In the night along the banks of the Shuyu River, the slender drooping branches of silver willows swayed with a soft, clear radiance. As the gentle breeze swept past, it looked like rippling waves of water.
Li Qingyue wore no makeup, dressed in a plain white robe. Her refined features were flawless. Clean, poised, and elegant, her smile was like dawn breaking through the mist, surrounded by a faint aura of light.
Normally poised and generous, she now found her snow-white, delicate hand held by Qin Ming. Sensing Jiang Ran approaching under the glow of the silver willows and the reflection of the Shuyu River, a faint blush touched her fair, delicate face.
Qin Ming looked entirely natural. Perhaps tempered by the wind, snow, and night mist of the Black-White Mountain, his skin was thick enough that he did not let go. Holding Li Qingyue's hand, he smiled and greeted Jiang Ran.
Jiang Ran wore a green robe, backed by the bubbling fire spring that made her appear exceptionally ethereal, as though bathed in sacred radiance. A golden trim lined her slender, shapely silhouette; fresh and free of vulgar dust, she seemed like an immortal banished to the mortal realm.
She glanced at the two hands clasping each other—one large, one small—and teased, "If a master painter were here, he could paint a portrait of an embarrassed maiden by the riverbank in the night."
"What about me?" Qin Ming asked with an easy smile.
Jiang Ran said, "You? You can blend into the night alongside the cool breeze and silver willows to serve as the background. Leaving a vague silhouette would be more than enough."
As she spoke, she reached out to pull Li Qingyue's other hand, seemingly trying to snatch her away.
Qin Ming chuckled. "Little Young Master Jiang, you're quite naughty!"
The blush on Li Qingyue's face faded entirely, returning to her bright, graceful poise. She smiled gently. "Consort Ran, stop playing around."
As the representative figures of the Pure Land and celestial lands, they remained dignified and composed no matter the situation. A bit of teasing could hardly stir waves across the lake of their hearts.
With a light flick of her hand, Li Qingyue took hold of Jiang Ran's slender fingers instead, turning passive into active, truly treating her as "Consort Ran."
At the same time, Li Qingyue made a slight motion to withdraw her hand from Qin Ming's, but she failed to slip free from his warm, powerful grip.
Along the banks of the Shuyu River lay the greatest concentration of scenic and historic sites in the Dayu imperial capital. Pedestrians came and went in endless streams. Many turned their heads to look at the three of them, all momentarily dazed.
Qin Ming and the two women were too striking, looking as though they had walked right out of an ink-wash landscape painting. The evening breeze blew gently, rustling their robes as if they might ride the wind away.
"Who is that brother? How does he have two banished immortals walking beside him?"
Many stopped to watch. Even standing amidst the mortal dust, the two women seemed otherworldly and detached from the mundane realm, looking as if they had descended from the highest heavens without consuming mortal food.
"That brother is truly divine to have such celestial female companions—and two of them! I'm envious and in awe!"
Several people murmured in low voices, their eyes sparkling.
Qin Ming stood tall and straight like a green pine, calm and composed. Jiang Ran's green robes fluttered like a gentle breeze, fresh and lively. Li Qingyue's white robe was purer than snow, graceful like a silver willow swaying with charm.
"Looking at them makes even this old man feel young again, as if returning to fifty years ago, re-experiencing those wonderful, vibrant days of youth."
The three figures walked into the distance, melting together into the night.
"That's Qin Ming! Relying on his Spirit Field Realm cultivation, he forcefully defeated Cui Chonghe of the fourth realm, winning his battle of vindication! Who is weak and who is strong, who is the true dragon—it's clear at a glance. All talk of him being a discarded pawn is finished."
Someone recognized them, instantly causing an uproar.
Over the past two days, the great battle between Qin Ming and Cui Chonghe had already spread throughout Dayu. Every city in Night Province knew of it, causing an enormous stir.
"No wonder! Only such a figure could match those two celestial maidens. He is actually the representative figure of the Newborn path!"
"Pitiable was his past, reduced to someone else's substitute and nearly dying young. Traced back, he should be a descendant of Patriarch Qin, one of the creators of the Chaos Scripture. His status is by no means inferior to imperial nobility, and now he has proven he is no ordinary creature of the pond."
With passersby watching from all sides, Qin Ming released his grip so as not to draw too much attention.
Calm and elegant, Li Qingyue linked arms with Jiang Ran.
Qin Ming realized he really had become a background board. "Little Young Master Jiang, you've gone too far."
The two women chuckled, graceful and at ease.
The three boarded a skiff and sailed together along the softly glowing Shuyu River.
Leaving behind the waters filled with painted pleasure boats and drifting music of flutes and strings, they arrived at a more remote stretch. Insects chirped endlessly along both banks, and the fresh scent of grass and trees greeted them. From time to time, brocade carp leapt from the river, splashing up sheets of sparkling droplets.
Li Qingyue deployed the Eight Trigrams Furnace, while Jiang Ran activated the Mysterious Maiden Celestial Dagger-axe, forming a colorful barrier of light that covered the three of them to ensure complete isolation from the outside.
They spoke of journeying to outer domains, and also touched upon the situation following Yujing's disappearance.
Qin Ming said, "I will definitely go pioneer new lands, but it will be difficult for me to set out with you two."
He had reservations. His experience in the skies had told him clearly that joining any supreme land required bearing binding chains of law.
He had risen as a rogue cultivator and did not wish to lose his freedom.
"Even if I don't join those supreme dao arenas, once I draw near, I will likely be targeted. Senior Six Desires, am I right?" Qin Ming asked the artifact spirit within the Mysterious Maiden Celestial Dagger-axe.
Next, he turned to the Eight Trigrams Furnace. "I have cultivated the Six Ding Divine Fire. If I head to where Doushuai Palace is located, surely the supreme dao arena there wouldn't ignore me, would it?"
Both artifact spirits fell silent. They wanted to say something, but knew not how to respond, because what he said was the truth.
Previously, Six Desires had been extraordinarily enthusiastic, even more aggressive than the Eight Trigrams Furnace's spirit, repeatedly inviting Qin Ming to join. But seeing his firm attitude, the thought had gradually cooled.
Bearing chains of blood was something Qin Ming would never accept.
In truth, Six Desires had not completely given up. It had been quiet recently, feigning surrender, but had Qin Ming traveled with the two women and approached its supreme dao arena, perhaps it could have abducted him.
Of course, it believed it harbored no malice; it was merely cherishing talent.
"Senior, I sensed your thoughts," Qin Ming pointed out bluntly.
Six Desires questioned its existence. Where had it slipped up? Could it be that the legendary method of Yujing had truly been mastered by this youth?
The strange stone Jiang Ran obtained on the Black-White Mountain contained a mysterious liquid. After applying it to her forehead, she gained the ability to command all things.
The transparent liquid Qin Ming obtained from the remnants gave him a miraculous power of resonance that could reenact scenes of the past.
"Could the previous Lord of Yujing truly be completely dead? Otherwise, how could he possibly abandon this?" Six Desires uttered these words out of nowhere.
The spirit of the Eight Trigrams Furnace spoke up: "In fact, even if chains of the Dao are placed upon you, it isn't as severe as you imagine. It's merely an assurance. Primarily, during those long, ancient eras, even supreme lineages suffered betrayals. This is a helpless choice and precaution."
In the past, it had felt Qin Ming was not suited for Doushuai Palace's true scripture. Yet with deeper understanding over time, it became increasingly certain that no matter where this youth was placed, he would emit light soaring to the heavens. Even under the most critical gaze, he could become a core saint.
Though inclined toward indifference and emphasizing nature and inaction, the furnace had later also felt the urge to take the initiative and abduct him.
Unfortunately, Qin Ming had firmly stated his true heart and attitude from the very start.
"Seniors, that you value me does not mean the figures at the very top of the supreme lands behind you will view and trust me with equal favor. Wherever humans are involved, there will be conflict. I do not wish to entrust my fate to the attitudes of others."
Clearly, this matter was not up for negotiation.
Li Qingyue said, "The domain of Yujing may not remain peaceful. First came the Black Tower civilization, and now the group that appeared recently—they clearly all hail from supreme lands. You must take care."
Jiang Ran also offered a solemn reminder: "Just as the Earth Immortal deduced, the other supreme dao arenas are probably having a rough time as well. Great chaos is about to break out."
In particular, the emergence of the Qilin Hoof, glowing giant footprints, and the like seemed like omens. They would break through domains sealed away for ancient ages; some terrible upheaval seemed brewing in the depths of the night mist world.
The deepest part of the night mist was far too mysterious. Even supreme lands were merely like isolated islands dotting the outer regions of that boundless ocean of night mist.
Qin Ming nodded. Overall, the world was growing increasingly mysterious and perilous.
He said, "I will take Night Province as my base, gradually exploring the regions beyond Yujing's radiation."
He was not even a grandmaster yet. If he barged into a supreme land and lingered for long, something might go wrong.
For now, he would treat the Yujing domain as a secure rear base, prudently venturing into foreign realms to pioneer and scout the paths.
Qin Ming added, "Once I become a grandmaster, in this world where dao rhymes surge, I might not have so many reservations and can campaign far and wide as I please."
"You two must be careful on your journey and ensure your safety." He was indeed worried about them. If they ran into the Qilin Hoof, surviving would be difficult.
One had to realize that when traveling, a single footfall from such a being could reduce a massive city to ashes, like a colossus inadvertently crushing an ant. If it lingered in one place, it would surely bring about the horrifying destruction of whole nations and lands.
The relatively steady Eight Trigrams Furnace spirit spoke: "Rest assured. With us by their side, we will not let anything happen to them. We can evade in advance."
Six Desires also voiced: "Those are things that ran out from the depths of the night mist world; they won't linger in the outer territories for long."
Qin Ming wanted to ask about the details and secrets, but it said no more. When pressed, it merely claimed to be a remnant spirit whose ancient memories were severely fragmented.
"Seniors, since you value Qingyue and Jiang Ran and are taking them back to your supreme lands, can you make an exception and not place shackles such as blood chains or Dao chains upon them?"
Qin Ming spoke frankly, expressing his deep concern.
Six Desires told him openly, "You may set your mind at ease. Beings such as us surpass blood chains and Dao chains. Choosing Little Ran and Qingyue is, in itself, an assurance."
In truth, it was merely the secondary spirit of the Mysterious Maiden Celestial Dagger-axe. At this moment, the primary spirit also chimed in, telling the three of them to put their hearts at ease.
Li Qingyue's expression turned gentle as she whispered, "If you want to return to the Black-White Mountain, I will escort you."
She knew there might be restless people outside, and hostile parties might launch underhanded attacks against Qin Ming. She wanted to travel with him all the way back to the Black-White Mountain.
Jiang Ran smiled softly. "Empress Yue, if something happens to you, what am I supposed to do? How about this: I'll come along as an escort as well. The Mysterious Maiden Celestial Dagger-axe needs a blood sacrifice to hone its edge."
Qin Ming said, "Actually, I'm quite looking forward to it. If any grandmaster attacks, I'd really like to test their measure. As for late fourth realm experts, let them come all they want—I guarantee none will return alive!"
Rubbing his fists, his battle intent surged high. He genuinely wanted to clash with those ruthless figures and didn't mind giving any intruder a surprise.
Both special weapons sighed inwardly. This guy was a freak!
"Perceiving Nine perfection is truly too extraordinary!"
"Jiang Ran, with your peerless talent, you can completely reshape yourself. By commanding all things, you can naturally mend nine and attain a flawless state."
"There are true scriptures in Doushuai Palace; an innate fire physique can be elevated even further."
That night, the three sailed together on the Shuyu River. The two special weapons spoke from time to time, and the atmosphere remained harmonious.
...
By the riverbank, at the Cui family's quarters, the atmosphere was dismal, the air thick with the pungent stench of medicinal herbs. Cui Qi sighed deeply, having confirmed that his second son was completely ruined.
Had the Dayu imperial clan not decreed beforehand that this duel would not involve life and death, Cui Chonghe would surely have died.
Cui Qi also believed that his second son's master, Sun Taichu, held considerable deterrent power. Otherwise, relying on the Dayu imperial clan's face alone, the discarded pawn might not have been so restrained and might have taken reckless measures.
"He shouldn't have worn the Dao-sealing ring." The Cui family members felt deep regret. Had those shackles not been placed upon him, Cui Chonghe could never have been crippled at that critical juncture.
Cui Chonghe was in terrible shape. Thrown from the clouds into the mire, in just two or three days, he had experienced the full chill and fickleness of human relations.
Ever since he was reduced to a cripple, his former halos had been stripped away completely. Most of those who used to flatter him and the prodigies who interacted warmly with him had vanished.
As for the whispers behind his back... he had become a laughingstock!
Even among his own family members, some looked at him with strange expressions.
"Pfft!" He coughed up blood. His Abyss Dao Physique had effectively turned into a blood-spitting physique. His temper was simply too fierce; hearing the foul rumors, he truly could not hold back.
He had already learned that at that banquet, his fiancée Wang Caiwei had clinked glasses with the discarded pawn. To him, this was sheer humiliation, nearly causing his lungs to burst with fury.
Cui Chonghe felt as if he had been brutally trampled by a hundred savage bulls.
The Cui family grandmaster held him in high regard and had not given up on him even at such a juncture. He said gently, "Chonghe, you should consider the path of breaking and establishing. Your master and Cao Qianqiu both hail from the Pure Land; perhaps you can consult Senior Cao regarding this grand method."
"Pfft!" Cui Chonghe sprayed blood once again.
Inevitably, he thought of Li Qingxu—Li the Defeated was the first to proclaim outside that he should walk the path of breaking and establishing, even shamelessly declaring that this path was not lonely and would have successors.
What made it most intolerable was that over the past two days, Li Qingxu had actually taken the initiative to approach Wang Caiwei, offering sweet words and warm inquiries. Did he treat Cui Chonghe as dead already?
He believed Li the Defeated was deliberately provoking him, trampling upon his ruined body to slap his face.
In the past, he had suppressed Li Qingxu so thoroughly that the latter had no recourse. Even in the same Pure Land, Li could do nothing against him.
Now, Li the Defeated was following his own impulses, acting without restraint and constantly heaping misery on him.
Yet Cui Chonghe had such a volatile temper that he gnashed his teeth while spitting blood. Regardless of whether he had genuine affection for Wang Caiwei, he could not tolerate an outsider disgusting him like this.
He felt Li the Defeated was a total scoundrel, subjecting him to the utmost contempt and personal degradation.
To make matters worse, the Cui family members repeatedly brought up that supposed method of breaking and establishing, fueling Cui Chonghe's internal rage to the absolute limit until he felt about to explode.
Seeing his state, the Cui family grandmaster said nothing further, but took Cui Qi aside and exchanged whispered words with him in secret for a moment.
Clearly, the Cui family grandmaster's attitude had shifted from "believing in Chonghe" to gradually "understanding Li the Defeated," and now even wanting Cui Chonghe to become "Cui the Defeated."
The Cui family grandmaster said, "He must become open-minded on his own, seeking life through a ruined, defeated body. Only then is there a sliver of hope to climb out of the abyss."
...
Within days, Qin Ming's fame spread throughout the world, reaching far beyond Night Province. He had completely cleansed the unbearable past of being a discarded pawn; nothing served as a better commentary than defeating the real son in public.
The next day, Qin Ming fulfilled his promise and invited Tang Yushang for tea.
Bai Meng informed him, "My sister was invited away by Yun Jianyue."
Qin Ming was surprised. "A core saint of Yujing invited her?"
Bai Meng disclosed, "Yes. Our race's sacred mountain and sacred city were once the ground-level interface of Yujing. The main lineage of the Sacred Race carries the bloodline of the Lord of Yujing."
"Little Tang's origin is quite extraordinary." Qin Ming looked intrigued.
He then said, "I should be going. Pass a message for me: if she has time, Little Tang can come find me in Twin Trees Village for tea."
Bai Meng looked at him with disdain. "Brother Ming, that's too much. What kind of tea is worth traveling so far for?"
Qin Ming smiled. "Black-and-white tea, fit for discussing the Great Dao of Yin and Yang."
Bai Meng wiped away sweat. "Brother, my sister has an excellent memory. Some things are hard for her to forget. On top of that, with you teasing her like this, she really will run off to Twin Trees Village to find you again."
Qin Ming said, "Why put it so euphemistically? Doesn't Little Tang just hold a grudge?"
That day, he bade farewell to Ning Siqi, Yao Ruoxian, and the others, embarking on his journey back to the Black-White Mountain.
Ning Siqi said, "Take care, brother. It's time for me to cultivate bitterly on the esoteric sect path. Back then we agreed to meet at the peak. From the looks of it now, by the time I climb to the mountainside, you might already be able to help me subdue those unspeakable deities of the esoteric sect."
Qin Ming nodded. "Once you reach 'Seeing God,' come find me immediately!"
Yao Ruoxian secretly informed him that a grandmaster would personally escort him in secret across the long distance.
Clearly, the Dayu imperial clan worried that he might be ambushed right after leaving the imperial capital. Fearing an accident, they did not want such a tragedy to occur on their territory.
By and large, this was primarily due to Yao Ruoxian's key recommendation, as she had lobbied the imperial clan's experts repeatedly.
"Many thanks, Princess!" Qin Ming cupped his fists; he naturally could not refuse such an offer.
As for the Thunder King Bird, it had already departed early on. Worried that it might become Qin Ming's weakness, it had left late at night on the very day they arrived in the imperial capital.
In the shadows, besides the Dayu imperial powerhouse, two grandmasters—Yu Gensheng and Li Qingyun—also followed. Li Qingyue and Jiang Ran, clad in special liquid armor, also trailed behind, concealed within the void.
In today's world, with such a combination, it would be difficult for anything to happen to Qin Ming even if he wanted it to.
Along the way, someone indeed stirred with ill intent; a pure yang consciousness traveled out via spirit wandering, only to be blasted into utter nothingness.
Qin Ming returned smoothly to Twin Trees Village. The moment he crossed into the Black-White Mountain territory, the persistent tails in the dark vanished instantly.
Beneath the Black-White Twin Trees, the fire spring shone brilliantly, illuminating Li Qingyue's flawless face with radiant light.
Her dark hair fluttered, her gaze clear and pure, as she whispered softly, "No matter what, I will return in five years!"
Afterward, she took the initiative to gently embrace Qin Ming.
Behind them, Jiang Ran smiled at her.
"Care to join?" Li Qingyue cast a sidelong glance at Celestial Maiden Jiang.
Qin Ming returned the embrace and said, "Qingyue, you could actually stay. You can consult the Eight Trigrams Furnace for scriptures, and as for the resources needed, we can pioneer and seek them together."
Chapter 499