Chapter 603: Revisiting the Reverse Moon Palace

Early the next morning, Xu Qing opened his eyes. Ling'er had been by his side, taking care of him. Seeing Xu Qing awake, she quickly came closer, her small face filled with worry.

“Brother Xu Qing...”

“I’m fine,” Xu Qing smiled, raised a hand, and patted Ling'er’s head. He then assessed his own injuries.

His physical injuries had mostly recovered under the power of the purple crystal, but a sense of weakness still lingered.

This was mainly due to the backlash from the Azure Dragon's self-detonation, which affected his soul.

However, the remaining head of the Azure Dragon contained more Heavenly Mandate power than before, and at a different level. Thus, as it recovered, this was a form of improvement for Xu Qing.

Xu Qing could feel that once this feeling of weakness subsided, his soul would be more resilient and powerful than before.

“In about twenty days, I should be fully recovered. By then, my combat power will also have increased significantly. If I encounter Yang Dao again, I can face him more calmly,” he thought.

Xu Qing took a deep breath and sat up. At that moment, the Captain appeared at the doorway, eating a peach, glanced at Xu Qing, and smiled.

“You went out and came back a bit different,” the Captain remarked. “Your gaze is sharper than before.”

Saying this, the Captain tossed Xu Qing an apple.

Xu Qing caught it, took a bite, and walked out of the back room into the pharmacy.

Ning Yan was wiping the floor, sighing as he worked. Seeing Xu Qing, he forced a smile.

You Jing was fretfully boiling water. He could clearly use his cultivation to speed it up, but apparently, this wasn't allowed, so he could only squat there, staring at the brazier and iron kettle before him.

As for Li Youfei, he was currently enthusiastically introducing medicinal pills to a trembling Qi Condensation cultivator.

And Wu Jianwu, still at the doorway, accustomed to his role, was currently wearing coarse linen clothes and reciting poetry with his head held high.

The old grandfather was also there, sitting behind the pharmacy counter, twirling beads in his hand, and smiling as he watched everything unfold. On his shoulder was a featherless parrot, filled with indignation.

“Grandpa, I suspect Chen Erniu did it...”

The parrot drooped its head, and after its gaze swept over Xu Qing and the Captain, it immediately glared at the Captain and complained to the grandfather.

The Captain chuckled, not bothered. He walked to the doorway, drew a sword, crossed his arms over his chest, and raised his chin, guarding the pharmacy.

A warmth rose in Xu Qing’s heart. Everything was just as he had left it. In this small pharmacy, the comforting atmosphere made his heart feel even more peaceful.

At this moment, You Jing finally had the water boiling. He quickly picked up the kettle and brought it to the old grandfather, preparing tea for him.

The old grandfather picked up the teacup, took a sip, and nodded slightly. Then his gaze fell on Xu Qing.

“In twenty days, your training will continue.”

Xu Qing respectfully assented, and a sense of anticipation grew within him. He could foresee that every such training session would be dangerous, but if he persevered and gained insights, the improvement to himself would be immense.

Thus, time flowed by, and several days passed.

Xu Qing’s injuries were still slowly recovering, but he could already feel the difference in his soul power. This brought a noticeable change in the speed at which he processed thoughts.

What used to require deep contemplation could now be understood with just a brief thought. This allowed Xu Qing, during his recovery, to resume and delve deeper into his research on curses.

Li Youfei, therefore, was also about to get busy.

Finally, ten days later, Xu Qing, leveraging his increased soul power and previous research findings, used Li Youfei’s blood as a guide, the remaining chaotic growth flesh as a base, and infused his own Purple Moon power to improve the Difficulty-Dispelling Pill.

This improvement was different from before. Under Xu Qing’s long-accumulated efforts, he finally managed to increase the amount by which the curse was reduced.

Previous Difficulty-Dispelling Pills could also do this, but they only reduced it by one ten-thousandth, which was negligible.

Now, however, if a person’s internal curse amount was quantified as one hundred, consuming the improved pill would reduce it to ninety-nine.

The curse-dispelling effect it brought about was therefore even more astonishing.

At the same time, Xu Qing could foresee that once this batch of Difficulty-Dispelling Pills was sold, people would definitely notice its true effect.

“It’s a pity the amount of curse reduced is still too small,” he mused. “But my direction is correct. If I continue like this, I should be able to gradually increase the medicinal effect until I can produce a pill that can truly resolve curses.”

After pondering, Xu Qing headed to the Reverse Moon Palace.

It had been several months since he last stepped into the Reverse Moon Palace.

This time, Xu Qing was not alone.

These past few days, Ling'er had been worried about Xu Qing’s injuries, so she hadn’t gone to do her accounting. Instead, she had stayed by Xu Qing’s side the entire time. She was also curious about the Reverse Moon Palace, so Xu Qing brought Ling'er with him on this visit.

Inside the Reverse Moon Palace, within Xu Qing’s temple, seven or eight outer temple statues were currently meditating.

These were either his neighbors or fanatics, and every single one of them had purchased Xu Qing’s Difficulty-Dispelling Pills.

So even though the Master hadn’t returned for months, their inner devotion compelled them to come here daily. It was as if meditating here could invisibly suppress the curses for them.

Especially the bare-chested brawny man among them, as a cultivator who had fully listened to the Daoist voice, he had successfully built a new persona for himself. On ordinary days, he referred to himself as a follower of the Master.

Furthermore, he held great disdain for any external comments evaluating the Master. At this moment, with a solemn expression, he calmly spoke to the other followers around him.

“Although the Master has not returned during this period,” he said, “we, as followers and past beneficiaries, must firmly hold our faith and not blindly listen to external temple rumors.”

“And I firmly believe that on the day the Master returns, he will certainly bring an even greater curse-dispelling storm to the Reverse Moon Palace!”

The brawny man’s voice echoed, and the other followers around him nodded solemnly. However, one female immortal statue hesitated, then spoke in a low voice.

“While many cultivators skilled in medicine have criticized the Master, it's actually insignificant,” she said. “However, recently, Master Sheng Luo has also raised many doubts...”

At the woman’s words, the others fell silent.

The name Sheng Luo carried significant weight in the hearts of the cultivators in the Reverse Moon Palace.

This was because this master was the one who sold the most Difficulty-Dispelling Pills in the Reverse Moon Palace. Some even analyzed that at least thirty percent of the Difficulty-Dispelling Pills in the Reverse Moon Palace came from this master.

Therefore, his doubts carried a different meaning.

But just then, the offering platform vibrated.

This tremor made all the meditating statues in the temple freeze for a moment, their minds stirring, and they sharply turned their gazes to the offering platform.

On the offering platform, the statue of the old man carrying a gourd, whose eyes had not opened for a long time, suddenly opened.

“Master!”

“Master Dan Jiu!”

The minds of these seven or eight statues were intensely shaken. They instantly stood up and bowed towards Xu Qing, especially the neighbor, who was extremely excited.

“Master, you old man, you’ve finally returned!”

Xu Qing was startled, but didn’t act rashly. He stood on the offering platform, his gaze falling on those bowing to him below, and slowly spoke.

“Who are you all?”

“Master, we are all people who have received your grace,” the neighbor brawny man respectfully said. “Over these past few months, we have voluntarily guarded this place, one after another, hoping to follow in your footsteps and become your followers!”

Outside, green smoke billowed from the bronze cauldron, spiraling upwards, presenting a scene of flourishing incense.

Further away, dozens of statues could vaguely be seen, meditating at various distances.

But it was still worth a try. If it truly pleased the Master, then this status as a follower would be immensely significant to them.

With this thought in mind, the few of them cautiously observed Xu Qing for over ten breaths. Xu Qing remained expressionless and unmoved, standing on the offering platform and looking down. After his gaze swept over these statues, he spoke calmly.

He thought for a moment, just about to take out the new pill he had concocted, when Ling'er’s pouting voice suddenly echoed in Xu Qing’s mind.

“Brother Xu Qing, if you have new pills,” Ling’er whispered, “why don't we use their mouths to create some buzz beforehand? Set a date and announce that the pills will be released.”

“That way, during this process, there will definitely be some voices of doubt. Then, when you bring out the pills, Brother Xu Qing, those doubters will humiliate themselves!”

“In ten days, I will release an improved Difficulty-Dispelling Pill,” Xu Qing announced. “This pill is vastly different from previous Difficulty-Dispelling Pills and is named the Curse-Dispelling Pill.”

“You all should spread this news to the outside world during these ten days. After its release in ten days, I will give one to each of you.”

After he left, the statues in the temple gasped repeatedly, looked at each other, and noticed the astonishment in each other’s eyes.

“The medicinal effect is vastly different from before?”

“It’s not called Difficulty-Dispelling Pill, but Curse-Dispelling Pill?”

“That name...”

All seven or eight statues were moved. From the name, they discerned implications they dared not believe.

“A pill to dispel curses?” Even the neighbor brawny man, no matter how fervent his devotion to Xu Qing, now held his breath, and a feeling of disbelief rose in his heart.

What if it’s true? After a long pause, one of the statues suddenly spoke.

As his words came out, the breathing of the other statues immediately quickened.

“If it’s true... then from now on,” the statue said, “in this Reverse Moon Palace, Master Dan Jiu, whom we follow, will become a true deity!”

The neighbor brawny man’s heart churned violently, and he muttered to himself.

“Brother Shen!”

“Hm!”

Shen Changqing walked along the road. Whenever he encountered acquaintances, they would greet each other or nod.

But no matter who it was, everyone’s face showed no superfluous emotion, as if they were indifferent to everything.

To this, Shen Changqing had grown accustomed.

Because this was the Demon Suppressing Department, an organization dedicated to maintaining the stability of Great Qin. Its primary duty was to slay demons and monsters, though it also had other sideline activities.

It could be said that everyone in the Demon Suppressing Department had much blood on their hands.

When a person became accustomed to life and death, they would grow indifferent to many things.

When he first arrived in this world, Shen Changqing was somewhat unaccustomed to it, but gradually, he got used to it.

The Demon Suppressing Department was vast.

Those who could remain in the Demon Suppressing Department were either formidable experts or individuals with the potential to become experts.

Shen Changqing belonged to the latter category.

Within the Demon Suppressing Department, there were two main professions: Guardians and Demon Slayers.

Anyone entering the Demon Suppressing Department started as a Demon Slayer at the lowest level.

Then, they would gradually advance, with the hope of eventually becoming a Guardian.

Shen Changqing’s previous self was an apprentice Demon Slayer in the Demon Suppressing Department, and also the lowest rank among Demon Slayers.

Possessing the memories of his predecessor, he was also very familiar with the environment of the Demon Suppressing Department.

It didn’t take long for Shen Changqing to stop in front of a pavilion.

Unlike other places in the Demon Suppressing Department, which were filled with grimness, this pavilion stood out like a crane among chickens. Amidst the blood-soaked Demon Suppressing Department, it exuded a unique tranquility.

At this moment, the pavilion's main gate was open, and people occasionally entered and exited.

Shen Changqing hesitated for only a moment before stepping inside.

Upon entering the pavilion, the atmosphere suddenly changed.

A scent of ink mixed with a faint smell of blood assailed him, making him instinctively frown, but then quickly relax.

The scent of blood on everyone in the Demon Suppressing Department was almost impossible to wash away.