He didn't know if that god specimen also had a spirit plant in its body, and he planned to ask his master about this later.
After all, that god specimen was currently in the Seven Blood Eyes and was being studied by his master.
At the thought of this, Xu Qing continued to listen attentively. Sometimes, he felt that the old man's explanation was too profound, so he would take out the pharmacopeia and record it, leaving it for later study.
The other cultivators who were attending the lesson were the same. They would take various notes from time to time.
Just like that, another half a month passed.
Xu Qing was completely immersed in his studies but everything had an end. On this dusk, as the old man finished explaining the divine herbs in detail, he looked at the seven to eight cultivators who were attending the lesson, including Xu Qing.
"You guys don't have to come over anymore. This old man has already finished explaining the basic chapter of herbs. When your alchemy path breaks through to a higher realm, come and find me. I'll explain the advanced chapter to you."
"Also, this old man won't take in disciples in this life. I don't hide anything in my teachings, so there's no difference between being a disciple and not being a disciple. There's also less karma."
The old man calmly spoke. His gaze swept past everyone below and didn't stop on anyone. Only the pharmacopeia in Xu Qing's hand seemed to catch an additional glance from him.
Xu Qing and the others hurriedly stood up and bowed respectfully to the old man.
Although they weren't true master and disciple, this month of classes was also a debt of gratitude.
However, there were three cultivators with regretful expressions. Clearly, they had wanted to use their serious performance to fight for the chance to be disciples.
After all, those who could listen to the lesson until now were all people with knowledge of herbs. They were very clear that this old man's alchemy attainments in herbs had reached the peak.
For such a person to teach in the Sword Holding Court, he must be extraordinary.
In reality, it wasn't just the Dao altars here. Most of the listeners in the other Dao altars in the city had similar thoughts when the Sword Holders explained spell cultivation or weapon refinement.
But now, as the old man spoke, they knew that there was no hope.
"Thank you, Senior." Everyone spoke in low voices. After bowing three times, they left separately.
Xu Qing was the same. He bowed three times and left.
When their figures disappeared into the distance, the void beside the old man on the Dao altar distorted and a Sword Holder walked out.
This person's Nascent Soul cultivation base energy spread clearly. He respectfully bowed to the old man.
"Sir, I'm here to bring you back."
The old man nodded and slowly stood up. Just as he was about to leave, he glanced in the direction Xu Qing had left in. The pharmacopeia the latter had taken out appeared in his mind. After pondering for a moment, he pointed toward Xu Qing.
"Investigate this kid's background."
The Sword Holder was stunned. After his gaze swept over, he took out a jade slip and asked. Very soon, he spoke in a low voice.
"This kid's name is Xu Qing. He comes from the Eight Sects Alliance's Seven Blood Eyes and is a quasi-Dao Child of the Eight Sects Alliance. Previously, he killed a heaven's chosen of the Grand Affairs Immortal Sect outside the city."
"Seven Blood Eyes? It's that small sect in the Nanhuang Continent, right?" The old man's eyes revealed memories.
"Yes," the Sword Holder said respectfully.
"Nanhuang Continent? No wonder he has that pharmacopeia." The old man mumbled. He didn't know Xu Qing but he knew that pharmacopeia.
Many years ago, he had gone to the Nanhuang Continent. When he was traveling there to impart his knowledge, he encountered a youth in Purple Earth.
That youth was very studious and his talent was high, causing him to have the thought of taking him in as a disciple. However, when he asked if the other party was willing to leave with him, the other party rejected him politely and told him that he wanted to stay in the Nanhuang Continent and Purple Earth.
He didn't force it. Instead, before he left, he gave the youth a pharmacopeia as encouragement.
60 years had passed since then. He had already seen the book in Xu Qing's hand a few days ago, and felt that it was familiar. Right now, he recalled that past.
The old man sighed with emotion but he didn't go talk to Xu Qing. After all, it was all in the past. He shook his head and took a step forward, heading straight for the Sword Holding Court.
As for Xu Qing, after he returned to the encampment, he rearranged the alchemy knowledge he had learned during this period of time and firmly memorized them. Only then did he sit and meditate.
The moment dawn broke, Xu Qing opened his eyes and looked at the Absolute Beginning Separation Pillar.
"It's time to climb."
He had been here for more than a month and already had a very detailed understanding of the qualifications for the trial and the true trial. Among them, the first trial qualification was bonus points.
For example, comprehending nine battle spirit marks and the height on the Absolute Beginning Separation Pillar.
The more insights they gained and the higher they climbed, the more bonus points they would gain.
In addition, although there were still some imperial metal Qi for sale in the market, the price was too high and Xu Qing was reluctant to buy them. Hence, no matter what, he felt that he had to give the Absolute Beginning Separation Pillar a try.
After all, most of the disciples of the Eight Sects Alliance had already climbed to a certain height other than him and the captain.
"Is the captain missing?"
Xu Qing walked out of the encampment and sized up his surroundings on the way to the Absolute Beginning Separation Pillar. During this period of time, he had searched for a long time but couldn't find any traces of the captain.
Seeing that the captain still didn't appear, Xu Qing could only put away the thought of looking for him and gradually arrived at the Absolute Beginning Separation Pillar.
His appearance immediately attracted the attention of everyone here.
"It's Xu Qing!"
"He's finally here!"
"I wonder how high he can climb!"
They all made way. Xu Qing calmly walked past them until he reached the foot of the Absolute Beginning Separation Pillar.
Compared to this pillar, the cultivators on the ground were like ants, incomparably tiny.
Xu Qing looked at the earth-shattering huge pillar in front of him. The rules of climbing the Absolute Beginning Separation Pillar that he had understood during this period of time appeared in his mind.
There were two points on the Absolute Beginning Separation Pillar that affected cultivators' climbing.
One was the impact of resentment.
The Absolute Beginning Separation Pillar was a killing weapon to begin with. The Ghost Emperor used this weapon to kill countless living beings in his life. This caused the Absolute Beginning Separation Pillar to be filled with the resentment of countless races.
This resentment was extremely intense. It was just that it was suppressed by the battle intent and wasn't that terrifying. However, if one's body came into contact with it, they would still suffer some impact from the resentment.
Moreover, the higher they went, the more intense the impact of the resentment.
When it reached the extreme intensity, it would form the soul of resentment of an ancient cultivator - who had died in the Ghost Emperor's hands - in the cultivator's sea of consciousness.
This was the second difficulty.
The only way for cultivators to continue climbing was to drive it out of their sea of consciousness.
If they failed to expel it, they wouldn't be possessed but they would be shaken out of the Absolute Beginning Separation Pillar. It would be considered the end of the challenge.
The higher one went, the more realistic the resentful souls of ancient cultivators became and the harder it was to expel them. Moreover, they were born from the Absolute Beginning Separation Pillar and seemed to be one with it, so they were all in an indestructible state.
Once they wasted too much time, the cultivators would definitely fail.
This information appeared in Xu Qing's mind. He looked at the Absolute Beginning Separation Pillar in front of him and took a deep breath.
Xu Qing could clearly feel the vast pressure from this pillar as he stood there. The Ghost Emperor Mountain in his sea of consciousness emitted light at this moment.
A long time later, a sharp glint flashed in Xu Qing's eyes. Under the gazes of everyone in the surroundings, his body swayed and he soared into the air, stepping onto the Absolute Beginning Separation Pillar.
With a step, he reached a distance of 100 feet. A strange glint appeared in Xu Qing's eyes. He could sense the impact of resentment but it was very weak and there was nothing to be afraid of.
Hence, his footsteps didn't stop. He quickly walked up and continued forward.
400 feet, 800 feet, 1,300 feet…
In just three to five breaths of time, Xu Qing's figure directly appeared at a height of 2,000 feet. Here, his body paused for the first time.
In his mind, countless resentment from the Absolute Beginning Separation Pillar rapidly gathered into a blurry figure.
An ancient aura that carried madness and greed spread out from this figure. There were also waves of terrifying roars echoing in his sea of consciousness.
This figure was about to completely form.
However, at the next instant… as the Ghost Emperor Mountain in Xu Qing's sea of consciousness shook, this figure suddenly trembled and directly collapsed. Vaguely, there were mournful cries echoing from within. It was as though this vengeful spirit had changed from an indestructible state and was completely destroyed.
"Ghost Emperor!!"
