The Dao Follows Nature

Within the heavenly light, the consciousness of green-haired Cui He burned to cinders. In his final moments, filled with agony and despair, he gazed up at the tranquil youth in the night sky. Once upon a time, he had looked down upon this boy from the city outside the mountains, holding his fate securely in his grip, capable of ending his life on a whim. Yet now, the youth needed only a single slash to cleave him in two. Qin Ming looked back. This place was very close to where the two young bladesmen had perished, so he swiftly rearranged the area to stage the aftermath. Under the cover of the long night, the Thunder King Bird flew noiselessly through the mountain woods. Soon, it spotted figures scurrying across the snowbound landscape, and Qin Ming struck with selective precision. "We'll go to Chixia City to recuperate, and squeeze some precious medicines on empty credit out of that pretty-boy city lord..." A burly black goat bladesman had barely finished speaking before his head exploded under a blade strike. Blood sprayed everywhere, and his body collapsed into the snow with a thud. His two companions opened their mouths in terror, only to be submerged in blade radiance, dying instantly. Shortly afterward, several members of the Cui clan were also killed in the woods. Their blood froze swiftly in the bitter chill, their eyes wide in death, for at the very last moment, the youth had deliberately revealed his true face to them. Qin Ming withdrew his hand, knowing when to stop. These scouts were trailblazers, and he had now put them to the fullest use. Amidst the vast expanse of white snow, the red and golden bamboo grove shone with resplendent luster. The translucent, glowing bamboo leaves were dusted with snow, carrying an indescribably fresh beauty. The old bladesman had remained behind to guard the rear. After standing in silence for a while without seeing any formidable foes approach, he darted into the dense woods and departed as well. "Hmm?" Catching the scent of blood, he soon discovered the corpses of his followers. Having reverted to their true forms upon death, they were all headless, their thick black goat wool stained crimson. Murderous intent washed across his face. Like a muscular specter haunting the woodland, he flickered left and right, his blade qi whipping up massive swaths of white snow and felling many great trees. Meanwhile, someone from the Cui clan frowned and said, "What's going on? They only went to observe secretly—why haven't Cui He and the others returned?" A person came running over, their face deathly pale. "Dead! Fourth Uncle has been killed! There are also corpses of black goats nearby—it looks like they fought fiercely!" "What? Fourth Uncle died in battle?" Several young direct descendants of the Cui clan cried out in shock. Cui He belonged to the main lineage of a millennial clan, yet he had actually perished in these desolate wilds. "Fourth Brother is dead?" Cui Shuning had a close relationship with him; whenever there was an outside assignment, the two of them often traveled together. Unable to maintain her aloof composure, a thick aura of killing intent surfaced between her brows. With a whoosh, Fifth Elder Cui glided across the snow, charging into the dense woods like a bolt of lightning. The old goat lingering in the area noticed the Cui clan approaching and spoke chillingly, "Cui clan, who gave you the audacity to slaughter the followers of the Barbarian God?" "You killed Cui He?" Fifth Elder Cui demanded in a frosty voice. "It was your people who killed mine!" The old bladesman was domineering. With a flicker of his figure, he vanished from his spot. A squelch echoed out as a youth from the Cui clan was instantly cleaved in two by his blade. "It must be him! Fourth Uncle was also split in half by a blade!" someone shouted nearby. "Barbarian, have you grown tired of living? Dare you kill someone from my millennial clan right before my eyes?!" Enraged by the man's uncouth, reckless violence, Fifth Elder Cui charged straight forward. Standing blade in hand, the old goat sneered, "A millennial clan is such a big deal? How many blows from an Earth Immortal can you withstand?" Nearby, a young expert from the Cui clan retorted indignantly, "What big talk! Does your Old Barbarian God even dare set foot in Night Province?" In the center, Cui Wu and the old bladesman had already clashed. After trading several blows, they separated again. Palm winds and blade rays swept through like a hurricane, shredding large swaths of the forest to splinters. Cui Wu said, "I can say with certainty that we did not pursue or kill your men." The old goat also said in a frigid tone, "The Cui He you spoke of was definitely not killed by me." Bearing injuries, he had no desire to fight to the death here. Moreover, he had noticed certain suspicious discrepancies, and thus called a halt to the skirmish. "What a pity!" In the distance, Qin Ming felt a slight twinge of regret. A black falcon had witnessed the scene and passed word to Yuque, but the two sides had failed to erupt into a true bloodbath. Qin Ming stroked Yuque's head and remarked, "Well done. No matter where you go, you always manage to make plenty of feathered friends." Yuque blinked its large, obsidian-like eyes and said, "Actually, Little Que has terrible social anxiety! But the thought of doing my best for the Mountain Lord makes me fearless." The red squirrel's eyes widened instantly. It desperately wanted to snap back: *You? Social anxiety? What a barefaced lie!* Unable to hold back, it untangled its tongue and said, "A social terrorist, more like!" Meng Xinghai approached on his flying mount and said, "The Cui clan is quite cautious. They've stayed put, studying the area all this time. What they've found isn't simple." Qin Ming accompanied him to scout ahead. It was a patch of five-colored soil where the ice and snow had melted, greenery was reviving, and faint wisps of immortal mist steamed up from the ground. "Deploy the puppets to excavate!" In the end, the Cui clan made their move. Unexpectedly, progress was remarkably smooth, and they encountered no immediate danger. Cui Shuning wore a frigid expression, somewhat dissatisfied with her clan uncle's softness in simply letting the old bladesman leave. Cui Wu consoled her, "They likely weren't the killers. If we had pushed further, both sides would have been locked in a fight to the death. Naturally, this matter won't end here. Once the senior experts of our clan arrive, we will avenge Cui He!" "Fifth Master, what could be here? The deeper we dig, the more sacred and serene it feels. I think there might be a great fortune below. When will the clan's top experts arrive?" Cui Wu was brimming with energy and anticipation. "Keep digging for now. Five-colored soil is exceedingly rare. It either nurtures divine treasures or conceals a rare grand tomb!" As the expedition leader, any harvest would grant him the greatest share of benefits. An Earth Immortal Flower was out of the question, but if a supreme medicine on the level of the Pure Yang Flower appeared, it would suffice to alter his destiny. He might very well transform from Fifth Master Cui into Ancestor Cui! Qin Ming and Meng Xinghai observed from a distance for a while before retreating. Let them dig first; there was no need to waste time waiting here. With their 'socially anxious bird' Yuque handling reconnaissance, they would not miss any breaking news. Shortly after, they went to inspect the area where the group from the Eastern Lands was situated. It was a deep pool with a silvery-white interior, resembling boiling, luminous mercury. In the end, Qin Ming returned to the edge of the red and golden bamboo grove. This place interested him the most, as he constantly felt a natural spirit field rippling through it. Dropping from the bird's back onto a tall tree far away, he cautiously tested the waters and stimulated the radiant grove ahead. Sure enough, ripples spilled outward once more. Yuque stood watch, keeping track of every stir across the great mountain through its network of feathered friends. "A formidable spirit field, born of nature and borrowing the momentum of heaven and earth. Its might far surpasses any spirit field cast through my physical body, sufficient to envelop an entire mountain forest." Qin Ming's spirits rose. He wished to study it closely; his intuition told him that neither the red nor the golden treasure bamboo shoots were as precious as this spirit field attuned to heaven and earth. In fact, he was rather wary of the red and golden shoots. Over the past days, he had heard many rumors: those who ate golden pinecones had ascended and burned to ash, while those who consumed red ginkgo nuts forgot their pasts and turned into monsters. With no way of knowing whether the red and golden shoots harbored hazards, he harbored reservations. After mapping the effective range of the spirit field, Qin Ming leaped through the air and submerged into the snow. He had the Thunder King Bird flap its wings to reseal the snow hole he left behind. Sitting quietly beneath the snow, Qin Ming focused his mind to perceive the mysterious spirit field ahead. Instantly, the various spirit fields he had mastered—such as the Sumeru field and the Heavenly Demon force field—surfaced in his thoughts alongside all his accumulated experience. The notes on spirit fields gifted to him by Su Moran transformed into flashes of insight, guiding him into profound tranquility. He used the spirit fields in his grasp to resonate with the natural spirit field of the bamboo grove. Within the snow, in that grove that looked carved from red coral and yellow gold, gentle light rose and fell. Like ripples breaking the stillness of a serene lake, ring after ring of halo expanded outward. At this moment, the grove's ferocious hostility seemed to recede. Everything appeared harmonious and peaceful, carrying a muted, hazy beauty in the pitch-black night. The Thunder King Bird and the red squirrel were stunned, while Yuque stood agape, its usual eloquence silenced. Even they became clear and ethereal, as if melting into this picturesque scene. Watching nearby, Meng Xinghai wore an expression of astonishment. He muttered to himself, "Xiao Qin truly possesses extraordinary talent and peerless natural endowment. He learns from heaven and earth—the Dao follows nature!" Hailing from an established clan, he had naturally heard tales of ancient paragons blazing trails: some took heaven and earth as their teacher, comprehending their own arts in special environments. Without realizing it, Qin Ming had already entered the bamboo grove. Though he was only at the outer perimeter, it proved that as long as he resonated with the spirit field, the place would not harm him. A quarter of an hour later, Qin Ming stepped out to consult with Meng Xinghai, asking him to attack the spirit field from a distance. When the spirit field in the grove flared violently, Qin Ming attempted to resonate with and comprehend it from the edge. The ripples around him remained relatively calm. He then ventured deeper, testing cautiously. "If someone suddenly activates this natural spirit field, I will suffer some impact, but I can protect myself," Qin Ming concluded. At worst, he might suffer injuries, but it would not be fatal. He took this precaution primarily out of fear that, should an unexpected situation arise while he was immersed in the deepest state of enlightenment, he might be isolated from the outside world and miss Yuque's warnings. Reassured, Qin Ming murmured to himself, "Mm, since I can barely protect myself, even if the old bladesman and his ilk barged in, it wouldn't be a disaster!" As time passed, Qin Ming drew closer to the core area. Touching the essence of this naturally born spirit field, his comprehension grew deeper and deeper. "The earth has form, giving birth to the wellspring of the spirit field, which stretches into the void, binding with the Dao rhyme and expanding into the formless heaven. Observing its momentum, one comprehends the harmony of heaven and earth, modeling oneself after the earth to govern and commune with heavenly principles." Sitting in silence, Qin Ming felt inspiration surge like a torrent, grasping the core essence of this primordial spirit field. Though his eyes remained closed, a pure smile surfaced on his face. His physical body radiated soft light, vibrating in harmony with the environment. Without question, this spirit field was extraordinarily potent. In the future, provided his cultivation kept pace, even manifesting this field purely through his physical body would recreate the majestic momentum of mountains and earth bearing the field. "I've more or less mastered it!" Qin Ming felt the joy of a rich harvest. Yet he was not entirely satisfied. Although he had grasped a source-grade spirit field, his personal cultivation realm had not advanced. His eyes shifted toward those red and golden treasure shoots. "Can these... really be consumed? Could they help me break through?" He was uncertain. He even wondered whether that grandmaster from Pure Yang Palace, who had broken through to become an ancestor after consuming a Pure Yang Flower, had truly emerged without hidden perils. After all, countless people everywhere had met with bizarre fates. Yet seeing the glistening crimson and brilliant gold of the bamboo shoots carrying traces of Dao rhyme, he found it difficult to resist. "They dwell in a special domain, linked to the Dao rhyme. Since I have comprehended the wonders of this place, can I, like them, directly connect to the Dao rhyme and nourish myself as if I were a treasure shoot?" Qin Ming reasoned that if this were feasible, it might steadily increase his cultivation in a thoroughly reliable manner! Thereupon, he unfurled his newly comprehended spirit field, aligning it seamlessly with the surroundings. At the same time, drawing upon the teachings of the *Overlord's Posthumous Writings* and the *Destiny-Altering Scripture*, he cultivated by utilizing the unique landforms. Sure enough, he connected to faint wisps of Dao rhyme. Though not dense, it flowed continuously like a gentle stream, offering him the prospect of breaking through to the final layer of the spirit field realm. Normally, advancing one's cultivation was measured in years. Yet here, he saw hope of completing it in a very short span of time. This realization stirred Qin Ming's mind with excitement. For a moment, his mental field fluctuated violently, jostling him out of that special state. "Steady yourself. It's just a simple breakthrough—it's not as if you haven't experienced this before. Why let your mind waver? Be still!" Quickly, he regained his composure. The Thunder King Bird spoke up: "Holy crap, why do I feel like a giant bamboo shoot is about to sprout? Look, deeper in the grove, thicker threads of Dao rhyme are descending!" The red squirrel swallowed hard with an audible gulp. *** Having returned to Chixia City, the old bladesman grew angrier the more he thought about it. Having gained nothing while suffering casualties, he wondered who on earth had ambushed them. Once he cooled down, he reasoned that the culprit's cultivation could not be exceptionally high. Otherwise, they would not have resorted to underhanded strikes, nor would they have avoided targeting him directly. "Baa! To dare ambush us... Once I scour the city for some precious medicines, I will head back into the mountains!" he declared. Unfortunately, they were given the cold shoulder at the City Lord's Manor. Meng Xinghai's confidants informed them that the city lord was in closed-door seclusion and would not receive visitors. Fuming with resentment, the old goat ended up taking the healing medicine he had brought himself. After a brief rest, he led his followers back into the mountains that very day. "Night Province, where hundreds of specters walk the night and bizarre anomalies abound everywhere... With the Night Ruins about to spill into reality, this land is destined for desolation, and the locals will have to migrate sooner or later. Under such circumstances, they still have the gall to be so tactless. Just you wait!" The old bladesman still harbored fury along the way. "Oh no, someone's coming from afar! But we can't wake the Mountain Lord right now. Did he fall asleep underground?" Yuque fretted anxiously. Just then, the old bladesman arrived. He scrutinized the bamboo grove repeatedly and noticed that it was even more peaceful and serene than before. Having learned his lesson, he did not dare act rashly this time. "Keep watch here. I'm going to see if the Cui clan has found anything!" The old bladesman departed, somewhat uneasy about his neighbors. After he left, the other bladesmen gradually sensed something abnormal. One of them widened his eyes and exclaimed, "Look, the ground is breaking over there! A giant shoot is about to emerge..." Everyone noticed that deep within the bamboo grove, an enormous shoot had broken through the frozen soil, dusted with snowflakes, growing inch by inch as it connected to visible strands of Dao rhyme. "Why does it look a bit like a seated human figure?" "A divine shoot attaining sapience, nurtured by creation! It has truly taken human form! Quick, call Master back—a priceless treasure has emerged here!" ... To the old bladesman's surprise, the Cui clan had genuinely unearthed something: they had successively discovered six stalks of blood ginseng within the five-colored soil. The Cui clan members were both shocked and overjoyed, but none dared consume them yet. Fearing potential side effects, they planned to find people or animals to test the medicine first. "Hand them over!" The old bladesman struck. Regardless of whether there were adverse effects, he would snatch them first. "How dare you!" Cui Wu spotted him, his face contorting in fury. This foreign visitor truly believed Night Province had fallen into decline, acting with utter disregard for propriety to come rob them openly. The two clashed fiercely. Having seized the blood ginseng, the old bladesman did not linger, retreating toward his own camp. He bellowed, "Boys, prepare for battle!" Outside the bamboo grove, someone immediately reported to him in excitement, "Master, a divine object has appeared on our side! Look quickly—such a massive bamboo shoot, braving the frozen soil and snow, standing against the wind and merging with the Dao rhyme!" The old bladesman froze, then was overcome with ecstasy. A moment later, he cursed himself for provoking the Cui clan for no good reason—hadn't he just invited a competitor right to his doorstep? Sure enough, when the Cui clan pursued him, their eyes went wide. Cui Wu's eyes gleamed with golden light as he said, "Fellow Daoist, you cannot swallow this alone. How about we develop this place together?" The old bladesman pondered. If he reported this upward or waited quietly for the senior experts to arrive, he might not get a taste of this humanoid treasure shoot at all. If he joined forces now with someone of the same level from the Cui clan, he could at least claim half of the precious medicine. Thus, he finally nodded in agreement. Both sides reached a tacit understanding, making no mention of the earlier unpleasantness. The old bladesman also returned the several stalks of blood ginseng—which were clearly inferior to the treasure shoot—settling that dispute on the spot. "Come, let us join forces to breach this place!" Rumble! Qin Ming was jolted awake. Though struck by the spirit field's backlash, he remained unharmed. In fact, he had now become the very center of this domain. Right after, the Cui clan members and the band of bladesmen stared with wide eyes as they saw the snow-covered humanoid treasure shoot slowly sink down toward the earth. "Indeed, a divine-grade treasure!" "A heavenly treasure conceals its brilliance—it knows how to hide itself!" The Cui clan members and the bladesmen were awestruck, their faces flushed with exhilaration as they cheered in unison. "Hush! Quiet down! Don't alert the other factions!" Beneath the frozen soil, Qin Ming felt his conditioning had reached maturity; a breakthrough was imminent. He was now pondering whether he could wipe out this entire bunch while he was at it. Taking a deep breath, he resonated with the spirit field born of heaven and earth. As the two merged and vibrated in unison, he brought the surroundings to a state of stillness, beginning to contract the perimeter of the spirit field. "Look, the ripples of the spirit field are receding and contracting! All its essence is being channeled to nourish that humanoid divine shoot—could it be reaching full maturity?" "Look! At the center of the bamboo grove, the Dao rhyme is growing denser, veiled in immortal mist! The spirit field here is drying up; the heavenly treasure is about to emerge, and this perilous domain is about to collapse!" Watching the spirit field recede, some people followed cautiously, filled with intense anticipation and excitement pushed to the brink. "Finally, the breakthrough!" Qin Ming whispered.