The head master has a new female apprentice

Chapter 459 Brother-in-law, you're amazing! (6k)

After listening to Zhou Qing's account, Shen Yunzhou's breathing gradually calmed down, his voice trembling with a hint of disbelief: "So... Third Uncle is still alive?"

“Yes.” Zhou Qing nodded solemnly.

“That’s wonderful… Grandfather, second aunt, third uncle, and older sister… they’re all still here…” Shen Yunzhou’s eyes were slightly red, and tears glistened in them.

For the past five years, he has carried the burden of a blood feud alone, walking alone in the darkness, never realizing that he was not alone.

Zhou Qing reached out and pressed heavily on his shoulder, saying in a deep voice, "So, you've never been fighting alone. We're all here."

Shen Yunzhou looked at him intently and nodded vigorously.

Over the years, he thought of himself as nothing more than a lone wolf remaining in the Shen family, with the strength of a newly entered Spirit Slaying Realm, leading a few clansmen in the Divine Transformation Realm to launch a near-desperate revenge against the three behemoths.

Every day feels like walking on thin ice, with no idea when death might strike.

Now, upon learning that there are still close relatives alive, the gloom that has weighed on my heart for many years has finally been torn open.

"Brother-in-law, what are your plans next? Are you really going to leave Xiao Yaoyao with Yu Yan like this? Is she reliable?"

"I've heard that the Rain Clan is also looking for you—no, the entire Southern Phoenix Continent is watching you!"

Shen Yunzhou frowned slightly, "After all, those two inscription-level divine abilities you possess are simply too tempting."

Zhou Qing sneered, his eyes filled with murderous intent: "It doesn't matter, let them come. They'll be my whetstone, helping me reach my perfect state!"

Seeing his appearance, Shen Yunzhou felt a sense of relief.

In a daze, he seemed to see his sister's figure again—no matter what, she was always standing in front of him.

Zhou Qing continued, "Yuyan is trustworthy for now, and I'm at ease leaving Yaoyao with her. As for the plan..."

His eyes flickered slightly as he slowly said, "Before coming here, I wiped out the Xiao family and deliberately exposed my whereabouts."

"Now, everyone's attention is inevitably drawn to the Fifth Tail, but we—are going against the grain and aiming straight for the Sixth Tail!"

"You wiped out the Xiao family?" Shen Yunzhou's pupils contracted, almost doubting that he had misheard. "The Xiao family that replaced my Shen family?"

Zhou Qing nodded calmly: "Well, it can't really be called wiping out the whole family. We just took care of their patriarch, the first elder, and the second elder in the process."

Shen Yunzhou gasped. If he remembered correctly, Xiao Tianze, the head of the Xiao family, was a veteran at the Great Perfection of the Spirit Severing Realm.

He's the same as my second and third uncles, and my older sister.

He just died so casually in his brother-in-law's words?

Not to mention there are two elders at the late stage of the Spirit Severing Realm!
At this moment, Shen Yunzhou couldn't help but ask, "Brother-in-law, what is your cultivation level now?"

"Late stage of the Spirit Severing Realm." Zhou Qing's lips curled up slightly. "However, for certain reasons, even against a Great Perfection Realm expert, he can still kill them."

Upon hearing this, a look of shock and admiration immediately welled up in Shen Yunzhou's eyes.

Back then, he and his sister protected their brother-in-law, witnessing his breakthrough to the Spirit Severing Realm and even seeing his Four Flowers Gathering at the Top and the Lesser Supreme Realm Tribulation.

Every step forward in the Spirit Severing Realm is extremely difficult; accumulating spiritual power and perfecting one's artistic conception are both painstaking processes.

And my brother-in-law was able to reach the later stages in such a short time!

"Alright! Let's go for the sixth tail!" Shen Yunzhou's eyes blazed with fighting spirit, his fists clenched so tightly they cracked.

"This time I'm going to turn things upside down! I'll let everyone know—my brother-in-law is back!"

His voice carried a ruthless edge that had been suppressed for many years: "I will make those scum who destroyed the Shen family live in fear for the rest of their lives!"

Zhou Qing chuckled upon hearing this, then pointed into the distance: "I heard there's a mine belonging to the Liu family nearby? How about we go collect some interest first?"

Shen Yunzhou's eyes suddenly lit up: "That's exactly what I wanted! That place originally belonged to my Shen family, but it's now occupied by the Liu family. Half a year ago, Shen Hai and I were ambushed here."

His words abruptly stopped, a flash of pain crossing his eyes, which then transformed into an even more intense killing intent. "With my brother-in-law here today, I will make them pay for their crimes in blood!"

Zhou Qing stood up, dusted off his robes, and glanced at Shen Hai, who was healing deep inside the cave. He said in a low voice, "Let him rest and recover. He's a real man."

Shen Yunzhou nodded solemnly.

He remembered the life-saving grace he received that day and quietly left behind the four-colored magic array before leaving—this array was his way of repaying that kindness.

Two figures darted out like the wind, heading straight for the mine.

Shen Yunzhou's blood boiled with excitement, as if he could already see the terrified face of his enemy.

You bastards! I, Shen Yunzhou, the Heavenly Emperor, have come with my brother-in-law to avenge our humiliation!
are you ready?
……

The blood-red setting sun dyed the entire mine a dark red, the earth cracked, the rocks crumbled, and the air was filled with pungent gunpowder smoke and a heavy stench of blood.

The mine tunnel had long since collapsed, with broken wooden beams and shattered ore mixed together, forming a chaotic ruin.

The corpses of the Liu family cultivators lay scattered everywhere, some cut in two by sword energy, others their internal organs shattered by the immense force.

Dark red bloodstains meandered across the scorched earth, converging into jagged streams.

Many miners, dressed in rags, knelt tremblingly at the edge of the ruins, their heads buried deep, not daring to raise their heads.

They trembled all over, even breathing cautiously, for fear of disturbing the two killing gods.

Zhou Qing stood in mid-air, his robes fluttering, surrounded by a terrifying, suffocating pressure.

He looked down at them with indifferent eyes, as if they were nothing more than ants to be crushed at will.

The only thing left in the air was that invisible sense of oppression, making the hearts of all the survivors pound wildly, almost suffocating them.

Below, Shen Yunzhou was covered in blood, like a god of war returning from hell.

Three yellowish-brown longswords hovered around him, their blades still dripping with undried blood.

With his final sword strike, he pinned a Liu family cultivator who was trying to escape to the stone wall.

Before the man's screams had completely subsided, Shen Yunzhou roared to the sky, his voice booming like thunder, shaking the mine tunnel and causing gravel to fall again.

"Let's go!" Zhou Qing said calmly, then turned and stepped into the air to leave.

After venting his anger, Shen Yunzhou raised his hand and waved, and the three longswords returned to their sheaths with a "clang".

He casually wiped the blood off the blade of his sword, his gaze sweeping over the cowering miners. He said in a low voice, "You used to be the Shen family's miners, and later you became the Liu family's, but our grudges have nothing to do with you."

He paused, then raised his voice a few decibels, "Now that the Liu family is dead, you—are free!"

As soon as he finished speaking, the miners were stunned for a moment. One of them suddenly looked up, his eyes flashing with disbelief.

Immediately afterwards, a wave of ecstasy swept over them.

They hurriedly kowtowed, incoherently shouting "Thank you for your grace, Your Excellency," and then scrambled to scatter in all directions, fearing that if they were even a step too slow, they would be dragged back into the mine.

Shen Yunzhou watched their retreating figures, a slight smile playing on his lips, and quickly turned to catch up with Zhou Qing, who was still some distance away.

……

Soon after, accompanied by a howling wind, Zhou Qing's wings slowly unfolded.

Two tiny, crystalline objects, no bigger than soybeans, floated in the air, gleaming with an eerie, blood-red light in the setting sun.

"It's yours." Zhou Qing tapped her finger lightly, and the crystal slowly floated towards Shen Yunzhou.

Shen Yunzhou reached out and caught it, his pupils suddenly contracting: "This is... that Liu family Spirit Severing Realm cultivator who was stationed in the mine just now?"

"Ah."

"Even flesh, bones, and primordial spirit have been refined?" Shen Yunzhou's Adam's apple bobbed, his voice tightening. "Brother-in-law, is this the kind of inscription-level divine ability you and my sister cultivate? This technique..."

"Like a demonic cultivator?" Zhou Qing raised an eyebrow with a half-smile. "Scared?"

"Afraid?" Shen Yunzhou gripped the crystal tightly, his eyes burning with fervent light. "If I could have your strength, what would it matter if I fell into the demonic path!"

Zhou Qing smiled slightly, and with a gentle flick of his sleeves, two scrolls unfurled in mid-air like swimming dragons.

A scroll, pitch black as ink, with faint golden light swirling within.

A scroll, crimson red like fire, its surface bearing symbols that flicker and fade.

The two scrolls hovered in mid-air, causing the surrounding spiritual energy to become chaotic, and the invisible pressure made the air stagnate.

"What is this?" Shen Yunzhou's Adam's apple bobbed involuntarily.

"The Inscription-level divine abilities 'Hundred Tribulations Blood Curtain' and 'Great Luo Demon Sealing Seal'," Zhou Qing said calmly. "Which one do you want to learn?"

Shen Yunzhou was struck dumb, his outstretched hand trembling slightly as it froze in mid-air.

He stared intently at the two scrolls, his voice hoarse: "Is this the inscription-level divine power that all cultivators in the Southern Phoenix Continent have been dreaming of?"

Zhou Qing nodded: "I have a rare and precious plant here that can help you master any one of them in a short time."

Shen Yunzhou stared intently at the scroll, a fierce struggle flashing in his eyes.

Fine beads of sweat appeared on his forehead, his Adam's apple bobbed several times, and finally he clenched his teeth and pushed the scroll back.

"What?" Zhou Qing raised an eyebrow.

Shen Yunzhou gave a bitter smile: "These two supernatural abilities are too precious. I've always been plagued by bad luck. If I were to fall into enemy hands and have my soul searched, wouldn't that be a waste of their resources?"

Just as Zhou Qing was about to speak, Shen Yunzhou hurriedly raised his hand to interrupt: "Brother-in-law, I understand your intentions. But my mind is made up, and I will not cultivate anymore. I know my own limitations best."

Seeing his determination, Zhou Qing could only sigh softly and put the two scrolls back inside.

"If you change your mind in the future, come find me anytime," Zhou Qing said solemnly.

Shen Yunzhou's face finally broke into a smile again: "Alright, brother-in-law! You were really impressive today."

"When that cultivator from the Liu family at the Spirit Severing Realm saw you, he was like a mouse seeing a cat, his legs trembling so much he couldn't even run away."

"You had no idea how arrogant this guy was half a year ago. He chased me around like crazy. They say fortunes change every thirty years..."

……

Soon after, news of Zhou Qing's appearance at the Xiao family and his single-handedly killing the clan leader Xiao Tianze and two elders swept through the entire Fifth Tail region like a storm.

According to surviving members of the Xiao family, Zhou Qing stormed in alone, fighting three opponents single-handedly. Not only did he not suffer a defeat, but he also forcefully killed all three. This news caused a stir in all directions.

It should be noted that Xiao Tianze is a powerful expert at the Great Perfection of the Spirit Severing Realm, and the two elders are also at the late stage of the Spirit Severing Realm.

Zhou Qing's ability to turn the tables single-handedly demonstrates that his cultivation had broken through again during the five years he was missing.

Even more chillingly, witnesses saw him unleash a golden seal at the last moment, crushing Xiao Tianze's life force.

That golden seal was exactly the same as the inscription-level divine power he had used in the Shen family back then!
Everyone couldn't help but guess that he had managed to turn the tables and kill the enemy precisely because of this supernatural power.

In an instant, the greed of countless people for inscription-level divine abilities boiled over once again, wishing they could immediately possess them.

Rumors have it that many powerful figures have returned from the desolate forbidden land, determined to find Zhou Qing's whereabouts.

However, no one expected that just three months later, Zhou Qing and Shen Yunzhou had already changed their appearance and quietly stepped into the Sixth Tail Region.

This place belongs to the Liu family!
The two did not act rashly, but first went to investigate and roughly figure out the current situation of the Liu family.

Five years ago, the Liu family's overall strength was still inferior to that of the Shen family, with only fourteen experts at the Spirit Slaying Realm. The family head, Liu Hanchuan, and the head of the Shen family's eldest branch, Shen Tianhong, were both at the early stage of the Supreme Realm.

Back then, Liu Xuancang, the patriarch of the Liu family, joined forces with the Yan family and the Heavenly Phoenix Palace to storm the Shen family, the fifth-tailed overlord, just to seize the complete inscription-level divine power for his family when his lifespan was about to end.

Unfortunately, Shen Canghai escaped in the end, and even their soul-searching of the direct descendants of the Shen family failed to find the whereabouts of the first half of the supernatural power.

However, after destroying the Shen family, the Liu family ultimately gained a massive amount of resources.

With the Yan family's promise of five thousand years of protection, not only is his position as the Fifth Tail firmly secured, but... he might even be able to advance further!
However, it is said that Liu Xuancang, the patriarch of the Liu family, only had less than ten years left to live. During the great battle, he forcibly activated the latter half of the inscription-level divine power and suffered a backlash.

In addition, he was severely injured when he fought Shen Canghai. Now, five years have passed, and it is said that he is on the verge of death, probably within the next year or two.

"Although the Liu family has recruited several Spirit Severing Realm cultivators from my Shen family, they have never dared to give them important positions, fearing that they might be feigning surrender. All of them have been sent to guard remote mines."

Shen Yunzhou spoke in a low voice in the inn's private room, explaining the information he had gathered to Zhou Qing one by one.

"In addition, they have occupied several rare mineral veins belonging to my Shen family in the Fifth Tail, so I had to send my family members at the Spirit Severing Realm to oversee them, and at the same time, I had to spare some manpower to search for my grandfather's whereabouts."

"Therefore, I estimate that the Liu family can mobilize at most seven Spirit Severing Realm cultivators right now!"

Zhou Qing pondered for a moment and said, "Taking too big a step has become a fatal flaw."

Shen Yunzhou sneered: "Isn't that right? The spiritual ore produced by my Shen family's mines in the Fifth Tail is priceless, so they have no choice but to send Spirit Severing Realm experts to guard them."

"In addition, with the revenge attacks from the remaining members of my Shen family in recent years, they have been forced to disperse their forces."

Zhou Qing suddenly looked up: "But there's something strange—your grandfather hasn't been captured yet. Aren't they afraid that a late-stage Supreme Realm expert will pick them off one by one and take revenge on the Liu family?"

Shen Yunzhou's brows furrowed suddenly: "I also find it strange. With my grandfather's strength, killing someone at the Spirit Severing Realm should be as easy as crushing ants. How dare they be so audacious?"

Zhou Qing said calmly, "But five years have passed, and apart from the one I killed three months ago who was beyond the Spirit Slayer Realm, all the other Liu family cultivators are still alive and well. They... seem to have no fear of your grandfather's revenge at all."

As soon as he finished speaking, Shen Yunzhou's face turned deathly pale, and he grabbed the edge of the table: "Brother-in-law, you mean... Grandfather..."

Zhou Qing patted him on the shoulder: "Always prepare for the worst. Of course, it's also possible that your grandfather's injuries are too severe, and he's unable to take revenge in the short term."

Shen Yunzhou gritted his teeth and shook his head with difficulty after a long while: "I never thought about this before, but now that you've reminded me, I feel that... Grandfather may have already been arrested."

The private room fell into a deathly silence.

Zhou Qing remained silent.

In fact, he had already made this guess.

If they are truly captured—the ones who will make a move will be either the Heavenly Phoenix Palace or the Yan family!
First of all, since the Liu family was able to get the Yan family to help them, they must have offered the lower half of the inscription-level divine power as a condition for the exchange.

Otherwise, as one of the eight great families, why would the Yan family offer their full support, even going so far as to make a five-thousand-year vow of protection?

Of course, Bai Fengyin, the deputy palace master of Tianhuang Palace who was visiting the Yan family, also came upon hearing the news, naturally wanting a share of the spoils.

Given the extraordinary status of Tianhuang Palace in Nanhuang Prefecture, how could the Yan family dare to be negligent?

That half of the inscription-level divine power will mostly be "gifted" to him, serving as a stepping stone to curry favor.

But would the Yan family sit idly by and watch the Liu family rise to power?
How can you allow others to sleep soundly on the side of the couch?
Now that the Liu family has absorbed the resources of the Shen family, if they were to obtain a complete inscription-level divine power and be protected for five thousand years, given time to cultivate several prodigies, it would be no pipe dream for them to challenge for the position of the fourth-ranked family.

It's worth noting that the Yan family is currently only ranked third.
Therefore, the best outcome for the upper half of the supernatural power in Shen Canghai's possession is that it will remain lost forever.

For both the Yan and Liu families, if it were known that they possessed complete inscription-level divine abilities, it would inevitably attract countless covetous eyes and bring endless trouble.

Just like Zhou Qing now, the mere rumor that he possesses two supernatural powers has already alarmed several Earthly Sovereigns who have been in seclusion for many years to emerge from their seclusion.

Even a behemoth like the Heavenly Phoenix Palace would surely face immense calamity if it were revealed that it possessed multiple inscription-level divine abilities.

Moreover, when they besieged Shen Canghai back then, the Liu family patriarch, the three Yan family patriarchs, and the deputy palace master of the Heavenly Phoenix Palace, a total of five Supreme Realm experts joined forces.

Three of them were even of the same rank as Shen Canghai, so how could they let him escape so easily?

Unless they deliberately let them win.

Having figured this out, Zhou Qing sighed softly and turned his gaze to Shen Yunzhou.

Having experienced the pain of his entire family being wiped out, this former scion of a prominent family has long since shed his naivety.

He must have been able to understand about 70-80% of these intricacies.

"Brother-in-law!" Shen Yunzhou's Adam's apple bobbed, his voice tinged with difficulty, "How about... we just let it go?"

"What do you mean, let it go?" Zhou Qing frowned slightly.

Shen Yunzhou clenched his fists: "The two of us are really outnumbered and outmatched. As the saying goes, a gentleman takes his revenge even after ten years. The Liu family patriarch is already a dying man. Why don't we wait until he dies and then settle this score slowly?"

"I don't want to see you get into trouble again!" Shen Yunzhou's voice trembled as he grabbed Zhou Qing's sleeve.

"Now that my older sister has a chance of recovery, and Yao Yao is still so young, shall we reconsider this blood feud?"

Seeing his brother-in-law's hesitation, Zhou Qing knew his concerns but simply shook his head slowly.

A chilling glint flashed in his eyes: "I came here to let Liu Xuancang see this with his own eyes before he breathes his last."

"How could the Liu family, which he had devoted his entire life to protecting, be before his eyes?"

"— Vanished into thin air!"

Shen Yunzhou's body trembled violently, and his pupils suddenly contracted.

He looked at Zhou Qing, a complex expression on his face.

Zhou Qing's voice was icy: "He can collude with the Yan family and the Heavenly Phoenix Palace to destroy your Shen family because his lifespan is coming to an end. Then we, the lone wolves, should let him taste the bitterness of having his bloodline severed!"

“But—” Shen Yunzhou’s throat tightened.

"Don't worry, I know what I'm doing!" Zhou Qing interrupted him.

He had finally managed to repair the ultimate weapon. How could he be satisfied if he didn't let that seriously injured old ghost taste its power?

Seeing that Zhou Qing had made up his mind, Shen Yunzhou finally did not try to dissuade him.

"So what are you planning to do next?" Shen Yunzhou asked.

A bloodthirsty smile crept onto Zhou Qing's lips: "Naturally, we'll turn the Liu family upside down."

……

The bright moon hung in the sky, its silvery light pouring down like water, illuminating the entire Liu family compound in a dreamlike state.

The majestic sect's buildings are built against the mountain, with nine gilded palaces gleaming faintly in the moonlight, and star-like halos flowing across the glazed tiles.

In the heart of the Liu family compound, a towering ancient willow tree stands majestically.

Its trunk is over ten zhang thick, and its entire body is a bluish-white color like jade. The natural patterns on the bark even faintly form mysterious runes.

Thousands of drooping willow branches gleamed with silver light, swaying gently in the night breeze. Each willow leaf radiated a faint glow, and from afar, it resembled an inverted galaxy.

Even more strangely, the roots of this ancient willow tree are exposed on the ground like a coiled dragon, forming natural steps and seats.

At this moment, the three members of the Liu family at the Spirit Severing Realm were sitting cross-legged on the tree roots, practicing their breathing exercises.

The spiritual energy surrounding him blended with the moonlight emanating from the willow tree, forming a misty spiritual fog beneath the tree.

At the top of the tree canopy, a halo of light formed from pure moonlight slowly rotated, enveloping the surrounding area in a hazy, clear glow.

However, none of these three powerful figures noticed—

In the shadows less than a hundred feet away from them, two pairs of cold eyes were silently watching everything.

A few breaths later, Shen Yunzhou withdrew his gaze and turned to look at Zhou Qing beside him, his eyes filled with shock and admiration.

He still can't believe that just now, the Liu family's proud Four-Colored Clan Protection Array was treated like child's play in his brother-in-law's hands.

He watched as his brother-in-law casually fiddled with the array patterns a few times, and the four-colored restriction silently broke open.

Moreover, no alarms were triggered throughout the entire process, and the guarding monks were completely unaware.

"Is this the true mastery of array formations?" Shen Yunzhou thought to himself in awe.

Even his sister, who was hailed as a once-in-a-millennium genius in the art of array formation, only managed to condense 17,000 spirit seals during her lifetime.

"Was your mother also a member of the Liu family back then?" Zhou Qing suddenly asked telepathically, interrupting Shen Yunzhou's thoughts.

Shen Yunzhou's expression darkened, and he replied telepathically, "Yes, her and Third Aunt's marriage into the Shen family was originally arranged by the Liu family."

"However, my mother later truly fell in love with my father. She refused all the tasks secretly assigned to her by the Liu family."

At this point, his voice choked with emotion: "Because of this, the Liu family has always been very dissatisfied with my mother."

Zhou Qing nodded slightly, feeling more confident, a hint of coldness flashing in his eyes: "You stay here for now, leave the rest to me."

Before he finished speaking, he had already stepped out, exposing himself to the moonlight without any hesitation.

Shen Yunzhou's heart tightened, but he dared not say anything. He could only use his concealment technique to completely hide his aura.

(End of this chapter)