Chapter 400

Accidents always appear suddenly, stirring up waves and drowning a person's mind.

Just like now, Xu Qing was just listening to the County Chancellor talk about the history of the human race. This was the first time he heard the past of the human race. He was instinctively immersed in it, and without any preparation, he heard the name he least wanted to hear.

And looking from the County Chancellor's remarks, it seems that this person... once made a significant contribution to the human race.

Xu Qing is not that great. His idea is very simple: find that crow and kill him.

As for what the other party did in the past, whether it is true as the County Chancellor said, or fabricated by later generations, Xu Qing feels that he doesn't need to ponder it.

Perhaps there really is a distinction between good and evil in this world, but most of the time, it is not that simple between people, but contains complexity.

So there is very little good and evil in the true sense. Everything, in the final analysis, is mostly caused by different positions.

A person, in order to survive, robbed another person of the last White Elixir in his life, and that person died because of alienation, and then the robber did many such things and finally survived.

Then in the eyes of all those who were harmed to death and the world, he is evil.

But after he survived, he benefited more people in the future, saving others from death, then in the eyes of these people, he is good.

So is he evil, or good?

Some things are actually difficult to distinguish, because no matter how you choose, it is wrong. The act of distinguishing this behavior itself actually contains different positions.

The answers obtained by each position looking at the problem are different.

Xu Qing saw too many real cases of this truth when he was a child, and also had ignorance.

Walking to this day, although he is not yet transparent, he also knows the direction.

Persist in your original heart.

That is enough.

If you want to kill me, I will kill you.

If you come to rob me, I will kill you.

If you want to harm me, I will kill you.

If you kill my parents, I will kill you even more!

Xu Qing's head lifted from the lowered posture, his eyes clear, looking at the County Chancellor above.

It just so happened that the County Chancellor had finished telling the history of the entire human race and was also looking at the outstanding talents of the human race of this generation in the hall, sweeping his gaze across everyone, and saw Xu Qing.

The two looked at each other.

The County Chancellor nodded.

"Next, I will explain to you how to save yourself by relying on herbs and trees in a desperate situation. Of course, there are some limitations, that is, the desperate situation you are in contains herbs and trees."

"This matter is actually common. The number of vegetation on the Wanggu Continent exceeds the Myriad Clans themselves."

"If you can stand at an absolute height and look down at the entire Wanggu, you will find that after erasing the Myriad Clans, Wanggu doesn't look like there is any change, but if all vegetation is erased, the change of Wanggu in your eyes will be extremely obvious."

The County Chancellor's voice was hoarse. Against the backdrop of his vicissitudes, this voice seemed to contain the passage of time, slowly entering everyone's mind.

"I don't teach you specific methods. This matter requires you to ponder it yourself after class. I only teach you a framework, which is also the direction I have studied over the years."

"That is... changing the characteristics of a plant. For example, turning a common grass into a medicinal herb, for example, turning a spiritual herb into a poisonous herb, or for example, turning a poisonous plant into a spiritual herb. This will allow you to have one more way to save yourself in a crisis environment."

Xu Qing was thoughtful. He had pondered this direction before.

According to Master Bai's statement, one can use the technique of reconciling Yin and Yang poles to change the medicinal herbs picked according to different medicinal properties, using other medicinal herbs to match them.

However, this method still has some flaws. Some medicinal herbs cannot be changed by the Yin and Yang poles.

While Xu Qing was pondering, others were also pondering.

Although the people here are ordinary in their attainments in herbs and trees, they still possess some more or less. After all, in this world, elixirs are indispensable.

The County Chancellor smiled at everyone, then waved his hand to take out a flower pot, in which grew a small red flower.

This flower had a green branch, red petals, three petals, and each petal had many fish-scale small petals, which together were full of demonic intent.

"Red Phosphorus Flower." Xu Qing recognized it at a glance. This is a type of poisonous flower, and the quantity is small, belonging to the type that cannot be changed by the Yin and Yang poles.

"Watch carefully."

The County Chancellor raised his hand to take out a small bottle, poured the liquid inside into the soil, then observed the changes of the Red Phosphorus Flower, and filled in different medicinal liquids.

After doing this, he raised his hands and waved them, and suddenly thick cultivation base spread out, blessing the flower pot, making the medicinal liquid that seeped into the soil absorbed by the Red Phosphorus Flower faster.

Gradually, a magical scene appeared.

The color of the Red Phosphorus Flower actually changed slowly, becoming white, and a fragrance spread out, diffusing in all directions.

Everyone in the hall was amazed, and Xu Qing was even more shocked.

This scene looks simple, but the more you understand, the more shocked you are.

Xu Qing knew very well that the Yin and Yang pole method could not change the Red Phosphorus Flower, but now the method used by the County Chancellor actually achieved this point, which made Xu Qing's eyes reveal a strong light.

"Do you understand?"

"To change the state of a medicinal herb, you don't need to make big moves, nor do you need to transform it externally by reconciling Yin and Yang after picking it. In my opinion, what is needed is to moisten things silently."

"Unknowingly, you change the environment it is in, change the nutrients it needs, let it absorb slowly without knowing it, and influence it from the inside."

"To be precise, it is not that I changed its state, but that it used its own power to change its own state. What I did was just create an environment and nutrients that guided its direction."

The County Chancellor spoke with a smile, with encouragement in his eyes, looking at everyone in the hall who had fallen into deep thought.

"This is the framework I teach you. If you take this as a basis and then look at the Dao of herbs and trees, you will get twice the result with half the effort."

"I will explain this knowledge to you every day in the next seven days. If you cannot master it after seven days, you can also consume your military merit to find me at the County Chancellor's Mansion to learn."

After speaking, the County Chancellor stood up and walked out.

Everyone in the hall bowed solemnly toward the County Chancellor.

Xu Qing was also like this. This lesson was a great inspiration to him.

With the departure of the County Chancellor, today's lesson also ended here, and everyone walked out of the hall one after another.

At this moment, dusk had passed outside, and the bright moon rose.

Today's moonlight is very beautiful, the sky is cloudless, and the moonlight is bright as if the Milky Way is falling.

Xu Qing, who was leaving with the Captain and preparing to return to the branch sect, had just left the hall when Kong Xianglong's hearty voice came from behind.

"Xu Qing."

"Everyone will be comrades in the future. I want to invite you to drink. I won't beat around the bush. I want to make friends with you."

"And these childhood friends of mine are also curious about you. You just arrived in the County Capital and might not know much about the Sword-Bearing Palace. I will explain it to you in a while."

"What do you think?"

Xu Qing paused upon hearing this, looking back at Kong Xianglong who was walking over. The other party had sincerity on his face, and his smile was even more so, followed by Shan Hezi and others.

Xu Qing hesitated. The other party invited him so sincerely, and he did intend to learn more about Sword-Bearers, but it seemed that the other party was a bit unwelcoming to the Captain.

"Daoist Chen, if you don't have time..." Kong Xianglong seemed rough, but that was just his personality. He was just too lazy to use his brain, but that didn't mean he was stupid. At this moment, he naturally saw the reason for Xu Qing's hesitation.

So he suppressed the vigilance against Chen Erniu in his heart and spoke indifferently.

"I have time!" The Captain coughed, very satisfied with Xu Qing's way of taking care of him.

Xu Qing nodded.

Kong Xianglong didn't care much about whether there was one more person. Upon hearing this, he laughed at Xu Qing, and just as the group was about to leave, Yeling pulled Qing Qiu who was about to leave.

Qing Qiu was helpless and had to go along.

Just like this, the seven of them seemed like a small group, flying out of the Sword-Bearing Palace.

Behind them, Zhang Siyun walked out of the Hall of Learning, looked at this scene, snorted coldly, and left alone.

Kong Xianglong and others grew up in the County Capital since childhood, so they were naturally very familiar with places to eat and drink, but they didn't choose a luxurious place, but an ordinary wine workshop.

There were not many diners inside, and the shopkeeper was an old couple, who were clearly familiar with Kong Xianglong and others. When they came out with dishes and saw them coming, they immediately smiled.

"Little Kong is here, new friends this time?"

"Uncle Zhou, Aunt Zhou." After Kong Xianglong arrived, he hurriedly ran over to take the dish tray and helped deliver it to the next table. The diners at that table saw their group of Sword-Bearers, were not afraid, and joked with a smile.

"Is Little Kong here to help again?"

"That's right, helping out while drinking." Kong Xianglong smiled, and after putting down the dish tray, he took some wine and walked toward Xu Qing.

"Why are you standing? Sit down. The wine here is brewed by me, not a drop of water added." Kong Xianglong pulled everyone, found a table and sat down, put the wine away, looking like a shopkeeper.

This scene made Qing Qiu very strange, and Xu Qing also looked at Kong Xianglong a few more times, while the Captain looked like he had known it for a long time.

Just as Kong Xianglong was about to speak, diners at another table called to pay the bill. He hurriedly stood up and ran over, his movements very skilled, as if he were not the same person who was striding like a tiger in the Sword-Bearing Palace that day.

"Brother Kong has been poor since childhood. When he was a child, he worked as a miscellaneous worker in the Sword-Bearing Palace. At that time, he also worked several part-time jobs outside to earn spirit coins." Yeling glanced at Xu Qing and the others and explained.

"He worked as a waiter in this wine workshop for three years, and only resigned after he started practicing and went out on more tasks. But every time we gather, we choose here, because Uncle Zhou and Aunt Zhou are very good to him."

"Brother Kong is a nostalgic person." Shan Hezi said coldly on the side, his expression instinctively remaining gloomy.

Xu Qing looked up at the busy Kong Xianglong. He had never met such a person from childhood to adulthood.

Soon Kong Xianglong ran back, sat down, picked up the wine pot, and laughed at everyone.

"Happy today, met new friends. Come on, brothers, let's have one!"

Shan Hezi and the others raised their wine pots, and Xu Qing, the Captain, and Qing Qiu also picked up their wine pots. After looking at each other, they drank together.

They were all young people, and they drank fast. Although wine was nothing to cultivators, it could eventually liven up the atmosphere, especially Kong Xianglong's hearty laughter, which was very enthusiastic.

Under his promotion, the atmosphere gradually became less monotonous than at the beginning.

And Kong Xianglong's heroism could also be seen from drinking. He was clearly a lover of wine, pot after pot.

Slowly Xu Qing and Qing Qiu also relaxed, but the two still looked at each other unpleasantly and ignored each other.

As for the Captain, he was familiar with everyone and kept drinking with Shan Hezi and others.

"Little He, Yeling, and Wang Chen, I know the three of you are unconvinced by the saying that Xu Qing was appointed by the Great Emperor, but let me tell you, the biggest taboo among the heaven-defying talents of our human race is jealousy. You heard the history of the human race today. Our human race is not as strong as it used to be. If we fight internally, the future is worrying."

"I don't care what you think, but I am convinced by Xu Qing. Ten thousand zhang is ten thousand zhang."

Kong Xianglong sighed. Under his words, the three of Shan Hezi also relaxed their expressions and tried to contact Xu Qing and others, but the vigilance against the Captain was obviously very deep and could not be dissipated for a while.

Just like this, after three rounds of drinking, when the dishes were served, Kong Xianglong looked at Xu Qing with a smile.

"Xu Qing, you haven't gone to enlighten the Emperor Sword yet, and Little Yeling too. I succeeded in enlightenment last year, so I just happened to share some experience with you."

Xu Qing was moved upon hearing this. This kind of enlightenment experience is extremely precious. Generally speaking, few people will say it. The Captain was also surprised in his heart, and Qing Qiu even raised his head.

"What kind of expression is that? Isn't it just an Emperor Sword enlightenment experience?" Kong Xianglong laughed.

Wang Chen, who had always spoken little on the side, spoke softly at this moment.

"Brother Kong's personality is just like this. My Life Lamp was given to me by him."

"Your Life Lamp wasn't given by me; it was snatched by me and you together." Kong Xianglong's big hand patted Wang Chen's shoulder, passing directly through.

"Brother Kong, my main body is at a critical moment of cultivation..."

Kong Xianglong smiled and didn't mind, introducing the Emperor Sword experience to Xu Qing and others.

Time passed slowly like this, and their group drank more and more, especially the Captain took out some spirit wine brewed by the Seven Blood Eyes. This kind of wine cannot be drunk by mortals, as they will die drunk.

But for cultivators, it is a fine brew.

This made Kong Xianglong have a better impression of the Captain.

So in the end, even though everyone was a cultivator, they still had some drunkenness.

Because no one operated their cultivation base to dissipate the alcohol.

The words naturally became more. During this period, Shan Hezi was no longer gloomy, but cursed the Yao family, expressing great dissatisfaction with the Yao family's closeness to foreign clans.

He also mentioned the County Governor and the County Chancellor. The former made them sigh and feel understanding and admiration, while the latter was recognized as knowledgeable and talented, benefiting the County Capital.

Finally, the Captain even competed with Kong Xianglong in drinking, making the atmosphere lively to the extreme.

Until the third watch of the moon, everyone left the wine workshop and went their separate ways.

Although this gathering could not make them friends immediately, they were somewhat familiar with each other.

On the way back to the branch sect, the Captain hugged Xu Qing's neck, looking like he was pointing out the mountains and rivers and looking down on the world.

"Let me tell you, Little Ah Qing, these people's drinking capacity is not good. Your Senior Brother, I only used one percent of my ability, and that Kong Xianglong is even worse. He can't drink as much as me!"

Xu Qing smiled and nodded in agreement.

No words for the night.

In the following six days, the courses in the Hall of Learning continued. Their batch of newly promoted Sword-Bearers learned more secret techniques of Sword-Bearers and understood more knowledge.

In the middle, the Sword-Bearing Palace also organized group assistance courses.

Under the arrangement of the Sword-Bearing Palace, although the courses were conducted in some palaces of the Sword-Bearing Palace, everything inside was transformed, forming a space of its own.

Under this continuous grouping, everyone slowly became familiar from being strangers.

Once Xu Qing and Qing Qiu were assigned to a group, the two completed an ambush test together. Although both had cold faces, the invisible cooperation was very tacit, which made Qing Qiu feel disgusted in his heart for a long time.

Another time, Kong Xianglong and the Captain were in a group to carry out search collaboration.

But it failed.

Because the Captain couldn't help but take a bite of the item they were looking for.

After that time, Kong Xianglong secretly reminded Shan Hezi and others to let them be careful of Chen Erniu.

"That guy has a dog's nose. Searching for things depends entirely on instinct. His eyes will glow, and he likes to take a bite. You must be careful of the task items when you go on tasks with him in the future!"

Just like this, seven days passed in a flash, and the secret training ended.

It must be said that the seven-day secret training of the Sword-Bearing Palace had a great effect. Seven days ago, most of them were strangers to each other, but seven days later, besides being familiar, there was more friendship.

Although not deep, this is a seed.

A seed of becoming comrades.

Of course, Zhang Siyun is an exception.

And when everyone participated in the final assessment of the secret training, Xu Qing obtained the appointment order and was told that no assessment was needed, and he should go to the Palace Master to report for duty immediately.

The Palace Master is not in the Sword-Bearing Palace.

He is in the Criminal Prison Division.

This is the responsibility of the Palace Masters of the Fenghai County Sword-Bearing Palace through the ages, guarding the Criminal Prison Division.

So Xu Qing left the Hall of Learning, took the appointment order, and walked toward the first prison of Fenghai County on the ground.