Chapter 658: Little A Qing, I Lost a Kidney

Gray winds howled, swirling countless grains of sand that battered the airships flying between heaven and earth. Despite their defenses, the airships still produced a continuous crackling sound as the sand struck them. This sound, along with the words of the Fourth Hall Master and Master Sheng Luo, reached Xu Qing's ears. Meanwhile, the Fourth Hall Master's other subordinates on the airship also opened their eyes, recovering from their injuries, and looked towards Xu Qing.

Xu Qing looked at the Fourth Hall Master. Earlier, on the edge of the desert, when he first encountered him, a sense of familiarity had stirred within Xu Qing. This feeling wasn't due to having seen each other's statues in the Inverse Moon Palace. Each statue was unique, concealing even gender and race. Without the highest authority in the Inverse Bright Palace, it was impossible to discern these details. So, Xu Qing remained silent during the airship journey, inwardly contemplating the origin of this familiar feeling. It was only now that he found it.

The Fourth Hall Master's most distinctive characteristics were his rigid sternness—a smile seemed an extremely rare expression on his face—and the 'river' shaped lines between his brows, which further intensified this rigidity. Xu Qing had seen such an appearance before, on Kong Liangxiu, the Sword Holding Palace Master of Fenghai County. Even after several years, remembering the Palace Master still stirred emotions within him. The image of the Palace Master standing outside the forbidden formation, blocking the Saint Lan Clan's army amidst the devastation of ice and fire, remained etched forever in Xu Qing's mind.

"The place where the God of Dominance was slain was arranged by my senior brother," Xu Qing said softly. He wasn't lying; Chen Erniu was indeed involved from the beginning, and the final outcome was also attributable to him, though there had been a minor unexpected turn of events in between. As for the full truth, Xu Qing felt no need to disclose it to others. "I own a medicine shop, and I know a thing or two about alchemy," Xu Qing added, his gaze briefly resting on Master Sheng Luo before he closed his eyes and sat cross-legged. The earlier sense of familiarity had now plunged him into memories of Fenghai County.

The Fourth Hall Master's eyes held deep meaning, and he asked no further questions. As for Master Sheng Luo, he sighed inwardly, not believing Xu Qing's alchemy attainments could be very high, let alone connecting him to Dan Jiu. In his mind, anyone who, after that initial alchemy competition, could articulate the aspirations of alchemists in the Sacrifice Moon Domain must, like himself, have dedicated their pursuit of alchemy to a lifetime of study; they couldn't possibly be so young.

And so, as Xu Qing remained silent, time passed. The airships traversed the sandstorms and, a day later, reached the Bitter Life Mountain Range. Under the arrangement of Old Ancestor Mo Gui, residential rights to over a dozen mountain peaks were granted to the Fourth Hall Master, which would serve as the new home for his cultivators.

Xu Qing, having completed his mission, returned to the medicine shop. He put the chicks back in the backyard, then sat down in front of the Prince and placed an unused Spirit-Containing Jade Slip beside him.

"Duke Mingmei isn't here," the Prince said faintly, his gaze sweeping over the jade slip as he sipped his tea. "Take it. Consider it a life-saving gift."

Hearing this, Xu Qing looked at the Prince. "Senior, are you going on a long journey?"

"My third sister and I will be going out soon to unseal Old Ninth. You won't be needed for this, as we're fully confident and just waiting for the opportune moment."

Xu Qing nodded and put away the jade slip.

"Also, don't neglect your cultivation. As for Ding Yi San Er, which you inquired about last time, I can now tell you about it." The Prince's gaze deepened as he looked at Xu Qing's body.

Xu Qing's spirits lifted, and he quickly listened intently. Seeing Xu Qing's earnestness, the Prince felt a sense of ease. He had indeed put considerable thought into Ding Yi San Er. Now, he set down his teacup and spoke with a casual air.

"Your Ding Yi San Er is both a prison and destiny, and it contains a finger belonging to a deity. Although this finger isn't particularly impressive—appearing to be merely an avatar's digit of a minor deity—it was born divine, which is a rare and precious quality. However, this also complicates your Ding Yi San Er. I can discern that this finger possesses an authority: the power of misfortune. But this misfortune isn't yours. The true power of your Ding Yi San Er is the power of forgetting, born from the fusion of your own destiny and misfortune, forming this very cage!

"This combination of destiny and misfortune is quite ingenious. I've noticed traces of many human restrictions within it, and even brushstrokes from the Sword Holding Immortal Palace. If I'm not mistaken, its true prototype might be the Penal Division of the Sword Holding Immortal Palace! It was later generations who, drawing upon ancient records and adding their own innovations, ultimately shaped it."

The Prince's deep voice echoed in Xu Qing's ears. Xu Qing's body trembled, and a sense of profound respect arose within him. Xu Qing hadn't shared much with the Prince about Ding Yi San Er, yet the Prince had immediately discerned its essence. This prompted Xu Qing to stand and bow. "Please enlighten me, Senior."

The Prince smiled. "Sense the power of forgetting within it. This is a new authority... and also a research direction pursued by the Sword Holding Immortal Palace during the era of the Profound Nether Ancient Emperor. Back then, some referred to that direction as 'Conception'."

Xu Qing's mind stirred. He thought of the Grand Master Immortal Sect in Fenghai County. Li Zimei had once told him that the Grand Master Immortal Sect's cultivation methods eventually led to the path of Conception. Furthermore, the patriarch of the Sea Corpse Clan also walked this path. And the Grand Master Immortal Sect cultivator he had encountered under the Li You Pillar—their attacks, too, contained this Conception. Moreover, when Qing Qiu unleashed his ultimate move, he also exhibited a power of Conception. Xu Qing had never realized that after all this, his own Ding Yi San Er also encompassed this ability.

Noticing Xu Qing's expression, the Prince understood. "It seems you've encountered similar cultivators before, which is normal. After all, when the Profound Nether Ancient Emperor was still alive, the Sword Holding Immortal Palace invited many to participate in its research. However, your Conception of Forgetting is unique; it's a product of the fusion of sentient beings' destiny and divine misfortune. It's truly worth your diligent study. Furthermore, the Sword Holding Immortal Palace's original goal in researching Conception was to create an ability that could compel deities to submit."

Having said this, the Prince picked up his teacup, as if he had finally discovered the secret to teaching Xu Qing: anything he understood well, he would explain in meticulous detail, leaving no room for Xu Qing's own interpretation. As for what he only partially understood, he would speak in the most profound and mysterious terms, ultimately providing only a general direction, which was better suited to Xu Qing's perceptive abilities. And this direction had to be sufficiently broad; whether it could be achieved was a matter for the future.

Xu Qing took a deep breath. The Prince's words had suddenly illuminated his understanding of Ding Yi San Er and given him a clear direction. After cupping his fists, he immediately returned to the back room, sat cross-legged, and began to contemplate. Meanwhile, the Nascent Soul within Ding Yi San Er quietly opened its eyes, emitting a faint green glow. The divine finger, under its gaze, instinctively rolled over and continued to feign sleep, though its essence trembled. The other prisoners were in a similar state. Whether it was the Head or the Stone Lion, their reverence for Xu Qing had reached its peak. Since arriving in the Sacrifice Moon Domain, they had genuinely felt that Xu Qing was becoming less human and increasingly terrifying. Even the Alchemist Old Man trembled; given a hundred times his courage, he wouldn't dare utter a single challenge to Xu Qing.

Xu Qing paid little mind to these prisoners. He mentally overlapped with his Ding Yi San Er's Nascent Soul, sweeping his consciousness over them one by one. Following the Prince's insights, Xu Qing considered the divine finger as the source of misfortune and his Nascent Soul as the convergence of destiny. Therefore, the greatest manifestation of the power of forgetting, he realized, lay within these very prisoners. Ultimately, his gaze settled on the Alchemist Old Man.

The old man's face paled, sensing an ominous turn, and he quickly spoke. "My Lord, I believe our Ding Yi San Er isn't perfect yet. It lacks people... it lacks water vats and scarecrows!"

"Exactly, boss! Those two outside must be harming the common people. We are righteous; we absolutely cannot allow them such indulgence!" the Head also quickly chimed in.

Xu Qing remained expressionless. He raised his right hand and grabbed, and instantly the Alchemist Old Man flew over, landing in the hand of Xu Qing's Nascent Soul. The old man, his face full of fawning, was about to speak.

"Silence," Xu Qing transmitted a divine thought.

The old man immediately pulled out a brush, drew a line across his mouth, sealing it, then assumed a fawning expression. Xu Qing nodded, then placed his hand on the Alchemist Old Man's forehead, carefully sensing. Soon after, he grabbed the Head and the Stone Lion, perceiving them just as deeply. For more thorough research, he even decided to wave his hand and flatten all three into a pulpy mess, then stared intently, observing their resurrection.

After repeating this cycle several times, and amidst the pleas for mercy from the three prisoners and the divine finger's increasing tremors, Xu Qing concluded his research.

In the back room, Xu Qing opened his eyes, a look of enlightenment on his face. "Most of Ding Yi San Er's previous custodians died amidst misfortune, and I, too, have experienced multiple instances of forgetting. These prisoners are themselves part of the misfortune, which is why they are, to some extent, indestructible. And the reason I experienced forgetting was because I had also been tainted by misfortune at that time, and with the fusion of destiny, forgetting was generated. Using forgetting to sever karma—this is the core of Ding Yi San Er."

Xu Qing pondered. The Nascent Soul within his Ding Yi San Er flew towards the divine finger and pressed against its body. The finger was reluctant but dared not resist. The instant the Ding Yi San Er Nascent Soul touched the finger, Xu Qing's main body, sitting in the back room, felt a sudden blankness in his eyes.

This blankness lasted for a while, until he instinctively sensed fluctuations emanating from the Inverse Moon Palace. He then took out the mirror the Prince had given him and entered the highest hall. The moment he stepped inside, the Captain's small totem appeared on the grand gate, emitting a mournful wail.

"Little Ah Qing, something's wrong, truly wrong this time! Though I can't pinpoint it precisely, through the Inverse Moon Palace, I can vaguely sense the presence of all my body's flesh and blood, but one part is missing! My... my past life's body seems to be missing a kidney, and I can't sense it at all! I've tried multiple times and can't find it. This is impossible! Even if it were consumed, it would leave residual traces in the bloodline that I could sense. But now it's just... gone? Without a single trace! My kidney, what happened to my kidney...?"