Heavy rain poured down, pattering noisily against the buildings.
In the pitch-black world, gale-force winds howled. Qin Ming walked out of the high tower and stood amidst the cascading curtain of rain, practicing his fist techniques.
At first, he was like a golden roc spreading its wings, seeking to soar into the sky. When the brilliance of his fists erupted, it shot straight into the night sky as though to connect with the lightning among the dark clouds.
Then, as he stretched his frame, every motion flowed with effortless grace.
A black-and-white diagram manifested, and the yin-yang fish rotated, enveloping him within. Cloaked in Daoist rhyme with his wide sleeves fluttering, he seemed on the verge of ascending amidst glowing clouds and tearing through the void against the flashes of lightning on this rainy night.
Though rain poured down in torrents, not a single drop touched him; even his shoes and socks remained completely dry. Every gesture and step exuded an ethereal, unblemished natural harmony.
Even a casual strike of his was terrifyingly powerful: the cascading curtain of rain blasted apart with a colossal roar identical to the thunder echoing through the night sky.
Lightning no longer struck the high tower, only flickering faintly within the clouds, and the fireballs upon the golden tiles had all vanished. Having achieved a consummate breakthrough, Qin Ming had stepped outside the tower to stretch his muscles and bones.
Yet the movements he performed were merely common physical techniques from the mundane streets, yet they already brought forth strange phenomena.
"Your physique has surged dramatically and your heavenly light has undergone a qualitative transformation—did you succeed in breaking through?" Yu Gensheng lived nearby and had heard the unusual sonic booms.
Then shock washed over him. That was... the aura of Newborn!
Zhao Ziyuan also appeared, his hundred or so sparse hairs fluttering in the wind. His elderly face was filled with utter disbelief: the youth radiated a vigorous, flourishing vitality.
This was a realm pursued even by old monsters and patriarchs!
Beginning from the Second Realm, undergoing another Newborn transformation was exceedingly difficult. Many ancient forebears believed that if one could achieve a Newborn transformation in every subsequent major realm, it would reverse the plight of the Newborn path.
As the torrential rain began to abate, Qin Ming's transformation concluded entirely, and his body was no longer scalding hot.
The surging activity settled into tranquility, and the rich, inseparable vitality tucked itself deep within his flesh and blood. He returned to his ordinary state, no longer showing any outward abnormality.
Yu Gensheng and Zhao Ziyuan stepped forward to question him thoroughly. Joy flashed across their faces at times, followed by furrowed brows, and finally deep sighs. How many people would dare subject themselves to a baptism of violent heavenly light pouring through the crown of their heads?
For now, this was Qin Ming's path alone.
Yu Gensheng and Zhao Ziyuan tossed and turned, unable to sleep all night.
When the shallow night arrived and the rainy mist dispersed, other senior figures of Shanhe Academy were somewhat surprised to see both men with bloodshot eyes.
The figure in charge of the Immortal path couldn't resist teasing, "Lately, you two have been pulling strings for that lad from the Newborn path, getting him into the various high towers to practice wondrous arts of the lightning domain. What's the matter—did something go wrong with his practice?"
The person in charge of Shanhe Academy's esoteric sect path also spoke up: "The Newborn path is flawed—that's an insurmountable dilemma. If you want to break the impasse, you might consider emulating the ancient methods. After all, the ancient eras did produce peak powerhouses among the drudges."
The old man of the Immortal path chuckled. "Replace the god-bones, mend the immortal skins, and simmer him in an Immortal Furnace. Materials are hard to come by nowadays, of course, unless one ventures deep into the night mist world to hunt living godkin creatures. Still, replacing them with the sinews and bones of ferocious monsters from storage could work just as well."
Evidently, the two were not purely joking; they were pointing out brutal realities.
"Go stay on the side and don't bother us," Yu Gensheng waved his hand, not angered.
He was reeling from Qin Ming's performance and lost in a storm of thoughts regarding the future of the Newborn path.
The elder of the esoteric sect path remarked, "That youth of your Newborn path is truly decent, but his struggle lies in breaking through. When he watches his peers among the immortal seeds and divine seeds continually break through while he remains stagnant, should his mindset lose balance, severe problems will arise."
This time, Zhao Ziyuan and Yu Gensheng remained completely at peace. Qin Ming failing to keep pace with the immortal and divine seeds of his generation? That chapter was already closed!
In the end, both men began chuckling heartily.
***
During the "morning" of Kunling City, the Fire Spring dyed the night sky crimson.
"Brother Ming, you broke through? That's awesome! I'm about to enter the middle stage of the Second Realm too!" Xiao Wu said.
Qin Ming had long determined that this sole descendant of the Fourth Peril harbored many oddities, and had most likely locked his cultivation to temper himself anew.
"I can beat up Li Qingxu again," Xiao Wu rubbed his palms together, brimmed with eager anticipation.
According to his explanation, Li Qingxu had reached the late stage of the Second Realm long ago, but in order to walk the path of breaking and establishing, he had deliberately suppressed himself to the middle stage, hoping to spur himself forward through a hundred defeats.
In recent days, Li Qingxu had begun fighting at his full strength.
"I think he still needs to suffer a bit more tempering," Xiao Wu chuckled.
Pensive, Qin Ming remarked, "He might actually succeed in breaking and establishing."
"Impossible," Wu Yaozu shook his head.
Qin Ming said, "I heard that his teacher, Cao Qianqiu, has begun researching various methods of breaking and establishing. Their lineage might very well make a strong comeback in the future."
Xiao Wu scoffed, "What's there to fear? By the time Old Cao comes out of seclusion again, we should have risen as well. If he still dares to act as overbearing as before, we'll pin him down and make him question his life choices!"
With a serious expression, Qin Ming cautioned, "Don't get cocky. A figure of patriarch caliber isn't that simple. If he succeeds in breaking and establishing, he might step into the realm of seven stacked suns. We need time to catch up!"
On that very morning, they received a piece of rather unwelcome news.
Patriarch Qingtian of the Newborn path had ventured deep into the night mist world alone. He could wait no longer: at his advanced age, his flesh and spirit had both decayed, and he was making one final gamble.
Originally, the matter was meant to be kept secret, but an exploration team from the esoteric sects spotted Patriarch Qingtian speeding through the outer realm like a blazing sun crossing the sky.
For the time being, the Newborn path had effectively lost a patriarch.
In an instant, all restlessness drained away from Qin Ming, Xiao Wu, and everyone else on the Newborn path.
A heavy weight settled upon their hearts: Patriarch Qingtian would either attain a Newborn state or vanish entirely, never to be seen in the mortal realm again.
Soon, Qin Ming gathered his thoughts and returned to his sparring duties once more.
As long as it wasn't thundering, he was thoroughly dedicated.
He had little choice; what they offered was simply too generous. Besides, he also regarded them as his sparring partners, using the opportunity to hone his various wondrous arts.
"The fisherman is back again!"
"Save it, he might run off to bring in his laundry again in a bit."
Several immortal seeds whispered among themselves. Though displeased with his attitude, they endured it. Jia One and Jia Two believed that his heavenly light force was overbearing enough to help baptize their conscious spiritual light, yielding remarkable benefits!
To open today's session, Li Qingxu was handed his first defeat.
This time, his complexion changed, losing its former serenity.
He stared at Qin Ming. Was this person truly at the early stage of Outer Sage? Even facing him in his prime form, Qin Ming could still best him!
Immediately after, he was defeated again!
"Sorry about that. I broke through, so I can't tie with you anymore," Xiao Wu said with a grin.
In the third bout, Xiang Yiwu grew stronger against a stronger foe and likewise suppressed him.
Qin Ming realized that the Tathagata renegade was in the middle stage of Outer Sage.
They were similar in age, and for the other youth to have reached such heights could only be attributed to extraordinary, off-the-charts innate talent.
Judging by his appearance and build, however—with a head larger than two ordinary ones, arms as thick as other people's thighs, and a head of short hair stiff as steel needles—he was undeniably an anomaly even among extraordinary figures.
"Brother, why do I feel like you've grown a huge leap stronger than before? Don't tell me you broke through? This kind of speed is downright terrifying!" Xiang Yiwu leaned in and secretly transmitted his voice, visibly shaken.
"What's your story? Why is your cultivation progressing so fast?" Qin Ming countered, equally astounded.
Xiang Yiwu replied via voice transmission: "My physique is anomalous. I'm known as the Golden Cicada; I hover between life and death, undergoing reincarnation in the living world through my physical body, cycling once every few years."
"Reincarnating while still alive—there's actually such a divine art?!" Qin Ming was astonished.
"I'm just a weed growing wild in the Contemporary Tathagata's experimental plot. Only recently have I amounted to anything," Xiang Yiwu said.
"An experimental plot of the Contemporary Tathagata... truly extraordinary!" In Qin Ming's eyes, this was a flower of divine Buddhas, certainly no weed, and quite possibly a fellow traveler on the road ahead.
"You poured heavenly light through your crown... that's totally abnormal!" Xiang Yiwu was dumbfounded. While he could endure a portion of heavenly light himself, using exceptionally concentrated thunder-and-fire heavenly light to temper a golden body was a perilous domain far beyond what he could currently touch.
Qin Ming asked, "Brother Xiang, you're well-informed. Do you know what happened with the Immortal path that warrants this sort of intensive training?"
Backed by the Rulai Sect, Xiang Yiwu did indeed possess the latest intelligence.
Lowering his voice, he whispered, "Deep in the night mist world, the Immortal path explored and discovered an incredible territory. Word has it that a massive diplomatic delegation is coming to visit our side, to be hosted by the outer realm."
"Hiss!" Wu Yaozu sucked in a breath of cold air.
Qin Ming was also surprised. Had they discovered a mysterious kingdom?
Xiang Yiwu explained, "According to the covenant between the various paths, whichever path discovers a territory holds priority exploration rights. The Immortal path harbors great ambition, largely because the other side is remarkably unique: there are immortal tombs and vast clusters of ruins. It might supplement the Immortal path, offering hope of carving out a new path!"
"Can the Immortal path handle it on their own?" Xiao Wu asked.
Xiang Yiwu said, "They aren't confident either. That's why once the delegation arrives, they need to engage with them carefully, and perhaps even pay a return visit. In the process, disciples of various stages might interact and spar, hence this sudden intensive training."
The so-called "handling it" didn't necessarily mean waging war; rather, under friendly terms, both sides could exchange goods, assimilate one another, and eventually merge into a single vast expanse of territory.
Xiang Yiwu added, "Their population is nowhere near ours, but the concern is that they might be an affiliated civilization or an 'outpost'—roaming across the night mist world like nomads, scouting the way for their main race behind them."
"Are they human?" Qin Ming inquired.
"A humanoid race," Xiang Yiwu informed him.
He added, "Reportedly, they seem to be an elven race born bathed in the sun's afterglow."
Moreover, that delegation was arriving soon; these were likely the final few days of the training camp.
"Everyone, be serious. This is sparring time," Jia Three reminded them.
He invited Qin Ming into the ring to help temper his conscious spiritual light.
Soon enough, he began howling in pain, unable to bear it. The youth's heavenly light was terrifying as "immortal fire"; he felt as though his spiritual field were on the verge of collapse.
"Stop! You... you didn't break through, did you?" Sweat beaded on Jia Three's forehead. His spirit was dazed, and he panted heavily.
"I've made some modest gains recently while practicing thunder-and-fire wondrous arts. Are you all right?" Qin Ming asked with concern.
"Hey, can you folks on the Immortal path handle this yourselves? Are you really sure you won't need outside help when the time comes?" Xiang Yiwu brought up the topic again.
The four sparring partners from the esoteric sects also smiled, indicating their willingness to lend a hand.
Right then, someone let out a cold snort. High-realm disciples of the Immortal path appeared, entering Feixian Academy's Martial Arena No. 1.
Among them was Leng Feiyue of the yang land, a direct descendant of a path-pioneering old monster, suspected of possessing a pure yang physique.
Additionally, there were Cui Chonghe of the pure land and Su Shiyun of the immortal land, both heaven-sent geniuses who had experienced epiphanies as early as three or four years of age.
Li Qingyue arrived as well, walking alongside the legendary Jiang Ran. One was clad in snow-white attire while the other wore teal robes steeped in Daoist rhyme, standing quietly like twin immortal lotuses on a single stalk.
Surrounded by a crowd of admirers was a young man in his mid-twenties—none other than the illustrious "Senior Brother Pei," who was already capable of discussing the Dao with seniors. He too had appeared here.
Behind them were several others.
The immortal seeds under thirty had all arrived, gathering as a group to observe the training camp here.
In truth, this wasn't their first time dropping by.
It was simply that Qin Ming had been slacking off—fishing for three days and drying nets for two—so he had never crossed paths with them before.
"The fisherman showed up this time," someone teased, mainly feeling that the guy was completely unprofessional, a total slacker just idling his days away.
"Our Immortal path is hardly reduced to begging for outside help. If you folks on the Newborn path have this much free time, you'd better put more effort into cultivating and raising your cultivation realm. And you of the esoteric sects as well—go explore more divine and wondrous lands. You'll need to borrow the power of mountains and rivers for your later cultivation; your path isn't an easy one to walk."
"Our path has never been inferior to your Immortal path," the sparring partners from the esoteric sects retorted. Though all were merely in the Second Realm, they showed no fear toward this group of prominent figures.
Xiang Yiwu spoke up as well: "Leaving other realms aside, just in this Second Realm, if you end up asking us to step up, you'd better prepare handsome compensation."
"You certainly don't lack confidence. Rest assured, our Immortal path leads this matter; there's no way it will ever come down to you taking the field. We haven't fallen that low!" The speaker was An Youxing, an immortal seed at the early stage of the Third Realm who shared a close friendship with Sun Jingxiao.
He looked toward Qin Ming and said, "Everyone claims your heavenly light force is extraordinary. Come on, try scorching me."
"I have no such obligation!" Qin Ming flatly refused.
Impulsive disputes among young people were always inevitable, especially between different cultivation paths.
They had all heard that a certain sparring partner here was thoroughly arrogant—frequently arriving late, leaving early, and doing the bare minimum. Most importantly, he had brutally pummeled some of their peers.
For example, Li Qingxu and Sun Jingxiao had practically become his sparring dummies, coughing up blood each time.
Clearly, someone had come to settle scores for his friends.
"An Youxing, what business is this of yours?" Li Qingyue spoke in an even voice.
An Youxing was rather wary of her and hadn't expected her to step forward so directly on Qin Ming's behalf.
"Qingyue, there's no need for that. With us here, he won't come to harm," Pei Shuyan said.
Evidently, this Senior Brother Pei held high status and prestige, commanding respect even from other immortal seeds.
More importantly, he had heard from Cui Chonghe that this Qin Ming had supposedly mastered the silk book method, and he wanted to see it for himself.
An Youxing spoke up, "Qingyue, don't misunderstand, I bear no malice."
Then he looked at Qin Ming and continued, "I'm not asking you to spar for free either. If you can budge me, I have an exceptionally rare baleful substance here that I'll give straight to you."
"Oh? What is it?" Qin Ming asked.
An Youxing said, "A heterogeneous substance from beyond the heavens. Half a month ago, a senior from my sect unexpectedly captured a 'Vermilion Bird' within a baleful ground in Kunling."
Qin Ming asked, "You mean, you'll stand right there without moving, and all I have to do is scorch your conscious spiritual light with my heavenly light and budge you?"
An Youxing nodded.
"Are you sure?" Qin Ming's face broke into a broad smile.
"Absolutely!" An Youxing answered with full certainty.
"Sounds good!"
Chapter 262