Chapter 2

Qin Ming had long been accustomed to the gazes of the disciples of the Green Cloud Sect, whether they were sympathetic or mocking. He accepted them all with equanimity. Having lived here for eight years, Qin Ming always felt like a passerby, never truly integrating into the place, and the Green Cloud Sect was even less willing to accept him.

He dragged his weary and injured body back to the Green Cloud Sect's storage warehouse.

This was where he had lived for eight years, on a small hill near the main peak of the Green Cloud Sect. The warehouse was very large, and it used to be managed by five people, but now only two people were in charge.

One was the resilient Qin Ming, and the other was a decrepit old man.

They belonged to the lowest level of the Green Cloud Sect and had relied on each other for many years.

Qin Ming returned to the warehouse, rubbed his face vigorously at the iron gate, and revealed a faint smile, as usual.

"Old man, I'm back."

Qin Ming pushed open the iron gate, snapped his fingers, and acted as if nothing had happened.

The white-haired old man sat silently under a distant old tree, where there was a solitary grave. He sat there every day, quietly mourning the deceased.

One was lonely and desolate, the other was stubborn and resilient. Two completely different personalities, yet they had lived together harmoniously for many years, which was quite a strange thing.

Qin Ming hummed a tune and changed into a clean set of clothes in the warehouse. He felt no frustration, no sense of defeat, and no resentment. Rather than being accustomed to it, he was trying to be optimistic, a kind of optimism born from resilience and perseverance. For eight years, he had always been like this.

The old man sat quietly by the solitary grave, seemingly unaware of Qin Ming's injuries. His attention was entirely on the grave and the magnolias swaying beside it. He basically lived like this every day, tidying up the warehouse, eating a little, and then sitting there to accompany the grave.

"I'll eat a bit later, I need to practice first."

Qin Ming greeted and sat cross-legged on a stone bench, sitting still like a bell, with steady breathing, absorbing the subtle life force from the universe to heal his injured body.

What he was currently practicing was not a martial technique but a unique method of breathing—Sheng Sheng Jue!

Generally, the lifelong pursuit of martial artists is to absorb the energy of the universe, condensing it into spiritual energy within their bodies, and manifesting powerful combat abilities through specific martial techniques. It is widely acknowledged that the energy of the universe is the 'wild state' or 'original state' of spiritual energy.

However, what Qin Ming was now capturing was not energy but life force, the breath of life!

This unique and rare breathing method came from the old man.

Since Qin Ming was imprisoned in the Green Cloud Sect as an ordinary disciple and assigned to work in the warehouse, the old man had been there. No one seemed to know his background, and no one cared about such a decrepit old man. The old man had a peculiar temperament and rarely spoke to Qin Ming, let alone to others. But on a rainy night five years ago, when Qin Ming returned covered in blood, the old man unexpectedly recited a set of incantations, which Qin Ming memorized firmly.

"Life force is elusive, wandering between heaven and earth, without beginning or end."

"The Big Dipper rides the breath, transforming the four seasons, balancing the eight directions. Heaven and earth intersect, and all things are born and transformed, with a beginning and an end, in a cycle of coming and going."

"Born in the four seasons, formed in day and night."

"Essence and energy form matter, and wandering souls bring change."

"Trace its origin, observe its movement, if you can understand its coming and going, you can skillfully manage, seeking prosperity and avoiding decline."

Qin Ming spent three years studying and researching, finally mastering and integrating the method, using it with ease.

It was precisely because of this unique breathing method that Qin Ming's injuries could heal in the shortest time, allowing him to survive the persecution and exploitation of the Green Cloud Sect with resilience and tenacity.

What was the origin of this incantation? The old man never said, and Qin Ming never asked.

After a day of cultivation, Qin Ming's blood and injuries had recovered significantly, and the pain was almost gone.

The effect of Sheng Sheng Jue was miraculous.

In the evening, seeing that it was getting late, Qin Ming stopped practicing, went to the warehouse to cook a meal, and placed it on a simple wooden table outside. "Old man, it's time to eat."

It was just some ordinary wild vegetables, almost the same every day, but Qin Ming still managed to make some variations, arranging four dishes.

The old man turned to look at the dishes, possibly attracted by their appearance or because he was hungry after a day without food. He patted the dust off his clothes and sat down to eat slowly, without saying a word.

"You eat, I'll practice a bit more." Qin Ming hastily ate a couple of mouthfuls and continued to sit cross-legged on the stone bench, absorbing the life force.

He needed to heal his injuries as soon as possible and avoid any lingering problems.

The old man tasted each dish, finding them quite good, and pulled all four dishes to his side, eating slowly.

He seemed to have a particularly good appetite today.

"Master Qin?" A pretty, fair-skinned girl knocked on the iron gate and walked in.

"Cai Yi." Qin Ming smiled and greeted her. "You look even more beautiful after a few months."

"After a few months, you've caused trouble again, making people worry. Senior Sister Yue Ting sent you some medicine." The girl shook the small bamboo basket in her hand and greeted the old man, but he ignored her, continuing to eat his meal. The girl didn't mind and quickly came to Qin Ming, her steps light. "Let me see how your injuries are."

"It's nothing, I'm much better, no need to worry."

"Really, why do you do this? You know they won't let you pass."

The girl placed the small bamboo basket next to Qin Ming. She was pure and beautiful, fresh and lovely, like a white and delicate lotus. She seemed lively and cheerful, but Qin Ming's pale face filled her with worry, and she scolded him for his impulsiveness.

"An opportunity is there, how can you know if it works without trying?"

"But is that really an opportunity? Can't you see that with the Grand Elders suppressing you, the other elders won't want to cause trouble? I know you're worried about your family and want to improve their situation, but the more you confront them head-on, the more they will suppress you. Can't you lower your stance a bit?"

"Lower my stance and be a dog? Beg for mercy? Beg for charity? I, Qin Ming, can't do that."

Cai Yi pouted her red lips and didn't say anything more. She had tried to persuade him many times before, even Senior Sister Yue Qing had tried, but to no avail. She opened the small bamboo basket, which contained two bottles of medicine for clearing bruises and regulating qi, and some delicate pastries. She whispered, "Guess who made these."

"Thank Yue Qing for me, and tell her not to worry. I've been living well these past years, haven't I?" Qin Ming picked up a pastry and tasted it, nodding as he ate. "It's Yue Qing's work, and it tastes good."

"Is this what you call living well? I feel so sorry for you, always getting into fights. Either you beat others to a pulp, or they beat you up. They are clearly provoking you; can't you avoid it?"

"The weak die, the strong survive. I want to be strong! Always strong!"

"Who said that?"

"My father." Qin Ming's expression darkened slightly, but then he relaxed and picked up another pastry.

Cai Yi opened her mouth, carefully looking at Qin Ming's face. "Do you... hate them? I don't mean anything by it, but everyone says they are actually..."

"Hate? Why should I hate them? They won't abandon me, they won't abandon my family."

"I'm sorry, I said the wrong thing." Cai Yi knew she had touched on a painful past.

"I'm fine, don't worry."

"By the way, Senior Sister Yue Qing reminded you that your sudden public display of Lingwu Realm strength after being silent for months will attract a lot of attention and more suppression. You need to be mentally prepared."

"Am I afraid? For eight years, I've finally broken through to the Lingwu Realm. This is just the beginning. I will become stronger and make the upper echelons of the Green Cloud Sect truly take me seriously. I will save my family and the 200,000 city residents one day." Qin Ming spoke casually, but his tone was firm, a determination known only to himself.

"Don't be so hasty. You've endured for eight years, why rush now? If you really feel someone is trying to harm you, go to Senior Sister Yue Qing. We can't save Thunder City, but we can definitely protect you..."

"Bang!!"

The iron gate of the warehouse courtyard was kicked open, and Zhao Lie entered with his followers, swaggering in.

"Zhao Lie! What are you doing here? You scared me!"

Zhao Lie wasn't surprised to see Cai Yi: "Isn't this Junior Sister Cai Yi? It's been so long, I almost didn't recognize you."

"I'm asking you, what are you doing here?"

"Do I need to report to you wherever I go?"

"This place doesn't welcome you, get out!" Cai Yi knew why they were here.

"Is this your home?" Zhao Lie smiled wickedly, and his followers laughed along.

"You..."

Qin Ming didn't even stand up from the stone bench, eating the pastries. "Don't get angry over a few trash."

"Convict Qin Ming, what did you just say? Dare to say it again?"

"Been saying it for years, what, addicted to it?"

Cai Yi quickly reminded him: "Qin Ming, he's not the same Zhao Lie as before."

"I'm not the same me as before either." Qin Ming had endured for over two months, breaking through continuously. Although he was humiliated by Elder Chu Hua today, his strength was no longer at the Qi Ling Realm.

"Is that so?" Zhao Lie signaled his followers to close the iron gate, standing in front of Qin Ming with a sneer, looking down at him.

Qin Ming raised an eyebrow, stood up from the stone bench, towering over Zhao Lie, and looked down at him. "What's up?"

Zhao Lie's momentum immediately weakened, and he was angry: "Qin Ming, I don't understand where you, a convict, get your sense of superiority!"

"Say what you have to say, or get lost."

"I challenge you!" Zhao Lie didn't want to waste words, just wanted to beat Qin Ming up and vent his anger. His aura flared, and flames burst from his hands, burning fiercely.

Spiritual energy manifesting, Lingwu Realm!

"Two months, how many layers of the Lingwu Realm have you reached?" Qin Ming glanced at the flames on Zhao Lie's hands, not surprised.

"Lingwu! Third layer!" Zhao Lie puffed out his chest. He had been taken away by Elder Chu Hua for special training, and with his sister's help, he had been intensively trained and guided, advancing two layers to reach the third layer of the Lingwu Realm.

His followers were proud of Zhao Lie.

"Listen up, Qin Ming. Our Senior Brother Zhao Lie passed today's test with the top score and was given a Lingzhu Grass by Elder Chu Hua!"

"Do you know what a Lingzhu Grass is? It's a mid-grade spiritual herb!"

"In ten days, our Senior Brother Zhao Lie will enter the Wu Zong Pavilion to receive a more powerful martial technique. He might not just be a personal disciple but could grow into a Jin Ling disciple. And you, continue to work in this warehouse, ha ha."

"From now on, you can only stand behind our Senior Brother Zhao Lie and look at his back, ha ha."

Qin Ming's expression finally showed a hint of change. Lingzhu Grass? His gaze shifted to the embroidered pouch on Zhao Lie's waist.