Mount Tan was rich in tumbling waterfalls and flowing springs, its scenery serene and graceful. Blue sandalwood trees blanketed the mountain slopes, exuding a faint, delicate fragrance. The glow of fire springs washed across the foliage, cloaking the entire realm in a dreamlike mist of blue light.
A magnificent manor stood halfway up the mountain, surrounded on all sides by groves of blue sandalwood. It was clearly a secluded retreat, known to very few.
Several old men were strolling by a lake within the manor. All were advanced in years and carried formidable auras. At a glance, it was obvious they had long occupied exalted positions, each bearing an air of natural authority.
One tall elder with pitch-black hair spoke up. "Sixth Master, won't you give it another try? Make another charge at the grandmaster realm. What if you succeed this time?"
The so-called "Sixth Master" had lusterless, thinning white hair. He must have been tall in his youth; though wrinkles covered his face, he still commanded respect without needing to show anger. Shaking his head, he replied, "Forget it. These old bones can't take the torment. I'm over a hundred and seventy years old. If I fail to break through, it means certain death."
Sixth Master then looked at the black-haired elder. "You, on the other hand, Little Twelve—you aren't even eighty yet. Build your foundation for another twenty years, and you can attempt the breakthrough. Your chances are far better than mine."
"The one with the greatest hope was Brother Changqing," the black-haired elder, Cui Changchun—twelfth in seniority among the Chang generation—said. "A pity an accident befell him and he died in the Sunset Forest Plain."
Sixth Master was two generations above him, a retired core figure from the Cui family's upper echelons who no longer managed concrete affairs, choosing instead to pass his twilight years amid mountains and rivers.
Beside them were two other elders of the same generation as Sixth Master. Both were already over a hundred and sixty years old, with all hope of attaining the grandmaster realm utterly extinguished.
Sixth Master sighed. "Alas, nothing has gone right for our Cui family this past year. Changqing was a guaranteed grandmaster, yet tragic news came without warning. Chonghe had extraordinary talent and carried immense expectations, destined to step into the Seventh Realm in the future, only to be crippled by someone. Tragic, lamentable! I wish I could come out of seclusion this instant and strike down that castoff!"
Cui Twelve said, "All sides are watching closely. It wouldn't do for us to step into the fray directly."
He spoke bluntly, wary of the figures backing the abandoned son.
Sixth Master's gaze turned dark. "When I made my previous attempt at the grandmaster realm, I suffered hidden spiritual wounds that never healed. I doubt I have many years left to live. Let us proceed as discussed last time. Once the storm outside completely blows over, I will make the trip myself and erase that castoff."
He added, "Rest assured, there will be no lingering trouble. I will perform a secret art to burn away every trace I leave in this world. Not even an Earth Immortal will be able to trace the truth."
An elder of his generation spoke up: "Nursing a tiger brings calamity. Who could have foretold he would turn out so exceptional? Had we known back then... alas, it's too late for regrets."
Sixth Master said, "Little Twelve, you people haven't made any rash moves, have you? Don't act blindly. Those old monsters on the Newborn path refuse to die and remain extremely dangerous. Some might truly succeed in cultivating the Seven Imperials force."
Cui Twelve replied, "We haven't acted rashly. We merely cleared out the castoff's former residence. Well, I discovered we aren't the only ones who despise him—others harbor hatred toward him as well. I casually disposed of some of his old belongings."
Speaking in a calm tone, he informed the three elders that those old possessions included Qin Ming's past calligraphy, clothing, and even strands of hair.
Sixth Master said, "With that kind of 'old possession,' someone can cast secret arts. Make sure nothing leads back to you; you must not become deeply involved."
Cui Twelve said, "I merely had people sweep the room and discard some rubbish. If someone picked it up, how could that be blamed on us? Those old monsters of the Newborn path are overstepping their bounds. It isn't as though we lack backing ourselves—the promises from above the heavens still carry immense weight."
A rare, pale-golden fire spring flowed through the estate, bathing the entire manor in what looked like morning twilight.
This mutated fire spring was rich in spiritual vitality and offered some modest benefit in staving off aging.
Cui Twelve then smiled faintly. "I heard Chixia City is quite lively right now. Meng Xinghai might be in trouble, and someone is likely moving to finish off the castoff once and for all. We can simply sit back and wait for good news."
Suddenly, his smile froze. He almost wondered if his eyes were playing tricks on him—how could the castoff physically appear the moment they mentioned him?
Qin Ming stepped out of the blue sandalwood forest into the manor. Pale-golden fire spring radiance haloed his body, outlining a hazy silhouette that made every strand of his hair seem crystalline.
He was tall and upright, glowing at the corners of his eyes and brows. Beneath his composure lay an indomitable conviction. His strides were steady and forceful, his spirit vibrant and overflowing with vigor.
"How did you get here?" Cui Twelve demanded in a low, heavy voice.
Pure Yang divine radiance burst from Sixth Master's eyes. Though confident he could swat this junior into a paste with the power of the Fourth Realm's Great Circle, seeing him stroll into the manor with such supreme confidence immediately gave him a bad feeling. Could a powerful expert be accompanying him?
"Just passing by, so I dropped in to have a look," Qin Ming replied. Having slaughtered the experts from the Pure World Convent, Blood Immortal, and the Hall of Longevity, he had naturally extracted plenty of valuable clues through mental resonance.
He had felt somewhat surprised to find that among those guiding leads, the Cui family's presence was faint; they did not seem to have been deeply involved.
Qin Ming said, "If you had stayed quiet and done nothing, I honestly couldn't be bothered with you. There was no need to keep getting entangled with you over and over."
Just now, he had heard everything. Some of the Cui family's old relics had little lifespan left, yet instead of seeking a peaceful end, they still schemed to drag him down with them.
Walking forward step by step, Qin Ming looked down upon the elders. "Are you trying to force me to go through the Cui family genealogy and call your names one by one?"
Pruning the family tree? What young person would dare speak such wild words to a thousand-year-old clan?
Cui Twelve, Old Six Cui, and the others swept their gazes around, bracing for battle. They assumed a grandmaster-level expert had accompanied Qin Ming, providing him with such bravado.
With one hand behind his back, Qin Ming said, "No need to search. I am the only one standing here."
The elders naturally refused to believe him. If he had truly come alone, how was this any different from seeking death? They would turn him into a corpse on the spot.
Qin Ming spoke calmly: "I dislike killing the innocent, so I won't purge the genealogy on a large scale today. Still, please cooperate and step forward for roll call."
The four elders' faces darkened. This boy was arrogant beyond belief. During the duel with Cui Chonghe, he had not even reached the Fourth Realm, yet now he dared challenge experts bordering on the grandmaster realm?
"Very well. Since that is the case, this old man must take action," Old Six Cui said. His decaying body began to glow, his hair turned snow-white, and his eyes flashed like lightning.
It was as though he had briefly reclaimed his youth. Great Sun divine radiance blossomed within him, turning his aged physique crystalline and brilliant in an instant.
Like a ghost, Old Six Cui moved with unfathomable speed, teleporting before Qin Ming and thrusting a palm toward his head.
Cui Twelve struck from the other flank. Even facing a junior, he felt no embarrassment, wanting to personally take part in ending the castoff.
Qin Ming pushed his right hand forward, his palm and fingers translucent, his movement seemingly casual.
Yet Old Six Cui, who had cultivated for over a hundred and seventy years, let out a muffled groan. His palm shattered to pieces, and his entire body was sent flying backward, vomiting mouthfuls of blood without end.
Striking from the flank, Cui Twelve was horrified. A single palm from the castoff had repelled and grievously wounded Sixth Master, a cultivator at the Fourth Realm's Great Circle! It was like seeing a ghost.
Shock battered Cui Twelve's heart. He was left dumbstruck, feeling as though none of this could be real.
At the critical moment, he dared not engage in physical combat. Channeling a five-colored flying sword, he slashed it toward Qin Ming.
With a sharp clang, Cui Twelve's pupils constricted. What was he seeing? Qin Ming had casually grabbed and snapped his five-colored flying sword with his left hand.
"Only at the late Fourth Realm? Who do you think you're looking down on? Your cultivation is far too low," Qin Ming said, throwing a punch. Primordial heavenly light wrapped around his left fist like divine flame, illuminating the night sky.
Though Cui Twelve retreated at top speed and resisted with all his might, he was still struck as if by lightning. First the palm he thrust out blew apart, followed by his entire arm, and then the destruction spread to his body. Half his torso was mangled, and he crashed onto the ground behind.
"How is this possible?!" The Cui family elders were all utterly shaken.
A bone-chilling dread gripped the area; they felt horrified and bewildered.
Only now were they finally convinced that Qin Ming possessed the confidence and strength to confront them alone. Judging by the castoff's terrifying display, even if Cui Chonghe had fought without the Dao-Restricting Ring and gone all out, he would have been no match for him long ago.
In fact, even if Cui Chongxiao, who had reached an even higher realm, had taken the field, he too would have been slain.
Cold sweat soaked through the elders in silence. Just how had this castoff achieved such monstrous cultivation? This was already at the level of a grandmaster!
"Roll call. It's time for you to be on your way." Qin Ming walked toward them, his figure bathed in the glow of the fire spring, as if touched by a layer of golden demonic radiance.
"Cui Twelve."
Pfft!
"Old Six!"
Thud, thud, thud... Pfft!
Someone put up a desperate deathbed struggle, fighting with everything he had, but it changed nothing.
"Which number are you? You should be on your way as well."
Bang, thud... Pfft!
...
Qin Ming walked out of the mountain estate, draped in pale-golden twilight, exuding a sacred and transcendent presence.
He had not involved Meng Xinghai or Li Qingyun in his feud with the Cui family, wiping out the stronghold on his own before regrouping with the others outside the manor.
"One of the main culprits behind the attempt on my life actually hails from beyond this domain. I was too merciful back then; I should never have spared his life." Qin Ming set out for the final location.
This was the clue he had resonated from several leaders of the dark organizations. In the end, he had concluded that one of the primary figures hiring the assassins came from the Eastern Lands.
Naturally, those people were currently in Night Province.
Qin Ming said, "Moreover, there might even be people from above the heavens involved. It seems my situation is precarious. If I hadn't been living in seclusion at Black-White Mountain, some people would have moved against me directly."
By this point, the group stood upon the back of a high-grade exotic avian provided by Meng Xinghai, disappearing into the clouds.
***
Ruicheng, once the imperial capital of Great Rui, had now become one of the Dayu Dynasty's ten great cities.
Inside a mansion, Qi Yunxiao frowned. Over the past two days, no good news had arrived. Instead, rumors reached his ears that Blood Immortal, the Pure World Convent, and other factions seemed to have run into trouble.
He came from an extraordinary background, hailing from an Earth Immortal palace in the Eastern Lands. When he first arrived in Night Province, he had appeared ethereal and transcendent, his extraordinary bearing drawing widespread attention.
Holding himself in high regard, he had once gathered in Night Province with the top young experts of the Northern Desolation, the West Sea, and other regions. He had not spared a second glance for Qin Ming, who was already making a name for himself, treating him as a mere pawn in a game and claiming he could suppress him in three sword strikes. To that end, he had even performed spirit wandering over thousands of li to approach the Thunder-Fire Gold-Forging Palace.
In the end, Qi Yunxiao, who fancied himself a heaven-sent prodigy, began a living nightmare. Qin Ming crippled him, and a exorbitant ransom had to be paid to trade for his life.
He had fallen into despair for a time; had an Earth Immortal not personally worked magic on his behalf, he could never have recovered.
Furthermore, his elder brother Qi Yunzheng and senior sister Jiang Tingxue had vanished while exploring Black-White Mountain after the collapse of Yujing.
Consequently, he was filled with hatred toward certain regions and certain people.
He suspected that his brother and senior sister had ventured into Black-White Mountain to vent his grievances back then and had been murdered. He laid that debt at Qin Ming's door as well.
Even without proof, his grudge and prejudice were enough to serve as justification for revenge.
In truth, it really had been Qin Ming who counter-killed the two.
This mansion served as the Night Province stronghold for Qi Yunxiao's sect, housing a substantial number of experts. The strongest among them was a grandmaster, though that individual was currently away.
All of them had missions of their own: exploring Dayu's unique Earth Emperor system that organized the "order of heaven and earth," and studying the dao-attuned domains they constructed to see if the Eastern Lands could replicate them.
"Old Qi, you truly hold a grudge. I spared your life back then, yet you retaliated so rabidly. Let us settle this once and for all today."
A calm voice drifted in from outside the window, causing Qi Yunxiao to snap his head up in shock. Then, he saw a sight he would never forget for the rest of his days.
Qin Ming rode the wind, treading upon empty air as if descending from the highest heavens, drifting gracefully down into the courtyard.
"Enemy attack!" Qi Yunxiao shouted.
Qin Ming said calmly, "It seems you haven't made any progress at all. Meeting again, do you not even dare face me alone?"
"Who goes there!"
More than a dozen figures appeared, all of them experts, with no shortage of late Fourth Realm cultivators. The strongest was one of Qi Yunxiao's senior brothers, a man in his thirties.
"You are that Qin Ming who dealt ruthlessly with Junior Brother Qi! Do you have any idea of his background and origin?" a woman shouted shrilly.
However, her voice was cut off. A yellow silk canopy hung in the night sky, turning slowly and casting down beams of light like a river of stars, suffused with vast amounts of purple mist.
The Sovereign Canopy hovered above Qin Ming's head, completely sealing off the mansion.
Qin Ming naturally knew that Qi Yunxiao's status was remarkable; otherwise, why would an Earth Immortal personally step in to restore him?
Sweeping his gaze across them, Qin Ming said, "No matter who he is, anyone without a clear understanding of himself will end up dead sooner or later. Even if he hadn't crossed paths with me, he would have run into someone else in the future. Calamity is always self-inflicted."
"Insolent!" The group wasted no words, attacking him viciously in unison.
Unfortunately, no matter what methods they brought to bear, each of them was left coughing up mouthfuls of blood. Right now, there was not even a single Fourth Realm Great Circle cultivator present—they had all been dispatched on missions, leaving none who could withstand Qin Ming.
Qi Yunxiao was shaken to his core. How could the youth who had brought him nightmares have changed so drastically? He suppressed an entire group of them with ease; even his senior brother, who had cultivated for over thirty years, was no match. After just a few clashes, he was subdued by a single hand.
Qin Ming's fingers radiated light, pressing Qi Yunxiao's senior brother into a hunch. The man's arms trembled as he raised them toward the sky, unable to support the casually descending palm.
"Senior Brother!" Qi Yunxiao's eyes turned bloodshot.
With a thud, his senior brother could hold on no longer. Driven to his knees by Qin Ming's right hand, fissures spread across both of his arms until they seemed on the verge of exploding.
"Why bring this upon yourselves?" Qin Ming sighed softly, shaking his head.
The group was utterly cowed, their bodies bound as his spirit field warped the empty space.
Qin Ming said in a heavy voice, "It is not that I am bloodthirsty or heartless, but that your sanctuary spared no expense to hire assassins to kill me in the first place. Today, I shall send you all on your way together!"
Muffled bursts rang out continuously. Like a fiendgod taking a stroll, Qin Ming harvested the lives of this group of prodigies. Blood mist filled the area before interwoven thunder talismans reduced the corpses to ash.
The yellow silk canopy spun overhead, gathering the remnant souls.
"Old Huang, clean it up thoroughly. We cannot allow anyone to trace this back, for they have an Earth Immortal backing them!"
Qin Ming walked out of the courtyard as the canopy spun, swiftly bringing matters to a close.
***
Inside a mysterious manor, a middle-aged man painting with ink laid down his brush after receiving a secret report from a subordinate.
"Several dark organizations ran into trouble instead? How regrettable." Having washed his hands, the middle-aged man took a light sip of epiphany tea, appearing poised and leisurely, not particularly troubled by the news.
"It seems there really is something unusual about Black-White Mountain. This Qin Ming is truly not simple. Is someone shielding him at all times, or is his own capability extraordinary? Could it truly be... One Sword?"
The middle-aged man set down his teacup, lost in thought.
"My lord, should we..." his subordinate asked, inquiring whether they should take further action.
The middle-aged man said calmly, "Ascend to heaven and head above the nine skies. Right now the waters are somewhat murky; we should stand detached from the mortal realm for now. Leave the disputes to those savage, uncouth sorts. From the looks of it, none of those special individuals on the ground will ascend to compete for the highest inheritance of Yujing."
***
When Qin Ming returned to Black-White Mountain, the three grandmasters—Yu Gensheng, Li Qingyun, and Meng Zhiyan—insisted on accompanying him and staying for a few days; otherwise, their minds could not rest easy.
Yu Gensheng said, "These past two days, you tore through one stronghold after another, striking ruthlessly along the way. We worry some people might corner themselves like desperate dogs leaping over a wall."
Meng Xinghai had been sent back to Chixia City, with no need to follow along.
Qin Ming said, "Seniors, once I enter the territory of Black-White Mountain, I am truly safe. Nothing will happen."
He intended to set out in the coming days, heading into the strange realm beyond the ancient mist portal to consume the thunder medicine and achieve a further breakthrough. As long as his cultivation continued to advance, he had nothing to fear.
"No matter, we are in no hurry to travel," Meng Zhiyan said with a wave of his hand. Ever since witnessing Qin Ming's earth-shattering performance, he had been thoroughly won over, only lamenting that Meng Xinghai's daughter was still too young to recruit him as a son-in-law.
Qin Ming pondered whether he should continue striking hard at the Cui family to keep them from stirring up trouble, but Yu Gensheng, Li Qingyun, and the others talked him out of it.
"Time is on your side. For now, focus all your efforts on raising your strength. Once you break through and look down on all corners of the world, whatever you wish to do will require half the effort for twice the result."
Meanwhile, in Chixia City, Cui Chongxiao and his senior brother Mu Zhuo disguised their appearances and quietly slipped into the city.
"What a pity he isn't here. Who knows when he will emerge from Black-White Mountain again?" Cui Chongxiao remarked with regret.
He had already heard that several dark organizations had met with disaster one after another, but he had yet to learn that the Cui family had also lost experts whose blood stained Mount Tan.
Mu Zhuo said, "After this upheaval, he might not step out of Black-White Mountain for a year or a half. This lad is truly extraordinary; perhaps everyone has underestimated him. I plan to go probe his depths."
Cui Chongxiao asked, "Senior Brother, isn't it too risky for you to enter Black-White Mountain?"
Mu Zhuo shook his head. "Rest assured, nothing will happen to me. Just watching him from afar won't be an issue. Our master holds an exalted status; even if I do run into trouble, Black-White Mountain will have to show some respect."
Two days later, he set out.
To travel the road from Chixia City to Twin Trees Village without charging directly into Black-White Mountain, one could only skirt along the edge of the desert.
Qin Ming, Li Qingyun, and the others were seated on a cliff, looking down at the pitch-black desert below as the four of them drank wine.
"Hm? An expert has actually come?" Yu Gensheng, who was close to becoming a great grandmaster, had exceptionally sharp senses and fixed his gaze upon the distant path.
Though Mu Zhuo walked along the nocturnal road at the outskirts of Black-White Mountain, his heart was fearless. He was a grandmaster and a personal disciple of a prominent esoteric sect luminary, possessing profound dao arts.
After all, even within the Fifth Realm, grandmasters were not all equal, and his conviction was exceptionally strong.
Suddenly, his hairs stood on end. He whipped his head around, only to discover a dark silhouette behind him. He had no idea when it had drawn near, almost brushing against him.
Mu Zhuo took fright. The figure was clad in a straw raincoat, wore a bamboo hat, and carried a bamboo sword on its back. This was...
Then he sensed something else. Without a sound, three more figures had appeared, all clad in identical attire, each carrying a shimmering green bamboo sword.
This matched the legendary Dog Sword Immortal's garb exactly. Crucially, these figures released a combined aura of terrifying pressure that locked directly onto him.
"Dao brothers of Black-White Mountain, please do not misunderstand!" he called out at once, already feeling an immense pressure that made breathing difficult.
Immediately after, Mu Zhuo's heart shook with utter shock. He could hardly believe it—these seemed to be four grandmasters standing before him in person!
The moment he entered Black-White Mountain's boundary, he was targeted and thoroughly suppressed, his entire body stiffening.
"Did you come for Qin Ming as well?" Qin Ming asked, steering the conversation to initiate resonance.
"There is a misunderstanding here..." Mu Zhuo tried to explain.
Then, he saw a massive palm swinging toward his face.
"The domain of Black-White Mountain is not a place to trespass! Even if a great grandmaster comes, he'll take two slaps across the face first!"
Chapter 510