Mount Jilei, true to its name, was plagued by lightning during the rainy season. Even amid fluttering heavy snowfall, winter thunder occasionally clapped, streaking across the pitch-black celestial vault.
Qian Cheng had lingered in this area for many days. He was steady and composed, his divine radiance held within, completely stripped of the dull wood-like demeanor he had once worn at the Hall of Thunderfire Gold Refining.
"What a pity nothing lasts. All things possess a lifespan, and the Thunder Sect, so glorious in its day, has long since turned to historical ashes."
Qian Cheng's eyes were like deep pools. Over the past half year, he had traveled to various regions, exploring all kinds of lands connected to thunder and lightning in the hope of unearthing the complete text of the *Great Beginning Ten Thousand Thunder Talismans*.
He had long mapped out his future path, and this scripture was one of the true texts he absolutely had to find.
Qian Cheng lifted his head. With a flick of his finger, a bolt of lightning shot forth, disintegrating a small bird in the night sky into powder. With a wave of his sleeve, a resounding boom shook the ground, scorching the soil black; a hundred feet beneath the earth, a silver rat was reduced to charcoal.
He frowned. Lately, several clandestine gray organizations had been watching him relentlessly, annoying him to no end. The Blood Immortals and the Demons were one thing, with their limited spheres of activity. But Longevity Abode and the Pure World Chamber were both connected to a massive syndicate deep within the night mist world. Could they have detected his true background?
***
Up in the night sky, Qin Ming's breathing rumbled like thunder. A purple-golden core inside him shone with resplendent luster, drawing in the extremely tenuous tribulation qi from beyond the heavens.
This was a method of refining thunder he had learned after consulting the Yellow Silk Canopy. Since there were no thunderstorms in late autumn, he began with this exceptionally mysterious tribulation qi.
Traveling through the deep expanse, Qin Ming rode the wind, refining the golden core with fire. His entire body turned crystal-clear as he transformed wisps of tribulation qi into thunder talismans and incorporated them into his Hunyuan heavenly light, not pausing until long afterward.
*I wonder if Qian Cheng can complete the Great Beginning Ten Thousand Thunder Talismans. I hope he succeeds.* This was Qin Ming's heartfelt wish.
If the opportunity arose, he also wished to draw inspiration from it.
Yet after a sober appraisal, he judged Qian Cheng to be exceedingly dangerous, with an inscrutable background. If they ever had to make contact, it would require the utmost caution.
Over the past several days, people had continually invited Qin Ming out for exchanges, but he politely declined them all, showing no desire to leave the mountains.
Having once stained his hands with grandmaster blood in an alien realm, participating in formal sparring now held little meaning. It was nowhere near as effective at honing himself as a life-and-death clash with blade and spear.
Rather than spending his time on that, he would much rather carry some game over to share a few cups with Meng Xinghai, then let his mind merge into the mountains and streams as a gentle buzz took hold, comprehending the marvelous arts of the esoteric sect.
Studying this path, Qin Ming naturally would not draw a prison around himself and remain bound to a single place to become a god.
Within this system, there were various means to achieve godhood: some worshiped unknown entities, others showed great irreverence, and yet others severed their emotions, regarding only themselves as absolute.
Within the esoteric sect, there were numerous doctrinal traditions alone, each internally consistent.
Qin Ming had made his resolution long ago. The path he intended to walk was one that snapped the shackles of mountains, rivers, and earth veins, freed from the constraints of the broader environment, without needing to guard a single location for decades or centuries.
By now, he had returned to his courtyard, but his consciousness roamed amidst the landscape, blending with all creation and resonating in coexistence with the sea of night mist high above the nine heavens.
Yet this road of severing the earthly fetters was by no means a smooth journey. Its greatest danger was the ease of losing oneself.
Just as now, before he even realized it, Qin Ming fancied that he had turned into Black and White Mountain itself. He remained motionless for a long time, breathing in unison with the grass and trees, gradually growing still like the mass of rock.
*If I truly lose my awareness here, I'll probably end up becoming a mountain god in the future.* Qin Ming's consciousness revived within his flesh and blood, his eyes turning clear and bright once more.
This was only the fourth realm—Quiet Penetration—and already such issues arose. Further down the path, even greater vigilance would be required.
*No wonder someone as formidable as Chu Canglan, an unrivaled powerhouse of the esoteric sect, never dared to completely sever all ties to those forbidden lands, only changing to a new one at regular intervals to put down roots anew.*
In this late autumn, Qin Ming lived a peaceful and tranquil life, undisturbed by anyone. He studied true scriptures, devoted himself to comprehending the Dao and testing arts, occasionally wandering beyond the physical realm to diligently polish his cultivation.
Yet in the world outside, rumors about him never ceased. His reputation indeed preceded him.
"Qin Ming of Black and White Mountain sure puts on grand airs. Anyone who didn't know better would think he's already a grandmaster, standing aloof from the world."
Some voiced discontent because they had sent several invitations asking him to emerge, only to be turned down every single time.
This gathering was of an extraordinarily high standard, bringing together top young prodigies from both the heavens and the earthly realms across various cultivation paths. Many people were not even qualified to attend.
"I hear he's still in the third realm and hasn't even lit his mind lamp. If he ever stepped into a higher domain, wouldn't his nose point straight into the clouds?" someone remarked flatly.
"Say less. Everyone has their own aspirations."
Yezhou was stirred by swirling winds and gathering clouds. Prominent figures of the younger and middle generations from the heavens and earth converged, not merely sitting to discuss the Dao, but stepping into the arena for matches.
This naturally sparked a multitude of topics, leading to heated discussions on all sides.
"I believe a grandmaster has already emerged among our generation. I wonder if you believe it."
"Keep dreaming! A fifth realm master in his early twenties? Across the entire territory under Yujing's influence, counting the dead ones too, can you dig even one out for me?"
For a time, this sparked an argument.
Some firmly believed that someone among the younger generation had indeed broken through to the fifth realm.
Most shook their heads in disbelief, deeming it utterly preposterous.
"Who said it has to be someone in their twenties? Becoming a grandmaster in your thirties or forties—does that not count as young? After all, even a hundred-year-old grandmaster is still considered a rising star!"
Once those words were spoken, many were forced to reconsider seriously. If calculated that way, there were probably some genuinely 'young' grandmasters out there.
"Wen Dao, Xie Xiyan, Wei Shouzhen—what are their true ages, and what realm are they in now?"
"Who knows? Either way, I think that against the backdrop of this grand era where supreme civilizations are destined to collide fiercely, an extraordinarily young grandmaster might well appear."
People listed suspect after suspect, earnestly debating who among them was a true slumbering qilin.
For instance, there was one who had split into two physical bodies; their eventual fusion might mark the day of breaking through the great threshold.
"By the way, what's the deal with that Li Wanfa? How old is he? He once fought Wu Qingyuan to a draw."
"That's truly hard to probe. There's a saying that a 'youngster' of the New Path is like a woman's age—a secret best left unpried."
Practitioners of the New Path who overheard this were left speechless.
Soon, someone brought up several figures who served as the public faces of the New Path, asserting that Little Rulai could easily substitute for Qin Ming. Both practiced the same arts, yet the former was in a higher realm.
In fact, one could call him an upgrade.
Little Rulai's only drawback was that he was undeniably quite a bit older than Qin Ming.
Qin Ming's absence from the exchange had irked a number of people, leaving them with little favorable bias toward him in their discussions and comparisons.
However, when these people arrived at the outer pure land for visits and matches, their views began to shift.
Cui Chonghe had stepped out of his slump. Even though his cultivation had been ruined, he still appeared, attending the gathering openly to discuss scriptures and the Dao, putting on an astonishing display.
Could the man who had overcome and utterly crushed someone like him truly be simple?
Moreover, some present had personally witnessed the fierce battle between Qin Ming and Cui Chonghe.
"Aside from his realm truly being somewhat low, that fellow from Black and White Mountain has no shortcomings."
Cui Chonghe looked serene on the surface, but waves surged in his chest. He had wanted to face the road ahead with composure, yet with the very first step of his return, people were already comparing him to Qin Ming.
No matter how thick-skinned someone was, it was impossible to truly let it go right now, let alone him, who cared deeply about that catastrophic loss and had once vomited blood in sheer fury.
Li Qingxu strolled over and asked, "I heard your master, Sun Taichu, once made detailed inquiries to my master about the art of breaking and establishing for your sake. Would you like me to take you to see him?"
Cui Chonghe ignored him, raising a cup of amber liquor and draining it in a single gulp.
However, when he saw Li Qingxu walk toward Wang Caiwei, his composed expression could no longer hold. He thought that this Li Bai was truly a piece of work, deliberately trying to get under his skin.
Inside the pure land, a renowned prodigy from the Earth Immortal Palace of the Eastern Lands suffered a crushing defeat while sparring against Helian Zhaoyu at the same realm, instantly drawing widespread attention.
"He's a descendant of Helian Chengyun? No wonder," someone praised.
Helian Chengyun had broken through the great threshold without altering his life form, becoming a Seven-Sun Stacker revered as a true immortal. His fame was now known in all quarters.
People discovered that his descendant, Helian Zhaoyu, actually walked the esoteric path, honing himself with the Ten Thousand Forgings method to condense his cultivation—effectively practicing subtraction. In the same realm, he was terrifyingly formidable.
Quite a few people entered the arena to spar with him personally.
"Truly extraordinary. Multiple deities stand within his inner landscape. Does he intend to fuse and forge them into a single supreme deity in the future?"
Many wore looks of shock, particularly since several prodigies had lost to him during their bouts.
Afterward, the crowd learned that Helian Zhaoyu had once suffered a miserable defeat at Qin Ming's hands. This immediately set off a flurry of whispers.
Earlier, the prodigies from the heavens and beyond Yezhou had felt quite dissatisfied with Qin Ming's failure to show them face. Hearing this news, their expressions stiffened.
Did this not mean that several who had stepped up to spar had indirectly lost to Qin Ming? They found themselves somewhat embarrassed.
Su Mohua curled her lip and said, "Didn't I tell you? My master Qin Ming is far stronger than some of you arrogant folks!"
Someone laughed and said, "Little Su, you're really not sparing any face."
In the distance, Zhou Tiandao, Feng Zhige, Lu Jingli, and others overheard the discussion and walked over.
Pei Shuyan, a top immortal seed of the pure land, spoke up: "It seems our fellow Daoists from the Northern Desolation, the Eastern Lands, and the heavens do not know much about Qin Ming. When it comes to competing in the same realm, he truly fears no one."
At these words, the divine seeds and immortal seeds of Yezhou nodded one after another.
Zhuo Qingming reminisced, "Looking back to when we fought the demons and monsters of the Western Borders, Qin Ming took down over a dozen heavenly demon seeds all on his own, thoroughly striking terror into the peers of the demon camp."
"Damn it!" Evidently, several top young powerhouses from the demon camp had also arrived, now coexisting in temporary truce under the grand umbrella of Yujing.
Their faces darkened. The group from Yezhou was practically spitting right in their faces, then slapping them with mud-caked soles.
Su Mohua's eyes curved into crescents as she beamed. "My master is just that strong. When he made his youthful debut, he was already slaughtering in all directions across the Plain of Divine Demise."
Someone advised, "Little Su, stop boasting and show some restraint. Can't you see the demon race folks look as black as pot bottoms? Besides, he's only a master you took on a whim; it can't be taken seriously. What's more, he walks the New Path. A few years from now, your realm might catch up and steadily surpass his."
Su Mohua chuckled cheekily. "A master for a day is a... master for life, and a brother too! What of it? I'm only stating the facts about his battle record."
Feng Zhige and Yan Zhuohua arrived, both nodding. Having witnessed Qin Ming take action in the earthen city with their own eyes, they both acknowledged his extraordinary combat prowess.
The siblings Lu Zheng and Lu Jingli revealed surprised expressions. For the man himself not to be present, yet still held in such high regard by so many—it seemed they had underestimated the youth from Black and White Mountain.
Naturally, not everyone was inclined toward Qin Ming.
Someone smiled faintly and remarked, "If he's so powerful, how would he measure up in a same-realm battle against Wen Dao, who occupies the third Great Dao Flower? Or against Wei Shouzhen, who also hails from the earthly realm? Why not find an opportunity to arrange a challenge for him against those two?"
***
Late autumn had coated the ground in frost. The wind carried a chill, and red and yellow leaves drifted down.
Having finished his cultivation in the mountains, Qin Ming carried some game back toward the village. At a glance, he spotted Bai Meng standing by the village entrance, talking with Wenrui.
"Brother Ming!"
"What brought you here?" Qin Ming asked in surprise.
Apart from his large nose and ears, Bai Meng was quite handsome. With a broad grin, he said, "Haven't seen you in ages, have I? You refuse to come out of the mountains, so I made a special trip to hang out with you. Well? Are you touched?"
Qin Ming stepped forward carrying the game and smiled. "Touched enough to want to spar a few rounds with you."
Bai Meng waved his hands frantically. "Don't! I don't want a beating!"
"Come on, I'll treat you to wild game and fine wine." Qin Ming motioned for him to head into the village.
Wenrui had already hurried forward to take the wild gazelle from his master's hands, taking it away first to dress it.
"Brother Ming, you have no idea. You haven't even stepped out of the mountains, yet your reputation is soaring outside. Those defeated opponents of yours have indirectly made you famous, fighting in your stead, so to speak..." Bai Meng chattered away at length, leaving Qin Ming slightly lost in thought.
Touching upon the past naturally reminded him of certain people. He wondered how Xiao Wu and Xiang Yiwu were doing. With the recent stirrings of the Golden Roster, would they return?
Qin Ming was somewhat concerned. To this day, there had been no word of them, and he had no idea where they were.
Bai Meng grew somewhat nostalgic as well. "I miss them too. Looking back to those days when the few of us drank and laughed together, it feels like it was just yesterday. Where on earth did those two run off to? Hopefully, they'll show up in time when the external war begins."
Soon, his eyes went wide. "Brother Ming, this wine of yours... is it a grandmaster-grade tribute offering? This is definitely rare, premium liquor. And this jar seems to carry an exotic foreign flair. It's been so long since I heard you cause a huge stir that I'm not used to it. Did you run off to an alien world to hunt grandmasters?"
Qin Ming said, "Don't talk nonsense! I didn't even dare go to your Tai Ruins; how would I dare venture alone to an alien realm to stir up trouble?"
"What's wrong with our Tai Ruins? It's not like there are man-eating behemoths there. Last time, I had prepared a lavish welcome for you, but you didn't come along with the tour group."
Qin Ming gave him a sidelong glance. "Doesn't your sister count as a fearsome beast? If I went, I wouldn't make it out without having a layer of skin peeled off. And weren't you threatened and intimidated by her last time into writing me that letter, trying to trick me into coming?"
Bai Meng wiped away his sweat. "Brother Ming, don't say that. My sister is a very nice person."
Qin Ming nodded in appraisal. "She's decent enough, just too fierce. And she holds a grudge. How long has it been, and she still wants to settle scores with me!"
Bai Meng defended her: "Brother Ming, you can't put it like that. If you didn't hold a grudge, how come you haven't forgotten any of it either? It's only human nature."
Qin Ming stared at him. "Little Bai, something's very off with you. Your sister isn't even here, so why are you speaking up for her? You were never like this before."
Sweat beaded on Bai Meng's forehead. "Brother Ming, don't wrong me. I've always stood firmly on my sister's side!"
Qin Ming said, "Last time, you were the one who took the initiative to tell me that your sister—"
"No, I didn't! I never said that!" Bai Meng panicked.
Qin Ming said, "What are you getting worked up for? Da Tang might be petty, extremely vengeful, and terrifyingly fierce, but she's not here after all. What are you afraid of?"
"Brother Ming, say no more! Let's drink!"
Qin Ming noticed a clue and said, "Holy crap, Bai Meng, that's really underhanded. You're holding a dharma conch! Who are you secretly communicating with?"
"I forgot to turn it off," Bai Meng mumbled sheepishly. Clearly, he had been threatened into carrying the conch into the village. Evidently, Tang Yushang had wanted to hear how her old rival badmouthed her behind her back.
Qin Ming fished the conch off Bai Meng and greeted warmly, "Da Tang, long time no see. How have you been?"
"I heard everything you just said about me!" Tang Yushang was grinding her teeth, her voice coming through loud and clear.
Qin Ming: "..."
"Step outside Black and White Mountain if you've got the guts!" Tang Yushang threatened outright.
"Come over here if you've got the guts." Qin Ming smiled, not the least bit intimidated by her.
In fact, he was unable to smile later that very day. Following its continuous abnormal movements, the Golden Roster actually began drafting renowned old monsters and young prodigies from both the heavens and the earth.
Without question, Qin Ming was on the grand roster, and was ordered to report as soon as possible.
Thus, his smile froze. He was being forced to emerge from the mountains.
Chapter 526