Chen Shuhang struck without warning. His palm slashed like a blade, unleashing five-colored lightning force that surged through his body straight toward Qin Ming's neck—a truly ruthless blow.
Qin Ming felt terrifyingly fierce heat run rampant. The stray strands of hair drifting outside his helmet stood on end; when the five-colored lightning force sheared past, it felt no different from real lightning. Having sensed the danger long before, he had stayed constantly on guard. Moving as though riding the wind, he sidestepped beforehand to evade the strike.
The five-colored lightning force brushed past him, rumbling forward with a deafening sonic boom. Its power was enough to blast a giant elephant into a paste of blood, and the dense mist of light nearby was shattered entirely by the shockwave.
At the same exact moment, Jiang Congyun's fist pounded close, fully living up to the name of Pure Yang. As this heavenly light force erupted, it looked as though he held a golden sun gripped within his fist, blindingly brilliant. The scorching heat could incinerate a person's spirit and will until they broke down—no wonder it made even those from beyond the mundane world wary!
Qin Ming's expression turned cold. To avoid being pincered between the two, he drew upon the Overlord's force technique, sweeping like the wind blowing away scattered clouds to detonate the accumulated otherworldly heavenly light in the vicinity. The mist of light in this zone boiled, and the concentrated otherworldly heavenly light churned violently, engulfing the two who had launched a surprise lethal assault on him.
In a flash, all three sprang outward, steering clear of the otherworldly heavenly light that raged like stormy waves, each taking up a position and facing each other in silent standoff.
Wealth could seduce human hearts, let alone a near-immortal item.
Qin Ming understood where the problem lay: that hazy near-immortal item was wreathed in auspicious vapor and blanketed in immortal mist, accompanied by the wondrous phenomenon of great medicinal herbs soon to appear. In a deep voice, he said, "A thousand years have passed. Even if immortal medicines were once left behind, they would have rotted away long ago. Would you even dare to eat them?"
The two had struck at him simultaneously, which meant they had clearly formed an alliance before ever entering the colossal pit.
Upon seeing what appeared to be medicinal pills by the legendary near-immortal item, a single exchange of glances between them had been enough to make their choice on the spot: to combine forces and ambush him together.
The bottom of the colossal pit was full of craters and hollows, its surface crystallized from exposure to scorching heat. Thick heavenly light flowed like motley light-mist burning in blazing fury; had an ordinary Newborn taken a breath here, their lungs would have been incinerated through.
Chen Shuhang and Jiang Congyun exchanged another glance. Since they had already made their move, neither intended to offer explanations now, for any words would ring hollow and feeble. With calm expressions and deep, unfathomable gazes, the two advanced on Qin Ming from different directions.
"Brother, our apologies!" Chen Shuhang spoke.
"We are sending you out!" Jiang Congyun's voice was chilly, devoid of ripples.
Now that they had already offended him, they naturally would not permit the person before them to study that near-immortal item alongside them. Regardless of whether any wondrous fortune awaited, they would first cut off his chance of approaching it.
Qin Ming said coldly, "You two are certainly ruthless enough. Regardless of whether your initial choice was justified, since you have struck, you intend to see it through to the bitter end, don't you?"
He did not take the initiative to attack; he even wanted to stall for time. After all, he could survive at the bottom of the pit without pure yang blood guarding his body, whereas the same could not be said for the two of them.
Chen Shuhang and Jiang Congyun wasted no words. Having reached their decision, they struck instantly, charging at him in unison, both putting forth their full strength.
Whether or not their opponent was the heir of the Six Imperials force, the mere fact that his fist light could injure a Yellow Court disciple from beyond the mundane world meant he was definitely someone of grand background, well worth taking seriously.
Piercing beams of light shot from Qin Ming's eyes as anger surged within his heart. They had misjudged the situation, mistakenly believing immortal medicines remained, and launched a sudden attack on him; now they even intended to walk this dark path to its very end—truly pushing people too far!
In an instant, heavenly light force densely coated his body, holy brilliance shining all around and blanketing him from head to toe.
"Just this?!" Chen Shuhang was stunned.
"His heavenly light extends barely two or three inches from his body?" Jiang Congyun also revealed an utterly surprised expression.
Neither of them had expected that once this so-called heir of the Six Imperials force erupted with all his might, his heavenly light force would amount to so little, not even as long as their fingers. They did not delay; in a pit bottom this perilous, ending the battle as quickly as possible was the safest course.
Crackling thunder manifested between Chen Shuhang's five fingers. The five-colored lightning force fell into the category of extraordinary arts; now erupting with full force, it projected half a meter outward from his body.
Jiang Congyun was even more aggressive, bearing down through the air. Beneath his feet, it seemed as though he trod upon a golden great sun, his sole exploding with blinding radiance as he stomped toward Qin Ming's head. This Pure Yang force was reputed to be indestructible, capable of instantly slaying a yin spirit.
Qin Ming's expression was grim and frosty. This time, he did not retreat.
Toward unfamiliar opponents, he had always extended the highest "courtesy"—going all out.
A closer look revealed eighteen kinds of patterns within the heavenly light force on his skin, gleaming with flowing brilliance. Though not particularly thick, it was exceptionally resplendent.
Qin Ming clashed against Chen Shuhang's outward-surging five-colored lightning force. Wrapped in threads, flowing with fire, and churning with golden light, Qin Ming's fist actually pierced through that half-meter-thick heavenly light, shattering the renowned lightning force!
Every Newborn knew that among all types of heavenly light forces, thunder force was undoubtedly one of the most masculine and unyielding. Yet now, Qin Ming had breached it bare-handed. His heavenly light force enveloped his fist, projecting outward a mere two to three inches, virtually negligible compared to his opponent's, yet it crushed through everything in its path.
With a boom, it seemed instead as though Qin Ming were summoning divine thunder, collapsing Chen Shuhang's half-meter-long lightning force and driving straight for his palm.
Chen Shuhang's pupils contracted. This was absurd. How could someone whose heavenly light barely left his body counter him? It would have been one thing if he were just an ordinary Outer Sage; he was quite renowned, someone who routinely fought above his level to strike down the strong, yet today he was being bested from below!
He retreated at top speed, fearing he would not be able to withstand that terrifying heavenly light force.
With a ripping sound, his palm was lightly grazed, instantly drawing blood as a deep gash was torn open. That heavenly light force was simply too overbearing—a mere brush had nearly cost him a chunk of flesh.
At that moment, Jiang Congyun leaped in. With only a slight tilt of his head, Qin Ming evaded the airborne kick and swung his arm outward to strike the leg.
Seeing Chen Shuhang's reaction, Jiang Congyun knew he had run into a tough, thorny customer. His Pure Yang force poured completely into that leg with dazzling radiance as he dropped swiftly toward the ground. In that instant, his entire leg seemed to be ablaze with billowing flames, the Pure Yang force pushed to the absolute limit he could attain.
Had the conscious spiritual light of someone from beyond the mundane world been present, it would have been incinerated through. Even a Newborn's spiritual consciousness would be affected, easily slipping into a daze with a splitting headache. Qin Ming felt nothing. Blocking with his arm, he clashed directly against the Pure Yang force that had shaken the world of the night mist. Blinding flame erupted between them, scattering sparks in all directions.
With a loud thud, Jiang Congyun flew diagonally backward, staggering on his feet. Looking down, he saw the golden armor on his leg shattered and his Pure Yang force pierced by the other boy. Fortunately, it had been a hurried clash; his leg was not severely damaged, only slightly bruised and oozing fine traces of blood.
What kind of monster was this? Tremors went through the hearts of both great experts; they already understood they had kicked an iron plate.
They possessed secret techniques and had observed Qin Ming before, evaluating his physical constitution and judging him to be within the normal range of an Outer Sage.
Only now did they realize what mistake they had made: this person was not an Outer Sage yet, but his life vitality was already no weaker than that of someone in the second realm.
"Are you a nine-time Newborn mutant?!"
The way they looked at Qin Ming changed completely; to think they would encounter such a legendary figure!
Under ordinary circumstances, it was exceedingly rare to meet a mutant. Everyone knew the millennium-old aristocratic clans likely possessed them, yet almost never did they show their faces.
As an ancient lineage that shook the night mist and remained a vibrant colossus today, Pure Yang Palace naturally strove to find and nurture mutants as well. Under no circumstances would Pure Yang Palace ever release a mutant merely to help disciples from beyond the mundane world compete for a near-immortal item.
"Is the Six Imperials lineage so extravagant? Releasing a mutant so casually when he hasn't even reached the second realm—aren't they afraid something might happen to him?" Jiang Congyun found it unbelievable and incomprehensible.
Chen Shuhang was equally shocked. The heritage of the Six Imperials lineage had to be unimaginably profound; invited to aid in battle, they had actually "squandered" a low-realm mutant like this. It was utterly ridiculous.
"Has the gap between our Pure Yang Palace and the Six Imperials lineage widened to this degree?" Jiang Congyun sighed.
All of this took place in their thoughts in a mere fraction of a second. The two sides were still in a tense confrontation; neither of them could truly afford to be distracted.
Qin Ming paid no heed to their words. Having gauged their foundations, he knew they were fit to fight—and fit to slay!
When he struck again, his movements were fluid and natural, carrying the bearing of a youthful grandmaster as he executed the Wuji Fist, his entire body wreathed in earth vein essence.
As his fist collided with Jiang Congyun's sun-like punch, yin earth force and yang earth force alternated, neutralizing and dispersing the Pure Yang force into nothingness. With a resounding thud, he knocked the youth flying.
With a whoosh, Qin Ming mobilized the Overlord's wind force. Like a gale sweeping across the terrain, he instantly closed in on Chen Shuhang to meet the oncoming five-colored lightning force.
Wuji force flowed over Qin Ming's fist, shattering the opponent's five-colored lightning force before shifting into departing fire force.
This extraordinary art was quite peculiar, seeming capable of igniting the opponent's heavenly light force. Striking right when Chen Shuhang's five-colored lightning force collapsed, Qin Ming unleashed the surging departing fire force like a wildfire racing across the plains. Chen Shuhang was terrified. He retreated swiftly, but was still struck by Qin Ming's palm in the end, flying sideways through the air while coughing up mouthful after mouthful of blood.
Controlling the Overlord's wind force, Qin Ming appeared before Jiang Congyun in a flash, cutting off his path and trading punches with him in wide, sweeping blows. This time, he switched to the Golden Silkworm Art, driving it with fused heavenly light force to make it far more formidable than the original extraordinary art.
Jiang Congyun was alarmed. His Pure Yang force simply could not penetrate the dense golden threads wrapped around the other boy's fist, caught entirely as if by a massive net. Immediately afterward, he let out a muffled groan as his fist became drenched in blood, pierced through by the three-inch golden threads jutting from Qin Ming's strike, his flesh and finger bones both severely damaged.
"The Golden Silkworm Art!" Jiang Congyun recognized that extraordinary art.
He knew very well that it was not that the golden silkworm force was superior to the Pure Yang force, but that this nine-time Newborn mutant had fused extraordinary arts using the method of the Six Imperials, rendering him no match.
In an instant, Qin Ming traded consecutive punches with him, transitioning from the Golden Silkworm Art to departing fire force, and then to the Wuji Fist. He battered the heir of Pure Yang Palace until he coughed up mouthfuls of blood, both hands mangled and bloody, his arms eroded by that terrifying heavenly light force and fractured in multiple places.
*Pfft!*
Chen Shuhang, attempting to flee, was intercepted by Qin Ming once more. Struck repeatedly by the Yellow Clay Palm, Wuji Fist, and departing fire force, he suffered fractures in multiple areas, his shoulder blade shattered completely. It was as if he had suffered a lightning strike himself: his entire body was charred black, bones broken throughout, gravely wounded, his flame of life dimming down.
"I admit my wrongdoing and accept the penalty! Please stay your hand! I am willing to exchange scripture for my life!" Chen Shuhang could hold on no longer. Still young—only an adolescent—he had no desire to die here.
Qin Ming was moved. Those defeated by him now would hardly pose a threat to him in the future. Besides, did these two even know who he was? If they dared to retaliate, let them go find the heirs of the Six Imperials.
"I am also willing to exchange cultivation methods for my life," Jiang Congyun hastily called out upon seeing him halt.
"If I leak the five-colored lightning force, not only will I die, but my clansmen will also be implicated." Chen Shuhang would rather die than disclose his sect's foundational method.
Qin Ming attempted to obtain the five-colored lightning force through emotional resonance, only to find that ninety percent of the boy's emotions were pure terror.
He shook his head and gave up reluctantly.
In the end, he obtained an electric force method from Chen Shuhang, confirming through spiritual resonance that there were no falsehoods in the technique.
Though he did not acquire the Pure Yang force from Jiang Congyun, to his surprise, the cultivation method he obtained was also quite extraordinary, entitled *Lesser Yang Art*. For rogue cultivators or members of minor sects, this was already a remarkably precious secret manual.
"You may leave," Qin Ming said, keeping his promise and sparing them.
The two felt thoroughly bitter. Had they known it would come to this, why act as they had? One false move, and they had lost entirely.
*Could the Six Imperials lineage be emulating the Tathagata, preparing to raise poisonous insects, plant cicadas, and scatter all their promising disciples into the world?*
Not daring to linger, the two dragged their heavily wounded bodies and ran swiftly toward the outside. The pure yang blood essence on them had been depleted during the battle; even though they clung to it with their heavenly light, a good deal had been shaken loose and lost.
Qin Ming walked alone to the center, where he beheld the near-immortal item. It flowed with immortal light, auspicious vapor steaming as white mist curled around it, imbued with the vicissitudes of ancient ages.
"A fine treasure!" he marveled.
Indeed, there were other items here as well, bringing a look of delight to his face.
*This near-immortal item is an ancient vessel; it must have come into contact with many great figures. I wonder if any emotional residue remains—can I achieve spiritual resonance with it?* Qin Ming's eyes burned with fervor, eager to give it a try.
Chapter 116