egg-bearing chicken that had undergone an excessive mutation.

It can devour anything, purify it, and then excrete it through egg-laying.

From then on, the old hen stayed by his side.

From initially being fed spirit stone powder to later being fed whole spirit stones, day after day, year after year, it has become Zhou Qing's longest-lasting spirit pet.

But now, it always seems to appear in the restricted area by some strange twist of fate, which makes Zhou Qing think of the Four Flowers Gathering at the Top that he has gathered on his body.

That wisp of Yin-Yang energy, which had also undergone a similar transformation, was brought out by the Second Uncle from the third coffin.

More accurately, it was Zhongli Bo who discovered this wisp of Yin and Yang energy, which was still in its infancy, here back then.

He carefully concealed it, left behind the "Yin Yang Manual," and then drifted away.

As time passed, the ancient trees and coffins that were originally hidden deep within gradually emerged amidst the changing times, and by chance, that area was incorporated into the landscape.

Later, Guo Guiqi, the first leader of the Taiqing Sect, was the puppet guardian in the gravity zone.

They discovered this secret realm and established their sect here, laying the foundation for the Taiqing Sect.

"Could it be that the old hen came from a forbidden area?" Zhou Qing muttered to himself.

Perhaps it had been wandering outside until it was adopted by itself.

Having undergone three consecutive mutations while being fed with large amounts of spirit stones, it has progressed from laying spirit eggs to ignoring restrictions, and now it can freely enter and exit forbidden areas.
Even the three ferocious carrion crows ignored it.

Zhou Qing frowned slightly, as if a flash of inspiration had appeared in his mind, but it was like looking at flowers through a fog, and he could not grasp the key point.

Even more puzzling is Master Canglong Zhenren.

Even though his lifespan had come to an end, his master and senior brothers personally buried him.

But now he appears in the first coffin, becoming a spirit-slaying being like a weapon spirit.

Would you consider this a kind of mutation?
Filled with doubts, Zhou Qing waited until midnight.

When the [Daily Appraisal] refreshed again, he immediately used the appraisal on the old hen.

[Egg Treasure Chicken: This is an old hen undergoing its third mutation. Currently, it can ignore most three-color restrictions. It likes to eat and sleep, and occasionally likes to peek at its owner.]

Looking at the feedback, Zhou Qing's lips twitched.

Still in the third mutation state, but why does it like to peek at me?

Thinking of this, Zhou Qing suddenly stood up, took several steps back, and stared warily at the sleeping hen on the bed.

Its feathers gleamed eerily in the moonlight, and its chest rose and fell slowly with its breath.

"Could it be... that it's slowly waking up?" Zhou Qing murmured to himself, a chill creeping down his spine.

What if one day I wake up to find it standing at my bedside, flapping its wings and saying, "Hello, handsome young man!"
I used to think it was mentally unstable, but I didn't guard against many of its secrets, including my habit of sleeping naked sometimes.

"Should we...throw it away?" This thought was immediately rejected. But that wasn't realistic; unless it was killed, it could always return to the restricted area and reappear outside the door at any time.

But if they were to actually take action—not to mention the lack of a legitimate reason for their actions, the mere fact that the innate spirit of that ancient tree was secretly watching them was enough to make anyone wary.

Not to mention that the spirit eggs it laid in the early stages greatly benefited his cultivation, so he couldn't bring himself to kill it.

Wouldn't that be ungrateful?

“Perhaps,” Zhou Qing’s eyes lit up, “we can continue to pretend nothing’s wrong and keep it!”

Since it is related to the Starry Sky Battlefield and may be the vessel of that black heart, it must possess something to protect its life.

If you find yourself in danger and have it with you, it might do something unexpected in a critical moment to save itself.

Thinking of this, he smiled slightly and carefully moved to the edge of the bed.

After hesitating for a moment, he reached out and gently stroked the hen's head, then ran his hand down her neck and back feathers.

"It's quite smooth," he muttered to himself, then pinched the white and tender chicken feet.

Besides, I've given you baths so many times and cuddled you while you sleep, so what's there to be afraid of?

At worst, I'll treat you better in the future. Who knows, maybe one day you'll really awaken and, considering my hard work even if I haven't achieved anything, you might give me a chance.

……

Over the next year, Zhou Qing consolidated his cultivation while taking the opportunity to enter the Divine Ruins Heavenly Palace after the old hen disappeared.

Watching his heart wither away day by day, he found a raven to spar with, and life became quite pleasant.

However, advancing to the Spirit Slayer realm exhausted his savings, and now he's penniless again.

I haven't been online since the 6th, and I don't know how he is now.

On the contrary, Lu Yaoyao's understanding of her own artistic conception is constantly being improved and strengthened, achieving a perfect balance between offense and defense.

Three "selves" take the lead in attack, while three "Shen Hanyi" defend.

For now, she can only control one "self" and one "Shen Hanyi".

However, as cultivation levels increase, the number should be able to increase.

However, she now has a particular fondness for Zhou Qing's ultimate move that combines the spirit seal with lightning.

Not only was it incredibly powerful, but it also exuded an extraordinary aura when used, which she greatly envied.

For the past six months, she has been pestering Zhou Qing to demonstrate this move repeatedly, wanting to copy it as a trump card for survival.

Although Zhou Qing cooperated patiently, she couldn't quite grasp the point and eventually had to give up in frustration.

I suppose that once my cultivation improves and my mental strength increases, I might be able to comprehend it.

……

At noon that day, Lu Yaoyao peeked out of the courtyard gate with a smile and immediately saw the old hen lazily lying in the middle of the yard sunbathing.

She picked up the old hen with practiced ease, humming a little tune as she walked into the house.

Strangely, she walked around the room but couldn't find Zhou Qing anywhere.

It wasn't until I left the room that I realized Zhou Qing had been sitting in the rattan chair in the courtyard, sunbathing.

She was already used to this situation.

At first, I thought it was due to a flaw in the cultivation technique, but later I learned from chatting with my fellow disciples that everyone unconsciously ignored Zhou Qing's existence.

This phenomenon is quite strange, but upon further reflection, it makes perfect sense that Senior Brother Zhou is now a powerful expert at the Spirit Severing Realm, and it is quite reasonable for him to be rarely seen.

"Senior Brother Zhou," she asked, blinking her bright eyes, "haven't you ever felt bored since you advanced to the Spirit Severing stage?"

Zhou Qing slowly opened his eyes, looking at her with a smile: "What do you want to say?"

Lu Yaoyao pouted, gently placed the old hen on the ground, and then tugged at Zhou Qing's sleeve, shaking it gently: "I miss Sister Shen."

"Speak like a human being." Zhou Qing glanced at her sideways.

"I want to copy your ultimate move!" Lu Yaoyao stomped her foot. "But my cultivation level isn't high enough, and I'm stuck on the artistic conception when I try to improve."

"You know that my intention is to understand you and Sister Shen, and it needs more unforgettable experiences to perfect it."

As she spoke, she took out a thick handbook and opened it. The last page still showed the scene of everyone protecting Zhou Qing back then.

"Life is so mundane these days, I have absolutely no inspiration," she said, sounding aggrieved.

Zhou Qing sighed and rubbed his forehead: "I warned you before that you could change the person after the artistic conception was formed. You insisted on adding Shen Hanyi, and now you've driven yourself into a dead end, haven't you?"

"What's the point of saying all this now!" Lu Yaoyao stamped her feet anxiously. "So you're planning to just stay holed up in the sect from now on?"

Zhou Qing casually crossed his legs: "Isn't it good? Occasionally I can discuss the Dao with the Lu sisters, and go out for a stroll in my spare time. A lifespan of six thousand years is something many people would rather die for."

"You're not ambitious!" Lu Yaoyao glared at him angrily.

"From the Five Sects War to the capital, and now, after all this time of running around," Zhou Qing stretched, "Can't I just enjoy myself a little?"

Lu Yaoyao blushed and suddenly said something shocking: "If you don't want to go out, then find a Daoist partner and have a child!"

"Cough!" Zhou Qing almost choked on his own saliva.

Lu Yaoyao snorted: "A truly comfortable life is having a wife, kids, and a warm bed! Aren't you bored being all alone?"

“Not boring at all,” Zhou Qing said, spreading his hands comfortably. “It’s so nice to be alone, I don’t have to worry about anything.”

"You!" Lu Yaoyao was so angry that she jumped up and down, finally saying "I'm ignoring you" before turning around and leaving.

Watching the girl's departing figure, Zhou Qing burst into laughter.

Then the laughter subsided, and his gaze fell on the jade slip map left by Shen Yunzhou, his expression gradually becoming serious.

"Perhaps... it's time to go out for a walk," he murmured to himself. "At least see if there's a chance to refresh and get another talent skill?"

From "lowering your profile" to "the mind's eye," and then to "daily observation" and "random posts."

These four innate skills have helped him countless times.

To be honest, he was really curious about what kind of surprise the next three skill fragments would bring.

……

Meanwhile, Lu Yaoyao, who had stormed off from Xiaoling Peak, was kicking pebbles in frustration: "You stinky old man, you bad old man, all you do is make me angry!"

Before she could finish speaking, she suddenly staggered and fell to her knees on one knee.

My heart was pounding, my ears were ringing, and the whole world was spinning.

Even more terrifying, my right little finger was throbbing with pain and started to turn transparent!

"This is."

She hurriedly activated the "Ice Cleansing Technique," and the icy spiritual energy circulated throughout her body, gradually relieving her symptoms.

Looking at my fingers again, they were perfectly intact, as if what I had just seen was an illusion.

Lu Yaoyao stood up, still shaken, and turned to look in the direction of Xiaoling Peak.

Suddenly, she put her hands on her hips and said, "It's all your fault! You made me so angry I had a nervous breakdown! What will you do if anything happens to me?!"

Before the words were finished, a terrifying pressure poured down from the sky.

No, everyone in the entire Taiqing Sect felt this suffocating sense of oppression.

Zhou Qing suddenly looked up, and his figure instantly appeared high in the sky.

From the direction of Shenyue Peak, the Lu sisters tore through space and stood beside him.

The three of them looked up at the sky. Lu Yuanzhi's voice trembled slightly: "What a terrifying aura! What is this?"

Zhou Qing remained silent, his expression grave.

shhhhhh!
Mo Xingjian, Cao Zhengyang, and other peak masters rushed over, their faces full of vigilance.

"Zhou Qing, is it an enemy attack?" Cao Zhengyang asked urgently.

Today, the Taiqing Sect is the overlord of the Eastern Region, with four Venerable Spirit Slaying Realm experts guarding it. Who would dare to invade?
The world suddenly went dark.

Zhou Qing suddenly looked up, his pupils contracting sharply.

Above the sky, a gigantic golden hand, obscuring the sun and sky, slowly descends, breaking through the clouds.

The palm was so large that it seemed to cover the entire sky, and the lines on the palm were like deep abysses, each line shimmering with a terrifying divine light of the Dao.

"This is."

The protective array of the Taiqing Sect was activated instantly, and the three-colored light screen trembled violently, emitting a mournful cry of being overwhelmed.

The ground began to crack, the mountains shook, and countless disciples were forced to kneel on the ground by this oppressive force, making it difficult for them to even breathe.

Zhou Qing and the other two felt their hair stand on end, and their spiritual energy surged wildly within them.

They could clearly sense that the power contained in this palm could easily annihilate the three of them.

"Help me!"

The tetanus air chamber instantly appeared in Zhou Qing's hand, the sword humming.

He had never felt such terrifying oppression before, as if he were facing not a palm, but the will of the entire Heavenly Dao.

The Lu sisters' spiritual power had just been unleashed when it was forcefully suppressed by this oppressive force.

They were horrified to discover that their artistic conception was like a firefly compared to the bright moon in the face of this palm.

At this critical moment, countless fine golden chains suddenly appeared on the surface of the giant hand.

Those chains seemed to come from the river of time, binding the hands tightly.

The palm began to twist and deform, as if it had hit an invisible barrier, and was slowly bounced back.

"Ugh--"

A sigh that seemed to transcend eternity resounded through the heavens, carrying with it endless regret and helplessness.

The giant hand gradually faded into nothingness, eventually turning into specks of golden light and dissipating into the world.

Only then did everyone realize that their clothes were already soaked with sweat.

The light of the sect-protecting formation gradually subsided, but everyone was still immersed in the earth-shattering pressure from just now.

Zhou Qing stared intently at the direction where the giant hand disappeared, his heart pounding wildly.

For some reason, he sensed an inexplicable familiarity in that sigh.
"Who wants to attack the Taiqing Sect?" All the Spirit Severing Realm experts he knew flashed through his mind.

But none of these people were able to do that.

The owner of this hand is far beyond the Spirit Severing Realm. Could it be the Supreme Realm that Shen Yunzhou mentioned?

Lu Yuanzhi's voice trembled uncontrollably: "What kind of existence is this? The entire Eastern Region, no, I'm afraid the entire Holy Martial Dynasty couldn't find such a powerful figure."

The eldest sister, Lu Yuanjiu, stared intently at Zhou Qing, suppressing her inner shock as she asked, "Did you offend someone you shouldn't have?"

Zhou Qing frowned and slowly shook his head.

He rapidly considered all possible enemies, but could not find the answer.

Even though I had experienced the Great Perfection of the Spirit Severing Realm with the help of the [Five-Five Scroll], it was still far less than one ten-thousandth of the power of the owner of that hand.

"Who is it?" he murmured to himself, his fingertips trembling slightly involuntarily.

Why would such a terrifying being, completely beyond our comprehension, suddenly attack the Taiqing Sect?
"Senior Brother Zhou—" Just then, Lu Yaoyao's urgent shout came from afar, and she hurriedly flew over on her sword.

Before she could even get close, her eyes rolled back, and she plummeted from the sky like a kite with a broken string.

Zhou Qing flashed and instantly appeared beneath her, catching her steadily.

At this moment, the girl in his arms was pale, her forehead was covered in a fine layer of cold sweat, and even her breathing had become weak.

"Junior Sister Lu!" Zhou Qing quickly checked on her condition...

(End of this chapter)