Renowned Far and Wide

"A broad range of skills weighs down no man; learning more is always good. It might save your life at a crucial moment, and you certainly learn things remarkably fast, kid," Old Man Liu agreed with approval. Still, he sighed. In such an out-of-the-way region, households with a distinguished heritage were pitifully few. Worst of all, even after falling into decline, they still adhered to ancestral rules and would never lightly show their private family collections to an outsider. "Later on, I'll ask around and see," Old Man Liu promised. Qin Ming was overjoyed. If he could come across another worn secret volume bearing the crystallizations of an elder's life's blood, his gains would undoubtedly be immense. He felt there was a real chance. A fallen lineage might cling to its principles, but not every member was guaranteed to remain stubborn. "Old Master, how is your body doing?" Qin Ming asked out of concern. Old Man Liu had toiled half a lifetime to obtain that spirit-rich crimson grass from the Fire Bat Cave, only to be targeted by someone from Golden Rooster Ridge, who had surreptitiously struck him with a Yellow Clay Palm. He sighed and said, "It won't take my old life. The injuries can be nursed back, but as for attempting a second Newborn transition, that's already beyond my control. I can only leave it to heaven." *** Returning home, Qin Ming stripped meat from the fire snake, placed it onto an iron plate, and raised his long-handled dark-gold hammer to pound it vigorously until it was beaten into a complete paste. "There shouldn't be any scent of human blood, right? I washed the dark-gold hammer twice." An hour later, Qin Ming carried a jar of meat porridge back to Old Man Liu's home and said, "This is a small spiritual creature I hunted in the mountains. While it can't help a person become a Newborn, it's still a fine tonic. Its nature leans cold, which happens to counterbalance the heat of that crimson grass." Old Man Liu looked doubtful, but he took it nonetheless and said, "You've got a good heart, kid." The next day, as soon as shallow night fell, Old Man Liu came banging on the courtyard gate. Catching sight of Qin Ming, he grabbed him by the hand and said, "Xiao Qin, what did you feed me?" Compared to ordinary snakes, the fire snake was like a different beast altogether, its meat tasting entirely distinct. Even Old Man Liu couldn't tell what he had eaten, yet his whole being had revived, no longer sickly and feeble. "The way this old body feels right now, I could father another son in my twilight years!" *** Throughout the day, everyone noticed that Old Man Liu was brimming with drive, his voice booming far louder than usual. "This time, Black-White Mountain has become renowned far and wide. Many brilliant cities are buzzing about it. A ten-colored pillar of light tearing open the night curtain has truly shocked the world." While searching for special nodes in the mountains, Cao Long, Mu Qing, Wei Zhirou, and the others conversed. They were exceptionally well-informed, exchanging letters with the outside world via birds of prey. Qin Ming's spirits lifted immediately, and he listened closely. He was profoundly interested in the mysterious yields related to those leftover scraps, and he longed to learn about the wider world outside. "Countless major organizations are filled with regret for failing to take this place seriously enough. After assessing this mysterious yield, they deemed it a heaven-bestowed divine treasure worth multiple cities. Even ancient sects that had sealed their mountains were alarmed. They attached immense importance to it and sent people out to learn the details." Overnight, Black-White Mountain, quiet for so many years, had become the focal point of discussions across the lands. "Two hundred years ago, heavenly light pierced Black-White Mountain. Among the experts who rushed over from the royal capital back then, some are actually still alive! Supposedly, an old fellow was so enraged that he didn't close his eyes for two days and nights, and finally stormed off with bloodshot eyes into the deep mountains and vast marshes to hunt that legendary six-tusked white elephant." "The six-tusked white elephant? Isn't that the mount of a deity venerated by an esoteric sect? Even if one exists in reality, it must dwell in the world deep within the night fog." Qin Ming listened with rapt fascination. He yearned for the boundless world beyond. Just hearing these fragments painted it as vibrant and splendid, making him itch to leave this remote region and see it with his own eyes. "Never mind the royal capital. Rumor has it that even high-ranking figures in the imperial city of the immensely powerful Yu Nation far away were alerted, and the Grand Preceptor personally looked into the matter. After all, the simultaneous emergence and fusion of a ten-colored pillar of light and five-colored mist isn't recorded in any ancient text." Though many had coveted that mysterious yield, they were ultimately unable to pursue it further due to immense resistance—people beyond the mundane world of exalted status had intervened. "Those blessed lands, as well as the spirit mountains steeped in heavenly light, are now considered..." Qin Ming wanted nothing more than to urge them to share more. Unfortunately, though their rapport was decent, it had not reached that degree of familiarity. Aware of his station, he held his tongue. After turning up empty-handed in their search for special nodes that day, Xu Yueping conferred with Old Man Liu, intending to lead the three squads to the scythe-bill birds' nesting grounds. Xu Yueping stated frankly that there was no telling whether any spiritual substance was there, but it was certainly a fine place to hone the Newborns. Deeply dedicated and responsible toward the village, he hoped to enlist Cao Long, Wei Zhirou, and Mu Qing to help eliminate the pests. The grain shortage this winter was largely due to the scythe-bill birds. Before the autumn harvest, they would fly out of the mountains, skimming over the fire fields, stripping clusters of grain bare with a single snap of their scythe-like beaks. Wei Zhirou nodded. "The mountain-clearing operation was meant to purge harmful beasts to begin with. Since such vile birds are here, we might as well go take a look." Xu Yueping was instantly overwhelmed with gratitude. Everyone knew that mountain clearing was merely a pretense; hunting for the mountain's special yields was their true purpose. Cao Long said, "Aside from seeing a bit of blood in the Fire Bat Cave, the youths who became Newborns this year haven't undergone any decent tempering yet. The scythe-bill birds will suit them well." Before long, they arrived before a low cliff. The snow below was covered in bird droppings, and the cliff face was riddled with fissures where the scythe-bill birds nested. Mu Qing, Cao Long, and their companions were thoroughly professional and well-prepared, having brought throwing nets woven from fine metal wire. Over a dozen large nets were hurled outward, blanketing the densest cluster of nests. Even so, swarms of scythe-bill birds erupted into the air, blotting out the sky. Those slipping through the nets numbered at least a thousand; the infestation was severe indeed. A foot long, armed with oversized, razor-sharp beaks, they were exceedingly vicious. Seeing their roost attacked and covered, they plunged down fearlessly in a suicidal dive. Fortunately, everyone wore armor. As waves of scythe-bill birds swooped down, even those breaching the perimeter were kept at bay. Qin Ming and Xu Yueping were no exception. Over the past few days, since they had served as guides for the three squads, both had been gifted a set of armor. In the end, countless scythe-bill birds were slain, particularly within the nests trapped beneath the nets. Once the birds on the cliff were eliminated, a thick layer of carcasses carpeted the ground. Though a good number of the vicious birds managed to flee, the vast majority had been dealt with, and their colony had been shattered. They wouldn't dare return anytime soon, and with their numbers drastically reduced, the villagers would be able to hunt them down themselves. The black-goat rider Yang Yongqing was sent to notify the villagers, telling them to bring burlap sacks to gather the bird carcasses. Letting so much meat go to waste would be a terrible shame. Throughout these days, Qin Ming had kept a sharp eye on the various factions roaming the mountains, yet he had never found the people he sought. *Those two were in their early thirties. The woman had a mole on her right eyebrow, and the man had unusually long arms. Unfortunately, no one matches that description.* Back then, those two had rescued him from the youth in feather garments, carrying him far from the cities into this remote region. After leaving him in Silver Vine Town, they had once explored Black-White Mountain, but they had not appeared this time. During this period, Qin Ming kept his word, repeatedly contacting the old aristocrat's men to inform them of what he had observed in the mountains—namely, which organizations had secured unusual yields. Old Aristocrat Xie Jingrui could only sigh; the item he needed had never surfaced. Today, he personally entered the mountains, venturing straight into their deepest reaches, which sent ripples of shock through the elders from Chixia City. Ever since Ling Xu and the civet cat departed, no one had dared delve that deep. Setting aside the enigmatic mountain lord, even the foot-long old weasel had flown into a terrifying frenzy, running across the peaks holding a donkey aloft. Having been robbed of its prize by the green-robed woman, its temper was thoroughly unhinged. Who dared provoke it? Half a day later, Old Aristocrat Xie Jingrui walked out silently, twirling two short plant rootlets between his fingers—one black, one white. He sighed softly. "As expected, the rootstocks of the black-white tree remained deep in the mountains. Nurtured by heavenly light, they transformed into a remarkable, mysterious yield!" Qin Ming had been scouting independently for special nodes. Seeing him approach, he asked, "Did you find what you were looking for?" "I made a discovery, but someone beat me to it." Xie Jingrui stood in the forest, looking somewhat helpless as he sighed. "Alas, I carry old injuries and cannot sustain a prolonged fight amid chaos. Otherwise, I would have entered long ago." "Were no clues left behind?" Qin Ming realized that the rootstocks of the black-white tree nourished by heavenly light meant a great deal to the old aristocrat. He had arrived two years prior specifically to acquire them. Xie Jingrui said, "I know who took them. I must make a trip to Chixia City." "It couldn't have been taken by City Lord Ling Xu, could it?" Qin Ming asked. The old aristocrat nodded. Deep in the mountains, he had inquired with Wei Mo, who followed the Giant Spirit path, and learned that Ling Xu had lingered in that area for a long time. Xie Jingrui remarked, "No wonder Ling Xu hurried straight back to Chixia City after missing the greatest mysterious yield. People claimed he slapped his thighs in fury, lamenting that he hadn't bought a flying mount, but in truth, he was afraid others would discover his other massive harvest. He used the chance to make his escape. What a cunning rogue! And they call him a refined gentleman in white? He ought to switch to black robes instead." Qin Ming was left speechless. At the same time, he found it odd that the old aristocrat would share so much with him before leaving. He soon learned why. Xie Jingrui said, "That purple-eyed raven thinks very highly of you. Work hard. This place is far too remote and closed off; leave it as early as you can." He was preparing to leave Silver Vine Town and would set out immediately upon returning. "Will Miss Xie be departing with you as well?" "Yes. Until our paths cross again!" Old Aristocrat Xie Jingrui flickered and vanished into the woods, his speed defying belief. A loud commotion arose from the distance. When Qin Ming rushed over, he discovered a group of aristocrats in splendid garments, mounted on fine steeds, confronting Cao Long, Wei Zhirou, and Mu Qing. Harmony was far from universal among the great clans of Chixia City. With the Cao, Wei, and Mu families banding together, other prominent clans had naturally formed their own factions to enter the mountains. Just moments earlier, someone had clashed with Cao Long, only to be swiftly defeated and sent flying by a heavy blow, leaving onlookers thoroughly astonished. At this moment, a young man in golden armor, mounted atop a mutated golden leopard, pressed forward with an imposing aura. Cao Long said coldly, "Feng Xing, don't go looking for trouble. That old fellow from the Wang family tried to snatch my seventh uncle's longevity-extending tree, and I beat him back. Is there a problem with that? Do you intend to stick your neck out for the Wang family?" Astride the golden leopard, the youth Feng Xing replied calmly, "It's been two years since we last met, and I hear your strength has surged considerably. We fought our way up together back then; let's have a spar now." "You just want a fight, don't you? As if I'd be afraid of you!" The bystanders hailed from Chixia City as well and knew one another. Though divided primarily into two opposing camps, there were neutral nobles among them, and some stepped forward to mediate. "Brother Feng Xing, Brother Cao Long, both of you are outstanding figures who ventured from Chixia City into the great metropolises. Don't let this ruin your amity. Your cultivation is so high now that any slip-up could bring unforeseen consequences." In such a tense confrontation, anyone daring to step forward and intervene naturally carried significant clout. The speaker was a youth riding a white rhinoceros, approaching from afar into the dense forest. Exceptionally handsome, he wore silver armor that accentuated his dignified and extraordinary presence. Beside him rode a young woman atop a black tiger, her figure graceful and lithe, clad in purple-gold armor. With arched brows and bright, luminous eyes, she was strikingly radiant, drawing irresistible second glances from many youths present. Upon the arrival of this youthful pair, many greeted them warmly, treating them with deference even if they were older. A large retinue trailed behind the distinguished pair, encircling them like stars revolving around the moon. From the hushed whispers in the crowd, Qin Ming learned why they commanded such attention. When the two of them became Newborns this year, they had created a sensation throughout Chixia City as the most dazzling figures in twenty years, astonishing the entire region. Those who had laid golden foundations in recent years paled in comparison. Sure enough, after the youth spoke, Feng Xing showed him ample respect, putting away his weapon and conversing with him with a smile. "Which one is Qin Ming?" asked Nie Rui, the handsome silver-armored youth astride the white rhinoceros, looking around brightly to search the crowd. Qin Ming frowned. How did this person know him? Nie Rui smiled and said, "I went to pay respects to Master Xu Kong and hoped to spar with his disciple while I was there. In the end, Zhou Wubing claimed he was unwell and couldn't fight, yet he praised you to the skies, saying you were stronger than him. I became truly curious—could there really be a local youth more formidable than a disciple personally trained by Master Xu Kong? So I came over to see for myself." Qin Ming was left flabbergasted. That Erbingzi was genuinely sick in the head!