Chapter 116: To Fight or to Strike
This novel is translated and hosted on Bcatranslation
Chen Shu Hang made a sudden move. His hand, shaped like a blade, sliced through the air as a five-colored Thunder Light Force erupted from his body, slashing mercilessly toward Qin Ming’s neck. His intent was clear—this was no simple sparring gesture but a lethal attack.
Qin Ming felt the terrifying heat coursing through the air. A strand of hair sticking out from under his helmet sizzled and stood on end. The five-colored Thunder Light Force streaked by, its intensity indistinguishable from a real lightning strike.
He had sensed the danger long before it struck and had been on guard. Moving swiftly like one riding the wind, he leaned to the side just in time to avoid the attack.
The Thunder Light Force grazed past him with a deafening roar, a sonic boom shaking the air. Its sheer power could have obliterated a giant elephant into a bloody pulp. The dense luminous mist around them was shattered, scattered in all directions.
At the same time, Jiang Cong Yun’s fist came barreling toward Qin Ming, embodying the essence of Pure Yang. His strike radiated like a golden sun clenched in his fist, dazzlingly bright and unbearably hot. The oppressive heat seemed capable of unraveling one’s very spirit and will, a force that could inspire fear even in disciples of the Beyond.
Qin Ming’s expression remained cold. Not allowing himself to be cornered by the two, he summoned the Vajra Force, a domineering technique, unleashing a tempestuous energy that ignited the latent celestial light accumulated in the area.
The surrounding luminous mist boiled and churned violently. The dense celestial light surged in chaotic waves, engulfing the two assailants who had launched the deadly ambush.
In a flash, all three darted away in different directions, avoiding the raging storm of celestial light. They each claimed a position, standing silently in a tense standoff.
Greed stirs even the most steadfast hearts, let alone when a near-immortal artifact is at stake.
Qin Ming understood the root of the issue. The faintly glowing near-immortal artifact radiated auspicious light, shrouded in celestial mist. There were even signs that a rare medicine might be about to emerge alongside it.
He spoke in a low voice, “After a thousand years, any immortal medicine that might have been left behind would have long rotted. Would you really dare consume it?”
The two had clearly formed an alliance before entering the Heavenly Pit. Their attack on him had been premeditated. When they glimpsed the supposed immortal medicine near the artifact, a mere exchange of glances was enough for them to make a decision—to turn on him and seize the prize.
The bottom of the pit was uneven and covered in crystalline formations from exposure to extreme heat. The dense celestial light swirled like radiant mist, blazing furiously. An ordinary Awakening Stage cultivator would have their lungs scorched just by breathing the air here.
Chen Shu Hang and Jiang Cong Yun exchanged a brief look. Having already attacked, they saw no reason to explain themselves now. Words would only feel hollow.
Their faces were calm, their gazes deep, as they began closing in on Qin Ming from two sides. “Brother, nothing personal,” Chen Shu Hang said with a faint smile.
“We’ll see you out,” Jiang Cong Yun added coolly, his tone devoid of emotion.
Since they had already offended him, they couldn’t allow Qin Ming to remain a contender for the near-immortal artifact. Whether or not it held any real fortune, they would first sever his chance of reaching it.
Qin Ming’s voice was icy. “You’re certainly ruthless. No matter how reasonable your choice might have seemed at first, once you’ve made your move, you’d better follow through, right?”
He didn’t attack immediately, opting to bide his time. Unlike the other two, he didn’t need the protection of Pure Yang Blood to survive at the bottom of the pit. The same couldn’t be said for them.
Chen Shu Hang and Jiang Cong Yun wasted no time. Once they had resolved to act, they struck decisively, both charging toward Qin Ming with all their might.
Whether or not Qin Ming was a disciple of the Six Imperial Heart Sutra, they treated him as a significant threat. If their techniques, capable of harming Outer Saint-level disciples of the Beyond, weren’t enough to take him seriously, nothing would be.
A sharp glint flashed in Qin Ming’s eyes as his anger surged. They had miscalculated, assuming that the artifact might still hold an immortal medicine. Turning on him over this misconception and then stubbornly pressing on—such audacity was intolerable!
Celestial Light Force surged around him, sacred and resplendent, enveloping his entire body.
“Is that all?” Chen Shu Hang exclaimed in disbelief.
“The celestial light doesn’t even extend more than two or three inches from his body?” Jiang Cong Yun echoed, his surprise evident.
Neither had anticipated that this so-called disciple of the Six Imperial Heart Sutra would only manifest such a thin layer of celestial light after fully unleashing his power. Compared to their own, it seemed almost negligible.
They didn’t hesitate. In this perilous pit, a quick resolution was the safest option.
Crackling lightning appeared between Chen Shu Hang’s fingers as the five-colored Thunder Light Force—a rare and formidable technique—erupted from his body, extending half a meter outward.
Jiang Cong Yun was even more aggressive. Leaping into the air, his feet seemed to tread on a blazing golden sun. A searing light burst from his soles as he aimed a devastating Pure Yang kick at Qin Ming’s head. This technique was said to be indestructible, capable of instantly severing the yin spirit.
Qin Ming’s expression grew colder. This time, he didn’t retreat. Against unknown opponents, he always offered the utmost “courtesy”—a full-force response.
A closer look revealed that the celestial light covering Qin Ming’s body contained eighteen intricate patterns, dazzling and complex. Though the layer was thin, its brilliance was unmatched.
As Chen Shu Hang’s Thunder Light Force clashed with Qin Ming’s fists, the latter’s hands glimmered with fiery threads and golden light. His punch pierced through the half-meter-long celestial light, shattering the renowned Thunder Light Force!
Every Awakening cultivator knew that among all celestial light techniques, Thunder Force was one of the most formidable. Yet Qin Ming had just broken it barehanded.
His celestial light extended only a few inches beyond his fists. Compared to his opponents, it seemed almost negligible, but it cleaved through like a blade through water.
With a resounding crash, Qin Ming’s punch detonated Chen Shu Hang’s Thunder Light Force and surged forward, threatening the latter’s hand.
Chen Shu Hang’s pupils constricted. This was absurd. How could such a small amount of celestial light contend with his technique? If Qin Ming were a typical Outer Saint, perhaps it could be explained, but this—
Known for defeating stronger opponents, Chen Shu Hang now found himself on the receiving end. He retreated quickly, realizing he couldn’t block the devastating celestial light.
A sharp, sizzling sound erupted as Qin Ming’s attack grazed Chen Shu Hang’s hand. Blood flowed instantly, and a deep wound appeared. The celestial light was too ferocious, nearly ripping away a chunk of his flesh.
Jiang Cong Yun lunged next, his Pure Yang kick descending with ferocious power. Qin Ming tilted his head slightly to avoid it, countering with his arm to deflect the blow.
Jiang Cong Yun, seeing Chen Shu Hang’s reaction, realized their opponent was a formidable foe. Pure Yang Force surged through his leg, igniting it with dazzling flames as he pushed his power to its absolute peak.
If a disciple of the Beyond were present, their spiritual awareness would be incinerated by the Pure Yang Force. Even an Awakening cultivator’s mental state would falter, leaving them dazed and wracked with headaches.
But Qin Ming seemed unaffected. Using his arm, he blocked the fiery kick. The collision of celestial forces exploded in radiant light, scattering energy in every direction.
With a loud bang, Jiang Cong Yun was sent flying sideways. He staggered, his steps unsteady as he glanced down at his leg. The golden armor protecting it had shattered, and his Pure Yang Force had been broken through.
Fortunately, it had been a hasty clash. His leg wasn’t seriously injured—just some light bruising and a thin trickle of blood.
“What kind of monster is this?” Both Jiang Cong Yun and Chen Shu Hang felt a chill in their hearts. They now understood that they had underestimated their opponent.
They had used secret techniques to observe Qin Ming in the past, assessing his constitution. At the time, they had believed him to be within the normal range for someone at the Outer Saint Realm.
Now, the error in their judgment became painfully clear. Qin Ming wasn’t even at the Outer Saint level yet, but his vitality was already comparable to someone in the second tier of cultivation.
“You’re a nine-time Awakened Aberration?!” Their eyes widened, their expressions shifting entirely. They had unexpectedly encountered one of these legendary figures.
Aberrations were rare under any circumstances. Everyone knew the millennial aristocratic families likely harbored such individuals, but they almost never appeared in public.
As a renowned sect in the Night Fog World, the Pure Yang Palace was a thriving force. Naturally, it would also seek out and nurture Aberrations.
Yet it seemed inconceivable for the Pure Yang Palace to allow an Aberration to roam freely and aid disciples of the Beyond in competing for a near-immortal artifact.
“Is the Six Imperial Sect so ‘extravagant’ that they’d casually let an Aberration like you loose? And one who hasn’t even reached the second tier? Aren’t they afraid of losing you?” Jiang Cong Yun’s voice was tinged with disbelief.
Chen Shu Hang was equally stunned. The profound foundation of the Six Imperial Sect was truly unfathomable. To be invited to fight alongside them and to “squander” an Aberration in this way defied all reason.
“Has the gap between our Pure Yang Palace and the Six Imperial Sect grown so vast?” Jiang Cong Yun sighed.
These thoughts flashed through their minds in an instant, but neither let their focus slip during the tense standoff.
Qin Ming ignored their words. Now that he had gauged their abilities, he was confident—he could fight, or he could kill.
He moved again, this time with the fluid grace of a Youth Master. His strikes exuded the earth’s primal energy as he launched into the Wuji Fist, his entire body surrounded by the essence of the earth.
When his fist clashed with Jiang Cong Yun’s solar-like blow, the Yin Earth and Yang Earth forces intertwined, dissolving the Pure Yang Force into nothing. With a resounding impact, Jiang Cong Yun was sent hurtling backward.
Then, with a sharp whoosh, Qin Ming activated the Vajra’s Wind Force, closing the distance to Chen Shu Hang in the blink of an eye. He met the latter’s five-colored Thunder Light Force head-on.
The energy of the Wuji Force surged through Qin Ming’s fist, shattering the Thunder Light Force. As his fist transformed into the Separation Flame Force, the air around them seemed to ignite.
This force was uniquely destructive, as if it could set celestial light itself ablaze. Qin Ming’s timing was perfect—he struck just as Chen Shu Hang’s Thunder Light Force collapsed. The flame surged outward, spreading like wildfire.
Chen Shu Hang recoiled in panic, retreating rapidly. But he couldn’t escape. Qin Ming’s palm landed squarely, sending him flying and coughing up blood.
Qin Ming then rode the Vajra’s Wind Force again, closing in on Jiang Cong Yun to block his escape. With large, sweeping movements, he traded blows with him.
This time, Qin Ming employed the Golden Silkworm Skill, driving it with his fused Celestial Light Force. It was even more formidable than his previous techniques.
Jiang Cong Yun was shaken. His Pure Yang Force couldn’t penetrate the dense golden threads that covered Qin Ming’s fists, as if an unyielding net had ensnared his power.
A muffled groan escaped him as Qin Ming’s strike pierced three inches deep into his hand with razor-sharp golden threads. Blood flowed freely, his flesh and bones severely damaged.
“Golden Silkworm Skill!” Jiang Cong Yun exclaimed, recognizing the technique.
He knew it wasn’t that the Golden Silkworm Skill itself surpassed Pure Yang Force, but rather that Qin Ming, a nine-time Awakened Aberration, had used the Six Imperial Method to fuse multiple techniques, making him unstoppable.
In a flurry of punches, Qin Ming transitioned between the Golden Silkworm Skill, Separation Flame Force, and Wuji Fist, forcing the Pure Yang Palace disciple to cough up mouthfuls of blood. Jiang Cong Yun’s hands were a bloody mess, his arms riddled with fractures from the terrifying celestial force.
Chen Shu Hang, who tried to flee, was intercepted again. He was battered with the Yellow Mud Palm, Wuji Fist, and Separation Flame Force in succession. His body was slashed open in multiple places, his shoulder blade shattered.
He looked like he had been struck by lightning. His skin was charred, his bones fractured, and he suffered severe injuries. The fire of life within him was dimming.
“I was wrong! Please show mercy. I’m willing to exchange my scripture for my life,” Chen Shu Hang pleaded desperately. He was young and didn’t want to die here.
Qin Ming hesitated. These two, now defeated, posed no future threat to him. Besides, they wouldn’t dare seek revenge, knowing who he was. If they wanted retribution, they’d have to go after the Six Imperial Sect instead.
“I’ll trade my technique for my life as well,” Jiang Cong Yun quickly added when he saw Qin Ming pause.
“I can’t reveal the core method of the Thunder Light Force,” Chen Shu Hang added nervously. “If I did, my sect would hunt me and my entire family down.”
Qin Ming attempted to extract the technique through emotional resonance but found that fear dominated Chen Shu Hang’s emotions. He reluctantly gave up.
In the end, he obtained a lightning-based technique from Chen Shu Hang through spiritual resonance and confirmed its authenticity.
Although he didn’t get the Pure Yang Force from Jiang Cong Yun, he was surprised to gain an equally valuable technique, Minor Yang Technique, which was rare and precious for independent cultivators or small sects.
“You may leave,” Qin Ming said, keeping his promise.
The two were bitter but had no choice. If they had known it would end like this, they wouldn’t have made such a reckless move.
As they dragged their battered bodies away, Jiang Cong Yun murmured, “Is the Six Imperial Sect trying to emulate the Tathagata’s sect by raising Aberrations like silkworms, releasing them to temper the most promising disciples?”
Without delay, they fled. Their Pure Yang Blood Essence had been depleted during the battle, and even the celestial light clinging to them had been shaken loose.
Now alone, Qin Ming approached the center of the pit. The near-immortal artifact before him radiated celestial light, its auspicious glow steaming upward, surrounded by swirling white mist and imbued with an ancient aura.
“What a treasure,” he marveled.
Nearby, he noticed other objects, a joyful expression spreading across his face.
“This near-immortal artifact must have been touched by many powerful figures. I wonder if it retains any lingering emotions. Can I resonate with it spiritually?” Qin Ming’s eyes gleamed with anticipation as he prepared to try.