One Person

Qin Ming exhaled a breath of stale air, thinking back on the past, it all seemed like an illusion.

But those were all real experiences. He felt a tightness in his chest, and all sorts of thoughts churned violently. He gripped the Mutton Fat Jade Iron Saber tightly to calm himself down.

"Calm down." He sat down again, trying to remain calm. Although it had been less than twenty years since his childhood, his past had been quite tortuous and complicated.

An ordinary teenager might have been driven to the brink of collapse.

Qin Ming revisited those past details to mitigate future risks; he needed to study the personalities and methods of those people.

Because these issues are not yet resolved, not long ago, Father Cui. and Mother Cui. Cui had considered keeping him confined in a remote place.

"Fifth Master always had a smile on his face. It was he who encouraged me to stick to practicing the Silk Scripture and not to get involved in other New Life Method. Looking back now, it was indeed beneficial to me, but at the time, it was like blocking my path to advancement."

Qin Ming recalled that he had also visited Father Cui and Mother Cui to seek their opinions, and both of them agreed with Fifth Master's statement.

However, when Cui Chongxuan the silk Silk Scripture and wanted to practice it as well, his Father Cui scolded him, saying that one person was enough to practice this method, and promised to find him the equally terrifying "Six Imperial Heart Sutra".

Qin Ming also wanted to see the Six Imperial Heart Sutra, but Father Cui calmly watched it and asked him in return, "Don't you have confidence in yourself and the Silk Scripture?"

"When Cui Chongxuan was nearly thirteen years old, he had already undergone Third New Life under the guidance of his elders and had begun consuming the Three-Colored Flower, fusing four types of Heavenly Light Force."

Looking back, Qin Ming realized that he had already noticed the unusual behavior at that time, but having lived together for many years, he was unwilling to assume malice towards his family.

Everything was foreshadowed. From childhood to adulthood, the Cui Household had always praised him lavishly, which had led to numerous assassination attempts.

Qin Ming clearly remembered that every time the Cui Household dealt with the experts who approached him, their first reaction was not to worry about him, but to be overjoyed.

Father Cui. and Mother Cui. Cui remained calm, showing no signs of tension or lingering fear over his harrowing experiences. After each incident, they would praise the skilled individuals who had contributed, hoping to eliminate as many people as possible who harbored ill intentions towards the Cui Household.

Clearly, the Cui Household is like a towering mountain to Qin Ming.

"My Silk Scripture is still there." Putting everything else aside, he had to get that book back.

This is not only the only item his grandfather left him, but it also concerns his future path.

The Silk Scripture is incomplete, having been mostly burned, but it must still retain some emotions, as it carries the culmination of the hard work of several Old Senior.

Qin Ming can obtain the complete Silk Scripture through resonance.

He was destined to go to Clear River City, unable to avoid the Cui Household, but he didn't know how many more waves he would cause if he wanted to retrieve the Silk Scripture.

"Two years ago, Cui-Li Clash families. The Cui Household must have suffered a significant blow, but they should recover quickly."

Clearly, the Li Household suffered greater losses.

Because the Cui Household mainly mobilized elderly people who were not long to live, and they were all fearless and targeted the promising young and strong members of the Li Household, fighting to the death in an attempt to destroy the Li Household's future.

Qin Ming had personally witnessed the madness of those old men, which also revealed their sense of identification with the Cui Household.

He couldn't help but sigh; this was the foundation of the Millennium Aristocratic Family, difficult to shake.

In particular, many of the masters in that Beyond the Mundane are from the Aristocratic Clan.

Even if Millennium Aristocratic Family, it is difficult for it to fall completely unless its clansmen in the Beyond the Mundane also "collapse" completely.

"In the past, there were bloody lessons that shocked all the royal courts." After regaining his memories, Qin Ming was naturally no stranger to the affairs of the Aristocratic Clan.

Long ago, a Millennium Aristocratic Family was destroyed by an incredibly powerful dynasty. However, someone from Beyond the Mundane emerged and rebuilt that Aristocratic Clan. And that dynasty eventually collapsed and ended inexplicably.

Qin Ming suddenly realized that not only the Cui Household was dangerous to him, but there was also an exceptionally powerful Li Household that could challenge the status of the Millennium Aristocratic Family.

At that moment, he felt a tightness in his chest again. This should have been an enemy of the Cui Household, something that had nothing to do with him, but he had been passively dragged into it.

The Feather Robe Youth Li Qingxu, nearly killed him; this matter certainly cannot be left unresolved.

In fact, based on Qin Ming's understanding of Li Qingxu's personality, the other party would definitely not let him go.

"He's quite hostile towards me. When did it start?" Qin Ming frowned, trying to recall.

After careful consideration, he concluded that it was probably related to the engagement of the eldest daughter of the Wang Family. It seemed that Li Qingxu had known that noble lady for a long time.

"Could my life have gotten any more unlucky than the last ten years? Life has been a lie, abandoned, dying, scapegoated, and in the end, I'm stuck in a remote place, forbidden from starting New Life Path..."

Qin Ming took a deep breath and then forcefully exhaled a large gulp of pent-up frustration.

What business is it of his that the girl is engaged to the eldest daughter of the Wang Family? This is a marriage alliance between the Cui Household and Wang Family. His impression of the girl is limited to her being exceptionally beautiful and always smiling; he has never really gotten to know her in any way.

The eldest daughter of the Wang Family was indeed very intelligent and adept at handling situations; this was the impression Qin Ming got from their only trip together.

However, he was severely reprimanded by Father Cui afterward, who warned him to be polite and avoid suspicion, and not to have any further private contact.

Undoubtedly, Li Qingxu's vehement hatred stemmed from the so-called "love and hate," coupled with the conflict between the two major Lineage, which fueled their intense hostility towards him. He might also have been considering eliminating his future rivals in the Beyond the Mundane as soon as possible.

"You should go find the real Cui Chonghe!" At this moment, Qin Ming really wanted to emulate Xu Sheng's forthright female friend Zhou Lin, and continue to spew out profanities.

After a long time, he calmed down. Now, his biggest worry was his grandfather. More than ten years had passed; what had become of him?

Qin Ming frowned. When the Cui Household was looking for "Cui Chonghe", they must have carefully selected him and thought he was the most suitable. After all, someone in the mansion had said that the two looked somewhat alike.

His grandfather was just an ordinary person; if the Cui Household valued him, the old man would have no way to resist.

Now the Cui Household forbids him from setting foot in Clear River City again, and he can no longer return to his original circle.

He wanted to know about his grandfather, but he couldn't ask the Cui Household directly; he had to find out through other channels.

Qin Ming got up and walked out of the inn. He hadn't planned to go to the City Lord's Manor, but now he had no choice but to go.

The new city lord, Meng Xinghai, once said that people could go to him when they came to Red Haze City.

At dawn, the entire city was radiant. The first rays of Fire Haze dispelled the Black Mist, and the streets and alleys seemed to be steaming with the morning glow, giving people a sense of warmth, brightness, and hope.

It was still a bit early, so Qin Ming found a restaurant to have breakfast.

"Huh?!" As he paid the bill and prepared to leave, he witnessed a scene that made his heart skip a beat.

Sun Family Old Woman carefully took out some money from her pocket, bought a meat pie, and handed it to her three-year-old grandson. A smile appeared on her wrinkled face, and her former gloom seemed to have dissipated.

Two men suddenly approached, one of them saying menacingly, "You have money to buy cakes, but no money to pay your debts?"

The old man was taken aback and said, "I don't owe you any money."

"Are you really senile? You borrowed from me before, are you trying to renege on your debt?" A man shoved her, and the old woman lost her balance and almost fell to the ground.

Another man grabbed her, preventing her from falling, but not to help her; instead, he reached directly into her pockets.

"Well, you're doing well, you even have some money!" He robbed the old man of all the copper coins he had on him.

"Don't bully my grandma! Let her go!" the toddler shouted.

"Get out of here, you little brat!" One of the men tried to shove the child away. An adult hitting a young child would obviously cause the child to fall to the ground, potentially breaking their teeth.

However, his hand failed to reach the child as Qin Ming suddenly appeared and grabbed it, causing him to cry out in pain.

"What a tragedy! Why are they always targeting the Sun Family? Sigh, the Old Woman is already pitiful enough raising her grandson alone."

"Who is that young man who actually stopped the people from the Xin Yi Hall?"

People nearby were gossiping, but no one dared to get involved.

"Who are you, and why are you stopping us?" the man from the Xin Yi Hall said coldly.

"This grandmother and grandson are already pitiful enough, relying on each other for survival. Don't bully them too much," Qin Ming said. He had already learned from the other people's discussions that they were from Xinyi Hall, which had been plotting to steal the Sun Family's Xin Yi Hall. And now they were still committing evil deeds.

He was quite moved because his family had Silk Scripture, which indicated that his ancestors had once been very powerful, but now their family had not only declined but had been completely ruined.

Upon closer reflection, his situation was not as good as Wu Zheng's, but rather similar to that of the Sun Family.

Qin Ming originally went to the City Lord's Manor because of his grandfather's matter, but now seeing this scene, he was deeply moved and couldn't help but use the Yellow Mud Palm a second time, and then a third time.

The two men were barely affected as they were pushed out; in fact, they would cough up blood incessantly a few days later and would have little chance of survival.

"Young man, you should leave quickly..." The old man from the Sun Family opened his mouth as if to say something, worried about him and hoping he would leave soon.

Qin Ming said, "It's alright. The new city lord has arrived. Haven't you heard? He personally destroyed Golden Chicken Ridge and is now dealing with some troublemakers. Some people who don't know their own mortality will definitely not have a good ending."

He handed the little boy, whose face was streaked with tears and whose tiny hands were still clutching the meat pie, to the old man.

"Stop bluffing!" The two men from the Xin Yi Hall sounded fierce but were actually quite weak.

"You still don't believe me? Come on, let's go to the City Lord's Manor's Mansion and argue with him. Let's see if you can save your dog lives!" Qin Ming shouted sternly.

"You..." The two of them backed away.

Qin Ming said, "Old man, you should take the child back. Don't worry about anything. I have something to do now; I need to go to the City Lord's Manor."

He wasn't just talking nonsense, nor was he entirely taking advantage of the situation. If he met Meng Xinghai, he would definitely mention these matters in the city. It seems the new city lord is eager to make a splash upon taking office.

The two men from the Xin Yi Hall were skeptical, but secretly followed him. When they discovered that he had indeed gone to the City Lord's Manor, their faces turned pale.

At first, the guards of the City Lord's Manor were somewhat suspicious, but seeing Qin Ming's composure and extraordinary demeanor, they did not dare to delay and went to report on his behalf.

Twenty days later, Qin Ming met City Lord Meng again.

"I thought you went to another city. Not bad. It's only been a while since we last met. Although you seem to be keeping a low profile, your Essence, Qi, and Spirit are much more abundant than before." Meng Xinghai sized him up.

"Greetings, Uncle Meng. I had an injury before, but I've only recently recovered, so I seem to be in better spirits." Qin Ming greeted him with the respect due to a junior.

The living room was large, but not ornately decorated; it was rather rustic, with some antique items such as porcelain jars and bronzes on display, and some calligraphy and paintings hanging on the walls.

Meng Xinghai, dressed in a blue robe, appeared to be around thirty-seven or thirty-eight years old. He looked like a scholar, but in reality, he was very assertive, and his swordsmanship was exceptionally sharp.

"You're quite something, kid. You started a fire right away and single-handedly took down Golden Chicken Ridge."

Qin Ming could neither refute nor conceal the fact that Li Qingyue had seen him that night.

"I'm sorry to have troubled Uncle Meng."

"Sit down, it's alright. Former city lord Ling Xu and I both wanted to wipe that place out, but we wanted to fish out the Golden Bandits first."

After Qin Ming sat down, he said, "I acted impulsively and disrupted Uncle Meng's plans."

Meng Xinghai smiled and said, "It's good to have passion; it's rare to find someone with such a heart. There are other ways to catch the Golden Bandits. I sincerely hope you can maintain this spirit and not be like some of the younger generation, who, despite their extraordinary talent,... sigh!"

"Since Uncle Meng says so, then I will certainly live up to your expectations. Well, just now..." Qin Ming spoke directly, recounting what he had seen on the way.

Meng Xinghai hadn't expected that he was so pure and innocent, and that he could keep his word. But after thinking about it carefully, even if he was just a Abandoned Son, he couldn't possibly be innocent again after being influenced by the Cui Household's corrupting influence.

He even realized that the kid was quite mature, unlike a naive teenager.

"Since you're so kind, then do me a favor. Investigate the situation, and if necessary, take action. Give me that authority." Meng Xinghai tossed him a token, quite decisively.

Then he asked, "Speak, what do you want with me?"

"I've come to thank Uncle Meng for his help on the edge of the desert last time," Qin Ming said.

"Are you only thanking me?"

"And Qing Yue, I know she definitely spoke up for me." Qin Ming's tone was sincere.

"Yes, you were right." Meng Xinghai nodded.

Qin Ming spoke up, "I'd like to trouble Uncle Meng again this time to inquire about some information."

Meng Xinghai listened attentively, then felt surprised. He wasn't asking about the Cui Household's affairs; he just wanted to know where his grandfather had gone back then.

Meng Xinghai said, "You're really putting me in a difficult position. Even if I went to ask for you, the Cui Household probably wouldn't tell me the truth. Unless I could see that Seventh Master Cui, but we probably can't contact him now; he's probably already in Beyond the Mundane."

"Don't you have any doubts about your experience in the Cui Household?" Cui Xinghai couldn't help but ask.

Qin Ming sighed, "There was one before, but now I've figured it out. There should be a real Cui Chonghe; he needs to step into the limelight."

Meng Xinghai was surprised and said, "No wonder some people in the Cui Household don't trust you. They're afraid that you have extraordinary talent, and if you rise to power and learn the truth, they might hold a grudge against you and cause some trouble. They really didn't underestimate you."

He showed a surprised expression and said, "You are in the thick of it all, your knowledge is limited, and you are obscured by the fog, yet you are still able to see through most of the truth. That is truly remarkable."

"Did I guess some parts wrong?" Qin Ming asked.

"It's not exactly wrong, it's just that you don't understand." Meng Xinghai didn't hide anything and explained the situation while drinking tea.

Cui Chonghe did not choose to leave on his own initiative, but was discovered to be unusual in Beyond the Mundane. As he grew older, he looked more and more like his Father Cui.

Most importantly, someone discovered that he was secretly corresponding with the Cui Household.

"So, we look very different now that we're grown up, only slightly similar when we were young," Qin Ming thought to himself.

"Furthermore, Cui Chonghe's teacher has emerged from seclusion. Even though various forces in the Beyond the Mundane are deeply entrenched, no one dares to touch this young Cui Household."

"Is his teacher very capable?" Qin Ming couldn't help but ask.

"Yes, it's said that Cui Chonghe's senior Senior Brother was the one who passed on the skills in place of their master. That Old Senior had been in seclusion, but now he has successfully taken half a step forward, and his cultivation level is unfathomable. He has also officially accepted Cui Chonghe as his last disciple and will not accept any more disciples in the future. He treats him like a precious gem."

Qin Ming fell silent after hearing this; people's circumstances vary greatly.

"The Cui Household wouldn't let you return to Clear River City, nor would they let you go to Thousand Stars City. They even tried to cut off your New Life Path, all because the main body was exposed."

Meng Xinghai told him that the Wang Family in Thousand Stars City was furious and extremely dissatisfied. They discovered that the Cui Chonghe, and even they had been kept in the dark.

Qin Ming smiled wryly. Could it be that the Wang Family also harbored resentment towards him?

"Cui Chonghe himself was also somewhat dissatisfied. He learned about your trip with the eldest daughter of the Wang Family. Hmm, someone in the Beyond the Mundane saw him lose his temper during that time."

Qin Ming was now really tempted to draw his sword. Why? All parties reached a settlement, but in the end, it all became his problem alone, and he had to bear all the suffering.