After a chat on the phone,
I also came to understand my uncle's confusion.
The beard of the Bottomless Mother, while the medicinal effects were strong,
could not possibly be strong enough to allow me, at the Xuan Dan cultivation stage,
to break through an entire stage.
Because after reaching Xuan Dan, the next step is incredibly difficult.
Even if the Invincible Mother had high cultivation, a single beard would not be enough for me to directly break through an entire stage.
But the problem was, I had broken through.
I had indeed eaten the beard of the Bottomless Mother and reached the middle stage of Xuan Dan, and that was a fact.
After hanging up the phone, I thought about it myself.
If it wasn't the beard of the Invincible Mother,
then there must be other reasons for my condensing seventeen threads of true qi.
I carefully recalled my experiences over these past few days.
Finally, I analyzed that the following points might have influenced me:
the Soul Stone, the Life Curse, the mutated Xuan Dan, and finally the beard of the Bottomless Mother…
The power of the Soul Stone unraveled my Life Curse.
The red mist from the Soul Stone had permeated and cleansed my soul.
It might have had some influence on me.
The disappearance of the Life Curse also had an effect on me.
And finally, the mutated Xuan Dan and the mastery of Yin and Yang Qi, this was another major influence.
It should be these three reasons, combined with the beard of the Bottomless Mother and my uncle's medicinal wine, that allowed me to advance further.
This was my analysis, and it felt like the most reasonable explanation.
Recalling the encounters of these past few days, although dangerous, a near-death experience,
it now seemed like a blessing in disguise.
The Life Curse was lifted, the Black Demon Palace was swept clean, and my own cultivation had also become stronger.
Perhaps this is what others call; after the storm comes the rainbow.
Sometimes, the most difficult and darkest times are precisely when one is closest to success and dawn.
As long as you push through, everything will become smooth and brilliant…
Feeling much better, I hummed a tune and left the room.
Xiao Mei was still asleep, so I didn't disturb her.
Instead, with a good mood, I went out for breakfast.
I bought some vegetables at the market, picked up some chickens, and then opened the shop for business.
It had been closed for several days.
If I didn't open for business, wouldn't people think that "Number 81" had gone bankrupt?
I called a few suppliers and ordered a batch of joss paper and ingots, raw materials for funerals.
I did some cleaning in the shop.
Then I began the day's business…
Business was good today, with seven or eight customers.
I made a small profit of about two hundred yuan.
It seemed as if everything had returned to the usual calm.
Now, I just needed to rest and recuperate for a few days, and then I could go find the next target for "Lifespan Robbery."
Thus, another five or six days passed.
My injuries had basically healed.
The scabs on my body had all fallen off.
Except for the position of the fiery cloud scar on my chest, which still bore a faint fiery cloud imprint,
the other injuries sustained in the Black Demon Palace had left very few scars.
This might be related to the beard of the Bottomless Mother.
But whether there were scars or not didn't matter.
As a grown man, I didn't care about such things.
As for the aftermath of the Black Demon Palace,
I had also skimmed over the Daoist forums.
Apart from my uncle's name once again resonating throughout the Daoist martial world, the rest of the credit was basically snatched up by the major white sects.
It seemed that these sects were not as noble as they appeared, always striving for fame and profit.
So, I didn't pay much attention.
It had nothing to do with us anyway, and there was no benefit to be gained…
On this day, as usual, I was in the shop folding ingots.
Thinking about where I would go next to rob ghost lifespans.
After all, the lamp oil only lasted for three months, and each day that passed meant less time.
But at this moment, a young man walked in from outside.
"Is Daoist Qin here?"
Hearing a customer call out.
I immediately put down the paper ingots in my hand and looked up.
I saw a young man standing at the entrance, about twenty-seven or twenty-eight years old, thin, with sallow skin.
The man looked as if he hadn't slept, lacking energy.
But his eyes were filled with anxiety.
Seeing this, I narrowed my eyes slightly.
This demeanor, this complexion, suggested he had encountered some trouble.
But I wasn't certain.
So, I stood up from behind the counter:
"I am Qin Ze, the proprietor here.
Sir, what do you need?"
I spoke very courteously.
The man scanned the room, then looked at me intently:
"Daoist Qin, I, I'm Wu Jing, introduced by Brother Chen Kai.
He said you can treat 'phantom illnesses'…"
Chen Kai was my former team leader at the factory.
I had saved him when he was entangled by a wood spirit and his body was covered in bark.
He was grateful and referred business to me.
However, when I heard "phantom illnesses," I became serious.
"Phantom illnesses," generally referring to unusual sicknesses, were described as such.
Basically, it meant encountering something unclean.
I was just worrying about not having anywhere to go to rob ghost lifespans and replenish my lamp oil, and now someone came for a "phantom illness."
I immediately walked out from behind the counter:
"Mr. Wu, what happened to you?
How do you know you have a phantom illness?"
After saying that, I gestured for him to sit down.
I poured him a cup of hot water at the water dispenser.
This man named Wu Jing looked nervous.
Seeing me place the hot water down, he didn't take a sip and said:
"Daoist Qin, you must save me.
I, I, I'm dying…"
I remained calm, without any superfluous expression.
When ordinary people encountered such matters, they generally had this reaction and emotions.
What I needed to do was to inquire for details.
First, I had to confirm if he truly had a phantom illness and had been tainted by something unclean.
I calmly said:
"Mr. Wu, don't panic.
Have a sip of water first, and tell me slowly.
Since you were introduced by Chen Kai.
You must have heard of the reputation of my Number 81.
If you have indeed been tainted by something unclean and contracted a phantom illness.
Upon arriving at my Number 81, it will surely be resolved…"