Chapter 5: Gleaner camps
The forbidden zone formed by this corner of the eastern part of the Southern Phoenix Continent was not very large.
And the ruins that Xu Qing's group had left were at the edge of the forbidden zone.
This was also the reason why the scavengers were able to make it to the city on the first day of the sun's arrival.
So by the time it was getting late, they were close to getting out of the confines of the forbidden zone.
Although they had encountered some alienated beasts on the way, they were all quickly resolved in the hands of these scavengers.
Under Xu Qing's observation, he had a judgment in his heart.
He felt that if he made a move, out of these six scavengers, other than the old man known as Team Lei, the others could fight off a few by themselves.
"They aren't cultivators, but the ruthlessness and timing of their strikes, as well as the attitude of seemingly not caring about death at that crucial moment, make them more lethal."
Xu Qing analyzed in his heart as he pondered that apart from the Thunder Team, the others alone, he could battle.
If it was two, he wasn't unbeatable, but with three together, he was afraid that he wouldn't be able to.
With this judgment, Xu Qing grew more and more cautious.
At the same time, he was also keenly aware that as he got closer and closer to the outside world, the expressions of those scavengers, too, had relaxed quite a bit.
They even joked with each other from time to time on the way.
Only the old man known as Team Lei did not say anything along the way.
The others were also in awe of him, which made Xu Qing curious about the old man's identity.
However, this curiosity didn't reduce his vigilance, and even though he was about to walk out of the forbidden zone now, Xu Qing's vigilance remained, and he didn't get completely close when following these scavengers.
Instead, he was not close to the rear, listening to their talk while cautiously following along.
It wasn't until the sky was about to completely set, with a warmth coming to his face, Xu Qing's footsteps lurched as he turned back to look at the wasteland behind him, and then to the world in front of him.
Between heaven and earth, there seemed to be an invisible boundary where he was.
Inside the boundary, it was the incipient forbidden zone, cold and icy.
Outside the boundary, was the normal world, the earth returning to spring.
They, walked out of the forbidden zone.
Although it was dark outside, the starry sky was bright, and the moon could be seen hanging high above.
Although the earth was also desolate, it was far from the coldness of the forbidden zone, and from time to time, some normal sounds of birds and beasts could be heard.
In the grass in the distance, Xu Qing even saw a rabbit, looking at them vigilantly.
All of this caused Xu Qing to look a little dazed.
Those scavengers also all visibly looked completely relaxed, and even the Lei Team soothed their brows.
"Finally walked out, this time it went quite well, but wherever possible, I don't want to take half a step into the forbidden zone again."
"Not going to the forbidden zone? If you want to live in this ghost world, if you want to live a little better, you have to go to the forbidden zone to fight for your life, sooner or later, I will buy the right to live in one of the Seven Blood Pupil Subcities!"
Outside the forbidden zone, these scavengers were clearly in a soothing mood, their words coming out from each other.
Xu Qing was silent, but listened carefully, this journey he listened to the conversations of these people, and already knew a lot of information that he couldn't come into contact with in the past.
For example, this Seven Blood Pupils, he had heard these scavengers mention it many times, and it seemed that it was a very powerful force.
There was also the name Purple Earth, which had also been spoken by them several times.
"Is that all the ambition you have? There are many Seven Blood Pupil sub-cities, the nearby Deerhorn City is one of them, but the qualification there is not something you can buy if you have enough Spirit Coins, you still need the recommendation of a Seven Blood Pupil disciple, besides, the residency there is nothing, my goal is to obtain the entry qualification of the Seven Blood Pupil, and become a Seven Blood Pupil disciple!"
"You can't live more than three days if you go to the Seven Blood Pupils, who wouldn't be able to blow the cow skin, why don't you say that your goal is to head to the overseas Lookout Ancient Continent, where there's still a place of origin for the human race."
Hearing this, Xu Qing's heart stirred, he had seen the name Wanggu on the bamboo slips...
"Wanggu? If Lao Zi has the ability to ignore those forbidden things in the sea, you think I won't go?"
The two of the scavengers, who seemed to have some verbal conflicts with each other, barreled into each other.
Xu Qing perked up his ears, and was about to continue listening to their conversation for information, when the old man of the Thunder Team on the side, swept a glance at the duo, and for the first time in a long time, opened his mouth and passed out words.
"Wanting to go to the Wanggu Continent, it's not impossible, there are four methods, you guys can think about which one is suitable for yourselves."
"One, build the foundation within fifteen years of age, and become an unrivaled pride. Two, pay 300,000 tons of spirit coins and purchase a relocation quota from the Purple Earth or Seven Blood Pupils, or perhaps the Off-The-Trail Sect."
"Three, make outstanding contributions to the human race in alchemy. Four, being accepted as a personal disciple by the several great clans of the Violet Earth Holy Land, the several Peak Masters of the Seven Blood Pupils, or perhaps the Sect Master of the Off-The-Road Sect."
"Oh, there's also a fifth method, becoming a treasure keeper. Think about it, which one is suitable for you guys?"
The scavengers fell silent, especially when they heard the fifth method, all of them each looked very unnatural, their eyes revealing fear.
Xu Qing's eyes also stared, he had heard of the name Treasure Keeper.
It was when he was in the slums, he had once had a few familiar companions that were taken away by some richly dressed people.
It was said that they were to be trained to become treasure keepers, and the other children within the slums at that time, were all still envious.
So he hesitated for a moment, looked at the old man of the Thunder Team, and asked softly.
"May I ask ...... what is a treasure keeper?"
The Thunder Team Elder's gaze fell on Xu Qing as he spoke calmly.
"Using one's own body to harbor the treasure, practicing special feats, relying on blood and flesh to dilute the heterogeneous contamination of the treasure, so that the heterogeneous augmentation brought about by each use of the treasure is moderated for continued use, and the person who gradually withers and dies on his or her own."
Xu Qing's eyes narrowed, half speechless and silent.
The crowd also seemed to have lost their intention to talk due to the three words "Treasure Keeper" and walked silently in the dark night.
It wasn't until some distance away from the forbidden zone, on a plain, that the Lei Team chose to set up camp.
Unlike the forbidden zone, the camping in the outside world consisted of a campfire that was lit in addition to the tent itself.
As the flames burned, the warmth of the surroundings became a little stronger, and these scavengers also sat around the campfire, each taking out their own food and roasting it, gradually the aroma overflowed.
Looking at their food, Xu Qing swallowed his saliva, sat at a distance and took out half a piece of hard jerky from his leather pouch, placing it in his mouth and tearing it hard.
The Lei Team by the campfire, their gazes sweeping in, got up and walked over to Xu Qing.
In the midst of Xu Qing jerking his head up, the Lei Team threw over a leather pouch with a few hot steamed buns inside.
In the instant he saw these steamed buns, Xu Qing's eyes straightened for a moment, forcibly resisting the urge to speak in a low voice.
"Thanks."
Lei Team didn't say anything and returned to the campfire, and a scavenger by its side laughed and passed out words.
"Team Lei, why are you so kind to this kid?"
"They are all poor people, it's fate to meet them, so help if you can."
There were three steamed buns, and they were hot in his hands.
Xu Qing hesitated for a moment and saw that the crowd by the fire was also eating the same steamed buns, so he first pretended to take a bite, observing those scavengers, and after half a moment of realizing that they were still as usual, he held back for a long time before he really ate a small mouthful of it, and waited for a few moments with it in his mouth.
Determine that there is no obstacle, only then slowly chew until thin, slowly swallowed.
After waiting for a long time again, and once again determining that there was no harm, he was so relieved that he couldn't hold back any longer, and took a big bite of the whole thing.
Then he hesitated for a moment and took a small bite of the second one as well.
Although his stomach was still hungry, he still wrapped up the last steamed bun and carefully placed it in his leather pouch, as if placing a treasure.
Soon it was even later in the day, and the scavengers returned to their tents one after another, and the Lei Team handed him that sleeping bag, just as they did yesterday, and said one word before leaving.
"Sending it to you."
Xu Qing raised his head, looked at Team Lei, and suddenly opened his mouth.
"Why?"
"What for? Three steamed buns, a sleeping bag?...... There is no why, if you have the heart, in the future, also get me some food is." Lei team turned around and walked toward the tent.
"What do you like to eat?"
"Me?" Thunder Team stood by the tent and thought about it.
"Snake, that stuff tastes good." After saying that, he walked into the tent.
Xu Qing took his sleeping bag and looked at Lei Team's tent for a long time, nodded heavily, burrowed inside the sleeping bag and closed his eyes.
However, he didn't sleep immediately, instead, he silently operated the Hai Shan Technique with his eyes closed, which had already become a habit of his.
Even though it was freezing cold when practicing, he didn't give up in the slightest, grasping all the time he could to cultivate hard.
Especially today, when Team Lei said that he would build a foundation by the age of fifteen, although he didn't bother to compare it to the kind of heavenly pride in his words, he still had some thoughts in his heart.
"I'm fourteen this year ......," Xu Qing muttered, continuing to cultivate.
Just like that, time slowly passed, and soon five days passed.
Xu Qing followed these scavengers, going over the mountains and walking through the grasslands.
On the way, there were three people who left halfway, which confirmed Xu Qing's previous judgment that these people, they were temporarily grouped together.
Until the seventh day, after the two scavengers with knives also left, only Xu Qing and the Lei Team were left.
That night, at the bottom of a mountain, beside the campfire, the old man from the Lei Team looked at Xu Qing who had finished eating the steamed bun in small bites and had carefully put half of it away, and slowly opened his mouth.
"Kid, tomorrow at noon, we'll be able to reach our destination, that's where I live, a camp where scavengers gather."
Xu Qing raised his head and looked towards the old man.
The old man looked into the distance and continued speaking.
"Scavengers' camps are often established next to forbidden zones, so outside the camp on that side of the mountain is also a forbidden zone."
"Compared to the initial forbidden area where you were before, it has existed there for a long time, not only are there ferocious beasts within it, but there are even more dangerous places, and the heterogeneous qualities are extremely dense, if an ordinary person goes in for a day and doesn't come out, they will definitely die, and even if it's me, I can support myself for a maximum of seven days in there."
"But there is an abundance of Seven Leaf Grass, which is a must for refining White Dan."
"White Dan, is the basic elixir that cultivators use to dissolve their own heterogeneous qualities, so many outsiders come here on weekdays, they are afraid for their lives and are unfamiliar with the geography, they seldom go to pick it themselves, and more often than not, they spend their spirit coins to let the local scavengers go in and pick it."
The old man looked at Xu Qing as he said this.
"Do you understand what I mean?"
"What you mean is that the local scavengers in the camp are all outlaws who will do anything for money."
Xu Qing narrowed his eyes after hearing about the White Dan and its efficacy, and spoke softly after pondering.
Surprise appeared in the eyes of the old man from the Thunder Team and he smiled.
"You answered partially correctly, what I'm going to tell you is that the rules of a scavenger's camp are that the weak are the strong, and strength is the best."
"But at least it is also a place of residence, and there is a bazaar, a place where the necessities of life are bought and sold, and there are even caravans that come over from time to time, so every one of the houses within it also has a not insignificant value."
"Therefore, it is not that anyone can enter just by saying so, every raw face who wants to obtain the right of abode needs to go through a beast training before they can, this is the rule set by the camp master."
"As for you, if you successfully pass, I can allow you to reside at my place for a fee." The old man looked at Xu Qing and slowly spoke.
