Perfection

On a frigid night, blood dripped from the massive hammer in Qin Ming's hand, staining the pure white snow red. Having settled this score, he felt refreshed and invigorated. It was not that he was bloodthirsty, but rather that his foes had pushed him too far. In the past, Fifth Elder Cui, Cui Shuning, and others had sought to kill him multiple times when he was powerless to fight back. Had it not been for the protection of Li Qingyun, Meng Xinghai, Yu Gensheng, and the others, he would have died long ago. Yuque fluttered its wings and flew up close, breaking the silence as it squawked, "Mountain Lord, you are truly valiant! Taking down two elite squads all by yourself!" "Clean up the battlefield quickly," Meng Xinghai said. He did not want Qin Ming hunted down by the Cui clan and the people of the Northern Wilderness. The former was a millennial clan, while the latter was backed by an Old Barbarian God! "In these mountains, that's easy to resolve," Qin Ming said with a smile. Giving them a "stomach burial" would do—simply throwing them into areas teeming with mountain beasts. Naturally, he also intended to keep some of the prime spoils. For instance, the old mountain goat was definitely a high-order mutant beast, making its meat the perfect ration for the Thunder King Bird, Yuque, and the others. ... Farther away, Qi Yunzheng and Jiang Tingxue cautiously advanced. Suddenly, their bodies went rigid. Why were corpses hanging from the towering trees? Moreover, the muffled roars of beasts nearby sounded as though numerous mountain monsters were feeding. They immediately went on high alert, not daring to press forward for the moment. In front of the red and golden bamboo grove, the night wind swept up granules of snow, sweeping away the scattered flecks of blood. Qin Ming was pulling up shoots one after another. Every single one was thriving, linked with faint wisps of Dao rhymes. The red shoots flowed with fiery luster like hefty blood diamonds, while the golden shoots shimmered with the precious brilliance of morning clouds. Both varieties were of prime quality, appearing far more valuable than the few stalks of blood ginseng they had seized. Qin Ming wanted to find a mountain beast to test the medicine, but the red squirrel volunteered. It was simply too desperate for "self-advancement." "This is no joke," Qin Ming said, shaking his head. The red squirrel gestured that it would only take small bites. "If something truly goes wrong, Big Dad Qin and Grandpa Meng are right here. You wouldn't just watch me perish, would you?" The red squirrel usually seemed careless, but it was not truly foolish. Feeling weak and incapable of helping with anything, it scrambled for the chance now that one had finally presented itself. Qin Ming and Meng Xinghai did not fully grasp its emotional turmoil, but they were confident they could keep it safe. *Crunch.* The red squirrel took a tiny nibble of a golden shoot, chewing cautiously. It did not taste astringent at all; instead, a fragrant sweetness lingered on its palate, making its eyes go wide. It desperately wanted to say that it was tender and tasted heavenly! "The medicinal properties are gentle, and my body feels nice and warm!" That was its impression after waiting a moment. Soon after, it began gobbling the shoots down in large bites. Not only that, it started eating the red shoots as well, pairing the two together. Red clouds and golden light swirled inside its mouth. Yuque grew greedy watching it. Smelling that extraordinary aroma, it too felt an urge to test the medicine. "My body is getting scorching hot, and... I'm starving!" The red squirrel's stomach began to rumble loudly, as if the red and gold shoots had not entered its belly at all. Qin Ming immediately brought out fresh mutton and let it eat. Both he and Meng Xinghai closely monitored its changes. For now, its condition was stable, as if it was about to undergo a metamorphosis. Suddenly, red and golden radiance erupted from the red squirrel's body. The violent intensity of the change exceeded all expectations. Qin Ming and Meng Xinghai hurriedly shielded its consciousness and stabilized its physical form to prevent anything from going wrong. "So hot, so burning!" The red squirrel could not resist gnawing on the ice and snow. Its left and right shoulders abruptly bulged, and its tailbone itched fiercely, as if new appendages were sprouting. Because it practiced fist arts every day, it walked upright most of the time and wore small tailored garments. Now, parts of its clothes were bursting at the seams. "Getting hungrier and hungrier!" The red squirrel's belly was like a bottomless pit. After downing the red and gold shoots, it devoured a vast quantity of mutton from the foreign realm. "Is that... three heads, three tails, and six arms?!" Yuque squawked in shock, realizing its partner had completely transformed. Qin Ming and Meng Xinghai kept close watch. They confirmed that the red squirrel was in no mortal danger, yet they were powerless to stop the transformation. The mutation was too swift and excessively violent. The head sprouting from the red squirrel's left shoulder possessed a pair of golden eyes, while the head emerging from its right shoulder bore eyes like blood diamonds. It looked utterly bewildered. Qin Ming and Meng Xinghai immediately probed inside, discovering chaotic consciousness within the two newly grown squirrel heads. With grave expressions, they investigated with care. At that moment, they felt as if they were directly witnessing the disintegration of Yujing, beholding a terrifying scene of cataclysmic destruction. "This is blood that splashed down from Yujing, landing here and giving rise to the red and gold shoots!" Qin Ming and Meng Xinghai understood the origin of the two-toned bamboo grove. After a brief discussion, they immediately wiped out those chaotic consciousnesses. The red squirrel's physique became extraordinarily robust, but its physical form had mutated far beyond conventional bounds, completely different from its former self. It looked at its three pairs of arms, then turned its heads left and right to inspect the other two heads. It could actually converse and bicker with itself. Soon, it adjusted, leaping across the snowy ground. One moment it sprang onto the branches of a towering tree, and the next it burrowed into the frozen earth. "Do you feel uncomfortable anywhere?" Qin Ming asked. "No, I have so much strength, and I'm faster! I feel like I could beat a dozen of my past selves right now!" The red squirrel was both apprehensive and thrilled, uncertain of what the future held. Yuque stared wide-eyed at it and said, "Songzai, now you have three heads, three pairs of arms, and three tails. Check everywhere else to see if there are three of..." It reached over to tug at the red squirrel's little shorts. "What are you trying to do?!" Songzai snapped warily. Then it looked down itself and nearly burst into tears. Yuque said excitedly, "Don't cry! This isn't a bad thing. Besides, what does it matter as long as you get stronger? If I turn into a six-winged Yuque, I might end up faster than a lightning bird, able to roam freely between heaven and earth and soar across the night-mist world to my heart's content!" "Is it really a good thing?" The red squirrel looked up, eyes brimming with tears. Beside them, the Thunder King Bird spoke up: "I want to eat the red and gold shoots too." Qin Ming said, "Wait a moment. Let's see if Songzai experiences any further changes later on." In any case, he had no intention of ingesting them. When he glanced toward Meng Xinghai, Old Meng shook his head at once. "Why are you looking at me? Three heads and six arms might resemble the powerful mythical creatures of legend, but... I have no desire to mutate!" "By the way, let me guide you into the depths of the bamboo grove." After picking more than a dozen red and gold shoots, Qin Ming manipulated the local natural spirit field and led them inside. This was an extraordinary tract of land capable of connecting to Dao rhymes in the void, making it exceptionally suited for cultivation. A moment later, they concealed themselves under blankets of white snow. Deep within the shimmering red and lustrous golden bamboo grove, it looked as if several oversized shoots had been added. Qin Ming regulated the spirit field naturally born of heaven and earth here, making it incomparably gentle. Taking the place of the treasure shoots, the group was nourished in this domain. Before long, soft ripples of red and gold began undulating gently, like mountains and rivers breathing—inhaling and exhaling spiritual substances between heaven and earth, drawing down strands of Dao rhymes that linked into their bodies. They blended seamlessly into the environment. The red bamboo shed scarlet clouds and the golden bamboo radiated dawn luminescence. The origin-grade spirit field was entirely natural, its surging ripples possessing an unadorned beauty. Though not quite a treasure land on the level of a "mountain and river spiritual nest," the grove came close. It could aid cultivation and advance one's Dao attainment. Even Meng Xinghai was deeply shaken. In their esoteric sect, if such a bamboo grove could endure for long, it would be a place capable of giving birth to deities, worth an immense fortune! He hastily shut his eyes, focusing on absorbing the Dao rhymes. Yuque said excitedly, "This is like divine enlightenment! Little bird here feels a state of utter clarity; my divine wisdom and the Dao rhymes are intertwined, slowly absorbing and growing!" "Holy crap!" The red squirrel realized it truly had been a bit dense in the past. In a place like this, its mind was extraordinarily sharp and its consciousness pure, drawing intimately close to the Dao rhymes. At this moment, it sat quietly in the bamboo grove like a miniature three-headed, six-armed fiendgod, absorbing the fortune that belonged to it. Qin Ming noticed that a halo of divine light had formed around its body, giving it a solemn, dignified presence. Its absorption efficiency was noticeably faster than that of either the Thunder King Bird or Yuque. "It seems consuming the two treasure shoots truly reshaped its fundamental constitution." Qin Ming needed to observe it for a while. If there were no other side effects, he could let Yuque and the Thunder King Bird undergo their own "transformation" as well. Without question, Qin Ming possessed the highest efficiency in this special place. As he sat in secluded meditation and cultivated here, his Dao attainment once again began to climb steadily. Earlier, right after he broke through to the ninth layer of the spirit field, the old bladesman, Fifth Elder Cui, and the rest had arrived, leaving him no chance to continue. Qin Ming revealed a look of delight. This place was still beneficial to him. Gentle light enveloped the entire bamboo grove. The spiritual substances within the earth blended with the Dao rhymes descending from the firmament. Qin Ming, Meng Xinghai, and the others seemed to share a common destiny with the mountains and rivers, as if resting inside the womb of the earth, nourished by a mysterious power. In the distance, atop a mountain peak, Qi Yunzheng and Jiang Tingxue gazed toward the bamboo grove, both wearing puzzled expressions. "The Dao rhymes there are so dense, and the whole bamboo grove is shrouded in mist-like spiritual energy, as if it has fully come alive. It closely resembles the wondrous lands described in records of ancient immortal sanctuaries!" Uncertain and wary, the two did not dare act rashly, but they drew considerably closer to observe in detail. Qi Yunzheng said, "Senior Sister, your hearing is extraordinary. Can you hear anything unusual over there?" Jiang Tingxue said, "I need to get a bit closer." Shortly after, an expression of shock appeared on her face. "There are people inside those snow mounds! I hear heartbeats!" Qi Yunzheng's eyes instantly turned red with envy. "Who could they be, to enter a place of fortune like that? They're linked to threads of Dao rhymes... That is no small opportunity!" Within the glowing bamboo grove, Qin Ming felt the Dao rhymes growing increasingly rich. Furthermore, after resonating with the spirit field, he sensed an extraordinary aura. Ultimately, in his state of utmost mental clarity, he probed the secret of this place. The source of this natural spirit field was actually an extraordinary stone beneath the ground. Right now, it seemed on the verge of burning itself out, producing a final burst of radiance before expiring—withering away to nourish all things. Qin Ming's heart trembled. Could this be an exotic object that had fallen from Yujing? Indeed, when a Yujing fell, all things flourished. The treasures within Yujing were simply too abundant! Regrettably, it was finally burning down to its very end. Had they not arrived, would those shoots have been nourished by the special blood to the point of turning into spirit monsters? Qin Ming put aside wandering thoughts and focused entirely on his cultivation. He discovered that his Dao attainment was steadily approaching the Great Perfection of the Spirit Field realm. Growing stronger with every passing moment filled him with profound satisfaction. Unfortunately, though he made several attempts, he could not blast through the barrier to the fourth realm. The primary reason was that the strange stone here was about to "burn out," and the major realm barrier was the hardest of all to breach. Qin Ming was not disappointed; reaching the Great Perfection of the Spirit Field realm was already more than enough to satisfy him. Moreover, he had great confidence in breaking into the fourth realm—the mind lamp. To that end, he had been making preparations and biding his time. If a select few wondrous arts could be refined to the realm of perfection, one could behold a "new world" and obtain a "hidden trove." Since the major bottleneck of the Newborn path was the hardest to shake, he would not rely on mastering merely a single wondrous art to advance; he was preparing three. Of the Five Elements Secret Scriptures, he had already obtained two. If all went smoothly, he might obtain three more in the near future after beholding the new world. In that case, with three hidden troves coupled with the full circulation of the completed Five Elements Secret Scriptures, he refused to believe he could not blast through the fourth barrier. Qin Ming prepared to rise. Continuing to cultivate here would yield little further benefit to him; it was better to leave the "afterglow" to Meng Xinghai, the Thunder King Bird, and the rest. He transmitted his voice: "As long as you don't move carelessly, this place is very safe. Besides, the source of the spirit field will likely burn out before long, so there's no need to worry." "Hm?" Qin Ming suddenly sensed something. Resonating with the spirit field of the entire mountain range and breathing in unison with it, his perception could extend a great distance. He felt a wave of malice drawing near. "Senior Sister, let's prepare to withdraw!" Atop a mountain peak, Qi Yunzheng hoisted a boulder the size of a millstone and hurled it fiercely toward the depths of the bamboo grove. This was purely human malice. He had not recognized the identities of those individuals; he merely saw that they were blending with heaven and earth, coexisting with the mountains and rivers while absorbing Dao rhymes, so he wished to disrupt them before departing. He assumed that abruptly disturbing someone in the midst of enlightenment would at least force them to stabilize their mind even if it didn't trigger cultivation deviation, making it difficult for them to detect the two fleeing figures. Qin Ming snapped his eyes open. Pointing a single finger toward the sky, accompanied by heavenly light and undulating ripples of the spirit field, he arrested the millstone-sized boulder plummeting at high speed, reducing it soundlessly to powder that scattered into the snow. He stood, slipping out of the bamboo grove like a phantom before accelerating in pursuit into the distance. "Hm? Someone actually followed us out? Are they that sharp?" Qi Yunzheng was astonished. "It's the youth who was by Meng Xinghai's side!" Jiang Tingxue said. "He's so fast!" Both were thoroughly shocked. Channeling the Qi of the five elements, the youth swooped down from the mountain slopes as if flying at extreme speed, traversing vast swathes of forest. Qin Ming caught up with them and drew his mutton-fat jade iron saber. "It's you!" Qi Yunzheng had investigated Qin Ming. He knew his weapon and was even clearer on his cultivation realm, immediately realizing who this was. In truth, while at the City Lord's Manor, he had already suspected the identity of the youth beside Meng Xinghai. Now it was undeniably confirmed: this was indeed the Qin Ming he had been looking for. "It really is you!" Jiang Tingxue's gaze turned fierce as well. When she had spoken in Chixia City of blasting Qin Ming's head apart, it had also been due to suspicion, intended as a probe. Clearly, when Qin Ming voluntarily revealed his identity, it meant he intended to kill. Just as when he slew Cui Shuning and Fifth Elder Cui, he chose to show his true face. At this moment, Qin Ming no longer disguised his appearance. He swung his saber forward. "This is..." The expressions of both foes warped drastically. They found it impossible to send a transmission into the distance; this stretch of mountain woods was covered by an extraordinary spirit field emanating from Qin Ming, isolating it from the outside world. Furthermore, they had to resist with all their might just to ensure their bodies were not corroded by the spirit field. Immortal light erupted from both their bodies. They were indeed formidable, far surpassing Qi Yunxiao of the past, as they charged forward together against the youth. Unease gnawed at them. Qin Ming's Dao attainment was far higher than what their intelligence reported. How could a person advance so rapidly in such a short time? It was almost impossible to accept. Qi Yunzheng directly unleashed his trump card—the Oblivion Immortal Sword. The woods around them seemed on the verge of decaying; wherever the sword light of his consciousness passed, all things withered and sank into silence. Regrettably, within the spirit field that blended heaven and earth, he felt as if his Oblivion Immortal Sword had been shackled, its speed far slower than usual. With a ringing clash, the beam unleashed by the mutton-fat jade iron saber in Qin Ming's hand arrived second but struck first. It was the Golden Crow Clamping the Saber stance, severing his Oblivion Immortal Sword. Qi Yunzheng's heart jolted violently. This youth had given him a harsh blow right from the opening exchange! Just how old was he? Several years younger than himself! On the other side, Jiang Tingxue's light of consciousness surged turbulently. In a daze, she felt as if she were standing high above the nine firmaments, an invisible abyss gaping before her, threatening to swallow a person's soul. Qin Ming was surprised. This woman actually had mastered the scripture *Planting Divinity in the Mind*, which very few in the Eastern Lands had ever cultivated. She could indeed be considered an extraordinary talent! In Sky City, this scripture was known as the *Nine Firmaments Book*, also called the *Abyss Stratagem*. After capturing Qi Yunxiao alive, Qin Ming had obtained this scripture, and he had later acquired the corresponding notes from his disciple Su Mohua. He had studied it exhaustively for a long time. Therefore, he dismantled it in kind, guiding her spiritual light of consciousness to plunge down toward that invisible abyss. "Ah...!" Jiang Tingxue's face drained of color. She nearly suffered a catastrophic loss right at the outset, finding it unbelievable. How could he be even more proficient in it than her? In fact, when Qin Ming practiced this scripture, his spirit had already wandered through the abyss, so he had no fear of falling into it. Unlike ordinary practitioners who first sealed the entrance to the abyss, he had returned to the scripture's original tenets, pursuing the most difficult path of cultivation. Qi Yunzheng came to her rescue, unleashing his strongest method. The entire world plunged into darkness as an oblivion lotus burst into bloom. Qi Yunzheng stood tall atop it, forming a mysterious seal to channel Dao rhymes from the firmament and blast them toward Qin Ming. Qin Ming swung his saber, executing the Golden Crow Lifting the Saber stance from the Night-Illuminating Scripture. Nine golden crows took flight together, tearing through the darkness of this domain, hoisting a heavenly blade that slashed forward with a thunderous roar. For a time, black lotus petals danced across the area, many of them blown apart. Saber light cut across the terrain as if capable of cleaving mountains, rivers, and all creation. Simultaneously, he once again tugged at Jiang Tingxue's consciousness, dragging her down into the abyss along with him. Jiang Tingxue was horrified. She was certain Qin Ming had also mastered *Planting Divinity in the Mind*, yet how dared he leap into hell right alongside her?! This battle had erupted in the shortest span of time. Both sides brought out their lethal trump cards, ensuring that the clash would not last long and could conclude at any moment. Amidst the flashing saber light, the colossal black lotus in the night sky was blasted apart by Qin Ming. Qi Yunzheng was covered in saber wounds, cracks appearing all across his form. The youth had nearly torn him to pieces, and blood gushed from his entire body. "How can this be?!" He was shaken to the core, then gripped by terror. He was considered a formidable figure among his peers, so how could he lose to a mere youth? "You haven't even reached the middle stage of the fourth realm, yet you dare come to kill me?" Qin Ming's voice was frigid. "No!" On the other side, Jiang Tingxue let out a despairing wail. Her consciousness was dragged down into the invisible abyss by Qin Ming, while he himself soared back out. "Die!" Qi Yunzheng roared furiously, unleashing one final slash forward. Qin Ming raised a hand, and a black-and-white yin-yang diagram enveloped his foe. Immediately following, sacred baleful auras of lightning and fire struck downward, shattering the young expert's physical body and severing him in two. "To tell the truth, though your Dao attainment is a step higher than your younger brother's, your aptitude falls short of his!" As Qin Ming spoke, his saber swept across. Heavenly light surged violently, cleaving Qi Yunzheng open right between the brows. The man's body was split in two before completely detonating, and the spiritual light of his consciousness met the same fate of destruction, turning to ash. Qin Ming reached out and scooped Jiang Tingxue's consciousness back out of the invisible abyss. The instant she escaped, she happened to see Qin Ming swinging his saber at her physical body. With a wet squelch, her head was blasted apart. Jiang Tingxue was driven nearly mad. What kind of demonic opponent was this? The very words she had uttered were now being carried out upon her own body! *Clang!* Qin Ming's saber sliced through the spiritual light of her consciousness. Accompanied by terrifying heavenly light and the resonance of the spirit field, Jiang Tingxue dissipated completely, body and soul. "Let's go!" Qin Ming, Meng Xinghai, the Thunder King Bird, and the others smoothly departed the mountain woods, returning soundlessly to Chixia City. Yuque spoke up: "Rest assured, Mountain Lord. I'll have my bird brothers keep close watch on any movements in the mountains. If anything unusual happens, they'll report it immediately." Then it added, "Ah, spring is coming again. Perhaps I should leave behind some offspring in this region." "Scumbag bird!" The three-headed, six-armed red squirrel sneered in disdain. Qin Ming settled his mind in Chixia City, beginning to comprehend the three wondrous arts. He sought to master them thoroughly in the near future and push them to the realm of perfection, thereby charging through to the fourth realm—the mind lamp. The second contingent of experts from the Cui clan set out, led by Cui Ming, the elder brother of Cui's father. The Cui clan placed great value on the special resources of Black-White Mountain. For they knew that this region had been extraordinary since ancient times. "I want to go take a look as well." At the Cui clan estate, Cui Chonghe had returned, the aura around him significantly stronger than before. "Out of the question!" Cui's father shook his head, understanding his son's temperament. He said, "That Qin Ming cannot be touched for now. He has Lu Zizai backing him. Wait until you have grown stronger before discussing it. After all, your cultivation realm advances much faster than those on the Newborn path!" There were words he left unsaid: he felt that even though his second son currently held a higher cultivation realm than Qin Ming, he might not necessarily be able to subdue that rebellious son. Cui Chonghe said, "Father, if it is a fair and square duel where I defeat him head-on, would Lu Zizai still make trouble for us? He shouldn't have the face to do so." "Even less feasible!" Cui Qi stopped him outright. Cui Chonghe revealed, "Recently, my master reaped substantial gains, allowing me to consume three doses of great medicine in succession. The three foundational scriptures I cultivate have undergone successive metamorphoses, and the spiritual light of my consciousness has also undergone repeated nirvanic renewals. I have broken through once again!" Back in Chixia City, Qin Ming sat in quiet contemplation and said, "The fourth barrier is within reach!"