Beneath the long night, snowflakes drifted through the air.
Bathed in the radiant glow of the Fire Spring night, the grand compound appeared as though edged in gold—a celestial palace descending into the mortal realm, straddling the pitch-black earth.
Qin Ming ascended the white marble steps, taking in the red lanterns hanging on either side of the main gates and the pair of stone auspicious beasts flanking the entrance. A rush of familiar sensations washed over him. Everything from his past seemed right before his eyes.
Returning to this old place filled him with complex emotions; after all, he had lived here for roughly a decade.
For a moment, he felt as if he had traveled back in time, catching sight of himself from childhood to youth.
Father Cui and Mother Cui had always been stern and rigid in his presence. Even when they smiled, it lacked warmth. Only later did he understand that this was an insurmountable barrier between them.
Looking through layers of mist, Qin Ming seemed to see his tender, younger self, trapped alone in the silk book method, practicing the various movements recorded upon it in isolation, yet never able to see that path through.
His grandfather had only been an ordinary man. Qin Ming had been chosen solely because he looked like Cui Chonghe. Brought here, he had lived for a long time within a false life fabricated by others.
He had once regarded this place as his home—until the day Father Cui looked down upon him and told him to shoulder the duties and obligations of a direct-line son by leading a band of elders whose lifespans were nearly spent to lure away formidable enemies. Back then, he had felt boundless sorrow, knowing it was a parting in death.
On that day, he had been filled with reluctant longing, heartache, and grief, until he finally went numb.
He had been unable to utter a single word, tears welling in his eyes as he watched Father Cui and Mother Cui take Cui Chongxuan and set off into the distance alongside a vast force of Cui clan elites without once looking back.
In the village outside Luoyue City, several Cui clan elders whose lifespans were nearing their end had approached him multiple times, only to be driven away by Seventh Uncle Cui's own grandfather.
That night, flames had engulfed the sky. Pushed to a desperate end, Qin Ming had tasted the Cui clan's icy ruthlessness. He had not said a word all night, and in the end, it was tantamount to dying once. His memory had been completely wiped clean, and precisely because of that, he had gained an entirely new life afterward.
"Cousin, it's been three years. You're finally back! We've missed you all this time," two young men walked over, one of them speaking with an affectionate smile.
With Qin Ming's current senses, how could he not perceive that this warmth was merely skin-deep, laced with falsehood? He merely nodded and said, "You've already sent word inside, haven't you? I've just come back to look around."
Without waiting for them to say more, he walked inward, unwilling to bother trading pleasantries with them. Had he not been worried that his grandfather was in his twilight years and might not have much time left, he would not have returned right now.
Lu Zizai followed behind him as though standing within a mist. Even though they were not far apart, the others seemed incapable of seeing him. Far off in the night sky, the Thunder King Bird and Xiaojin—the little bird Lu Zizai kept—circled above.
The two accompanying Qin Ming inward were both in their twenties. They were not among the youths he had grown up with and had rarely crossed paths with him, so there was no deep bond between them to speak of.
In truth, over the past half year, the entire Cui clan had been keeping a close watch on Qin Ming. Hearing of his astonishingly swift rise, they had all found it incredible.
In the past, his skull had cracked, his memories had been wiped clean, and he was nearly ruined. Father Cui had ordered him pinned down in Black-White Mountain, forbidden from ever returning, intending to keep him confined in that remote place. Everyone had assumed he would vanish from the Cui clan's sight forever, as if such a person had never existed.
Yet how much time had passed? He had already become a dazzling new star, rising steadily, returning in the manner the Cui clan least wished to see.
Naturally, some within the Cui clan felt regret, but once certain choices were made and certain deeds done, it was exceedingly difficult to change course or turn back.
Confining him to Black-White Mountain was a minor matter; sending him off to serve as cannon fodder and die at the hands of the Li clan's experts was the true knot that gave them pause.
More importantly, outside Kunling's Third Peril on the plateau, when the patriarch beheaded the auspicious beast and the various factions joined forces to hunt monsters, a violent clash had erupted between the Cui clan and Qin Ming. He had killed several groups of their direct-line fighters, creating a blood feud that was difficult to resolve.
"Cousin, in truth, we've always hoped you would return," the young man walking beside him said, a smile fixed upon his face.
Qin Ming said nothing, taking in the familiar courtyards.
The Cui clan's residence could be considered a small blessed land.
Even in the dead of winter, spring blossomed across the grounds. Flowerbeds bloomed in brilliant profusion, filled with lingering fragrance, and butterflies fluttered amid swaying spiritual trees. The flying eaves and bracket complexes were etched with faint golden outlines in the fiery glow.
"Qin Ming?!" Cui He appeared. Seeing him, he was thoroughly stunned before bursting into hearty laughter.
Not far from him stood Cui Shuning in a black dress, carrying a rather cool and glamorous air. She was also deeply startled, finding this completely unexpected.
Qin Ming had no good feelings toward either of them. They had once traveled thousands of li to Chixia City to "visit" him. Had Meng Xinghai not shielded him, he would have been in grave peril that day.
Even so, the two had still enlisted people from the esoteric sects to deal with him.
"Little Ming, seeing me here, why haven't you called me Fourth Uncle?" Cui He had a head of pale green hair; clearly, his mastery of the *World-Abiding Scripture* had progressed further.
He was an elite of the previous generation with profound cultivation. He walked the path of the esoteric sects while also studying the Newborn path's secret texts to extend his life. At present, he wore a rich smile, but none of it looked like genuine warmth.
"Cui Fourth, long time no see," Qin Ming said evenly, looking at him.
"What did you call me?" Cui He's smile vanished, his expression turning colder than flipping a page in a book, instantly freezing over.
Toward someone who had previously tried to harm him, Qin Ming could not even be bothered to offer a perfunctory smile.
"Cui Fourth," Qin Ming replied calmly.
"Showing no respect to your elders—have you lost your mind?" The green hair on Cui He's head suddenly shone and drifted upward. His entire form moved like a ghost, arriving before him in a flash to seize Qin Ming by the neck.
Only recently had he successfully broken through to the esoteric sect's fourth realm, Netherworld Access, causing his confidence to surge. Even if Qin Ming was an extraordinary divine seed, so what? This was the Cui clan, and he was an entire major realm higher. He intended to put on airs and discipline this youth whom the clan both despised and feared.
Although he had not yet heard the news that Lu Zizai had accompanied Qin Ming into the outer pure lands, he knew the two shared a good relationship. Still, certain matters did not require killing or striking with lethal force against Qin Ming; the Cui clan possessed other methods.
Qin Ming gripped his wrist and stared coldly at him. "Cui Fourth, don't look for trouble!"
With a boom, wisps of mist rose from the ground, plunging the surrounding area into what seemed like a ghostly realm. Cui He's eyes turned an eerie green as he unleashed the methods of the fourth realm of Netherworld Access.
Dressed in black, Cui Shuning also struck like a phantom, calling out, "You truly have no upbringing whatsoever! Three years out in the world, and have you become a savage? Is this how you face your elders?"
Around Qin Ming's body, an invisible spirit field expanded, instantly tearing through Cui He's Netherworld Access power. Then, with a thud, he grabbed Cui Fourth by the throat and lifted him directly into the air.
At the same time, he looked back coldly toward the glamorous woman rushing forward—the one he had once called "Aunt." He harbored just as much disgust for her.
Back in Chixia City, she had feigned warmth to get close to him, only to reveal an expression of utter revulsion when she tried to touch his head. Her attitude left no room for goodwill.
*Smack! Smack!*
Lightning-fast, Qin Ming struck her across the face with a back-and-forth pair of resounding slaps. Six or seven of her pearly teeth were knocked loose, blood spraying from her mouth as she was sent flying across the courtyard. She crashed into a wall, shattering masonry, and smashed right through it as the wall collapsed.
Cui He fared no better. After being hoisted up by Qin Ming, four slaps struck his face squarely, knocking his teeth loose in a spray of bloody water. He could hardly believe that inside his own home, this youth had struck him with several resounding slaps.
Qin Ming slammed him to the ground, shattering the bluestone paving beneath. Cui He let out a muffled groan, several of his bones snapping.
"How dare you run wild in the Cui clan!" Her hair disheveled, Cui Shuning charged out from the other side of the broken wall, only to be sent flying again by a midair kick from Qin Ming. The distinct crack of breaking bones echoed from her body. Howling in agony, she lost every trace of her cool glamour, crashing to the ground in the distance.
Although this was called a small blessed land, that was only in comparison to the outer pure lands. In truth, it was vast and magnificent, dotted with blue lakes, pavilions, arched bridges over flowing water, and distinct scenery at every turn. Now, a large group of people rushed out from behind the various landmarks.
As a core stronghold of the Cui clan, it naturally housed many experts.
"Who dares offend the dignity of the Cui clan?"
"Hm? Qin Ming!"
Another familiar face appeared. At the front was Fifth Master Cui, one of the people who had brainwashed Qin Ming most aggressively in the past, urging him from childhood to practice the silk book method that was normally a dead end.
"Little Qin, good boy, you're finally back." He grinned, his old face stretching out like dried orange peel soaking in water.
"Since you've come home, practice cultivation properly with your Fifth Uncle!" He charged forward like a specter.
Back in Chixia City, he had wanted to take action against Qin Ming, only to be tucked under Li Qingyun's arm and dragged away. Now, a malicious smile spread across his face.
"Practice what? Are you returning the silk book to me?" Qin Ming asked coldly.
Led by Fifth Master Cui, the group of elders all grinned, their eyes glinting with chill.
Naturally, they knew that Qin Ming was currently basking in glory on the Newborn path, having become a figurehead for the new generation, and was close to Lu Zizai. It was impossible to kill him here.
"Practice the *Heart-Cleansing Classic* with me. This is an extraordinary manual, well worth a lifetime of study," Fifth Uncle Cui said with a smile.
This was an uncanny scripture they had recently procured. It could cleanse a person's heart and purify their consciousness, reforming their outlook so that no hostility remained. Moreover, the process was not violent, taking place subtly through gradual transformation.
In truth, this was a manual the Cui clan had gone to great pains to track down specifically to deal with Qin Ming. Since they could not kill him, if the chance arose, they would seize control of his mind.
In the end, Qin Ming would naturally return to the Cui clan and be used by them. Outsiders would be unable to tell anything was amiss, believing the two sides had simply reconciled.
And several decades or a century later, couldn't they dispose of him however they pleased? Making him willingly serve as Cui Chonghe's drudge would pose no problem at all.
Fifth Master Cui was naturally a formidable expert, far superior to Cui He and Cui Shuning. Flanked by several elders, he pressed forward.
Suddenly, their faces turned pale as they stared ahead in disbelief. Beside Qin Ming, a youth clad in coarse hemp garments had appeared.
"Lu Zizai!" someone cried in shock, recognizing his identity.
Some bowed deeply, while others broke into cold sweats.
Fifth Master Cui, in particular, heard his own bones creaking as though they were about to shatter. With a thud, he sank to his knees on the ground.
Naturally, he had no wish to do so, but his knees fractured, misting with blood. He had no choice but to kneel in public, held down by an invisible force.
"Deal with him as you wish," Lu Zizai said.
Qin Ming stepped forward and unleashed a heavy kick, planting his foot squarely against Fifth Uncle Cui's old face.
Even though Fifth Master Cui possessed profound cultivation, under this suppression he could hardly resist. Blood gushed from his nose and mouth, and six of his old teeth snapped and broke with a crunch.
Fifth Uncle Cui was filled with shock and fury. This was the residence of a thousand-year clan—and while not their ancestral grounds, it was still a vital stronghold. As a clan elder, he was being beaten inside his own home!
Yet when he looked at the youth in coarse hemp garments, a feeling of powerlessness washed over him.
He felt stifled, indignant, and resentful. If one traced back five or six hundred years, even if Lu Zizai came in person, the Cui clan would not have feared anything.
Back then, the Cui clan had possessed trail-blazing patriarchs in the outer realm.
Alas, time flowed swiftly. No matter how powerful a person was, they would grow old, wither, and eventually die. The Cui clan of this era had no such powerhouse overseeing them.
The old ancestor of the clan had likely broken through to the sixth realm, but no matter what, he could not compare to Lu Zizai, who had advanced after being a Supreme Great Grandmaster.
"Patriarch Lu, appease your anger!"
"Qin Ming, stop!"
A group of core figures from the Cui clan emerged, filing out from the depths of the residence.
Qin Ming paid them no heed, delivering two more kicks in succession that sent blood splattering.
He had to admit the old man's body was remarkably tough. Even with Qin Ming's current strength, kicking him felt like striking a slab of secret metal, making it hard to kick straight through.
Fifth Uncle Cui's teeth flew out amid a spray of blood, and with a crunch, several terrifying fractures appeared across his jaw and facial bones.
A figure appeared like a god or ghost—tall, martial, and cold—standing before Fifth Uncle Cui.
Only then did Qin Ming halt, fixing his gaze on the newcomer: Father Cui.
Under these circumstances, he was likely the only one who dared adopt such a posture.
The people Qin Ming least wished to see were him and Mother Cui. After all, having called them father and mother for ten years, even with boundless fury and resentment, it was hard to strike at them directly.
"Child, your mother missed you so!" In the distance, a graceful, richly dressed noblewoman appeared, calling out to Qin Ming.
A gathering of the Cui clan's true higher-ups stood far off, most of them elderly, their expressions exceedingly solemn.
Even though the Cui clan possessed profound foundations, having continually branched out and spread into the esoteric sects and outer realms over the past two millennia, they still felt immense dread when faced with a patriarch coming to their door.
Unlike Cui He and the others, they were not uninformed. Not long ago, they had been listening to reports in the main hall, learning the full details of Lu Zizai accompanying Qin Ming into the outer pure lands.
They simply had never imagined that Lu Zizai would accompany Qin Ming to the Cui clan as well.
"Patriarch Lu, please enter the hall for a cup of tea," an elder bowed respectfully to Lu Zizai, inviting him inside the reception hall for a conversation.
"Child, let us have a proper talk," Mother Cui also spoke to Qin Ming.
Qin Ming had come primarily to ask about his grandfather's true whereabouts, not to wage war against this thousand-year clan today.
In the end, Lu Zizai and Qin Ming entered the Cui clan's great hall.
"Have Cui Geng come see me," Lu Zizai set down his teacup and spoke calmly, naming the very ancestor of the Cui clan in this era.
***
"Is it true? Qin Ming confronted the Cui clan, barged right in, and even fought them?"
The outside world was in an uproar. Major organizations following the matter received secret reports immediately, and all of them were astounded.
In Kunling, deep within the layered spaces of mist, an inverted Yujing stirred, its indistinct contours rippling with faint waves that spilled into the real world, clearer than the last time.
Deep within the distant world of night fog, a group of humans was on the move. Among them were imposing elders, young women veiled in immortal aura, and vigorous young men, their destination—Yezhou.
Chapter 348