Chapter 3

In the midst of cherry blossoms dancing in the wind, Misaki opened the old diary and read the words of promise written there.

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"Have you been proud and boastful about advancing to the Lingwu realm on your own? Today, I will make it clear to you that you and I are not on the same level. You and I... are not of the same destiny!" Zhao Lie's aura surged as he sprinted forward. After more than ten steps, he leaped into the air, performing a 720-degree flip to land behind Qin Ming, his movements fluid and swift. A sneer played on the corner of his mouth as he threw a punch, aiming for the back of Qin Ming's neck.

Fiery flames boiled on his right fist.

He not only wanted to defeat Qin Ming but also to brutally humiliate him. He had waited for this moment for too long.

"Good! Good!"

"Beautiful!"

"Disable him!"

His followers were excited, cheering wildly.

"Zhao Lie, you've gone too far!" Cai Yi hurried to intervene.

But in a flash, Qin Ming suddenly turned around, his right fist, which had been clenched, suddenly opened wide. Lightning crackled between his fingers, blindingly bright.

Bang!!

The wide-open right palm incredibly blocked Zhao Lie's fiery punch. Lightning and flames intertwined, neither giving way.

Qin Ming stood firm, his feet firmly planted on the stone bench.

Zhao Lie was stunned. How could this be? He was confident in his surprise attack. He was at the third level of the Lingwu realm, while Qin Ming was only at the second level?

Cai Yi's mouth opened slightly, equally astonished. Third level? How did I not know?

Qin Ming's right hand, which had been spread wide, forcefully gripped Zhao Lie's fiery fist, squeezing his bones like a vise.

"You..." Zhao Lie suddenly came to his senses.

Qin Ming blinked, a smile playing on his lips. He gathered his strength, exerted force from his waist, and in an instant, stomped and leaped, grabbing Zhao Lie's fist and spinning his entire body. As he flipped, he slammed Zhao Lie to the ground.

A loud thud echoed, and Zhao Lie lay flat on the ground, his arm almost twisted into a pretzel. After a few seconds, a pig-like scream reverberated through the warehouse courtyard. "Ah... Ahh... My arm..."

"Senior Brother!"

"Peasant! Let him go!"

The followers were panic-stricken, rushing over.

"I'm sorry, but I'm also at the third level of the Lingwu realm! You talked a lot, and you're right, we're not on the same level." Qin Ming spun Zhao Lie around the courtyard, running and smashing, treating him like a sack of potatoes, though this sack of potatoes screamed in agony, making the scene even more exaggerated.

Qin Ming's strength was immense, and his explosive power was even more astonishing.

Before the followers could rush over, Qin Ming spun three times on the spot and suddenly let go, hurling Zhao Lie toward the warehouse iron gate.

A loud crash echoed, and Zhao Lie left a trail of blood, sprawled on the ground.

This scene made Cai Yi cover her mouth.

"Convict Qin Ming! You've caused trouble..." The followers were cursing as they rushed over, but Qin Ming glared and roared, "Get lost!"

The five men and women were startled, actually stopping in their tracks.

Zhao Lie struggled to his feet, about to explode, but then he saw Qin Ming walking toward him: "Qin Ming... don't come closer... don't come closer... we can talk, don't come closer... can you hear me, don't come closer..."

Qin Ming stood in front of him, twisting his neck and shaking his arms, his joints cracking. "Does it hurt?"

"It hurts! It really hurts! Don't do this... we've known each other for so long... it's not worth it... really not worth it..." Zhao Lie was both shocked and panicked. How could this be? What's going on? How did Qin Ming reach the third level of the Lingwu realm?

"What's in here? Is it Lingzhu Grass? Give it to me." Qin Ming pulled the embroidered pouch from Zhao Lie's waist.

"You..." Zhao Lie almost jumped up.

"Hmm?"

"Alright, alright!"

"Thank you." Qin Ming weighed the embroidered pouch, taking out a vibrant green Lingzhu Grass, glowing with a phosphorescent light. It was indeed a mid-grade Lingzhu Grass.

He hadn't used such a treasure before, but he knew its value well.

Zhao Lie struggled to put some distance between himself and Qin Ming, his heart about to collapse. I went through so much to reach the third level of the Lingwu realm, how could Qin Ming do it?

The followers finally rushed over to support him.

"Senior Brother, something's not right, how could he advance so quickly?" They found it hard to believe Qin Ming's strength.

"Cai Yi, you're the one causing trouble!" Zhao Lie redirected his anger at Cai Yi. The Grand Elder had ordered that no one in the Qingyun Sect could privately provide Qin Ming with Lingzhu or martial techniques, nor give him any martial guidance. This was the punishment Qin Ming deserved. But Qin Ming suddenly reached the third level of the Lingwu realm, which was definitely suspicious.

Cai Yi raised her head haughtily: "So what if it's me, and what if it's not? Look at your cowardly face, you only reached the third level of the Lingwu realm with your sister's help, you won't amount to anything in the Wuzong Pavilion. I don't even want to talk to you, and you're still acting tough."

"You..."

"Don't think you can be arrogant just because you have a flirtatious sister. Your sister isn't even ranked in the Qingyun Sect."

"Fine! Very fine! You'll regret this!" Zhao Lie left with his followers, glancing back at the embroidered pouch in Qin Ming's hand, his heart bleeding.

"Come back often, don't forget to bring gifts." Qin Ming waved them off.

"Don't be so arrogant! You'll regret it!"

"Hehe, this fool, he just gave me a Lingzhu Grass for free." Qin Ming sat on the stone bench, studying the Lingzhu Grass. Phrases like "You'll regret this," "I'll disable you," and "Do you submit?" were things he had heard for eight years.

"Qin Ming, I heard that!" Zhao Lie almost rushed back.

"I said it for you to hear."

Zhao Lie was about to explode but was quickly restrained by the disciples, who dragged him away. This freak was at the third level of the Lingwu realm, and they couldn't afford to provoke him.

"Qin Ming, you're at the third level of the Lingwu realm?" Cai Yi couldn't believe it. Two months ago, Qin Ming couldn't even manifest his spirit energy externally, how did he suddenly reach the third level? Though Qin Ming had been elusive and strange these past few months, it shouldn't have been this fast.

"Five days ago, I broke through to the third level."

"How did you do it?"

"I just broke through without much thought."

"I don't believe you." Cai Yi looked at Qin Ming strangely, feeling a deep sense of admiration. Those people had suppressed him for eight years, but he had finally turned the tables. Without external help or guidance from the elders, he had relied on his own efforts. Completing the Spirit Tempering stage and entering the Lingwu realm was already impressive, and now he had reached the third level of the Lingwu realm, which even she found suspicious.

"Advancing three levels in two months isn't that exaggerated, it's just the initial stage of the Lingwu realm."

"How is it not exaggerated? It took me two months to reach the third level of the initial stage of the Lingwu realm, but I had the personal guidance of an elder and the support of martial techniques."

"Don't be so insecure, you're beautiful, and that's enough."

Cai Yi stuck out her tongue. "You're good with words."

"How do you use the Lingzhu Grass to maximize its effects?"

"Just eat it. Elder Chu Hua was quite generous, giving Zhao Lie a mid-grade Lingzhu."

Lingzhu is divided into lower, mid, and upper grades. Generally, ordinary disciples receive a few lower-grade Lingzhu each month, but Qin Ming, as a servant, wouldn't get any. Mid-grade Lingzhu is reserved for those who are personally taught, and upper-grade Lingzhu is something even Golden Feather disciples might not have many of.

The Qingyun Sect strictly distributes resources according to the disciples' ranks.

"I won't be polite then." Qin Ming had never enjoyed a mid-grade Lingzhu before and was eager to see its effects.

"Now that you're in the Lingwu realm, you'll need more Lingzhu as you progress. Should we get some for you?"

"No need, I'll figure it out myself." Yue Qing had secretly given him many things before, but they were both punished when discovered. Later, unless it was ordinary medicine or food, he wouldn't accept anything from Yue Qing, especially not valuable items. He didn't want to cause her more trouble.

"Zhao Lie's sister Zhao Min is now at the sixth level of the Lingwu realm, be careful, avoid her if you can. I'm going back now, the pastries are best eaten hot." Cai Yi said goodbye to Qin Ming and greeted the old man.

The old man had finished eating and silently sat back by the lonely grave.

Qin Ming left some pastries on the stone table for the old man. He sat back on the stone bench, swallowed the Lingzhu Grass, and began to refine the pure spirit energy inside.

He actually had martial techniques, which he had learned secretly, but no one knew.

He had talent and could explore and try things on his own.

He couldn't enter the training ground to practice, so he challenged people around the Qingyun Sect.

What did he have? Talent and perseverance!

It was through self-study, exploration, and perseverance that Qin Ming completed the Spirit Tempering stage and entered the Lingwu realm.

However, Qin Ming himself also felt that his strength had improved too quickly after entering the Lingwu realm, seemingly more easily than others. Two months, three levels? It was a bit exaggerated. Qin Ming thought about it and remembered the Shengsheng Decision. Three years of research and two years of integration, though it delayed him a lot, the benefits were enormous. The life energy from the universe seemed to be subtly transforming him, making his body undergo a more subtle change during the critical teenage years.

This was Qin Ming's own speculation, and when he asked the old man, he received silence.

The spirit energy inside the Lingzhu Grass was indeed powerful, comparable to over a hundred lower-grade Lingzhu. Qin Ming refined it until late at night, turning it all into spirit energy within his body. The unique effects of the Lingzhu Grass also nourished his injured body, helping it heal.

Qin Ming had only broken through to the third level of the Lingwu realm five days ago, and after consuming the Lingzhu Grass, he stabilized at this level, clearly feeling the abundance of spirit energy within his body.

Lingzhu Grass was indeed a good thing, when could he get another one?

Elder Chu Hua probably wanted to use the Lingzhu Grass to stabilize Zhao Lie's realm, making it easier for him to break through to the fourth level in the Wuzong Pavilion. This would make her look good and avoid others saying she was favoring an incompetent successor.

Unfortunately, it now benefited Qin Ming.

Qin Ming stretched his stiff body, the stars and moon in the sky, the light like water, and in the distance, he could hear people practicing martial arts in the Qingyun Sect, but the warehouse was quiet.

The old man still sat silently by the lonely grave, the grave had a stone, but the stone was blank.

"Old man, go inside to sleep, don't catch a cold."

The old man's eyelids flickered, as if returning from his thoughts, he raised his eyebrows and looked at Qin Ming. Tonight, his eyes seemed to have a different look, at least not as empty and numb as usual.

"Should I get you a blanket?"

As Qin Ming was about to leave, a