Chapter 92: Strange Inn

The night was black, the wind picked up, and the moonlight seemed to chill.

The thick, unyielding darkness seemed like a hand of death, wielding the pen of the Book of Life and Death, had smeared everything with ink-like gloom. Consequently, the somber night painted a picture of death.

A world of gray and black.

Only the drops of bright red blood, falling from the neck wound of the wanted criminal nailed to the wall, provided the most shocking color in this world of gray and black.

Until, amid the echo of slow footsteps, a gray figure slowly entered the scene, eclipsing the vivid blood and becoming the most profound chill outside the Banquan Road inn.

This chill seemed to momentarily freeze the dripping blood, and caused the old man at the inn's entrance to narrow his eyes intensely, staring at the approaching figure.

Black hair cascaded over his shoulders. His slender, upright figure, combined with an indifferent gaze and chiseled features, resembled a blade slowly emerging from its sheath.

It was Xu Qing.

He appeared calm. Under the Banquan Road old man's watchful gaze, he walked step by step to the corpse. He removed the leather pouch, then expressionlessly drew his dagger. With a swift cut, the head flew off and was caught by him. As the body fell, he gave it a slight kick with his right foot.

The corpse immediately landed at the old man's feet.

The old man's expression darkened. A whooshing sound came from behind him as the great snake's head stretched out. The moment it saw Xu Qing, its eyes visibly lit up.

“Gurgle, gurgle.”

“Here, for you,” Xu Qing said indifferently, glancing at the great snake.

The great snake was delighted, swallowing it in one gulp before nodding at Xu Qing.

“Xu Qing, don't push your luck!” The Banquan Road old man glared intently at Xu Qing, his voice chilling.

Xu Qing looked back at the old man. With a swift flick of his right hand, the dagger in his grip shot forward, cutting through the wind with a whistling, piercing sound. It was so fast it replaced any potential scream, embedding itself directly into the forehead of another wanted criminal who was rushing towards them.

The immense force shattered the man's skull, spilling red and white. The impact sent his body reeling back several meters before he hit the ground with a heavy thud.

This scene made the old man's brow twitch. He sensed that Xu Qing, standing before him, seemed even more formidable than he had been on Sea Lizard Island, and a wave of worry immediately washed over him.

“What exactly do you want?!” the old man bellowed, glaring at Xu Qing, veins bulging on his face. A sense of danger emanated from him, and ropes materialized from thin air, descending around them.

However, the instant they appeared, a scorching energy erupted from Xu Qing, unleashing a wave of intense heat that swept outwards. The ropes immediately warped and recoiled, unwilling to approach.

Just then, a shrill scream suddenly pierced the air from nearby.

It was the third wanted criminal to arrive; merely by approaching, his body had turned black and blue, a victim of poisoning.

Xu Qing paid no mind to the deceased criminal. His gaze was fixed on the old man's neck, inwardly assessing if he could strike him down, and his aura grew increasingly chilling.

The old man, staring at Xu Qing, felt a pang of frustration. He understood Xu Qing's objective, but parting with several thousand spirit stones was truly agonizing. That's why he had tried to argue, intending to use the excuse that he had already given Xu Qing a pouch of items to avoid the payment.

But Xu Qing remained silent, making the old man realize that speaking would be futile. Especially with the palpable killing intent emanating from Xu Qing, the old man's heart sank, and a potent sense of life-or-death peril surged through him.

“Xu Qing, don't be rash! I have a trump card! This inn is my trump card; it only appears to be an inn, but in reality, it's an anomaly. It's currently dormant, but if it awakens, the First Peak of Seven Blood Eyes will immediately come to suppress it, and then you'll be finished!”

The old man spoke at a frantic pace, and as he finished, the entire inn violently shuddered. A terrifying ripple of energy emanated from every table, chair, and tile, as if, in that very moment, the inn had transformed into an anomaly, on the verge of awakening.

Xu Qing's eyes narrowed. The sense of imminent danger was overwhelmingly strong, and he instinctively recoiled several steps.

As for the great snake, it remained sprawled in the distance throughout, observing with curiosity. It didn't help either party, seemingly believing they wouldn't truly fight and that no life-or-death peril would arise. While aware of the inn's transformation, its expression seemed to convey a sense of familiarity, and it rubbed its head on the ground, as if greeting the inn.

However, after noticing Xu Qing glance at it, it immediately let out gurgling sounds and continuously nodded, seemingly trying to tell Xu Qing that the old man was telling the truth.

“Xu Qing, I am not human, and this inn is not merely an inn; it is an anomaly. My people possess an ability to make anomalies dormant.”

“That's why, many years ago, I brought it here in its dormant state to Seven Blood Eyes, intending to sell it to the First Peak. However, the First Peak didn't pay me immediately; instead, they required me to guard this anomaly for ten years before payment. I had no choice but to agree, as they promised a considerable sum. But I'm also poor, and I need to cultivate!”

“Furthermore, Huang Yan and I are good friends. I once saved Zhang San's life, and the captain of the Sixth Squad is my sworn brother. Xu Qing, please don't be impulsive; we could become good friends. The wanted criminal clues I provided you earlier were genuine; I had no intention of harming you.”

Xu Qing's expression remained grim as he watched the old man rapidly explaining himself, then he looked at the inn. In the dim night, the inn, to him, seemed to transform into a gaping, menacing maw, capable of devouring everything.

He knew the old man was not simple and certainly possessed means of self-preservation, which was why he had held back previously. However, he had never imagined that the inn itself was the old man's ultimate trump card!

As for the old man's claims, like selling the inn to the First Peak, Xu Qing found them unbelievable.

However, the sense of danger he'd just felt was very real. Xu Qing judged that risking a fight for this was not worth it.

Being naturally cautious, he decided not to act. Instead, he planned to observe the situation for a longer period. He glanced at the old man, his killing intent receding, and spoke calmly.

“Give me the spirit stones!”

Sensing Xu Qing's killing intent subside, the old man swiftly pulled three spirit notes from his robes, totaling three thousand. With a flick of his wrist, the notes flew towards Xu Qing. After catching and examining them, Xu Qing severed the wanted criminal's head, held it in his hand, and without a moment's hesitation, turned and departed.

From beginning to end, he had only spoken two sentences.

Watching Xu Qing's retreating figure, the great snake quickly poked its head out and began gurgling, its sounds seemingly filled with a hint of cheerfulness.

“Stop gurgling, you ungrateful snake! All our spirit stones are gone, and not only are you not upset, but you're siding with him! He was truly going to kill me just now; this inn nearly awoke!” The old man said, distraught, quickly pulling out an antidote pill and swallowing it.

“Gurgle!”

“You actually said I deserved it…” The old man was even more enraged upon hearing this. He flicked his sleeve, sat down, and furiously puffed on his pipe, his heart still trembling from the killing intent he had felt moments before.

“That boy's malevolence has intensified. I wonder what happened on Sea Lizard Island? I should investigate!”

Under the cover of night, Xu Qing walked silently, the earlier scene at the inn replaying in his mind. The peculiarities of this world made it impossible for him to ascertain the truth of what the old man had said, yet the dangerous aura emanating from the inn felt undeniably real.

After walking a considerable distance, Xu Qing looked back towards Banquan Road in the distance. After a moment, he withdrew his gaze, completely sheathing his killing intent.

Since his dharma vessel was not yet fully upgraded, Xu Qing decided to go to the Criminal Capture Bureau. He intended both to report his return from leave and to stay the night there. Inside the bureau, he saw the captain, who had just finished his duties and was about to leave.

The captain was eating an apple as he walked out. Upon seeing Xu Qing and the three heads he carried, he squinted and smiled, then tossed an apple to him.

“So diligent, catching people the moment you return? Was your harvest not bountiful this time?”

Xu Qing caught the apple, then produced a spirit note worth a hundred spirit stones and handed it over.

“The harvest was acceptable.”

“I heard that there's an island near the West Coral Archipelago where many people died. You wouldn't have gone there, would you?” The captain took the spirit note, looking very pleased. He then squatted on a nearby stone chair, asking with an interested expression.

Xu Qing glanced at the captain and shook his head.

The captain continued eating his apple, smiled, and dropped the topic. Instead, he spoke in a low, mysterious tone.

“Let me tell you something monumental,” he whispered. “After you left, a major case occurred here, sparking widespread discussion among many disciples in the city. It was truly tragic, a horrific death.”

At this point, the captain looked at Xu Qing, seemingly waiting for him to inquire.

Xu Qing also looked at the captain, but remained silent.

After a long pause, the captain sighed.

“Xu Qing, when someone speaks to you in such a tone, you should at least feign a little curiosity. That way, they won't feel awkward and can continue speaking. It's polite.”

Xu Qing seemed to ponder this, then forced a curious expression onto his face.

Only then did the captain relax. After glancing around, he whispered.

“The captain of the Earth Department's Third Squad, that 'fish,' was killed.”

“The Criminal Capture Bureau is investigating this, but since he was from an external race, it's mostly a formality. However, he did have guardians, especially his two sisters, who are frantically searching for the killer…”

“This world is truly chaotic. How could the young master of an ally just die like that? This is a significant event, isn't it? Well, I won't say more, Junior Brother Xu; I'm off on night patrol.”

Having said this, the captain stood up, brushed off his clothes, and hopped off the stone chair, heading outside. But as he passed Xu Qing, he spoke softly.

“The Merman race and Seven Blood Eyes are allies, so they're permitted to conduct their search. I've heard... the Merman race possesses a technique that allows the two sisters to sense the killer's whereabouts. They've been searching for over a month, investigating everyone connected to that 'fish.' They should be close to finding him now, shouldn't they?”

“Everyone is watching; it's quite an interesting situation.” The captain gave Xu Qing a knowing, half-smile glance, said nothing more, and left the Criminal Capture Bureau.

Xu Qing stood still, deep in thought.

After a while, a cold glint flickered in his eyes. He turned to submit the three wanted criminals' heads, claimed his reward, and then spent the night meditating within the Criminal Capture Bureau.

The following morning, Xu Qing left the Criminal Capture Bureau and walked through the streets as usual. As he passed a candied hawthorn stall, he bought a skewer, took a few bites, and then entered an alley, where he stopped.

Soon, a woman swiftly approached from behind him and knelt before Xu Qing.

“Master.”

The woman, with her graceful and alluring figure, was his former informant. Xu Qing hadn't summoned her since he no longer required her services for clues.

“Have there been any major events recently?” Xu Qing turned, calmly regarding the woman before him as he continued to eat his candied hawthorn.

Upon seeing Xu Qing's candied hawthorn, the woman's heart fluttered, but her eyes quickly regained their fervent intensity.

“There are two main topics of discussion recently,” she began. “First, the triennial grand competition for Seventh Peak disciples is approaching. Every time, it's a bloody affair. Reportedly, the last competition took place on the Merman tribe's island, where blood flowed like rivers, and they subsequently became allies of Seven Blood Eyes.”

“The second matter also concerns the Merman tribe: their young master died, and his two sisters have been searching within the port for over a month…”

Much of the information circulating within the port was best known by individuals from various walks of life. After becoming Xu Qing's informant, the woman clearly prioritized intelligence gathering, and what she shared now greatly satisfied Xu Qing. He considered it for a moment, then asked,

“Anything else?”

The informant pondered for a moment, then added,

“There aren't any other major developments. Oh, right, some time ago, a minor sect relocated beyond the Seven Blood Eyes' territory. That's quite unusual. I believe it was called the Jin-something sect.”

“The Vajra Sect?” Xu Qing's eyes narrowed as he spoke slowly.

“Yes, that's the one. The Vajra Sect.” The informant nodded.

Xu Qing mused, then, after a moment, handed her five spirit stones and turned to leave.

For the woman, five spirit stones were a considerable sum. Her breathing quickened, and as she watched Xu Qing's retreating back, her expression became even more fervent.

After leaving the alley, Xu Qing walked through the streets, his mind occupied with the Vajra Sect's relocation.

“Gone?” Xu Qing narrowed his eyes, then thought of the Merman situation. From both the captain and his informant, he had verified the truth of the matter, and now, a subtle killing intent began to surface within him.

“Both of these matters are potential hidden dangers.”

Xu Qing murmured to himself, but his expression betrayed no hint of his true intentions. He calmly finished his day's duties, during which he also visited the Sea Records Hall to report on the giant dragon carriage.

According to the Sea Records Hall's regulations, reporting unrecorded information, if verified as true, would result in a reward. However, verification required time, so Xu Qing left after making his report and arrived at Zhang San's Transport Division at dusk.

There, he found Zhang San, whose exhaustion was mixed with a hint of madness.

“Junior Brother Xu, your dharma vessel this time is the most satisfying work I, Zhang San, have ever produced!” Zhang San led Xu Qing to the warehouse and flung the doors open.

As the doors swung open, a stunning dharma vessel immediately came into Xu Qing's view.

Its hundred-meter hull was covered in sea lizard hide, radiating a dark, flowing light. An aura of complete Qi Condensation emanated from it, and its formidable defenses were clearly visible.

While its original structure remained unchanged, two enormous, curved horns now extended from both sides of the hull. They looked utterly ferocious, and the sharp, piercing aura they exuded made even Xu Qing's eyes narrow in appreciation.

Even more astonishingly, the previous eight sails were now more than double their original size, their structure modified, and their color jet black, resembling the wings of a fierce beast.

What's more, the interior of the hull was surprisingly covered in Foundation Establishment sea lizard hide. This made the dharma vessel's durability far exceed its outward appearance, creating a deceptive quality that could be decisive in moments of life and death.

“As for the divine essence,” Zhang San continued, “I have extracted it for you and fused it into the eight sails of your dharma vessel. Once activated, your dharma vessel will gain the power of flight and deep-sea diving.”

“Most importantly, I have connected the divine essence to your entire hull. Leveraging its vitality, your dharma vessel now possesses a degree of self-healing ability. This is an exceedingly rare and valuable attribute among all dharma vessels in Seven Blood Eyes!”

“Furthermore, this divine essence can also be unleashed as a devastating strike. Its power is immense; it's hard to say if even a Foundation Establishment cultivator could withstand it, but they would likely suffer severe injuries even if they did. However, I don't recommend using it this way, as it's too wasteful. After a few uses, the divine essence will be completely depleted, and without it, your vessel's performance will significantly diminish.”

“In essence, while your dharma vessel hasn't fully ascended to the Foundation Establishment tier, it stands on par with, if not surpasses, typical Foundation Establishment vessels. All you need to do is install a Foundation Establishment core, and it will become a true, extraordinary Foundation Establishment vessel!”

“Therefore, do not carelessly insert just any Foundation Establishment core. If you are to use one, ensure it's the heart of the finest fierce beast. If you could somehow acquire the heart of a divine creature… then your dharma vessel would be virtually indistinguishable from a Foundation Establishment divine being!”

“However, I know you prefer to be discreet, so I've equipped it with a concealing illusion. Your vessel will appear as it did before, but you can reveal its true form whenever you wish!” Zhang San explained, his face alight with fervent enthusiasm as he gazed at the dharma vessel.

Xu Qing, too, drew a sharp breath, gazing at the colossal vessel before him, his mind filled with profound shock.

A long while later, as he left the Transport Division and returned to Port 79, Xu Qing's emotions were still stirred.

Meanwhile, in the main city of Seven Blood Eyes, five figures—two in front and three behind—were speeding through the night.

The three figures at the back appeared to be attendants, while the two in front were women. Their eyes gleamed with a sharp intensity. These two were none other than the merman youth's sisters, and also the third senior brother's concubines.

The younger sister's expression was laced with intense killing intent, while the elder sister's eyes held a peculiar glint. Their individual desires differed, yet their ultimate goal remained the same.

“We've been searching for over a month, investigating and eliminating every individual who had any friction with our brother,” the younger sister said. “Only this person hasn't been investigated because he was at sea!”

“No matter,” the elder sister replied. “A close look will be enough for us to determine through bloodline if this individual is the killer!”

“If it truly is him,” the younger sister vowed, gritting her teeth, her eyes blazing with intense malice, “I will flay him alive, condemning him to unimaginable suffering in this world. I will devour his flesh daily, ensure his wretched death, then extract his soul and burn it within a merman lamp for all eternity!”

As night fell and the wind began to stir, it seemed as though an Asura sought to claim lives!