The head master has a new female apprentice

Chapter 414 Light Boat, Light Boat? Zhou Qing? It must be Dad coming to find me! (6k)

Seeing Zhou Qing deep in thought, Second Uncle stood up, smiled, and patted him on the shoulder: "Don't be afraid, Second Uncle is here."

He blinked his bright, youthful eyes, a sly smile playing on his lips. "You'll understand some things once you experience them more."

He casually tossed the stray hairs from his forehead, revealing a youthful and energetic smile: "I also suffered losses along the way, but I'm still doing just fine, aren't I?"

Zhou Qing looked up at the seemingly green and immature "boy" in front of him.

What shone deep within those eyes was a light that had witnessed the vicissitudes of life.

The stark contrast made him smile, and his tense nerves relaxed a little.

At that moment, he was suddenly moved.

In this treacherous world of cultivation, how fortunate it is to encounter such a kind elder who is willing to treat him with sincerity.

"Mm." Zhou Qing nodded gently, a genuine smile finally appearing on her lips.

……

The villa, with its lakeside corridor!
Lu Yaoyao leaned against the railing, casually scattering fish food between her fingertips.

The koi carp huddled together, vying to peck at the food in the rippling water.

"Wow!"

A pebble came flying through the air, startling the school of fish.

Water splashed up and splashed directly onto her face.

"Brother Shen!" Lu Yaoyao wiped the water droplets from her face and glared at the culprit.

With his flamboyant blond hair, Shen Yunzhou chuckled as he climbed over the railing and sat down: "If we keep feeding them, the fish will die from overeating."

Lu Yaoyao then realized that the wooden bucket next to her was almost empty.

She pursed her lips, scattered the last handful of fish food into the distance, put down the empty bucket, and then remained silent.

Seeing the awkward atmosphere, Shen Yunzhou scratched his head and comforted him, "Don't worry, Brother Zhou is a lucky man, everything will be alright."

"Brother Shen," Lu Yaoyao suddenly changed the subject, "I asked you to inquire about the situation at Jiyuan Temple, have you got any news?"

Shen Yunzhou sighed: "I sent people there a few times before, but Brother Zhou wasn't there. Besides, if he really came out of the void, he would definitely come to the Shen family to find you first."

"What about the last few years?" Lu Yaoyao pressed.

"Both Jiyuan Temple and Wuxiang Temple are in the western part of Nanhuang Prefecture, which is too far away." Seeing her eyes dim, Shen Yunzhou quickly added, "But don't worry, I'll make a trip there myself in a while!"

"Thank you, Brother Shen!" Lu Yaoyao forced a smile, then suddenly remembered something, "By the way, Nanhuang Prefecture—no, the entire Tianyun Holy Dynasty—has a large number of areas where demon emperors reside. Have you sorted them out for me?"

Shen Yunzhou awkwardly scratched the blond-haired man's head: "This... the Demon Emperor's territory is just too vast. I recently went back to the Shen family to retrieve some things, and haven't had a chance to..."

“There’s no rush,” Lu Yaoyao shook her head, her eyes dimming for a moment before she forced herself to cheer up. “I’m already very grateful that you could help me find out these things.”

She paused, then suddenly seemed to remember something, "What are you going back to the Shen family to retrieve?"

Shen Yunzhou said, "I got something for my older sister."

Lu Yaoyao said "Oh" and then asked urgently as if grasping at the last straw, "By the way, is there any news about my Senior Brother Zhou from the Shen family?"

Shen Yunzhou shook his head: "No, but a fourth-level array master did come to the house. Don't overthink it, he's not Brother Zhou, and he has condensed 30,000 spirit seals, which is even more powerful than my sister."

Lu Yaoyao lowered her eyes in disappointment, unconsciously stirring the lake water with her hand: "My senior brother Zhou is also very powerful. He can easily condense 50,000 spirit seals and become a level 5 array master in the future."

Seeing her like this, Shen Yunzhou's heart softened, and he said earnestly, "I believe you!"

"What's that master's name?" Lu Yaoyao asked casually, her eyes still fixed on the water.

Shen Yunzhou said, "Qingzhou is a middle-aged man who is only at the late stage of the Nascent Soul Realm, and he also has a disciple with him."

“What’s your name?!”

Before Shen Yunzhou could finish speaking, Lu Yaoyao suddenly turned around as if she had been electrocuted.

Her eyes suddenly lit up, and her whole being seemed to radiate a dazzling light.

Shen Yunzhou was startled and stammered, "Master Qingzhou, what's wrong?"

Lu Yaoyao suddenly leaned closer, so close that Shen Yunzhou could see the tears glistening in her eyes.

Her voice trembled slightly with excitement: "Are you sure?"

"I'm sure, is there a problem?" Shen Yunzhou was completely confused.

Lu Yaoyao jumped up from the corridor, her whole body trembling slightly, her cheeks flushed with excitement: "Qingzhou, Qingzhou, isn't that Zhou Qing if you turn it around!"

Upon hearing Lu Yaoyao's words, Shen Yunzhou was stunned, his eyes widening in surprise. He hurriedly took out the image stone to examine it again.

But the unfamiliar middle-aged man in the picture doesn't look like Brother Zhou at all.

Moreover, my uncle is at the Supreme Realm, while Brother Zhou, if alive, would at most be at the Spirit Severing Realm. No matter how skillful the illusion technique, it wouldn't be able to fool him.

Moreover, he had only been promoted to a fourth-level array master in the Holy Martial Dynasty 160 years ago, how could he have condensed 30,000 spirit seals so quickly?

Even with my sister's incredible abilities, she only managed to condense an additional seven thousand spirit seals on top of that.

It must just be a coincidence, right?
At that moment, Lu Yaoyao snatched the image stone. Although the person in the image was unfamiliar, her face shone with unprecedented brilliance: "It must be him! It must be Senior Brother Zhou!"

Her voice rose with excitement: "Sister Yuyan said that she met Senior Brother Zhou because of Master Qingzhou! 'The light boat has already passed ten thousand mountains,' that's what he explained to me later!"

As she spoke, large tears rolled down her cheeks.

Like a child who has finally found her home, she cried and laughed at the same time: "Senior Brother Zhou has come to find me! I knew he wouldn't abandon me!"

Shen Yunzhou was still in a daze: "Yu Yan? That Yu Clan from the Four Ancient Clans? When did you come to know her?"

"No! I have to go to the Shen family right now!" Lu Yaoyao wiped away her tears and turned to leave.

Shen Yunzhou quickly stopped him: "Wait! Don't rush! It's still too early to say! Let's go talk to my sister first!"

Lu Yaoyao took a few deep breaths, trying to calm her wildly beating heart, but the corners of her mouth still couldn't help but turn up: "Okay! Let's go find Sister Shen now!"

Afterwards, the two hurried to a nearby room to find Shen Hanyi...

……

Inside the room, Shen Hanyi looked at the middle-aged face in the image stone again, scrutinizing it inch by inch with a gaze as sharp as a knife.

"Just because of a name reversed, you believe he's your Senior Brother Zhou?" She looked up at Lu Yaoyao, who was excited, her voice as cold as frost.

Lu Yaoyao took a step forward eagerly: "Isn't that enough? Senior Brother Zhou's hints are already very clear!"

Her eyes shone with an astonishing light. "When we set off from the Holy Martial Dynasty, our destination was your home, Sister Shen."

"Although something unexpected happened in Tianlan City, if Senior Brother Zhou comes out, he will definitely find out from the city lord that it was you who took me away."

"So, no matter what, he will definitely come to the Shen family to find me."

Seeing how certain Lu Yaoyao was, Shen Hanyi felt a little shaken, and even a little delighted.

Shen Yunzhou suddenly interjected, "Sister, I've been thinking about it, and it might actually be possible. If Brother Zhou has suffered some kind of injury and his cultivation has regressed to the Nascent Soul stage, we can naturally hide it from Uncle and the others."

He stroked his chin and analyzed, "Otherwise, why would a formation master who can condense 30,000 spirit seals come to join our Shen family?"

"Yes, yes, that's right!" Lu Yaoyao nodded repeatedly, like a cheerful little sparrow.

But no one noticed the complex expression that flashed across Shen Hanyi's eyes.

"I want to go too!" Lu Yaoyao said immediately, her eyes sparkling with anticipation.

"No." Shen Hanyi refused decisively, her tone leaving no room for doubt. "The Shen family is not the Taiqing Sect. It's too dangerous for you to show your face now."

Lu Yaoyao retorted, "But I'm already in the late stage of the Nascent Soul Realm, and I have a certain ability to protect myself."

"Moreover, in critical moments, we can summon you and Senior Brother Zhou to fight together, and your combat strength is no less than that of a Great Perfection cultivator!"

Shen Hanyi's gaze fell on Lu Yaoyao's silver hair, and she sighed softly, "Although you are not my disciple, in the eyes of outsiders you are my successor. Some people are most willing to cut off someone's lineage."

"I know, but—"

“I know you have a deep bond with your Senior Brother Zhou. If this Master Qingzhou really is him,” Shen Hanyi suddenly interrupted, her voice icy, “have you thought about the consequences that a single misstep in your expression could bring to him?”

These words were like a bucket of cold water poured over Lu Yaoyao's head.

She opened her mouth, but ultimately lowered her head in silence.

Shen Yunzhou clicked his tongue in amazement and unconsciously shrank back – even he felt a chill run down his spine from his older sister's imposing aura.

My uncles and their family members are all very sharp-eyed. They can deduce a lot from just a glance or a gesture, let alone a single word.

With one palace, two temples, three sects, four clans, and eight families, the power structure of Nanhuang Prefecture is complex and intertwined.

The Shen family was able to get into the top ranks because of the three of them's ruthless methods, meticulous thinking, and almost terrifying insight.

My grandfather often went into seclusion, leaving almost everything to them.

It was precisely because these three factors complemented each other that the Shen family was able to gain a foothold in Nanhuang Prefecture, which was surrounded by wolves.

Looking at her, Shen Hanyi's tone softened unconsciously: "The two of us can tear through space and travel. If it's true, we can bring you news within a few days."

Lu Yaoyao took a deep breath, trying to suppress her anxiety: "I understand."

Shen Hanyi stared at Lu Yaoyao's stubborn profile and suddenly felt a strange sense of familiarity.

She said a few more words as if possessed: "You're an adult. If you want to sneak away, I won't stop you."

Her voice remained cool, yet carried a barely perceptible hint of concern: "But if something happens because of your willfulness, you will have to bear the consequences yourself."

"Whether you drag others down or plant a demon in your own heart, it is your own choice."

Lu Yaoyao suddenly looked up and met Shen Hanyi's deep, cold eyes.

For some reason, the stern yet caring tone stirred a strange bittersweet feeling in her heart.

This kind of admonition is both comforting and uncomfortable.

Seeing that Lu Yaoyao stopped speaking, Shen Hanyi turned to face the void.

With a gentle stroke of her slender fingers, space was torn apart like a thin silk, revealing a dark crack.

A chilling spatial turbulence emanated from it, causing her silver hair to flutter wildly.

"Let's go." She stepped into the crevice without looking back, her back as resolute as a knife.

Shen Yunzhou quickly leaned close to Lu Yaoyao's ear and whispered, "Don't worry, actually my sister wants Brother Zhou to live even more than you do!"

After saying that, he winked at her and jumped into the crevice.

The spatial rift slowly closed, and the last glimmer of light disappeared.

Lu Yaoyao stood still, her hands unconsciously clasped together in front of her chest.

She gazed at the empty room and murmured softly, "God help me, it has to be Dad."

...The Shen family!

After his second uncle conducted an in-depth analysis of the three heads of the Shen family, Zhou Qing became even more cautious.

He repeatedly recalled his words and actions during this period to make sure he had not revealed any flaws.

If it weren't for the limited number of spots for the "Heart's Eye" skill, he would have liked to make a note for everyone, just in case.

Now that he has successfully broken through to the mid-stage of the Spirit Severing Realm, his immediate priority is to find out Shen Hanyi's whereabouts as soon as possible, using the disguised identity of "Master Qingzhou" to deceive others.

He was very worried about both the child in his womb and his junior sister, Lu.

However, before he could take any action, an uninvited guest arrived outside the Shen family's residence.

"I apologize for disturbing you, Uncle Shen!"

A man carrying a long black sword stood outside the Shen family gate. Upon seeing the eldest son, Shen Tianhong, appear, Yanluo immediately bowed respectfully.

Despite his extreme reluctance, Shen Tianhong still greeted him warmly: "So you are Yan Luo's nephew. We are deeply sorry about Yan Sen's matter, but this matter has nothing to do with my Shen family."

“Uncle, you misunderstand,” Yan Luo quickly waved his hand to explain, with a sincere smile on his face. “The matter of Yan Sen has long been settled in our Yan family.”

As he spoke, he coughed lightly twice while clutching his chest: "This time, my nephew was injured while searching for the Three-Flower Dried Corpse in the Desolate Forbidden Zone, and accidentally wandered into the Third Tail area when he came out."

As he spoke, his face suddenly turned ashen, and fine beads of sweat appeared on his forehead. "Our eight families have always helped each other, so we would like to borrow your residence to recuperate for a while. Would you be so kind as to grant us this favor?"

Shen Tianhong looked at the clumsy acting of his junior and his eyes twitched almost imperceptibly.

It is an open secret that the eight great families have planted spies in each other, and their secret agents are intricately intertwined.

Although they expected that the news of the new array master would not be kept from the other families, they did not expect that the Yan family's information was so well-informed.

"Uncle?" Yanluo coughed deliberately to remind him when he saw that he was silent.

Shen Tianhong snapped out of his daze, and immediately put on a kind, elder-like smile: "We're all family, of course you're welcome, please come in!"

With a wave of his sleeve, the gate's security barriers opened, and he gestured for the gate to open.

"By the way, I heard that a master of formations has come to your residence. I wonder if I could pay him a visit?" As soon as he entered the door, Yan Luo went straight to the point.

Looking at his undisguised gaze, Shen Tianhong sighed inwardly, thinking, "He really doesn't even want to act."

But I understand. I know what you're here for, and you know I know what you're here for.

Since both sides understand each other implicitly, it saves them the trouble of being hypocritical.

“I’m afraid that won’t work,” Shen Tianhong said, already prepared. “The master repaired many of the clan’s protective formations for my Shen family yesterday, and the damage was too great. He has been in seclusion to recuperate ever since. To be honest, I don’t even dare to disturb him now.”

Yan Luo looked regretful, but immediately said, "It's alright. Uncle, as you know, my cousin Yan Sen was also a level four array master in his lifetime."

A shadow crossed his eyes. "It's a pity that the heavens are jealous of talent. I don't know which damned person murdered him. We still haven't found the culprit."

As he spoke, he flipped his palm, and a jade slip shimmering with purple light appeared out of thin air.

"I have come across a method for crafting a four-colored restriction, and I would like to take this opportunity to present it to you, Master, as a way of commemorating my cousin."

"Otherwise, it would be a waste to leave it in the hands of an amateur like me."

Shen Tianhong looked at the jade slip and was about to politely decline again when Yan Luo spoke first: "Uncle, rest assured, I have no other intentions in coming here. I just want to express my gratitude."

A meaningful smile appeared on his lips. "Besides, didn't you say that this master had a hard day yesterday and is resting now?"

"If I bother them now, they might think I'm being inconsiderate and develop a dislike for me, don't you think?"

Looking at his feigned sincerity, Shen Tianhong couldn't help but chuckle: "Since nephew Yanluo is so determined to see the master, your uncle is naturally happy to grant your wish. Let's go then!"

"Thank you, Uncle!" A glint flashed in Yan Luo's eyes, and a look of joy appeared on his face.

The two had only taken two steps when Ni Rui, the captain of the guards at the door, hurriedly entered and knelt on one knee to pay his respects: "Master, Zhao Muyi of the Zhao family and Miss Yu Yan of the Yu clan request an audience."

Upon hearing this, Yama's narrow eyes immediately squinted into slits.

Shen Tianhong smiled slightly: "It seems my Shen residence is quite lively today. Nephew Yanluo, why don't you wait here for your uncle for a moment?"

Yan Luo straightened his clothes and laughed, "I'm acquainted with this guy from the Zhao family, why don't I go with my uncle?"

Shen Tianhong nodded slightly, without refusing.

The two walked out side by side.

Passing through the ripples of the array, three figures came into view at the foot of the jade steps outside the main gate of the Shen family.

The most conspicuous were two burly men who were nearly two meters tall.

They wore only a thin shirt, their bulging muscles gleaming like bronze in the sunlight.

It was Zhao Muye and his demon emperor mount, Old White.

Beside the two towering men stood a woman with a completely different demeanor.

She stood quietly at the foot of the jade steps, her moon-white silk dress swaying gently in the breeze.

She is slender, but not weak; instead, she exudes a restrained resilience.

In particular, her long, jet-black hair was loosely tied up with a jade hairpin, with a few strands falling beside her ears, adding to her gentle and graceful appearance.

It is the Swift, the pride of the Rain Clan, one of the four ancient clans.

Upon seeing someone emerge, Zhao Muyi was about to clasp his hands in greeting when his eyes widened in fury the moment he recognized Yama's face.

"Yanluo, what the hell are you doing here?" he roared, and a giant, jet-black axe appeared out of thin air in his hand.

The axe blade gleamed coldly, exuding a chilling murderous aura.

Seeing this, Yuyan quickly tugged at her cousin's sleeve.

Zhao Muyi angrily put away his giant axe, but still glared fiercely at Yama.

Yama crossed his arms and said with a mocking expression, "Go ahead and do it! Why are you taking it back? You're such a coward!"

He deliberately dragged out his words, his eyes full of provocation.

Zhao Muyi trembled with rage, veins bulging beneath his bronze skin.

Last time, in the fourth-level cultivation country of the Jiuli Dynasty, Old Bai was tricked by this guy and was seriously injured and on the verge of death. He almost had his sea of ​​consciousness dug out and his void crystal core extracted.

He himself nearly lost his life; if it weren't for his cousin and the mysterious masked man saving him, he would have definitely perished.

And all of this is because of this guy.

Yan Luo raised a middle finger at Zhao Muyi, a mocking sneer on his lips.

Just as Zhao Muyi was about to lose his temper, Yu Yan suddenly jumped up and slapped him hard on the back of the neck.

Zhao Muyi covered the back of his head and looked at Yuyan with a wronged expression.

"Cousin, I've already been taken advantage of by him several times, I won't fall for it again. There's an elder here, so please give me some face."

He spoke in a muffled voice, just like a wronged big child.

Swift's ears turned red, and she stamped her foot, saying, "You're brainless! I was just afraid you'd act impulsively!"

The demon king Bai Xiang shook his head with a wry smile, but his copper bell-like eyes were fixed on Yama, his pupils surging with killing intent.

Seeing this, Yan Luo sighed dramatically, "Uncle, I'm injured right now. Three people from the Zhao family have come; what if something happens on your territory?"

He feigned fear and shrank back behind Shen Tianhong, saying, "You'd better protect your nephew."

Shen Tianhong glanced at him indifferently, a faint smile playing on his lips: "Don't worry, you are all my juniors. A little sparring is harmless, but if anyone tries to cause a death in my Shen family..."

His gaze suddenly turned cold, and he exuded the pressure of a Supreme Realm expert. "Then don't blame your uncle for being ruthless."

You must understand that if any one of them gets into trouble with the Shen family, he will be held responsible and face endless trouble.

Yanluo patted his chest dramatically, looking as if he still had some lingering fear: "With your words, Uncle, I can rest assured."

At this moment, Zhao Muyi stepped forward with Yu Yan and respectfully bowed, saying, "Junior greets Uncle!"

"Nephew Muye, niece Yan, no need for such formalities." Shen Tianhong immediately raised his hand in a friendly gesture to help them up.

Zhao Muye straightened up and got straight to the point: "Uncle, I heard that a formation master who has condensed 30,000 spirit seals has come to your residence. I have come to pay my respects."

Shen Tianhong chuckled: "You're really direct."

“Uncle knows the Zhao family; we’re always straightforward and don’t beat around the bush!” Zhao Muye patted his chest, making a deep, resonant sound.

Shen Tianhong nodded slightly.

Of the eight great families, only the Zhao family, ranked second, enjoys the most trust.

They focus on physical training, are simple and honest, and rarely engage in scheming or infighting.

But precisely because of this, the Zhao family has far more experts at the Spirit Severing Realm than other families, even surpassing the number one ranked family, the Su family.

Of course, the Su family still holds the top spot in the Supreme Realm.

“Yanluo’s nephew is also here to pay his respects to the master.” Shen Tianhong’s gaze swept over the group. “In that case, let’s all come together.”

"Thank you for your kindness, Uncle!" Zhao Muye clasped his hands in a salute, his eyes flashing with anticipation.

Shen Tianhong turned around and waved his sleeve: "Come with me."

……

The group walked through the winding corridors, with pavilions and towers scattered along the way.

Shen Tianhong walked at the front, his dark robe fluttering in the wind.

The eldest son of the Shen family had a calm and composed demeanor, with an imposing presence between his brows, and every step he took seemed to be measured with precision.

Yama followed closely behind, his long black sword swaying slightly behind him, his narrow eyes scanning the surroundings from time to time.

Zhao Muyi deliberately kept his distance from him; his burly body was like a moving small mountain, and every step he took made the ground tremble slightly.

Meanwhile, Demon Emperor Lao Bai silently followed beside Zhao Muye, his eyes always warily fixed on Yanluo's back.

The swift followed quietly behind, occasionally glancing curiously at the scenery of the Shen family's residence.

After passing through several corridors, a quiet and secluded hall came into view.

The square in front of the hall, paved with bluestone, was spotless, with several ancient stone sculptures standing on both sides, casting long shadows in the sunlight.

A black plaque with gold lettering hangs above the hall's entrance, bearing the three powerful characters "Jingxin Hall".

Shen Tianhong stopped at the bottom of the steps in front of the hall, turned around and gestured for everyone to be quiet: "The master prefers quiet, so please remember not to make any noise."

His gaze lingered on Yan Luo and Zhao Muye for a moment longer, clearly showing his distrust of these two sworn enemies.

Just as Shen Tianhong was about to step forward to report, the palace doors slowly opened...

(End of this chapter)