Early spring. Sprouting grass had just broken through the soil, but the nascent greenery was not yet enough to cover the barren mountain slopes.
Under the long night, earthly glow rose as pitch-black clouds and mist pressed nearly down to the mountain peak. The golden palace gleamed brilliantly. Not far away, an ancient tea tree bearing marks of repeated scorchings by thunder and fire over the years had just put forth tender buds, exuding a fresh, crisp aura.
Taking mere tens of paces, Qin Ming traversed from the foot of the mountain to the summit as if teleporting, stepping straight into the Thunder-Fire Gold-Forging Palace.
The mountain was not desolate and cold. Though drizzling rain misted the air, it was actually bustling with activity. The Mountain God Temple was packed with people gazing out at the golden palace.
There were even young maidens carrying oiled-paper umbrellas, taking a spring outing amid the rainy mist. Of course, the majority had come to watch the annual spectacle of thunder and fire.
Every year, living people were thoroughly refined here, yielding "thunder medicine."
In the underground black market, "thunder meat" was peddled every early spring, never lacking buyers, with crowds of elderly aristocrats flocking to purchase it.
Qin Ming entered the hall, preparing to welcome the baptism of outer matter.
Silhouettes flickered within the golden palace, numbering several dozen. A number of elderly men and women with little lifespan remaining wore burial shrouds and draped themselves in fine jade, appearing relatively calm and composed.
They were on the verge of death anyway and had come here purely to try their luck. If, by some miracle, they bathed in the heavenly light and survived, they would most likely be granted a renewed lease on life.
A few young people wore tense expressions, while others were condemned convicts whose faces remained numb and wooden.
Witnessing this scene, Qin Ming felt a stir of emotion. He still remembered how Old Man Zhao and others had been just like this around this time last year, even throwing a lavish banquet here in hopes that withered wood might bloom again in spring.
In the end, those elderly people had been roasted through and blown apart, their flesh and blood splattering everywhere; some severed arms and thighs had even landed on Qin Ming.
"I wonder what became of that Qian Cheng," Qin Ming murmured to himself.
In the early spring of last year, there had been another peculiar youth who, though dull and slow in manner, remained "sober to reality" and safely survived, only to vanish soon afterward.
The newly melted snow and ice turned into murmuring brooks trickling down the mountain.
In the night sky, lightning bolts cutting through the darkness drew nearer and nearer to the summit until finally two struck the golden palace, unveiling the spectacle.
Cries of astonishment rose from the crowd watching from afar. The thousand-year-old palace had roof tiles forged from mother copper mixed with special rare metals, which now shone brightly and turned nearly transparent.
Balls of thunder and fire rolled across the tiles as electric arcs intertwined in an extraordinarily brilliant display.
At the same time, the mass refining of living people inside the golden palace commenced.
It had only just begun when someone turned crimson from head to toe, submerged in heavenly light, and gave off the aroma of charcoal-roasted ribs—strong enough that people in the Mountain God Temple not far away could smell it through the misty drizzle.
"Smells... so good!" an innocent child blurted out, only for his parents to hastily cover his mouth.
Having been obstructed by the bronze palace, the thunder and fire were no longer nearly as violent, effectively weakened beyond measure. But the terrifying factor was the heavenly light—enveloped by it, how could any ordinary person survive?
After a mere two waves, not a single living person remained inside the bronze palace except for one youth. This year was even more tragic than the last; had Qin Ming not come, it would have ended in total annihilation.
Not wishing to stand out, he simply fell over along with the rest.
Fortunately, he was experienced. Protecting his body with heavenly light, even when struck by shattered human heads or weighed down by severed legs, he avoided getting splattered by "tofu brains" and assorted "meat juices."
Qin Ming circulated the Nanming Departing Fire Scripture. This was a genuine secret classic, a true scripture he had unearthed from the "hidden trove" after cultivating the Departing Fire Classic to perfection. Now, he began cultivating it with the aid of the thunder-fire and heavenly light.
Sure enough, secret classics were exceedingly difficult to cultivate, far more profound than esoteric skills. Yet as he continuously circulated it and drew in faint traces of thunder and fire, one new meridian pathway after another began to glow, growing increasingly distinct.
His physical body was like an expanse of a night-mist world, vast regions lying silent and dark. But as he circulated the secret classic, the energy circulation routes flared with dazzling radiance, like brilliant rivers formed of fire springs coursing through the barren earth of the human body, swiftly nourishing all things and ceaselessly reclaiming the wasteland.
A faint crimson glow appeared on the surface of Qin Ming's body, yet it did not coalesce into flames. In the Third Realm, it was virtually impossible for genuine Nanming Departing Fire to emerge in vast quantities; otherwise, a single misstep could well incinerate the cultivator to death.
True Nanming Departing Fire was terrifyingly formidable; even high-level cultivators were not guaranteed to master it completely.
Furthermore, numerous mysterious acupoints within his body awakened, activated by the Nanming Departing Fire Scripture, resembling glowing lakes.
This was not the first time Qin Ming had seen such a thing; back when cultivating the Physical Body Chapter—the Scripture of Harmonizing Body and Dao—he had already opened many human immortal lakes.
Without a doubt, these glowing "lakes" resembled "immortal nectar," connected to his meridians and capable of nourishing the "dragon sinews" throughout his entire body.
When the day came that this immortal nectar overflowed, it could also nourish his five viscera and internally fortify the precious bones of his body.
"The immortal nectar formed by the Nanming Departing Fire Scripture carries true fire; this kind of nourishment is more akin to 'fire-refining' oneself." In mere moments, Qin Ming gained a deeply profound experience.
The "great sinews" throughout his body dipped into the awakened acupoint lakes, drinking the immortal nectar and taking on a layer of crimson glow, flushed red and laced with flames. A burning pain arose, yet the dragon sinews undeniably grew tougher and more resilient.
Moreover, as the immortal lakes shone, mysterious power spread through his entire body, and his physique seemed to advance.
"The thunder and fire ended this quickly?" Qin Ming lamented inwardly. He had only just gotten into the rhythm. More importantly, this time he had intended to pluck "thunder medicine" to feed a certain technique, yet before he could put the plan into action, it had drawn to a close.
The rain ceased and the thunder subsided. Weeping echoed from the mountain; though the families of the deceased had long anticipated the outcome, they were still overcome with sorrow.
"Birth, old age, sickness, and death—no one can break free. Even the patriarchs of the various paths will face this day eventually," someone sighed.
Even Earth Immortals and Heavenly Gods were no exception; their lifespans also had an end.
"My cultivation has advanced, but to quantify it, I am still at the third layer of the spirit field. Breaking through on the Newborn path truly is arduous," Qin Ming murmured softly.
From that day forth, he stayed in the Mountain God Temple on Chixia Mountain, engaging in bitter cultivation there. Whenever a thunderstorm arrived, he would invariably enter the Thunder-Fire Gold-Forging Palace.
Finally, after twenty-odd days, his opportunity arrived.
Dark clouds gathered like the soot-covered bottom of an iron pot. In the distant sky, lightning poured like waterfalls amidst a torrential downpour, moving in this direction.
"Don't disappoint me!"
At this juncture, visitors from external domains outside Yezhou were growing increasingly numerous.
In fact, several instances of Earth Immortals crossing borders had occurred in the outer regions of Yezhou, shaking the land with immense, terrifying momentum.
Even as Earth Immortals, however, they dared not lightly approach the place where Yujing halted; they merely sent their disciples and grand-disciples inside.
Some disciples privately wondered: were they essentially being used as "groundbait"?
During this period, a truly formidable group had arrived in Yezhou; someone had even defeated the ghost path's strongest seed near Kunling.
This shook the younger generation, for that "Ghost Scion," who had awakened from beneath the frozen earth, was exceptionally powerful and had even left fragmented traces in historical records.
"My name is Lu Chenxiao, and I come from the distant north. My ancestors were also people of Yezhou. In returning this time, I harbor no disrespect or malice; consider it an acknowledgment of my ancestral roots."
The foreign youth was candid, concealing nothing as he stated his origins outright.
Furthermore, he revealed that the patriarch of their lineage was an Earth Immortal.
In truth, he was somewhat worried about being used as "groundbait" by that Old Master in the Sixth Realm, so upon entering, he laid his cards on the table first, revealing that he was the descendant of an Earth Immortal.
In fact, after announcing his background, he became an honored guest among several prominent clans, as many wished to learn about the distant northern lands.
At the same time, another youth named Xiao Jinye caused a massive stir: he took a blow head-on from a grandmaster and emerged completely unharmed.
When word got out, it created a sensation in all directions.
The night papers, world papers, and others followed up with detailed reports. It was reported that Xiao Jinye also hailed from the north, suspected to be the descendant of an Old Barbarian God.
All the cards were on the table now, and many external domain factions dispatched their disciples into Yezhou.
For a time, Yezhou's old monsters found it inconvenient to play dirty against these juniors; the opposing high-level figures had not entered, and those patriarchs and Earth Immortals served as immensely powerful backing.
Afterward, figures like Cen Jinghong, Mu Xingyao, Ji Yunque, and Qi Jiyue streaked across Yezhou's skies like one comet after another, dazzling everyone in sight.
This triggered a massive earthquake among the younger generation, for the visitors from the external domains possessed extraordinary bearing, practically radiating blinding brilliance.
Some defeated renowned immortal seeds, while others drew complex, marveling sighs even from grandmasters.
Rumor had it that even Jiang Ran felt the urge to test herself, stepping out of the immortal land to invite descendants of external Earth Immortals for several serious matches.
In truth, before she emerged, the seeds of various paths had already stepped forth one after another. It was rare for proud prodigies from the external domains to appear out in the open, and both sides were eager to exchange pointers face-to-face.
During this time, Pei Shuyan, Zhuo Qingming, and others entered the arena. Later, Cui Chonghe also walked out of the pure land, and Helian Yaoqing actively joined worldly affairs as well.
Little Rulai from Pugong, his golden body gleaming resplendently, rubbed his fists and went straight into battles. Jian Huaidao, Xie Lin, and others also participated in sparring.
Winds and clouds stirred across Yezhou as geniuses from every quarter shone so brilliantly they seemed poised to illuminate this era.
Naturally, there were also visitors from the external domains at the grandmaster level, but they kept a lower profile; not believing themselves to be mere "groundbait," they were unwilling to expose themselves voluntarily.
Let the outside world clamor endlessly, let heaven-sent prodigies test their divine skills, let the cluster of stars blaze with brilliance—Qin Ming remained unmoved by it all. In fact, he had temporarily cut himself off from the chaotic outside world, living in detachment from worldly strife.
Content to endure loneliness, he bore an air of solitary transcendence from the world.
Now, he had finally waited until the greatest cataract of thunder descended. The entire Gold-Forging Palace seemed roasted red-hot. Seated cross-legged within the hall blanketed in thunder and fire, he closed his eyes and comprehended the Dao.
The bronze tiles looked as if they might melt, sparking worry that this thousand-year-old hall might be pierced through and ruined.
Throughout the hall, outer heavenly light flooded everywhere, while the lingering reverberations of thunder and fire seeped within.
A cicada's chirp rang out crisply in the thunderstorm, slicing through the night sky. Even the boundless lightning and ferocious thunderclaps failed to drown it out.
This cicada chirp emanated from within Qin Ming's body. His five viscera were glowing and his bones were vibrating; it was a resonance of the Dao voiced by his flesh-and-blood physique.
Even the rolling thunder could not submerge this sound. Dense Dao charm suffused the golden palace, lingering around the youth.
All at once, hundreds and thousands of golden rays burst forth from Qin Ming's flesh, piercing through his body and intertwining with the thunder and fire in the golden palace.
Instantly, thunder-fire, heavenly light, and unknown outer matter seemed to pour straight through the bronze tiles, cascading in completely like a liquid waterfall.
Numerous cracks surfaced across Qin Ming's body, golden mist welling up from the fissures.
Not far away, inside the Mountain God Temple, Meng Xinghai was closely watching it all.
The Thunder King Bird's feathers bristled; sensing that Qin Ming was about to shatter, its voice trembled as it squawked, "Between heaven and earth, thunder and fire are the most merciless... This... aren't we going to be attending a funeral feast?"
Meng Xinghai replied, "The golden palace has blocked the dense thunder waterfall and filtered it already. It shouldn't be a major issue."
"But he's cracking open!" the Thunder King Bird cried, fraught with worry.
Meng Xinghai frowned as well, witnessing with his own eyes how more and more cracks appeared all over Qin Ming's body, densely patterned as though an exquisite piece of porcelain were about to shatter completely.
Immediately after, he saw those motley cracks on Qin Ming expand until, abruptly, portions began to shed, revealing a crystal-clear, glowing flesh beneath that resembled divine colored glass.
"Could this be... the legendary Divine Cicada Transformation?" Meng Xinghai's eyes widened in astonishment.
He realized what had happened: Qin Ming had used thunder and fire to forge the golden cicada, taking this esoteric skill to its highest level and attaining the realm of perfection!
"Because of this, he unlocked this esoteric skill's hidden trove and obtained the Divine Cicada Scripture!"
Meng Xinghai was utterly shaken. Right before his eyes, this youth was undergoing the Divine Cicada Transformation, his flesh rapidly regenerating—this was an opportunity told of in legends.
"A secret classic?" The Thunder King Bird stared blankly. Only a rare few esoteric skills of profound provenance would undergo a metamorphosis upon reaching their limit, allowing one to behold a "new world" and unlock their hidden troves.
This belonged to legends! Yet it was witnessing it with its own eyes.
Meng Xinghai murmured to himself, "According to fragmentary records in certain unique copies, the rumored 'trans-era beings' might all have ties to the Divine Cicada Scripture."
This scripture had an immense background, capable of reviving a body extinguished in death for many years and bringing rigid powerhouses of bygone eras back to life—truly unfathomable even to ghosts and gods.
Shock covered Meng Xinghai's face. To think that Qin Ming would "unearth" the Divine Cicada Scripture in such a manner!
At this moment, Qin Ming's flesh and spirit were both undergoing rebirth. He snapped his eyes open and stood up, for he was beholding a "new world," seeing a brand-new heaven and earth.
Before him lay a hazy realm that gradually cleared. He saw a setting sun and an expanse of magnificent buildings.
Under the afterglow of the falling sun, the ancient structures quietly stood ahead, bathed in evening glow and traced in gold, every roof tile flowing with golden light.
Qin Ming saw the hanging horizontal inscribed tablet: Great Thunder Sound Temple.
He took a stride forward, drew near, and with a creak, pushed open the courtyard gate and stepped inside.
Chapter 363