The Sect Leader Has Taken in a New Female Disciple

Zhou Qing quietly watched this scene, and an understanding smile unconsciously lifted the corners of his mouth.

This warm scene made him think of his master far away in the Taiqing Sect.

In those days cultivating within the sect, his master had also tirelessly instructed him like this, giving him guidance whenever he was lost.

"Master and the others... are they all right now?" Zhou Qing’s gaze gradually drifted off.

After being away for so many years, the Supreme Elder, his master, his martial uncles—most likely their remaining lifespan wasn’t much.

He had to find something that could increase the probability of Spirit Slash as soon as possible, or some Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures that could extend lifespan and bring them back.

Also, the Top-Grade Spirit Stones he had gotten from Li Wusheng were enough to pay the fare to Celestial Wave City.

That silly girl, could she still be waiting for him there?

"I have to hurry." He took a deep breath, sat back down cross-legged, and resumed his recovery.

...

Two days later, Zhou Qing once again slowly opened his eyes, lightning seemingly flickering in his pupils, his entire aura restrained and profound as an abyss.

The corners of his mouth lifted in a relieved smile; he had finally fully recovered from his injuries.

"Dong, dong, dong—"

A light knocking sounded from outside the door. Cao Aman walked in holding that old hen, a simple, honest smile on his face.

Seeing Zhou Qing’s complexion rosy and his lips their usual color, he exclaimed in surprise, "Zhou, you’ve recovered so fast?"

Zhou Qing smiled gently. "It’s all thanks to that Antitoxic Pill your mother brought back; it helped a lot."

"Really?" Cao Aman’s eyes lit up.

"Absolutely." Zhou Qing nodded solemnly.

"That’s great!" Cao Aman let out a sigh of relief, then lifted the old hen in his arms. "Right, Zhou, your chicken hasn’t eaten for three days. Will it starve to death?"

Zhou Qing took the old hen and, seeing it lazily yawning, couldn’t help but smile.

Who would have thought that this seemingly ordinary fowl had drifted with him in the Endless Void for one hundred and fifty years and returned unscathed.

Even more astonishing, both man and chicken had gained tremendous fortunes within the void.

He was now a bit curious: what exactly was that humanoid being capable of controlling three terrifying Void Beasts that were almost at Supreme level?

If the Ancient Tree in the Grotto Heaven Forbidden Area was an Innate Spirit, then this old hen, its close friend—could it also be such an existence?

That Ancient Tree had spent endless years nurturing the black heart; now that it had lost the restraint of its dear friend, would its pace of revival quicken?

In the past there had never been a case of tree roots entwining five coffins, so was it perhaps drawing nourishment from them to recover?

And as for the old hen now—that black heart was not a possession; all signs indicated it had originally come from the Pocket World.

It was only that in its initial stage it had always been in a muddled state, thus being captured by a Loose Cultivator and eventually ending up in his hands at the Five Sects trading conference.

How would an Innate Spirit lower itself to possess a mere mortal chicken?

Unless—

Zhou Qing gazed at the old hen in his arms. The true body of that black heart was originally a hen.

It had not transformed into a rooster, so the other party was female.

"Zhou—"

Seeing Zhou Qing lost in thought, Cao Aman waved his hand in front of his eyes.

Zhou Qing came back to himself and smiled. "It’s fine, it doesn’t eat much."

"Then I’m relieved. My mother prepared a lot of grain for it, but it won’t even look at it." Cao Aman scratched his head.

Zhou Qing smiled without saying a word.

This old hen had first devoured that humanoid being and taken over a hundred years just to digest it. After waking up, it had sprawled atop Wood Attribute Spirit Stones and feasted to its heart’s content; now it was probably stuffed full.

"By the way, you really want to enter Jiyuan Temple to cultivate?" Zhou Qing suddenly asked.

Cao Aman conveniently flopped onto the bed and sighed. "Of course! ’One Palace, Two Temples, Three Sects, Four Clans, Eight Great Families’—these are the top forces in Nanhuang State."

"Among the places near my home, Jiyuan Temple is the closest. If I could enter to cultivate, that would truly bring glory to my ancestors!"

Zhou Qing, meanwhile, casually took out a Jade Scroll and glanced at it.

This had been scavenged from Li Wusheng’s Storage Bag; it was a rough map of the terrain in this western desert region.

In the western part of Nanhuang State, Jiyuan Temple and Wuxiang Temple faced each other from afar like twin stars.

The place they were now was indeed closest to Jiyuan Temple; to go to Wuxiang Temple, one had to pass through layers of cities and mountain ranges and then transfer via Teleportation Arrays.

After all, a single great state of a Fifth-level Cultivation Country had a territory vast enough to rival an entire Fourth-level Cultivation Country.

With Cao Aman’s cultivation in the Qi Condensation Realm and his family’s means, that journey would be far too dangerous.

Just right, the transfer Teleportation Array for going to Celestial Wave City was located in central Nanhuang State, and the route happened to pass by Jiyuan Temple.

Along the way he could also go see his adoptive son... after so many years, the boy had probably grown into an adult.

At this moment Cao Aman gave a long sigh, his tone tinged with a bit of dejection. "Yesterday my eldest uncle and the others held a grand Ascension Banquet, inviting guests from all around."

"Mother said we couldn’t lose face for the fourth branch, so she dragged me there to attend no matter what."

He clenched his fists. "Watching Cao Quan and the others looking so smug, I... I really was terribly envious. But what can I do? I’m dull-witted by nature and can only serve as a foil..."

He forced a relaxed shrug. "Early this morning, Jiyuan Temple sent a Bhikkhu to fetch them."

"But it’s nothing special; once they get there, they still have to start as servant monks, right? I was hoping they’d at least get to be novices!"

Despite his words, Zhou Qing clearly saw a flash of longing in his eyes.

"Speaking of which..." Zhou Qing said casually, "I happen to have an old acquaintance in Jiyuan Temple. If you truly want to enter the temple to cultivate, he might be able to lend a hand."

"Really?!" Cao Aman jolted up from the bed, eyes shining frighteningly bright.

"Really." Zhou Qing replied with a smile.

"Th-then what status does he hold in the temple?" Cao Aman rubbed his hands in excitement. "Is he a novice? A Bhikkhu? Or a Vajra? An Arhat?"