Chapter 235: Si Kong Yan

Cao Zhengyang had a teasing smile on his face and said: "With that Zhu He, speaking of which, you two are actually quite a match, similar cultivation, and also a talented man and a beautiful woman."

Zhou Qing hurriedly said: "Shibo, stop joking."

Immortal Xuanyou's impression of me has changed to 【Potential dangerous person】, and developing further means being an object that needs to be eliminated.

And I'm marrying her?

Especially Zhu He, although she had no direct relationship with Senior Luo Xue's death, saving is a duty, not saving is a choice, but he just couldn't pass this hurdle in his heart.

Looking at Zhou Qing's expression being a bit angry, Cao Zhengyang seemed to have guessed something.

After all, the true cause of Luo Xue's death was told to this child by him.

"Rest assured, I have already refused; after all, you are my Taiqingmen's future Sect Master, even if you choose a Dao partner, it couldn't be her Qingyu Qingshu Xian Zong." Cao Zhengyang comforted.

Zhou Qing felt relieved after hearing this.

Subsequently, Cao Zhengyang hesitated, a flash of concern in his eyes, and asked tentatively: "Zhou Qing, do you have someone you like now?"

Zhou Qing looked at Shibo, smiled bitterly, shook his head, and said helplessly: "Why is everyone thinking of playing matchmaker for me, Shibo, I really don't have time to consider these now."

Cao Zhengyang heard this, the worry on his face instantly dissipated, replaced by a gratified smile, and he said happily: "No is good, you are still young, it's indeed too early to consider these things."

Recalling sending off Immortal Xuanyou and preparing to come to Little Spirit Peak, he ran into the little disciple Lu Yaoyao.

This girl, upon hearing that Immortal Xuanyou wanted to make Zhu He Zhou Qing's Dao partner, was the first to argue against it.

As someone who has been through it, if it weren't for seeing that Yaoyao's behavior toward Zhou Qing wasn't that kind of romantic feeling, he really wouldn't have thought too much.

"By the way Shibo, what's the situation with Si Kong Yan these years?" Zhou Qing suddenly changed the subject and asked.

Cao Zhengyang frowned and said slowly: "In the battle of Canglan Mountain, the Cangyan Dao Palace obtained ten Nine Nether Lotus Seeds; although he is also in the Divine Transformation Great Perfection, it looks like he didn't take them."

"Half a year ago, I met him from afar, and I don't know what he is thinking?"

The sect masters of the five sects in the Eastern Region are almost all in the late stage of Divine Transformation, of course, including him.

And strong experts in the Divine Transformation Great Perfection are usually only a few uncles in the sect.

Si Kong Yan quietly breaking through to Divine Transformation Great Perfection did indeed catch everyone off guard.

According to common sense, holding so many Nine Nether Lotus Seeds, even if taking three is the limit, he should try to impact a higher realm.

What if he succeeds?

Hearing that Si Kong Yan was not in seclusion, Zhou Qing pondered and said: "Shibo, I want to see him."

Cao Zhengyang was stunned and immediately refused: "No!"

Zhou Qing's potential is now seen by everyone, even attracting Immortal Xuanyou to bring her own beloved disciple to discuss marriage.

Although the Five Sects War has ended, Zhou Qing is the person who killed their five great geniuses, the number one person on the must-kill list.

Entering the tiger's den is not done like this.

Zhou Qing saw Cao Zhengyang's extreme resistance to this matter and hurriedly explained: "Shibo, I just need to be able to see his appearance, I will definitely not have direct contact with him."

"Why is this?" Cao Zhengyang heard this, his expression eased slightly, but he still didn't understand.

Zhou Qing didn't know how to explain it for a moment.

After a moment of hesitation, he changed the topic and asked: "Then do you have any relevant clues about his whereabouts?"

Cao Zhengyang smiled bitterly and said helplessly: "Who do you think can easily monitor the whereabouts of a Divine Transformation Great Perfection expert? If you want to see him, you can only go to the Cangyan Dao Palace."

Zhou Qing scratched his head; this is a bit difficult.

If Er Daye were here, he could ask him for a puppet with Nascent Soul amplification.

However, Third Shixiong and Lei Luo seemed to have gone inside the Cangyan Dao Palace before, and even left a message and peed on the pillar in the square; perhaps he could ask them.

"Master, Master—"

Just at this moment, a familiar shout came from afar, and following that, He Han flew over on his sword.

Behind him, there were several Little Spirit Peak law enforcement officers chasing.

Several law enforcement officers saw the Sect Master was here, hurriedly stopped, saluted respectfully, and then turned and left.

And seeing He Han, both were stunned.

Wasn't he at Spirit Skull Mountain? Why did he suddenly come back?

And even broke into Little Spirit Peak?

"What's going on?" Seeing He Han's anxious appearance, Cao Zhengyang instantly appeared in front of him.

He Han wiped the sweat from his head and quickly took out an image stone.

He said urgently: "Master, that, that abyss bottom really has a secret realm entrance! The situation is urgent, the disciple had to come back to report the news in person!"

Cao Zhengyang frowned and immediately activated the image stone.

Zhou Qing's heart also moved, and he hurriedly leaned over.

After all, the Spirit Skull Mountain matter was caused by him, and now that such a mutation has occurred, he is also curious.

Soon, a picture was projected.

I saw that in the picture, it was pitch black, and there was gray-white mist flowing slowly around.

And in the hazy mist ahead, there were several blurry black shadows wandering, their limb movements looking slightly stiff.

It was clear that these were tomb keepers who had already been transformed.

As the picture shook rapidly, the person who left the image seemed to be preparing to leave, but in the next second, ripples suddenly appeared in the mist ahead.

Vaguely, a red giant tower appeared in the mist.

The person who left the image seemed excited and immediately turned back, leaning forward.

Sure enough, it was really a red tower, and it was built of a scarlet stone.

Above the giant tower, there was also a rusty bronze plaque, hanging crookedly there, as if it would fall off at any time.

And on it, it seemed to be written "Red Tower Mountain!" three ancient characters.

Seeing this scene, Zhou Qing's pupils shrank suddenly, full of disbelief.

"How is it possible!" Zhou Qing exclaimed in shock subconsciously.

And Cao Zhengyang, who was still observing carefully, heard Zhou Qing's exclamation, immediately turned back to look at him, and asked: "Have you seen it?"

Zhou Qing subconsciously wanted to deny it, but the words reached his lips and he swallowed them back; this matter is of great importance and cannot be taken lightly.

After hesitating for a moment, he reached out and took the image stone, examining it carefully.

But soon, the ripple scene seemed unstable, flickering twice before suddenly disappearing, and everything returned to calm.

Seeing this, Zhou Qing's brows furrowed even deeper, and an ominous premonition welled up in his heart.

Seeing this, Cao Zhengyang immediately said to He Han: "You go back and rest first."

He Han also understood something, bowed, and left immediately.

And after a brief moment of thought, Zhou Qing looked at Cao Zhengyang with a solemn expression.

"Senior Uncle, to tell you the truth, Er Daye once took me to the cave heaven, and the recording in the image stone seems to be the scene inside the first coffin," Zhou Qing said slowly.

Upon hearing this, Cao Zhengyang's expression changed drastically, his eyes full of disbelief.

"Are you sure?" he asked hurriedly.

Zhou Qing nodded solemnly and said seriously: "Er Daye and I even attacked that Red Tower Mountain; there are a large number of vengeful ghosts living inside, and the whole thing is shrouded in a three-color barrier."

Cao Zhengyang said hurriedly: "That's not what I meant; I meant to say, isn't there a corpse in that coffin, but something like a small world?"

Zhou Qing was stunned.

Only then did he realize that the predecessors of the Taiqing Sect had never found a way to safely cross that river full of blood and dead crows.

Let alone having the chance to open the coffin and see the scene inside.

Only Er Daye didn't play by the rules, placing three dead crows on his forehead and shoulders to delay the attack of the three corpse-wax crows, thus being able to enter the interior of the coffin.

At this moment, looking at his Senior Uncle's curious eyes, a sense of sadness welled up in Zhou Qing's heart.

He had to nod and say: "Yes, Er Daye first took me to the third coffin, where there is a Soul Severance realm Flame Fire Crocodile, and the scene in the image stone just now is from the first coffin."

"As for the other coffins, I haven't been to them, but Er Daye guesses that there should be existences like the Flame Fire Crocodile King in each one."

Hearing Zhou Qing's words, Cao Zhengyang couldn't help but gasp, a sense of indescribable shock welling up in his heart.

The entire fourth-level cultivation nation, with eight prefectures and seventy-two counties, and boundless territory, only has a dozen Soul Severance realm experts.

And his small Taiqing Sect actually hides six terrifying Soul Severance realm existences; if this were said out loud, I'm afraid no one would believe it.

Is this the legacy left to them by their predecessors?

At this moment, looking at Cao Zhengyang's glowing eyes, Zhou Qing hurriedly said: "Senior Uncle, don't think too much; we can't control any of those Soul Severance realm existences; they should have transformed and broken through later."

"These not only cannot become our support, but if they break out of the coffins, they might bring disaster to the Taiqing Sect."

Upon hearing this, Cao Zhengyang also suddenly came back to his senses and nodded repeatedly.

He certainly knew this, and he didn't dare to have the idea of controlling the Soul Severance realm.

That would be even more terrifying than asking a tiger for its skin.

A slight carelessness would lead to total destruction.

"Wait, that is to say, for some unknown reason, the abyss beneath Spirit Skull Mountain is strangely connected to the first coffin?" Cao Zhengyang asked hurriedly.

Zhou Qing nodded with a solemn expression and said: "It seems so."

"Then isn't that a disaster? If this group of people goes in, will they come out of the cave heaven?" Cao Zhengyang was full of worry.

Zhou Qing also frowned tightly.

He remembered the last time he went in with Er Daye; although they used 【Invisibility Talismans】 the whole time, Er Daye always felt that someone was watching them from the shadows the entire time.

And that prying gaze, he thought, was the master of that strange world, a true Soul Severance realm existence.

However, the other party should have its own thoughts and be much more rational than the Flame Fire Crocodile King.

Otherwise, it would have controlled the wandering souls to attack them long ago.

More importantly, the wandering souls in the gravity zone.

People entering different realms would encounter wandering souls of corresponding realms to train them.

It was highly probable that this was also controlled by the other party.

It's just that he doesn't know if there is an existence like a Ghost King in this first coffin.

Afterward, Zhou Qing stated his guess.

Cao Zhengyang was stunned; only then did he know that the wandering souls actually came from the first coffin.

Now, people including the Grand Elders cannot enter the cave heaven precisely because of the existence of these wandering souls.

No, what else did that guy Er Daye take you to do?

What other things haven't you told us?

However, these don't matter now.

According to what Zhou Qing said, this first coffin is a world that even Er Daye hasn't explored, and there's no telling how many treasures are inside.

The good news is that there is a barrier every three steps inside, and it cannot be opened without a formation master.

The bad news is that now, no one knows how many people are gathered at Spirit Skull Mountain; they can completely use brute force to blast those things open, but the result is that the good things inside might be damaged together.

"No, this is something left by my Taiqing Sect's predecessors; why should I give it to them? Where is Er Daye? Didn't he come back with you this time?"

Cao Zhengyang was a bit anxious; at this moment, he felt as if his own backyard was being eyed covetously by a group of greedy robbers, and it could be looted at any time.

Zhou Qing shook his head helplessly.

"Senior Uncle, my meaning is, this mystical realm has begun to manifest an entrance, but our Taiqing Sect people should not go in first; it is very dangerous inside!"

Cao Zhengyang certainly understood Zhou Qing's meaning, but thinking of the legacy left by his predecessors facing the situation of being touched by others, he felt uncomfortable all over.

But he really had no way to stop it for the time being.

After a moment of silence, Cao Zhengyang took the image stone again and examined it carefully.

"It seems that the image is not stable yet, but I think it will be completely solidified before long. Someone had seen similar scenes beneath the abyss before, but everyone just took it as a hallucination."

Cao Zhengyang frowned and muttered to himself.

"Now it seems it is true. But that Spirit Skull Mountain is at least a few days' journey from our Taiqing Sect, let alone the coffin being an independent wandering soul small world; how could it connect there?"

Afterward, he looked at Zhou Qing, a hint of probing in his eyes: "Could it be the trick of that Soul Severance realm existence you mentioned? He lures these people in, then kills them all, and finally uses some means to turn them into wandering souls or something?"

Listening to Cao Zhengyang's words, Zhou Qing didn't know how to answer for a moment.

He could only say that the imagination was great, but this possibility was not non-existent.

"Then Senior Uncle, does Spirit Skull Mountain have any history?" Zhou Qing asked after pondering for a moment.

Cao Zhengyang shook his head: "I haven't paid much attention to the specifics; it's just that there are more white bones, and many demonic beasts like to gather there when they are dying."

"But the successive Sect Masters of our Five Sects have all investigated there and found nothing unusual; of course, I also went there with your Grandmaster when I was young."

Zhou Qing looked thoughtful.

It seems that the matter of the Suanni bones and Senior Xuan Qingzi is known only to him.

No, there is also Lu Yaoyao; this girl dragged him there, and she seemed very sure that there were not only Suanni bones there but also the inheritance of a formation master.

Although he had specifically asked before, she was evasive, clearly hiding something intentionally.

He didn't continue to pursue it; thinking about it now, this girl definitely has secrets.

"This matter is of great importance; I must inform several Senior Uncles!" After Cao Zhengyang finished speaking, he left hurriedly.

After all, several Grand Elders are currently guarding the cave heaven.

Zhou Qing looked at the back of the Sect Master Senior Uncle leaving, gritted his teeth, greeted his Master, and headed straight for Spirit Skull Mountain.

On one hand, if the entrance really appears again, perhaps he can try 【Daily Identification】.

See exactly what's going on?

If it really is an uncontrollable change in the cave heaven, it's better to deal with it early.

In addition, maybe Sikong Yan will go too, and then he can directly bind him.

A few days later, when Zhou Qing arrived at Spirit Skull Mountain again, more people had gathered here, a vast expanse.

It seems that the matter of the mystical realm has been completely spread.

But he didn't choose to go to the Taiqing Sect's camp, but found a corner, changed into a black robe, and waited quietly.

Three days later, Zhou Qing suddenly opened his eyes, his gaze like a torch.

He saw two familiar flying boats approaching rapidly in the sky.

"I didn't expect them to come too!" Zhou Qing immediately looked displeased.

Back then, when the Long Yuanjun Governor Zhong Yao brought them into the border, several people had looked down at these two space ships from high altitude.

Because they were the vehicles of the two third-level formation masters already famous in the Sacred Martial Empire—Wu Tiangang and Su Lishan.

After they left in a sorry state after leaving a mess, now that they know the border formation has been repaired by Master Lin and him, I wonder what they will think?

Just hypocrites!

Facing these two suddenly arriving ships, they instantly attracted many people's attention.

Whispers even arose around them.

"I didn't expect Master Wu and Master Su to really be invited by the two Prefecture Lords."

"They have foresight; when the mystical realm entrance first appeared below a few months ago, they left one after another to prepare. Now, how about that, just in time."

"That's for sure, otherwise why don't you go be the Prefecture Lord?"

As the surrounding discussions continued, Zhou Qing finally understood that the reason these two came was actually specifically invited by Lingyun Prefecture Lord Xiao Ji and Haomiao Prefecture Lord Ke Zhenxiong.

The fall of the Soul Severance realm existence here has been many years ago; when it first started, many people had come to investigate.

After all, even Xuan Yuan Shuo, the brother of the old Emperor, had appeared and proclaimed that it was the fall of the Taiyao Mountain Peng Emperor, telling everyone not to worry, and tacitly acknowledging that it was his doing.

Afterward, let alone Prefecture Lords, it is said that five Governors had come.

However, they didn't investigate anything substantial, and coupled with their busy daily affairs, they left first.

Now, besides the major sects of the eight prefectures and seventy-two counties, four Prefecture Lords still kept their attention tightly focused here.

The Lingyun Prefecture where he is, and the three neighbors: Haomiao Prefecture, Qingming Prefecture, and Xinghan Prefecture.

Speaking of Qingming Prefecture, Lu Yuanzhi went there to look for the Nine-Leaf Spirit-Condensing Flower that Zhou Qing told her about; I don't know how she is doing now.

Whoosh whoosh!

Just here, two figures suddenly rose from a flat ground in the distance, plunging into the two space ships respectively.

They were the Prefecture Lord of Qingming Prefecture and the Prefecture Lord of Xinghan Prefecture.

It seems they have formed an alliance, preparing to explore together.

【Ignore Point +1】

Just as Zhou Qing was pondering the current situation, a notification sound suddenly rang in his mind.

He was stunned for a moment, then looked around.

He had been here for three days, and only one point had been refreshed.

Well, it's a tense and exciting multi-person environment; there are enough people, and who knows how many Divine Transformation realm experts are hidden in the dark, but it's not exciting enough, and there are even people chatting and climbing relationships.

Being able to refresh one point is already good enough; if he could go beneath the abyss, maybe the effect would be better.

Finally, Zhou Qing looked at the Shenxu Tiangong token without a trace; the purple light point of No. 7 was still there.

As a newcomer, he was curious and excited at first; he was the same back then, but because it required the energy of thirty mid-grade spirit stones each time, it greatly limited him.

Looking around, he didn't see Sikong Yan's figure.

In the end, is it him?

Zhou Qing frowned tightly.

Just like that, ten days passed in a flash; He Han had come long ago, and besides him, three Peak Masters had also come.

The three Sect Masters of the Qingyu Xian Sect, Jin Leizong, and Tianji Sect also came in person to sit in command.

Almost every day, people went down to the abyss to investigate; it is said that the tomb keepers in the core area had devoured each other and transformed into Divine Transformation realm existences, which is extremely dangerous.

After this news spread, it immediately screened out a large group of people who didn't dare to go down and take risks alone; after all, no one wanted to throw their lives away for nothing.

And just today, the Cangyan Dao Palace Master, Sikong Yan, finally came.

When he saw the other party, Zhou Qing immediately stared at him tightly.

"Bind Sikong Yan!" Zhou Qing said to himself.

Soon, the 【???】 originally above his head slowly turned into a line of golden term notes—【Fish】.

Seeing this simple word, Zhou Qing was stunned, unable to come back to his senses for a long time.

What does it mean?

At this moment, he immediately looked at the token, and his eyes lit up.

No. 7, not online.

Just at this moment, his heart stirred, and he immediately took out his identity token.

The message was sent by his Master, asking where he was?

Zhou Qing was stunned for a moment, subconsciously looking around, only to find that at the Taiqing Sect camp, Sect Master Cao Zhengyang had arrived at some point, and his Master Mo Xingjian was following beside him.

The two were scanning the surroundings with eager gazes, as if looking for something.

Zhou Qing was helpless and had to go over.

Seeing that Zhou Qing hadn't gone down to the abyss, the two breathed a sigh of relief.

"Why are you running here instead of staying in the sect?" Cao Zhengyang hurriedly pulled Zhou Qing into the camp tent.

"Senior Uncle Ruan, Senior Uncle Ling, Senior Uncle Tong!"

Looking at the three Peak Masters staying inside, Zhou Qing had to pay his respects first.

Hundred Battles Peak Master Ling Yuexiao, Cloud Hidden Peak Master Ruan Mingxiu, and Jade Pure Peak Master Tong Min nodded slightly.

If the Sect Master hadn't come to ask just now whether they had seen Zhou Qing, they wouldn't have known that this child had arrived here earlier than them.

"I just came to take a look!" Zhou Qing said somewhat awkwardly after finishing his salute.

Cao Zhengyang said seriously: "Now that you've seen it, go back quickly; if it really doesn't work, Junior Brother Mo, you follow."

This place is full of dangers; he would rather fall here himself than let anything go wrong with Zhou Qing.

Zhou Qing had no choice but to change the subject first and asked: "Senior Uncle, what did the Grand Elders say?"

Upon hearing this, Cao Zhengyang waved his hand, and a sound-insulating barrier was immediately formed, isolating the inside of the tent from the outside.

As he sat down, he sighed and said: "Unsolvable, we can only take one step..."

Just as Cao Zhengyang said this, he stopped, as if realizing something, and then subconsciously looked at Tong Min and the other two.

The matter of this place being connected to the cave heaven coffin is of great importance, and very few people know about it at present.

Seeing the Sect Master Senior Brother's gaze looking over, the three understood and were just about to say goodbye and leave, but Cao Zhengyang waved his hand.

"It has nothing to do with you; any words spoken here must be cautious; who knows, some people's Nascent Soul amplification or Divine Transformation realm of understanding might ignore these barriers!"

(End of chapter)