Chapter 46 Poison Dao: Corpse Destruction Powder
-x-X-x-
When Xu Qing heard this, his eyes abruptly widened.
As his breathing hastened, he felt a rumbling in his mind. To be able to enter the tent and listen to the lecture was something he dreamed of. At that moment, in his excitement, he took a deep breath and bowed deeply toward the tent.
"Thank you, Grandmaster!"
Xu Qing said these words very seriously.
After a long time, he stood up and left the tent.
On this day, he didn't see Grandmaster Bai when he turned his head but he heard Grandmaster Bai criticizing the young man and woman in the tent.
Xu Qing didn't bother about these. He was already overwhelmed by intense excitement.
When he returned to his residence, he immediately informed Captain Lei of this matter. Captain Lei was also very surprised, especially when he saw Xu Qing's happy expression. His smile grew even wider and he felt rueful in his heart.
Although he didn't tell him the reason why this kid frequently headed to the forbidden zone during this period of time, he knew that the other party was searching for the heavenfate flower that could extend his life.
How could he not cherish such a loyal child who had saved his life in this cold world? However, he couldn't bear to see Xu Qing exhausted every time he returned.
At that moment, seeing that Xu Qing was happy, Captain Lei was also very happy. Hence, on that day, Captain Lei cooked a rather sumptuous dinner for Xu Qing. During this time, he kept reminding Xu Qing to respect his teachers, respect Grandmaster Bai, and so on. Xu Qing seriously memorized everything.
Even after Xu Qing finished eating and returned to his room, he was still in a state of excitement.
He was excited at the thought that he could attend the lesson in the tent tomorrow. While Xu Qing was filled with anticipation, he also found it hard to sleep.
As he was worried about personal gains and losses, he suddenly thought of the first time he and the other children met the teacher in the slums.
Hence, he opened the leather bag and tidied it up. In the end, he took out a relatively new bag and placed half of his spirit coins inside. There were also many of his white pills.
From Xu Qing's understanding, knowledge was priceless. It wasn't a big deal for him to give away all his savings.
However, he had to consider Captain Lei's side, so he left half of it behind.
After doing all this, he let out a long sigh of relief and silently closed his eyes. He then began to cultivate and cultivate, waiting for dawn.
This night was a long one for Xu Qing.
When the sun rose into the sky, Xu Qing changed into a new set of clothes and washed his hands clean before walking out of the room.
Just as he was about to leave, he was stopped by Captain Lei who hadn't woken up early during this period of time.
While giving Xu Qing detailed instructions, Xu Qing nodded patiently and listened attentively. In the end, Captain Lei helped Xu Qing tidy his clothes and passed him a leather bag.
"You can't enter the tent empty-handed for a lesson."
"I won't." Xu Qing said softly.
Captain Lei glared but he saw the determination in Xu Qing's eyes. Hence, he kept the leather bag and returned to his room to take out a flask of wine.
"I know Grandmaster Bai. He likes to drink. Bring this with you."
This time around, Xu Qing didn't refuse. After receiving the flask, he left the courtyard. After taking a few steps, he turned his head and waved at Captain Lei who was standing there. He then sprinted a few steps and headed straight for Grandmaster Bai's tent.
Looking at Xu Qing's back view, Captain Lei smiled.
"This kid wasn't this happy when we were distributing the seven-leaf grass."
Mixed with happiness and nervousness, Xu Qing arrived at the place where he had been standing outside of for the past month. He then took a deep breath and knocked on the tent's door.
"Come in."
Upon hearing Grandmaster Bai's voice, Xu Qing lowered his head and checked his clothes. He then tugged at his clothes forcefully to make them look tidier before he slowly pushed the door open. He then saw Grandmaster Bai and the youth sitting inside the tent with the guards.
When Xu Qing looked at them, they were also looking at him.
Compared to Grandmaster Bai's calm expression, the expressions of the youth and the young girl were much richer. Among them, the youth named Chen Feiyuan had an unconvinced expression, while the young girl, Tingyu, was more curious.
Xu Qing retracted his gaze and bowed deeply to Grandmaster Bai. After that, he took out the leather pouch and alcohol flask he had prepared earlier. He then imitated what he did in the slums and handed them over with both hands.
Xu Qing, who didn't lift his head, didn't see Grandmaster Bai at that moment. However, there was a hint of gentleness in his calm gaze.
Grandmaster Bai didn't take the leather pouch. He only took the flask of wine and drank a mouthful in front of Xu Qing, as though it was some sort of ritual.
"Class has begun." After putting down the flask, Grandmaster Bai slowly spoke.
It was still the first round of assessment. Tingyu and Chen Feiyuan seemed to be on par with Xu Qing. It was obvious that they had done their homework last night and their answers were very straightforward. After answering, they immediately looked at Xu Qing.
Xu Qing didn't look at them. Instead, he looked at Grandmaster Bai and answered all of his questions one by one. After that, Grandmaster Bai nodded and started the lesson formal.
Xu Qing listened attentively. He cherished the opportunity to enter the tent very much and wasn't distracted at all during the entire process.
It was the same for Chen Feiyuan and Tingyu. This made Grandmaster Bai feel a little amused.
Just like this, another ten days passed. Xu Qing was used to the lessons in the tent. However, his seriousness didn't reduce in the slightest and the knowledge he gained became increasingly abundant.
However, compared to him, Chen Feiyuan returned to his old self in just a few days. Only Tingyu was still comparing herself to Xu Qing. She was extremely serious.
However, after class, the two of them chatted a little more. Most of the time, it was Tingyu asking about life on the campsite out of curiosity. Xu Qing didn't speak much and only gave a few simple answers.
As for Chen Feiyuan, from the start to the end, he wasn't convinced by Xu Qing and didn't say much.
Xu Qing didn't mind this. He wasn't good at socializing to begin with, so he would leave for the forbidden zone as soon as possible after class. The reason why he went to the forbidden zone every day was because of the herbs.
Before he understood about herbs, all the flowers and trees in the forbidden zone were no different to him. However, things were different now.
Xu Qing would often discover some medicinal herbs that he knew of. Every time he discovered something like this, his understanding of plants and vegetation would deepen by quite a bit.
However, Xu Qing also slowly discovered that the majority of the herbs in the forbidden zone were evil yin poisonous herbs. There weren't many medicinal yang herbs.
p Hence, his research on medicinal herbs focused on poison from the start.
As he picked the poisonous grass, he also built a simple house in the small canyon and used it as a lab for studying poisonous grass.
And with his body that could neutralize poison, Xu Qing was very bold in his research on poisonous grass. After trying out various combinations, he finally concocted an unknown venom.
This venom was mixed with eight types of poisonous grass and added with snake venom, using these nine substances to concoct it.
The poison contained intense corrosion. Xu Qing had tried it before. A single drop of the poison would cause the mutated beast's corpse to turn into blood within five breaths.
However, it would only be so fast for corpses. For living creatures, for some reason, the time would increase by a lot.
Even so, Xu Qing was already very satisfied with the first poison he concocted in his life.
After he dried it into powder, he named it Corpse Destruction Powder.
As for the Yang medicinal herbs, although there were very few of them, Xu Qing still managed to concoct some semi-finished medicinal liquids with the help of the Yin-Yang Extreme Art.
A small portion of it was mixed with the seven-leaf grass and it had some effects of suppressing anomalous substances. Xu Qing had once asked Grandmaster Bai if he could cooperate on the prescription so it would have a better effect on Captain Lei.
Grandmaster Bai told him that other than the heavenfate flower, everything else was useless. As for his prescription, it would eventually lose its effectiveness.
That was indeed the case. Even though Captain Lei took his medicine on time every day, the weakness in his body could still be seen by the naked eye. When Xu Qing saw this, he fell silent.
On this day, when the two of them were eating, Captain Lei wanted to say something but hesitated. In the end, he still told Xu Qing that he felt that it was unsuitable for him to continue staying at the scavenger campsite. He was prepared to buy residency rights in a nearby city in the near future.
"Kid, I know that your path will definitely not stop at this small campsite. Your future will be even further, so I won't ask you to retire with me."
The instant he heard this, Xu Qing, who was eating, paused. After a long while, he lowered his head and fell silent for a very long time before asking softly:
"Are you coming back?"
"Of course, I'll come back occasionally." Captain Lei smiled and raised his hand. This was the first time he touched Xu Qing's head. He sighed with emotion in his heart. He didn't want Xu Qing to risk his life in the jungle of the forbidden zone for him again.
Xu Qing instinctively wanted to avoid it but he glanced at Captain Lei and didn't move. This allowed Captain Lei's hand to land on his head smoothly. As he gently stroked it, Captain Lei laughed.
"Besides, you can come and visit me anytime."
When Xu Qing heard this, he nodded heavily.
That night, Xu Qing opened his eyes many times during his cultivation and looked toward Captain Lei's room.
This emotion was only buried in the depths of Xu Qing's heart after a few days. Every day, other than attending lessons at Grandmaster Bai's place, he spent more time in the forbidden zone, trying his best to find the heavenfate flower.
However, as Grandmaster Bai had said, this flower could only be chanced upon by luck.
-x-X-x-
The eastern part of the Nanhuang Continent.
The season was now summer. As the rain gradually increased, the weather also slowly turned hot.
"It's May." On this day, the sun was high in the sky. After Xu Qing left Grandmaster Bai's tent, he looked up at the blue sky and the dazzling sun as he mumbled.
Unknowingly, two months had passed since he arrived at the campsite.
He recalled his experience in Bloodrain City two months ago. It seemed like a long time had passed but it was still vivid in Xu Qing's heart.
However, compared to when he lived in the slums more than two months ago, the changes in his body were already extremely great.
Regardless of whether it was the increase in his cultivation or the harvest from his knowledge of plants and vegetation, everything made Xu Qing feel that he was constantly growing.
During this period of time, under Captain Lei's sumptuous meals, he ate a lot of meat. Hence, his body, which was originally small and skinny, became slightly more refined.
Also, because he cultivated the Mountains and Seas Art, his masculine qi and blood were extremely exuberant. The aura he instinctively emitted gave off a sharp feeling.
Maybe it was because he had copied the saber move in the temple but Xu Qing's eyes were much brighter than others. Also, the more he copied, the more he looked like that.
This was especially so after he went to Grandmaster Bai's place for lessons. The accumulation of knowledge also gave him a scholarly temperament.
All of this caused Xu Qing, whose hands were used to being clean, to be unable to conceal his delicate features even though the dirt on his face hadn't been washed off.
This could be seen from the way the courtesans in the tents with feathers on them would often call out to him with their beautiful eyes.
However, Xu Qing didn't care about these. His mood had been somewhat gloomy these few days.
On one hand, they hadn't found the heavenfate flower. On the other hand, Captain Lei's frailty and old age were becoming increasingly apparent.
Hence, Xu Qing visited the jungle in the forbidden zone less and less. Every day, after Grandmaster Bai's lesson ended, he would instinctively head to his residence. Even though he spent most of his time cultivating alone, Xu Qing would feel much more at ease when he sensed Captain Lei next door.
He cherished dinner time every night even more.
Today was the same. Xu Qing, who was walking silently on the campsite, didn't bother with the scavengers in the surroundings. He first headed to the general store.
When the busy little girl saw his figure, she immediately ran behind the counter and took out a flask of wine, passing it to Xu Qing.
She was already used to this period of time. Every day, Xu Qing would come to buy alcohol at this time.
"Thank you." Xu Qing said softly and glanced at the scar on the little girl's face.
Although she had a hideous scar, the little girl was very optimistic. She smiled at Xu Qing and was about to say something when she was called over by the other scavengers.
Xu Qing didn't mind. He took the flask and prepared to leave but his back view fell into the little girl's peripheral vision. She hurriedly exchanged a few words with the scavenger and ran to the gate. When she saw that Xu Qing was about to leave, she suddenly shouted.
"Brother Kid."
Xu Qing stopped in his tracks. When he turned his head, he saw the little girl running over quickly.
After she got close to Xu Qing, she stretched out her right hand and opened it. There was a piece of candy inside.
"I don't know why you've been depressed recently but every time I'm unhappy, my mother will give me candy. As I eat, I feel happier."
"This is my last piece of candy. This is for you."
As the little girl spoke, she was afraid that Xu Qing would reject her, so she directly placed it in his hand and quickly ran toward the shop. When she reached the shop's entrance, she turned her head and looked at Xu Qing as she shouted loudly.
"Brother Kid, you have to be happy!"
Xu Qing stood there in a daze as he watched the little girl's figure enter the shop. He lowered his head and looked at the candy in his hand. After a long time... he carefully kept this piece of candy.
On the way back, there was a commotion at the campsite. From afar, Xu Qing saw two carriages arriving one after another.
Regardless of whether it was the carriage's brand-new nature or the horses' sturdiness, the number of carriages in front of him far exceeded what Xu Qing had seen in the past. Not only were there guards but there were also three to five middle-aged men among them. The spirit energy fluctuations emanating from their bodies were clearly powerful.
They were not the core of the convoy.
As the convoy arrived, a group of young men and women walked out. They were all around the age of 16 or 17 years old. They had tall and broad strides and were dressed in bright clothes. Their skin was fair and the men were handsome while the women were beautiful.
Their identities and backgrounds were all extraordinary. At that moment, they seemed to despise the mess on the campsite, so they set up camp outside the campsite. The feeling of being bossy was very obvious.
Moreover, each of them seemed to have a follower by their side. About a hundred people were serving these fifteen to sixteen youths.
As for the second convoy behind them, although they weren't bad compared to the former, they were inferior.
Also, it was obvious that they knew the identities of those young men and women. Hence, the second convoy wasn't willing to come into contact with the former and avoided them as they entered the campsite. Most of the people walking down were very low-key.
Xu Qing swept his gaze across them.
The convoy at the campsite would appear every few days. They would either issue missions or enter the forbidden zone alone. There were all kinds of people in there.
This was also the foundation of the scavenger campsite's existence. Xu Qing was used to it.
When he returned to his residence, he saw Captain Lei exercising in the courtyard. Under the sunlight, there was a hint of twilight on Captain Lei's body, causing Xu Qing's heart to sink even more.
"You bought me alcohol again. Not bad, not bad." Captain Lei smiled and spoke when he noticed the alcohol flask in Xu Qing's hand.
"Alright, go and clean up the kitchen. I'll go out for a stroll and buy some ingredients back." Captain Lei said and left with his hands behind his back.
-x-X-x-
This was the agreement he had made with Xu Qing. He had to buy the ingredients. Xu Qing didn't refuse but he paid even more rent.
It was as though this was how he got along with Captain Lei.
On this day, Captain Lei returned earlier than usual. Xu Qing had just finished cleaning up the kitchen when he returned with some meat. He smiled at Xu Qing and started cooking.
Just like before, Xu Qing sat at the side and studied. However, as he watched, he felt that something was amiss… If this continued, the time for dinner would be brought forward and it wouldn't be in the evening anymore.
After realizing this, Xu Qing understood something in his heart. He looked at the busy Captain Lei and wanted to say something but hesitated. In the end, he fell silent.
As usual, Captain Lei chatted as he cooked.
During this short period of time, before dusk arrived, the dishes were already cooked. After placing them on the table, Captain Lei looked at the silent Xu Qing and patted his head.
"Kid, I've already bought the right to enter Songtao City. I'll pack my luggage later. I'll be leaving tomorrow morning." Captain Lei picked up the wine he had bought for him for a long time and took a big gulp.
Xu Qing's movements were stiff. After a moment of silence, he lowered his head and spoke softly.
"So soon?"
Captain Lei didn't speak. After a long time, he laughed.
"Actually, I've bought it a long time ago but I didn't tell you. You don't have to be so reluctant. In this world, there's no banquet that doesn't end." As Captain Lei spoke, he took another big gulp of alcohol.
"Come, let's eat."
Xu Qing looked at the aged Captain Lei and silently picked up his chopsticks to eat. The food today should be very delicious but it no longer had any taste in Xu Qing's mouth.
Captain Lei watched all of this and sighed softly in his heart. However, he still wore a smile on his face as he talked about the trivial matters on the campsite. After the time it takes for an incense stick to burn out, Xu Qing suddenly spoke.
"Aren't we going to wait for Cross and Luan Tooth? They should be back soon."
"I'm not waiting anymore. If I return, I'll probably end up like you, adding to my sadness. Besides, if you have time in the future, just come and visit me."
Captain Lei took out his pipe and took a puff. The smoke he exhaled covered his expression, making him look a little hazy.
Captain Lei finished this meal very quickly.
Even after he left to pack his luggage, Xu Qing still sat there silently. He looked at the food on the table and couldn't eat anymore. After a long while, he stood up. This was the first time he didn't wash the bowls and chopsticks. Instead, he went straight to Captain Lei's room.
"Are you really leaving?" Xu Qing asked softly.
"Don't be so sad. I'm going to stay in the city. You should be happy for me."
Captain Lei laughed and called Xu Qing over to help him fold his clothes.
Xu Qing walked over silently. He first washed his hands carefully before folding them neatly.
With his help, Captain Lei's luggage was packed very quickly. He didn't want most of his stuff and left them for Xu Qing.
"This house is also yours."
"I'll pay the rent." Xu Qing said seriously.
Captain Lei smiled when he heard that but he didn't talk about this topic. Instead, he pulled Xu Qing over and sat there. As time passed, he told Xu Qing about the characters of the scavengers at the campsite. He also emphasized on the camp leader.
"The camp leader of the campsite isn't a simple person. His background is the Diamond Sect."
"As for the Diamond Sect, it is the number one faction in this large area. Dozens of cities and campsites are under their control. Their ancestor is even a Foundation Establishment expert. In the future, you have to be vigilant against him at all times when you are here."
At that point, it was already very late at night outside. Xu Qing noticed the fatigue on Captain Lei's face and silently stood up to leave.
Looking at his figure, Captain Lei sighed softly after a long time.
This night was also the first night Xu Qing didn't cultivate during this period of time.
He sat there and stared blankly at the night sky outside until he saw the first rays of dawn.
"It passed so quickly." As Xu Qing mumbled, a sense of melancholy filled his heart. He didn't leave the room at this time like he usually did. Instead, he waited until he heard the sound of Captain Lei opening the door before he slowly walked out.
The first rays of the morning sun scattered down. The old and young people in the courtyard looked at each other.
"Kid, I'm leaving." After a long time, a smile appeared on Captain Lei's face.
"I'll send you off."
"No need. Hurry up and go to class."
"I'll send you off."
"You…"
"I'll send you off." Xu Qing looked at Captain Lei and reiterated.
Captain Lei looked at Xu Qing. After a long while, he revealed a helpless expression and nodded.
Just like that, the two of them, one old and one young, left the campsite in the early morning while the other scavengers were still unconscious. When they passed by Grandmaster Bai's tent, Xu Qing ran over.
Grandmaster Bai hadn't arrived yet, and the youth, Chen Feiyuan, wasn't around either. Only Tingyu was there, carrying the medical books on her back.
"I'll have to trouble you to help me apply for a day off." After seeing Tingyu, Xu Qing quickly spoke up. He then bowed and turned to leave.
Tingyu was a little surprised. When she walked out, she saw Xu Qing and Captain Lei's departing figures.
The light of the rising sun shone on the ground, illuminating the area in front of Xu Qing and Captain Lei. It also enveloped their figures as they moved further and further away.
On the way, Xu Qing took the baggage from Captain Lei and carried it on his back in silence.
Captain Lei had mixed feelings as he looked at the stubborn youth. He wanted to talk about the trivial matters of the campsite's neighbors as usual but after a few sentences, he couldn't continue.
In the silence, the two of them walked into the mountain where they had come from and to the place where they had once rested. At that time, it was also the two of them. Captain Lei stood tall and straight in front while Xu Qing cautiously followed behind.
The former was as profound as a sword, while the latter was as reclusive as a wolf.
Today, Xu Qing was at the front while Captain Lei was at the back.
The former was tall and straight like a mountain peak, while the latter was in his twilight years.
Here, under Xu Qing's insistence, he carried the old Captain Lei, just like back then in the jungle.
Captain Lei sighed softly in his heart. He looked at the side profile of the youth in front of him and spoke softly after a moment of silence.
"After this, you have to pay more attention to those scavengers on the campsite."
"I know that your combat strength is very strong now but you can't underestimate them. Scavengers are desperadoes. To them, unscrupulous means are a common occurrence…"
"At night, don't forget to feed those dogs. These little fellows are the most trustworthy ones on the campsite."
"Also, you have to remember to eat. Don't eat cold food. Don't find cooking or heating troublesome. Eat it after it's hot… You're still growing, so you can't be careless."
"Otherwise, when you get older in the future, you'll know how tough it is. Oh right, don't sleep on the bed boards in the future. Don't be afraid of dirtying the bedding. Remember to bask in the sun after you're done bathing."
"And…"
Captain Lei spoke softly. His words were fragmented and contained deep concern.
Xu Qing carried Captain Lei on his back and nodded lightly, memorizing the other party's words.
As Captain Lei spoke, he fell into a deep sleep due to his weak body. As he listened to the snoring behind him, Xu Qing's footsteps also became gentler.
He tried his best not to jump. Even if he had to take a detour, he would maintain a steady pace.
Just like that, he walked through the wilderness with Captain Lei on his back and bypassed the basin. When dusk arrived, as the sky darkened, their silhouettes were elongated from the corner of his eyes. A city then appeared before Xu Qing's eyes.
It was also at that moment that Captain Lei woke up. He looked at the city gate and spoke softly after a long time.
"We're here."
Xu Qing let out a soft 'uh-huh' and felt a tightness in his chest. Under Captain Lei's request, he gently put him down.
After taking the baggage from Xu Qing, Captain Lei looked at the city gate and then at Xu Qing. After a moment of silence, he smiled and lifted his hand to stroke Xu Qing's head, messing up his hair a little.
"Kid, you can go back now. If you miss an old man like me in the future, you can come over anytime. I live in the southern part of the city, on Shuiqing Road, with the number 'Three'." With that, Captain Lei took his luggage and walked toward the city gate.
Xu Qing stood there and looked at Captain Lei who was walking further and further away. He had so many things to say in his heart but he didn't know what to say. He could only stare blankly.
It wasn't until he reached the city gate and submitted his entry permit that Captain Lei suddenly turned his head.
He cast a deep glance at Xu Qing and waved his hand. Under the urging of the city guards, he walked into the city and disappeared.
Xu Qing's expression was desolate. He waited for a very long time… When dusk fell and the city gate closed, his heart instantly felt empty.
"Take care…" After a long while, Xu Qing mumbled and turned around bitterly. The feeling of loneliness once again filled his entire body.
As night fell, his lonely figure was gradually covered.
He walked toward the wilderness alone, toward the basin alone, and toward the mountains alone.
Further and further…
-x-X-x-
In the mountain forest at night, wolf howls echoed.
However, this sound only appeared for a moment before gradually dissipating. It was as though an existence even more ferocious than them was walking over alone.
As Xu Qing walked in the pitch-black darkness, the disappointment in his heart couldn't be quickly suppressed. He, who had grown up in the slums, was already used to parting ways. However, this time, it was exceptionally deep.
That feeling of emptiness in his heart caused his mood to sink. In the silence, his figure grew increasingly bleak.
When dawn was about to arrive, he, who had been walking the entire night, saw the campsite under the dawn.
At the campsite, the lights were sparse.
p Xu Qing thought back to the past. No matter how late it was when he returned from the forbidden zone, he would still be able to see the lights of a residence lighting up for him.
However, today, one lamp was forever missing in that direction.
The feeling of loneliness grew even stronger. Xu Qing silently entered the campsite and walked to the pitch-black residence. He pushed the door open and saw the dozen or so wild dogs in the courtyard. They were also looking at him quietly.
He lifted his head and saw that the three houses were completely black.
There was no sign of human habitation, no lights, no breath.
Yesterday's dinner was still lingering in the kitchen.
Xu Qing walked in and looked at the three sets of chopsticks and bowls on the table. After being in a daze for a long time, he sat there silently and lowered his head to eat the cold food.
One mouthful, one mouthful. After he slowly swallowed it, he washed the tableware and cleaned the kitchen. He then took a deep breath and returned to his room.
He closed his eyes and started cultivating.
At that moment, outside the courtyard, the purple-robed old man and his servant were standing there. Their gazes seemed to be able to penetrate everything and saw Xu Qing inside.
They were all silent. After a long time, the purple-robed old man sighed softly.
"He's a loyal child."
"Old Master Seventh, should we give him a token?" The servant looked at the purple-robed old man.
"Wait until we get the Cloud Dream Flower that Grandmaster Bai wants from the forbidden zone." With that, the purple-robed old man's body slowly dissipated. The servant beside him nodded and also dissipated.
…
Just like this, a night passed.
The next morning, when Xu Qing walked out of his room, he instinctively glanced at Captain Lei's residence. However, he quickly retracted his gaze and silently headed to Grandmaster Bai's place for lessons before returning quietly.
He cooked a meal by himself. There were still three sets of chopsticks and bowls on the table as he ate silently.
From time to time, he would raise his head and look at the seat that Captain Lei used to be in. There… was one less person there, as well as fewer voices.
The entire meal was very quiet. The feeling of loneliness once again filled Xu Qing's heart but he forcefully suppressed it.
After he finished eating alone and cleared the table, he took out the food for the wild dogs and threw it in the courtyard.
Xu Qing returned to his room and continued to meditate as he watched the pack of wild dogs eat.
Days passed just like this. Very soon, it was the sixth day since Captain Lei left.
Xu Qing had already buried the disappointment in his heart and regained his usual coldness. However, if one were to take a closer look, they would discover that his coldness had become even colder.
Other than when he went to Grandmaster Bai's class, Xu Qing's sense of vigilance had always existed during other times. He wasn't unfamiliar with this state of vigilance because in the past six years, this… was his normal state.
Like a lone wolf.
He cultivated more diligently than before. It was as though this was the only way he could find the loneliness he was familiar with as soon as possible. On the seventh night, Xu Qing's cultivation broke through.
He had broken through from the fourth level of the Mountains and Seas Art to the fifth level.
As the thumping sounds echoed in his body, the wild dogs outside also felt the suppression and retreated while trembling. It was as though there was an aura in Xu Qing's room that caused them to revere in fear.
This time around, the ringing in Xu Qing's body continued for a very long time.
In fact, from the perspective of time, it surpassed the previous time.
A full hour later, when the filth seeping out of the pores of Xu Qing's body had reached its limit, his eyes suddenly opened.
At that moment, a flash of purple light appeared in the entire room.
At the instant he opened his eyes, cracking sounds echoed out from Xu Qing's body. It was as though his bones were growing and his flesh and blood were being pulled. The feeling of being torn apart was also felt.
However, to Xu Qing, all of this was still within his tolerance.
Amidst his calm tolerance, another hour passed. When all of this slowly ended, Xu Qing stood up. The clothes he was wearing had shortened by a portion.
His slender body didn't look like it had been reborn but there were major changes. It was very refined.
This was especially so for his appearance. As there were no anomalous substances in his body, it was completely pure.
This made his original delicate appearance even more obvious. Coupled with his coldness, there was a strange charm that even dirt couldn't conceal.
However, Xu Qing didn't care about this. He walked out of the house and tested his speed. After that, he threw a punch into the air and there seemed to be muffled thunder echoing. His strength was so great that it was more than twice that of the previous four levels!
What was even more shocking was that when his fist landed, the spirit energy fluctuations were intense and there was a faint shadow of a wolf with fangs in its mouth. It looked like a malicious, powerful ghost!
"This is the power of one xiao?" As the surrounding wild dogs trembled, Xu Qing glanced at his fist and muttered.
It was mentioned in the Mountains and Seas Art that for every level, one's strength would grow by that of a tiger's and the five tigers would form one xiao. Two xiaos would form one kui.
However, after some thought, Xu Qing felt that his description didn't match the Mountains and Seas Art.
Right now, his strength had probably reached the level of seven or eight tigers and his speed was the same. He was even confident that when he cultivated the Mountains and Seas Art to the sixth level, he would possess the strength of two xiaos in advance.
"It should be due to the effects of the purple crystal and the knife strike from the statue in the temple."
Xu Qing mumbled in his heart and looked at his right hand. After a moment of silence, he slowly lifted his hand. The image of the divine statue striking out with its blade appeared in his mind and the airflow in the surroundings seemed to be gathering towards him.
A long time later, Xu Qing didn't continue but instead, he lowered his right hand.
"Just a little more."
Xu Qing could sense that his attempt at copying wasn't enough. At this moment, he took a deep breath and was about to return to his room. However, under the moonlight, when he turned around, he lowered his head and saw his shadow.
When he broke through earlier, all the anomalous substances had fused into his shadow as usual. At that moment, his entire body was pure from the inside out and there was no hint of anomalous substances at all.
Staring at the shadow, Xu Qing suddenly had an idea.
"I wonder if I can control this shadow…"
After this thought appeared in his mind, it grew deeper and deeper, causing Xu Qing to keep staring at it. In his heart, he tried to make the shadow flick his fingers but after trying for a long time, he still couldn't do it.
This made Xu Qing sigh softly. He felt that he was too greedy and was about to give up. However, at that moment… the hand of the shadow suddenly trembled!
This scene caused Xu Qing's eyes to widen abruptly as his breathing grew hurried.
He was sure that his eyes weren't playing tricks on him. Also, he didn't move his hand earlier, so he increased the intensity of his gaze and tried it out.
A long time later, when Xu Qing didn't lift his hand, his shadow's hand… lifted slightly!
In just a moment, Xu Qing felt as though his head was about to explode. It was completely empty.
It took him a long time to recover from the headache. As he panted, his eyes revealed an intense light.
"I can control it!" Xu Qing lowered his head and stared deeply at the shadow.
He knew that although it was very difficult to control it now, the emptiness in his brain earlier and the headache now told him that this matter had consumed a lot of energy.
However, he believed that as he became more proficient and his cultivation improved, sooner or later, he would be able to flexibly control his shadow.
By that time, the shadow… would become his unexpected weapon!
"I hope that day will come soon." Xu Qing took a deep breath and rubbed his aching forehead. He then returned to his room and sat cross-legged in meditation.
He only recovered halfway in the morning and his expression was somewhat dispirited.
He forcefully pulled himself together and changed into a set of slightly larger old clothes before rushing to Grandmaster Bai's tent.
Chen Feiyuan wasn't around and Grandmaster Bai wasn't here yet. Only Tingyu was there, carrying the medical book on her back. When she saw Xu Qing coming, she casually raised her hand to greet him before continuing to recite.
It had been like this during this period of time. Xu Qing had heard from Tingyu that some time ago, among the young men and women who came from the outside world, there were friends of Chen Feiyuan. Hence, he often applied for leave to go over and play.
As for Grandmaster Bai, it was unknown what he was busy with during this period of time. He would arrive later every day and would leave very quickly after the lesson ended.
Xu Qing nodded and sat at the side. He then took out his bamboo slip and silently reviewed yesterday's homework. Tingyu, who had lowered her head after greeting him, suddenly lifted her head and looked at Xu Qing suspiciously.
"Why do I feel like there are some changes to your body?"
Xu Qing didn't lift his head and continued revising.
Tingyu's bright eyes widened as she carefully inspected it.
Very soon, Grandmaster Bai arrived, so she could only give up. However, during the lesson today, she glanced at Xu Qing many times.
If it was in the past, Grandmaster Bai would be strict. However, he seemed to have something on his mind today. After giving a few words of reprimand, he ignored it.
After he finished his lesson and arranged the content for tomorrow's assessment, Grandmaster Bai left in a hurry.
After the teacher left, Xu Qing got up and was about to leave when Tingyu's body moved and blocked the door.
Xu Qing frowned slightly and looked at Tingyu.
Tingyu wasn't willing to be outdone. She lifted her head and stared at Xu Qing with her large eyes that were like the stars and moon. Her beautiful eyes swept across his height and face as she spoke in a daze.
"I know it. You've grown taller."
"Yea." Xu Qing nodded and bypassed Tingyu, wanting to leave. However, Tingyu's body swayed and stopped him once again. Her eyes which were as bright as the stars contained curiosity.
"Kid, your face is so dirty every day. I don't even know what you look like. You've changed again today. No, I have to wipe your face for you and see what you look like."
As Tingyu spoke, she took out her handkerchief and was about to act.
Xu Qing was repulsed and was about to retreat when Tingyu snorted.
"Kid, I helped you apply for leave. This is a favor!"
Xu Qing's movements paused. Taking advantage of the moment where he paused, Tingyu's body instantly arrived. The handkerchief in her hand fluctuated with spirit energy and became moist, gently wiping Xu Qing's face.
His wiped cheeks instantly revealed his fair skin. Xu Qing grew impatient and wanted to forcefully leave.
"Kid, I'm your senior sister!" Tingyu shouted again and the weight of the word 'senior sister' was clearly very heavy, causing Xu Qing's body to involuntarily stiffen.
Tingyu's eyes were curved like crescent moons, hiding a hint of spirit and craftiness. This time, her speed was even faster. She took a handkerchief and wiped Xu Qing's face here and there.
Although Xu Qing strongly rejected the term 'senior sister', he ultimately didn't dodge it.
Just like that, as Tingyu wiped, Xu Qing's face was slowly revealed.
Tingyu's movements also gradually slowed down. Her eyes were wide open as she stared blankly at Xu Qing's appearance. For some reason, sunlight appeared in her mind.
This was the first time in six years that Xu Qing's face was clean. This made him feel extremely uncomfortable. Taking advantage of the fact that Tingyu was still in a daze, he immediately circled around and quickly exited the tent.
As the sunlight shone on his face, Xu Qing's discomfort grew even more intense. He felt as though he was walking naked outside.
Hence, he lowered his head and picked up the mud on the ground, smearing it on his face. Only then did he heave a sigh of relief. He felt much more comfortable in his heart and regained his indifference as he walked toward the forbidden zone.
It was only after he left that Tingyu, who was in the tent, let out a long breath and muttered.
"Mm, he looks pretty good."
As she spoke, she subconsciously lifted the tent's door and looked at Xu Qing's back view which was far away. Her elegant and exquisite little face was slightly red as she looked around in confusion.
"He's much better looking than Chen Feiyuan. No, Chen Feiyuan is completely incomparable to him."
-x-X-x-
On that day, Tingyu, who had lived in Purple Earth since she was young, rarely knew the hardships of the human world, had a dream.
In the dream, Chen Feiyuan was fiercely making things difficult for Xu Qing. She was very angry.
It was early in the morning when Tingyu woke up from her dream. Her mood was a little different from the past. When she arrived at Grandmaster Bai's tent, she sat there and recited the pharmacopoeia, feeling a little distracted. From time to time, she would raise her head and look outside the tent.
Until she saw… Chen Feiyuan.
Tingyu's eyelids fluttered as she recalled the dream from yesterday.
Chen Feiyuan yawned and rubbed his eyes as he lifted the tent flap. Just as he was about to sit down beside Tingyu, the futon was moved away by her.
Chen Feiyuan was stunned and looked at Tingyu.
"What are you doing?"
"Sit there." Tingyu couldn't be bothered with Chen Feiyuan and pointed to where Xu Qing usually sat.
"Why?!" Chen Feiyuan instantly got annoyed and his eyes widened.
"Based on the fact that you don't work hard in your studies, based on the fact that you've been taking leave frequently during this period of time, I'm annoyed by you sitting here. Is that enough?"
Tingyu glared at him with her almond-shaped eyes and spoke very quickly, causing Chen Feiyuan to be stunned once again. After a while, he mumbled a few words to himself as though he didn't dare to provoke the other party. He then sat at Xu Qing's seat gloomily.
"Sigh, Tingyu, you…" After sitting down, Chen Feiyuan was about to speak but before he could finish, Tingyu's eyes revealed hostility.
"Don't say the word 'sigh'. What if someone hears it and misunderstands?"
"Ah? What's wrong with the word 'Sigh'?" Just when Chen Feiyuan was at a loss, the tent's door opened and Xu Qing walked in.
Upon seeing Xu Qing, two shallow dimples appeared on Tingyu's face. She then revealed a smile and patted the futon that originally belonged to Chen Feiyuan.
"Junior Brother, sit here."
Xu Qing was stunned and so was Chen Feiyuan.
"What are you waiting for? Teacher is coming. Hurry up and come over." Tingyu urged.
Xu Qing was a little hesitant. He looked at Tingyu and then at Chen Feiyuan who was sitting in his seat in a daze.
At that moment, it was indeed time for Grandmaster Bai to arrive. Hence, Xu Qing could only walk to Tingyu's side and sit at the seat that used to belong to Chen Feiyuan.
Chen Feiyuan was dumbfounded. He pointed at Xu Qing and was about to speak when Tingyu turned and glared fiercely at him.
"Shut up!"
"I haven't even spoken yet." Chen Feiyuan was about to cry. He felt that it was unfair and was about to continue speaking when the tent door opened and Grandmaster Bai walked in.
Chen Feiyuan could only hold back what he wanted to say and sat there angrily. On the other hand, Tingyu seemed to be very comfortable. As for Xu Qing, he felt a little uncomfortable and felt like he was sitting on pins and needles.
As for Grandmaster Bai, after he walked in and saw where Xu Qing was sitting, he then looked at Tingyu and Chen Feiyuan who looked like a punching bag. A hint of a smile appeared on his face but he didn't disturb them and started the assessment.
As usual, Chen Feiyuan stuttered as he was reprimanded. As for Tingyu, she proudly completed the assessment and looked at Xu Qing with anticipation.
Xu Qing's answer was even more perfect. He even asked some of his questions during the assessment.
The entire process made Chen Feiyuan extremely depressed.
So, when today's lesson ended, he was the first to run out of the tent. He felt that he had been discriminated against today.
Xu Qing felt uncomfortable sitting there during class. At that moment, he stood up and bowed to Grandmaster Bai. Just when he was about to leave, Tingyu called out to him.
"Junior Brother, why is your face dirty again?"
Tingyu took out her handkerchief and wanted to try wiping his face. However, Xu Qing frowned slightly and immediately dodged, leaving in a hurry.
After he left, Tingyu's expression was a little aggrieved as she looked at Grandmaster Bai, who was watching the show.
"Teacher, why is this kid so dirty every day? I helped him out of goodwill."
Grandmaster Bai laughed and patted the girl's head dotingly.
"Because for people who live in misery and danger, it's not a good thing to attract too much attention."
Tingyu fell into deep thought and nodded.
Xu Qing didn't hear Grandmaster Bai's words but his thoughts were the same as what Grandmaster Bai said.
Growing up in the slums, he understood that the less attention he attracted, the safer he would be. Also, the people around him were mostly filthy. If he was different from the others, he would be like a torch in the dark night, adding to the danger.
This was his rule of survival since he was young. As for those who didn't do so, unless their strength was extremely high, they wouldn't be able to live for long.
It was precisely because of this that Xu Qing developed the habit of not cleaning. He needed to blend into the environment and make himself inconspicuous.
For example, the hunter hiding would only show his edge when he attacked.
At that moment, Xu Qing, who had left the campsite and arrived at the boundary of the forbidden zone was the same. He picked up some rotten leaves from the jungle, crushed them and smeared them on his body. He tried his best to blend into nature as he slowly stepped into the forbidden zone.
Although Captain Lei had gone to the city to stay, Xu Qing didn't give up on searching for the heavenfate flower.
Also, with the increase in his cultivation base and strength, coupled with his increasingly rich experience and knowledge about plants, as well as his usual vigilance, he encountered fewer dangers in the outer perimeter of the forbidden zone's jungle.
Hence, the range of Xu Qing's exploration no longer stopped at the temple. Instead, he slowly probed deeper.
Even though the danger was greater, this tempering also allowed his combat strength to continuously increase. His herbs harvest also became richer.
However, just like the outer region, although there were more herbs in the depths, the majority of them were still evil yin poison grass.
As there was a lot of poisonous grass, Xu Qing's knowledge of herbs was mostly on the concoction of poison. As he improved, he also gained a few more types of poison powder.
For this reason, he specially went to a clothing shop and bought a jacket filled with pockets. Each pocket contained a different poison.
As for the black gloves he had obtained from the Bloodshadow Team Captain's leather pouch, Xu Qing put them on as well. He gradually felt that they were more comfortable to wear.
Not only could this glove increase the lethality of his punches but it also had a certain degree of anti-poisoning effects. Therefore, together with the dagger Cross had given him, it became a daily weapon like the iron stick on him.
At that moment, as the sun was about to set, Xu Qing, who had ended a day of tempering and researching poison, walked out of the small lab in the canyon. After tidying up his weapons and poison powder, he bent down and headed straight for the temple.
Every time before he left the forbidden zone, he would make a trip to the temple to search for the scar removal stone.
Although he had failed many times before, he had inquired about this stone and knew that it was naturally formed. It was colorful and could occasionally be seen. Hence, he persisted until this time…
When he arrived at the temple, under the afterglow of the setting sun, he saw that there seemed to be a flash of seven-colored light between the brows of the stone statue head in the distance.
Xu Qing's eyes narrowed as he rapidly surveyed his surroundings. He then checked his hidden arrangements from before. After discovering that everything was fine, he jumped to the top of a temple and squatted down to observe again.
After confirming that there was really no danger here, he headed straight for the stone statue's head.
When he arrived, he saw a seven-colored stone growing in the crack between his brows.
This stone should have been ordinary in the past but in this mysterious temple, it had changed over time.
Xu Qing hurriedly took it down and quickly searched the entire temple cluster. He found six such stones.
Looking at the stone in his hand, Xu Qing let out a long sigh of relief. He had finally found one of the two items, the scar removal stone.
After Xu Qing carefully kept the six small stones, he cast a deep glance at the cluster of temples. After that, he bent down and bowed before quickly leaving, disappearing into the distant jungle.
As he sped along, Xu Qing's figure leaped up and down on the tree crowns.
As the night fell and the roars of the ferocious beasts echoed, his pace didn't change. His speed was sometimes fast and sometimes slow as he got closer and closer to the edge of the jungle.
Not long later, when Xu Qing jumped onto a tree trunk and wanted to borrow the momentum to move forward, the silt on the ground at the side suddenly exploded. A giant-horn python suddenly rushed out and opened its mouth, wanting to devour him.
Its body was even larger than what he had encountered back at the campsite.
Faced with such a surprise attack, Xu Qing's expression didn't change at all. He merely lifted his right hand and flicked out a finger, tapping on the head of the giant-horn python that was trying to devour him.
With a bang, the giant-horn python couldn't endure it anymore. As soon as it let out a mournful roar, it abruptly stopped. Its tough skin was unable to block Xu Qing's strength and its head was torn apart, its flesh crumbling.
This collapse spread throughout his body in the blink of an eye until he turned into a ball of blood mist.
Only his gallbladder… remained unscathed as it fell from the blood mist. Xu Qing then grabbed it and left.
Just like this, at dawn, Xu Qing walked out of the jungle and returned to the campsite.
At the pitch-black campsite, there were very few lights at this time. As Xu Qing walked, the happy mood that he had when he obtained the small stone also became gloomy as he got closer to his residence.
His residence was also pitch-black. Only the dozen or so wild dogs lay on the ground and wagged their tails after sensing his return.
After Xu Qing entered the courtyard, he habitually glanced at Captain Lei's room and silently walked into the kitchen.
He heated the leftover food from yesterday and swallowed it as though it was to fill his stomach. After he was done, he returned to his room and sighed softly.
"I wonder how Captain Lei is doing in the city. He should be doing very well. If I still can't find the heavenfate flower in the end, I'll save up some spirit coins and buy a spot too."
Xu Qing mumbled and closed his eyes, allowing himself to sink into cultivation.
The next day, Xu Qing went to class as usual.
Tingyu returned to normal but the seat was still left for him. As for Chen Feiyuan, he had also resigned himself to fate and could only watch as Xu Qing sat in his original seat.
As the lesson ended, Tingyu no longer spoke up to wipe his face. There was more understanding in her gaze.
Xu Qing felt this understanding. He lowered his head slightly and bid farewell to Grandmaster Bai.
When he left the tent, Xu Qing touched the small stone in his leather pouch and walked toward the general store where the little girl was at.
However, before he could get close, he saw a group of strangers outside the general store from afar!
Their clothes were very special. Their black robes were embroidered with blood-colored suns and a murderous and bloody aura was especially obvious on them.
-x-X-x-
These black-robed men were all tall and muscular. Their black robes covered their entire bodies and their heads, making it impossible to see their appearances.
However, the occasional cold gaze from within the black robe caused the hearts of the surrounding scavengers and desperadoes to tremble.
The gazes of these black-robed men carried indifference to life. They didn't have the slightest hint of humanity in them, as though they were just machines used for killing.
Even as they stood there, the heat of June was also dispersed by an invisible force, causing the atmosphere outside the general store to be extremely cold.
As for their identities, the moment Xu Qing arrived, he already knew from the whispers of the scavengers in the surroundings.
"It's the law enforcement team of the Litu Sect!"
"Litu Sect… That's a bunch of lunatics. They rarely appear in scavenger camps. Why are they here this time?"
"I heard they're here to find someone. They have already searched through all the cities and scavenger campsites in this area."
As the sounds from the surroundings entered Xu Qing's ears, his eyes slowly narrowed. With a flip of his hand, an iron stick appeared and he stared coldly at the general store. At the same time, three people walked out of the general store.
Two people were in front, one tall and one short.
The tall man's figure was tall and straight, like a sharp sword that was stained with blood.
His clothes were the exact opposite of the law enforcement team from the Litu Sect. His robe was blood-colored and the sun pattern on it was black. At that moment, his head wasn't covered, revealing a head of black hair and a well-defined face.
It was a youth.
The instant he walked out, everyone from the black-clothed law-enforcement team outside lowered their heads and knelt on one knee.
Upon seeing this scene, Xu Qing's eyes narrowed. The aura emitted by the other party made him feel as though he had encountered a powerful ferocious beast in the depths of the jungle.
As for the shorter one beside the youth, it was the little girl.
At that moment, an unprecedentedly happy smile appeared on her face as she forcefully grabbed the youth's hand.
From his age, it seemed that the other party was her older brother. The coldness on the youth's body also became incomparably gentle when he lowered his head to look at the little girl. However, the sadness in his eyes that was difficult to melt was still very obvious.
It was as though he was reminiscing about his loved ones who had passed away during the calamity.
Behind them was the boss of the general store. He had a flattering look on his face as he carefully followed them and whispered.
Looking at all of this, Xu Qing silently put away the iron stick. He then touched the small stone in his leather pouch, feeling a little hesitant.
At the same time, the little girl who walked out of the shop also saw Xu Qing in the crowd.
She hurriedly said a few words to the youth beside her. After that, when the youth's scrutinizing gaze landed on Xu Qing, the little girl let go and ran toward him.
The scavengers beside Xu Qing instinctively retreated, allowing the little girl to successfully reach Xu Qing and bid him farewell.
"My brother is here to pick me up. Brother Kid, do you want to leave with me?"
During this farewell, the little girl looked at Xu Qing with some anticipation.
Xu Qing shook his head.
After receiving the answer, the little girl felt a little disappointed. She glanced at Xu Qing before revealing a smile again.
"It's fine. When I grow up, we can still meet. Brother Kid, I said that I would repay you for saving my life. I will definitely do it."
"I'm leaving with my brother. My brother is very good to me. He gives me whatever I want. Do you have a brother too?"
The little girl had a lot to say. As she spoke, the youth outside the general store called out to her.
"I'm leaving, Brother Kid."
The little girl looked at Xu Qing. During these two months at the campsite, the only person she was familiar with was the person in front of her. At that moment, she felt a little reluctant to part with him.
Xu Qing glanced at the little girl and took out a small seven-colored stone from his leather pouch, passing it to her.
"This stone can remove scars. I'm giving it to you."
The little girl was stunned. She held the stone and looked at Xu Qing, wanting to say something but hesitating. Her brother then called out again. In the end, the little girl cast a deep glance at Xu Qing and held the seven-colored stone in her hand. She then returned to the youth's side and left amidst the crowd of black-robed people.
On the way, she turned her head once and waved at Xu Qing.
Xu Qing also waved his hand and watched as the little girl who always had a happy smile on her face walked away. He felt that it was right for her to leave this place.
"I wish you peace."
After saying that, Xu Qing turned and walked toward his residence.
Life was the same as before. He silently cooked, ate, cleaned, meditated, and attended lessons.
Time flowed by and seven days passed like this.
Xu Qing had completely returned to his slum-like state. He also realized that Grandmaster Bai… wouldn't be staying at the campsite for long.
This was something that Xu Qing had guessed after Grandmaster Bai's convoy had started organizing in the past two to three days.
Grandmaster Bai had once told him that he came from Purple Earth. Xu Qing had heard many people mention that it was the center of the Nanhuang Continent.
On that morning, when Xu Qing arrived at Grandmaster Bai's tent, he didn't see any guards, nor did he see Chen Feiyuan or Tingyu.
In the tent, there was only Grandmaster Bai.
Xu Qing already had an answer in his heart.
During this lesson, Grandmaster Bai's lecture was very detailed. Xu Qing listened attentively but time still flowed quickly. Very soon, it was time for the lesson to end. Looking at the silent Xu Qing, Grandmaster Bai sighed softly.
"I'm leaving."
"Before I leave, I'll impart to you some knowledge that will truly help you in your future life. Due to the restrictions of the oath, I can't tell you directly. Whether you can grasp it or not will depend on you." Grandmaster Bai cast a deep glance at Xu Qing.
Xu Qing's eyes narrowed as he looked at Grandmaster Bai.
The moment their gazes met, Grandmaster Bai's weak voice echoed in the tent.
"Kid, take the herbs I taught you on the third day, the seventh day, the eleventh day, the fifteenth day, the seventeenth day, and the nineteenth day and put them together in the ratio of one to two to four, add the equivalent amount of seven-leaf grass and you will be able to refine the white pills that countless people in this world need… which can be converted to spirit coins!"
The moment he said this, Xu Qing's eyes widened and his breathing became hurried.
At that moment, it wasn't like before when he didn't understand herbs. After almost two months of attending classes, he was very clear about the value of pill formulas in this world!
That was an extremely precious resource in the hands of a large family or faction!
This was especially so for the white pills that belonged to the category of basic hard currency. The value of the pill formula was so great that it was hard to describe. It couldn't be easily leaked.
Now that he had grasped the method to make white pills, he didn't even need a high cultivation base. With this pill formula, he could live very well.
This was a great kindness!
Xu Qing's body trembled slightly as he looked at Grandmaster Bai in front of him. He then looked at the white hair on Grandmaster Bai's temples and his gentle gaze. The scenes from the past two months surfaced in his mind.
From eavesdropping outside the tent to listening to the lesson in the tent, the other party's earnest teachings caused the thousands of words in his heart to transform into deep gratitude and reluctance.
Finally, he lowered his head and bowed deeply to this seemingly stern but amiable old man.
"Thank you… Teacher."
If it could be said that Captain Lei gave him the feeling of family, then this Grandmaster Bai in front of him was like a master, giving him an extremely important survival skill in this world.
Grandmaster Bai looked at Xu Qing's bow and a smile appeared on his face. He also noticed Xu Qing's emotions and thus smiled.
"Kid, I'm treating you like this because you're good at learning and have a good comprehension ability. I loathe those people in this world who have set rules that they can't divulge their pill recipes."
"However, there are times when my identity gives me no choice. However, you're not the first person I've taught the Dao of alchemy and pill formulas to. I have travelled to the Southern Phoenix and imparted many things to many people. The Dao of alchemy of our human race cannot decline because of the status barrier."
"Finally, between us… You have to know that the world is the guest house of all living beings. Time is a passerby from ancient times to now. As long as you don't die, we will meet again. I hope that the day I see you again will be the day you would have made use of your talent."
Grandmaster Bai's words were filled with deep meaning, especially the last part. It was the most profound sentence Xu Qing had heard in all these years. He firmly remembered it.
On the same day, Grandmaster Bai's convoy left. Before they left, Grandmaster Bai left a thick herbal medicine book for Xu Qing to self-study.
Xu Qing sent them all the way to the outside of the campsite and stared blankly at the departing convoy. He also saw Tingyu's figure in the convoy, constantly turning her head to look at him.
In the dusk, they drifted further and further away.
Under the setting sun, the youth's shadow was very long. He stood there for a very long time before slowly turning around and returning to the campsite.
The campsite wouldn't be different because of the departure of a few people.
There were no changes. It was still dirty. There were still all kinds of people from all walks of life. There were the shouts of old people, the cries of children, the laughter of burly men, and the low panting of women.
Under the setting sun, the myriad of lives seemed to have transformed into a miniature version of the campsite.
Xu Qing walked among them but didn't return to his residence immediately. Instead, he unknowingly walked to the general store and looked at the new assistant who had taken over as the little girl. He then bought a bottle of wine.
After Xu Qing returned to his residence with the alcohol, he didn't eat that night.
He looked at the empty room and sat there with his head lowered, staring at the alcohol flask. After a long while, he picked it up and took a big gulp.
As the spiciness flowed down his throat and into his stomach, it exploded and spread throughout his body, Xu Qing suddenly felt that this wine, which wasn't very delicious back then, seemed to have some flavor today.
Hence, he took another sip.
Another sip.
In his slightly tipsy mind, the scenes from the past six years in the slums surfaced. The image of Captain Lei's figure walking into the city gate, Grandmaster Bai's departing convoy, and the scene of the little girl walking far away appeared.
The words the other party said before he left also surfaced.
"Do you have a brother too?"
"I also have an elder brother but I can't find him." Xu Qing held the alcohol flask and leaned against the wall. He lifted his head and looked at the moon outside as he mumbled softly.
Outside his room, the purple-robed old man and his servant stood there and listened quietly until the youth's murmur rang out from within the room.
"The world is the guest house of all living beings. Time is a passerby from ancient times until now."
"As long as I don't die, we will meet again."
-x-X-x-
The stars couldn't be seen in the black sky and only wisps of dark clouds drifted past the bright moon.
The wind was very strong but it didn't affect the flow of the moonlight.
The bright moonlight poured down like flowing water.
Some landed in the scavenger campsite, in the courtyard of Xu Qing's residence and on the two figures in front of the door.
Old Master Seventh, who was wearing a purple robe, stood there for a long time with his hands behind his back. Under the moonlight, his aged face was filled with contemplation. No one knew what he was thinking about.
The servant beside him didn't want to disturb him, so he waited silently.
As for the wild dogs in the surroundings, it was as though these two people didn't exist in their eyes and they couldn't sense them. Hence, they lay there without any abnormalities.
The surroundings were very quiet. Only the laughter and screams from the outer-ring area of the campsite echoed faintly.
After those two sentences, the room fell into silence. Only the sound of breathing could be heard faintly.
Time flowed by. After the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, Old Master Seventh, who was standing at the door, sighed softly. He didn't push the door open but turned and walked out.
"Give him a token." Old Master Seventh, who had walked to the courtyard gate, spoke in a low voice.
"What color?" the servant asked.
"The most ordinary one. Also, you don't have to say much to him." Old Master Seventh walked past the courtyard gate and gradually left.
The servant's eyes narrowed as waves of emotions rose in his heart.
During the time he had followed Old Master Seventh to the campsite, he had personally seen Old Master Seventh paying attention to that kid several times.
After that, at Grandmaster Bai's place, Old Master Seventh also went to greet him. All of this allowed him to know that this kid's opportunity had arrived. That was why he asked if he should give the other party a token last time.
The token was the qualification to enter the Seven Blood Eyes. Only those who possessed the token could participate in the assessment. If they succeeded, they could enter the sect.
As for the tokens, they were also divided into different colors. Purple was the highest, which meant that the new disciples were core disciples. Yellow was the middle, which meant that the new disciples were inner sect disciples. As for white, it was the most ordinary and the new disciples were just ordinary disciples.
According to the servant's feelings, Old Master Seventh would at least give him a yellow token. However, it was only white, and he even emphasized that there was no need to say more.
Such an abnormal scene made him have no choice but to ponder. His heart couldn't help but race a few times.
"There's only one answer. Old Master Seventh thinks very highly of this kid. Not only does he want to take him into the sect but he also has the thought of taking him in as a disciple? So, he plans to inspect him? The first three princes all entered this way. Could it be that the seventh peak is going to have a fourth personal disciple?"
The servant was very clear about the importance of the word 'personal'. It could be said that once one became the personal disciple of Old Master Seventh, this person would instantly attract the attention of various forces in the Nanhuang Continent.
However, he felt that the possibility of this happening wasn't very high. After all, it had been a long time since Old Master Seventh took in a disciple.
No matter what, he had to pay close attention to this kid. At the thought of this, the servant took a deep breath and collected his thoughts. He then slowly knocked on Xu Qing's door.
The instant the thumping sounds entered the room, the breathing sounds in the room instantly disappeared.
At the next moment, the corners of the servant's mouth curled into a smile. His body then blurred and disappeared. When he reappeared, he was already behind the room!
At the corner of the wall behind the room, there was a hole. It was very hidden and was covered by bricks. It seemed like it had been dug out for some time.
At that moment, Xu Qing's figure darted out rapidly. Just as he was about to take a detour to observe the person who knocked on the door, his body suddenly stopped when the servant appeared.
Xu Qing's eyes narrowed. His heart sank when he saw the figure who had suddenly appeared.
The figure in front of him was a middle-aged man. He wore a gray robe and had an extremely ordinary face. The most eye-catching thing was the pentagonal pattern between his brows. This pattern was currently emitting a faint glow and the surrounding moonlight was affected, causing it to distort.
An even more intense sense of oppression followed. Xu Qing's breathing became slightly hurried and he tightened his grip on the iron stick in his right hand. His left hand also grabbed a handful of poison powder without leaving a trace.
The other party's appearance was too strange and the oppression he felt from him far surpassed that of the older brother of the young girl he saw a few days ago.
This was especially so when the other party's gaze caused all the flesh and blood in his body to tremble. It was as though he was shouting at himself, telling him that the person in front of him was extremely dangerous!
This caused Xu Qing's vigilance to reach the extreme. Also, the trembling of his flesh wasn't just a signal of danger. At the same time, it also told him that his body was prepared for all the next moves.
Xu Qing had already simulated the dangers he would encounter in his residence several times in his mind. The most dangerous situation in his simulation was something that could make the wild dogs not bark and he didn't sense it at all.
At this moment, he narrowed his eyes and attempted to slowly retreat.
"I have no ill intentions." The servant smiled as he looked at the child in front of him who had metaphorically transformed into a wolf cub and could explode at any moment.
Glancing at the hole in the wall behind Xu Qing, he could guess that this should be the escape route the kid had prepared to prevent himself from encountering danger in his residence.
"To be able to make such preparations early on and not panic when encountering a sudden change but wait for an opportunity to resist. No wonder Old Master Seventh thinks highly of this kid."
The scene of Xu Qing cutting Horse-Four's neck and killing Fat Mountain appeared in the servant's mind. A look of admiration appeared in his eyes as he took out a white token and tossed it toward Xu Qing.
Xu Qing didn't catch it. He instantly leaped up and retreated. At the same time, he threw out a handful of poison powder. Two cold daggers within the poison powder whistled toward the servant.
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