Chapter 8: Once Bright with Clouds
This novel is translated and hosted on BCatranslation
The vast wilderness was filled with unknown dangers lurking in its dark shadows. For any creature to dare show itself and glow in these treacherous lands, it meant only one thing: strength and confidence. Such a creature was likely one of immense power.
Qin Ming slid quietly down from the tree, his movements careful as he stayed hidden within the thick shadows of the forest. Despite his stealth, his heart raced. This wasn’t just any glowing creature; it was lighting up the entire night sky. In this era, where the sun, moon, and stars were just legends, such a sight was almost a miracle.
“Moonbug!” he breathed, his voice barely more than a whisper.
He’d heard the stories. The elders often spoke of a time long ago when there were suns and moons. When the younger kids looked up at the pitch-black sky, puzzled by these tales, the elders would point to the Moonbug as a comparison.
“If you ever see a Moonbug,” they would say, “you’ll know what the moon looked like.”
And so, if a Moonbug appeared, there was no mistaking it—it would be the only light in the endless darkness.
At first, the glow had risen gently, softly, and maybe Qin Ming’s mind had filled in the shape of a bug within that faint outline. But now, it was too bright, too intense for any creature’s form to show clearly. Its glow spread across the sky like a great disk or a divine crown casting light over the night.
In this world, where even tiny bugs barely survived the winter, the Moonbug was a marvel. It had come to these lands over fifty years ago, hiding in the deep mountains, and it rarely ventured out to the outer regions. According to the local traditions, it had long been recorded as one of the “Famed Bugs” that had stood the test of fifty years.
People believed, with good reason, that its true essence might rival those ancient, powerful beasts or mountain lords who had existed for even longer.
Qin Ming stood there, mesmerized. “Was this what the moon looked like in the old days?” he wondered out loud.
The night sky seemed to have a celestial lantern hanging high, casting its pure, soft light over the dark forests and shadowy hills, turning the world into a silver land. It was unlike anything he had ever seen; the deep shadows of the mountains were completely dispelled. The entire world felt different now. Qin Ming gazed at this breathtaking scene and couldn’t help but long for those ancient times when the sun and moon filled the skies. What kind of world was that?
But he knew the Moonbug was only brightening two nearby hills, far less than what the real moon could have done. The legends spoke of a light that stretched for thousands of miles, filling the sky with true brilliance.
For a moment, all was silent. Whether it was the boar, the mysterious creatures hunting it, or any other wild beasts—they were all lying low, quiet. Suddenly, a streak of light shot across the sky. The Moonbug moved on, and the land quickly lost its glow, plunging the forest back into endless darkness.
A void opened in Qin Ming’s heart, but then a strong determination filled him. “One day,” he thought, “I’ll move as freely as the Moonbug, without being held back by this endless night.”
He couldn’t dwell on these thoughts for long. While the fierce beasts were still awed and too afraid to roam freely, he sprang into action. He led his Saber Antler Deer and Wolf Donkey over the low hills and swiftly moved away.
From deep within the mountains, a fierce howl echoed, only to be abruptly cut short. It seemed that some powerful creature had been struck down where the Moonbug had descended. Silence settled over the forest. Not even the mightiest of the mutated beasts or birds dared to make a sound.
Luckily, Twin Trees Village soon came into view, and Qin Ming returned safely with his catch.
As he approached the village entrance, he glanced back. The wilderness stretched out, endless and dark. The dazzling sight from earlier still lingered in his mind, leaving him in a daze. He thought, “In the old days, the moon once shone upon the clouds. Where is it now?”
“Grumble!” His stomach growled, pulling him back to reality. Qin Ming chuckled at himself, “Why waste time thinking about such far-off things? I need to eat.”
In this freezing weather, only a few kids played at the village entrance, chasing each other around, reluctant to stay indoors.
“Brother Qin, you went into the mountains… all by yourself and caught a Saber Antler Deer?” a thin boy exclaimed, his eyes wide with surprise.
The children’s cheeks were red from the cold as they crowded around, staring in awe at the black Wolf Donkey that weighed several hundred pounds. They couldn’t help but swallow, eyes filled with longing.
“Come to my house later. We’ll have meat for everyone,” Qin Ming said with a grin.
Like a gust of wind, he dragged the two beasts back to his home. He’d been holding back all the way, and now he was ready to feast like a wild man. He quickly set a pot of water to boil and called for Lu Ze and Liang Wan Qing to help.
“Little Qin, are you hurt?” Liang Wan Qing noticed the blood on his shoulder at once.
“Just a scratch. No big deal,” Qin Ming replied, shaking his head.
Lu Ze checked him over and saw that the wound wasn’t deep and had already scabbed over, so he relaxed.
Soon, the courtyard was filled with a rich, savory aroma. Big chunks of meat simmered in the pot, while deer legs sizzled over the fire, dripping with fat.
Qin Ming’s stomach roared like thunder. He couldn’t wait any longer and sliced off a thin piece of deer leg with his knife, not minding the heat, and popped it straight into his mouth.
“It’s done! And it tastes great! Wen Rui, aren’t you happy now?” he teased.
Wen Rui took a bite, his eyes turning into little crescents with joy. He nodded vigorously like a chick pecking at grain and said, “So tasty! I can’t even remember the last time I had meat. Uncle, you’re the best!”
Qin Ming urged Lu Ze and Liang Wan Qing to eat first, saying they could clean up the rest of the meat later.
Little Wen Hui, just over two years old, couldn’t bite through the roasted deer leg. She could only eat mashed-up boiled dates, and she pouted, looking all teary-eyed, which made everyone laugh.
Qin Ming was in a critical period of awakening. His body kept sending strong signals for more meat. He devoured his food ravenously, finally feeling satisfied.
Just then, a few kids peeked over the courtyard gate. Their faces were smudged with dirt, and their eyes sparkled with hunger as they sniffed the scent of the meat. They were too shy to come in.
Qin Ming waved them over. “Didn’t I call you at the village entrance? Come on in, eat with us.”
“Thanks, Brother Qin.”
“Uncle, you’re so nice…”
The kids murmured various words of gratitude, bashfully entering the courtyard. Soon enough, they were stuffing their cheeks like little hamsters, their voices muffled with cries of “So good!”
“Slow down, there’s plenty,” Liang Wan Qing cautioned, serving them some meat soup, worried they might choke.
Qin Ming could feel his very blood singing, like rain falling on a parched land, sprouting countless new shoots. His body was alive with energy, his muscles and bones vibrating with growth, his senses sharper, his mind more awake.
His body was truly being reborn!
Lu Ze and Liang Wan Qing had long set their bowls down, but Qin Ming kept eating, his appetite seemingly bottomless. Sweat poured off him, and steam rose in clouds around him.
“His body’s in full awakening, undergoing a dramatic change!” Lu Ze exclaimed, astonished. He hadn’t expected Qin Ming’s transformation, which had started yesterday, to still be going strong and even accelerating. What level could this reach?
The kids couldn’t eat another bite, their bellies round and full, their faces radiating pure contentment.
Qin Ming could tell they were getting shy about being here, so he smiled and said, “All full? Go on and play then.”
News quickly spread that Qin Ming had hunted down a Saber Antler Deer and a Wolf Donkey. The villagers were stunned. With the wilderness being so dangerous, most folks were too scared to venture into the mountains, yet he had brought back such a haul. And more shocking still, the mutated Wolf Donkey was notorious for its ferocity—ordinary folks stood little chance against it.
“He’s only sixteen. How could he face such a beast that weighs several hundred pounds?”
“Could he be undergoing awakening at the golden age?” someone speculated.
Soon, Qin Ming’s small courtyard filled with curious villagers asking about the situation in the mountains. If things were safe, they too would consider hunting.
“Mom, I’m hungry,” a little girl in a patched dress whispered.
In this scarce winter season, the scent of roast meat in the yard was especially enticing. Some children hid behind their parents, eyes wide with longing.
Qin Ming, knowing the pain of hunger, looked at their red, frostbitten faces, their pitiful expressions, and quickly waved them over. “Come on, let’s all eat together.”
The newly arrived children didn’t sit down immediately. They looked to their parents first, their manners simple and restrained.
Qin Ming continued, “Uncles and aunts, I won’t ask you to stay and eat here. But take five pounds of meat home with you when leaving.”
“Little Qin, that’s too generous…”
“No, it’s settled,” Qin Ming insisted. The village had only a few dozen households; there was enough to share.
“Little Qin is such a good lad. We should find him a nice bride soon. He’s of age now,” one of the villagers said with a laugh.
“That’s not urgent,” Qin Ming replied quickly, waving his hand.
The courtyard was filled with laughter, and the children were the happiest, sitting around and munching away, their little faces shiny with grease.
…
“Little Qin, tell me the truth—are you undergoing awakening?” Yang Yong Qing asked, arriving at the courtyard.
He had met with Qin Ming just before nightfall, and it hadn’t been long since they parted. Yet now, Qin Ming had managed to kill a mutated Wolf Donkey, which was quite a shock.
Qin Ming laughed and nodded, saying, “Didn’t Uncle Yang say some noble lady was coming down here? Told me to work hard on myself, make a good impression. I got into a bit of trouble in the mountains, got heated up, and, well, I just started awakening.”
“You cheeky rascal, you’re not very humble, are you?” Yang Yong Qing chuckled, pointing at him.
Everyone knew it was all due to Qin Ming’s exceptional physical condition and deep reserves built over time.
“To go through awakening at the golden age, it’s the first time for our Twin Trees Village in decades!” Old Liu, who lived at the village entrance, sighed.
Everyone understood what that meant—such potential was dazzling even in this whole region, opening up endless possibilities for the future.
In this freezing weather, where breath could turn to ice, Qin Ming’s body was like a furnace, growing hotter by the moment. Sweat poured from him, soaking his clothes, and a thick mist rose around him.
“The vitality in his flesh is so strong, much fiercer than what I experienced back in my day,” Yang Yong Qing’s whiskered chin trembled in awe.
He could see clearly—Qin Ming’s entire being, inside and out, was undergoing rapid awakening. First, like autumn and winter, sweeping away dead leaves, then, like spring and summer, sprouting new growth.
His sticky skin was shedding old impurities like yellowed leaves falling away. Inside, it was full of fresh life, his blood glowing as if his body were returning to the womb, nurturing vigorous new power and unlocking his body’s full potential.
A wave of sleepiness washed over Qin Ming. Full and satisfied, he felt himself slipping into a kind of special “winter slumber.” His eyes grew heavy.
He asked Lu Ze to distribute the meat among the families, while he followed his body’s instinct and prepared to sleep deeply inside his house.
“Old Granny Zhou’s burial is today. Please take some extra meat to her family,” Qin Ming said, fighting off the drowsiness. He washed himself with icy water and then lay down on the heated brick bed.
The others were surprised but didn’t think too deeply about it. Yang Yong Qing, however, had seen much of the world. He noticed that Qin Ming was cloaked in what seemed like a white, ethereal mist, and the sound of his heartbeat was like a drumbeat. His heart trembled with shock!
Most crucially, Qin Ming was still in the midst of his awakening, far from finished.
Could it be that, after this awakening, Qin Ming might just have a chance—a slim one, perhaps—to stand among those famed young talents from the distant, bright city?
But Yang Yong Qing soon shook his head. “No matter how great his potential, how could it compare to the foundation built up over three generations? Not to mention, they are already outstanding in their own right.”
As for the boy and girl who had recently dazzled that city, surpassing even the best awakenings, he thought, “That’s not something to aim for—no use making such comparisons.”