Water Ink Panel: Starting with Bow Technique to Hunt the Sun and Patrol the Skies

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He silently recited a passage of the Calming Incantation, allowing the lake of his mind to return to tranquility, and then stimulated a trace of Spiritual Power to refine one of the jade tokens.

Shen Qing carefully guided a trace of extremely pure Spiritual Power to fall upon the jade token.

The ancient-looking jade token seemed to be activated, gently hovering in mid-air, lightly pulsating.

In the next moment, the prohibition applied on the jade token showed some looseness.

In an instant, like a horse off its reins, it surged out from the jade token, filling the entire room, the air thick with Spirit Essence, even carrying a faint fragrance.

Shen Qing took a deep breath, feeling the unprecedented abundance of Spiritual Energy, a flash of fervent light appearing in his eyes.

He noticed a pot of orchids on the windowsill, under this Spirit Essence, flaunting their blooms, continuously stretching their bodies, visibly growing, flowering, turning lush and vivid, full of spirituality.

No time to delay, Shen Qing quickly took out a Wish Power Pearl from the Brocade Bag, shimmering with faint luminescence, and similarly began refining it with the Refining Pearl Technique.

After ensuring everything was prepared, Shen Qing formed a seal with both hands and began circulating the recently broken-through Six Paths Reincarnation Technique.

This cultivation technique was extremely profound, several times more mystical than the earlier Six Path Whale Swallowing Technique.

As Shen Qing cultivated, all the acupoints in his body lit up, sparkling like stars.

Among them, several crucial acupoints shone most brightly, interlinked, forming a peculiar spoon shape, with a glow that fluctuated like his breathing.

Under these glows, every trace of Spiritual Energy was meticulously guided by him, flowing along the unique path of the Six Paths Reincarnation Technique within his body, nourishing every inch of his flesh and blood, every thread of his Divine Sense, enhancing his cultivation.

In this process, time seemed to lose its meaning, the clamor and changes of the outside world isolated.

Time ticked away bit by bit.

When the first ray of morning light pierced through the window, spilling over his body, Shen Qing suddenly withdrew from the training state.

He raised his eyes and saw, unconsciously, the sky had already broken at dawn.

Shen Qing felt the changes in his body, looked again at the Water Ink Panel in his vision; a night of cultivation hadn't brought about a significant change in his cultivation, the road ahead still long and challenging.

He stood up from the bed, slightly stretching his limbs, his spirit full.

At this moment, he noticed a faint warmth spreading from his chest.
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Shen Qing frowned, taking a copper mirror from within his robes.

With a thought, Spiritual Power circulated within him, entwined around the Spirit Void state.

As he willed it, ripples spread across the mirror's surface, emitting a faint, eerie light.

Following that, lines of text leisurely emerged from the mirror.

"Brother Qing, how have you been? Have you returned home safely?"

Looking at the words appearing in the mirror, Shen Qing's expression remained calm.

All this time, he and Shen Xiaohu had been communicating with each other through the communication mirror every few days, already accustomed to it.

After waiting a while, another message from Shen Xiaohu came from the other side: "After the emergence of the Ancient Relics, the Dao Master has sent a message, in one month, our sect will withdraw from Dan Province in batches, returning to the Holy Mountain. Perhaps we'll enjoy a comfortable period afterward. Tell father and mother not to worry, I am well."

Seeing this line of text, Shen Qing's eyes narrowed slightly, a complex glow suddenly appearing across his face.

From Xiaohu's words, it sounded like the Dao Master of the Huangtian Sect had taken Dan Province solely for the Ancient Relics?

If calculated this way, many cities might hold little significance to the Huangtian Sect and could be abandoned at any time, just like Taiping County back then.

And once the Huangtian Sect abandoned many cities, the court would achieve their military objectives consequently.

Would Xue Zhao still need to continue leading the army to fight?

Not necessarily.

By then, perhaps Xue Zhao would voluntarily lead the army back to the capital.

There was a deadly feud between him and Xue Zhao, a point of nearly irreconcilable hostility.

Once Xue Zhao returned to the capital, he would free his hands to deal with him.

Now the Great Zhou under the Ji Family's intentional indulgence, chaos was gradually emerging, a few officials' deaths couldn't stir up too much trouble.

As a grand general in court, and a martial master at the late Primordial Spirit Realm, dealing with him really would leave no other choice but to surrender.

Especially since he was in Yongzhou, far from the capital, making it more convenient for Xue Zhao's operation.

Yongzhou couldn't be stayed.

On the contrary, in the capital, under the Emperor's watch, and he had been personally appointed by His Majesty as the Chief of the Southern Division of the Military Command, could make Xue Zhao cautious, not daring to act recklessly.

Shen Qing looked at the copper mirror's surface, contemplating deeply.

Xiaohu and the others would leave Dan Province in a month, so Xue Zhao could return to the court in as soon as two months' time.

That meant when he went to the capital, he must find a way to stand firm in one or two months' time.

"I fear I might not be by father and mother's side for a long time, later it'll be hard on Brother Qing."

The message from Shen Xiaohu interrupted Shen Qing's train of thought.

He silently replied: "It's a duty that must be fulfilled. I will inform uncle and aunt, letting them be at ease, not to worry."

Shen Qing cut off the message from the communication mirror and tossed it into the Hundred Treasure Bag, stepping out through the door.

In the far east, thin strands of morning light continuously poured down from the horizon, dyeing the skyline a golden hue, full of burgeoning power.

At this time, the servants and maids in the Shen Mansion had already begun bustling about preparing meals, dusting, tidying the courtyard.

Shen Qing went straight to his uncle and aunt's residence, planning to tell them about Shen Xiaohu's situation to put them at ease.

He crossed the mist-enshrouded bluestone path, entering a small courtyard.

Pushing the half-closed wooden door open, Shen Qing's gaze swept across the courtyard, finally fixing on his uncle and aunt.

Morning light cast on their slightly aged faces, reflecting undeniable worry and unease.

They had gotten up early, sitting quietly opposite each other, faces full of concern.

Uncle Shen Er kept smoking his pipe, puffing incessantly.

"Uncle, aunt, I'm here." Shen Qing walked closer, saying: "There's news about Xiaohu just this morning."

Aunt Wang raised her head at his words, pretending indifference as she said: "What news can there be? After all the things said, he still can't come back, what's the use?"

"Can't you make fewer complaints, listen to what Qing has to say." Uncle Shen Er said irritably from beside.

Shen Qing's eyes flickered slightly, catching sight of the handkerchief tightly clutched in his aunt's hand, already wrung into a tight ball.

He knew his aunt's temperament; her words were entirely different from her true thoughts.

Shen Qing smiled: "Uncle, aunt, you don't need to worry too much. Xiaohu just told me, they are about to withdraw from the front line, leaving Dan Province, and should soon enjoy a peaceful period, at least free from danger."

"Really?" Shen Er asked.

Shen Qing nodded.

Shen Er's tense face finally relaxed, heaving a sigh of relief: "Shen family ancestors bless. The ancestors of the Shen family bless us."

Aunt Wang's eyes suddenly brightened upon hearing this, but quickly dimmed again, remaining silent.

Shen Qing continued: "Uncle, aunt, you should prepare, we might need to prepare to enter the capital in these coming days, and you'll all join me then."

"Huh? So soon?" Aunt said surprised: "We've only just settled down here for a few years."

"Man strives to ascend, water flows downward." Shen Qing advised: "Aspiring upward always does no harm."

Uncle Shen Er said: "Qing, there's something I forgot to mention to you."

"What is it?"

"A few people from Taiping County escaped and somehow found me and Zhang Shuyuan, I've settled them in the city."

"Okay, such small matters uncle can handle as he sees fit. What's the situation in Taiping County now?"

"Taiping County is gone."

"Gone?"

Shen Qing was slightly puzzled.

Uncle Shen Er explained: "I heard from those people that a tomb appeared deep in the mountains, with many demons emerging, the city inside out taken over by demons, leaving no space for people to live. What exactly happened there, I'm not sure."

A tomb?

Shen Qing instinctively felt that this might be the same event related to the Ancient Relics.

Clearly, something was changing in this world.

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