Chapter 19 - Relentless Gallop

Qin Ming stood there, feeling no embarrassment for not being chosen, his mindset calm and composed. It was Xu Yueping who was anxious for him, but there was nothing he could change. Yang Yongqing also felt it was a pity for him. He had once joked with him, saying that during the mountain sweeping operation, there would be noble ladies coming down, so he should perform well. Wei Zhirou was very good with words, warmly greeting Qin Ming and praising him without reservation, saying she would have liked to invite him to join her actions, but Cao Long and Mu Qing would not agree. She mentioned that after the mountain sweeping, he could visit her in Chixia City. Naturally, Qin Ming did not put on any airs, responding with a smile, saying that if he were to leave his current place, Chixia City would be his first choice. "I choose Qin Ming," Mu Qing spoke up. Qin Ming's body stiffened almost imperceptibly. Earlier, not being selected didn't bother him; he was quite at ease. But now, he felt somewhat uncomfortable. It was one thing not to know whether the person before him was male or female, but now it was uncertain whether they were even human, making entering the mountain with them somewhat unsettling. He suspected that Mu Qing might be some high-level being who had joined Chixia City, otherwise, no matter how much a human body evolved, it wouldn't grow a fluffy golden tail, right? What could he do? In this situation, there was no hesitation; he agreed readily. Mu Qing was very pleased with him, noticing he only brought a machete, she asked, "You lack a handy weapon, which type are you accustomed to using?" Qin Ming replied, "I have not settled on one yet." Mu Qing thought for a moment, then said, "Some monsters in the mountains have solid scales and tough skin; ordinary swords might not cut through them. I will gift you a long-handled hammer. If wielded well, it is very powerful and can crush skulls in one blow. However, it is a heavy weapon, so I wonder if you can handle it smoothly." Mu Qing gestured to someone behind, and immediately a long-handled hammer forged from black iron was brought forward. Qin Ming received it and casually swung it a few times, leaving behind afterimages with a buzzing sound as it sliced through the air. It was as if he were deftly twirling a spear or gracefully wielding a sword. "Good!" Mu Qing nodded, recognizing his immense strength. Wei Zhirou felt a slight surprise in her heart. Her standards were high, and just from the way the other party wielded the long-handled heavy hammer with ease, she estimated his strength approached the limit of six hundred jin. Previously, she thought Xu Yueping exaggerated Qin Ming's abilities, but now she saw it was not the case. However, she did not feel regret, as the chosen Zhou Wubing had early injuries to his vital energy, but with new growth, his essence was gradually recovering, showing great potential. It was estimated that once stabilized, he could at least lift over six hundred jin, truly an exceptional talent, especially since even Xu Kong valued him and personally guided him. Cao Long remained indifferent, for he was on the path of the Giant Spirit God, naturally endowed with great strength! Mu Qing said, "I'll also give you a dagger. In case you're engaged in close combat with the aberrant beings, you'll need a sharp short weapon." "Thank you!" Qin Ming gratefully accepted it. Now, he finally had a weapon superior to the Mountain Patrol Group. Next, it was almost time for Cao Long, Wei Zhirou, and Mu Qing to select their team members. Old Man Liu, over seventy years old, was initially not picked by anyone. However, he volunteered himself, claiming he knew the mountains as well as his own backyard, and soon became highly sought after, with all three factions wanting him. "I want to be in the same team as Little Qin. We know each other from the same village, so we can watch each other's backs," Old Man Liu said. The selection process for the Cao, Wei, and Mu families quickly concluded. "Everyone, the higher-ups are about to engage in one final negotiation with the mysterious aberrant beings in the mountains, and for now, all we can do is wait." Cao Long, Wei Zhirou, and Mu Qing planned to return to Silver Vine Town with their teams, where they currently resided, instructing the newly selected members to prepare thoroughly upon their return. Soon after, dozens more people emerged from the dense forest, departing with the three teams—all clad in armor and robust. On the way back, Xu Yueping sighed, "It seems the people from Chixia City really only see us as guides, their demeanor is courteous, but they fundamentally underestimate our capabilities." Yang Yongqing spoke, "The young ones in those three teams are indeed here to hone themselves, while the dozens of seasoned and robust individuals are the main force for the three families to sweep the mountains and explore the mysterious realms." Old Man Liu, however, took it in stride—how could they compete with those who mastered advanced Qi techniques? Xu Yueping shook his head, saying, "I've been to Chixia City; only a very few core members of the nobility have access to the complete advanced scriptures." According to his judgment, the so-called generous rewards this time could not possibly include the secret doctrines of a family, as that would shake their foundation. "I guess they are fragments of advanced texts collected from the outside world, not the family's legacy, but for those new to the cultivation realm, it is certainly enough to reach perfection." Yang Yongqing yearned, "How precious advanced Qi techniques are, even if incomplete, merely outlining the path to the newborn realm is enough to drive people mad." Qin Ming whispered, "Advanced scriptures are so valuable, yet the three great families of Chixia City are willing to offer them, which shows how much they value the place of fourfold misty glow that appeared in the mountains. What secrets does it hold?" "Wrong, there were over a dozen families," Old Man Liu corrected. Not long after, they returned to the village. As dawn approached its end, Qin Ming brought a large piece of donkey meat to Old Man Liu's door, claiming he came for a meal, but in truth, he wanted to ask about the Blood Bamboo Forest. Old Man Liu lived at the village entrance, close to the Fire Spring. In the night, the blue bricks and gray tiles of his house were tinged with a faint red glow. As Qin Ming stepped into the yard, he saw a yellow dog dart out of its kennel. It was as tall as an adult's shoulder, its yellow fur glistening with a bright sheen, and it bared its snow-white fangs. Qin Ming immediately thought of the golden mastiff from the mountain patrol team and couldn't help but take a few more glances at the yellow dog. It looked plump and sturdy, and seemed like its meat would be quite good. The yellow dog seemed to sense something; just as it was baring its teeth, it suddenly tucked its tail and dove back into the kennel, refusing to come out. "Little Qin, why are you bringing meat to my house?" Although Old Man Liu was advanced in age, he remained quite keen and appeared in the yard almost instantly. Qin Ming laughed and said, "Uncle Liu, how about I trade you this yellow dog for two horned deer?" "Woof, woof..." The big dog in the kennel started barking, its tail tucked as it looked towards its owner, as if trying to convey something. "This old dog has a strong spirit. It's very afraid of you, which means you've developed a killing aura from your recent hunting trips in the mountains," Old Man Liu said. He smiled and shook his head, "I won't trade it. This dog is about to mutate and it's been providing for us, often bringing back wild game." "Its spirit is that strong?" Qin Ming was amazed. Old Man Liu stroked his goatee and said, "Of course. Two months ago, it was so old it could barely walk, then it disappeared for a few days and came back much better. It's sure to mutate before Yang Yongqing's black goat." "Old dogs return to the mountains, either to die or to regain strength. This saying indeed has some truth," Qin Ming marveled, staring at the yellow dog intently. Old Man Liu chuckled and said, "Speaking of which, last time you went into the mountains and fell into a crevice, almost died, and after a severe illness, you were reborn. It really is like an old dog returning from the mountains." Qin Ming had the urge to punch him. This old codger really didn't know how to talk without being hurtful, which explained why he hadn't married the prettiest girl back in the day. Old Man Liu whispered, "The crevice you discovered is worth paying attention to." The great families of Chixia City are searching for those special nodes, which must hold some deeper meaning. Qin Ming shook his head, "Without a second rebirth, I don't plan to approach that area." He took the opportunity to ask Old Man Liu for advice, "Uncle Liu, you know a lot about the legends of the various spiritual beings in the mountains. Could you tell me more about them?" "You rascal, I knew you had something to ask me," Old Man Liu said, chuckling as he pointed at him, then soon became serious, "If spiritual beings were so easy to obtain, why would I have wasted so much time? You've established a golden foundation and will surely experience a second rebirth. There's no need to take unnecessary risks." Qin Ming said, "Didn't you say that youth should have sharpness? If you're not reckless in your youth, then you've come to this world in vain. I want to experience a second rebirth as soon as possible, to see the scenery from a higher place. Old Man Liu chuckled as he pointed at him, but quickly grew solemn, saying, "If obtaining spiritual treasures were that easy, I wouldn't have been delayed until now. You've built a golden foundation, surely capable of a second rebirth. There's no need to take unnecessary risks." Qin Ming replied, "Didn't you say that young people should be ambitious? Without youthful recklessness, one might as well not have come into this world. I wish to achieve a second rebirth soon, to see the broader vistas from a higher place." "Did I say that?" Old Man Liu looked at him suspiciously, recalling that he hadn't been drunk yesterday, as they only had half a cup each of the spicy old wine. "Something like that," Qin Ming laughed. "Indeed, when young, one should have great ambitions, for dreams tend to diminish with age, so it's best to start high," Old Man Liu remarked. The cold wind whipped snow against the windows, while inside the Liu family's house, steam rose from the dining table, laden chiefly with donkey meat. Qin Ming talked with Old Man Liu late into the night, learning the names of some spiritual treasures, all located in perilous regions, and also found out where the Blood Bamboo Forest was. Qin Ming had his suspicions that Feng Yi'an and Shao Chengfeng were likely targeting the Blood Bamboo Forest within the patrol group's jurisdiction. As expected, Old Man Liu mentioned that the Blood Bamboo Forest was only six miles from the patrol group's base. There resided a type of snake, its body a vivid red, like sculpted red agate, with its blood and gall bladder containing rich vitality and spirituality. However, this snake was extremely dangerous, even deadly, possessing venom so potent that even someone reborn anew couldn't survive a bite. "If you're lucky enough to capture one, you must sever its head and remove the venom glands, otherwise it won't be a tonic but a death brew." Old Man Liu explained that aside from its venom, the snake's body was as hard as iron, with astonishing strength, capable of flying leaps. Even a snake just a few feet long was more dangerous than many mountain beasts, able to shoot like an iron arrow, piercing an opponent's body in an instant. Some call it the Blood Snake, others the Arrow Snake. If a Blood Snake over ten feet long is spotted in the mountains, the best course of action is to flee immediately. Old Man Liu recalled that the snake nest had existed since his youth, and with decades passed, there likely were Blood Snakes that had undergone a second mutation. Qin Ming said, "Let's hope no more powerful old snakes appear." "Blades and swords might not even cut through a Blood Snake; they would spark on impact. Among creatures of the same level, it's exceedingly fierce, with almost no weaknesses." As Old Man Liu spoke, he jumped up suddenly, nearly overturning the table, startling his wife and almost causing his youngest grandson to cry.