The Fire Spring dyed the night mist crimson. In Luofu Immortal Town, the blue-flagged pavement had long since grown pitted and uneven under the erosion of a thousand years, bearing a mottled, ancient patina. Amidst the drifting evening glow, Li Qingyue seemed draped in a sacred radiance. Possessing great prestige, her words carried immense weight. Clad in purple robes, Li Qingxu's expression shifted slightly; he sensed that the tide had turned against him.
In an instant, a murmur rippled through the gathered disciples from beyond the mundane world, and even those beside Li Qingxu grew visibly uneasy.
"Li Qingyue, this has nothing to do with you," Li Qingxu said, clutching his translucent purple bamboo rod and maintaining an aura of calm composure.
He realized that an undercurrent was beginning to surge. He had already been facing provocation from a bitter rival, and Li Qingyue's uncompromising stance at this critical juncture had effectively destabilized the entire situation.
"I do not wish to repeat myself!" Li Qingyue stood ethereal in her white robes, bathed in the fiery glow as a faint golden luster emanated from her entire body.
"Li Qingxu, once we enter the spirit cavern, you and I will be settling an old score as well," Tang Xumi chimed in.
"Li Qingxu, tomorrow in the spirit cavern, we duel!" Jiang Shengyu, another core disciple, declared flatly, offering no explanation whatsoever.
"Count me in too!" yet another person voiced their stance.
In the span of a breath, many realized what was happening. A tacit understanding had formed among several core disciples: upon entering the spirit cavern, their first order of business would be to eliminate Li Qingxu. Events had developed beyond most people's expectations.
Li Qingxu knew that Li Qingyue had swung her blade at the most pivotal moment, striking a vicious blow that plunged him into grave peril.
He knew perfectly well that there was no such thing as an "old score" between him and Tang Xumi. Tang Xumi was simply seizing the momentum—giving face to Li Qingyue while conveniently dispatching a rival faction. With someone leading the charge, the other core disciples needed only to go with the flow.
As one side after another declared their intentions, his situation turned perilous.
The disciples from beyond the mundane world who had originally stood by him remained silent. Though none stepped away just yet, there was no telling what would happen once they entered the spirit cavern tomorrow. No one wanted to swim against such a massive current. If several core disciples truly joined forces, how could anyone hope to resist?
Li Qingxu said in a deep voice, "They are merely bluffing and trying to intimidate us. When we enter the spirit cavern, each of us will take a different path. There is no way we can be surrounded. Even if we cross paths with another team, a bloodbath is unlikely, for everyone knows their true objective. Right now, there is no need to take their words seriously."
He had to steady the people around him. Otherwise, without helpers when vying for the near-immortal item, he would find himself run ragged.
"Senior Brother Li, we will certainly do everything in our power to help you compete for that legendary item," Zeng Yuan declared.
Back then, he had enjoyed a good relationship with Qin Ming, but after entering the outer realm, he had aligned himself entirely with Li Qingxu. During their chance encounter at Black-White Mountain, he, like Zheng Maoze, had harbored no goodwill toward Qin Ming.
"Rest assured, Senior Brother Li, we stand with you," another outer disciple spoke up. The followers and core disciples were mutually reliant; the earlier one took a stand, the greater the reward.
Li Qingxu was well aware that although these people had voiced their support, they might not necessarily rally to his side immediately upon entering the cavern tomorrow; they were far more likely to wait and watch first. He nodded, maintaining an exceptionally calm, poised, and steady demeanor. The more he pleaded or tried to hold onto someone, the more counterproductive it would be.
"Not bad at all. That young lady has real grit—with just a few words, she nearly toppled a powerful rival," an expert from beyond the mundane world remarked with an approving nod outside Luofu Immortal Town.
"If that elderly senior finds out that this newly recruited, exceptionally gifted disciple of his might be the first to be eliminated, won't he fly into a thunderous rage?"
"Hush! That man must not be spoken of," someone warned.
That elderly senior was fiercely protective of his own and ruthlessly cruel; everyone feared him. The peerlessly majestic Overlord was merely one of the famous figures struck down by his hand, and the older he grew, the fiercer his temper became.
Outside the town, a young man spoke up to air his grievances on Li Qingxu's behalf. "Junior Sister Li, you are going a bit too far. Before even setting foot in the spirit cavern, you have practically struck in advance."
Yet the moment the words left his mouth, an old man barked a warning at him: "You, old disciple—yes, I'm talking to you! Shut your mouth and step back!"
The outer realms permitted only the disciples participating in the competition to stay within the immortal town, and everything that transpired during this period was considered part of the test; outsiders were forbidden from interfering.
The young man was momentarily bewildered. He was only twenty-four years old—how had he become "old"? Compared to this old codger, at least, he was in the very prime of his youth.
Not daring to talk back, he retreated obediently and held his tongue in shame.
The old man then pointed toward another group of youths. "And the rest of you—a bunch of old disciples! Don't stand so close. Back away, all of you!"
Every one of them wanted to ask: *Who is the old one here, really?*
Cui Chonghe stood among them. He was roughly the same age as the youths inside Luofu Immortal Town, yet he had lost the qualification to compete and was now being called an "old disciple" by a withered old man. With a blank expression, he walked off into the distance.
Inside Luofu Immortal Town, following the initial tense standoff, peace had returned. The core disciples mingled together, talking and laughing. It was hard to tell whether they were friends or foes.
In truth, this was largely just going through the motions. The core disciples had already interacted beforehand; this display was merely meant to bolster the confidence of their followers.
Qin Ming did not follow Li Qingyue among the disciples from beyond the mundane world. Instead, he observed those walking the Newborn path, trying to gauge who practiced specialized heavenly light forces.
A handful among them warranted extreme caution, for even the core disciples dared not look down on them.
The Tathagata outcast, the Five Elements Palace disciple, and the heir to the Yuqing force were all extraordinarily dangerous figures at this stage. Without a doubt, these individuals who relied on physical mutations were also sizing one another up.
"Brother, if we truly cross paths in the spirit cavern, we can spar, but let's not go for the kill. We walk the same path; we are true fellow travelers."
"Agreed!"
"Do you see that youth whose arms reach past his knees? His name is He Tai. Word is he has mastered the Great Ape King Fist to perfection and slew Outer Sages while still in the Newborn stage. He's extremely dangerous and has a ferocious temper—do not provoke him!"
Qin Ming strolled around casually and picked up a wealth of information.
"He Tai? He was actually recruited to lend a hand! That's the top scorer of the Grand Examination, personally handpicked by the castellan of a super-giant city. He could kill Outer Sages in the Newborn stage, and now that he has stepped into the realm of Outer Manifestation, who can match him?"
Instantly, many eyes turned toward He Tai, and murmurs about him grew louder.
Qin Ming could not help glancing at him as well, only to learn that this youth was a formidable expert specially invited by the Zheng family on Zheng Maoze's behalf.
"The Great Ape King force is a super-composite heavenly light force, extraordinarily difficult to cultivate. Yet He Tai achieved mastery long ago and is hailed as a future grandmaster of fist techniques. Even now, he carries a distinct presence."
Qin Ming listened quietly, committing this dangerous figure to memory.
"Am I seeing things? Someone from the Pure Yang Palace is here too!"
Yet another formidable figure was recognized: Jiang Congyun, a disciple of the Pure Yang Palace. That orthodox lineage's Pure Yang force was reputed to be invincible and overbearingly domineering. He was a young expert invited personally by members of a millennial clan on Wang Caiwei's behalf.
Many disciples from beyond the mundane world showed looks of shock. In the realms of Heart Fasting and Yellow Court, they needed to remain on high alert against certain exotic forces, or they might truly end up tasting defeat. The Pure Yang force was terrifyingly lethal—it could scorch and shatter conscious spirit radiance!
Wang Caiwei valued Jiang Congyun highly, keeping him by her side and formally introducing him whenever they met disciples from beyond the mundane world.
"Brother, do you know which one is the Tathagata outcast, which is the heir to the Yuqing force, and where the Five Elements Palace disciple is? Could you point them out to me?" Qin Ming asked a burly youth beside him.
"No idea. They conceal themselves deeply. I have a feeling people like that could pose a threat even to core disciples."
Not only people from beyond the mundane world, but practitioners of other paths had gathered outside Luofu Immortal Town, keeping close watch over the impending contest.
As for the outside world, betting pools had opened in many places, allowing people to wager on which core disciple would emerge victorious, turning it into a massive business.
"The heir to the Yuqing force, the Tathagata outcast, Jiang Congyun, Cui Chongxuan, He Tai... Among these specially invited experts, who will carve a path through the spirit cavern to laugh last? Will someone defeat a core disciple head-on on behalf of their employer to seize the near-immortal item?"
"Place your bets! The Five Elements force, the Pure Yang force, the Six Imperials force... which is weaker and which is stronger? Take a gamble!"
Clearly, it was not just the core disciples drawing attention; those proficient in terrifying forces who had been specially recruited were also hot betting targets.
That night, beneath the night mist of major cities and distant territories, countless people discussed the event. Gamblers treated it like a grand carnival, placing bets one after another.
In the deep night, Qin Ming slept with his mutton-fat jade iron saber in his arms, wary of foul play.
By now, every faction was watching with tense, rapt attention. Even outer realm masters and direct descendants of millennial clans had personally gone out to recruit talent. One could easily imagine the immense importance placed upon this event.
The night passed without incident until just before dawn, when the Fire Spring fully revived and the stone slabs covering it were drawn back. Suddenly, an assailant struck. At such a critical juncture, someone had actually made a move.
"Li Qingxu, I knew you would come. Why bother hiding?" Li Qingyue pushed open her door and stepped out, her body radiating colorful light that dispersed the night mist. Ahead, a shadowy figure silently crushed a house before retreating into the distance, choosing not to clash with Li Qingyue directly.
Tang Xumi had also appeared, charging forward with murderous intent. He whispered, "Shall we join forces to wound him heavily and drive him off?"
"There's no time," Li Qingyue shook her head. The dark figure had already reached the entrance of Luofu Immortal Town. Fighting there would make a swift kill impossible, and spectators outside would witness it.
"He lost the initiative, so he wanted to ambush one of us by night to establish his dominance," Tang Xumi said before vanishing back into the night mist.
By then, Qin Ming was fully armed. His suit of golden armor gleamed brilliantly, accentuating his tall, heroic frame. Twelve short spears were strapped to his back, and the jade iron saber hung at his waist.
He had learned that the golden armor forged by people beyond the mundane world was inscribed with special runes capable of blocking a fatal calamity. After all, the competition was meant to contest a near-immortal item, not cause needless casualties.
Once triggered, the runes inside the armor formed a protective shroud of light, allowing defeated participants to withdraw from the spirit cavern safely.
However, there were exceptions to everything. If an opponent obstructed them relentlessly and shattered the protective shroud at all costs, or if the loser refused to withdraw immediately and exhausted the shroud's duration, they could certainly end up perishing in the cavern.
Li Qingyue brought out a thin golden garment from her room. It was soft and wondrous, rippling with fine, gentle runes. She whispered, "Put this on underneath. It will give you a second layer of protection."
Qin Ming realized this was a protective golden garment specially refined for core disciples, of supreme quality.
He immediately shook his head. He already had the golden armor; if he took Li Qingyue's life-saving item and she encountered danger, he would regret it for the rest of his life.
"My strength is sufficient; none of the core disciples can kill me. Furthermore, I have means to protect myself, and even if an unforeseen crisis arises, I can break out of the spirit cavern immediately. You... have only achieved five Newbirths so far. I don't mean to belittle you; you've only just stepped onto the Newborn path, and at this stage you still need time to build your foundation. I merely worry that I won't be able to protect you properly."
Li Qingyue spoke with utmost candor, voicing the concern in her heart.
Qin Ming shook his head resolutely. Though he had come to help her, offering her own life-saving garment warmed his heart, and he could never allow her to step into unpredictable peril. "If you won't wear the protective golden garment yourself, we might as well forfeit this competition!"
In the end, Li Qingyue returned to her room, put the golden garment back on underneath, and donned a suit of silver armor over it. Her demeanor immediately turned valiant and heroic, radiating an extraordinary presence.
In the morning, the morning glow cast by the Fire Spring washed over Luofu Immortal Town, dispersing the night mist in a brilliant blaze of light.
The group set out and soon arrived at the immortal mountain ruins several li away, making their way toward a cluster of stone grottos.
"One team per path; enter through different channels," an expert from beyond the mundane world announced via voice transmission.
Qin Ming stayed beside Li Qingyue as they walked down a grotto passage. He had expected to descend deep underground into a dim, gloomy cavern.
To his surprise, he ultimately stepped out into a pine forest. A clear spring murmured gently, and the area was bathed in ample light, as though the age of daylight had returned. The other three gold-armored guards were just as astonished as Qin Ming.
Li Qingyue remained calm as she looked into the distance. On the flat ground beyond the pine forest, she spotted an acquaintance—Zheng Maoze.
From the hills on the other side, Li Qingxu approached with a smile. "What a coincidence, Li Qingyue! To think we would cross paths right from the start!" He looked toward Zheng Maoze. "Let us join forces and send her out."
Then he chuckled again as he spotted Wang Caiwei appearing in the distance, accompanied by the Pure Yang Palace expert, Jiang Congyun.
Li Qingxu called out, "Caiwei, let the three of us send Fairy Li on her way together!"
Chapter 103