The head master has a new female apprentice

Chapter 400 Old friends are passing away one after another, like leaves falling in the wind (6k)

Zhou Qing watched this scene quietly, a knowing smile unconsciously appearing on her lips.

This heartwarming scene reminded him of his master, who was far away at the Taiqing Sect.

During those days of cultivation within the mountain gate, his master also taught him in the same earnest way, providing guidance when he was lost.

"How are Master and the others now?" Zhou Qing's gaze drifted into the distance.

After so many years away, the Supreme Elder, Master, and Senior Uncle are probably nearing the end of their lifespans.

We must find something that can increase the probability of slaying spirits or bring back rare and precious materials that can extend lifespan as soon as possible.

Furthermore, the top-grade spirit stones obtained from Li Wusheng are enough to cover the cost of traveling to Tianlan City.

That silly girl, is she still waiting for him there?

"I need to hurry." He took a deep breath and sat cross-legged again to recover.

……

Two days later, Zhou Qing slowly opened his eyes again, his eyes seemed to be filled with lightning, and his aura was as deep and restrained as an abyss.

He raised the corners of his mouth slightly, revealing a relieved smile, finally fully recovered from his injuries.

"Boom boom boom——"

A soft knock came from outside the door, and Cao Aman walked in, carrying the old hen and wearing a simple, honest smile.

Seeing Zhou Qing's rosy complexion and normal lip color, he exclaimed in surprise, "Brother Zhou, you've recovered so quickly?"

Zhou Qing smiled gently: "Thanks to the antidote pill your mother brought back, it was a great help."

"Really?" Cao Aman's eyes lit up.

“Absolutely true.” Zhou Qing nodded earnestly.

"That's good!" Cao Aman breathed a sigh of relief, then picked up the old hen in her arms. "By the way, Brother Zhou, your chicken hasn't eaten for three days. Won't it starve to death?"

Zhou Qing took the old hen and couldn't help but smile as he watched it lazily yawning.

Who would have thought that this seemingly ordinary domestic fowl had drifted with him through the endless void for 150 years before returning safely?

What's even more amazing is that both the man and the chicken obtained tremendous opportunities in the void.

He was now a little curious about what kind of humanoid creature could control three terrifying void beasts that were almost at the supreme level.
If the ancient tree in the forbidden area of ​​the cave is a primordial spirit, is the old hen, its close friend, also a being of that nature?

The ancient tree has spent countless years nurturing the black heart. Now that its dearest friend is no longer a constraint, will its recovery speed be faster?
There has never been a case of tree roots entwining five coffins before. So, is it drawing nutrients from them to recover?

And the old hen now, its black heart is not from possession; all signs indicate that it originally came from the cave.

He was in a daze at the beginning, which is why he was captured by the rogue cultivators and eventually fell into their hands at the Five Sects Trade Fair.

How could a primordial spirit lower itself to possess a mere mortal chicken?
unless--

Zhou Qing stared at the old hen in his arms; the black heart itself was a hen.

It didn't transform into a rooster, so the other person is a woman.

"Brother Zhou—"

Seeing Zhou Qing's pensive expression, Cao Aman waved her hand in front of his eyes.

Zhou Qing snapped out of his daze and laughed, "It's alright, it doesn't eat much."

"Then I'm relieved. My mother prepared a lot of food for it, but it didn't even look at it," Cao Aman said, scratching his head.

Zhou Qing smiled and said nothing.

This old hen first devoured the humanoid creature, which took her over a hundred years to digest. After waking up, she lay on the wood-attribute spirit stone and feasted. Now she must be quite full.

"By the way, you really want to go to Jiyuan Temple to cultivate?" Zhou Qing suddenly asked.

Cao Aman lay down on the bed and sighed, "Of course! 'One palace, two temples, three sects, four clans, and eight families'—that's the most powerful force in Nanhuang Prefecture."

"Jiyuan Temple is the closest temple to my home. If I could go there to cultivate myself, that would truly bring honor to my ancestors!"

Zhou Qing then casually took out a jade slip and looked at it.

This was taken from Li Wusheng's storage bag; it was a rough topographical map of the Western Desert.

In the western part of Nanhuang Prefecture, Jiyuan Temple and Wuxiang Temple stand facing each other like twin stars.

The place we are in now is indeed the closest to Jiyuan Temple. To get to Wuxiang Temple, we need to cross many cities and mountains, and then go through a teleportation array.

After all, it is a large province of a fifth-level cultivation country, with a territory as vast as that of an entire fourth-level cultivation country.

Given Cao Aman's cultivation level at the Qi Condensation Realm and her family's resources, this journey was far too dangerous.

Coincidentally, the transit teleportation array to Tianlan City is located in the central part of Nanhuang Prefecture, which happens to pass by Jiyuan Temple.

While we're at it, we can also visit our godson. So many years have passed; he must have grown up by now.

At this moment, Cao Aman sighed, her tone tinged with melancholy: "Yesterday, my uncle and the others held a grand banquet to celebrate their ascension to immortality, inviting guests from all around."

“My mother said we couldn’t let the fourth branch of the family lose face, so she insisted on dragging me to the banquet.”

He clenched his fist. "Looking at Cao Quan and the others' smug expressions, I was truly envious. But what can I do? I'm just too dull-witted; I can only be a foil."

He shrugged casually, "This morning, Jiyuan Temple sent a monk to pick them up."

"But it's nothing special. If I go there, I'll still have to start as a menial monk. I thought I could become a novice monk right away!"

Even so, Zhou Qing clearly saw the envy that flashed in his eyes.

"Speaking of which," Zhou Qing said casually, "I have an old friend at Jiyuan Temple. If you really want to enter the temple to cultivate, he might be able to help you."

"Really?!" Cao Aman jumped up from the bed with a start, her eyes shining brightly.

"Really!" Zhou Qing said with a smile.

"Then, what is his status in the temple?" Cao Aman rubbed her hands excitedly. "Is he a novice monk? A fully ordained monk? Or a Vajra? An Arhat?"

As soon as the words left his mouth, he realized his mistake and scratched his head sheepishly, realizing how rash his question had been.

Vajra and Arhat are all great figures in the Nascent Soul Realm, and even a Bhikkhu must be in the Infant Realm.

Brother Zhou is at the Foundation Establishment stage, how could he possibly know them?

It would be reasonable for a novice monk at the Golden Core stage to know Brother Zhou.
Zhou Qing pondered for a moment, then shook his head and said, "I really don't know what his current status is at Jiyuan Temple."

Furthermore, back in Taiqing Sect, according to Shen Huangmao's evaluation of Jueming, the other party seemed to be ranked third among the Ten Venerables of Jiyuan Temple.

As for his disciple Kong Chan, he had already achieved the Golden Core stage at the age of seven or eight.
So many years have passed, and having cultivated under the tutelage of a powerful being who has slain spirits, his cultivation must have progressed by leaps and bounds.

"Brother Zhou, you have a very close relationship with your old friend?" Cao Aman asked cautiously.

"There is some connection between us." Zhou Qing nodded slightly.

Upon hearing this, Cao Aman suddenly became serious: "If we ask him for help, wouldn't..." He hesitated for a moment, "Wouldn't it make Brother Zhou owe him a favor?"

"It's just a small matter."

After listening, Cao Aman's eyes gradually dimmed, and she shook her head, saying, "Let's forget about it. If it weren't for you, Brother Zhou, my mother wouldn't have been able to find me, and I would have been dead long ago."

How can I let you owe me a favor now?

In the cultivation world, favors are the hardest to repay. What if this relationship is the key to Brother Zhou's future entry into Jiyuan Temple?

Moreover, he had failed the test in front of a Nascent Soul level monk, so he figured a Golden Core novice monk probably couldn't help him and would only waste a favor.

Zhou Qing suddenly chuckled, then said seriously, "Aman, do you know how many brilliant talents in this world are buried because the examiners were blind to their true potential?"

Cao Aman was startled and suddenly looked up.

Those previously dim eyes suddenly lit up: "Brother Zhou, you mean—"

“I think you are a bright pearl that has been covered by dust.” Zhou Qing’s eyes were burning. “A monk’s mistake should not be a reason for you to deny yourself.”

“Your mother is right, you are unique in her eyes. And in my eyes, you are the same.”

Upon hearing this, Cao Aman's chest heaved violently, and her hands involuntarily clenched into fists.

“How about it,” Zhou Qing patted his shoulder, “why don’t you want to try again with me? Maybe if we change the examiner, you can become a member of Jiyuan Temple.”

"I do!" Cao Aman's voice trembled with excitement.

Zhou Qing glanced at the doorway almost imperceptibly.

Sun was quietly wiping away tears from the corners of her eyes. Since her husband passed away, life had been extremely difficult for her and her child.

She had done her best to raise Aman, but now that the children of the third branch of the family had all entered Jiyuan Temple, they would likely face even more cold looks and ridicule in the future.
She forced a smile, stepped into the house, and bowed deeply to Zhou Qing: "Xiao Zhou, thank you so much."

Zhou Qing quickly got out of bed to help her up: "Aunt Sun, you're too kind. This is all I should do. Let's pack up and go together."

"Together?" Mrs. Sun was clearly taken aback.

"Jiyuan Temple is far from here. Are you really comfortable leaving Aman there alone?"

Zhou Qing said gently, "Besides, there's probably nothing in Caojiawan that you'd be interested in anymore, isn't there?"

After only a moment's hesitation, Mrs. Sun nodded firmly: "Alright! Let's go together!"

……

Two days later, with a wave of Zhou Qing's sleeve, a flying boat with flowing light rose into the wind.

Sun and Cao Aman stared in astonishment, and Cao Aman rushed forward excitedly.

He carefully stroked the smooth surface of the flying boat: "My God! A flying boat! Brother Zhou, you actually have such a treasure! I heard this thing is really expensive!"

Zhou Qing gently stroked the familiar patterns on the flying boat, a hint of nostalgia flashing in his eyes.

This was custom-made for him by Uncle Wang of Wanqi Peak when he was in the Nascent Soul Realm, using all the resources of the sect.

This is the only one of its kind in the entire Taiqing Gate.

Recovering from her shock, Mrs. Sun anxiously pulled Zhou Qing aside: "Little Zhou, aren't we being too conspicuous? What if—"

It should be noted that even old monsters at the Nascent Soul stage might not possess a flying boat of this quality.

The journey to Jiyuan Temple is long and arduous. If we are targeted by someone with ulterior motives, wouldn't we be asking for trouble?
Moreover, no matter how you look at it, Xiao Zhou doesn't seem to come from a prominent family.

If he were truly a scion of a powerful family, how could his family allow a Foundation Establishment cultivator to wander alone?

At the very least, there should be protectors secretly following them.

Thinking about it this way, this flying boat was probably an opportunity he obtained through adventure.

It's far too risky to use this now just to get them on their way.
Zhou Qing noticed their concerns, but simply smiled and looked at Cao Aman: "Brother Cao, would you like to sit down?"

Of course I want to.

"Snapped!"

Before she could finish speaking, Madam Sun slapped Cao Aman on the back of the head.

Cao Aman winced in pain and could only dejectedly change her mind: "No, let's just continue on our way."

Zhou Qing looked at the mother and son and couldn't help but smile knowingly.

Sun's protective manner reminded him more and more of his master.

However, it wasn't him who got beaten up back then, but his third senior brother.

However, he also understood that the mother and son were genuinely thinking of him. "Let's go, no one will dare to rob us!" Zhou Qing leaped onto the flying boat, and with a wave of his sleeve, the two of them involuntarily rose into the air and landed steadily on the boat.

Cao Aman immediately beamed with joy and excitedly looked around.

Zhou Qing then urged the flying boat forward, transforming it into a streak of light that shot straight into the sky.

Although with his cultivation level of the Spirit Severing Realm, tearing through space for tens of thousands of miles in an instant is no problem for him.

But having only escaped from the endless void a few days ago, he was genuinely afraid of encountering another accident during his journey.

If I get dragged into this again, I'll really go crazy.

What's more, since arriving in Tianlan City, he hadn't even had a chance to properly explore this magnificent city before he got himself killed while repairing the teleportation array.

Having finally escaped, he then got into a fierce fight with Li Wusheng.

Now is the perfect opportunity to appreciate the magnificent landscape of this fifth-level cultivation kingdom.

……

Zhou Qing sat cross-legged on the deck of the flying boat, his clothes fluttering in the wind.

He gazed at the surging sea of ​​clouds below, a slight smile playing on his lips.

Cao Aman excitedly ran around on the deck, occasionally reaching out to grab the drifting clouds.

After all, he was only at the Qi Condensation stage, and he couldn't even fly on a sword, let alone fly this high.

Although Sun tried to remain calm, she couldn't hide the excitement in her eyes, and a long-lost smile unconsciously appeared on her face.
"Unbeknownst to me, I've become a monster in the Spirit Severing Realm in other people's eyes, but I'm only a little over two hundred years old!"

As Zhou Qing watched this scene, he felt a mix of emotions: emotion, relief, and a touch of melancholy.

……

And so, about five days later, even high in the clouds, one could hear the chanting of Buddhist hymns coming from below.

The sound seemed to cleanse the soul, bringing a sense of tranquility to everyone.

Zhou Qing was inexplicably excited, and his heart beat faster involuntarily.

"Hold on tight!" Zhou Qing shouted softly, maneuvering the flying boat to pierce through the clouds and plummet downwards.

In the instant you pass through the clouds, a magnificent temple complex suddenly appears before your eyes.

Jiyuan Temple is nestled in a basin surrounded by mountains, its golden roof and red walls gleaming in the sunlight.

Nine towering pagodas, each a hundred feet tall, pierce the sky like sharp swords, their surfaces densely covered with golden scriptures.

The temple was surrounded by mist, and countless monks could be vaguely seen moving about among the clouds.

Even more breathtaking is the fact that a huge golden lotus platform floats above the entire temple.

Three illusory Buddha statues, each a hundred feet tall, sat cross-legged on the lotus platform, radiating a chilling aura of power.

Meanwhile, in front of the gate of Jiyuan Temple, thousands of young monks dressed in various colors were queuing in a long, winding line.

There were scions of noble families in fine clothes and poor cultivators in coarse linen, all of whom were waiting for the entrance examination with the same anticipation.

After all, this period is an important time for Jiyuan Temple to recruit disciples.

"Wow~"

The three of them disembarked from the flying boat. Cao Aman looked up at the scene before her, speechless with shock.

Although he had always dreamed of entering Jiyuan Temple, this was the first time he had ever seen the sacred place in his heart.

It took Sun a while to come to her senses, and she couldn't help but look at Zhou Qing with some worry.

As a renowned temple in Nanhuang Prefecture, the entry requirements must be extremely strict. Does Xiao Zhou really have a way to get Aman to enter here to cultivate?
"Look, it's Cao Quan and the others!" Cao Aman suddenly pointed excitedly into the distance.

On the horizon, a monk exuding the aura of a Nascent Soul cultivator stood on a bronze lotus throne, carrying a dozen or so excited lay disciples who flew slowly towards them.

Cao Quan, Cao Xian, and Cao Ying were standing on the lotus throne, looking around curiously.

"Brother Zhou's flying boat is really fast! They set off three days earlier than us, but we arrived even earlier than them!" Cao Aman said excitedly.

After landing, the monk put away his magical treasures and told everyone to wait in line at the end of the queue, while he left first.

Cao Quan and his two companions stood in the crowd, looking around, and soon spotted Cao Aman not far away.

Cao Quan rubbed his eyes, thinking he was seeing things, and quickly pointed it out to Cao Xian and Cao Ying.

Cao Aman subconsciously turned her head away, feeling somewhat guilty—after all, it was still uncertain whether Brother Zhou's favor would come in handy.

But soon he seemed to remember something, gritted his teeth, and suddenly turned around to look directly at the three of them.

I haven't done anything wrong, so what's there to be afraid of?

After confirming that it was indeed Cao Aman, the three looked behind him and at the sky, and determined that no one else would be coming to queue up anytime soon, so they all walked over.

"Cao Aman, what brings you here?" Cao Quan from the eldest branch of the family spoke first.

Before Cao Aman could speak, Madam Sun stepped forward and said, "What's wrong? You haven't even officially become a menial monk yet, and you've already forgotten the most basic manners when you see your elders?"

The three women exchanged a glance and reluctantly bowed, saying, "Fourth Aunt—"

Sun then stepped back and handed the situation over to her son.

With her mother's support, Cao Aman felt much more confident: "What's wrong? Does your family own Jiyuan Temple? You can come, but I can't?"

Cao Quan and the other two then straightened up and looked Zhou Qing up and down.

They had heard from their elders that when their fourth aunt returned from the Graystone Mountains that day, she was carrying two poisoned young people on her shoulders.

One is Cao Aman, and the other must be the person in front of us.

Are they unwilling to give up and have come here specifically to try their best one last time?
"So you won't turn back until you hit a brick wall, huh?" Cao Quan suddenly heard a whooshing sound from the horizon and, too lazy to argue any further, sneered, "Fine, then good luck!"

After saying that, he hurriedly led the two of them back to the queue to stand in line.

"Hmph!" Cao Aman crossed his arms and waited until the three of them slunk back into the group before lowering his arms.

He turned to look at Zhou Qing, his eyes filled with anticipation and trepidation.

Zhou Qing strode towards the mountain gate.

As soon as I arrived at the main gate, a monk dressed in a gray robe came forward to greet me.

He put his palms together in a gesture of respect and said, "Amitabha, this humble monk greets you. This benefactor, today is the opening ceremony of our Jiyuan Temple, and we are not receiving any outside guests at the moment."

“I know.” Zhou Qing nodded slightly. “I’m here to find someone.”

The monk looked puzzled: "Whom are you seeking, benefactor?"

Zhou Qing suddenly remembered that his godson didn't seem to have a name when they first met.

Even if they did, they should have received a new Dharma name after entering Jiyuan Temple.

He hesitated for a moment, then asked, "Is Li Niang still in the temple?"

The monk was taken aback upon hearing this, seemingly somewhat surprised, and then carefully examined Zhou Qing: "You actually know Benefactor Li?"

Cao Aman was delighted to see this. Judging from the monk's reaction, the person Brother Zhou knew seemed to be quite famous in the temple.

Sun also breathed a sigh of relief, after all, Cao Quan and the other two in the group behind her were watching them.

In response to the monk's question, Zhou Qing nodded: "We are old friends."

The monk clasped his hands together and said, "Excellent, excellent. Benefactor Li passed away peacefully a year ago."

"What?" Zhou Qing was struck dumb.

Upon hearing this, Cao Aman and Madam Sun turned deathly pale.

Finished!

Zhou Qing remained silent for a long time, and the image of the pitiful woman with a huge belly who had mistaken him for her husband involuntarily surfaced in his mind.

In her desperation to see her child born the moment her husband returned, she recklessly stole elixirs from all directions, driven by her obsession.

He cultivated himself to the level of a Nascent Soul cultivator and even nurtured a Buddha child in his womb for over a thousand years.

From Qi Condensation to Spirit Transformation, it only takes two thousand years of lifespan. When her Daoist partner left, she had already reached the Core Formation stage.

Afterwards, she exhausted most of her energy to nurture the fetus. When the child was born and she regained her clarity, her obsession had dissipated, and her path of cultivation was severed.

When Jueming led them away, he foresaw this day, but he never imagined it would only be a little over two hundred years later...

"Didn't the temple give her any longevity pills or spiritual materials?" Zhou Qing's voice was slightly hoarse.

The monk shook his head and sighed, "The Venerable One once bestowed upon you a life-extending elixir, but you, Benefactor Li, politely declined."

“As the Buddhists say, ‘All phenomena arise from causes and conditions, and all phenomena cease due to causes and conditions.’ Ms. Li also said that she had let go of her attachments in this life and did not want to force things anymore, so she let things take their natural course.”

The monk clasped his hands together, his eyes revealing a hint of respect.

"Before she died, she said that it was already a blessing from heaven that she was able to wait for her child to be born safely. Now that her earthly ties are severed, it is time for her to go and find her husband."

Zhou Qing remained silent, then sighed softly.

His relationship with Li Niang was not deep; in fact, they had only met a handful of times.

But upon hearing the news of her death, a sense of melancholy suddenly welled up in my heart, like "old friends passing away one after another, like leaves falling in the wind."

After all, she came from the Holy Martial Dynasty, from the Seven Star Sect, one of the thousands of small sects in the Eastern Region—their common homeland.

Now that I've arrived in this unfamiliar fifth-level cultivation country, I don't know many people here.

"Brother Zhou, shall we go?" Cao Aman couldn't help but call out softly when she saw his gloomy expression.

Zhou Qing snapped out of his daze, looked at Cao Aman and Sun Shi's concerned gazes, and let out a sigh of relief.

"Leave? I haven't taken care of the things I gave you yet!" Zhou Qing smiled broadly.

Cao Aman was taken aback, and hesitated before saying, "But, your old friend is already gone..."

"Benefactor Zhou?!"

Before Cao Aman could finish speaking, a streak of blue light suddenly flashed across the sky.

A bronze lotus platform, a magical artifact, broke through the air and landed steadily in front of everyone.

Standing on the lotus platform was a young monk, about twenty years old, with red lips, white teeth, and beautiful features.

He was dressed in a moon-white kasaya, holding a string of crystal-clear glass prayer beads, with a faint Buddhist light flowing around him, and he had a truly dignified and solemn appearance.

"Senior Brother Kongchan!" The monk from before quickly put his palms together in a gesture of respect.

Upon hearing this title, Zhou Qing froze on the spot.

He scrutinized the young monk before him, then hesitated before asking, "Are you...Kuchan?"

"It really is you!" After confirming that it was Zhou Qing, Kong Chan was so excited that she forgot her Buddhist etiquette.

He rushed forward, taking three steps at a time. "When did you arrive? Why didn't you let me know beforehand?"

Cao Aman and Sun Shi, who were standing to the side, were dumbfounded.

To their utter surprise, Zhou Qing not only knew the monks of Jiyuan Temple, but judging from the respectful attitude of another monk, this Brother Kongchan clearly held an extraordinary position in the temple.

(End of this chapter)