Chapter 14 Preparations Before Going to the Queen Mother of the West's Palace

The bitter taste of the ointment on his lips was like a pebble thrown into a still lake, creating ripples that spread endlessly through Hei Xiazi's heart. For several days, his gaze towards Zhang Qiling held an inexplicable awkwardness, a mixture of longing for the sudden intimacy and unease caused by this overly intense change. Zhang Qiling, on the other hand, remained as calm as ever, but beneath that calm lay a heavy, resolute determination that Hei Xiazi couldn't fathom, as if he had made an unchangeable resolve.

The delicate atmosphere was broken by the ringtone of Hei Xiazi's everyday cell phone. The caller ID showed "Xie Yuchen".

Black Bear clicked his tongue, pressed the answer button, and his tone returned to its usual lazy manner: "Hey, Flower Master, what can I do for you?"

On the other end of the phone, Xie Yuchen's voice was devoid of emotion, but he spoke a little faster than usual: "Blind man, I heard you and Brother Zhang have been making quite a stir lately? At the Gray Soil Shop, Scarface Li has fallen?"

The news spread quickly, which was not surprising. Black Bear chuckled and said, "Oh, it's already reached your ears? It's nothing, just helping a friend out and cleaning up a nobody."

Xie Yuchen chuckled softly on the other end of the phone, the tone unreadable as to whether it was approval or something else: "The intervention of the Blind Man from the South and the Mute Man from the North is certainly no small matter. However, that's not why I'm calling you." He paused, his tone becoming slightly more formal, "There's news coming from the west that things aren't peaceful. I heard... there's been some unusual activity at the Queen Mother of the West's Palace lately, the feng shui energy is very chaotic, as if something is about to manifest."

Hei Xiazi's heart skipped a beat, and he subconsciously looked at Zhang Qiling beside him. Zhang Qiling paused almost imperceptibly in his wiping of the Black Gold Ancient Blade. Although he didn't look up, he was clearly listening intently.

"The Queen Mother of the West's Palace?" Hei Xiazi repeated, his tone carrying just the right amount of curiosity. "Wasn't that place hollowed out long ago? What could possibly be happening there?"

"Who knows?" Xie Yuchen said. "It could be a tectonic shift, or... something else. You know, that kind of place is really eerie. I've heard that several groups of people have already quietly made their way there, and some of them are tough guys. If you and Brother Zhang don't have anything important to do lately, you might as well keep an eye on things. In case something really goes wrong, don't run into trouble."

These words sounded like a well-intentioned reminder, but Hei Xiazi sensed something else. Xie Yuchen's information network was vast; his call was far more than just a warning of risks. It was more like a probe, a way to gauge their reaction to the "Queen Mother of the West Palace" incident.

"Thank you, Master Hua, we'll keep an eye out." Hei Xiazi's tone remained unchanged. "However, we're planning to take a break for now. It's best to avoid those dangerous places if possible."

After chatting for a few more minutes, we hung up the phone. The air in the room seemed to freeze for a moment.

Hei Xiazi looked at Zhang Qiling: "The Queen Mother of the West Palace... Is your trip here related to this?" He remembered that Zhang Qiling had mentioned preparing to go to a certain place, and combined with Xie Yuchen's information, the goal seemed clear.

Zhang Qiling put down his knife, walked to the window, and gazed at the gloomy sky outside, his back straight and solitary. "Hmm," he responded, without denying it. "The time is almost here."

He didn't explain the specific timing, but Hei Xiazi could sense that it must be something extremely important, even extremely dangerous. Zhang Qiling's early departure from the Bronze Gate was perhaps to prepare for this "opportunity."

“Some people in the underworld are already watching that place.” Hei Xiazi walked to his side. “Xie Yuchen’s phone call wasn’t just a warning; it was also a way of testing our waters.”

“As expected.” Zhang Qiling’s tone was calm, as if everything was under control. “Their attention has been drawn to it, which is just right.”

Hei Xiazi instantly understood. The unusual activity at the Queen Mother of the West's Palace was very likely within Zhang Qiling's expectations or even calculations! He could use this information to attract the attention of forces interested in the secret of immortality (such as the Wang family), thus relieving their own pressure; on the other hand, he could also observe the reactions of all parties and pave the way for his own next move.

This silent fellow, reborn, possesses a terrifyingly meticulous mind and strategic planning ability.

"What do you need?" Hei Xiazi asked directly. Since Zhang Qiling's goal was the Queen Mother of the West's Palace, he needed to make thorough preparations.

Zhang Qiling turned to look at him, her gaze deep: "I need you."

The three words, spoken with utmost naturalness, struck Hei Xiazi's heart with a heavy blow.

"Nonsense," Black Bear suppressed the strange feeling in his heart and grinned, "If I don't go with you, who will take a bullet for you?"

Zhang Qiling shook his head, his eyes serious: "More than that. Getting in there requires a special method and... a tacit understanding." He paused, looking at Hei Xiazi, "Only you."

This was an unconditional trust, placing one's own safety and the success or failure of the plan entirely on Hei Xiazi. Hei Xiazi's joking expression vanished, and he nodded solemnly: "Understood. What do you need to prepare? Tell me."

Over the next few days, Zhang Qiling began preparations. Through the Zhang family's overseas channels, he secretly procured some special equipment and medicinal herbs, many of which even Hei Xiazi had never heard of. At the same time, he began teaching Hei Xiazi some tricks for identifying the mechanisms, poisons, and illusions related to the Queen Mother of the West's palace. This knowledge clearly came from the Zhang family's secrets, or even from experience gained in his previous life at the cost of blood.

Hei Xiazi studied with utmost seriousness. He knew this operation was no small matter; any negligence could lead to utter ruin. More importantly, this was the first time Zhang Qiling had so systematically opened up his world to him, and he had to accept it.

During this time, Xie Yuchen tried to contact Hei Xiazi again indirectly, but Hei Xiazi brushed her off with excuses such as "recovering from injuries" and "closing down for the year." Rumors about the Queen Mother of the West's Palace were growing increasingly intense, and advance teams from several factions seemed to have already engaged in small-scale conflicts in the area, further adding to its mystique and danger.

Everything was unfolding as Zhang Qiling had predicted. Like a master chess player, he calmly placed his pieces, guiding the changing tides on the board.

On the eve of their departure, the two did a final check of their equipment. Zhang Qiling handed a bronze talisman, cool to the touch and engraved with intricate cloud patterns, to Hei Xiazi: "Keep it close to your body; it could save your life in a critical moment."

Hei Xiazi took the talisman; it felt heavy in his hand, carrying an ancient aura. "What kind of treasure is this?"

“The Zhang family’s secret talisman can resist the ‘qi’ there to a certain extent.” Zhang Qiling didn’t explain further, but his eyes showed that this item was extraordinary.

Hei Xiazi carefully put it away and looked at Zhang Qiling. In the dim light, Zhang Qiling's eyes were firm and focused, like a sharp blade gleaming with cold light, about to be drawn.

"Are you ready?" Zhang Qiling asked.

Hei Xiazi took a deep breath, suppressing his excitement and solemnity, and gave a roguish smile: "We can set off at any time, Chief Zhang."

The initial ripples have already spread, and a vortex leading to the Queen Mother of the West's palace is forming. And this time, they are going to deliberately step into the eye of the storm.