As Qin Ming operated the technique "Harmony of Light and Dust," his aura blended almost seamlessly with that of an ordinary person. Yet, such subtlety did not escape the keen senses of others, showcasing their exceptional awareness.
The night deepened, and the fiery spring was particularly bright.
A gentle breeze swept through, lifting the shimmering strands of Cui Chonghe’s hair. He appeared like a jade figure, surrounded by a delicate rain of light, as if he stood upon the path of immortality, cutting off all worldly ties.
On a dim slope, Qin Ming nodded slightly in Cui Chonghe’s direction.
By the fire spring, beneath the black and white twin trees, Cui Chonghe's feathered robe fluttered lightly, shrouded in veils of white mist. His features resembled flawless jade, gentle yet sharp, his deep-set eyes returned a nod towards the slope.
Qin Ming realized he was a stranger in the eyes of the man.
He understood this circumstance well. Having studied Cui Chonghe before, he knew this person came from a distinguished background. From his youth, he had drawn the attention of esteemed elders known throughout the Night Mist world for his extraordinary talent. Achieving all his desires, he walked with unparalleled confidence.
A person like that would hardly trouble himself with the falsehoods surrounding Qin Ming.
After regaining his memories, Qin Ming reflected on the past and recognized that Cui Chonghe had completely overlooked his existence.
Cui Chonghe had shown annoyance only once, scolding his family for their lack of vigilance, believing that the false person they created had overstepped, thus risking a laughable incident.
Meng Xinghai had once warned Qin Ming about Cui Chonghe's attitude towards him.
In the eyes of Cui Chonghe, the heir to a thousand-year-old family, Qin Ming was merely a disposable servant, raised to be used at will.
At that time, Qin Ming felt great anger.
But now, he felt serene.
Standing on the slope, Qin Ming even smiled softly. It seemed better this way; neither of them knew the other, sparing them unnecessary trouble. If Cui Chonghe knew who he really was, it might stir up complications.
Cui Chonghe returned the smile, radiating a brilliant light, and then he turned his gaze toward the twin trees, saying, "What a pity, lacking experience crossing the calamity of life and death in the heavenly light, such a lesser descendant is of no use."
Qin Ming turned away and leapt onto the back of his red eagle. As it soared into the sky, it scattered the night mist, flying toward the distance.
On his shoulder, Yu Que shivered slightly with apprehension and said, "That young man is terrifying. His indifferent gaze swept over me, and I felt as though I had been thrust back into the harshest winter, with everything wilting under the worst of snowstorms."
"You felt that way?" Qin Ming exclaimed, as he hadn't sensed it himself.
Yu Que nodded, fear lingering in her heart, "Yes, perhaps it’s because I quietly probed with my newly formed divine senses, only to be reflected back."
Qin Ming realized there was still more to Cui Chonghe's skills than he had imagined, particularly his level of awareness.
"With a slight flicker of mind, suddenly a feeling arises, as if it is connected to someone or something." Below the swirling white mist and light rain, Cui Chonghe suddenly spoke.
Around him, nearly ten individuals stood. There were young disciples of various sects, golden-armored guards, jade-armored guards, and hidden masters of inconceivable depth.
At this moment, they all scanned their surroundings cautiously, glancing towards the nearby village.
"That young man departed on the red eagle. Could it be related to him?" someone suggested.
A disciple replied, "Based on his carrying the black gold hammer, it seems his strength is just over four thousand pounds. To common eyes, it is indeed impressive, but he doesn’t even qualify to be a golden-armored guard."
"To be cautious, should we conduct a thorough investigation?"
Cui Chonghe was held in high regard, in both the thousand-year-old family and among outsiders.
In the wilderness, Qin Ming awaited news. Once the masters from Chixia City arrived, he intended to leave; this place was not suitable for prolonged stays.
As the early night drew to a close, the mountains were gradually swallowed by darkness, with the roars of wild beasts echoing throughout. The cries of strange birds filled the air, rising and falling in nearby forests.
"Qin Shan Zhu, the masters from Chixia City have arrived and wish to understand the situation," Yu Que returned from Yinteng Town.
Qin Ming nodded, feeling a sense of relief. Things should be fine now. He did not wish for the leader of the Golden Thieves to pass through here; otherwise, his subordinates might cause bloodshed in this remote area.
He vaguely speculated that the Golden Thieves had survived all these years due to being a tool for the wealth-collection of some super organization.
However, regrettably, in a single day, he had killed multiple members of the Golden Thieves without discovering any valuable items—maybe everything had been entrusted to their leader?
Outside Yinteng Town, Qin Ming saw two top masters approach.
Ling Xu, the former lord of Chixia City, was dressed in white, appearing to be in his forties, of handsome and scholarly demeanor.
He smiled and said, "You must be Xiao Qin, right? Quite the young lad."
Seeing his smile, Qin Ming's heart skipped a beat.
He understood well that this former lord was cunning; it was said he once staged a scenario in the great mountains with high-level anomalies, causing hidden watchers to swarm towards a particular node shining with multicolored light, only to find themselves ensnared.
Although some were displeased afterward, shaking his lordship, he merely relocated to an even larger city to take up the lord position there.
"I've heard much about you, Ling-senior," Qin Ming offered a respectful greeting.
Ling Xu's smile was kind. "I’m quite close with Meng Xinghai. You are his nephew, no need for formalities with me."
"We have some obsession with the Golden Thieves and want to eliminate them ourselves. We rushed over at the first news," added a short, stout tabby cat wearing a long red sword on its back, walking with an elegant cat-like grace.
Qin Ming respected the powerful master and quickly informed them of the news gathered by Yu Que and the birds from the major towns.
Ling Xu frowned, declaring, "All signs indicate that they indeed plan to break through from the black and white mountain. The nets cast elsewhere seem to be mere decorations, then?"
"Ling brother, who would have guessed we’d meet here after all this time?" A hearty laughter rang from afar.
A group of figures emerged from the dense night, approaching Yinteng Town.
"Brother Zhao, why are you here in this remote place instead of retreating in seclusion?" Ling Xu jovially greeted a middle-aged man.
"I came searching for a great yin-yang remedy for my junior apprentice. I didn’t expect this mountain lord to be formidable, with an unordinary background. Nonetheless, it was worth the trip," the middle-aged man, Zhao, approached.
Following him was a tall, robust youth named Zheng Maoze, who did not look like an outsider at all.
Qin Ming recognized him as the direct descendant of the Zheng family, the brother of Zheng Maorong, who he had previously impersonated in the black market of the Night Mist.
"Ling brother, I've heard you once found a great yin-yang remedy on Black and White Mountain. Would you grant me a little knowledge?” Zhao inquired.
Ling Xu shook his head. "That’s just a rumor! Surely you wouldn’t take it for the truth, would you? All the great remedies have been seized by that white-haired beast. If you seek from me, I would suspect you’re trying to recruit me as your divine guard."
Zhao shook his head. "How would I dare? While others may not know, I certainly do! You are a master of the secret teachings, your confidentiality is impeccable."
Qin Ming was astonished to learn that the former lord was also someone straddling two worlds. It seemed none of the renowned masters were simple figures.
At the same time, he inwardly sighed that relying solely on physical mutations had become just a backdrop, with many skilled individuals hiding their foundations behind it.
As the crowd drew near, it was evident they didn’t belong to just one sect, and there were many various practitioners among the outsiders, all facing competition with one another.
Qin Ming spotted several familiar faces: Lu Zhenyi, Zeng Yuan, and Chen Bingyan—some were from prestigious families, while others had obscure identities yet had previously resided in Qinghe City, waiting to take in disciples from the outside world. They all recognized each other quite well.
There were others among the outsiders that Qin Ming did not know.
"Cui Chonghe, ah, apologies, it was not intentional; I just got used to calling you that. Who would have thought we’d meet here? It’s been over two years; how have you been?" The sturdy Zheng Maoze was the first to approach.
Being the first to spot this "old friend," he was naturally at the forefront.
"I didn’t expect to run into Young Master Zheng here," Qin Ming replied.
Although Zheng Maoze was quite muscular, his words were not crude. He shook his head, smiling back at him. "You’ve got this all wrong, old friend! Is it fitting to call me Young Master? What will others think, believing our statuses are unequal? That would be insulting and look down upon you."
"Alright, big Zheng, you really haven’t changed!" Qin Ming laughed heartily.
Zheng Maorong’s expression froze momentarily. Due to his burly body and stature, some people referred to him as “Zheng the Great.”
In the past, Cui Chonghe had been friendly and called him: Big Zheng.
This wasn’t meant to be derogatory; he was indeed quite tall, and his family had once considered routing him towards the path of the Giant Spirit. Thankfully, he was more suited to the celestial connection.
Even now, it was bold of him to refer to him as "Big Zheng."
Qin Ming comprehended well; though it seemed straightforward from the outside, this man, with a coarse exterior and delicate thoughts, was not someone to be trifled with.
Given the malignance of his younger brother Zheng Maorong, one could tell he wouldn’t be truly noble either.
Ning Siqi had already advised Qin Ming to be wary of Zheng Maorong, hinting that was the reason someone wished to act against him recently.
If the younger brother was like that, what might the elder brother be like?
"You remain unchanged, this degree of openness is indeed better—it shows our relationship can withstand the test of time," Zheng Maoze laughed, quite amicable. He asked, “So what are you called now? How should I address you?”
Qin Ming realized that “Zheng the Great” was simultaneously smiling at him, also subtly reminding him that their statuses had shifted.
He didn’t believe the other was genuinely unaware of his current name; Ning Siqi had mentioned that his brother often wrote to him.
Qin Ming smiled and said, “I think you remain as warm as before. Just call me Qin Ming. It’s only been a bit over two years since we last met, yet you already seem to radiate the aura of immortality. Your demeanor has remarkably changed—truly, just as you wished back then!”
"Chonghe, no, Qin Ming, don’t speak carelessly in front of so many; you’ll end up putting me in a tough situation!” Zheng Maoze hurriedly interjected, suddenly serious.
He fully understood the truth that standing out would invite disaster; even the common folk knew that the tallest trees fell first. He quickly glanced around and said, “I’m merely a minor disciple. In front of so many senior brothers and sisters, I’m utterly insignificant, as light as a feather."
Qin Ming responded, “Big Zheng, you are being too humble!”
Zheng Maoze refrained from delving further into that topic and swiftly changed the subject. “Haven't you seen Wang Caiwei?”
“No!” Qin Ming simply replied with a single word.
“She should appear soon,” Zheng Maoze smiled.
"Qin Ming."
"All well?"
"How about you?"
Lu Zhenyi, Zeng Yuan, and Chen Bingyan approached, all familiar faces, exchanging greetings in this setting.
Before long, a few more old friends arrived from afar. Regardless of their internal thoughts, since someone approached to speak, the rest could not be so shallow as to overlook it, all greeting him warmly and inquiring about his recent situation.
They had naturally noted Qin Ming wielding the bloody hammer and understood his current predicament: he had broken his ties with the celestial and walked a different path from theirs.
"In a little while, Li Qingxu, Wang Caiwei, and Cui Chonghe may also arrive one after another," someone softly remarked, unsure if they were reminding Qin Ming or discussing what was almost certain to become a topic of turmoil.