The head master has a new female apprentice

Chapter 410 Tiger-Headed Hat Second Uncle (6k)

Faced with Shen Lieyang's furious outburst, Liu Rushuang suddenly sneered, "You're still not ruthless enough!"

"Although you later massacred that gang of bandits, some things... can't be erased and made to seem like they never happened!"

"I told you to shut up!" Shen Lieyang suddenly stood up, and a terrifying pressure crashed down like a mountain.

Forced back half a step by this aura, Liu Rushuang quickly regained her balance, a hint of resentment flashing in her eyes.

"Shen Lieyang, why are you yelling at me?! The Eight Great Families—Su, Zhao, Yan, Han, Shen, Liu, Lu, and Zhou!"

"You brought me back from the Liu family with a grand wedding procession back then. I've done my part all these years, and I even gave you twin sons!"

Her voice suddenly turned sinister: "And... haven't you noticed? It's another cycle."

“Your niece, whether in terms of cultivation or her talent as a formation master, surpasses the entire younger generation.”

"Back then, the old man didn't appoint her father as the head of the family, but he might have bypassed you all... and chosen her instead!"

Shen Lieyang's chest heaved violently, and he finally slumped down: "Then let her be the head of the family... I don't care about the position of family head!"

"You don't care?" Liu Rushuang said as if she had heard the biggest joke in the world. "You didn't think that way a few years ago!"

"If you don't want anyone to know, then don't do it in the first place... If Shen Hanyi really becomes the head of the family, do you think our third branch will still have a chance to survive?"

She suddenly dropped the shards in her hand and abruptly stepped forward, grabbing Shen Lieyang's collar.

"The greatest revenge in this world is not to kill someone cleanly and decisively... but to make you experience all the suffering she went through!"

“They lost their mother when they were young… If she becomes the head of the family, I guarantee that your two sons will soon lose their mother as well…”

She licked her lips. "Even... I lost my father!"

Shen Lieyang suddenly looked up, his eyes bloodshot: "She wouldn't do that!"

“Yes, she won’t.” Liu Rushuang released her hand, chuckling as she straightened her sleeves.

"Just like back then, Shen Juefeng never expected... that his own third brother would hire bandits to rob the settlement storage bag he brought back from the outer realms for so many of the Shen family's businesses."

The main hall suddenly fell into a deathly silence.

After a long silence, Shen Lieyang said hoarsely, "No matter what... this matter ends here."

Liu Rushuang straightened her clothes, a cold smile playing on her lips: "It's too late."

"What do you mean?" Shen Lieyang suddenly looked up, a cold glint flashing in his eyes.

"The assassin who killed Shen Hanyi used the very item that the Liu family gave me as part of my dowry—'Burning Heart and Corroding Bone Flame'."

Liu Rushuang said indifferently, "So far, it seems that no second wisp of this strange fire has been discovered."

Before she could finish speaking, Shen Lieyang abruptly stood up, his large, iron-like hand gripping her slender neck tightly: "You're asking for death."

Liu Rushuang's face flushed red from being pinched, but she still stared intently at him: "Do you feel like you're caught in a dilemma?"

"Not only did she not die, but her cultivation also broke through to the Great Perfection of the Spirit Severing Realm. What a twist of fate!"

"You'll get me killed!" Shen Lieyang's eyes were bloodshot, and the veins on his hands bulged.

Liu Rushuang suddenly smiled strangely, and squeezed out a few words with difficulty: "What if I told you that I didn't hire any assassins from the Blood Pact Pavilion at all?"

Shen Lieyang was struck dumb, and his fingers involuntarily loosened.

"Cough cough." Liu Rushuang coughed violently, rubbing her reddened neck. "When I discovered that 'Burning Heart and Corrosive Flame' had been stolen, she had already returned safely."

"Haven't you realized that someone wants to definitively confirm this?"

Shen Lieyang staggered backward and fell heavily into a chair, his face ashen.

"She killed her mother back then, and now she's trying to kill her too," Liu Rushuang said quietly. "Only after she becomes the head of the family will the old and new scores be settled together."

"Now, you and I can only make the best of a mistake and grit our teeth and move forward."

"Is it the eldest brother or the second brother?" Shen Lieyang's voice trembled.

Liu Rushuang smiled dismissively: "You can investigate yourself. Perhaps it's your two sisters-in-law and their families?"

"After all, many people would be happy to see a family beset by internal and external troubles."

As she spoke, she patted her dress, turned, and walked towards the palace gate: "Think about it carefully here. There are some things that even if you don't do them, someone will push you to do them, or even do them for you."

Just as Liu Rushuang stepped out of the hall, a dark figure silently appeared.

Liu Rushuang touched the bruise on her neck and said coldly, "Has the matter been investigated?"

"Your Majesty, I am incompetent and have not yet found her whereabouts."

Liu Rushuang sighed softly, "Forget it. Now that she has reached the Great Perfection of the Spirit Severing Realm and no longer resides in the Shen family, it will be extremely difficult to find out her whereabouts."

“Let’s withdraw everyone, we’re not in a hurry.” She curled her lips meaningfully, “There will always be someone more anxious than us.”

After the shadowy figure withdrew, she summoned another guard: "Where are Shen Heng and Shen Li?"

The guard hesitated and said, "The two young masters just had another fight."

"Is it because of that girl from the Su family again?" A hint of sarcasm flashed in Liu Rushuang's eyes.

"Exactly."

Liu Rushuang shook her head and sighed: "Can't these two good-for-nothings see that the Su family is making a fool of them?"

"Madam, shall we intervene?"

“No need.” Liu Rushuang’s eyes were deep. “A hundred words from a person are useless; an action teaches a person to truly understand.”

“Let them make a fuss. It’s better if they don’t have so many schemes in their minds. At least,” she paused meaningfully, “others won’t see them as a threat.”

She changed the subject: "Any news from the first and second wives' families?"

The guard respectfully handed over a jade slip: "This is a record of their recent movements."

Liu Rushuang took the jade slip, scanned it with her divine sense, paused for a moment at a certain spot, and then nodded nonchalantly: "Keep an eye on it!"

"Yes!" The guard bowed and withdrew, his figure quickly disappearing at the end of the corridor.

The afterglow of the setting sun shone through the carved window lattice, casting dappled light and shadow on the bluestone floor.

Liu Rushuang stood alone under the corridor. With a slight movement of her fingertips, the jade slip instantly turned into dust.

She gazed at the blood-red sunset on the horizon and murmured softly, "I wonder how much longer I have to live."

Her voice carried a hint of desolation, "If they don't want Hanyi to be the head of the family, they either have to break her Dao heart and make her as decadent as my brother-in-law; or they have to force her to make a mistake."

She walked slowly forward, a complex look flashing in her eyes: "That girl is as cold as ice now. In that kind of environment, she was able to quickly reach the Nascent Soul stage and sever her spiritual power. How easy is it to break her Dao heart?"

"Then, making her make a mistake is actually the simplest solution."

Liu Rushuang's eyes gradually sharpened: "Her mother's death is a thorn in her side. As long as we pin all this on the third branch of the family."

Her voice trailed off, “When both sides are exhausted, someone will reap the benefits.”

Suddenly, a cold smile appeared on her lips: "This is the cruelty of aristocratic families. But I, Liu Rushuang, am not a lamb to be slaughtered."

She clenched her fists tightly. "I have to fight for myself and my two sons to survive!"

With that, she flicked her sleeves and strode away.

Just as they turned the corner of the corridor, they saw a guard hurrying towards the second room.

She frowned slightly, and her pace slowed down a bit.

Now that the old man has been in seclusion for many years, striving to reach the Great Perfection of the Supreme Realm, the Shen family is now jointly managed by five families for the sake of fairness.

However, the younger sister-in-law, Shen Qingni, was always traveling around, and the younger brother-in-law, Shen Juefeng, was even more dissolute and indifferent to worldly affairs.

In general, the family affairs are actually managed by the first wife, the second wife, and her third wife.

What could have happened to make Ni Rui, the gatekeeper commander, so anxious?
She lightly raised her hand, and her figure appeared before him in an instant like a ghost, bringing with her a faint fragrance of orchids.

"I...I've met you, Madam!" Ni Rui was caught off guard and almost bumped into Liu Rushuang. He hurriedly stopped, his forehead already beaded with sweat.

Liu Rushuang parted her lips slightly: "What's the matter that you're in such a hurry? You can't even maintain basic manners?"

Ni Rui's Adam's apple bobbed, and his eyes flickered.

Since the patriarch went into seclusion, the second branch of the family has been secretly giving him plenty of benefits.

Now a formation master who has gathered 30,000 spirit seals has arrived at the gate. If such an important matter is reported in person, the reward will surely be generous.

But this third wife was not someone to be easily fooled.
Seeing Ni Rui hesitate, Liu Rushuang suddenly smiled, but the smile didn't reach her eyes: "Never mind, I was just asking casually. Be more careful in the future. Go and get busy."

"Yes, yes!" Ni Rui felt as if he had been granted a pardon and quickly bowed and retreated.

After Ni Rui walked away, Liu Rushuang narrowed her phoenix eyes and looked towards the main gate.

Logically speaking, a mere gatekeeper shouldn't be worth the effort of each branch of the family to win him over.

But judging from Ni Rui's surprised and delighted expression just now, it seemed as if he had gotten a great deal.

"Ha, truly insatiable." She gently touched the pearl hairpin in her hair, her red lips slightly parted. "You can't even bear to use the jade slip for communication, insisting on personally delivering the message. Do you want even more rewards?"

Before she finished speaking, she had already transformed into a streak of light and headed straight for the main gate.

"Oh no, oh no, this is a complete disaster!" Ni Rui peeked out from behind the ancient pine tree, watching Liu Rushuang's departing figure, his forehead beaded with sweat.

He slapped his thigh hard, his face full of frustration.

In fact, just as Liu Rushuang had guessed, as the commander guarding the main gate, he would certainly be richly rewarded if he reported such an important matter in person.

But who would have thought that they would run into the shrewd Mrs. Liu from the third wife's side on the way?

"Madam Liu's eyes are even more piercing than a hawk's!"

Ni Rui gritted his teeth and hurriedly pulled out a jade communication talisman from his storage bag, quickly reporting the message.

Hopefully, it's not too late!

……

Outside the main gate, Zhou Qing stood with his hands behind his back, while his second uncle squatted to the side, casually eating sunflower seeds.

Just then, ripples spread out from the magnificent main gate of the Shen family, rippling like waves.

Liu Rushuang emerged gracefully in a long, dark black dress. The dark gold mandala patterns on the hem of the dress were faintly visible in the twilight, stretching out slowly as if they were alive.

"Greetings, Madam!" The guards bowed in unison, their voices resounding through the sky.

Liu Rushuang nodded slightly, her gaze sharp as lightning, instantly locking onto the two people below the steps.

Her delicate brows furrowed slightly; her early-stage Spirit Severing Realm cultivation allowed her to see through the other person's realm at a glance.

"What's going on?" With a polite smile on her face, she moved gracefully and secretly asked the guard beside her.

The guard dared not delay and immediately reported the situation truthfully. Upon hearing that the burly man before her had condensed 30,000 spirit seals and had come to seek refuge, Liu Rushuang's eyes flashed with a sharp light, and her pace quickened unconsciously.

She quickly approached Zhou Qing and gave a graceful bow: "I am Madam Liu, the third wife of the Shen family. Greetings, Master!"

As she spoke, she deliberately emitted a slight aura of the Spirit Severing Realm.

A cold glint flashed in Zhou Qing's eyes.

This is the third aunt who sent someone to assassinate Hanyi.
They are truly heartless!
But he showed no sign of it on his face. Instead, he took a step back with trepidation and respectfully returned the greeting: "Madam, you flatter me. I am Qingzhou, just a wandering cultivator from the mountains. I have come here specifically to seek refuge with the Shen family."

Liu Rushuang straightened up, a bright smile blooming on her face: "Master, you are too modest. Your presence at the Shen family is truly an honor for us. The entire Shen family..."

"Wow, sister-in-law, you got here really fast!"

Before Liu Rushuang could finish speaking, a charming and seductive voice drifted in on the wind, carrying a hint of deliberate sweetness.

A shadow immediately flashed across Liu Rushuang's eyes.

Zhou Qing and his second uncle looked in the direction of the sound and saw the barrier around the main gate ripple once more, and a woman dressed in a moon-white brocade dress with flowing clouds gracefully emerged.

Her hair was styled in a high bun, and a golden phoenix hairpin with a pearl in its beaded ornament tinkled as she moved gracefully with each step.

On that delicate oval face, a pair of bright, sparkling eyes made one want to look at her a few more times.

"What a vixen!" Second Uncle's voice echoed in Zhou Qing's mind.

Zhou Qing remained calm, his gaze fixed on the newcomer.

"Second Sister-in-law." Liu Rushuang's smile faded slightly, and she sighed inwardly, realizing she was still a step too late.

Su Yurou held a round fan and gently waved it, her gaze sweeping over Zhou Qing.

Her voice was so soft it could melt ice: "This must be Master Qingzhou, right? I just heard from the servants that a remarkable array master has come to visit, so I dressed up specially to welcome him."

A hint of amusement flashed in Zhou Qing's eyes.

interesting.

It seems the undercurrents within the Shen family are even more turbulent than he anticipated.

Before even officially joining their ranks, he had already become a hot commodity.

I had heard Shen Huangmao say before that the various branches of his family appeared to be harmonious on the surface, but were actually fighting fiercely behind the scenes.

Now that I've seen it with my own eyes, it's indeed true.

What surprised him even more was that this second wife was also at the Spirit Severing Realm.

Although she and Liu Rushuang were both in the early stages of their careers, the fact that both wives in the family possessed such a high level of understanding demonstrates the profound heritage of the Shen family.

"My name is Qingzhou. I greet you, Second Madam." Zhou Qing bowed respectfully, his demeanor neither humble nor arrogant.

Su Yurou quickly stepped forward to help him up, saying, "Oh dear, Master, there's no need for such formalities."

Her eyes sparkled with a hint of reproach, "My second wife is the most easygoing and never cares about these formalities."

Zhou Qing raised the corners of his mouth slightly and straightened up: "Since both ladies are here, I will speak frankly."

Before he finished speaking, his mind stirred slightly, and the thirty thousand spirit seals reappeared.

In an instant, brilliant spiritual light intertwined into a net in the void, and countless runes flowed endlessly, causing the surrounding spiritual energy to tremble.

Su Yurou snapped her fan shut, her beautiful eyes fixed on the countless spiritual seals, her breathing quickening.

Although Liu Rushuang's expression remained normal, her fingers were already clenched tightly in her sleeve.

Thirty thousand spirit seals are extremely rare, not only in Nanhuang Prefecture, but also in the more than thirty major prefectures of the entire Tianyun Holy Dynasty.

"As expected, there are 30,000!" Su Yurou's red lips parted slightly, her eyes sparkling with excitement.

Afterwards, Zhou Qing put away the spirit seal, which was considered to have "verified his identity". Then, with a calm expression, he clasped his hands and spoke.

"I am straightforward by nature. Over the years, I have been so engrossed in the art of array formations that I have neglected my cultivation. I am now only at the late stage of the Nascent Soul realm, and I have encountered many dangerous situations while traveling outside, which has been quite a mess."

His gaze lingered earnestly between the two ladies: "Having traveled to the Fifth Tail Region, I heard of the Shen family's reputation and came here to seek refuge."

"If I could receive the assistance of the two ladies and help me break through to the Spirit Severing Realm, I would be willing to go through fire and water for any orders I may receive during this period."

After saying this, he bowed respectfully, his posture upright and generous.

Zhou Qing's words seemed straightforward, but they actually contained a hidden meaning—both indicating his intention to make a deal and lowering people's guard, and implying that he had come from afar and could not verify anything.

Most importantly, the choice was cleverly handed over to the other party.

"Master Qingzhou—" Su Yurou's charming voice had barely begun when Liu Rushuang interrupted her.

"You're too kind, Master." Liu Rushuang smiled, but her eyes held an undeniable sharpness.

"Although my Shen family's third branch dares not speak presumptuously about other matters, helping the master break through to the Great Perfection of the Nascent Soul Realm is a piece of cake."

A cold glint flashed in Su Yurou's eyes, and she lightly patted the storage bag at her waist with her slender hand.

Three beams of light flashed, and three lustrous jade slips floated in front of Zhou Qing.

“Master, please look,” she said in a soft voice, “My second branch of the Shen family can not only help you break through your cultivation, but also provide you with all the insights and experiences of the Spirit Severing Realm.”

"These three level-four magic array jade slips are a small gift for our meeting. I hope you will accept them, Master."

Zhou Qing's gaze fell on the jade slip, revealing a touch of eagerness at just the right moment.

These three jade slips possess a restrained spiritual light, with flowing runes on their surface, making them clearly rare treasures.

The second wife's generosity was indeed much greater than that of the third wife.

However, it was this seemingly gentle Liu Rushuang who, back then, spared no expense to hire the Blood Pact Pavilion's top assassins to ruthlessly kill her own niece, Shen Hanyi.

The deadly poison of the Heart-Burning, Bone-Corroding Flame nearly cost Shen Hanyi her life.

If he hadn't saved her with his inscription-level divine power, she would probably have perished long ago.

It was during that healing session that an inexplicable entanglement developed between the two.
Later, after Shen Hanyi protected him as he broke through to the Spirit Severing Realm, she resolutely returned to Nanhuang Prefecture, determined to settle this grudge herself.

But who could have imagined that more than 160 years later, this wicked woman not only remained unharmed, but her position in the Shen family became even more secure.

This cunning tactic made Zhou Qing secretly shudder.

Therefore, from the moment Liu Rushuang appeared, he had already decided to join the third branch of the family and take this opportunity to gain a deeper understanding of the Shen family's inner workings.

As for those array jade slips—he couldn't even finish studying the rare inheritance left to him by Senior Xuan Qingzi, so why would he care about these ordinary things?
However, if a formation master were to remain indifferent to such a treasure, it would seem rather suspicious.

To solidify his identity as an outsider cultivator and demonstrate his complete ignorance of the Shen family's inner workings, Zhou Qing looked up at the two ladies with a slightly embarrassed expression.

He then cupped his hands and said, "I only wish to find a place to settle down, but the two ladies are so kind to me."

He stopped speaking at the right moment, perfectly capturing the helplessness of a rogue cultivator facing internal strife within a powerful family.

Liu Rushuang and Su Yurou exchanged a smile, their expressions friendly, but their eyes concealed a sharp edge.

A calculating glint flashed in Liu Rushuang's eyes, while Su Yurou frowned almost imperceptibly.

Just then, his second uncle's voice echoed in Zhou Qing's mind: "Kid, don't go too far. In my opinion, you shouldn't rush to pledge allegiance to either of these families."

"Why?" Zhou Qing wondered to himself.

"I underestimated the intensity of the internal strife within the Shen family," the second uncle said earnestly. "If you want to protect yourself, you should establish yourself as a retainer of the Shen family, rather than a private member of any particular branch."

"Your current status is at the Nascent Soul stage, and you have cultivated for many years. You should be able to handle interpersonal relationships properly."

"Otherwise, others will think you are a pawn sent by another party to sow discord."

"Moreover, the eldest branch of the family has not yet shown up. If you rashly pledge allegiance to one branch, the other two branches will certainly resort to open and covert attacks in order to curb the growth of their rival."

The second uncle paused, then added meaningfully, "A smart person knows how to package themselves as a desirable commodity, leaving everyone with something to look forward to."

"In that case, the gifts from all sides alone will be more than enough for you to enjoy."

"Moreover, relying on only one house would actually hinder our ability to travel around and conduct covert investigations. You should understand this."

Zhou Qing was startled upon hearing this.

He was so focused on avenging Shen Hanyi that he overlooked this crucial connection.

"Thank you so much for your guidance, Uncle!" he said sincerely.

Zhou Qing then stepped forward, bowed respectfully to the two ladies, and said sincerely, "I am truly flattered by your kindness, ladies."

"As a newcomer, I am not yet familiar with the rules of the Shen family. It would be presumptuous of me to rashly pledge allegiance to one branch."

"How about we temporarily reside in the Shen family as a retainer, and make a decision after we become familiar with the affairs of the household?"

His words gave both of them a way out while leaving himself room to maneuver.

This shows that he is willing to stay with the Shen family, but he is not in a hurry to take sides, giving both sides an opportunity to win each other over.

Liu Rushuang and Su Yurou exchanged a glance. Although they each had their own plans, they both showed understanding smiles on their faces.

After all, if we push too hard, we might scare away this array master who has come to us for help.

It would be better to keep him calm for now and then proceed gradually.

“What you say is absolutely right, Master.” Liu Rushuang smiled slightly and spoke first. “In that case, let us treat you with the respect due to an official. We will make further arrangements once you are familiar with the affairs of the mansion.”

Su Yurou also gently waved her round fan and said with a smile, "That's exactly right. Master, you've just arrived, so it's indeed not wise to rush things. My Shen family has always been respectful to the virtuous and talented, and we will certainly not treat you unfairly."

"Thank you!" Zhou Qing bowed respectfully.

"Please, Master!" the two ladies said in unison. Liu Rushuang gracefully raised her hand to indicate, while Su Yurou gently waved her round fan, her eyes smiling.

"Please, ladies!" Zhou Qing humbly stepped aside to make way, displaying impeccable manners in every gesture.

Seeing this, the second uncle's eyes flashed with a sharp light, and he casually took out a small tiger-head hat embroidered with gold patterns from his pocket and put it on his head.

Then, rubbing his hands together, he followed after them with an excited expression.

……

Soon after, news spread throughout the entire mansion that a formation master who had condensed 30,000 spirit seals had come to seek refuge with the Shen family.

Inside the main hall, the lights were bright and the air was filled with the fragrance of incense.

Inside the ornately decorated palace, dozens of glazed palace lanterns hang high, illuminating the magnificent scene.

On the jade table, rare fruits and delicacies were displayed, and the aroma of spirit wine filled the air. Maids and servants, carrying jade platters, moved among the offerings, continuously serving up the delicacies.

Zhou Qing and his second uncle sat calmly on one side of the guest seats.

On the opposite side, the key figures of the Shen family's third branch were all present at this moment...

(End of this chapter)