On the vast expanse of the Green Hair Desert, the howling wind swept across the heavens and earth. The sea of greenish sand stretched endlessly, as if there would be no end to it, and the world remained boundless, the sand and wind unceasing.
Only on the mountains, for reasons unknown, was the wind and sand less severe, making the surroundings relatively clearer.
From afar, the mountain peaks that stood in the desert looked like otherworldly places.
This was especially so for the Bitter Life Mountain Range. It was majestic and unhindered, so there were even fewer sandstorms here.
However, the whimpering sounds from the wind continued to ring out from all directions. It was as though there were countless demons and monsters hiding in the sandstorm, letting out roars that weren't willing to be buried. They also entered Xu Qing's ears.
The mountain cave Xu Qing chose was located in the depths of the Bitter Life Mountain Range. Its location was relatively hidden. The moment he opened the mirror, the shadow had already spread out, protecting him from the surroundings.
This quick-wittedness caused the vigilance in the Diamond Sect's ancestor's heart to intensify. Hence, he flew out and protected his master loyally.
It was as though as long as there was any abnormality, it would rush out without hesitation. Even if it was crushed to pieces, it had to prove its loyalty.
Ling'er also revealed her head. Her eyes revealed a white light as she became vigilant.
Under their protection, Xu Qing, who was sitting cross-legged and meditating, gradually had a solemn expression on his face. He could sense the level of will contained in the mirror. It was like he was looking at the starry sky.
It was vast and endless.
D132 also shook in his sea of consciousness. The god's finger instantly opened Its eyes, revealing surprise. After that, It quickly hid.
The mirror itself also gathered its might at this instant and floated in front of him, flickering with a faint light.
At the same time, a voice that seemed to come from the distant void formed words as this will echoed, replacing the whistling of the wind and echoing in Xu Qing's sea of consciousness.
"Supreme Star, ever-changing without pause, scrutinizing evil and binding illusions, protecting life and body."
"Wisdom and clarity, a peaceful heart core. Three souls eternally, the spirit remains steadfast."
The voice had an ethereal quality, making it difficult to discern whether it belonged to a man or a woman. It seemed to be a fusion of all sentient beings' voices. However, as Xu Qing's consciousness fluctuated, it strangely brought him a sense of tranquility.
It was as though these words contained the power to cleanse one's heart.
In this moment, Xu Qing's heart was exceptionally calm, and the spiritual platform was ethereal, while his sea of consciousness was serene.
It was as though a long time had passed or it was just an instant. The lingering sound of the ethereal voice continued to echo. It clearly still transmitted those words but in Xu Qing's understanding, they had transformed into other meanings.
This was because there were two words inside that became especially clear.
"…Scrutinizing… core…"
Xu Qing didn't act rashly and sensed it carefully.
Gradually, he had a clear premonition. He understood that as long as he completely immersed his mind into these two words, an unknown assessment would begin.
Xu Qing fell silent and didn't continue.
On one hand, the environment here wasn't suitable for him to proceed immediately. On the other hand, Xu Qing felt that he hadn't completely understood the specifics of this assessment.
Hence, he grabbed the mirror in front of him, cutting off the connection between them.
At the next instant, that sense of peace dissipated. Xu Qing lifted his head and the whimpering of the wind from outside entered his ears again.
Ling'er hurriedly turned to look at Xu Qing.
"Brother Xu Qing, how was it? Did you succeed?"
Xu Qing gently stroked Ling'er's head. A look of contemplation appeared in his eyes as he calmly spoke.
"The method should be correct but I still need some time to verify it."
Ling'er put her mind at ease and observed Xu Qing deep in thought. She didn't disturb him and obediently returned to his collar, finding a comfortable spot. She coiled up in a circle, feeling Xu Qing's body warmth, and in her heart, there was unparalleled tranquility.
It seemed that for her, Xu Qing's warmth was the source of all tranquility.
After a while, Xu Qing's eyes showed determination. He decided to find a place to settle down in the Bitter Life Mountain Range. There, he would explore the mirror's assessment and study the curse.
If he was alone, he would choose to open a cave and live alone, isolated from the world.
However, with Ling'er around… Xu Qing thought for a moment and decided to find a nearby earth city to settle in. He didn't want Ling'er to endure the loneliness of being separated from the world while keeping him company.
With this thought in mind, Xu Qing left the mountain cave and walked in the Bitter Life Mountain Range. Finally, on a mountain at the periphery, he chose a relatively small earth city.
This city built on the mountainside had no name and only had about a thousand residents. The buildings inside were mostly made of sand and didn't have much color. It was very monotonous.
Most of the people here were locals, and the rest were outsiders who came for various reasons. There were people from all races.
Although there were some shops in the city, their business was ordinary and there were fewer customers.
At a glance, 30% of the houses were empty.
Clearly, the people inside had either left or died.
Xu Qing's first impression of this earth city was bleakness and silence.
However, compared to other places, this small city was more tolerant. Although Xu Qing's arrival also attracted a lot of hostile attention, no one came to stop him.
At that moment, Xu Qing, who was walking in the small city and was covered in a robe with only his eyes exposed, noticed that among the residents of this city, there were some individuals with deformities.
These people had oversized bodies with rolls of excess flesh, whether on their arms or thighs. Some of them had multiple limbs, and there were even cases where additional faces grew on their excess flesh.
