"You cannot go!" Meng Xinghai objected immediately. In his eyes, Qin Ming was like a tender lotus bud just peeking above the water; he needed time to grow, and should anything happen to him, it would be too late for regrets.
"Uncle Meng, I truly must return to Black-White Mountain," Qin Ming said solemnly. "I have a foreboding feeling that the Golden Bandits might hold a grudge after the wiping out of Golden Rooster Ridge. If something happens to that region, my conscience will never be at peace."
He had ridden alone into Golden Rooster Ridge by night and wiped out all the bandit chiefs with good intentions, but if that brought great catastrophe upon the local mountain folk, he would feel immense guilt.
Meng Xinghai rested his hand against the bronze cauldron in the parlor and said, "I will consider arranging men over there. At your age, if you were a direct descendant of one of the great clans going out to train, you would still be at the stage of being protected by others."
The two held differing opinions.
Having come this far, Qin Ming had already lived through many bloody battles and had even taken down one of the Golden Bandits recently. He did not want to stay detached on the sidelines.
"There are higher-level powerhouses among the Golden Bandits. Although their movements have been detected, one can never be too careful. It was not easy for me to come across such a promising sapling as you, and I do not want any accident to befall you," Meng Xinghai said in all seriousness.
Adding fresh spirit-calming incense into the purple copper incense burner, he said, "To be frank, although I still wield a saber and still enhance my heavenly light, I am no longer someone walking this path. I see certain traits in you that remind me of myself back then, so I want to see whether someone with your natural gift—surpassing even a juvenile extraordinary—can go farther along the Newborn path."
Qin Ming was astonished. Old Meng was even stronger than he had imagined; he had walked more than one path.
He asked, "Is our path truly so arduous in its later stages?"
Meng Xinghai nodded. "Indeed. Originally, I wanted very much to walk this path, but using a saber and raising heavenly light now is merely momentum born of an obsession, as well as a cover for my true power. It is not just me; Cui Old Seven is the same. His going to the outer realm was not to raise his heavenly light or purify his 'spirit field,' but to lay all his cards on the table and solidify his cultivation on another path."
Qin Ming frowned. Even Meng Xinghai and Cui Hao had long since given up, no longer walking this path. The future was unpredictable, seeming rather ethereal and bleak.
Meng Xinghai sighed. "In our generation, those who shone brilliantly on this path in their early years have now either fallen into obscurity, or were merely using the Newborn path as a cover while actually focusing on another path. Looking closely, there is not a single pillar left to carry the mantle today."
Qin Ming asked, "If one persists on walking it—leaving aside the esoteric sects—how great is the gap in the end compared to peers from the outer realms?"
"The disciples of the outer realm always have some gold-armored guards by their sides in the initial stages. When those guards can no longer keep pace with them, they are quickly replaced by jade-armored guards—all chosen from our path. Can you understand that kind of standing?" Meng Xinghai informed him calmly.
Qin Ming nodded and pondered for a long time.
After embarking on the Newborn path, his progress had been astonishingly swift, especially in how quickly he could grasp the true essence of various secret texts. He had thought himself quite extraordinary.
Now, taking his first look at the road ahead, he realized there were very few fellow travelers. What he had to face was the mountain-like pressure of other dazzling cultivation systems; there was no room for complacency or slacking off.
*I have trained so bitterly not to enter an esoteric sect or go to the outer realm just to be someone else's follower!* Qin Ming thought to himself.
Then he asked, "Uncle Meng, has that exceptionally rare spiritual substance you arranged for me arrived yet? If I consume it, I will definitely have no problem going to Black-White Mountain."
Meng Xinghai sat down, took a sip of tea, and said, "Don't be in a rush. It will be delivered together with that extraordinary technique."
Qin Ming smiled. "Why don't you give me spiritual substance that allows my body to undergo a sixth Newborn transformation instead? As for the fifth, I will resolve it myself."
"Calm your heart. I will give you some spirit-calming incense. Whichever path you walk, you must not be impetuous. Your heart must be at peace—even if a sacred mountain were to collapse before your eyes, your expression should not change."
The following day, Meng Xinghai grew anxious himself, unable to maintain his composure, because a bloody incident involving the Golden Bandits erupted in neighboring Maple Leaf City.
The Golden Bandits were by no means a small organization; they were not confined to a single city or locale, their figures appearing across several neighboring cities.
This time, Meng Xinghai had contacted many people, including the city lord of Maple Leaf City, planning to act together and uproot the Golden Bandits once and for all.
However, word leaked from Maple Leaf City's side. Forced to strike ahead of schedule, they did kill several notoriously fierce Golden Bandits, but suffered frenzied retaliation in return.
"To slaughter an entire city, they lack both the guts and the strength. But they set fire to two towns and unleashed beasts to commit atrocities, killing many people."
Qin Ming arrived at the City Lord's Manor and listened from the side, learning some of the details.
At present, the men Meng Xinghai had dispatched and the experts he had invited were not yet fully assembled.
Qin Ming learned that former city lord Ling Xu would also come to reinforce them, and that tabby cat carrying the Chixia Sword had been called upon once more, but it would take time.
"Some of the Golden Bandits broke through and fled, and they may very well pass through our territory. We do not know if they will deliver a terrible blow. Maple Leaf City is truly unreliable—to think the Golden Bandits had infiltrated even their mid-level ranks!"
Qin Ming strongly petitioned to go to Black-White Mountain.
This time, Meng Xinghai agreed. He had already received intelligence that the upper echelons of the Golden Bandits would not take the route past Black-White Mountain and had appeared elsewhere.
With time of the essence and no room for hesitation, Meng Xinghai swiftly issued orders from the manor to the great clans in the city, demanding that they deploy experts to oversee and defend various regions.
"Be careful!" Meng Xinghai urged, and requisitioned a bird of prey capable of carrying a passenger for Qin Ming.
It was a crimson eagle, blood-red across its entire body, spanning six meters with wings outstretched. Having mutated twice, it could transport someone over long distances, but it could not yet be considered a true flying mount.
Normally, experts would not lightly ride one, because what they acknowledged were extraordinary birds with strength comparable to their own; only then would it count as a true flying mount. Otherwise, if ambushed in midair, the outcome could be catastrophic.
Qin Ming made thorough preparations. Imitating Ge Qianxun of Xinyi Hall, he put on black garments fitted with bat-like wings, while having the crimson eagle fly as low as possible.
The straight-line distance between Chixia City and Black-White Mountain was actually less than three hundred li. The reason traveling by land took several days was that one had to constantly detour to avoid territories occupied by powerful creatures.
Night mist drifted. Across the land, layered mountain shadows stretched out, and Fire Springs dotted the terrain like flickering fireflies. Qin Ming stood on the back of the crimson eagle, looking down.
Over certain regions, one had to fly high up in the night mist; otherwise, higher variants in the deep mountains would consider it an offense.
Even when riding a bird of prey capable of carrying passengers, one had to steer clear of perilous terrain, such as a desert pitch-black as an abyss and the central area of Black-White Mountain.
Not much time had passed before Qin Ming arrived. This was precisely why so many experts longed for a flying mount comparable in strength to themselves.
The night mist world was far too vast and boundless, with many dangerous territories requiring detours. Without an extraordinary bird to cross the night sky, travel was truly inconvenient.
Qin Ming had the crimson eagle land on an elevated slope outside Twin Trees Village. He did not enter the village, only watching quietly in the dim night.
By now, his life could never be as peaceful as before. He feared becoming too deeply entangled here, lest enemies cast their eyes upon this place in the future.
"Brother Lu, Wenrui, Old Man Liu..." Qin Ming sighed softly in the breeze, merely gazing from afar.
In the end, he alerted only that exceptionally clever, long-mutated speech sparrow, luring it over.
"My mountain god! Mountain Lord Qin, why did you suddenly return?" This speech sparrow was considerably larger than its kin, and had once infuriated Cao Long so much that he wanted to roast it alive.
"Cut the glib talk. Can the words 'mountain lord' just be tossed around lightly? If the real one with vast divine powers overhears, do you want him to send me to my grave?"
"This is my way of expressing respect! In my heart, you already stand shoulder to shoulder with him!" The speech sparrow flattered shamelessly.
It had kept its word. Even though its mate had been released from the cage early and regained her freedom, it had not flown far away, and had even built a nest at Lu Ze's house.
Qin Ming said, "Don't tell anyone else I've returned. Call together your little brothers to help me do something."
"At your command!" The speech sparrow perked up, even using a respectful honorific. This was primarily because Master Wu, the purple-eyed crow, had instructed it back then to keep an eye on Qin Ming in the mountains and send warning ahead of time, which it had neglected; now it naturally wanted to make amends vigorously.
Qin Ming whispered, "Dispatch one of your little brothers to every nearby town. Keep close watch. The moment there is news of the Golden Bandits, notify me immediately. If a bloody disturbance breaks out, do not delay for even a single breath."
"Right away!" In a flash, the speech sparrow vanished.
In merely half a day, Qin Ming received news regarding the Golden Bandits. Chixia City was dispatching birds of prey to warn various regions, and word had spread across Black-White Mountain as well.
Two big figures among the Golden Bandits were attempting to break out, and a band of loyal subordinates was creating opportunities for them, actively provoking incidents everywhere—killing, setting fires, and causing great chaos to draw attention from all sides and pin down some of the experts.
"Several villages and towns on Maple Leaf City's side are in dire straits with many dead. Even some areas in Chixia City's territory have seen bloodshed," the speech sparrow reported swiftly.
At present, Qingsong Town, Silver Vine Town, and Emei Town were gripped by panic, fearing that some of the Golden Bandits might strike into this remote region.
"Once you have the latest news, come to Golden Rooster Ridge and tell me!" Qin Ming stood on the back of the crimson eagle and traversed the night sky, heading toward that former haunt fifty li away.
He had a hunch that if a certain Golden Bandit harbored sentiment for Golden Rooster Ridge, that person would likely set foot here again.
During his strike last time, Qin Ming had learned that the five-times-mutated old golden rooster was a trained practitioner, having been personally instructed by one of the Golden Bandits.
In the past, several Golden Bandits had resided on Golden Rooster Ridge for an extended period.
The terrain of the Black-White Mountain region was generally high in elevation. While early spring had arrived elsewhere, snow still lingered on the high peaks here, having not yet fully melted.
Under cover of night, Qin Ming revisited the familiar ground, standing on Golden Rooster Ridge and gazing out at the surrounding mountains.
"Go hide in the back mountain."
Although the crimson eagle had only mutated twice, it was already quite intelligent. Hearing his words, it immediately flew away from the plateau littered with dilapidated wooden cabins.
Chixia City was bright as day, whereas the Black-White Mountain region lacked bright Fire Springs and was far dimmer overall. Yet Qin Ming felt no discomfort; after all, he had lived here for two years and felt a sense of familiarity.
As the night deepened, the speech sparrow rushed over and told him that to cover their leaders' escape, the Golden Bandits had truly gone mad, and their figures had begun appearing in Black-White Mountain.
"Fortunately, in that town eighty li away, an expert dispatched from Chixia City is holding down the fort and successfully killed one of the Golden Bandits."
Hearing this, Qin Ming nodded. That was good news.
There was a Fire Spring on Golden Rooster Ridge. Qin Ming stayed well away from it, finding a dilapidated wooden cabin to settle in.
The next day, after shallow night arrived, the deep mountains remained exceedingly gloomy, with only the center of Golden Rooster Ridge illuminated by fiery crimson light.
A tall, thin old man climbed the mountain, treading on the snow as he reached the high ground. He was advanced in years but well-preserved; although his hair was completely white, there were few wrinkles on his face, and he did not look fierce in the slightest, appearing like an elderly scholar.
"I once nursed my injuries here for five years. To think that upon my return, it has become a ruined wasteland. Just who did this?"
Sure enough, one of the Golden Bandits had come here to mourn the past, and planned to strike in the neighboring area.
"The Golden Bandits once enjoyed renowned fame, holding this vast land in awe for decades. Now that we have encountered misfortune, do so many think we can be pushed around? I shall bathe a settlement in blood to help our leaders break free." The old man spoke calmly. Having paid homage to Golden Rooster Ridge, he prepared to turn and depart.
"A pack of ruthless, wicked scoundrels, yet you speak as though you were something extraordinary and tragic, when in truth you are utterly infamous!" Qin Ming walked over from the distance.
Chapter 88