Chapter 380: Treasure Keeper

At dusk, Xu Qing left the mountain peak pavilion.

He had stayed there for a long time, playing several more games of chess with his master. After losing every game, Seventh Granduncle laughed continuously. Xu Qing always gazed intently at the chessboard, deep in thought, and occasionally, when absorbed in contemplation, he would instinctively pick up a pastry from the side and put it into his mouth. He used the chewing to aid his thinking.

The pastries were delicious; Xu Qing had never tasted them before. What was more, after eating them, his internal magical power circulated on its own, indicating that some remarkable medicinal ingredients were used in their preparation. This way of thinking, for Xu Qing, made Seventh Granduncle even more pleased.

This entire time, the master and disciple were rarely disturbed. It wasn't until the ninth time a servant brought pastries, all of which Xu Qing had finished, that he sighed. "Master, your disciple is thoroughly convinced," Xu Qing said, standing up with a look of admiration. He bowed to Seventh Granduncle, and under the latter's contented gaze, Xu Qing checked the sky and bid his farewells.

After watching Xu Qing leave, Seventh Granduncle glanced at the pastry plates around him.

"He ate nine plates," the servant beside him chuckled.

"Ah, you know, when people get old, they like their juniors to visit and keep them company more often, but it's not good to directly ask. Your method is quite good. In the future, prepare more pastries, and they'll probably find excuses to visit me every day," Seventh Granduncle said. He smiled, looking towards Southern Phoenix Continent, a hint of emotion in his eyes.

"Second Senior Sister and Huang Yan have returned to Southern Phoenix Continent. I saw her reluctance before they left, but it's good that she's gone there. She won't suffer even a shred of grievance there. Moreover, with her in Southern Phoenix Continent, if anything happens to her senior or junior fellow disciples in the future, that place will also serve as a safe haven. As for Eldest Brother, with his personality, he might inadvertently cause terrible trouble with his words at any time. Third Brother is also a handful, with a string of romantic entanglements," Seventh Granduncle sighed.

The servant's expression was odd as he spoke softly. "The Third Prince has been missing for a long time. The Zhao family of the Supreme Master Immortal Sect, the Spirit Year Sect, as well as the Multi-Eyed Race and the Vine-Scaled Race, have inquired about him multiple times."

"He played too big and was simultaneously pressured into marriage by four parties, so who knows where he's fled to," Seventh Granduncle said, flicking his sleeve impatiently. "Only Fourth Brother is currently the most reassuring. Given his personality, he basically slays anyone who provokes him, leaving no future troubles. However, this kid has too strong a killing intent, and I'm not sure if he'll find more fortune or misfortune in Feng Hai Commandery," Seventh Granduncle added, a hint of hesitation in his expression.

The servant nodded beside him. "Feng Hai Commandery's capital seems prosperous, but it's a mix of good and bad people, with numerous races and delicate relationships among all parties. And our human race's Commandery Governor is said to be indecisive."

"The Commandery Governor isn't indecisive; he favors the art of balance. He knows he's unable to restore the human race's glorious commandery power, hence his approach. But balance often implies compromise," Seventh Granduncle shook his head.

Meanwhile, Xu Qing burped as he descended the mountain, then licked his lips. "Master's pastries are extraordinary!" Lost in this aftertaste, Xu Qing returned to his berth at the port.

In the following days, he sought out Zhang San to further reinforce his Dharma Vessel, as he would be embarking on a long journey soon. Ding Xue also came to see Xu Qing. As for Yan Yan, after her return, she was punished by Grandmaster Dong You and ordered into seclusion; she could not leave until her cultivation breakthrough. However, Gu Muqing did not come; she had been assigned to reside in the Southern Phoenix Continent Sect much earlier. Thus, after waiting for Zhang San to complete the reinforcement of his Dharma Vessel at the sect, Xu Qing chose to depart on the sixth day, preparing to go to the Sea Corpse Race to serve as a Treasure Guardian for three months.

During this period, some other events also occurred. A few disciples from the Eight Sects Alliance went missing on the periphery of the Corpse Forbidden Zone in the Forbidden Sea while on a mission. Based on clues, it seemed they had entered the Corpse Forbidden Zone for unknown reasons. As it concerned a forbidden area, the Alliance, following protocol, dispatched a portion of disciples from various sects to investigate the Corpse Forbidden Zone. This incident didn't cause a significant stir within the Alliance, as such disappearances within forbidden areas occasionally occurred over the years. In fact, it wasn't just the Alliance; other sects and races, especially those located in the Forbidden Sea, experienced similar incidents. Xu Qing also heard about this, but it didn't affect his plans to go to the Sea Corpse Race. The only change was that, out of caution, he didn't travel by Dharma Vessel as he had in the past, but instead used the sect's teleportation array to directly transport himself there.

At this moment, he stood on the teleportation array. As the array's light flashed, Xu Qing vanished, reappearing moments later within the Sea Corpse Race territory. Such a long-distance teleportation, without protection, would normally cause a tearing sensation between a cultivator's soul and body. However, Xu Qing's physical body was robust; he merely felt a jolt and then recovered immediately. The moment his figure appeared on the Sea Corpse Race's Seven Blood Pupils teleportation array, thousands of disciples were already waiting outside the array. They all simultaneously clasped their fists and bowed in greeting to Xu Qing. "Greetings, Dao Child."

These were disciples from various peaks stationed there. After Xu Qing returned their greeting, he went to pay respects to Third Granduncle, and finally arrived at the Seven Blood Pupils Forbidden Dharma Artifact, where he sat cross-legged in the very center of the enormous Azure Cauldron Ancient Mirror. Located high in the sky, the ancient mirror was a hundred zhang wide, and sitting on it felt like sitting on a giant plate, with strong winds howling all around. Looking down, one could see the black Forbidden Sea, like ink, undulating endlessly at the edge of the horizon. Xu Qing took a deep breath, sat cross-legged, closed his eyes, and spread his divine sense, integrating it into the forbidden Dharma Artifact. The next instant, an astonishing divine sense, devoid of any emotional fluctuations, enveloped Xu Qing. It seemed to be verifying and confirming his identity and authority. Finally, this divine sense transformed into a protective layer, permeating around Xu Qing, and a cold voice echoed in his mind. "Artifact Spirit Blood Pupil, please give your command."

Xu Qing's eyes gleamed with surprise, and he was slightly moved. He could feel that after the divine sense of the Azure Cauldron Ancient Mirror enveloped his entire body, his physical form seemed to vanish, becoming imperceptible. Only his divine sense could be projected, as if he had become a soul body.

"What can I do?" Xu Qing transmitted with his divine sense.

"First, you can choose to merge with the Blood Pupil to activate the Soul Vessel. In this state, as long as the Dharma Artifact is not destroyed, you will not perish. Second, you can view anything you wish within the Dharma Artifact's operational area. Third, anywhere your gaze reaches, you can project a Treasure Guardian's illusory body, which lasts for half an hour and possesses power comparable to your physical self. Fourth, for any single life form, you can initiate a life-and-death judgment based on your will, but this authority requires the approval of all three Treasure Guardians."

The cold voice of the Artifact Spirit echoed in Xu Qing's mind. After listening, Xu Qing understood the areas his master had warned him not to look at. With a clear understanding in his heart, he chose to merge.

As his divine sense spread, Xu Qing's soul dispersed the next instant. He felt as if he had gained a new body at that moment, and this body was the bronze mirror itself. The two merged into one, becoming completely integrated. At the same time, an unprecedented scope of vision appeared in Xu Qing's perception. He saw beyond the limits of his previous sight. It seemed that with him at the center, the vision extended north to Welcoming Emperor, south to Southern Phoenix, west to the deep sea, and east to the Corpse Forbidden Zone. This vast area, anything he wished to see, he could instantly discern clearly. Waves of emotion stirred within Xu Qing's mind.

After a long moment, he calmed his thoughts. The first place he wanted to see was the old scavenger camp, specifically the tomb of Captain Lei, buried in the forbidden zone next to the camp. As his thoughts fluctuated, the bronze ancient mirror on the Sea Corpse Race's territory hummed and slowly rotated, pointing its surface towards Southern Phoenix Continent. The next instant, the familiar scavenger camp appeared in Xu Qing's sight. The camp was still filthy and dilapidated. Xu Qing's former residence had also been occupied by others. Clearly, with the passage of time, the intimidating reputation he had established in the scavenger camp had become a thing of the past, a mere rumor.

Xu Qing paid no attention to these details. His gaze shifted to the forbidden zone, where he saw Captain Lei's tomb, which remained relatively intact. This was one of the few significant rules scavengers largely adhered to: not to disturb or destroy the tombs of deceased scavengers, because no one wanted their own tomb to suffer the same fate someday. After gazing for a long time, Xu Qing sighed softly. Just as he was about to withdraw his gaze, he thought for a moment. "The places Master said I couldn't look at include forbidden lands, but not forbidden zones," Xu Qing thought, his divine sense moving. He swept past the cluster of temples and focused on the deepest part of the forbidden zone.

With a single glance, Xu Qing's mind was strongly shaken. In the depths of that forbidden zone, he saw an abyss, and beneath the abyss, a blurry divine female figure kneeling before a dilapidated guzheng. Xu Qing had never seen this woman, but he recognized the faint pair of shoes on her feet; they were the very ones worn by Captain Lei's lover, who had appeared in the singing that day. The guzheng, covered in dark stains and half-rotted, was now playing by itself, emitting bursts of song, while countless corpses knelt around it in the abyss. Endless anomalous substances emanated from these corpses, and upon closer inspection, it became clear that the dilapidated guzheng was the source of it all. Without lingering, Xu Qing withdrew his gaze after just one look.

After a long silence, Xu Qing looked towards the Purple Earth, towards Master Bai's tomb. With a glance, the scenery rapidly shifted before his eyes. The next moment, the public cemetery of Purple Earth appeared in Xu Qing's view, where he saw a tomb covered in fresh flowers. It was Master Bai's tomb. The flowers there seemed to have been placed just the day before, still unfaded, and surrounded by a sea of blossoms, Master Bai's figure seemed to reappear in Xu Qing's mind. He gazed and gazed until two familiar figures appeared in his sight. A man and a woman, none other than Chen Feiyuan and Ting Yu, walked from a distance, approached the tomb, replaced the old flowers with fresh ones, and after paying their respects, left the cemetery. Xu Qing watched them go, and also noticed a ghost-faced top rapidly spinning within Chen Feiyuan's body, drawing on his vital energy and blood to form a vortex, emitting terrifying power. This scene reminded Xu Qing of what Chen Feiyuan had told him previously about the Purple Green Upper Kingdom bloodline within him, and the talent it bestowed: symbiosis with Dharma Artifacts.

Lost in thought, Xu Qing withdrew his gaze and looked elsewhere. After a full circle, he looked towards the Forbidden Sea. Seventh Granduncle had once warned him not to look at the Forbidden Sea frequently, so Xu Qing merely took a quick glance. With that glance, he saw Huang Yan and Second Senior Sister, who had left not long ago. Huang Yan was currently massaging Second Senior Sister's legs on the deck, his expression filled with excitement. Xu Qing's smile instantly froze, and he was taken aback. "He can sense me?"