Chapter 1446 - 423: Why Did This Geezer Suddenly Show Up? (6k)

Zhou Qing did not let his guard down. His double pupils suddenly split into blood-colored heavy pupils, carefully scanning the space.

After confirming that the other party had left no traps, the Blood Phoenix’s ghostly silhouette reappeared behind him, its wings unfurled, completely enveloping Yama’s corpse.

"Buzz..."

As the blood wings unfolded again, two Blood Phoenix Tribulation Crystals, each the size of a fist, floated silently.

Zhou Qing let out a long breath, his taut nerves finally relaxing slightly.

He was all too familiar with that "Blood Soul Slaughter Spirit Talisman."

Back in the Kunpeng Palace, after slaying Yan Sen, he obtained a similar rune from his storage bag.

According to the appraisal, it was crafted by the Fifth Ancestor of the Yan Family, capable of unleashing a full-force strike of Spirit Slash Realm Perfection in an instant. It was the trump card for the direct descendants of the Yan Family.

After being expelled from Kunpeng Palace, he pretended to be Yan Sen, lying on the ground feigning death.

When Yan Weiyi approached the "corpse," he suddenly activated the rune, severely injuring him. Then, taking advantage of his unpreparedness, he used the Extreme Dao Weapon paired with Inscription-level Divine Techniques to deliver a fatal blow.

He had previously wondered if Yama also possessed such a life-saving rune, fortunately, he had taken precautions in advance.

So, the two remaining prodigies of the Yan Family—Yan Wan and Yan Xiang—must also have this item.

If encountered in the future, one must be doubly cautious!

With thoughts swirling in his mind, he gestured with one hand, and Yama’s storage bag flew through the air, landing steadily in his palm.

Then, with a flicker of his figure, he extricated himself from the mirror world.

"Boom—"

As soon as he appeared, the entire world suddenly trembled violently!

Gray-black mist, visible to the naked eye, emerged from the void, spreading like a tide in all directions.

It was the emotional residue formed after the fall of a Spirit Slash Realm expert, containing endless resentment and unwillingness.

This further confirmed that Yama was dead beyond any doubt.

"Mission accomplished!" Zhou Qing’s face was slightly pale as he handed the storage bag to the Second Uncle.

"Haha, well done!" The Second Uncle laughed heartily, taking it and giving Zhou Qing’s shoulder a robust pat, so forceful that it made Zhou Qing stagger.

"By the way, did you perform a Soul Search?" the Second Uncle suddenly recalled, a sharp glint flashing in his eyes.

Zhou Qing shook his head and said, "No, I was afraid of encountering a situation like Shen Yunlan’s."

The Second Uncle nodded in satisfaction, stroking his beard as he said, "Indeed, if a Supreme Realm person left a Divine Thought in his Primordial Spirit, and you saw something you shouldn’t, it would be a big trouble. You did the right thing."

Zhou Qing deeply agreed.

He was always cautious, never giving anyone an opportunity to take advantage.

"From Shen Yunlan to Yama, these two whetstones must have been of significant help to you."

The Second Uncle weighed the storage bag in his hand, his eyes reflecting approval, "Next, thoroughly digest the experience from this battle—it will be greatly beneficial for your future breakthroughs to higher realms."

As they spoke, the Second Uncle glanced around, slightly furrowing his brows, "This is the Outer Domain area, where mercenaries and trialists are mixed."

"Such a commotion just now, combined with this Spirit Slash residue, will surely draw many investigators shortly."

Zhou Qing nodded. The two exchanged a glance, their figures transforming into streaks of light, disappearing into the vast sky in an instant...

...

The night was as dark as ink, thick darkness enveloping the entire dense forest.

The campfire flickered in the darkness, its orange-red tongues of flame licking the roasting meat on the rack, the dripping grease making a sizzling sound, especially clear in the quiet forest.

Yu Yan slowly opened her eyes, a sharp pain emanating from her nape.

She instinctively reached out to rub her neck, her fingertips touching a noticeable bruise, making her inhale sharply in pain.

She vaguely remembered arriving a hundred miles away, doing nothing yet, when a pain suddenly struck her neck, and she lost consciousness.

"Hiss—" She forced herself to sit up, warily scanning her surroundings.

The light and shadow of the campfire cast flickering silhouettes on the tree trunks. By the firelight, she saw Zhou Qing sitting cross-legged with his eyes closed, fatigue etched on his brow.

"Awake?" Zhou Qing spoke slowly, his eyes still closed.

Yu Yan was slightly stunned, then struggled to get up, solemnly cupping her hands in salute: "Thank you, Master Zhou, for saving my life."

Her voice was slightly hoarse, yet her tone was steady and firm, "Yu Yan owes you a life. If you have any tasks in the future, I will not refuse."

Only then did Zhou Qing open his eyes, the flames dancing in his jet-black pupils.

He waved his hand casually, "No need for such courtesy. We were fellow travelers; looking out for each other is only right."

Yu Yan straightened herself, her gaze lingering on Zhou Qing’s unmasked face. She hesitated for a moment before eventually asking, "And Yama—"

"Dead," Zhou Qing’s tone was flat.

Yu Yan’s pupils narrowed, her breath catching.

She had learned from her cousin that they met at an inn in the capital city of the Holy Martial Dynasty, back when Zhou Qing was only at Divinity Transformation Realm Perfection.

He hadn’t even condensed ten thousand Spirit Seals, nor become a Level 4 Array Master.

Of course, she had also encountered him and Lu Yaoyao in the Jiuli Dynasty and thought they were just spies sent by their clan, even speaking disrespectfully.

Yet now...he not only condensed thirty thousand Spirit Seals but also slew Yama, who often outmatched her cousin?

Zhou Qing paid no heed to her shock, merely using his Divine Sense to scan the Communication Jade Scroll in the storage bag—Second Uncle was still nowhere to be found.

The replica Destiny Lamp obtained from Yama’s storage bag was quite to the Second Uncle’s liking, and he had kept it on him.

This item could potentially be a clue in the search for a genuine Extreme Dao Weapon. At the very least, when meeting the Big Brother in the future, it could be presented as a gift. With his generous nature, it might even lead to greater opportunities.

For this purpose, the Second Uncle had specifically sought a secluded place to experiment with the power and structure of the replica artifact.

He had instructed Zhou Qing to guard the unconscious Yu Yan whom he had knocked out, and to take the opportunity to review the encounters with Shen Yunlan and Yama, while recovering the spiritual power he had expended.