Chapter 195: Number One, I

The three exchanged pleasantries, and Yan Xiao couldn't resist teasing.

"Wait, your dad sent you to manage business here—shouldn't you be swamped these past few months? Yet you look like you're living in luxury."

Zhang Wanbao scratched his head sheepishly and laughed: "I just handle reports from below—everything else is taken care of by Grandmaster Fu. Let's drop that for now—come on, let's go, I'm treating you, brothers, let's have a proper feast!"

Zhou Qing and Yan Xiao exchanged a glance and readily agreed.

After requesting leave from the academy, they followed Zhang Wanbao out, finding a serene inn.

Inside the inn, Zhang Wanbao ordered a lavish feast; the three sat together, eating and chatting.

Zhang Wanbao enthusiastically recounted his months in Haomiao Prefecture, especially the amusing incidents in business.

Zhou Qing and Yan Xiao shared their own experiences at the academy.

When they spoke of amusing events, all three burst into laughter, the atmosphere warm and harmonious.

After three rounds of wine, they parted ways—Fu Kui had arrived, needing Zhang Wanbao for something urgent.

"Alright then, I'll come find you two brothers once I'm done!" Zhang Wanbao looked delighted.

The two waved goodbye with smiles.

"Pay extra attention to the man who brought you here!" Fu Kui offered a kind warning before leaving.

Zhou Qing and Yan Xiao were stunned, but nodded vigorously and thanked him profusely.

It seemed Fu Kui truly was a Zhanling cultivator—how else could he sense Erdaye's presence?

Or perhaps Erdaye had intended it?

As they returned to the academy, they found Li Daoxuan waiting at the cave entrance with Lu Yaoyao.

"Senior Zhou!" Lu Yaoyao ran over happily.

Li Daoxuan asked: "Where did you two go?"

Yan Xiao gave a truthful account.

"That's good—associating with wealthy young masters like him might prove useful in a pinch. I've got some free time these two days, so I'll take you around the academy."

Since the two junior disciples and the young lady arrived, he'd been preoccupied with comprehending his artistic realm, neglecting their new arrival.

Zhou Qing felt slightly embarrassed.

After all, Senior Li had left the Eastern Region of Lingyun Prefecture specifically to break free from past constraints, seeking a fresh environment to refine himself undistractedly and attain his own unique realm.

Yet now, their arrival had delayed his cultivation plan.

But refusing such earnest goodwill worried Zhou Qing—he feared offending him.

After a brief hesitation, he smiled warmly: "Then I'll rely on you, Senior Li."

For the next three days, Li Daoxuan took the three on a tour, detailing the academy's history, culture, and strange tales at every stop.

Including outer zones like Huangfeng Valley.

Li Daoxuan even asked curiously who the man who gave him the note was, and why Zhou Qing said they knew him too.

Zhou Qing deftly dodged the question—the matter involving Senior Brother Gao Xuan was too grave; he feared alarming them.

Seeing Zhou Qing unwilling to elaborate, Li Daoxuan dropped the subject, nodded with a smile, and continued the tour.

That night, Zhou Qing sat in meditation, while Yan Xiao held the old hen, staring blankly at Zhou Qing.

"Hen, is your master about to ascend to immortality? These past days, Senior Brother Li took us wandering—I can't find him anywhere, yet he's clearly right beside me!"

Yan Xiao stroked the hen's head, muttering in confusion.

In the next instant, Zhou Qing suddenly opened his eyes, a sharp gleam flashing within.

He glanced indifferently at Yan Xiao, then rose and walked out of the cave.

Yan Xiao sensed something too, and hurriedly followed, clutching the hen.

Under the moonlight, a white-robed figure stood silently atop a towering tree.

Seeing this, Yan Xiao instantly grew angry.

But he restrained himself—he'd once thought the man merely a white-robed outer disciple, free to taunt; now that Zhou Qing revealed he was a Soul Transformation cultivator, he dared not act rashly.

Zhou Qing said nothing, merely watching, eyes blazing, locked on the white-robed figure, his aura subtly gathering, his mind brimming with caution.

Only he knew the misfortunes the 【Bad Luck Charm】 had inflicted on the man during those three days.

And this man, wounded, had slain so many Soul Transformation cultivators—now he appeared fully recovered, even stronger than before, his presence radiating palpable pressure.

The moonlight outlined his cold, sharp profile as he spoke softly: "If you can't solve the problem, eliminate the one who caused it."

Zhou Qing's heart tightened, but his expression remained calm; he merely let out a faint hum.

"So you've come specifically for me? You're a Soul Transformation master, vastly superior—why hide from a mere junior?"

"If you've come, show yourself plainly. Hiding like this—surely not the way of a true cultivator."

Zhou Qing's gaze pierced like lightning, fixed on the white-robed figure, his tone unyielding.

This was the inner academy of Baiyu Tai Xu Academy—eight instructors, two Zhanling masters—he didn't believe the man would dare strike.

The white-robed figure fell silent.

Zhou Qing mocked: "Looks like your pride's fragile. If you don't care to know what I planted inside you, fine—the night's deep, I need sleep. Goodnight!"

As he spoke, he yawned and turned to leave.

The white-robed figure coughed lightly: "What did you plant?"

Zhou Qing's eyes flickered with barely concealed triumph; his smile deepened.

Yan Xiao looked puzzled, then quickly understood.

He'd thought Fourth Brother hadn't caught the beast—turns out the beast had fallen right into Fourth Brother's trap.

Ha! Served you right.

Watching the man trapped by Fourth Brother, Yan Xiao felt utterly exhilarated.

"Of course it's something wonderful," Zhou Qing deliberately drew out the words. "But why should I tell you?"

"What do you want?" The white-robed figure fell silent again, then spoke.

"Apologize to my third senior brother," Zhou Qing demanded bluntly.

Yan Xiao straightened his chest at once.

But the white-robed figure fell silent again, then abruptly turned and left.

The two stared, stunned.

Elders truly have pride.

But Zhou Qing didn't care—he'd come, so he wouldn't let this go. Tonight's exchange was merely the beginning.

"Fourth Brother, you're incredible!" Yan Xiao now worshipped Zhou Qing.

"Still, be careful," Zhou Qing's expression turned serious, his voice tinged with concern. "He won't let this go—he'll return."

Yan Xiao nodded firmly, understanding.

He needed to hurry and improve his cultivation base—after all, Master Lu Yuanzhi had promised to raise Lu Yaoyao to Soul Transformation within fifty years.

He was a senior brother too; the white-robed beast had pride—he wasn't far behind.

Zhou Qing checked his schedule, confirmed two more classes were coming, and rested promptly.

Soon, several more days passed.

He hadn't seen the white-robed figure again, and neither classroom nor Wendaotai had refreshed many points.

Probably not stimulating enough—plus, 【Reduce Presence】 had reached Level Five, making refreshes harder.

The 【Random Charm】 had yielded no new charms either.

After all, randomness meant nothing was certain.

But today, Zhou Qing planned to enter the Divine Ruins Heavenly Palace.

A few days ago in class, Master Lin had distributed six 【Massive Strength Enhancement Arrays】, giving them to several outstanding disciples to dismantle and replicate.

Zhou Qing was naturally among them.

For Zhou Qing, who had already condensed sixty-six spirit seals and could craft advanced array plates himself, this was child's play.

He not only fully analyzed it, but upgraded it into a first-rank array.

So he intended to use this array to try opening a coffin.

He then inserted thirty mid-grade spirit stones; his spiritual sense soon appeared within the Divine Ruins Heavenly Palace.

Just as he prepared to enter, a flash of light beside him—Number Six Blue Ball appeared.

"One!" Zhou Qing instinctively tried to slip away, but Number Six Blue Ball urgently called out.

Zhou Qing sighed helplessly, stopping: "Six, what a coincidence—you're here too?"

Number Six Blue Ball cut straight to the point: "Not coincidence. I've been watching the token—saw you log in, rushed right in."

Zhou Qing: "..."

"Uh, I was just going to go in..."

"I know, no rush. I just wanted to thank you for helping last time. I mean, if you have time..."

Number Six Blue Ball hesitated, then added: "That object in the forbidden zone is vital to me—if you can find it, I'll repay you handsomely."

"Six, that forbidden zone's too dangerous—we three couldn't break through together. You're setting One up for failure!"

As he spoke, two more light points coalesced—none other than Number Four Green Ball and Number Five Cyan Ball.

Number Six Blue Ball stared silently at Zhou Qing, lips parted, then chose silence.

Zhou Qing wore a calm smile and said softly: "You two go ahead—I'll go take a look."

As he spoke, his figure dissolved into the mysterious scene before him.

Fortunately, this time luck favored him—no wandering souls emerged from the gravity zone.

But that eerie sensation of being watched remained, like a cold frost clinging tightly to his back.

Zhou Qing bore the pressure and slowly advanced until he reached the passage again.

He then exhaled deeply and leapt without hesitation into the river of blood.

Icy, bone-chilling blood instantly submerged him; the pungent stench surged into his skull. Zhou Qing ignored it all, desperately swimming toward the opposite shore, then scrambling up onto land.

Arriving at the first coffin, he swiftly planted the 【Fotu Array】's flags around it, his movements skilled and precise.

He then focused entirely on setting up the 【Great Strength Amplification Array】.

As the array activated, a powerful surge of spiritual energy rippled outward, instantly enveloping Zhou Qing.

Zhou Qing could clearly feel his strength rapidly increasing—his muscles tensed, his power swelling uncontrollably.

Without hesitation, he channeled all his spiritual power, let out a low roar, and pressed both hands firmly against the coffin lid, pushing with all his might.

Soon, the coffin lid emitted a grating, teeth-chilling screech and began to shift slowly.

"It's working!"

Seeing this, Zhou Qing rejoiced, gritted his teeth, veins bulging on his forehead, and pushed with every ounce of strength.

In moments, the lid cracked open a narrow gap.

"Arrays really are amazing!" Zhou Qing couldn't help but grin.

After all this time, this was the first time he'd opened even a sliver of the coffin with his own strength—an undeniable breakthrough.

After a brief pause to adjust his breathing, he pushed again, striving to open the lid further.

But the reprieve was short-lived; from the darkness across the river, a chilling aura suddenly surged—the Corpse-Wax Crow shot forward like a black lightning bolt.

Fortunately, the 【Fotu Array】 activated in time, temporarily trapping the Corpse-Wax Crow.

Seeing this, Zhou Qing immediately increased his spiritual output, trying to seize the opportunity and fully push open the coffin.

Unfortunately, fate opposed him.

Later on, the lid seemed locked by an invisible, immense force—no matter how hard Zhou Qing pushed, it didn't budge an inch.

Zhou Qing's chest heaved violently as he gasped for air, filled with bitter frustration.

"The 【Great Strength Amplification Array】 works, but it's still incomplete. If I could upgrade it to a two-color restriction, maybe I could push it open in one burst—at least give me a chance to jump in."

Soon, the Corpse-Wax Crow broke free from the 【Fotu Array】 and smashed straight into Zhou Qing's head.

"One!" No sooner had he turned into a light sphere than Six's voice sounded beside him.

Zhou Qing could only laugh and cry at once.

Four and Five have already entered their own zones—yet you're still waiting for me.

Come on, in reality you're a Cutting Spirit cultivator who speaks sparingly, a Level Four Array Master—this contrast is unreal.

Fine. Considering the jade slip you gave me after the Canglan Mountain battle, I'll go with you one more time.

Then Zhou Qing looked at Six's blue sphere and feigned hesitation. "In reality, my identity has become problematic—I can't use spiritual power. If danger arises, please lend me some protection."

Six's blue sphere's eyes instantly lit up with delight, nodding eagerly. "Thank you! You don't need to do anything—I'm here!"

Zhou Qing said, "Let's go!"

……

With a flash of light, Zhou Qing reappeared beneath the jujube tree.

Pale funeral paper littered the ground; hanging from the branches was an old peachwood sword, its surface pitted with age.

Gazing into the distance, massive ancient ships still drifted silently across the sandy ground, as if they had sailed from primordial times.

"Thank you, One!" Six's blue sphere, now faintly translucent, bowed deeply.

After all, outside, we were all just light spheres—certain gestures were impossible.

Zhou Qing waved his hand. "No need for thanks. I'm not even sure I can help."

"Please don't say that! Last time, thanks to your help, I pinpointed the true key's location, passed the ancient ship, and entered the mining zone—what I obtained helped me immensely."

Six hurried to explain.

Last time, getting past the first trial was pure luck—even if I'd invited Four and Five, I might have lost all three chances here.

After barely succeeding, even if I found something valuable, I dared not venture deeper.

But last time, the two of us sang love songs beneath the jujube tree, received its guidance, and gained benefits only I truly understand.

Hearing this, Zhou Qing nodded.

"Then let's begin!" Zhou Qing said.

Six whispered, "Same love song as before?"

Zhou Qing's lips curled slightly into a teasing smile. "I don't know any other songs. If you've got one, I can learn it on the spot."

Six's ears instantly flushed red—but her entire form was hazy, cleverly hiding this blush; Zhou Qing didn't notice.

Seeing her fall silent, Zhou Qing felt a quiet thrill inside.

Who in reality would dare tease a Cutting Spirit cultivator?

Now, he deliberately cleared his throat, feigning solemnity.

"Then same as before—I'll start."

Saying this, Zhou Qing gently closed his eyes and began singing softly: "God, can you let me feel it? Seeing how we both can't let go of each other..."

Six, snapping back to attention, quickly joined in, harmonizing with Zhou Qing.

When the song ended, just as before, the pale funeral papers beneath the jujube tree began to flutter without wind—as if guided by invisible force.

Then, the papers gradually converged, forming a path entirely paved with funeral paper, stretching steadily toward one of the ghost ships.

Until, on that ship, a candle flame slowly ignited, its dim yellow glow flickering in the darkness, as if ready to be swallowed at any moment.

"Let's go!" Zhou Qing, hands behind his back, moved calmly forward along the paper path.

Six hurried after him.

When they passed the oasis again, Zhou Qing couldn't resist glancing inside.

He sighed. In the water's reflection, both their necks still bore pale-faced children, clinging tightly, strangling them—eerily grotesque.

"Since when did these things latch onto us?" Zhou Qing frowned, a flicker of confusion in his eyes.

Six whispered, "From the moment we left the jujube tree—or more precisely, the moment we stepped beyond its protective zone, these things sensed prey and clung to us."

Zhou Qing nodded thoughtfully, saying nothing more.

Soon, they reached the ancient ship with the lit candle.

On the cabin table lay a single token—no doubt the key Six had mentioned.

Because the candlelight flickered, faint rustling sounds emerged from the surrounding darkness.

Zhou Qing's face remained calm, but inside, his skin crawled.

After all, Six had said these things had wounded her repeatedly, forcing her to hide beneath the jujube tree to heal.

He was only at the late Nascent Soul stage—if these eerie things touched him, the consequences were unthinkable.

A layer of ice crystals, like mist, silently spread, then coalesced into a chilling, translucent ice hand that calmly seized the token.

"This is the key to the deeper ancient mine—only by activating it can you enter!" Six explained.

As she infused spiritual power into the token, it blazed with brilliant light, spreading outward.

In an instant, the scene spun wildly—the ancient ship and surrounding darkness vanished, replaced by a vast, endless ancient mine.

Thick spiritual energy rushed toward him, yet it carried threads of blood and decay, making his heart chill and his spine prickle.

Zhou Qing looked around: countless mine shafts filled his vision, dense as a beehive.

The sky remained dark, unchanged, radiating profound gloom.

Combined with the dark, deep mine shafts hidden in the shadows—each like a monstrous maw ready to devour—everything felt thick, suffocating.

Zhou Qing exhaled slowly, easing the pressure in his chest.

"This is the second trial of this restricted zone. There are no fewer than a hundred thousand mine shafts—though no one has ever counted them precisely. There are also vast, strange plains."

"The dangers here are extreme—even Cutting Spirit cultivators at peak level have perished within!" Six continued.

Hearing this, Zhou Qing's scalp prickled with dread—an indescribable fear surged within him.

Even peak Cutting Spirit cultivators could die here? Was this restricted zone truly this terrifying?

Yet from this, Zhou Qing became even more certain: Six was not from his own Level Four cultivation country—she was likely from another Level Four, or even a higher Level Five.

Zhou Qing fell silent, stunned into speechlessness.

Suddenly, his expression shifted—he turned sharply toward another direction.

Two figures were leaping rapidly; soon, one pointed toward a mine shaft, and without hesitation, both vanished inside.

"Looks like others have arrived," Zhou Qing murmured, eyes fixed on where the two had disappeared.

They were likely Cutting Spirit cultivators too.

After all, during my simulation, Second Uncle appeared—but they existed in different dimensions, so they couldn't detect each other.

Precisely because of this, I discovered the secret of the blood river and the Crow, allowing me to reach the opposite shore.

"Don't you want to follow them? They can't see us," Zhou Qing suggested.

If these two have unique mining experience, we could save ourselves a lot of trouble and avoid many dead ends.

Six hesitated.

Honestly, though Cutting Spirit cultivators often come here to explore, the chance of encountering others is minuscule.

Especially now, with our near-cheating visual advantage—even if we died, it'd only cost thirty mid-grade spirit stones.

But after thinking it over, she decided against it.

Most mine shafts here had spawned countless eerie entities.

Even if those two led the way, the dangers meant for them would still be unavoidable.

By the time we catch up, who knows where those two have gone?

Besides, it was hard enough to get Number One to come this time; she didn't want complications arising from chasing those two.

"Never mind!" Number Six shook his head, then added: "Number One, there's a mine tunnel that might need your help."

Saying this, he walked forward.

Zhou Qing didn't care—whether it was something valuable or worthless, it wasn't his to claim.

He didn't even know where this place was.

Even if he did, with his current cultivation base, do you think he'd dare risk himself?

So he hurried to follow after him…

(End of Chapter)