OUTSIDE OF TIME

What happened that night made Xu Qing very angry. He didn't want to kill on the first day he arrived at the Seven Blood Eyes but the other party had forcefully framed him.

If it wasn't for the fact that Xu Qing's cultivation and combat strength were sufficient, if it was anyone else, they might have died during the framing that night.

Hence, at that moment, his attack was incomparably swift. As his voice rang out, the woman who was screaming suddenly fell silent. Her entire body was trembling but she knew the advantage of being a woman.

She also understood that to a man, a frightened woman would more or less cause others to feel pity for her. Hence, she exaggerated her fear.

Xu Qing was expressionless. As he chewed on the last candied fruit in his mouth, he walked toward the other party. At the same time, he didn't forget to be vigilant of the surroundings to see if the other party had accomplices. As he walked over, the passersby in the surroundings had already distanced themselves.

Even a few cultivators among them wanted to interfere when they saw the miserable state the woman was in. However, after noticing that Xu Qing's aura wasn't ordinary, they quickly dispelled the thought.

Seeing Xu Qing walking over, the woman who felt intense pain from having her foot penetrated intentionally trembled even more. Sweat covered her forehead as she recognized Xu Qing's voice.

In reality, ever since she framed Xu Qing that day and sensed the other party's gaze as well as the viciousness of his attacks, she had been very vigilant. She was very clear that she had provoked a terrifying existence.

Hence, she had been hiding for the past few days and didn't go out. Today, she felt that the limelight should have passed. That terrifying existence most probably left. It shouldn't dare to act rashly during the day.

That was why she came out. However, no matter what, she didn't expect to meet the other party.

It was fine if she encountered him since she was confident that she could escape. After all, she was a commoner. With the Patrol Department in charge of public security, she was safe under the rules.

However, at this moment, as she looked at the figure who squatted down beside her, she suddenly had a feeling that she might die here before the Patrol Department arrived.

Hence, she fully displayed the pity she felt as a woman amidst the trembling of her body and the fear in her eyes. She wanted to stall for time.

"Stop pretending." Xu Qing squatted in front of the woman and removed the bamboo stick from her footboard.

The intense pain and the fact that the other party had seen through her thoughts caused the terror in the woman's eyes to become real. She also noticed that the other party was very close to her at this moment. She struggled for a moment in her heart and her clenched right hand moved but she still didn't dare to spill the poison powder in her hand.

At that moment, whistling sounds could be heard from the distant streets. A group of patrolling cultivators seemed to have noticed the situation here and were rushing over at high speed.

Hope instantly appeared in the woman's eyes.

However, very soon, as Xu Qing took out the badge of the Homicide Department, the group of patrolling cultivators turned their heads and left. The hope in the woman's eyes was replaced by despair and she suddenly spoke in a low voice while trembling.

"What happened last time was my fault. I'm willing to make amends. I... I know a clue about a wanted criminal!"

She didn't bargain with Xu Qing. As someone who walked in the dark all year round, she knew very well that she didn't have the qualifications to bargain with someone who was stronger than her and could crush her. Obedience was the only way to survive.

Hence, she didn't wait for Xu Qing to speak and quickly revealed the clues.

"That wanted criminal is the abandoned disciple of the Spirit Cloud Sect, Qing Yunzi. He has been staying at Panquan Road for the past few days, in the inn we met last time."

"Wanted criminal?" Xu Qing took out the jade slip his captain had given him. After checking it, he found Qing Yunzi's name. After a glance, the reward was around 20 spirit stones.

"Also, I heard that your Homicide Department has been investigating the Night Dove. I also know of a Night Dove stronghold." In this huge crisis, the woman had given it her all in order to save her life. She hurriedly continued to speak and told him the location of the stronghold.

After Xu Qing heard this, he cast a meaningful glance at the woman and thought of the captain's informant. Hence, he took out a spirit coin and passed it to her.

"If there are such clues in the future, wait for me here."

The woman was stunned and hesitated for a moment. She was very clear about the meaning of this sentence. Very soon, she gritted her teeth and nodded fiercely. She then took the spirit coins and limped away rapidly under Xu Qing's gaze.

After the woman's figure disappeared from the crowd, Xu Qing stood up. He didn't verify the authenticity of what the other party said about Night Dove's stronghold. He only needed to report it to the higher-ups and someone would verify it.

Hence, after another round of patrolling in the city, Xu Qing went to the inn he stayed at when the sun was setting.

During the day, the inn was also open but almost no one entered.

Xu Qing swept his gaze from afar and recalled how strange the old man from the inn was. However, he didn't act rashly. Instead, he returned to the Homicide Department and reported the clues he had obtained before leaving.

As for whether the woman would agree on the surface and disappear afterward, Xu Qing didn't care. This was because she had accepted the spirit coin and it...was poisonous.

Three days later, he needed to detoxify the poison.

On the way, he met a few members of Team Six. When they saw Xu Qing, they coldly swept their gazes over him but didn't say anything. Only a middle-aged member laughed and invited Xu Qing to join them for a drink.

On the surface, it was forbidden for the Seven Blood Eyes to kill each other but they were secretly plundering each other. Such an invitation was a little abrupt and it made Xu Qing even more vigilant. He calmly rejected it.

Today was a special day. He didn't want to kill anyone and wanted to be alone.

Also, he planned to make a trip to the medicinal shop.

He wanted to buy some medicinal herbs that could be used to refine white pills. After attempting to refine them, he would sell them for money. At the same time, he didn't have much poison and black pills left, so he needed to replenish them. Also, he had even more ideas regarding poison that he wanted to verify.

According to the map in his mind, Xu Qing soon found a medical shop.

This medical shop was very large and there were many people coming and going. They were all dressed in gray Daoist robes.

The disciples of the various peaks needed items like medicinal pills.

Xu Qing's entrance attracted the attention of some people due to his handsome appearance. However, most of them only glanced at him. Their expressions wouldn't be obvious.

Xu Qing's expression was calm. He also swept his gaze across the crowd in the shop and silently walked toward the counter.

At the counter, other than a shopkeeper-like old man, there was also a little fatty.

This little fatty had an ordinary appearance. His gray Daoist robe was very tight on his body, making him look round. His fair and chubby face had some freckles, and he looked to be around 16 or 17 years old. He was also a customer.

At that moment, he was yawning as he placed the medicinal herbs piled up on the counter into the huge pockets he carried with him.

There was no pattern to his movements. Outsiders might not be able to tell but Xu Qing could tell at a glance that the other party didn't understand medicinal herbs.

There were some that couldn't be placed together that he casually stuffed into his pocket.

"Shopkeeper, the amount of medicinal herbs this time is a little low. Is that all?" As Xu Qing got closer, he heard the little fatty's dissatisfied voice.

"You come here every day and you've bought everything. How about tomorrow? The goods from the boss will arrive tomorrow." The shopkeeper was clearly very familiar with the little fatty. After he took out all the medicinal herbs the other party had bought, he looked at Xu Qing who was walking over.

"Junior Brother, what medicinal pills do you want?"

"I need ten-year-old butterfly bone flowers, 30 stalks of golden-winged leaves, 10 stalks of exquisite branches, 10 stalks of seven-leaf grass of any age, and 100 stalks of golden-button grass," Xu Qing calmly said.

"I also need a rhinoceros fire flower with roots, as well as spirit condensation leaves. Add 10 stalks of white roots to that."

"Also, do you have any decomposing cloud soil and black rose thorns?" After some thought, Xu Qing added a few more snake venoms and poisonous grass. After he finished speaking, he looked at the shopkeeper.

The shopkeeper's eyes narrowed as he carefully looked at Xu Qing. The people he usually met here were all disciples who bought pills. Occasionally, he would meet some disciples who bought herbs but most of them were from the Second Peak. There were also those like Little Fatty who didn't know anything.

As for the youth in front of him, he spoke so clearly and he also looked unfamiliar. It was very rare to see someone who wasn't a cultivator from the Second Peak.

This was especially so when the other party's medicinal herbs were mostly used for white pills. This caused the shopkeeper to be lost in thought. He cast a deep glance at Xu Qing before shaking his head.

"Everything else is available. There's a total of 380 spirit coins but he bought the last 100 portions of spirit condensation leaves. You'll have stock when you come over tomorrow." The shopkeeper pointed at the little fatty who was packing.

Xu Qing nodded. Although spirit condensation leaves were important, it didn't matter if it was just one more day. As for the price of the herbs, it was reasonable. If he succeeded, he would be able to refine about a hundred white pills and a few pieces of poison powder.

Just when he was about to purchase it, the little fatty at the side lifted his head and surveyed Xu Qing before asking curiously.

"Spirit Condensation Leaf? You want this thing too? What's the use of this thing? I asked the shopkeeper several times but he didn't tell me."

"You ask a lot of questions every time. If I told you every one of them I wouldn't be able to do business with others..." The shopkeeper sighed helplessly.

Xu Qing glanced at the little fatty and thought of how he had once thirsted for knowledge as well. Hence, he spoke softly.

"There are two main uses for spirit condensation leaves. One of them is to catalyze other medicinal herbs, causing them to mutate in the direction they want. The other is to nourish the skin very well."

When the little fatty heard this, he came to a realization and generously took out a bunch of spirit condensation leaves. There were about seven to eight stalks and he generously placed them in front of Xu Qing.

"Thank you, brother. These are for you." After saying that, the little fatty carried the bag and walked out happily. To him, giving some herbs to others was just a trivial matter.

Xu Qing was stunned. He hesitated for a moment and was about to refuse but the little fatty had already rushed out of the door. He even took out a jade slip and seemed to be transmitting his voice.

The shopkeeper smiled and spoke.

"This little fatty's name is Huang Yan. He's a disciple of the Seventh Peak and is also an infatuated weirdo. I don't know which female disciple charmed him but he came to my place to buy medicinal herbs for many years. If he continues to buy like this, the money he spent all these years will be enough for him to become my boss. However, this kid isn't simple either. He's so high-profile yet he can still live until now."

Xu Qing cast a deep glance in the direction that the little fatty left in but didn't say anything. He then left after purchasing the remaining medicinal herbs in the medicine shop.

He returned to his berth and checked that there were no problems as usual. After that, Xu Qing walked into the magic boat and immediately activated the protective barrier. Only when the protective barrier appeared did he heave a sigh of relief.

Compared to the outside world, the magic boat gave Xu Qing a greater sense of security. At this moment, he entered the cabin and sat down. He then took out the medicinal herbs he had bought and sorted them into different categories before placing them properly. The formula for the white pills then surfaced in his mind.

Although he hadn't managed to gather all the medicinal herbs needed for the white pills previously, Xu Qing didn't slow down in concocting the medicinal pills. Hence, after he had completed the concoction of these medicinal herbs, he pondered for a moment and began to refine them.

Time slowly passed and midnight arrived.