Braving the wind and snow, the elderly member of the Cui family hurried away as soon as he handed the brocade box to Cui Chonghe.
Qin Ming withdrew his gaze and stood quietly by the lakeside.
Had the Cui family brought the silk book to make a trade with the people of Pugong State?
This was something Qin Ming could not tolerate. Even though he had long since mastered the complete scripture, that book was the sole memento his grandfather had left him, and he would never permit it to fall into the hands of outsiders.
In his assessment, the Cui family would not dare conduct a blatant, public trade; after all, Lu Zizai had personally paid them a visit.
This time, the Cui family had most likely reached an understanding with someone in private, agreeing to secretly compare notes and "appreciate" each other's scripture.
Yet they had no right to use something another held dear as their bargaining chip for personal gain, playing the generous patron at someone else's expense.
"Qin Ming, who vanished for so long, has appeared again!"
Someone spotted the tall, slender figure on the shore and recognized him as the representative figure of the Newborn path who had recently been at the center of attention.
Word quickly spread.
Along the banks of the spirit lake, many people turned their heads to look, and some rapidly gathered toward him.
"Brother Ming, let's go. It's time to board," Wu Yaozu said. A small skiff glided toward the bank to ferry them out across the vast, misty lake to its center.
"Hmm? Qin Ming came as well?"
As the capital of an empire, Ruicheng naturally housed a stronghold for the Cui family, guarded by experts. Several elders there could not help frowning upon hearing the news.
Lu Zizai had once intervened on Qin Ming's behalf to demand the return of the silk book. The Cui family knew they could not stall forever, so this time they had intended to make practical use of it once before handing it back.
The Cui family had barely delivered the silk book, so why had the rightful owner shown up now?
Could they still smoothly turn scrap into treasure, exchange it for the genuine scripture Cui Chonghe needed, and get the most out of it?
"It's fine. It's a private deal; he won't know," one of the Cui family's experts remarked.
After some thought, the others also felt it would not be a major problem, as they would not be discussing the scripture out in the open.
Besides, Qin Ming had only seen the silk book in his early childhood. After more than a decade, what impression could he possibly retain?
In fact, several Cui experts believed that even if someone leafed through the book right in front of him, he might not even recognize it.
Naturally, they had no idea how astonishing Qin Ming's Newborn breakthrough in the first realm had been, where scenes from his earliest childhood had replayed before his very eyes.
"Very well. This is our last chance to put it to good use. Return it to him as soon as it's done. Dragging this out in hopes of leaving him without a genuine scripture to cultivate isn't realistic anyway."
In the depths of winter, under blanketed snow, the spirit lake of Ruicheng was nonetheless teeming with vitality. Beyond the schooling dragon carp, colorful shells rose to the water's surface, opening beneath the plinking notes of zithers to reveal lustrous pearls of every shade.
At the center of the lake, the gathering site—a grand vessel adorned with inlaid gold and brilliant colors—resembled a massive floating castle. Many guests had already boarded.
"Brother Qin, where have you been lately? You dropped completely out of touch," Tang Xumi called out with a warm smile from the deck.
Qin Ming responded, "Traveling across various regions. The Newborn path is exceedingly harsh. Only through bitter cultivation and practicing the methods can one hope to break through."
"You are far too modest." Tang Xumi shook his head.
Moments later, several familiar figures approached. Pei Shuyan, Zhuo Qingming, and others walked over, chatting warmly at the prow.
Qin Ming noticed Luo Yao, the white-robed girl from the immortal land, and asked with a grin, "Where is your sister?"
"She is in seclusion."
"Jiang Ran didn't come, yet you still boarded?" With just one sentence from Qin Ming, the girl's cheeks puffed up in indignation, and she looked ready to punch him.
"Humph!" With a dark expression, she showed him the back of her head, spun around, and walked toward the stern.
In the distance, several unfamiliar youths glanced toward Qin Ming. Their eyes held a trace of surprise before they offered friendly smiles and nodded in his direction.
Qin Ming already knew who they were: Feng Qiwu, Lu Wei, and others from Pugong State.
Though some possessed ordinary features, they carried an extraordinary bearing, flowing with Daoist charm as if harmonizing into one with the grand vessel and the spirit lake.
"You've interacted with them before and exchanged pointers more than once, right? What do you think of them?" Qin Ming asked.
Zhuo Qingming replied, "Every one of them is formidable. Take that Xie Lin, for instance—worthy of being an Earth Immortal's descendant. From his comprehension to his strength, he is entirely unfathomable."
Pei Shuyan spoke up as well: "If true dragons truly exist in this world, then Jian Huaidao could be considered someone akin to a dragon. Unfathomably deep."
Qin Ming had not expected these two proud immortal seeds to hold such high regard for visitors from beyond the border. It caught him somewhat off guard.
Zhuo Qingming's expression turned solemn. "We suspect it might be due to bloodline. They likely received an ancestral 'gift.'"
Xie Lin was the descendant of an Earth Immortal. If he had inherited some special power from his clan, his innate talent would naturally be terrifyingly high.
Qin Ming was surprised. Here in Night Province, powerful families certainly produced geniuses with ease, but it had never risen to the level of bloodline determinism.
Now it seemed that once a cultivator reached the realm of an Earth Immortal, their influence on their descendants was profound.
Qin Ming nodded. "No wonder everyone attaches a title when mentioning them. Descendants of Earth Immortals truly seem to be something special."
"Qin Ming, on the Newborn path, you might have met your match." Luo Jingxiao, clad in purple, was also on board.
He walked over and said, "That Mu Yunzhou is suspected to have mastered Chaos force as well. What's more, he has an intact lineage behind him."
Pei Shuyan nodded. "Who would have thought that this lineage still has an inheritance in the distance—and apparently, it commands immense renown in Pugong."
To them, this seemed almost miraculous: one of the very sources of the silk book method was still alive in the world, practically a living sage.
Shortly afterward, Cui Chonghe stepped onto the ship. Dressed in white, he looked refined and ethereal, exuding a natural grace akin to an immortal.
Qin Ming's eyes fixed upon him at once, and he immediately made a move to step forward.
"Brother Ming, stay calm! Bloody fights are strictly forbidden here," Wu Yaozu warned in a hushed whisper.
What was going on? Did Qin Ming want to fight Cui Chonghe? Pei Shuyan, Tang Xumi, and the others looked on in bewildered shock, finding the notion rather preposterous.
Outside, lively discussions raged. A forum where prodigies from Pugong and seed-tier figures from Night Province gathered for friendly exchanges drew countless eyes.
Moreover, both the night papers and world papers had been closely covering the event.
"Breaking news: Qin Ming has emerged from seclusion and attended the gathering! This proves the caliber of this exchange; even the representative figure of the Newborn path was drawn here and attaches such importance to it, which speaks volumes about the prowess of those youths from Pugong."
"The moment I catch a whiff of that phrasing, I know it has to be the work of the night papers, singing the praises of Pugong's prodigies yet again."
"Like it or not, you have to admit that the bloodline of an Earth Immortal, the progeny of a Seven-Sun Stacker, possesses innate gifts so terrifying they boggle the mind."
Of course, some suspected this was merely hyperbolic praise meant to set them up for a fall rather than genuine admiration, as relentless flattery of this sort had begun to breed resentment.
Beneath the long night, people in various cities were debating the matter with intense fascination.
Aboard the grand vessel of vermilion pavilions and jade balustrades, Wu Yaozu grabbed Qin Ming's arm, fearing he might act on impulse.
Qin Ming was caught between laughter and tears. "Where is your mind wandering? I detest fighting; what I enjoy most is reasoning with people."
Nearby, several onlookers felt an urge to roll their eyes. They wanted to say: *Do you have no shame? Who has slaughtered more heavenly demon seeds than you?*
Not far away, Helian Zhaoyu wore a dark, sullen face. Had he known Qin Ming was here, he wouldn't have come at all.
Helian Yaoqing, on the other hand, let out a soft chuckle, showing not the slightest regard for her cousin's feelings.
At this moment, Zhao Qingcheng, Cheng Sheng, and other divine seeds of the esoteric sect boarded one after another. Virtually everyone expected had arrived.
After boarding, Cui Chonghe walked toward a black-clad youth, conversing via spiritual resonance, and then the two turned toward a cabin that resembled a pavilion.
"Xie Lin!" Qin Ming's brow furrowed. The person Cui Chonghe intended to exchange scriptures with was the descendant of an Earth Immortal, not Mu Yunzhou of the Newborn path as Qin Ming had initially assumed.
Then he saw Cui Chonghe lightly pat the brocade box inside his sleeve, seemingly signaling to the youth that the item had been brought and there was no issue.
With this, Qin Ming confirmed that the trading partner was indeed Xie Lin.
The Xie family was an eminent clan that had stood in the world for four thousand years, backed by an Earth Immortal. Why would this lineage wish to peruse the silk book method of the Newborn path?
Qin Ming signaled Xiao Wu to let go, assuring him that he would not cause trouble. Then he strode forward, catching up to the pair.
Without any pretense, he called out publicly, "Since the Cui family has delivered the scripture, return it to me."
His eyes were clear as he reached out his hand directly to demand it.
Cui Chonghe intended to borrow another's treasure to win favor, using his ancestral silk book to trade for a genuine scripture here. Since Qin Ming was present, he naturally had to stop it; there was no way he would let the other man succeed.
Moreover, bringing such matters out into the open was far better. If the other party insisted on making an unreasonable scene here, Qin Ming was prepared to see it through to the end.
Cui Chonghe cast a faint glance at him. "I have been searching for you all along."
Hearing this, Wu Yaozu promptly moved to stand shoulder to shoulder with Qin Ming; after all, their opponent was in the fourth realm and quite dangerous.
Cui Chonghe said, "You were out of contact for so long that I couldn't return the scripture even if I wanted to."
This was the first direct conversation between him and Qin Ming—simple, flat, and devoid of ripples.
Contrary to everyone's expectations, no clash erupted.
Cui Chonghe drew a slightly yellowed silk book from his sleeve and handed it forward.
Qin Ming accepted it, casually flipped through a few pages, and tucked it into his robes.
At long last, the heirloom of his family had returned to his hands.
Though Qin Ming already commanded the full text of the scripture, this silk book remained of immense value to him. Through resonance, he might glean the founder's original train of thought when creating the method, which he could use for reference and comparison.
Furthermore, the thoughts of the patriarchs likely contained reflections on various hidden hazards—insights well worth his study so that he could steer clear of massive pitfalls in the future.
Wu Yaozu realized he had misunderstood; Cui Chonghe had actually been carrying Brother Ming's ancestral scripture.
At the same time, he felt that Cui the Second had reacted with exceptional speed. Without any entanglement, he had cleanly severed himself from the dispute, returning the scripture on the spot to avoid a cascade of problems.
From beginning to end, Cui Chonghe remained utterly placid. He gave Qin Ming a nod, then proceeded to invite Xie Lin into the cabin for a private talk, as if the handover had been nothing more than a minor interlude.
Watching him, Qin Ming caught a flicker of emotional fluctuation from the man for the very first time. In that brief instant earlier, a sliver of killing intent had surfaced.
Evidently, this sudden interruption had caught Cui Chonghe entirely off guard, throwing his composure into disarray.
Still, his ability to adapt had proven swift.
Qin Ming looked at his retreating back, a faint smile touching the corners of his lips.
Cui Chonghe's body stiffened slightly. His perception was extraordinarily sharp; he knew the other had seen right through his thoughts in that moment, and he despised having his mind laid bare.
Above all, the other person was merely his stand-in, a discarded piece of the Cui family.
In the past, he had always harbored a sense of psychological superiority before Qin Ming, viewing him merely as a substitute tool from a certain period.
Yet over recent days, he had begun to feel faint wisps of pressure. Qin Ming had risen far too rapidly; the trajectory of his ascent was alarming in its sheer momentum.
Calming himself, he banished all ripples from his heart, murmuring in a voice only he could hear, "In the end, you are nothing more than a stand-in. Eventually, you will fall back to the place where you belong."
The onlookers witnessed the brief confrontation followed by Cui Chonghe's departure, and upon understanding what had transpired, strange expressions appeared on their faces.
Spectators never tire of a spectacle, and several secretly sighed in regret that the two had not ended up coming to blows after all.
Clad in green robes, Mu Yunzhou walked over. His features were ordinary, but his teeth were brilliantly white, and he wore a radiant, warm smile. "Brother Qin, your fame precedes you!"
He stated his purpose plainly: he wished to spar with Qin Ming. As expected, he, too, cultivated Hunyuan force.
"I have grown weary of duels," Qin Ming replied with a shake of his head, genuinely feeling it unnecessary.
Mu Yunzhou sighed inwardly in disappointment, but he did not press the issue. Instead, he took the next best option, proposing to exchange genuine scriptures.
Without a doubt, he remained skeptical of the rumors claiming that Qin Ming had stepped onto this path entirely on his own without any mentor to guide him.
"That is not out of the question, but I wish to see the founder's original manuscript—the authentic text," Qin Ming stated his condition.
Mu Yunzhou was taken aback and asked why.
Qin Ming said, "The scripture written in the founder's own hand—in every stroke and dot—might carry a certain conception. That is the kind of text I need. As for anything else, I have no interest."
In truth, he wanted to see whether different patriarchs held differing understandings of the doctrine; he wished to witness the "truth" at the absolute source.
If he could fulfill this wish, it would offer immense benefits for the road ahead.
He had assumed this would stump the other man, but to his surprise, Mu Yunzhou pondered briefly and agreed, mentioning that someone was returning soon anyway and he would strive to have it brought over next time.
"Excellent!" Qin Ming smiled. In short order, they had reached a shared understanding. Looking forward to the future trade, he felt rather satisfied.
As the exchange continued, the atmosphere grew increasingly lively.
Li Qingyue had not come. Ever since Qin Ming left the Pure Land last time, she had entered seclusion.
Yao Ruoxian, the fourth princess of the Dayu Imperial Dynasty, was the last to arrive. When she saw Qin Ming, surprise crossed her face; she had not expected him to finally attend.
Only then did Qin Ming learn that the scripture the people from Pugong most wished to see this time was the outer pure land's Destiny-Altering Scripture.
Everyone understood, of course, that those who had journeyed far from Night Province in the past had mentioned this book in Pugong, likely catching the attention of certain high-ranking figures.
In truth, being candid about such matters was preferable.
Jian Huaidao, Xie Lin, and the others had not beaten around the bush; they had directly mentioned three times that they wanted to see the original volume of this extraordinary book.
This time, the representatives of the outer pure land had finally brought that ancient volume.
Cui Chonghe spoke up: "No one can fully comprehend this miraculous book; everyone only ever grasps fragments. The patriarchs of the Newborn path likely felt this most keenly."
He had studied it as well. Though he had gained some insights, he, like the predecessors across generations, had been unable to achieve complete mastery.
"Just because you can't doesn't mean others can't comprehend it," Wu Yaozu piped up, casting a sideways glance at him before turning his gaze to Qin Ming.
He knew Brother Ming had practiced it before and seemed to have researched it thoroughly.
Cui Chonghe replied with an indifferent expression, "What I mean is, no one living in this world can fully master it."
"How about a little wager to make it interesting?" Wu Yaozu challenged him.
Cui Chonghe looked back, but did not immediately answer.
Jian Huaidao spoke: "Our side has brought a page of genuine scripture that is likely related to this extraordinary book of yours. It is exceedingly dense and profound."
"Only a single page?" Pei Shuyan asked, sounding rather disappointed and slightly displeased. How could a single page of scripture compare to an entire extraordinary book?
Jian Huaidao wore a serious expression. "Do not be disappointed. Although we only obtained a single page, it is packed with dense diagrams and text, brimming with information. It appears to be the subsequent authentic scripture of the miraculous art you brought—a true continuation!"
They believed that the Destiny-Altering Scripture harbored secrets, which was why they wished to examine the original manuscript using specialized ocular techniques.
Before this, they had been at their wits' end regarding that single page, always feeling that something was missing.
Following some discussion, many people began leafing through the extraordinary book to comprehend the scripture. The area then fell into absolute silence; nearly everyone was stumped, locked in deep, agonizing thought.
"Brother Ming, want to give it a try?" Wu Yaozu asked.
Chapter 355