Land of Four Illuminations by Five-Colored Haze

Tonight, the darkness in the mountains was especially thick, as if a massive black curtain had draped over them. Then Five-Colored Haze suddenly surged up from the depths of the mountains, ripping apart the night in an instant and lighting up every direction. The towering peaks were all dyed in brilliant colors, and even the snow-laden trees shimmered along with it.

The sight stunned everyone. Across the mountain range ahead, luminous mist billowed and flowing colors overflowed. In this age without a sun, such splendor inspired longing at first sight.

The mountains fell into complete chaos. Any expert even slightly close to the Land of Four Illuminations by Five-Colored Haze wished they could grow Thunder Wings and fly there at once to fight over the mountain range's most mysterious treasures.

"It matured this early?!"

"Ah..."

Every group went mad and rushed in that direction. Cries of agony already rang out midway, as someone was striking from the shadows.

Among the boundless mountains, Famous Beasts roared and strange birds soared. Great numbers of aberrants also went wild and charged toward that place.

Deep in the mountains, the Five-Colored Haze lingered without dispersing, reaching into the depths of the pitch-black sky. Dazzling rosy light shone over all eight directions.

People understood clearly that all these strange signs were merely appearances. Everything had happened because the treasures within the Special Node had ripened. They were wreathed in white mist and steaming haze, giving rise to this mysterious spectacle.

The ten-meter-tall Wei Mo stood atop a cliff, gazing toward the place ahead where five-colored mist swirled. His dark-red armor clanged like the scales of a flood-dragon beast, bursting with crimson haze. He exerted force beneath his feet, and with a boom, crushed the cliff beneath him. Rocks tumbled down as the earth shook and mountains trembled, creating a terrifying display.

Gripping the Black Long Spear, he leaped down and raced into the depths of the mountains.

"Wei, you should stay behind." A White-Clad Figure appeared. It was Ling Xu, the lord of Red Haze City, a man of extremely high status, blocking the way.

"Ling Xu, you dare stop me?" Wei Mo gripped the Black Long Spear and stamped through the forest. With one leap, he vanished from where he stood, then abruptly reappeared. His spear was like black lightning, tearing through a vast stretch of forest and striking straight toward Ling Xu.

In another stretch of mountains, a Civet Cat three feet long was hurrying along with a Crimson Longsword on its back. It moved nimbly and silently, avoiding many aberrants as it rushed toward the center where the Five-Colored Haze was rising.

"Halt!" An aberrant suddenly shouted, racing over as swiftly as lightning. It was clearly here to contend with the Civet Cat for that priceless mysterious treasure.

A Mantis Beast appeared, arriving with a gale. Every branch in its path snapped and fell as it forcefully blocked the Civet Cat's way.

Its entire body was white, and it resembled a praying mantis, yet it stood more than a person's height tall. Snow-white beast fur covered its body, while its long mantis arms resembled two serrated, snow-white blades wreathed in hazy light.

The Civet Cat did not waste words. It drew its crimson longsword, and at once it was as though the evening glow had illuminated the forest, dyeing it red as Sword Qi surged into the night sky.

At the same time, saber light tore through the darkness, like lightning interweaving through the deep forest. Tall trees toppled in swathes beneath the impact of invisible Saber Qi, some even exploding into pieces.

The Old Weasel, who usually rode a donkey in leisurely composure, had abandoned its mount today. It raced at top speed along the crowns of the trees, like a streak of snowy lightning.

"Hmm?" It suddenly stopped atop a larch dozens of meters tall, its "left hand" tucked behind its back and prayer beads wrapped around its "right hand" as it looked up at the sky.

"The rare treasure in that Node is not meant for you!" A cold voice came from the night mist in the sky.

"It seems that aside from Red Haze City's people, other outsiders are also watching from the shadows." The Old Weasel was unusually more talkative than usual.

"Stay behind!" A voice came from the black clouds in the night sky. It was clearly trying to stop the unfathomably powerful Old Weasel and buy time for others.

The Old Weasel said, "Have you considered that if you keep me here, your companions will also be stopped by others? The hidden watchers are not just your group. Better let me go on and muddy the waters."

"We cannot let you pass. I have long wanted to test your mettle. You actually joined forces with Red Haze City's people to injure my friend. Hmph!" Wings emerged from within the clouds, followed by a huge claw covered in scales, grabbing at the Old Weasel below like a cloud-dragon reaching out its claws.

Prayer beads wrapped around the Old Weasel's right hand as it suddenly slapped toward the sky. With a thunderous boom, it was as if a clap of thunder had exploded. A terrifying beam of light twisted through the night like dreadful lightning, deafening to the ears.

The clouds in the sky were blasted apart, revealing a colossal creature beating silver wings. It was forced back again and again by the impact, stirring up terrifying Astral Wind.

The larch beneath the Old Weasel's feet snapped as well. The surrounding trees collapsed and exploded in great swathes, presenting a horrifying sight. It drifted lightly down onto a mountain rock.

In the distance, a Moon Insect appeared in the forest like a bright moon rising over the sea. It confronted the Feather-Clothed Woman standing atop a great azure bird, her body flowing with misty radiance, before the two began to fight.

"If only I were still in my prime, standing at the peak, I would go into those mountains to fight for the rare treasures nurtured by Spirit Mountain. Alas, I can only watch helplessly. I do not even dare approach—what heart-wrenching agony!"

At the outskirts of the forest, someone cried out with a look of grief and indignation.

"You are one of the weaker New Life Evolvers even in our group. Wake up. By the time you reach your prime, it is hard to say whether you will even still be alive."

Countless people in the dense forest watched with burning eyes, but after their initial impulse faded, they gradually stopped. Their strength was insufficient to enter the deep mountains and fight the old monsters for opportunities. That would be nothing but courting death.

Every group calmed down. There was no helping it—if they let their heads grow hot, the Higher Aberrants and old monsters in the mountains would help cool them down simply and decisively, leaving their entire bodies ice-cold.

After Cao Long stopped, he carried his longbow and began searching for that foul-mouthed Talking Finch. It had actually dared call him "a lump."

"A Special Node has been found over here! Someone wants to keep it all for themselves!" The Talking Finch cried out again. It truly seemed to have become a spirit, knowing how to invite disaster and lure other groups over to kill.

Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!

Iron arrows shot out one after another, densely packed as they flew toward where the Talking Finch's voice had come from.

"They are killing to silence me! Help! There is a Special Node here, and it has produced mysterious treasures!" The mutated Talking Finch fled.

"Today is not suitable for deeper exploration. We should withdraw." Mu Qing spoke. The mountains were in complete turmoil now. The Land of Four Illuminations by Five-Colored Haze had emerged, and that place contained the greatest fortune. The old monsters would kill until they went mad. No one knew what would happen; innocent people might be caught up in it.

Cao Long and Wei Zhirou both nodded in agreement. Their three groups were relatively cautious. They would rather gain nothing than make a mistake and lose their lives.

"Fine. We will familiarize ourselves with the outer area. We will not go deeper today. We can wait until the great battle among the upper ranks has completely settled."

Deep in the mountains, terrifying lights flashed one after another. Famous Birds spread their wings and tore apart the night, while human experts released frightening howls.

The battle in the deep mountains was exceptionally fierce.

Dog Knight Old Man Liu, Black Sheep Knight Yang Yongqing, and the others, acting as guides, could now move freely. Mu Qing, Cao Long, and the others had withdrawn to the outskirts and would consider other matters after the battle's outcome was decided.

Qin Ming was happy to take it easy. Naturally, he would not venture deep inside. Rare treasures were good, but one needed to be alive to take them.

He wandered through the forest, looking for that Talking Finch. He had once promised to catch one for Xiao Wenrui but had never found one. Today's bird had mutated and seemed especially intelligent.

Unfortunately, he did not spot it again. This mutated Talking Finch was too clever. After thoroughly offending Cao Long and the others, it had vanished without a trace.

Qin Ming slowed slightly, then headed toward the Earth Fissure that had once left him seriously ill. He wanted to see what had become of this Special Node after the great changes in the mountains.

"He has left Mu Qing, Cao Long, and the others. Perhaps we can weigh him now." Someone informed You Liangyun in the forest.

"Is that so? Good, let's follow him!" You Liangyun wore the finest armor and carried a longsword whose cold gleam was intimidating as he led people swiftly through the forest.

Deep in the mountains, the experts' battle was indeed horrifying and brutal. A huge monster was badly wounded, blood gushing from its neck like a fountain and spraying outward. When its corpse fell, the ground shook, and great swathes of trees were crushed beneath it.

Purple light surged here like clouds and sunset haze filling the sky. Long halberds swept across the air, their cold gleams dazzling, while strange birds unleashed blinding Divine Rosy Radiance as they roamed the heavens and earth.

The center of the battlefield seemed filled with densely interwoven lightning. No one knew where these experts had come from. Their identities were all mysterious, and every one of them had gone mad with killing. Higher Lifeforms had already died.

Yet the battles in some areas were somewhat "strange."

In the forest, Ling Xu, dressed in white, sat on the ground and broke the clay seal on a wine jar. He poured himself a cup, then tossed the entire jar to Wei Mo. When Wei Mo caught it, the whole jar was merely equivalent to one cup for him.

The two drank in silence, but they still held their saber and their more than ten-meter-long war spear. Both weapons unleashed dazzling Heavenly Light that surged into the night sky.

In another mountainous area, the Civet Cat also sat on the ground with its sword in hand, red haze rippling over the blade. The Mantis Beast stood not far away, swinging its serrated-blade-like forearms toward the night sky.

Qin Ming frowned. He was currently wearing beast-hide clothing and clearly looked like a local young hunter. Why had someone targeted him again?

He stopped, because there were unexpectedly two groups hidden in the dark, one ahead and one behind, vaguely blocking him in.

One group was pursuing from behind and rapidly closing in.

"Qin Ming?" You Liangyun arrived. Looking at the slender, handsome youth before him, he found Qin Ming's bearing truly outstanding, and his expression was quite complicated.

Because this youth was very likely the one who would block his path to further advancement.

"Who are you? What do you want?" Qin Ming asked, holding the Long-handled Black Gold Hammer.

You Liangyun stared at him expressionlessly. After a moment of silence, he finally said, "You Liangyun of Red Haze City. Someone asked me to test your mettle. Make your move."

Qin Ming frowned. What was going on?

At the same time, he watched the other four warily. Their weapons were rather heavy, though not excessively so. They should all be Second New Life Evolvers.

"Come on!"

You Liangyun gripped the priceless-looking sharp sword and attacked first, carving out a dazzling streak of sword light through the dim forest.

Clang!

The next moment, he felt a slight pain in his palm, which had gone somewhat numb. His crystalline sword, gleaming like autumn water, nearly flew out of his hand.

Qin Ming said nothing. As a First New Life Evolver, his opponent's strength was still decent. He could probably lift a six-hundred-pound cauldron.

There was no doubt that Qin Ming had not erupted with full strength. He was holding back, mainly keeping watch on the other Second New Life Evolvers.

You Liangyun attacked again, but after his sword was blocked three times in succession, his right hand trembled slightly. He sighed despondently and retreated.

"My strength is inferior to yours, and my speed cannot match yours either. I am definitely not your opponent." He looked disappointed. Sheathing his sword across his back, he said, "Someone should come looking for you soon. I am leaving."

"I won, yet it seems to have affected you?" Qin Ming asked.

"If I lose to you, I will no longer be qualified to remain by that noble person's side. You will replace me," You Liangyun said.

"Then where will you go?" Qin Ming asked with a frown.

"What else can I do? Since I cannot strive to rise any further, I can only go home and inherit my noble title." You Liangyun left with his people.

Qin Ming had originally wanted to say something, but upon hearing those final words, he swallowed every word that had reached his lips.

"Brother You's character truly passes muster. What a pity—you lost, so you can only return to Red Haze City." Qi Huaien walked out of the forest.

You Liangyun, who had been about to leave, stopped and turned around.

"The noble person also asked me to take a look. I will weigh him up." Qi Huaien drew a saber, then walked toward Qin Ming with a faint smile.

A harsh sound of metal scraping against metal rang out. Qi Huaien slashed three times in succession, then stopped. Shaking his head, he said, "What a pity. He is still a little short of the mark and does not meet the noble person's requirements."

"Even this will not do?" You Liangyun asked in surprise.

"Yes. The noble person is seeking a candidate. He is still short by a thread. Let us go." Qi Huaien left together with him.

Qin Ming found it baffling. If he had not been wary of people still watching from the shadows, he would have cut loose long ago. Was Qi Huaien really that strong? What gave him the right to judge Qin Ming like that?

As Qi Huaien accompanied You Liangyun away, he secretly pondered. Although he had held back, he could still sense the extraordinary nature of that youth who had only undergone New Life once. At the very least, Qin Ming could lift an eight-hundred-pound cauldron. He was incredibly formidable.

"Hmm? There is the sound of fighting." You Liangyun turned back.

Qi Huaien said, "You should return first. I will take a look. The mountains are chaotic right now. If he dies at someone else's hands and the noble person ends up suspecting you, that would not be good."

"I will bring people with me." You Liangyun said.

Qi Huaien shook his head. "My strength far surpasses that of ordinary Second New Life Evolvers. You would not be able to help. If danger arises, you would likely only throw away your lives for nothing. Go meet the noble person. Since your character has passed muster, perhaps she will change her mind."

"Fine." You Liangyun left with his people.

Qi Huaien was well-proportioned and a head taller than most people. He sped through the forest like a tiger or leopard and quickly reached the scene.

He was quite surprised. Looking at the people in the clearing, he said, "You still have not dealt with him?"

Qin Ming held the Long-handled Black Gold Hammer as he faced the other group that had emerged from the forest. He had now confirmed that no one else was lurking in the shadows.

He looked at Qi Huaien. "You Liangyun did not intend to kill me. You are the one who wants to get rid of me?"

Six people surrounded him, all with killing intent on their faces. They had already exchanged a brief clash.

"So what if I am?" Qi Huaien replied calmly.

Qin Ming hurled his hammer, instantly smashing apart the head of the man in front of him. He seized the man's spear in one motion and charged out with terrifying speed. With a puff, he pierced another man through the body. Blood splashed everywhere as he raised the man high into the air on the spear with one arm.