New Life

Qin Ming solemnly nodded. It was time to figure out how to achieve "New Life."

This was a major matter, one that concerned an entire lifetime and shaped one's future fate.

Fifteen or sixteen was the Golden Period. Achieving "New Life" at this age brought the greatest benefits; missing it would be terribly regrettable.

But it was difficult. The standouts of Double Tree Village had all gained "New Life" only after turning twenty, while some had not succeeded until after thirty.

Even so, among the village's more than forty households and over two hundred people, fewer than ten could be counted as "New Life" achievers.

Lu Ze said, "Er Bingzi from the neighboring village made it. He happened to be within the Golden Period."

Qin Ming remembered Er Bingzi. He was thin and sallow, with a sickly pallor about him. Even his hair strands were sparse and the color of withered grass.

He was deeply surprised. That youth, who had not looked healthy at all, had actually achieved "New Life" during the Golden Age.

"When did it happen?"

"Nearly a month ago," Lu Ze told him. After Er Bingzi gained New Life, he had directly lifted the four-hundred-pound black donkey in his courtyard, completely changing his former frail appearance.

"That really is strange." Qin Ming truly had not expected that so many sturdy youths, strong as oxen, had repeatedly failed, while Er Bingzi had succeeded in one stroke.

Lu Ze also felt rather moved. He was strong and healthy, a formidable figure even among the young and middle-aged, yet he was already twenty-three and still had not achieved "New Life."

"It is said to be connected to one of his relatives." Lu Ze knew some of the inside details.

That relative of Er Bingzi's was not very closely related by blood and traveled outside all year round. When he returned this time and saw Er Bingzi, he decided the boy was a promising seedling.

That person said Er Bingzi had suffered a minor problem with his body in the past and had failed to lock in his Essence, Qi, and Spirit, which was why he looked so sickly. Yet his potential was actually immense.

Most crucially, that person had brought back an Advanced Willpower Skill and had Er Bingzi switch to practicing it. The results were extraordinarily apparent, and he had ultimately achieved "New Life."

Qin Ming fell into thought. Human fortunes truly were impossible to predict.

"Afterward, that person said Er Bingzi's inborn 'foundation' was far more solid than he had initially guessed. Perhaps he could go very far."

No matter what, Lu Ze had never expected that someone who had looked sickly for years could be so remarkable.

"Though we do not have an Advanced Willpower Skill, there are still workable methods. Little Qin, I think you should change that special training method of yours," Lu Ze advised.

In his view, Qin Ming's physical constitution was extremely strong, even stronger than his own, and had long surpassed ordinary people by a great margin.

Yet despite such excellent conditions, Qin Ming had been unable to achieve "New Life" for so long. The problem most likely lay in the method he used to temper himself. It could not nurture New Life Power and could not carry him forward.

He had already passed sixteen. If this continued, he really would miss the Golden Period.

Liang Wanqing also urged him, "Little Qin, why not switch to practicing your Brother Lu's Black Night Meditation Art Primer?"

Eternal Night shrouded heaven and earth, and the wilderness was incomparably dangerous. In such a Great Environment, various regions had publicly available power manuals so that everyone could improve their physique and protect themselves.

Naturally, such books could not be considered high-end, and they were worlds apart from rare and precious secret texts.

Qin Ming was not a stubborn man. Knowing they meant well, he nodded. "From now on, I'll seriously give it a try."

Lu Ze sighed softly. He believed Qin Ming had been delayed by the "Wild Style" he usually practiced, which was far inferior even to the low-grade Black Night Meditation Art Primer. But if he switched now, time was simply too tight.

He pondered that perhaps only an Advanced Willpower Skill could help Qin Ming change his current situation in a short time.

Lu Ze let out a breath of stale air. "Sigh, even a mid-grade secret manual would do. With your kind of conditions, it would be such a pity if you missed the most precious Golden Period."

However, the only books circulating in this region that could help people achieve "New Life" were a few such as the Fleeting Life Skill Guidance Chapter and the Black Night Meditation Art Primer, all of roughly similar quality.

Qin Ming was not anxious, mainly because the movements he had practiced year after year had begun to show results. There was flowing light on his body; though the silver ripples were faint, they had truly manifested before. Things were no longer as they had been.

His handsome face carried a healthy flush, and his eyes shone brightly. "Brother Lu, Sister-in-law, wait a little longer. I should be able to make it."

New Life meant that, upon one's original physical foundation, vigorous vitality surged forth, as though one had returned to the womb and once more nurtured flourishing New Life Power.

Amid the stale air of the mortal world, one's physical conditions had originally become fixed. If one's "foundation" underwent another round of development, it was like an Acquired Fetal Transformation.

Who would not be tempted by that? Take Er Bingzi, for instance. He had originally been somewhat weak, but after New Life, he could seize living creatures weighing several hundred pounds with both hands and raise them overhead.

Such a transformation was truly astonishing, no less than changing one's fate.

Just imagine it: after practicing the Black Night Meditation Art, Lu Ze could already snap blue bricks and break wooden training posts. If he underwent "New Life" and his strength increased dramatically, how terrifying would his fists and kicks become? "After my lingering illness was completely gone, I felt different. My physical condition has never been better." Qin Ming was very confident now.

Before Lu Ze and Liang Wanqing could say anything, five-year-old Wen Rui was already nodding seriously. His rosy little face was full of anticipation as he said, "Uncle is the strongest. Once Uncle succeeds, catch a mountain beast and stew its meat for us to eat. I... I'm craving it."

Little Wen Hui, barely over two and still toddling unsteadily, also came over to echo him. His words were unclear. "Uncle... strong. Eat meat."

Qin Ming immediately laughed. "There is no need to wait until later. I can satisfy you today."

As he spoke, he took down the Red Squirrel hanging from the hunting fork.

The mutant squirrel's black-gem-like eyes instantly widened, and terror appeared on its face.

"Oh, it is alive again. That is even better. The meat will be far more tender than if it had been frozen." Qin Ming held it up and examined it repeatedly.

"This squirrel is so pretty, kind of cute." Wen Rui blinked his big eyes, sincerely fond of such fluffy little animals.

"It will be even cuter once it is stewed. I guarantee you'll enjoy eating it." Qin Ming smiled.

Wen Rui immediately became conflicted. He really craved meat and had not eaten any for a long time, but when he saw this little living creature with glowing fiery-red fur, he could not take his eyes off it. He wanted to get close to it and hoped to raise it.

Little Wen Hui followed behind his brother, copying everything he did. The Red Squirrel's reflection appeared in his bright eyes as he shouted indistinctly, "Squirrel... cute."

Lu Ze and Liang Wanqing both laughed as they watched the two children.

Qin Ming agreed. "It really is cute and capable. Look, it has so much food stored up for winter: pine nuts, walnuts, hazelnuts, red dates, and everything else imaginable. There are no fewer than a dozen kinds, and it even stored mushrooms. Perfect—squirrel stewed with mushrooms. Delicious and nourishing."

"R-really? But... I do not want it to die." Wen Rui clutched at the corner of his clothes, his little face full of distress. Of course, he did not forget to swallow a mouthful of saliva.

"Of course. Look, there are even Tiger Paw Mushrooms and Cuckoo Mushrooms among these mushrooms. Those are rather famous mountain delicacies. You two are in for a treat. As expected, anything selected by a mutant creature must be top-notch." Qin Ming exclaimed in admiration.

The Red Squirrel was very temperamental; all its fur stood on end.

Qin Ming drew his short knife and carried it toward the courtyard, intending to skin it. Such a bloody sight was unsuitable for the two children to see.

"Squeak! Squeak!" The mutant little mountain beast was instantly horrified. It cried out frantically and struggled violently, the iron wire wrapped around it nearly cutting into its flesh.

"Uncle, how about... keeping it?" Wen Rui stopped him. Trying hard to forget the taste of stewed meat, he seemed to have made up his mind as he pleaded there.

"What fine ingredients. Mutant creatures have the freshest, most delicious meat." Qin Ming smiled, tempting him.

"We will not eat it this time. After Uncle achieves New Life, you will definitely be able to hunt huge, ferocious mutant creatures. I'll wait for Uncle to succeed." Wen Rui's sympathy stirred, and he resisted the temptation of food.

The mutant squirrel was a bundle of nerves. One moment it looked at the knife in Qin Ming's hand, the next it squeaked at Wen Rui, as if asking for help.

Liang Wanqing said in surprise, "This little mountain beast is exceptionally intelligent. It seems to understand what you are saying. Look at its little face—it is so tense that it has wrinkled up."

Qin Ming put away the short knife. Such a small creature did not have much meat to begin with; he had only intended to satisfy the children's cravings. Since they liked living creatures, they might as well raise it.

Lu Ze frowned slightly. "This winter is unlike any before it. Where will we find extra food to feed it?"

The mutant squirrel stared eagerly at the bulging animal-hide bag. Inside was all of its family fortune! Qin Ming also noticed that this little mountain beast truly was astonishingly intelligent.

He picked out some acorns from the pile of dried fruits. "These nuts need to be processed before they can be eaten. Otherwise, they are mildly poisonous and rather bitter. They can be kept to feed the squirrel."

The Red Squirrel did not squeak. It merely stared at him with widened eyes, its breathing slightly rough.

"You are still dissatisfied after being allowed to live? And if you dare bite anyone, I guarantee I'll stew you." Qin Ming warned it, locking it inside an iron birdcage.

Lu Ze felt it would be better to sell the mutant squirrel. Its fiery, brilliant fur was valuable, after all, and keeping it would waste both food and energy.

But when he saw the two children's boundless delight, laughing and jumping around, he stopped voicing objections.

When they parted, Lu Ze took the iron cage and a pile of acorns, refusing all the other dried goods.

Qin Ming did not argue with him. He stuffed the cloth bag containing walnuts and pine nuts into Liang Wanqing's hands for the children to snack on.

After temporarily escaping the predicament of lacking food, Qin Ming began seriously considering the matter of New Life.

Lu Ze's words about the "Wild Style" holding him back had indeed stirred a few ripples in his heart.

He vaguely remembered some blurred fragments from his childhood. Someone had once told him that those movements had some origin, but probably could not be mastered.

A short while later, he came to the courtyard. He first followed his own rhythm. The "Wild Style" he had practiced for over a decade was clearly different now; there was no reason not to continue.

Qin Ming loosened his joints, stretched his sinews and bones, twisting, spinning, turning, flipping—rounded and fluid, without the slightest obstruction.

He suddenly sprang from the ground, swift as an iron arrow shot forth. Yet when he descended, he was light as a swallow, landing without a sound.

He shifted between stillness and motion, sitting like a tiger crouched in its lair, walking as though wading through mud, turning in smooth, natural circles.

Then he spun around and swept out his leg as fast as lightning, like a dragon python lashing its tail through the air, producing a dull boom.

After a simple warm-up, Qin Ming began performing all manner of highly difficult movements.

"Exhale and breathe, cast out the old and draw in the new, bear-hang and owl-gaze..."

He stretched out his body, powerful and forceful, even stirring up fierce winds that swept the snow from the ground, sending it surging and dancing around him.

Very soon, the familiar sensation came. Extremely faint silver threads intertwined from Qin Ming's pores, spreading into ripples and forming a pale layer of flowing light over his body.

Gradually, white mist rose from all over him.

A current of heat flowed through his flesh and blood, like sweet rain falling everywhere after a severe drought, while cracked earth greedily drank in every raindrop.

Qin Ming's movements consumed an enormous amount of energy, yet he felt no fatigue. On the contrary, he was brimming with vigor.

His body seemed to be cheering, as though it had been hungry for a long time and wanted to eat its fill, continually drawing in the silver ripples.

His flesh itched, and strength was growing throughout his entire body. Was he about to achieve New Life? Qin Ming's body burned with heat, and he had the urge to run, to vent his abundant energy to his heart's content. Then he put it into action.

He raced through the wilderness like a meteor streaking beneath the night sky, speeding farther and farther away until he was nearly at the forested mountain region.

In the distant snowfield stood a tall, slender woman. Her black fur cloak flowed with faint Dark Light, concealing her fair neck and revealing only her exquisite chin, carrying an air of mysterious aloofness.

A crow stood upon a thornbush beside her and spoke in human words. "Oh? The body is achieving New Life on its own, and there are already abnormal signs in the initial stage. It is as though moonlight has fallen across the skin, stirring layer upon layer of shattered golden ripples."

"I think this is a promising seedling. Quite rare, to find one in such a remote place." Its black feathers shone like dark gold, and its purple eyes watched ahead. "Is your teacher not selecting a final disciple? This youth may be suitable."

The woman stood atop a large bluish stone. When the cold wind blew, her loose cloak clung to her body, unable to hide her exceptionally lovely curves. Yet her voice was somewhat cool. "There are people more suitable than him."

Qin Ming seemed to sense something. He turned his head toward the distance, already holding bow and arrow in hand.

"A sharp instinct," the crow commented. By then, it was already within the Dense Forest. It said to the woman beside it, "Your teacher's path is extremely unusual. Do not truly let a seed with hopes of flourishing growth slip by."

"If he is not chosen, that is his regret for not knowing better. What could I possibly miss? The best candidate has already been found." Mountain winds howled, lifting the woman's glossy black hair and sweeping it across one side of her pale cheek. Her black garments fluttered loudly, making her cold beauty seem even more remote. She walked onward and said, "Investigating the mountain comes first for now."