As daylight faded, the hazy night enveloped Chixia City. Qin Ming sat quietly in his room, watching fragmented images from the past come closer, constantly reshaping and solidifying.
"So you are Li Qingxu," Qin Ming said, recognizing the name of the young man in feathered garments within the scene.
They had known each other before, not as old friends, but merely acquaintances who exchanged nods.
"Li family direct descendant, possessing a very special talent. While it is difficult for others to seek out the teachings of those beyond the world, he is exceptionally suited for that path, and has been taken under the wing of a renowned elder who commands respect throughout the dark world, accepted as a closed-door disciple."
Qin Ming frowned; that elder from beyond the world seemed formidable, even a thousand-year-old family had to show him respect.
The figure of Li Qingxu reappeared in his mind, dressed like an immortal, ethereal and unworldly. Even the purple shimmering bamboo stick he held was special, made from a rare bamboo that had absorbed the light of the heavens.
Soon, that figure faded, and more scenes emerged, all the fragmented images reassembled, rushing towards him.
Except for some small details that remained hazy, the main memories of the past returned, causing Qin Ming to rub his temples to ease his fatigue.
A torrent of images and scenes surged forth, from childhood to adolescence, those past experiences crashing over him like waves.
Qin Ming quickly absorbed and digested them, his emotions complex, as various feelings from the past threatened to engulf him like a sea of fog.
He activated the techniques from the silk book to calm his mind, breaking free from the confines of the scenes, looking down upon his past.
He wanted to change his perspective to view his former self, as there were things he was curious about, wishing to examine those past experiences with a discerning heart.
"I am Cui Chonghe, a direct descendant of a thousand-year-old family." Through the memories of the past, Qin Ming confirmed his identity.
The events of yesteryear seemed to transform into slightly yellowed books, which he found in a dusty old room, and now he reopened them.
Qin Ming turned to the first page, as if crossing over the mottled years, returning to over a decade ago.
"Poor child, suffering outside. Remember, I am your seventh uncle." A young man with thick eyebrows and bright eyes gently patted his head, revealing a kind smile, his teeth shining like pearls.
Qin Ming was very familiar with him; this was Cui Hao, one of the closest people to him, who had been by his side since childhood.
He gazed ahead, this was his earliest memory from childhood.
"Did I ever get lost?" Qin Ming whispered. In that image, he was at most three or four years old, in tattered clothes. He wished he could recall more, but it was beyond his reach.
A normal person's memories usually only begin around the age of three or four.
He was bathed by someone, changed into clean clothes, adorned with beautiful jade, as if he had transformed into another person. Though slightly uneasy, his stubbornness seemed to prevent him from showing fear; his small figure stood straight, silently remaining there.
The scene quickly turned pages; he moved into the Cui family, where someone taught him to read and various rules, which he diligently memorized.
During this time, he had secretly cried, but did not want others to see.
"Chonghe, remember your name, do not forget it again. Come, I will teach you how to write these characters." An elder personally taught him to write.
"Chonghe, come here. This is your younger brother Cui Chongxuan. You must protect him well; he is one of your closest ones." Cui mother appeared.
She looked very young, graceful and noble, her face exquisite and beautiful, with a flowing golden feather inserted in her hair as a hairpin, radiating a soft glow, unlike anything mundane.
The child she held by her right hand was very small, just over two years old, but looked very intelligent, with bright eyes curiously observing him.
"He is a year and a half younger than you. You two must love each other. You are the older brother, so take good care of him," Cui mother said.
"Okay!" Nearly four-year-old Qin Ming nodded.
He settled into the Cui family, fully adapting to life there.
Cui father was very strict and held great authority in the household. Young Qin Ming remained quiet whenever he saw him.
Perhaps because of this, he grew very close to Cui Hao, as this seventh uncle did not carry the airs of an elder. Sometimes he would take him to bustling streets, and they would ride exotic beasts outside the city, even taking him on a boat on the Mo Yun River at night.
For this, seventh uncle Cui Hao had been reprimanded by Cui father.
The dusty book of years turned another page, and Qin Ming looked back, seeing his elder brother Cui Chongxiao, who was eight years older than him. Although his brother was still a youth, he was already very mature and steady, resembling Cui father.
Only when he saw the young Qin Ming did Cui Chongxiao's eyes shine with youthful light, as he walked over with a smile, carefully observing him.
It was said that Cui Chongxiao had become a disciple of a great master, but where exactly, Cui father forbade anyone to discuss, and it must not be spread. It was only known that this elder brother could only return once every few years.
This also showed Cui father and Cui mother's cautious nature; they did not want more people to know that their eldest son had become a disciple of an extraordinary master.
Qin Ming had only learned of this by chance, overhearing their quiet discussions, discovering that his brother was likely apprenticed to an ancient path related to the divine, not to worship or visualize deities, but to cultivate great spirit, aiming to subdue those special "phenomena" and "realms," turning them to his own use, to become divine himself.
Every spring, when flowers bloomed, his parents would receive a special letter that needed to be deciphered against several ancient texts, done with great care, as if it were heavily encrypted.
At such times, even the strictest Cui father would show a smile, appearing gentle and radiant.
Qin Ming and his younger brother Cui Chongxuan suspected that it was their brother's letter that brought such joy to their parents.
Cui Chongxuan once tried to sneak a look at the letter's contents, but he could not understand the coded language, and was beaten by Cui father, after which he never dared to touch it again.
The main line of the Cui family had many elderly men with white hair, their strength unfathomable. Some had ventured into the outside world, often absent from the clan. An elder who walked the path of rebirth once, to amuse the younger generation, took a deep breath and summoned a four-colored bird from a tree.
These elders were either kind or strict with the younger generation, placing great importance on their upbringing.
Whenever these elders greeted him with smiles, asking Qin Ming to call them Fifth Uncle or Seventh Uncle, he would recall a vague figure from his childhood memories, a grandfather he had shouted to find.
"He has gone far away, to the imperial capital of Dayu. He nearly went mad practicing the techniques from the silk book, and now he is 'emptying himself to reduce' and seeking his own path."
"I miss him, I miss that grandfather." Although he had adapted to life in the Cui residence, Qin Ming could not help but feel his eyes redden, and then he wanted to return to that silk book.
"No, the silk book is an ancient artifact, it cannot be casually handled, as it is easily damaged. You must practice the first few pages before looking at it again, but... this book is very difficult to master."
From then on, Qin Ming took practicing the techniques from the silk book very seriously, committing to it, practicing every day without fail.
He had many cousins and siblings, during this time, a few left, chosen by those from beyond the world, embarking on very different paths.
Some siblings entered secret teachings, while others joined more renowned sects, and some remained at home, walking the path of physical rebirth.
"The silk book has a great origin; it was once one of the most famous texts?" As Cui Chongxuan grew older, he learned what his brother was practicing and wanted to follow suit.
Cui father scolded, "The silk book is very difficult to master; only one person should walk this path. You can choose other secret texts."
For this, the gradually growing Cui Chongxuan felt jealous, shouting why he could not practice. He even showed hostility towards his brother.
"I want to know, is the silk book the most powerful rebirth technique?" Cui Chongxuan rarely defied Cui father, wanting to get to the bottom of it.
Cui father's expression softened considerably, "Who dares to claim the most? There is not just one silk book in the world; there are equally powerful legacies, such as the 'Six Sovereigns Heart Sutra,' 'Tathagata Method,' 'Heavenly Book,' and so on. You should practice the secret texts at home well, laying a solid foundation. In the future, I might be able to seek a volume of the 'Six Sovereigns Heart Sutra' for you. If you are strong enough, it is not impossible for you to truly become a disciple of that elder."
Qin Ming spoke up, "Father, I also want to see the 'Six Sovereigns Heart Sutra' and compare it with the silk book. The rebirth techniques in this latter book are too difficult; it seems unfeasible."
"What's wrong? Have you lost confidence in yourself?" Cui father looked at him, his eyes seeming to see through one's heart.
"I have!" Qin Ming felt a bit restless and turned to leave. Afterwards, he asked his cousins for some secret texts, wanting to see how other rebirth techniques worked.
The Fifth Uncle of the main line smiled at him, saying, "The choice of which rebirth technique to lay a foundation with is significant; the final achievements can vary greatly. If you practice those ordinary secret texts, once you step into the rebirth realm and then return to practice the techniques from the silk book, the results will definitely not be as good as if you had consistently followed that initial path."
After hearing these words, Qin Ming went to ask Cui father and Cui mother, receiving similar answers. After reading his cousin's visualization techniques and spirit cultivation methods, he discarded them all, unwavering in his determination to master the rebirth techniques from the silk book.
In the quiet room of the inn, Qin Ming felt like an outsider, watching his past as he turned another page.
The Cui family recognized him greatly; not only at home but even when facing outsiders, they did not hesitate to praise him. Everyone could see he was a core member of the direct line.
Long ago, various parties had already known that Cui Chonghe was likely to be the future leader of the main line, receiving focused training.
One time, after getting drunk, the Second Uncle of the clan accidentally let slip that Cui Chonghe had a special talent, very suitable for stepping into the outside world. Whether he mastered the silk book or not was not important; he was destined to be someone close to immortality.
Second Uncle Cui revealed that Cui Chonghe had not yet been sent away because they were waiting for a renowned elder from the night mist world to emerge, with an agreement to take him as a disciple.
Afterwards, when Cui father learned of his drunken ramblings, his face turned extremely grim. Second Uncle realized his mistake, feeling ashamed, and punished himself to enter seclusion.
Although Second Uncle had leaked secrets while drunk in the clan, some outside people still learned of this, putting Qin Ming's safety at risk. Several times, there were attempts to harm him, but all were thwarted by the Cui family.
Qin Ming indeed enjoyed excellent treatment in the Cui family. As he grew older, his mount was extraordinary, a creature that had mutated four times.
Though four mutations were the limit for that beast, it was quite extravagant for someone yet to undergo rebirth to ride it, considered top-tier.
The Cui family protected him well; although there had been repeated attempts to spy on him, no accidents occurred.
Moreover, when Qin Ming was still young, Cui father had already made an agreement with the Wang family of Qianxing City that a daughter of the Wang family would marry Cui Chonghe, and the two families would unite.
Qin Ming had even met that girl, who was extremely beautiful and loved to laugh.
However, as he grew older, during subsequent gatherings, Cui father and Cui mother began to advise him to be cautious and avoid close contact.
Once, when he was out with the Wang family's daughter in Qinghe City, Cui father became angry and reprimanded him afterward.
As Qin Ming matured, although the Cui family still valued him and praised their prodigy in front of esteemed guests, they rarely allowed him to meet those people again, fearing he would be distracted and wanting him to focus on the techniques from the silk book.
After he turned ten, he met many people, from important figures of various families to direct descendants of thousand-year-old families, and even disciples of those from beyond the world.
It must be said that the thousand-year-old family had deep roots; even those ancient paths, powerful sects, and outsiders were willing to befriend them.
For years, it had been rumored that some big figures from the outside world would take disciples, with several expected to emerge and enter the secular world to select suitable students, with the location set in Qinghe City.
The rumors were not false; various families were taking action. Li Qingxu, Li Qingyue, and the daughter of the Wang family were among those who came to this great city, hoping to become disciples of those formidable figures.
It was at this time that Qin Ming sensed Li Qingxu's hostility.
In the end, some renowned figures from beyond the world indeed appeared, and a small number of them were chosen.
An elder of great renown placed great importance on Li Qingxu, gifting him a purple bamboo stick nourished by heavenly light upon their meeting.
Afterwards, Qin Ming was puzzled; wasn't it said that a renowned elder who commanded respect in the night mist world would take him away? Why was Li Qingxu chosen instead?
"Don't worry, the elder who values you has not yet emerged," Cui father said.
After that, Qin Ming faced several assassination attempts but managed to escape unharmed.
No one expected that the rising Li family would suddenly declare war on the Cui family.
Perhaps it was that Qin Ming did not notice at the time, or perhaps the elders within the Cui family had already known and were prepared.
"The Li family actually has an old fellow who has broken through, likely to approach immortality, while our Cui family's ancestor has not appeared for two hundred years. The Li family wants to clash with the Cui family to achieve a series of goals, to showcase their strength, and to elevate themselves to the ranks of true thousand-year-old families. They need such a battle."
"The most frightening thing is that they have support behind them; they might be pushed forward."
...
As the two great families were about to collide, some members of the Cui family were discussing this, and Qin Ming felt quite worried for his clan.
"Our ancestor still has not appeared, and the current situation is very dire. We may not be able to withstand it; we must protect our foundation and withdraw first. We also need to search again at the ancestor's place of seclusion. I believe he is still alive and must return at the earliest opportunity."
On a deep night, the Cui family secretly sent away a group of important members, while another group was to take a different path, likely to confront a large number of experts from the Li family.
"Chonghe, you are my child. Our main line must take responsibility. I still need to oversee the situation and cannot take that path for now. Your brother is still young and not mature enough. You will represent me and take the second path with those clan elders." Cui father spoke personally.
That night, Cui father had a complex expression as he patted his son's shoulder.
Qin Ming looked at his parents, knowing that the path he was to take was incredibly dangerous, with a high probability of facing death, primarily to attract the attention of the Li family's many experts. Those who followed him were all elderly members of the Cui family who had lived for many years and had little time left.
"Father, mother, brother!" Qin Ming nodded with tears in his eyes, bidding them farewell. He climbed onto the bronze carriage, looking back into the night, only to see the distant figures of his parents.
In the inn, Qin Ming let out a sigh.