Inside the hall, crystal chandeliers refracted a radiant glow, casting shimmering light across the entire room. Every person's expression was illuminated with utmost clarity, leaving even the subtlest emotions in the corners of their eyes and brows nowhere to hide.
Tang Yushang stood amidst the play of light and shadow, her celestial elegance breathtaking, her jade-like visage frosty and detached, aloof and untainted as though a heavenly maiden from the ninth heaven had descended into the mortal world.
Before others, she was perpetually cold, proud, and breathtakingly ethereal, appearing utterly removed from the mundane dust of the world.
With her keen divine senses, Tang Yushang immediately noticed that the room had suddenly fallen dead silent.
Moreover, every eye was fixed squarely upon her.
She saw shock written plainly across Cheng Sheng's face; he seemed almost unable to believe his ears, staring at her in bewilderment.
Even Pei Gong—who had grown rather placid of late, having severed many worldly attachments—jerked his head up, fixing her with a profoundly bizarre stare.
Yao Ruoxian's slender fingers tightened on the stem of her crystal goblet, knuckles white with shock. Her expression was intensely complicated as she stared blankly at her.
Bai Meng was... vigorously rubbing his face! Was he covering his eyes to hide the second-hand embarrassment? Acting like an ostrich, he squirmed as though mortified on his sister's behalf, yet dared not say a word.
Even several of the surrounding attendants wore stunned expressions, stealing surreptitious glances at Tang Yushang.
Furthermore, Pei Gong, Yao Ruoxian, and the others soon shifted their gazes toward Qin Ming, their expressions tangled and awkward, looking as though they desperately wanted to ask something but found it impossible to voice.
They were wondering what in the world Tang Yushang and Qin Ming had been through during the time they had vanished together.
This was a descendant of the Lord of Yujing, usually the epitome of poise, grace, and chilling celestial beauty—yet just now, Tang Yushang had actually—
The entire hall had lost all sound; you could hear a pin drop.
Anyone with social experience knew that in gatherings like this, sudden silence was the most terrifying thing of all.
Given Tang Yushang's standing, she was destined to attend such banquets frequently. She realized instantly that something had gone terribly wrong.
Every detail from a moment ago flashed through her mind like a rapid replay. In an instant, her aloof, pristine composure shattered completely.
What had she just done? Tang Yushang wished she could shatter the void and ascend right then and there to flee far away.
It was simply too humiliating. Her body swayed unsteadily as a deep crimson flush rushed over her cheeks. This was truly the most mortifying moment of her entire life; her crystal-fair toes clenched so hard inside her shoes that she nearly tore through the soles and pulverized the floor.
Right now, she wished for nothing more than to sprout wings, shed her mortal coil in a flash, and bid farewell to this place forever.
All of this transpired in the span of a spark, yet the minds of everyone present had already spun through a hundred and twenty different thoughts, countless conjectures and suspicions flashing across their hearts like dense streams of light.
The corners of Qin Ming's mouth twitched upward. He desperately wanted to laugh, but had to suppress it with all his might, which felt excruciatingly painful.
He had genuinely never expected to witness such a scene.
Yet on an occasion like this, he absolutely could not pull the rug out from under her; doing so would guarantee making an enemy for life.
Mustering immense willpower and supreme determination, Qin Ming forcefully crushed down the curl of his lips. Adopting an expression of utmost gravity, he said, "This is almost certainly Foreign Realm Reaction Syndrome. You have no idea—in that other world, we escaped death by a hair's breadth. To survive, we were forced to alter our identities and assimilate into foreign races."
As he spoke, he openly produced a pair of rough bovine horns to display to everyone present, explaining that he had once been forced to transform into a Bull Demon. To prove his point, he even delivered an unabashed moo.
Yao Ruoxian helped smooth over the awkwardness, chiming in, "So Fairy Tang had to disguise herself as Cat Yushang? Venturing into foreign realms is truly arduous beyond measure."
"So that's how it is," Pei Gong added, playing along to mend the rift. Though his state of mind was unclouded and serene, he had hardly severed all ties with the mortal realm, and his social tact had certainly not withered away.
Cheng Sheng raised his cup. "Surviving great peril surely brings great fortune thereafter."
Tang Yushang raised her cup with reserved composure, yet her toes were still digging furiously into her crystal-thread embroidered shoes. At the same time, she felt an overwhelming urge to pummel Bai Meng.
In her eyes, the boy was usually a shameless gossip, yet at critical junctures, he clamped his mouth shut like a vice; when she actually needed him to speak up, he refused to say a single word.
Worst of all, after her return, slipping up just now hadn't been an isolated incident—she had done it before, yet that useless Bai Meng had bottled it up and never once warned her!
That big mouth of his had saved all its discretion for the absolute worst times!
Before long, Tang Yushang could bear it no longer. Cornering Bai Meng in an empty spot in the back garden, she gave him a thorough thrashing; otherwise, the indignant fury in her chest would never subside.
Truth be told, Bai Meng had earned every single beating he ever received. Every instance was entirely justified.
Covered in bruises and swelling, Bai Meng sought out Qin Ming and said, "Brother Ming, this is a gift from the Old Ancestor."
He further cautioned that it had to be opened in a secluded spot.
Unable to resist his curiosity, Qin Ming ran off to the back garden and popped open the jade box to inspect the talisman inscribed on celestial beast hide. The next instant, a scruffy old man manifested before him.
It was none other than the silver-haired Earthly... Brother!
Immediately afterward, Qin Ming was subjected to a brutal beating. He was utterly suppressed and thrashed, completely incapable of putting up any resistance—he simply stood no chance.
With a snap, Qin Ming hastily slammed the jade box shut, causing the beast-hide talisman to extinguish on its own.
Right after that, Bai Meng received yet another beating.
Bai Meng felt profoundly wronged—he had suffered two consecutive beatings in the very same garden!
"Brother Ming, it's a misunderstanding! I had no idea this would happen! I only vaguely sensed that the Old Ancestor was deeply displeased that you called his Dao partner 'Sister' and even wanted to call him 'Brother'—"
"If you knew that, why didn't you warn me beforehand so I could prepare myself?" Qin Ming stood before a plum tree amidst the swirling wind and snow, gazing at the blossoms braving the cold. Taking a deep breath, he rapidly dissipated his swelling and restored his appearance.
Upon Qin Ming's return to the hall, his acquaintances all looked at him with concern, carefully bringing up the rumors claiming that he was "One Sword."
This was by no means a simple ill wind; the slightest misstep could invite catastrophic trouble.
Pei Gong remarked, "How venomous. This pushes Brother Qin straight to the crest of the storm."
Regardless of whether the rumor was true or false, exposing it now and pushing Qin Ming into the open would inevitably stir up massive waves, potentially even inciting bloody tragedies.
It would undoubtedly subject Qin Ming to scrutiny from all sides, drawing every manner of gaze directly onto him.
Radicals and those bearing grudges against him might very well take action because of this, posing a grave threat to his personal safety.
Once enemies realized an adversary possessed boundless future potential, how could they possibly sit back and allow him to mature? They would inevitably seek to cut his path short as early as possible.
Standing slender and graceful, Yao Ruoxian set down her jade cup of rippling celestial nectar, her expression somber. "Within the Dayu imperial capital, these rumors are churning to the heavens. It's completely impossible to suppress them."
This was certainly no good thing. A stray arrow loosed carelessly by someone harboring ill intentions had stirred up such a raging undercurrent.
A portion of the public genuinely harbored suspicions now, linking Qin Ming with One Sword.
Without a doubt, word of this had already spread far and wide across various territories, and countless people were discussing it.
To Qin Ming, this was no opportunity to win fame, but rather a crisis potentially fraught with mortal danger.
Tang Yushang possessed first-rate emotional control, having already restored her otherworldly, unapproachable air. She spoke seriously, "When people with ulterior motives claim you are formidable, you had best be even more formidable than they imagine."
Qin Ming nodded. Breaking through to become a grandmaster had long been the foremost priority in his heart.
Cheng Sheng remarked, "This is quite thorny. Those in the shadows are firing at an empty target, yet by doing so, they are directing others where to aim. It will draw stray arrows from every direction. Their intent is truly wicked."
Concerned, the group asked Qin Ming about what had happened at Black and White Mountain.
In truth, Qin Ming also wished to learn from them about that intangible, formless technique—the assailant had descended merely as a wisp of hazy mist, and after a brief probe, had vanished into thin air.
Yao Ruoxian said, "That indicates he is exceedingly wary of Black and White Mountain, afraid of the Dog—worried that the Beast God might trace him back."
The Dog Sword Immortal enjoyed tremendous renown these days; the fourth princess of Dayu had nearly let the slip pass her lips before hurriedly amending her words.
Tang Yushang's delicate brows furrowed slightly. "Without a doubt, his use of the so-called precious mirror to shine upon Qin Ming was mere theater. He didn't need actual results; making the gesture alone was enough to spin rumors and stir up turmoil."
Qin Ming naturally understood. If someone wished to cause trouble, even shining a mirror upon a common boulder would serve as sufficient pretext; the culprit hadn't truly needed to show up in person.
It was likely a show put on for others to see, and there might well have been onlookers lurking in the distance at the time.
Qin Ming said, "I'm actually quite interested in his method. Have any of you studied it?"
Primarily, he held three physical vessels in his possession—all Dao forms and divine fetuses—which he wouldn't mind putting to use. However, if he projected his own consciousness into them and was ambushed, suffering spiritual damage would come at a heavy cost.
Yet if he could drive them using a wisp of hazy mist untethered to his true body, he truly wouldn't incur a shred of karmic entanglement.
Afterward, everyone present began discussing profound arts within this domain.
Pei Gong hailed from the Immortal Path, Cheng Sheng from the esoteric sect, and Yao Ruoxian from the Dayu Imperial Dynasty; naturally, they had access to a vast array of classics.
Tang Yushang went without saying—hailing from the Tai Ruins and being a descendant of the Lord of Yujing, the secret arts she had studied were even more astonishing.
Soon, Qin Ming caught on. In fact, using the genuine scriptures he already possessed—such as the Heart Subduing Classic from the Six-Page Jade Book—he could also temporarily sever out an avatar.
However, that ultimately drew upon his own spiritual power, which he was reluctant to expend lightly.
Combining techniques from the Immortal Path, the esoteric sect, the imperial secret archives, and the Tai Ruins scriptures, he worked out a similar shadow that incurred no karma, possessed considerable combat strength, and could briefly manifest in the world.
Eventually, the topic returned to the matter at hand.
Everyone present was a familiar friend, and all worried that Qin Ming might come to harm. One after another, they extended invitations, urging him to take refuge in their respective ancestral grounds.
Qin Ming shook his head. "It's fine. Black and White Mountain is the Beast God's domain."
If even Twin Trees Village was unsafe, then the entirety of Yezhou would be perilous, and he might as well journey far away to wander foreign lands.
For a moment, he thought of Li Qingyue and Jiang Zai. How were they faring now? They should have already reached the Xuannv Daoist Arena and Doushuai Palace, right? He wondered if they had adapted to their new surroundings.
Pei Gong said, "Back at Yinhan Gorge, One Sword stepped in to aid Brother Qin by slaying the Earth Bull Grandmaster. The two of you share good relations; you should locate him as soon as possible and ask him to help dispel the rumors."
Bai Meng thought to himself, *Locate him? How? They're the exact same person! Unless Brother Ming can transform into three pure ones and have all his identities show up simultaneously!*
Yao Ruoxian shook her head. "This isn't something an explanation can resolve. That person deliberately stirred up this crisis, and they certainly have other underhanded tricks up their sleeve."
The people present saw it clearly: abruptly ripping off the lid without a shred of evidence was purely malicious, aiming to hoist a target flag above Qin Ming to draw blood and fire.
And this tactic was indeed effective.
Even now, even Yao Ruoxian, Pei Gong, and Cheng Sheng felt faint stirrings of doubt—could One Sword truly be Qin Ming?
They quickly shook their heads; it made little sense. How long had he been cultivating? To already possess the power to slay grandmasters was simply too terrifying.
Meanwhile, the outside world was in an uproar, throwing everything into profound turmoil.
*Qin Ming is One Sword?* The notion was being passionately debated, becoming the center of attention in no time at all.
"How vicious!" At Shanhe Academy, Yu Gensheng sat straight up from his sickbed, fury blazing in his chest upon hearing the news.
At the Cui residence, Cui Chongxiao—who had just finished cultivating his wondrous External Incarnation art—wore an overcast expression. Of late, his composure had slipped, making it difficult to maintain a state of mind calm as still water. Now he muttered repeatedly, emphasizing, "Impossible! Absolutely impossible!"
Of course, this wasn't an entirely one-sided calamity.
The veteran grandmasters of the New Life Path united in shared hatred for their common enemy, practically wishing to form a Protect-Qin Alliance to weather the crisis.
Reactions from various quarters differed widely, but overall, people were profoundly shocked upon first hearing the news.
Above the nine heavens, those residing in the skies also received word.
Within the Huang clan, several figures were taken aback before treating the matter with grave seriousness. If Qin Ming truly were One Sword, he would be equivalent to a core-level saint, well worth having a direct-line daughter personally step forward to recruit him.
"If it is true, he stands on the same level as Qian Cheng, Yin Tian, and Wei Shouzhen, destined for an epoch of glory!"
Evidently, some now regarded Qin Ming with far greater importance.
In the Lu family where Tianzun Lu Heng resided, the clan's direct daughter, Lu Jingli, was repeatedly questioned by clan elders asking why she had failed to make contact with Qin Ming at the previous grand gathering.
Lu Jingli stood dazed. Could that young man from the lower realm, that rising star from Black and White Mountain, truly be One Sword?
"Impossible. The gap between them is far too wide," she murmured to herself.
The Lu family had naturally investigated Qin Ming, knowing his cultivation centered on the New Life Path supplemented by the Immortal Path. It was utterly inconceivable for him to have stepped into the grandmaster domain in a mere few years.
Pressured by the clan elders, Lu Jingli gave it careful thought, penned a letter, and dispatched a high-grade streamer bird to deliver a message inviting Qin Ming for tea.
With frequent travel and communication between the heavens and the ground nowadays, there were no obstacles. Qin Ming received the letter that very day. After a brief pause, he wrote back directly, politely declining the invitation.
Lu Jingli's maid was indignant. "He used his cultivation as an excuse, yet he is currently residing in Chongxiao City, the Dayu imperial capital, not even in secluded seclusion!"
None of that was Qin Ming's concern; he had no interest in humoring noble ladies from the heavens over tea.
Lu Jingli stared blankly, her feelings tangled. A direct daughter of the Lu family had taken the initiative to extend an invitation, yet he had flatly rejected her.
Bai Meng asked, "Brother Ming, what are your plans next? Are you heading to the outer realms to do big business again? Take me with you next time! Actually, I can also... Meow!"
He had already learned that his sister had earned six hundred thousand day gold simply by tagging along on that trip, prompting him to inquire with burning eagerness in private.
Immediately after, he felt a chill creeping down his spine. Was the wind and snow in the imperial princess's back garden really this fierce?
Bai Meng turned his head mechanically, only to see Tang Yushang approaching silently, her face frosty as ice. Moments later, he suffered yet another brutal thrashing.
In truth, the others also wanted to ask Qin Ming about his plans going forward.
Qin Ming replied, "Since they've backed me into a corner, naturally I must strive to break through!"
Above the nine heavens, the celestial cities shimmered with brilliance, turning even the boundless night sky into a vast expanse of light.
At this moment, two renowned figures of the grandmaster domain were drinking wine atop a thirty-three-story pavilion, gazing out at the boundless sea of night mist.
Grandmaster Xie Muze of Star Mountain took a sip of nectar and said, "What a surprise. That kid on the ground might actually be One Sword. What do you make of it?"
Xie Muze had once attempted to recruit Qin Ming for Star Mountain in Sky City, though his terms had been exceptionally harsh. He had acted exceedingly overbearing, demanding terms that were little different from an indenture contract.
After Qin Ming flatly refused, Xie Muze had coldly remarked that Qin Ming was already an adult and ought to bear responsibility for his own words and choices.
Beside him, Cheng Xian gently swirled the amber wine in his luminous cup, sending ripples of layered spiritual light across its surface. He replied, "It's quite fine. Let them publicize it more, heaping praise upon Qin Ming's astonishing talent. Let's see whether he can shoulder the halo and glory that One Sword brings."
In the past, Cheng Xian had descended to the ground, sipping tea and splashing ink on paintings. With a single rumor claiming that Chixia City held supreme secret grounds for attaining godhood, he had caused Meng Xinghai to have a three-eyed deity take root within his consciousness to be reborn through his vessel, pushing Meng Xinghai to the brink of death.
Furthermore, though Cheng Xian had not shown himself at the time, he had used gray organizations like Changsheng Dwelling and the Pure World Convent to create trouble for Qin Ming, seeking to block his path to the heavens.
Even back then, Cheng Xian had harbored suspicions regarding Qin Ming's identity.
Xie Muze glanced sideways at him. "You truly spare no effort on behalf of the one backing you."
Nowadays, the old monsters were all in hibernation, making grandmasters the premier combat power on the surface. Both of these men were formidable grandmasters of their era, renowned figures through and through.
Looking rather scholarly, Cheng Xian smiled faintly. "Speaking of which, I truly harbor some doubts now. Previously, I took him for Taiyi, but being prompted like this, I might almost mistake him for One Sword as well."
With a full head of silver hair and vigorous spirits, Xie Muze asked, "Do you intend to join in the fray?"
Cheng Xian shook his head. "There is no need for us to dirty our hands."
After a brief pause, he smiled again. "However, now that someone has loosed the first arrow, we can simply follow the trend. We need not expend any energy—heaping a few praises costs nothing at all. Just by opening our mouths, stray arrows from all quarters will naturally fly toward the target."
Xie Muze said, "Opening one's mouth can kill people too, especially with celebrity influence. Countless people will inevitably conclude he is One Sword, and those hostile toward him might be unable to resist strangling him in the cradle."
Cheng Xian shook his head. "What does that have to do with me? I'm praising him."
Xie Muze nodded. "Indeed, watching a bloody spectacle is enough. Having others wave the banners and enter the ring suits us just fine; we'll merely give a push at the critical moment."
Then he frowned slightly. "Just make sure we don't end up forcing a supreme grandmaster into existence."
Cheng Xian sneered. "In this era, under the current broader climate where Dao rhymes churn with such terrifying violence, I would believe the birth of an epochal grandmaster. A supreme grandmaster? You're overthinking it. Besides, One Sword isn't that kid at all—Taiyi might be him, but his cultivation realm is still far from enough."
Xie Muze nodded. "Yes, I think so too. Taking a step back, even if he truly were One Sword, becoming a supreme grandmaster would still be exceedingly difficult."
At this moment, Qin Ming was taking advantage of the Dayu royal family's pure land, breathing in the scent of priceless Mind-Calming Incense with his mind lucid and clear. He questioned himself, probing his innermost heart: was he truly ready to step into the grandmaster domain?
Chapter 575