While Qin Ming was deep in thought, Xu Yueping knocked on the courtyard gate to find him.
"Xiao Qin, hurry up! There's something urgent."
Qin Ming's heart skipped a beat. Could the news about the Mountain Patrol team being wiped out have spread so quickly?
"We'll set off in an hour," Xu Yueping said. People from Chixia City have arrived and want to meet the new survivors from the nearby villages.
Xu Yueping lowered his voice, "I heard they are all noble heirs, here to help us explore the mountains while also honing their own skills."
Qin Ming asked, "Is it finally starting?"
Xu Yueping spoke seriously, "You need to perform well this time. The people coming have impressive backgrounds, so try to use this opportunity to get into Chixia City."
...
An hour later, Xu Yueping's house was buzzing with activity.
Old Liu was full of energy, carrying a large machete on his back, wearing old leather armor and a sturdy iron helmet, fully armed.
Qin Ming approached and asked, "Uncle Liu, what are you doing? We're just meeting today, not going into the mountains."
Old Liu replied, "Just getting used to it in advance."
Yang Yongqing also took this seriously, carrying two swords on his back.
"Even though it's unlikely anything will happen at dusk, we still need someone to watch the house. Uncle Liu, you're injured and quite old..." Xu Yueping started but was interrupted by Old Liu.
"An old horse still aspires to gallop a thousand miles. Besides, I’m strong as a dragon now. I can take on both you and Yang Yongqing!" Old Liu insisted on going.
Not everyone was brave enough to take the risk. For example, two other new survivors from the village and the injured Wang Qinglin had no choice.
The destination was not far, just a crossroads about seven miles away.
In the dim night, the area was surrounded by dense forests.
More than a dozen villages received the notice, and the new survivors arrived quickly.
Smaller villages like Shuangshu Village sent only four people, while larger ones sent over ten, totaling less than a hundred.
The people from Chixia City arrived even earlier, divided into three teams, all clad in armor and well-equipped, quietly waiting ahead.
The new survivors from each village fell silent, intimidated by the shiny armor and sharp swords, feeling a mix of awe for the noble elites from the brilliant city.
Each team had its own unique family crest, with about a dozen members each, and the three leaders at the front were particularly striking.
One of the men was an impressive three meters tall, wearing dark gold armor, with long black hair and sharp eyes that felt like a blade, giving off a strong sense of pressure.
His mount was also eye-catching—a giant red bull, its back taller than an adult man, with two normal curved horns and one that pointed forward like a sword.
When the three-meter-tall man saw the new survivors from the villages arrive, he didn't show off by staying on his bull. He dismounted and nodded to everyone, saying, "I’m Cao Long."
He briefly introduced himself, mentioning that many experts from Chixia City had come to help explore the mountains, with the young members of their three families responsible for this area.
"I’m Wei Zhirou from the Wei family," said one of the women among the three. She stood on a piece of blue stone, not too close to the giant Cao Long.
She wore a pure white fox fur coat, her hair flowing in the wind, and her fair, oval face wore a sweet and bright smile, which had a significant impact on the young men from the villages.
To the young people who had never traveled far, this noble lady from the brilliant city seemed like a celestial being, and many years later, they would still remember her.
Wei Zhirou stood gracefully, and while she spoke about the mountain exploration, she also brought some news.
"This winter, heavy snow has blocked the roads, and it’s hard to transport food from outside. But don’t worry, Chixia City has sent giant beasts to pull food carts, and it won’t be long before it arrives."
This immediately caused a stir, and the people from various villages showed joy.
However, some were concerned that with such transportation, food prices might become very high.
"I’m Mu Qing," said the last of the three leaders, wrapped in a black cloak that concealed even their face, making them seem quite mysterious. Even after speaking, it was hard to tell if they were male or female, as their voice was neutral.
Mu Qing stated plainly that they were unfamiliar with the mountains and needed local new survivors to guide them.
This was the main reason for the three teams to meet with the new survivors from the villages.
If they joined them, there would be generous rewards.
Cao Long mentioned that if someone performed exceptionally, they could earn valuable techniques like Qi Gong and meditation.
This sparked lively discussions, as many people were eager, knowing that the "new survivor techniques" in this area were rather basic.
"What counts as exceptional performance?" someone couldn’t help but ask.
"Providing important information to prevent casualties, hunting special creatures, discovering areas with spiritual materials..."
People realized that the rewards wouldn’t be easy to obtain. The noble elites from Chixia City were not just here to train the new survivors; they also wanted to explore the more mysterious areas of the mountains.
Wei Zhirou added, "If you discover any unusual phenomena in the mountains, inform us immediately. That would also count as providing important information."
"I know of a fissure in the ground where silver threads used to spread. Anyone who falls inside has a hard time escaping and often doesn’t survive. Does that count?"
Qin Ming noticed it was someone from the neighboring Qingsang Village who spoke up first.
Clearly, there had been deaths in that area.
Old Liu slapped his thigh and looked at Qin Ming, indicating that someone had jumped in to speak first.
Wei Zhirou nodded, "The magnetic field in the mountains is chaotic. The place you mentioned should be a smaller node. If you find another similar spot, I’ll give you a mid-level secret book about new survivors."
She explained that these special nodes might have existed for years, and they would search for and map them out, leaving a topographical map of the mountains for locals to avoid future dangers.
Cao Long added, "If you find areas with white mist rising or colorful clouds, it’s best not to approach. Those places are even more dangerous. Whoever provides such clues will receive a generous reward of a high-level Qi Gong technique."
Many people gasped at this, as such high-level secret books felt far out of reach for them. Who wouldn’t want that?
Some realized that the noble elites from Chixia City were not just here to train themselves; they had other important goals, and the strange phenomena in the mountains involved secrets unknown to the locals.
However, the new survivors from the villages remained calm. Even if they understood there were hidden dangers, what could they do? Those dangerous areas were beyond their reach.
Moreover, regardless of the nobles' motives, they would ultimately help them explore the mountains and protect them from threats, which was enough.
Cao Long informed everyone that the higher-ups from Chixia City and the mysterious beings deep in the mountains were having a final negotiation, which would take place outside the mountains and would have results soon.
The new survivors from the villages whispered among themselves. Although they lived in this area, they had only heard a few legends about high-level beings. Their deepest impressions of the mountains were mystery, the unknown, and fear, filled with awe-inspiring fog.
"Will we be able to see the negotiations outside the mountains?"
A young boy from one of the teams, whose face still looked youthful, spoke up, eager to know what the top-level creatures in the mountains looked like.
The three teams had been quiet, but now there was a stir. They were all young and had a strong curiosity and desire to explore.
Cao Long, towering over everyone, cast a calm glance, and those chatting quickly quieted down.
He didn’t scold them but nodded in response, "Perhaps there will be an opportunity."
Instantly, there was a buzz of excitement.
Qin Ming also felt restless. Apart from the unexpected glimpse of the "moon bug," he knew nothing about the other top-level creatures and wanted to take this chance to see them.
Wei Zhirou stood gracefully on the blue stone, her white fox fur coat fluttering in the wind, making her look ethereal. She shared another piece of news.
"The situation is quite delicate now. You may not know, but the disturbances in the mountains are not just caused by the chaotic magnetic field. Another group of high-level beings has migrated here from afar, bringing their families and trying to seize some resources in the mountains."
Upon hearing this, everyone’s expression changed.
Wei Zhirou continued, "With this new group of high-level beings, many dangerous species are being forced to expand out of the mountains, squeezing the living space of people outside."
Xu Yueping asked, "So, the areas outside the mountains that just calmed down will become very dangerous?"
"It’s nothing to worry about. Who allowed them to expand? We just need to push them back. We’re here to solve this problem," Mu Qing said confidently, their voice strong despite its neutrality.
The new survivors from the villages felt relieved. The figure wrapped in the black cloak boosted their confidence.
Mu Qing declared, "They’ve entered territories they shouldn’t have. They’ve forgotten the pain of the past, so we’ll forcefully wake them up and make them understand that the dominance of humans in this area has never faded..."
At first, people felt excited and their spirits soared. Even though the term "two-legged beasts" sounded strange, they only felt a slight oddity in their hearts. But when they saw Mu Qing continue passionately, revealing a fluffy golden tail from behind the black cloak, many became unsettled.
What kind of being was this?!
"Cao Long," Mu Qing reminded.
Wei Zhirou said, "Mu Qing is human."
The other two teams seemed calm, as if they already knew what Mu Qing was.
Qin Ming stared ahead, lost in thought.
Old Liu murmured, "Perhaps he chose a strange path. It’s hard to tell if he’s still human and what state he’s in."
This was another different choice Qin Ming saw after Cao Long’s giant spirit route.
Cao Long said, "Now we need to choose suitable companions to explore the mountains with us. They will guide us, but don’t worry, safety is guaranteed."
He emphasized that there was no pressure. If anyone didn’t want to, they could leave now.
At the same time, Cao Long, Wei Zhirou, and Mu Qing reiterated that the rewards during the exploration would include spiritual materials, high-level Qi Gong techniques, and more, which were very generous.
The new survivors didn’t stay behind in the villages; they had already made their choices, so no one left.
Qin Ming naturally followed the crowd, not wanting to stand out.
Wei Zhirou smiled at Cao Long and Mu Qing, her radiant smile and ethereal sweetness catching everyone's attention. She waved the roster in her hand, eager to make her selection.
"One person at a time. You go first," Cao Long said, allowing her to choose first, and Mu Qing had no objections.
Wei Zhirou nodded with a smile, "Then I won’t be polite. Our Wei family is very interested in young people with golden roots."
"Who isn’t?" Mu Qing replied, then whispered to Cao Long, discussing who would choose first.
Wei Zhirou looked at the roster, her brows slightly furrowed, facing some difficulty in choosing. Finally, she called out two names, "Who is Zhou Wubing? Who is Qin Ming?"
"You can only take one at a time," Mu Qing reminded her.
Wei Zhirou smiled, "I know, just wanted to take a look."
Zhou Wubing stepped forward, standing half a head taller than most, his body strong and powerful.
He wasn’t originally named this. Due to being sickly as a child, his parents renamed him Zhou Wubing, but he was cured when a distant relative returned, allowing him to thrive in his golden age.
Qin Ming was surprised. Zhou Wubing had changed remarkably; he used to be pale and thin, with yellow hair like autumn grass, but now his hair was thick and black, and he looked full of spirit.
Qin Ming stepped out, standing calmly, a bit taller than Zhou Wubing.
"Both of you have golden roots. I’d like to invite you both," Wei Zhirou said, smiling at them.
Zhou Wubing, now a different person, was dazzled by the noble lady’s radiant smile but quickly regained his composure.
At that moment, a young man walked out from the forest, quickly coming to Wei Zhirou’s side and whispering to her.
Only then did people realize that the visitors from the three families were not just three inexperienced young teams; there were others as well.
"Zhou Wubing used to be weak, but after his rebirth, his strength has been steadily increasing, and he was taught by Xu Kong?" Wei Zhirou said in surprise, speaking softly with the young man before looking up, her beautiful eyes on Zhou Wubing, smiling and waving at him, choosing him.