Two Dragons

In the bitter depths of winter, the earth was clad in silver, and strange birds occasionally streaked across the night sky. Many major organizations received the latest intelligence and were thoroughly shaken. "Lu Zizai took Qin Ming and dashed across ten thousand li straight to the Cui clan's ancestral land to corner the clan's ancient ancestor, Cui Geng!" The supreme powers had already obtained secret reports. While at the Cui clan's estate, Lu Zizai had been looking for Cui Geng, and now he had traveled an enormous distance in hot pursuit. Did he truly intend to eliminate the Cui clan's ancestor? "Hiss... Lu Zizai isn't merely putting on a show by backing Qin Ming so forcefully. It looks like he genuinely means business. Is he trying to eradicate the Cui clan at its very roots?" Leaders of numerous prominent organizations sucked in breaths of cold night mist, their minds reeling. If Ancestor Cui had not fled quickly, something truly catastrophic might have occurred. Esoteric sects, aristocratic clans, and major orthodoxies pored over the fresh intelligence on their desks. None of them had expected Lu Zizai to go this far for Qin Ming. "A single man suppressing an entire clan—and a millennial clan at that!" Deep within an outer pure land, Cui Chonghe was waiting for his master to conclude his closed-door seclusion when he suddenly received the latest news that Lu Zizai had arrived in person at the Cui clan's ancestral land. Unable to sit still any longer, he struck the lustrous, snow-white jade bell hanging in the bamboo grove. "What is it?" Sun Taichu walked out from a thatched cottage at the far edge of the land. In just a few paces, he arrived in the bamboo grove where golden light drifted like steam. "Master, Lu Zizai is targeting my Cui clan and may well strike a vicious blow. I would like to ask Master to intervene." ... Lu Zizai first setting foot in the Cui estate and then heading to their ancestral land sent massive shockwaves through the region, stirring several of the Cui clan's rivals into action. Under current circumstances, starting an all-out clan war was inadvisable, but orchestrating petty provocations was another matter entirely. Inside the Cui estate, everyone was on edge. That very day, various reports flooded in: someone had hijacked a shipment of their precious spiritual herbs, others claimed their spiritual artifact shops were selling counterfeits, and unknown forces had raided one of their large secret metal mines. "Lu Zizai, Qin Ming!" Within the Cui clan's minor blessed land, Father Cui—Cui Qi—wore a frigid expression and ground his teeth in a whisper. He knew the aftereffects of those two paying a visit were now surfacing. At the same time, he felt deeply humiliated. Earlier that day, an invisible pressure from Lu Zizai had sent him and his wife flying, smashing through doors and windows in utter disgrace. He was the Cui clan's secular ruler. Yet inside his own estate, he had been looked down upon with absolute contempt, treated like nothing at all, and blood still stained the corner of his mouth. "Calm your heart. Do not be rash," an elder grandmaster of the Cui clan, who was just over two hundred years old, spoke up. Cui Qi nodded. "Understood. Rest assured, Grandfather. I was merely venting some pent-up frustration. I can handle these matters with a cool head." In an instant, he regained his usual stern, cold, and rigid demeanor, completely devoid of emotional fluctuation. He said indifferently, "Let them have their moment of triumph. When we look back a century from now, what will these minor ripples matter?" He gazed into the snowy distance. "I have three sons. The youngest is an extraordinary anomaly, while my eldest and second sons are dragons among men. Two centuries from now, they will surely avenge today's humiliation for me!" Hearing this, the Cui clan's grandmaster showed a gratified expression and nodded, his heart full of anticipation for the future. The day the two dragons of the Cui clan soared to the skies would be the day the entire clan revitalized! When that time came, with two—or perhaps even three—ancestors in a single clan, who could stand against them? Most importantly, the Cui clan's two slumbering dragons possessed boundless potential. According to transcendent figures from beyond the mortal realm, both would be capable of stirring the world's storms and tearing apart the pitch-black sky in the future! Cui Qi said in a deep voice, "So what if he is Lu Zizai? When my sons rise, they will ascend the Six Imperials ancestral court to demand an explanation from you!" The Cui grandmaster immediately cut him off. "Do not speak such words lightly!" Cui Qi nodded. "You are my grandfather. In front of you, there is naturally no need to conceal my true thoughts." His grandfather's gaze turned profound. "That Qin Ming could become a menace in the future." Cui Qi replied, "Do not worry. Over the coming century, Chonghe will leave him far behind, to say nothing of the older Chongxiao." The Cui grandmaster agreed. "Indeed. According to the ancient ancestor's study of the silk book method, the path Qin Ming walks should still be the Newborn path. That art is overbearing, devouring divine wisdom and conscious spiritual light. Once one reaches the later stages, it becomes extraordinarily difficult to advance in speed." Cui Qi's gaze grew contemplative. "By withholding that silk book and depriving him of the subsequent scriptures, he will inevitably be delayed for a long time." The Cui grandmaster shook his head. "Ancestor Cui Geng cannot drag this matter out for too long. If he incites Lu Zizai's wrath, it will bring tremendous trouble." They surmised that the Newborn path had almost entirely destroyed this authentic scripture back then; after all, it had killed several ancient patriarchs and was proven to be a dead end. Perhaps only a single silk book remained in the world. Cui Qi remarked, "Actually, giving it to him does no harm either. The Newborn path's speed can never match the immortal path or esoteric sects. Besides, once he cultivates it further, he will likely blow himself apart." The Cui clan had analyzed the matter thoroughly in the past. The only thing that had worried them was that Qin Ming had managed to cultivate Primordial Chaos force on his own, without anyone guiding him. That was simply absurd, which was why the core leadership had refused to let him access the subsequent chapters of the scripture. The Cui grandmaster spoke in a low voice, his aged eyes blazing with brilliant light. "Our Cui clan has endured in this world for nearly two thousand autumns. It is time for our latent foundation to erupt. This generation might very well produce a Heavenly God and a Heavenly Immortal!" He felt immensely satisfied. Both young men knew how to keep their composure and bide their time. From what he knew, Cui Chongxiao had mastered two sect-guarding authentic scriptures within the esoteric sect and had studied the Body-Refining Dao Harmonization Scripture extensively. If he could achieve full mastery over that text, he would be capable of slaying gods with his physical flesh! As for Cui Chonghe, beyond inheriting Master Sun's mantle and mastering sect-guarding scriptures, he had also mastered the fabled Indestructible Immortal Scripture, though he had never once revealed it in battle. Cui Qi nodded. "I underestimated Qin Ming. But the twin dragons of my Cui clan will outshine him in the future. They will become pathbreaking patriarchs two hundred years ahead of him. Across those years, I'd like to see how he could possibly catch up, or even survive." ... The future Heavenly God spoken of by the Cui clan—Cui Chongxiao—was an exceptionally stalwart youth. At that moment, he was accompanying his master through a Peril. In the past, Qin Ming had briefly encountered him during his time with the Cui clan. Cui Chongxiao was eight years older than him. Early on, he had returned home once every year or two, but later on, he was rarely seen even once every three or four years, spending most of his time in secluded cultivation within the esoteric sect. A strange bird flew over carrying a letter, alighting on Cui Chongxiao's shoulder. As he unfurled the missive, his brow furrowed. His master spoke up: "If you wish to step into the seventh realm in the future and glimpse the domain of a Heavenly God, you must forge an unshakeable, foundational heart. Even if a Peril shatters before your eyes and the night sky is ripped apart by a single hand, you must maintain tranquility of mind, never allowing external factors to cast ripples upon the lake of your spirit. Slaying gods with the physical body and severing heaven's will with the mind requires your own form and spirit to be adamantine and imperishable first!" Cui Chongxiao bowed. "Yes, Master. External matters shall cast no shadow in my heart." ... "Senior Brother Lu, if you travel deep into the night mist world, please take care!" At their parting, Qin Ming felt a touch of reluctance. If Lu Zizai departed into the distance, there was no telling when they would meet again. The boundless, unknown expanse was draped in endless night, and the path ahead was fraught with danger. Along the way, certain territories were clearly overseen by Earth Immortals, whom even pathbreaking patriarchs had to give a wide berth. Lu Zizai said, "I will wait for you ahead, and watch as you blaze the path for the Newborn system!" He then added that he would not set out immediately; he would take some time to prepare. The scriptures Qin Ming had given him were extraordinarily important, and he needed to study them thoroughly. Moreover, when he did leave, he would do so quietly. Qin Ming understood his intentions. The only reason Lu Zizai had made such a high-profile scene at the Cui estate and even gone after Cui Geng was to make a clear statement. From that day forward, anyone wishing to lay a hand on Qin Ming would have to think twice! The two parted ways, and Qin Ming set off alone. Across the vast snowfields, he followed the place names provided by the Cui clan, searching as he went. Regrettably, more than a decade had passed. Finding the trail of an ordinary old man among a sea of people was easier said than done. Despite inquiring in many directions, he turned up nothing. "Grandfather left with an old traveling merchant. Surely there will be some leads down that line." Yet disappointment met him once again. That old merchant had vanished three years ago, never returning from his final expedition. Qin Ming was deeply astonished to learn that the old traveling merchant had been over two hundred years old. People in that trade walked through the dark year in and year out, venturing in and out of no-man's-lands. In the end, they were reduced to living as neither human nor ghost. Between different cities, territories without Fire Springs harbored all manner of bizarreness and danger. An old traveling merchant surviving past a hundred was already a legend. In their lifetimes, they were tainted by too many inexplicable, unspeakable things—such as that shadowy entity Qin Ming had once encountered, which had nearly proved fatal. The ultimate fate of most traveling merchants was to merge into the darkness and vanish completely. An old traveling merchant over two hundred years old had likely ceased to be himself long ago. Qin Ming was consumed by worry, but in the end, he could only sigh. That lead had gone cold as well. Riding the Thunder King Bird, he visited his supposed ancestral homestead. What met his eyes was sheer desolation—only broken walls and scorched ruins remained. The place had suffered a fire, burned down to ash. Qin Ming searched thoroughly, focusing his spirit to sense for any lingering traces. He discovered a few hints, but nothing of importance. A fire caused by ball lightning had descended abruptly from the night sky. The neighbors had screamed in terror as they watched the long-abandoned manor burn to cinders. With a quiet murmur, Qin Ming felt a pang of sorrow. He had an ominous premonition that he might never see his grandfather again in this life. Eight or nine out of ten things in life never went as one wished, leaving him feeling utterly helpless. He had once fantasized that his grandfather possessed an extraordinary background. But after undergoing Newborn and reviving his early childhood memories, he had scrutinized those scenes carefully. His grandfather had truly been just an ordinary person. This was not a storybook tale, but cold reality, devoid of grand legends. In yet another winter of swirling snow, could the old man have survived? Perhaps his grandfather was already gone. After all, back then, the old man had sorrowfully mentioned that his health would last him another ten years at best, wishing only that Qin Ming would grow up quickly and learn to look after himself. Filled with grief and deep despondency, Qin Ming walked away through the wind and snow. His chest felt tight and heavy, and all he wanted was to return to Twin Trees Village. ... At Black-White Mountain in Twin Trees Village, an old visitor returned that day. Yuque flew across the night sky, beating its wings against the wind and snow as it returned. Seeing the increasingly bright Fire Spring at the village entrance, its eyes went wide. How had the spring transformed from grade one to grade two? Moreover, the two trees were growing even more luxuriantly. Even in the dead of winter, their foliage remained lush, their contrasting black and white resembling carved jade. Suddenly, it opened its gem-like eyes wide in shock. "Damn it, our home got raided! How did this big red rat rise up so fast?" Rain or shine, the red squirrel was practicing its martial arts up in the tree, moving with vigorous wind. It performed the movements of the Golden Cicada Classic and Dragon Snake Scripture with remarkable poise, having grasped their subtleties. Naturally, it spotted the returning Yuque right away and keenly caught its words, instantly replying with "warmth": "Screw you..." Yuque promptly dived down and engaged it in a brawl! Evidently, the red squirrel was still no match for it. Yet Yuque was thoroughly shaken. It had braved hardships and wandered far and wide outside, visiting Kunling and even the Western Frontier battlefield, skyrocketing in strength. Yet this big red rat, hiding away in the rear, had not lagged behind at all. "What did you say? The mountain lord came back, fed you, and even gave you miraculous arts? Seriously... If I'd known, I wouldn't have gone adventuring either! How nice would it have been to just stay in the village and sponge off the elders!" The more Yuque thought about it, the more it felt its travels had been nothing but hardship. It promptly grabbed the red squirrel and gave it another beating. "Screw you! Your grandpa refuses to yield, let's fight!" The red squirrel could speak now too. Its fur, gleaming with gold amidst the red, shone brilliantly as it delivered a flying kick and resumed the scuffle. After a chaotic commotion and another round of brawling, the two small creatures finally called a truce. "What? You're telling me someone from the Peril on Black-White Mountain brings you food packed with spiritual substances? I could cry... Freeloading in the rear is just too sweet!" Yuque was consumed with envy. It decided it wouldn't leave for now. It was going to freeload here too! "Little Pine, what are you making such a racket about? Ah, the little bird that went wandering is back." Old Man Liu appeared to soothe them. He said, "You two should get along. When I'm gone in the future, you'll be the two dragons of Black-White Mountain. Guard this place well and watch over my grave." "Old Master, what's with that talk? You're in such good health, you're bound to live a thousand years—no, ten thousand!" Yuque hurriedly flew over to greet him. Old Man Liu sighed. "Seventy-three and eighty-four—two deadly hurdles. I turn seventy-three this year, and my heart feels uneasy. I doubt I'll survive this winter. Alas." Yuque consoled him, "You've undergone Newborn multiple times; you're no ordinary mortal. Those two hurdles don't mean a thing for someone like you." Old Man Liu looked somewhat dazed, gazing up at the sky with a sigh. "Lately, I've been having strange dreams. In an ideal state, concluding one's life at ninety-five is the ultimate fulfillment. What a pity. Eight or nine out of ten things in life go contrary to one's wishes. This winter might very well be my great tribulation." ... Qin Ming returned, drawing near Black-White Village. From a distance, he spotted the bright Fire Spring and the intertwined Black-White Twin Trees. "Mm?" He was startled. The crowns of the two trees were starkly black and white, intertwining to form a vivid yin-yang diagram, with streams of black and white qi slowly revolving around them. This was truly extraordinary; such a scene had never appeared in the past! What shook him even more was that within this black-and-white yin-yang diagram, living yin-yang eyes had actually appeared! Looking closely, he realized they were two small creatures, each perched upon one of the great trees, resembling master strokes of a brush bringing the image to life. At the same time, a group of travelers formally crossed over from the boundless, desolate expanse of darkness into Yezhou. Someone sighed, "Separated for so many years, I feel a timid nostalgia as I draw near home. We have finally returned to our native soil."