Chapter 204 The Priceless New Silk Manuscript 【Two chapters combined】

Amidst the ruins of the thatched hut, bamboo slips lay scattered on a bluestone table. Originally there was a large pile, but most of them were burned when the woman ascended to heaven, leaving only a small portion.

Both boys held bamboo slips in their hands, and were extremely excited.

He burst into laughter, somewhat manic, rambling incoherently, as if he wanted God to punish him.

One of them, his face beaming with joy and his eyes burning with fervor, stared at the bamboo slips, eager to immediately demonstrate his martial arts and slap the heavens in the face.

“I understand now, I get it! This is the way to go!” Xiao Wu clutched the bamboo slip tightly, various insights flooding his mind, and he kept nodding to himself.

Qin Ming felt that each bamboo slip was priceless; it was a divine object.

At first, he was shocked because he saw silk calligraphy on it. The characters were densely packed, as if they had survived a thousand years, yet they were still clear. The various human figures seemed to have accumulated the vicissitudes of history.

The bamboo strips have all turned yellow; they are definitely antiques.

He initially thought it was left by the patriarch, but after careful study and reflection, he realized that these silk calligraphy works were somewhat different and seemed to have undergone refinement and slight modifications.

Soon, he realized that these were the questions he had been pondering all along, and now they had surfaced on the bamboo slips with “new interpretations”!

“This tea… is extraordinary, and this bamboo slip is also quite miraculous, reflecting my heart!”

The light in Qin Ming’s eyes grew brighter and brighter, as if the fire of enlightenment had been ignited. His entire spirit and energy were transformed, and he radiated vitality.

“Brother, it’s actually answering my questions. My path is clear now…” Xiao Wu said. His past confusion has been resolved. He gripped the bamboo slip tightly.

Qin Ming shook his head and said, “It’s not that it’s resolving your doubts or giving you answers, but rather that it’s illuminating your heart. It’s this tea that has helped you gain insights and elevate your understanding. The questions we’ve been accumulating over time have naturally led to new solutions through deeper reflection.”

Xiao Wu nodded and said, “Yes, in the past, it was already rare to have a flash of inspiration, but now I have flashes of inspiration constantly appearing!” Then he fell silent. This state is extremely rare, and a “moment” in the state of enlightenment is priceless.

Undoubtedly, the bamboo slips that illuminate the mind and the mysterious tea can boost one’s comprehension in a short period of time, with completely different effects for different people.

If someone with the talent of a grandmaster suddenly experiences a significant increase in their comprehension, several times greater than usual, how “terrifying” would that be?

Holding the bamboo slips, Qin Ming felt the fog in his mind gradually dissipating, and the questions he had been pondering were now finding clear answers.

He usually studies the silk manuscripts, and with various clues piling up and inspirations accumulating, some things that were just a step away from being solved have now been overcome.

“In the past, I temporarily solved the problem of my body exploding when I wrote silk calligraphy, but it was not perfect in the details.”

Qin Ming used his special state of enlightenment to refine his understanding, delving deeper into the issues he had been pondering, and combining this with the refined silk calligraphy he had obtained in the temple for mutual verification.

Recently, he carefully studied the silk calligraphy in the temple. The changes in the new field were very minor. After practicing by comparing them, he found that those few small details were indeed more exquisite.

He thus realized that he should start from the details and use the ideas in the “Destiny Changing Classic”.

When he practiced the Destiny-Changing Scripture, he went with the flow, which had a bit of the flavor of “following the natural way” and he performed the exercises according to his instincts.

At that time, Qin Ming was in charge of the classics and did not completely believe in the outline of the general principles. Instead, he let the light of heaven, divine wisdom, and spiritual light of consciousness unite and spread naturally, paving the way under the general principles.

He studied the subtle details of the silk calligraphy, and some of the questions he pondered have now been cleared of the fog and given new insights. He is now ready to put them into action.

The little bird is smiling, which looks silly, but from another perspective, it can be seen as a manifestation of the pure and innocent mindset of someone who has attained enlightenment.

Qin Ming didn’t disturb him. He picked up his own teacup and drank more this time, because his next move was crucial and would have a great impact on him.

In an instant, his mind raced like lightning, free of any distractions, focused entirely on the area he was conquering, his thoughts reflected on the bamboo slips.

Qin Ming is extremely familiar with silk calligraphy. He has practiced it for the longest time, starting from childhood and continuing for more than ten years, always strictly following the records in the book.

Now he breaks with old rules, keeps the general principles unchanged, and lets the calligraphy flow freely, which is quite free and natural.

Qin Ming observed carefully and saw that the overall route had hardly changed, as if it was going to continue moving forward due to inertia.

However, he is in a very special state now. His spiritual intuition is extremely sharp, and he has noticed some subtle things, which are slightly sluggish.

“change!”

Qin Ming quickly made a choice, and after a subtle change in the path, he found that the sluggishness disappeared.

If it were any other time, he would need to spend a long time to discover and improve these things; he would definitely need to observe and refine them repeatedly before he could achieve perfection.

However, things are different today.

His comprehension and talent were already terrifying. Even if he were to be modest, he was at least at the “master level”. Now that he has suddenly soared, it is simply “horrifying”.

Right now, Qin Ming’s mind is clear, his inspiration is like lightning, constantly intertwining, and his state of enlightenment is enough to frighten many celebrities.

“The details here are not natural enough, they are too deliberate, and the microcirculation pathways are dimmer than elsewhere.” In this strange state, he can discover problems that he cannot see in normal times.

Qin Ming completed one cycle of circulation, restarting the process, and made several minor adjustments.

He repeatedly practiced the silk calligraphy, closed his eyes, and let the natural flow of the sunlight.

He felt that the silk calligraphy had reached its perfect moment in the first stage!

The dazzling sunlight, like a dense spider web, wove into his flesh and blood, flowing at breakneck speed, and he found it suited him even better than before.

Qin Ming felt that if he operated along this slightly adjusted route, the power of his Heavenly Light Force should be improved!

A moment later, he opened his eyes and found Xiao Wu drinking tea with a silly grin.

Qin Ming picked up his teacup and took his third sip; this time, it was almost empty.

Not far away, those people could not see any trace of the thatched hut, but only two people drinking fake tea among the thorns, holding illusory bamboo slips, talking and laughing about enlightenment, all of them completely silent.

However, there were a few individuals who looked serious and stared at that spot, such as Ling Yu and Xin Youdao.

Liu Hanyue was also shocked, because she had come to believe that the two boys were unfathomable.

This time, when Qin Ming was activating the Silk Script, he paused slightly at a crucial moment, and then decisively merged the Heavenly Light Force, Divine Wisdom, and Spiritual Light into one.

Clearly, he was reenacting the process and state he had when he first comprehended the “Scripture of Changing Fate.” The silk calligraphy, after merging with the other two forces, flowed smoothly as well, which didn’t surprise Qin Ming, as they were already intertwined in daily life.

“Hmm, the subtle details are even clearer now.” (Reading and searching for Xiuting)

Qin Ming’s flesh and blood were illuminated, as if golden rivers were flowing across the land shrouded in night mist, constantly expanding and spreading throughout his body, dispelling the darkness.

During this process, Qin Ming only found one minor obstacle, but he still tried to change his route.

He then activated the Heavenly Light Force on his own and discovered that it could be modified.

In the end, Qin Ming had a sudden realization that this path was most suitable for him. He integrated his consciousness and divine wisdom into the Heavenly Light Force, treating it as a seed and planting it into the soil of his physical body, as if he were cultivating it. He could look forward to the revival of all things and the harvest season to come.

His improvements to silk calligraphy were now complete. He felt fulfilled!

Qin Ming drank the last of the tea leaves, read the bamboo slips, and began to comprehend other scriptures, such as the Reenactment of the Fire Scripture and the Wuji Scripture. He also seriously studied the Golden Cicada Scripture and the Dragon and Snake Scripture.

Finally, he picked up the teapot, shook it, poured out a few more drops, and drank them. He realized that the tea wasn’t as potent anymore; it seemed that the previous amount was just right for him.

“Brother, I still have some left in this cup, do you want some? I don’t seem to feel anything anymore if I drink more, I can’t have any more enlightenment.” Xiao Wu said, he was already very satisfied, many of his doubts had been resolved.

“No need,” Qin Ming shook his head.

“Then let’s leave it for someone destined to drink it.” Xiao Wu didn’t force himself to drink it, leaving a tea stalk.

He was quite fascinated and said, “This is just leftover tea. Even after being eroded by a thousand years of time, it still has such an effect. If it were new tea… I can’t even imagine. If I could find a tea garden like that, wow, I feel like I could forge my own path!”

Clearly, he had just made a huge gain!

Qin Ming believes that what he has gained today will influence the entire path he will take.

At a level of enlightenment several times greater than that of the patriarch, he adjusted his silk calligraphy. The process seemed ordinary, but if others knew, it would be no less than a thunderbolt from the heavens, constantly exploding on the path of rebirth!

When Qin Ming came out, he found that many teams had already set off. Those people didn’t want to watch the two of them “perform” because they thought it was too fake.

In the distance, Ling Yu and Xin Youdao nodded in this direction and quickly walked away, catching up with their own group. They had been warned not to get too close to these two, which they found quite regrettable.

“Shanhe No. 2 hasn’t left yet,” Xiao Wu said.

Hearing this from a distance, Liu Hanyue and the people around him wanted to roll their eyes at him; this guy was too vengeful. “Hey, junior brothers, let’s go, let’s hit the road together,” Liu Hanyue invited.

Qin Ming and Xiao Wu did not refuse and gladly followed them on their journey, because having a large group to explore those mysterious areas would save them a lot of effort.

Now everyone knows that the elixirs and minerals found in the real world are far inferior to the extraordinary encounters captured through spiritual perception.

Ahead, the groups split up; some members no longer wanted to travel together, and the groups decided to disperse and explore independently. Soon, in the dense forest, a large group of people divided into many smaller groups.

However, they soon flocked to one place, because it was so special, with colorful mist swirling around it, visible from a great distance.

Of course, many newcomers are exceptions; they can’t discover anything unless they reach the level of Outer Saint, at which point some conscious inspiration will emerge.

“This place is really outrageous. You can see your own reflection in the thick fog and fight against yourself. Only by defeating that self can you pass through. If you fail, you will never see the five-colored fog again.”

“I really want to hit someone. Just now, I actually defeated myself. It hurts so much!”

In fact, many people have failed because they discovered that the version of themselves they saw in the fog was their strongest version of themselves in the past, and now most of them can only manage a draw.

Qin Ming said, “In that realm where reality and the divine intertwine, every arrangement has a profound meaning.”

He has just attained enlightenment and needs this kind of tempering. From any perspective, the two places are connected, making this the best place to practice.

“It hurts so much! I almost killed myself!” Gan Jincheng coughed up blood and retreated. He was one of the best among the group, but he still couldn’t get over his own hurdle.

Someone suggested: “Everyone, once you enter and your image appears, don’t rush into action. First, meditate quietly. If you can achieve new improvements, then proceed with the challenge; otherwise, don’t try.”

A group of people passed through the area shrouded in five-colored mist and suddenly turned around, because they heard a loud commotion coming from there. “Hiss, no way, are those two guys really that strong?”

Does anyone remember those two strange teenagers who were at the back? Are they trying to pass the level now? This is making quite a commotion!

Clearly, Liu Hanyue was determined to latch onto these two powerful junior brothers. They were extraordinary. She sent her team ahead while she waited patiently.

She witnessed with her own eyes a magnificent arched bridge appear in the thick fog, its aura incredibly terrifying.

Immediately, she paled, for she discovered that on the other side, it was as if a brilliant sun was rising from the mist on the sea, its radiance making her feel somewhat uncomfortable.

You know, she was outside that area; if she had stood close up, she simply couldn’t imagine what would have happened.

“This… this is a talent at the level of a young ancestor, no, it feels even more terrifying than Ling Yu’s!” Liu Hanyue was shocked, feeling that the two youths in the colorful mist were more and more outrageous than the other.

She believed that if that newcomer unleashed his blazing, sun-like fist, none of them would be able to withstand it. Especially those on the Immortal Path; if their consciousness dared to extend, it would likely be instantly ignited!

Soon after, Qin Ming and Xiao Wu emerged from this colorful land, finding it fascinating that they could actually fight another version of themselves.

However, the “self” reflected in the colorful mist was the state of the two before today, and did not show the changes they had undergone after enlightenment in the ruins of the thatched hut.

Otherwise, even Qin Ming would have to walk out covered in blood, and might even end up in a fight with another version of himself in the fog.

After such a great battle, he felt that the new route of the silk manuscript was perfect. After testing and the tempering of actual combat, it became smoother and more suitable for him.

Little Wu spat out a mouthful of blood and was quite satisfied, then strode out.

He grinned and said, “Senior, why don’t you swear an oath using forbidden techniques not to tell anyone what you’ve seen?”

Liu Hanyue was taken aback. She already knew that these two people had a big secret, otherwise they wouldn’t have remained unknown.

She took a deep breath and did as she was told, because she knew very well that those two guys looked harmless, but were definitely very dangerous.

Qin Ming and Xiao Wu walked slowly, still experiencing the changes within themselves.

“You two…” Liu Hanyue’s beautiful face showed a complicated expression. Could it be that these are some kind of immortal or divine seed, intentionally hidden in the team?

“Nothing special, just two nobodys. Senior, just pretend you didn’t see anything,” Xiao Wu said. “There’s… a village!” Liu Hanyue exclaimed, as she stood on a low hill gazing into the distance.

Some people in the line ahead went in, while others went around and continued forward, clearly indicating a disagreement. A moment later, the three of them approached.

Qin Ming was surprised and said, “It’s very quiet. Those people who went in seem to have vanished without a trace, not even making a sound?”

Just as they reached the edge of the village in the mist, they suddenly heard shouts of battle coming from within; a fierce battle was raging.

“Run! Get out of here!” one of the teenagers cried out in despair.

A dozen or so figures, covered in blood, rushed outwards, but some of them were blown up along the way by short-handled hammers thrown out by others.

People screamed as they were pierced by spears thrown at them, their blood gushing out; a tragedy was unfolding here.

“What kind of genius disciple is this? So fragile? Haha, the academies in Kunlou are nothing special!” A wolfish laugh rang out.

“Demon!” Liu Hanyue’s expression changed.

Qin Ming and Xiao Wu rushed in immediately. Although they disliked some people, they were determined to unite against the demons on the plateau.

At this moment, Qin Ming fired his bow repeatedly, and immediately, some tall figures on the rooftops of the village who were throwing spears and short hammers were hit by arrows one after another, splattering blood.

Qin Ming did not use the jade iron arrow, nor did he take it out into the sunlight. He achieved this effect by shooting the fine iron arrow purely with his physical strength.

“Run!”

In an instant, more than a dozen acquaintances rushed out.

“Don’t go in! There are extremely powerful demons inside. Even Xin Youdao, Gan Jincheng, and Jiang Ruoli couldn’t withstand them and were severely injured!”

Someone reminded them not to go and die in vain. They were grateful that Shen Wubing, Wu Yaozu, and Liu Hanyue rushed in to save them, but they didn’t think it would change anything.

Qin Ming said nothing and rushed inside. Xin Youdao and the others were severely injured but not instantly killed, which meant that the demons were not so formidable. However, he soon realized that he had oversimplified the matter.

Because a large group of people were blocked by four demons.

Even including the demons who stood on the rooftops throwing spears and hammers, the number was less than ten.

Five teams, totaling no fewer than fifty people, arrived here, but were scattered and killed by the demons. With a boom, Xiao Wu threw his spear and flew into the battlefield like lightning.

Qin Ming fired arrows in quick succession, then picked up a short hammer and hurled it with a thunderous roar.

Of the four most powerful demons, one had a bloody shoulder wound from an arrow. Some of the demons standing on the rooftops were even pierced through by arrows.

“Has a powerful expert arrived?” a wolf-headed demon asked, standing on the roof.

The four leading demons remained silent, standing still on the ground. They all appeared to be human, and had not shed a drop of blood on their bodies, demonstrating their formidable strength.

“Retreat quickly!” Xin Youdao whispered. His eyes lit up when he saw Qin Ming and Xiao Wu. There were still more than twenty people here, and even working together they couldn’t defeat the four great demons.

“Did I let you leave?” a silver-haired boy asked. He was a demon indistinguishable from a human, and with a whoosh, he rushed out like lightning.

With a soft “plop,” Sun Junlin of the Great Dream Dojo was cleaved in two by his long sword!

Everyone turned pale. Sun Junlin was the leader of a team and was very strong, yet he died such a tragic death.

At the same time, a blond boy rushed out and pierced Lin Qianyu with his spear, lifting her up and causing her to scream in pain.

Although Qin Ming and Wu Yaozu rushed over at top speed and threw out short hammers and spears, they were blocked by the other two of the four demons.

With a bang, the blond boy suddenly jerked, sending Lin Qianyu flying. She crashed to the ground, clearly beyond saving, with a gaping, bloody hole in her heart.

This was also a genius who assembled a team, but ultimately met a tragic end. Qin Ming and Xiao Wu rushed forward and joined Xin Youdao and the others.

“Take the men and leave first!” Qin Ming whispered.

In fact, after the four young demons stopped fighting, the others fled on their own, not believing that the three reinforcements could change the course of the battle.

However, the most capable men, seeing that Xin Youdao had stayed behind, gritted their teeth and returned. They were quite loyal and didn’t just think about escaping on their own.

Jiang Ruoli, Gan Jincheng, and Xiao Yaqin, covered in blood, stood on this land again, panting heavily.

Soon, they were shocked to learn that the two teenagers who rushed to their aid had exchanged blows with two of the four demons but were unharmed.

That’s why the four boys who looked very human stopped chasing them.

Xin Youdao quickly informed him: “These are four very famous young demons on the plateau, all in the second realm. One of them has a very powerful background; he is the black-haired boy who has the opportunity to compete for the Demon Seed, just like someone on our side has the opportunity to compete for the Immortal Seed. With a little more polishing, he will become a force to be reckoned with.”

Xin Youdao was very indignant. If his cultivation level hadn’t been too low and he hadn’t yet entered the second realm, he wouldn’t have suffered such a huge loss today, and he certainly wouldn’t have been so humiliated.

Considering there were so many of them, they were hunted by only four demons, and even their combined attack was useless. “Going to compete for the demon seed? Then he definitely has no chance!” Qin Ming said.

Jiang Ruoli, Gan Jincheng, Xiao Yaqin, and the others who returned were all taken aback. Was he really that confident? How dare he speak like that?

Then, they immediately thought, could it be that the two men’s earlier behavior at the ruins of the thatched hut was genuine and not just an act?

“How many demons have come in this time? Are they deliberately waiting here to ambush us?” Qin Ming asked.

Xin Youdao explained, “No, our people took over part of the plateau, including this secret realm. These demons were here at the time and didn’t have time to leave, so they hibernated.”

“Since that’s the case, then kill them all!” Qin Ming said. He had been in the frontier of the wilderness and had fought fiercely with some demons. He knew how terrifying an old demon who had grown powerful could be. Right now, these aliens were very hostile to their side, and there was no room for reconciliation between the two sides.

“Two for each person!” Xiao Wu said.

The blond-haired boy opposite spoke up: “Heh… What did I just hear? A whole group of people were defeated by us. You two are indeed not weak, but to be so arrogant, I think you’re tired of living!”

They approached proactively. As four young demons with great fame on the plateau, they were extremely confident. They had all stepped into the second realm, and each had a terrifying demon clan behind them.

Qin Ming didn’t say anything and walked forward.

Xiao Wu immediately followed, joining him in facing the four unusual teenagers. “Those two…” Gan Jincheng said in disbelief.

Liu Hanyue whispered, “Perhaps we can win!”

“We’ll also lend a hand and hold off those demons on the roof!” Jiang Ruoli said.

Xiao Yaqin’s expression was complicated. She naturally understood that the two boys were very strong, and she had actually refused when Xin Youdao recommended them to her earlier.

“I don’t know your origins, but are you perhaps contenders for the Immortal Seed? You certainly have an arrogant tone.” The most powerful black-haired demon youth spoke.

“Who’s going up? Kill one first!” The black-haired youth’s tone was icy. He was equivalent to a quasi-immortal, his realm had not yet reached the standard, but his potential was great.

“Let me do it!” the silver-haired youth replied. It was he who cleaved Su Junlin in two at the last moment, demonstrating his profound skill and extreme ruthlessness.

“Brother, let me…” Before Xiao Wu could finish speaking, Qin Ming had already rushed out.

The silver-haired youth approached, carrying a blood-dripping longsword. Upon discovering that his opponent was more proactive and had already reached him, he grinned maliciously. He had already stepped into the second realm two years ago and was a prodigy among demons.

However, the next moment he was horrified, for a five-colored blade appeared in his opponent’s hand, and a five-colored halo swirled around his body, sending chills down his spine. This was no mere sparring, but the killing of a demon, and Qin Ming didn’t want to waste any time, so he went all out from the start.

The two collided more than a dozen times in a short period of time.

It’s easy to imagine how strong the silver-haired youth was, having clashed head-on with Qin Ming, who had just completed his enlightenment, so many times. (Read more at Xiuting Bookstore)

The two men clashed, their blades flashing, as they charged at each other.

Finally, after exchanging blows with Qin Ming again, the silver-haired youth rushed out. With a clang, his long sword broke and fell to the ground, blood starting to flow from between his eyebrows, followed by his chest and abdomen splitting open.

With a soft thud, his body was split in two, as if he had been cleaved in two, and only then did blood splatter everywhere!

I’ll continue with two chapters tomorrow, otherwise some readers will feel that there are too few updates.

(There’s more to come!)