Chapter 680: Chapter 363: Divine Cicada Transformation
Early spring, when the grass buds just pierced the earth, their green still couldn’t conceal the bare mountain slopes.
Under the long night, the earth’s glow ascended, and the pitch-black clouds almost pressed down onto the mountain peak. The Golden Hall shone brilliantly, with an old tea tree nearby, bearing the scars of annual burns by Thunder Fire, just sprouting tender new leaves, emanating a fresh scent.
Qin Ming took just a few dozen steps to move from the mountain foot to the peak, as if teleporting, and walked straight into the Thunder Fire Alchemy Hall.
The mountain wasn’t desolate; though drizzling, it was quite lively. The Mountain God Temple was filled with people gazing at the Golden Hall.
Some girls carried oiled paper umbrellas, strolling in the rain mist, while more people prepared to witness the annual Thunder Fire spectacle.
Every year, living humans were greatly refined here, producing “Thunder Medicine.”
In the underground market, “Thunder Meat” was sold annually in early spring, never short of buyers, with many old nobles eager to purchase it.
Qin Ming entered the hall, ready to embrace the baptism of materials from beyond.
In the Golden Hall, shadows flitted about, numbering dozens. Some old men and women, with little life left, wore funeral clothes and adorned themselves with fine jade, appearing rather calm.
They were already close to death, coming here entirely as a gamble. If they happened to bathe in the Heavenly Light and survive, they might experience rebirth.
A few young people looked nervous, while some death row inmates appeared indifferent.
Seeing this scene, Qin Ming felt touched, reminiscing about last year when Elder Zhao and others were the same, even holding a grand feast here, hoping for rejuvenation.
In the end, those elders were roasted and shattered, with blood and flesh exploding everywhere—some arms and thighs even landed on Qin Ming.
“I wonder how Qian Cheng is doing,” Qin Ming murmured to himself.
Last early spring, there was a peculiar young man who, despite being wooden, was “awakened among everyone,” surviving unscathed but then quickly disappearing afterward.
With the ice and snow initially melting, they transformed into babbling brooks, flowing down from the mountain.
In the night sky, the lightning that pierced the darkness drew closer to the mountain peak, until finally, two bolts struck the Golden Hall, revealing a wondrous sight.
Many exclaimed in surprise, watching from afar as the thousand-year-old hall tiles, forged with copper and some special rare metals, now glowed and shimmered, nearly transparent.
Thunder Fire Balls rolled across the tiles, intertwining with electric arcs, dazzlingly bright.
Simultaneously, the grand refining of living humans in the Golden Hall began.
It had just started when someone turned completely red, swallowed by the Heavenly Light, emitting the aroma of roasted ribs, which even people in the distant Mountain God Temple smelled through the drizzling rain.
“It’s really… fragrant!” A child blurted out innocently, and his parents quickly covered his mouth.
The Thunder Fire was greatly diminished, long weakened by the Copper Hall, but the terrifying Heavenly Light covered them; how could any ordinary person survive?
In merely two waves, aside from one young man, no one else survived in the Copper Hall. This year ended more tragically than the last; if not for Qin Ming’s arrival, it would have been total annihilation.
He didn’t want to stand out, so he fell down with the flow.
Fortunately, he was experienced and protected himself with Heavenly Light; even when hit by broken heads or crushed by severed legs, he avoided being tainted by “tofu brains” and various “juices.”
Qin Ming activated the “Nanming Lihuo Scripture,” a true Secret Scripture that he unearthed from the “Secret Treasure” after mastering the “Lihuo Scripture” to perfection, now using the Thunder Fire Sky Light to cultivate.
Indeed, the Secret Scripture was hard to master, far more profound than the Miracle Technique. However, as he continually circulated it and introduced a faint Thunder Fire, new paths lit up one by one, gradually becoming clear.
His body resembled a vast Night Fog World, with territories silent and dark. As he circulated the Secret Scripture, the routes of his cultivation emitted brilliant light, like streams formed by Fire Spring, illuminating the barren human landscape, swiftly nourishing everything and continually pioneering.
Qin Ming’s body surface emitted a faint Chixia, though without forming flames. The true Nanming Lihuo was nearly impossible to manifest extensively in the Third Realm; otherwise, one misstep could result in self-immolation.
The true Nanming Lihuo was terrifying; even high-level cultivators might not completely master it.
Moreover, within his body, many mysterious apertures revived, activated by the “Nanming Lihuo Scripture,” like glowing lakes.
This wasn’t the first time Qin Ming witnessed this. Back when he practiced the Body Chapter, “Refining Body and Merging Tao Scripture,” he had opened many bodily Immortal Lakes.
Undoubtedly, these glowing “lakes,” akin to “Immortal Juice,” connected with his tendons, nourishing his whole body’s “Dragon Tendons.”
When the Immortal Juice overflowed one day, it could nourish the five internal organs and strengthen all his Treasure Bones.
“The Immortal Juice formed by the ‘Nanming Lihuo Scripture’ carries True Fire; this nourishment resembles ‘Fire Refining’ of the body.” In just a moment, Qin Ming had an indelible experience.
His entire body’s “Big Tendons” immersed themselves in the revived aperture lakes, drinking the Immortal Juice, tinged with Chixia, glowing red with a burning sensation, yet the Dragon Tendons became increasingly resilient.
Additionally, the glowing Immortal Lakes dispersed secret power throughout his body, seemingly enhancing his physique.
“Has the Thunder Fire ended so quickly?” Qin Ming sighed with regret; he had just gotten into the rhythm. Most importantly, this time he wanted to harvest “Thunder Medicine” to nourish a cultivation technique, but he had no time to act.
When the rain stopped and the thunder ceased, cries echoed from the mountain. Although some deceased’s families had expected the outcome, they were still very sorrowful.
“Birth, aging, illness, and death—no one can escape it. Even the Ancestor Masters of every path will face this day,” someone lamented.