Defeated, Then Off to Become a God

The last time at Old Noble's estate, Er Bingzi had gone to see the five-meter-tall Xie Lingxi first. When he came back and mentioned it to Qin Ming, his words had been vague and misleading in every way, before he turned around and slipped away. Now he was putting on another performance.

Qin Ming made a note of it. The next time they met, he would beat Er Bingzi until he was genuinely sick.

Nie Rui was like a beam of light piercing the night fog in Red Haze City, one of the two most dazzling people in the past twenty years. After his First New Life, his physical qualities had broken the city's records.

Now that he had spoken, the teams from the Cao, Mu, and Wei households all revealed unusual expressions, and many gazes turned toward Qin Ming.

At once, the others understood. This should be the person Nie Rui had been looking for.

For a moment, Qin Ming experienced what it felt like to be the center of attention. All the young nobles of Red Haze City looked at him, sizing him up from head to toe.

Of course, this was entirely thanks to Nie Rui. If Red Haze City's gifted genius had not mentioned him, no one would have paid attention to a youth from some remote place.

Many people looked surprised as they examined him critically. Could such an isolated little place really produce a genius youth? It did not seem very likely.

Some noble girls, however, were quite animated and began discussing him in private.

"He has delicate features. If he paid a little more attention to his appearance, his bearing could improve even further. He should not let his black hair hang loose, and if he replaced that black armor with bright, brilliant armor, I think he would be very handsome!"

Nie Rui smiled gently and proposed sparring with Qin Ming.

"Don't feel pressured. We'll just have a casual match. I trust the judgment of Master Xu's sole disciple."

Qin Ming now wanted to hammer Er Bingzi even more. At the same time, he realized that Xu Kong was quite extraordinary, since everyone in Red Haze City held him in such high regard.

"I'm no match for you. Even in a remote village, I've heard many people say that Red Haze City has produced an extraordinary young man and woman who have stunned this entire region."

The young nobles present all nodded, believing he was speaking the truth. In the territory ruled by Red Haze City, the most outstanding youths in the city were naturally the strongest local geniuses.

Nie Rui jumped down from the White Rhinoceros. His silver armor gleamed brightly, his heroic bearing flourishing as though his entire body were shining. His smile was warm and approachable as he held a longsaber and said, "Please!"

Qin Ming had already taken the Purple-Gold Spear. He weighed it in his hand, then shook out a string of spear flowers, sending purple streams of light surging outward.

"Little Qin, be careful. Don't get hurt," Xu Yueping called out.

"If you really can't manage it, admit defeat immediately," Old Man Liu said even more bluntly.

The young nobles merely smiled faintly. With Nie Rui's strength, he could naturally control things precisely. There was no suspense in a spar like this, and he would not hurt that young hunter.

Some people were making gestures in secret, betting on whether Nie Rui would defeat the youth within four moves or in a single exchange.

They did not dare wager or discuss it loudly. It would not be good to openly look down on this young hunter, and it would also seem disrespectful to Nie Rui, who had personally entered the match.

"I'm guessing Nie Rui will take him down after using three saber forms."

"I'll be more conservative. Maybe after seven saber forms. Since Nie Rui wants to personally test him, this youth must have some skill."

Clang!

In an instant, everyone's attention was dragged back to the battle by that fierce collision. They stared in astonishment and discovered that the two had already exchanged more than a dozen moves.

With a swish, they swiftly separated, more than twenty meters apart. The snow at their original positions erupted into the air, as though goose-feather snow had begun falling anew. Only then did the trees there crack loudly, with large swathes of branches tumbling down.

Everyone was shaken and focused completely, realizing that they had misjudged him. Such thunderbolt-fast exchanges had nearly reached the upper limit of someone in their First New Life.

"This youth from the remote lands is no simple fellow!"

"What was his name? Qin Ming, right? I'll remember it."

The group murmured, as though they were getting to know the youth in the field all over again.

Even Cao Long and Wei Zhirou revealed surprised expressions. They had spent several days together and knew Qin Ming was unusual, but they had not expected him to be this formidable.

Mu Qing, whose entire body was shrouded beneath a black robe, spoke. "Qin Ming, fight with all you have. Nie Rui isn't that petty."

"It's only satisfying if you don't hide anything," Nie Rui nodded.

Old Man Liu muttered to himself, "Little Qin is even stronger than I imagined. Before he even reaches Red Haze City, his name may arrive there first."

Qin Ming had not used his strongest field—strength. He was fighting entirely through pure "spearmanship." He improvised on the spot and adapted with astonishing speed, weaving saber techniques into his spear forms without letting outsiders see through it.

Nie Rui moved again. His speed was so great that he exploded the snow beneath his feet, whipping up a gale and carrying snowflakes across the sky. The silver longsaber in his hand carved out a dazzling arc of light, bearing wind and snow as though he were riding the wind and thunder.

Qin Ming did not take the saber head-on. He shifted sideways, avoiding the downward cleave, then in the space between sparks and flint, swiftly pressed the Purple-Gold Spear against the flat of the blade. A string of sparks flew as the spear stabbed toward Nie Rui in an instant.

Many pupils contracted at that sight. The youth's grasp of the battle was too astonishing. Beneath such a fierce saber form, he could still seize an opening in that hair's-breadth interval. The spear pressed against the blade's flat, the angle between the two weapons was narrow, and the spearhead was like a wandering dragon skimming along mountain ridges, tearing through the night as it lunged directly at its target.

Nie Rui exerted force with his right hand and violently raised his saber, trying to knock the spear away. At the same time, his left hand faintly glowed as he prepared to sweep aside the spear shaft.

Qin Ming gripped the spear with both hands, pressing down fully upon the saber's flat while shaking it fiercely. The spearhead before him immediately trembled violently, blossoming into a vast spray of spear flowers.

At that moment, Nie Rui could not possibly knock the spear aside with one hand. The spearhead before him became a continuous blur, like countless stars shining at once as they rushed toward him.

Left with no choice, he withdrew his saber and swiftly shifted sideways to evade.

In this exchange, he had actually been suppressed and forced into a disadvantage. He retreated a great distance before finally stabilizing himself.

The area fell silent. Everyone found it unbelievable. The youth's improvisation was superb; in his hands, the Purple-Gold Spear seemed to have come alive, like a Flood Dragon baring fangs and claws as it hunted through the night.

"I feel as though this spear has gained a soul in your hands. You don't follow conventions. This isn't ordinary spearmanship. You pluck marvelous forms at will." Nie Rui's expression turned solemn. Then he stopped speaking, suppressed his strength to a certain level, and charged forward with complete focus.

In an instant, he and Qin Ming clashed again. Saber light flashed brilliantly in his hand, as though it sought to split apart the dense night.

Wherever he and Qin Ming passed, sheets of branches fell, while the snow on the ground exploded. The moment they rushed past, some large trees toppled one after another amid rumbling crashes, smashing up great clouds of snow.

"This youth from the remote lands may be weaker than Nie Rui in strength, but he is still close to seven hundred pounds. How valiant!"

"His spearmanship looks like a collection of ordinary scattered forms. Not a single thrust goes beyond our understanding, yet it possesses a power that turns decay into magic."

"Because he has no fixed forms. Most of it is improvised on the spot, adapting to circumstances and turning all sorts of ordinary scattered forms into marvelous techniques!"

In the end, even Cao Long and Feng Xing personally offered their assessments.

What spearmanship? Qin Ming thought. This was saber technique—the concealed Gun Saber. Compared to the Hammer Saber, it offered an entirely different kind of experience.

He grew increasingly fluid, no longer bound by the killing forms in the Sword Manual. He combined them freely and unleashed them to his heart's content. For instance, his spear now swept across, its tip like a saber edge slicing toward his opponent's flesh and blood, while he shook the long spear.

In saber technique, this was Sky-Sea Line. As the blade trembled, the rolling saber light was like layer upon layer of great waves surging forward.

Now, with the spear tip replacing the saber edge, it likewise stirred up sheets of afterimages. The spearhead's trembling frequency was even greater, magnifying the saber intent of Sky-Sea Line. At this moment, it was as though thunder had erupted between sea and sky, with sheets of lightning crashing into the vast ocean.

Nie Rui flew backward in a miserable retreat. Sweat beaded across his forehead, and his black hair clung messily to his face. A trace of panic rose within him. He was about to lose.

The next moment, Qin Ming brought the Gun Saber to an entirely new height. He actually used the Saber-Kicking Form, sending the Purple-Gold Spear flying out before kicking it repeatedly. His speed was swift as lightning, forcing Nie Rui to dodge again and again as cold sweat poured down more heavily.

Most crucially, the long spear was not kicked away. In the end, it was like a living Flood Dragon, vaulting and circling around his body before finally landing back in his hand.

Clang!

As Nie Rui's longsaber was suppressed by the Purple-Gold Spear, his arm jolted and sparks scattered in all directions. Several plates on his silver armor were pierced and shattered by the spear tip.

Qin Ming withdrew his hand and planted the spear in the ground. He felt somewhat regretful. It was his first time using the Gun Saber, and he had become too absorbed while experiencing it, failing to hold back.

Originally, he had not wanted to shortchange himself and had planned to end it in a draw. Yet with one lapse of attention, he had defeated his opponent just like that.

The scene was deathly silent. Everyone found it hard to believe that Nie Rui, Red Haze City's most dazzling genius in twenty years, had actually lost to a young hunter from the remote lands.

Everyone stood dumbfounded, looking Qin Ming over seriously for the first time. They felt as though their understanding of the world had suffered a fierce impact.

Could the forbidden land of five hundred years ago—Black White Mountain—be recovering, restoring spiritual vitality to this remote region? Many people speculated.

Shen Jiayun, the girl seated atop the Black Tiger, broke the oppressive silence. "Nie Rui, are you all right?"

Nie Rui shook his head. "I'm fine. I lost, and I accept it wholeheartedly."

"Are you really fine? Could this have dealt you a blow? Are you feeling awful inside?" Shen Jiayun smiled mischievously, clearly not caring about his feelings at all.

"What could be wrong with me? Brother Qin woke me up and made me realize that perhaps I really am not suited for this path." Nie Rui sheathed his longsaber, then finally shook his head and sighed. "Since that's the case, I'll choose the path of becoming a god."

Qin Ming had been considering how best to speak when he heard such utterly outrageous words.

Earlier, You Liangyun had lost and gone back to inherit a noble title, living the rest of his life in fine clothes and rich food, indulging in song and sensual pleasures. The one before him was even worse—after losing, he was going off to become a god.

Qin Ming's breathing grew somewhat heavy.

Seeing his expression, Nie Rui finally laughed. "It's not what you think."

It was clear that Nie Rui was not a petty person. He bore no grudge over his defeat. Now, he seemed to have completely let go and decided to take another path.

"So-called gods are only beyond our understanding for now because we are still young, too weak, and limited in what we know. But when you think about it, they are probably just a stronger kind of living being. An elder of the Esoteric Sect has taken a liking to me. He said I possess rare Divine Wisdom and can walk their path. Sigh, I had wanted to walk through the boundless darkness in a body of flesh and blood, following my own path. But now I have no choice. I've recognized the weight of my own abilities." Nie Rui sighed.

"Stop sighing. If you keep sighing, what are everyone else supposed to do?" Qin Ming could not hold it in any longer.

"Qin Ming, I also want to spar with you." Shen Jiayun spoke from atop the Black Tiger, then lightly leaped down. Her dark hair flew behind her as she arrived before him with a longsword in hand.

At once, this patch of woodland became lively. The people from Red Haze City could no longer hold back, murmuring and discussing among themselves. The twists today had truly exceeded all expectations.

"Fine!" Qin Ming nodded in agreement. Since he had already defeated one, he did not mind having a second match.

In an instant, sword light flashed like a rainbow across the snowy ground, accompanied by the sounds of wind and thunder, like many lightning dragons descending. Shen Jiayun was very strong. In ordinary people's eyes, this was a sword immortal dancing.

Yet she too was defeated. Qin Ming used his spear tip to pick away a string of blue-glimmering bead flowers from her hair, then pressed the great spear down upon her right shoulder.

The scene fell silent again. Everyone stared blankly. Red Haze City's two greatest geniuses in twenty years had both lost to the same person.

Shen Jiayun stroked her lovely hair and smiled. "Young man, give it less than ten years. If we meet again a year from now, you will be no match for me."

She showed no disappointment or dejection. Her smile was especially radiant, carrying the charm of a single smile toppling a city, that allure dazzling to the eyes.

"I'll wait and see," Qin Ming said. He raised the spear from her fragrant shoulder and gave it a gentle shake. The string of blue-glimmering bead flowers fell, and he swiftly tapped it lightly with the spear tip, sending it back into her cloudlike hair.