Crippling a Main Branch of the Cui Household

The thick night fog covered the sky like a curtain, making the mountains appear even more oppressive as they pierced through the heavy black fog. The exposed mountain peaks floated above the vast sea of fog, like isolated islands suspended in the sky, scattered like stars.

Qin Ming rode the wind, initially relying on the ground for support. Later, as his mastery of the wind grew, he gradually rose into the clouds, occasionally stepping on the "isolated islands" to land, traversing the high sky.

For him, this was a novel experience and a huge step forward, no less than actual flight.

Since he mastered the Astral Wind technique, even if he suddenly falls from the sky without Parachute Pack, he can land safely.

Sunset Forest Plain, five thousand miles from Black White Mountain, is a vast plain covered with dense, lush forests that exude a rich vitality.

Fire Spring flow across the ground, turning large areas of woodland golden red, like the afterglow of the setting sun; this is the origin of the name Sunset Forest Plain.

"The scenery is really nice." Qin Ming stood on a high ground on the outskirts of the forest, quietly gazing ahead with his hands behind his back.

He had been away from Black White Mountain for several days, not because he was traveling slowly, but because he had spent a lot of time investigating Cui Changqing's whereabouts.

If he weren't skilled in Resonance Technique, it would have taken even longer.

Cui Changqing usually keeps a low profile, especially now that he wants to break through to the Grandmaster Domain, he is becoming increasingly cautious, even keeping it a secret from many members of the Cui Household.

Apart from his own blood relatives, only a few people in the core high-ranking positions of the Cui Household knew his current status.

Absolutely no information may be leaked to outsiders.

Many people now "know" that Cui Changqing made a "mistake" in his training, suffering serious injuries and losing his vital essence. Currently, Cui Changhe and Cui Changming, who are very close to him, are going out to seek Treasured Medicine for him.

No one doubted it, because in today's environment, almost all the strong were already seriously ill.

"You really are cautious." Qin Ming smiled faintly, walking towards the endless forest through the night mist tinged red by the Fire Spring.

He investigated for a long time before confirming that the other party had come to this place to "recuperate from injuries".

"That's good too. It'll be quiet and peaceful, with no one to bother us, and it'll be convenient for us to settle accounts." Qin Ming disappeared into the forest.

Cui Changqing has been practicing the "Abiding World Scripture" for nearly a century. He prefers places with lush vegetation, which he has carefully selected as a wonderful place to break through his barriers, hoping to achieve the Grandmaster Position here.

Qin Ming walked steadily, alone and unhurried. He was already close to his destination. Along the way, he noticed something unusual: large areas of trees were withered, their leaves were turning yellow and falling in the wind, as if it were late autumn.

"The old fellow is practicing the Abiding World Scripture very diligently, absorbing a lot of the Vegetation Essence. It seems he has indeed reached a critical stage."

Cui Changqing was cultivating by drawing upon the essence of mountains, rivers, plants, and trees. In this era of intense and turbulent Daoist influence, although he was also affected, he had certain advantages because year after year, he had accumulated a special kind of Longevity Qi, mainly because he had practiced his Life-Nurturing Art very well.

He wanted to risk breaking through the barrier, using the fluctuations of the Daoist energy to borrow the most terrifying impact to help himself break through. Of course, he might also be severely injured. At the critical moment, he could rely on the longevity essence accumulated through comprehending the Scripture of Abiding World Scripture to prolong his life.

Ahead lay a manor, not small in size, quiet but not lifeless; people could be seen coming and going, and there were quite a few men in black guarding it.

Undoubtedly, those were all people Cui Changqing trusted, practically his death squad.

The Fire Spring illuminated the entire mountain villa, bathing it in a red glow. The roof tiles seemed to be shimmering with Golden Haze, and the walls and roof ridges appeared to be outlined with gold.

Under the glow of the setting sun, the dense forest and the tranquil manor glowed softly, creating a sense of otherworldly and serene beauty.

Unfortunately, this place is destined to become a blood-stained land!

"You guys got lucky, choosing such a scenic cemetery." Qin Ming circled the area, thoroughly investigating the surrounding dozens or even hundreds of miles.

Clearly, there are various sentries hidden in the dense forest, and there are also fast-moving birds such as Lightning Bird and Flowing Light Sparrow, which can report information at any time.

"Yes, Cui Chongye is also in the manor, so I'm relieved." Qin Ming overheard the whispers and conversations among the people and knew that Cui Changqing's favorite grandson was also there.

Deep within the Lingxu Mountain Range, after the grandfather and grandson killed Old Man Yun Feng, they acted nonchalantly and detachedly, which greatly displeased Qin Ming.

"The bond between grandparents and grandchildren is so strong that they would rather die together." Undoubtedly, Qin Ming's murderous intent intent was somewhat ironic.

He took action, swiftly eliminating all hidden sentries in the surrounding area with ruthless efficiency, leaving no stone unturned, not even the birds that relayed messages. After the complete purge, he strode towards the manor.

"World-Staying Manor?" He looked at the four large characters on the manor's plaque under the sunset, sneered, and threw a punch.

Instantly, the entire void seemed to be compressed, and even the gatehouse of the manor seemed to shrink, while only the radiant fist rapidly grew larger.

It was both real and illusory. Qin Ming's fist was surrounded by dense Heavenly Light, and the force of his punches traveled far and wide, as if a Giant Spirit God was throwing a punch, smashing the gate and plaque.

He just barged right in through the gate without even trying to hide it.

As expected, the men in black in the manor were well-trained, and many of their elites were surnamed Cui, related to Cui Changqing by blood.

They charged in silently, activating the magic array to quickly encircle and annihilate the invading enemy.

However, he had already begun dismantling the magic array when Qin Ming destroyed the main gate; otherwise, he wouldn't have wasted that terrifying punch.

At the same time, he summoned the Yellow Gauze Canopy Umbrella, which hovered above his head, suppressing the light of the magic array that was shining nearby. As he took a step, many of the patterns on the ground that looked like red-hot irons went out.

With a loud boom, as he stepped out with nine-colored Sha Qi, black cracks appeared everywhere on the ground, and the protective array, which had already been torn open, continued to collapse.

"You are... Qin Ming?" The men in black, who had remained calm even when facing danger, were shocked and their expressions changed drastically when they saw Qin Ming's true face.

The person in charge was a direct descendant of the Cui Household, someone Qin Ming had met before but was relatively unfamiliar with, someone he hadn't had much contact with, but he had already recognized the person under the umbrella.

He found it hard to believe that the "Abandoned Son" had become so powerful. It had actually come knocking on his door. How powerful and fierce was that?

Upon hearing this, the others also narrowed their eyes and stared at the figure.

Under the "sunset", the Emperor's Umbrella slowly rotated, with the afterglow of the sun, moon and stars intertwined around the edges of the tassels, and purple purple qi dripping down. On the umbrella surface, Heavenly Dragon flew out and phoenixes shone, with the roar of dragons and the cry of phoenixes, showing a sacred aura.

Qin Ming was tall and upright, with a calm and indifferent expression. As he walked forward, he appeared as if Gods and Devils had been born, and he alone intimidated everyone.

"Kill!" the leader shouted.

A group of people were indeed fearless, their black clothes fluttering, their blades flashing, their spears clanging, some casting spells, some summoning flying swords, and some activating strange treasures.

In an instant, various spiritual lights shone in this area, sword bodies, Thunderfire Shield... densely packed, all pouring towards Qin Ming.

However, he remained unmoved, his hands behind his back, looking down at everyone. Tangible ripples spread rapidly outward from his body, covering the area in front of him.

In an instant, it was as if Mount Sumeru was suppressing everything, or as if a celestial demon was roaring, distorting the void, and one after another, the Great Dream Divine Mushroom appeared...

Qin Ming himself did not move, but the expansion of his Spiritual Field formed a destructive domain. The dazzling flying swords dimmed instantly and shattered in mid-air, while the flying spears and gleaming longswords were easily crushed like window paper and disintegrated in the process.

As for those spells, they were extremely weak, all of them suppressed and extinguished. The rare treasures such as the Li Fire Fan and Thunderfire Shield were even more fragile, like rotten wood, shattering in front of Qin Ming's fused Spiritual Field, utterly vulnerable.

Next came those people. Although their courage was commendable, they were no match for Qin Ming, who was like a Gods and Devils Eternal Presence. After his Spiritual Field enveloped the area, those people screamed and exploded one after another on the spot, their crimson blood splattering all over the courtyard.

Qin Ming stood under the Yellow Gauze Canopy Umbrella, hands behind his back, without moving an inch. As a result, when the group launched their attack, they were all wiped out.

The courtyard was littered with broken flying swords and strange treasures, and blood and bones were blasted onto the walls, making it look like a bloody battlefield.

The group of people from the second courtyard had just rushed over when they were all stunned. A chill ran through them from head to toe, their scalps tingled, and their hearts sank.

Qin Ming sensed something and rose into the air, more than ten meters above the ground, looking towards the depths of the manor. He immediately saw Cui Chongye and three elderly men who had been startled and came out of their houses.

He smiled faintly and charged straight into the depths of the manor, traversing the night mist stained red by the Fire Spring, heading straight for the Yellow Dragon to kill the main culprit.

Along the way, he showed no mercy, sweeping indiscriminately. Those who stood in his way, whether they were offering up rare treasures or throwing spears, were all swept up by the black hurricane and then torn apart by the Spiritual Field.

"How dare you! It's you!" an old man roared, his full head of silver hair standing on end like a Golden Lion.

There were indeed experts here. The old man, at the Late Fourth Realm, wielded a long spear radiating Immortal Light, soaring into the sky and thrusting it towards Qin Ming.

The old man was covered in Silver Light, like a cluster of dazzling divine flames burning in the night mist. His spear was like a dragon, accompanied by a real dragon shadow as it flew out. He made the entire night sky tremble, which showed his power.

Qin Ming hadn't used his weapon in a long time. Upon seeing this person, he recalled the events of the past and immediately took out his enormous Black Jade Hammer.

Because the old man was one of Fifth Master Cui's brothers, a direct descendant of the Cui Household family, and considered a high-ranking member. He was also harsh and ungrateful, and had not treated Qin Ming well when he was young.

With a deafening boom, Qin Ming swung his hammer, smashing the spear that radiated Immortal Light into pieces. The black hammer, gleaming with a crystalline sheen, continued its trajectory, startling the old man. He hastily retreated and shifted sideways, but to no avail.

With a soft "poof, "Cui Chonghe and a senior member of the Cui Household from his grandfather's generation were instantly blown apart by Qin Ming's hammer, turning into a rain of blood that scattered everywhere. A few bone fragments shot into the courtyard wall and into the houses.

Inside the manor, a group of people stared in disbelief, including Cui Chongye and two very old and powerful individuals, feeling a chill run down their spines.

What terrifying power this is!

It should be noted that the old man had advanced to the Late Fourth Realm, belonging to the high-end combat power, but he was blasted to pieces in one move in front of that figure who stepped on the void and brought with him Astral Wind. This scene made them feel horrified.

In particular, they had already clearly seen the faces of the newcomers.

"This..." Cui Chongye involuntarily took a step back. Had the boy of yesteryear really grown to this extent?

You have to understand, back in the Cui Household, he could have crushed the other party with a single finger, and in just four years, the other party has reached that level.

The remaining two elders looked even more ashen-faced. According to the intelligence they had received, Qin Ming, the Abandoned Son, was at most at the Late Third Realm. But what were they seeing now?

They faced a terrifying threat; the chilling killing intent that distorted the night sky sent shivers down their spines. Their opponent had definitely reached the Fourth Realm, and not just the initial stage, yet dared to face all of them alone.

Such a rapid pace of cultivation was terrifying, leaving them feeling as if they had fallen into an ice cellar.

Even if Cui Chonghe were sent to Beyond the Mundane and received careful training from Sun Taichu, his breakthrough speed would not have been this rapid.

"Only four years! And he was primarily a student on the New Life Path. How could he have reached such a level?" an elder from the Cui Household murmured, his eyes almost glazed over.

They knew that the person before them was intentionally revealing their true identity to intimidate them directly, and that this had indeed filled them with fear and regret, stirring up a huge storm within them.

What you sow in the past, you reap today.

Cui Chongye spoke up, "Qin Ming, it's been years since we last met. I never imagined you'd broken through to the Fourth Realm, like a divine being reincarnated. This touches me deeply, and I'm happy for you. We were once cousins. Although the Cui Household and you had some unpleasant experiences, those are all in the past. Why are you here so murderous? If the Cui Household hasn't appeased you, I, on behalf of the clan, solemnly apologize to you. We were brothers in the past, and we will be in the future..."

Qin Ming interrupted him, saying, "Easier said than done. Are you afraid? Are you scared?"

Cui Chongye's expression froze slightly, but he quickly revealed a bitter look and said, "I know you resent the Cui Household. Some people have indeed gone too far. I'm willing to resolve this and deal with those who are targeting you..."

Qin Ming laughed, but it was a cold laugh. He was too lazy to watch Qin Ming's act and said, "Where did your composure in the Lingxu Mountain Range go? How nonchalant you were when you slew Old Man Yun Feng. You even had him act as a go-between to create a mortal enemy for me. You and your grandfather thought you were above it all, watching the storms rise and fall. Why are you being so humble now?"

"You..." Cui Chongye's expression completely changed, and he staggered backward. He was horrified. This matter was so secretive that there was no way to prove it now. How did the other party know?

At that moment, a chill ran through the deepest part of his heart. Was the figure in front of him a human or a ghost? They had even managed to uncover such a truth.

Qin Ming made his move immediately, his palm strikes as swift as a rainbow, as fast as a ghost, his body flowing with Primal Chaos Force, he flashed past like a streak of light.

With a soft thud, Cui Chongye's head was severed, and his headless corpse fell to the ground.

Qin Ming carried his head with clean and swift movements. Even though blood splattered, it was repelled by the protective Heavenly Light around him, leaving not a single drop of crimson on his body.

Cui Chongye's Consciousness Spirit Light. He opened his mouth and made painful and indistinct sounds. He looked like a young man, but he was already over forty years old and had already stepped into the Fourth Realm. However, in front of his opponent, he was as weak as a chicken and his head was chopped off directly.

The two old men nearby tried to stop them, but it was too late.

Immediately, they roared and attacked with all their might. The two knew very well that backing down was useless now; this Abandoned Son was bloodthirsty and had come to destroy them.

Qin Ming unleashed the Nine-Colored Sword Fiend, instantly killing them. The Yellow Gauze Canopy Umbrella cast a sunset-like light and a dense purple qi, which swept away their Essence, Qi, and Spirit.

"Cui Changqing, you're really good at keeping your composure." Qin Ming his voice. With such a commotion, how could the other party not hear it? He was still in seclusion.

Qin Ming could clearly sense a vibrant green light, brimming with life force, sitting quietly deep within the manor, refusing to emerge.

He strode forward and said, "Look, Cui Chongye, who looks most like you, has been beheaded by me. Shouldn't you two, grandfather and grandson, have a reunion?"

He could clearly sense that the green glow deep within the manor was surging, enraged, and its emotions were fluctuating violently.

"Changqing, calm down. You either run away immediately or charge through the barrier in one go," an old man with almost no hair said in a deep voice.

"Form ranks and block him!" another man shouted.

Normally, Cui Changqing would take advantage of the Dao Rhythm Surges to repeatedly try to break through the barriers, and eventually enter the Grandmaster Domain in a relatively safe way.

But now, the situation is critical. He has been alerted and has decided to go all in, no longer seeking stability, wanting to break through to the Fifth Realm immediately and then kill that kid.

"Everyone, gather here and protect Changqing as he breaks through!" the old man, whose hair had thinned to almost nothing, roared.

There were over a hundred people in the entire manor, but Qin Ming had already killed a large portion of them. The remaining people were indeed all suicide soldiers, showing no fear in the face of a terrifying enemy, and they gathered deeper into the manor.

Qin Ming did not ride the wind; he simply walked on foot, approaching the depths of the manor. His steady footsteps, like a demonic sound or a drumbeat, resonated clearly in everyone's hearts.

Cui Changqing, who was in seclusion, was restless and furious, but he gritted his teeth and suppressed his turbulent emotions. He calmed himself down and nourished himself with a small amount of Longevity Essence before he began to break through the barrier.

Suddenly, Qin Ming let out a soft shout, which rang in his ears like a thunderclap, shaking his body and nearly causing him to vomit blood.

It was obvious that the other party was doing this intentionally, blocking his path and preventing him from breaking through the barrier.

"Those who obstruct my Dao Path, I will surely destroy you!" Cui Changqing's full head of green hair flew up, and his eyes shot out green light, making him look as terrifying as an old demon.

However, although he appeared angry, he was actually calming himself down and starting to break through the barrier again.

"It's all in vain. I've already come here in person. How dare you defy the heavens!" Qin Ming's "anti-establishment remarks" really angered many people.

"Changqing, calm down!"

The four old men lined up in a row, blocking the way, while dozens of other people surrounded them from all directions.

As Qin Ming approached, the head he was carrying still emitted a flickering Consciousness Spirit Light; Cui Chongye was not dead, and his Mental Field had not been destroyed.

"No... Chongye!" Cui Changqing whispered, but there was no fluctuation in his eyes. He was very calm at this moment, but he wanted the demon-like figure outside to misunderstand that he was in turmoil and had lost his composure.

With a bang, Qin Ming tossed the severed head into the air, followed by a flash of light as Cui Chongye's head was severed in despair.

"You fiend!" the four old men opposite roared.

Qin Ming looked over and recognized two of them: Cui Changhe and Cui Changming. Although they were not brothers with Cui Changqing, they were very close and both were very powerful.

The other two old men were bald on top, with very little hair left, and their skin was so wrinkled that even Qin Ming had never seen them before.

This person is of a higher generation than Cui Changqing, and is already over 160 years old.

At their peak, they had all reached the Great Perfection of the Fourth Realm. Unfortunately, they failed to break through to the Grandmaster Domain multiple times, which damaged their bodies. In addition, due to their advanced age, they are now barely maintaining the Ninth Heaven of the Fourth Realm, no longer at perfection.

"You little brat, you've really grown up and now you're threatening the direct descendants of my Cui Household! I should have crushed you back then, no matter the cost!" a bald old man roared.

Furthermore, he expanded the Inner Landscape Domain and moved his body at lightning speed.

He opened his decaying Inner Landscape Domain, intending to take Qin Ming inside and seal his opponent within.

Unexpectedly, Qin Ming did not dodge and entered the old man's Inner Landscape.

"You'd better die here!" the old man roared, his body glowing as if burning, as he closed his Inner Landscape, attempting to refine the figure.

Those present saw Qin Ming's entire body glow, as if he were an immortal Golden Body. Before the Inner Landscape had even closed, he launched his attack, blasting the place apart.

"Ah..." the old man screamed in agony. His Inner Landscape shattered, and his physical body and Essence, Qi, and Spirit seemed to be struck by a divine hammer, about to break apart. At this moment, blood splattered everywhere.

Qin Ming has mastered the <Extreme Golden Body Scripture>, and today he tested it on himself with astonishing results.

Bathed in Golden Haze, he walked out of the collapsed Inner Landscape Domain, and the old man's screams stopped abruptly, and he died on the spot.

"Attack together, kill him!" Another bald old man, whose eyes were bloodshot, was a brother of the old man who had just died. He immediately led the attack.

"Kill!" Cui Changhe and Cui Changming both attacked fiercely. Their cultivation was also in the Late Fourth Realm, but only at the Eighth Heaven.

"I've already wasted many days on this trip, it's time to wrap it up," Qin Ming said.

In an instant, he soared into the air, a Heart Lamp within his body lit up, empowered by the Samadhi True Fire, and the Nine-Colored Sword Fiend was poured in like lamp oil, perfectly complementing each other.

In an instant, brilliant Divine Radiance shot outward from Qin Ming's center, the Heart Lamp hanging high, illuminating all things—this was a deadly attack.

Those dazzling beams of light shone out in dense array, invincible.

Dozens of people screamed as they were pierced by the beam of light. Some had bloody holes in their foreheads, some had their hearts pierced, and some had large chunks of their bodies explode.

"You..." Cui Changhe and Cui Changming were horrified. Even they were pierced by the beam of light, losing their footing and falling into a desperate situation.

The bald old man roared and transmitted his voice to the two of them, demanding that they join forces to consecrate a blood banner. This banner of slaughter flowed with terrifying patterns and crashed towards Qin Ming.

However, the Gods and Devils- like figure in front of them stood in mid-air, amidst Astral Wind, undaunted, and the Heart Lamp shone even brighter.

The Heart Lamp shone, its flames rising, and countless beams of light merged into one, shooting out a single beam with a sizzling sound, like Heavenly Saber slicing through the air, or a Immortal Sword tearing through the void, shattering the blood flag.

Then, the three old men screamed in agony as they were all cut in half at the waist, their bodies broken into six pieces, rolling on the ground.

"Cui Changqing, are you still able to keep your composure?" Qin Ming asked.

"Break open for me!" Cui Changqing shouted.

His entire body was engulfed in green flames, a vibrant Vital Energy protecting him. He wanted to step into the Grandmaster Domain, no longer cautiously probing, but fighting desperately.

Qin Ming commented, "Given your current state, you're being a bit too hasty. You need more time before you're 80% confident in breaking free from your constraints."

Although Qin Ming believed that his opponent had a greater chance of losing, he still did not give him the opportunity for a final leap.

His Heart Lamp emitted a soft beam of light, like a Divine Chains of Order spreading forward, piercing through the secret Secret Chamber, and locking away Cui Changqing's Essence, Qi, and Spirit, and spirit.

"You..." Cui Changqing growled in pain. He felt he was being distracted and that the chances of failure were increasing.

His Essence, Qi, and Spirit had originally reached the Fifth Realm, and he had indeed stepped into it with one foot. However, the beam of light behind him was like a chain, binding him and pulling him back.

"No!" Cui Changqing roared.

"Back in the Lingxu Mountain Range, I swore that even if you had the chance to reach the Fifth Realm, I would bring you down!"

Without a doubt, Qin Ming is now keeping his promise and has pulled him back.

He then added insult to injury, saying, "In fact, there was no hope for you to rush through the level right now."

With a deafening boom, the Secret Chamber exploded, and Cui Changqing's full head of green hair flew backward. His still-young, fair face was etched with hatred as he strode out, declaring, "The enmity for obstructing my path is irreconcilable! Today, I will fight you with the strength of the Great Perfection of the Fourth Realm cultivator!"

He was indeed very strong, which made Qin Ming dare not be careless. After all, he was an old monster who had cultivated the <Abiding World Scripture> for more than a hundred years, and his Vital Energy was vigorous and amazing.

At this moment, Cui Changqing's entire body shone with a vibrant green glow, as if he were breathing in a vast amount of Vegetation Essence. He also donned armor, radiating Immortal Light, ready to fight his opponent to the death.

Qin Ming remained calm as he slowly ascended into the air. A Lush Green Leaf appeared beneath his feet, lifting him high into the sky. In his hand, a branch with tender buds appeared, brimming with Longevity Qi, even more abundant than Cui Changqing's.

"You..." Cui Changqing was horrified. What was that?

Having cultivated the "Abiding World Scripture" for so many years, how could he not know that it was the Longevity Sword Intent not recorded in writing, which no one had been able to master for thousands of years?

Back then, that Abandoned Son had only hastily skimmed through the Cui Household's scriptures, and in just two or three years, he had already mastered that legendary sword intent.

"Having grasped the true meaning, one day, perhaps I can Sword-Seeking Longevity..." Cui Changqing's lips were trembling, not from fear, but from resentment and grief.

He had practiced the Abiding World Scripture his entire life, yet he couldn't match Qin Ming's achievements in just two or three years. How could he bear it? He was filled with endless anger and resentment.

"Cut!"

Qin Ming spoke, and a dazzling sword light flashed, causing the void to tremble.

Despite employing various techniques, Cui Changqing was still struck down, covered in blood, and sent flying backward.

This was only Qin Ming's One Sword, yet it had already extinguished his magic and shattered the magical artifact.

"Slay again!" Qin Ming still used the Longevity Sword Intent, employing the highest secret of the Cui Household's <Abiding World Scripture> to deal with this person. This was not only killing, but also destroying his spirit.

Cui Changqing groaned, his green aura surging. He tried his best, but blood was still splattering everywhere. A terrible wound severed his body.

It wasn't that he wasn't strong enough; on the contrary, he was indeed incredibly skilled. The main reason was that Qin Ming was unleashing his terrifying Longevity Sword Intent without reservation.

Within the Cui Household, a very small number of people who knew the inside story were drinking tea, enjoying a completely peaceful atmosphere. Someone chuckled softly, "Judging by the time, in a few days, or at the latest half a month, Changqing should have reached the Grandmaster Realm. Hmm, not bad at all."