The first test was a sacrifice.
This was actually a sign of allegiance, where everyone who wanted to join the Moon Rebel Hall had to kill two Red Moon Shrine cultivators who were at the same realm as themselves.
Only by sending the corpses they killed into the mirror would they be considered to have completed the first test.
Xu Qing could understand this. The first task of this assessment was intended to assess the strength of the participants and also included guarding against the outside world.
This method made it so that if someone from the Red Moon Shrine wanted to infiltrate, they had to pay a price.
The higher one's cultivation was, the greater the price they had to pay.
Moreover, this was only the first test. After paying the price, if they couldn't pass the subsequent tests, everything would be in vain.
Hence, this test was ranked at the front.
As for the second test to join the Moon Rebel Hall, it was faith.
Xu Qing didn't know about the third test. He planned to complete the allegiance first.
With this thought in mind, Xu Qing looked at the dim sky outside. Determination appeared in his eyes. He kept the mirror in front of him and left the medicinal shop.
His target wasn't the Red Moon Shrine in the Bitter Life Mountain Range.
To be able to build a branch here, Xu Qing was very clear that he couldn't underestimate it.
After all, if one wanted to join the Moon Rebel Hall, they had to complete the pledge of allegiance. In other words, all those who wanted to join would instinctively place their gazes on the temple.
As such, as long as they weren't a fool, the temple wouldn't let its guard down. According to Xu Qing's understanding of the temple after coming into contact with it a few times, he felt that the temple was more likely fishing for opportunities here.
Of course, everyone had different ideas, and Xu Qing thought that those who wanted to join the Moon Rebel Hall were probably not foolish. Therefore, there was a high probability that they would choose to ambush temple cultivators outside the desert in other areas.
However, Xu Qing didn't want to take the risk.
At that moment, he wore the immortal art mask and activated the bizarre nether transformation to completely conceal himself. He left the mountain range and went to the desert to search for ferocious beasts that matched his cultivation.
Just like that, days passed.
The cultivation levels of the ferocious beasts in the green sand desert varied. During the time the shadow hunted for Xu Qing, it also marked some dangerous places. Hence, Xu Qing's target was very clear.
Two days later, a deafening roar rang out from the quicksand in the green sand desert. The surrounding magical fluctuations reverberated as a massive red worm burst from the ground. Its entire body emitted a spiritual energy aura comparable to that of a Nascent Soul stage cultivator, yet it wailed loudly.
Xu Qing moved rapidly through the sand and caught up to it. He raised his right hand and pressed down forcefully, causing the red worm's body to collapse by nearly half. It fell to the ground, gasping for breath.
Xu Qing put it away and continued forward.
Five days later, a huge scorpion that was hundreds of feet long fled rapidly on the ground, while a figure continued to pursue it. A while later, as countless heavenly demon bodies descended, the scorpion let out a sharp screech. It wanted to rush out but couldn't do so and was caught by the figure behind it.
After about fifteen minutes, everything calmed down. Xu Qing walked out of the green wind and returned to the Bitter Life Mountain Range.
After a day and a half, he returned to the earth city's apothecary. Everything was as usual, but Ling'er was somewhat concerned about his absence. When she saw that Xu Qing returned, she breathed a sigh of relief, and her face lit up with a smile.
Xu Qing gently patted Ling-er's head, then went to the back room. There, he sat cross-legged and activated an isolation formation. Placing the mirror in front of him, he took a deep breath and a determined look filled his eyes.
He didn't want to take the risk of ambushing the temple cultivators. Once this matter was exposed, it would cause a lot of trouble.
So he planned to pull a fast one and use his own methods to create 'shrine' cultivators, in order to deceive the assessment of the Moon Rebel Hall. This was the reason he had spent so much time researching.
"I've investigated multiple times, and this assessment is a mechanism, not controlled by humans. So I should be able to succeed, but my power will trigger the curse, so I have to act quickly."
Xu Qing blinked, and with a wave of his hand, took out the scorpion and red worm he had captured. He quickly bestowed them with his Purple Moon power.
Just like how he had blessed Muye back then, the two ferocious beasts' bodies instantly trembled and purple marks appeared on their bodies. At the next instant, their curses were activated.
Before the curse erupted, Xu Qing threw the two ferocious beasts into the mirror.
Although the mirror was very small and they were very large, the instant they came into contact, the mirror emitted a huge suction force that actually sucked in the two ferocious beasts.
Xu Qing took a few steps back. Although he had some confidence in his method after continuous exploration and research, it concerned success or failure at this moment, so he couldn't help but feel a bit nervous as he gazed at the mirror.
The mirror suddenly trembled in the air. The light on it flickered rapidly, as though it was judging.
This lasted for dozens of breaths. Just as Xu Qing's tension was growing, a vast will spread from the mirror.
"Passed!"
Xu Qing heaved a long sigh of relief.
Actually, he didn't want to use such a trick. It was really very dangerous to ambush the Red Moon Shrine. The possibility of the other party baiting was very high.
If he didn't handle it well, it would cause endless troubles. It wouldn't be beneficial to his original intention of preparing to research in peace.
If he left the Green Hair Desert and went elsewhere, the round trip would take at least half a year. Hence, in comparison, it was naturally the best choice for him to personally make dependents.
"I relied on my own ability to pass this first test. It can't be considered cheating."
Xu Qing mumbled inwardly. After recalling his master's education, he felt that his actions were correct.
