Chapter 226 Following the Main Force to Profit from Gold 【Two Chapters Combined】

Chapter 227 Following the Main Force to Profit from Gold 【Two Chapters Combined】

Kunling is expanding, and its area has become much larger.

Now, on this dark land, among the different cities, the most frequent topic of conversation is Kunling.

From the disappearance of the patriarch to the glowing of the blood of auspicious beasts in the black mist, to the resurgence of ghosts and monsters, and the occasional appearance of ancient texts, it has attracted worldwide attention.

Different groups of people have different feelings. The imperial court and the great religions are all wary, even fearful, because they have already understood the truth about that place.

What if Yujing reappears? Back then, even the creatures described in the “Kunling Legends” fled because of that city.

As for the people below, they were initially shocked and frightened, but as time went on, they gradually accepted it.

Many people even got excited and flocked there, all wanting to “strike it rich” because more and more good things were appearing.

Qionghua City, under the night sky, shines like a bright pearl, a giant city on the border of Dayu.

Qin Ming and Xiao Wu are back, having retreated from the frontier town to this place.

They didn’t know enough about Kunling and almost had an accident. They need to do their homework in this bustling place and don’t want to be lone wolves anymore.

As far as they knew, no one in the outer realms or among the core disciples of the esoteric sects had died suddenly.

“The rogue cultivator Qi Zhaohui entered from the direction of Dayu and unexpectedly discovered the blood of a mythical beast. It is said that he underwent Nirvana on the same day, greatly increasing his strength, which is the envy of many!”

The latest news was being talked about everywhere in the city, and people looked longing when they mentioned those opportunities and good fortune.

Qin Ming and Xiao Wu each held a string of “turtle honey” and ate them as they walked along the bustling main street.

Soon, they entered a teahouse, a place where information was most readily available.

Sure enough, both independent cultivators and major sects spared no effort in organizing various teams to explore.

“The people of Fangwai Yangtu and Etu have joined forces. Many of them are advancing from the direction of the Great Rui Dynasty and have their eyes on some ancient building areas!”

It is said that in such places, scriptures resonate, shining brightly beneath the ruins, revealing the written words.

However, such places are teeming with monsters and are extremely dangerous.

“I feel like these are all honeyed traps, luring us to plow through the Kunlun Mountains and break the seal further?”

“There is indeed such speculation among the higher-ups.”

However, all parties could not resist the temptation and set off, because both the Yin Land and the ruins held irresistible opportunities.

Legend has it that a young master of esoteric Buddhism obtained a secret manual in an underground palace, far surpassing ordinary manuals, which revealed various secrets on the path to godhood.

This incident made some masters of the esoteric sects restless, and they personally intervened.

Moreover, the appearance of Yin Earth and the resurgence of monsters are opportunities in themselves for some old guys.

Those vengeful ghosts that devour human flesh and spirit have been proven to be human, walking a different path, and have been targeted by some elderly people whose lifespans are nearing their end, who are eager to possess them.

“You think that those who attacked you were all ghost cultivators? You’re wrong. Some of them were normal people in disguise.”

The Kunling area is currently in chaos, and it is impossible to distinguish between humans and ghosts. Some people have infiltrated the area, secretly exploring how to navigate the ghostly path, and some are even impersonating ghosts.

Qin Ming and Xiao Wu exchanged a glance. It was indeed necessary to return to the giant city on the border to learn the latest inside story.

This teahouse is quite large, with tables and chairs that are polished to a shine. It has both private rooms and open areas, and it’s very popular now, with many people willing to gather together to exchange information.

A middle-aged man spoke up: “I advise you all not to act alone. Follow the big forces and you’ll get the benefits. Going it alone is like offering yourself up as meat for ghosts!”

The person next to him poured him tea and humbly and politely asked why he said that.

The middle-aged man said, “It’s obvious that an individual can’t compare to a large force. They have a lot of manpower and have already roughly figured out the terrain. They know where the dangers are and where it’s possible to pass through.”

“They’re so efficient?” Many people were surprised.

“It does not include the hinterland of Kunlun.”

Even so, it’s still amazing enough. Following them is definitely much better than wandering around on your own.

Meanwhile, some people have revealed how powerful forces obtain opportunities and why they are far more efficient than ordinary people.

“If the patriarch were to descend upon the scene, he could simply chisel through those ruined palaces and temples, regardless of what kind of ghosts or monsters they were, even if the Ghost Ancestor from the Yin Earth were to emerge, he would have no fear.”

Of course, it’s hard to say exactly how many patriarchs are left now, and they are not very interested in ordinary opportunities, but are more concerned about whether the Jade Capital will be born.

“Normal large organizations combine the old and the young, and act together; this is the most effective way,” someone said, explaining how those large sects do it.

Within those ruins, there are ghosts and monsters from all levels, some slumbering in the underground earth, and others seemingly sleeping in small, overlapping spaces.

Different levels of “blood food” will awaken monsters of different levels.

Therefore, in order to avoid high-end combat forces engaging in bloody battles, some large organizations send out some very skilled teenagers to plunder underground palaces, ruined halls, and other such places.

They were all excellent disciples, and they were able to handle most of the trouble they caused themselves.

The older generation will be nearby to keep watch and provide timely assistance should any unexpected situations arise.

In many ancient ruins, when the young people carrying “fortune” tried to escape, some unexpected things happened.

Even if old ghosts in Yin Earth or special spaces are not interested in these “blood offerings,” some will still revive and launch an attack.

In the event of such a crisis, the old guys would quickly mobilize to block them, conduct an organized retreat, and coordinate their operations, resulting in very few major casualties.

Many lone wolves were speechless for a long time after hearing this. It was too unfriendly to them. It seemed difficult to survive in Kunling territory without joining some large organizations.

A young man spoke up: “I increasingly feel that this is as if it was deliberately arranged by an invisible hand, giving future generations an opportunity to strive to explore?”

He wasn’t the only one with this suspicion; many others shared similar views.

Some monsters even carry secret manuals, and in those ruined halls and underground palaces, priceless secret manuals are occasionally unearthed, making them incredibly tempting.

This is precisely why so many people come to “seek their fortune”.

“There are two guesses about these things,” an old man said.

Firstly, this area was originally a trial ground in ancient times.

For Yujing, these things were nothing at all.

Another theory is that an unseen force deliberately arranged things this way, waiting for future generations to discover them, until the Jade Capital was born.

After leaving the teahouse, Xiao Wu complained, “It’s boring. Being a rogue cultivator is uncomfortable. Even if you join an expedition team from a major organization, you’re just cannon fodder. I feel like those people who leaked the inside information were all shills!”

Qin Ming nodded and said, “It’s probably a big organization recruiting, so they’re intentionally advertising like this.”

But he still became interested and prepared to inquire further and learn more, because with his special ability to resonate, he might be able to gain a lot.

Another option is for him to act as a lone wolf, but he needs to thoroughly understand the situation in that area. If he were to temporarily break into the ancient temple, resonate with the scriptures for a short time, and not take away any books, he might not alert the old ghost to intercept him.

Sure enough, after spending two days in the city, the two discovered that all the major powers were recruiting, and the conditions all seemed quite good.

“Xiao Wu, don’t get involved!” Qin Ming was preparing to join a team on his own to explore the field. If he went and seized the opportunity, he could indeed gain a lot.

He believed that if Xiao Wu were to take the risk, it would be a losing proposition.

Wu Yaozu shook his head and said, “Brother Ming, what are you talking about? If we’re going, we’ll go together!”

Qin Ming had a headache. There were some things he really couldn’t say. If his resonance ability were leaked, the old guys from all walks of life would probably search his soul.

The two lingered in Qionghua City for several days, learning more information, and finally set their sights on several organizations with relatively good reputations.

A good reputation is always relative.

For example, even though a certain school of Tantric Buddhism has a relatively high survival rate, it only maintains around 70%.

Of course, there are also those who fabricate stories. Even if the entire team is almost wiped out, they dare to claim that 80% of the men have returned.

Qin Ming’s first stop was to register with that esoteric sect, but he was rejected.

Then he switched to another one.

“Young man, are you taking the new student route? Sorry, we have enough people here.” The other party declined again.

Discrimination is everywhere because people take different paths.

“Here, we need those who cultivate a spiritual awareness that allows them to retrieve scriptures and rare treasures from a distance and escape quickly.” This is considered relatively good; they are being told the truth.

Some organizations accept anyone who comes, clearly intending to keep those who have entered the new path as cannon fodder to be used as backup.

Subsequently, Qin Ming changed his strategy. When introducing himself, he first mentioned that he was a master archer who could hit the bullseye every time.

This time, he sought refuge at the city lord’s mansion.

Pan Yutong, the legitimate daughter of the city lord of Qionghua City, personally selected the candidates, but Qin Ming was once again rejected.

With her graceful figure and gentle expression, she said, “I’m sorry, we have a master archer here, renowned as the best archer in Qionghua. The team doesn’t need that many archers for the time being.”

Qin Ming didn’t want to waste any more words, so he turned around and walked to the opposite side, where there was a young couple, who were said to be nobles from the capital of the Great Yu Dynasty.

“I am an Outer Saint, with unparalleled archery skills. If you give me the Jade Iron Arrow, I can kill all ghosts of the same level!” This time, Qin Ming exaggerated his boast.

Otherwise, he wouldn’t be able to join some teams with good reputations.

Sure enough, the two of them became interested.

Zhao Wencheng and Zhao Wenqian are a brother and sister, and they are indeed nobles from the capital. Moreover, they openly stated that they work for even more distinguished people.

The two asked Qin Ming to demonstrate his archery skills, and they were stunned. While others aimed to shoot down birds, the boy in front of them fired a barrage of arrows, shaving a bird’s head clean.

Furthermore, once the arrow reached a certain height, it was shredded by the inherent power of the heavenly light, the arrowhead turned into iron filings, and the wooden shaft was reduced to dust.

That way, even if it falls, it won’t hurt the people in the city.

Although Qin Ming has not yet stepped into the realm of Outer Saint, he is already capable of radiating heavenly light.

“What superb archery skills! Absolutely divine!” Zhao Wencheng exclaimed.

“Ah, that looks like the princess’s four-winged bird! Oh no, it’s a messenger!” Zhao Wenqian exclaimed.

She recognized the trembling four-winged bird; it was quite familiar to her.

“Oh my god, Zhao Wenqian, you’ve hired someone to kill me! I beg the princess to intervene!” Undoubtedly, the frightened four-winged bird inadvertently revealed the people behind the Zhao siblings.

“It’s a misunderstanding!” The two quickly tried to communicate with it.

This was a messenger that the Fourth Princess of Dayu liked very much and was quite favored.

It is about a foot long, entirely crimson, with golden eyes like jewels, and has two pairs of wings, allowing it to fly extremely fast.

“And you, executioner…” The four-winged bird was furious, stroking its bald head with one wing, its eyes practically spitting fire as it glared at the archer.

Qin Ming casually plucked the bowstring, and the angry little bird immediately rolled its eyes and fainted in fright, finally becoming quiet.

Zhao Wencheng lowered his voice and said, “Brother, you know our strength now. You should have heard of the Fourth Princess of Dayu. She is a woman of extraordinary talent, like a reincarnation of a celestial being.”

Qin Ming was surprised. He had indeed heard of this woman before; she was quite famous, and he knew that she had changed her name to Yao Ruoxian.

It is said that she possessed extraordinary talent and was born to walk the path of immortality, but she did not enter the realm beyond the mortal world.

The Great Yu Dynasty was a behemoth, possessing countless resources. It had cultivation techniques, rare treasures, and powerful medicines.

Yao Ruoxian’s cultivation was extremely astonishing, comparable to the most powerful immortal seed, and even stronger than her brother who had entered the realm beyond the mortal world.

Zhao Wenqian said, “You will receive three hundred gold coins each time you go on an adventure. If you find anything in the ruins, you will also receive your share. It’s absolutely fair.”

“Okay!” Qin Ming nodded in agreement.

As for Xiao Wu, he stared longingly, but Qin Ming held him back, not wanting him to go on the risk.

Qin Ming comforted him, “Let me scout out a path first. If there are no problems, you can sign up later.”

The next day, Qin Ming set off again, entering the Kunling region shrouded in black mist.

Zhao Wencheng said, “Based on our experience, a team should not exceed ten people. Otherwise, even if they are all young people, not seniors with profound cultivation, too much blood energy gathered together may attract old ghosts.”

He and Zhao Wenqian both came, but they didn’t have any in-depth plans; instead, they came to see off several teams.

The two formed four teams, each with nine members.

Behind each team, there were several elderly people following, truly a “young and old” pairing.

Those old men were all people of the Fourth Princess Yao Ruoxian. They had already figured out Kunling’s territory quite well, and as expected, they went straight to their target without any surprises after entering.

With experienced guides and escorts, the team moved forward at a very fast pace, and there was no danger in the early stages, as they were traveling through the safest area.

Qin Ming was astonished; their destination was a vast ruin, with a magnificent palace at its core.

The area was shrouded in black mist, and the ruined palace there had silver tiles. One could only imagine how magnificent this place must have been in its heyday.

Their task was to clear away the ruins of the temples along the way.

Today, their target is only a partially collapsed building, which is not small in size.

As Qin Ming advanced, he discovered that the giant palace in the core area was filled with purple energy, and at the same time, the yin energy was so dense that it was impossible to dissipate, and it was icy cold.

Moreover, the slightest movement would cause the yin energy there to surge upwards, which was extremely unusual.

“The central palace ahead is one of the most important nodes in the Yin Earth. When it is time to clear it out, the Fourth Princess will come in person.”

Soon, Qin Ming and his group trudged through the rubble and arrived near the ruined hall.

At this moment, he displayed his superb archery skills. Ordinary iron arrows, once shot by him, were surrounded by dazzling light.

In an instant, the five nearly rotting monsters in the ruined hall were all shot through the forehead, their heads shattered, and they fell backward to the ground.

They are called ghosts and monsters, but they are actually ancient people who have taken the path of devouring human flesh and spirit, just like vengeful ghosts.

“Excellent archery!” someone exclaimed.

Then, the others also began to move, entering the half-collapsed ruins of the temple to search for rare treasures, scriptures, and so on. As a result, several more ghosts rushed out and immediately fought with them.

They had just emerged from the underground yin soil, and their strength was considerable.

In an instant, the team suffered losses.

Qin Ming drew his bow and shot an arrow, but even so, four members of their team died. The monsters in the black fog were impossible to defend against.

Moreover, he didn’t want to stand out too much. He would naturally save people if he could, but it wasn’t appropriate for him to risk his life to enter dangerous territory and desperately save strangers.

In the end, the five of them returned, finding no scriptures or rare treasures, and gained nothing.

Even so, when they retreated, they attracted two old ghosts who chased them out of the ruined palace.

Soon, the older generation of figures who were holding the line in the rear joined forces to kill them.

The first day was uneventful for Qin Ming. With someone to guide him and a senior figure to back him up, it was extremely safe.

“Brother Ming, I’ll go with you next time!” Xiao Wu said in the evening.

Qin Ming shook his head and said, “I’ll take you with me when they go to search for the blood of the auspicious beast. There’s no need for that now; there’s no fortune to be found there.”

After dinner, Qin Ming felt a gradually increasing heat within his body, which, after accumulating for several days, was about to trigger a physical transformation.

Without hesitation, he began to refine the demonic seed he had left in his hand and began to practice the “Undying Butterfly Scripture.” He wanted to complete his final rebirth and miraculous feat simultaneously.

That night, Qin Ming’s body ruptured multiple times. This was the nature of refining the demonic seed; it would inevitably cause backlash. At the same time, his flesh and blood were brimming with new life force, undergoing intense changes.

As dawn broke, Qin Ming’s final rebirth was completed, and he also mastered the eighth extraordinary skill!

Without a doubt, his physical condition has improved once again.

Most importantly, with the addition of this extraordinary skill, his Heavenly Light Force underwent a qualitative change, which was the fundamental reason for his improved combat power.

Now, when Qin Ming casually clenched his fist, the Heavenly Light Force flowed naturally, shining like a small sun. He didn’t dare to completely unleash the Heavenly Light Force.

He feared that the glare would surpass anything seen before, appearing even more dazzling than the blazing sun, alarming the others in the inn, because without a doubt, the sight would be astonishing.

Based on past experience, once his eight extraordinary skills are integrated into one, they will be equivalent to the Four Imperial Forces of the Six Imperial Ancestral Court!

At this level, within the first realm, it seems no one can do it!

Even the founders of various religions are not acceptable.

The patriarchs of all generations, and their most amazing successors, could only master the three levels of power at the highest level of the first realm. The strongest master of the Sky-Supporting Sect, the Heaven-Shaking One, and the legendary Golden Body Nirvana One of the Tathagata Sect, could not defeat the four levels of power!

“In the first realm, I have finally surpassed the ancestors!” Qin Ming said with a sense of accomplishment, a smile spreading across his face.

Early in the morning, he left the city to verify the power of the fusion of eight extraordinary skills. At the same time, he did not want to leave any hidden dangers, so he wanted to repeatedly temper the unified force by combining the dragon and tiger medicine.

Xiao Wu followed along and witnessed Qin Ming’s transformation firsthand, leaving him utterly astonished.

Deep in the mountains and dense forests, Qin Ming’s aura was even more terrifying than before, and the unified Heavenly Light Force seemed to be condensing into real fragments of the sun.

Qin Ming punched out a large hole in the mountain wall.

The next moment, five-colored divine light swirled around his body, and three-colored auspicious clouds bloomed. The eight extraordinary skills each formed a divine scene, transforming into an immortal divine ring that protected him within.

As he concentrated his Heavenly Light Force, a large spear appeared in his hand, which he swung with such force that it seemed capable of cleaving the cliffs in two.

Then, the great spear transformed into a long sword, and the eight-colored sword seemed to merge with him. He rode the sword, rose off the ground, and shot out like lightning.

Finally, Qin Ming stopped and repeatedly refined the technique using the method of combining dragon and tiger medicine, perfectly fusing all the Heavenly Light Forces and unifying the eight extraordinary skills into one.

He had a feeling that in a few days, without taking any powerful medicine, he would naturally be able to step into the realm of outer sainthood.

Xiao Wu exclaimed, “Brother Ming, you’ve gone a bit too far in the first realm! You’ve truly reached the pinnacle, reshaping the legend. You’re the peak!”

He felt that he was no match for Qin Ming in the first realm.

Then he sighed and said, “I have been honing my skills in every way recently to make up for my shortcomings, but I really can’t improve any further. I’ll wait for you in the second realm and then we’ll compete against each other.”

As he spoke, he entered the second realm, and a dazzling light burst forth from his body.

Qin Ming had long known that there was something strange about him, something even stronger than he actually appeared.

After all, Xiao Wu is the sole survivor of the Fourth Forbidden Land, and his talent is by no means inferior to that of a Celestial Seed. He has been cultivating for more than ten years, so how could he still be in the First Realm?!

On this day, Zhao Wencheng said he would rest and did not go on any more explorations.

In fact, the four teams he and Zhao Wenqian formed needed to be supplemented with more people.

That day, Qin Ming and Xiao Wu heard a lot of the latest news.

In the direction of the Great Rui Dynasty, the outsiders who marched into Kunlun from there have joined forces. It is said that many immortal beings have also participated, because they have discovered extraordinary ruins.

In some of the enormous palaces, golden characters flowed, which was truly astonishing!

Furthermore, sects of Tantric Buddhism, advancing from the direction of the Great Gan Dynasty, also discovered strange lands, and some people obtained secret scriptures. In addition, ancient extraordinary feats were also discovered.

These messages stirred up Qin Ming’s emotions, making him eager to rush over and join them on their adventure.

Over the next ten days or so, Qin Ming and his group went on an expedition every other day, finally clearing away the ruins and preparing to head to the central palace.

It could be said that almost all the people he knew at the very beginning were replaced; some quit after just one visit, and the rest died.

“You really are a sharpshooter?” Pan Yutong asked with a complicated expression.

On the final expedition, heading towards the central palace, she also arrived, again to serve the fourth princess.

Zhao Wencheng also arrived, intending to accompany them and enter the central palace.

In recent days, they have been clearing out the ruins of the temple, but have found nothing.

However, those old guys were full of confidence in the central palace.

Qin Ming originally didn’t plan to get involved, but they gave him far too much: two thousand gold coins plus a miraculous skill manual.

Yao Ruoxian arrived in person, clad in full armor that covered her face, revealing only her slender figure; her true appearance remained hidden.

She was surrounded by many experts.

She was dissuaded; it was her first time exploring, and those old guys wouldn’t let her go into the central palace herself.

In fact, Qin Ming was not selected. He was not chosen when the nine-person group was selected for the first time, but he was selected as a backup and went along with the group.

Whether it was a trick of the mind or not, when Qin Ming stood near this giant palace, he felt the tattered cloth tremble slightly, which immediately startled him, something he had never experienced before.

It actually moved on its own!

At the same time, Qin Ming felt that it absorbed a trace of the Yin energy overflowing from the central giant palace, and then it trembled again.

However, it did not continue to absorb yin energy.

Meanwhile, deep within the Kunlun Mountains, in layers of strange spaces, all the vanished patriarchs are still there.

They were utterly shocked, for after breaking through the mysterious boundary, they found in a cave the coffins of godlike beings—not just one, but several—lying in front of them, and they also saw a nine-colored altar.

“What is that?!”

On that altar, a piece of cloth was offered, seemingly more important than the coffin of the god.

One of the patriarchs was moved and wanted to take it.