Above the heavens, mountain ranges reclined beneath a light veil of mist like soft strokes of distant indigo. Immortal pools shimmered with a mild, liquid radiance as heavenly dragons soared into the sky. Silver halls, feathered towers, and five-colored citadels shone with dazzling splendor, while auspicious birds wove through the splendid immortal landscape, their cries clear and resonant.
Young experts gathered in vast numbers; this grand assembly belonged to them.
Surrounding such magnificence, however, lay an abyss of pitch-black darkness. That was the boundless Sea of Night Mist, devoid of a single ray of light, where only dead silence and desolation spread. That was the truest reality above the vast nine skies.
Before a majestic building whose golden roof tiles crackled with rolling lightning, several elderly figures stood side by side. Without a doubt, they were Earth Immortal-level powerhouses who had not shown themselves for ages, yet today they had personally come to grace the occasion.
Only in the heavens was their predicament somewhat manageable.
Nourished by the blessed glow steaming up from the Dayu Dynasty, combined with the Sky-Locking Array high above the nine skies, their "afflictions" could be alleviated.
A seven-day stacker spoke up. "This is merely the preliminary selection. Those who did not qualify need not feel disheartened. In the future, you may challenge the individuals before the Dragon Transformation Pool at any time. Emerge victorious, and you may take their place."
Afterward, another paramount Earth Immortal added, "The finest among those eliminated may also comprehend the supreme legacies during the early phase. We offer you the opportunity to rise; use it to hone yourselves and mount your challenges."
In addition, considering there were late bloomers in the world, room was left for them as well. Such individuals would still have a chance to vie for the supreme scriptures in the future.
A great number of youths grew restless, murmuring among themselves at these words. On the whole, all sides were reasonably satisfied, and hope rekindled within the hearts of the eliminated.
The brows of Li Heng, Feng Zhige, and the others relaxed.
In an instant, cups clinked and toasts were exchanged, the atmosphere turning increasingly harmonious.
The four figures before the Dragon Transformation Pool were undeniably the center of attention. Like stars orbiting the moon, numerous people came forward carrying wine cups, crowding around them so tightly that not even water could trickle through.
"Yun Jianyue, Wu Qingyuan, Wen Dao, and Xie Xiyan... barring any accidents, these four will likely be the four great titans of the future." Many youths looked at them, unable to tear their eyes away.
Even some senior luminaries invited to the gathering felt stirred, experiencing the pressure and sensing they might be overtaken by these latecomers at any moment.
Yun Jianyue and Wu Qingyuan had long occupied two Flowers of the Great Dao. Having cultivated in seclusion for years, both were unfathomably deep; no one knew the full extent of their capabilities.
Wen Dao possessed an illustrious background and had gained the endorsement of several old mountain strongholds in the heavens. When the third Flower of the Great Dao bloomed, he had been chosen immediately.
At the time, the New Board had strongly favored Taiyi, but ultimately could not overturn the collective decision made by the various factions.
Among the four, Xie Xiyan was relatively mysterious. His rise could truly be called an unexpected emergence; in the past, very few people had even known he existed.
Even some fairy maidens who were usually quite aloof now took the initiative to stroll toward the edge of the Dragon Transformation Pool. The frost between their brows melted into dazzling smiles, their radiant beauty lending several touches of warmth to the surrounding air.
Someone sighed in admiration. "The Great Dao is lofty, and the mountains and rivers in the heavens are magnificent. Looking ahead down the road, among our generation, those four ought to travel the farthest and look down upon all the sights of the mortal world."
As to who among their peers would wield dominion over the world in the future, everyone held their own judgment. Those walking in the very vanguard might lead every step of the way from now on, until everyone else could only look up to them from afar.
Su Mohua stood slender and graceful, speaking with a giggle, "Sister, did Eldest Uncle come here to fish for a golden son-in-law too?"
"You're asking for a beating." Su Moran pinched her fair earlobe.
Gao Chan quietly drained a cup of wine. Standing here, his heart felt stifled. Among so many outstanding talents, it was difficult for him to ride the momentum, and his former brilliance was gradually fading.
Naturally, those four were not the only ones drawing attention. Zhou Tiandao was hailed as a heaven-gifted divine prodigy, while Yan Zhuohua, like a classical goddess stepped straight out of an ink-wash landscape, continued to shine brightly. Both were seen as possessing immense potential, still holding hope to compete for the supreme legacies.
Moreover, even if they ultimately failed their challenges, their status was already high enough that they undoubtedly belonged to the future upper echelon of Yujing.
Before the golden palace where thunder and fire intertwined, several Earth Immortal-level powerhouses were also drinking. Each possessed exalted status—Tianzun had arrived in person, and the master of Star Mountain and the master of Thunder Marsh Palace were also present.
A paramount Earth Immortal asked, "Sage, your disciple Li Wanfa possesses enormous potential. Why hasn't he ascended to the heavens?"
One of the originators of Chaos force, the Present Sage, was also among them. Within his vitality, it seemed as though fragmented blazing suns were flowing, harboring power of supreme hardness and supreme yang. He replied, "Wanfa has his own choices; I do not interfere."
Tianzun Lu Heng also looked over and asked, "When there's an opportunity, let's spar a bit. By the way, there's another named Qin Ming who cultivates your art. His combat prowess is quite extraordinary—how is it that he hasn't shown up either?"
The Sage said, "In truth, those who cultivate Chaos force do not crave the so-called supreme legacies that much. A scripture that is excessively domineering is simply too difficult for him to integrate at his current realm. Once he ascends to the fifth realm in the future, his first consideration should be the matter of the True Form Tribulation, to prevent his form and spirit from bursting apart."
This was the truth. The fifth realm of the Newborn path—True Form—was a matter of life and death for everyone who practiced the silk book methods. Even the several creators of the art had shattered their bodies more than once.
"The heavens truly abound with talent." The Sage looked forward, scanning the large crowd of vigorous young prodigies.
In the distance, several grandmasters had also arrived, conversing among themselves.
"Weren't there a few unusual youths on the ground? Why didn't they come to compete?"
"I heard someone named Wei Shouzhen already passed the preliminary selection; he just didn't show himself today. He can stand alongside those four."
"What a surprise." A middle-aged man of leisurely and dignified bearing revealed a look of astonishment.
His name was Cheng Xian. He had once descended to the ground to sip tea and splash ink in paintings, deploying several methods that had caused a bit of trouble for certain extraordinary young experts.
"What is his background?" he asked.
"Supposedly from the demon lands beyond Night Province, though he seems to be a pure-blooded human."
Clearly, the four individuals at the center of the gathering were the most ideal marriage partners for the various old mountain strongholds in the heavens.
The personal presence of several paramount Earth Immortals and seven-day stackers here was not without such considerations. They warmly met with the youths and offered words of encouragement.
However, once one became a supreme saint of Yujing, even the high-ranking figures of these old strongholds would not be able to directly interfere with their choices.
***
Down on the ground, Qin Ming remained completely unmoved after receiving the letter. Ascending to the nine skies at their invitation? That was not his choice. There was no need for him to risk his neck by facing a bunch of old monsters.
He harbored some desire for the supreme scriptures, but it was not that urgent. Currently, he had acquired quite a few genuine scriptures, which were more than enough for him to comprehend.
Furthermore, he had his own plans and had set goals for himself: once he became a grandmaster, he would consider integrating several genuine arts that he had coveted for a long time.
Those were naturally the Rulai force, Six Imperials force, Heaven-Upholding force, Yuqing force, and others.
Lu Zizai had warned him that before his cultivation was sufficiently profound, he must not act recklessly. Qin Ming felt that stepping into the fifth realm of the Newborn path—True Form—should be about right.
The core legacies of the major ancestral courts had each integrated different top-tier genuine scriptures with varying emphases, but all were immensely powerful.
If given the choice, Qin Ming naturally would not miss out on the several renowned forces of the Newborn path. Only by absorbing them all could he prove that he had achieved complete mastery in this system.
The reality was that even the several founders of the path had not achieved this. Each had their own emphasis; for instance, the Sage primarily integrated the Rulai force and appended the attribute of devouring to it.
Some even said his Chaos force was a mutated form of the Rulai force.
How could Qin Ming not covet them? Each force represented an extremity of the Newborn path.
However, the fifth realm was exceedingly complex. He knew full well the terror of the True Form Tribulation; attempting to integrate the Rulai force, Yuqing force, and the rest would likely be immensely difficult.
Jinrui City was a bustling metropolis. Back when the Yuqing Sect and the Six Imperials Ancestral Court were selecting disciples, Qin Ming had visited this city with Meng Xinghai.
In the outskirts beyond the city walls, an ancient mist portal stood, deep and unfathomable.
Qin Ming set out discreetly. As he passed through the dense mist, he caught dazed glimpses once again of great stars submerged in endless black fog.
With a whoosh, he passed through the portal in his true body, arriving in a brand-new world.
Qin Ming adapted to the local customs, changing in advance into the somewhat savage garb of this realm. To blend in, he drastically subdued his banished-immortal temperament, adopting a rougher air, and even turned his skin to a bronze hue.
He wore beast-skin garments, his right shoulder and arm bared. He ruffled his loose hair until it was slightly shaggy, his frame sturdy and powerful, a pure white bone club resting across his shoulder.
In this world, humans and demons coexisted. Many beings were half-demon and half-human; calling them fiendfolk was not inaccurate. They were naturally strong and agile by birth, with most retaining traits of their ancestral races.
In this particular region, catfolk and pigfolk predominated. Their ancestors had once taken human form, but some of their descendants had partially reverted to their ancestral beasts. The catfolk were slender and nimble, appearing humanoid save for a pair of furry cat ears and tails that had not atrophied.
The pigfolk had plump ears, wide nostrils, and rather plain faces, most being quite unsightly, while certain throwbacks even bore the heads of boars.
The new identity Qin Ming designed for himself was a descendant of the upright ape fiends. After all, having cultivated the Upright Ape Fiend Scripture, it was a natural fit.
Whenever he circulated this extraordinary art, he inevitably thought of Tang Xumi. Regrettably, the friend who had gifted him the scripture had perished during the blood-soaked chaos of the Great Dream Divine Mushroom.
Qin Ming knew that as the years rolled on, more such friends would likely die. The path of cultivation was harsh. Had not Su Shiyun, the paramount immortal seed whom so many held in high regard, also died upon the Plain of Divine Demise?
He walked all the way toward the depths of the land. Though he spotted giant cities along the way, he passed them by without entering. He had come for the rainy season; staying in a remote area would suffice, far from disputes.
Along the path, he passed several catfolk villages and towns, taking in the alien atmosphere. Some children scrambled up and down like little kittens, brimming with energy.
Fire springs flowed, casting a soft glow across the abyss-like ground and nourishing the crops outside the settlements.
"The rainy season will arrive soon. I must hurry and prepare the site."
Qin Ming entered the mountains with a clear objective. He had already spirit-wandered into this territory several times before and had taken a liking to a dilapidated Mountain God Temple.
The old temple caretaker had died more than half a year ago, leaving the place deserted and untended. Thick dust had accumulated in the broken temple, and wild weeds grew in thickets.
Moreover, the old caretaker had been an ape-man himself, which was one of the key reasons Qin Ming chose this location.
He cleaned up quickly, soon restoring the dilapidated temple atop the mountain peak to order.
Afterward, he quarried mountain rock, preparing to build a tower. It was constructed entirely according to mature tower blueprints from the immortal path, leaving no worry of errors—though, of course, it was not nearly as tall.
Back in Kunling City, he had seen various high towers built by people of the immortal path to channel thunder and fire, mainly used to forge powerful rare treasures and brew special precious medicines.
Compared to such mature thunder-channeling towers, the Thunder-Fire Gold-Forging Palace was far more complex; its successful construction had involved elements of chance.
After weighing the two and studying them carefully, Qin Ming decided on building a tower.
"Meow! Ape brother, you're so strong!"
"Meow, meow, meow! Ape brother, are you going to be the new temple caretaker?"
Seeing the construction underway, several curious "kittens" from the village at the foot of the mountain ran up.
When young, the catfolk had pure, wide eyes and loved using both hands and feet, bustling with lively energy. Several little ones crawled all over the courtyard and even scampered across the roof, resembling a clowder of small wild cats.
Qin Ming had intentionally avoided the deep mountains out of concern that higher species might dwell there. Bordering a village like this was just right: there were no top experts, making it ideal for lying low.
"Be careful, you little ones. Don't fall, meow," Qin Ming said, speaking the local lingua franca fluently.
Such was the benefit of having a powerful consciousness: having spirit-wandered here multiple times, he had learned the local tongue in advance, even adopting their authentic regional dialect.
The cat children were very warm, helping him carry materials to the best of their small abilities.
Qin Ming called out to them, "Come, I'll treat you to grilled fish and roasted goose wings."
These were six-eyed fish he had caught from a mountain lake, carrying a touch of spiritual substance, along with black swans dwelling nearby that had become ingredients.
"Meow! Ape brother, you're the best! It smells so good!"
"Meow, meow, meow! So delicious!"
The children sat down, complaining of the heat while unable to stop nibbling away. All of them were as innocent and lively as human children, their large eyes blinking with absolute joy, differing only by their furry ears and tails.
Down in the catfolk village, the adults were initially curious about the ape-man Qin Ming, but they did not find it too surprising. After all, the deceased caretaker had been an ape-man.
Besides, they well knew that many among the ape folk walked the path of mountain-and-river godhood.
The tower Qin Ming built was not very tall. Inscribed with thunder-channeling arrays, it did not consume much metal, yet it was already quite refined. He sat waiting for the rainy season, looking forward to his breakthrough.
"Waiting alone in an alien land to be struck by lightning... I wonder where Xiao Wu and Xiang Yiwu are, how they are doing, and what level those prodigies in the heavens with their resources and supreme scriptures have reached?"
Qin Ming passed his days in peace, maintaining harmonious relations with the catfolk in the village below as he waited for the rains.
He had no intention of delving into the deepest secrets of this world. At his current cultivation, not yet having reached the grandmaster realm, he had no business wandering around recklessly.
He had already learned some things from those who had come before him.
Among the earlier batches of people who had entered this world, some had ventured deep, discovering that while this territory appeared rather barren, there were unfathomably deep experts in the depths of the earth.
Several teams had even come close to total annihilation after encountering terrifying creatures.
"Supposedly, in a medium-sized city, two grandmasters were suspected of having fought a massive battle." Such unconfirmed reports were somewhat chilling.
In his home realm, all great experts were lying low, not daring to emerge. Yet in this world, which was clearly desolate and barren, grandmasters could casually be seen clashing.
Though Qin Ming had his curiosity, he had no wish to explore this realm in depth.
He lived in quiet seclusion, unwilling to entangle himself in karmic ties, reminding himself that he was merely a fleeting passerby here.
*Crack!*
Five days later, heavy clouds collided in the night sky, weaving lightning together. Before the rainy season had even arrived, the thunder medicine Qin Ming had yearned for appeared ahead of schedule.
Heaven and earth were black as ink, the light rain pattering down, yet lightning was abundant.
Relying on meticulous craftsmanship, Qin Ming's tower successfully channeled the thunder without any major mishaps such as lightning leakage.
After observing for a moment to ensure he would not directly face the raw wrath of heavenly thunder, he entered the tower. Watching the glowing thunder-attracting runes bring down moderate amounts of thunder and fire, he began his cultivation.
"A blessed land of fortune!" Qin Ming was overjoyed.
Holding a wine cup condensed from Primordial Heavenly Light, he caught the lightning radiance. To others, this would be an exceedingly dangerous act—even those at the great perfection of the fourth realm would feel their hair stand on end here, terrified their bodies would blow apart. But to him, it was like fine nectar, exuding a heart-refreshing fragrance.
Having mastered the Taichu Myriad Thunder Sigil, these thunders and fires carried a genuine, distinct, and rich medicinal aroma for him, serving as wonderful nourishment to solidify his foundation.
He drew a cup of heavenly thunder medicine and swirled it gently. Crystal clear and glistening, the thunder-fire churned within the cup. The moment it entered his mouth, all the pores across his body opened wide, his fine hairs quivering as his flesh became translucent.
Electric current truly coursed through him from head to toe. He felt comfortable beyond words, nearly groaning aloud.
Qin Ming drank cup after cup, his mouth filled with the fragrance of thunder medicine, thoroughly relishing the brew. As he circulated the Taichu Myriad Thunder Sigil, he felt as if he were ascending to immortality, light and ethereal.
Within the thunder and fire, more patterns formed on the purple golden core inside his body. As he tempered the golden core with thunder and fire, he could clearly sense his cultivation slowly strengthening, along with an improvement in his physical constitution.
"Fine thunder, wonderful medicine, extraordinary thunder sigil method." Rays of light streamed from Qin Ming's seven facial apertures, and the meridians across his body glowed. As lightning roamed through his acupoints, he actually shed a rain of light resembling feathering ascension.
Each time a rain of light surged from his skin, his physical constitution grew a notch stronger.
"An ascension baptism? The genuine scripture is truly unfathomable!"
Just like that, in the half-month before the rainy season arrived, Qin Ming had channeled lightning three times ahead of schedule. He felt that after a few more sessions, he would break through.
Clearly, this was already the result of having developed a "drug tolerance"; otherwise, he would not have even needed to endure until the season of frequent thunderstorms.
"Meow, Ape brother, next time it thunders, come to my house to hide from the rain. My dad said the tower you built is too tall and easily struck by lightning—it's very unsafe!"
"Meow, meow, meow! Come to my house!"
Several "kittens" blinked their clear, wide eyes, all looking up and tugging at Qin Ming's arms in warm invitation.
This was not merely affection fed by grilled fish; it stemmed primarily from the simple, kind nature of the children.
Three of them ran up whenever they were free. Qin Ming called them Sanhua, Lihua, and Heibai—Calico, Tabby, and Tuxedo.
These names were based entirely on the colors of their furry ears and tails; their real names were long strings of syllables that were quite inconvenient to call out.
"I'm fine. You should know that our upright ape fiend race borrows all things in the mountains and rivers to achieve godhood and immortality. I'm merely observing lightning to cultivate. You don't need to worry about me."
"Meow, Ape brother is so amazing, thinking about becoming an immortal so early on!"
Several days later, Sanhua came running up the mountain full of worry. Though merely a child, the little face was filled with sorrow, furry ears twitching.
Lihua and Heibai also arrived, constantly flicking their little tails and mumbling something under their breath.
"What happened to you?" Qin Ming asked in confusion.
Sanhua whispered, "Ape brother, something terrible has happened. After several decades, the black soil in the distance has sprouted heavy black wheat ears again!"
Qin Ming was startled. Was harvesting grain not a good thing? Clearly, there was something here he did not understand, so he hesitated to voice an opinion lightly.
Fortunately, these were three children, so he could easily learn the true situation from them.
"When black wheat ears grow in that territory, strife follows... Could that be... divine grain?" After learning this, Qin Ming could not help but be astonished.
He had chosen an extremely remote and desolate land; how had he still run into something bizarre?
Qin Ming consoled them, "Don't be afraid. Ape brother will go take a look for you."
Little Lihua advised, "Meow, Ape brother, don't go. That place can be very dangerous at times. Only the oldest elders in the village dare to steal a glance or two."
In the end, Qin Ming went alone. It had originally been a barren tract of land where not a blade of grass grew, devoid of fire springs and pitch-black.
Yet now, after decades of being bare, this dry, hard black soil had actually sprouted a vast field of wheat. From root to stem to leaves, everything was black, as were the heavy ears of wheat.
Lightning runes surfaced in Qin Ming's pupils, and his heart jolted. The quiet wheat field was not lifeless; there were creatures—a small group of them.
They were a flock of three-inch-tall little people dancing atop the wheat ears. Some had wings and could fly, while others were borne aloft by black clouds, leaping from one wheat ear to another, agile and nimble.
"Among them are actually... grandmasters!" Qin Ming found it absurd.
This world, which appeared quite barren on the surface, truly held oddities and mysteries beyond his understanding.
Among the group of little people, he spotted at least two grandmasters.
Moreover, far in the distance, another group of little people seemed to be dancing as well.
At times they dissolved into black clouds of mist that sank into the heavy wheat ears; at other times they materialized again, dancing and offering sacrifices, proceeding methodically according to some mysterious ancient ritual.
"What is going on here?" Qin Ming could not quite make sense of the situation. From a patch of black earth, creatures at the grandmaster realm had actually "grown out."
Chapter 512