Chapter 32: The Rainbow Mist Illuminates the Night
This novel is translated and hosted on Bcatranslation
The night in the mountains was unusually thick, as though a giant black curtain had fallen over the land. Suddenly, a dazzling burst of rainbow mist erupted from deep within the mountains, ripping through the darkness in an instant and lighting up the world around it. The towering mountains stood bathed in light, their snowy branches glowing like enchanted gems.
Everyone was awestruck. The mist, shimmering with light, swirled between the ridges ahead. Without the sun to brighten this era, such a colorful spectacle became something people longed for. Chaos erupted throughout the mountains. All the skilled masters near the area of the rainbow mist seemed as though they had grown wings of lightning, rushing forward to claim the mysterious treasure that lay deep within the peaks.
“It’s matured this early!”
“Ahh…”
People from all walks of life lost their senses, rushing towards the scene. Even halfway there, the cries of those being ambushed in the darkness could be heard. Amid the vast mountain range, fierce beasts roared, strange birds soared, and hordes of other creatures went mad, all converging toward the misty heart of the mountains.
In the depths of the mountain, the rainbow mist refused to fade, piercing through the inky night sky, casting its brilliant glow across the land.
Everyone knew that these strange occurrences were only signs—a manifestation of something far greater. A rare treasure at a critical moment had matured. It was the source of the mist and the light, creating this mystical scene.
Ten meters tall, Wei Mo stood on the edge of a cliff, his dark red armor clanging like the scales of a dragon. His sharp gaze pierced through the colorful mist in the distance. With a thunderous stomp, the cliff crumbled beneath his feet, sending rocks tumbling down the mountainside. With a powerful leap, he surged toward the heart of the mountain, holding his black spear aloft.
“Wei Mo, you should stay here,” came a voice from a figure in white—the Lord of Scarlet Dawn City—who appeared before him, blocking his path.
“Ling Xu, you dare stand in my way?” Wei Mo sneered, gripping his spear tightly. He disappeared in a flash, reappearing in front of Ling Xu, the black spear tearing through the forest like a bolt of lightning.
Elsewhere, a tabby cat, three feet long, raced silently through the forest with a red sword strapped to its back. Its movements were agile, avoiding the beasts around it, heading directly for the center of the rainbow mist.
“Halt!” A voice bellowed as a creature darted toward the cat faster than lightning. It was clear the beast intended to challenge the tabby for the treasure.
A mantis-like creature emerged, slicing through tree branches as it charged. It was entirely white, resembling a giant mantis but standing over six feet tall, covered in snow-white fur. Its forelimbs resembled two long, serrated blades, glowing faintly in the misty light.
The tabby cat said nothing. It unsheathed its red sword, which immediately glowed like a sunset, illuminating the forest with its crimson hue. Sword energy soared into the night sky.
Simultaneously, the mantis-like creature’s blade-like arms slashed through the night, resembling lightning cutting through the darkness. Towering trees fell, some even exploding under the force of the invisible sword energy.
Usually seen leisurely riding a donkey, Old Weasel was moving faster than ever before. Ditching his usual mount, he raced through the treetops like a flash of white lightning, darting between the branches.
“Hm?” He suddenly halted, standing atop a towering pine tree. His left hand rested behind him while his right hand, wrapped in prayer beads, reached toward the sky.
“The treasure in that node isn’t for you!” A cold voice echoed from the misty night sky above.
“It seems that other outsiders besides the people from Scarlet Dawn City are lurking in the shadows,” Old Weasel remarked, unusually talkative today.
“Do not move!” The voice from the black clouds above boomed again, clearly trying to stall the cunning weasel, buying time for others.
Old Weasel smiled slyly. “Have you thought this through? If you stop me, your own allies might get blocked by others. We’re not the only ones watching from the shadows. It might be wiser to let me stir up the waters a bit.”
“I won’t let you pass! You injured my friend when you joined forces with Scarlet Dawn City. I’ve been waiting for this moment!” From within the cloud, wings emerged, and a massive, scaly claw reached down, like a dragon’s talon, aiming directly for Old Weasel.
Without hesitation, the weasel’s beaded right hand shot into the sky. With a deafening clap, a blinding bolt of lightning twisted through the night, accompanied by a roar like thunder.
The clouds scattered, revealing a colossal creature with silver wings forced back by the weasel’s strike. Its retreat created a whirlwind, tearing through the forest below. The pine tree beneath Old Weasel snapped, along with countless others nearby. He gracefully landed atop a nearby boulder.
Further away, in the forest, a glowing moon slowly rose. A strange bug known as a Moonbug appeared, standing opposite a woman dressed in flowing feathers, her figure glowing in the misty light. The two faced each other silently before engaging in battle.
Outside the forest, a voice shouted in frustration, “How I wish I were in my prime! I’d storm the mountain and fight for that rare treasure myself. But now, I don’t even dare approach! It’s heartbreaking!”
Someone in the crowd responded, “You’re one of the weakest in our group, even as a rookie. Wake up! You might not even be alive by the time you’re in your prime.”
Many people in the dense forest eyed the scene eagerly. But as their initial rush subsided, they began to pause, realizing that they were not strong enough to venture deeper into the mountains. Competing with the old masters and high-level creatures was pure suicide.
Cao Long stopped, holding his longbow. He was searching for that infuriating talking bird that had dared to insult him earlier.
“There’s a special node over here! Someone’s trying to keep it for themselves!” the talking bird called out again. It seemed almost human in its intelligence, cunning enough to stir up trouble, hoping to draw other groups into a fight.
Swish, swish, swish!
Arrows flew, one after another, toward the direction of the talking bird’s voice.
“They’re trying to kill me! Help! There’s a special node here with a rare treasure!” the mutated talking bird screeched as it fled.
“This isn’t the right time to explore deeply. We should retreat,” Mu Qing suggested. The mountains were in chaos, and the emergence of the rainbow mist had driven the old monsters into a frenzy. It was too dangerous to proceed. Who knew what would happen next? They might even get caught up in the fighting.
Cao Long and Wei Zhi Rou both nodded in agreement. Their group was cautious by nature. They preferred safety over recklessness.
“Alright, let’s familiarize ourselves with the surroundings. We won’t go in further today. We’ll wait until the upper-level fighting dies down,” Mu Qing declared.
Deep within the mountains, terrifying flashes of light could be seen. Mighty birds tore through the sky, and the long, haunting howls of human masters echoed through the forest.
The battles in the heart of the mountains were brutal and terrifying.
Enjoying the peace, Qin Ming had no plans to dive deeper into the madness. Rare treasures were tempting, but only if one had the strength to claim them.
He wandered through the forest, keeping an eye out for that talking bird. He had once promised to catch one for little Wen Rui but had yet to find a suitable one. Today, however, the mutated talking bird seemed particularly clever, vanishing completely after offending Cao Long’s group.
Pausing in his tracks, Qin Ming glanced toward the direction of a familiar crack in the ground—where he’d once nearly died. He wondered how it might have changed after the recent upheaval in the mountains.
Far away, a group had been watching Qin Ming, observing as he separated from Mu Qing and Cao Long. They saw their chance.
“Qin Ming’s alone. This might be the perfect time,” someone whispered, alerting You Liang Yun in the forest.
“Is that so? Alright, let’s follow him!” You Liang Yun, dressed in his finest armor and carrying a sword that glinted menacingly, led his men swiftly through the trees.
Further inside the mountains, the battles between the masters were fierce and terrifying. Massive beasts were severely injured, their blood spraying like fountains from their necks, drenching the earth as their massive bodies crashed down, shaking the ground and flattening trees in their wake.
The purple light surged like clouds across the sky. Long spears flashed like cold stars, and strange birds emitted blinding beams of divine light.
The central battleground was a storm of lightning, as mysterious masters clashed in a deadly frenzy. Some of the high-level creatures had already fallen.
However, things took a strange turn in some parts of the battlefield.
In one area, a man dressed in white, Ling Xu, sat on the ground, uncorking a wine jar and pouring himself a drink. He tossed the jar to Wei Mo, who caught it. For Wei Mo, the entire jar was barely a single cup of wine.
The two men drank in silence, their long swords and spears—over ten meters long—still gripped in their hands, glowing with blinding light that shot up into the night sky.
Nearby, the tabby cat also sat down, sword in hand, its red glow swirling around it. Not far away, the mantis creature swung its serrated arms, slashing at the night sky.
Qin Ming furrowed his brow. He looked like any other local hunter boy, dressed in animal hides. Yet, he could sense that he was being watched.
He stopped, realizing that two groups of people were closing in, one ahead and one behind, surrounding him.
One group approached quickly from behind.
“Qin Ming?” You Liang Yun stepped forward, looking at the tall, handsome youth before him. Qin Ming’s face was youthful yet strikingly noble, and You Liang Yun’s expression grew complicated.
This boy might be the one blocking his path to greater power.
“Who are you? What do you want?” Qin Ming asked, gripping his long-handled black hammer.
You Liang Yun remained silent for a moment before finally speaking, “I am You Liang Yun of Scarlet Dawn City. Someone has asked me to test your strength. Prepare yourself.”
Qin Ming frowned. What was going on? He glanced cautiously at the four other men surrounding him. Their weapons were heavy but not overly so, indicating they were second-time newly awakened warriors.
“Bring it on!” Qing Ming roared.
You Liang Yun charged, his sword gleaming in the dim light of the forest.
Clang!
The next moment, You Liang Yun’s hand stung, and his sword nearly flew from his grip. It took all his strength just to hold on.
Qin Ming didn’t say a word. For a first-time awakened warrior, You Liang Yun’s strength wasn’t bad—probably capable of lifting six hundred pounds.
Clearly, Qing Ming was holding back, keeping an eye out for the second-time awakened warriors in case they tried anything.
Three more strikes followed, each blocked by Qin Ming’s hammer. You Liang Yun’s right hand trembled, and he sighed in defeat, stepping back.
“My strength isn’t enough to beat you, nor my speed. I can’t win,” he admitted, sheathing his sword. “Someone will come looking for you soon. I’m leaving.”
Qin Ming tilted his head, confused. “Wait, my winning affects you somehow?”
You Liang Yun sighed. “By losing to you, I’ve lost my chance to serve someone important. You’ll take my place.”
“And what will you do now?” Qin Ming asked, frowning.
“I have no choice. Since I can’t rise any higher, I’ll just go home and inherit my noble title.” You Liang Yun turned, leading his men away.
Qin Ming opened his mouth to say something but stopped when he heard those final words. All his questions dried up instantly.
“You’ve passed the test of character, You Liang Yun, but it’s a pity that your loss means returning to Scarlet Dawn City.” A voice rang out from the forest, and Qi Huai En stepped into view.
You Liang Yun stopped in his tracks, watching the newly arrived individual.
“I was also sent by the one who wants to measure your strength,” Qi Huai En said, unsheathing his long sword with a faint smile as he approached Qin Ming.
Three sharp clangs of metal rang out in the forest before Qi Huai En lowered his blade. He shook his head. “Still not enough. You’re just shy of the level they want.”
“It’s not enough?” You Liang Yun exclaimed.
“Indeed. They’re looking for a backup. He’s not quite there yet. Let’s go.” Qi Huai En sheathed his sword and left with You Liang Yun.
Qin Ming felt baffled. If it weren’t for the hidden observers, he would’ve fought at full strength. Who was Qi Huai En to judge him anyway?
As they disappeared into the forest, Qi Huai En mulled over the fight. He had been holding back, but even then, he could feel the raw strength of the boy. At the very least, Qin Ming could lift eight hundred pounds. That was remarkable for a first-time awakened warrior.
“Wait, I hear fighting,” You Liang Yun said, glancing back.
“Go on ahead. I’ll check it out,” Qi Huai En responded. “With the mountains in such chaos, if he gets killed by someone else, the lady might blame you.”
“I’ll come with you,” You Liang Yun offered.
Qi Huai En shook his head. “My strength far surpasses a typical second-time awakened warrior. You can’t help me. If there’s danger, you’ll only lose your life for nothing. Go speak to the lady. If your character checks out, she might reconsider.”
“Alright.” You Liang Yun turned away with his men.
Qi Huai En, his figure lean and swift, raced through the forest like a leopard. He soon reached the scene, surprised to find the fight still ongoing.
He glanced around, “You haven’t finished him off yet?”
Qin Ming stood with his long-handled black hammer, now certain there were no more hidden observers. He stared at Qi Huai En and the others.
“So, You Liang Yun didn’t want to kill me, but you do?” Qin Ming asked, gripping his hammer tighter.
Surrounding him were six men, all showing clear intent to kill. They had already clashed briefly.
“And what if I do?” Qi Huai En replied calmly.
Without hesitation, Qin Ming hurled his hammer, smashing in the head of the man in front of him. He grabbed the fallen man’s spear, and with terrifying speed, he charged. With a wet splurt, the spear pierced another man’s chest, blood spraying everywhere. He lifted the impaled man with one arm, holding him high like a trophy.