Chapter 1420 - 416: Are You... Jealous?

Second Uncle isn’t here right now, but he already used his Divine Sense to investigate and confirmed that Gu Insect hasn’t appeared again.

Shen Hanyi’s brows were tightly knitted, as if she were organizing her thoughts.

After a long moment, she finally sent a voice transmission: "We’ll keep discussing Arrays on the surface, and talk about some things in secret."

Zhou Qing understood, lightly coughed, and began explaining the key points of Arrays, while multitasking to secretly transmit his voice: "By the way, did you know... your First Uncle is a Fourth-level Array Master?"

"What?" The teacup in Shen Hanyi’s hand trembled slightly, and a burst of cold light erupted in her eyes.

Seeing her reaction, Zhou Qing understood in his heart.

This head of the First Branch really is terrifying—after so many years, he actually concealed his Array Dao cultivation so flawlessly.

Well, with his current thirty thousand Spirit Seals condensed, he still hadn’t detected a thing; if not for Daily Reflection, he’d probably still be in the dark.

Then Zhou Qing recounted in detail the three branch heads coming to ask for his help, and laid out Second Uncle’s speculations in full.

As for the source of the information, he naturally pushed it onto the special senses of Four Flowers Gathering at the Crown.

"I truly didn’t think of this..." Shen Hanyi’s brows tightened. "Looks like I missed quite a few key points."

"Since he’s a Fourth-level Array Master," Zhou Qing’s expression grew solemn, "he’s likely already seen through every Array Restriction in the Shen Family, and may even have tampered with them in secret. You must be careful about this."

"I’m afraid that’s not all." Shen Hanyi lowered her eyes, lost in thought. "But I’ll keep an eye on it."

She paused, then hesitated: "For now I’m still not exposed... is there anything I can do to help you?"

A trace of disappointment flashed in Zhou Qing’s eyes.

"So far I haven’t exposed anything. I... is there anywhere I can help you?"

Zhou Qing hesitated for a moment, then finally asked via voice transmission, his tone carrying a hint of cautiousness.

Shen Hanyi stared at him in a daze, countless emotions flowing in those cool, clear eyes.

After a long time, she said softly, "Leave early."

Zhou Qing’s body stiffened, and a barely concealed disappointment flashed in his eyes.

"Don’t overthink it," Shen Hanyi hurriedly explained when she saw this, her voice unconsciously softening a bit. "I told you that day already—things aren’t as simple as you think."

She paused, then took out a dark-red Imaging Stone from her sleeve and held it out before Zhou Qing.

"Someone secretly sent me this on my way here today." Her brows furrowed slightly. "But I actually couldn’t tell who it was."

Zhou Qing took the Imaging Stone in curiosity; it felt icy to the touch.

As he injected Spiritual Power, the Imaging Stone slowly lit up with a dim glow, and an image unfolded in midair—

Blood light surged into the sky, corpses everywhere.

A figure wearing a bronze ghost mask held a long saber, wantonly slaughtering amidst the crowd.

With a flash of the blade, heads rolled; blood sprayed like rain.

The cultivators present didn’t even have time to scream before they were already beheaded.

In the image, the man’s attacks were vicious, every strike fatal, as if venting some boundless hatred.

Zhou Qing frowned deeply, not understanding its meaning.

Shen Hanyi’s voice was icy yet calm: "Since you’ve stayed in the Shen Family for a while, you should’ve heard of the old case of the Fourth Branch, right?"

Zhou Qing nodded.

"Those being slaughtered in the image are a band of brigands called the ’Flying Bandit Alliance.’" Shen Hanyi said.

Zhou Qing suddenly thought of something. "The ones who ambushed your mother back then?"

"Mm." Shen Hanyi’s gaze dimmed slightly. "Later, when my grandfather personally led people to exterminate them, he found they had already been wiped out. Even the leader’s corpse was nowhere to be found."

Zhou Qing said in a low voice, "Someone wanted to silence them."

"Exactly." Shen Hanyi put down the teacup in her hand. "But at the time, everyone in the Shen Family was at home. No one knew who actually did it."

Zhou Qing pondered for a moment, then suddenly said, "That doesn’t add up. If the Flying Bandit Alliance could precisely ambush your father, someone had to be cooperating with them from the inside."

"And to have them silenced afterwards shows the mastermind is ruthless and leaves no loose ends."

He suddenly sat up straight, eyes gleaming with sharp light. "But the strangest thing is—someone actually foresaw the silencing operation and deliberately left behind a recorded image as evidence."

"What’s even more frightening is that this person has been lurking until now, and chose this exact moment to deliver the evidence to you in the Shen Family..."

Shen Hanyi fell silent for a moment, then said softly, "That’s why this pond that is the Shen Family runs very deep. I don’t want you being dragged into it."

After hearing this, Zhou Qing suddenly smiled. "You’re worried about me?"

A faint redness crept up Shen Hanyi’s ears as she turned her face away. "I’m afraid you’ll startle the snake."

"But I want to stay and help you." Zhou Qing looked straight into her eyes, his voice firm. "I don’t want you to face all this alone anymore."

Shen Hanyi was about to say something, but Zhou Qing suddenly raised the Imaging Stone. "Besides, you might not really understand what I can do. For example, this—"

With a thought, he immediately activated Daily Reflection.

[Imaging Stone: This is an Imaging Stone hastily tossed to Shen Hanyi by the Second Branch Madam, Su Yurou. It records the scene of the Third Branch head, Shen Lieyang, wiping out the Flying Bandit Alliance.]

Seeing the feedback, Zhou Qing was stunned.

This time the information revealed was actually this detailed?

Looks like Daily Reflection tailors itself to the person.

At least it didn’t make him lose face in front of her.

Then, under Shen Hanyi’s doubtful gaze, Zhou Qing put on an air of mystery, lifted the Imaging Stone to his nose, and took a deep sniff.

He then closed his eyes for three breaths, opened them, and said, "This Imaging Stone was given to you by your Second Aunt."

A sharp light flashed in Shen Hanyi’s eyes as she probed, "You... smelled it?"

Zhou Qing nodded with a perfectly serious expression.

"I didn’t expect you to be so familiar with Second Aunt’s scent." Shen Hanyi’s tone suddenly turned cold.

Zhou Qing froze, then a mischievous smile flashed in his eyes. "No, you misunderstood... Wait, don’t tell me you’re... jealous?"

A hint of panic flashed in Shen Hanyi’s eyes, but she forced herself to stay calm. "What is there for me to be jealous about? She’s already given you Morning Dew and Evening Frost."