Chapter 118: Hands Stained with Noble Blood
This novel is translated and hosted on Bcatranslation
At the bottom of the giant pit, Qin Ming walked steadily, pulling his thoughts away from the near-immortal artifact and the metallic scripture. He calmed himself completely.
These things were distant from him, belonging to the core teachings of the Beyond.
He reminded himself not to get carried away. He needed to stay grounded and keep moving forward.
Just a few months ago, he had been hunting in the mountains, battling a strange illness that nearly killed him. He had endured hunger and struggled for survival.
As for his time with the Cui Family, that felt like a fleeting dream, too insubstantial to take seriously.
It was only after stepping onto the Awakening Path, improving his constitution, that he had managed to escape his dire situation.
Qin Ming believed that mastering the Celestial Light Force and continuing to integrate techniques was his way forward. If he kept at it, he would eventually rise above his challenges.
Meanwhile, Chen Shu Hang and Jiang Cong Yun fled, avoiding their original route. They didn’t want to encounter He Tai, who carried the air of a Youth Master, or Chen Xing Yuan, a disciple of the Five Elements Palace.
Both were in terrible shape after being severely injured by Qin Ming. They feared being seen as vulnerable by other experts wielding specialized techniques. If someone decided to take advantage, their chances of survival were slim.
Moreover, neither of them wanted to discuss their humiliating experience in the pit. It was not something they could easily admit to others.
Qin Ming, however, chose to follow the original path back, deliberately slow and measured. This was part of his plan—to muddy the waters further.
It was impossible to sneak the Eight-Trigram Furnace out undetected. Its brilliance was too extraordinary, casting its surroundings in dazzling colors with every step he took.
If he deviated from the agreed-upon route, others might assume he was trying to steal the furnace. Such a suspicion would likely lead to a siege by the disciples of the Beyond.
Since that was the case, Qin Ming decided to use the furnace as bait to lure all the disciples into a chaotic free-for-all.
For now, Li Qing Yue could remain hidden, safe and undisturbed, until the bloody competition reached its end.
Qin Ming had only one concern: if a disciple of the Beyond managed to activate the Eight-Trigram Furnace, would it unleash its mysterious power?
Caution was necessary. Testing this on an unsuspecting disciple might be wise. His time in the pit had been long enough that the Pure Yang Blood on his armor was nearly evaporated.
The bottom of the pit was filled with violent, colorful mist, surging like an ocean of celestial flames.
Even Qin Ming, with every breath, felt his nose and throat burn, the pain sharp and stinging.
Any other Awakening Stage cultivator would have been incinerated in moments, their lungs scorched through until their body turned to ash.
“Look! He’s coming out!”
“And he really has the near-immortal artifact!”
Three top-tier experts stationed at the edge of the pit caught sight of a figure emerging from the swirling mist. In his hands was a radiant object, surrounded by divine light.
He Tai, a young expert invited by the Zheng Family, practiced the Great Ape King Force, a legacy of such strength that his ancestors had once dared to challenge the Tathagata himself.
Staring into the mist, He Tai’s eyes gleamed with interest. “Chen Shu Hang and Jiang Cong Yun are missing, and only the supposed disciple of the Six Imperial Method remains.”
“He’s not with the Six Imperial Sect,” said Chen Xing Yuan, his tone calm. A disciple of the legendary Five Elements Palace, his strength was unfathomable.
Li Tian He, a disciple of the Yuqing Lineage, merely grunted in acknowledgment.
Chen Xing Yuan added nonchalantly, “And he’s not connected to the Tathagata either.”
No one else was present. The three, all major figures in their own right, were waiting here with their eyes fixed on the approaching near-immortal artifact.
Qin Ming’s figure grew clearer as he walked through the celestial mist. The damaged but still resplendent furnace in his hands captivated their attention.
“Did you have a conflict with Chen Shu Hang and Jiang Cong Yun?” He Tai asked.
Qin Ming met his gaze silently, wary of He Tai’s probing.
Chen Xing Yuan and Li Tian He remained quiet, observing with composed expressions.
“You were quite ruthless, leaving both of them in the pit,” He Tai remarked.
Qin Ming’s eyes narrowed. “What are you implying? That I killed them? Don’t go slinging baseless accusations.”
“Good, then. After all, we’re all on the same path—it hasn’t been easy for any of us,” He Tai said with a faint smile. He extended a hand toward the Eight-Trigram Furnace as if to take it.
Qin Ming walked to the edge of the pit and handed the furnace over.
He Tai smiled and reached for the furnace’s rim, but his other hand suddenly erupted with the power of the Great Ape King Force, aiming a strike directly at Qin Ming.
The technique was fierce, both raw and overwhelming, as if a colossal ape capable of devouring the heavens had materialized. Celestial light surged violently.
Qin Ming wasn’t about to be caught off guard. Activating Wind Force, he moved like a whirlwind, avoiding the brunt of the attack.
However, the Pure Yang Blood on his armor, already nearly gone, was completely evaporated by the sudden strike.
It was clear He Tai’s intent wasn’t to harm him outright but to eliminate the protective power of his Pure Yang Blood.
For most Awakening Stage cultivators, entering an area saturated with celestial mist was a death sentence. He Tai had acted with malice, hoping to leave Qin Ming defenseless.
Yet, even He Tai was surprised. Though he had grabbed the furnace’s edge, he failed to take it from Qin Ming’s grasp.
Qin Ming’s face remained cold. He had seen through He Tai’s intent from the start. Even if he planned to use the furnace as bait for chaos, he had no intention of letting this man be the trigger.
He had subtly activated Adhesion Force, making it impossible for He Tai to wrest the furnace from him, no matter how much strength he used.
“Do we have a grudge?” Qin Ming asked as he began climbing out of the pit.
With a sudden whoosh, all three experts moved at once, blocking his path like bolts of lightning.
“You killed Jiang Cong Yun and Chen Shu Hang. Your hands are stained with their blood. We can’t overlook this—we’ll avenge them,” He Tai said, his tone flat.
Qin Ming’s gaze swept over them. “You’re seriously going to pretend this is about justice? Let’s be honest—you’re just after the near-immortal artifact, aren’t you?”
Chen Xing Yuan nodded. “That’s right. The Eight-Trigram Furnace of Luo Fu Mountain has a reputation that reaches deep into the Night Fog World, tied to near-immortal creatures and quasi-divine beings. We’d like to study it more closely.”
Qin Ming could only shake his head, unsure how to respond. The disciples of the Beyond had gathered allies from various places, but even their recruits harbored selfish ambitions.
When Qin Ming first met He Tai, the man had seemed humble and reserved. Now, his true nature was laid bare.
Qin Ming sighed softly, feigning an attempt to break through their encirclement. Charging toward the slope, he found the three experts immediately moving to intercept, trying to force him back into the pit where the celestial mist would burn him alive.
A flicker of killing intent appeared in Qin Ming’s eyes. He had shown restraint, sparing Chen Shu Hang and Jiang Cong Yun, but he wouldn’t forgive these three.
Striking He Tai head-on, Qin Ming’s purpose wasn’t to decide life and death right away. Instead, he activated Adhesion Force, locking onto the Great Ape King Force user and dragging him back toward the depths of the pit, where the celestial mist raged most fiercely.
He Tai was alarmed. How could someone whose Celestial Light Force barely extended outward pull him into this treacherous pit? His expression turned cold. While he had the protection of Pure Yang Blood, his opponent had already lost that safeguard. Without protective spiritual blood, Qin Ming couldn’t possibly last long here.
He Tai fully unleashed the Great Ape King Force, and behind him, a massive shadow of a black ape seemed to rise, roaring as if trying to tear through the night and glimpse daylight once more.
There was no denying it—his Celestial Light Force was extraordinary. It was no wonder his ancestor had once dared to challenge the Tathagata, especially with such awe-inspiring phenomena accompanying his technique.
Qin Ming responded with a Wu Earth Fist, its power instantly dispersing He Tai’s fierce, dominating force. Then, as Golden Silkworm Force erupted from his fist, even its three-inch range was enough to pierce He Tai’s fist, drawing blood.
He Tai’s resilience was undeniable. His Celestial Light Force surged around him in a rapid, violent flow, and while blood seeped from his skin, his muscles and bones remained unharmed.
The light surrounding He Tai’s body was nearly a meter thick, far surpassing that of Jiang Cong Yun and Chen Shu Hang. Still, he was astonished. Who was this opponent? A mere three inches of light should never have been able to shake his meter-thick defense. It defied reason.
He Tai was a prodigy, praised for his extraordinary talent. Many considered him to possess the poise of a Youth Master, particularly in the field of martial arts. Confident in his abilities, he attacked with everything he had.
Qin Ming’s fist erupted with Separation Flame Force, a fiery glow that tore through He Tai’s defenses and ignited portions of his Celestial Light Force, spreading like wildfire.
“What is this?!” He Tai exclaimed, hastily channeling the Great Ape King Force to extinguish the flames.
Qin Ming pressed the attack, closing the distance. This time, he pushed Adhesion Force to its limit, drawing the fiery, crystalline layer of He Tai’s Pure Yang Blood Essence from his body.
In an instant, the blood essence was pulled onto Qin Ming’s armor, enveloping him in its protective glow.
“You—!” He Tai’s face twisted in shock. Without the protection of his Pure Yang Blood, he could no longer endure the pit’s relentless heat. The searing light was already beginning to burn his flesh.
“Where do you think you’re going? You should experience this for yourself!” Qin Ming blocked his path, refusing to let him escape.
He Tai’s eyes burned red with fury. He stopped, realizing escape was impossible. The more he tried to flee, the harder it became to break free. His only option now was to fight to the death.
“I’ll show you the true power of the Great Ape King Skill!” He Tai growled. His voice was cold, but his mind steadied, accepting the searing pain of the celestial mist as he charged at Qin Ming.
The Great Ape King Fist, a technique that had earned its place in the Night Fog World, was indeed formidable. Trading blows with Qin Ming, He Tai managed to hold his own.
His Celestial Light Force was uniquely aggressive and overwhelming, temporarily keeping Qin Ming’s strikes at bay.
“Roar!” He Tai bellowed, and the black ape behind him surged into motion, mirroring his movements as it unleashed waves of celestial light. The sheer force seemed capable of toppling mountains and splitting the skies.
With a thunderous crash, He Tai’s light force shattered massive boulders several meters high at the bottom of the pit. Stomping the crystalline ground, he created fissures half a foot wide.
It was as though he had transformed into a true Great Ape King, growing more powerful as the fight went on. The vibrant mist of celestial light around him churned violently, each punch sending stone debris into the air, hurtling forward with immense force.
Qin Ming’s expression grew serious. He no longer wished to prolong the fight. Drawing on the Silk Script Method to command his techniques, he activated three exceptional skills and eighteen forms of force simultaneously, each one resonating with immense power.
Holy radiance flowed across Qin Ming’s body. His right fist shot forward, imbued with the precision and mastery of a true martial artist. Every aspect of his technique culminated in this single, devastating strike.
He Tai’s expression shifted. Though others called him a future Youth Master, he knew he wasn’t there yet. While he possessed a glimmer of mastery, he still had a long way to go. Yet now, staring at Qin Ming’s strike, he felt shaken—it truly carried the air of a Youth Master.
With a roar, He Tai unleashed his full power. The black ape shadow behind him merged with his body, enhancing his strike as it shook the pit’s depths.
The two fists collided with an earth-shattering impact.
Qin Ming’s punch tore through the meter-thick Celestial Light Force, shattering the Great Ape King Force. Blood sprayed as He Tai’s fist deformed under the blow, the sound of bone cracking loud and clear.
“What future master? What young prodigy? You’re far from it,” Qin Ming said, his tone cutting.
He Tai stumbled back, his injured hand trembling. The celestial mist burned his wounds, and his fractured fingers throbbed with pain. In desperation, he summoned another burst of terrifying light force, hurling it at Qin Ming.
This time, Qin Ming didn’t bother meeting him punch for punch. He had already assessed He Tai’s strength and grown bored. Swinging the Eight-Trigram Furnace, he smashed it forward.
He Tai’s pupils shrank as he realized Qin Ming had barely used his left hand throughout the entire fight. The revelation left him feeling utterly defeated.
Desperate to survive, He Tai tapped into his very essence, unleashing an even more powerful strike. The black ape shadow behind him grew sharper and more lifelike, leaping forward to attack Qin Ming directly.
Qin Ming swung the furnace with a resounding boom, shattering the enormous black ape projection into nothingness.
“Ah!” He Tai howled in agony. The destruction of the projection, a manifestation of his essence, left him physically and spiritually devastated. It was as if his very life force had been ripped from his body.
Qin Ming’s expression turned serious. The Great Ape King Skill was indeed extraordinary, transcending the realm of ordinary techniques. He realized the skill’s full potential hadn’t been reached—He Tai’s incomplete mastery had held it back.
Despite his injuries, He Tai charged forward in a frenzy.
Qin Ming swung the furnace once more. With a deafening crash, half of He Tai’s body was obliterated.
He Tai’s remains collapsed into a pool of blood, his screams echoing briefly before the celestial mist ignited what was left of him, reducing his body to ash.
A young master had fallen, his life ending in tragedy.
The commotion drew the attention of the disciples of the Beyond stationed at the edge of the pit. Many noticed the radiant light emanating from below.
“The near-immortal artifact has been taken!” someone shouted.
Several disciples, still protected by Pure Yang Blood, dove into the pit without hesitation.
“The curtain rises,” Qin Ming whispered, standing silently at the pit’s base, holding the near-immortal artifact.