In the last chapter, the second sickly boy had met the towering Xie Lingxi at the old noble's residence. When he returned, he spoke vaguely to Qin Ming, misleading him with his words, and then quickly left. Now, he was putting on another show.
Qin Ming made a mental note of this and decided that the next time they met, he would definitely teach him a lesson.
Nie Rui was like a beam of light cutting through the night fog in Chixia City, one of the two most dazzling figures in the last twenty years. After his rebirth, his physical abilities broke the city's records.
Now, as he spoke, the teams from the Cao, Mu, and Wei families all showed surprise, with many eyes turning toward Qin Ming.
At that moment, everyone understood that this was the person Nie Rui was looking for.
Qin Ming suddenly felt the sensation of being in the spotlight, as all the young nobles in Chixia City turned to look at him, sizing him up.
Of course, this attention was entirely due to Nie Rui. Without mentioning this talented individual from Chixia City, no one would have cared about a boy from a remote area.
Many people showed curiosity, observing him with scrutinizing gazes. Could a genius really emerge from such a secluded place? It seemed unlikely.
Some noble young ladies were quite lively, whispering among themselves.
"He looks quite handsome. If he paid a little more attention to his image, it would enhance his charm. He shouldn’t let his black hair hang loose, and if he wore bright armor instead of dull black, I think he’d look very dashing!"
...
Nie Rui smiled gently and expressed his desire to spar with Qin Ming.
"Don’t feel pressured. We’re just having a casual match. I trust the judgment of Master Xu’s only disciple."
At that moment, Qin Ming felt more like giving the second sickly boy a beating. He also realized that Xu Kong was quite extraordinary, earning the deep respect of the people in Chixia City.
"I can’t compare to you. Even though I’m from a remote village, I’ve heard many people talk about the remarkable young man and woman from Chixia City who have amazed the entire region."
The young nobles present nodded, agreeing that he was speaking the truth. In the area ruled by Chixia City, the most outstanding youth was naturally the local genius.
Nie Rui jumped off his white rhinoceros, his silver armor shining brightly, exuding a heroic presence as if he were glowing. His smile was warm and inviting as he said, "You’re too modest. I’ve met You Liangyun. No worries, we’ll just spar casually."
Others didn’t understand the significance of this, and Nie Rui didn’t want to directly mention that You Liangyun had lost to this boy.
Now that things had come to this, Qin Ming couldn’t refuse.
Nie Rui said, "I’ve undergone rebirth twice. I’ll hold back my strength, so don’t worry, I won’t go overboard."
Qin Ming wanted to use this as an excuse to decline, but after thinking it over, he felt it wouldn’t be good to keep avoiding it, so he finally nodded.
"Nie Rui, be careful when you strike," Cao Long said, worried he might hurt Qin Ming.
"Qin Ming, do you want to change your weapon?" Mu Qing asked.
Everyone knew that when Nie Rui first underwent rebirth, he could lift an astonishing 790 pounds with his arms, which was why he had caused such a stir, being hailed as the best in twenty years.
You Liangyun, who was the same age as him, was also outstanding, able to lift 650 pounds, but he ultimately had to settle for third place.
People thought that if Qin Ming used a heavy long-handled black gold hammer to fight, it would be unwise to clash in strength.
Qin Ming decided to go along with it, putting down the big hammer. "Besides the long-handled hammer, I’m better with a spear. Can someone lend me one?"
Mu Qing looked at the young men behind her and found that most of them used long swords. The few spears available were of poor quality because they were too light.
Other nobles didn’t speak up, and after a brief silence, someone laughed and said, "Use my purple gold spear. It’s a thousand-fold crafted weapon. This way, I can fulfill my wish of indirectly sparring with Brother Nie. It’s an honor."
Qin Ming noticed that everyone held Nie Rui in high regard, even when lending a spear, they spoke with such enthusiasm.
"Nie Rui, you might lose," said a girl sitting on the back of a black tiger. She had bright eyes and white teeth, her hair flowing in the wind, giving her an ethereal aura.
Her name was Shen Jiayun, and she was on par with Nie Rui in strength. More importantly, she had caught the eye of someone from outside their realm and was set to follow a much brighter path.
In the eyes of many young nobles, she had already won at the starting line.
Nie Rui stepped forward, his silver armor shining, his smile radiant as he held a long knife. "Please!"
Qin Ming had received the purple gold spear, weighed it in his hands, and then twirled it, creating a flurry of spear flowers, instantly sending purple light swirling.
"Xiao Qin, be careful, don’t get hurt," Xu Yueping shouted.
"If it’s really bad, admit defeat right away," Old Liu said bluntly.
A group of young nobles smiled lightly, knowing that Nie Rui’s strength was precise enough that this spar would be without risk for the boy.
Some were making gestures privately, betting on whether Nie Rui would defeat the boy within four moves or even in a single exchange.
They didn’t dare speak loudly about their bets or belittle the boy openly, as it would be disrespectful to Nie Rui who was personally stepping into the ring.
"I guess Nie Rui will win after three moves."
"I’ll be more conservative and say after seven moves. Since Nie Rui wants to gauge him, it means this boy must have some skills."
Clang!
In an instant, everyone’s attention was drawn back to the fierce clash of weapons, and they were shocked to see the two had already exchanged over a dozen moves.
With a whoosh, they quickly separated, standing over twenty meters apart. The snow beneath them exploded into the air as if it were snowing heavily again, and only then did the nearby trees crack, with many branches falling down.
Everyone was stunned, all focused intently, realizing they had underestimated the situation. This rapid exchange had nearly reached the limit of a newly reborn person.
"This boy from a remote area is quite impressive!"
"What’s his name? Qin Ming, right? I’ll remember that."
A group of people whispered, as if they were seeing the boy in a new light.
Even Cao Long and Wei Zhirou showed surprise. After spending a few days together, they had known that Qin Ming was special, but they hadn’t expected him to be this powerful.
Covered head to toe in a black robe, Mu Qing spoke up, "Qin Ming, give it your all. Nie Rui isn’t that petty."
"Don’t hold back; it’ll be more exciting," Nie Rui nodded.
Old Liu muttered to himself, "Xiao Qin is even more impressive than I imagined. Before he even arrives at Chixia City, his name might already be spreading."
Qin Ming didn’t use his strongest ability—strength—relying solely on pure "spear techniques" to duel. He adapted quickly, blending knife techniques into his spear moves, making it hard for outsiders to notice.
Nie Rui moved again, his speed so fast that he shattered the snow beneath him, stirring up a whirlwind that carried snowflakes everywhere. The silver long knife in his hand emitted a dazzling light, slicing through the wind and snow as if he were riding the storm.
Qin Ming didn’t take the blow head-on; he sidestepped to avoid the downward slash of the long knife. In a flash, he pressed the purple gold spear against the knife’s back, creating a shower of sparks, and in an instant, he lunged toward Nie Rui.
This scene made many people’s pupils dilate. The boy’s grasp of the battle was astonishing; even under such fierce knife techniques, he could seize the opportunity. The spear pressed against the knife’s back, the angle of their weapons crossing was minimal, and the spear tip moved like a dragon gliding along a mountain ridge, tearing through the night and heading straight for its target.
Nie Rui’s right hand exerted force, lifting the long knife upward, trying to break free from the spear. His left hand glimmered slightly, preparing to swipe at the spear shaft.
Qin Ming gripped the spear tightly, applying full pressure on the knife’s back, shaking it violently. The spear tip trembled intensely, creating a large flurry of spear flowers.
At that moment, Nie Rui couldn’t break free with one hand. The spear tip before him formed a series of illusory images, like countless stars shining simultaneously, rushing toward him.
He had no choice but to withdraw his knife and quickly dodge.
In this exchange, he was surprisingly forced into a disadvantage, retreating far before he could stabilize himself.
For a moment, the area fell silent, everyone finding it hard to believe. This boy had performed exceptionally well; the purple gold spear in his hands seemed to have come alive, like a dragon dancing in the night, searching for its target.
"I feel like that spear has a soul in your hands. It’s not conventional; it’s not regular spear techniques. Everything you do seems to be brilliant," Nie Rui said, his expression serious. Then he fell silent, compressing his strength to a certain level before charging forward.
In an instant, he and Qin Ming clashed, the light from the knife flashing as if it were trying to split the dense night.
Wherever they passed, branches fell, and the snow on the ground exploded. Some large trees also fell with a rumbling sound as they rushed by, sending up clouds of snow.
"This boy from a remote area, although his strength isn’t as strong as Nie Rui’s, is already close to 700 pounds. How fierce!"
"His spear techniques seem like various ordinary styles, nothing exceeds our understanding, but there’s a power that turns the mundane into the extraordinary."
"Because he doesn’t stick to patterns, most of it is improvisation, adapting on the fly, turning various ordinary styles into brilliant techniques!"
In the end, even Cao Long and Feng Xing personally commented.
What spear techniques? Qin Ming thought to himself, this is knife techniques, hidden within the "spear-knife." Compared to hammer-knife, it had a unique experience.
He became more and more adept, not sticking to the killing techniques in the knife manual, freely combining and expressing himself. For instance, right now, the long spear swept across, the tip like a knife blade, aiming for the opponent's flesh, and he was shaking the spear.
In knife techniques, this was the moment where the knife tip trembles, rolling up the light of the blade like massive waves.
Now, replacing the knife tip with the spear tip, it stirred up a series of illusions. In the tremors, the spear tip’s shaking frequency increased, magnifying the intent of the knife, making it seem as if thunder was rising from the sea, with flashes of lightning striking the ocean.
Nie Rui was forced to retreat, sweat beading on his forehead, his black hair disheveled against his face, feeling a bit panicked; he was on the verge of defeat.
In the next moment, Qin Ming took the "spear-knife" to a new height, unexpectedly using the "kick-knife technique," launching the purple gold spear forward and then kicking it, moving as fast as lightning, startling Nie Rui into continuous dodging, causing even more cold sweat to drip.
The key was that the long spear wasn’t kicked away. It moved like a living dragon, leaping around Nie Rui’s body before finally landing back in his hand.
Clang!
As Nie Rui’s long knife was pressed down by the purple gold spear, his arm shook, creating sparks, and several plates of his silver armor shattered under the spear tip.
Qin Ming withdrew, planting the spear into the ground. He felt a bit regretful; he had gotten too carried away with the first use of the "spear-knife" and hadn’t held back.
He hadn’t intended to put himself in a difficult position; he wanted a draw. But in a moment of inattention, he had defeated his opponent.
The scene fell silent, everyone finding it hard to believe that the most dazzling genius of Chixia City in twenty years, Nie Rui, had been defeated by a young hunter from a remote area.
Everyone stared in shock, beginning to seriously assess Qin Ming, feeling their understanding shaken.
Was the legendary place from five hundred years ago—the Black and White Mountain—about to awaken, bringing life back to this remote area? Many speculated.
Shen Jiayun, sitting on the black tiger, broke the silence, asking, "Nie Rui, are you alright?"
Nie Rui shook his head and replied, "I’m fine. I lost, and I accept it."
"Really? Are you sure you’re not feeling down about it?" Shen Jiayun laughed, genuinely not caring about his feelings.
"What could I feel? Brother Qin woke me up, making me realize that perhaps I’m not suited for this path." Nie Rui sheathed his long knife and sighed, "If that’s the case, I’ll choose the path of becoming a god."
Qin Ming was contemplating how to respond when he heard such a "crazy" statement.
Before, You Liangyun had returned after losing to inherit the noble title, living a life of luxury and indulgence. Now, this was even more extreme—defeat meant pursuing godhood.
Qin Ming’s breathing became a bit heavier.
Seeing him like this, Nie Rui finally smiled and said, "It’s not what you think."
It was clear that Nie Rui wasn’t a petty person; he didn’t harbor grudges after losing. Now, it seemed he had completely let go and decided to take another path.
"The so-called gods are just because we are still young, our strength is insufficient, and our understanding is limited. We can’t comprehend it for now, but it’s probably just a stronger life form. An elder from a secret sect has taken a liking to me, saying I possess a rare ‘divine wisdom’ that can lead me down their path. Sigh, I originally wanted to walk my own way in this dark and boundless world with my own flesh and blood, but now I have no choice but to recognize my limitations." Nie Rui sighed.
"Stop sighing. If you keep sighing, what will others do?" Qin Ming couldn’t help but speak up.
"Qin Ming, I also want to spar with you," Shen Jiayun said, gracefully jumping down from the black tiger. Her hair flew in the wind as she approached with a long sword in hand.
Immediately, the forest became lively as the people from Chixia City could no longer hold back, whispering and discussing the incredible changes of the day.
"Alright!" Qin Ming nodded in agreement. Since he had already defeated one, he didn’t mind a second match.
In an instant, the snowy ground was filled with the brilliance of sword light, accompanied by the sound of thunder, as if many electric dragons were descending. Shen Jiayun was strong, dancing like a sword fairy in the eyes of ordinary people.
However, she too was defeated, as Qin Ming used the tip of his spear to pluck a string of blue beads from her hair, and then the spear pressed down on her right shoulder.
The scene fell silent again, everyone in a daze, watching as the two most powerful geniuses of Chixia City in twenty years were both defeated by the same person.
Shen Jiayun brushed her hair and smiled, saying, "Young man, you don’t need ten years. A year from now, if we meet again, you will no longer be my opponent."
She showed no signs of disappointment or frustration, her smile radiant, exuding a charm that was captivating.
"I look forward to it," Qin Ming replied, lifting the spear from her shoulder, gently shaking it, and the string of blue beads fell. He quickly tapped them back into her flowing hair with the spear tip.