Five Hundred Years Older, Dominating the Night Mist Sea

When a dog grew famous, it barked across the hills; when a man grew famous, troubles followed in droves. Being too sought after was a crime in its own right. Qin Ming had always believed he walked the world relying purely on his strength, so how had he suddenly turned into some sort of god of charm? To think he had actually stirred the mortal heart of an immortal fairy maiden! Truth be told, this female Earth Immortal was genuinely beautiful. Her waist-length raven hair was lustrous enough to mirror light, her skin fair as congealed fat, her eyebrows dark like distant mountains, and an oval face graced with a gentle, refreshing, elegant smile. She bore none of the decrepitude one might expect from being five hundred years older; on the contrary, she still looked youthful. If one were unaware of her identity, one would take her for a vibrant, gorgeous young woman. Facing the favor of an immortal fairy maiden, Qin Ming felt immense pressure. Met with her gentle gaze, Qin Ming held his body ramrod straight, planted firmly in place like a spear thrust into the earth. The silver-haired old man, whose strands were glistening and snow-white, wore a benevolent expression that looked more and more like a father-in-law inspecting a prospective son-in-law. He turned toward the female Earth Immortal and asked, "What do you think?" The woman nodded. "Mm, very good." She smiled without revealing her teeth, seemingly quite pleased. Qin Ming's head ached. This immortal fairy maiden, who had to be at least five hundred years older than him, had truly taken a liking to him! In that moment, he thought of Qingyue, who had traveled far away, and reflected on many things. What should he do now? How could he break this deadlock? Facing someone five hundred years older, who wouldn't feel the pressure? There was not a shred of affection between them, and they weren't even from the same era—so how had they suddenly ended up getting thrown together? The silver-haired old man asked, "Do you have misgivings? What is there left to worry about? If the two of you come together, it would be a match made in heaven, a delightful tale for the ages." He assumed the young man already knew of their background and understood what was going on. After all, he had questioned Bai Meng extensively about Qin Ming and mentioned his intentions; with little Bai's big mouth, he surely couldn't keep a secret and would have told Qin Ming everything. Ever since their ancestors, Bai Meng's lineage had suffered from a terrible habit—a loose mouth. Otherwise, they wouldn't have enraged an almighty existence, had their teeth pulled, trunks broken, and been cursed. In reality, through immense willpower, sheer determination, and great resolve, Bai Meng had forcefully held it in. After all, a venerable ancestor had been the one interrogating him, and he didn't want to leak heavenly secrets for fear of getting beaten half to death in the end. He still held considerable awe and dread toward this ancestor; otherwise, upon learning that Tai Ruins maintained an estate in Sky City, he wouldn't have run away from home to fool around with Qin Ming and Pei Shuyan at the Fortune God Workshop and other venues, wanting nothing to do with prancing about under the old monster's watchful eyes. *A match made in heaven?* As those words surfaced in Qin Ming's mind, he involuntarily glanced at the female Earth Immortal. The silver-haired old man thought to himself: *Why are you looking at her?* The haughty, dignified female immortal of the Seventh Realm assumed: *Is he waiting for me to declare my stance, to see if I also approve of this matter?* Though gentle, every gesture she made carried an inherent aura. She smiled and nodded. "Mm, no problem. Being together is quite wonderful. You two will make an immortal couple in the future." Qin Ming felt somewhat numb. In youth, one never knew the charm of an older woman... Now he understood. This was an Earth Immortal, yet she was being so proactive! What's more, she was dignified and graceful, not showing the slightest bashfulness, stating it so naturally and openly. Qin Ming mused: Could her brilliant confidence also conceal an underlying forcefulness, intending to finalize the matter in a single stroke, brooking no doubt or refusal? "What, are you still hesitating?" The silver-haired old man gave him a sideways glance. Qin Ming thought to himself: *Just as I suspected, they're going to resort to threats and use their power to pressure me.* "Senior, you've misunderstood. What I want to say is—" The silver-haired old man cut him off, his expression softening again as he said, "I know you have a girl you knew from early on, a childhood sweetheart of sorts. But she has departed far away and, in all likelihood, will never return in this lifetime. You simply do not understand how mysterious and deep the waters are in that supreme sanctuary." The female Earth Immortal showed even greater understanding, adding, "The obsessions of youth will eventually scatter with the wind." Qin Ming braced himself and said, "What virtue or ability do I have to deserve your... great esteem?" He wanted to tactfully decline. The silver-haired old man said, "I know you might have some troubles, but that doesn't matter. Once you become family, none of that will be an issue." The female Earth Immortal nodded in agreement. "When the time comes, I'd like to see who dares lay a hand on someone I've set my sights on. Furthermore, I will arrange your future cultivation myself—authentic scriptures and secret medicines will certainly not be lacking." In this moment, Qin Ming deeply appreciated what it meant to skip five hundred years of hard struggle; this immortal fairy maiden had everything arranged! The silver-haired old man also nodded repeatedly in approval. Qin Ming realized that the ancients truly had not deceived him: with a woman five hundred years older, one could rule supreme over the Night Mist Sea! For a fleeting moment, he was genuinely tempted. He even envisioned the years and decades ahead: Was he to become a matrilocal son-in-law to an Earth Immortal's family? What surname would the children bear? Soon, he took a deep breath, severing his tangled thoughts. If he didn't strive while he was young, when would he struggle? Setting his sights on skipping five hundred years of hard work would corrode his heroic spirit and wear away his grand ambitions! No, he absolutely could not lose himself in this gentle haven! He had to hold his lustrous white exotic metal blade, fan the lofty ambitions in his chest, swallow ten thousand li of mountains and rivers with his spirit, and sweep through the realm like a crossing dragon! But if he rejected them to their faces and caused them embarrassment, what if they turned hostile? Qin Ming felt he could bring up the Dog Sword Immortal to bluff them. If all else failed, he could reveal a bit of Heavenly God Liu Mo's secrets to borrow momentum. "Immortal Fairy Maiden, I am not as good as you think. Your status is noble and exalted, like the bright, pristine moon hanging high in the heavens, whereas I am merely a petty cultivator of the Third Realm standing in the dust." In his heart, he silently muttered: *Old Cloth, do your job and be reliable. You should be able to completely conceal my true foundation, right?* The reason he had dared to ascend to heaven in the first place was that he possessed the tattered cloth. Even though it was rarely helpful and usually ignored him, even "useless cloth" had moments when it shone and proved useful in that regard. The silver-haired old man's gaze shifted; the more he listened, the more wrong it sounded. The immortal fairy maiden's expression froze slightly, her eyes filled with disbelief. Suspecting she had misheard, she stared at him with an unblinking gaze. *** One incense stick of time earlier, Bai Meng, who had been loafing outside for two days, returned to that grand estate. After being summoned by the two ancestors, he went looking for Tang Yushang with a mysterious look on his face. "Sis, the two venerable ancestors went to see Brother Ming." Tang Yushang was surprised. "Was that necessary? The previous matter was settled long ago. Did the ancestors go to warn him again? That's really uncalled for." Bai Meng was blunt. "No, the ancestors are considering taking in a son-in-law." "What?" Tang Yushang was shocked. "For whom?" she quickly asked. "For you, of course," Bai Meng said as if it were obvious. Tang Yushang turned to stone. In her mind, the ancestors were protective of their own and had always stood up for her; they had visited Qin Ming earlier specifically to warn him not to bully her. Hearing this news now felt utterly inconceivable. She had once been beaten to tears by him, yet the ancestors hadn't gone to vent her anger—they went to ask if he was married?! She had mistakenly thought the ancestors were favoring her and sticking up for her, but now she was completely flabbergasted, trembling with rage and frustration. "Ah—!" Bai Meng said, "Sis, stop screaming. I think you're just caught off guard for the moment and haven't recognized your true feelings. Actually, the two of you are quite a good match." Little Bai, who loved juicy gossip above all else, said, "Let me go check on things for you and see what the situation is." In fact, Tang Yushang quietly followed along as well. Not only that, Bai Meng first met up with Pei Shuyan and Cheng Sheng, who were staying in the same inn as Qin Ming. "Little Bai, get over here!" The silver-haired old man possessed peerless cultivation; the moment they popped their heads out, he sensed them from far away. Even though this inn had deep backing and was laid out with super arrays, they could hardly block his spiritual perception. Bai Meng genuinely feared him; every time he saw this ancestor, he trembled inside. Yet after a moment, he truly couldn't hold it in. The corners of his mouth kept curving upward until he finally lost all control, nearly going mad with laughter. The corners of Pei Shuyan and Cheng Sheng's mouths also twitched repeatedly, completely unable to keep straight faces. What kind of surreal, unbelievable scene was this? Qin Ming was entirely dazed, wishing he could find a crack in the floor to crawl into. Bai Meng temporarily forgot his reverence for the Earth Immortal ancestor and burst out laughing right then and there. Just how deep had Brother Ming's misunderstanding gone, to actually think he was being asked to marry an Earth Immortal grandmother?! The silver-haired old man's large hand reached out; he dearly wanted to grab Qin Ming and crush him to pieces, truly pushed past the limits of his endurance. His eyes were fierce, and he desperately wanted to roar: *I valued you and wanted to facilitate a good union, having you marry a Dao companion—not my own Dao companion!* He wanted to kick Qin Ming flying with one blow. What on earth was this kid thinking?! Even the grief-stricken Cheng Sheng found this utterly absurd and felt like laughing out loud. Qin Ming had gone on a blind date and taken a liking to the family elder?! Pei Shuyan's usually tranquil, unrippled state of mind cracked, and he was grinning ear to ear without stopping. "I didn't..." Qin Ming tried to explain. At the final moment, he had clearly tactfully declined! Besides, the whole thing was an enormous misunderstanding. Far off in the night, Tang Yushang was also left utterly disheveled in the wind. Her earlier shame, indignation, and trembling fury had all vanished, thoroughly eclipsed by shock. She grumbled internally: *I treated you like a brother, and you wanted to be my great-grandfather?!* In reality, the seniority of this elderly pair of Earth Immortal Dao companions was vastly higher than that; Tang Yushang merely referred to them loosely as great-grandfather and great-grandmother. At first, the immortal fairy maiden had naturally been dumbfounded and rather cross. Had she nearly married herself off?! Soon, however, she burst into a giggle. To still have such a misunderstanding at hundreds of years old only proved that her charm and grace were undiminished from her youth. Had the gentle immortal fairy maiden not been present, Qin Ming might well have been brutally thrashed by the silver-haired old Earth Immortal. Without question, the matter was temporarily shelved. The atmosphere was far too awkward, and both sides found it so absurd that neither knew what to say for the moment. The two Earth Immortals decided it was best to let things cool down first. Even the next day, Pei Shuyan was still sighing in wonder, "Five hundred years older, dominating the Night Mist Sea!" Cheng Sheng felt that this... was truly beyond comment! Clearly, the two treated this as dirt on Qin Ming, so early that morning they provoked him into glaring back at them. Qin Ming warned them that this matter was finished and done with, and no one was to discuss it further. In this entire incident, the sole casualty physically was Bai Meng, who received a severe thrashing. "Normally you run your big mouth and go chasing gossip everywhere, yet at the critical moment, you turned mute and kept your mouth shut tight! You truly... infuriated this old man to death!" Bai Meng felt he was wronged worse than Dou E. *** The so-called grand gathering commenced. A crowd of old monsters did not appear in their true bodies—this great era was very inhospitable to them. Instead, each manifested a wisp of spiritual will. They discussed the future, hoping to work out a set of regulations. It was now confirmed that the Dao Roster, Golden Board, and New Board would enter a long slumber, and for quite some time, Earth Immortals like them would be needed to steer the course of the future. As for the younger generation, most were busy networking across the venue, enjoying wine and lively conversation. Naturally, quite a few high-ranking members of major organizations and old men from influential clans had also arrived to keep watch in person. Everyone knew that choosing sons-in-law and recruiting disciples were tacitly proceeding even without being spoken aloud. Inside the magnificent palace halls, crystal lamps cast swaying, radiant glows. Many stood in clusters of three or five, while outside the hall, across lush green grass, many others stood engaged in animated conversation. Not far off, an immortal lake rippled as white mist and spiritual radiance rose from its surface. Flood dragons swam within, and five-colored divine lotuses gave off a delicate fragrance. Many people were discussing the battle exploits of One Sword, Qian Cheng, Li Wanfa, and others, holding them in high esteem. "What about me?" Tang Yushang found it baffling. Everyone was praising Yun Jianyue, Realm Faction, Yin Tian, and the rest—had her achievements been swallowed up? Big Tang finally confirmed that the matter of her slaying the Lightning Beast, one of the Seven Heroes of the Celestial Clan, had been covered up. This made her angry enough to complain to the Golden Board, only to find it nowhere to be found. "Your identity is sensitive; keeping a low profile is best," the silver-haired old Earth Immortal ultimately cautioned her in secret. The voice of the immortal fairy maiden also resonated in Tang Yushang's heart: "Think about it. Little Bai's ancestors were Heavenly Gods in the past, yet they were cursed; meanwhile, as descendants of the Lord of Yujing, our lineage also chose to remain on the ground. Naturally, there are hidden circumstances and reasons." At the venue, Qin Ming learned that during the foreign war, when their camp was thinly guarded, other mysterious forces had probed their rear, intending to loot a burning house. However, they had been deterred by the phantom projection of Yujing and retreated. A few young, striking women gathered together, and someone asked privately, "Has One Sword arrived?" "He's definitely here, but he probably doesn't want to show his true form. The women of the Huang family might be able to get close to him." The venue was naturally not lacking in heaven-blessed talents and fairy maidens of various paths. Qin Ming spotted quite a few acquaintances here, such as Li Wanfa, Yan Zhuohua, Zhou Tiandao, and others. Bai Meng was thrilled, having spotted several legendary spiritual elephants. Pei Shuyan reflected inwardly: *Who am I? Where am I? I came to the wrong place!* Bai Meng nudged his shoulder and said, "Old Pei, you can space out even in a place like this?" Qin Ming said, "Old Pei's mental state is elevated. Everything you see before you is far too shallow to him. He is a man of depth, lofty ideals, and ambition. His gaze will not linger among rouge and powder; his heart is already committed to the Dao, and safeguarding the common people is his true pursuit." Pei Shuyan fired back, "Five hundred years older, dominating the Night Mist Sea." Qin Ming didn't want to argue with him. Holding his wine cup, he went to consult some experts on how to break the Reincarnation Black Lotus. For he missed Xiao Wu and Xiang Yiwu. They were trapped in the mysterious ancient temple, entangled with that black lotus and unable to break free, leaving him feeling utterly powerless. "It's very difficult for outsiders to intervene. That is a crisis, but also a fortunate opportunity. It is a secret path that only those in the Great Thunder Sound Temple nearing the end of their lifespan would take—venturing through reincarnation." Qin Ming listened attentively and consulted multiple veteran seniors, but his brow remained tightly furrowed. *** Through generations, direct daughters of the Huang family had been exceedingly few. The criteria were strict; they were judged not merely by bloodline, but by innate endowment, bone structure, talent, and temperament. Even if a biological daughter of the family head failed to qualify, it was entirely normal. On what grounds did the Huang family dare recruit saint-level prodigies as sons-in-law? Their so-called direct daughters, while not necessarily having beauty to topple nations, had to be pure as ice and jade, strikingly elegant, and capable of becoming a grandmaster in their early forties. In this generation, only three had been chosen, each exceptionally outstanding. One could only say the Huang family's foundation was immensely profound; only with the backing of wondrous arts and secret medicines could they nurture more than one direct daughter. Saint-level extraordinary geniuses could break through into the Fifth Realm in their early thirties, and a select few were even younger. If the Huang family's direct daughters fell too far behind, they naturally wouldn't be competitive. At this moment, several women of the Huang family stood together, conferring in hushed tones. "Could that Li Wanfa also have reached his realm through sheer time? If that's the case, let's keep him as a secondary choice." "He cultivates Chaos force; special attention must be paid to him." Recently, secret rumors had circulated that elders were earnestly analyzing Chaos force, deeming this killing method extraordinarily profound, perhaps even organizing people to cultivate it for deeper research. The main reason was that during the enclave battle, the power demonstrated by the Sage had shaken the old monsters of every mountain stronghold, inspiring immense dread. In addition, his disciple Li Wanfa had also displayed astonishing strength, having slain one of the Seven Heroes of the Celestial Clan. Another cultivator of this method, Qin Ming, possessed a certain dominance within his realm. A single Sage was one thing, but for others in this lineage to be each more formidable than the last meant that this method held immense potential and warranted serious attention. One direct daughter of the Huang family said, "Xiaoyue, approach Qin Ming and interact with him more. It would be best if you could learn something from him and unravel the secrets of this system." A young woman clad in a goose-yellow dress whispered, "I am not a direct daughter; can I even approach him? How would I consult him about such wondrous arts?" "No matter what, you are a daughter of the Huang family. How can you lack confidence? If Yujing were not cut off from the outside, our clan's standing would be far higher than it is now." Another direct daughter nodded placidly and said, "Could you really expect the three of us to approach a mere Third Realm practitioner of Chaos force?" In fact, major factions currently placed immense emphasis on Chaos force. Both the silk book method and the Sage's lineage's Chaos Sutra had drawn greedy eyes. Of course, everyone was well aware that even obtaining the scriptures made mastery difficult; one required an appropriate guide to bestow the seed. Thus, many eyes had been fixed upon Qin Ming from the very start. To them, he was practically a walking dandelion of authentic scriptures, capable of releasing seeds into the wind. In truth, many held an even higher regard for his seed, valuing it more than that of the Sage's lineage. After all, he had stepped onto this path by relying on himself, and he seemed to hold even greater dominance within the same realm.