Chapter 6: New Clothes

In March, despite the warming earth, there was still a chill in the air.

If one had just emerged from the forbidden zone, such cold wouldn't be particularly noticeable. However, for those who had been outside for a while, the pervasive, biting chill would still be deeply felt. Especially at night, this icy cold became even more intense.

As the cold wind blew, Xu Qing's figure didn't pause; he merely pulled his fur coat tighter around him. He still had unfinished business, so he carefully navigated through the camp in the darkness. Along the way, he saw some wild dogs that bared their teeth at him. But after meeting his gaze, as if sensing the scent of blood on him, they all fell silent and hid.

Xu Qing looked away from the dogs and continued on his way. He continued until he reached a dwelling in the central ring area, where he squatted motionless in a dark spot, gazing at a large house in the distance. An extinguished bonfire marked the spot. Xu Qing remembered that Fat Shan, who had parted ways with Ma Si, had gone to this location. So he wanted to wait and see if the man would emerge during the night.

The icy cold permeated his entire body, but Xu Qing remained motionless, as if petrified, fixed in place, waiting patiently.

Behind him, on the roof of a building, Seventh Master and his attendant had also followed and arrived. Seeing Xu Qing squatting there, Seventh Master smiled.

“As I expected,” he remarked, “this young wolf is going for the kill.”

“I'm very curious now,” Seventh Master continued, squatting down as well and watching with interest, “what this lad will do if he enters the forbidden zone next door.”

The attendant smiled, squatted next to Seventh Master, and observed Xu Qing in the distance.

As half an hour passed, Xu Qing's brow furrowed slightly. After thinking for a moment, he turned and left, following the shadows. He moved like a ghost, arriving and departing without a sound. He didn't return directly to Captain Lei's residence but instead circled the vicinity. Once he confirmed no one was following him, Xu Qing swiftly slipped into Captain Lei's courtyard and silently returned to his small cabin.

Upon entering, he took a deep breath and rubbed his hands together, as if to dispel the cold from his body with the motion. He then wiped away the bloodstains on his body before sitting cross-legged on the bed board, his eyes thoughtful.

“These scavengers often take on jobs and go out at irregular times, and Ma Si was fond of women,” he mused. “So, as long as it hasn't been too long, no one should have noticed his death, and Fat Shan likely won't be alerted because of it.”

“But to be safe, I still need to eliminate Fat Shan as soon as possible,” Xu Qing said, narrowing his eyes. Just as when he killed the maimed ox, having grown up in the slums, he couldn't tolerate any hidden dangers to his life near him. He killed Ma Si because the man had robbed and threatened him, and his plan to deal with Fat Shan was for the same reason.

After pondering, Xu Qing pulled out Ma Si's belongings from the leather pouch and inspected them carefully. They were mostly miscellaneous items. There was also a palm-sized iron block, which seemed unremarkable, appearing to be a raw material. In addition, there were over seventy spirit coins, which was already a large sum for Xu Qing.

He counted the coins carefully, then took out the white pills. Comparing his own white pills with Ma Si's, he realized that these white pills looked stale. Thus, he gave considerable credence to what the general store owner had said.

After some thought, Xu Qing took out one pill, put it to his mouth, and swallowed it, then closed his eyes to quietly observe its effects. Soon, he felt a warm current rising within him, eventually gathering at the mutation point on his left arm, bringing a comfortable sensation.

After a while, when the sensation faded, Xu Qing opened his eyes and immediately looked at his left arm. The two mutation points there had faded slightly, and the stinging sensation had lessened somewhat.

“It works,” Xu Qing said, his eyes showing joy, and took out a second pill to swallow. The same sensation continued to emerge until it dissipated again, and his stinging sensation also vanished. A sense of clarity and lightness rose throughout his body; it was very comfortable, as if his flesh and blood had been cleansed, making Xu Qing feel as though his speed and strength had increased.

He didn't continue taking the remaining white pills, but placed them inside his leather pouch, then closed his eyes and began to cultivate.

The night passed without incident.

The next morning, Xu Qing opened his eyes, got up, and went out. As soon as he pushed open the cabin door, he saw Captain Lei sitting cross-legged in the courtyard, apparently meditating. Xu Qing didn't disturb him. He gently opened the courtyard gate, carefully closed it, and then walked away.

Today's wind seemed even colder than last night's, not only making people shiver when it blew on them, but even the wild dogs were huddled in their dens, rarely venturing out. Xu Qing could see mist form with each breath, which brought back some unpleasant memories from his time in the slums. He hated the cold. For a homeless wanderer who lived on the streets, cold was a disaster, requiring a desperate struggle to survive.

So, as Xu Qing passed a clothing store in the bitter cold, his steps involuntarily paused, and he looked at the thick, clean clothes hanging inside the shop. He touched his bulging leather pouch, then turned and entered.

There were few people in the shop. Xu Qing entered and looked at the hanging clothes, examining them very carefully. At the counter, the shopkeeper glanced at Xu Qing without much interest and instructed his assistant.

“Go to the back and organize things,” he said. “Take out all those custom-made clothes that haven't been picked up for over a month and hang them up for sale.”

“But what if the people who ordered them come back?” the assistant asked, seeming new, and hesitated.

“Come back?” the shopkeeper scoffed. “People disappear from the camp every so often. Some die in the forbidden zone, some vanish without a trace. Only ghosts come back. Now hurry!” The shopkeeper waved his hand impatiently, and the assistant quickly ran to the back room.

Soon after, before Xu Qing had even finished selecting his clothes, the assistant emerged with a large pile of garments. After hanging them one by one, Xu Qing immediately spotted a dark, fur-lined leather coat. It was custom-made for someone else who would never return to claim it.

About fifteen minutes later, when Xu Qing walked out of the shop, he was wearing that dark, fur-lined leather coat. The coat was warm but not bulky, and felt much warmer on him than his previous clothes. The only issue was that because of his small build, it hung on him like an oversized coat, looking quite ill-fitting. But Xu Qing was happy. As he walked, he carefully avoided dirty areas.

Just as he was about to look for Fat Shan, he noticed a commotion coming from outside the camp. At the same time, many scavengers from within the camp walked out, their eyes filled with anticipation as they approached the direction of the noise. Xu Qing also looked up.

Gradually, bathed in sunlight, he saw a convoy of over ten carriages grandly approaching. Even the guards riding on them were dressed in exceptionally bright clothes, their complexions ruddy, and their eyes gleaming with vitality. Most also exhibited astonishing spiritual energy fluctuations. As for those inside the carriages, Xu Qing couldn't see them, but he could guess they were certainly people of very noble status.

Xu Qing had heard Captain Lei mention such convoys before. They seemed to visit the camp often, either for trade or to purchase seven-leaf grass for refining white pills. Fat Shan's figure also appeared in the crowd. Once he caught Xu Qing's attention, Xu Qing no longer paid attention to the convoy, but narrowed his eyes, stared at Fat Shan, and began to follow him.

Perhaps due to the arrival of the convoy, the entire camp was bustling all day, forming a market, and Xu Qing never found an opportunity. It wasn't until late into the night that he watched Fat Shan return to that large house. He then put away the dagger in his sleeve and turned to leave.

Although he had no chance to act that day, Xu Qing was very patient. After returning to his cabin, he meditated while wearing his new clothes, not even taking them off when he slept. It wasn't until dawn again, when he was ready to go out and look for another opportunity, that he carefully took off the fur-lined coat and put on his old tattered fur jacket. Looking at the new clothes, Xu Qing felt he had been a bit reckless yesterday.

Now wearing his tattered fur jacket, Xu Qing walked through the camp, passing through the bustling market. His gaze seemed to be observing the convoy's encampment, but he was actually searching for Fat Shan's figure.

In the distance, Seventh Master yawned, sitting on a rooftop with his attendant. His gaze swept over the convoy, then to Xu Qing, and he casually asked his attendant beside him.

“Has the invitation been sent to Master Bai?”

“Seventh Master, it has been sent,” the attendant replied, “but Master Bai said he hasn't been feeling well lately…”

“Not feeling well? He's a physician himself, he's just…” Seventh Master paused, noticing Xu Qing's clothes. “Hmm, I remember that kid was wearing new clothes yesterday. Why did he change back today?”

While Seventh Master was puzzled, Xu Qing, within the crowd, locked onto Fat Shan with his peripheral vision. And so, with Fat Shan continuously observed in Xu Qing's peripheral vision, the entire day passed.

As night fell, Fat Shan, who was originally heading back to the house, for some reason changed direction and, in the darkness, began walking towards the outer ring area. That area was relatively secluded.

“Did he spot me?” Xu Qing frowned, his eyes narrowing, and a growing coldness appearing in them. He didn't follow directly but surveyed his surroundings until he confirmed the man was going alone. Then he took a roundabout path, stealthily moving in the shadows, arriving in the outer ring before Fat Shan. Confirming there was no ambush here, the cold glint in his eyes intensified, and he hid in the shadows.

At that moment, Fat Shan also reached this area and suddenly stopped.

“Brat, I noticed someone following me yesterday. Come out. This place is secluded, perfect for disposing of your corpse. If you don't dare to come out, next time I won't be alone. Even if Captain Lei protects you, our Blood Shadow gang will still make you pay.”

Xu Qing narrowed his eyes. Since the other party had said so much, there was no need to hide anymore, so he stepped out from the shadows.

“Ma Si didn't secretly take a job and go out; you killed him, didn't you? I underestimated you,” Fat Shan sneered, looking at the emerging Xu Qing. “But it doesn't matter. I've disliked him for a long time anyway. If you hadn't killed him, I planned to kill him the next time I went out, so I should thank you. I don't care if he's dead or alive, but something from his leather pouch should be with you, right?”

Fat Shan looked at the pouch on Xu Qing's waist, greed in his eyes. Without waiting for Xu Qing to reply, his body swayed, and his plump, round body burst forth with a speed exceeding that of a second-level Condensation cultivator. The spiritual energy fluctuations on his body had also significantly strengthened at this moment, even forming a layer of spell-induced airflow around him, which stirred the cold wind. He became like a ball of ice, crashing towards Xu Qing.

He was not at the second level of Condensation; his spiritual energy fluctuations had already reached the third level. It was precisely for this reason, and because he coveted something in Ma Si's leather pouch, that he came out alone.

Xu Qing narrowed his eyes. This was his first direct confrontation with a cultivator, especially since the airflow around his opponent's body was clearly spiritual energy, but he trusted his own strength and speed. So, the moment his opponent arrived, Xu Qing suddenly charged out, his full-power burst of speed leaving faint afterimages of his figure. In the blink of an eye, he dodged Fat Shan's body. While Fat Shan was clearly stunned, Xu Qing was already behind him. His right hand, also bursting with full power, launched a punch.

This was Xu Qing's first time using his full combat power. The punch generated loud cracking sounds and landed with a thud on Fat Shan's back. Fat Shan's entire body trembled violently, the barrier of airflow around him shattered inch by inch, his internal organs churned, and as he vomited blood with a gush, Xu Qing's eyes gleamed with intense killing intent. As his right hand rose, the iron skewer appeared. His body flashed past Fat Shan's staggering, retreating form in an instant, the iron skewer poised to pierce Fat Shan's head.

But the next instant, Xu Qing's expression changed slightly, and he rapidly retreated. Just as he retreated, a malicious glint appeared in Fat Shan's eyes. Two black lines suddenly shot out from his ears, one after another, with sharp whistling sounds, darting straight for Xu Qing's face. The two black lines were black winged centipedes, extremely fast. As they were about to reach him, the dagger Xu Qing drew with his left hand swiftly cut them down, one by one. The last one, when cut, was less than seven inches from Xu Qing's eye.

This dangerous moment intensified the killing intent in Xu Qing's eyes. He charged forward again.

Taking advantage of Xu Qing's previous retreat, the turmoil in Fat Shan's internal organs had somewhat recovered. Now, his plump body rapidly retreated, and he raised both hands to form a hand seal. His face instantly flushed red as he directly spewed a mouthful of poisonous mist towards the charging Xu Qing. The mist billowed, covering a large area, and rapidly enveloped Xu Qing. Wherever it passed, a sizzling sound came from the ground, indicating its potent toxicity.

After doing this, Fat Shan's face was pale, his belly even shrinking a bit. He retreated again, his eyes showing both ferocity and trepidation. Xu Qing's formidable strength was beyond his expectations. He hadn't expected that with his third-level Condensation cultivation and his poison attacks, he would almost be instantly killed by his opponent's single strike. This poisonous mist was already his trump card technique. If it still couldn't defeat his opponent, he would have to shout to make the other party wary. But if he shouted, he feared it would be difficult to obtain Ma Si's item. He actually still had a forbidden item he hadn't used. This item had extreme side effects, but he still took it out; it was an amber.

While he hesitated, he looked at the area where Xu Qing was enveloped by the mist. But the moment he looked, the mist violently swirled away in all directions, and Xu Qing's figure burst out instantly. The speed made Fat Shan's eyes blur and his heart sank. His right hand was about to crush the amber, and he was about to shout, but it was too late.

A dark iron skewer, with incredible sharpness, arrived instantly, breaking through all resistance, and instantly pierced through his head. Blood splattered, landing on Xu Qing, who stood beside him. Fat Shan's body stiffened. He tried to turn his head but couldn't. His corpse slowly toppled, motionless.

Without looking at Fat Shan's corpse, Xu Qing, panting, vigilantly observed his surroundings. The area was secluded. Once he confirmed he hadn't drawn attention, he quickly approached Fat Shan's corpse and took the man's leather pouch. He was about to use his venomous fangs to inflict the poison, but Xu Qing noticed Fat Shan's right hand seemed to be clutching something. So he pried open the man's fingers and saw a piece of amber, mostly shattered. The item seemed ordinary, nothing remarkable about it, except that it contained a scorpion's tail sealed within.

Xu Qing carefully took it, then processed the corpse as he had done before. After the body turned to blood, he swiftly departed. As he walked, he wiped away the bloodstains on his body, disappearing into the night.

Seventh Master and his attendant now emerged from the darkness. Looking at the spot where Xu Qing disappeared, Seventh Master seemed not to care much about the recent fight between Xu Qing and Fat Shan. Instead, after pondering for a moment, he revealed an expression of sudden realization.

“I get it now,” he exclaimed. “That kid isn't wearing his new clothes because he's afraid of getting blood on them. He's been poor for too long and feels bad about his clothes.”

The attendant beside him also breathed a sigh of relief. All day long, Seventh Master had been pondering why that kid wasn't wearing his new clothes. Now that he finally had an answer, he wouldn't have to try and figure out the reason every time he heard about it.