Chapter 36: Leaving After the Matter Is Settled

Qin Ming did not peel off any more Stone Crust. The environment in the mountain forest did not allow him to act on impulse; if a beam of light shot up here, his life would be in grave danger.

After the stone was reduced by two sizes, it could barely fit into his beast-hide sleeve, but he didn't do so.

Qin Ming walked out of the mountain, leaving the stone behind in the dense forest.

He noticed that people were actually watching the exit of the mountain. For the sake of the special resources in the Node, the major organizations kept a very tight watch.

Before long, he saw the woman in the fur cloak again. She had a tall and slender figure, standing in the wind and snow, her black hair fluttering in the wind, but her face remained unseen.

"He really is unharmed." The crow was also there and had already spotted Qin Ming. Runes flashed across its purple eyes as it gave him a few more looks.

Qin Ming's expression remained calm, but ripples stirred in his heart. He had no idea how many eyes had scanned those leaving the mountain along the way; if he had brought the stone with him, he would have definitely exposed himself.

The Purple-eyed Crow circled in the sky, wishing it could also charge into the mountain. It said, "This place is simply incomprehensible now. How could a ten-color Node appear? And it even fused with a five-color Haze-Illuminated Land! My mouth is watering just thinking about it. If I had known, I should have had your master come in person and invite Old Father Crow out of the Black Mist World. Let's see who would dare block us!"

The woman in the black cloak said, "Don't do anything rash. All the high-level entities have gone mad with bloodlust now. We must wait for the right moment."

Qin Ming found Mu Qing, Cao Long, and the others at the outer edge of the mountain. He noticed that this group of direct descendants of noble families was extremely cautious and none of them had acted rashly.

"Where did you run off to, kid? It's too dangerous in the mountains right now," the Black Goat Rider, Yang Yongqing, asked him.

"I was chasing that Speech Sparrow and ended up losing it," Qin Ming replied with a smile.

Upon hearing this, Cao Long immediately asked where he had lost it. That Speech Sparrow had deeply offended him, and his anger had yet to subside.

On this day, the commotion deep in the mountain was simply too immense. Even the ordinary villagers nearby were looking over from afar. They had never seen such a brilliant sight, bright as daytime, in their entire lives.

The Shallow Night was almost over, yet there was still no outcome in the mountain.

Qin Ming, acting very professionally, consulted his employers. After confirming that they would not enter the mountain, he called out, "Uncle Xu, Old Man Liu, we should head back."

"Ah, why go back so early?" Old Man Liu had not had his fill of watching yet.

Qin Ming said, "To eat, of course! We've been starving all day!"

Wei Zhirou, Cao Long, Mu Qing, and the others couldn't help but look at him. They thought to themselves that this youth was truly pure-hearted and simple. With such a massive event occurring in the mountain, drawing everyone's attention, it still couldn't affect his desire to go back and eat.

"True. Even if we watched for another three days and three nights, it would have nothing to do with us. Let's go, back for food," Old Man Liu said.

The Black Goat Rider Yang Yongqing and Xu Yueping also left. Although the mountain was filled with vibrant colors, it was not their world.

In the evening, Qin Ming went to the entrance of the village. He sat beneath the Twin Black-and-White Trees and gazed in the direction of the mountain. It was as bright as day there; none of the multicolored brilliance had faded. It looked so fresh and pure that one couldn't help but yearn to draw closer.

"So this is Black-and-White Mountain. Ever since it collapsed five hundred years ago, its former black-and-white landscape has never returned. What a pity."

Qin Ming was surprised. Looking at the two women in the snow, he actually overheard such a comment.

He was a local, yet he didn't even know of this old name, Black-and-White Mountain. Usually, when they entered the mountain, they only referred to different areas as East Ridge or West Ravine. Yet these two visiting women knew more about it than he did.

In the wind and snow, the two women stood tall and graceful, their sleeves fluttering. They were dressed very lightly, yet it was currently far from the scorching summer when the Fire Spring was most active.

As the two of them approached the entrance of the village, they examined the Twin Black-and-White Trees in the Fire Spring.

"However, it is surprising that this village actually has the Twin Black-and-White Trees. It is likely that the seeds left behind by the Black-and-White Mountain back then sprouted." The woman who had spoken earlier spoke again.

She wore a white dress, which appeared exceptionally eye-catching against the night sky lit by the fiery glow of the spring. She was shrouded in a faint white mist, but one could still clearly see her slightly baby-faced, delicate countenance. She was clearly young, only about fifteen or sixteen years old, with arched eyebrows and bright, watery eyes—exceptionally beautiful.

If it were Qin Ming, he would definitely never choose to wear white clothes. Hunting in the mountains wearing that would be too conspicuous and completely unsuitable for survival.

Soon, he noticed that this white-clothed young girl deferred to the other woman, constantly following behind her.

Qin Ming realized something was amiss. The white-clothed girl was clearly two steps behind, yet how could he have overlooked the woman in front of her? It was rather bizarre.

The woman in front wore green clothes, simple and unadorned. She just stood quietly in the wind and snow, carefully observing the two old trees in the Fire Spring.

Thick clouds and mist surrounded her, making her appear hazy and her face obscured. She possessed an incredibly ethereal aura, resembling an immortal about to ride the wind back to the heavens.

Qin Ming stood up. He felt it was no longer appropriate to remain seated by the Fire Spring, so he greeted the two women.

They nodded in response, and the green-clothed woman spoke for the first time, "What is the name of this village?"

"Twin Tree Village," Qin Ming informed them, seizing the opportunity to ask, "Is there some legend about the former Black-and-White Mountain?"

The green-clothed woman's voice was soft and pleasing to the ear. She said, "Half of its territory was pitch black, while the other half was as bright as day, separated by a dense fog in the middle. It was once a perilous land, but it later collapsed."

"Young man, how rare. My lady actually spoke so many words to you." One could tell from a glance that the white-clothed girl had a very lively personality. Her relationship with the green-clothed woman did not seem like a purely master-servant one, considering she dared to make such a joke.

The green-clothed woman said nothing more. Taking one last deep look at the Twin Black-and-White Trees, she turned and headed toward the mountain. Although her steps were light and graceful, her resolve seemed incredibly firm.

"How may I address the two of you, ladies?" Qin Ming asked from behind.

The white-clothed girl giggled. "Young man, don't let your thoughts wander. We will disappear very soon. We are separated from you by boundless mountains and seas."

"I was just asking for your names. How far is boundless? Do you not live in the mortal world normally?" Qin Ming said.

The white-clothed girl laughed, "Ah, you really are simple and cute. Looking at the path you are walking, once you stand at the peak of the mountain, there might be a sliver of a chance that you could catch a distant glimpse of us on certain occasions."

"Too talkative. Mind your tongue," the green-clothed woman reprimanded.

Qin Ming watched their departing figures in speechless exasperation. What kind of people were they? For a brief moment, he really wanted to beat that white-clothed girl until she cried, just to ask what nonsense she was spouting.

"Go back and call the Golden Roc. I am going to enter the mountain," the green-clothed woman said.

"Understood!" The white-clothed girl turned and walked in another direction.

Qin Ming's pupils constricted. The white-clothed girl's speed of departure was too fast, even bordering on absurd. Faint white mist flowed in front of her, blocking out all the wind and snow, and gradually enveloped her entire body. In the blink of an eye, she vanished at the end of the earth.

The next day, Qin Ming responsibly led the way as a guide because Mu Qing, Cao Long, Wei Zhirou, and the others could finally sit still no longer. They began to explore the Nodes in the outer regions of the mountain.

Previously, four organizations in succession had harvested mysterious resources, though they paid the price of several members being severely eroded by the light mist.

All the Reborn were restless and searching meticulously. Figures could be seen everywhere in the mountains, attempting to brave the dangerous underground Node spaces.

As for the deepest part of the mountain, it remained as bright as day. The higher-ups of the major organizations and those high-level Heteromorphs had been run ragged for a day and a night, their eyes bloodshot.

They had originally come to capture the mysterious resources, initially like patient fishermen. In the end, they were the ones being played by the fish.

The two Abnormal Spectacles had fused into one and were constantly shifting. Sometimes, they would sink underground for a long time before emerging again, carrying piercing light and thick mist.

Until now, not a single person had been able to get close enough to see clearly what it actually was.

In the end, these people risked everything, braving the terrifying erosion to venture deep underground from the Node spaces, preparing to intercept its path within the spiritual leylines created by the Sky Light.

Even those who set up the trap, like Ling Xu and the old yellow weasel, no longer had the mood to fish. Instead, they had turned themselves into "chum," plunging headfirst into the Nodes to enter the underground world.

They had a feeling that after the two mysterious resources fused, they might have completed their final transformation and were about to emerge. They had to go all out.

This competition grew increasingly fierce, to the point that some high-level entities died directly underground, never to surface again.

As they disappeared from the surface, the people outside the mountain all let out a long sigh of relief.

"Old Wang, don't go too far! I've already obtained this spiritual little tree. Are you planning to rob me in broad daylight?!" In the distance, an old man covered in blood escaped from a Node, clutching a foot-tall sapling in his hand, which flowed with purple mist.

"Stop him! That old bastard of the Cao family dug up a Longevity Tree that can extend one's life by ten years!" the elderly man surnamed Wang bellowed from behind as he gave chase.

"Seventh Uncle, come over here! Let's see who dares block you!" Cao Long shouted. He sat astride a giant, completely crimson bull that was taller than an adult, holding a cold, gleaming great lance in his hand.

"Good nephew, quickly bring people to help me block them!"

An old man with shattered black armor ran over. On the way, he frantically stuffed the little tree directly into his mouth, not even sparing the roots that still clung to a bit of soil, chewing and swallowing it all down.

"Old bastard of the Wang family, I've already eaten it! What can you do to me now?" the old man of the Cao family laughed heartily.

"Everyone, rip open his belly! The medicinal efficacy is still there!" the elderly Wang shouted.

Nearby, six or seven old men approached, their gazes terrifying. To them, extending their lives was more precious than any mysterious resource.

"Old bastard Wang, you really are rotten from head to toe! No wonder your youngest son, Wang Nianzhu, committed all sorts of evils and became a wanted fugitive; it's because you're no good yourself!" Cao Long's Seventh Uncle was highly worked up. Looking at the approaching old men, he said, "If you really force my hand, don't blame me for disgusting you to death!"

He looked at the big yellow dog Old Man Liu was riding, then glanced at Yang Yongqing's black goat, and said, "If you force my hand, I will immediately slit open the goat's belly and drink its urine right now! Let's see if you'll still eat this longevity medicine then!"

Old Man Liu and the others were completely dumbfounded. This was truly a ruthless character. But why was he staring at the big yellow dog?

Beside him, Yang Yongqing's black goat urinated on the spot with a splashing sound. Clearly, it was already sentient and sensed that something terrible was about to happen.

As for the big yellow dog Old Man Liu was riding, it also reacted—by defecating on the spot.

"I... why are you guys reacting so strongly?!" Cao the Seventh was absolutely exasperated.

"Fine, Cao the Seventh, if you're really that ruthless, we'll turn around and leave right now. But we're going to stand right here and watch to see if you actually dare do it!"

"Enough!" Cao Long moved, urging his giant bull forward. Raising his great lance, he slashed straight down at the elderly Wang.

"Young man, I know you are formidable, but... Ah!" The saber in the old Wang family member's hand was sent flying. With hands covered in blood, he was knocked backward through the air.

"Good nephew, you've actually become this powerful! Your studies in that giant city weren't in vain!" Cao the Seventh was both shocked and delighted.

Immediately, the other old men retreated.

Cao Long knocking back an elder made all sides wary, and none dared approach, making their position quite safe.

During this time, Qin Ming asked the members of the Mu, Cao, and Wei families about the various types of mysterious resources and their characteristics.

For the people of Crimson Cloud City, this was already public knowledge by now and not much of a secret. Just a few casual remarks greatly broadened the horizons of Qin Ming, Xu Yueping, and the others.

"Spiritual resources like plants and subterranean liquids are easy to harvest and collect. The troublesome ones are the special resources encased in Stone Crust; they are often overlooked, and one might easily miss them if they aren't careful."

Qin Ming learned a lot of useful knowledge, and some of his doubts were resolved.

Unless a special resource was inherently dazzling and illuminated the heavens and earth, once cracked open, its tiny bit of Sky Light would dissipate, and it would return to a tranquil state.

Qin Ming thought to himself that the stone he picked up could probably be cut open to take a look; it shouldn't be much of an issue.

As the Shallow Night was about to end, he hid in a snowdrift and peeled off the Stone Crust. Sure enough, wisps of Sky Light drifted out, merging into his body.

Beneath the Stone Crust, a trace of pure white jade light was revealed, crystal clear.

"Could this be the Mutton-fat Jade Iron they mentioned?" Qin Ming had only overheard a few passing words and knew it was a rare material, used to forge weapons with mysterious properties.

Of course, although Mutton-fat Jade Iron was rare, it wasn't priceless. Every time Sky Light descended, some materials of similar quality could be gathered.

Even in the same area, multiple portions of Mutton-fat Jade Iron might be collected.

He buried the stone, of which only a corner had been peeled, back into the ground. Having confirmed that it wasn't a spiritual substance for direct consumption, there was no need to rush; he could retrieve it later.

It was getting late, and Qin Ming had long finished his guiding duties and was preparing to walk out of the mountain.

Boom!

The earth quaked and the mountains shook. In the distance, boundless radiant mist erupted, even more dazzling than before. It made one's eyes sting to look at, forcing tears to well up.

"What happened?" Everyone was shocked.

Deep in the mountain, ten colors of light and five colors of mist swirled. A mysterious resource had emerged and had been snatched by someone, who then burst out of the underground fissure.

A woman was traveling at extreme speed through the mountain forest, but she couldn't hide her figure at all. Although the obtained special resource was sealed by Stone Crust, its intense fluctuations still radiated in all directions, and it continued to glow, looking like it would take a while to completely fade.

In the meantime, she summoned a giant golden bird and immediately leaped onto it. The giant bird carried her soaring into the sky, about to flee to the horizon.

However, the Moon Bug, a winged humanoid entity, the woman in feather garments standing on the back of a blue bird, and other high-level entities—six of them in total—blocked her path.

"It's her?" Qin Ming was surprised. It was indeed the green-clothed woman he had seen at the village entrance last night. She was so young, yet she was actually this powerful, daring to snatch food from the mouths of a group of high-level entities.

The green-clothed woman was suppressed by the six great experts and forced back toward the mountain forest.

Qin Ming turned and ran, while pushing Harmonizing with Light to its absolute limit, as they were not very far from him.

Chirr! While suspended in midair, the green-clothed woman snapped the foot-long stone in her hands in half, extracting the mysterious resource directly from within.

The light in her hand grew even more intense. Five colors and ten lights interwoven in the void, tearing through the night curtain.

The outermost layer of the object was light mist, wrapping around some unknown, dazzling item. She actually pressed it against a crystal-clear red mole on her brow.

The brilliant ball of light actually sank directly into it. Standing on the back of the giant golden bird, she wasn't forced down into the forest but instead swept past the canopy, rushing toward the distance at extreme speed.

"Chase!" All the powerhouses of the major organizations and the high-level Heteromorphs gave chase.

Only after an unknown amount of time did Qin Ming finally let out a sigh of relief and walk out from the dense forest. Moving forward through the thick darkness of the night, he eventually found the two halves of the snapped stone.

"Huh?!" He was stunned. After experiencing, being baptized by, and adapting to the Sky Light erosion in the Fissure, he had developed a special perception. There seemed to be a faint, weak fluctuation coming from the stone in his left hand.