Chapter 1201: Chapter 361: Qi, Qi-gege... What Exactly Is Going On? (6k)_3

"The Prince personally went to investigate, but didn’t find the slightest clue, and even the Qinluo Beast knew nothing about it."

"After that, several Demon Emperors appeared one after another in the Vast Mansion’s territory, wreaking havoc and slaughtering dozens of cities."

Wu Zhenyue clenched his fists. "The Prince immediately contacted five Spirit Severing Realm friends, and all these years they’ve been running around over there suppressing the chaos."

At this point, his tone suddenly shifted. "But just over half a year ago, the Prince suddenly hurried back to camp and ordered all legions strictly forbidden from going out. Even the teams exploring in the Flood Dragon Emperor’s territory were all recalled."

Zhou Qing nodded slightly.

On the Qinluo Beast’s sea island, the one who fell was the late-stage Spirit Severing Realm Yan Weiyi, and as for the Taichu Dojo in the Vast Mansion, he had participated in it from beginning to end.

"Just two months after the ban was issued, a heaven-shaking, earth-shattering boom suddenly came from the depths of the Ten Thousand Beasts Mountain Range."

A flash of dread passed through Wu Zhenyue’s eyes. "The Prince immediately took us and rushed to the Peng Emperor’s territory, just in time to witness..."

He swallowed a mouthful of saliva. "That silver-haired senior stood in midair, and with one sword, froze a thousand miles. The entire Great Demon Mountain turned to dust under her blade!"

"But the strange thing is, the Peng Emperor never showed himself from beginning to end. From what that senior said, it seemed she hadn’t found the Peng Emperor either."

"What’s even stranger," Wu Zhenyue lowered his voice, "is that I don’t know what the Prince transmitted to that senior. After she heard it, she was obviously stunned, and even specifically mentioned your name."

"Me?" Zhou Qing’s brows knit slightly, a hint of surprise flashing in his eyes, but in the next instant it turned into understanding. 𝒻𝑟ℯℯ𝑤𝑒𝑏𝑛𝘰𝓋𝑒𝓁.𝒸𝑜𝘮

According to what Sikong Yan had said, back then Lu Yaoyao had taken Shen Hanyi to find Xuanyuan Yichen to inquire about his whereabouts.

Xuanyuan Yichen had sent people to tail them, only to be warned off by Shen Hanyi.

Adding to that, Shen Hanyi had once taken the two of them across the border to the Kunpeng Palace, and even slaughtered the Spider Emperor on the way.

Precisely because of this, Xuanyuan Shuo had wanted to search his soul, to see exactly where Shen Hanyi had taken them.

Connecting these two matters, Xuanyuan Shuo was definitely clear that Shen Hanyi had a deep connection with him and Lu Yaoyao.

So Zhou Qing guessed that Xuanyuan Shuo must have informed Shen Hanyi that the Peng Emperor was actually already dead.

And had mentioned him.

After all, when he killed the Peng Emperor, although he had relied on the Suanni Bone beneath Spirit Skull Mountain, when facing the Prince Xuanyuan Shuo, he had pinned this matter on his Second Grandfather.

Even including the Emperor’s Brilliance Scripture, he had made Xuanyuan Shuo give up any covetous thoughts.

Instead of speaking openly in the Imperial City, Xuanyuan Shuo had made Shen Hanyi personally take this trip, precisely to let her confirm for herself that Situ Jiuyao’s death had nothing to do with him, Xuanyuan Shuo.

If you’re on good terms with Zhou Qing, you can just ask him in the future and you’ll know whether it’s true or false.

It should be something like that.

"Where did she go afterward?" Zhou Qing asked in a low voice.

Wu Zhenyue shook his head with a bitter smile. "How could the movements of a Spirit Slash Great Power be something people like us can fathom? We only saw her casually tear open the void and vanish in an instant."

Zhou Qing nodded slightly.

Before coming, he had still guessed that if Shen Hanyi couldn’t find the Peng Emperor, she might linger along the border.

Now it seemed, she had most likely already returned to the Imperial City to seek verification from him.

"Let’s not talk about this for now!" Wu Zhenyue warmly patted Zhou Qing’s shoulder. "The Seventh Prince is in camp right now. You old friends reuniting, you must have a good chat. Let old Wu here bask in the good fortune of a Level 4 master too!"

Zhou Qing’s gaze swept over the soldiers patrolling in the distance, and he suddenly spoke solemnly. "Commander Wu, the border soldiers have guarded this place for many years, protecting hundreds of millions of common folk. They are the true heroes."

"If I, Zhou, offend in any way in the future, I ask for your forgiveness."

"Huh?" Wu Zhenyue scratched his head in confusion. "Master, what do you mean by that?"

"Just a casual remark." Zhou Qing smiled faintly, but a trace of deeper meaning flashed through his eyes as he stepped forward.

Although Wu Zhenyue was full of doubts, he could only hurry to keep up.

...

The current situation on the border was rather tense, and with Prince Xuanyuan Shuo absent, the commanders of the other major legions were each leading their own legions to garrison different sectors.

At the main camp here, only the Dragon Soaring Army was currently stationed.

But for Zhou Qing, this was already enough.

A single legion had nearly a million soldiers, among whom there were countless Divinity Transformation Realm experts, and all kinds of Realms—more than enough for him to perfect his own cultivation.

He had just entered the main hall and barely taken two sips of tea when a familiar voice came from outside.

"Zhou! Ah, congratulations, congratulations!"

Seventh Prince Xuanyuan Yichen walked in beaming, with Ninth Princess Xuanyuan Muqian following behind, her face full of excitement.

But the moment his gaze fell on Xuanyuan Yichen, a cold gleam abruptly flashed in Zhou Qing’s eyes.

The remark floating above Yichen’s head—[Can be used for a long time]—looked especially glaring at this moment.

Facing Xuanyuan Yichen’s enthusiastic greeting, Zhou Qing remained seated like a mountain, leisurely savoring his tea without even lifting his eyelids.

The smile on Xuanyuan Yichen’s face froze for a moment, but he still forced himself to maintain it as he stepped forward. "Zhou, I truly didn’t expect you to become the first Fourth-level Array Master in the history of our Holy Martial Dynasty. It’s simply remarkable..."

"Zhou!" Xuanyuan Muqian also interjected excitedly, "That day I saw the phenomenon you manifested in the sky. You were just like a god descending to earth!"

Zhou Qing still didn’t say a word, merely blowing lightly across the surface of his tea.

Wu Zhenyue finally sensed that something was wrong. Zhou Qing’s attitude toward the Seventh Prince and Ninth Princess was worlds apart from how he had treated him just now.

The smile on Xuanyuan Muqian’s face gradually faded, replaced by confusion and unease.

The atmosphere in the hall instantly grew heavy.

Xuanyuan Yichen, full of doubts, had no choice but to give a light cough and sit down opposite Zhou Qing. "Zhou, what’s wrong with you? Right, the Imperial City is far from the border—how did you suddenly..."