After entering the fissure, Qin Ming felt all his fatigue disappear. It wasn’t just a trick of the mind; the place that once almost cost him his life was now completely different.
He looked up and saw the exit was only about four meters above him. Around him, silver threads like spider silk crisscrossed and spread out on the ground, giving off a slight warmth when he touched them.
Holding a short sword in one hand and a long-handled black hammer in the other, Qin Ming moved forward. He hadn’t explored this area after his unexpected fall last time, but now he was curious.
The ground was uneven, with stones of various sizes scattered about, and it was damp. Water droplets hung from the stone walls on either side of him, occasionally dripping down.
As he walked, the path became narrower, and he could almost touch the walls with his body. Soon, he reached a narrow gap that was just wide enough for one person to pass through.
Even though he was underground, it wasn’t dark. The silver threads wove together in a chaotic pattern, providing some light. When he touched the silver glow, he felt no harm.
He brushed against the stone wall, picking up a bit of moisture, and stepped into a more open area where the ground was much smoother, with fewer stones.
In this space, the silver threads grew thicker, densely packed, as if many large spiders had spun webs here, intertwining with each other.
Not only that, but some of the threads that pierced through the stone walls also had a faint golden hue, and white mist swirled around.
Standing there, Qin Ming felt even clearer sensations. His body felt light and relaxed, as if he were soaking in a hot spring.
He frowned. Was this feeling caused by the unique changes in this mountain node? Or had he adapted to this place after enduring past hardships?
He vividly recalled the terrifying experience he had before, when his heart raced and the sound was as loud as a drum, almost bursting his chest. He could vaguely hear the sound of a waterfall.
He pondered the changes he had experienced since leaving this place. The most unusual was the “Wild Path Technique” he practiced. For years, it had been quiet, but after surviving a near-death experience, he had a special reaction when he practiced it again.
Now, he understood that the Wild Path Technique wasn’t wild at all; it was recorded in an ancient silk book that he had been dedicated to practicing since childhood.
“Someone told me that the silk book couldn’t be fully practiced because most of it was torn and burned…”
Even the remaining twenty pages could be practiced, but they required someone who had mastered it to guide him, and those people were likely long gone.
“I can’t find anyone like that, and with no one to help, I still managed to practice it. Is it related to this place?” Qin Ming thought, making various connections.
“Could it be that to practice the techniques in the silk book, one initially needs the protection of predecessors and to enter such extremely dangerous nodes…” Qin Ming contemplated deeply.
Then, he moved forward, observing this special area and cautiously touching the thick, faintly golden threads.
Before long, as he delved deeper, he noticed glowing purple threads that pierced through the stone walls, creating an extraordinary sight without harming his body.
Outside the mountains, in the dense forest, a purple-eyed crow was flying when suddenly a large cloud of black mist rose up ahead, blocking its path.
“Who?” It immediately became alert, its purple eyes swirling with mysterious symbols as it gradually made out the scene in the mist.
A huge owl, taller than a person, stood on a large tree, its wings nimble like human hands, flipping through a book made of animal skin.
“Long time no see, care for a drink?” the owl spoke, the mist still thick around it, holding the book under one wing.
“I’m on patrol, no time for that,” the crow replied, feeling somewhat wary of the owl.
“What’s your status now? This isn’t your territory. You’ve really made a name for yourself, even guarding an old man?”
The owl blocked its way, seeming quite displeased with its actions, wanting to lecture it as the black mist grew denser, covering the forest.
The purple-eyed crow said, “Old cat, I have something to do. I found a promising candidate and need to check on him. Don’t block my way.”
If Qi Huai'en knew, he would definitely break out in a cold sweat. Like You Liangyun, he hadn’t yet gained recognition and was still being tested and observed.
The owl replied, “You really won’t return to the wild mist world? You’re from a prestigious family, a noble bird with a strong lineage. How can you lower yourself like this? Do you want to transform into a two-legged beast and live in the city?”
The purple-eyed crow nodded, “Well, it’s not impossible. I have the talent to change my true form. Aren’t there others who have turned into strange creatures while wandering in the deep mountains and marshes? Why can’t we do the opposite and find a path that suits us?”
The owl scolded, “What a disgrace! Humans turning into beasts, and you, a noble crow, want to become human? I’ll tell you, if you go that route, I’ll pluck all your feathers and help you become a bald two-legged beast!”
They started arguing.
“Mind your own business and don’t block my path. You might delay my important matter. If they get to that kid first and something goes wrong, it’ll be bad. If that kid has potential, I’ll need him to help me retrieve something from the human world, which is crucial for my future. You know this, so step aside!” the crow insisted.
You Liangyun had mentioned that they might test Qin Ming in about two days, but if the opportunity arose, they might act sooner.
“Master Crow, you’re back from the depths of the mountains? Big trouble has happened, it’s bad! Those people are all dead!” a transformed bird shouted, flapping its wings.
The purple-eyed crow broke free from the black mist and appeared outside, asking, “What happened?”
“Master Crow, I followed your instructions, but during the process, a three-meter-tall bear led a group of two-legged beasts to chase me. I was startled and ran off for a moment. When I returned, I smelled blood from your side, but I don’t know how they died.”
The purple-eyed crow followed it to the scene, carefully sensing the area. It was particularly sensitive to the aura of life and death. After closing its eyes for a moment, it opened them and muttered, “Qi Huai'en is dead. There’s no sign of that boy’s death. Interesting. Was Qi Huai'en killed by outsiders, or did he die in a confrontation with that boy?”
It waved its wings, sending the transformed bird away.
“If that boy is really that powerful, making it this far on his own, it’s fine if he doesn’t go to Liu Xia City. I don’t need to get involved anymore,” the purple-eyed crow said as it flew off.
You Liangyun was reporting to a woman in the snowy field, “Qi Huai'en weighed Qin Ming’s capabilities and said he ultimately fell short. The situation in the mountains is very chaotic. Before I left, there was a fierce conflict in that dense forest…”
The purple-eyed crow flew back, landing on a low tree, saying, “Qi Huai'en rushed to save someone but ended up dead. Quite unfortunate.”
“Stay here,” the woman in the black fur cloak said to You Liangyun.
“Huh?” You Liangyun was stunned, then immediately bowed deeply, his expression extremely excited.
Deep in the mountains, the colorful mist began to dim.
Ling Xu and Wei Mo both stood up, dropping their wine cups and jars.
Ling Xu lightly shook his long knife against his foot, tearing part of his leather boot, exposing his toes. Then he patted his chest lightly, ripping his white clothes. His tall figure didn’t look very strong, but under the distant glow of the mist, his muscle lines appeared smooth and seemed to be outlined in gold.
He made himself look ragged, and as he brushed his fingers over his body, blood appeared, showcasing his skill in faking injuries.
Wei Mo commented, “The most polished and well-groomed City Lord Ling can make himself look like this. People outside will probably be buzzing about it.”
Though he said that, he was also taking off some red armor plates from his own gear, putting them away, and making himself look equally disheveled.
In another area of the mountains, a tabby cat had captured a large black wildcat. Disdainfully, it smeared some black cat blood on itself and sprinkled some glowing spiritual material.
Nearby, a mantis beast was doing the same thing.
There was no doubt that the higher-ups of Chixia City and the strange creatures in the mountains were unwilling to let other strong beings come and compete for the rare resources in the special node. They had joined forces again.
Simply ambushing those experts wouldn’t work; it would provoke their anger, and large organizations would retaliate.
When they had previously teamed up to drive away the higher beings wanting to take over, they had killed a very powerful creature and extracted its rich spiritual essence to trigger a special node, artificially creating a colorful mist area that attracted competition from all sides.
Ling Xu, the tabby cat, and others were engaging in mutual killings and fake fights, holding their positions outside the battlefield.
Of course, they couldn’t all fake it. For instance, the old yellow weasel was genuinely intercepted by a real opponent, and that mysterious mountain lord had rushed into the heart of the battlefield.
The results were quite good. Some experts had already died near the colorful mist area, and some incoming higher beings and strong members of large organizations were severely injured.
Deep in the fissure, Qin Ming began practicing the techniques from the silk book, feeling increasingly clear and comfortable, as if a mysterious warm current was washing over him from head to toe.
There were various glowing threads intertwined here, posing great danger even to someone like Wang Nianzhuz, who had undergone a second rebirth, and he urgently needed the blood of spiritual creatures to nourish himself.
Now, after spending a long time in this place, Qin Ming not only remained unharmed but also felt that his physique was subtly improving.
“Could it be that the techniques recorded in the silk book are more suitable for practice in this kind of place?” he wondered.
However, there was no one to answer him now. Those from back then were either dead or missing, and the silk book had turned yellow, a relic left behind who knows how many years ago.
Suddenly, the ground shook violently, and Qin Ming nearly fell.
Outside, at the dimming center of the colorful mist, the high-level creatures and experts from mysterious organizations faced off, all in bad shape, unable to enter that node.
At that moment, all the light in the node suddenly dissipated, and in the distance, a brand new colorful mist erupted violently, even more astonishing than before.
“What? Another one?”
“No, the rare resources have shifted along the spiritual veins to a new location!”
Ling Xu, the old yellow weasel, and others had originally planned for a “follow-up,” but now they were all stunned, no longer needing to hide anything; the true colorful mist had emerged!
Boom!
Suddenly, the entire mountain range shook violently, even more dramatically than before, accompanied by blinding light that tore through the dark night sky, illuminating everything and revealing an even more magnificent spectacle.
“What am I seeing? Ten colors! Those lights are like giant pillars, holding up the night sky. This is an unprecedented sight. What kind of rare resources are about to appear?”
Even the high-level creatures were dumbfounded, far exceeding their imagination.
In an instant, regardless of how severely they were injured, all the experts vanished from their spots, not even glancing at the true emergence of the colorful mist, rushing straight toward the even more magnificent sight ahead, where endless streams of light rained down, captivating everyone’s attention.