The Sect Leader Has Taken in a New Female Disciple

Chapter 1288: Chapter 383: The Secret Deep Within the Grotto Heaven Forbidden Area (6k)_2

Unexpectedly, after a few days, a surprising figure appeared at the mountain gate—it was Sikong Yan’s former associate, Wu Sha.

Back then, he brought the recovered Nannan to the Taiqing Sect, not only to fulfill his promise but also to inquire about Sikong Yan’s whereabouts from Zhou Qing.

After all, in his eyes, following his own Sect Leader was the way to advance.

Zhou Qing candidly informed him that Sikong Yan had gone to the Imperial City.

After thanking him, Wu Sha rushed away.

Yet, Zhou Qing stayed in the Imperial City for several years but never met him.

On one hand, the city vast as the ocean, makes it difficult to find someone.

On the other hand, Sikong Yan acted secretively, hiding in the shadows, Wu Sha probably couldn’t find a trace of him.

Upon seeing Zhou Qing again, sensing his faint release of pressure, Wu Sha saluted with a complex expression and presented a brocade box: "This is a gift from my boss to you."

"Your boss?" Zhou Qing raised an eyebrow.

"Cangyan Daoist Palace has become history, it’s no longer fitting to call him Palace Master." Wu Sha explained.

Zhou Qing understood: "Looks like you’ve found Sikong."

"Indeed. The gift has been delivered, I will take my leave." Wu Sha saluted again and rushed away.

Zhou Qing opened the brocade box; inside was a note: [Zhou, congratulations! Recently I’ve been thinking and came up with a new location, looking forward to our next collaboration!]

Zhou Qing shook his head, and with a flash of thunderlight from his palm, the note turned to ashes.

He could no longer collaborate with Sikong Yan—the specific location of the secret formula he already mastered, and their goals were diametrically opposed.

Sikong Yan sought revenge, vowing to expose the secret formula guarded by the Xuanyuan Family.

But after seeing the contents of the formula, Zhou Qing was determined to completely destroy it to prevent calamity from befalling the common folk.

Yet, he witnessed the battle between Yama of Wuxiang Mountain and the Old Emperor in its entirety.

Even with late-stage Spirit Severing Realm cultivation, complemented by imitation Extreme Dao Weapon, Yama was still repelled.

Let alone the Old Emperor stationed in the Imperial City, blessed with nationwide fortune, standing almost invincible.

Moreover, there are direct descendants Xuanyuan Shuo, Xuanyuan Hao, and Xuanyuan Sha, along with sixteen—well, now sixteen Spirit Severing Realm experts who benefitted from the Holy Martial Dynasty.

Additionally, just a beckon from him would summon countless Divinity Transformation Realm Perfection cultivators yearning for the secret medicine’s reward.

With over three thousand years of operation, who knows how many last resorts the Old Emperor still holds.

Currently, the Xuanyuan Family remains a terrifying tiger causing dread.

To completely destroy the secret formula, it requires precision strikes against the Old Emperor’s life, giving him no chance to react.

Moreover, it must be ensured that Taiqing Sect is not implicated; otherwise, the Royal Family’s retaliation will be unbearable.

Even Spirit Slash Realm Perfection powerhouses probably find it difficult to achieve that swiftly.

If rashly toppling the entire Dynasty, with the absence of central leadership, not to mention the Dynasty Alliance’s intervention.

The ensuing chaos faced by the Holy Martial Dynasty’s millions of citizens would be enough to make him a historical criminal.

This matter requires careful planning.

Returning home, Zhou Qing quickly detected something amiss—the old hen was missing again.

In fact, during leisure time, he also heard Yan, the third senior brother, mention that the old hen often mysteriously disappears, only to eerily return, always carrying a foul stench.

Zhou Qing seemed to realize something and immediately took out the Divine Ruins Celestial Palace’s token, entering the forbidden zone.

Sure enough, just at the passage entrance, he saw the old hen swimming leisurely in the Blood River filled with Dead Crow.

Still surrounded by the blue flames it devoured from Taichu Dojo, it was enjoying the feast of Dead Crow.

While the three Corpse Wax Crows remained indifferent to this.

"It seems after my godson took it away, it returned to the forbidden zone on its own like this."

Zhou Qing pondered, "Including previously in the Imperial City too. What exactly is going on here?"

When he turned his gaze toward the ancient tree at the end of the passage, he was stunned.

Busy with various affairs over the years, he hadn’t visited the forbidden zone for a long time.

It was only now he noticed that the once enormous black heart wrapped in chains had severely shriveled, covered in cracked patterns, its beating becoming weak.

This sudden change shook Zhou Qing to his core.

What was happening?

Soon, he saw the answer.

Wisps of black aura, like some mysterious essence of life, seeped from the shriveled heart, silently merging into the old hen’s body.

"This is..." His heart tightened, instinctively about to intervene.

Yet, the old hen continued to flutter joyfully, oblivious to the changes within.

It contentedly pecked at the Dead Crow, then paddled with its feet, leisurely swimming deeper into the Blood River, soon vanishing into the thick blood mist.

Zhou Qing hesitated for a moment but ultimately didn’t pursue.

Instead, he gazed at the chained ancient tree across the river, frowning deeper.

"So that’s it..." he muttered to himself, "Every time the old hen inadvertently returns to the forbidden zone, it’s summoned by this heart."

Then, who is the master of this heart?

What level of cultivation did it reach in life?

And why does it choose the old hen now?

As he pondered, in the darkness nearby, three enormous Corpse Wax Crows slowly appeared.

They were covered in solidified corpse wax, hollow eye sockets burned with ghostly green flames, and on their dried wings, under dim light, flickered eerie grayish-blue reflections.

Seeing this, Zhou Qing instead smiled: "Last time, there were two; seems after advancing to Spirit Slash, I enjoy the same treatment as Old Indulger!"

Before he finished speaking, the three Corpse Wax Crows seemed to sense Zhou Qing was difficult to deal with.