Without Stopping

Qin Ming stood where he was. Not being chosen did not embarrass him; his mindset remained calm.

Xu Yueping was anxious for him, but there was nothing he could change. Yang Yongqing also found it a pity. Back then, he had jokingly told Qin Ming that young noblewomen would come down during the Mountain Sweeping Operation, so Qin Ming should perform well.

Wei Zhirou was skilled with words. She warmly greeted Qin Ming and lavishly praised him, saying that she had also wanted to invite him along, but Cao Long and Mu Qing would not agree. Once the mountain sweep was over, he could go to Red Haze City to find her.

Qin Ming naturally did not put on airs. Smiling, he replied that if he left this region, Red Haze City would be his first choice.

"I choose Qin Ming," Mu Qing said.

Qin Ming's body stiffened almost imperceptibly. He had felt nothing when he was not chosen earlier and had accepted it quite openly, but now he felt somewhat uneasy.

It was one thing not to know whether the person before him was male or female. Now, it was hard to say whether Mu Qing was even human anymore. Going into the mountains with Mu Qing truly made his heart pound like a drum.

He suspected that Mu Qing might be some high-level lifeform that had joined Red Haze City. Otherwise, no matter how a human body transformed, it should not grow a furry golden tail, should it?

What could he do? Under the present circumstances, there was no need to hesitate. He readily nodded in agreement.

Mu Qing was very satisfied with him. Seeing that he carried only a Firewood Chopping Knife, Mu Qing asked, "You lack a weapon that suits your hand. What kind are you used to using?"

Qin Ming said, "I haven't settled on one yet."

Mu Qing thought for a moment. "Some monsters in the mountains have sturdy scales and thick hides. Ordinary blades may not be able to cut through them. I'll give you a long-handled hammer. Used well, it has tremendous killing power and can smash a head apart with one blow. It is a heavy weapon, though. I don't know whether you can wield it comfortably."

Mu Qing beckoned to the people behind, and someone immediately brought over a long-handled hammer forged from black gold.

After taking it, Qin Ming casually swung it a few times, leaving streaks of afterimages in its wake as it hummed through the air. He handled it as lightly as if flourishing a spear, yet as nimbly as if dancing with a sword.

"Good!" Mu Qing nodded, seeing that his strength was extraordinary.

Wei Zhirou was inwardly startled. Her standards were high. Just from the way he wielded the heavy long-handled hammer as though it weighed nothing, his strength had likely already reached the threshold of six hundred jin.

She had previously sent people to investigate the only two youths who had laid a Golden Foundation. She had always thought Xu Yueping had exaggerated Qin Ming's abilities, but now it seemed he had not.

Still, she did not find it regrettable. Zhou Wubing, whom she had chosen, had damaged his vital essence in his early years. With his New Life, his origin was gradually recovering, and his potential was enormous. Once stabilized, he would likely be able to lift more than six hundred jin at the very least. He was truly exceptionally gifted, especially since even Xu Kong valued him and personally instructed him.

Cao Long remained calm. He followed the Giant Spirit God path and possessed innate divine strength!

Mu Qing said, "Give him a short sword as well. Should an alien creature close in for melee combat, he will need a sharp short weapon."

"Thank you!" Qin Ming accepted it. At last, he had weapons better than those of the Mountain Patrol Group.

After that, Cao Long, Wei Zhirou, and Mu Qing selected people quickly.

Old Man Liu was already over seventy. At first, no one chose him, but then he recommended himself, saying he knew the mountains as well as his own backyard. He immediately became a prized prize, and all three sides actually wanted him.

"I want to be in the same team as Little Qin. We're from the same village and know each other well, so we can look after one another," Old Man Liu said.

Very soon, the Cao Family, Wei Family, and Mu Family finished selecting their people.

"Everyone, the higher-ups will soon hold one final negotiation with the mysterious alien creatures in the mountains. For now, all we can do is wait."

Cao Long, Wei Zhirou, and Mu Qing were taking their people back to Silver Vine Town, where they were currently staying. They told the chosen New Life Evolvers to make all necessary preparations after returning.

Then, people saw several dozen more individuals emerge from the dense forest and leave alongside the three groups. They were all armored young and middle-aged men.

On the way back, Xu Yueping sighed. "The people from Red Haze City really do seem to regard us merely as guides. They act polite and courteous, but in truth, they do not think much of our strength at all."

Yang Yongqing said, "The youths in those three teams came here indeed to temper themselves. Those several dozen seasoned young and middle-aged men are the true main force of the three Lineages' mountain sweep and exploration of the mysterious lands."

Old Man Liu took it in stride. The others possessed Advanced Willpower Skills. What could they use to compete with them?

Xu Yueping shook his head. "I've been to Red Haze City. Only a very small number of core noble family members possess complete advanced scriptures."

In his judgment, the so-called generous rewards this time could not possibly include a lineage's secret inheritance. That would shake the foundations of their families.

"I reckon they are fragments of advanced manuals collected from the outside world, not the heritage of their own lineages. Of course, for people in the New Life Realm, they would certainly be enough to cultivate all the way to completion."

Yang Yongqing said longingly, "Advanced Willpower Skills are so rare and precious. Even if incomplete and only recording the path of the New Life Realm, they are enough to drive people mad."

Qin Ming murmured, "Advanced scriptures are so precious, yet the three great lineages of Red Haze City are willing to offer them. That shows just how much they value the Smoky Haze Illuminated Land that appeared in the mountains. What secret lies behind it?"

"Wrong. More than a dozen families came in total," Old Man Liu corrected.

Not long afterward, they returned to the village.

As Shallow Night neared its end, Qin Ming carried a huge piece of donkey meat to Old Man Liu's doorstep. He claimed to be mooching a meal, but in truth, he wanted to ask about the Blood Bamboo Forest.

Old Man Liu lived near the village entrance, close to Fire Spring. In the night, the green-brick, gray-tiled house was stained with a faint red glow.

The moment Qin Ming entered the courtyard, he saw a yellow dog leap from its kennel. It stood as tall as an adult's shoulders, its yellow fur flowing with a lustrous sheen as it bared its snow-white fangs.

Qin Ming immediately thought of the Golden Mastiff from the Mountain Patrol Group and could not help looking at the yellow dog a few more times. It was plump and sturdy, and its meat looked quite good too.

The yellow dog seemed to sense something. It had been baring its teeth just moments before, but in the next instant, it tucked its tail and plunged headfirst into its kennel, refusing to come out.

"Little Qin, why have you brought meat when visiting my home?" Though Old Man Liu was old, he remained extremely sharp and appeared in the courtyard at once.

Qin Ming said with a smile, "Grandfather Liu, how about I trade you two Saberhorn Deer for this yellow dog you're raising?"

"Aw, aw..." The large dog cried from inside the kennel. With its tail tucked, it tilted its head toward its owner as though telling him something.

"This Old Dog is highly spiritual. It's afraid of you, which means your recent hunting trips into the mountains have nurtured a killing aura around you," Old Man Liu said.

At the same time, he smiled and shook his head. "I won't trade with you. This dog is about to mutate now, and it is even nourishing our whole family in return. Every so often, it brings back some game in its mouth."

"It's that spiritual?" Qin Ming asked in surprise.

Old Man Liu stroked his goatee. "Of course. Two months ago, it was so old it could barely walk. It vanished on its own for several days, and after coming back, it began improving. It will definitely mutate before Yang Yongqing's Black Mountain Goat."

"When old dogs return to the mountains, they either die in the mountains or grow strong again. That saying truly has a real example now." Qin Ming clicked his tongue in wonder, staring at Big Yellow Dog again and again.

Old Man Liu chuckled. "Speaking of which, when you fell into the Earth Fissure during your last trip into the mountains, you nearly died. Then, after a serious illness, you quickly gained a New Life. That really is somewhat like an old dog returning to the mountains and coming back alive."

Qin Ming dearly wanted to punch him. This old bastard truly did not know how to speak. His mouth was rather sharp; no wonder he had failed to marry that prettiest girl back then.

Old Man Liu lowered his voice. "That Earth Fissure you discovered is worth keeping an eye on."

The great families of Red Haze City were all searching for those special Nodes. There had to be a deeper meaning behind it.

Qin Ming shook his head. "Until I undergo a Second New Life, I don't intend to approach that area."

He took the opportunity to ask Old Man Liu, "Grandfather Liu, you know a great deal about all sorts of Spiritual Objects in the mountains. Tell me about them."

"You brat, I knew you had something to ask of me." Old Man Liu smiled and pointed at him, but soon became serious. "If Spiritual Objects were so easy to obtain, why would I have wasted away until now? You have laid a Golden Foundation and will certainly undergo a Second New Life. There is no need for you to take such risks."

Qin Ming said, "Didn't you say that youths should have a sharp edge? If one is not reckless in youth, one has come to the Mortal World for nothing. I want to undergo my Second New Life as soon as possible and see the scenery from higher ground."

"Did I say something like that?" Old Man Liu eyed him suspiciously. He had not gotten drunk while drinking yesterday; each of them had only half a cup of that fiery old liquor.

"More or less," Qin Ming said with a smile.

"One should indeed have grand ambitions in youth, because dreams diminish year by year as one grows older. The starting point has to be set higher," Old Man Liu said.

Cold wind swept heavy snow against the windows. Inside the house, steam rose from the Liu family's dining table, the meal consisting mainly of donkey meat. Qin Ming and Old Man Liu talked until late into the night. He learned the names of some Spiritual Objects, all located in extremely dangerous places, and also learned where the Blood Bamboo Forest was.

Qin Ming had already suspected that the Blood Bamboo Forest Feng Yi'an and Shao Chengfeng had their eyes on was most likely within the area overseen by the Mountain Patrol Group.

Sure enough, Old Man Liu mentioned that the Blood Bamboo Forest was only six li from the Mountain Patrol Group's stronghold.

A kind of snake lived there, its entire body glowing crimson as though carved from red agate. Its flesh and gallbladder contained abundant vitality and spirituality.

But this snake was extremely dangerous—one could even say deadly. It possessed virulent poison; even a New Life Evolver could not withstand a single bite.

"If you are fortunate enough to capture one, you must chop off its head and remove its venom glands. Otherwise, it is not a tonic but a life-snatching soup."

Old Man Liu explained that apart from its deadly venom, this snake's body was hard as iron, its strength astonishing, and it could leap and dart through the air. Even a small snake only several feet long was more dangerous than many mountain beasts. It could shoot forth like an iron arrow and pierce an opponent's body in an instant.

Thus, some called it a Blood Snake, while others called it an Arrow Snake.

If one discovered a Blood Snake more than a zhang long in the mountains, the best choice was to flee immediately.

Old Man Liu recalled that the snake nest had already existed when he was young. After several decades, Blood Snakes that had undergone a Second Mutation must have appeared there long ago.

Qin Ming said, "As long as even more formidable old snakes do not appear."

"Even swords and blades might not cut through a Blood Snake. Sparks would fly when they struck its body. Among creatures of the same level, they are exceptionally vicious and have almost no weaknesses." As Old Man Liu spoke, he suddenly sprang to his feet, nearly overturning the table. He startled his wife and nearly made his youngest grandson cry.

"What's wrong with you, you old man?" Old Woman glared at him.

Old Man Liu's face flushed red, as though he had regained his youth. Excitedly waving his arms, he said, "How did I forget this? Something has gone wrong in the mountains now. If the Fire Spring in the Blood Bamboo Forest has gone out, the Blood Snakes there will all be frozen stiff. Wouldn't they be there for anyone to pick up?"

He wished he could grow wings from his ribs and fly into the mountains to take a look.

Qin Ming immediately said, "How about the two of us go into the mountains tonight and pick up some spiritual Blood Snakes?"

"Great!" Old Man Liu nodded vigorously, but then he seemed to think of something. He slumped back down and sighed. "If I can realize it, how could those bastards Feng Yi'an and Shao Chengfeng, guarding the mountains and desperately longing for a Second New Life, fail to think of the Spiritual Objects in their own little patch of land?"

The old man looked utterly bereft. His joy and excitement had been for nothing. Sitting there, he slapped his thigh until it was nearly bruised black and blue, cursing the people of the Mountain Patrol Group in indignation.

"Those dogs really are lucky. Could there be another one or two people like Fu Entao? To run into such perfect timing—I truly want to give them a dung ladle of golden broth and drench their faces in lasting fragrance."

This day, Qin Ming truly had not stopped for a moment. In the middle of the night, he had braved the wind and snow to enter the mountains, using a Firewood Chopping Knife to hack Fu Entao, Feng Yi'an, and the others to death. Then he had gone to meet the nobles of Red Haze City, after which he spent the entire night listening to Old Man Liu boast about his mysterious sights and strange experiences in the mountains.

By the time Qin Ming returned home, he was somewhat weary. He quickly fell asleep.

The next day, he woke very early. After swiftly finishing breakfast, he headed straight into the mountains.