Hot Blood No More

Xu Yueping said nothing. Only after leaving Silver Vine Town did he rush into the gloomy forest and slam his fist heavily into a large tree, sending snow rustling down from its branches.

"If I didn't have a wife, children, and elders to support, or if I were twenty years younger, I'd have taken Feng Yi'an with me even if I died today!" He panted heavily, his heart stifled with oppression and his arms trembling faintly.

He had been humiliated in that private room, and finger marks still lingered on his face. As a man, he could not swallow this insult.

But he had a family, and he was no longer young. The burdens and obligations on his shoulders forced him to endure it. Clenching his fists, he murmured, "Life has worn away all my hot blood."

Qin Ming did not know how to comfort him. Even his own emotions rose and fell along with Xu Yueping's.

"Uncle Xu, don't anger yourself. They've committed such evil; sooner or later, they'll be punished."

Only after a long while did Xu Yueping exhale a breath of foul air. "Let's go back."

Fine snowflakes still drifted through the night sky. The two spoke little on the road, and Qin Ming tried his best to find topics to ease the oppressive atmosphere.

"Why hasn't the Mountain Sweeping Operation begun yet?"

Xu Yueping said, "The higher-ups should still be negotiating with the mysterious creatures in the mountains."

Then his expression turned unpleasant as he brought up something else. The Mountain Patrol Group had a kind of Catalytic Liquid being prepared. In three days, it would be delivered to Double Tree Village and poured into the Fire Spring.

There was no need to think about it. This Catalytic Liquid, which benefited Black Moon's germination, was harmful to the Fire Field.

"Have the other villages all agreed?" Qin Ming asked.

Xu Yueping sighed. "Three of the villages put up some resistance. Based on the Fire Fields' continued decline in yield over the past few years, they had also guessed there was a problem with the seeds. But in the end, they couldn't withstand the pressure and agreed anyway. Only neighboring Green Mulberry Village remains. The Mountain Patrol Group fears the person who gave Er Bingzi an advanced cultivation method, so they didn't dare pressure them too hard."

"It'll soon be midmonth." Qin Ming looked at the pitch-black sky.

He already knew that the Mountain Patrol Group members only appeared together in the mountains at midmonth and month's end.

Just then, a gigantic crimson-furred bull emerged from a fork in the road ahead. It was impossible not to turn and look.

Its back stood far higher than an adult man, and its thick long fur gleamed with a red sheen. Besides two ordinary curved horns, it had a third horn in the center of its forehead, straight and sharp as a sword.

Clearly, it was a mutated creature.

Yet what drew the eye most was the man riding it. He was astonishingly tall; if he stood on the ground, he should have been over three meters high. His black hair fell past his shoulders, and his eyes were like blades as he swept them over the two men.

The fiery-red mutated bull thundered over the snow at tremendous speed, charging toward Silver Vine Town.

"He's actually that tall?" Qin Ming said in surprise.

"He's taken another path." Xu Yueping watched the receding figure.

"Did New Life come too early and cause premature bodily development?" Qin Ming asked.

According to the experience gathered by those before them, the best age for bodily New Life was fifteen or sixteen, when one could establish a Golden Foundation.

If it came too early, however, it was extremely easy to lose balance. At that age, the body was already in a period of rapid growth; adding New Life to spur it further could disrupt the growth hormones and eventually turn one into a giant.

Most crucially, most such giants died young.

That was because after their bodies underwent drastic change, they mostly spiraled out of control.

Xu Yueping said, "Only the larger Aristocratic Clans possess the experience of their predecessors. They can pile vast resources onto such people and allow them to grow."

A small number of giants could survive. Once they rose, they were extraordinarily formidable, capable of subduing ten with a single force.

"People like that follow the Giant Spirit God path," Xu Yueping said. He stressed that ordinary households simply could not afford to cultivate them.

He guessed that the rider and mount from earlier most likely came from Red Haze City.

Speaking of bodily New Life, Qin Ming naturally brought up Fu Entao, the Mountain Patrol Group's leader.

Xu Yueping turned to look at him. "Little Qin, you aren't thinking of going after them, are you? You absolutely must not do that."

Qin Ming shook his head. "Uncle Xu, you're overthinking it. I'm only a First New Life Evolver. What qualifications or strength do I have to face Second New Life Evolvers?"

Xu Yueping breathed a sigh of relief. He had truly feared that Qin Ming would throw himself away in a moment of rashness.

"Although First New Life is said to be comprehensive, it actually emphasizes strength. Second New Life leans slightly more toward physical qualities like flexibility and speed."

They chatted as they walked, and Qin Ming gradually sketched out in his mind Fu Entao's outstanding areas and level of strength.

On their way back, they entered the forest several times. They did not want to return empty-handed and hoped to bring back a few prey animals for families short on food.

"That was close. Even I, a New Life Evolver, nearly got hurt. Creatures in the wild are growing restless from time to time. The mountains really do need to be swept," Xu Yueping said, still shaken.

Just now, a mutated Spiked Leopard had attacked him from behind like a bolt of black lightning, impossible to guard against. If Qin Ming had not acted, he would have been pounced on.

"A Mutated Plant appeared in this area not long ago. It's rather dangerous, so we shouldn't linger."

The two did not delay. Dragging the mutated Spiked Leopard along, they set off. It weighed four hundred and fifty jin, and black spikes five inches long covered it from its belly to its head.

After returning to the village, Qin Ming immediately sensed an oppressive gloom. Even the children who usually loved chasing one another through the snow had become fewer.

Only after Xu Yueping divided the Spiked Leopard meat among the households did he head home. He was utterly exhausted, mainly on a psychological level.

Qin Ming stood beside the bright Fire Spring and gazed out into the wilderness. The dim shadows of distant mountains appeared and vanished.

"In three days, they'll send over Catalytic Liquid and pour it into the Fire Spring. You're forcing people like this—you really aren't giving anyone time." He spoke under his breath.

He headed into the wilderness, preparing to enter the mountains.

"I'll scout the route first." It was still Shallow Night; he was not planning any extreme action.

Most importantly, there were still two days until midmonth.

"Do you insist on driving people to a dead end? You don't care about next year's famine, nor whether others live or die." Qin Ming strode into the mountain forest.

This time, he did not carry his hunting fork. After his body had undergone comprehensive New Life, he no longer needed it. He brought only a bow, arrows, and a Firewood Chopping Knife.

He knew the Mountain Patrol Group's stronghold and walked firmly in one direction.

The wind was fierce, and snow still fell. Such conditions in the mountains favored him, able to erase the traces he left behind.

Each Mountain Patrol Group was responsible for a territory encompassing six to eight villages. The place where Fu Entao, Feng Yi'an, and the others rested lay ahead; there was no need to venture deep into the mountains.

Whenever Qin Ming encountered mutated beasts along the way, he avoided them whenever possible. He did not want to stir up extra trouble.

After crossing a vast stretch of forest and climbing over several mountains, he approached his destination.

Flecks of red light shone from one mountain peak. There was a Miniature Fire Spring there, barely close to Level One. It was not as bright as the one in Double Tree Village, but the conditions were more than sufficient for a Mountain Patrol Group stronghold.

This place had once been occupied by a relatively powerful mutated creature, but several years ago Fu Entao had led people to surround and kill it.

Deep within the mountain range were Advanced Fire Springs, where the environment was superb. The mysterious beings dwelling there looked down on the dim Fire Springs of the outer regions.

Qin Ming observed from a neighboring peak. Fire Haze flowed across the opposite mountain, where several wooden cabins had been built on level ground and shadows moved about.

Normally, at most two or three Mountain Patrols could be found nearby.

They only acted together to seek Mutated Plants and spiritual creatures, hoping to undergo Second New Life.

"They've raised a mutated creature with a keen sense of smell." Qin Ming frowned. There was a Golden Mastiff there, huge enough to rival a tiger.

Then anger appeared on his face, for he spotted a Snow Ape whose fur gleamed brilliantly. It was clearly a captive mutant, soaking in the Fire Spring.

Some villagers had once been attacked by Snow Apes. Some had their ribs broken, while others had nearly had their arms torn off.

Qin Ming silently watched that mountain peak for a long time before disappearing soundlessly into the night.

He emerged from the forest and looked into the distance toward Double Tree Village.

Under the curtain of night, Fire Haze rippled at the village entrance. The nearby houses seemed inlaid with golden edges, their outlines hazy, while cooking smoke curled up from some homes.

It should have been a gentle, beautiful scene, but after entering the village, Qin Ming heard weeping.

"Uncle Qian didn't make it. He passed away just now. Sigh!"

Quite a few villagers stood outside the Qian Family's door, and some could not help sighing.

"Old Qian was already advanced in years. That Snow Ape nearly tore his neck apart, and he only barely held on until now."

Qin Ming listened quietly without speaking. He was already the third person to die in this incident.

Xu Yueping and Old Man Liu had also come, both wearing grave expressions. They knew the truth and hated Feng Yi'an and the others beyond measure.

The next day, when Uncle Qian was buried, members of the Mountain Patrol Group appeared at the village entrance. Feng Yi'an stepped forward with a sigh and handed a muntjac to the Qian Family.

Watching him put on that hypocritical performance and offer comfort to the Qian Family's young and old, even Old Man Liu, the eldest there, felt sickened and turned his face away.

The Qian Family did not know the truth and even felt grateful to him.

Qin Ming silently clenched his fists. A single muntjac in exchange for a human life?

The hidden truth was drenched in blood. Uncle Qian's life was far too cheap.

A tall man wearing armor spoke up. "Whether it was that Blood Bear or the Snow Ape that ran amok, we have already killed them. Everyone can rest assured and enter the mountains to hunt."

Qin Ming recognized him. His name was Shao Chengfeng.

On one occasion when he entered the mountains, Qin Ming and Yang Yongqing had encountered this man on the road.

At the time, he had even thought Shao Chengfeng was responsible and hardworking for patrolling the mountains late at night.

Now this man was telling bald-faced lies with his eyes open. After committing evil, he even claimed the credit for himself. It was truly contemptible.

Afterward, several Mountain Patrol Group members found Xu Yueping. They had not come to comfort the villagers, but to personally inspect Black Moon's planting.

"Brother Xu, thanks for the effort." Feng Yi'an was very satisfied this time and patted Xu Yueping on the shoulder.

Qin Ming also stood beside the Fire Spring. Though Feng Yi'an was smiling, he felt no goodwill from him.

Xu Yueping's face was expressionless. Thinking of the humiliation he had suffered in Silver Vine Town, he felt stinging pain both on his face and in his heart.

Shao Chengfeng smiled. "I misjudged you last time. I never expected little brother Qin to be a New Life Evolver who established a Golden Foundation. Once the Mountain Sweeping Operation begins, we'll most likely fight side by side. Why not join our Mountain Patrol Group directly and become One of Us in advance?"

Qin Ming immediately declined politely. Even as the other man's smile gradually faded, he pretended not to notice.

Not long afterward, the Mountain Patrol Group members left.

"There's no need to test him. It's obvious that brat is hostile toward us. Find a chance to get rid of him after the mountain sweep begins!"

"Don't waste him. The Fire Spring in Blood Bamboo Forest is about to go out. We can use him to scout the way."

The group chatted casually as they vanished into the wilderness.

That day, Qin Ming carefully sharpened his Firewood Chopping Knife in the courtyard.

Thanks: Snakeskin Second-Generation Machine, Manmanmanzi, Xunfang, Why Is It So Hard to Find a Good Book, When Your Long Hair Reaches Your Waist, Will You Marry Me? Many thanks to several of you for your Alliance Leader support!