Beyond the Timescape

Chapter 10: New Clothes

March had arrived, and though the earth was beginning to thaw, a biting chill still lingered in the air.

Those fresh out of the restricted zones might not notice it, their adrenaline still running hot, but linger outside long enough, and the cold would inevitably seep into your bones.

At night, the frost grew heavy. A freezing wind swept through the Scavenger Camp, but Xu Qing didn’t break his stride. He simply pulled his oversized, tattered fur coat tighter around his wiry frame.

He had unfinished business. He slipped through the camp’s darkened alleys like a phantom. A pack of stray dogs bared their teeth at him from the shadows, but the moment their eyes met his cold, wolf-like stare, they caught the heavy scent of dried blood clinging to him. Whimpering, they tucked their tails and scattered.

Xu Qing ignored them and pressed on. Reaching the middle ring of the camp, he melted into the shadows of a dilapidated hut. He crouched motionless, his eyes locked onto a larger structure in the distance where the charred remains of a bonfire sat cold.

He remembered that Fat Mountain, who had parted ways with Ma Si, had gone there. So, he waited, hoping his target might step out during the night.

The icy cold gnawed at him, but Xu Qing remained as still as stone, his patience unyielding.

On a rooftop behind him, Seventh Master and his attendant had followed. Watching Xu Qing crouched in the shadows, Seventh Master chuckled.

“Just as I thought. This little wolf cub is going for the kill.”

“I’m quite looking forward to seeing how this kid performs if he enters the nearby restricted zone,” Seventh Master said, squatting down with interest as he spoke to his attendant beside him.

The attendant smiled and squatted next to Seventh Master, observing Xu Qing from afar.

Time passed, and half an hour went by. Xu Qing’s brow furrowed slightly.

After a moment’s thought, he turned and slipped away along the shadows, coming and going like a ghost, utterly silent.

He didn’t head straight back to Captain Lei’s residence. Instead, he circled the area.

Only after confirming no one was following did he slip into Captain Lei’s courtyard and silently return to his small room.

Once inside, he took a deep breath and rubbed his hands together, as if trying to drive away the cold.

Then, he wiped off the bloodstains on his body before sitting cross-legged on the bed board, his eyes thoughtful.

“These scavengers all need to take jobs outside from time to time, and Ma Si was lustful. So, as long as it hasn’t been too long, no one should notice his death. Fat Mountain probably won’t be on guard either.”

“But to be safe, it’s best to deal with Fat Mountain as soon as possible.” Xu Qing narrowed his eyes.

Just like when he killed Crippled Ox, having grown up in the slums, he couldn’t allow threats to his life to linger.

He killed Ma Si because the man had stolen his belongings and threatened him. Dealing with Fat Mountain was for the same reason.

After pondering, Xu Qing rummaged through Ma Si’s belongings from his leather pouch, examining them carefully.

Most were miscellaneous items, along with a palm-sized iron lump that seemed unremarkable, like some material.

Besides that, there were over 70 spirit coins, a huge sum for Xu Qing.

He counted them carefully, then took out the White Pills, comparing his own with Ma Si’s. He noticed these White Pills all looked stale.

So, he believed about 70% of what the shopkeeper had said.

After some thought, Xu Qing took one pill and swallowed it, then closed his eyes to sense its effects.

Soon, he felt a warm current rise within his body, eventually gathering at the Mutation Point on his left arm, bringing a comfortable sensation.

A while later, when the feeling faded, Xu Qing opened his eyes and immediately looked at his left arm. The two Mutation Points there had slightly faded, and the stinging pain had lessened a bit.

“It works.” Xu Qing’s eyes lit up with joy, and he took out a second pill to swallow.

The same feeling surfaced again until it dissipated once more, and his stinging pain vanished completely.

A refreshing clarity washed over his entire body, very comfortable, as if his flesh and blood had been cleansed, making Xu Qing feel his speed and strength had improved slightly.

He didn’t take the remaining White Pills, storing them in his leather pouch instead, and closed his eyes to begin cultivating.

The night passed uneventfully.

The next morning, Xu Qing opened his eyes and got up to go out.

As soon as he pushed open the door of his room, he saw Captain Lei sitting cross-legged in the courtyard, as if performing breathing exercises.

Xu Qing didn’t disturb him, gently opening the courtyard gate, carefully closing it behind him, and then walking away.

Today’s wind seemed even colder than last night’s, making people shiver and even the stray dogs huddle in their holes, rarely venturing out.

Xu Qing could see his breath fogging in the air, which brought back unpleasant memories from his time in the slums.

He hated the cold.

For a homeless child exposed to the elements, cold was a calamity, requiring a desperate struggle just to survive.

So, as he passed a clothing shop in the cold, Xu Qing’s footsteps involuntarily paused, his eyes drawn to the thick, clean clothes hanging inside.

He touched his bulging leather pouch and turned to walk in.

There weren’t many people in the shop. Xu Qing entered and looked at the hanging clothes, examining them seriously.

At the counter, the shopkeeper glanced at Xu Qing but didn’t pay much attention, instructing the assistant beside him.

“Go to the back and sort things out. Bring out those custom-made clothes that haven’t been picked up for over a month and hang them for sale.”

“But what if the person who ordered them comes back?” The assistant, seemingly new, hesitated.

“Come back? People go missing in the camp every so often—some die in the restricted zones, some vanish mysteriously. Only ghosts come back. Hurry up.”

The shopkeeper waved impatiently, and the assistant hurried to the back.

Soon, before Xu Qing had chosen his clothes, the assistant came out carrying a large pile of garments, hanging them up one by one. Xu Qing’s eyes immediately landed on a dark-colored fur-lined coat.

It was a coat someone had custom-ordered but could never return to claim.

After the time it takes an incense stick to burn, when Xu Qing walked out of the shop, he was wearing that dark-colored fur-lined coat.

The coat was insulating yet not heavy, providing far more warmth than his previous clothes.

The only issue was that due to his small, thin frame, it hung on him like an oversized coat, looking quite mismatched.

But Xu Qing was happy. Walking along, he carefully avoided dirty spots.

Just as he was about to go look for Fat Mountain, he noticed commotion coming from outside the camp. Meanwhile, many scavengers within the camp walked out, their eyes expectant as they moved toward the source of the noise.

Xu Qing also looked up.

Gradually, under the sunlight, he saw a caravan of over ten horse-drawn carts approaching grandly.

The people on them, even just the guards, wore incredibly fine clothes, had ruddy complexions, sharp eyes, and most exuded astonishing spiritual energy fluctuations.

As for those inside the carriages, Xu Qing couldn’t see them, but he guessed they must be people of very high status.

Xu Qing had heard Captain Lei mention that caravans like this often came to the camp, either for trade or to purchase the Seven-Leaf Grass used in refining White Pills.

Fat Mountain’s figure also appeared in the crowd, catching Xu Qing’s attention. He stopped focusing on the caravan, narrowed his eyes, fixed on Fat Mountain, and began to follow.

Perhaps due to the caravan’s arrival, the camp was bustling all day, forming a market. Xu Qing never found an opportunity.

Until late at night, watching Fat Mountain return to that large structure again, he put away the dagger in his sleeve and turned to leave.

Though he hadn’t had a chance to strike that day, Xu Qing had ample patience. Returning to his small room, he sat cross-legged in his newly bought coat to cultivate, not even taking it off when he slept.

Only when dawn broke again and he prepared to go out and continue seeking an opportunity did he carefully take off the fur-lined coat and change back into his tattered fur coat.

Looking at his new clothes, Xu Qing felt he had been somewhat reckless the day before.

Now wearing his tattered fur coat, Xu Qing walked through the camp, passing the crowded market. His gaze seemed to survey the caravan’s encampment, but in reality, he was searching for Fat Mountain’s figure.

In the distance, Seventh Master yawned, sitting with his attendant on a rooftop. His eyes swept over the caravan, then landed on Xu Qing. Casually, he asked his attendant,

“Did you deliver the invitation to Master Bai?”

“Seventh Master, it’s been delivered, but Master Bai said he’s been feeling unwell lately…”

“Unwell? He’s a physician himself. He’s just… Huh? I remember this kid wore new clothes yesterday. Why did he change back today?” Seventh Master was saying when he noticed Xu Qing’s clothes, looking puzzled.

While Seventh Master was perplexed, Xu Qing, amidst the crowd, locked onto Fat Mountain with his peripheral vision.

And so, under Xu Qing’s watchful eye, the whole day passed.

As night fell, Fat Mountain, who had been heading back to his quarters, for some reason changed direction and walked toward the outer ring area under the cover of darkness.

That place was relatively remote.

“Did he spot me?” Xu Qing frowned, his eyes narrowing, growing colder.

He didn’t follow immediately. Instead, he surveyed the surroundings. Only after confirming Fat Mountain was alone did he circle around, moving stealthily through the shadows to reach the outer ring ahead of Fat Mountain.

Making sure there were no ambushes, the cold glint in his eyes intensified as he hid in the darkness.

At that moment, Fat Mountain also reached the area and suddenly stopped.

“Little brat, I noticed someone tailing me yesterday. Come out. This place is remote, perfect for dealing with your corpse. If you don’t dare show yourself, next time I won’t be alone. Even if Captain Lei protects you, our Blood Shadow group can still make you pay.”

Xu Qing narrowed his eyes. Since things had come to this, there was no point hiding. He stepped out from the shadows.

“Ma Si didn’t sneak off on a job; you killed him, didn’t you? I underestimated you.” Fat Mountain sneered, looking at Xu Qing as he emerged.

“But it’s fine. I’ve wanted him dead for a long time. If you hadn’t done it, I planned to kill him on our next outing. So, I should thank you. I don’t care about his death, but there’s something in his leather pouch that should be with you now.”

Fat Mountain glanced greedily at the pouch on Xu Qing’s waist. Without waiting for a response, his plump body suddenly burst forth with speed surpassing the second layer of Qi Condensation.

The spiritual energy fluctuations on his body also grew stronger, even forming a layer of technique-generated airflow around him, stirring the cold wind. He charged at Xu Qing like an icy ball.

He wasn’t at the second layer of Qi Condensation; his spiritual energy fluctuations had reached the third layer.

That, plus his desire for an item in Ma Si’s pouch, was why he had come out alone.

Xu Qing narrowed his eyes. This was his first time facing a cultivator head-on, especially one with spiritual energy-formed airflow around him. But he trusted his own strength and speed.

So, the moment Fat Mountain charged, Xu Qing burst forward, his speed at full force leaving faint afterimages.

In the blink of an eye, he dodged Fat Mountain’s body. While Fat Mountain was clearly stunned, Xu Qing was already behind him, his right hand raised and striking with full force.

This was Xu Qing’s first time using his full combat power. The punch created a sharp cracking sound as it landed on Fat Mountain’s back with a thud.

Fat Mountain trembled violently, the barrier formed by his airflow shattering piece by piece. His internal organs churned, and he vomited blood with a retch. By then, the killing intent in Xu Qing’s eyes had thickened.

His right hand raised, an iron spike appeared. He darted past Fat Mountain’s staggering figure, the iron spike aimed to pierce Fat Mountain’s head.

But the next instant, Xu Qing’s expression changed, and he retreated rapidly.

The moment he stepped back, a cunning glint flashed in Fat Mountain’s eyes.

Two black lines shot out from his ears, one after the other, whistling sharply toward Xu Qing’s face.

The two black lines were winged black centipedes, extremely fast. Just as they were about to reach him, Xu Qing drew a dagger with his left hand and sliced them both in half.

The last one was severed less than seven inches from Xu Qing’s eye.

This dangerous moment intensified the killing intent in Xu Qing’s eyes, and he charged again.

Seizing the opportunity from Xu Qing’s retreat, Fat Mountain’s churning internal organs had recovered somewhat.

Now, his round body retreated swiftly, his hands rising to form seals. His face instantly flushed red, and he spat a cloud of poisonous mist directly at the charging Xu Qing.

The mist billowed, covering a large area, rapidly rolling toward Xu Qing. Where it passed, the ground sizzled, showing its potent toxicity.

After doing this, Fat Mountain’s face paled, his belly even shrinking a bit as he retreated again, his eyes filled with both ruthlessness and fear.

Xu Qing’s ferocity had taken him by surprise.

He hadn’t expected that with his third layer of Qi Condensation and poisonous techniques, he’d almost been killed in one blow.

This poisonous mist was his trump card. If it still couldn’t handle his opponent, he’d have to shout to make Xu Qing hesitate.

But if he shouted, he’d likely never get that item from Ma Si.

He actually had another forbidden object he hadn’t used yet, one with severe side effects. Still, he took it out—a piece of amber.

Hesitating inwardly, he looked toward the area shrouded in mist where Xu Qing was.

But the moment he looked, the mist violently scattered in all directions, and Xu Qing’s figure shot out from within.

His speed was so fast it dazzled Fat Mountain, whose heart sank. His right hand was about to crush the amber, and his mouth opened to shout, but it was too late.

A black iron spike, with unparalleled sharpness, arrived in an instant, piercing through his head with unstoppable force. Blood splattered, landing on Xu Qing beside him.

Fat Mountain’s body stiffened. He wanted to turn his head but couldn’t. His corpse slowly fell to the ground, motionless.

Without looking at Fat Mountain’s body, Xu Qing panted heavily, vigilantly observing his surroundings.

The place was remote. Confirming no attention had been drawn, he quickly approached Fat Mountain’s corpse and took his leather pouch.

He was about to use a poisonous fang on it, but Xu Qing noticed Fat Mountain’s right hand seemed to be clutching something. Prying open the fingers, he saw a piece of amber mostly shattered.

It looked ordinary, nothing special, except it contained a scorpion’s tail sealed inside.

Xu Qing carefully took it, then treated the corpse as before. Once the body dissolved into bloody water, he swiftly left.

As he walked, he wiped the blood off himself, disappearing into the night.

Seventh Master and his attendant now stepped out from the darkness.

Looking toward where Xu Qing had vanished, Seventh Master seemed less concerned about the earlier fight between Xu Qing and Fat Mountain. Instead, after some thought, he showed a look of sudden understanding.

“I get it now. That kid isn’t wearing his new clothes because he’s afraid of getting blood on them. He’s been poor for so long he can’t bear to ruin the coat.”

The attendant beside him also breathed a sigh of relief.

All day, Seventh Master had been pondering why the kid wasn’t wearing his new clothes. Now that he had an answer, the attendant wouldn’t have to rack his brains every time he heard the question.

——-

Although this is two chapters’ worth of updates, they’re both long chapters—this one is nearly 4,500 words, and the next is close to 4,000.

They could have been split into three chapters, but I felt that wasn’t necessary as it would disrupt the chapter’s completeness.

I hope you can feel my sincerity. Thank you for your support, brothers and sisters.