At the rim of the colossal pit, a small group of outer realm disciples entered the fray. Cloaked in Pure Yang blood essence, they burst with sacred rosy light, falling like meteor after meteor to pierce through the dense, colorful mist of heavenly light.
Shielded by the Pure Yang substance, entering the pit was not impossible for them. Earlier, they simply had not wished to take personal risks; otherwise, why would they have brought Outer Sages inside?
Carrying the near-immortal item, Qin Ming looked at the patch of ashes on the ground and said, "Now that the curtain has risen, this stage belongs to the disciples of the outer realm anyway. Why did you have to meddle? If you hadn't gone looking for trouble, you wouldn't have died."
After killing He Tai, he turned to Chen Xingyuan and Li Tianhe.
The two stood upon the slope, thoroughly detached, and had not stepped in to help He Tai.
Right now, however, both wore grim expressions. Qin Ming's clean, decisive elimination of a disciple from the Great Ape King lineage put real pressure on them.
"He Tai may not have been a mutant, but he was somewhat renowned. His death here will certainly cause a storm."
"Because of their force arts, some members of the Great Ape King lineage are extremely fierce, hot-tempered, and deeply vengeful," Li Tianhe and Chen Xingyuan spoke in turn.
Qin Ming nodded. "The outer realm disciples will be here in a moment."
Their words seemed entirely unrelated, yet each understood the other's intent.
Chen Xingyuan said, "When the outer realm disciples arrive shortly, we will tell them the truth: He Tai went to receive you, but was unfortunately burned to ashes by heavenly light along the way."
Qin Ming tapped the Eight Trigrams Furnace. It immediately gave off a clear, metallic chime, like the toll of a Dao bell, as if capable of brushing away the dust from a person's heart.
He said, "Without getting your hands on it personally, it's hard to understand the wonders of a near-immortal item."
"Let's lay our cards on the table. We indeed want to study it," Li Tianhe said.
Qin Ming said, "Aside from 'telling them the truth,' I also want some heavenly light force manuals."
"You have quite an appetite."
"Given our status, once we help you cover up the truth, we won't be able to change our story later. Isn't that enough?" the two said one after another, their brows furrowing slightly.
Qin Ming was nonchalant. "You're being too stingy. Wanting to study a near-immortal item without giving anything in return—does such a cheap deal exist? You don't have much time left."
Originally, the three of them might have fought to the death. Instead, they had brokered a makeshift transaction, leaving He Tai as the only casualty.
In truth, Qin Ming wanted to give these two a beating as well, but the time and place were wrong. If he blasted another one apart, the repercussions would be enormous.
"Fine. I have a heavenly light force art here," Chen Xingyuan nodded. Li Tianhe followed suit, willing to offer a manual as well.
The two placed immense value on the near-immortal item, likely possessing relevant records within their respective orthodoxies.
Qin Ming approached them to begin negotiations. He was not afraid of them attacking together; they all understood clearly that neither side possessed the strength to kill the other in an instant.
"I have an Iron Leg Art here..." Chen Xingyuan began.
Qin Ming instantly felt an urge to kick him. What kind of trash art was that? He cut him off directly. "Your Five Elements Palace is a vast lineage with great resources. You must have plenty of wondrous arts, right? Just give me any one with Five Elements attributes; I won't ask for a higher tier."
Chen Xingyuan's expression froze. The other boy's exorbitant demand was absurd. He himself was still in the stage of practicing wondrous arts; how could he possibly trade such a force manual to an outsider?
If he dared leak that, the elders of the Five Elements Palace would skin him alive.
"Then take the Yin Earth Fist!" Chen Xingyuan said, looking as though he were bleeding profusely from a huge sacrifice.
"I already have the Wuji Classic. Why would I care for your fist art? The Five Elements Palace is nothing special after all," Qin Ming said, shaking his head.
Chen Xingyuan's brow knitted tightly as he watched the outer realm disciples approaching. Finally, he sighed and said, "Then the Wind-Fire Force."
"What are the details?" Qin Ming asked.
Chen Xingyuan replied, "The wind feeds the fire's momentum, and the fire harnesses the wind's might. This is not only an offensive heavenly light force, but also an exceptional movement technique."
Qin Ming nodded at once. "Perform it carefully and recite the chant. I'll learn as you go."
Li Tianhe was very tactful, retreating a sufficient distance away.
A moment later, Chen Xingyuan wore a complex expression. He had only demonstrated it once, yet the boy had actually nodded. Was he pretending to understand, or was his talent truly monstrous?
Severing extraneous thoughts, Chen Xingyuan took the near-immortal item in his hands and stood to the side, concentrating on sensing it. Sadly, apart from the clarity of mind he felt when striking the furnace, he discovered nothing.
On the other side, Qin Ming and Li Tianhe also completed their trade. He learned the Jade Splendor Force from him.
Mastering this heavenly light force could nourish the body and heal injuries. Running the Jade Splendor Force when exhausted could further accelerate recovery.
According to Li Tianhe, circulating the Jade Splendor Force once a day was like ingesting jade nectar, equivalent to drinking a bowl of tonic medicine, offering no small benefit to the physical body.
This claim was certainly an exaggeration, but long-term cultivation would indeed yield wondrous effects.
"Ah, if you were still alive, I reckon I could've gotten another heavenly light force art out of you," Qin Ming said with some regret, looking at the ashes He Tai had left behind.
The outer realm disciples had arrived, but they did not draw close. Even with Pure Yang blood essence, they remained deeply wary of the area at the bottom of the colossal pit, where the heavenly light was densest.
They had already seen Chen Xingyuan and Li Tianhe studying the Eight Trigrams Furnace one after another. That was only natural; no one would be uninterested in such a vessel. The outer realm disciples did not stop them; after all, the two had risked their lives to bring it out.
Tang Xumi, Jiang Shengyu, and the others had not come in person; they had sent the people they trusted most, and some outer realm disciples with their own ambitions had also arrived.
"Everyone, we paid a heavy price and finally retrieved the near-immortal item. It is a pity for Senior Brother He Tai, who was burned to ashes by the heavenly light. Heaven envies the talented," Chen Xingyuan spoke, fulfilling his promise. Even while speaking of such a "tragic" matter, he wore a detached expression.
Qin Ming could see through it now. He had no idea who had tutored this youth, but the boy was always trying to maintain an aloof state of mind, untouched by joy or sorrow.
Li Tianhe saw what he was thinking and said, "He cultivates the Withering and Thriving Classic, and is currently in the 'withering' stage."
"Disastrous news. Senior Brother He Tai was blessed with heavenly talent, yet he has ascended here. What a pity—the future has lost a master!"
Several outer realm disciples spoke in turn, mouthing pleasantries, but... it was utterly perfunctory. Their gazes never strayed from the near-immortal item. Some could not even hide the excitement on their faces as they "mourned" He Tai, corners of their lips curving upward.
After Chen Xingyuan and Li Tianhe finished examining the Eight Trigrams Furnace, they did not stir up trouble. They "truthfully" explained the cause of He Tai's death and returned the furnace to Qin Ming.
"Senior brothers, in order to retrieve the near-immortal item, He Tai ascended to immortality, and I, too, was severely wounded..." Qin Ming began.
"Junior Brother, I have spirit medicine here, take it..." An outer realm disciple immediately grew exceedingly warm, tossing over a jade jar.
Qin Ming sighed. "The friend who invited me to help was gravely injured and left early. Right now, I don't know who I should give the near-immortal item to."
"Junior Brother, give it to me! It's a hot potato—keeping it on you will easily invite disaster."
"Senior Brother, what do you desire? Junior Sister can help resolve your worries. The near-immortal item is useless to you, and once you step out of the dense heavenly light, you'll easily be targeted."
In an instant, the outer realm disciples all used secret arts to send sound transmissions to Qin Ming in secret.
He replied, "Senior brothers and sisters, this is originally a sect-guarding treasure of the outer realm. It has nothing to do with me, so naturally I should return it with both hands."
He paused slightly, then continued, "One senior brother said that because I was severely wounded for the sake of the near-immortal item, he wanted to compensate me with a secret manual. Well... my thanks to him, then."
Who said that? The outer realm disciples looked at one another.
"Junior Brother, I happened upon a manual of the Newborn path called the Gold-Severing Finger. I'll give it to you!" someone called out ahead of the rest. Regardless of whether anyone had said such a thing, since no one had spoken up yet, he would be the one to give it.
Chen Xingyuan and Li Tianhe looked at Qin Ming. Who would have thought that this fake successor of the Six Imperial lineage would be so adept at extorting techniques!
"Senior Brother, I have a copy of the Golden Crow Illuminates the Night Classic. It might be even rarer and more precious than a wondrous art," a female outer realm disciple spoke.
"If you have such a scripture, I'll gladly give the near-immortal item to you," Qin Ming responded warmly at once, no longer hiding anything, ready to trade on the spot.
The young woman appeared sixteen or seventeen years old, her black hair falling to her waist. She walked over gracefully with a gentle smile, saying, "Senior Brother..."
The moment she saw Qin Ming step out of the crater floor and reach a point a dozen meters away from her, she suddenly struck. Divine rosy light erupted brilliantly from her Yellow Court, sweeping toward the figure before her.
Qin Ming had known all along that she was deceiving him, yet he had stepped out anyway, mainly wanting to use an outer realm disciple to test whether they could activate the Eight Trigrams Furnace.
Darting across like lightning, he dodged swiftly. He circulated his wind force, whipping up the heavenly light, and charged across with a thunderous roar.
The young woman was enveloped in a rain of light that swirled around her, condensing into a dense flurry of throwing daggers that shot toward the approaching youth.
Qin Ming had cultivated multiple defensive techniques, such as the Golden Silkworm Art, the Golden Light Shroud, and the Golden Armor Art, which he operated in a fused, unified form.
In addition, both the Departing Fire Classic and the Wuji Classic contained formidable defensive methods, which he also drove with his fused heavenly light force. In an instant, golden patterns densely covered the surface of his body, steaming with earth essence alongside faint flames.
The outer realm disciple's rain of light descended, but like snow meeting a blazing sun, it dissolved completely into streams of light with a sizzling hiss.
Qin Ming had already charged right in front of her. When his fist light flared, the young woman let out a terrified scream; she had witnessed firsthand the miserable state Zheng Maoze had been left in after Qin Ming closed the distance.
With a thud, she was yanked into the air by the scruff of her neck.
Qin Ming did not pummel her. Instead, he seized her by the neck and hauled her to the edge of the pit.
"Senior Brother, it's a misunderstanding! I meant no harm, I was just too impatient!" The woman's voice trembled. The heavenly light force flowing over the boy's palm felt like divine flames in a furnace, scorching her until her face paled with fright.
She dared not release her conscious divine light, terrified that his heavenly light force would ignite it and burn it through. Just what kind of terrifying monster was this youth? The heavenly light force he practiced was simply horrifying.
"Can you activate the near-immortal item?" Qin Ming asked in a low voice, then barked, "Speak!"
Intimidated and terrified, the young woman stammered, "How could the likes of us wield such a heavyweight vessel? Unless it is nurtured for many years to restore its spirituality and earn its recognition..."
Qin Ming captured her emotional fluctuations, swiftly resonating with them, and confirmed she was telling the truth!
In that case, he could set his mind at ease. Even if he tossed it out, he would not be guilty of aiding the enemy.
Qin Ming did not make things difficult for her. Letting go of her fair neck, he said, "Go fetch the Golden Crow Illuminates the Night Classic, and the near-immortal item is yours."
The young woman immediately fled like a frightened white rabbit, cursing inwardly. If she actually had the Golden Crow Illuminates the Night Classic, would she have bothered trying to swindle the near-immortal item?
"Out of the goodness of my heart, I helped you retrieve this heavyweight vessel and ended up gravely wounded, only to be deceived and attacked. It truly chills my heart," Qin Ming sighed. With a clang, he hurled the Eight Trigrams Furnace back down into the dense heavenly light at the bottom of the pit.
"Brother, don't!"
"Junior Brother, stop! We didn't deceive you!"
A chorus of outer realm disciples cried out, growing anxious.
Chen Xingyuan and Li Tianhe exchanged glances. They were tempted to go pick it up and study it further, but when they caught Qin Ming's gaze, both backed down.
The two knew well that cutting off someone's path to wealth was as bad as killing their parents; it would forge an irreconcilable feud.
"Junior Brother, wait!" Finally, several outer realm disciples rushed up to the surface. After a brief discussion, they actually returned with three secret manuals.
They could not have carried them on their own persons; these were rewards earned by certain Outer Sages, borrowed by the disciples.
Qin Ming flipped through them. Astonishingly, there really was the Gold-Severing Finger and the Dragon Claw Force, as well as a manual called the Three Mountains Seal, which required hand seals to unleash and seemed immensely powerful!
He was thoroughly pleased. These were all unexpected gains.
Without hesitation, Qin Ming picked up the near-immortal item and tossed it from the pit's radiant floor up toward the slope.
Evidently, these outer realm disciples had already reached an agreement. They did not fight, intending to return to the surface before "discussing" ownership. In this place dense with heavenly light, none of them had confidence in their chances.
Moreover, this small group consisted almost entirely of representatives of the core disciples. There was no need for them to fight to the death here.
"By the way, Tang Xumi, Jiang Shengyu, and the others promised me they would give me a top-grade manual once I got out! Tell them not to forget!" Qin Ming shouted from behind.
At this moment, who cared about him? With the near-immortal item in hand, the outer realm disciples surged upward at full speed.
Then an unexpected turn occurred. A figure in fluttering robes appeared, holding a shimmering bamboo staff, blocking their path on the slope. It was Li Qingxu, stepping into the field in person.
"Senior Brother Tang..."
"Senior Brother Hu Tingwen!"
The outer realm disciples immediately cried out, shouting for reinforcements.
Li Qingxu was swift as lightning. The lustrous purple bamboo staff he held had once withstood unearthly heavenly light without being completely destroyed. Refined into a treasure by his master, it could briefly part the heavenly light.
With a thud, Li Qingxu brought down his staff. An outer realm disciple was sent flying over ten meters through the air, entirely unable to block him.
"Hand it over!" he said coldly, turning into a streak of lightning as he charged forward to intercept the near-immortal item.
Down on the slope, Qin Ming unslung his great bow, nocked a special arrow forged of blue jade iron onto the string, poured in a massive surge of heavenly light, and fired an explosive shot.
Pfft!
Blood stained Li Qingxu's palm as the blue arrow tore open his flesh, rending a deep, bloody gash. His movements halted instantly, and his eyes shot two beams of cold electricity.
Qin Ming thought to himself that as a core disciple, Li Qingxu's strength was truly outrageous, far beyond what other disciples could match. The special arrow had failed to pierce his body or punch through his palm.
"Junior Brother, hold onto it for now!" The disciple holding the near-immortal item hurled it back with a clang, dropping it near Qin Ming.
Furious, Li Qingxu rushed over and struck the man with his staff, sending him flying over twenty meters away with shattered bones and ruptured tendons, heavily wounded.
"Li Qingxu, you're still not giving up after being wounded? You haven't left!" Tang Xumi, Jiang Shengyu, Hu Tingwen, and the others appeared, descending into the sinkhole together.
At that moment, all the disciples gathered at the rim of the colossal pit. They knew that the ownership of the near-immortal item would be decided very shortly.
Seeing some familiar faces, Qin Ming had an idea. Exerting his strength, he hurled the Eight Trigrams Furnace straight toward Zheng Maoze.
The sacred vessel, radiating auspicious mist and billowing with immortal light, slammed down before Zheng Maoze with a loud clang. Zheng Maoze's pupils contracted. Was this a blessing or a curse?!
"Senior Brother, I have the Dragon Claw Force here! Once mastered, all five fingers become indestructible!" another shouted loudly. Then, even more people began calling out the names of cultivation manuals.
Chapter 119