Chapter 9: Jade Suit with Golden Thread

As Shallow Night drew to a close, Qin Ming woke up. The Sun Stone in the bronze basin emitted a soft, fiery glow, and the house was quiet.

Thirst gnawed at him, his throat feeling as though it were about to smoke. Only after downing several large bowls of ice-cold water did he finally let out a long breath.

Soon, he noticed something unusual. His undergarments felt slightly tight, as if they no longer fit.

Realizing what had happened, he went to the doorframe to measure himself and confirmed that he had indeed grown taller.

Qin Ming stood in a daze. He had merely slept, but the process had exceeded his imagination. In a relatively short period, a dense power of Rebirth had gestated within him, causing his innate foundation to develop once more.

He stretched his limbs, feeling as if he had inexhaustible strength. Stepping into the courtyard, he easily lifted two stone millstones.

Next, he tried to support one with a single hand. Though it felt heavy, he could hold it for a brief moment.

Qin Ming was astonished. He could now barely lift a four-hundred-jin weight with one hand. Did this not mean he was no different from the famous youths in that bright city far away?

He stripped off his ill-fitting clothes and found that the blood scabs on his shoulders had fallen off without leaving a single scar—another manifestation of Rebirth.

Afterward, he began preparing dinner.

Qin Ming boiled a pot of meat soup and roasted wolf ribs until the aroma was rich and enticing. Using Mutated Creatures as ingredients was enough to satisfy the needs of his body’s Rebirth.

He ate meat in large gulps and drank soup in great drafts. His body, already hot, now broke into a profuse sweat. A warm current surged within him, spreading throughout his entire body.

Although Rebirth was in its late stages, it was not yet over. He wanted to strike while the iron was hot, fully stimulating his bodily activity to promote the process.

His physique had improved drastically. The difficult movements of the past could now be performed with casual ease.

It felt as if a mass of firelight was burning inside Qin Ming, threatening to shine through his skin.

Finally, patches of "golden dots" appeared on his body’s surface. Immediately after, they "broke through the soil," and extremely fine Golden Filaments drilled out. Though tiny, they were faintly discernible.

This was highly unusual; it had never happened before.

The Golden Filaments emerged from his flesh, bringing with them faint traces of blood. It looked frightening at first glance, but it did not actually harm him.

Instead, Qin Ming felt a sense of relief. The aura of his body became increasingly fresh, full of vigor and vitality. This process was like "detoxifying."

He soon realized that this was a thorough Rebirth, purging all harmful substances.

His original pores seemed insufficient as clusters of Golden Filaments sprouted from his body, emerging alongside threads of blood and dragging out Old Impurities.

The golden light continued to surface, dense and packed together like golden needles swimming about. They responded to one another, interweaving across the surface of Qin Ming’s body as if sewing a garment, creating a wondrous sight.

Combined with the faint white mist outside his body, he looked quite ethereal.

He worked tirelessly, consuming a vast amount of energy. When hungry, he ate wolf ribs; after a short rest, he would continue to stimulate his physical activity.

Occasionally, he would also study Lu Ze’s Night Meditation Technique: Introductory Guide.

Throughout the night, Qin Ming perspired heavily, his metabolism exceptionally violent.

His body felt numb and tingly, like a plant sprouting new branches, brimming with the vitality of all things being born.

When an intense wave of drowsiness hit, he stopped his movements.

He realized he was about to enter the final stage of "hibernation."

After a quick rinse, he lay on the heated brick bed, his eyelids nearly impossible to keep open.

In his blurred vision, he saw a very faint silver light surfacing on his skin, and even more Golden Filaments emerging. Like golden needles pulling thread, they were "weaving" within the silver-white mist.

Despite his exhaustion, Qin Ming was deeply amazed. The golden threads crisscrossed, dividing the silver light into sections, forming dense, square grids. Viewed as a whole, his body seemed to be encased in a "Jade Suit with Golden Thread."

He drifted into a daze, his thoughts wandering.

When ancient emperors were buried, they were always encased in jade suits sewn with gold wire, embodying their desire for longevity—a pursuit they maintained even in death.

Was the "unconventional path" he had memorized in his youth really this special? During the transformation of Rebirth, a layer of pure white mist naturally flowed, and the golden threads connected it, making it look as if he were wearing a Jade Suit with Golden Thread.

Could it be that the ancient emperors had heard certain rumors, leading them to order the creation of such suits?

He shook his head, thinking he was overthinking things. Then, he could no longer hold on and fell into the deepest level of slumber.

When Shallow Night arrived, Qin Ming woke up. He felt his skin tightening, and he quickly understood why. He had sweated profusely during the night, and the blood brought out by the Golden Filaments had dried on his skin, forming a thin cocoon of Old Impurities.

The water in the vat was a solid block of ice. He smashed it into pieces and boiled a pot of water. After washing up, he changed into loose, clean clothes, feeling instantly refreshed.

Clearly, his body temperature had dropped, which meant his Rebirth was almost complete.

Qin Ming went into the courtyard and lifted the two stone millstones again. This time, it was relatively easy; he could hold them with one hand for a long time.

Next, he placed a stone lock weighing over a hundred jin on top of them.

"Very heavy!" It felt quite burdensome and took considerable effort.

Two rough stone millstones plus a stone lock used for training arm strength weighed well over five hundred jin, yet he could still hold them with one hand.

Lu Ze had once told him that in the bright city in the distance, there were youths who could lift six hundred jin.

Qin Ming’s eyes were clear, and he wore a bright smile. His two arms combined possessed over a thousand jin of strength.

As for the ends of the earth further away—those mysterious, unknown cities—he did not know how powerful the Rebirth-stage cultivators in their Golden Period were.

Qin Ming picked up half a Saber-horned Deer, along with a hind leg and some ribs of the Donkey-headed Wolf, and headed to the neighboring courtyard.

"Little Qin, this... this is too much!"

"Brother Lu, sister-in-law, I can’t eat it all by myself. Besides, I’ll be heading into the mountains again soon. It’s better to change up the flavors occasionally," Qin Ming said.

If Lu Ze hadn’t looked after him for a while, he might have starved to death.

"Uncle, you’re so good! Otherwise, we’d be going hungry in a few days." Wenrui was incredibly happy because he had heard his parents saying the family's grain reserves were almost gone.

Qin Ming rubbed his head and said, "With your uncle here, how could I let you go hungry?"

The mutated squirrel jumped up and down in its cage, the only one indignant. it squeaked at Qin Ming; this spiritual little mountain beast was very vengeful.

"Little Qin..." Village Chief Xu Yueping arrived. Wearing a hide coat, he looked to be in his forties with a square face, thick eyebrows, and bright, spirited eyes. His body was sturdy and powerful.

"Uncle Xu," Qin Ming greeted him.

The chief laughed heartily. "I knew you were a capable lad. Taking this step is like leaving a golden footprint."

He really wanted to know how strong Qin Ming’s physical qualities were after his Rebirth during the Golden Period.

"Little Qin, you’ve grown taller. Is the Rebirth over?" Lu Ze asked.

Just as Qin Ming was about to respond, he suddenly felt a fierce wind approaching.

Xu Yueping’s right hand was like a blade, slashing toward his neck without any warning.

It happened too suddenly; at such close range, it was almost impossible to defend against.

But Qin Ming successfully evaded it and counterattacked with precision, grabbing the chief's wrist with a thud.

"Your reaction speed far exceeds other newly reborn individuals," Xu Yueping marveled. To strike so suddenly at such a distance, even the swiftest mountain beast would have found it difficult to dodge.

Liang Wanqing let out a cry of surprise before realizing that he was testing the foundation Qin Ming had built after his Rebirth.

Xu Yueping’s wrist was gripped firmly; he actually found it difficult to budge an inch.

"Your strength after Rebirth..." He showed a look of shock.

Lu Ze and Liang Wanqing watched with anticipation. They hoped Qin Ming’s physical qualities had leapt forward, representing a qualitative change.

This was because it concerned a person’s entire life—it was a fate-changing opportunity.

Qin Ming let go.

Xu Yueping’s eyelids twitched. He was the strongest Rebirth-stage individual in Twin Tree Village, and he could see that the youth before him had not even used his full strength.

He spoke solemnly, "I suspect your strength is approaching six hundred jin."

Liang Wanqing was dumbfounded upon hearing this. One had to know that for Rebirth-stage individuals in this region, lifting five hundred jin was usually the limit.

Lu Ze was very excited. "This... even if he enters that city in the distance, he won’t be inferior to anyone."

"Uncle is the best!" Wenrui shouted, clapping his small hands.

"Old Xu, the Mountain Patrollers are here." Yang Yongqing appeared, having just overheard the conversation, his heart shaking.

He realized that Qin Ming had broken the upper limit for local initiates.

When Mountain Patrollers appeared, the situation was surely not simple. Xu Yueping and Yang Yongqing left quickly.

A short while later, someone came to call for Qin Ming, telling him to go to the village chief’s house.

He was somewhat confused. Why were they looking for him?

"All Rebirth-stage individuals must participate to hear the Mountain Patrollers report on the situation in the mountains," the person informed him.

Xu Yueping’s house was very lively. Counting Qin Ming, there were seven Rebirth-stage individuals in the village. They had all come now, even old man Liu, who was over seventy.

The Sun Stones illuminated the room brightly. The atmosphere was harmonious. The Mountain Patroller who had arrived was named Feng Yi’an, and he was currently describing the situation in the mountains.

"The magnetic field in the mountains has been unstable recently. If you go deep, it’s easy to get lost, and many strange things have happened. The Fire Springs where some dangerous creatures live have nearly extinguished, while high-level Fire Springs have emerged deep within the night mist." Feng Yi’an had a large beard and a rough, boisterous manner. He downed a cup of tea in one go.

Qin Ming finally understood why the mountains had been so chaotic lately, with some massive creatures appearing on the outskirts of the dense forest.

It was because of the disturbances in the mountains; the nests of certain Rare Birds and Strange Beasts had encountered problems. Their movements had caused other creatures to flee outward.

"Will the situation worsen? What if a high-level species rushes out?" someone asked.

"Please rest easy, everyone. High-level figures will enter the mountains to 'chat' with those mysterious creatures and restore peace to this area as soon as possible."

Feng Yi’an informed them that even if negotiations failed, powerful figures would block the top-tier creatures of the mountains.

"As a precaution, the Mountain Patrollers are staying vigilant and prepared. All Rebirth-stage individuals in the villages and towns outside the mountains must also be ready."

Feng Yi’an explained that the high-level authorities were casting a wide net primarily to prevent the top-tier creatures from escaping, but some "small fish" might slip through the mesh.

The crowd looked solemn upon hearing this. If necessary, the newly reborn would have to join the fight!

Feng Yi’an laughed. "No need to be so nervous. It’s not as serious as you imagine. Besides, if there’s a major battle, that bright city in the distance will send noble scions for experience. They are all elites and will help us with the Mountain Sweeping Operation."

The people present breathed a sigh of relief at his words.

"Brother Feng has been patrolling the mountains deep into the night and rushed here early this morning to bring us news. It’s truly been hard on you," Xu Yueping said.

Feng Yi’an waved his hand. "What are you saying, Brother Xu? This is all part of the job. Don't worry, if any fierce beasts or Mountain Monsters rush out, they won't harm the people outside the mountains unless they step over the corpses of us Mountain Patrollers."

Xu Yueping personally brought out a large iron platter containing a whole roasted Rock sheep. The aroma was mouth-watering as he served it to Feng Yi’an.

He stopped a few people who were about to leave. "Don’t go. Stay and have a few drinks with Brother Feng."

The atmosphere in the room immediately became heated.

"I’m telling you, there’s no need to worry. This time, not only will the City Lord who governs this region come personally, but I’ve heard they’ve even invited experts from far away. There won't be any chaos. We’re mainly guarding against Moon Bugs and the emergence of unpredictable Mountain Lords."

After a few cups of wine, Feng Yi’an revealed a lot of information.

Qin Ming was surprised and listened intently.

He wasn't used to the pungent old wine at the table. He was about to take a sip of tea, but then he put the cup down. Aside from bitter tea, the brew contained dried ants the size of a thumb tip; the tea’s ingredients were complex.

Xu Yueping laughed. "Little Qin, a man must learn to drink. Also, these black ants are a great tonic—truly good stuff."

Feng Yi’an turned his head to look over. "This little brother looks young and unfamiliar."

"Uncle Feng, you can just call me Little Qin."

Xu Yueping introduced him, "This is Qin Ming. He’s just over sixteen and has just successfully completed his Rebirth. He’s the most promising youth in our area. I hope he can go to Crimson Cloud City for study."

"A fine talent. To transform during the Golden Period—what an enviable foundation," Feng Yi’an said with deep feeling.

Others followed suit with praise and envy, knowing full well how much potential someone with a Golden Foundation possessed.

The group continued to clink glasses, and the atmosphere at the table was lively. Feng Yi’an told several bizarre stories from the deep mountains.

"Have any of you seen a mysterious field in the deep mountains? All the crops are golden in color, and even the heavy mist cannot hide them. A brilliant golden light pierces through the pitch-black night sky... Just whose food is that?"