In an age when the sun had vanished, even in the early night, the distant scenery appeared hazy. A little farther away, the towering mountains were nothing but dark shadows in the night.
But everything was different now. In the depths of the mountains, ten towering beams of light had appeared, illuminating everything around and shining brighter than the five-colored clouds. It felt as if daylight had returned.
Not only could they see the mountains clearly, but even the grass and trees on the cliffs were visible. The colors and patterns of the strange birds flying low were vibrant and distinct.
Everyone felt as if the dust in their hearts had been blown away, revealing a bright world before them. The mountains and rivers were clear to see, and everything felt alive and welcoming, even in the cold winter when snow covered the mountains.
Old Liu, sitting on the big yellow dog, was excited and said, “I’ve lived for over seventy years, and this is the first time I’ve seen such a brilliant world, such a grand place. Is this how beautiful the mountains and rivers are supposed to be? It’s a pity, though. Even as a newcomer, I can see far away, but I always feel like there’s a thin veil over my eyes.”
Cao Long spoke up, “In cities of medium size and above…”
He didn’t continue. It wouldn’t be right to talk about that with the old man from a remote area. He wouldn’t be able to leave this place, and bringing it up would only make him feel regretful.
He changed the subject, “Actually, I haven’t been to many places. The vast, dark world is too big. The so-called brilliant cities are like little fireflies.”
In the depths of the mountains, the powerful members of large organizations and higher beings seemed to have gone mad, all rushing toward the ten beams of light.
But in the outer areas, Mu Qing, Wei Zhirou, Cao Long, and others remained calm, just observing from a distance and even chatting with each other.
They understood very well that those who rushed in might meet their end. That special node was destined to be stained with the blood of the strong.
Not everyone could clearly see their own position. There were too many people in the mountains who were envious, but they weren’t blindly confident. They weren’t rushing toward the higher beings’ competition area.
The ten-colored rays tore through the night, creating an extraordinary sight that was beyond comprehension. They had never seen anything like it in other places where heavenly light had fallen.
Perhaps there had been similar occurrences, but someone had deliberately covered them up, and there were no records in various books.
So, while many were envious yet still restrained, they turned to chase after the place where the five-colored clouds rose, seeking something else.
In fact, that was also a rare and unusual sight, surely corresponding to some extraordinary treasures.
However, there were too many people with such intentions. As various groups met for the first time, the forest was soon stained red, and the competition was fierce.
“Mountain God, this place is completely unreasonable! More people are dying here than at the ten beams of light!”
“There are even higher beings here! They didn’t go to the ten-colored area, run!”
After experiencing a bloody baptism, a group of people turned and fled decisively after losing some of their number.
People saw that a higher being was wrapped in thick fog, enormous in size, stepping toward that special node.
In an instant, a humanoid being with large wings, swirling with red light, descended from the sky, blocking the path of the higher being.
“Is there an earthquake?” The ground shook violently, startling Qin Ming, who rushed out in fear of being crushed underground.
Then he saw two grand sights, as if daylight had returned to the world. A lot of light rain fell, and everything was clear.
He knew that the mysterious treasures born from those two nodes had nothing to do with him. If he dared to approach, he would have no place to bury his body.
Standing outside the crack in the ground, Qin Ming could only envy those experts deep in the mountains. The ultimate victor would gain immense benefits.
Even from this quiet area, he could hear people in the mountains shouting about the ten-colored nodes, which might produce treasures of unimaginable value.
“I finally understand why this place is so extraordinary. Not only did heavenly light fall here two years ago, but it also fell two hundred years ago. Back then, there were hardly any decent treasures. The first heavenly light accumulated for two hundred years, merging with the one that fell two years ago, creating this astonishing spectacle!”
An old man in the forest spoke excitedly. He was knowledgeable and had studied this area, having looked through a lot of documents, and now he revealed the reason for the anomaly here.
“I’ve also heard rumors that two hundred years ago, a particularly thick beam of heavenly light fell here, startling even the people in the capital, who sent strong experts. But the place was so barren that any expert who came wished to flatten the mountains.”
Except for the higher beings, everyone else in the mountains could only watch and discuss, and no one dared to risk approaching the two areas of creation.
Soon, many people gasped in surprise, even the higher beings and human experts in the center of the battlefield were stunned.
The two special nodes shifted again.
“Is there some kind of monster underground?” Even the usually calm old yellow weasel began to twitch, clearly exhausted from the chaos.
This time, the five-colored clouds and the ten beams of light seemed to be moving in a circular motion, confined within a certain range, and moving quickly.
“They’re quickly shifting along the spiritual veins created by the heavenly light. They’re pulling each other, and the circles are getting smaller, slowly getting closer!”
Not only the experts present noticed this, but the onlookers from afar saw it even more clearly.
“Are the two mysterious treasures going to merge into one?” Everyone was puzzled; this was completely beyond their understanding.
Ling Xu, Wei Mo, and others, along with other higher beings, were getting frustrated, chasing after the two wonders but unable to reach them.
Even if they got close, as soon as they entered the special node, they disappeared again, continuing to shift. Eventually, some higher beings began to wait patiently.
Qin Ming noticed something strange. The node he was in was outside that range, quite peaceful, and no one came near.
“Hm?” He felt a disturbance in the crack beneath his feet, which began to spout silver threads with a faint golden sheen, occasionally mixed with purple mist and red light.
He immediately perked up. Could it be that precious treasures were about to mature? He hadn’t seen anything when he first entered.
Could it be that because of the upheaval in the depths of the mountains, this place was also “benefiting”?
He quickly rushed in. The colorful entangled area was surely unrelated to him, but if he could gather some lesser treasures, he would be very satisfied.
The silver beams underground intertwined, much thicker than before, and as he went deeper, he could feel a strange wave.
This sensation was like being immersed in a hot spring while practicing the new method recorded in his book, feeling as if he was being cleansed by the silver threads.
Now, without doing anything, he already felt a warmth spreading in front of him. He followed that special ripple quickly to the end.
Here, a pile of rubble blocked the way, and there was no path forward.
Without hesitation, Qin Ming began to clear the stones, moving them all aside, discovering a new crack that led deeper underground.
Along the way, he used his long-handled black hammer several times to break through, enlarging the crack until he finally reached the source of the strange wave.
Colorful mist was gushing out from deeper in the crack, wrapping around a black stone about the size of half a human head.
“What is this?” Qin Ming thought this must be a special treasure that everyone wanted to gather, but he didn’t know what use the black stone had.
In this special node, although various colored mists flowed, causing him some discomfort and anxiety, his body could still endure it.
He saw the mist in the crack gradually thinning as it retreated from the black stone. Did this mean it was about to “mature” completely?
Qin Ming didn’t act rashly, waiting quietly. His body could still hold on, and as the mist dissipated, he no longer felt any discomfort.
After a moment, everything quieted down, and all the phenomena disappeared. The stone, about the size of half a human head, seemed ordinary, likely something no one would bother to pick up.
But if he focused, he could still catch a faint wave, a special perception he gained after experiencing the silver light from the crack.
“I can sense the special treasures nourished by the heavenly light faintly.”
Qin Ming picked up the stone, which felt heavy in his hand. He really wanted to peel off the stone’s skin to see what was inside.
But he resisted the urge and knew he had to leave immediately. If someone blocked him in the crack, it would be a big problem.
When he quietly emerged from the exit to the surface, it was very quiet nearby, but the depths of the mountains were bustling. Many figures were on the mountain tops, gazing at the increasingly stunning spectacle.
The five-colored clouds and the ten beams of light had already intertwined. Qin Ming silently moved through the dense forest and buried himself in a snow pile.
Then he began to study the stone, using the new method recorded in his book. His flesh and blood emitted a shimmering golden wave as he began to peel the stone by hand.
Although the stone skin was very hard, he silently crushed it, efficiently peeling it away.
Qin Ming kept at it, feeling the stone shrink by two circles, and in his special perception, he noticed its waves had slightly strengthened.
He paused. If he completely peeled it away, would some unusual phenomenon occur?
After all, while this wasn’t as eye-catching as the two treasures everyone was focusing on, it certainly wasn’t an ordinary object.
At that moment, Qin Ming felt anxious, wanting to completely break open the stone, but he was also afraid that a careless move could lead to trouble.