Chapter 84 A Bit Stronger than the Others

By the riverbank, the two continued to clash, their movements unceasing, only pausing to converse when they drew near.

Qin Ming had previously stated that he refrained from shooting Ning Siqi out of consideration for their past friendship and for the sake of others' faces, which was clearly not the truth.

If it had been someone else, he would have shot them down with an arrow long ago, without wasting so many words.

In fact, when Ning Siqi saw the flying mount get hit by an arrow, he was indeed startled, nearly shouting out to tell him to stop being serious.

Only when he realized that Qin Ming merely wanted him to fall into the mud pit did he hold back.

"I have studied the Faithful Hall; people like Ge Qianxun are not worth pitying, so I sought him out," Ning Siqi said.

Before coming here, he had already sent a message to Meng Xinghai, so Old Ge was destined to be dealt with.

Yet, he still felt a bit uneasy, as the employer behind the scenes, he personally came to the scene.

"Among our old acquaintances, Zheng Maorong is the most ruthless. Although he won't personally take action, with just a glance or a hint, someone will act on his behalf," Ning Siqi warned him to be cautious of certain individuals.

Qin Ming understood, well aware of Zheng Maorong's nature.

Old Master Cui once drunkenly revealed that Cui Chong had near-immortal potential and would be taken as a disciple by an old senior who could make a name in the Night Mist world.

Thus, Qin Ming found himself in an environment where he was the center of attention. Once that halo was stripped away, he wouldn't be surprised by what happened next.

Moreover, there were already some who harbored hostility towards him back then.

"My cousin Wang Caiwei has a particularly foolish cousin," Ning Siqi unexpectedly began to criticize a more distant relative.

He whispered, "Zheng Maorong has a strong purpose, secretly stoking the flames with ill intent, possibly wanting to use you to lure out the real Cui Chong from the outside world. But my short-sighted cousin wants to personally find someone to kill you, thinking that if he removes you, the past between you and Wang Caiwei will be completely erased, leaving no trace. He must have been bewitched by someone, not realizing that such actions would only lead to more gossip later. Of course, he might also be deliberately causing trouble..."

Qin Ming listened quietly, understanding the various hidden dangers to prepare for possible troubles in the future.

"As long as I charge forward quickly on this path of rebirth, these people and matters are merely fleeting scenery along the way, perhaps they won't even have the chance to see clearly before they fade away," Qin Ming said.

To express his gratitude to Ning Siqi, he sent him into the mud once more.

"There shouldn't be any spies nearby!" Ning Siqi, who had a cleanliness obsession, found it hard to tolerate such filth.

"Your perception isn't sharp enough," Qin Ming replied, then inquired about his path of rebirth with concern.

Ning Siqi said, "I have reached the limit of seven rebirths. My family prepared a high-grade spiritual substance for me, but it still can't allow me to achieve my eighth rebirth."

If he wanted to advance further, he could only consume powerful medicine and step into the realm beyond the light of heaven.

For others, seven rebirths would be the ultimate dream, but for Ning Siqi, it was not enough. If he laid such a foundation and entered the realm of the outer saints, his prospects within the clan would be very uncertain.

Qin Ming frowned upon hearing this.

Ning Siqi continued, "In the past year, my father took me to visit the six major secret teachings, and one of the paths is very suitable for me. After the unified examination concludes, I will embark on a long journey. I don't know when I will see you again, as that path often leads into special territories, close to certain unique 'phenomena.' So this visit is also a farewell."

Qin Ming expressed concern, saying, "The secret teachings ultimately deal with terrifying beings close to the divine. Although it's a strong path, it's also very dangerous."

Ning Siqi dismissed his worries, saying, "That kind of attention from those terrifying beings will only come after I reach the mountain peak myself. In the early stages, there’s nothing to worry about."

Then he smiled and said, "In the future, if I have the chance to reach the summit and am targeted by divine-like beings, you must come to save me. From now on, you must fight hard, and we will meet at the mountain peak!"

"Alright, if you have any matters in the future, just send a message," Qin Ming nodded, then sent him into the river.

Ning Siqi emerged from the water with a dark expression, finally reminding him, "Even if you are a young extraordinary person now, you must be cautious; there are certainly others from thousand-year-old families."

"You don't know everything; I am actually a bit stronger than my peers," Qin Ming admitted, having previously held back.

Ning Siqi was taken aback. Based on his understanding of this old friend, that "bit" was certainly not simple. Did it mean he had surpassed the level of young extraordinary beings?

He cautioned, "You must not become complacent. Those from outside start with the power of consciousness, which allows them to improve, while our path of rebirth is much more straightforward."

He seemed to remember something and said, "By the way, Li Qingyue has begun to shine brightly in the outer realm. Hmm, Li Qingxu also seems extremely impressive, making his teacher very satisfied. It’s said that stepping into the outer realm at his age is just right, no need to rush, which is the greatest affirmation and also a hint."

"The competition in the outer realm is fierce," Qin Ming remarked.

Ning Siqi replied, "Of course, different factions are constantly in competition. By the way, the atmosphere among the most outstanding disciples in the outer realm is tense lately. Many are saying that they are competing for a legendary item. If obtained, it could bring them closer to immortality and influence their lives. A group of core disciples are actively preparing for battle, all wanting to seize it. Some of our old friends will likely join in as well."

"It sounds like their world is quite exciting," Qin Ming felt a sense of longing.

"There are other realms that are also splendid; you just haven't had the chance to get close. You should join a powerful sect or enter a special high academy to experience it firsthand. The secret texts need to be studied thoroughly, and this world requires understanding."

In the end, Qin Ming brought the muddy Ning Siqi into the city lord's mansion. This hot potato needed to be "dealt with" by Meng Xinghai.

This was not a difficult task; as long as the "performance" was in place, it would suffice.

"Take care!"

"You too, take care. We will meet at the mountain peak!"

Finally, Ning Siqi departed.

...

In the bronze incense burner, a calming incense that could extinguish restlessness and cleanse the dust of the heart was slowly burning.

Meng Xinghai sipped tea and said, "You truly surprised me. Three strikes and two palms to defeat an old expert; this was still the result of holding back."

This time, Qin Ming did not downplay his achievements, saying, "Ge Qianxun is old, but he certainly can't be considered a true expert. By the way, Uncle Meng, he is a golden thief."

Meng Xinghai nodded, saying, "I have already sent someone to interrogate him."

He looked at Qin Ming and asked, "What level is your rebirth at now?"

"I have undergone four rebirths, a bit stronger than what is recorded in books about extraordinary beings," Qin Ming informed him.

Meng Xinghai suddenly stood up, unable to calm his heart upon hearing this information.

He scrutinized Qin Ming closely and finally smiled, "It's a pity I don't have a daughter."

Qin Ming chuckled in response.

Meng Xinghai sighed, "Such talent is already close to the near-immortal potential of those from the outer realm, but unfortunately, our path cannot lead to immortality. The cultivation methods are completely different from theirs."

After his shock, he felt deeply, saying, "You have truly given me an unexpected surprise, even better than I imagined."

He stood up and paced in the ancient-style living room, finally placing his hand on a bronze cauldron, saying, "You shouldn't practice those low-level heavenly light techniques anymore. I will help you find a rare secret manual soon."

Qin Ming realized that after demonstrating his unique value, Old Meng indeed placed more importance on him, starting to arrange things for him.

Meng Xinghai said, "In this stage of rebirth, ordinary people do not study it thoroughly, but thousand-year families are very clear. Within a year, physical mutations should not exceed five times, or it will affect the future path."

Qin Ming was taken aback. Would his rapid rise be limited?

Meng Xinghai asked, "You should feel it. Each time you mutate, the benefits are immense, akin to returning to the womb. However, in the short term, there will be some discomfort that requires adjustment; that is a side effect."

"Uncle Meng, I don't feel anything," Qin Ming shook his head.

Meng Xinghai tapped the chime, saying, "In your case, surpassing young extraordinary beings is not unheard of in ancient texts. I saw a document discussing this situation; your six rebirths in a year should pose no hidden dangers. In fact, you don't need to rush. The rebirth stage is the fastest path for us; don't accelerate further."

But Qin Ming felt that time was pressing. He was unwilling to delay even a single day.

He believed that he truly had no issues. Other books mentioned that one should not casually merge heavenly light techniques; it had to be appropriate, yet the silk book encouraged it.

Most importantly, the silk book did not state that one could only undergo five or six rebirths in a year.

Meng Xinghai said, "Don't be impatient. Recently, focus on quiet cultivation. I will arrange for someone to provide you with some higher-grade spiritual substances..."

Qin Ming did not refute. Although he wanted to showcase his strength, he could not reveal certain core secrets.

He returned to the inn and counted his spoils.

In Ge Qianxun's package, there were four hundred twenty-one daytime gold coins, a considerable fortune, but it did not match his status as a hall master; it was somewhat lacking.

"This old fellow definitely has more than one lair," Qin Ming concluded. As a golden thief, he must often visit distant strongholds, and most importantly, he had no family here.

Ge Qianxun had five books on him, three of which were for the new practitioners of the Faithful Hall, and there were even some coded messages that Qin Ming did not find useful.

The fourth book contained hammer techniques from the Sun family, but unfortunately, it was of little use to Qin Ming as he had already mastered it completely.

"Diamond Armor?" Qin Ming flipped through another ancient book that resonated with his spirit.

It was bound in unknown beast skin, clearly an ancient item, heavily worn, yet still carried strong emotional fluctuations.

There was no doubt it was the crystallization of a predecessor's hard work!

"A type of hard technique that greatly enhances defense and can also be used for offense," Qin Ming skimmed through and found this technique truly remarkable.

No wonder Ge Qianxun was filled with resentment; with this hard technique in hand, stepping into the realm of outer saints would be no problem. Yet, when he was small, his foundation was shattered by someone.

"The body swells, indicating it hasn't been practiced to perfection. At a high level, one can ignore blade and sword strikes, and when perfected, the body appears no different from an ordinary person."

Qin Ming sensed that this technique was powerful, and he was very interested. He focused his mind completely, immersing himself in resonance with the lingering emotions.

He saw an old man who ignored the overwhelming attacks of mutated birds, casually slapping them away, causing those mutated creatures to explode.

The scene shifted, and the old man used his body to smash a massive mutated turtle into pieces.

Next, Qin Ming saw him battling a giant beast the size of a small mountain, unleashing heavenly light all over. He used his body as a weapon, crashing into the giant beast's body and piercing through its heart.

"This is... really hard!" he exclaimed in awe.

The old man appeared very thin, yet his body was as solid as diamond, showcasing a violent beauty, charging through, unstoppable by any monster.

During this time, Qin Ming left the inn once, quietly retrieving the secret manual that Ning Siqi had left for him.

"Very advanced, can produce special fire in the early stages, quite difficult, best suited for practice in the Thunderfire Alchemy Hall!" Qin Ming temporarily stored it away, realizing that this was a remarkable skill of immeasurable value.

In the following days, he devoted himself to practicing that hard technique.

The book contained only one heavenly light technique—Diamond, undoubtedly a composite technique, exceptionally domineering, worthy of being called a protective art.

Days later, Qin Ming tried it out. He felt as if he had inflated, his body swelling significantly; that was the heavenly light flowing, supporting his muscles and skin.

"Only a small success; it can't withstand powerful attacks yet, but it can slightly adjust my appearance." Qin Ming looked at himself in the mirror. Through his efforts, his face had rounded out, and his body had gained some weight.

After another two days, he studied the terrain map of the mountains and decided to venture into the mountains alone.

Although Meng Xinghai had advised him not to rush and to wait, he felt that time was of the essence. He needed to become stronger quickly to survive better.

Ning Siqi had also sent a message to Cui Hao in the outer realm through connections. If Uncle Cui were to come out, it should change Qin Ming's dangerous situation.

But he did not place his hopes on others; becoming strong quickly was his true foundation.

Moreover, if Cui Hao did not receive the message or remained in seclusion, his situation would not change at all.

This time, Qin Ming disguised himself, sticking on a beard and wearing loose clothing. He did not carry a big hammer but took a jade iron knife into the mountains.

In the mountains, some areas were filled with fiery clouds, incredibly beautiful, as the hot springs were fully reviving, bubbling up.

In some regions, not only were the plants sprouting, but flower buds were also about to bloom.

"Hmm, that thief?" Qin Ming had no interest in sightseeing. Not long after entering the mountains, he spotted a man in gray who had previously intercepted him, Xu Sheng, and Sister Fenfang for the snow lotus.

With a swoosh, he directly chased after him.

The gray-clad man was very alert, sensing the danger immediately, turning to vanish into the forest, moving with great familiarity, twisting left and right, very slippery.

When he chased to a lake area, Qin Ming noticed a mutated beast in the distance, its body shimmering purple, seemingly just emerging from a steaming lake, admiring itself by the water.

"Aren't purple lightning beasts rare? Why have I encountered two in a row recently? Is this species becoming rampant?"

Qin Ming moved like lightning, rushing from behind and leaping onto the back of the mutated beast.

"You are temporarily requisitioned by me. Hurry, help me chase someone!"

Now, the purple lightning beast, which had already undergone four mutations, was enjoying its soak in the hot spring, but now it was in a bad mood; it had heard that voice before!