Hot Blood No More

Xu Yueping did not say a word. Not until they had left Silver Vine Town did he rush into the shadowy Dense Forest and slam his fist heavily against a large tree, sending snow rustling down from its branches.

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

He had been humiliated in the private room, and the finger marks were still 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, "My hot blood has been worn away by life."

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 let them make you angry. They commit such evil; sooner or later, they'll be punished."

Only after a long while did Xu Yueping let out a breath of stale air. "Let's go back."

Fine snow was still drifting through the night sky. The two said little on the way, and Qin Ming tried his best to find topics to ease the heavy atmosphere.

"Why haven't they started the Mountain Sweeping Operation yet?"

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

Then his expression turned ugly as he Mentioned something. The Mountain Patrol Group had a kind of Catalytic Liquid under preparation. 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 sprouting, would harm the Fire Spring.

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

Xu Yueping sighed. "Three villages had some complications. Based on the Fire Fields' continuous decline in output over the past few years, they also guessed there was something wrong with the seeds. But in the end, they could not withstand the pressure and agreed anyway. Only neighboring Green Mulberry Village remains. The Mountain Patrol Group fears the person who passed an advanced cultivation technique to Er Bingzi, so they did not dare press them too hard."

"It'll soon be mid-month." Qin Ming looked at the black, heavy sky.

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

At that moment, a gigantic crimson-furred bull emerged from a fork in the road ahead. It was impossible not to turn and look at it.

Its back stood far taller than a grown man. Its thick, long fur gleamed with a red sheen. Apart from two normal curved horns, it had another horn in the center of its forehead, straight and sharp as a sword.

Clearly, it was a mutated creature.

Yet even more eye-catching was the man riding it. He was astonishingly tall; if he stood on the ground, he would likely exceed three meters. His long black hair fell past his shoulders, and his eyes were like knife blades as they swept over the two of them.

The fiery-red mutated bull trampled through the snow at tremendous speed, racing toward Silver Vine Town.

"He's actually that tall." Qin Ming was astonished.

"He took another path." Xu Yueping watched the receding figure.

"Did an overly early New Life cause premature bodily development?" Qin Ming asked.

According to the experience summarized by those before them, undergoing New Life at fifteen or sixteen was ideal, allowing one to build a Golden Foundation.

If it happened too early, it could easily lead to imbalance. At that age, the body was already in a period of rapid growth, and another "New Life" driving it further could disrupt growth hormones, ultimately turning one into a giant.

Most crucially, most such giants died young.

Because after their bodies underwent drastic changes, they usually lost control.

Xu Yueping said, "Only major aristocratic families possess the experience passed down by their forebears. Only by piling vast resources onto such people can they grow up."

A small number of giants could survive. After rising to prominence, they were immensely formidable, able to break ten techniques with one force.

"Such people follow the Giant Spirit God path," Xu Yueping said, emphasizing that ordinary households simply could not afford to raise them.

He guessed that the rider and mount just now had most likely come from Red Haze City.

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

Xu Yueping turned to look at him. "Little Qin, you aren't thinking of going after them, are you? Never do that."

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

Xu Yueping relaxed. He had truly feared that Qin Ming might act on a moment of impulse and throw his own life away.

"Though First New Life is said to be all-around, it actually still emphasizes strength. Second New Life, on the other hand, slightly favors physical qualities in flexibility and speed."

They chatted as they traveled, while Qin Ming gradually formed a picture in his mind of Fu Entao's outstanding areas and level of strength.

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

"That was close. Even a New Life Evolver like me almost got hurt. The creatures in the wild have been restless from time to time. The Mountain Sweeping Operation truly needs to begin." Xu Yueping was still shaken.

A mutated Spiked Leopard had just attacked him from behind like a streak of black lightning, impossible to guard against. If Qin Ming had not acted, he would have been knocked down.

"Mutated plants have just appeared in this area. It's rather dangerous, so we shouldn't stay long."

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

After returning to the village, Qin Ming immediately sensed an oppressive, gloomy atmosphere. Even the children who usually loved chasing one another through the snow had grown 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 into the distance. The dim mountain shadows outside flickered in and out of sight.

"In three days, they'll deliver the Catalytic Liquid and pour it into the Fire Spring. You're forcing people like this—you truly 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 mid-month.

"Must you force people onto a dead end? You don't care about next year's famine, or whether others live or die." Qin Ming strode into the mountain forest.

This time, he did not carry a hunting fork. After his body's complete New Life, he had no use for one. He brought only a bow, arrows, and a Firewood Chopping Knife.

He knew the Mountain Patrol Group's base and walked resolutely in one direction.

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

Each Mountain Patrol Group was responsible for one area, covering six to eight villages. The place where Fu Entao, Feng Yi'an, and others stayed to rest was ahead, not far into the mountains.

Whenever Qin Ming encountered mutated Fierce Beasts on the way, he avoided them whenever possible, unwilling to invite unnecessary trouble.

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

A mountain peak gave off specks of red light. There was a miniature Fire Spring there, barely close to Level One. It was not as bright as Double Tree Village's, but its conditions were more than good enough for a Mountain Patrol Group base.

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

Deep within the mountain range were high-level Fire Springs with excellent environments. The mysterious beings living there looked down on the dim Fire Springs of the outer regions.

Qin Ming observed from an adjacent peak. Fire Haze flowed on the mountain opposite, several wooden houses stood on a flat patch of ground, and figures moved about there.

Usually, at most two or three Mountain Patrols were active nearby.

When they acted together, it was only to search for mutated plants, spiritual creatures, and the like, hoping to undergo Second New Life.

"They keep a mutated creature with a keen sense of smell." Qin Ming frowned. There was a Golden Mastiff there, its body as large as a fierce tiger's.

Then anger appeared on his face, because he spotted a Snow Ape with gleaming fur. It was clearly a captive aberrant creature, 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 finally vanishing soundlessly into the night.

He walked out of the mountain forest and gazed into the distance at Double Tree Village.

Under the night curtain, Fire Haze rippled at the village entrance. The nearby houses seemed edged in gold, their outlines hazy, while smoke curled up from some households' cooking fires.

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

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

Many villagers stood outside the Qian Family's home, and someone could not help sighing.

"Old Qian was advanced in years. That Snow Ape nearly tore his neck apart. He barely held on until now."

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

Xu Yueping and Old Man Liu had also come. Their expressions were grave. Knowing the truth, they hated Feng Yi'an and the others beyond measure.

The Next Day, when Uncle Qian's funeral procession set out, people from 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 a hypocritical show and comfort the Qian Family's old and young alike, even Old Man Liu, the eldest of them all, 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. One muntjac in exchange for a human life? The hidden truth was bloody, and Uncle Qian's life was far too cheap.

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

Qin Ming knew him. His name was Shao Chengfeng.

Once, when entering the mountains, Qin Ming and Yang Yongqing had encountered this man On the Way.

At the time, Qin Ming had even thought Shao Chengfeng was responsible and hardworking for patrolling the mountains in the Deep Night.

Now, this man lied with his eyes wide open. After doing evil, he even claimed the credit for himself. It was truly contemptible.

Afterward, several members of the Mountain Patrol Group went to find Xu Yueping. They had not come to comfort the villagers, but to personally inspect Black Moon's seed-burial situation.

"Brother Xu, you've worked hard." Feng Yi'an was very satisfied this time and patted Xu Yueping on the shoulder.

Qin Ming also stood by 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 didn't expect Little Brother Qin to be a New Life Evolver who built a Golden Foundation. Once the Mountain Sweeping Operation begins, we'll most likely fight shoulder to shoulder. Why not join our Mountain Patrol Group directly and become One of Us ahead of time?"

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

Shortly After, the Mountain Patrol Group departed.

"There's no need to test him. It's obvious that brat is hostile toward us. Find a chance to get rid of him once the Mountain Sweeping Operation begins!"

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

The few men chatted casually as they disappeared into the wilderness.

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

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