The head master has a new female apprentice

Chapter 393 The predecessors planted the trees so that the successors could enjoy the shade; you two must work hard.
A flash of blue light appeared in Zhou Qing's hand, and the rusty tetanus sword was already held horizontally in front of him.

A blinding flash of cold light suddenly erupted from the sword, splitting the drifting smoke in two.

“The number is indeed just right.” He sneered, his sword pointing directly at Yun Jiumei.

"But for a cultivator like me from a small town, they casually gave me fifty top-grade spirit stones as hush money for such a trivial matter."

Zhou Qing's eyes flashed with a cold light: "This isn't just a lot, it's absurdly large!"

Upon hearing this, Yun Jiumei was startled again, and even the purple mist on her pipe paused.

She never imagined that her carefully designed trap would be defeated by such a simple principle.

Zhou Qing subtly moved Lu Yaoyao back to block her, and suddenly arcs of lightning rolled across the tetanus wound, crackling and popping.

"I only came here looking for a prostitute, I don't even know you." Zhou Qing's voice grew colder, the bloodlust in his double pupils intensifying. "But you've repeatedly tried to kill me."

He slowly raised the broken sword, its tip pointing directly at Yun Jiumei's brow: "I am not one to suffer losses!"

As soon as he finished speaking, Zhou Qing's figure suddenly disappeared from the spot.

The next instant, a sword light carrying lightning slashed towards Yun Jiumei.

Before the sword light even arrived, the violent thunderous power had already shaken the walls on both sides of the alley, creating spiderweb-like cracks.

Yun Jiumei's expression changed drastically, and she hastily parried with her pipe.

With a loud clang, lightning exploded on the pipe, and she was thrown back several steps.

Nine fox shadows instantly intertwined into a net in front of him, barely blocking the remaining thunderous sword energy.

"Young master, you have quite a temper!" She forced a smile, but a hint of horror flashed in her eyes.

It should be noted that the aura emanating from the opponent was clearly only at the early stage of the Spirit Severing Realm, yet in the brief exchange just now, she, as a mid-stage Spirit Severing Realm cultivator, barely managed to block it.

Without a word, with a thought, the Soul-Capturing Bell at her waist shook wildly, and waves of sound transformed into tangible attacks that struck Zhou Qing.

Zhou Qing snorted coldly, made a hand seal with his left hand, and a lightning barrier instantly formed, blocking all the sound waves.

The broken sword in his right hand continued its momentum, and the power of thunder condensed at the tip of the sword into a dazzling white light.

"Thunder!"

A pure white lightning sword beam shot out and directly annihilated Yun Jiumei's six fox shadows.

The remaining three fox shadows fled in panic and disappeared back into Yun Jiumei's body.

Yun Jiu Mei let out a muffled groan, a trickle of blood spilling from the corner of her mouth, staining her crimson gauze dress with specks of scarlet.

She gently touched her chest, feigning a pitiful expression: "Young man, you're so vigorous! You've hurt me!"

But there was no trace of frivolity in those foxy eyes.

She rapidly formed hand seals, her fingertips leaving afterimages: "Nine Nether Soul Devourer!"

In an instant, the entire alley was plunged into complete darkness.

Countless mournful cries of ghosts and wolves surged from all directions, as if thousands of wronged souls were howling in one's ears.

In the darkness, nine enormous phantom fox tails could be vaguely seen, each wreathed in eerie ghost flames, casting flickering light on and off in the alley.

Zhou Qing's double pupils shone brightly with blood-red light, and he saw that the nine fox tails were not illusions, but were formed from countless tiny wronged souls.

Wherever the fox tail swept, the bluestone slabs on the ground sizzled as if being corroded, and wisps of black smoke rose from them.

"A mere trick!" Zhou Qing shouted coldly, and the lightning on the tetanus mask suddenly surged.

He gripped his sword with both hands and plunged it into the ground: "Thunder Prison!"

"boom--"

Centered on the tip of the sword, a violent burst of lightning power exploded outwards in a ring.

The blinding lightning raged through the darkness like an angry dragon, and wherever it passed, the wronged souls let out mournful screams and vanished into thin air.

The nine phantom fox tails were torn to shreds by the lightning, and the darkness immediately receded.

When the lightning subsided, the alley was a complete mess.

The walls on both sides were covered with charred cracks, and the ground was riddled with craters from lightning strikes.

But Yun Jiumei remained standing, gently shaking her pipe and exhaling a perfect smoke ring: "Young master's lightning magic is indeed refined, what a pity."

She suddenly put away her pipe, and the nine phantom fox tails re-condensed behind her.

This time, each fox tail was wrapped with eerie purple runes, radiating a chilling aura.

The next second, the nine fox tails suddenly grew to ten feet in length, sweeping towards Zhou Qing with overwhelming force.

Wherever the fox's tail passed, subtle ripples spread through the space, and the bluestone slabs on the ground silently turned to dust, as if they had been directly wiped away by some strange force.

Zhou Qing's pupils contracted sharply, and he gripped the tetanus sword tightly with both hands, condensing the power of lightning to its maximum on the sword.

Instantly, a bolt of lightning as thick as a bucket shot into the sky and collided violently with the nine fox tails.

Lightning and purple light intertwined, erupting with a deafening roar.

The violent energy shockwave completely destroyed the walls on both sides of the alley, sending debris flying and dust billowing everywhere.

In the midst of this earth-shattering collision, the three people standing at the end of the alley exchanged a glance, a sinister glint in their eyes.

They approached Lu Yaoyao, who was holding the old hen, silently, and then suddenly attacked!

"Cluck cluck cluck!" The old hen suddenly let out a sharp squawk.

Lu Yaoyao turned around abruptly, her small face full of anger: "Trying to ambush me?"

Without hesitation, she tossed the old hen onto the roof not far away, and quickly formed a hand seal: "The way of filial piety is to connect heaven and earth!"

A hazy, dreamlike sky suddenly unfolded.

In the sky, a colossal figure, towering and imposing, slowly emerged—it was none other than Zhou Qing's phantom.

With a wave of his hand, the phantom figure actually concentrated the power of the entire realm of artistic conception onto a single finger!
"You dare touch her and see what happens!" the phantom roared, lightning crackling at its fingertips.

The three men's expressions changed drastically, and they quickly stopped in their tracks.

They were only at the late stage of the Nascent Soul Realm, how could they dare to face the might of the Spirit Severing Realm?

Seeing that she had successfully intimidated them, Lu Yaoyao pressed her advantage, and another figure materialized in the sky.

She was a silver-haired woman wearing a veil, radiating a chilling aura.

As she appeared, a heavy snow began to fall.

"If you have the guts, try touching her!" The woman's cold voice sent chills down the spines of the three men.

The three of them were so frightened that they retreated repeatedly, cold sweat beading on their foreheads.

They had hoped to impress the leader, but they never expected that this seemingly weak little girl would have such terrifying life-saving skills.

"Retreat!" the tall, thin cultivator at the head shouted, and the three of them hastily retreated to a safe distance.

Lu Yaoyao secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

She was only at the early stage of the Nascent Soul Realm; if they were to actually fight, she would be no match for the three of them.

I still need to work hard to improve my strength. When the time comes, I can directly engage in mixed doubles and fight against opponents of higher levels, just like my father's Four Flowers Gathering at the Top.

Meanwhile, the battle between Zhou Qing and Yun Jiu Mei continued.

Both sides tacitly refrained from using their artistic skills, instead testing each other's limits on a small scale.

"boom!"

Another fierce collision.

Zhou Qing used the momentum to retreat, glancing at Lu Yaoyao in the distance. Seeing that she was safe and sound, he felt somewhat relieved.

However, upon seeing his own phantom above her head, he couldn't help but twitch his lips slightly.

This girl has conjured up my image, and now that I'm wearing a mask, isn't it just like trying to hide something obvious?
He helplessly flexed his wrist, and purple-gold lightning surged around him once more, his fighting spirit intensifying.

On the other side, Yun Jiumei also looked solemn, clearly realizing that Zhou Qing was a formidable opponent.

Just as the two were about to clash again, a vast and abyss-like pressure suddenly descended.

The air in the entire alley seemed to freeze, and even the drifting dust seemed to linger in mid-air.

"Fellow Daoists." An aged voice echoed between heaven and earth, its sound not loud, yet it made people's eardrums ache.

"As a transit point for the seven states, Tianlan City's battle against the spirits will disrupt spatial stability. We urge you both to cease hostilities, otherwise..."

The voice paused, then the oppressive aura intensified: "This city lord will join forces with several old friends to directly kill the two of you."

Zhou Qing and Yun Jiu Mei both froze, their surging spiritual energy forced to recede.

The two exchanged a glance, both seeing apprehension in each other's eyes.

The Lord of Tianlan City is a renowned expert at the peak of the Spirit Slaying Realm, and he also possesses a city-protecting formation, making him someone they cannot contend with.

"Thank you both for your understanding." The old voice softened, and the oppressive aura dissipated.

Yun Jiumei suddenly chuckled, her gaze falling on the illusory image of a silver-haired, veiled woman above Lu Yaoyao's head: "So you know her."

A hint of amusement flashed in her eyes. "In that case, we're practically acquaintances."

She parted her red lips slightly and exhaled a smoke ring: "Young master, we will meet again. When that time comes, I will have to experience your strength firsthand."

Before she finished speaking, she tore through space with a light wave of her hand, and her figure disappeared into the void.

Zhou Qing frowned.

Does she know Shen Hanyi?

Could he also be from Nanhuang Prefecture?

Then, he turned to look at the three petty thieves.

When the three men saw their leader leave just like that, and met Zhou Qing's cold gaze, their faces turned ashen.

"Senior, spare your life!"

The three of them knelt down in unison, their foreheads slamming heavily against the bluestone slab: "We were really wrong, please forgive us, we are magnanimous."

At this moment, Lu Yaoyao also retracted the celestial canopy of artistic conception, and the two enormous figures of "Zhou Qing" and "Shen Hanyi" slowly dissipated.

The old hen fluttered back from the roof to Zhou Qing's shoulder.

Zhou Qing snorted coldly, and was about to speak when suddenly a series of whooshing sounds came from all around.

"Shhhhh-"

Dozens of figures rushed over from all directions, all of them cultivators attracted by the fluctuations of the battle just now.

They looked at Zhou Qing with great vigilance, and after sensing his cultivation level of the Spirit Severing Realm, they kept their distance with even greater awe.

But when some people's eyes fell on the three kneeling people, an uproar broke out.

"So the three of them were in cahoots!"

"No wonder my storage bag disappeared; it must have been stolen during that sandstorm."

I'll kill you three bastards!

……

More than a dozen Nascent Soul Realm figures rushed forward, their spiritual energy weaving into a net across the street.

The three men, their faces ashen, scrambled to their feet and began to flee, only to be engulfed by the angry crowd in the blink of an eye. Zhou Qing watched coldly, offering no assistance.

He then gave Lu Yaoyao a wink, and the two left the chaotic neighborhood.

……

"That vixen stole our old hen, and she still thinks she's right!"

Walking down the bustling street, Lu Yaoyao gently stroked the old hen in her arms while muttering indignantly.

Zhou Qing remained silent.

He didn't take the conflict to heart.

Although the opponent was at the mid-stage of the Spirit Severing Realm, neither side used their true strength.

He was absolutely confident that if he went all out, he could definitely suppress his opponent.

However, she became quite interested in Lu Yaoyao's artistic conception: "In your artistic conception, what were those two shouts from Shen Hanyi and me?"

Upon hearing this, Lu Yaoyao stuck out her tongue sheepishly: "That was just for show. I named it 'Protective of its own'. What do you think, Senior Brother Zhou?"

Zhou Qing smiled wryly upon hearing this, but still nodded: "Pretty good. However..."

A hint of doubt flashed in his eyes, "How could they even simulate the aura of a Spirit Severing Realm cultivator?"

“Absolutely!” Lu Yaoyao proudly raised her little face. “The essence of my filial piety lies in imitation, imitating everything you and Sister Shen have done.”

As she was speaking, she suddenly stomped her foot in frustration, "It's a pity that I can't replicate your ultimate move that combines lightning and spiritual seal."

"If I could learn it, I would have at least a third of your power, enough to deal with any danger."

Zhou Qing raised an eyebrow and said, "Doesn't that mean the stronger Shen Hanyi and I are, the stronger you are?"

Lu Yaoyao chuckled, her eyes crinkling into crescents: "Of course! So I don't want to work hard anymore, I just want to lie down and relax~"

"Then I won't bother trying," Zhou Qing said, pretending to put on a stern face. "Why should I go through all this trouble to cultivate, while you can just sit back and reap the benefits?"

"That won't do!" Lu Yaoyao exclaimed anxiously, grabbing his sleeve. "One generation plants the trees so another can enjoy the shade; you two have to work hard."

She suddenly remembered something and quickly shoved the old hen into Zhou Qing's arms: "Wait! I almost forgot!"

She hurriedly pulled the sketchbook from her storage bag and eagerly opened it.

As he gathered spiritual energy at his fingertips, he began to concentrate intently on depicting the battle scene in the alleyway.

Zhou Qing smiled without saying anything and did not disturb him.

He leaned closer for a closer look and had to admit that, thanks to the special ability of artistic conception, the girl's painting skills were indeed becoming more and more exquisite.

"Ok?"

Soon, Zhou Qing noticed that as Lu Yaoyao focused on painting, a subtle aura of artistic conception began to linger around her.

This method of enhancing the artistic conception through painting is quite unique.

He waved his hand gently, and a spiritual energy shield enveloped her, isolating her from external interference.

A full hour later, Lu Yaoyao shook her sore and numb arms and put away the picture book with satisfaction.

Seeing that Zhou Qing had been standing guard by her side and had even thoughtfully set up a protective shield, her eyes curved into crescents, and she skipped over to hug Zhou Qing's arm.

"Thank you, Senior Brother Zhou—"

Zhou Qing rubbed her head: "Let's go, we still need to hurry up and find a way to earn money for the journey."

Upon hearing this, Lu Yaoyao tilted her head back, a mischievous glint in her eyes: "Senior Brother Zhou, Tianlan City is a transit point connecting to the Seven States. Why are you in such a hurry to go to Nanhuang State?"

She deliberately drew out her words, "Do you miss Sister Shen too?"

Zhou Qing glanced at her helplessly: "Didn't you say you encountered difficulties in your cultivation and needed her guidance? How did it become my problem?"

Lu Yaoyao retorted confidently, "This is just an excuse. Whether I go or not is up to you."

Zhou Qing shook his head and chuckled, but his gaze unconsciously drifted towards the southern horizon.

To be honest, all thirty-odd states of the Heavenly Fortune Holy Dynasty were unfamiliar territory to him.

The choice of Nanhuang Prefecture was naturally based on certain considerations.

After all, there are more acquaintances there, including Second Uncle, and his godson is at Jiyuan Temple.

More importantly, there's the forbidden zone of number six—the desolate wilderness.

He had explored this place many times within the Divine Ruins Heavenly Palace, and was well aware of its dangers and opportunities.

The hidden opportunities within are far beyond imagination.

If that's the case, why should he go to other large states and start exploring from scratch?

"Senior Brother Zhou?" Lu Yaoyao waved her hand in front of his eyes when she saw him lost in thought. "Could it be that you're thinking about Sister Shen and your mind is wandering?"

Zhou Qing snapped out of her daze and flicked her forehead in an annoyed tone: "Stop being so cheeky. If all else fails, I'll sell you off first..."

Before he could finish speaking, a strange buzzing sound suddenly came from the sky.

Almost instinctively, everyone looked up and saw the four-colored protective array covering the entire Tianlan City rippling.

The four colors of spiritual light—blue, red, white, and black—intertwined and flowed, and the array patterns outlined a mysterious sound transmission structure in the air, like a scroll painting falling from the sky.

"Fellow Daoists."

The city lord's aged yet majestic voice emanated from the great formation, its sound waves sweeping across the entire city like a tidal wave.

The spiritual energy fluctuations contained in that voice caused every cultivator to tremble in their hearts.

"The teleportation array to Nanhuang Prefecture was destroyed by a Void Beast two hours ago. Master Jiang, who was originally in charge of the repair, was unfortunately sucked outside the barrier and his fate is unknown."

The voice paused, and the four-colored array patterns flickered, his tone becoming increasingly solemn: "Currently, six groups of teleportation personnel departed from Nanhuang Prefecture two months ago. If the problem is not repaired in time, these people may become lost in the void."

A blurry scene then appeared within the grand formation—several streaks of light could be vaguely seen drifting erratically in the distorted spatial rifts, as if they were about to be swallowed by darkness.

"More seriously, the barriers to the passage will continue to crumble, and in the worst case, this dedicated line that has been in operation for tens of thousands of years will be completely paralyzed."

Finally, the four-colored spiritual light suddenly converged, condensing into a dazzling pillar of light in the center of the city:

"Does Tianlan City currently have any level four array masters? Please go to the City Lord's Mansion immediately. Regardless of whether it can be repaired, a generous reward will be given."

As soon as he finished speaking, the entire city fell into a brief silence, which was then followed by a chorus of voices discussing the matter.

“I know Master Jiang. He is a fourth-level array master who stayed in Tianlan City. I heard that he has already condensed 13,000 spirit seals.”

An elderly man with white hair shook his head and sighed.

The middle-aged cultivator in brocade robes beside him chimed in, "As far as I know, Master Jiang's ancestors participated in the construction of the Seven Formations of Tianlan. Over the years, he has been in charge of all the problems that have arisen with the formations in Tianlan City."

"How could this be?" A young cultivator's face turned pale. "Being sucked outside the barrier is practically a death sentence."

In the crowd, a burly man carrying a giant sword spat out: "These ferocious creatures that can tear space apart are truly disgusting."

“My great-grandfather was a Spirit Severing Realm cultivator. He said that when he tore through space to move forward, what he feared most was encountering these things, and he would often retreat within a breath or two.”

“A breath or two is enough to travel 100,000 miles,” a companion whispered in agreement. “Compared to us people who rely on magic treasures to travel, it’s many times faster.”

At this moment, a thin cultivator suddenly lowered his voice: "It's all those people's fault. They've been hunting Void Beasts in groups for years, searching for Void Crystal Cores. In recent years, the Void Beast herds have become increasingly restless, which is definitely revenge."

"Shh!" His companion quickly covered his mouth, looking around in alarm.

"Do you want to die? Anyone who can start collecting void crystal cores is either at the Great Perfection of the Spirit Severing Realm or the Supreme Realm. Be careful they don't overhear you!"

The thin, frail cultivator immediately fell silent, cold sweat beading on his forehead.

The people around them instinctively shrank back, and the murmurs gradually subsided.

……

Upon hearing this, a glint flashed in Zhou Qing's eyes.

Repairing the level-four teleportation array was an excellent opportunity for him to comprehend the ancient array spirit seals, which could greatly enhance his understanding of the Dao of Arrays.

Just like the detailed formation insights that Sikong Yan gave him last time regarding the Hidden Dragon Path.

Even more coincidentally, this happens to be a teleportation array leading to Nanhuang Prefecture.

If one were truly paralyzed and had to travel by airship, not only would one face various dangers in an unfamiliar environment, but the journey itself would take decades, making it a truly unprofitable endeavor.

Moreover, if they can successfully repair it, they can earn a considerable reward, which will solve their livelihood problems in Nanhuang Prefecture.

Seeing Zhou Qing's eagerness, Lu Yaoyao nervously grabbed his sleeve: "Senior Brother Zhou, don't go! It's too dangerous. Even Master Jiang, whom these people are talking about, met with misfortune."

"Don't worry, this might be an opportunity for me," Zhou Qing reassured him.

"No way!" Lu Yaoyao said urgently, "There are plenty of ways to earn spirit stones. We can always rob someone; that's a faster way to make money!"

Zhou Qing was both amused and exasperated: "Do you still want to break through to the Spirit Severing Realm? And you're still trying to rob me?"

"But."

"It's really nothing." Zhou Qing looked down at the old hen in his arms.

Starting from the Holy Martial Dynasty, passing through the Nine Li Dynasty, and finally arriving at Tianlan City, this old hen has never disappeared again and returned to the forbidden area of ​​the cave.

The black heart on the ancient tree had long since withered, indicating that the essence of that innate spirit's friend had been completely integrated into the chicken's body.

If we encounter danger, with it by our side, we should be safe.

Seeing that her persuasion was ineffective, Lu Yaoyao was about to speak again when Zhou Qing interrupted, "You can't go. You'll have to wait for me to come back."

"Hmph!" Lu Yaoyao pouted in dissatisfaction.

Zhou Qing asked a passerby for directions to the city lord's mansion, and then led the reluctant Lu Yaoyao into the city.
……

In the center of Tianlan City, a magnificent city lord's mansion stands tall.

The entire mansion is built with a base of green jade and walls of obsidian, with gilded animal heads inlaid at the upturned eaves.

The gate is about three zhang high and is made of thousand-year-old ironwood with gilded copper nails on the surface.

Hanging in the center is a black plaque with gold lettering, bearing the three ancient characters "Tianlan Mansion".

Every ten steps along the mansion wall stands a watchtower with upturned eaves, its top adorned with bronze wind chimes.

A gentle breeze blew by, and the sound of the bell was faintly mixed with the hum of the array in operation.

Outside the city lord's mansion, dozens of guards clad in silver armor stood ready.

A tense atmosphere filled the air, and the cultivators passing by subconsciously slowed their footsteps, even communicating through telepathy.

"Get out of the way! Get out of the way, everyone!"

A patrol team riding "Cloud-Treading Beasts" galloped over, the leader holding a constantly flashing array plate, his face grave: "The fluctuations in the Southern Phoenix Passage have intensified again!"

Inside the main hall of the mansion, an elderly man dressed in a dark gold robe stood with his hands behind his back.

He is none other than Li Changhong, the Lord of Tianlan City!

Although he has lived for thousands of years and his cultivation has reached the Great Perfection of the Spirit Severing Realm, just one step away from the legendary Supreme Realm, he still maintains the appearance of a middle-aged man.

His neatly trimmed short beard, now white as frost, only added to his dignified bearing.

"Report—!" A guard rushed in, "Lord, the fluctuations outside the fortress have already affected the passages to the other six states!"

Li Changhong frowned, a hint of worry flashing in his eyes, which were marked by the passage of time.

(End of this chapter)