A Generous Gift

Six people emerged from the slope on the other side of the valley entrance. Four of them wore black armor, their equipment exceptionally refined and far superior to the standard armor of the Mountain Patrol Group.

The iron armor worn by the other two was quite ordinary and heavily worn; they appeared to be locals. One of them gave a whistle, and three exceptionally sturdy birds immediately came racing out of the dense forest. Their tawny feathers were fluffy, and their thick legs carried them at astonishing speed.

Qin Ming recognized them as mutated creatures raised on Golden Chicken Ridge. Yesterday, he had even seen the three people ahead riding running chickens through the mountains.

"Brother, impressive skills. Guarding the valley entrance alone and slaying a Blood Snake—you are truly brave and decisive," said one young man clad in fine armor.

Qin Ming ignored him. The man still held a hard bow in his hand and had not lowered it; moments ago, he had tried to shoot Qin Ming dead with an iron arrow.

"Sorry about that. I acted on impulse and wanted to test your skills. I truly offended you."

Qin Ming looked at the bow-wielding young man. "Do you believe that yourself?"

"Huh? You sound very young, yet you've already achieved Second New Life. Your future is boundless." The young man stared in surprise at Qin Ming's face, which was concealed by a black scarf.

He knew full well that in such a remote area, a youth with such accomplishments had to be extraordinarily gifted.

The young man put away his black bow. He considered the youth before him a promising talent. "Brother, I was indeed rash earlier. It's mainly because my elder brother was injured in the mountains and urgently needs Spiritual Objects to nourish his body. Concern clouded my judgment, and in my desperation, I attacked you."

Qin Ming remained unmoved. In desperation, one simply shot to kill? Such an explanation was pale and powerless. At most, it meant the man was cold-blooded by nature and did not care whether others lived or died.

He quickly packed the Blood Snake on the ground into a hide bag. "Since it was a misunderstanding, may I leave now?"

"Brother, don't be in such a hurry. Perhaps we can become friends. You may not know this, but we come from Red Haze City..." The young man's intention to recruit him was obvious.

Qin Ming said nothing and silently observed the group. The young man whom the archer had called elder brother did indeed seem to be in poor condition, his complexion somewhat blue-black.

His heart stirred. That faintly darkened complexion looked rather familiar. After he had fallen into the Earth Fissure, he had looked much the same and suffered a serious illness.

The young man smiled. "Brother, the misunderstanding has been cleared up. We truly need Spiritual Objects now, but we won't take the Blood Snake you hunted for nothing. I would like to invite you to join us. We will certainly compensate you in the future."

Qin Ming truly wanted to slap him across the face. They wanted him to hand over his Spiritual Object, then work for them too?

Seeing that he had received no enthusiastic response, the young man casually touched the hilt of his blade with his right hand. The others also shifted their steps and spread out.

Seeing this, Qin Ming spoke. "This isn't Red Haze City, and no one else is watching. You don't need to speak so hypocritically. I'll ask only one thing: now that the misunderstanding is resolved, can I leave?"

The young man's face turned cold, and his words indeed became concise. "You refuse a toast only to drink a forfeit!"

Qin Ming tore off the two layers of armor on his body to lighten his burden, afraid they would affect his speed. He slung the hide bag over his back and swiftly tied it tight.

He glanced at the long blade in his hand. It had actually been chipped while cutting the Blood Snake, and the tips of several iron spears had also been damaged. This showed just how hard the Blood Snake's crimson scales were.

The others wore cold expressions. Some drew the greatswords from their backs, while others held longbows. Since they had torn off all pretense, they were preparing to fight.

Only the blue-black-faced young man did not move. Looking toward the distant dense forest, he said, "You didn't hurry to flee because you were waiting for the other Blood Snake to return. You wanted it to attack indiscriminately and indirectly help you deal with us? Fine. I admit I badly need these Blood Snakes. I won't let it escape back into the valley."

At that moment, a crimson glow appeared in the forest. The fiery red serpent had returned. It had not pursued its prey endlessly; after all, in the freezing cold, it would become sluggish if it stayed out too long.

Seeing that his plan had been exposed, Qin Ming no longer hid it. He hurled the iron spear in his hand at top speed. The people nearby had been on guard all along; some dodged behind trees, while others prepared to block with their weapons.

But they soon realized it was not aimed at them. Amid three muffled thuds, three iron spears plunged into the bodies of the three running chickens, spraying great blooms of blood.

Just then, the Blood Snake arrived nearby. Seeing a group of people blocking its path, it immediately reared up and launched an attack without the slightest fear.

The blue-black-faced young man said, "You deal with that youth. I'll kill this Blood Snake. The more Spiritual Objects, the better."

"Big Brother, can your body handle it?" The young man who had been speaking earlier was afraid something might happen to him.

The young man drew a longsword and replied, "I entered the Special Node voluntarily to explore it. I wasn't accidentally injured. I can still bear this much."

When Qin Ming saw the Blood Snake arrive and begin attacking as if mad, he no longer hesitated. He turned and fled, charging along the route he had planned.

Naturally, the others made their move. The young man who had fired the sneak arrows earlier once again drew his bow at Qin Ming.

Qin Ming dodged through the dense forest, using the great trees as cover. Once both sides broke into a full sprint, however, it became difficult for the young man to keep drawing iron arrows from his quiver and nocking his bow without slowing down.

The blue-black-faced man was indeed very strong. With his longsword in hand, he held off the Blood Snake and unleashed brilliant sword light, instantly leaving several wounds on its body.

The people who had gone after Qin Ming relaxed when they looked back and saw that scene.

Qin Ming darted left and right through the forest, racing through the night along the path he had scouted beforehand. He had already realized this group would not be easy to deal with.

Among those pursuing him, two had achieved Second New Life. One of them was extremely fast and was getting closer and closer.

Qin Ming was strong enough in terms of power, but he was not a true Second New Life Evolver after all. He was still somewhat lacking in speed.

The young man who had been speaking all along was also a Second New Life Evolver. Because he had fired several sneak arrows, he had fallen slightly behind.

When he rushed into an area thick with trees and obstructed by branches, Qin Ming carefully swept his eyes over it and chose the only stretch that was unobstructed.

Clearly, the people behind him would not swing their blades to cut away the branches blocking the path. They simply followed his route in pursuit.

"Ah...!"

Suddenly, the Second New Life Evolver at the front let out a miserable scream and collapsed painfully into the snow, his face twisting.

His right foot had been pierced by an iron spear hidden beneath the snow. Blood streamed down it, and the sharp spearhead, stained red, had gone completely through the top of his foot. The sight was horrifying.

Qin Ming had merely prepared for the worst, just in case, burying three iron spears beforehand in this branch-choked area. He had not expected them to actually come in handy.

The only easy path had naturally been created by Qin Ming himself, after he broke off the obstructing branches nearby. However, even with iron spears planted in the snow, whether an opponent stepped on them still depended on luck.

That man had inadvertently avoided two iron spears in a row before stepping on the third. At full speed, his outcome was naturally miserable. His entire right foot was ruined.

The people behind him saw this, their pupils contracting. For a moment, they felt as if their own right feet were throbbing with pain, followed by a wave of lingering fear.

The young man who had been speaking earlier looked grim. Gritting his teeth, he said, "Don't run around. Follow his footprints!"

He was ruthless as well. Without bothering about his injured companion, he carried a greatsword and continued the pursuit, gradually closing the distance with his advantage in speed.

He had long seen that his opponent was clearly slower than him. Therefore, he judged that although the other party was also a Second New Life Evolver, his strength was inferior to theirs.

He's only a New Life Evolver from some remote backwater. Without secret Meditation Techniques or Willpower Skills, even if he has achieved Second New Life, his upper limit won't be very high. This was what he thought, and it was also the reason and confidence behind his continued pursuit.

Qin Ming knew he would be caught sooner or later. Since that was the case, he might as well take the initiative. He deliberately slowed his pace, intending to first eliminate someone who posed a threat to him.

"Why aren't you running anymore? You shameless thing who refuses a toast only to drink a forfeit. We only wanted a few Blood Snakes from you. Isn't that better than losing your life?" The young man approached with a cold face.

As for the other person from Red Haze City and the two men from Golden Chicken Ridge, they had only undergone First New Life and were slower than him. All of them had fallen behind and had not arrived yet.

Qin Ming did not answer. Carrying the Long-handled Black Gold Hammer, he charged forward. He had to end this quickly. The person he feared most was still the young man who was fighting the Blood Snake alone. Even with something wrong with his body, he remained the most dangerous.

Snow exploded through the forest. Qin Ming struck with all his strength, and the first blow of the Black Gold Hammer stunned the young man, making his sword-gripping right hand go numb.

This youth was slower and should clearly have had inferior physical qualities after achieving Second New Life. How could his strength be so great?

Qin Ming focused with complete intensity and went all out. Though the Long-handled Black Gold Hammer looked heavy, once he swung it, it became streaks of black lightning weaving through the night.

The young man was strong, clearly no easy opponent. Far more formidable than Fu Entao, he swiftly launched a counterattack after losing the initial exchange.

Yet he discovered in shock that this youth from the remote wilderness was not as clumsy in combat as he had imagined. He clearly possessed an extraordinarily powerful fighting method. That heavy hammer was almost dancing in his hands, its technique astonishing; every strike tore through the night in an unimaginable way, each one an efficient killing move.

Then realization dawned on him. It was being wielded according to blade techniques.

This man is formidable. I need to achieve Second New Life as soon as possible! Qin Ming thought. Then, the Black Gold Hammer suddenly slipped from his hand.

With a bang, the young man felt the world spin around him, tears and snot streaming down his face. The instant their weapons collided, the other man's hand had apparently "slipped." At such close range, the heavy hammer smashed into his jaw, shattering the bone on the spot.

Enduring the agonizing pain, he forced himself to stay conscious and slashed forward with his greatsword. He absolutely could not retreat now; he could not give his opponent the chance to retrieve the Black Gold Hammer.

Clearly, that hammer blow had left him dizzy and muddled, his mind no longer fully clear.

By the time he sensed something was wrong, it was too late. Qin Ming drew the long blade from his body, knocked aside the greatsword, then chopped off the man's sword-wielding right arm with a single strike and kicked him sprawling.

Qin Ming picked up the Long-handled Black Gold Hammer from the ground. Without saying anything, he rushed over and smashed the man's head apart with one blow. Then he took his weapon and quickly turned to meet the other three.

The blue-black-faced young man killed the Blood Snake without any surprise. He was not being overconfident; his strength was truly tyrannical.

Liu Huaishan led the surviving Mountain Patrols in a return charge. After racing all the way back, they once more arrived outside the valley. He had judged that the Blood Snake had expended a great deal of energy. Though it would not freeze stiff in the icy world of snow and frost, it might still become sluggish.

So he had returned in pursuit, only to witness the young man killing the Blood Snake outside the valley.

The scene immediately fell silent. Liu Huaishan and the others had not expected anyone else to appear here, much less succeed. Judging by appearances, this person's strength was terrifying.

The young man tossed the Blood Snake onto the ground. Looking at the people opposite him, he walked forward with his sword in hand. He had entered this region in secret and did not want word to leak out, because opponents were present in this area.

His condition was not very good now, and he wanted secrecy even more. Thus, killing intent surged from him.

"Friend, we mean no harm. We'll leave immediately. The Blood Snake is yours!" Liu Huaishan shouted quickly, leading his people in a rapid retreat.

He felt this person was far too dangerous. If they truly fought to the death, they would surely be the ones to die. This man alone could slaughter his way through all of them.

These Mountain Patrols were all experienced middle-aged men. They had already drawn their bows and nocked their arrows, aiming ahead defensively as they retreated faster.

The young man suddenly felt a tightness in his chest. Exploring the Special Node had ultimately injured his body, and he was feeling very unwell. In the end, he drew a deep breath and nodded, allowing those people to leave.

After resting for a while, the discomfort finally faded. He immediately set off, chasing after Qin Ming in the direction he had fled.

Though snowflakes drifted through the sky, they could not immediately cover the tracks. He raced all the way and soon heard screams.

There was no suspense. Qin Ming killed the two New Life Evolvers from Golden Chicken Ridge and the weakest one from Red Haze City.

Taking their weapons, he turned around and rushed back. He once again found the Second New Life Evolver whose right foot had been pierced by an iron spear.

When the blue-black-faced man appeared, he happened to see Qin Ming with his back to him, interrogating one of his men.

In an instant, his blood surged through his body, and fury shook him to the core. He saw only one person being forced to confess. Where were the others? Where was his cousin? Had they all been killed?

"Tell me now—do you have Advanced Willpower Skill or not?" Qin Ming crouched there, gripping the severely injured man with one hand.

At that moment, the man wanted to say something but could not open his mouth, because his mouth had long since been struck by an iron hammer. Qin Ming simply had no intention of letting him speak!

When the mute man saw the strongest member of his side appear and silently approach, his pupils shrank as though he wanted to say something.

But with another bang, he took another hammer blow. His vision went black, and he nearly fainted.

The blue-black-faced man saw that the injured man's upper body was covered in blood while his lower body was buried in snow. He looked utterly miserable. No longer hesitating, he suddenly accelerated and charged over.

Then he let out a muffled groan and fell into the snow.

This time, what the young man had stepped on was not an iron spear, but his cousin's greatsword.

Not long ago, Qin Ming had carefully arranged this place. It looked as if it had been ravaged by the aftermath of a great battle, with broken branches scattered everywhere and only a few areas left clear.

Naturally, those deliberately cleared areas had all been planted with iron spears, greatswords, long blades, and the like. Judging by the current result, it had achieved the most ideal effect.

With a bang, Qin Ming ended the earlier man's life with one hammer blow. Then he calmly faced the man whose foot had been pierced through by the greatsword.

The blue-black-faced young man was named Wang Nianzhu. He had some reputation even in Red Haze City. During First New Life, he could lift a five-hundred-and-seventy-pound cauldron, which already made him quite strong.

After achieving Second New Life, both his arms possessed nearly twelve hundred pounds of strength. How could someone as extraordinary as him not hate being trapped here now?

Especially since he had regarded the masked youth before him as nothing more than a country bumpkin, only to suffer such severe injuries at his hands.

Qin Ming retreated and directly used Wang Nianzhu's cousin's bow and arrows to aim at him.

"Ah...!"

After Wang Nianzhu's foot was pierced, his movements became inconvenient. Though he was extremely strong and could leap through the pain, he ultimately could not maintain his former condition. Before long, he was struck by an arrow.

Soon after, Qin Ming stepped forward and smashed the gravely wounded, barely breathing Wang Nianzhu's head apart with the Long-handled Black Gold Hammer.

"I even got an extra Blood Snake. Thanks for the generous gift!" Qin Ming stuffed the second great snake into his hide bag. Today's harvest was truly enormous.