Chapter 30: Gazing at the Flying Wild Geese

Every one of these black-robed figures was tall, their black robes covering their entire bodies and wrapping around their heads, making it impossible to see their specific features.

Yet, the coldness revealed in the gazes that occasionally peeked out from within the robes caused the scavengers and outlaws watching from the surroundings to tremble in their hearts.

The eyes of these black-robed figures carried an indifference toward life, lacking the slightest color of humanity, as if they were merely machines used for slaughter.

Even as they stood there, the heat of the sixth month was invisibly dispersed, leaving the area outside the grocery store in a cold chill.

As for their identities, Xu Qing had already learned them from the whispered discussions of the surrounding scavengers the moment they arrived.

"It's the Law Enforcement Team of the Departure Sect!"

"The Departure Sect... that's a group of lunatics. They rarely appear in scavenger camps; why have they come here this time?"

"I heard they are looking for someone; they have already searched every city and scavenger camp in this region."

The surrounding voices fell into Xu Qing's ears; he narrowed his eyes slowly, and with a flip of his hand, an iron skewer appeared. He looked coldly toward the grocery store, and just as he looked over, three people walked out of the store.

The two in front were one tall and one short.

The tall one had an upright posture, like a drawn, blood-stained sword.

His attire was the exact opposite of the Departure Sect Law Enforcement Team outside; his robes were blood-colored, and the sun pattern on them was black. At this moment, his head was uncovered, revealing a head of black hair and a sharp-featured face.

That was a young man.

The moment he stepped out, all the black-robed Departure Sect Law Enforcement members outside moved in unison, all lowering their heads and kneeling on one knee.

Watching this scene, Xu Qing’s eyes tightened; the aura radiating from the other party gave him the feeling of encountering a powerful ferocious beast deep in the jungle.

As for the short one beside this young man, it was the little girl.

At this moment, an unprecedentedly happy smile appeared on her face as she gripped the young man's hand tightly.

Judging by their ages, it seemed the other party was her brother, and the coldness on the young man’s body became incomparably gentle when he looked down at the little girl, though the sorrow in his eyes that could not be melted remained very obvious.

It was as if he were mourning the loved ones lost during the catastrophe.

Behind them was the owner of the grocery store, who followed carefully with a fawning expression, speaking in a low voice.

Watching all this, Xu Qing silently put away the iron skewer and touched the small stone in his leather pouch, feeling somewhat hesitant.

At the same time, the little girl who had walked out of the shop also saw Xu Qing in the crowd.

She hurriedly said a few words to the young man beside her, and then, as the young man’s scrutinizing gaze converged on Xu Qing, the little girl let go of his hand and ran toward Xu Qing.

The scavengers around Xu Qing instinctively backed away, allowing the little girl to run successfully to Xu Qing’s front to bid him farewell.

"My brother has come to pick me up! Brother Kid, do you want to leave with me?"

In this farewell, the little girl looked at Xu Qing with some expectation.

Xu Qing shook his head.

Upon receiving the answer, the little girl’s mood became somewhat dejected; she glanced at Xu Qing, then revealed a smile on her face once more.

"It’s okay, when I grow up, we can still meet. Brother Kid, I said I would repay you for saving my life; I will definitely be able to do it."

"I’m going to go with my brother now. My brother is so good to me; whatever I want, he will give it to me. Do you have a brother too?"

The little girl had much to say, and just as she was speaking, the young man outside the grocery store called out to her.

"I have to go, Brother Kid."

The little girl looked at Xu Qing; in the two-plus months she had been in the camp, the only person she was familiar with was the one before her, and she felt some reluctance in her heart.

Xu Qing glanced at the little girl and took a seven-colored small stone from his leather pouch, handing it to her.

"This stone can remove scars; it's a gift for you."

The little girl was stunned, holding the stone and looking at Xu Qing, wanting to say something but stopping. Her brother called out again, and finally, the little girl took one last deep look at Xu Qing, gripped the seven-colored stone in her hand, and returned to the young man’s side, departing surrounded by that group of black-robed figures.

On the way, she turned her head once and waved at Xu Qing.

Xu Qing waved back, watching the little girl, who seemed to always have a happy smile, walk far away; he felt that it was right for her to leave this place.

"Wishing you... peace."

After saying this, Xu Qing turned and walked toward his dwelling.

Life was the same as before: silently cooking alone, silently eating, silently tidying up, silently meditating, and silently attending class.

Time passed, and seven days of such life went by.

Xu Qing had completely returned to his slum state, and he had already realized that Master Bai... likely would not stay in the camp for long either.

Regarding this point, Xu Qing had already guessed it from the fact that Master Bai’s caravan had begun packing up over the last two or three days.

Master Bai had once told him that they came from the Purple Soil, and the Purple Soil... Xu Qing had heard many people mention that it was the center of the Nanhuang Continent.

Until this morning, when Xu Qing arrived at Master Bai’s tent, he did not see any guards there, nor did he see Chen Feiyuan or Ting Yu.

Inside the tent, there was only Master Bai.

Xu Qing already had the answer in his heart.

In this lesson, Master Bai spoke in great detail, and Xu Qing listened very earnestly, but time still flew by rapidly. Soon it was time for class to end, and looking at the silent Xu Qing, Master Bai sighed softly.

"I am leaving."

"Before I go, let me impart to you some knowledge that will truly be helpful for your future life. Restricted by my oath, I cannot tell you directly, so whether you can grasp it depends on your own fortune." Master Bai looked deeply at Xu Qing.

Xu Qing’s eyes focused as he looked at Master Bai.

The instant their gazes met, Master Bai’s faint words echoed within the tent.

"Kid, if you take the medicinal herbs I explained to you on the third, seventh, eleventh, fifteenth, seventeenth, and nineteenth days—these six days—and combine them in a ratio of one to two to four, along with an equal amount of Seven-Leaf Grass, and refine them continuously under high heat, you can refine the... White Elixir, which is equivalent to spirit coins and needed by countless people in this world!"

Once these words were spoken, Xu Qing’s eyes widened, and his breathing became rapid.

He was no longer the person who didn't understand herbs as he was before; nearly two months of attending classes made him very clear about the value of an elixir formula in this world!

That was an extremely precious resource held in the hands of great families and major powers!

Especially... the White Elixir, which was a basic hard currency; the value of its formula was indescribable, and it was impossible for it to be leaked easily.

And having mastered the method of making the White Elixir, he wouldn't even need a high cultivation base; relying on this formula alone, he could live very well.

This was a great favor!

Xu Qing’s body trembled slightly as he looked at Master Bai before him, looking at the white hair at his temples and his gentle gaze, while scenes from the past two-plus months surfaced in his mind.

From eavesdropping outside the tent to listening to lectures inside, the other party’s earnest teachings made the thousands of words in his heart transform into deep gratitude and reluctance.

Finally, he lowered his head and performed a grand salute, bowing deeply to this elder who appeared strict but was kind-hearted inside.

"Thank you... Master."

If Team Leader Lei had given him the feeling of family, then this Master Bai before him was like a teacher, giving him an extremely important survival skill in this world.

Master Bai watched Xu Qing’s grand salute, a smile appearing on his face; he also noticed Xu Qing’s emotions, so he smiled.

"Kid, I treat you this way because you are eager to learn and have aptitude. As for those in this world who dictate that elixir formulas must not be leaked, I despise them."

"But sometimes, my status makes me unable to act as I wish. However, you are not the first person to whom I have imparted the way of medicine and elixir formulas. I, this old man, have traveled the Nanhuang and taught many; the medicine way of our human race cannot decline because of status barriers."

"Finally, between us... you must know that heaven and earth are the guesthouse of all living things, and time is a traveler from the past to the present. As long as one does not die, we will eventually meet again. I hope that on the day we meet again, you will have become a talent."

These words of Master Bai were very profound, especially the last part; it was the most meaningful statement Xu Qing had heard in all his years, and he kept it firmly in his memory.

That day, Master Bai’s caravan left. Before leaving, Master Bai left Xu Qing a thick herbal pharmacopoeia for him to study on his own later.

Xu Qing followed them all the way outside the camp, staring blankly at the departing caravan, and he also saw the figure of Ting Yu in the caravan, who kept looking back at him.

In the twilight, they drifted further and further away.

Under the setting sun, the youth’s shadow was stretched very long. He stood there for a long, long time before slowly turning around and returning to the camp.

The camp would not be any different because of the departure of a few people.

There was no change; it remained filthy, and all kinds of people from all walks of life still existed. There were the scoldings of old men, the cries of children, the loud laughter of burly men, and the low gasps of women.

In the sunset, the myriad states of life seemed to have become a microcosm within the camp.

Xu Qing walked among them; he did not return to his dwelling immediately but instead walked unconsciously to the grocery store. Looking at the new clerk who had replaced the little girl, he bought a bottle of wine.

Carrying the wine, he returned to his dwelling. That night, Xu Qing did not eat.

He looked at the empty room, sat there looking down at the wine pot, and after a long while, he picked it up and took a large gulp.

As the spicy sensation flowed down his throat into his stomach and exploded to spread throughout his body, Xu Qing suddenly felt that this wine, which hadn't tasted very good before, seemed to have some flavor today.

So, he took another sip.

One sip, another sip.

In his slightly tipsy mind, images of the last six years in the slums surfaced, the figure of Team Leader Lei walking into the city gate appeared, the departing caravan of Master Bai emerged, and the scene of the little girl walking away appeared.

The words the other party said before leaving also surfaced.

"Do you have a brother too?"

"I also had a brother, but I can't find him anymore." Xu Qing held the wine pot, leaned against the wall, and looked up at the moon outside, murmuring in a very soft voice.

Outside his room, the purple-robed elder and his servant stood there, listening silently until the youth’s murmurs drifted out from the room.

"Heaven and earth are the guesthouse of all living things, and time is a traveler from the past to the present."

"As long as one does not die, we will eventually meet again."