Chapter 581: You are afraid, I am also afraid

The medicine shop in Tucheng was quiet.

The small sprout swayed a few times. Realizing no one was paying attention, it curiously extended its branches, secretly peeking towards the back room. After waiting for a moment and noticing no sound from the back, it cautiously pulled its roots from the soil, appearing as if it had finally found an opportunity to escape.

The fish bone, which housed the Old Ancestor of the Vajra Sect, appeared before the small sprout, its tip pointed at the sprout's body. But just as its roots were entirely out and it was about to leap quietly from the flowerpot, its body suddenly trembled. It slowly crawled back into the flowerpot, carefully replanting its roots exactly as they had been, then resumed swaying in a deferential manner.

The fish bone circled it once, then flashed back to the beam.

“If this little thing escapes, the Ominous Star will surely turn his wrath upon me,” the Old Ancestor of the Vajra Sect sneered inwardly. He then looked towards the back room. Due to a hidden presence, he couldn't perceive specifics, but through his inexplicable connection with Xu Qing, he vaguely sensed that Xu Qing's aura was no longer there.

Indeed, the back room was empty. It wasn't their divine senses that entered the mirror's crack, but Xu Qing and Ling’er's physical bodies – a testament to the Reverse Moon Palace's marvel. However, the journey to this wondrous place at that moment was not a pleasant sensory experience for Xu Qing.

He felt as though he had entered a narrow, constricting space. Walls of shimmering light enveloped him, radiating from all directions. These curved light walls formed a circle, incredibly hard, and firmly bound Xu Qing's body, rendering him immobile, as if he were jammed in place. The more he struggled, the more intense the restraint became, as if he couldn't move forward, only backward.

Xu Qing frowned. He hadn't expected to end up in such a peculiar place after entering the crack.

“Is this the third assessment?”

Xu Qing pondered deeply. His recent study of the mirror had led him to believe there were three assessments. He had grasped the specifics of the first two, but the third remained a mystery. After a moment, he attempted to extend his divine sense. This was no easy task, as pressure from all directions constricted not only his physical body but also his perception.

These surrounding light walls possessed power, making them impenetrable to divine sense. Fortunately, the path ahead seemed relatively clear. So, with painstaking effort, Xu Qing gradually extended his divine sense forward, and eventually, through persistent exertion, he began to perceive his location.

“A pipe.”

The end of the pipe was beyond the range of his divine sense, impossible to explore. However, the vaguely transmitted vast fluctuations allowed him to surmise that it was likely the Reverse Moon Palace he sought.

“Interesting. It seems this is indeed the third assessment. If one cannot proceed along this pipe, they are not qualified to enter the Reverse Moon Palace.”

A sharp glint appeared in Xu Qing's eyes. He had initially wanted to join the Reverse Moon Palace because Duanmu Zang had mentioned that its members had studied curses for generations, possessing an exceptionally profound understanding of them. Therefore, Xu Qing intended to go there to gather information about curses, as a single individual's research could never compare to the cumulative analysis of countless people over millennia. This would greatly assist Xu Qing in mastering curses, saving him a significant amount of time. Now, besides needing information about curses, he was also curious about the Reverse Moon Palace itself.

“No wonder Senior Brother also wants to join.”

Xu Qing's gaze was resolute. His cultivation erupted within his body, and his physical form expanded dramatically. Using this divine body, he exerted counter-pressure in all directions. Amidst echoing booms, Xu Qing's body trembled. The surrounding light walls were exceedingly tough; even with his full might, he could only expand them slightly, and his body reached its limit at half a zhang in height.

The intense sensation of his body and soul being squeezed stirred a fierce resolve within Xu Qing. He abruptly retracted his body, instantly shrinking from half a zhang back to his normal size. The surrounding walls also rapidly retracted, but a small gap remained. Utilizing the gap during the walls' retraction, Xu Qing raised his right hand. His cultivation circulated, and all his Nascent Souls, except for the Purple Moon, erupted in full force as he unleashed a powerful punch forward.

This punch converged the powers of the Poison Prohibition, Ghost Emperor Mountain, Heavenly Dao, Time Bottle, and Golden Crow, combined with the might of his life lamp, forming a roaring storm that surged forward. Cracking sounds spread. Xu Qing surged forward, advancing several zhang from his position. As the sensation of restraint enveloped him once more, he gritted his teeth and continued forward using the same method.

He didn't know how long he had been going. Xu Qing continuously blasted his way forward, roaring as he went. Though every step was arduous, he eventually covered a hundred zhang. Upon reaching this point, he was utterly exhausted. Sensing the distant end, Xu Qing sighed and chose to leave, returning to the medicine shop to rest before re-entering the mirror.

The path he had previously opened did not disappear upon Xu Qing's return. At the hundred-zhang mark, he gritted his teeth firmly, his eyes resolute, and continued to blast forward. Thus, days passed. Ling'er didn't need to accompany him every time; with her imprint present, Xu Qing could go alone, so Ling'er reopened the medicine shop. However, she would occasionally glance back at the rear room, monitoring Brother Xu Qing's progress.

“This Reverse Moon Palace is so difficult,” Ling'er sighed inwardly. “Even with Brother Xu Qing's abilities, he hasn't gotten in after all this time.” Similar sighs often arose in Xu Qing's own heart.

A month later, amidst increasingly intense booming sounds, Xu Qing, who had opened up nearly three thousand zhang of the path to the Reverse Moon Palace, returned to the medicine shop. The moment he appeared, he sat down cross-legged, gasping for breath, his eyes bloodshot.

“I've only blasted open thirty percent; there are still over seven thousand zhang to the end.”

“Anyone who can enter the Reverse Moon Palace must be an unparalleled expert, at least at the Spirit Accumulation stage.” Awe filled Xu Qing's heart, and his anticipation for this organization grew. He believed that anyone capable of passing the second assessment by blasting open such a path was truly extraordinary.

“I can do it too!”

Xu Qing's expression was resolute. After resting, he once again stepped into the mirror, continuing his forceful advance. This cyclical process also provided Xu Qing with valuable training. His physical body became even stronger under the continuous pressure, and the size he could expand to increased from half a zhang to one zhang. Consequently, his speed significantly increased. After another half month, he successfully blasted his way to the eight-thousand-zhang mark.

Standing there, he looked back at the path he had traversed, sensing its immense arduousness. Then, he looked up, perceiving the two thousand zhang ahead, and his heart filled with even greater awe for the inhabitants of the Reverse Moon Palace.

“Only two thousand zhang left. I hope that's the Reverse Moon Palace!”

In the distance, the end of the path forcefully blasted open by Xu Qing indeed connected to the Reverse Moon Palace. The Reverse Moon Palace was a separate space, astonishingly vast, containing an indescribably immense mountain. One hundred thousand ancient temples were built on this colossal mountain. Though spaced apart, from afar they appeared densely packed. Each temple was imbued with a sense of antiquity, as if the river of time had flowed there endlessly for an unknown duration.

Some of these temples shone with light, while others were pitch black. The illuminated temples seemed to house statues that radiated brilliance. Occasionally, statues would emerge from these temples, soaring through this realm and traveling between other temples. They were often enveloped in a soft glow, emanating a sacred aura. Their forms varied, and from afar, they resembled myriad gods and demons.

At the base of this colossal mountain, where temples were most numerous, half were dimly lit, and half shone brightly. Among the many brilliantly illuminated temples, there was one particular temple. It was originally unremarkable, but over the past month, it had drawn the attention of the statues in the surrounding temples because of its excessive noise.

At this moment, as Xu Qing continuously forced his way through the passage, a tremendous booming sound emanated from this ordinary temple, spreading throughout the vicinity, the noise persisting.

“It's happening again!” Immediately, three to five statues stepped out from the surrounding temples, glaring angrily at the temple from which the booming sound originated.

“Damn it, this guy never stops! What in the world is he doing?!”

“It’s been a month! If this person wants to enter, they should just enter quickly! Constantly blasting the guiding light—what are they thinking?!”

“Lunatic!”

“Definitely something wrong with his head!”

As the booming grew more intense, more statues emerged from nearby temples, each looking on helplessly.

“We’ve never seen anything like this. For us, isn’t the guiding passage something one can traverse in an instant just by stepping through? Why is this person constantly blasting their way through?”

“Is he trying to show off his combat power?”

“But what is there to show off? The Reverse Moon Palace has been without a master for many years, its artifact spirit dormant, providing only the most basic functions. To maintain continuous operation, the guiding light is set according to the cultivator’s cultivation level, allowing them to be guided in without hindrance.”

“This fellow can just take a step and walk right in. Why is he blasting and blasting as he goes, making it seem incredibly difficult?!” Amidst their discussion, the booming sound continued, growing even stronger. The nearby statues all frowned, but were helpless. They couldn't enter the temple before it was opened, so they had no choice but to return, no longer listening to the annoying booming.

Fortunately, this time it didn't last too long. After the booming echoed for another two hours, silence fell. Xu Qing was tired. He gasped for breath, looking at the remaining thousand-plus zhang, and chose to return. The moment he appeared in the back room of the medicine shop, Xu Qing's eyes gleamed with determination. “At most three or four days, I can definitely blast it open!”

Thinking that he could finally pass this third assessment, Xu Qing felt a surge of emotion; he found it incredibly challenging.

“Once inside, I must be even more cautious and vigilant. The people inside… are not to be trifled with.”

Xu Qing's expression was solemn. Before closing his eyes to meditate and recuperate, he extended his divine sense and scanned outside the medicine shop. There were several people in line.

As the medicine shop's reputation spread throughout Tucheng, business was flourishing. The faction to which the middle-aged cultivator, who had purchased detoxification pills from Xu Qing, belonged, had successfully resolved a crisis, making them increasingly respectful towards Xu Qing. Under their deterrence, many smaller factions dared not provoke the medicine shop. With their protection, the trade of pills was incredibly smooth; essentially, a hundred white pills were sold daily. Fortunately, Xu Qing had ample stock and occasionally refined more. As for herbs, in addition to his own years of accumulated reserves, he also acquired them from external sources.

Though not many were acquired this way, the middle-aged cultivator Chen Fanzhuo would occasionally visit, always polite and respectful, bringing a considerable amount of herbs. Sometimes Xu Qing was not present. After delivering the herbs, knowing it would be inconvenient to disturb, he would cup his fist towards Ling'er, then turn and depart.

This sense of propriety generally made it difficult for anyone to feel ill will towards him. Just like now, at the doorway, Chen Fanzhuo's figure appeared again. He didn't use his status or cultivation to ignore the people queuing outside; instead, he waited patiently to the side until there was an opening before entering the medicine shop.

“Uncle Chen,” Ling'er looked up, saw the middle-aged cultivator, and greeted him with a smile.

“Miss Ling'er, is the Master still refining pills?” Chen Fanzhuo asked courteously, taking out a bag full of herbs and placing it on the counter, then glancing towards the back room.

Ling'er was about to speak when she seemed to sense something. The curtain to the back room was lifted, and Xu Qing walked out. “Greetings, Master,” Chen Fanzhuo said, his expression turning solemn as he cupped his fist in greeting.

Xu Qing nodded, his gaze sweeping over Chen Fanzhuo, and his heart stirred. Last time, Chen Fanzhuo's body contained poison, which Xu Qing's detoxification pill should have cleared. However, he now saw that not only did some poison remain, but there was new poison as well. Xu Qing pondered, then raised his right hand, took out a white pill, and handed it over. “Hold it in your mouth,” he instructed, “and circulate your cultivation in reverse for a small cycle, allowing it to slowly melt.”

Chen Fanzhuo was stunned. He sensed something amiss in Xu Qing’s words, so he hesitated for a moment before placing the pill in his mouth. He then circulated his cultivation as Xu Qing requested. A moment later, the pill in his mouth completely dissolved, spreading throughout his body. Xu Qing then spoke. “Gather your cultivation to your right index finger, extract a drop of blood, and place it on this leaf.”

Xu Qing raised his hand and took out a yellow herb, placing it aside. Chen Fanzhuo didn't hesitate. He immediately pricked his index finger, and a drop of black blood oozed from the wound. Waves of a foul odor spread. Upon smelling it, Chen Fanzhuo’s expression changed dramatically. He had believed his poison was resolved, but seeing this now, it was clearly still present. Daring not to be careless, he quickly smeared the drop of blood onto the yellow herb Xu Qing had provided.

The moment the blood touched the herb, the herb emitted sizzling sounds. A wisp of green smoke rose, wriggling in mid-air, accompanied by faint, soul-piercing roars. Watching this scene, Chen Fanzhuo’s eyes narrowed. He waved his hand, adopting a protective stance, seemingly not wanting the strange entity within the green smoke to contaminate the medicine shop. Though this action was somewhat feigned, the attitude it conveyed was entirely proper.

Xu Qing glanced at him, then took out a transparent pill bottle. After shaking it, he opened it. The aura emanating from within seemed to possess a strong attraction for the wisp of green smoke. The next instant, the wisp of green smoke shot directly towards the pill bottle in Xu Qing's hand. After instantly merging inside, Xu Qing pressed the stopper down and observed it. Inside the pill bottle, the green smoke continuously wriggled and condensed in the confined space, eventually transforming into a horrifying green centipede. Its appearance was quite ferocious, and upon closer inspection, it was revealed that this large centipede was astonishingly composed of countless smaller centipedes.

“Master, what is this…?” Chen Fanzhuo was shocked and horrified, shuddering at the thought that such a bizarre entity could exist within a single drop of his own blood.

“This is the soul of an 'Yuhu' insect, a not-so-common special medicinal material. Its toxicity is ordinary; it's primarily used for tracking and locking onto targets, providing the caster with a location. However, when combined with other methods, it can be refined into a venomous Gu.” Xu Qing was somewhat pleased. He hadn't expected to find such a rare item, recorded in Master Bai's medical classic, here. He spoke with satisfaction. “You're being targeted. And judging by the agitation of this Yuhu insect soul, the person targeting you should not be far from here.” As Xu Qing spoke, the green centipede in the small bottle suddenly became agitated, slamming against the bottle. The small bottle shook violently but remained firmly within Xu Qing’s grasp.

“Indeed, the person targeting you is approaching,” Xu Qing said calmly.

Chen Fanzhuo's expression changed. He bowed solemnly to Xu Qing, then turned and walked towards the door. He knew that the Master of this medicine shop had no obligation to help him resolve his crisis. To detoxify him and provide this information was already an act of immense benevolence. If he were to be so ungracious as to force the other party into his personal vendetta, it would not align with his principles. With that thought, he quickly walked to the door. Just as he pushed open the medicine shop door and was about to step out, Xu Qing's voice echoed behind him.

“He's here.”

The moment Xu Qing's words left his lips, the sky over Tucheng became tumultuous. Large masses of fog rolled across the heavens, and faint wails and howls echoed within them. The sound was incredibly eerie. Upon hearing it, the city's residents were terrified, quickly closing their doors. Even those who were outside immediately found an empty house to hide in. In the blink of an eye, the entire small city became deserted.

At that moment, the black fog in the sky converged towards the city, eventually forming a figure on the street. As it coalesced, the figure's appearance was revealed. He was an old man dressed in a wide robe. His white hair fluttered with the fluctuations of his Nascent Soul cultivation, his eyes held a sinister chill, and a sneer played on his lips. The edges of his robe also seemed to dissipate into mist in the wind. All of this made the old man look extremely eerie.

“You dare steal my things? You're tired of living, aren't you?”

This old man was precisely the main body of the one-eyed cultivator who had previously provoked Xu Qing. Since their conflict, he had been constantly on edge, filled with panic. To avoid Xu Qing, he had to hide, only cautiously venturing out when he felt the danger had passed. Yet, he never expected that one of his former immortal caves had been stolen from. He meticulously examined the traces, concluding that the thief's cultivation should be at the Golden Core stage, and fury burned within him. As he usually had a habit of employing poison, he followed the traces until they led him here.

At this moment, using the poison guide's sensation, his first glance at Chen Fanzhuo immediately confirmed that the theft was his doing. A sinister coldness appeared in his eyes, and he was about to walk over. But at this moment, Chen Fanzhuo's position was right at the entrance of Xu Qing's medicine shop. The old man’s peripheral vision, while sweeping over Chen Fanzhuo, also instinctively glanced at the scene inside the medicine shop behind him. He saw an unsightly girl and a poker-faced young man inside.

The moment he saw the young man, the old man’s eyes suddenly constricted, his steps abruptly halted, and his body gradually began to tremble uncontrollably. His mind was overwhelmed by colossal waves of shock.

“It's him!”

“He's actually here!!”

The old man’s breathing quickened. In that instant, his mind felt as if a million heavenly thunders had exploded, continuously roaring. He wasn't exactly scared out of his wits, but he was close to it. His fear of Xu Qing had truly reached its peak; the terrifying combat power Xu Qing displayed that day left him with lingering trepidation every time he recalled it. In his judgment, the other party was an old monster whose cultivation undoubtedly surpassed what was shown. Furthermore, Xu Qing’s keen perception was another reason for the old man's terror. Coupled with the ineffectiveness of his poison, all these factors caused an endless life-or-death crisis to erupt within him at that instant. Most importantly, it was his true body that had arrived!

Just as terrified as the old man was Chen Fanzhuo. He had indeed, a while ago, spent a considerable sum to lead people in stealing from an immortal cave. The immortal cave looked as if it had been abandoned for a long time and contained many valuable items. After taking them, he was nervous, but after observing for a while, he found no one came to investigate. He then felt somewhat relieved. Later, he realized he was poisoned, which led to his visit to the medicine shop. Earlier, hearing Xu Qing inform him he was being tracked and targeted, he had already sensed trouble.

Now, seeing the true culprit with his own eyes and sensing the Nascent Soul fluctuations from the other party, plunged him into extreme panic. His body even lost the ability to escape; he could only stand there under the immense pressure, trembling, his body swaying, and he managed to speak with difficulty.

“Senior, please calm your anger. This junior knows his mistake… All the items are still here…”

But his words had no effect. The old man, whom he feared, was now equally terrified and dared not move. The minor matter of the immortal cave being stolen no longer concerned the old man at all. What he was thinking about now was how he could survive. From a distance, this scene was filled with an eerie atmosphere. Chen Fanzhuo looked at the old man in terror, and the old man looked forward in fear, neither daring to lift their feet.

The scene, for a moment, fell into silence. As long as the old man remained silent, Chen Fanzhuo’s terror intensified. And as long as Xu Qing remained silent, the old man’s fear swelled like an ocean. In this life-or-death crisis, the old man's mind raced, rapidly analyzing the situation.

“This is a medicine shop. That unsightly girl is the source of the fragrance; judging by her attire, she's clearly an attendant. This is a medicine shop opened by an old monster!”

“That Golden Core little thief is so terrified, which means he isn't the old monster's subordinate, and most likely doesn't know the old monster's cultivation level.”

“The old monster definitely doesn't want to expose himself. So why is he hiding here… because he has some mysterious plan arranged!”

“And my appearance and actions might indirectly expose this old monster's cultivation, thus affecting his mysterious arrangements. In that case, he will definitely vent his anger on me. If I turn and run, the outcome will be the same! I can’t fight, and I can’t escape…”

The old man’s heart was utterly conflicted, caught in a dilemma. His eyes turned bloodshot.

As Chen Fanzhuo’s mind trembled even more, the old man gritted his teeth fiercely, lifted his foot, and took a step forward. The expression on his face instantly shifted from solemnity to ecstasy, and he shouted excitedly.

“Benefactor, you are here too!”

Chen Fanzhuo froze in surprise.