This mountain range isn’t particularly large, yet the three of them searched for more than a month, turning it inside out three tis, but still failed to find any trace of the old hen.
In over two years, that foolish chicken could have run to any place.
At the top of the mountain, Zhou Qing sat quietly above the sea of clouds, silent and contemplative.
Speaking of which, although that old hen seed not very smart, it had been his companion ever since the Five Sects Treasure Exchange Gathering, from when he started his Qi Condensation cultivation.
At the ti he bought it from a vendor, who would have thought it would beco such a longing sentint today?
Now he had brought it to this unfamiliar and dangerous land but lost track of it...
Thinking that it might be foolishly being chased by cultivators or hunted by a demon beast made Zhou Qing’s heart ache.
"Whoosh, whoosh—"
Two figures descended, it was Luo Lingling and the Ghost Mastiff.
Luo Lingling had a face of guilt, hesitated, and then said, "Xiao Qing, I rember you said once that you entrusted it to your godson, the Buddha Son, to take to Jiyuan Temple to seek opportunities."
"But years later, it suddenly appeared outside your courtyard, even its feathers had beco sparse?"
Zhou Qing nodded silently.
"I guess it ca back to find you at that ti," Luo Lingling continued, "just like this ti. We’ve searched for so long with no trace, could it have... already returned to the cave mansion?"
Zhou Qing’s eyes lit up instantly.
The Ghost Mastiff chid in, "We’ve discussed it; maybe you should go back to the cave mansion and keep watch while I and junior sister expand the search area."
"If it cos back and finds no one, wouldn’t we miss it? Besides, with your three-color transmission jade scroll, we can contact each other anyti."
Zhou Qing pondered for a mont, found the idea feasible, and stood up: "Then I’ll trouble you, senior brother, and senior sister!"
"Don’t ntion it, as long as you don’t bla us!" Luo Lingling waved her hand, and the two left once again.
anwhile, Zhou Qing quickly returned to the cave mansion, but still no trace of the old hen, so he could only wait patiently.
Several dull days passed, and waiting like this wasn’t a solution either.
Zhou Qing simply took out the Enlightennt Ancient Tea Tree and intermittently comprehended the array while using the jade scroll to inquire about the search progress, ensuring their safety.
...
Two months passed quietly.
Seeing the 9,990 spirit seals floating around him, Zhou Qing finally decided to summon the two back.
He couldn’t let his senior brother and sister keep taking risks for a chicken.
After all, spies from the Spirit Severing families in the Imperial City and the royal family might already be searching for his whereabouts everywhere.
A few days later, the travel-weary Ghost Mastiff and Luo Lingling returned to the cave mansion, looking exhausted.
"It’s alright, maybe it’s off sowhere feasting," Zhou Qing consoled.
The two sighed.
Then, Zhou Qing said seriously, "This ti I’m asking senior brother and sister to return because I want to ask you to protect ."
"Protect you?" The two were puzzled.
Zhou Qing softly said, "I fear... I’m about to breakthrough to beco a fourth-level Array Master."
"What?"
The two were thunderstruck, their pupils contracted sharply.
Luo Lingling stood frozen, while the Ghost Mastiff stood up, full of disbelief.
Zhou Qing nodded slightly.
He rembered when he broke through to a third-level Array Master at the Taiqing Sect, the entire Little Spirit Peak quaked, causing peak masters and the Supre Elder from various peaks to appear.
His master even went so far as to falsely claim that it was his own cultivation technique’s breakthrough causing the anomaly to cover for him.
Even at the White Jade Taixu Courtyard, witnessing Master Lin’s breakthrough to a third-level Array Master was similar.
Many inner courtyard disciples and ntors ca to observe and congratulate.
As for the fourth level? No one in the Holy Martial Dynasty has ever reached this level.
Though this desolate place is far from the Imperial City, none can predict what kind of anomaly the breakthrough might trigger, not even himself.
"Xiao Qing, you..." Luo Lingling finally reacted, her eyes sparkling, her voice trembling, "This is incredible!"
The Ghost Mastiff took a deep breath and said in a deep voice, "If you succeed, you will be the first fourth-level Array Master in the history of the Holy Martial Dynasty."
"And future generations will always rember ’the first,’ which is you, Zhou Qing!"
Zhou Qing shook his head with a wry smile, "rely a fluke."
The three then ticulously discussed the protection details, and Zhou Qing even set up a four-color array.
This array, nad [Xuanjia Guiyuan Array], was the restriction used by Yan Sen when providing protection in the Kunpeng Palace.
Under the curse of the [Misfortune Sticker], which is more potent than the [Bad Luck Sticker], Yan Sen suffered constant misfortune, ultimately ending up severely injured and on the brink of death.
His uncle Yan Weiyi even abandoned him to seek opportunity in the secret realm.
When he and Lu Yaoyao found him, they only saw him cowering within the array, feebly healing his wounds.
Zhou Qing had identified and confird at that ti, the [Xuanjia Guiyuan Array] was a top-grade four-color array, integrating offense and defense.
Even a Spirit Severing Realm expert would find it difficult to break through in a short ti.
To lure the enemy out, he pretended to fall into ruins blind, intentionally scattering a large quantity of top-grade spirit stones and jade scrolls, then issuing a wailing scream while feigning unconsciousness.
Sure enough, it lured the opponent out of the array, and he finally succeeded in counter-killing them.
Afterward, through a second [Daily Reflection], he confird the array bore no Yan family mark; since then, he kept it hidden.
Neither the Wanxiang Auction nor the Duobao Trading House dared to trade for fear of exposing tracks over minor gains.
"With this array protecting, along with the combined protection from junior sister and , this ti will surely be foolproof!"
The Ghost Mastiff pounded his chest with confidence.
Luo Lingling also nodded in agreent, assuring there would be no repeat of past mistakes.
Zhou Qing nodded and said, "This retreat will last at most a month, thanks to senior brother and sister for the efforts during this ti."
After making all arrangents, he turned and proceeded deep into the cave mansion to prepare for the retreat.
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