...

Boom!

A massive bird plummeted from the sky, crashing heavily onto the ground, sending dust swirling into the air.

The Golden-winged Roc, transformed by Zhou Qing, followed closely behind, its sharp claws slamming down mercilessly, causing a spray of blood.

Then he reverted to human form, unfurled the Blood Wing Illusion, and quickly transformed the bird's corpse into a Blood Phoenix Tribulation Crystal the size of a soybean.

"Caught another one!" Zhou Qing was full of joy.

This was the eighth day he and Lu Yaoyao had entered the Taichu Dojo. Apart from hunting fire lizards in the earth fire crevices, they mostly traveled in the form of the Golden-winged Roc.

There were always some oblivious birds hoping to catch bigger prey, but Zhou Qing's Golden Roc form was too dazzling.

It's likely their ultimate dream was to evolve into such a majestic figure.

But since "both are willing," Zhou Qing deliberately suppressed his aura to the Nascent Soul Realm to lure these fierce birds, and it worked every time.

Almost all were sent to meet their great grandmother.

Lu Yaoyao came running from afar, holding an old hen, excitement in her eyes: "Brother Zhou, that's the fifth one, right?"

Zhou Qing nodded, his divine sense scanning the storage bag.

Including the fire lizards hunted these days, they now had collected sixteen Blood Phoenix Tribulation Crystals.

Swoosh! Swoosh! Swoosh!

Five figures suddenly flew in from all directions, instantly surrounding the two.

Zhou Qing's expression didn't change; he had sensed their presence earlier when slaying the bird.

However, their response was still slow—taking several days to catch up.

The real Master Su should have arrived by now; even if not, the fall of the Mixed Element Sect Leader should have alerted them.

"A man and a woman, unfamiliar faces, should be them!" A late-stage Divinity Transformation cultivator scrutinized them, then muttered.

He held a Cyan Jade Ruler in his hand, its surface engraved with runes, clearly extraordinary.

The leader, a Divinity Transformation Perfection expert, stared coldly: "Was it you who killed Fang Hanyue?"

Around him, spiritual power surged, his robes fluttering without wind, clearly ready to strike at any moment.

Zhou Qing did not answer directly but looked coldly at one of the late-stage Divinity Transformation cultivators: "I saw you in your Sect Leader's memory, you were also involved in chasing my senior sister."

They exchanged glances, perplexed.

Lu Yaoyao silently retreated behind Zhou Qing, the Ice Soul Sword slipping quietly from its sheath.

After fighting side by side these days, she had absolute confidence in her father's strength.

These people were simply here to die.

"I heard from Brother Wangchuan that you can condense Spirit Seals," another Perfection cultivator squinted, "are you a level-three Array Master? Or do you possess some illusionary Divine Technique?"

Brother Wangchuan?

Must be Jiang Wangchuan, the Supreme Elder guarding outside the Mixed Element Sect.

Calling him senior brother, added to their aged faces and Divinity Transformation Perfection cultivation, they were likely all Supreme Elders of the Mixed Element Sect.

Zhou Qing grinned, revealing sharp white teeth: "Want to know?" he deliberately elongated his tone, "Call me dad and let me hear."

"Courting death!" The Perfection cultivator shouted furiously, raising his hand as a green light shot forth.

The green light ripped through the air, emitting a piercing screech.

Zhou Qing neither dodged nor evaded, his right hand's Tetanus Broken Sword igniting with lightning.

The purple lightning, like a dragon, shattered the green light instantly, blasting towards the opponent without losing momentum.

The Perfection cultivator dodged hastily, but his sleeve was still charred, exposing the metallic sheen of his inner armor.

"Get him together!" The five of them attacked simultaneously, a barrage of magical treasures and Divine Techniques overwhelming the sky.

A glint of cold light flashed in Zhou Qing's eyes, his hand gently pushing Lu Yaoyao's shoulder.

Prepared, the girl leapt into the air, her long hair flying as she floated ten zhang away.

Her delicate hands flickered, and a crystal Imaging Stone leaped into her palm, immediately infused with Spiritual Power to activate, beginning to record this battle at her father's level in the Divinity Transformation Realm.

This would greatly benefit her future Realm comprehension.

In case she could summon the "father's avatar" someday, every spell trajectory recorded now would become the most precious combat legacy to protect herself then.