The head master has a new female apprentice

Chapter 461 Your son-in-law Zhou Qing greets Father-in-law! (6k)

"Then how can we help?" Shen Lieyang asked hurriedly.

Shen Juefeng's eyes flashed with a sharp light as he slowly analyzed, "The Liu family originally had fourteen Spirit Severing Realm experts, but five of them have now been lost."

"Of the remaining nine people, four are guarding the mine at the Fifth Tail, and three are working with the Yan family and the Heavenly Phoenix Palace to find their father's whereabouts and to venture deep into the Desolate Forbidden Zone to search for Zhou Qing."

"In other words, the core fighting force of the Liu family now consists only of the ancestor Liu Xuancang (late stage of the Supreme Realm), the family head Liu Hanchuan (early stage of the Supreme Realm), and one Spirit Severing Realm cultivator."

Upon hearing his fourth brother's analysis, Shen Lieyang nodded repeatedly.

Although several members of the Shen family at the Spirit Severing Realm have joined them, the other side does not dare to easily trust them at present and has sent them far away.

"So, do you think Zhou Qing will directly attack the Liu family?" Shen Lieyang asked thoughtfully.

A cold glint flashed in Shen Juefeng's eyes: "That's for sure. Taking advantage of the fact that everyone is caught off guard, he will definitely put on a series of pressures and intimidate the heroes with swift and decisive measures."

Thinking of this, Shen Juefeng slammed his hand on the table and stood up: "I reckon that kid will be making a comeback soon, we need to go to the Liu family's residence to meet him!"

Before he could finish speaking, he suddenly swayed and turned deathly pale.

Shen Lieyang quickly supported him: "In your current state, how can you provide support? Even a mere Nascent Soul cultivator could take your life."

Shen Juefeng sat down, sweating profusely, and slammed his fist on the table in anger: "Zhou Qing is only at the mid-stage of the Spirit Severing Realm. He was able to kill a Great Perfection cultivator despite being at a higher level, all thanks to those two inscription divine abilities."

He was breathing rapidly, his Adam's apple bobbing. "But against a Supreme Realm expert, there's absolutely no chance of winning, not to mention there are two people guarding the area!"

Shen Lieyang thought for a moment and said, "If I'm not mistaken, this kid is indeed reckless. How about I go and keep watch outside the Liu family? That way I can be of some help."

Shen Juefeng raised his hand to stop him: "Your true form is at the Great Perfection of the Spirit Severing Realm, but your second Nascent Soul Realm is only at the late stage. Going there would be nothing but sending yourself to die."

He suddenly groaned and coughed up a mouthful of blood. Shen Lieyang then patted his back gently.

“Here’s what we’ll do: if you see him outside the Liu family’s residence, you must bring him back. Even if we really want to wipe out the Liu family, it will have to be me, his father-in-law, who recovers and personally takes the plunge,” Shen Juefeng added.

Shen Lieyang nodded and said, "Okay, you hurry up and recover, I'll go and wait for him."

After saying that, he put his mask back on and headed straight for the Liu family.

After Shen Lieyang left, Shen Juefeng hunched over and coughed violently again. After his coughing subsided, he swallowed something with difficulty, his Adam's apple bobbing.

Then, a strange smile appeared on his blood-stained lips: "Speaking of which, this kid still owes me a kneeling."

……

"That was exhilarating! Absolutely exhilarating!" Shen Yunzhou listened to the discussions outside and saw the Liu family's pathetic state of cowering in the shadows, and he was so excited that he could hardly contain himself.

He kept stealing glances at Zhou Qing's composed demeanor, his eyes filled with admiration.

At that moment, he suddenly understood the light in Lu Yaoyao's eyes when she looked at Zhou Qing.

Standing next to someone like that always gives you an indescribable charm.

“Brother-in-law, the Liu family is now extremely wary and on high alert. Why don’t we go to the Third Yan family and do the same?”

Suppressing his excitement, Shen Yunzhou said in a low voice, "Wouldn't it be safer to launch a counterattack after the Liu family patriarch dies and they lower their guard?"

Zhou Qing gently shook his head: "I said that this time I want the Liu family patriarch to see with his own eyes just how wrong his decision was."

Shen Yunzhou said urgently, "But those are two Supreme Realm experts! Even if the Shen family patriarch suffered a backlash, was seriously injured and aged, he is still a starved camel bigger than a horse."

"Not to mention Liu Hanchuan, the family head who survived the Supreme Tribulation! We're basically throwing eggs against rocks!"

“Precisely because even you think so,” Zhou Qing said with a slight smile, “the Liu family will also make the same judgment—this is precisely our opportunity.”

Shen Yunzhou quickly said, "I know, but they think it's my grandfather taking revenge, not us!"

Zhou Qing gave a meaningful smile: "Don't worry, I know what I'm doing."

He paused for a moment, then added, "By the way, I'm going alone this time."

"You're going alone?" Shen Yunzhou immediately became anxious upon hearing this, grabbing Zhou Qing's arm. "How can that be! No, I have to go with you!"

Zhou Qing gently patted Shen Yunzhou's hand, but only smiled without saying a word.

Back then, Second Uncle was able to severely injure a Heavenly Sovereign with his ultimate weapon. Now, the power of the [Boundless Karmic Fire Mirror] in his hand is even greater, and killing one or two Sovereigns should be a piece of cake.

However, the fewer people who know about the existence of these extreme weapons, the better. This is also for Shen Yunzhou's safety, to prevent him from being involved.

Just as Shen Yunzhou was about to argue, Zhou Qing suddenly raised his hand.

Before he could react, a bright yellow talisman was slapped onto his forehead, instantly sealing off all the meridians in his body.

Shen Yunzhou froze on the spot, only his eyes could still move, and his pupils were almost spitting fire.

Zhou Qing put his hands behind his back and sighed softly, "I know you're unwilling. But this trip is extremely dangerous, and for your sister's sake, I can't let you take the risk."

His voice suddenly lowered, "Don't worry, I will come back safely. After all, the blood debt between the Yan family and the Heavenly Phoenix Palace is still waiting for us to pay for it ourselves."

Looking at Shen Yunzhou's reddened eyes, Zhou Qing vaguely saw Han Yi from back then—the same figure who stubbornly stood in front of him.

Now that their positions have been reversed, he truly understands that his so-called stubbornness was nothing more than wanting to protect the most important person in his life.

"Wait for me without worry."

Zhou Qing then affixed several more talismans to Shen Yunzhou's body to ensure everything was in order before turning around.

Before leaving, he gave him a reassuring smile, then checked the room's security measures again, closed the door, and left.

Soon after, Zhou Qing's figure quietly appeared in front of the Liu family's main gate.

Under the moonlight, the once solemn and majestic main gate was now under heavy guard.

The protective array's light barrier was more than three times thicker than usual, and hundreds of guards patrolled back and forth, each with a vigilant expression.

Seeing this, Zhou Qing's eyes flashed with a cold light.

It seems unlikely that we can lure the Liu family patriarch out.

How could a dying person bear to leave this tortoise shell?
In that case, I have no choice but to personally visit him and see him off on his journey.

As for this seemingly impregnable clan protection formation
A cold smile flickered across Zhou Qing's lips; in his eyes, it was practically meaningless.

After calming himself down, he checked the four-colored spirit-gathering array in the storage bag again to make sure it was working properly.

With the spiritual power provided by this array, the ultimate weapon will surely be able to unleash terrifying power beyond imagination.

Just as he was about to step inside, he suddenly felt a chill run down his spine, turned his head sharply, and stared into the darkness not far away with eyes like knives.

The next moment, a masked figure slowly walked out.

Zhou Qing frowned slightly, his spiritual energy quietly circulating around him, and he became wary.

However, the other person simply raised a finger to the front of the mask as a shushing gesture, then gently raised their hand in an inviting gesture.

Zhou Qing's eyes flickered. He first glanced at the magnificent main gate of the Liu family in the distance, and then looked at the mysterious person in front of him again.

This person was definitely not from the Liu family, and moreover, he had already scanned the surroundings with his divine sense and found that there was no one there.

But this guy seemed to have been waiting for him there specifically.

After a brief moment of deliberation, Zhou Qing's figure flickered, disappearing into the darkness like a ghost. When he reappeared, he was already standing silently behind the other party.

Shen Lieyang slowly turned around, and beneath his bronze tiger-patterned mask, a pair of sharp eyes stared directly at Zhou Qing, who was also wearing a mask and was on high alert.

"Zhou Qing?" he asked in a low voice.

Zhou Qing's gaze sharpened as he carefully examined the other person's figure, and then something suddenly occurred to him.

Several years ago, when he brought Yao Yao back to the Shen family, he had seen the outline of this person from a distance.

"The third branch of the Shen family?"

Hearing that familiar voice, Shen Lieyang finally confirmed that Lao Si's guess was indeed correct.

He raised his hand and removed the bronze mask, revealing a dignified and reserved face: "That's right, it's me."

Seeing this, Zhou Qing also casually took off his mask.

He knew, of course, that the person before him was merely Shen Lieyang's second Nascent Soul body, but he never expected that the other party would actually appear here.

When Shen Lieyang's gaze uncontrollably fell on Zhou Qing's striking white hair, his heart suddenly trembled.

After a moment of silence, he exhaled a deep breath and said in a low voice, "It's not appropriate to talk here. Come with me, someone wants to see you."

"Who?" Zhou Qing asked in a cold voice.

"You'll see when you get there!" Shen Lieyang put his mask back on, turned, and stepped into the darkness.

Zhou Qing watched his retreating figure, hesitated for a moment, and then chose to follow.

Now that we all have a common enemy, given Shen Lieyang's status, he shouldn't be setting any traps.

Moreover, when the Liu family attacked back then, the Shen brothers immediately put aside all grudges and united against the enemy.

If they really wanted to harm him, Shen Lieyang could easily summon the Liu family with a long roar right now. With his late-stage Spirit Slaying Realm cultivation, he could easily hold him off.

Moreover, seeing how serious he looked, he was genuinely curious about who wanted to see him.

……

Before long, the two arrived at an abandoned manor in the outer city.

The mottled walls and dilapidated porch looked particularly eerie in the night.

Zhou Qing paused, staring warily at the dilapidated manor before him.

Shen Lieyang stopped at the right moment and said in a low voice, "I won't go in. I'll stay outside and keep watch for you."

Zhou Qing frowned, his voice cold and hard: "Don't play these games with me. If you want to see me, come out openly and honestly, otherwise..."

Before he could finish speaking, a weak cough came from inside the courtyard: "You brat, are you sure you want me to come see you?"

Upon hearing that familiar voice, Zhou Qing froze on the spot.

His eyes widened, his face filled with disbelief.

He mechanically turned his head to look at Shen Lieyang, who smiled slightly and nodded gently at him.

Upon receiving an affirmative answer, the shock in Zhou Qing's eyes instantly turned into ecstasy.

He subconsciously straightened his clothes and ran into the courtyard in a few quick steps.

"As expected, only his father-in-law can handle him." Shen Lieyang shook his head and chuckled, then composed himself and cautiously surveyed his surroundings.

Zhou Qing arrived in the courtyard, paused briefly in front of the door, and carefully pushed open the mottled wooden door.

In the dim candlelight, a pale yet familiar face was quietly watching him.

The moment Zhou Qing saw that face clearly, her eyes immediately reddened.

In a daze, he seemed to see again the figure from five years ago, the one who left them the only way to survive and pushed him and Han Yi into the spatial rift. He really didn't expect that his father-in-law was still alive.

"You brat, I heard you've been quite the big shot lately!" Shen Juefeng's voice was weak, but it still carried a teasing tone.

Zhou Qing then came to his senses and quickly stepped forward to bow respectfully: "Greetings, Uncle!"

"Uncle?" Shen Juefeng narrowed his eyes slightly, his tone tinged with a hint of mockery. "Are you sure?"

Zhou Qing's face flushed, and she lowered her head in slight embarrassment.

But when he looked up again and met Shen Juefeng's mischievous gaze, he couldn't help but take a deep breath and solemnly bow again.

"Your son-in-law, Zhou Qing, greets Father-in-law!"

"Hahaha!" Shen Juefeng burst into laughter, but suddenly started coughing violently.

Seeing this, Zhou Qing quickly stepped forward and gently patted his back.

Once his cough subsided, Shen Juefeng waved his hand.

Zhou Qing immediately stopped what he was doing and looked at the elder with concern.

Shen Juefeng wiped his mouth and pointed to the seat opposite him.

Zhou Qing understood and respectfully took his seat.

Then, Shen Juefeng took a closer look at Zhou Qing. When his gaze fell on Zhou Qing's black and white hair, a hint of emotion flashed in his eyes.

"Tell me about what happened that day." Shen Juefeng's voice was calm, but there was a hint of urgency in it.

Zhou Qing knew what he meant, so he recounted the events of that day in detail.

They escaped through the void passage. Han Yi was about to give birth, and Bai Fengyin used her bloodline tracing technique while holding his head.
Upon hearing this, Shen Juefeng's calloused hands clenched tightly, his knuckles cracking slightly.

His body trembled slightly, a murderous intent surged in his eyes, but his voice was unusually low: "So... it was I who harmed Yi'er."

Seeing this, Zhou Qing quickly said, "No, no, father-in-law, please don't say that. By the way, take a look at this."

As he spoke, he carefully took out the Soul-Nourishing Jade from his storage bag.

When he saw the sleeping figure in the jade, Shen Juefeng, who had been filled with self-reproach, suddenly opened his eyes wide and took the Soul-Nourishing Jade with trembling hands.

His rough fingers gently stroked the jade-like surface, then he suddenly looked up at Zhou Qing, his voice trembling slightly: "This is..."

"It's all thanks to the inscription-level divine abilities we cultivated together," Zhou Qing explained, then recounted the details of what happened that day.

After a long while, a look of relief finally appeared on Shen Juefeng's pale face. He gently stroked the Soul-Nourishing Jade and said repeatedly, "Good, good."

He then solemnly handed the Soul-Nourishing Jade back to Zhou Qing, saying in a low voice, "The Blood Phoenix Essence Blood is a divine object that is not easy to obtain."

"You risked your life to venture deep into the forbidden wilderness in such a short time, even offending a demon saint in the process, to obtain just four drops. You've really worked hard."

Zhou Qing accepted the Soul-Nourishing Jade with both hands and carefully put it away: "This is my duty. Father-in-law, rest assured, I will definitely bring Han Yi back to life."

Shen Juefeng's resolute face showed approval: "I believe you. My daughter's judgment has never been bad."

Upon hearing this, Zhou Qing's lips curled up slightly.

"By the way, you just said that my granddaughter Yao Yao is now being cared for by women of the Rain Clan?" Shen Juefeng changed the subject, a glint of light flashing in his eyes.

“It’s Swift,” Zhou Qing explained. “It’s the woman by the campfire that night, who also came to the Shen family with Zhao Muyi.”

"The one in the mid-stage of the Spirit Severing Realm?" Shen Juefeng thought for a moment and remembered.

“Exactly. In fact, I saved her life, so she can be trusted,” Zhou Qing added.

"That time with Yama?"

"Exactly."

Shen Juefeng nodded: "That's good then."

In a short conversation, the awkwardness between the two had quietly melted away.

Zhou Qing's eyes flickered slightly, and he pointed outside without making a sound: "That third master of the house."

"I trust him. Without him, I would have died long ago!" Shen Juefeng said firmly.

Zhou Qing understood: "Then I will call him Third Uncle from now on."

Shen Juefeng nodded, then said seriously, "Was it you who did the things involving the Liu family?"

“Not just me, but also Yunzhou,” Zhou Qing replied.

"Yun Zhou?!" Shen Juefeng suddenly stood up, his eyes flashing with a sharp light. "He's still alive?"

"Full of energy, currently at an inn in the inner city," Zhou Qing said with a smile.

"Good! That's wonderful!" Having experienced a dramatic change in his family, the tough man felt an indescribable surge of excitement and relief upon learning that both his sons and daughters were alive.

"Where exactly? I'll have Third Brother go pick them up!" Shen Juefeng immediately pressed.

Zhou Qing quickly wrote down the address.

A short while later, Shen Lieyang, who was on guard outside, came in upon hearing the news. He was overjoyed to learn that his nephew was still alive.

After receiving the address, he solemnly clasped his hands in a fist salute to Zhou Qing, and then hurriedly left.

For a moment, only the two of them remained sitting facing each other in the room.

"If it weren't for the third brother stopping you today, would you really have planned to storm the Liu family all by yourself?" Shen Juefeng stared intently at Zhou Qing.

Zhou Qing appeared slightly shy, but still nodded in agreement: "Yes."

“But you can’t even manage to fight to the death.” Shen Juefeng pointed out the obvious.

Zhou Qing just smiled and didn't answer.

Seeing his expression, a glint flashed in Shen Juefeng's eyes: "You have the means to deal with a Supreme Realm expert?"

Zhou Qing nodded slightly.

"What is it?" Shen Juefeng pressed.

Zhou Qing shook his head: "Forgive me for not being able to speak frankly. This matter involves many things, and I do not want to implicate my father-in-law because of it."

The words of advice his second uncle had given him when he fled in panic last time flashed before his eyes.

Although his father-in-law had saved his life, he was willing to hand over that ultimate weapon even for Han Yi's sake.

However, this object is far too dangerous—even a group of Heavenly Sovereigns fought over a fragment for it, resulting in the deaths of several Earthly Sovereigns. If it were to appear in its entirety, it would surely bring endless calamities.

Seeing Zhou Qing's resolute attitude, Shen Juefeng didn't ask any further questions.

After all, everyone has their own secrets.

After a moment of contemplation, Shen Juefeng said solemnly, "I believe what you say is true. But your display of two inscription-level divine abilities in the Shen family has already attracted the pursuit of heroes from Nanhuang Prefecture."

"Now, even the Earthly Sovereigns who have been in seclusion for many years have been moved by the news."

"If you reveal another trump card that could threaten the Supreme Realm," his gaze was piercing, "unless you can wipe out the entire Liu family, the secret will be hard to keep. Can you do that?"

Upon hearing this, Zhou Qing fell silent.

His original plan was to imitate the last operation, secretly infiltrate the Liu family to set up an isolation array, and then deliberately leak a trace of his aura to lure the Liu family patriarch into the array.

Once engaged in combat, they unleash their strongest killing moves without reservation: two inscribed divine abilities combined with an ultimate weapon, starting with Tetanus and finishing with Bloodwing Phantom.

The entire process must be seamless. Even if the spiritual energy is exhausted, it can be immediately absorbed by the Blood Phoenix Tribulation Crystal to recover, and then the space can be torn apart to escape.

This way, the secret can be kept to the greatest extent possible, while ensuring the success of the revenge.

The only variable is that he has never fought against a Supreme Realm expert, let alone faced a late-stage Supreme Realm expert who was severely injured by a backlash and whose lifespan was about to end.

Moreover, there was Liu Hanchuan, the patriarch at the early stage of the Supreme Realm, assisting him from the side.

This is essentially a high-stakes gamble—gambling that the plan will be executed perfectly, and gambling that even if someone escapes, they won't recognize the extreme weapon.

It should be noted that the Yan family ranks among the top three of the eight great families in Nanhuang Prefecture, and has more than one Supreme Realm expert in the family, yet they have never seen a true ultimate weapon.

Even their proud Yama, the Heavenly Pride, usually just parades around with a replica of the "Life-Bearing Lamp."

Seeing Zhou Qing remain silent, Shen Juefeng said in a deep voice, "The remnant soul I escaped from Bai Fengyin's grasp has not fully recovered and will require at least three months of recuperation. How about we act together then?"

Zhou Qing stared at his father-in-law for a moment, then suddenly smiled and said, "Good!"

After saying that, he took out all the Blood Phoenix Tribulation Crystals he had refined during this period, saying, "This item may help you recover faster."

Shen Juefeng picked up a crystal, his pupils suddenly shrinking—the immense blood energy and spiritual power contained within it far exceeded his expectations.

With the help of existing elixirs, the recovery period may be shortened to one or two months.

Before his father-in-law could respond, Zhou Qing took out two more scrolls, one as red as blood and the other as black as ink.

Zhou Qing pushed the red scroll forward: "This is the 'Hundred Tribulations Blood Curtain,' which originates from the secret teachings of the Blood Phoenix Clan. It is the inscription-level divine power that Han Yi and I cultivated together."

He paused, then added somewhat awkwardly, "However, cultivating this technique requires maintaining one's primordial yang and primordial yin bodies. Due to an accident, neither of us can now cultivate the subsequent stages!"

Shen Juefeng took the scroll, his expression unchanged, but a knowing glint flashed in his eyes—clearly, having already borne children, he was no longer destined to master this technique.

"As for this," Zhou Qing pointed to the black scroll, "the Great Luo Demon Sealing Seal, was obtained by one of my elders from the Three-Flower Dried Corpse in the Desolate Forbidden Land, which has attracted the attention of all parties. My father-in-law should be able to learn this technique."

Shen Juefeng's gaze sharpened: "Is it the golden seal you used in the Shen family?"

Seeing Zhou Qing nod, Shen Juefeng pondered for a moment, seemingly lost in thought.

Zhou Qing smiled somewhat awkwardly—to be honest, now that they even have a child, it's really a bit unreasonable that he, as the son-in-law, hasn't even prepared a decent betrothal gift.

To Zhou Qing's surprise, Shen Juefeng returned both scrolls of cultivation techniques without showing the slightest greed.

“Father-in-law, although the Great Luo Demon Sealing Seal is difficult to cultivate, I have spiritual plants from heaven and earth to help me.”

"Zhou Qing, you've misunderstood," Shen Juefeng interrupted directly. "Inscription-level divine abilities are incredibly precious; those who obtain such opportunities are all people with great fortune. And I..."

He shook his head. "I'm still recovering from my serious injuries and have no time to learn new techniques. I appreciate your kindness."

Zhou Qing immediately understood that his father-in-law did not want to take advantage of him, a junior, nor did he want to enjoy the fruits of others' labor at the cost of their lives.

Just as he was about to persuade him again, Shen Juefeng smiled and picked up two Blood Phoenix Tribulation Crystals: "I'll accept these crystals and try them out first." After saying that, he sat cross-legged and began to regulate his breathing.

Seeing his father-in-law meditating with his eyes closed, Zhou Qing could only sigh softly and put the scroll away.

The father and son are truly of the same mindset—Shen Yunzhou had previously rejected his kindness in the same way.

Not long after, two whooshing sounds came from outside, followed by an excited shout.

"father--"

(End of this chapter)