"Chonghe, why not come back with me? There may still be a chance in this matter," Cui Hong spoke up.
Hearing this, Qin Ming instinctively took several steps back, quickly disappearing into the dark desert, to the point where even his outline was no longer visible.
How could he possibly go back to the Cui family? The two years of faded memories had caused him to discard all his previous thoughts and to reevaluate the past. Now, his vision and judgment were completely different from before.
It was as if he had jumped out of his original life path, breaking free from a turbulent and dangerous river that had been pulling him forward. Now he had a fresh start and could never set foot back in that place again.
In the desert, he continued to retreat, this was Qin Ming's instinctive reaction. He absolutely could not sink back into the Cui family's quagmire; otherwise, he would be in real danger.
"Chonghe, why do you react this way and wear such an expression?" Cui Hong saw him as if facing a formidable enemy, retreating continuously, and couldn't help but sigh.
It was clear that the person before him saw the Cui family as a disaster that should be avoided at all costs. He had already declared that he was only living for himself now.
"Are you trying to force me?" Qin Ming asked, drawing out the jade iron sword, and said, "Even if I am not your opponent, I will not sit idly by."
"Hmm?" Cui Hong was surprised. Seeing the stance Qin Ming took with the sword, he felt an unmistakable aura of a swordsman, which was quite remarkable.
He even had the illusion that the young lad before him, no matter how strong he truly was, had an air of a master of swordsmanship!
"Eh?" On the winding mountain road through the mist, Meng Xinghai showed a look of astonishment. Looking ahead, he wondered how a boy merely sixteen or seventeen years old could possess such a presence in the realm of swordsmanship.
Cui Hong did not use his divine light; instead, he reached out with his long arm and casually struck forward. He wanted to see if Qin Ming truly had some achievements in swordsmanship.
The jade iron sword, covered in mineral paint, was slightly shorter than his arm, but in Qin Ming's hand, it sliced through the air with the sound of thunder, like a dark rainstorm enveloping the night, a blinding bolt of lightning suddenly tearing through the twilight.
With a whoosh, a piece of Cui Hong's clothing was severed, fluttering down to the yellow sand below, leaving him momentarily stunned.
Although he had restrained himself and casually reached out, afraid of injuring the young master before him, there was simply no way for the other party to strike him.
What level was he on? To have a corner of his sleeve cut off by a boy who had only recently entered a new realm; no one would believe this if it were to spread.
Cui Hong's expression was complex as he gazed towards the tall figure that was now hidden in darkness.
In the distance, Meng Xinghai also looked surprised, softly murmuring, "The Cui family's people are truly remarkable. I thought I misjudged the situation. It turns out, purely based on swordsmanship, this young lad can indeed be considered a master with an extremely deep understanding of the blade!"
Li Qingyue was astonished. She was very clear that Meng Xinghai himself wielded a sword, and to receive such a high evaluation from him was truly exceptional.
She remembered that night when Qin Ming had single-handedly laid waste to Golden Rooster Ridge, slaying two fourth-time newcomers, and later, an old ranger had analyzed the event, saying that at least three people were involved, each proficient with sword, spear, or bow.
Li Qingyue realized that merely mentioning proficiency didn’t capture the depth of Qin Ming's swordsmanship.
"Chonghe, I am quite surprised by you. Come back with me and see," Cui Hong said.
"See?" Qin Ming would never place his fate in someone else's 'kindness'. The Cui family could easily jeopardize his new lease on life with just one thought; why would he take such a risk?
He replied, "You’ve already implied that even if I succeed in mastering the techniques in the book, it wouldn't matter. Furthermore, I will not walk with you regarding this understanding of the blade."
Cui Hong ceased to speak, considering how to capture Qin Ming instead. Remaining in this dark desert was unsettling for him. He didn’t want to touch any taboos or attract any “legends.”
"Stop!" Meng Xinghai called out, suddenly appearing in the desert, trying to intervene.
Li Qingyue, like a fairy walking on water, stepped onto the yellow sand and approached.
Cui Hong had sensed them long before and wanted to avoid any complications, swiftly reaching out a hand towards Qin Ming.
While Meng Xinghai attempted to intercept, he suddenly withdrew, displaying an odd expression, and stepped back a few paces.
"Didn’t you say you owed me a favor? I’m nearly incapacitated here, and you’re not helping me?" Qin Ming whispered quickly in the dark desert.
Bang!
Cui Hong felt a sharp pain in his right hand as if he had been kicked by a fierce dragon. His footing changed, sending him sliding back several meters through the yellow sand.
"Hiss!" He inhaled sharply, the taste of dust filling his lungs, and his right hand felt slightly numb, reminiscent of the time he had been kicked by a donkey in his childhood.
He looked down at his right hand. Thanks to his keen perception, he could see clearly in the desert even at a close distance. His hand seemed stamped with a mark, reddening as if it might bleed.
Upon closer inspection, Cui Hong realized it was actually a hoof print.
"This hand is hard indeed," a grunting voice came from the darkness, followed by the creature speaking again, "How do you humans describe this situation? Something about stones in a toilet, right?"
Qin Ming fell silent, choosing not to comment.
No matter how he looked at it, Cui Hong had saved his life once, regardless of whether it was part of his duty.
Cui Hong stared into the darkness, seeing Qin Ming’s right hand holding up a tiny wild boar, slightly longer than his palm, realizing he had clearly been kicked by the pig!
Li Qingyue regarded the little mountain pig with her special eye technique, sensing immense danger as if a colossal beast was lurking in the night mist.
"The master of Heibai Mountain?" Meng Xinghai inquired.
Cui Hong’s expression changed dramatically. It was that master! He had come here seeking assistance, and now it had turned into a bright pig in the palm of his hand, appearing right here.
The mountain pig exclaimed, "Ah, spare me! I was the previous mountain lord. You must have seen the new mountain lord; he is quite unfathomable, isn't he? He has already replaced me, only without any noise around it.”
Qin Ming stood here, conversing with Cui Hong, unavoidably feeling somewhat confident.
Last night, although the mountain pig had snorted mightily, it had also spoken a few words to him: "Since we have met by chance, let’s repay the favor and settle some karma in the mountains."
Qin Ming still didn't understand what favor was being repaid, but since the other party could change sizes and spoke human words, he seemed to possess great power.
If it weren’t for this wild boar, he’d have to take extreme measures and “offend” this terrifying desert.
"Master, are you going to interfere in matters of the Cui family?" Cui Hong asked.
The old mountain pig replied, "Who would dare? A family with a thousand years of history, renowned throughout the vast, dark world, daunting to all creatures. How could I overstep? I merely promised to ensure his safe passage along this route."
Cui Hong’s expression shifted between light and dark. He knew he was certainly not a match for it. Furthermore, an old mountain master who had lost its territory was the hardest to deal with. If it was truly offended, it could do anything, having lost its domain, easily disappearing back into the depths of the dark earth, making it hard to pursue.
He nodded, "Alright, since the master has spoken, let’s pass this segment of the road first."
Meng Xinghai then asked, "What is the name of this brother from the Cui family? How could you bear to lose such a swordsmanship genius? If you do not wish to keep him, why not set a condition for me to take him away?"
Soon, Cui Hong realized the others' identities and understood why they spoke so confidently; they, too, came from prestigious families.
Moreover, he recognized the girl, Li Qingyue.
He remembered clearly that back then, children from some top-tier families had waited in a great city for the outsiders to choose disciples, and in the end, Li Qingyue was taken away by a renowned figure.
Meng Xinghai displayed an unusual expression. At this moment, he had realized who Qin Ming was. He had heard of the disturbance from two years ago and was surprised to encounter this Chonghe.
"I've heard bits and pieces; if your Cui family forces him to be stifled in this remote land, word could spread, painting you as ungrateful and harsh, which would not be good." Meng Xinghai spoke.
Simultaneously, he pointed at Li Qingyue, stating, "Surely you wouldn’t silence both of us, would you? After all, we have seen everything."
Cui Hong's expression changed. A bloody conflict or even war among thousand-year families? What were they thinking? It could lead to a huge problem.
Fragments of Qin Ming's shattered memories began to connect at this moment. He quickly spoke, "From now on, even if I die, I will never again claim to be a Cui family descendant. I will not enter your circle ever again; from now on, I am only Qin Ming."
Two years ago, he couldn’t understand or perceive certain things, but he was different now. Even catching glimpses of bits and pieces of clues made him feel enlightened.
Now, what Qin Ming desired most was to quickly attain the fourth rebirth, to see through all the fogs, understand the past experiences, and no longer having to seek information from others.
Cui Hong spoke, "Has the Cui family ever been considered ungrateful? I have a feeling that in a few years you will be invited back."
Hearing such words, Qin Ming felt no need to respond.
Meng Xinghai added, "In that case, why not turn back and send a signal to your Cui family? It won’t present a good image to act like this as it tarnishes the reputation of a thousand-year family."
Then, he looked at Qin Ming and said, "I’ve heard, over two hundred years ago, a remarkable genius of swordsmanship emerged from this locale. Unfortunately, he couldn't find the right method for rebirth in his early years, wasting half his life, even though his sword skills reached a master level, he still departed from this world early. Observing the aura of swordsmanship in you seems to contain the intent of that senior’s 'Heaven-Cutting Blade.'"
Qin Ming respectfully greeted him, thanking him for his words, then informed him, "That was my master."
Instantaneously, a hush fell over the scene.
Meng Xinghai felt flabbergasted. This young man’s words bore a hint of untrustworthiness!
From what he knew, although that sword master had hidden away after his vitality waned, he had since gone missing, and it was likely he wouldn’t have many years left.
Li Qingyue also showed a peculiar expression, gazing at this former friend, pondering how he had changed so much in just two years.
"Chonghe, don’t speak recklessly," Cui Hong cautioned.
"Although my master lost an arm back then, after creating the 'Heaven-Cutting Blade Intent', he cut down every opponent, having no more obsessions in his heart. He ventured into the mountains in his later years, unexpectedly discovering a rare spiritual substance, allowing him to extend his life and traverse the path of rebirth again, indeed he has lived till now, though he has now reached the twilight of his years."
Qin Ming spoke calmly, retelling genuine scenes he had glimpsed in the sword manual, restoring many words of the one-armed elder, even describing his appearance.
The old mountain pig was the first to be dumbfounded, exclaiming, "Is it really that person?!"
Meng Xinghai also fell into a stupor, recalling some outstanding predecessors. If one felt there was no road ahead, or reached old age without hope, some would choose to seek fortune in the deep mountains and marshes. Had this sword master encountered such fortune?
Cui Hong was also taken aback. If true, a sword grandmaster over two hundred years old would indeed be extraordinary!
Qin Ming didn’t care whether they believed or not. His current predicament was so dire that he had nothing to lose in boasting, and he wouldn’t suffer any repercussions.
"What if we simply leave it at this for today?" the old mountain pig suggested, jumping down from Qin Ming’s hand to the ground and gesturing for him to follow.
Cui Hong quietly watched, ready to take the young master once they cleared this stretch of road.
Yet, the next moment, he grew anxious, catching a whiff of a familiar stench.
Meng Xinghai and Li Qingyue also instantly frowned and held their breaths, then retreated.
In the depths of the darkness, Qin Ming witnessed the bright pig on his palm leap down and immediately release a massive stream of urine, turning the yellow sand into a sizable puddle.
Boom!
The entire desert erupted again, thick black mist roiling furiously.
"Let’s go; why are you still standing there? I’ll escort you out," the old mountain pig turned back and motioned with its hoof, signaling for Qin Ming to follow.