Chapter 252: I Thought You

Listening to Yan Sen’s words, No. 6’s chest heaved violently, teeth clenched, face frozen with ice.

Seeing this, Yan Sen spoke rapidly: “I know what you’re searching for—don’t worry, your brother’s matter is my matter; the Shape-Shifting Divine Herb is my responsibility…”

Shh!

Before he finished speaking, No. 6 launched an attack—countless burning ice crystals shot toward Yan Sen like arrows.

Seeing this, Yan Sen immediately tore open a spatial rift and bolted away.

No. 6 chased after him without delay.

Watching the two closed spatial rifts, Zhou Qing blinked.

“Shape-Shifting Divine Herb? Save his brother?”

Recalling the words No. 6 had spoken to him in the Divine Ruins Palace’s forbidden zone, Zhou Qing seemed to understand something.

Lu Yaoyao blinked too, eyes brimming with excitement.

“I have another uncle?” she murmured to herself.

Soon, Zhou Qing realized and quickly pulled Lu Yaoyao into hiding.

This place was beast territory; with two Zhan Ling cultivators chasing each other away, plus the celestial phenomena from the six-color barrier’s activation, something terrifying might be drawn here.

Judging by logic, this area likely belonged to either Wei Lun Beasts or Qing Luo Beasts.

“Senior Zhou, what do we do now?” Lu Yaoyao whispered, her voice tense after concealing their aura.

Zhou Qing also stared grimly at the distant pond.

Just moments ago, No. 6 had warned that forcibly breaching the six-color barrier might permanently seal the ruin’s entrance.

And now this had happened—leaving him useless.

Yan Sen was truly a petty man.

Sneaking here, breaking in without permission, staying silent—anyone would burn with rage.

“What else can we do? Right now we should worry about how to get back!” Zhou Qing scanned the surroundings.

Who knew how long the pursuit between two Zhan Ling cultivators would last? If No. 6 didn’t return, he’d have to transform into Jin Chida and enter the borderlands from Mount Taiyao.

Or he could go through the Thousand Illusion Maze—since the Spider Empress was dead and the beasts leaderless, others would fear the Peng Emperor’s reputation and dare not act even if they saw him pass.

Thinking of this, Zhou Qing felt slightly calmer.

They waited until nightfall, but no one appeared.

“Don’t move—I’ll go check!” Zhou Qing warned Lu Yaoyao, then silver light flickered beneath his feet as he cautiously approached the pond again.

First he extended his spiritual sense to confirm no danger, then performed the appraisal.

After all, the pond would refresh in two hours—might as well use it while he could.

Besides, if he succeeded in entering, whatever treasures he found, No. 6 would have to share at least part with him.

【Pond: This appears to be an ordinary pond, but beneath lies a six-color array—unfortunately, after being forcibly breached, its self-protection mechanism triggered, and it is now completely sealed!】

Seeing the feedback, Zhou Qing sighed and crept back silently.

No other useful information—looks like they’d have to wait until tomorrow.

“Senior Zhou, what did you find?” Lu Yaoyao asked anxiously as he returned.

Zhou Qing shrugged helplessly and joked: “The water’s too cold for bathing.”

Lu Yaoyao: “...”

This wasn’t the time for jokes.

【Today’s posts are refreshing…】

【New post saved in the Odd Post Record—please check promptly.】

Just as Zhou Qing was about to speak, the system’s alert suddenly rang out, startling him.

His expression instantly lit up with joy.

After years, the 【Random Post】 had refreshed again!

But the 【Corpse-Feeling Post】 still had one use left—had his earlier assumption been wrong?

Or had the 【Corpse-Feeling Post】’s partial usage triggered the new post’s refresh?

Regardless of the reason, Zhou Qing was ecstatic and immediately opened the Odd Post Record.

【Lucky Post: Can be fused with yourself or gifted to another. Once activated, fortune follows you continuously for one day!】

Seeing the familiar post, Zhou Qing grinned broadly.

So far, he loved the Sudden Enlightenment Post and the Lucky Post best.

This time, he followed.

After all, last time he entered their forbidden zone, he used the 【Copy Post】 to obtain the Inscription-level divine art 【Hundred Tribulations Blood Curtain】—something even Second Uncle envied.

“I’ll keep this Lucky Post for now—in case no one’s watching, I might need it to get back to human territory!”

Zhou Qing silently decided, concealing the Lucky Post without a trace.

At this moment, his mood lifted, dispelling all previous gloom.

“You’re smiling? Why?” Lu Yaoyao asked quietly, curious about his expression.

Zhou Qing froze, quickly covering up: “It’s a bitter smile.”

Hearing this, Lu Yaoyao sighed sadly.

At this moment, she felt abandoned again.

“Useless, trouble-making fool!” Lu Yaoyao cursed Yan Sen.

But soon she cheered up again.

Because her father’s rival had just destroyed himself.

Third Mom valued fate so much—she’d never have anything to do with Yan Sen again.

…

The next day, No. 6 still hadn’t returned. As Zhou Qing prepared to approach and appraise again, his expression suddenly changed.

A damp, immense aura surged toward them—he, having encountered several Beast Emperors, immediately understood.

He instantly concealed his aura to its limit using the 【Illusory Realm Form】 and signaled Lu Yaoyao to be silent.

Following his gaze, they saw a colossal beast, like a small hill, standing on the island—unnoticed until now.

Its limbs were thick, neither turtle nor turtle, covered in deep blue scales, with flowing streams trickling between the scales—as if it had just emerged from the deep sea.

“Qing Luo Beast—”

Zhou Qing recognized it at once—like Jiao Emperor and Spider Empress, this was a Zhan Ling Beast Emperor.

So this sea region truly belonged to it.

Oh no—this was truly bad!

Zhou Qing immediately pulled out the 【Lucky Post】, ready to activate it at any moment.

Lu Yaoyao also looked stunned, then made a throat-slitting gesture toward Zhou Qing, then pointed at the beast.

Zhou Qing was stunned.

Had he killed a beast like this before?

In your dream?

The Beast Emperor now circled the pond warily, its massive tail dragging behind, emitting a unique trembling sound.

As it walked, it sniffed the pond’s surface, inhaling deeply, as if detecting residual strange energies.

Then, in the next instant, the Qing Luo Beast’s focused eyes suddenly narrowed—two icy beams of light pierced straight toward Zhou Qing and Lu Yaoyao’s hiding spot.

Its pupils ignited with suspicion and hostility; the shimmering water flowing between its scales surged violently, transforming into countless arrow-like streams, poised to strike.

Both felt as if plunged into an ice cellar—Lu Yaoyao’s face turned pale, her eyes locking onto Zhou Qing immediately.

Zhou Qing frowned, beads of sweat forming on his brow, eyes locked on the advancing Qing Luo Beast.

He signaled Lu Yaoyao again to be silent, urging her to stay utterly still.

Lu Yaoyao widened her eyes in terror, nodded fiercely, lips sealed, body trembling slightly.

Li—

Just as the Qing Luo Beast prepared to test its attack, a piercing cry echoed across the sky—then a golden light shot straight upward.

The Qing Luo Beast’s pupils contracted: in the air stood a colossal Jin Chida, wings flaring majestically.

Especially its feathers shimmered with metallic luster, like meticulously forged golden scales.

In one claw, it gripped a “unconscious” human girl, its sharp eyes fixed on the Qing Luo Beast below.

Seeing the Jin Chida—familiar yet strange—the Qing Luo Beast froze.

“Brother Feng?” the Qing Luo Beast exclaimed, eyes wide with disbelief.

Jiao Emperor and Spider Empress said the Peng Emperor of Mount Taiyao still lived—he’d doubted it before; last time he visited to test the waters, that old monkey told him Feng Xuanling was in seclusion.

Now it seemed, his journey into human lands granted him unimaginable gains—he’d undergone a total transformation.

Look at those golden feathers—he was nearly approaching true Jin Peng lineage.

Seeing this, Zhou Qing immediately mimicked the Peng Emperor’s deep, authoritative voice and snorted: “Long time no see.”

The Qing Luo Beast burst into laughter, its previously surging water spiritual energy retracting instantly.

“Brother Feng, looks like you’ve gained a great fortune—your entire being has changed beyond recognition! I almost didn’t recognize you!”

The Qing Luo Beast laughed, shaking his head, face plastered with apparent warmth—but a flicker of suspicion passed through his eyes.

Zhou Qing looked down from above, his voice booming like a bronze bell: “Don’t recognize me? Have I changed so much?”

“But I’ve heard that while I was away, someone has been coveting Mount Taiyao quite eagerly.”

The Qing Luo Beast’s expression instantly hardened.

“Rumors, absolutely rumors—we demon race are one family, always looking out for each other. How could I, your brother, ever harbor such a foolish thought of coveting Taiyao Mountain!”

He quickly realized something and hurriedly said, “Is it the Jiao Emperor and Zhu Emperor who said that? Brother Feng, they’re closest to you—be careful with them.”

“You don’t know, just recently, they contacted me, hoping I’d join them in probing your Heileng Peak.”

“It was that ugly bitch Zhu Emperor—she awakened some [Double Pupils], and silently broke through your Five-Color Seals!” the Qingluo Beast warned.

After hearing this, Zhou Qing didn’t expect Number Six to be their first target—he let out a cold laugh.

“I know. So, she’s dead,” Zhou Qing said calmly.

The Qingluo Beast nodded instinctively, agreeing without thinking: “That’s right, they deserved to die—taking advantage of someone’s misfortune… what?”

At these words, the Qingluo Beast suddenly realized, staring fixedly at Zhou Qing, as if doubting his own ears.

Zhou Qing’s expression was calm; he met the Qingluo Beast’s gaze squarely and repeated clearly: “I said, Zhu Emperor Yeluo is dead.”

The Qingluo Beast stared blankly at Zhou Qing before him, thinking he was joking.

Just as he opened his mouth, a fish-tailed demon king leapt from the water’s surface—he glanced in shock at the Golden-Winged Great Peng in the sky, then bowed repeatedly.

Then he rushed toward the Qingluo Beast with a conch shell in hand.

The Qingluo Beast took it and shoved it straight into his ear; soon, he stared at Zhou Qing in shock.

【Zhu Emperor has perished. The Jiao Emperor is now seizing her resources. The Weilun Emperor arrived at the Thousand Illusion Maze half an hour ago!】

Zhou Qing saw his expression and knew what had happened, yet he still forced calm.

At this moment, even the slightest slip would mean he couldn’t outrun a Zhanling-tier demon emperor.

“You… did this?” After confirming the news, the Qingluo Beast didn’t even notice his own voice trembling as he asked.

For years, though minor friction occasionally flared between demon emperors, a delicate balance had been maintained—no one dared spark full-scale war.

After all, each side hid countless secret weapons and had to watch for other factions scheming to reap the benefits—like the human race.

Moreover, if they fought head-on, even demon emperors couldn’t determine a victor in less than ten or fifteen days.

Yet now, without a sound or warning, that poison bitch was dead?

That meant only one possibility—the Peng Emperor Feng Xuanling had broken through to mid-Zhanling, or even stronger, crushing and killing Zhu Emperor outright.

The Qingluo Beast looked again at Zhou Qing—his body shimmering golden, his aura profoundly concealed—and a chill surged through him.

Facing the Qingluo Beast’s question, Zhou Qing let out another cold snort—neither confirming nor denying—only coldly uttering: “Heaven’s retribution is inevitable.”

Hearing Zhou Qing’s words, the Qingluo Beast’s heart sank further.

Was the delicate balance the demon race had painstakingly maintained for so many years about to shatter?

“I have no interest in the Thousand Illusion Maze. If you go now, you still have a chance. As for how Yeluo died—you can ask the Jiao Emperor later.”

Zhou Qing reminded him slowly.

The Qingluo Beast’s face showed hesitation; his gaze toward Zhou Qing now held more reverence.

He bowed slightly, then turned into a streak of light and vanished instantly.

The Soul Transformation demon king sent to deliver the news hurriedly bowed and followed suit.

Seeing this, Zhou Qing glanced at his already-activated [Lucky Ticket] and finally exhaled deeply.

From the moment the Qingluo Beast spotted him, he’d instantly activated the ticket.

After all, with his current strength, escape was hopeless—he could only hope the Golden Peng’s true form would buy him time.

But the other was still a demon emperor—not a fool.

So he could only gamble that the [Lucky Ticket] would prevent suspicion.

Fortunately, luck held.

At the critical moment, someone arrived with news, successfully distracting the Qingluo Beast.

At this moment, Lu Yaoyao, still clutched in Zhou Qing’s giant claw, awoke from her “unconsciousness,” her eyes filled with awe.

【Heart-Reflection Point +9】

The text above her head, previously 【So Amazing】, instantly changed to 【So Alert】.

“Senior Zhou, amazing! Your psychological resilience is unmatched—how did you think of using…?”

Lu Yaoyao excitedly spoke, but before she finished, lightning surged beneath Zhou Qing’s claw, instantly shocking her into convulsions.

The next moment, the Qingluo Beast returned—his face now tinged with suspicion.

“Brother, I just realized something: Zhu Emperor’s dead, you’re not interested in her territory, yet you show up at mine—could you… be planning to steal my home?”

The Qingluo Beast asked sharply, eyes wary.

Zhou Qing: “...”

Brother, just leave already—I can’t keep up this act.

Steal your home?

I don’t have time for that.

Looking at Lu Yaoyao, now smoking from the shock, Zhou Qing forced calm: “I’m merely resting here briefly—I’ll leave soon. Don’t worry.”

The Qingluo Beast listened, glanced at the frail human woman charred by lightning, and seemed to understand something.

But he still couldn’t relax—who could truly trust anyone these days?

“Brother Feng, forgive me for saying this bluntly—are you setting up something here to target me? I’ve been in seclusion these past few days, yet I’ve sensed powerful energy fluctuations here three times already. Am I… the next Zhu Emperor?”

As he spoke, his eyes narrowed sharply, his wariness deepening.

To kill Zhu Emperor so cleanly, Feng Xuanling must have used some hidden technique unknown to me—this cannot be ignored!

Hearing this, Zhou Qing cursed inwardly.

Clearly, this demon emperor had grown suspicious.

If he left now, the other would surely shadow him secretly.

Worse—he couldn’t yet tear space like a Zhanling cultivator to vanish instantly. That was his first flaw.

If he moved too slowly, wouldn’t the other suspect he’d been gravely wounded in his battle with Zhu Emperor?

A single test, and he’d be exposed.

Lucky Ticket, Lucky Ticket—give me some luck already.

Zhou Qing prayed desperately in his mind.

“How about we leave together?” The Qingluo Beast stepped forward, eyes locked on Zhou Qing. “What do you say?”

Zhou Qing let out a hollow laugh.

Brother, can’t you just give up?

Seeing Zhou Qing silent, the Qingluo Beast’s eyes flashed cold light, narrowing dangerously.

“Brother Feng, do you have reservations? After Yeluo’s death, you didn’t return to Taiyao Mountain, yet you quietly came to my territory—what are you really after? Or… are you unwell?”

As he spoke, he stepped forward again; overwhelming pressure surged toward Zhou Qing.

Zhou Qing felt his heart pounding, his mind racing frantically for a solution.

But every possible tactic, before a demon emperor, was like a mantis trying to stop a cart—no chance at all.

Just as the Qingluo Beast prepared to probe further, black snow began drifting down over the entire island.

This bizarre sight made even the wary Qingluo Beast pause, instinctively looking up.

In the sky, a woman veiled in gauze descended through the air.

Her face was pale as iron, radiating a chilling, bone-deep aura—wherever she passed, space trembled.

Seeing this, Zhou Qing’s heart steadied; he nearly wanted to cry.

I thought you’d abandoned us.

But the Qingluo Beast suddenly felt a surge of dread, instantly turning to Zhou Qing.

“I give you three breaths—leave.”

Number Six’s lips parted; her voice was as cold as a frozen abyss, devoid of warmth, yet carrying the weight of ten thousand tons.

The moment he felt that terrifying pressure, the Qingluo Beast’s face turned ashen—he made no hesitation, tore open a spatial rift, and vanished inside.

Zhou Qing, too, felt immense relief—he landed swiftly, his body shimmering, reverting to his true form.

“You shocked me! You actually shocked me!”

Before Zhou Qing could catch his breath, Lu Yaoyao’s eyes reddened, tears welling; she grabbed his arm and bit down fiercely with her gleaming tiger teeth.

Instantly, golden scales rose along Zhou Qing’s arm, clashing with her teeth—sparks flew.

Zhou Qing quickly smiled apologetically—he knew, under those circumstances, it was the only way; otherwise, both of them were dead.

“Elder!” Zhou Qing bowed to Number Six, his face filled with the relief of barely escaping death.

Lu Yaoyao, clutching her aching teeth, also beamed upon seeing Shen Hanyi land.

She knew—Third Mama wasn’t like that.

But Shen Hanyi’s current state made it clear—Yan Sen hadn’t caught up.

For a moment, neither dared speak, fearing bad luck—they simply stood quietly, stealing glances at her every move.

Number Six walked straight to the pond, standing silently at its edge, saying nothing.

Zhou Qing glanced subtly at his already-activated [Lucky Ticket].

Its duration was only one day—if they returned now, this rare luck boost would be wasted.

Such a precious opportunity must be used wisely.

Just as Zhou Qing prepared to speak, Number Six suddenly turned.

A streak of crimson on her veil was startlingly vivid.

“Thank you both for your help,” Number Six said, her voice weary and resigned.

She raised her hand and produced two supreme-grade spirit stones, offering them to Zhou Qing and Lu Yaoyao as payment for their three months of hard labor.

"Once the six-color array is locked, I lack the ability to open it. I'm sorry to have sent you on a wasted trip—I'll send you back right away!" Six's voice was filled with regret.

Lu Yaoyao clearly sensed Shen Hanyi’s low spirits and quickly tugged gently at Zhou Qing’s sleeve.

In her heart, her father seemed omnipotent, always able to solve whatever others couldn’t.

"I really liked that wooden carving, but I won’t be able to take you back to your sect this time. After we reach the border, I have some matters to attend to—I must leave first!"

With a casual wave of his hand, Six summoned the flying vessel they had arrived in.

Zhou Qing stared at the supreme-grade spirit stone hovering before him but did not reach out to take it; instead, he gritted his teeth and said, “Elder, could you reopen the six-color array so I may take a look?”

Upon hearing this, Six’s eyes flickered with doubt as he turned to look at Zhou Qing.

Zhou Qing hurriedly explained, "I’ve always had good luck—I might spot something others miss."

Lu Yaoyao, hearing Zhou Qing say this, chimed in beside him urgently: "Sister, my senior brother has already successfully condensed a thousand spirit seals—he’s even stronger than he was back at Canglan Mountain. He must have a way."

(End of Chapter)