Chapter 50: The Third Awakening
This novel is translated and hosted on Bcatranslation
The night was quiet and dim, but not completely dark. Qin Ming could still make out the shapes of the objects in his room. He drew in a deep breath and then let it out slowly, clearing his head of all those nagging thoughts. The copper basin, holding the sunstone he had just fetched, was glowing brightly beside him. Its gentle, golden light danced over his hair and face, making him look as if he were carved from soft, glowing metal.
That warm light spread through the room, and even the windows and walls seemed to have been touched by gold. Qin Ming sat very still, looking a bit like a figure from an old painting: a young man sitting calmly, bathed in warm light, as though he were at peace in a quiet old temple at sunset.
He reached for a porcelain jar next to him and poured a bit of pale golden liquid into a small white bowl. A rich, sweet scent filled the air—honey wine essence. It smelled so wonderful that it made him feel a bit lightheaded. He recalled a traveling merchant once bragging that a single gold coin wouldn’t buy even a drop of the stuff from an ant nest. And now here it was, shimmering in his bowl, as if it held sunlight from a world long gone. Tiny wisps of vapor curled up, each faintly golden in the glow.
Qin Ming sealed the jar and took a huge gulp of the liquid. It was so sweet it almost made him smile, and there was a soft, wine-like tingle behind it. This was far better than the bitter snake bile he’d tasted before. He could feel it working right away, warming him from the inside out, as if he’d swallowed a small, crackling flame.
He stepped out into the courtyard. The wind was cold, but it didn’t bother him—somehow it felt almost warm against his skin. Delicate snowflakes drifted down like gentle spring rain. Qin Ming noticed a strange sensation: everything felt fresh, alive, and just a little bit magical, like early spring blooming inside him in the middle of winter.
A soft glow seemed to spread through his body. His blood, his muscles, even his bones felt charged with new life, pushing the cold of winter away. He began sweating lightly, a pale mist curling around him like puffy clouds. His skin took on a silvery sheen, which then shifted into something like molten silver, and suddenly, thin golden needles seemed to burst through from within.
Next came fine golden threads weaving through that silver glow, forming what looked like a “Golden-Threaded Jade Garment.” This time, Qin Ming was fully conscious of it happening. During his earlier awakenings, it had been more of a blur.
“Whoa, this is totally different from before,” he said, sounding like an ordinary teen who’d just stumbled upon something unbelievably cool. He could feel it clearly—the changes from his first awakening had grown and evolved into something far greater. He was sure now: this was him stepping into the realm of what the Silk Book called “Celestial Light.”
He began to practice the Awakening Method described in the old Silk Book. It was a mix of careful breathing, certain body movements, and focused thinking. He didn’t feel tired at all. Instead, an easy, refreshing energy filled him. He repeated the steps again and again, letting that vitality flow through every inch of his body until even the corners of his eyes seemed to shine.
Yes, this was his third awakening. He could feel the Celestial Light waking up inside him, changing him from the core.
“They call it awakening for a reason,” he thought, feeling quietly amazed. “Every time I go through this, I’m like a new person.” This wasn’t just about fancy golden patterns on his skin; it was a deep, genuine transformation from the inside out.
Suddenly, he felt as if thunder had struck inside his head. A bright bolt of energy shot straight through him—from the center of his mind to the tips of his fingers and toes. Even his organs felt like they’d woken up, some glowing as brightly as a sunrise, others twinkling like stars breaking through fog. His entire body shone now, even his dark hair seemed to blaze with a mysterious gleam, and his eyes shone with Celestial Light.
If all went well, soon his whole body would glow like this, brimming with Celestial Light from head to toe.
Gradually, that brilliant light began to settle. Qin Ming felt calmer, more at ease, as if he were blending right into the world around him. Each movement felt natural, unforced—like breathing or blinking.
The Silk Book didn’t say much about Celestial Light. It mostly described how to raise one’s life force in a simple way. Still, Qin Ming had managed just fine. “I knew it,” he said to himself, sounding like a confident teenager. “Keep following the book, and Celestial Light comes on its own. It’s all about making myself stronger, inside and out.”
But then he frowned. What about something called “Celestial Light Force”? He didn’t have the exact instructions for that. Maybe his memories would return tonight. Maybe the third page of the Silk Book would reveal more. He could only hope.
He decided to practice his combat skills next. After a moment’s thought, he set down the long-handled black metal hammer and picked up a chopping blade instead. He felt the energy under his skin tingling, ready to explode into action. “Is this Celestial Light Force starting to form?” he wondered. He tested a few blade moves, then practiced fists and kicks. He even modified some blade techniques to use with his bare hands, the sound of his strikes whipping through the cold air like wind and thunder.
Time slipped by. The sky seemed to grow lighter. Eventually, when he felt just a bit tired, he stopped and went inside for dinner. After eating, Old Man Liu knocked on the courtyard door.
Qin Ming’s glow had faded a bit, but he still looked fresh and full of life. Old Man Liu stared at him, nearly speechless, as if he were looking at fresh spring sprouts bursting from winter’s ice.
“You… you just went straight into your third awakening without any special prep?” Old Man Liu whispered, astonished.
Qin Ming shrugged, sounding like a teenage boy would. “Yeah, well, I had the stuff I needed. Why wait? You gotta believe in yourself, right?” He gave a small grin.
Old Man Liu shook his head, still amazed. “Not everyone can be that bold. Even with good materials, it’s never guaranteed. Most people are stopped right at the first awakening.”
Qin Ming tried to cheer him up. “C’mon, you gotta trust yourself. Seriously. If you don’t believe you can get through each stage, who will?”
Old Man Liu sighed, running a hand over his wrinkled face. “My whole life’s been like a comedy of bad luck. I missed my chance when I was young because I got hurt climbing the mountains. When I finally found a master to teach me in Red Glow City, the master ended up dying out of nowhere. When I joined a mountain patrol to hunt for rare materials, we got attacked by a beast. Most of my friends died, and I barely made it out.”
Qin Ming couldn’t help thinking, “This old guy has the worst luck ever.” But he said nothing, just listened.
“The only time things went even remotely well was when we went to the mountains together,” Old Man Liu went on gloomily.
Qin Ming raised an eyebrow. “Uh, did you forget we got chased by giant mutant ants for four days? That’s your idea of smooth?”
The old man gave a half-smile. Qin Ming asked, “What about your family? Everything okay with them?”
Old Man Liu hesitated. “I… I’m not from this village originally. I was found by my grandfather when I was six, wandering in ice and snow. I don’t remember my real parents. Probably didn’t survive. I had frostbite, but I somehow got better. Just my weird luck, I guess.”
Qin Ming didn’t know what to say, so he just spoke up in a firm voice, “Look, stop brooding. Go back home, drink your spiritual stuff, and just do it. Don’t hesitate. You got this!”
“You’re right. I need to be braver!” Old Man Liu said, pulling a porcelain pot from his coat and gulping it down right in front of Qin Ming.
Qin Ming nearly choked. “Dude, you came all this way just to drink that here? Why not chill out at home first?”
Old Man Liu cracked a smile. “I thought I might catch some of your luck. Ever since I got mixed up with you, things have been going better.”
Then Old Man Liu felt a surge of heat rising inside him. A soft glow seemed to lift from his skin. “I… I think it’s working!” he said, amazed.
“See?” Qin Ming replied, rolling his eyes. “Don’t be so superstitious. You always had it in you. You just kept freaking yourself out.”
Old Man Liu shrugged. “You can say that, but I’m telling you, there’s something out of our control. I think my bad luck started the day I saw a bloody kite drifting in the sky when I was a kid.”
Qin Ming froze. “A bloody kite? Where was that?”
Old Man Liu thought for a moment. “I saw it hovering above the center of Twin Trees Village. I was standing near Fire Spring at the time.”
Before dawn, Old Man Liu pulled his coat tight and hurried home.
Later that night, Qin Ming went to sleep. He drifted off into that strange half-dreaming state again, seeing himself as a small child in ragged clothes, toes peeking from worn shoes. This time, he finally got a clear glimpse of the man who was speaking to him in that memory. The man looked about fifty, hair graying at the temples, hands rough and calloused, wearing clothes patched in many places. Yet he had kind, steady eyes.
“Is that my grandfather?” Qin Ming wondered, watching as the man flipped open the Silk Book. On the third page, there were small words and sketches of human figures. Nothing about Celestial Light Force. Instead, it talked more about the awakening steps—how to train the five senses, sharpen instinct, and so on. Qin Ming guessed that the fourth awakening would have something to do with the senses.
“But what about Celestial Light Force?” Qin Ming thought, feeling frustrated. He was about to wake up when he caught sight of a line at the bottom of the page—notes scribbled in smaller handwriting.
They did mention Celestial Light Force! But… were these notes scolding him?
The first part read something like: “You’ve awakened Celestial Light, but you still can’t form Celestial Light Force? Are you serious?” Then came a single word of advice: “Merge.”
The second part teased him, basically saying that if he was this slow, even with the Silk Book’s guidance, maybe he should give up.
Qin Ming woke up annoyed, thinking, “Easy for you to say, old man. I’m doing this on my own with no teacher.”
The night had almost faded, and morning light slipped through the cracks. After breakfast, Qin Ming headed back to his courtyard to practice. He remembered the line: “Seek within oneself!” Following that hint, he tried again. The Celestial Light inside him stirred, brighter than before, and he felt it surge from deep within.
Finally, he sensed something new moving through him—Celestial Light Force. He touched the chopping blade lightly with his fingertips, and it felt as if the blade clung to him. With a small push, the Celestial Light Force broke off a chunk of the blade as if it were brittle ice.
“Not bad,” he said with a grin. “Finally formed my own Celestial Light Force.” He tested it a few more times, feeling pleased. He remembered the Blade Manual’s hints that most people couldn’t manage to create this force so soon.
But Qin Ming felt different. He had the Three-Colored Flower to help him, and the Silk Book’s mysterious guidance. He was sure he could master multiple Celestial Light Forces over time.
Just then, he heard distant voices at the village entrance. People from Golden Rooster Ridge had arrived, probably looking for fresh recruits.
“All right, time to make myself a proper weapon,” Qin Ming said to himself. He pulled out the White Jade Alloy. He knew it didn’t need endless hammering—just melting and forging would do. Soon, he’d have a blade worthy of his newfound strength.