Chapter 466: Chapter 177 Zhou Qing, Tell Me Your Choice (6k)_2
The three of them, although not understanding the totality of the matter, still guaranteed to take this secret to their graves and never speak of it outside.
At this moment, Yan Xiaohu’s eyes were gleaming green as he stared at the two storage bags in Zhou Qing’s hands.
He didn’t want them; he was just curious.
As he moved closer, Cao Zhengyang came in and drove everyone else out.
With a wave of his hand, a layer of sound insulation restriction appeared.
Seeing Zhou Qing’s confused expression, Cao Zhengyang sighed and said, "I know this Lady Li, though we only met by chance many years ago."
As Cao Zhengyang slowly recounted the story, Zhou Qing gradually began to understand.
A few years ago, while out traveling—on the occasion he took Lu Yaoyao as his disciple—he was passing through a mountain range when he was chased by Lady Li, who was already heavily pregnant at the time.
Of course, it was all a misunderstanding; she mistook Cao Zhengyang for her husband.
This woman was very talkative. After apologizing, she happily told him all about her husband.
The two of them had met in Lin’an City and later joined a small sect together, becoming senior and junior apprentices.
The story was too long, and Cao Zhengyang was in a hurry at the time, so he just listened to a few sentences before hastily bidding farewell.
He roughly understood that her husband had gone out to find some spirit medicine to prepare for the newborn’s Washing Marrow.
Since Lady Li was at late-stage Divinity Transformation Realm at the time, Cao Zhengyang guessed that her partner should be around the same level. He wished her husband a safe return soon.
However, based on the clues Zhou Qing had found, Lady Li had been pregnant for over a thousand years, continuously using spirit medicine to delay the birth of the child.
It seemed her husband had long since died, but she refused to believe it, still waiting in agony to this day, hoping her husband would return with the medicine.
"She is a woman of misfortune," Cao Zhengyang sighed.
Zhou Qing nodded in agreement.
"So do you know where Lady Li might be?" Zhou Qing pondered before asking.
Cao Zhengyang nodded slightly and said slowly, "I guess she’s either in that mountain range or at the sect they joined, called the Seven Stars Sect."
Zhou Qing looked at Cao Zhengyang and said, "So, Master, what are your plans?"
Cao Zhengyang shook his head, a melancholy expression on his face, and said, "Even though I only met Lady Li once, she reached the Divinity Transformation Realm through obsession and continued cultivating to late-stage Divinity Transformation Realm. I personally admire and respect her greatly."
"Her determination and deep affection over the thousand years are truly moving."
"If Hou Mountain finds out she did it, or if other demon kings learn that she possesses the Fusang Lingkui, she is sure to die!"
Cao Zhengyang frowned deeply, his face full of worry.
Hearing this, Zhou Qing also furrowed his brows and said, "Our Five Sects have been making such a big deal out of finding the Holy Medicine. The Seven Stars Sect is sure to learn about it eventually. No one wants to bring trouble upon themselves, afraid of being implicated."
Cao Zhengyang nodded, saying, "Indeed, exposure is only a matter of time. Zhou Qing, the Seven Stars Sect is about a thousand miles east of Lin’an City, half a day’s journey. What do you think we should do?"
Cao Zhengyang suddenly changed his tone, fixing his eyes on Zhou Qing. After all, Zhou Qing’s performance in recent years had earned his approval, and he wanted to hear his thoughts at this moment.
Zhou Qing was stunned but, seeing Cao Zhengyang’s scrutinizing look, fell into deep contemplation.
Then he said, "Master, are you worried that finding the Holy Medicine too quickly will arouse the suspicion of Demon King Hou Mountain, making him think we did it on purpose to win him over?"
Cao Zhengyang was somewhat surprised but soon showed an expression of admiration.
Then he smiled and said, "It seems you and I are on the same page. Yes, the Demon King has been searching secretly for a year without any results, and here we are, confirming the target in just a few days. Even I find it too coincidental."
"If Hou Mountain finds out, he will surely be suspicious, and it will be hard to explain then," Cao Zhengyang said with a wry smile.
Zhou Qing continued, "The cities around Canglan Mountain will be thoroughly searched within two days. Given that the Seven Stars Sect is so close, it will be the first to bear the brunt. We cannot just hand this opportunity to Cangyan Daoist Palace, can we?"
Cao Zhengyang said, "Of course not. We must use Hou Mountain’s favor well. If you were in my position today, what would you do now?"
Cao Zhengyang once again threw the question back to Zhou Qing.
Zhou Qing shook his head, "I don’t know either. If we take action, it will arouse suspicion; if we do nothing, we hand the opportunity to others. And that Lady Li..."
Seeing Zhou Qing’s dilemma, Cao Zhengyang said, "I do have two methods. You can help me think them over."
Zhou Qing was immediately shocked.
As expected of the Sect Leader, he could think of two methods when Zhou Qing couldn’t even come up with one. Indeed, wisdom comes with age. Zhou Qing immediately looked at Cao Zhengyang with an expectant face.
With his hands behind his back, Cao Zhengyang walked to the window and quietly looked at the layers of buildings and the bustling crowd below, slowly saying, "The first method is to let someone from Golden Thunder Sect or Cyan Feather Immortal Sect discover it. This way, the heat won’t fall on our Taiqing Sect, and we can still gain Hou Mountain’s favor."
Zhou Qing was taken aback. Looking at the Sect Leader’s silhouette, he couldn’t help but feel a chill down his spine.
This method could indeed solve the problem, but isn’t it akin to pushing Golden Thunder Sect and Cyan Feather Immortal Sect into the fire pit?
And it’s under the alliance of the Three Sects; isn’t such behavior a bit too unprincipled?