The head master has a new female apprentice

Chapter 424 Why did Old Deng suddenly come? (6k)

Zhou Qing remained vigilant, his pupils suddenly splitting into blood-red double pupils as he carefully scanned the space.

After confirming that the opponent had not left any backup plan, the phantom of the Blood Phoenix reappeared behind him, spreading its wings to completely envelop Yama's corpse.

"buzz"

When the Blood Wings unfolded again, two fist-sized Blood Phoenix Tribulation Crystals floated silently in the air.

Zhou Qing breathed a long sigh of relief, and his tense nerves finally relaxed a little.

He was all too familiar with that "Blood Soul Slaying Talisman" from earlier.

After killing Yan Sen at Kunpeng Palace, I obtained the same rune from his storage bag.

According to the appraisal, it was crafted by the fifth ancestor of the Yan family and can unleash a full-force attack of the Great Perfection of the Spirit Slaying Realm in an instant. It is the life-saving trump card of the direct descendants of the Yan family.

After being expelled from the Kunpeng Palace, he pretended to be Yan Sen, lying on the ground and feigning death.

When Yan Weiyi approached the "corpse," he suddenly activated the runes, severely injuring it. Then, taking advantage of its unpreparedness, he used an ultimate weapon in conjunction with an inscription-level divine ability to finish it off.

I had been wondering if Yama might have this life-saving talisman, but thankfully I took precautions in advance.

Therefore, the two remaining prodigies of the Yan family—Yan Wan and Yan Xiang—must also possess this item.

If you encounter this again in the future, you must be extra careful!
Lost in thought, he made a single gesture, and Yama's storage bag flew through the air and landed steadily in his palm.

Then, with a flash, he escaped from the world in the mirror.

"boom--"

The moment it appeared, the entire world suddenly trembled violently!

Visible gray-black mist surged from the void, spreading outwards like a tide.

That was the obsessive emotion formed after the fall of a Spirit Severing Realm expert, containing endless resentment and bitterness.

This further confirms that Yama is absolutely dead.

"I have fulfilled my mission!" Zhou Qing's face was slightly pale as he handed the storage bag to the second uncle.

"Haha, well done!" Uncle Er laughed as he took the bag, his rough hands patting Zhou Qing's shoulder hard, so hard that Zhou Qing stumbled.

"By the way, did you do a soul search?" The second uncle suddenly remembered something, and a glint of light flashed in his eyes.

Zhou Qing shook his head and said, "No, I'm afraid of encountering a situation like Shen Yunlan's."

The second uncle nodded in satisfaction, stroking his beard as he said, "That's right. If another Supreme Realm expert were to leave their divine thoughts in his primordial spirit and see something they shouldn't, that would be troublesome. You did the right thing."

Zhou Qingshen agreed.

He was always cautious and never gave anyone an opportunity to take advantage of him.

"From Shen Yunlan to Yan Luo, these two whetstones will surely be of great help to you."

The second uncle weighed the storage bag in his hand, a look of approval flashing in his eyes. "Now, digest the experience from this battle well; it will greatly benefit your breakthrough to the next realm."

As he spoke, the second uncle looked around and frowned slightly: "This is the outer region, where mercenaries and trial participants are mixed together."

"With such a commotion just now, coupled with the current obsession with slaying spirits, it will probably attract a lot of people to investigate soon."

Zhou Qing nodded, the two exchanged a glance, and their figures simultaneously transformed into streaks of light, disappearing into the vast sky in the blink of an eye...

……

The night was as dark as ink, and thick darkness enveloped the entire dense forest.

The campfire flickered in the darkness, its orange flames licking the roasting meat on the grill, the dripping fat making a sizzling sound that was particularly clear in the silent forest.

The swift slowly opened its eyes, a sharp pain shooting through the back of its neck.

She subconsciously reached out and rubbed her neck, her fingertips touching a noticeable bruise, and she gasped in pain.

She vaguely remembered that she had just arrived a hundred miles away and hadn't done anything yet when she suddenly felt a pain in the back of her neck and lost consciousness.

"Hiss—" She forced herself to sit up and looked around warily.

The firelight cast flickering shadows on the tree trunks, and in the firelight, she saw Zhou Qing sitting cross-legged with his eyes closed, a hint of weariness in his expression.

"Awake?" Zhou Qing asked slowly, but his eyes remained closed.

Yu Yan was slightly taken aback, then forced herself to stand up and solemnly bowed, saying, "Thank you, Master Zhou, for saving my life."

Her voice was slightly hoarse, but her tone was calm and firm: "The swift owes you a life. If you ever need my help in the future, I will never refuse."

Zhou Qing then opened his eyes, the firelight dancing in his dark pupils.

He waved his hand casually: "No need for that. We're on the same path, it's only right that we look out for each other."

Swift straightened up, her gaze falling on Zhou Qing's unmasked face. After a slight hesitation, she finally asked, "Then Yama—"

"Dead." Zhou Qing said calmly.

The swift's pupils contracted slightly, and its breathing faltered.

She learned from her cousin that the two of them met at the Imperial Capital Inn of the Holy Martial Dynasty, when Zhou Qing was only at the Great Perfection of the Nascent Soul Realm.

He hasn't even condensed ten thousand spirit seals yet, and hasn't become a level four array master.

Of course, she had also encountered him and Lu Yaoyao in the Jiuli Dynasty, but she only thought they were people sent by her clan to keep watch, and even spoke rudely to them.

But now... he not only condensed 30,000 spirit seals, but he even killed Yama, who had repeatedly caused his cousin to suffer losses?

Zhou Qing paid no attention to her shock, but simply scanned the communication jade slip in the storage bag with his divine sense—Second Uncle was still nowhere to be found.

The second uncle was quite fond of the replica of the Fate-Bearing Lamp that he had obtained from Yama's storage bag, and he kept it on his person.

This item could not only be a clue to finding the true ultimate weapon, but at the very least, it could be given as a gift when you meet your elder brother in the future. Given his generous nature, he might even be able to exchange it for an even greater opportunity.

Therefore, the second uncle specially found a secluded place to test the power and structure of the replica magic weapon.

He instructed Zhou Qing to stay and watch over the swift that he had knocked unconscious, and to take the opportunity to review the process of fighting Shen Yunlan and Yan Luo, while also adjusting his breathing to recover his depleted spiritual power.

But he was gone for a whole day and has not been seen since.

Seeing that the atmosphere was a bit tense, Zhou Qing got up, tore off a piece of golden, oily meat from the grill, and handed it to Yu Yan: "You've suffered quite a bit in this battle, have a taste."

Swift looked at the golden-brown roasted meat that was handed to her, hesitated for a moment, but still reached out and took it, saying softly, "Thank you."

Zhou Qing also tore off a piece and tasted it. The meat was tender and juicy, and the cooking time was just right. It seemed that his cooking skills had improved a bit more.

He casually asked, "Where did Brother Zhao and the others go? After you left the Shen family, how did you end up encountering Yama alone?"

Yu Yan sighed softly and recounted how her cousin had been repeatedly plotted against by Yama after leaving the mansion, and how her cousin Yu Zhu had sent her a message asking for her help.

Upon hearing this, Zhou Qing secretly became alert—it seemed that the person on the other end of the communication jade slip might not be someone he knew well; this was a lesson learned.

As they were talking, Zhou Qing suddenly froze, stood up abruptly, and stared into the darkness with lightning speed.

A figure slowly walked out of the darkness, with the three large golden characters "Big Bastard" floating above the figure's head, which were particularly eye-catching.

A look of joy flashed in Zhou Qing's eyes, and he blurted out instinctively, "Han Yi!"

Immediately afterwards, a cold, aloof figure emerged from the darkness.

Her hair was as white as snow, her face was veiled, and her cold eyes appeared even more indifferent in the firelight.

When Yu Yan saw that the person who came was Shen Hanyi, she immediately breathed a sigh of relief.

But the next second, she suddenly realized what was happening and looked at Zhou Qing in disbelief.

What did he just call Shen Hanyi?
Han Yi?

This nickname is far too intimate!

As a level four array master and a powerful expert at the Great Perfection of the Spirit Slaying Realm, Shen Hanyi is also a well-known ice queen. Who would dare to call her that?

Don't want to die?
etc--

Master Zhou is also a level four array master. Could it be that he changed his appearance and infiltrated the Shen family for Shen Hanyi?

The swift was filled with turbulent emotions, but dared not show it in the slightest.

At this moment, Shen Hanyi stopped ten meters away from the two of them, her gaze sweeping over the barbecue in their hands, and remained silent.

Zhou Qing quickly took two steps forward, but then suddenly sensed something and stopped abruptly, looking warily into the darkness behind Shen Hanyi.

His pupils suddenly split, turning into blood-red eyes, instantly revealing the entire scene in the darkness.

Further away, under the shadows of the trees, a disheveled figure was leaning against a tree trunk.

The man had long, flowing hair that obscured his face. He was holding a gourd and tilting his head back to drink.

But the moment Zhou Qing saw it clearly, the figure vanished as if it were an illusion, and no matter how hard he searched, he couldn't find any trace of it.

This person's strength is unfathomable; who exactly is he?
Just as Zhou Qing was on guard, Shen Hanyi gave Yu Yan a cold glance.

His gaze was as cold as a deep pool, and Yu Yan immediately understood.

Yu Yan bit her lower lip lightly, hesitated for a moment, then first bowed respectfully to Shen Hanyi, and then turned to Zhou Qing.

“Master Zhou, I suddenly remembered that I have some important matters to attend to, so I must take my leave now. I will remember your life-saving grace forever.”

She paused, her gaze shifting between the two of them as if she wanted to say something, but in the end she simply nodded slightly to Shen Hanyi and turned to leave.

After the swift had flown away, Zhou Qing lowered his voice and asked, "Who was that person?"

Shen Hanyi did not answer, but stared at Zhou Qing, her voice as cold as ice: "Second Uncle is dead."

Zhou Qing's heart tightened, but his gaze remained warily fixed on the darkness.

“He is my father,” Shen Hanyi said calmly.

Zhou Qing's pupils contracted sharply as he looked at Shen Hanyi in disbelief.

Didn't they say that Shen Juefeng neglected you and your brother, and even hated you?
how come.
In a flash, it dawned on him—

That's it!

This is just an act for outsiders.

What a cunning and shrewd man!

However, he had met Shen Yunzhou many times, and judging from his appearance, he was clearly unaware of this.

A smile appeared on Zhou Qing's face. He was about to bow when he hesitated—what should he address her by?

He looked at Shen Hanyi, who nodded almost imperceptibly.

Zhou Qing immediately realized that the other party already knew his true identity.

He straightened his back and bowed respectfully: "My name is Zhou Qing, greetings, Uncle!"

"But I don't want to see you!"

Shen Juefeng's voice came from the darkness, tinged with obvious displeasure.

Zhou Qing awkwardly touched his nose and gave an embarrassed smile.

Shen Hanyi spoke again, her voice still icy: "Did you kill Second Uncle?"

Zhou Qing glanced at Shen Hanyi, then looked into the darkness, his Adam's apple bobbing involuntarily.

How to answer this?

The facts are clear—Shen Yunlan left with him, and now that the man is dead, he stands here unharmed.

Logically, he could have easily fabricated a flawless story—for example, that they were attacked on the way, and Shen Yunlan lured the others away alone to buy them a chance to escape. Given the Shen family's power, having a few mortal enemies was perfectly normal.

This was originally his plan for when he returned to the Shen family—after all, who would believe that a Nascent Soul Realm and a Spirit Transformation Realm array master could kill a Spirit Transformation Perfection Realm expert?
But at this moment, facing Shen Hanyi's gaze, he suddenly didn't want to lie anymore.

The fact that she asked that question clearly means she already knows the answer.
The key point is that your father is currently away, and it was his own second brother who died.

The night wind suddenly stopped, and the campfire crackled and popped, sending up a cluster of sparks.

“Yes, I know.” After a brief hesitation, Zhou Qing suddenly straightened his back and said clearly, “I killed him.”

He looked directly into Shen Hanyi's eyes and said, word by word, "Anyone who dares to bully you will die a horrible death."

Shen Hanyi's eyes flickered slightly, her face still showing no emotion, but also no surprise.

"Humph!"

A cold snort came from the darkness, a sound that seemed to carry the tremors of some kind of law of heaven and earth, causing the air in the entire dense forest to freeze.

"boom--"

An extremely terrifying pressure suddenly erupted from the forest, as if ten thousand mountains were simultaneously collapsing down.

Zhou Qing felt his bones cracking all over his body, and his body suddenly swayed, almost falling to his knees.

His pupils constricted sharply, and a storm raged within him—

This oppressive aura.
He had fought against two Great Perfection Realm cultivators before, but he had never felt such a terrifying sense of oppression.

Could it be that this old man has already quietly stepped into the Supreme Realm?
This thought made Zhou Qing's heart pound.

Yes, Shen Hanyi had learned the truth from her second aunt, Su Yurou. All of this was just because the other three branches of the family were jealous of the fourth branch's head's talent and made various schemes out of jealousy and hatred.

Over the years, he may have seemed to be drowning his sorrows in alcohol and giving up on himself, but in reality, he was biding his time!

Faced with this oppressive force, Zhou Qing gritted his teeth, and veins bulged on his forehead.

His legs felt as heavy as lead, his knees trembled incessantly, yet he stubbornly kept his back straight and refused to bend down.

"boom!"

The pressure surged again!

This time, Zhou Qing's muscles were spasming uncontrollably, and his internal organs felt as if they were being gripped tightly by an invisible hand.

Fine beads of blood began to seep from his skin, but he still gritted his teeth and remained silent.

"Boom!"

The third wave of oppressive force followed immediately, crashing down like thunder from the heavens.

Zhou Qing's face turned deathly pale, a muffled groan escaped his throat, and a trickle of blood seeped from the corner of his mouth.

Damn you——

He cursed inwardly, but then saw Shen Hanyi suddenly turn around, her silver hair drawing a cold arc in the moonlight: "Enough!"

However, the being in the darkness did not seem to intend to give up. The oppressive aura not only did not weaken, but intensified!
Zhou slammed his knee heavily on the ground, creating a shallow crater in the hard surface.

Even the spine was making a creaking sound as if it was about to break under the strain.

But his eyes shone with an alarming intensity, filled with unyielding spirit.

His trembling arm braced against the ground, veins bulging, knuckles white.

He slowly, inch by inch, stood up again, as if he were struggling against the entire world.

"I, Zhou Qing," his voice hoarse but each word as firm as iron, "kneel before heaven and earth, kneel before my parents, kneel before my teacher."

With each word he spoke, his back straightened a little more.

"You want me to kneel before you?"

When he finally stood up straight, staring into the darkness, a cold smile curled at the corner of his mouth: "Dream on!"

"Oh? Is that so?" A mocking voice came from the darkness. "If you're so capable, then don't kneel down again!"

Before he finished speaking, that terrifying pressure gathered again, even more violent than before.

Zhou Qing's bones creaked and cracked, and his body, which had just straightened up, began to bend slightly again.

"I say—enough!"

Shen Hanyi's voice suddenly rose, and her silver hair moved without wind.

Her face was frosty, and her eyes flashed with icy anger.

With a clear shout, the oppressive aura surrounding Zhou Qing receded like a tide.

Zhou Qing felt a sudden lightness throughout his body, staggered back half a step, his forehead covered in cold sweat, and gasped for breath.

"Not bad!"

A sound of praise came from the darkness, followed by the gurgling sound of the wine gourd shaking.

"You guys chat, I have something to do, I'll be going now." With a sway of the shadows, the disheveled figure had already disappeared.

After regaining his senses, Zhou Qing was still worried. He scanned his surroundings with his blood-red eyes and only breathed a sigh of relief after confirming that the other party had really left.

Shen Hanyi then spoke again, her voice still cold: "How come Yuyan is with you?"

Zhou Qing wiped the cold sweat from his forehead and quickly took out a carved wooden chair from his storage bag, then spread a soft ferret skin on it: "Sit down and let's talk."

Shen Hanyi hesitated for a moment, then sat down.

Zhou Qing used his spiritual power to move the fire closer, his gaze unconsciously drifting towards her abdomen.

"What are you looking at?" Shen Hanyi flicked her sleeve, blocking his view.

Zhou Qing chuckled twice and changed the subject: "I killed Yama."

Shen Hanyi's pupils contracted: "What?"

Zhou Qing then briefly recounted what had happened.

After listening, Shen Hanyi remained silent for a moment: "The Yan family might go crazy."

A night breeze swept by, and the campfire flickered.

After hesitating for a long time, Zhou Qing finally spoke up: "Actually, there's something I lied to you about."

Seeing Shen Hanyi looking over, he said in a low voice, "Yan Sen and his nephew were indeed injured in the Kunpeng Palace, but they were not killed by the monsters inside, but by me."

"You?" Shen Hanyi looked at him in disbelief. "You were only at the Nascent Soul stage back then, how is that possible?"

"We had all the advantages: favorable timing, advantageous location, and harmonious relationships." Zhou Qing scratched his head. "It was just luck."

Shen Hanyi gave him a deep look: "Why are you telling me all this?"

Zhou Qing looked at the flickering campfire and said softly, "Just consider it as me getting rid of a persistent rival in love. I just wanted you to know."

"You!" Shen Hanyi's pretty face under her veil flushed red instantly, and the two were speechless for a moment.

After a long pause, Shen Hanyi finally spoke again: "Where is that Second Master?"

“He’s out on business, he should be back soon,” Zhou Qing said, then suddenly asked, almost as if it were a random question, “Won’t Dad be angry with me?”

"What do you mean 'our dad'?!" Shen Hanyi was both embarrassed and angry, her ears turning bright red.

"Slip of the tongue, slip of the tongue!" Zhou Qing quickly waved his hands. "It's your father, your father—"

After a moment of silence, Shen Hanyi shook her head: "The purpose of this trip was to kill him myself. I should thank you instead, otherwise..."

Her voice lowered: "Whether I kill him with my own hands or have Father do it, I will feel guilty and reluctant. Some things, after all, are family ties."

Zhou Qing breathed a sigh of relief: "Uncle is quite wise."

"Snapped!"

Shen Hanyi suddenly flicked her finger and released a burst of spiritual energy, blasting the fire into a shower of sparks: "Who's your uncle!"

Zhou Qing chuckled awkwardly as he dodged the flying sparks, but he didn't see that the corners of Shen Hanyi's mouth curved slightly upwards beneath her veil.
Soon after, the two looked at each other in silence, and Zhou Qing quickly handed her the grilled meat.

Shen Hanyi took it, gently tore off a small piece, and gracefully put it into her mouth.

"What made you and your uncle decide to get rid of your second uncle?" Zhou Qing asked cautiously.

Shen Hanyi paused in her eating, then sighed, "I've reached my bottom line."

"And what about your third uncle?"

Shen Hanyi looked up at the bright moon in the sky, its cool light shining on her silver hair: "I don't know. Father told me not to worry about it, he will handle it himself."

She paused for a moment, as if considering her words, before finally choosing to be honest with Zhou Qing: "Actually, over the years, Father has secretly investigated quite a bit."

“My aunt’s artistic conception,” Shen Hanyi’s voice lowered a few degrees, “is bewitching. Under her control, my third uncle was so confused that he joined forces with the bandits of the Flying Thieves Alliance to intercept us.”

"Third Uncle's original intention was only to cause Father to make some mistakes in his business, but," Shen Hanyi's voice suddenly choked, "the Flying Thieves Alliance also took money from Second Uncle."

In the moonlight, Zhou Qing saw her eyelashes tremble slightly: "So they...killed her."

Shen Hanyi took a deep breath and forced herself to continue: "She killed Mother and completely destroyed Father."

“Since they’ve gone to such lengths to get that position,” her voice regained its calmness, but carried a chilling coldness, “Father will simply give it to them and not get involved in it anymore.”

“This time,” a cold glint flashed in Shen Hanyi’s eyes, “it was Second Uncle who stole Third Aunt’s dowry fire and hired assassins from the Blood Pact Pavilion to attack me, trying to frame the Third Branch so that I could settle both old and new scores.”

At this point, she turned to look at Zhou Qing, the moonlight reflecting the complex emotions in her eyes: "After I protected you during your breakthrough to the Spirit Severing stage, I originally came back to settle scores with my third aunt."

“It was Father who stopped me,” Shen Hanyi said softly, “and expressed her suspicions.”

Zhou Qing remained silent for a long time.

"So that's how it is," he murmured, a complex look flashing in his eyes.

Unexpectedly, Lin Jingtang, who looked like a dignified matriarch, was able to grasp the essence of bewitching others.

You really can't judge a book by its cover.

However, since she chose to seduce Shen Lieyang, she must have been instructed by Shen Tianhong, the eldest son's husband.

His opponent was a Supreme Realm expert; he couldn't possibly contend with that strength right now.

Thinking of this, Zhou Qing rubbed his temples and sighed softly, "It's all a bit of a mess, and I have a headache."

"You don't need to worry about this!" Shen Hanyi suddenly said, her tone resolute and unquestionable.

Zhou Qing looked up at her, then nodded gently, a helpless smile playing on her lips: "Okay."

"Now that you're out," Shen Hanyi turned around, "go back and see your junior sister. She's very worried about you."

"Mmm." Zhou Qing responded readily, but his gaze unconsciously fell on her abdomen again.

After a long pause, Zhou Qing cleared his throat somewhat awkwardly: "I made a special inquiry before coming out this time."

He was a little embarrassed: "If someone in the Spirit Severing Realm gets pregnant, the gestation period is only about a hundred years."

He carefully observed Shen Hanyi's reaction and continued, "So even though you're not showing yet, because of the nourishment from spiritual energy, perhaps..."

His voice trailed off, "It might just be born any day now."

Shen Hanyi's face flushed instantly, and she subconsciously touched her abdomen.

After a brief pause, he said, "The little guy kicked me today."

(End of this chapter)