Visitors from Red Haze City

As Qin Ming pondered, Xu Yueping knocked on the courtyard gate and came looking for him.

"Little Qin, come out quickly. It's urgent."

Qin Ming's heart skipped a beat. Had the destruction of the Mountain Patrol Group been exposed so quickly?

"We leave in an hour," Xu Yueping told him. People from Red Haze City had arrived and wanted to meet the New Life Evolvers from the nearby villages.

Xu Yueping lowered his voice. "I heard they're all direct descendants of noble families. They're here to help us sweep the mountains, but also to temper themselves."

Qin Ming said, "Is it finally starting?"

Xu Yueping spoke solemnly. "You need to perform well this time. The people coming are anything but ordinary. Try to use this chance to enter Red Haze City."

An hour later, Xu Yueping's home became lively.

Old Man Liu was brimming with vigor, carrying a Thick-backed Greatsword on his back. He had also put on old leather armor and an iron helmet, fully armed.

Qin Ming stepped closer and said, "Grandfather Liu, what are you doing? Today is only a meeting. We're not going into the mountains."

Old Man Liu replied, "Getting used to it in advance."

Yang Yongqing also took this matter very seriously, carrying twin blades on his back.

"Even if nothing is likely to happen during Shallow Night, someone still needs to stay and watch the Household. Uncle Liu, you've injured your vitality, and at your age..." Xu Yueping had not finished before Old Man Liu cut him off.

"An old steed in its stable still aspires to race a thousand miles. Besides, I'm as vigorous as a dragon and fierce as a tiger right now. I can take you and Yang Yongqing on by myself!" Old Man Liu insisted on joining them.

Not everyone dared to throw caution to the wind. For example, the village's other two New Life Evolvers stayed behind, while the injured Wang Qinglin had no choice.

Their destination was not far away, at a crossroads seven li away.

Under the dim night sky, dense forests covered the land in every direction.

More than a dozen villages had received the notice. New Life Evolvers traveled quickly and arrived one after another.

Smaller villages such as Double Tree Village had sent only four people, while larger ones had sent more than ten. Altogether, there were fewer than a hundred.

The people from Red Haze City had arrived earlier. They were divided into three teams, almost all clad in armor and carrying fine equipment, waiting quietly ahead.

The New Life Evolvers from the various villages also fell silent, awed by the gleaming armor and sharp swords ahead, as well as by the noble elites of that brilliant city.

Each of the three teams bore a distinct family crest. There were more than a dozen people in each, and the three leaders at the front drew the most attention.

One of the men was actually three meters tall. He wore Black Gold Armor, his black hair falling past his shoulders, and his eyes were as sharp as blade edges, giving off an overwhelming pressure.

His mount was equally eye-catching: a gigantic crimson bull whose back stood a head taller than a grown man's. Besides its two normal curved horns, it had another horn pointing forward like a sword.

When the three-meter-tall man saw the New Life Evolvers from the villages arrive, he did not arrogantly remain seated on the bull. He dismounted, nodded to everyone, and said, "My name is Cao Long."

He gave a simple introduction, saying that Red Haze City had sent many experts this time. More than a dozen families were helping sweep the mountains, while the younger members of their three families were responsible for this area.

"I'm from the Wei Family. My name is Wei Zhirou." The woman among the three leaders spoke. Rather than standing beside the giant Cao Long, she stood atop a blue stone.

She wore a pure white fox-fur cloak. Her dark hair fluttered in the wind, and a sweet, brilliant smile rested on her fair oval face. Such beauty was quite lethal to the young people from the villages.

In the eyes of youths who had guarded the mountains and never traveled far, this noble young lady from the brilliant city was like an elegant, pure fairy in white. Even many years later, they would find her difficult to forget.

Wei Zhirou stood graceful and slender, undeniably beautiful. She gathered her windblown hair and spoke of the mountain sweep, while also bringing news.

"This winter's blizzards have blocked the roads, making it difficult to transport grain from outside. But please rest assured: Red Haze City has already used giant beasts to pull grain carts. They will arrive before long."

This immediately stirred up a commotion, and people from the various villages revealed joyful expressions.

Still, some were worried. If grain was transported this way, would its price become extremely high?

"My name is Mu Qing." The last of the three leaders spoke. His entire body was wrapped in a black cloak, even his face hidden, making him seem rather mysterious. Even after he spoke, no one could tell whether he was male or female; his voice was somewhat androgynous.

Mu Qing spoke bluntly. They were unfamiliar with the mountains and needed local New Life Evolvers to guide them.

That was the fundamental reason the three teams had come here to meet the New Life Evolvers from the villages.

Those who followed them would receive generous rewards.

Cao Long mentioned that anyone who performed outstandingly could obtain relatively precious manuals such as Willpower Skill and Meditation Technique.

This immediately sparked heated discussion. Many people's eyes burned with eagerness, because the New Life Methods passed down in this region were all rather low-level.

"What counts as outstanding performance?" someone could not help asking.

"Providing important information that prevents casualties among us, hunting special aberrants, discovering places that nurture Spiritual Matter..."

People realized that the rewards would not be easy to obtain. The noble elites of Red Haze City had not merely come to temper their New Life bodies; they also wanted to explore the more mysterious regions in the mountains.

Wei Zhirou added, "If you discover any unusual phenomenon in the mountains and inform us immediately, that also counts as providing important information."

"I know of an Earth Fissure. Silver threads once spread from within it. Even if someone who fell in managed to struggle free, they would still find it hard to survive. Does that count?"

Qin Ming noticed that someone from neighboring Green Mulberry Village had spoken first to seize the opportunity.

Clearly, people from nearby villages had also died there.

Old Man Liu slapped his thigh and looked at Qin Ming, as if saying someone had beaten them to the punch.

Wei Zhirou nodded. "The mountain's magnetic fields are chaotic. The place you mentioned should be a relatively small Node. If you discover another similar place, I'll give you an intermediate secret manual on New Life."

She explained that these special Nodes would likely remain for several years. They would search them out one by one and map them, leaving behind a map of the mountain terrain for the locals so no one would accidentally enter dangerous places in the future.

Cao Long said, "If you discover a place where white mist billows and five-colored haze shines in all directions, never approach it. Such places are even more dangerous. Whoever can provide clues like that will receive a great reward: an Advanced Willpower Skill manual."

Many people's breathing grew heavy at once. Manuals of that level were far too distant and illusory for them. Who would not yearn for one?

Some realized that the nobles from Red Haze City were only ostensibly here to temper themselves. They definitely had another important purpose. The strange phenomena in the mountains involved secrets unknown to the locals.

Yet the New Life Evolvers from the villages remained fairly calm. Even if they understood there was something hidden beneath it all, so what? Those dangerous regions were not places they could set foot in.

Besides, whatever the Red Haze City nobles' purpose, they would ultimately help sweep the mountains and fend off the threat of mountain aberrants. That was enough.

Cao Long informed everyone that Red Haze City's upper ranks still had one final negotiation with the mysterious beings deep in the mountain range. This time, it would be held outside the mountains, and there would be results soon.

The New Life Evolvers from the various villages whispered and discussed it among themselves. Though they lived in this region, they had only heard legends of a handful of high-level beings. Their deepest impressions of the mountain depths were mystery, the unknown, and fear. They were filled with mists that inspired awe.

"Will we get to see the negotiations outside the mountains?"

The speaker was a youth from one of the three teams. His face was still somewhat immature, yet he was like a newborn calf unafraid of tigers, wanting to know what the Top-Tier Aberrants deep in the mountains looked like.

The three teams, originally quiet, stirred with commotion. They were all very young, filled with intense curiosity and a desire to explore.

Cao Long stood a whole head taller than ordinary people, his massive frame carrying immense pressure. He merely swept them with a calm glance, and they quickly fell quiet.

He did not rebuke them, only nodded and replied, "Perhaps there will be a chance."

At once, heated discussion erupted here.

Qin Ming could not remain calm either. Aside from accidentally catching a glimpse of the "Moon Insect," he was completely in the dark about other Top-Tier Aberrants. He also wanted to use this opportunity to see their true forms.

The tall Wei Zhirou stood on the blue stone, her pure white fox-fur cloak billowing in the wind, making her seem elegant and unworldly. She announced another piece of news.

"The current situation is rather delicate. You may not know this, but the unrest in the mountain range was not caused solely by chaotic magnetic fields. Another group of high-level beings has migrated here from afar, bringing their entire families to seize some of the mountain range's resources."

Everyone's expressions changed upon hearing this.

Wei Zhirou continued, "Now that there is another group of high-level beings, many dangerous species, oppressed by them, have no choice but to expand beyond the mountains and squeeze the living space of those outside."

Xu Yueping asked, "So the outer regions of the forest, which have only recently calmed down for a short while, will become extremely dangerous in the future?"

"It's no big deal. Who gave them permission to expand? We'll beat them back. That's precisely what our mountain sweep is for." Though Mu Qing's voice was androgynous, his words were domineering.

The New Life Evolvers from the villages secretly breathed sighs of relief. That figure entirely concealed beneath a black cloak had boosted their confidence.

Mu Qing raised his voice. "They have trespassed into land they should never have set foot on and forgotten the pain of the past. Then we will beat them awake with force and make them understand that the rule of Two-Legged Human-Beasts in this region has never declined..."

At first, everyone's hearts surged and their morale soared. Even though the term Two-Legged Human-Beasts felt strange, they only found it vaguely odd. But when they saw Mu Qing continue speaking with impassioned fervor and a fluffy golden tail emerge from behind his black cloak, many people immediately lost their composure.

What species was this?!

"Mu Qing." Cao Long reminded him.

Wei Zhirou said, "Mu Qing is human."

The three teams behind them were quite calm, as though they had long known Mu Qing's condition.

Qin Ming stared blankly, looking ahead again and again.

Old Man Liu murmured, "Perhaps he chose a miraculous path. Whether he is still human, what state he is in now—I can't quite make sense of it."

This was another different choice Qin Ming had seen, following Cao Long's Giant Spirit God path.

Cao Long said, "Now we will choose suitable companions. They will act with us during the mountain sweep and guide us through the mountains. But rest assured, your safety will be guaranteed."

He emphasized that no one would be forced. Those unwilling could leave on their own now.

At the same time, Cao Long, Wei Zhirou, and Mu Qing once again made clear that the rewards during the mountain sweep included Spiritual Matter, Advanced Willpower Skill, and more. They were extremely generous and would never be stingy.

The New Life Evolvers present had already made their choice when they chose not to remain in their villages, so no one left now.

Naturally, Qin Ming followed the crowd and did not make a show of being different.

Wei Zhirou smiled at Cao Long and Mu Qing. In everyone's eyes, her smile was dazzlingly radiant, carrying an otherworldly sweetness. She waved the roster in her hand at them, wanting to choose first.

"One person at a time. You go first." Cao Long told her to choose first, and Mu Qing had no objection.

Wei Zhirou smiled and nodded. "Then I won't stand on ceremony. Our Wei Family very much wishes to recruit youths with a Golden Foundation."

"Who doesn't?" Mu Qing said, then spoke quietly with Cao Long, discussing which of them would choose first.

Wei Zhirou looked over the roster, her delicate brows slightly furrowed as she struggled to choose. In the end, she called out two names in succession. "Who is Zhou Wubing? Who is Qin Ming?"

"You can only choose one person at a time," Mu Qing reminded her.

Wei Zhirou smiled. "I know. I merely want to have a look."

Zhou Wubing stepped forward. He stood half a head taller than ordinary people, with a solid, powerful body.

He had not originally borne that name. Because he had been frail and sickly as a youth, his parents changed his name to Zhou Wubing. Yet it was only after relatives from afar returned that he was cured and underwent New Life during the Golden Age.

Qin Ming was surprised. Er Bingzi's bearing had changed beyond recognition. In the past, he had been sallow and thin, with yellow hair like autumn weeds. Now, his black hair was thick, and his Essence, Qi, and Spirit were exceptionally vigorous.

Qin Ming stepped out and stood there calmly, slightly taller than Er Bingzi.

"You both have a Golden Foundation. I want to invite you both." Wei Zhirou smiled at them.

Er Bingzi was no longer what he had once been. Although the bright smile of this otherworldly noble young lady momentarily dazzled him, he quickly regained his calm.

At that moment, a young man emerged from the forest and hurried to Wei Zhirou's side to whisper to her.

Only then did everyone realize that the three families had sent more than just three inexperienced youth teams. There were others as well.

"Zhou Wubing was frail and often ill in the past, yet his strength has continued to grow slowly after New Life, and he was taught by Xu Kong?" After speaking quietly with the young man, Wei Zhirou looked up in surprise. Her beautiful eyes turned to Er Bingzi, and she smiled and beckoned to him, choosing him.