Chapter 23: Stranger as Beautiful as Jade

Wolf howls echoed through the dark mountain forest. However, the sounds lasted only a moment before slowly fading, as if a presence even more formidable was approaching, walking alone.

As he walked through the darkness, the sense of loss in Xu Qing's heart could not be quickly suppressed. Having grown up in the slums, he was accustomed to goodbyes, but this one cut deeper than usual. The hollow feeling within him left him dejected, and his silent figure appeared increasingly bleak.

He walked through the night until dawn, finally spotting the camp illuminated by the first light. Lights within the camp were sparse. Xu Qing recalled how, no matter how late he returned from the forbidden zone, the lights of a certain dwelling would always be on, waiting for him. But today, that particular light was gone forever.

A deeper sense of desolation washed over him. Xu Qing silently entered the camp, walking to the dark dwelling. He pushed open the door and saw the dozen or so wild dogs in the yard, all quietly watching him. He looked up at the three rooms, shrouded in complete darkness. There was no sign of human presence, no light, no breath. Yesterday's dinner remained in the kitchen.

Xu Qing stepped inside and gazed at the three sets of bowls and chopsticks on the table. After a long moment of stillness, he silently sat down and ate the cold food. He ate slowly, mouthful by mouthful. Afterward, he washed the dishes, tidied the kitchen, took a deep breath, and went back to his room. He closed his eyes and began to cultivate.

Meanwhile, outside the courtyard, the purple-robed elder and his attendant stood, their gazes seemingly able to pierce through everything to see Xu Qing within. They remained silent for a while before the purple-robed elder let out a soft sigh.

"He is a child of loyalty and integrity."

"Seventh Master, should we offer him a token?" the attendant asked, looking at the purple-robed elder.

"Let's wait until we've retrieved the Cloud Dream Flower that Master Bai desires from the depths of the forbidden zone." As he finished speaking, the purple-robed elder's form slowly faded, and his attendant, nodding, also vanished.

And so, the night passed.

The next morning, as Xu Qing left his room, he instinctively glanced towards Captain Lei's dwelling, but quickly averted his eyes. He silently went to Master Bai's class, then silently returned. He prepared a meal for himself, still setting three sets of bowls and chopsticks on the table, and ate in silence. From time to time, he would look up at Captain Lei's former seat, now empty, devoid of both presence and conversation. The entire meal was quiet, and the feeling of loneliness once again enveloped Xu Qing's heart, only for him to forcibly suppress it.

After finishing his meal and tidying the dishes, he took out food for the wild dogs and tossed it into the yard. Watching the pack devour their food, Xu Qing returned to his room and continued his meditation.

Days passed, and soon it was the sixth day since Captain Lei's departure. Xu Qing had buried his sense of loss deep within him, reverting to his usual detached demeanor. However, a closer look would reveal his indifference had become even colder. Except during Master Bai's lessons, Xu Qing maintained a constant state of vigilance. This was not unfamiliar to him; it had been his normal state for the past six years. He was like a lone wolf.

He cultivated even more diligently than before, as if this was the only way to quickly reclaim his familiar solitude. Then, late on the seventh night, Xu Qing's cultivation broke through. He advanced from the fourth level of the Sea Mountain Art to the fifth. As thumping sounds resonated within his body, the wild dogs outside felt a suppressive force, causing them to tremble and retreat, as if a presence that inspired awe and fear had manifested within Xu Qing's room.

This time, the internal sounds within Xu Qing lasted for a considerable duration. In fact, it lasted longer than any previous breakthrough. After a full half hour, as the impurities oozing from his pores reached their peak, Xu Qing's eyes snapped open. At that instant, a fleeting purple light pulsed through the entire room. Moreover, the moment his eyes opened, cracking sounds resonated through Xu Qing's body, as if bones were growing and flesh was being stretched, accompanied by a tearing sensation. Yet, all of this remained within Xu Qing's tolerance.

He endured calmly, and another half hour passed. As the process slowly concluded, Xu Qing stood up, noticing his clothes had become a little shorter. His refined, slender body seemed almost transformed, if not entirely reborn. His appearance, in particular, was pure and clear, free from any impurities. This made his inherent refinement more apparent, and combined with his cold demeanor, he possessed a strange allure that even grime couldn't obscure.

Xu Qing, however, paid no mind to these changes. He stepped out of his dwelling and, after testing his speed, threw a punch into the air. A muffled thunder-like sound echoed, and its power was more than double what he possessed at the fourth level! Even more astonishing was that as his fist descended, spiritual energy surged powerfully, subtly manifesting a specter-like shadow with fangs, resembling a fierce ghost!

"Is this the power of one 'Xiao'?" Xu Qing murmured, gazing at his fist as the wild dogs around him trembled. The Sea Mountain Art stated that each level added the strength of one tiger, with five tigers equaling one 'Xiao', and two 'Xiao' equaling one 'Kui'. However, after some contemplation, Xu Qing felt his progress didn't quite align with the Sea Mountain Art's descriptions. His current strength likely matched that of seven or eight tigers, and his speed was similarly enhanced. He even felt confident that by the time his Sea Mountain Art reached the sixth level, he would already possess the power of two 'Xiao'.

"This must be due to the purple crystal's effects, and my imitation of the divine statue's strike within the temple." Xu Qing murmured to himself, then slowly raised his right hand after a moment of silence. The image of the divine statue's strike filled his mind, and faintly, the surrounding air currents seemed to converge. A moment later, Xu Qing ceased and lowered his right hand.

"Almost there." Xu Qing sensed that his imitation wasn't perfect yet. He took a deep breath, preparing to return to his room, but as he turned under the moonlight, he looked down and saw his own shadow. During his recent breakthrough, all impurities, as always, had merged into his shadow. Now, his entire body, from within and without, was completely pure, devoid of any foreign substances. Staring at his shadow, Xu Qing suddenly had an idea.

"Could this shadow be controlled, I wonder..." This thought deepened in his mind, prompting Xu Qing to gaze intently, trying to make the shadow's hand move. Yet, despite prolonged attempts, he couldn't achieve it. Xu Qing sighed softly, believing he was being greedy, and was about to give up. But just then, his shadow's hand suddenly twitched! This sight made Xu Qing's eyes widen, and his breathing quickened slightly.

He was certain he hadn't imagined it, and since his own hand hadn't moved, he intensified his gaze and efforts. After a considerable while, his shadow's hand subtly… lifted, even though Xu Qing's own hand remained still! With that single movement, Xu Qing felt his head was about to explode, leaving him utterly blank. It took him a good while to recover somewhat from the headache, and though he was panting, a fierce light gleamed in his eyes.

"It can be controlled!" Xu Qing murmured, looking intently at his shadow. He knew that controlling it now was extremely difficult; the mental blankness and current headache clearly indicated the immense energy drain. However, he believed that with more practice and higher cultivation, he would one day be able to manipulate his shadow with ease. And when that day came, his shadow... would become his unexpected weapon!

"I hope that day comes quickly," Xu Qing said with a deep breath, rubbing his throbbing forehead before returning to his room to meditate cross-legged. He only recovered halfway by morning, his expression somewhat listless.

Forcing himself to gather his spirits, he changed into some larger old clothes and hurried to Master Bai's tent. Chen Feiyuan wasn't there, and Master Bai hadn't arrived yet. Only Ting Yu was present, reciting from a medicinal tome. Upon seeing Xu Qing, she casually raised a hand in greeting before resuming her recitation. This had been the norm for some time. Xu Qing had heard Ting Yu mention that Chen Feiyuan had friends among the recent arrivals from outside, which was why he often took leave to spend time with them. As for Master Bai, he seemed preoccupied lately, arriving later each day and departing swiftly after lessons concluded.

After nodding, Xu Qing sat down and took out his bamboo slips, silently reviewing yesterday's lessons. Beside him, Ting Yu, who had just greeted him and lowered her head, suddenly looked up again, scrutinizing Xu Qing with a puzzled gaze.

"Why do I feel like there's something different about you?"

Xu Qing didn't look up, continuing his review. Ting Yu's bright eyes widened, and she scrutinized him closely. Soon, Master Bai arrived, forcing her to abandon her inspection. Nevertheless, she glanced at Xu Qing repeatedly throughout the day's lesson. Ordinarily, Master Bai would have been strict, but today he seemed preoccupied, offering only a few reprimands before letting it go. After completing the lesson and assigning the next day's assessment, Master Bai departed in a hurry.

After the teacher left, Xu Qing rose to leave, but Ting Yu swayed, directly blocking the doorway. Xu Qing frowned slightly, looking at Ting Yu. Not to be outdone, Ting Yu looked up, her large, star-like eyes on her exquisite, otherworldly face fixed on Xu Qing. Her beautiful gaze swept over his height and then his face, and she murmured, "I know now... you've grown taller."

"Mm." Xu Qing nodded and tried to walk around Ting Yu, but she swayed, blocking him again, her star-bright eyes gleaming with curiosity. "Kid, your face is always so dirty, I don't even know what you truly look like. And today you've changed again. No, I have to wipe it clean and see what you actually look like."

As she spoke, Ting Yu pulled out a handkerchief, ready to begin. Xu Qing recoiled, about to step back, but Ting Yu gave a huff. "Kid, I asked for leave for you. You owe me!"

Xu Qing paused, and seizing that moment, Ting Yu swiftly moved forward. The handkerchief in her hand, moistened by spiritual energy, gently brushed against Xu Qing's face. The wiped cheek instantly revealed clean, pale skin. Xu Qing felt impatient and was about to force his way out.

"Kid, I'm your senior sister!" Ting Yu shouted again. The weight of "senior sister" was clearly immense, causing Xu Qing's body to stiffen involuntarily. Ting Yu's eyes, curved like crescent moons, sparkled with wit and cunning. This time, she moved even faster, scrubbing the handkerchief back and forth across Xu Qing's face. Though Xu Qing inwardly recoiled, the title "senior sister" ultimately stopped him from dodging.

As Ting Yu continued to wipe, Xu Qing's face slowly became visible. Ting Yu's movements gradually slowed, her eyes widening as she stared blankly at Xu Qing's face. For some reason, the image of sunlight flashed through her mind.

For the first time in six years, Xu Qing's face was clean, making him extremely uncomfortable. Seizing the opportunity while Ting Yu was dazed, he immediately moved around her and swiftly darted out of the tent. The sunlight on his face intensified Xu Qing's discomfort, making him feel as exposed as if he were walking outside naked. So he bent down, scooped up some mud from the ground, and smeared it on his face. Only then did he sigh in relief, feeling much more comfortable. He regained his cold demeanor and headed towards the forbidden zone.

Not until he had left did Ting Yu, still in the tent, finally let out a long breath and softly murmured, "Hmm, he's actually quite handsome." As she spoke, she unconsciously lifted the tent flap, watching Xu Qing's retreating back. Her delicate, graceful face was slightly flushed, and her heart fluttering, she glanced around nervously.

"Much better looking than Chen Feiyuan. No, Chen Feiyuan can't even begin to compare with him."