Chapter 18: Visitors from Chixia City
As Qin Ming was lost in thought, Xu Yueping knocked on his courtyard door.
"Little Qin, hurry up! There's an urgent matter."
Qin Ming's heart sank. Could it be that the annihilation of the mountain patrol team had been exposed so quickly?
"One hour from now, we depart," Xu Yueping informed him. People from Chixia City had arrived and wanted to meet the new cultivators from the nearby villages.
Xu Yueping lowered his voice. "It's said they are all noble scions, here not only to help us sweep the mountains but also to temper themselves."
Qin Ming responded, "So it's finally beginning?"
Xu Yueping spoke solemnly. "This is your chance to shine. The identities of these visitors are anything but ordinary. Seize this opportunity to make it into Chixia City."
An hour later, Xu Yueping's house was bustling with activity.
Old Liu appeared spirited, carrying a heavy machete on his back. He donned old leather armor and an iron helmet, fully geared up.
Qin Ming approached him. "Grandpa Liu, what are you doing? It's just a meeting today, not a mountain expedition."
Old Liu replied, "Getting used to it in advance."
Yang Yongqing also took the matter seriously, carrying dual blades on his back.
"Even though it's unlikely anything will happen tonight, someone needs to stay behind to guard the house. Uncle Liu, your vitality isn't what it used to be, and at your age—" Xu Yueping was interrupted by Old Liu.
"An old horse still has ambitions for a thousand-mile journey. Besides, I'm full of energy and could take on both you and Yang Yongqing at once!" No matter what anyone said, Old Liu was determined to go.
Not everyone was as willing to risk it. For example, two other new cultivators from the village hesitated, and the injured Wang Qinglin had no choice but to stay behind.
The destination wasn't far, just seven miles away at a crossroads.
Under the dim night sky, dense forests surrounded the area.
Fifteen villages in total had been notified, and the new cultivators, swift on their feet, began arriving one after another.
Smaller villages like Shuangshu Village sent only four people, while larger ones brought more than ten. In total, the group was fewer than a hundred people.
The visitors from Chixia City had arrived even earlier. Divided into three teams, they were fully armored and equipped with sophisticated gear, quietly waiting ahead.
The new cultivators from each village fell silent, awed by the gleaming armor and sharp weapons of the visitors. They also felt a deep reverence for the noble elites of the radiant city.
Each team bore a distinct family crest, with about a dozen members in each. At the forefront stood three particularly striking leaders.
One of them was a man standing three meters tall, clad in dark gold armor. His black hair draped over his shoulders, and his gaze was as sharp as a blade, exuding immense pressure.
His mount was equally eye-catching: a massive, fiery-red bull, taller than an adult man, with two curved horns and a third sword-like horn jutting forward.
The three-meter-tall man dismounted, nodded to the gathered crowd, and said, "My name is Cao Long."
He gave a brief introduction, mentioning that many experts had come from Chixia City to assist with the mountain-sweeping efforts. His group was responsible for this area.
"I am Wei Zhirou from the Wei family," said a woman among the three. She stood apart from Cao Long, perched on a green boulder.
Draped in a pure white fox fur coat, her flowing black hair and delicate oval face adorned with a radiant smile made her an enchanting sight. To the young men from the villages, who had never ventured far from their homes, she appeared like a celestial maiden, her elegance unforgettable even years later.
Wei Zhirou, graceful and stunning, adjusted her hair blown by the wind and spoke about the mountain-sweeping operation. She also brought news.
"This winter's heavy snow has blocked the roads, making it difficult to transport grain. But rest assured, Chixia City has mobilized giant beasts to haul food supplies. They'll arrive soon."
Her words sparked joy among the villagers, though some worried about potential high grain prices due to the extraordinary transport methods.
"I am Mu Qing," said the third leader, shrouded in a black cloak that obscured their entire figure, including their face. Their voice was neutral, making it impossible to discern their gender.
Mu Qing bluntly stated that they were unfamiliar with the mountains and needed local guides.
This was the primary reason the three teams wanted to meet the new cultivators from the villages.
Joining them would come with generous rewards.
Cao Long mentioned that exceptional performance could earn rewards such as advanced techniques for cultivating willpower and meditation.
This immediately ignited enthusiasm among the crowd. Most of the local cultivation methods were rudimentary, so such rewards were immensely enticing.
"What counts as exceptional performance?" someone couldn't help but ask.
"Providing crucial information that prevents casualties, hunting rare creatures, or discovering areas imbued with spiritual energy…" Cao Long's list revealed that the rewards wouldn't be easy to obtain. The noble elites from Chixia City were not just here to train but also to explore the mountain's hidden mysteries.
Wei Zhirou added, "If you encounter unusual phenomena in the mountains, report them to us immediately. That too counts as providing crucial information."
"I know a crevice where silver threads once spread. Anyone who fell into it barely survived," someone from Qingsang Village spoke up first, eager to gain favor.
Evidently, other villagers had also lost people there.
Old Liu looked at Qin Ming and slapped his thigh in frustration, feeling they had been outpaced.
Wei Zhirou nodded. "The mountain's magnetic fields are chaotic. What you describe might be a minor node. If you find another similar location, I'll give you an intermediate cultivation manual."
She explained that these special nodes might have existed for years. They planned to map them out to prevent future accidents.
Cao Long warned, "If you find places where white mist rises and multicolored clouds shimmer, avoid them at all costs. Such areas are far more dangerous. Reporting these will earn a top-tier willpower technique as a reward."
The villagers' breathing grew heavy. Such advanced manuals were unimaginably precious, and everyone yearned for them.
Some realized that the nobles from Chixia City had a deeper agenda beyond personal training. The anomalies in the mountains hinted at secrets unknown to the locals.
However, the new cultivators from the villages remained pragmatic. They knew that venturing into dangerous zones was beyond their abilities. Moreover, the nobles' presence meant the mountain-sweeping would protect the villages from threats, which was enough for them.
Cao Long informed the group that the Chixia City leadership was negotiating with the mysterious beings in the mountain's depths. The final meeting would take place outside the mountains, with results expected soon.
The villagers whispered among themselves. Though they lived near the mountains, their knowledge of its depths was limited to terrifying myths and a deep sense of awe.
"Will we be able to witness the meeting outside the mountains?" a young member of one of the three teams asked. His youthful curiosity was evident.
The previously quiet teams stirred, their members equally intrigued by the mountain's enigmatic top-tier creatures.
Cao Long's imposing gaze swept over them, silencing the crowd. However, he did nod. "Perhaps."
Excited murmurs broke out.
Even Qin Ming felt restless. Other than his brief encounter with the "Moonworm," he knew nothing about the mountain's apex beings. This might be his chance to see them firsthand.