Calamity Messenger

Chapter 362 - 296: I’m Going Too

"For the next five days, I’ll be entering the Secret Realm for training, so I won’t be able to return to the Thief’s House, nor will I come for meals."

At the Thief’s House hall, Yan Qing stated his schedule very seriously and then waited quietly for the impending storm. He had already prepared a mental draft last night to handle any potential questions today.

Upon hearing the news, Pharmacist’s Wish and Shang Xinlei blinked their eyes and simply nodded.

"Oh."

"Mm."

"The pan-fried stuffed tofu was delicious. Do you have the recipe? I’m thinking of having my kitchen maid learn it."

"I’ll give it to you later, but the tofu beans are sourced from the Secret Realm and are of much better quality than the usual soybeans. If your kitchen maid can’t match the taste, it’s probably not a cooking issue, so don’t punish her, okay?"

"Who even punishes their kitchen maid? Are you not afraid of eating spit in your food."

Yan Qing watched them discuss the taste of today’s lunch and was momentarily dumbfounded.

Clearly, the last time I was gone for six days, you were all so concerned. Now I’ll be away for five days for training and can’t come back to the Thief’s House. Why are you all reacting so indifferently?

Could love really disappear?

To be honest, Yan Qing didn’t really want them to ask too many questions. It’s not that he didn’t trust them, but explaining things could get quite bothersome. Now that they weren’t asking, he should have been relieved. Yet, somehow, he felt a bit discontented.

So he paused before saying, "After lunch today, I’m planning to absorb the Celestial Spirits and Earthly Fiends, prepare myself well before going. I need you to be my Guardians."

Pharmacist’s Wish nodded approvingly, "Sure, indeed it’s best to have someone guard you while absorbing the Celestial Spirits and Earthly Fiends."

Shang Xinlei asked, "What about my Celestial Spirits and Earthly Fiends? When will it be my turn? Don’t tell me you’re planning to absorb the Celestial Spirits and Earthly Fiends first and then beat me up during training, which is why you’re deliberately delaying giving them to me?"

Yan Qing replied mockingly, "Do I seem that idle? You’re not in a rush; anyway, I’ll just let the market sit for a few more days to see if I can exchange for the best Earthly Fiends."

Shang Xinlei snorted a couple of times, "You’re not idle, just a bit shameless."

Oh my, you snotty creature, you see people... quite accurately.

Yan Qing muttered inwardly. He did indeed plan to absorb the Celestial Spirits and Earthly Fiends first, then use his Qi Blood advantage to give Shang Xinlei a good beating in training. After all, Shang Xinlei was both cute and insolent, a punch might make her cry for quite a while, right? He wanted to see that.

But what’s going on? I’m about to absorb the Celestial Spirits and Earthly Fiends! As a dignified Third-Turn Messenger, I have to absorb the Celestial Spirits and Earthly Fiends to cope with the upcoming training. Even if you don’t care about me, shouldn’t you at least want to ask if it’s a dangerous place?

However, Yan Qing wasn’t too surprised in his heart because both of them had been quite indifferent these days, like everything that happened on their reunion day — hugging and promises, all emotional outbursts — was just Yan Qing’s illusion after a hearty meal.

It was a bit like going home for a festive holiday — at first mother is thrilled with lavish meals, but after a few days she can’t wait to send you packing — although they weren’t his mother, the principle was the same.

Though their reactions were very mild, Yan Qing didn’t feel they didn’t care about him. They simply had great confidence in his strength, seeing no need to say much.

Yes, that must be it!

Even though he had found an excuse for them in his heart, during the meal Yan Qing couldn’t help but show a hint of casual melancholy, trying to express through his expression that ’there’s a teammate here who needs your attention.’ But the downside of Yan Qing being wrapped in a bandaged disguise surfaced: it was really hard for others to gauge his mood, and even if his core was of a melancholic noble, he ended up looking more like a depressed mummy.

That bit of awkwardness in his heart vanished after the meal because Yan Qing was about to absorb the Celestial Spirits and Earthly Fiends.

He sat cross-legged on the floor, right hand gripping the Catastrophe-Neutralizing Creation Talisman, left hand holding the Catastrophe and Tongyou Secret Record, while Pharmacist’s Wish and Shang Xinlei held his shoulders from either side, like getting ready to suppress a ruffian.

"Generally speaking, as long as you absorb both the Celestial Spirits and Earthly Fiends simultaneously, there’s not much danger. But if there’s a time discrepancy in absorption, you could experience blood boiling or soul sinking, resulting in mental and physical imbalance, possibly fainting. Severe cases might even lead to sudden death," said Pharmacist’s Wish. "But you’re in good shape, not much different from me. Even if you experience brief blood boiling or soul sinking, you should be able to endure."

"Don’t worry, if you faint, I’ll definitely slap you awake!" Shang Xinlei assured confidently, with even a hint of anticipation in her tone.

Yan Qing had previously learned from Pharmacist’s Wish that blood boiling and soul sinking could be said to be ailments that only local people experience. The former is when Qi Blood far exceeds the spirit, and the spirit cannot control the body, causing blood to boil, manifesting as bursting blood vessels, turning one into a fragile glass person who detonates upon impact; the latter is when the spirit far exceeds Qi Blood, akin to a truck overloaded by ten thousand tons, the body collapses under the spirit’s weight, leading to drowsiness and memory loss, able to fall asleep anywhere at any time.

But blood boiling and soul sinking usually occur when a messenger only absorbs the Celestial Spirits or only the Earthly Fiends. Simultaneously absorbing both generally doesn’t cause issues. Back when Pharmacist’s Wish temporarily absorbed both at Shu Dao Mountain, there was no need for adjustment time, able to join the battle immediately.

Yan Qing just felt like absorbing the Celestial Spirits and Earthly Fiends was quite a significant moment; he wanted friends beside him to witness it, just like achieving a platinum trophy in a game and wanting to take a screenshot to share it in the group chat.

With a shift in his mind, the Catastrophe Jade Talisman and the Catastrophe Secret Record turned into two ghostly lights, merging with his body and soul through his palms. Yan Qing felt an intense strangeness, as if each level-up was like a steam sauna, sweating profusely to cleanse and transform, but now his sensation equaled simultaneously drinking lava and icy spring water. Lava surged through his veins, icy spring flowed from his skull to his toes, the former excruciatingly painful, the latter numb. Yet due to their simultaneous presence, Yan Qing inexplicably felt an indescribable pleasure.