Chapter 451: Chapter 268: Seeking True Meaning Amidst Smoke and Fire (Part 2)
He worried that if it were buried in the pitch-black area, it might suddenly pop out and really scare someone to death.
Qin Ming examined the blood on the kite. Although it emitted light, its spirituality had long been exhausted, making it unusable as Auspicious Blood.
“How old are these two trees?” Qin Ming personally buried the ancient kite under the tree.
Old Man Liu said, “About as old as I am, I guess. Don’t look at me like that. It is said that there were two old mulberry trees here, which died after many years. Later, it might have been birds from the Black and White Mountain that brought back the seeds, allowing the Black and White Trees to take root here.”
Qin Ming looked up at the night sky and said, “Is there a possibility that the seeds fell from above?”
“Stop talking!” Old Man Liu quickly interrupted.
The Motivational Squirrel felt uneasy at these words. Would it still dare to come here for training atop the trees?
Qin Ming handed a jar of Spiritual Material and a book of the “Golden Cicada Scripture” to Old Man Liu. Then, after some thought, he left a copy of the “Dragon and Snake Scripture” as well, telling him to pass it on to the right person.
Afterward, he asked Old Man Liu about the presence of Evil Qi and suspicious locations in the mountain.
“Hmm, there are indeed a few suspicious spots.”
In this aspect, Old Man Liu was considered an authority and was most familiar with the Black and White Mountain. In the past, when they searched for Spiritual Material, they relied on his guidance.
He said, “Go inside and rest for the night.”
Qin Ming shook his head and arranged with him to enter the mountain when Shallow Night arrived.
The Motivational Squirrel jumped onto Old Man Liu’s shoulder, fixated on the two miracle techniques, unable to look away, and finally went into the courtyard with him.
That night, instead of returning to his earlier residence, Qin Ming sat cross-legged under the Black and White Tree, contemplating the scripture and understanding the skill.
He hadn’t anticipated that the village, where he had lived for two years, would have so many peculiarities.
Soon, he calmed his mind, meditating on the scriptures he practiced and immersed himself in them.
The Heibai Yin Yang Diagram appeared, rotating and enveloping him within, leading him to emerge into the void beside the Fire Spring with an indescribable Tao Rhythm.
In a pond roughly sixteen square feet in area, the Fire Spring shimmered with rippling waves, spouting Chixia, while the Black and White Dual Trees swayed in the breeze, rustling softly.
Not long after, the yin-yang diagram outside Qin Ming’s body seemed to connect with the Black and White Dual Trees, seemingly resonating with each other.
A larger yin-yang diagram emerged, enveloping the two trees as well.
That night, Qin Ming reached a new level in his understanding of the “Black and White Scripture,” achieving complete transparency. The twelve pages of scripture were densely filled, with countless little black and white figures holding no more secrets from him.
He truly penetrated the scripture thoroughly.
The Black and White Light intertwined, transforming into a Yin Yang Fish, no longer spinning at high speed but instead moving steadily at a unique rhythm.
However, its Tao Rhythm became thicker.
Simultaneously, a black and white fish eye appeared within the Yin Yang Fish.
At this point, the yin-yang diagram seemed alive, with a genuine finishing touch, embodying spirituality, and a completely perfect Heibai Yin Yang Diagram appeared.
Qin Ming merged into the heaven and earth, as if becoming one with the entire Black and White Mountain, breathing in unison with the mountains and rivers.
Approaching Shallow Night, Qin Ming rose to his feet, appearing as if draped in a black and white robe, his deep eyes embodying Taoism.
“In the Second Realm, who cannot be slain?” he said calmly.
The sky was still quite dark when the Red Squirrel arrived, acting ceremoniously, bowing to Qin Ming before leaping onto a branch to begin training there.
Soon, Old Man Liu walked out of the house, kicking back the old yellow dog that followed.
An old man and a young one went into the mountain, with the Motivational Squirrel sneakily following them.
Old Man Liu led the way, like a living map.
Except for the Advanced Fire Spring area where the old monsters lived, which he hadn’t been to, he was familiar with all the other areas.
He led Qin Ming to a Heavenly Pit, pitch-black and fathomless, and when a stone was thrown down, it took a while before a splash was heard.
Standing here gave a tingling sensation, indicating a strong presence of Evil Qi.
Qin Ming cast out fishing equipment, controlling it with Heavenly Light, and after fishing for a long time, he felt slightly disappointed. There was indeed a strong presence of Yin Evil, but there was nothing transformed.
For many Outer Saints, this would be sufficient, and even if they collected it, they might not be able to refine it.
However, for Qin Ming, if it wasn’t a legendary abnormality, it would be hard to catch his eye.
The second area they went to was a group of barren stone mountains with scorch marks, and approaching them gave off a slight burning sensation.
“Thunder Slaughter?” Qin Ming was surprised. This area seemed to be often struck by lightning, with a certain kind of strong Evil Qi.
However, the Evil here was not spiritual and was quite mediocre, though there were traces of Heavenly Light Material wafting around.
Qin Ming sat quietly for one period (two hours), refining the Heavenly Light here, and thus gained something.
Old Man Liu said, “There’s still one last place; if that doesn’t work out, the only option left is the deepest lairs of the old monsters in the mountains.”
However, such places were out of the question for the two of them to approach.
It was a marshland, appearing particularly dark under the Night Fog.
After arriving there, Old Man Liu stopped at the edge, and the trailing Red Squirrel bristled, feeling like it was being pricked by needles and not daring to proceed.
Qin Ming was delighted; there must be something extraordinary here.
“As expected of the Black and White Mountain, it has nurtured something legendary!”
Although he hadn’t seen it yet, Qin Ming instinctively believed there was an extraordinary Evil here.
He investigated the terrain and eventually marked a suitable range.
He was determined and started digging directly in the marsh.
If not for the Heavenly Light Protection, he would have become a mud monkey long ago. Within moments, he had already dug out a large pit.
That day, Qin Ming dug this place full of holes, some tunnels reaching a hundred yards underground, with even the underground water flooding up, but he still couldn’t find the Evil he wanted.
“Strange.” It was not until the evening was deep that he stopped, having found nothing.
Yet, there was undoubtedly a dense presence of Evil Qi in this area.
“Could it have transformed and become very spiritual, always hiding from me?” Qin Ming frowned, thinking this might be the only explanation.
He was concerned that once he left, this transformed Evil might escape, so he stayed overnight, continuing to dig.
“Xiao Qin, take it easy.” Old Man Liu took the Motivational Squirrel back.
When he returned the next day, he was dumbfounded; a small abyss had appeared before him.
“Could it be a Golden Cicada’s shell, leaving only the Evil Qi while the transformed Evil had long since fled?” Qin Ming suspected as he began searching around.
That day, he still found nothing.
On the third day, after searching every nook and cranny, Qin Ming suddenly looked up at the night sky.
He found it absurd; how could even a transformed Evil be hiding in the sky like the Blood Kite? Could it be? he wondered.
Yet, he tried his luck and cast his fishing tackle into the night sky, controlling it with the Heavenly Light. After a long time of fishing, he felt a tinge of disappointment; though there was a strong presence of Yin Evil, there was no Transformation found.
For many Outer Saints, that would be enough, and even if they could capture it, it might not be something they could refine.
But for Qin Ming, if it wasn’t an abnormality of legendary status, it was hardly worth his attention.
The second place they went was a few bare stone mountains with charred marks. As you approached here, you could feel a faint burning sensation.
“Thunder Slaughter?” Qin Ming exclaimed, remarking that the area seemed constantly struck by lightning, with a certain type of intense Evil Qi.
However, the evil here wasn’t sentient; it was quite ordinary, though there were scattered traces of the Heavenly Light Substance.
Qin Ming sat calmly for two hours, refining the Heavenly Light in that place, making some gains.
Old Man Liu said, “There’s one last place. If it doesn’t work, then all that’s left is the old monster’s lair deep in the mountain.”
Yet, such a place as that was beyond the reach of the two of them.
This was a swamp, appearing exceptionally dark under the Night Fog.
Upon arrival, Old Man Liu stopped at the edge of the area, the trailing Red Squirrel bristled in alarm, feeling like it was being pricked with needles, unable to proceed.
Qin Ming was delighted; surely there must be something extraordinary here.
“Truly worthy of the Black and White Mountain, a remarkable anomaly for sure,” claimed Qin Ming happily.
Though thrilled, he carefully inspected the area, eventually pinpointing a particular spot.
Determined, he began his investigation of the suspicious location.
As he fished into the night sky using Heavenly Light, he felt the tug getting stronger. Suddenly, he heard the sound of wire snapping.
Surprisingly, one end of the wire seemed to be suspended in the night sky, with a mystery waiting to be unraveled.
The Motivational Squirrel pointed excitedly at the sky, speech slightly garbled, exclaiming: “Isn’t that a magical discovery for real?”
Qin Ming, appearing as if draped in a black and white robe, stood up as Shallow Night approached, his deep eyes filled with the essence of Taoism.
“””