Chapter 9 Golden Threaded Jade Robe

As the shallow night was about to fall, Qin Ming awoke. The sunstone in the bronze basin emitted a soft glow, and the house was quiet. He felt an unbearable thirst, his throat nearly burning, and after downing several large bowls of ice water, he finally let out a sigh of relief. Soon, he noticed something unusual; his close-fitting clothes felt slightly tight, almost ill-fitting. He realized what was happening and stood before the door frame, measuring his height, confirming that his body had grown taller. Qin Ming was a bit dazed; he had merely slept, but the process was beyond imagination, nurturing a rich new life force in a short amount of time, and his innate foundation had developed again. He stretched his limbs, feeling as if he had endless strength. Once outside in the courtyard, he effortlessly lifted two stone millstones. Then, he tried to hold one with a single hand. Although it felt heavy, he could manage it for a short while. Qin Ming was surprised; he could barely lift four hundred pounds with one hand, which meant he was no less capable than those well-known young men in the bright city far away. He took off his ill-fitting clothes and discovered that the scab on his shoulder had fallen off, leaving no scar behind, which was also a sign of rebirth. After that, he began to prepare dinner. Qin Ming boiled a pot of meat soup and roasted wolf ribs until they were fragrant and enticing, using mutated creatures as ingredients, enough to satisfy the needs of his body's 'rebirth.' He ate meat in large bites and drank soup from a big bowl; his body was already hot, and now he was drenched in sweat, a warm current surging throughout him. Though his rebirth was in the later stages, it was far from over. He wanted to seize the moment, fully stimulating his body's activity to promote this process. His physical condition improved dramatically, and movements that were previously difficult could now be executed at will, effortlessly and artistically. It felt as if a ball of fire was burning within him, ready to shine through his skin. In the end, golden 'points' appeared on his body surface, soon 'breaking through' the skin, with tiny golden hairs emerging, though extremely small, they were faintly discernible. This was unusual; it had never happened before. The 'golden hair' sprouted from his flesh, leaving faint traces of blood behind; it looked frightening at first glance, but it didn't actually harm his body. Qin Ming surprisingly felt a sense of ease, his body's vital energy becoming fresher, rich with vitality and vigor; this process felt like 'detoxifying.' He then realized this was a thorough rebirth, eliminating harmful substances. The original pores seemed insufficient, as 'golden hairs' sprouted in clusters, emerging from his body, mixed with traces of blood, expelling old impurities. The golden light continuously emerged, densely packed, like golden needles moving, responding to one another, intertwining on Qin Ming's surface, resembling sewing, creating a wondrous sight. Coupled with the faint white mist around him, he appeared quite ethereal. He showed no signs of fatigue, consuming a lot, and when hungry, he would eat wolf ribs, resting briefly before continuing to stimulate his body's activity. Occasionally, he would also study Lu Ze's 'Initial Understanding of Night Meditation.' Throughout the night, Qin Ming expelled a significant amount of sweat, and his metabolism was exceptionally vigorous. His body felt numb, as if sprouting new branches, full of life, carrying the breath of all things newly born. When a strong sense of sleepiness struck, he stopped all movements. He realized he was about to enter the final stage of 'hibernation.' After a quick rinse, he lay down on the kang, his eyelids feeling heavy. In the blur, he saw faint silver light emerging on his body surface, and even more golden hairs sprouting, like golden threads weaving in the silver-white mist. Although exceedingly tired, Qin Ming was still amazed; the golden threads intersected, dividing the silver light into numerous patches, forming dense squares, and overall, his body seemed to be wrapped in a 'golden silk jade garment.' He was somewhat dazed, his thoughts wandering to many things. Ancient emperors were buried with jeweled garments and gold threads, embodying their desire for longevity, pursuing it even in death. Was the 'wild path' he noted in his childhood so special? During rebirth and transformation, a layer of pure white mist naturally flowed, and the golden threads intertwined, resembling the wearing of a golden silk jade garment. Did the ancient emperors hear certain rumors, prompting them to have gold threads woven into garments? He shook his head, feeling he was overthinking. Soon, he could no longer hold on and fell into the deepest slumber. As the shallow night arrived, Qin Ming woke up, feeling his body tight. He quickly understood the situation: he had sweated a lot during the night, and the golden threads had brought out thin traces of blood, forming a thin cocoon on his body surface after drying. In the water vat lay a large chunk of ice, which he smashed into pieces to boil water. After freshening up, he changed into loose, clean clothes, feeling instantly refreshed. It was evident that his body temperature had dropped, which also meant that 'rebirth' was nearly complete. Qin Ming went back to the courtyard and lifted the two stone millstones again, this time much more easily, able to hold them with one hand for a long time. Then he placed over a hundred pounds of stone locks on top. "It's so heavy!" he thought, feeling quite pressed and put forth considerable effort. The two rough stone millstones, combined with the stone locks used for arm training, weighed over five hundred pounds, yet he could still hold them with one hand. Lu Ze had told him that in the bright city far away, there was a young man who could lift six hundred pounds. Qin Ming's eyes sparkled with clarity, revealing a radiant smile; his arms possessed the strength of a thousand pounds. As for the mysterious unknown cities at the far end of the earth, he had no idea how formidable the reborn individuals of the golden age were. Qin Ming picked up half a knife-horned deer and a hind leg and part of the ribs of a donkey-headed wolf, heading to the adjacent courtyard. "Little Qin, this... is simply too much!" "Lu Ge, Sister-in-law, I can't eat it all by myself. Besides, I will go into the mountains again; changing the flavors occasionally is better," Qin Ming said. Not long ago, without Lu Ze's care, he might have starved to death. "Little uncle, you are so kind; otherwise, in a few days, we would have to go hungry," Wen Rui said happily, as he had heard his parents mention that the family's food supplies were running low. Qin Ming ruffled his head and said, "With your little uncle here, how could you go hungry?" The mutated squirrel in the cage was bouncing around, expressing its grievances by chattering at Qin Ming; this little mountain beast with intelligence bore quite a grudge. "Little Qin..." Village chief Xu Yueping came over, wearing a fur coat, appearing to be in his forties, with a slightly square face, thick eyebrows, bright eyes, and a strong physique. "Uncle Xu," Qin Ming greeted him. He laughed heartily, "I knew you would make progress; taking this step is like leaving a golden footprint." He was eager to know how strong Qin Ming's physical condition had become after rebirth at the golden age. "Little Qin, you've grown a bit taller; has the rebirth ended?" Lu Ze asked. Just as Qin Ming was about to respond, he suddenly sensed a fierce wind approaching. Xu Yueping's right hand, like a knife, struck toward his neck without warning. The attack was too sudden, and the close distance left no room for defense. However, Qin Ming successfully dodged and counterattacked accurately, grabbing his wrist with a bang. "Your reaction speed far exceeds other reborn individuals," Xu Yueping marveled; at such a close distance, he couldn't launch a surprise attack. Even the sharpest mountain beast would find it difficult to evade. Liang Wanqing gasped, then realized he was testing Qin Ming's foundation after rebirth. Xu Yueping's wrist was firmly gripped, and he found it hard to move even a little. "Your rebirth strength..." he showed a surprised expression. Lu Ze and Liang Wanqing were filled with anticipation; they hoped Qin Ming's physical condition would improve significantly, leading to substantial changes. After all, this was about a lifetime opportunity, a chance to alter fate. Qin Ming loosened his grip. Xu Yueping's eyelids twitched violently; he was the strongest reborn individual in Shushu Village and had already noticed that the young man in front of him had yet to exert his full strength. He said solemnly, "I suspect your strength is close to six hundred pounds now." Liang Wanqing was stunned; she knew that for reborn individuals in this area, lifting five hundred pounds was already the limit. Lu Ze was extremely excited, saying, "Even if he walks into that distant city, he won't be inferior to anyone." "Little uncle is the best!" Wen Rui clapped his hands and shouted. "Old Xu, the patrol team has arrived," Yang Yongqing appeared, having just heard the earlier conversation, feeling shaken. He realized that Qin Ming had broken the local limit for reborn individuals. With the patrol team arriving, things were undoubtedly serious, and Xu Yueping and Yang Yongqing quickly left. After a while, someone came to call Qin Ming, asking him to go to the village chief's house. He was puzzled as to why they were looking for him. "All reborn individuals must participate and listen to the patrol team about the situation in the mountains," the messenger informed him. Xu Yueping's house was bustling with activity; counting Qin Ming, there were seven reborn individuals in the village, all present, including the old man Liu, who was over seventy. The sunstone illuminated the room brightly, and the atmosphere was harmonious. The patrol team member named Feng Yian was explaining the situation in the mountains. "Recently, the magnetic field in the mountains has been chaotic; going deeper can easily lead to getting lost, and there have been many strange occurrences. Some dangerous creatures have nearly extinguished the fire springs, while high-level fire springs have emerged in the depths of the night mist," Feng Yian, a big-bearded man, said casually, finishing his cup of tea in one gulp. Qin Ming finally understood why the mountains had been so chaotic lately, with some massive creatures appearing near the outskirts of the dense forest. Because of changes in the mountains, the nests of some famous birds and strange beasts had encountered problems, causing them to stir, leading other creatures to flee. "Will the situation worsen? What if high-level species break out?" someone asked. "Everyone can rest assured; high-level figures will enter the mountains to negotiate with those mysterious creatures to restore peace to this area as quickly as possible," Feng Yian assured them. Even if the negotiations failed, there would be significant figures to block the top creatures in the mountains. "As a precaution, patrol team members will be alert, and all reborn individuals in the villages and towns outside the mountains must also be prepared." Feng Yian explained that the high-level individuals mainly aimed to guard against top creatures, though some 'small fish' might slip through the net. Upon hearing this, everyone's expressions became serious; reborn individuals had to be ready to fight if necessary! Feng Yian smiled and said, "Don't be nervous; it's not as serious as you think. Moreover, if a battle occurs, the noble sons from that distant bright city will be sent to undergo training; they are all elites who will help us sweep the mountains." Everyone present breathed a sigh of relief upon hearing this. "Brother Feng, after patrolling the mountains late at night, you came early to deliver news to us; you truly have worked hard," Xu Yueping said. Feng Yian waved his hand, saying, "Brother Xu, what are you talking about? This is all part of the job. Don't worry; unless they step over our patrol members' corpses, those fierce beasts and mountain monsters won't harm anyone outside the mountains." Xu Yueping personally brought out a large iron platter containing a whole roasted rock goat, which smelled delicious, to host Feng Yian. He stopped a few people who were about to leave, saying, "Don't go, stay and drink a couple of cups with Brother Feng." The atmosphere in the room instantly became lively. "I tell you, there's no need to worry; not only will the lord of this area personally come, but I also heard that high-level figures have been invited from afar; there won't be any trouble. The main focus is on guarding against the Moon Worms and the unpredictable Mountain Lord's appearance." After a few cups of wine, Feng Yian revealed a lot of information. Qin Ming was astonished and listened carefully. He was not used to the spicy old wine at the table and was about to drink some tea but put down the cup instead; besides bitter tea, it also contained dried ants the size of his thumb, making the tea's composition complex. Xu Yueping laughed, saying, "Little Qin, men must learn to drink, and this black ant is a great tonic, a real good thing." Feng Yian turned his head to look over, saying, "This little brother looks young and unfamiliar." "Uncle Feng, just call me Little Qin." Xu Yueping introduced, "This is Qin Ming, just over sixteen years old, who has recently succeeded in rebirth; he is the most promising youth in our area. I hope he can study in the distant Chixia City." "A good seedling, undergoing transformation at the golden age; what an enviable foundation," Feng Yian said with great emotion. The others also followed suit, expressing admiration, fully aware of the tremendous potential of those with a golden foundation. Everyone clinked their glasses, and the atmosphere at the wine table became lively as Feng Yian recounted some strange events in the mountains. "Have you ever seen a mysterious field in the deep mountains? All the crops are golden in color, the thick mist can't cover them, and brilliant golden light breaks through the pitch-black night sky... whose grain is that?"