C47 Pill Forming in Palm

This young man was truly remarkable. He had managed to impress Ghost-face Girl, which was no small feat. Mr. Jing addressed Qiao Mao, "Was your invitation to us genuine? If it's not too much trouble, we'd like to stay at your place for a few days to recover from our recent travels."

Qiao Mao offered a slight smile. He could easily infer Mr. Jing and Ghost-face Girl's thoughts. With his savvy, he was confident he could manage the situation.

"Of course," Qiao Mao responded without hesitation. He was eager to spend more time with Ghost-face Girl. However, since he was heading to the Red Moon Secret Realm, he shared a brief overview of his circumstances.

"I'll write a letter right now. Take it to my uncle and mother, and they'll surely take good care of you," Qiao Mao said as he penned a letter and handed it to the middle-aged man.

The middle-aged man didn't take offense at Qiao Mao's apparent oversight. Instead, he accepted the letter and suggested, "In that case, why not take our young lady with you to the Red Moon Secret Realm? It'll be good for you both to have each other's support."

Qiao Mao raised an eyebrow. Given that all the prodigies from South Sun County were gathering, the competition would be fierce, and the Red Moon Secret Realm was notoriously perilous. He couldn't help but worry about Ghost-face Girl's safety.

Detecting Qiao Mao's concern, Ghost-face Girl approached and questioned him sharply, "Why the hesitation? Do you underestimate me?"

"There's no need for concern. The Red Moon Secret Realm poses no threat to her. Rest assured," the middle-aged man chuckled heartily.

Qiao Mao tapped his forehead, realizing he might be overly cautious. If the middle-aged man was confident in letting Ghost-face Girl accompany him, she must possess skills to protect herself. He had been overthinking it.

With an embarrassed grin, Qiao Mao gestured to Zhang Yu, who was standing next to him, and reintroduced him to Mr. Jing. Then, he inquired, "May I have the pleasure of knowing your name?"

Before Ghost-face Girl could respond, the middle-aged man's face lit up with a smile, and he interjected, "Her name is Jing Miaoshuang. But there's no need for formalities. Feel free to call her Ling Xue, and you can address me as Mr. Jing."

Qiao Mao felt a bit awkward. Normally, he would address someone he wasn't familiar with by their full name, including an honorific. But Jing Xuan had instructed Qiao Mao to simply call the Ghost-face Girl "Miaoshuang."

"Mr. Jing," the Ghost-face Girl said with a hint of petulance, her cheeks blushing slightly. Clearly, she was not pleased with Jing Xuan's directive.

"You're just too shy," Jing Xuan observed, chuckling as he teased Qiao Mao. "Mao, you must take good care of Miaoshuang in the Red Moon Secret Realm. Not everyone gets such an opportunity. And if anything happens to Miaoshuang, watch out—I might just have to spank you."

Hearing Mr. Jing's words, Qiao Mao nearly passed out. After all, he had lived for over two hundred years in his past life. Yet, this was the first time anyone had ever threatened him in such a manner.

Mr. Jing had made this remark right in front of Ghost-face Girl, no less. Qiao Mao was so mortified he wished he could vanish into thin air.

"Mr. Qiao, aren't you going to thank Mr. Jing? You really should take his words to heart," Zhang Yu said, barely concealing his amusement. He had already gotten over the initial shock from the Nether Clan's revelation.

Qiao Mao's expression soured. He felt somewhat at a loss with both Jing Xuan and Zhang Yu, but he still firmly assured them, "Mr. Jing, rest assured. I will make sure Miaoshuang doesn't come to any harm."

"Knowing that you're looking after Miaoshuang puts my mind at ease," Jing Xuan replied, nodding contentedly. "We're still some way off from the Red Moon Secret Realm. Let me escort you a bit further."

Before anyone could respond, the world seemed to spin around them. But just as quickly as the sensation came, it vanished, revealing an entirely new landscape before them.

"We're in the Red Moon Secret Realm," Zhang Yu exclaimed, his eyes wide open in astonishment. They were now less than a kilometer from the location marked on the map. He stared at Jing Xuan, utterly astounded.

Qiao Mao had braced himself for this moment, having surmised that Jing Xuan was an extraordinary master. Still, he couldn't help but feel a tremor of surprise.

In his previous life, Qiao Mao had mastered a similar ability. It was a magical skill known as Earth Shrink, which one could only grasp upon reaching the Celestial River Stage.

Experts from the Celestial River Stage were revered like deities in Fire Crow Country. Even the Arrow God might pale in comparison to them.

"Such a powerful individual," Qiao Mao mused to himself.

"Alright, now that you've arrived, I'll take my leave. Time for a few days of fun." With those words, Jing Xuan vanished from their sight.

While Qiao Mao wasn't overly astonished by Jing Xuan's level of cultivation, Zhang Yu was another story. He stood there, stunned, struggling to snap out of his daze.

"There's no use looking; Mr. Jing has already departed," Qiao Mao said, clapping Zhang Yu on the shoulder. After a moment's thought, he added, "We still need a day to reach the Red Moon Secret Realm. I'll help you enhance your cultivation."

Qiao Mao had initially planned for them to ride war horses directly to the Red Moon Secret Realm. But with Jing Xuan's assistance, they had managed to arrive a full day and a half ahead of schedule.

The Red Moon Secret Realm was fraught with peril, and they would be up against the most formidable masters from all of South Sun County. Zhang Yu's cultivation level was, of course, not up to par.

Regaining his composure, Zhang Yu nodded, though a wry smile crossed his mind. The disparity between him and Qiao Mao was only widening.

"Jing Miaoshuang," Qiao Mao began, turning to her with an embarrassed look after discussing with Zhang Yu. He was uncertain if using her name so familiarly would offend her, but he couldn't disregard Jing Xuan's goodwill.

Jing Miaoshuang, however, showed no sign of offense. A hint of red tinged her cheeks, hidden beneath the ghost mask, as she nodded in agreement.

Seeing Jing Miaoshuang's consent, Qiao Mao quickly created a small cavern in a secluded area. He retrieved three black Demonic Cores from his storage bag.

These Demonic Cores were unlike ordinary ones; each was tainted with the essence of the Nether Clan. Clearly, they had been specially processed by the clan.

Jing Miaoshuang observed the Demonic Cores Qiao Mao presented, their corruption by the Nether Clan evident. Frowning, she voiced her concern, "You intend for him to consume Demonic Cores tainted by the Nether Clan? Do you realize this could harm him?"

"Jing Miaoshuang, there's no need for concern. I know how to cleanse the Nether Clan's aura from this," Qiao Mao said, smiling. With a thought, a wisp of Spirit Flame materialized in his hand and began to burn slowly.

Jing Miaoshuang was mildly taken aback. Qiao Mao was not only well-versed in many subjects, but he was also a Spirit Flame Master. Yet, there was no Pill Furnace in sight.

Her eyes grew wide as she watched Qiao Mao's hands intently. He was skillfully using the Spirit Flame to purge the Nether Clan's aura from the three Demonic Cores he held.

"Are your alchemy skills really this advanced?" Jing Miaoshuang exclaimed in astonishment. Given her status and experience, she had never before seen a teenager refine pills with nothing but his bare hands.