The young man who had arrived so abruptly wore a detached expression. He spoke softly, yet every word carried immense weight. Outwardly, he was extending an invitation, but his tone held an unyielding firmness that brooked no refusal.
Clad in black robes, he was tall and lean, yet he gave off not the slightest hint of frailty. He appeared remarkably sturdy, as if forged from hundred-refined steel, with terrifying vitality and heavenly light seemingly locked within his body.
Qin Ming despised such overbearing conduct. Why should anyone obey him simply because he uttered a few words? Why should anyone follow him afar to pay respects to his master?
"Are we close? I don't even know you!" Qin Ming retorted.
Under the dark night, the fire springs surged like molten lava, the golden vines scattered fragmented dawn-light in their sway, green bamboo mirrored the pale snow, and the frozen lake displayed the quiet desolation of dormant creation.
The lean, black-robed man spoke. "My name is Sun Chengjun. You should know where I hail from, because the divine arts we cultivate are already resonating with each other."
Then, he uttered just two words: "Let's go!"
Evidently, Sun Chengjun was accustomed to having his way. After a brief declaration of his origin, he commanded Qin Ming to set out with him in a mere two words.
"I'm not going," Qin Ming replied just as succinctly.
Standing before the emerald bamboo shedding specks of snow, Sun Chengjun said, "A Grandmaster's blessing offers you boundless benefits. Why aren't you moving yet? This is an opportunity that others can only dream of."
Qin Ming frowned. This man was aloof and domineering; it was truly difficult to feel any goodwill toward him.
Sun Chengjun continued, "If several venerable seniors of the Newborn path hadn't repeatedly mentioned your name, do you really think the Grandmaster of our lineage would spare you a glance, let alone grant you benefits?"
Qin Ming realized that when the elders of the Newborn path interacted with the Past Rulai faction, they had probably meant well, hoping a master practicing the same Hunyuan force might provide him with guidance.
Yet this young man in black acted as though he were bestowing alms, which made Qin Ming completely unwilling to see that Grandmaster. Comprehending the silk book method on his own was more than enough.
Over the years, he had explored the Hunyuan force alone, advancing entirely on his own strength without ever needing to rely on anyone.
Qin Ming said, "Another day, perhaps. I will pay a visit to the sage in due time. Right now, my comprehension of the true scripture has reached a critical juncture, and I cannot travel far."
He felt no goodwill from this man. In word and deed, the visitor remained thoroughly indifferent; Qin Ming had no desire to accept such a hollow favor.
Sun Chengjun scrutinized Qin Ming, his gaze sharp as a blade and growing increasingly stern. "Do you realize what you're saying? An opportunity is laid before you, yet you... refuse, squandering the chance those seniors of the Newborn path fought to obtain for you."
"I appreciate the thought!" Qin Ming's response grew even shorter and crisper.
He sighed internally. In his heart, he was grateful to the elders of the Newborn path, but the Past Rulai lineage seemed rather perilous to him.
His senses were exceptionally keen, and he had already caught a faint trace of hostility in Sun Chengjun, to say nothing of the man's cold detachment and arrogance.
Qin Ming suspected that imparting techniques and guidance was merely a pretext. More likely, they wanted to study him as a specimen, eager to learn how he had managed to master the silk book method entirely on his own.
Therefore, even knowing he would offend the Past Rulai lineage, he flatly refused, unwilling to recklessly step into their territory.
Sun Chengjun remained silent for a moment before speaking. "I am cold on the outside but warm within, not one for sweet words. Perhaps my temperament has rubbed you the wrong way. However, I truly came here to invite you. The techniques we cultivate share the same origin. Even if you possess great confidence, you should still pay homage to the Patriarch."
Saying this felt rather awkward to him, but he had indeed arrived on a mission: to bring this extraordinary youth before the upper echelons of his sect.
The elders of the Newborn path treasured talent and recommended this peerless prodigy, yet the higher-ups of the Past Rulai lineage had not cared much. What truly piqued their interest was a passing remark from the Cui clan, claiming that Qin Ming had mastered Chaos force completely on his own.
The leaders of their lineage wanted to meet this youth. If he was truly as "miraculous" as rumors suggested, it held monumental significance and would be well worth studying down to the core.
Though they had heard of him earlier, they had only recently returned and needed to maintain a low profile, not to mention their wariness of several Patriarchs of the Newborn path. Now that their ancient sage was about to cross realms to arrive, they possessed ample confidence.
"I've said it already: I have had insights into the true scripture and must enter secluded cultivation immediately. In the future, I will certainly pay my respects to the Patriarch," Qin Ming stated resolutely, no longer willing to bother with polite deflections.
Sun Chengjun's face darkened, his patience finally exhausted. "You are rejecting the goodwill of the Past Rulai lineage."
Qin Ming looked at him in silence.
Sun Chengjun stepped forward and said coldly, "Tonight, I would like to experience the Chaos force you have cultivated!"
"You should have said so sooner!" Qin Ming retorted at once. The man had maintained his haughty airs all this time, yet hadn't it all come down to this in the end?
Hearing this, Sun Chengjun's expression turned freezing cold. "For you to show such disrespect to the main lineage backed by a living sage... you truly do not know what is good for you!"
Dropping all former restraint, Qin Ming replied, "I gave you face, didn't I? I respect the ancient worthy who created the silk book method, but what kind of thing are you? Putting on airs again and again with that sour, stone-cold face—who do you think you're scrutinizing?!"
"A mere youth of the third realm dares bare his fangs at me? It seems mastering Chaos force over the years has indeed given you plenty of false bravado." In an instant, Sun Chengjun closed the distance, his footwork ghostly and inconceivably swift.
His right palm chopped like a blade toward Qin Ming's neck as he declared, "All of this is because our main lineage journeyed far into foreign realms, leaving Night Province without the orthodox path. It has given a branch disciple like you illusions, leaving you unable to recognize your place!"
Qin Ming drew his mutton-fat jade iron saber directly. A streak of clear brilliance blossomed like a divine moon breaking through the mist, its pristine radiance illuminating the surroundings.
He slashed toward the palm coiled with heavenly light. "I cultivate my family's heirloom art—what business is it of yours? If your so-called orthodoxy falls to me, will you start calling yourselves the branch lineage instead?"
Sun Chengjun's palm glowed crystalline and bright, releasing a terrifying force capable of slicing secret metals and severing rare treasures. It was common knowledge that their lineage was renowned for offense capable of shaking the world!
Even so, he did not pit his bare fingers against the edge; after all, the weapon was forged from mutton-fat jade iron. Striking the flat of the blade, he produced a piercing metallic clang accompanied by flying sparks.
"You're dreaming!" Sun Chengjun sneered.
The instant he made contact with the precious saber, his fingers vibrated in rapid succession, unleashing an exquisite Hunyuan force. It layered nine waves of heavenly light one after another, like swells in a raging sea, each higher than the last. Even if it could not shatter the mutton-fat jade iron saber, he intended to shock the blade clean out of his opponent's grip.
Sure enough, struck repeatedly by such terrifying power, the mutton-fat jade iron saber shuddered violently and hummed, as if it were about to transform into a streak of white light and shoot into the sky.
In the fourth realm, Sun Chengjun was extraordinarily dangerous. His opening test was already the exquisite Hunyuan force; had it been any ordinary seed-level prodigy, they might not have withstood it.
Qin Ming felt the colossal force, yet he remained calm and unhurried. Five-colored brilliance radiated from the saber as the Five Elements sacred baleful aura circulated, transforming into a five-colored blade-light that swiftly dismantled the nine surging waves of heavenly light.
Nearly all phenomena under heaven could be encompassed within the Five Elements. Right from the start, Qin Ming broke through his opponent's technique. A five-colored wheel of light enveloped his own body, and the long saber skimmed along Sun Chengjun's arm, slashing toward his head.
In an instant, Sun Chengjun shifted positions repeatedly, clashing bare-handed with Qin Ming's Five Elements Blade twenty-seven times. The piercing metallic ringing, accompanied by bursts of heavenly light, tore through the pitch-black night sky.
Clang!
After a final strike, he and Qin Ming separated, both landing on the frozen surface of the lake, thirty zhang apart.
"No wonder you dare show disrespect to the Little Rulai. You do have some skill!" Sun Chengjun remarked.
Internally, his heart was far from calm. When had anyone ever fought up a realm against him? Once Chaos force was mastered, one was reputed to be invincible among peers, boasting unparalleled striking power.
He stood firmly in the fourth realm, yet he had failed to subdue this youth right away!
Silently, an emaciated figure appeared on the lake's surface. His face was weathered with age, and his voice rang out: "Though you hail from an extraordinary background, coming to our Shanhe Academy to run wild is going a bit too far."
Sun Chengjun realized this was likely the old Grandmaster named Yu Gensheng.
Naturally, he would not admit any wrongdoing and replied calmly, "I bear no malice. I came merely to spar. This is an exchange between the main lineage and a branch lineage of Chaos force."
At the same time, other aged figures emerged. Though they stood farther away, they had already locked onto this area.
"Little Qin, what do you say? Do you want me to pinch him to death?" Yu Gensheng asked.
He genuinely did not care about Sun Chengjun's background. His own lifespan was nearly spent; even if Past Rulai arrived in person, he would dare spit right in his face.
Sun Chengjun's eyes turned deep and brooding. He felt that the older these geezers in Night Province grew, the less they feared death—acting with more rashness and drive than young men!
Qin Ming said, "There is no need for Senior to step in. I will duel him myself."
Whether Yu Gensheng or the distant figures, none spoke, yet all showed a trace of concern. This was no ordinary fourth realm cultivator.
Reportedly, Sun Chengjun was Past Rulai's grand-disciple, possessing immense backing. He had cultivated Chaos force to the pinnacle of mastery, and his offensive prowess found few equals within the same realm.
Qin Ming added, reassuring Yu Gensheng, "It's fine. He hasn't mastered the silk book method to proper completion yet."
A portion of Shanhe Academy's experts had long been stirred by the commotion. Hearing these words, they hardly knew what to say. Just how confident was this youth? He actually dared to disparage a prodigy of the Past Rulai lineage in such a fashion!
Sun Chengjun chuckled in anger. In this world, who dared claim that an elite of the orthodox Chaos force lineage lacked proper mastery over the art? The youth before him was truly arrogant beyond measure!
He said in a deep voice, "This is the first time in my life anyone has ever judged me like that. Come, let me see what this 'properly mastered' Chaos force of yours looks like!"
Clad in green robes, his wide sleeves and dark hair fluttering in the night wind, Qin Ming's eyes shone clear and bright. He said, "Instructing you is no problem, but one thing must be made clear beforehand: if you lose, your lineage must not come looking for me again. In the future, I will visit the sage on my own initiative!"
His expression was calm and confident, projecting a faint sense of detachment amid the night, an aura of serene tranquility wrapping around him.
Sun Chengjun gave a faint smile. How could he not see that his opponent was using words to corner him into taking a stand? But did that even require thought? As a dignified fourth realm expert who had practiced Chaos force far longer than this boy, if he were defeated, he could not afford to suffer such humiliation.
He stated coldly, "If I lose, I will turn and leave, never to disturb you again."
Qin Ming said, "I meant your entire lineage must cease disturbing my quiet cultivation."
"A man lives in the present and answers only for himself," Sun Chengjun declared, already launching his attack as he spoke.
His face was filled with killing intent. As a master of the Heart Lantern realm, to be looked down upon by a youth of the Spirit Field realm was intolerable; he would make the boy taste bitter regret in the shortest possible time.
Sun Chengjun's five fingers radiated dazzling divine light, blowing apart the night mist and illuminating the area as bright as day. He had unleashed the Rulai Finger!
The Hunyuan force of their lineage incorporated more of the Rulai Sect's arts than any other. In a certain sense, it was even a variant of the Rulai force!
With solemn, majestic bearing, the five fingers of Sun Chengjun's right hand tore through the night sky. Carrying an irresistible momentum, they pressed down toward his opponent like Feixian Mountain hurled from above.
Qin Ming showed a flicker of surprise. He knew he had encountered a formidable adversary; tonight, he could fight with reckless abandon!
In truth, he had looked forward to this for a long time, yearning for a hearty, exhilarating battle.
Qin Ming raised the mutton-fat jade iron saber. In an instant, the pristine white blade was dyed with dense, golden patterns that extended into the empty air.
The hum of the saber was terrifying. Accompanied by brilliant golden glow, a dreadful saber intent soared into the sky.
Qin Ming's saber slashed against the Rulai Finger. Golden characters filled the sky, as though countless celestial stars resonated alongside the swing of his blade.
Clang!
Between the two great experts, terrifying heavenly light force and deafening clashes resounded between heaven and earth. The disturbance was immense, jolting everyone in Shanhe Academy.
The earliest spectators watched in rapt fascination.
Sun Chengjun's five fingers resembled five pillars supporting the heavens, swirling with vast immortal mist and heavenly light as they crashed toward Qin Ming like a landslide and tsunami combined.
Meanwhile, Qin Ming's slash filled the night sky with golden glow, which then transformed into divine birds. It was as if Golden Crows were crying out, howling forward alongside the saber's edge!
In a daze, it felt as though stars were tumbling from the firmament in the wake of that single stroke!
Qin Ming had unleashed the Golden Crow Night-Illuminating Saber!
Both opened with lethal techniques, each driven by Hunyuan force with staggering grandeur.
Amid the clanging metal came booming roars like thunder, as if the remnants of celestial grotto-heavens—golden palaces and jade halls—were being shattered.
The night sky became a vast expanse of blinding, awe-inspiring heavenly light.
Accompanied by soaring Golden Crows, Qin Ming's saber repeatedly collided and clashed against the celestial pillars, twisting and blurring the surrounding void until it seemed ready to collapse.
Within a single breath, the two had traded blows dozens, even a hundred times.
With a whoosh, they abruptly separated, only to strike again immediately. Yet their techniques had completely changed, neither repeating previous maneuvers.
As Qin Ming's saber descended, it fully displayed the true meaning of withering and thriving. His own vitality surged with boundlessness, drawing upon the essence of heaven, earth, and his adversary to remain eternal in the world, maintaining immortality.
Yet upon the mutton-fat jade iron saber rested an aura of decay. Swirling with vast tribulation light, it engulfed his opponent.
This strike fully manifested the supreme true meaning of the Withering and Thriving Classic!
Sun Chengjun spun like a top. As his right leg whipped out with a booming crash, it seemed to blow the night sky apart; the power behind this kick was simply astronomical.
He firmly believed that the extreme of strength could crush all arts!
Supremely conceited, he unleashed a kick whose heavenly light surged like a thousand monstrous waves, seeking to shatter the tribulation light carrying the decay of passing time.
...
Across Shanhe Academy, every student was stunned. How could such an unimaginable battle have erupted?
"Junior brothers and sisters, come quickly to watch! Qin Ming is dueling the successor of Past Rulai!" A crow flew across the night sky, calling out in all directions.
In fact, it was running a business.
The crow sent mental transmissions: "Come this way, everyone! Prime viewing spots available! If you want an immersive experience to witness this clash of dragon and tiger, it costs only one day gold!"
Wu Yaozu and Xiang Yiwu, having just returned from a gathering, arrived right in time to witness this scene.
"It's Sister Crow," Xiao Wu recalled. Back when he and Qin Ming first joined Shanhe Academy, that senior sister crow had tried to sell them tickets too—an old tradition!
Beneath the long night, heavenly light shot into the firmament as the two great experts fought fiercely. The frozen lake melted in an instant, and surging plumes of white vapor rose into the air, making the place resemble an immortal realm.
Within Kunling City, many noticed the wondrous spectacle in the night sky. That was the eruption of Chaos force, distinct from other forms of heavenly light, drawing the gaze of everyone around.
In an instant, a massive crowd rushed over, eager to witness this battle.
Lately, the ancestral grounds of various sects had known no peace due to the issue of grand unification, involving the surrender of authority by patriarchs and the return of retired overlords and founding ancestors.
Consequently, many seeds of the major traditions had ventured out to steer clear of the turmoil. With Kunling currently a focal point of rising winds and gathering clouds, several successors happened to be in the city.
Even Cao Qianqiu had released disciples like Li Qingxu. At this moment, Li Bai looked up in terror as the Hunyuan heavenly light soared into the sky, already realizing who was fighting.
Numerous seeds, including Helian Yaoqing, Cheng Sheng, and Zhao Qingcheng, all dashed swiftly toward Shanhe Academy.
Qin Ming was fighting Sun Chengjun. This was a duel of the same-source silk book method, a fierce, grand clash unfolding beneath the long night that commanded the attention of the four quarters.
Chapter 382