Even someone as slow on the uptake as Xiao Qing could sense the naked malice in Chang Feng's tone.
As expected, this guy had planned from the very beginning to sell me off for profit after showing off my Soul Master talent.
A trace of coldness surfaced in Xiao Qing's eyes. He probably wouldn't be able to leave the village before Chang Feng found a buyer. Chang Feng would definitely have people keep watch over him.
Because of his age, Xiao Qing had little chance of escaping right now. He needed to wait for an opportunity to throw Clear Spring Village into chaos.
Only then would no one notice him slipping away.
Just as Xiao Qing had expected, word of his level-seven Innate Soul Power spread like wildfire.
From then on, wherever Xiao Qing went, he could feel people watching him. Whenever he showed any intention of leaving the village, someone would come stop him.
But Xiao Qing had no intention of putting up with this. Before Chang Feng left, hadn't he said that Xiao Qing could go to his house for food whenever he needed it?
So, over the next few days, Xiao Qing showed up outside Chang Feng's house at the same time every day and called out loudly, without the slightest hint of embarrassment:
"Auntie, before Village Chief Chang Feng left, he told me I could come to you for anything I wanted. So I'm here to get my rice and meat!"
Chang Feng's wife cared about appearances. Hearing Xiao Qing shout like that outside her house made her feel like she was losing face.
Besides, before Chang Feng left, he had told her to keep Xiao Qing happy and give him whatever he asked for.
"Take it and get lost!"
Chang Feng's wife was already fed up with Xiao Qing. Now, whenever she heard him calling out, she would have her child toss a basket of rice and meat outside.
Xiao Qing didn't get angry. Grinning, he went up, picked up the rice and meat, then turned around and went home to cook.
As soon as he got home, Xiao Qing poured the rice into the jar, then cut off most of the palm-sized piece of meat, leaving just a little to cook for that day.
He didn't go to Chang Feng's wife for meat just to annoy them. He also needed it to make a potion that could attract Soul Beasts.
A stream beside Clear Spring Village flowed toward Star Dou Forest. If Xiao Qing could dump the potion into it, he was sure the Soul Beasts downstream wouldn't be able to resist coming up!
After all, Xiao Qing had seen his father test the potion's power when he was little.
Treating a palm-sized piece of meat with the potion could attract more than a dozen wolves.
As for the ingredients needed to make the potion, Xiao Qing took them from the Storage Soul Tool his father had left him.
His father had told him that, years ago, he had risked his life to rescue an unconscious man from the jaws of a Soul Beast. When the man woke up, he gave the Soul Tool to Xiao Qing's father as thanks.
The Soul Tool looked very plain. On top of that, it showed heavy signs of use. If you didn't look closely, you'd think it was a Cloth Bag rather than a Soul Tool.
So Xiao Qing had named the Soul Tool "Cloth Bag."
The Cloth Bag had a space of only two cubic meters. Inside were some medicinal ingredients and several notebooks.
His father used the former to make medicine. The latter recorded what he had learned over several decades, most of it about Soul Beasts.
With these notes, Xiao Qing couldn't guarantee he'd live comfortably on the outermost edge of Star Dou Forest, but he was confident he could survive and hunt Soul Beasts to obtain a Soul Ring.
With that in mind, Xiao Qing went into his room, lifted his bed, took out a clay jar, opened it, and stuffed the meat inside.
The clay jar was already full. All Xiao Qing had to do now was wait. The potion would take three more days to take effect. That would be the day he escaped.
What Xiao Qing hadn't expected was that Chang Feng would return the very next day!
Xiao Qing clearly remembered that even the nearest city-state was at least a week's round trip away. What's more, Chang Feng had gone to find a buyer, so it was bound to take him more than a week.
"Xiao Qing, things have been going pretty well for you lately, haven't they?"
As soon as Chang Feng returned to Clear Spring Village, he went to find Xiao Qing. Rubbing his hands together, he asked in a somewhat ingratiating tone.
Seeing that Chang Feng had come back alone, Xiao Qing first breathed a sigh of relief, then chatted with him as usual.
"Village Chief, you're back! Thanks to you, my life's been great lately. I've been eating really well every day."
Thanks to Chang Feng, Xiao Qing had been eating rice and meat at every meal for the last few days instead of thin porridge and dried radish like he usually did.
Chang Feng still didn't know that Xiao Qing had been going to his house every day to ask for rice and meat. He simply assumed his wife had followed his instructions and given Xiao Qing some extra food.
"Then you'd better remember all this. Don't forget how good our Clear Spring Village has been to you! Especially when the Spirit Hall inspector arrives. Make sure you tell him how much our village has done for you!"
Only then did Xiao Qing understand why Chang Feng had suddenly started acting so strangely. It turned out someone from Spirit Hall was coming!
That also explained how Chang Feng had returned so soon. So he'd sold Xiao Qing to Spirit Hall.
But Xiao Qing had never heard of a Spirit Hall inspector before. He didn't even know what the position involved.
"An inspector? Village Chief, who's the inspector? I've never heard of one."
Chang Feng had been daydreaming about the future, but when Xiao Qing asked him about it, he showed no impatience at all. He carefully explained everything.
"An inspector is someone tasked with gathering talented people for Spirit Hall. The inspector coming tomorrow heard about your talent while passing through here, so he plans to take you to study at Spirit Hall's academy."
Afraid Xiao Qing might refuse, Chang Feng kept drumming into him all the benefits he'd get by going with the inspector.
"When the time comes, remember to behave yourself. This is a very rare opportunity. If you can study there, you'll get to eat rice every day and drink meat soup. You might even get to eat white sugar!"
Seeing Xiao Qing lost in thought, Chang Feng assumed he was imagining a wonderful future just like he was.
In reality, Xiao Qing was wondering whether he should study at Spirit Hall.
I don't know what's going on with Tang San yet. If I rashly join Spirit Hall, I'll only end up as cannon fodder in the Battle of Jiayuguan.
Besides, I don't even know whether that inspector is real. What if I'm jumping from one pit into an even bigger one? Better to live free!
Xiao Qing quickly made up his mind. He'd stick to his original plan. The inspector's arrival would be the perfect chance to throw Clear Spring Village into even greater chaos.
The next morning.
Chang Feng got up especially early and went to wait outside Xiao Qing's house.
But even after waiting for a long while, Xiao Qing still hadn't come out. Just as Chang Feng thought Xiao Qing had run away, someone ran over and told him Xiao Qing was washing clothes by the stream.
By the time Chang Feng reached the stream, Xiao Qing was washing his clothes and bedding.
"Xiao Qing, why did you come all the way out here? Don't you know the inspector is coming?"
Chang Feng shouted at Xiao Qing, somewhat annoyed. If Xiao Qing ran away, Chang Feng would lose his newly acquired position too!
"I thought my clothes and bedding were a little dirty, and I was afraid the inspector would laugh at me, so I came to wash them first thing this morning. Did I do something wrong?"
Xiao Qing looked at Chang Feng innocently, as if he really meant it.
"You! I—"
Before Chang Feng could say anything, someone ran over and shouted that the inspector had arrived, telling Chang Feng to go greet him.
Seeing this, Chang Feng could only glare at Xiao Qing and warn him fiercely, "What are you waiting for? Hurry up and come greet our honored guest!"
Xiao Qing said nothing and followed behind Chang Feng with his head lowered.
This won't be the only honored guest. Let's see if you're ready to welcome the Soul Beasts you've attracted!
While washing clothes just now, Xiao Qing had already tossed some of the treated meat into the water and hidden the rest along the road into the village.
By his reckoning, the potion should have taken effect. The Soul Beasts in the forest must already be itching to come!
Before you continue