Lu Zizai

Before the rocky hill, the Fire Spring became a babbling brook flowing past. Dotted with a grove of emerald bamboo, the place was fresh and tranquil. The youth clad in coarse hemp clothing looked at Qin Ming, walked half a circle around him, and gave a light shout: "Old fellow, stop playing young! Show your true form!" Golden haze poured from his mouth, his voice booming like rolling thunder, brimming with presence. But... nothing happened at all. Qin Ming gave him a strange look. Could this rather celestial-looking youth have been to the Plain of Divine Demise and gotten kicked in the head by Lu Chongxiao? Frowning, the youth in hemp clothing looked him up and down with a contemplative expression. "Which of us is the one with something wrong?" Qin Ming asked. "You're the one!" The youth was clearly someone of formidable conviction. Looking at him, he said, "You are still in the Newborn realm, yet your lifespan vastly exceeds your current stage." He then studied Qin Ming and continued, "I am exceptionally sensitive to life extension and longevity. I suspect you are an old fellow who severed your past self, accumulated vitality, and lived anew into the form of a youth." "People like that actually exist?" Qin Ming was astonished. "Even transmigrators of severed eras exist, so what's so strange about that?" The youth paid it no mind. He stared into Qin Ming's eyes and, after careful scrutiny, felt that he truly did not resemble an old monster. Qin Ming's interest was piqued immediately. "Then tell me about those situations in detail. Besides, how much lifespan do I have right now?" "You can live to at least two hundred and fifty," the youth said in a very certain tone. "Two hundred and sixty!" Qin Ming corrected, feeling like the boy had just insulted him. "Close enough." The youth in hemp clothing, his eyes black as lacquer, nodded seriously. Qin Ming observed him closely. The youth was unexpectedly unfathomable—a person of exceedingly powerful willpower, without any emotional fluctuations that Qin Ming could resonate with. "You wouldn't happen to be an 'old senior' yourself, would you?" Qin Ming examined him in the same manner the hemp-clothed youth had, voicing his suspicion. Furthermore, Qin Ming looked again at the boy's long, raven-black hair; its roots were indeed completely silvery white. He grew increasingly suspicious. Could this truly be an old fellow? The youth broke into laughter. "I'm only eighteen! This happened because something went wrong in my cultivation, but it will recover soon!" Then he turned serious once more, looking Qin Ming over. "Why does someone in the Newborn realm have such a high lifespan?" "Because my natural talent is peerless!" Qin Ming looked back at him and guessed again, "Could you be someone under permanent possession?" There was no aura of senescence about the youth, and his eyes were clear. He shook his head in denial. Qin Ming took a deep breath. Green haze swirled across his body as he employed a secret technique from the Yimu Scripture to inspect the youth, releasing a fresh scent of vegetation. The Yimu Scripture was exceedingly special; capable of prolonging life, it possessed unique insights in this domain. Qin Ming confirmed that vigorous vitality coursed through the youth's body, and his mental will possessed the unique spirit of a youth, without the slightest trace of decay or decrepitude. "You certainly have quite a few tricks. You claim your talent is peerless, so let me test you and see if you can take a palm from me," the youth in coarse hemp clothing said. As he spoke, his aura shifted. Raising a single hand, it was as if a bright moon were rising from the sea, enveloping him within it. Pristine light flowed around him, rendering him ethereal and transcendent. Qin Ming was slightly startled. Striking with an accompanying phenomenon—were the juvenile extraordinaries of the ancestral court truly this powerful? He quickly spoke up: "Hold on. You are at least in the Outer Sage realm, while I am still in the Newborn realm. How could I block you?" The hemp-clothed youth shook his head. "Don't worry. I am only using heavenly light force at the Newborn level, without exceeding the limit." Qin Ming smiled. "In that case, you had better be careful yourself." "Quite confident, aren't you? Come!" The youth raised his hand, standing within the bright moon, transcendent and refined, fully projecting the demeanor of a grandmaster. He was truly extraordinary. Qin Ming grew solemn. "Watch out!" Blinding golden haze surged from Qin Ming's fist, seemingly warping the very space around it. Out of respect for the youth, he struck with earnest strength. He had always felt the youth was unusual, so he dared not be careless. "Not bad!" The youth pressed his single hand forward. With a booming crash, it was as if a bolt of thunder had detonated. Both the sound and the brilliance were uncanny as golden haze collided with pure white sacred radiance, then blasted apart. This was heavenly light force that broke past ordinary bounds, a sight rarely seen in the Newborn realm! The youth was thoroughly shocked because he was being pushed back—one step, two steps... seven steps! He found it unbelievable, feeling as if he had seen a ghost. Was this how a disciple who had just stepped into the ancestral court was supposed to be? Qin Ming wore a solemn expression. "You're actually this strong?!" The hemp-clothed youth was speechless. Weren't those words meant to come from him? Yet the fellow across from him had spoken them first. Qin Ming muttered, "To merely step back... The Six Imperials ancestral court truly conceals dragons and crouches tigers." The youth felt something was terribly off. The guy had knocked him back, yet had the gall to stand there and engage in self-reflection! Truly outrageous! "Come! I'm getting serious this time!" the youth said in a deep voice. In the Newborn realm, he had never once tasted defeat, yet he was being underestimated in his own ancestral court! "Brother, what's your name?" Qin Ming asked seriously, regarding him as an extraordinary figure. "Lu Zizai. And you?" the youth asked casually in return. "Qin Ming." "Fine. This time I will properly measure you," Lu Zizai said. His aura transformed once more, his entire body glowing brilliantly as if standing within a blazing sun. The light stung the eyes, almost bringing tears. Qin Ming's expression turned grave. This opponent was too special; he hadn't been boasting earlier. During the first clash, the youth had not used his full strength at all. Lu Zizai looked like a son of the sun god, illuminating all directions. Before the terrifying heavenly light force was even unleashed, it already erupted with the sound of thunder, deafening to the ears! In the distance, Zhou Tao and Zhou Shize heard the commotion and rushed over at once. Upon seeing the scene, they merely exchanged a glance and silently withdrew. Qin Ming erupted with power, his own light just as magnificent, and took the initiative to throw a punch. Midair, their two fists collided. Dazzling golden haze shot out like arc after arc of lightning intertwining through the void, covering and submerging both figures. The rocks and cliff face near them showered down fine powder. Anything grazed by the force broke and peeled away like rotting wood scraped by sharp blades. This time, Lu Zizai was truly stunned, for he was forced back three steps again. This overturned his understanding—he had never once been defeated at this stage! Qin Ming was profoundly shaken inside. The waters of the Six Imperials ancestral court ran far deeper than he had imagined; he had run into such a youth right off the bat. In the end, he could only sigh, "Formidable!" Lu Zizai's eyes darkened. Was he praising his opponent?! "Again!" he said in a low voice, and both the bright moon and the blazing sun manifested simultaneously. "You can get even stronger?" Qin Ming immediately felt the pressure redouble. He was genuinely shocked. The more Lu Zizai heard, the more wrong it sounded. Hadn't he always been the one reviewing others like this in the past? Today was utterly absurd—he had actually suffered a minor setback. In the distance, many disciples heard the thunderous booms from this direction and tried to rush over, but they were all held back by Zhou Tao, Zhou Shize, and several other elders. Beside Lu Zizai, the bright moon shifted to black, while the blazing sun grew so incandescent that it turned white. The two then intertwined, chasing one another like two fish circling in a ring. As he lifted his hand, the dual qi of yin and yang began to flow around his palm. Qin Ming's expression became exceptionally solemn. "Who on earth are you?" Although he had never seen the complete Six Imperials Heart Scripture, he knew this person was far beyond ordinary. Even if one grasped the Two Imperials force in the Newborn realm, starting with yin and yang was exceedingly difficult. "I am not one of those old fellows you're imagining, but I do have some background," Lu Zizai stated frankly. This time, layer upon layer surged around Qin Ming's body as twenty-seven divine rings appeared simultaneously. It was as if he had stepped into a sacred pure land, the flesh and blood of his entire body releasing blinding light. "Your heavenly light force feels somewhat familiar. I have a vague impression of it," Lu Zizai actually remarked. In an instant, the two erupted in a massive collision unimaginable for ordinary Newborns! The black and white qi of yin and yang crashed against the dense layers of divine rings, unleashing astonishing aftershocks of heavenly light force. The place seemed engulfed in lightning and thunder, causing the night mist to scatter. It was only because their heavenly light could not project very far yet; otherwise, this place might have been razed to the ground, leaving nothing behind. Qin Ming's body swayed slightly, while Lu Zizai took a step back. This time Qin Ming did not make a sound, merely looking at the other. Could he possibly become even stronger? This guy was too bizarre; something felt completely off about him! "You really are strong!" Lu Zizai marveled. Then, another wisp of purple qi genuinely rose from his black and white qi. Qin Ming immediately felt as if facing a mortal enemy. This was utterly preposterous—his high estimate of the Six Imperials ancestral court had indeed not been wrong; someone had actually mastered the Three Imperials force! In an instant, he bore a terrifying pressure. Across from him, with the addition of the purple qi's transformation into the black and white qi, the heavenly light force underwent a qualitative leap. For the first time, Qin Ming broke into a sweat, yet he had no way to wipe it away. He waited on high alert, preparing to receive an even more astonishing strike from the opponent. However, Lu Zizai suddenly dispersed the purple qi, and the black and white qi withdrew into his body as well. From then on, all was calm and quiet; he did not strike with that palm. "Was that the Three Imperials force?" Qin Ming asked very solemnly. Lu Zizai nodded. "You don't need to fixate on how many Imperials of force you possess. Some people can break Two Imperials force with just One Imperial force. You must comprehend the true essence; it is not a mere stacking of numbers." He added, "My Two Imperials force can break another's Three Imperials force." "I know you're formidable. I was only comparing your Three Imperials force to my heavenly light force. Why did you stop?" Qin Ming asked. Lu Zizai shook his head. "You have only reached your seventh Newborn transformation. If I used the Three Imperials force against you, that would be going too far—a victory without honor." "You could tell?" "A tiny few people with extraordinary perception can discover your condition if they master the ancestral court's secret techniques and inspect you closely. You... have actually only undergone seven Newborn transformations," Lu Zizai said. "Do Elder Zhou Tao and the others know?" Qin Ming felt uneasy inside. "They do not belong to that category. People with such extraordinary perception are at the very least top-tier mutants. The secret art you use to conceal your foundation, Harmonize with Light and Dust, is incomplete. Since you're worried, let me complete it for you." Lu Zizai transmitted an incantation to him. Qin Ming showed a look of shock. "Are you really not an old monster?" "I'm only eighteen!" Lu Zizai emphasized, seeming to care deeply about his age. "What are your plans? Do you intend to join the Six Imperials ancestral court, or do you have other thoughts?" Lu Zizai asked. Then he smiled and said, "It's fine. Say whatever you want. I won't inform on you, because I'm preparing to make a run for it myself." "Ah?" Qin Ming was flabbergasted. Such a formidable figure wanted to abandon the ancestral court? He asked, "Did you see that the Six Imperials have decayed and declined, so you're in a hurry to sever ties?" Lu Zizai scoffed. "Who said the Six Imperials are finished? Only fools come probing to throw away their lives. Look at the truly prominent figures—who among them dares to come?" He critiqued, "The chaos of the Six Imperials began from within. Factions stand divided everywhere, and the elders are restricted to a few select family names. It has rotted to the core. Unless the lineage dies once, it cannot be reborn." "Who on earth are you?" Qin Ming truly could not hold back any longer. He refused to believe this was merely a disciple.