The colossal, boundless abyss resembled a desolate cosmos where the stars had long since burned out. The surrounding expanse stretched vast and endless, enveloped in nothing but deep gloom and deathly stillness—as if time itself had ground to a halt.
Qin Ming descended deeper and deeper until he arrived at the pitch-black floor of the abyss, where one could not even see one's own outstretched fingers. Suddenly, tens of thousands of luminous threads flickered into existence, swaying ceaselessly.
Those threads were as fine as ox hair, crystalline and silvery-white. They seemed like crushed starlight spun into filaments, appearing exceptionally dazzling in the absolute darkness. Dense and intertwined, each one was extraordinarily long, dancing in erratic motions.
The threads—measuring dozens of meters long—all pointed toward a single origin: a fluffy, tufted mass resembling a glowing bird's nest, from which issued a weathered, weary voice:
"At last... I have waited... for you..."
Clad in five-colored liquid armor, with the Yellow Silk Canopy suspended above his head and a gleaming long saber held in his hand, Qin Ming remained vigilant and on high alert as he approached the source of the sound.
It appeared to be a human head, and the dozens-of-meters-long silvery-white threads were actually strands of floating hair, confined behind a curtain of light.
*Clang!*
Accompanied by splashing sparks, the silvery filaments stabbed against the curtain of light, producing the metallic ring of a clash alongside rippling Dao charms. Yet they could not pierce that seemingly soft, gentle layer of radiance.
Qin Ming's feet were encased in crystalline liquid exotic metal, his whole body glowing. Standing with his saber raised, he asked, "Who are you, and why are you calling for me?"
All the strands of hair receded like an ebbing tide, revealing the truth beneath.
The supposed head was very indistinct, not a physical object at all, but rather a cluster of light. Every strand of hair was formed of starlight, devoid of physical substance.
It was a humanoid silhouette, rather hazy, situated within a battered, incomplete set of armor.
At the bottom of the dark abyss, that tattered suit of armor was the only solid object.
Was that humanoid silhouette of light a weapon spirit, or a person's consciousness imprisoned here?
This exotic metal armor was riddled with fractures and gaping holes; the left leg, abdomen, right arm, head, and other sections were severely missing.
Of the entire suit, barely half remained.
Yet within this abyss, compared to the other treasure fragments, this already counted as relatively intact armor.
Though somewhat dim, it bore nine distinct colors, having incorporated a wide variety of exotic metals. In its prime, it had undoubtedly been a peerless battle armor.
Refining such a peculiar weapon must have cost a considerable amount of Heavenly Immortal blood!
Most crucial of all, the battered war armor was firmly bound by chains forged of exotic metal, whose opposite ends vanished into the void.
No matter how one looked at it, this armor possessed an eerie, demonic quality; why else would it be chained so securely?
"You are willing to see me. Can you take me away? Can you?" The faint silhouette raised its head within the armor, its eyes burning with fervor, longing, and acute anxiety.
Qin Ming realized that the entity was not looking for him.
"We aren't familiar—in fact, we're total strangers, right? We weren't even born in the same era. I know nothing about you," the five-colored battle robe on Qin Ming's body chimed in.
"Take me away!" Inside the chained, tattered armor, the hazy silhouette grew desperate, its gaze scorching as it stared straight ahead.
The five-colored treasure fragment realized that the entity was not pleading with it either.
Qin Ming understood who it was speaking to: the rag.
"Why do you ignore me? Why don't you awaken? I accompanied you for so long!" Within the nine-colored exotic metal armor, the silhouette grew visibly agitated.
He thrashed violently against his bonds, but all was in vain; he could not break free.
After a long silence, the exotic metal cloth produced a voice: "You are already dead."
The silhouette trapped in the armor shook its head vigorously. "No! I am your wielder! You can help me escape, and I can walk among mortals once more!"
The five-colored treasure fragment remarked, "Who is he talking to? Another one gone mad."
The Yellow Silk Canopy spun, letting auspicious purple mist drift down from its tassels as it remarked, "Whether he's crazy or not, I can't say, but there's definitely another monster speaking."
Unfortunately, it could not hear the rag's voice either.
Evidently, only Qin Ming and that hazy silhouette could perceive the old rag's words.
"You have a way to help me reappear in the mortal world, don't you?" the figure within the ruined armor pressed.
The exotic metal cloth replied, "Affinity begins at first dawn; affinity ends when the soul turns to dust. The scenes of the past can never be revisited."
The figure within the ruined armor froze, then cried, "I was once your wielder! I was only one step away from reaching an even higher level! How could you abandon me?"
Qin Ming was profoundly shaken. Up until now, he was merely the old rag's "temporary wielder," whereas this "predecessor" had already shed the word "temporary."
Furthermore, beyond the status of "wielder," there was apparently an "upper-story view."
Qin Ming watched quietly. The exotic metal cloth was merciless, having clearly cast aside its "predecessor."
The hazy figure turned to fix his gaze on Qin Ming, speaking with utmost solemnity: "Successor, little brother, how about a deal between us? Lend me a mortal form for a hundred years, and I shall grant you the power to look down upon the mortal realm for a lifetime!"
As he spoke, numerous silvery-white strands of hair on his head danced and coalesced into starlight, eventually condensing into a sheet of paper covered in text. With great effort, it pierced the curtain of light, exposing a single corner.
"We shall sign a fair covenant!" He gasped heavily for breath, on the verge of dispersing entirely at any moment.
Qin Ming stepped back immediately and shook his head with firm resolve. He had become extremely wary of contracts and covenants lately, and there was no reason to step into an uncertain domain. Who knew what hidden dangers lurked within?
A crash of thunder fell, and tribulation qi materialized. With a resounding *boom*, the corner of paper protruding from the light curtain exploded, reduced to ash and smoke.
The figure within the ruined armor sighed, remaining silent for a long time before muttering, "If it were someone else, how would they choose? Could anyone have done better regarding the events of the past?"
Then, Qin Ming noticed a change in his surroundings; everything before his eyes transformed completely.
He forgot about the abyss. He now stood amidst blood and fire, feeling a wrenching agony tearing through his heart. He saw Li Qingyue treading upon the void, arriving bathed in divine radiance, her white robes untainted by worldly dust. Yet suddenly—with a sharp hiss—a dazzling immortal sword slashed down, cleaving her in two.
Tragic, brilliant blood sprayed; white robes were shredded; her body plunged from the night sky. The fragrant jade had perished, tumbling down into the abyss.
Next, Qin Ming saw his grandfather, clad in tattered clothes, walking across the earth, only to be struck by an arrow and blown apart, flesh, blood, and broken bones showering everywhere.
In that moment, ignorant of cause or consequence, Qin Ming stood there feeling as though he had truly lived through these tragedies. His eyes nearly tore at the corners, and his entire body's blood burned with fury.
He drew his saber and charged forward, hair wildly billowing, his vision stained entirely in crimson as he launched into a slaughter—
Qin Ming's emotions surged violently, his whole body trembling, not understanding what he had just experienced.
Beside him, the five-colored treasure fragment sighed. "Another one's gone mad!"
"How was it?" the exotic metal cloth asked. Only Qin Ming, who was gradually coming back to his senses, and the hazy silhouette could hear it.
The figure in the nine-colored armor answered, "I truly wish I could go to that appointment myself once more!"
The exotic metal cloth said, "He is more aggressive than you were, and better at fighting. If he were in that era, perhaps he could have slaughtered his way through."
"The past cannot be remade." The hazy figure gradually dimmed, falling silent at last.
Only the entire armor shook with increasing violence, pulling taut all the exotic metal chains that bound it. Sparks of Dao charms and metallic clangs erupted incessantly.
Qin Ming shook his head forcefully, desperately wanting to swear. What had he just experienced? He could only recall the imagery of Li Qingyue being slain and his grandfather being shot to pieces; everything after that was a blank blur.
He said in a deep voice, "You two went too far!"
Then he asked, "Who are you?"
"I am a scene of the past. Take me as a mirror, or you shall become me. Farewell." The entire nine-colored armor grew dim, vanishing into the darkness.
In the end, Qin Ming left the bottom of the abyss with a heavy heart. That "predecessor" seemed to have met a truly tragic fate; what in the world had he gone through?
Even now, that person's regrets remained unappeased.
Outside the abyss, where a group of veteran grandmasters stood, Xie Muze's body trembled slightly, his gaze cold as ice blades. He never could have imagined that his niece would return in such a wretched state.
The other grandmasters were equally stunned. The proud daughter of the Xie family had been cleaved diagonally from shoulder to waist, and then cut in two at the midriff, severed into four large pieces. Steaming with dense clouds of bloody mist, she had fled in utter panic.
"Jingxian, who harmed you?" Xie Muze asked in a low voice. Not long ago, he had been full of pride and composure, comparing his niece to the bright moon hanging high in the heavens.
Yet in the blink of an eye, Xie Jingxian—whom Star Mountain intended to nurture with great resources, a possessor of dual-grandmaster achievements—had fled out in such a gruesome manner.
Xie Muze felt his old face burning with pain. He had rarely boasted, demurely soaking in everyone's praises, only for reality to slap him across the face.
"I don't know him! He suddenly intervened, and we had a violent clash over an awakening treasure fragment—" Xie Jingxian trembled with rage at the thought of her opponent calling her an "old witch." That foe was utterly detestable.
Xie Muze looked shocked. "What? You truly encountered an awakening treasure? Then the active substance—"
Chest tight with suffocating vexation, Xie Jingxian replied, "I offered the active metal, but in the end someone snatched it from me. I couldn't bring out that peculiar weapon fragment."
"A wild grandmaster! He truly is tired of living!" Xie Muze's face turned icy cold. Yet he could only vent with words; could he actually make a move?
The Golden Roster imposed strict restraints; he did not dare overstep the rules.
Xie Jingxian's failure and severe injuries caused a massive uproar.
Qin Ming emerged from the abyss clad in five-colored armor, instantly drawing countless gazes from outside.
Such a matter could not be concealed. After all, many people inside the abyss had witnessed it.
Moreover, word had spread early on that the five-colored treasure fragment had fallen into his hands.
Now, a large crowd gathered to watch, their hearts stirring with agitation, unable to tear their eyes away.
"Someone has stumbled upon a great stroke of fortune again, obtaining a fragment of a supreme treasure! How enviable, how jealous it makes people!"
A clamor erupted outside the abyss, sparking an enormous sensation.
Xie Muze stared at that figure, gazing at the gleaming five-colored battle robe on him. He felt as if his old face had swollen up. Recalling his previous remarks about a badger and a mountain lord, he wished he could swallow every single word back down.
Worse still, a cluster of old fellows nearby were all watching him. Some didn't spare him any face at all, grinning openly on the spot, while others struggled to stifle their laughter.
Xie Muze felt a scorching heat on his cheeks, no different from receiving several public slaps, making it unbearable for him to stay.
"I offered up active substance rich with dense Dao charms, and that peculiar weapon fragment had already taken a liking to me—" Xie Jingxian said, filled with bitter unwillingness.
At that time, in order to feast on the "delicacy," the five-colored treasure fragment had indeed given her great hope.
Precisely because of this, her heart ached to death now. She felt she had been just half a step from success, only to tragically lose the legendary supreme treasure.
Evidently, the active substance she had offered was extraordinarily precious. Otherwise, it wouldn't have caused two grandmasters of the Xie family such heartache, their faces pale, itching to rob Qin Ming immediately.
"I think this young fellow surnamed Qin is quite decent, not nearly as terrible as Old Xie made him out to be."
"Indeed. I plan to reach out to him later. Old Xie, you won't be so petty as to get upset, will you?"
Several veteran grandmasters spoke up one after another, their eyes burning with interest as they stared at the figure walking out of the abyss.
Clearly, after obtaining the treasure fragment, Qin Ming's status had risen accordingly, making him all the more worthy of courtship from various factions.
Xie Muze was choked with gloomy frustration, his stomach burning with suppressed fury. He was acutely aware that this youth and the five-colored treasure upon him were destined to have no affinity with him.
"Sister Huang, where is the supreme dao arena you hail from? How did you end up stranded here?" the five-colored treasure fragment inquired.
The Yellow Silk Canopy replied, "Call me Aunt, or Mother works too."
"Little girl!"
The two supreme treasures from different civilizations began bickering.
Bai Meng gasped in marvel. "Brother Ming, you're truly miraculous! You actually obtained a five-colored treasure! In terms of the variety of blended exotic metals alone, it currently stands second to none."
Qin Ming said, "The number of blended exotic metals doesn't dictate the grade or power of a supreme treasure. The two aren't necessarily related."
Several acquaintances, such as Pei Shuyan and Zhuo Qingming, also came over to inspect the peculiar weapon.
"Qin Ming, you've truly astonished us all and broadened our horizons." Yao Ruoxian, the fourth princess of Dayu, glanced over with her beautiful eyes and earnestly asked how to make a treasure fragment awaken voluntarily.
She was quite close with Qin Ming, so she did not stand on ceremony and asked directly.
Qin Ming indeed had a method; he had resonated with the control arts of more than one peculiar weapon. However, he did not dare spread it casually.
If people around him began obtaining treasure fragments one after another, trouble would inevitably follow. Forget about the Golden Roster's disapproval; even those old monsters of the seventh realm would cast their keen gazes upon him and lock onto him.
If they truly investigated and dug deep, a catastrophic disaster would befall him.
Qin Ming calculated that arranging one for Yu Gensheng or Meng Xinghai to test the waters would already be pushing the limit.
The group of acquaintances discussed for a long time and decided to try again the next day; after all, the Golden Roster hadn't stated they could only enter once.
"Huh, my sister got one too!" Bai Meng noticed Tang Yushang walking out. She had obtained a broken chain as lustrous as mutton-fat jade. When transformed into armor, it draped over her body like an interwoven net of stars.
Bai Meng knew well that Tang Yushang already possessed a jade mirror. If an external war broke out, this chain armor would most likely be given to him for protection.
Tang Yushang was tall and slender, her black gown unable to conceal her undulating curves. She walked over gracefully on her long legs, raising her fair chin as she passed Qin Ming. "The five days will be up very soon."
Qin Ming tilted his head to look at her. "Do we really have to spar?"
"Don't tell me you're afraid?" Tang Yushang looked askance, her delicate brows slightly raised, showing quite a bit of swagger. Evidently, she still harbored a grudge and was eager to pummel Qin Ming.
"Just don't regret it when the time comes," Qin Ming said, prepared to grant her wish.
Yao Ruoxian smiled. "When does it start? I want to watch!"
"Count me in!" A crowd of acquaintances clamored, eager for the spectacle.
"It will be a closed-door spar." Fearing an accidental mishap, Tang Yushang cautiously turned them down.
That evening, Pei Shuyan and Bai Meng received so many gifts that their hands went numb, as even more people wished to meet and converse with Qin Ming through them—and all of them came from major powers.
Qin Ming looked over the list and found they were all dao arenas of astonishing background, such as Thunder Marsh Palace, Zixiao Cave, and Misty Peak.
He had already interacted with people from Heavenly God Ridge and Star Mountain; rejecting these major powers of comparable caliber would naturally cause offense.
In the end, he gladly went to the appointments. Surely not every great organization was like Xie Muze of Star Mountain, behaving like an ill-tempered cur that turned hostile at a moment's notice.
Sure enough, he met with several factions in succession, and the interactions went pleasantly enough, the other parties being very polite.
In truth, it was primarily because he had obtained a peculiar weapon, making various factions covetous. Regardless of his past, even some Earth Immortal old monsters now wished to get their hands on the treasure fragment to study it.
Grandmaster Zhou Lin of Zixiao Cave spoke up: "Brother Qin, barring any surprises, after the external war concludes, such supreme treasures will certainly be returned to the abyss, because they all suffer more or less from madness."
He continued, "Would you consider renting it out for this period?"
Qin Ming shook his head immediately, refusing: "The footsteps of the great war draw closer by the day, almost suffocatingly so. I am counting on it to preserve my life and survive on the battlefield."
What a joke; there was no room for discussion on this matter.
While these people wanted to recruit him, what they truly coveted was the treasure itself.
Zhou Lin said, "This was indeed an oversight on my part, somewhat presumptuous. How about this: right now, could you let us hold it and examine it for a brief moment?"
Qin Ming said, "The treasure fragment is sentient. I fear it might get angry."
The five-colored treasure secretly transmitted its voice: "You're right! What do these people take me for?"
Qin Ming communicated with it secretly: "I reckon some old monsters want to study you. They have plenty of good things in their hands, like active substance..."
The five-colored treasure fragment immediately changed its tune: "Is that so? Then what harm is there in letting them broaden their horizons!"
Zhou Lin said, "Brother Qin, we certainly won't examine it for free."
Qin Ming nodded. "Very well, then I shall persuade it. As far as I know, it favors active substance rich in dense Dao charms."
"That... we have!" Zhou Lin nodded at once.
Qin Ming handed over a sheet of paper, saying, "In addition, it also wishes to study these six kinds of medicinal herbs."
In the other world, he had obtained the *Ten Thousand Apertures Luminous Art* and three jars of medicinal paste from Divine Son Lin Shuyue. After being analyzed by the Yellow Silk Canopy, the ingredients of the paste were already known, all consisting of extraordinarily rare, precious herbs.
Therefore, Qin Ming took the opportunity to demand those hard-to-find treasures.
The five-colored treasure fragment glowed, sorely tempted to ask: *What kind of weapon is interested in medicinal herbs? This middleman is skimming a profit!*
Zhou Lin was also rendered speechless, but after some thought, he agreed; after all, he was the one asking for a favor.
However, not long after stepping out with that sheet of paper, his expression turned sour. Those were all wondrous herbs of exceptional rarity and value, meant for grandmasters.
He felt that this kid was truly not one to suffer a loss. Before even reaching the fourth realm, he had already begun demanding precious herbs used by grandmasters to nourish the physical body and strengthen the spirit.
Zhou Lin returned and said, "It is very difficult to gather all of them. In the short term, we can only provide two."
"Fine then," Qin Ming agreed with apparent reluctance, then added a condition: if there were only two kinds of wondrous herbs, a larger quantity would have to be provided.
He was in no hurry; wasn't there another faction next? Selling the same goods multiple times, he could take it slow.
In that single night alone, Qin Ming gathered all six kinds of great herbs, and in considerable quantities!
Afterward, the five-colored treasure fragment reflected on the matter, saying, "Something feels off. Did I compromise my dignity, or are you just utterly devoid of scruples?"
Qin Ming said, "You've only just awakened and don't understand the ways of this world. In truth, this is a win-win!"
"Little girl, I think he's conning me. What do you say?"
The Yellow Silk Canopy replied, "Give me half of your active substance, and I'll tell you the true essence of this world."
Later that night, Qin Ming returned to the encampment at the edge of the primeval forest. He saw the extraordinary individuals and young sect masters of the Newborn path. Though they did not look old on the outside, the weathered air in their eyes was far greater than that of true youths.
His heart stirred with emotion; the Newborn path was truly arduous.
That night, he sat in silence for a long time, reviewing everything he had learned. For the first time, he felt an impulse to try pioneering a new path.
After a long while, he sighed. Reshaping an entire system was simply too difficult. At present, he was merely integrating the paths of predecessors; before reaching the true apex of the pyramid, how could "opening heaven and earth" be an easy task?
However, while the grand path was hard to alter, he felt capable of devising some shortcuts and chapters on health preservation.
For instance, he had thoroughly researched the World-Abiding Scripture, the Destiny-Altering Scripture, the Divine Cicada Scripture, the Black and White Scripture, and the Body Refining to Unite with the Dao Classic. All of these possessed the effects of altering one's skeletal constitution, enhancing natural talent, undergoing transformation, and prolonging life.
In addition, the *Ten Thousand Apertures Luminous Art* he had recently acquired also possessed miraculous efficacy in this domain.
Qin Ming remained in absolute silence, sitting through the entire night. Using the silk book method to blend the various scriptures, he temporarily stripped away the overbearing portions that burdened or even harmed the body. Setting aside offensive power entirely and focusing solely on methods of nourishing life, he painstakingly synthesized and integrated a complete chapter.
Clearly, this was a weakened version of the body-nourishing aspects of the various scriptures. Without trimming away certain parts, it would be far too domineering; ordinary people practicing it to the end would inevitably blow themselves apart.
Furthermore, this was only an initial draft.
Early the next morning, Qin Ming sought out the extraordinary individuals and young sect masters of the Newborn path, handing them the *Health Preservation: Initial Chapter* for them to try.
"Brilliant! This can... nourish the body! Brother Qin, how did you develop this?"
"By fusing them with the silk book method, and then excising the portions that are overly domineering and harmful to the body. It does not pursue offensive power, focusing solely on the gentler domain of health preservation."
In truth, Qin Ming did not elaborate on the details; it involved texts like the *Destiny-Altering Scripture*, which only he had mastered, while even some founding masters in the past had thrown the book aside in defeat.
Now that he had tested the method on himself and combed out the portions ordinary people could practice, it naturally yielded extraordinary results.
Qin Ming said, "This is merely the initial chapter. We can study it together moving forward and refine it gradually."
"Truly... marvelous! I eagerly await the day you become a grandmaster of a generation, a founding patriarch, pioneering a new path for our Newborn system!"
The crowd was thrilled and deeply stirred. Gazing at this young man, they seemed to see the future hope of the Newborn path.
"Qin Ming, you can't hide! Time is up!" Tang Yushang arrived as promised, having genuinely kept her eye on the time.
Today, she wore a red dress, just as she had when they first met at Great Thunder Sound Temple. Her figure was slender and enchanting, her dark hair cascading down like a waterfall, her beautiful face devoid of the slightest blemish—stunning beyond compare.
She clenched her fair fists, delicate fingers shimmering with faint light, her pale chin tilted upward in a posture ready to soundly thrash Qin Ming. Tang Yushang was radiant with high spirits, brimming with supreme confidence. "Are you ready?"
Chapter 531