Qin Ming stood calmly, unfazed by not being selected, maintaining a peaceful state of mind.
Xu Yueping, on the other hand, was anxious for him, though there was nothing he could do. Yang Yongqing also felt regret on Qin Ming's behalf, remembering their past banter about noblewomen coming down during the mountain sweep campaign, urging him to make a good impression.
Wei Zhirou, always eloquent, greeted Qin Ming warmly and praised him generously. She expressed her wish to invite him along but noted that Cao Long and Mu Qing wouldn't agree. However, she invited him to visit Chixia City after the campaign.
Qin Ming, not one to put on airs, smiled and replied that if he left his hometown, Chixia City would be his first choice.
"I choose Qin Ming," Mu Qing suddenly announced.
Qin Ming's body stiffened imperceptibly. He had been indifferent earlier about not being chosen, but now he felt slightly uneasy. After all, the individual before him wasn't just an enigma of gender—it wasn't even clear if they were human. Entering the mountains with them filled him with apprehension.
He suspected that Mu Qing might be some advanced life form who had joined Chixia City. After all, how else could a human evolve to the point of growing a fluffy golden tail?
But what could he do? Under the circumstances, he had no choice but to nod in agreement.
Mu Qing seemed pleased, noticing that Qin Ming only carried a hatchet. "You lack a suitable weapon. What's your preference?" they asked.
"I haven't settled on one yet," Qin Ming replied.
After some thought, Mu Qing said, "Some creatures in the mountains have tough scales and hides that ordinary blades cannot penetrate. I'll give you a long-handled hammer. If used well, it can crush heads with a single blow. However, it's a heavy weapon—are you up for it?"
They signaled to someone behind them, and a long-handled hammer made of black iron was brought forth.
Qin Ming took it casually, swinging it a few times with such ease that it left afterimages in the air, producing a resonant hum. His movements resembled both a skilled spear dance and a fluid swordplay.
"Impressive!" Mu Qing nodded, noting his remarkable strength.
Wei Zhirou was slightly startled. She had high standards, and Qin Ming's effortless handling of the hammer indicated a strength nearing 600 pounds—a benchmark she had doubted, despite Xu Yueping's earlier claims. But now, she saw the truth.
Still, she didn't feel she'd made a poor choice. The boy she selected, Zhou Wubing, had immense potential despite early injuries to his vitality. With recovery, he was expected to surpass the 600-pound mark, making him a prodigy worthy of attention, even attracting guidance from Xu Kong himself.
Cao Long remained indifferent. He followed the Giant Spirit God path, endowed with innate strength.
Mu Qing handed Qin Ming a short sword next. "You'll need a sharp weapon for close combat with otherworldly creatures."
"Thank you!" Qin Ming accepted, finally feeling better equipped than the mountain patrol team.
The selection process sped up.
Seventy-year-old Liu Laotou, initially overlooked, volunteered enthusiastically. Claiming familiarity with the mountains as if they were his backyard, he became a hot commodity, with all three factions vying for him.
"I'll join Qin Ming's team," Liu Laotou declared, citing familiarity and camaraderie with a fellow villager.
Before long, the selections concluded for the Cao, Wei, and Mu families.
"The higher-ups will soon negotiate with the mountain's mysterious entities. For now, we wait," someone announced.
Cao Long, Wei Zhirou, and Mu Qing led their teams back to Silver Vine Town, where they were stationed. They instructed the recruits to prepare thoroughly.
As the groups departed, villagers noticed dozens of armored young men and women accompanying them into the forest.
On the way back, Xu Yueping sighed. "It seems Chixia City's people see us merely as guides. Though polite, they clearly don't value our strength."
Yang Yongqing added, "The young recruits are here to train, but the experienced fighters in their ranks are the real force for sweeping the mountains and exploring mysterious territories."
Liu Laotou remained unfazed. "With their advanced Qi techniques, how can we compare?"
Xu Yueping shook his head. "I've been to Chixia City. Only a select few nobles have access to complete advanced scriptures."
He speculated that the rewards promised for the campaign were likely fragments of rare scriptures collected from the outside world—sufficient to perfect the cultivation of newcomers but not core family secrets.
Yang Yongqing, starry-eyed, remarked, "Even fragments of advanced Qi techniques are invaluable. They're enough to drive people to madness."
Qin Ming mused, "If Chixia City's three great families are offering such treasures, the stakes in the mountain's smoke-filled terrain must be extraordinarily high."
"You're wrong—there are over ten families involved," Liu Laotou corrected.
Soon, they returned to the village.