In the night sky, a bright, clear moon hung high. Standing in the Dayu imperial capital and looking up, one could see the place upon which people projected so many fond reveries.
In truth, a small group of people could linger there every day.
In the soft glow, Guanghan Palace boasted white jade walls, cold jade steps, the drifting fragrance of moon laurels, spiritual blossoms of every kind swaying with multicolored luminescence, and fluttering butterflies—as if myth had stepped into reality.
Yet the atmosphere inside the main palace was far from harmonious. Qin Ming sat quietly, while not a single smile could be found on the faces of the group of sun elves.
The two sides were at a standstill, neither uttering a word.
Qin Ming sipped his tea, ignoring them.
The men of the sun elven race were handsome and the women stunning, making for an exceptionally pleasing sight, yet every one of them wore a cold, grim expression that created an oppressive gloom.
Qin Ming was unyielding. Whether it was the legendary-grade sacred baleful auras or the treasure-grade scriptures, not a single one could be omitted. Moreover, he would wait right here in the Dayu imperial capital, accepting nothing less than seeing the actual items in person.
Waiting for him to venture into the depths of the night mist world? Going to the immortal graves to "close the deal"? They could forget it.
"From what I've recently gathered, it seems your elven race also possesses an ancient tree of life?" After a moment, Meng Xinghai broke the deadlock.
"There's an immortal tree as well?" Qin Ming's interest was piqued. He remarked that the sap of such a tree ought to be able to replenish his origin as well.
The outsiders looked thoroughly displeased. Was this a step-by-step escalation, raising the price continuously without end? They had thought he asked for enough already, but as it turned out, he was still far from satisfied.
Xulin said, "That immortal tree vanished who knows how many years ago. At the very least, it cannot be found in our lands; it has long become a legend."
"What a pity," Qin Ming sighed.
The sun elven race knew things could not continue like this; the immortal contract had to be undone as quickly as possible.
Xiang Yiwu remarked, "Did you all really come here to negotiate? Why are your faces each darker than the last?"
Qin Ming nodded. "I feel the same way. Clearly, I was the original victim, merely forced to retaliate. How did it end up looking as though I owe you something?"
Opposite them, the sun elves whispered among themselves in secret.
"How about we call it a day, then?" Qin Ming raised his teacup, signaling his guests to leave.
Every face among the foreign delegation changed color, yet they had no choice but to endure it.
He Yan and Chi Yao held back their emotions, convinced all along that this "barbarian" had desecrated their solar goddess.
Both stood in the third realm, their cultivation exceptionally profound among their peers. Had they been deep within the night mist world, the two would have struck without hesitation.
At present, all their resentment and murderous intent could only remain buried deep within their hearts.
"No rush, everything can be discussed." Xulin lowered her stance. The sun elven race held great renown in the depths of the night mist world, but that carried little weight here.
Qin Ming set down his teacup, let out a sigh, and said, "During the daytime battle, I injured my origin. My shoulders ache, my legs throb with sharp pain, and my waist feels as if it's about to snap."
He tested the faint golden thread left on his hand by the immortal contract. With a slight tug, he instantly received "feedback."
Driven by some mysterious instinct, Liguang rose from her seat. Her satin-like long hair swept upward, scattering brilliant golden haze. Not even knowing why, she began to walk forward.
The foreign delegation was stunned at first, and then their expressions completely changed.
They naturally recognized that something was wrong with Liguang's state.
Tall and slender, graceful and exquisite, she took light, gentle steps and actually reached out a fair, delicate hand, seemingly poised to massage the "barbarian's" shoulders.
In an instant, the minds of the sun elves nearly exploded!
Liguang herself sensed that something was amiss. Right now, her mind was completely clear. Yet out of sheer instinct, she felt compelled to submit, leaving her utterly bewildered.
After rising, she had already taken two steps. Beneath her thick, long eyelashes, her violet eyes still shone brightly without losing their lucidity, yet she simply could not stop moving forward.
"The immortal contract... is truly terrifying!" Xulin naturally understood what was happening. This was already the result of Grandmaster Qionghui helping to suppress it.
She hurried forward, grabbed Liguang's snow-white wrist, and forcibly pulled her back.
Xiang Yiwu and Wu Yaozu were equally horrified. They weren't thinking about the scene before them, but about the terrifying thought of the immortal path using such a contract against supreme drudges.
Deep in Guanghan Palace, Grandmaster Su Yuxiao's eyes were profound as he watched closely from the shadows. Such methods from ancient divine abodes were indeed remarkably ingenious.
A strange look crossed his face, his heart brimming with yearning.
From his first trial, Qin Ming experienced the helplessness of ancient drudges. It was tantamount to being controlled by another, one's very life held in someone else's hands, with no possibility of resistance.
Before letting go, he lightly tugged the golden thread once more and spoke, "What happened? Why is the mood so somber? How can Guanghan Palace be without Chang'e dancing? Everyone, relax."
In a flash, Liguang broke free from Xulin's grip. With a spin, her golden hair cascaded like a waterfall and her skirt billowed. The goddess of the sun elven race stepped into the center of the hall in person and began to dance.
The foreign delegation was completely dumbfounded.
This time, Grandmaster Qionghui rose in person, walked over, pressed a hand against Liguang's shoulder to seat her, and pointed a finger. Auspicious light shone in all directions, sinking into her glabella.
"Could it be you who did something?" He Yan demanded, finding this reality unbearable.
Qin Ming responded calmly, "Don't falsely accuse me. You should ask yourselves what you did during the duel. I know very little about these things. Right now, she is merely suffering the backlash of her own methods."
Nearby, Chi Yao and the other young sun elves had eyes blazing with fury, yet they were helpless, currently subject to another's control.
Everyone realized that they had vastly underestimated the terror of the immortal contract.
A sheet of "luminous paper" floated within the spiritual light of Liguang's consciousness. Around the immortal contract, dense golden characters resembled stars filling the sky, dispersed throughout every corner of her mental field, already merged into one with her sea of consciousness.
This single page of "writing" was not physical. Rooted inside Liguang's consciousness, even Grandmaster Qionghui was helpless and could only suppress it slightly.
"Brilliant," Su Yuxiao nodded secretly. The immortal contract could sway a person's consciousness—there was no more potent method of control.
The future queen of the sun elven race had actually danced on the spot. After this incident, the foreigners could no longer remain composed.
They realized that whenever Liguang met with Qin Ming, someone had to accompany her, or anything could happen.
This was truly terrifying. Once the immortal contract was planted, the instinct to obey was utterly uncontrollable. What was most frightening was that even if one tried to unravel such a bond, it could never be severed completely.
He Yan, Chi Yao, and the young sun elves felt as though the heavens had collapsed. The "barbarian" before them was treasonous and deserved death; he truly ought to be thoroughly purified by the fire of light.
Deep down, however, a few of the foreigners also felt a twinge of envy toward the barbarian, feeling quite an urge toward such power.
"In principle, we agree to what you mentioned earlier. However, little brother, you are truly making things difficult for us. We must first gather legendary-grade sacred baleful auras and then transport them all the way from the depths of the night mist world. How long will that delay things? It would be far better for you to travel with us to the immortal graves," Xulin tried to make a final plea.
Qin Ming shook his head firmly, stating clearly that he would wait for them in the Dayu imperial capital.
"Very well. In that case, we shall also discuss the details with the people of the immortal path," Xulin said. This was the wish of many among the sun elven race.
Mainly, they felt this youth was too unyielding—perhaps the immortal path would be easier to talk to.
Upon hearing this, Qin Ming immediately understood. People of the immortal path had been communicating with them in secret. No wonder Xulin had hesitated earlier when he brought up the White Tiger and Xuanwu sacred baleful auras.
He realized someone from the immortal path wanted to intercept the deal.
He sneered inwardly. That was merely a smokescreen he had cast. He had already acquired those two sacred baleful auras at Black-White Mountain. Bringing them up now had actually lured someone into taking the bait.
*That old dog of a grandmaster!* Qin Ming gritted his teeth in secret. He was eighty percent certain of the culprit: it had to be Su Yuxiao.
He had learned about the temperaments of several prominent figures on the moon from Meng Xinghai.
Of course, he hadn't completely ruled out Ling Canghai either.
Qin Ming's temper flared. "Fine. Go talk with the immortal path, then. Don't look for me next time."
With that old fossil Su Yuxiao trying to intercept behind the scenes, the sun elves were still mingling with him, wanting to interface with the immortal path as well—hoping to play both sides against each other for a better price?
Yet Qin Ming didn't belong to the immortal path. He had no obligation to obey a grandmaster's orders.
"Little friend, what do you mean by this...?" Xulin and the others naturally sensed his attitude turning completely frosty, as though he no longer intended to negotiate.
Qin Ming stood up and said, "Liguang might very well be your future queen. Given her status, by haggling back and forth like this, you're not only demeaning her for no reason, but also demeaning your entire sun elven race."
At this moment, Meng Xinghai, Wu Yaozu, and Xiang Yiwu only needed to drink their tea, maintaining an indifferent attitude as if to say, *negotiate if you want, leave if you don't.* That alone was enough.
Deep in Guanghan Palace, Grandmaster Su Yuxiao let out a faint, cold snort. Though quiet, it carried through without the slightest attempt at concealment.
"Achoo!" Far away atop a jade pavilion, Meng Xinghai's martial uncle, the esoteric sect's Grandmaster Lin Yuchen, sneezed on the spot. He muttered to himself, "Who's cursing me? Do they have a death wish?"
Qin Ming was certain it truly was Su Yuxiao. Was the man expressing displeasure with him?
Yet he walked the Newborn path and had only come here as a substitute fighter. Was there any need to take orders from the immortal path?
Qin Ming took out a jade token that granted entry to a sect's ancestral court and turned it over in his hand.
Su Yuxiao's pupils contracted. He naturally recognized that it was a special jade token from the Six Imperials ancestral court.
Immediately after, another person came to his mind—Lu Zizai.
He had met the man just half a month ago.
For a moment, his face darkened and his eyes turned cold, but he said nothing more.
Nonetheless, he had already made up his mind: if the sun elven race had the Four Sacred Baleful Energies, he had to trade for them no matter what, severing the future path of the youth whom Lu Zizai favored.
He sneered secretly. *Thinking of unifying the four symbols to reverse-engineer the Yin-Yang Dao Diagram of the Newborn path? Dream on. That path has been severed!*
Although Qin Ming didn't know Su Yuxiao harbored a grudge because of Lu Zizai, he could guess that the petty old fellow would likely carry out his interference to the very end.
*Old dog!*
Qin Ming no longer intended to insist on the Four Sacred Baleful Energies, feigning a lack of urgency. In reality, having an earth-attribute "bonus" sacred baleful aura would be more than enough.
*Truly not care? You probably crave it desperately,* Su Yuxiao sneered inwardly.
Qin Ming wondered whether he should ask Meng Xinghai's martial uncle to get involved and drive up the price of the Four Sacred Baleful Energies with the sun elves when the time came.
Undoubtedly, as Qin Ming turned cold and threatened to walk away, the sun elven race understood who the key figure truly was.
This youth had quite a background of his own and was not intimidated by a grandmaster's presence in the slightest.
After that, the two parties became surprisingly harmonious. Though there was still some wrangling along the way, the atmosphere was far more agreeable than before.
"Why get angry with a youth?" Deep in Guanghan Palace, Grandmaster Ling Canghai glanced at the man across from him.
Su Yuxiao was furious. He was indeed deeply at odds with the Newborn path. His master had been beaten to death by a patriarch of the Newborn path while at the grandmaster realm, and he had recently crossed paths with Lu Zizai, leaving him full of resentment!
As a result, he was somewhat irritable right now, and not caring that the man opposite him walked the same path, he retorted, "Who doesn't know you have a taste for the young?"
Ling Canghai was left dumbstruck, staring wide-eyed, sorely tempted to slap him across the face. Everyone knew he had married a young immortal seed as his wife a few years back.
Yet to have his personal weakness wagged about and ridiculed to his face—what was the meaning of this? Ling Canghai noted down this grievance.
Grandmasters were not entirely at peace with one another either. These two in particular were both desperate to break through during this Great Reclamation to become new-generation patriarchs.
Evidently, during the reclamation battles of the immortal graves and divine tombs, they would inevitably vie for the most precious immortal dao resources, making competition unavoidable.
After a "warm" and "friendly" discussion, Qin Ming was fairly satisfied. As for whether the other side found him sufficiently enthusiastic and sincere, that was none of his concern.
The sun elven race could not guarantee they possessed the White Tiger and Xuanwu sacred baleful auras, but promised to do everything possible to search for them. As for the two legendary-grade "bonus" sacred baleful auras, there was no problem; physical specimens truly existed.
In fact, an earth-attribute sacred baleful aura alone was invaluable, more than enough for Qin Ming to come to an agreement with them. But who would have the heart to refuse even more benefits placed before their eyes?
In addition, a treasure-grade scripture, the *Solar Immortal Sword Art*, landed in Qin Ming's hands.
He had coveted it for a long time, pondering that by blending his heavenly light with his consciousness, he would likely be able to display it as well!
"That is an immortal art. Can you even master it?" Even Grandmaster Qionghui looked up, his heart bleeding with sorrow. This was a true sect-defining absolute art of the immortal path.
"No matter. If I can't master it, I'll pass it down to my son in the future," Qin Ming said nonchalantly.
Deep in Guanghan Palace, Su Yuxiao couldn't shake the feeling that the little brat was speaking with veiled barbs, subtly mocking him, because he too had his eye on that *Solar Immortal Sword Art* and wanted to get his hands on it for study.
Yet he was clearly overthinking. This was an immortal scripture won by Qin Ming's own strength as a substitute fighter; there was no way it would be handed to him.
"Swear an oath that it may only be passed down within your own lineage and must not be leaked," Xulin said solemnly.
Qin Ming said, "You're putting me in a difficult spot. If I can't master it myself, am I not even allowed to trade it for a copy of the *Waxing and Waning Scripture* to practice?"
Over this, both sides wrangled for quite a while longer.
Regarding the forbidden technique Liguang had displayed, Qin Ming inquired briefly before choosing to abandon it. He felt the technique was somewhat improper and didn't want to waste time delving into it.
Afterward, Qin Ming's expression grew solemn as he brought up the issue of the immortal contract, demanding that they must not use this technique against members of the Newborn path.
At the very least, on this side of the night mist world, this technique had to be strictly forbidden.
He gave a solemn warning, saying, "I know it is difficult to truly restrict you, but you must understand: if you dare act without restraint, patriarch-level figures from the Newborn path will surely march out and breach the ancestral lands of your sun elven race!"
Qin Ming placed particular emphasis on not passing the immortal contract to the people of the immortal path, or they would bear the consequences themselves, which would be far more severe than they could imagine!
"I am not being alarmist. If you truly do that, a disaster of clan extermination will surely arrive at your doorstep!" he said coldly.
Meng Xinghai also spoke up: "Indeed. We have said all that needs to be said. Little Qin speaks out of goodwill. Your sun elven race must consider this carefully and exercise the utmost prudence!"
Qionghui felt a chill in his heart. The immortal contract was nothing special in the depths of the night mist world, but over here, it could stir up immense turmoil!
Once its repercussions erupted, it was hard to predict what magnitude of catastrophe it would bring.
Over the past several days, this grandmaster of the sun elven race had already come to understand that Newborn practitioners were vastly different from drudges. The former had blazed their own path, which they then verified against excavated ancient techniques to absorb their essence, resulting in a distinctly different system.
Finally, regarding the sap of the immortal tree of life that Qin Ming had mentioned, the sun elven race also agreed: if they found it in the future, they would grant him a portion.
Xulin breathed a sigh of relief, feeling utterly exhausted from negotiating with this youth.
She felt helpless. The immortal contract had to be resolved as soon as possible; otherwise, if this youth died abruptly one day, Liguang would perish along with him.
Although this connection could most likely never be severed completely, tearing it apart in broad terms would ensure Liguang wouldn't be dragged down to her death alongside him.
This also meant that the sun elven race would have to actively protect his safety in the near future.
When he thought of this, even Grandmaster Qionghui grew infuriated. What an absurd mess!
"Brother Dao..." He even transmitted his voice directly to Su Yuxiao, offering a gentle reminder not to make any reckless moves.
Sitting quietly here for so long, Qionghui had naturally sensed the ill will radiating from that grandmaster of the immortal path.
"?" Su Yuxiao was dumbfounded.
He spaced out for a moment. That little brat had formed an unbreakable bond with the sun elven race? At least in the short term, even these gritting foreigners needed to shelter the boy.
He felt this was utterly absurd!
Qionghui thought to himself, *Do you think this old man wants to?*
Afterward, Qin Ming and the others relaxed completely with the sun elven race. Their relationship seemed to warm up all at once, and they began chatting about various legends of the night mist world.
"Have you forgotten the real business?" Grandmaster Ling Canghai could watch no longer and had to personally transmit his voice to remind him.
Qin Ming slapped his forehead as if he had only just remembered, and began asking about the truth behind the immortal graves and divine tombs, as well as various details—whether there were any issues, inquiring thoroughly.
He directed his questions primarily at Liguang. This time, Qionghui did not intervene, allowing the immortal contract to exert its effect.
Liguang held nothing back, even projecting the spiritual light of her consciousness to display various terrains and landscapes.
The sun elven race was completely candid.
Su Yuxiao and Ling Canghai had listened to a night of wrangling, mostly revolving around baleful auras. Now that their ears were finally at peace, they began paying close attention to the region where the immortal graves lay.
Of course, the outer realm could not rely on only a single channel of information. In fact, patriarchs had already set out in person to secretly scout that territory.
They needed to gather intelligence and corroborate information from multiple sources. Throughout history, Great Reclamations were never conducted hastily; they would rather remain stationary than advance recklessly.
A Great Opening was premised on stability.
Once they finished discussing these matters, Xulin asked rather amiably, "Little brother, lately, are there any people with whom you are on bad terms, or who harbor resentment toward you?"
"Yes!" Qin Ming immediately set down his teacup.
Watching the entire scene, Xiao Wu thought to himself, *Brother Ming truly made a killing this time!*
Meng Xinghai and Xiang Yiwu were equally speechless seeing Qin Ming offer up a list of names right to their faces.
Qin Ming informed them solemnly: "The two households of the Cui clan and the Li clan harbor deep hostility toward me. Furthermore, a very few stubborn 'old fossils' of the immortal path, always eager to restore the ancient glory when divine immortals ruled the night mist world, might also be displeased with me and wish to harm me."
Su Yuxiao thought to himself, *I haven't even left yet!*
Ling Canghai looked surprised, then chuckled softly. "Are there truly such old fossils? Forcibly suppressing one side is indeed ill-advised. Wholesome competition among paths, a hundred schools contending and ten thousand flowers blooming—that is the true spring of the revival of all arts, which can spur a grand explosion across every path."
Su Yuxiao replied indifferently, "If Old Cao leaves seclusion, he might wish to have a warm, friendly chat with you."
The sun elves all felt a headache coming on. They realized this was no ordinary youth. To be targeted by thousand-year-old clans and glared at with malice by old monsters of the immortal path, yet still be alive—he was truly remarkable.
They muttered inwardly: *He's a complete troublemaker!*
Of course, had he been a timid sort from whom three strikes of a stick couldn't draw a peep, he probably wouldn't have survived until now, nor would he possess such extraordinary abilities.
Leaving them with no choice, until the sacred baleful auras were delivered, they would have to serve as his bodyguards for a period, however exasperating that might be.
At the thought of this, the younger generation—He Yan, Chi Yao, and the rest—nearly coughed up blood.
"Very well. We have disturbed you enough tonight; we take our leave," Xulin said. The sun elves rose, preparing to depart.
Given the choice, they genuinely did not want to remain in the same room with this youth. Add to that the bald youth beside him and the one broader than a door panel, and it truly grated on their nerves; not a single one was pleasing to the eye.
Even the refined Old Meng left an intensely negative impression on them.
"Wait, I still have a favor to ask," Qin Ming called out to stop them.
Immediately after, they saw Liguang walk straight toward him.
Qin Ming patted the soft couch beside him. "Sit."
"Insolent madman!" Chi Yao, He Yan, and the others nearly broke down. This fellow was utterly out of line! So many of them were still present, yet he dared act like this?
"Don't misunderstand," Qin Ming waved his hand at the group.
Liguang, her violet eyes like gems set against the night sky, walked over gracefully. The immortal contract displayed its terrifying power to the fullest, capable of dictating a person's fate.
"Breathe fire," Qin Ming instructed.
*What kind of outrageous demand is that?* The sun elves glared at him in fury.
"Please unleash your solar fire," Qin Ming corrected himself, explaining to them that he merely wished to borrow their clan's unique flame to cultivate.
Liguang complied, performing beyond her usual standard by dancing the divine dance used by the sun elven race to pray to the light. For a time, her cascading golden hair drifted, her well-rounded, slender legs moved, and her skirt fluttered. Her eyes were lively, her dance exceedingly graceful and elegant.
Vast sheets of golden flame showered from her body, falling toward Qin Ming.
Before him, a palm-sized Li Fire Furnace gradually condensed into form—the physical manifestation of an extraordinary art's intent.
Having practiced the *Departing Fire Classic* to a legendary level, this furnace had taken shape, a sight many in higher realms had never witnessed.
Now, bathed in solar fire, it grew all the more wondrous. Mysterious patterns interlaced across the furnace, and nine divine birds materialized.
"Everyone, if possible, please lend a hand as well," Qin Ming called out, craving solar fire—the more, the better.
He Yan, Chi Yao, and the others were the first to act, thinking to themselves: *Even if we can't burn you to death, we'll injure you!*
Yet to their astonishment, all the solar fire was absorbed by the furnace, causing it to undergo a metamorphosis until it seemed like a solid object.
Qin Ming was delighted, and then manifested another extraordinary art—the *Golden Cicada Classic*.
A cicada appeared and was shut inside the furnace by him, refining the golden cicada with Li Fire.
Inside the furnace, the cicada's chirping echoed continuously, stunning everyone present.
"Do you need this old man to stoke the flames for you as well? What I possess contains a wisp of solar true fire," Grandmaster Qionghui asked faintly.
Solar fire and solar true fire differed by a single word, yet the gap between them was immense.
Qin Ming glanced at Meng Xinghai. Seeing the latter signal that it was safe, he nodded directly. "Very well!"
A moment later, the furnace nearly melted away, but in the end it underwent "nirvana," becoming increasingly crimson and brilliant, resembling a genuine furnace.
"The Nanming Departing Fire is about to appear..." Qionghui was greatly astonished.
At the same time, Qin Ming also shut a golden silkworm inside the furnace.
"Are three special extraordinary arts all about to reach legendary levels?" Meng Xinghai's martial uncle, Lin Yuchen, murmured to himself as he watched from outside.
Qionghui abruptly withdrew his hand, no longer helping him stoke the flames. He hadn't truly intended to assist, merely wishing to test the youth's mettle, not expecting the boy could actually withstand such fire.
At that moment, Qin Ming himself was shocked, for he clearly sensed characters densely surfacing inside the furnace—such a miraculous phenomenon had actually occurred!
Chapter 289