The Land of Eternal Night

Xu Yueping said nothing. After leaving Yinteng Town, he stormed into the dark forest and punched a tree with all his might. Snow cascaded down from the branches, landing around him like a white curtain.

"If I didn't have a family to care for, or if I were twenty years younger, I'd have killed Feng Yian today, even if it meant my own death!" He panted heavily, his chest heaving with suppressed rage. His arms trembled slightly.

The humiliation he had suffered in the private room still burned on his face, where faint handprints remained. As a man, swallowing such indignity was unbearable.

But he had a family. He was no longer young. The weight of his responsibilities and obligations forced him to endure it. Clenching his fists, he muttered, "Life has drained me of all my passion and fire."

Qin Ming didn't know how to comfort him. His own emotions churned, following Xu Yueping's ups and downs.

"Uncle Xu, don't let this anger consume you. People like them will meet their punishment sooner or later."

It took a long time before Xu Yueping exhaled deeply and said, "Let's head back."

Snowflakes continued to fall from the dark sky as they made their way home. Neither spoke much. Qin Ming tried to lighten the mood with casual conversation, but the heavy atmosphere persisted.

"Why haven't they started the mountain sweep yet?" Qin Ming asked.

"They're likely still negotiating with the mysterious creatures in the mountains," Xu Yueping replied grimly.

He then mentioned something that made his face darken further: the patrol team had prepared a type of catalytic fluid, which would arrive in Shuangshu Village in three days. It would be poured into the Fire Spring to accelerate the growth of the Black Moon seeds.

There was no need to guess—this catalytic fluid would harm the firefields.

"Have the other villages agreed to this?" Qin Ming asked.

Xu Yueping sighed. "Three other villages resisted at first. Based on the firefields' continued decline over the past few years, they've also suspected something's wrong with the seeds. But in the end, they couldn't withstand the pressure and agreed. Only Qingsang Village has yet to submit. The patrol team is wary of a man there who once passed down advanced martial arts to his son."

"Mid-month is almost here," Qin Ming said, looking up at the dark sky.

He already knew that the patrol team only gathered in the mountains during mid-month and at the month's end.

At that moment, a massive red-furred ox appeared from a side path. It was impossible to ignore.

The beast's back was taller than a grown man, its thick, glossy fur shimmering red under the snowlight. In addition to its two curved horns, a sharp, sword-like horn protruded from the center of its forehead.

It was clearly a mutant creature.

However, the real spectacle was the man riding atop it. The rider was extraordinarily tall—if he stood, he would easily surpass three meters. His black hair flowed over his shoulders, and his eyes, sharp as blades, swept over Qin Ming and Xu Yueping before the giant ox thundered off toward Yinteng Town.

"I've never seen someone so tall," Qin Ming said in astonishment.

"He's on a different path," Xu Yueping replied, watching the figure disappear into the distance.

"Premature rebirth caused his body to grow too early?" Qin Ming asked.

According to the wisdom of the ancients, the best time for rebirth was around fifteen or sixteen years of age, when the body could lay a solid golden foundation.

Rebirth too early could easily throw the body into imbalance. During those years of rapid natural growth, the added acceleration from rebirth could cause hormone disruption, leading to gigantism.

The worst part was that such giants rarely lived long.

Their bodies, having undergone extreme changes, often spiraled out of control.

"Only the great families, with generations of accumulated experience and vast resources, can nurture someone like him to adulthood," Xu Yueping explained.

A rare few giants survived. If they did, they became terrifyingly powerful, capable of overwhelming any opponent with brute force.

"They follow the path of the Giant Spirit God," Xu Yueping said, adding that ordinary families could never hope to support such individuals.

He guessed that the man and his red ox likely came from Chixia City.

The conversation about rebirth prompted Qin Ming to bring up the patrol team's leader, Fu Entao.

Xu Yueping turned to him sharply. "Qin, you're not planning to confront them, are you? Don't even think about it."

Qin Ming shook his head. "Uncle Xu, you're overthinking it. I'm just a newly reborn; I'm no match for someone who's undergone secondary rebirth."

Xu Yueping let out a sigh of relief. He was genuinely afraid that Qin Ming, in a moment of recklessness, might throw his life away.

"First rebirth enhances overall strength, but it leans heavily toward raw power. Secondary rebirth, on the other hand, emphasizes flexibility and speed," Xu Yueping explained.

As they chatted, Qin Ming mentally pieced together Fu Entao's strengths and combat style.

On the way back, they repeatedly entered the forest, unwilling to return empty-handed. They hoped to bring back some game for the food-starved families in the village.

"That was close! Even as a reborn, I almost got hurt. The creatures out here are growing more restless. A mountain sweep is long overdue," Xu Yueping said, still shaken.

Just moments earlier, a mutant spike leopard had attacked him from behind, a blur of black lightning that was nearly impossible to react to. If not for Qin Ming's intervention, Xu Yueping would have been taken down.

"This area is dangerous after the blooming of a mutated plant. We shouldn't linger," Qin Ming said.

They wasted no time dragging the spike leopard back with them. It weighed over four hundred and fifty pounds, its head and body covered in five-inch-long black spikes.

Upon returning to the village, Qin Ming immediately felt a suffocating heaviness in the air. Even the children, who normally played joyfully in the snow, were nowhere to be seen.

Xu Yueping divided the spike leopard's meat among the households before heading home, visibly drained—more mentally than physically.

Qin Ming stood by the glowing Fire Spring, staring into the wilderness. In the distance, the dark silhouette of the mountains loomed faintly.

"In three days, they'll pour the catalytic fluid into the Fire Spring. You're leaving us no room to breathe," he murmured.

He turned and strode into the wilderness.

"I'll scout ahead," he muttered. It was still early in the night, and he wasn't planning anything drastic—yet.

More importantly, there were still two days until mid-month.

"You're forcing people into a corner. You care nothing for next year's famine, nothing for the lives of others." Qin Ming's steps quickened as he entered the forest.

This time, he left his hunting fork behind. His fully reborn body no longer needed it. Instead, he carried a bow, arrows, and a machete.

He knew the patrol team's base and moved toward it with determined steps.

The wind howled, the snow continued to fall, and the mountain environment worked in his favor, covering his tracks.

Each patrol team managed a region covering six to eight villages. Fu Entao and Feng Yian's group rested in a base not far into the mountains.

Qin Ming avoided the mutant beasts he encountered along the way, not wanting unnecessary trouble.

After traversing dense forests and climbing several mountain ridges, he neared his destination.

On a nearby peak, a faint red glow pulsed. A small Fire Spring lay there, barely reaching the level of a first-tier spring—less radiant than Shuangshu Village's, but more than sufficient for the patrol team's needs.

Years ago, this area had been occupied by a powerful mutant creature until Fu Entao led a team to eliminate it.

In the mountain's depths lay high-level Fire Springs with excellent environments, but the mysterious beings dwelling there paid no mind to the weaker, outer springs.

From a neighboring peak, Qin Ming observed the patrol team's base. Firelight shimmered in the small clearing, where a few wooden houses stood. Shadows moved inside.

Typically, only two or three patrolmen were active in the area.

When they gathered, it was usually to search for mutated plants or creatures with spiritual potential—tools for achieving secondary rebirth.

"They've raised a sharp-nosed mutant beast," Qin Ming muttered. A massive golden mastiff lay there, its size rivaling a tiger.

His face darkened further when he spotted a glossy-furred snow ape soaking in the Fire Spring. It was clearly being kept as a pet.

Some villagers had been attacked by snow apes, suffering broken ribs or nearly having their arms torn off.

Qin Ming stared at the patrol team's base for a long while before vanishing silently into the night.

When he returned to the village, he heard crying.

"Uncle Qian didn't make it. He passed away just now," someone sighed.

A crowd had gathered outside the Qian family's house. "Old Qian was already frail. That snow ape nearly tore his neck off. He barely held on until now."

Qin Ming listened quietly, his face expressionless. This was the third death from the recent incidents.

Xu Yueping and Old Liu arrived as well, their faces heavy with grief and anger toward Feng Yian and his group.

The next day, during Uncle Qian's funeral, the patrol team arrived at the village entrance. Feng Yian stepped forward with a sympathetic expression, handing a muntjac to the grieving Qian family.

Watching his fake concern, even Old Liu, the eldest among them, turned his face away in disgust.

The Qian family, unaware of the truth, expressed heartfelt gratitude to him.

Qin Ming clenched his fists silently. A muntjac for a man's life?

The truth was drenched in blood. Uncle Qian's life was worth far more than this.

Shao Chengfeng a tall man in armor, stepped forward and said, "Both the blood bear and the rampaging snow ape have been killed. Everyone can rest assured and resume hunting in the mountains."

Qin Ming recognized him. He and Yang Yongqing had once encountered Shao Chengfeng on a night patrol and had thought him diligent and responsible.

Now, Shao Chengfeng was spouting lies, claiming credit for deeds they hadn't done. It was utterly shameless.

Afterward, the patrol team approached Xu Yueping—not to comfort the villagers, but to inspect the Black Moon planting site.

"Brother Xu, you've worked hard," Feng Yian said, patting Xu Yueping's shoulder with satisfaction.

Standing by the Fire Spring, Qin Ming saw the false smile on Feng Yian's face. It held no kindness at all.

Shao Chengfeng smirked. "I underestimated you, Qin. You've built a golden foundation through your rebirth. Once the mountain sweep begins, we'll likely fight side by side. Why not join our patrol team now and become one of us?"

Qin Ming refused without hesitation. Even as Shao Chengfeng's smile faded, he pretended not to notice.

After the patrol team left, their conversation drifted on the wind.

"No need to test him. That kid clearly resents us. Once the sweep begins, we'll find an opportunity to get rid of him."

"Don't waste him. The Fire Spring in the Blood Bamboo Forest is dying. Let him scout ahead for us."

That evening, Qin Ming sat in his yard, carefully sharpening his machete.