Walking side by side

Amidst the Lingering night mist, Black White Twin Trees, Qin Ming and Li Qingyue stood quietly, embracing briefly in a peaceful moment.

The shimmering waters of the Fire Spring in the pool, with rising smoke and mist, reflected their young faces. For a moment, the two were silent, each with their own path to walk.

After a moment, Li Qingyue whispered, "I want to be stronger, so we can stand shoulder to shoulder in the future."

Upon hearing this, Qin Ming nodded vigorously and said, "Okay!"

The Eight Trigrams Furnace glowed faintly, and said, "Some True Scripture are only recorded in the Supreme Land, and I am merely a remnant spirit with severely incomplete memories."

After careful consideration, Qin Ming knew very well that the Tushita Palace was the most suitable place for Li Qingyue to grow and rise. Only by reaching there could she surpass the Innate Fire Body.

He also hopes that the two of them can walk side by side in the future.

Looking at her gentle and beautiful face, Qin Ming didn't want to keep her because of his own selfish desires.

If they were ordinary men and women born in Giant City, far from the strife, they might be full of hope for the future. But they know the cruelty of the Night Mist World, and that their peaceful reunion is only temporary. If they are not strong enough, they can't hold onto anything.

If that glowing giant footprint were to fall, an entire Giant City would instantly turn to ashes. The thought of it happening nearby is enough to fill one with despair; it would be a catastrophe capable of shattering mountains and rivers and causing dynasties to perish swiftly. And this is merely a minor "ripple" in a corner of the Night Mist World.

The leaves of the Black White Twin Trees have a jade-like texture and make a crisp rubbing and clattering sound in the breeze.

At the corner of the village street, six-year-old Wen Hui peeked out, blinked his big eyes, and weakly called out, "Uncle, is that Auntie?"

"Yes!" Qin Ming nodded with a smile.

Upon hearing this, Li Qingyue greeted the child with a graceful demeanor, and surprisingly, she carried some candy with her and used her Pure Yang Power to give it to him.

Wen Hui, who was initially a little shy, opened her pure eyes wide and immediately exclaimed happily, "Auntie is a fairy!"

In the night fog outside the village, Jiang Ran chuckled softly.

"And another... aunt?" Wen Hui called out softly to Jiang Ran, a little shyly.

Immediately afterwards, Lu Ze and Liang Wanqing appeared and invited Li Qingyue and Jiang Ran into the village. The couple prepared a delicious meal.

During the visit, village chief Xu Yueping brought yak spare ribs, and Yang Yongqing brought a leg of yellow sheep...

Yu Gensheng and Li Qingyun also appeared, walking into Double Tree Village and carefully examining the village where Qin Ming had lived for several years.

"Thank you for your hard work, seniors." Qin Ming sincerely thanked the two elders.

As for the Master from the Great Yu Royal Family, he retreated after finding nothing amiss when he approached Black White Mountain.

On a large tree outside the village, Talking Finch murmured, "Mountain Lord, is he bringing his wife home? Next spring, he can't call me Scum Bird anymore."

"Scum!" The Red Squirrel uttered only one word.

Thunder King Bird warned, "Keep your voices down! Those two girls are top-tier experts among the younger generation of humans!"

Later that evening, Meng Xinghai also appeared. He had specially traveled from Red Haze City on Higher Aberrant Bird to accompany Yu Gensheng and Li Qingyun for two jars of fine wine.

"This child... is only nine years old?" During the meal, several people looked at Wen Rui with surprise.

He had the innocent face of a child, but his height was not much shorter than that of an adult.

This was the result of Qin Ming shattering his Giant Spirit Bone and helping him rebuild his flesh and tendons.

Yu Gensheng said, "Broken bones, stretched tendons, and toughened flesh and blood—you've really suffered a lot at such a young age. Come, Grandpa will teach you a Life-Nurturing Art to strengthen your body."

"It's not hard, thank you Grandpa Yu." Although Wen Rui is still young, he is determined and his eyes are bright and piercing.

Li Qingyun patted his head and said, "You can even follow the Secret Sect Path? Then I'll teach you a method to refine your body."

Clearly, what the two old men were passing on were insights and experiences accumulated over the years, possessing the remarkable ability to transform the mundane into the extraordinary.

"This child can follow Three Paths?" Meng Xinghai was surprised. Although Wen Rui's talent was not outstanding, he had a wide range of options.

Li Qingyue approached, she said, "I will impart to you a method for cultivating Qi on the Immortal Path."

Jiang Ran thought for a moment and said, "I will also teach you a method, which is about how to nourish your spirit. Although you can't cultivate it yet, you can memorize it first."

"Thank you both... Auntie." Wen Rui seemed more composed, but he was still a child after all, and he was very happy at this moment, bowing repeatedly.

Both parties were somewhat embarrassed, especially Jiang Ran, who shook her head with a smile and lifted him up with her Pure Yang Spirit Light.

"Good, a good child knows how to speak." Yu Gensheng nodded repeatedly, quite satisfied.

Li Qingyun had told Qin Ming long ago that he was worried that Li Qingyue would become a kite with a broken string, trying to take a shortcut. Now, however, he was all smiles, and he was happy to see this.

Lu Ze and Liang Wanqing were both a little embarrassed. Looking at these god-like figures Bestowal of Method upon their eldest son, they rubbed their hands together sincerely and expressed their gratitude repeatedly.

Yu Gensheng said, "This is a good child, with a simple and honest heart. He can walk Three Paths, and perhaps he can carry on Little Qin's mantle. He may very well shine in the future."

Wen Rui shook his head and whispered, "I know I'm not very talented, and my abilities are far inferior to my uncle's. I don't have high goals or grand ideals. As long as I can protect my parents and younger brother from harm and safeguard this village, that's enough."

His simple words brought smiles to everyone's faces, and they all nodded gently.

Meng Xinghai put down his wine glass and said, "Child, your ambition is actually quite high. The Black White Mountain region is truly not simple. There used to be a blood-dripping kite flying over this village. Among its nemesis, there may still be some alive. Even if those old rivals have all disappeared, there are probably descendants left behind, disciples still alive."

Li Qingyun said, "It's too early to talk about these things with a child."

Qin Ming patted Wen Rui on the shoulder and said, "Just do your best, don't worry about anything else."

Then, he looked at Yu Gensheng and asked, "Senior, have you crossed the threshold of Grandmaster?"

Li Qingyun was startled and said, "What? Senior Yu has reached this point? Congratulations!"

Yu Gensheng's face was rosy as he said, "Not so fast. I'm still testing the methods and repeatedly traversing the path, but there's definitely hope. Thanks to Little Qin for extending my life by eighty years, otherwise how could I dare to take such risks in this era? Now that my lifespan is sufficient, I dare to take a gamble when the Dao Rhythm Surges reaches its peak."

"Senior, this is no less than living Second Life."

"Congratulations, senior! If you've reached the Grandmaster Domain, you're almost certainly destined for the Ancestral Ancestor Realm, and your lifespan will become even longer!"

Meng Xinghai, Li Qingyue, and Jiang Ran all smiled and congratulated the old man. In this era, it is already very difficult for many Old Senior to survive. If they want to go further, they are risking their lives.

The unexpected eighty years of lifespan that Yu Gengsheng gained was Yu Gensheng greatest asset. He felt that it didn't matter if he used them up. It was this "letting go" mentality that made him vaguely want to step into that realm.

However, this attempt was still very dangerous. He had only tried it twice, and it had already shortened his lifespan by forty years. He still had two more chances.

However, he was already very confident.

Reaching the highest level of the Fifth Realm is called becoming Grandmaster, which is indeed very close to the Sixth Realm.

As for Master, in the distant past, one would need to be at least in the Mid-Fifth Realm to receive this title.

However, in modern times, as long as a master steps into the Fifth Realm, he is called Master by many people, because normally they can eventually reach the Mid-Fifth Realm.

Currently, Li Qingyun is in this state, at the Early Fifth Realm. If he were in ancient times, he would only be Pseudo-Grandmaster.

However, Master Li is still young, not yet a hundred years old. In the Fifth Realm, he is a rising star, full of vigor and vitality, and has enough time to hone himself.

Yu Gensheng said, "Xiao Li, don't be impatient. You are still young and have plenty of time to cultivate. Perhaps you can endure until the dangerous environment is completely over, and then a golden age of Daoist wisdom will arrive, like a torrential downpour."

Beside him, six-year-old Wen Hui, shy and timid, was a little confused. Was Master Li a teenager like his brother? But his beard was already white.

"Little Qin, it should be safe in Black White Mountain. Don't go out for a while. I'm off now." After a hearty meal, Yu Gensheng set off at night. Clearly, the environment was harsh, and he needed a suitable place to lie low and wait for the opportunity to break through his cultivation barrier. Every time he went out, it was a drain on his energy.

"Senior, I'll go with you." As Master, Li Qingyun also felt that the Dao Rhythm Surges and was not friendly to him, so he wanted to go to a special place with rich spiritual energy to Secluded Cultivation.

Meng Xinghai also stood up and took his leave.

In the evening, Li Qingyue and Jiang Ran came to Qin Ming's courtyard and looked at his old residence with great curiosity. The rough stone millstone still had the marks of Qin Ming crushing it with his fingers when New Life to test his magic.

And the mat on the earthen bed, the old bedding, it's almost too simple, it's hard to imagine that this was once the residence of a prominent figure on New Life Path.

"Four years ago, you fell seriously ill here and endured the ordeal all by yourself for more than a month?" Li Qingyue asked softly. Although this matter had long passed, her Heart Lake was still stirred with emotion.

Qin Ming nodded. He had indeed almost died back then, and looking back, it was the most difficult period of his life.

"It was truly not easy," Jiang Ran said.

The two women stayed overnight here, while Qin Ming came to the village entrance and sat cross-legged under the Black White Twin Trees.

The Talking Finch sparrow flew over stealthily and said, "Mountain Lord, you've been kicked out? Everyone has their own expertise. In this field, you're no match for me."

With a thud, it lost a few feathers, which Qin Ming slapped away.

"Scum Bird!" the Red Squirrel clapped its hands in delight.

As the two women prepared to depart that Shallow Night, they told Qin Ming that they wouldn't specifically inform him of their departure date from Night Prefecture, and that they would leave at any time when the opportunity arose.

Qin Ming communicated with the spirits of the two special weapons, asking them for their coordinates. One day, he might travel alone to the distant, Supreme Land.

He even inquired about the trial grounds and hunting grounds involved in the Supreme Dao Field, including the area of influence and adjacent regions.

"You're asking such detailed questions, it's putting me in a difficult position; it involves leaking secrets." Actually, Six Desires had become interested.

Qin Ming said, "Seniors, haven't you been trying to win me over? Maybe one day, I'll show up on your turf on my own."

As they parted, Qin Ming and Li Qingyue embraced gently, watching the two women disappear into the night.

He felt that all the problems stemmed from the fact that he wasn't strong enough.

If his cultivation is high enough, when can he not set out, and where can he not go?

Next, he will calm down completely, cultivate while waiting for the Ancient Mist Gate to open, and strive to enter the Grandmaster Realm as soon as possible.

Qin Ming secluded himself in a remote village, studying scriptures and experiencing the changes in the Dao of heaven and earth. At the same time, he guided Wen Rui in his cultivation, reshaping his Giant Spirit Body.

"Not bad, I actually obtained the True Scripture, <The Primordial Beginning>." Qin Ming was very satisfied, stroking the slightly rough animal hide book with his hand.

This was his spoils of war, obtained from Cui Chonghe's storage bracelet. It was originally a notebook of cultivation insights, but he resonated with it to reveal the complete "The Primordial Beginning".

He felt that this Dharma was very compatible with his Heart Lamp Realm. When this True Scripture was practiced to an extremely high level, it could regulate the darkness and reshape the old order.

Furthermore, by following this method, one can cultivate the Primordial Beginning Lamp Fire to illuminate the path ahead.

"Indeed, some of the most supreme and wondrous methods have a very wide range of paths. For example, the Primordial Beginning, originally a method for Immortal Path, is also suitable for the New Life Path and can be integrated into the Silk Book Method."

Qin Ming sat in meditation, focusing his mind on comprehending the truth. He felt that he could master the "Primordial Beginning Heart Lamp," which was extremely compatible with his Fourth Realm.

He has mastered the Southern Blazing Fire, the Six Ding Divine Fire, and the Sun True Fire. The three fires converge into the Heart Lamp, corresponding to the Three Lives All Things, and can evolve into various techniques.

In an instant, the Primordial Beginning Heart Lamp shone brightly, and a beam of Pure Yang Sword Radiance light burst forth from his body, with astonishing destructive power. At the same time, a special Samadhi True Fire rose up, cleansing his body and spirit.

Subsequently, the Primordial Beginning Heart Lamp underwent a transformation, illuminating Great Hand Seal, Pure Yang Sword Radiance, and a Long Blade formed from condensed Heavenly Light... like Divine Flower in full bloom, pouring out various wondrous techniques and methods.

" From the Three Lives All Things, and conversely, all creations and myriad wonders can also replenish the Primordial Beginning Heart Lamp." Qin Ming pondered, beginning to delve deeper into the scriptures.

The more he immersed himself in it, the more he felt that this True Scripture was profound, incredibly mysterious, and an extremely beneficial supplement to the silk Silk Scripture.

"Cui Two, this True Scripture is somewhat wasted in your hands." Qin Ming felt that Cui Chonghe's so-called understanding and mastery of it was still far from complete.

Over the next few months, Qin Ming practiced his skills and completely "corrected" Wen Rui's Giant Spirit God form, restoring it to the proper physique of a nine-year-old child.

Logically speaking, people of this age should not be allowed to embark on the New Life Path. Only teenagers from top-tier Lineage, with the protection of their elders and the aid of Strange Medicine, can take this path.

However, with Qin Ming by his side, Wen Rui can start his New Life Path ahead of time without worrying about the issue of "early start".

"Wen Rui, cultivate diligently. Although you have experienced some hardships, your current environment is much better than mine was. I wasn't able to embark on my cultivation journey until I was sixteen, and there was no one to protect me."

Wen Rui's little face was filled with determination as he said, "Uncle, I won't let you down. Although I lack talent, I will do my best to learn the law and strive to go far enough. I hope that one day, when you need me, I can share your burdens and fight for you."

"Good!" Qin Ming patted his head to encourage him.

Time flies, and a year has passed in a flash.

During this period, Night Prefecture remained relatively peaceful, and the distant Supreme Land did not launch any further probing or full-scale invasions.

However, undercurrents are swirling, and fewer and fewer of the older generation of masters are showing their faces, seemingly confirming that this era will be led by the young and middle-aged.

Qin Ming didn't know if Li Qingyue and Jiang Ran had already set off on their journey. A year ago, they had said that they would no longer say goodbye and that there was no need for him to see them off.

"Time really Pass By. Before I knew it, a year had passed." Qin Ming was already twenty-one years old, having gone from a naive teenager to the Golden Age.

He clearly felt that his cultivation had improved again, but he was still far from breaking through the barrier.

He was not affected by the general environment, but no matter which path he took, the Fourth Realm was quite difficult. Even with his exceptional talent, it would normally take him about three years to advance to the next level.

If we calculate it this way, then during the "five years" that Li Qingyue mentioned, he definitely wouldn't reach the Grandmaster Realm and wouldn't be able to visit her in the distance.

Qin Ming muttered to himself, "If you want to improve your cultivation level quickly, you really need to explore new areas. Otherwise, staying in one place and burying yourself in cultivation is just too slow."

He learned that a few Ancient Mist Gate were about to be opened.

"Hmm, Black White Mountain is too remote. It seems my information is a bit outdated. It turns out that two portals have already partially broken the seal."

This was the latest information Qin Ming learned a few days later. He immediately perked up. If it weren't for the frequent disasters in this world, he would have gone to investigate.

The outside world was already in turmoil. From the ground to the sky, everyone was filled with excitement, because the Otherworld behind the Ancient Mist Gate seemed extraordinary and somewhat mysterious.

"Mystery is good. As long as it's not too dangerous, there's bound to be good fortune to be found, and one can also travel far." Qin Ming was quite interested.

For the past year, there has been no shortage of discussion about him.

For example, some people are now full of resentment. "Is Qin Ming dead? Why hasn't he come out yet!"

"He remained hidden in that village, truly enduring loneliness. For a whole year, he never went far, only occasionally venturing into the nearby mountains."

People can't help but mutter to themselves. After so much arduous cultivation, Qin Ming was filled with a restless spirit and had made up his mind to explore the unknown world behind the Ancient Mist Gate.

It should be noted that this is completely different from the area within the Jade Capital Radiation zone; it is far beyond imagination, and it is bizarre and fantastical, where anything is possible.

After all, according to legend, the Heavenly God of Jade Capital were all created in different mysterious worlds behind the Ancient Mist Gate.

"After a year of studying the True Scripture, although I haven't broken through the barrier, my combat skills have improved considerably. My Nine-Colored Sword Fiend, Inner Scenery Sky-Opening Axe, Primordial Beginning Heart Lamp, and Primordial Spirit Field have all reached a considerable level. I really want to find someone to test my skills on and see the results. I wonder if I can kill the Sick Grandmaster." Qin Ming pondered.

He then immediately reflected on his actions, realizing he had become somewhat arrogant and needed to be more humble and avoid being self-important. However, he acknowledged that it was indeed time for him to return to public life.