Chapter 614
Showing Off Their Love
Chapter 614 Showing Off Their Love
Old Lu was puzzled. With Mingzi's strength, how could he suffer such a great loss?
But he was still seething with anger, and as soon as he came out, he couldn't wait to open the new secret realm.
Old Furnace asked, "What's wrong?"
Qin Ming let out a sigh of relief and said in a deep voice, "We made a mistake; the important matter was not accomplished."
Startled, the old man slammed the lid down on the furnace with a loud crash and asked, "Ah, you didn't gather any herbs?"
Qin Ming shook his head, his tone filled with resentment, and said, "I didn't hit anyone!"
Old Furnace: "..."
Wisps of smoke billowed from its leaky, broken stove lid, as if it had let out a long sigh of relief, just moments before thinking that something had happened to Qin Ming.
Old Furnace thought to himself: Mingzi has made beating people his top priority, while herb gathering has been marginalized.
This kind of thinking... is very Qin Ming-like, and it's easy to make people hate him.
If others find out, they will surely attack him en masse.
Qin Ming sighed. He had been too hasty and hadn't figured out the rules of the secret realm. He didn't even know that there was a protective measure like forced departure here.
Old Furnace looked at him, speechless. Mingzi was actually reflecting seriously on this matter, and even asked it in detail about various precautions for the secret realm.
It asked, "You're not happy because you didn't hit anyone. Do you want to avoid regrets next time?"
Qin Ming nodded. Qingyue had been targeted and severely injured multiple times in the secret realm, which made him feel suffocated and unable to bear it any longer.
He was already a grandmaster. When he traveled around, he would drink and chat with people, and act recklessly. Even the future Great Sage of the Demon Clan took the initiative to ask him to become sworn brothers.
His cultivation has progressed rapidly, and he should have arrived much earlier.
If this were the case, Qingyue's situation would certainly be much better.
Qin Ming asked, "Are you alright after dealing with those people?"
Old Furnace said, "Within the rules, what could possibly happen? There's plenty of room for maneuver."
Instead of hindering it, it subtly encouraged it, revealing that the old furnace also harbored resentment.
Qin Ming asked, "When will the new secret realms and ruins be opened?"
The old man explained, "It usually happens once every two or three months."
At this moment, Qin Ming was even more anxious than the saints and direct disciples, saying, "It's really too slow."
Old Lu was speechless; he couldn't wait to beat someone up.
Then it felt relieved. Was Mingzi fighting for the sake of fighting? It was entirely to vent Qingyue's anger and stand up for her.
Qin Ming said, "Qingyue is a stranger in a foreign land, all alone and being bullied. If this were another place, I would definitely grab those people and kill them."
Old Furnace said, "These are all things that happened in the secret realm before, not as serious as you imagine."
Qin Ming put down his teacup and said, "How can it not be serious? Now Qingyue is forced to go to the Heavenly Fire Pool above the Nine Heavens to temper her body and spirit with the poisonous fire from beyond the world. She won't even enter the secret realm anymore. It really makes me furious and resentful!"
With a flick of his hand, a pile of containers made of fire jade appeared on the coffee table, their interiors wreathed in golden flames, the flower buds almost illusory, ever-changing.
Old Lu was very pleased and commented, "Your method of manipulating the market is even more domineering than those few peerless geniuses."
All twenty-eight golden flame flowers are here, not one missing.
Qin Ming said, "With so many rare flowers, using them all on one person should have a very good effect, right?"
Old Furnace said, "One person can't use this much. You've come to the right place this time. You can use the resources of the Tushita Palace to strengthen your bones and muscles and enhance your potential."
Qin Ming took a sip of tea, finally suppressing his agitated emotions, and said, "I think that any precious medicine that can enhance one's talents will not be very effective for me."
The old furnace, its leaky, broken lid once again billowing smoke, said, "How confident you are! This is a rare treasure, useful even to top-tier saints."
Qin Ming said, "Well, we'll give it a try then."
If I calculate the time, Qingyue will be back in three days.
Qin Ming did not intend to touch these Golden Flame Flowers first, and planned to let her use them until they became ineffective.
Whenever he thought of Qingyue being in such a difficult situation, yet still sending Lao Lu to distant lands to deliver precious medicine to him, he couldn't calm down.
Now that Qin Ming was here, he decided to make it up to her.
The special resources in secret realms and ruins are almost entirely controlled by a select few exceptional geniuses.
Qin Ming said, "If you think about it carefully, Qingyue hasn't entered the secret realm for a long time, right? We need to get back what she owed."
Old Furnace pondered that Qingyue possessed exceptional comprehension. If all the extraordinary substances capable of cleansing the marrow and enhancing one's talents were directed towards her, it would undoubtedly change the current landscape.
It said in a deep voice, "Among the group of fifteen, she is the youngest. Due to insufficient cultivation, she is not very competitive. But now, perhaps her fate can be changed."
……
Outside the secret realm, a group of people emerged, most of them looking bewildered. Who had stolen the Golden Flame Flower? No one seemed to know.
The person was so fast that a golden bridge stretched across the horizon, leaving them without even a glimpse of their back.
"What is that? Is it some kind of rare treasure? Won't that be against the rules?"
"It's somewhat similar to the methods of the Traveler Civilization, where speed-related Dao patterns are inscribed on flying swords or treasure ships, which can be used for transportation and possess extreme speed."
Some people are concerned about saving face and have already taken the initiative to excuse their failures by finding various reasons.
Among the followers of the core saints were many powerful figures who were usually arrogant and haughty, but today they were all looking disheveled. They chased after them all the way, but they couldn't even keep up with their opponent's retreating figure.
"Which family hired such a master? Could it be a grandmaster who's close to sainthood?"
"Do they want to change the existing situation? But that would force those unparalleled geniuses to get involved themselves."
These people belonged to different top-level Daoist lineages under the rule of the Tushita Palace, and were in competition with each other. They quickly dispersed and went back to report.
When the news spread, it was revealed that even the most powerful and peerless geniuses' forces had gained nothing from the opening of this new secret realm, causing an uproar.
"Who did this? Could it be Wang Pan of the Xuandu Sect? He couldn't hold back any longer and wanted to monopolize more special resources in the final stage?"
"I've heard that the saints of the Xuandu Sect are recruiting strong individuals. Could it be that they have found a suitable candidate?"
"I think it's Lu Xunzhen from Dao City. As a top-tier saint, he's becoming increasingly powerful."
"What does this mean? The core saints have personally intervened?"
Some people were surprised, after all, there was an unspoken agreement among the various factions that those people would not act easily and would leave it to their followers.
Those rare resources are usually divided up by a few powerful companies.
Those ranked lower are lucky if they get any soup or broth.
At this stage, no one will easily break the balance, otherwise they will offend several top saints.
"Could it be Yun Wangshu? There have been quite a few romantic rumors about her in the past two days. If she's in a bad mood, she might actually get involved herself."
"It's also possible that Zuo Qing made the move!"
"You're all wrong. No saints will personally intervene at this time; they've already made an agreement," someone said with great certainty.
Then, many people nodded in agreement.
"By the way, do you know who that gigolo is? Is he Yun Wangshu's ex, or is he related to Zuo Qing?"
The atmosphere instantly changed when the rumors about the two female saints were mentioned; many people whispered among themselves, acting mysteriously.
At this moment, the more powerful members of the group of fifteen had received a secret report.
Wang Pan of the Xuandu Sect, who was meditating, suddenly opened his eyes and muttered to himself, "Who wants to break the existing order?"
Within the Dao City high above the clouds, Lu Xunzhen rose and leisurely said, "You dare to steal all the Golden Flame Flowers I need? Don't force me to personally intervene and drag you out!"
In the Great Crimson Heaven Dojo, Yun Wangshu's face was covered with frost as she said, "First, you tarnished my reputation, and then you cut off the key ingredient for my Fire Flame Golden Body Elixir—the Golden Flame Flower. Surely no one is so foolish as to come after me?"
……
Many people are talking about this. Someone actually dared to take them all down. This is no longer a simple case of snatching teeth from a tiger's mouth. It involves the interests of several top saints.
Some people immediately investigated and found that various groups had been recruiting experts recently, especially Wang Pan, Zuo Qing, Lu Xunzhen and others, who were suspected of having top young powerhouses joining them.
Some even say that Yun Wangshu invited a mysterious figure of saintly caliber, a young master who traveled here and accepted Fairy Yun's invitation.
"As long as one can afford the true scriptures and rare medicines, it may be possible to recruit a top young master from afar."
For a time, people were unsure which company had suddenly made its move.
However, it's easy to tell who among the fifteen members wasn't caught up in this turmoil.
For example, Li Qingyue, one of the six "unaffiliated cultivators," is the youngest and her cultivation level is not high enough, so she is easily associated with others.
It is said that she herself has not entered the secret realm for a long time because she has been killed many times and was targeted by others during the battle, which almost endangered her own source.
Moreover, she has no powerful backers or influential figures, so how could she possibly recruit strong individuals?
"Fairy Li is too stubborn. Wouldn't it be better to join a place like Xuandu Sect or Dao City?"
"There seems to be a hidden story. Someone made some slightly outrageous requests, which she rejected."
There was much discussion and discussion outside.
Inside the furnace, Qin Ming drank tea, completely calming his mind and suppressing the urge to beat up those people. He decided to leave everything for two or three months later.
He sat quietly, waiting for Qingyue to return.
The closer the time came, the slower it seemed to pass. He asked, "Won't there be any accidents if I go to the Heavenly Fire Pool beyond the Nine Heavens for arduous cultivation?"
Old Furnace said, "No, under the rule of the Tushita Palace, who would dare to directly harm a saint or a direct disciple? Besides, I left three beams of divine light on her to deal with unexpected changes."
Three days later, outside the gate of the Luque Palace, a light rain fell, and Li Qingyue, dressed in white, appeared.
Qin Ming sensed it and immediately teleported there.
If you calculate the time carefully, it's been almost three years since the two of them last saw each other.
The last gathering was still in Shuangshu Village.
Back then, after Qin Ming and Cui Chonghe finished their decisive battle in the capital of Dayu, Li Qingyue was worried about his safety, so she took the Bagua Furnace and, together with Jiang Ran, escorted him back to his village.
When they met again, Qin Ming had already reached the fifth realm and was able to travel alone to distant regions to help his old friend.
"You've arrived." Li Qingyue smiled.
Time had left no trace on her. Dressed in white, without any makeup, her face was exquisitely beautiful. She stood there like a bright moon breaking through the clouds.
"Qingyue!" Qin Ming called out.
He thought that Qingyue had been in a difficult situation for the past three years, perhaps her sharpness had been worn down and her fairy-like charm had been cut off, and she might have a worried look on her face.
However, no, she remained as radiant as ever.
No wonder Lao Lu, though indignant, wasn't too worried.
The moon remains clear and pure, ethereal and otherworldly, and its smile is sweet and radiant.
The so-called hardships and difficulties had no effect on her at all. Everything seemed to be just yesterday. She was radiant and full of vitality.
Instead, she showed concern for Qin Ming, asking, "Why do you look so worried?"
"I'm worried about you," Qin Ming whispered.
Li Qingyue smiled and shook her head, saying, "I'm fine."
Qin Ming grasped her shoulders, stared intently, and resonated with her, confirming that she was not feigning illness; her spiritual aura was filled with a fresh life force.
"You've become a Grandmaster, that's wonderful!" Her words were simple, yet filled with genuine emotion, expressing her happiness and joy for him. After being apart for so long, they gently embraced, able to hear each other's heartbeats.
"Ah?" Hearing the commotion, the two maids came out from the depths of the furnace and couldn't help but gasp when they saw this scene.
In their eyes, among the group of fifteen, this youngest direct disciple was exceptionally elegant, like a divine moon hanging in the sky, a true fairy.
Right now, she's so close to that man.
Soon, they felt that the scene was quite harmonious, with a serene and radiant beauty, like the morning glow falling on the mottled lines of time, and everything was frozen in this moment.
“I was worried about you before,” Qin Ming said.
He felt that Qingyue was suffering here, being targeted, and being deliberately suppressed.
The two then walked deeper into the furnace palace.
Li Qingyue smiled and shook her head, saying, "I regard these as trials. How can the path of cultivation be smooth sailing? Even ordinary gold needs to be refined by fire, let alone you and me who are meant to transcend. These are all very common experiences."
She was dressed in white, seemingly glowing in the night. Her slender waist, bound by a belt, swayed gently in the wind, her clothes fluttering, radiating a pure and otherworldly beauty.
Seeing her so optimistic and radiant, Qin Ming was completely relieved. He was really worried that after nearly three years of hardship, her former spirit of immortality would have dissipated.
Old Furnace looked at the two maids and said, "Don't go around saying anything. Just stay quietly in the furnace palace. You'll get your share of the benefits later."
"Yes, sir!" The two girls bowed respectfully.
Li Qingyue saw the pile of containers made of fire jade on the table, with golden flames flickering among them, reflecting a brilliant glow.
She looked surprised; there were so many rare and precious medicines?
Old Furnace said, "Three days ago, Xiao Qin went into the secret realm for you and picked all twenty-eight Golden Flame Flowers."
"Ah?" Li Qingyue exclaimed in surprise. Soon, her beautiful eyes blinked, and her smile became bright and full of joy.
Although she was strong-willed and showed a carefree attitude in adversity, she was still extremely happy when she heard that Qin Ming had swept through the secret realm in a fit of anger for her sake.
In front of Qin Ming, she did not hide the turmoil in her heart; she laughed when she wanted to laugh and said what she wanted to say directly.
She was as beautiful as a flower, and said with a smile, "Now some people will be suspicious, and some will be very nervous."
Qin Ming said, "Come on, name names. Who are the people who have targeted you and who have repeatedly injured you?"
Instantly, Li Qingyue felt a warmth fill her chest. She turned her head to look at the person she had known since childhood, and all the memories of the past came flooding back to her.
She has a strong heart, but being alone in a foreign land for so long and often in adversity, suddenly someone came from afar to support her and forcefully helped her solve her worries and troubles, which made her a little flustered.
For a moment, even someone as resilient as her felt a slight lump in her throat.
Qin Ming gently stroked the corner of her eye and said, "None of the people here at the Tushita Palace have made you bow your head or shed tears. It's my fault that your eyes are red when I arrive."
"No, I'm just so happy." Li Qingyue shook her head with a smile, the soreness in her nose and the slight redness in her eyes had subsided, and they were bright again.
Qin Ming knew this feeling. Years ago, Li Qingyue broke Li Qingxu's legs and arms at the Luofu Immortal Mountain Ruins to avenge him.
At that moment, he felt a surge of warmth in his heart and was deeply moved.
It should be noted that Li Qingxu had Cao Qianqiu as his master back then. Cao Qianqiu was at the height of his power before he was defeated by the founder of the New Life Path. It took a lot of courage for him to take such a heavy blow to his disciple.
Six years later, Qin Ming has finally reached this level, able to travel alone to the outer realms, to the territory of the Douluo Palace, to relieve Li Qingyue's worries, and to stand behind her.
The two talked about their past experiences and their experiences over the past three years.
"Supreme Blood Battle, Crimson Forest, Parasitic Civilization, Fourth Realm Slaying Grandmasters..." Li Qingyue listened intently, her beautiful eyes sparkling with a strange light.
During the conversation, she shared all her experiences, without only reporting the good news and concealing the bad.
Qin Ming was furious and wanted to settle accounts with those people immediately.
His expression darkened slightly as he said, "As a fellow member of the group of fifteen, there are actually people who want you to follow them. I think they're tired of living!"
Li Qingyue shook her head and said, "As long as you don't violate the rules when acting within the secret realm, that's fine. Besides, some 'rogue cultivators' have indeed bowed down to them."
Qin Ming said, "Alright, as long as there are rules, that's fine. Unless they never enter the secret realm again, I'll help you subdue them and force them to submit."
He looked at Old Furnace and said, "Senior Furnace, is this alright? If so, can you withstand the pressure?"
Bagua Furnace said, "When there's trouble, call out to Senior Furnace; when there's no trouble, just call out to Old Furnace in your heart."
Qin Ming said, "That's not true. I've always called you Senior Lu."
Old Lu responded, "No matter when you act, don't be too extreme. Getting real benefits and advantages is what matters. Overall, as long as it's within the rules, there shouldn't be any major problems."
Qin Ming nodded and said, "Okay, I understand."
Then he sighed, "I wonder where my sworn brothers are now? I wish they could travel over here."
Li Qingyue said, "The Demon Court is very far from here."
The two talked for a long time, as if they were reminiscing about each other's past.
Li Qingyue asked the two maids to prepare the local delicacies, and finally she got up herself to prepare some delicious food.
At their level, they no longer need to eat, but primarily consume spiritual substances.
Of course, high-end ingredients are a different story.
In the past, when the old furnace returned alone, it brought back Crimson God Elixir, Dragon Silkworm, and other treasures.
Li Qingyue informed her that she had not yet used these precious medicines that were related to breaking through to the Grandmaster level.
Qin Ming said, "I still have some here."
Old Furnace said, "No rush, let's use it when we reach the fifth realm to avoid developing drug resistance."
During dinner, Qin Ming and Li Qingyue sat facing each other, and laughter could be heard from time to time, creating a very warm atmosphere.
The old furnace was rather slow-witted. It wasn't until later, when it realized the two young men had forgotten about it, that it belatedly said, "I'm a furnace, not a dog. Can you please scatter grain in front of me?"
It saw Qin Ming helping Qingyue peel the metal shell off the Crimson God Worm, and it also saw Li Qingyue wiping a trace of oil from the corner of Qin Ming's mouth. Only then did it retreat, saying, "Fine, I'll leave."
Although Qingyue was very resilient, Qin Ming still felt a pang of emotion when he thought about her situation over the past three years.
"You yourself are having such a hard time, yet you still spared out herbs to bring me..." Qin Ming felt that even after thousands of years, he would never forget this. This kind of pure and unadulterated friendship was more precious than anything else.
Qingyue interrupted him, saying, "Stop talking. I haven't helped you at all. In such a short time, you've already broken through to the Grandmaster realm. Although you make it sound easy, I know that you must have gone through life-or-death trials during this time. Otherwise, how could you have reached such a height?"
"Actually, I'm fine," Qin Ming said. Reflecting on his experiences over the past few years, although there have been crises, overall, he has had a smooth and prosperous journey.
He resolved all the so-called dead ends and calamities one by one, and in the end, he gained a lot of real benefits.
Especially recently, everything has been going smoothly for him.
The three future Great Sages took the initiative to befriend him and insisted on becoming sworn brothers with him.
Prior to this, three ancient figures had followed him. However, sometimes, the behavior of the two terracotta warriors made him feel uneasy, even slightly anxious.
Qin Ming said, "Qingyue, refine the Golden Flame Flower and see the effect."
This plant, rooted in the strange fire, with buds that are almost illusory yet truly existent, is a great tonic for Li Qingyue, who possesses an innate fire constitution.
Qingyue nodded and said, "Okay, you should also consume it. I can't refine so much by myself."
This flower is quite rare and is often used in conjunction with other spiritual ingredients to make medicine.
Now that Qin Ming has collected so much, there's no need to treat it as a luxury; he can simply consume and refine it directly.
"It won't help much with the growth of your cultivation level?" Qin Ming stayed by his side the whole time, observing carefully.
Old Furnace came again and said, "This is far more precious than herbs that can improve cultivation. This is a rare treasure of heaven and earth that can enhance potential."
Qin Ming nodded, recalling the selection criteria of the Tushita Palace. If the group of fifteen wanted to enter the Supreme Dojo, they would need this kind of miraculous medicine the most.
Li Qingyue refined nine of them and then stopped.
Because taking it again will have no effect.
Old Furnace was satisfied and said, "Not bad, this Golden Flame Flower has evolved your fire body. It's not visible on the outside, but you should be able to sense it yourself."
It is a furnace, and most sensitive to this area.
Qin Ming consumed three Golden Flame Flowers and then stopped. The dreamlike flower buds merged into his flesh and blood, and he felt wisps of warmth flowing through him.
"It is indeed extraordinary, and it has had some effect on me."
Given Qin Ming's natural talent, there is no need for further compensation. Rare treasures are effective for him, which shows how extraordinary the rare flowers produced in the Doushuai Palace Secret Realm are.
Li Qingyue said, "Deep inside my body, I saw a cluster of mysterious flame runes. The addition of the Golden Flame Flower made it even more dazzling."
Old Furnace was surprised and said, "Hiss, as expected of an innate fire body, the Golden Flame Flower, this spiritual essence, was prepared just for you. The effect is even better than I imagined."
The two maids in the furnace each received a golden flame flower, and they were immediately moved to tears.
Qin Ming said, "The remaining Golden Flame Flowers can be exchanged for rare and precious items with the saints of Xuandu Sect, Dao City, and Da Chitian."
Although there are saints he wants to fight here, for the sake of Qingyue's future, some deals still need to be made.
"What? Another archaeological site is about to open?"
The next day, Qin Ming was quite surprised to hear this news. Wasn't it supposed to happen only once every two or three months?
Qingyue said, "I guess it's because you picked all the Golden Flame Flowers, and the others got nothing. So everyone joined forces to push this matter, hoping to obtain a new opportunity to make up for it."
The time was set for seven days later, ostensibly because the herbs in a certain secret realm had matured and needed to be harvested in time.
"Good, good, good!" Qin Ming rubbed his hands together, eager to get to work. He absolutely could not afford to make any mistakes this time; he had to get the job done properly!
Old Furnace complained, "I wish time would pass quickly, I don't want to eat dog food anymore!"
During this time, it saw Li Qingyue feeding Mingzi.
It also saw Qin Ming clumsily try to draw eyebrows for Qingyue.
The Moon Wheel Ruins, a sealed space containing the Taiyin Flower, also known as the Moon Goddess Flower, caused a stir even before it was opened.
Old Furnace said, "This opportunity is very important. Qingyue's innate fire body does not always need the nourishment of fire essence. The Moon Goddess Flower can help her eliminate fire poison and further promote the evolution of her original fire runes. The so-called extreme fire sometimes needs the baptism of Taiyin."
Seven days passed in the blink of an eye.
The Moon Wheel Ruins have been opened, and inside, it is bright and clear, with moonlight filling the ground like a gentle stream.
"That scoundrel is here again!"
A group of people were astonished, for they saw a golden bridge rapidly stretching across the horizon.
"This time he won't be able to keep it all to himself; we've brought a treasure that increases speed!"
Deep within the ruins, Qin Ming was the first to arrive, where he discovered nine exquisitely beautiful, almost unreal, moon goddess flowers, shimmering with a hazy moonlight and dancing with light rain.
The flower buds come in various shapes, some are crescent-shaped, some are full moon-shaped, and some are new moon-shaped, all of which are like a condensed version of the real moon, and they are obviously not ordinary.
"No ordinary treasure, it's a rare gem of heaven and earth!" Qin Ming commented, his expression becoming solemn.
With practiced ease, he quickly collected the eight Moon Goddess Flowers.
He kept only one flower to avoid delaying his "important business".
"That scoundrel is too fast! He got it again! There's only one left." Finally, the others arrived.
Someone shouted, "Stop! Dao City's Lu Xunzhen has negotiated with all parties; he needs two Moon Goddess Flowers. Which Daoist sect are you from? Why are you breaking the rules?"
"Shut up!" Qin Ming turned his back to them, his sleeves billowing, a storm raging. The man coughed up a mouthful of blood, his bones cracking and snapping, many of them breaking, before he flew out of the room.
He attacked ruthlessly from the start, knowing that Lu Xunzhen of Dao City had once severely injured Qingyue. This man wanted the Moon Goddess Flower? Not a chance.
A young man exuding a strong aura strode over and said, "Brother Lu has already completed friendly negotiations with all parties. Why are you breaking the rules?"
"Did he consult with me? Let him come by himself!" Qin Ming still had his back to them. This time, he swung his sleeve out, and with a loud bang, the man almost exploded on the spot, blood splattering in the air. He flew backward, crashing into a distant mountain peak and was unable to get up again.
(End of this chapter)