She gently opened it, revealing a piece of shiny rock candy.
She didn't eat. As she stared, the corners of her mouth under the mask revealed a smile.
The evil ghost scythe looked at all of this and spoke excitedly.
"Ah Qiu, you must grasp it. This is a good opportunity given by the Heavenly Dao. In the future, you have to obediently listen to Lord Xu Qing. Do whatever he asks you to do. Don't refuse."
"In that case… we'll have a chance to perish together with the Nihility experts in the future. In fact… it's not impossible for us to perish together with a god!"
"Heavens, if we can perish together with a god in this life, that will be our supreme glory!!"
The evil ghost scythe was so excited that its body trembled and its eyes revealed a red light.
This time, Qing Qiu didn't shout at it to shut up. Instead, she fell into deep thought.
After leaving the scavenger campsite, Xu Qing was walking in the forbidden zone toward Captain Lei's grave.
This time around, Ling'er didn't speak. She wanted to say something but she sensed that Xu Qing's mood was a little low after entering the forbidden zone. Hence, she obediently kept quiet and snuggled against Xu Qing's cheek.
However, in her heart, she muttered.
'Is that young lady Brother Xu Qing's childhood companion? Her emotions were originally fluctuating greatly but when she saw that piece of candy, she immediately recovered.'
'Candies are so useful? Then I'll buy some when I get back.'
'Then, if there's a day when Brother Xu Qing is unhappy, I'll take it out and give it to him.'
Just as Ling'er thought that she had learned something useful, Xu Qing arrived at Captain Lei's grave.
There was more wild grass here.
The gravestone was still there.
Xu Qing silently leaned against a large tree as he looked at the gravestone.
At that moment, it was already dusk. The thin fog in the surroundings was gradually becoming denser.
Xu Qing didn't care about these. He took out two pots of wine, placed one by the grave, and held the other in his hand, lifting it high.
"Captain Lei, I did something big a few days ago…"
Xu Qing smiled and spoke as he drank.
He talked about the county capital, the Sword Holder, the war, and the Palace Master.
"Eldest Senior Brother said that I've grown up. That's right, it's been seven years… Captain Lei, you told me before that time can blur everything. That's why you didn't want to wait anymore after waiting for so long."
"But why is it that sometimes when I close my eyes, I still really want to eat the food you used to cook back then…"
Xu Qing mumbled. After the Peerless City disappeared, he had wandered around everywhere. Captain Lei was the first person to give him the forgotten warmth of family, and he couldn't forget him.
Xu Qing lowered his head and drank one mouthful after another.
When dusk passed and night fell, the fog in the surroundings grew thicker and thicker. When it drowned out everything, Xu Qing's murmurs rang out within the fog.
"Captain Lei, I miss you…"
A long time later, Xu Qing sighed softly and kowtowed to the grave, then stood up and left the place. He walked step by step towards the depths of the forbidden zone.
Back then, he had obtained the shadow here, so he wanted to let the shadow absorb the anomalous substances in this forbidden zone to see if it could make a breakthrough.
The shadow also fluctuated after Xu Qing entered the forbidden zone.
Moreover, as Xu Qing went deeper, the fluctuations became clearer and clearer. While emitting desire, it spread out in all directions under Xu Qing's feet.
Wherever it passed, trees would begin to sway and gradually turn into coffins that were covered in eyes.
As the shadow spread out, the fog here suddenly became even denser and emitted waves of avaricious intent, as if within the depths of the mist, malevolent gazes were fixated on Xu Qing and the shadow.
What followed was waves of rustling sounds, as though countless existences were whispering. They drifted over from the fog in this silent forbidden zone.
Xu Qing glanced at the fog with a cold gleam in his eyes, but he continued walking forward. He walked past the temple ruins of the past and ventured deeper into the forbidden zone. The fog was exceptionally dense here, constantly spreading. Faintly, amidst this fog, he heard a singing voice.
This was the second time he had heard a singing voice in the forbidden zone.
There was a legend about this forbidden zone. It was said that those who heard the singing voice and managed to survive would receive a gift from the forbidden zone. They would be able to see the person they desired to see when they heard the singing voice for the second time.
At that moment, as the singing voice drifted, the surroundings became cold. A cold aura spread from all directions.
Xu Qing stopped in his tracks. He lifted his head and looked at the fog in the distance. There… were footsteps coming from there.