Chapter 139: A Grand Gift Within the Rules
This novel is translated and hosted on Bcatranslation
The world outside was as dark as an abyss.
The ancestral grounds of the Six Rulers Sect spanned a vast area. Streams of high-grade fire springs flowed throughout, their brilliance illuminating the land with life and vibrancy.
One towering building stood out, constructed from an iron-hard lapis lazuli stone that exuded an ancient, weathered charm. Many famed warriors had passed through this place in history.
In an expansive reception hall, an elder with pale golden hair and beard spoke coldly: “Cui Chang Qing, why have you come?”
The ebony tea table between them was thick and heavy, its dark surface etched with natural patterns resembling a map of mountains and rivers. Fragrant steam rose from untouched teacups, yet neither man made a move to drink.
“It has been many years, and I missed an old friend. I came to visit,” Cui Chang Qing replied with a smile. His long, emerald-green hair exuded the fresh scent of grass and trees.
The golden-haired elder’s sharp eyes flashed like molten gold as he looked at Cui Chang Qing. “In the past, I broke tradition and allowed your Cui family’s child to study the first scroll of the Six Rulers Heart Sutra in my master’s name. You have no reason to be here again.”
The elder was Zhou Shi Ze. His pale gold hair and beard reflected his mastery of the Six Rulers Force, a technique so advanced it had even turned his pupils golden. His cultivation was deep and profound.
Cui Chang Qing, his skin as pale as snow and his youthful face betraying none of his more than a century of age, clasped his hands in respect. “Back then, my nephew’s father and I both petitioned for the scripture, and I remain deeply grateful to you, Zhou Brother.”
He continued, “That child did not disappoint. At only fifteen, he has already become an aberrant. Having completed nine awakenings, he now stands on the brink of comprehending the true essence of the Six Rulers Force. Soon, he will naturally enter the Outer Saint realm without relying on great medicines.”
“That is not unworthy of the Six Rulers Heart Sutra,” Zhou Shi Ze admitted, his expression softening slightly. His golden eyes flickered as he asked, “Why are you here now?”
Cui Chang Qing sipped his tea delicately and said, “Though Chong Xuan is an aberrant, he is simple-minded. I fear he may be harmed by others. I came to ask for your care.”
Zhou Shi Ze’s tone turned cold. “You’re implying something. If he passes the core disciple trial and becomes part of the Six Rulers Sect, who could harm him here?”
Cui Chang Qing smiled faintly. “There’s a mischievous monkey we raised in my family. It has become unruly and has also arrived at the Six Rulers grounds. I worry it might cause trouble.”
“If your child is truly strong, why would he fear a monkey? And if that monkey joins our sect, it will be one of us,” Zhou Shi Ze replied calmly from behind the tea table.
Cui Chang Qing’s expression remained polite as he continued, “The monkey is clumsy and vicious, while Chong Xuan is pure of heart. I simply fear an unfortunate accident.”
He waved his hand in the air, and a streak of light materialized into a blade before quickly dissipating.
Zhou Shi Ze’s face darkened, and his golden hair fluttered like an enraged lion’s mane. “Are you threatening me here, in the Six Rulers Sect?”
Cui Chang Qing laughed. “Zhou Brother, don’t misunderstand me. I mean no harm. Chong Xuan is half your disciple, thanks to the scripture you bestowed upon him. I only wish for him to be safe.”
Zhou Shi Ze’s voice was stern. “In the Six Rulers Sect, everything follows the rules. He will be fine.”
His tone turned sharp. “Do not stir trouble here. The ancestral grounds do not tolerate outside interference. Any violation will be met with severe consequences.”
“I understand, Zhou Brother. Everything will follow the rules,” Cui Chang Qing said with a placid smile. Though over a century old, his mastery of the Longevity Sutra kept him in his prime, his vibrant aura more youthful than many young men.
He placed a brocade box on the tea table and slid it forward. “A small token of friendship. I couldn’t come empty-handed.”
Zhou Shi Ze didn’t touch the box, his golden eyes narrowing. “What’s the meaning of this?”
Cui Chang Qing opened the box, revealing a short sword about a foot long. It glimmered with five-colored radiance. “I heard you have a fondness for blades. This sword was discovered in the depths of the Night Fog World. Even after a thousand years, its brilliance remains undimmed.”
He then took out a handwritten journal and pushed it forward. “While many sects have fragments of the Longevity Sutra, interpretations vary across generations. This contains my ancestor’s insights on the longevity aspect of the sutra. I hope you find it valuable.”
Zhou Shi Ze’s expression grew serious. It was well-known that the Cui family patriarch had unique insights into the Longevity Sutra. Two centuries ago, the patriarch was said to be on his deathbed. Yet two years ago, when the Li family launched a powerful offensive, the supposedly dying patriarch emerged from seclusion stronger than ever.
The journal piqued Zhou Shi Ze’s interest. Although he appeared youthful with his golden hair and robust aura, he had lived over a century. The advanced stage of the Six Rulers Force had granted him vitality, but his age made the longevity secrets particularly enticing.
Cui Chang Qing smiled gently. “Please accept these gifts, Zhou Brother. Everything will proceed according to the rules.”
In the radiant ancestral grounds of the Six Rulers Sect, fire springs glimmered with golden hues, and white mist curled lazily over the beautiful landscape.
Qin Ming had been here for two days, waiting for the first trial to begin. He was housed in the Golden Forest, where many of the top talents from across the Night Fog World had gathered.
The forest was unique. All the trees bore golden leaves, a testament to the Six Rulers Sect’s extraordinary cultivation techniques. Even thousand-year-old pine trees, which should have been evergreen, shimmered with golden needles, exuding a rich pine fragrance.
The lake in the forest bloomed with golden lotuses, and even the fire springs flowing through the woods glowed faintly with golden light, creating an otherworldly scene.
Scattered throughout the forest were wooden cabins, each occupied by a single core disciple candidate. Currently, dozens of youths resided here, all preparing for the trial.
Among the bustling conversation, a youth shared a fascinating story. “Did you know? They say the forest turned golden because the youngest disciple of the sect’s patriarch once meditated here. From the Six Rulers Heart Sutra, he comprehended the Radiant Light Force. When he opened his eyes, his golden pupils radiated divine light, turning the forest golden with his power.”
“How old was the patriarch’s youngest disciple?” someone asked curiously.
“Well, no one knows for sure. But even his grand-disciples, like Elder Zhou Shi Ze, are over a hundred years old.”
The Golden Forest grew increasingly lively in the final two days, with over fifty participants now gathered. Qin Ming kept a low profile, blending into the background without attracting much attention.
Among the group were two aberrants: one was the sharp-featured and strikingly handsome Cao Wu Ji, whom Qin Ming had seen before in the Purple Bamboo Forest of Jin Rui City. The other was a stunning black-clad young woman with a cold and elegant demeanor. Her strength was undeniable—when she and Cao Wu Ji clashed over the lakeside cabin, a single exchange left Cao Wu Ji retreating three steps, shocking everyone.
Many knew Cao Wu Ji, a prodigy frequently featured in the Night Report, his fame resonating across major cities. To see him outmatched by the mysterious young woman revealed her as a top-tier aberrant in her own right.
Qin Ming couldn’t help but marvel. Two highly acclaimed aberrants had gathered at the Six Rulers Sect, and he had yet to face an aberrant himself in combat.
Reflecting on his previous encounters, only Yu Zhuo Han had been a noteworthy opponent. Most others had not reached the same level of distinction.
“Adolescent aberrants are incredibly powerful,” Qin Ming thought, his evaluation serious and cautious. He always overestimated his opponents to avoid being caught off guard.
Rumors began circulating about the nature of the upcoming trial. “Do you know how we’ll be tested?” someone whispered. “Apparently, we’ll see the world as it truly is—a place with rare spiritual materials but extreme dangers. We might need to work together just to survive.”
Some youths with connections in the Six Rulers Sect had unearthed these details. “The elders said we can act alone or form teams, whatever we prefer,” another added. The vague and flexible conditions left everyone uncertain about how the trial would proceed.
“Maybe the environment will eventually force us to split up,” someone speculated. “Still, it’s safer to band together at first to conserve energy.”
“Cao Brother, let’s team up!” “Cao Wu Ji, can I join you?” Several participants swarmed around Cao Wu Ji, both male and female. Though all were confident enough to join this trial, they knew they couldn’t rival Cao Wu Ji or the black-clad girl, so they settled for aiming to be third, fourth, or even fifth in line. Passing the trial was all that mattered.
Likewise, the aloof black-clad girl, Zhuo Ya, attracted her own group of admirers eager to accompany her.
Qin Ming watched quietly, noting that not all these people truly admired Cao Wu Ji or Zhuo Ya. Some clearly intended to use them to clear obstacles, conserving their own strength.
“Qin Brother, aren’t you going to join a group?” asked Zhou Lei, a young woman in a yellow dress who lived nearby.
“Zhuo Ya is hard to approach. Let’s go with Cao Wu Ji instead,” suggested another neighbor, Huang Cheng.
“We’ll see,” Qin Ming replied, his calm demeanor leading the pair to assume he was an independent and self-assured loner.
Later that day, Cui Chong Xuan arrived, just before the deadline.
“Cui family’s newest aberrant!” someone whispered. Reliable sources had already identified Cui Chong Xuan.
Cui Chong Xuan chose a cabin and settled in without fanfare. However, upon spotting Qin Ming, his expression turned complicated. After some hesitation, he approached and weakly greeted, “Brother.”
Qin Ming smiled and nodded. “Tomorrow, give it your all and perform well.”
Many participants took notice. Though they couldn’t hear the exchange, they realized that this low-profile individual had some notable connections.
“It’s you!” Cao Wu Ji said as he approached, finally recognizing Qin Ming as the youth from the Purple Bamboo Forest who had displayed celestial energy in eight dazzling hues.
“Cao Brother, we meet again,” Qin Ming replied with a smile. Up close, he could sense the vitality of Cao Wu Ji’s aberrant physique more clearly than before.
Most strikingly, Cao Wu Ji seemed to have reached the Outer Saint realm, a significant leap in power since their last encounter. This also meant that Zhuo Ya, the black-clad girl, was likely an Outer Saint as well.
Gasps rippled through the group. To their astonishment, both aberrants seemed to know Qin Ming.
Hearing Qin Ming’s name, Zhuo Ya approached gracefully. Her gaze lingered on him, her expression curious. “You’re Qin Ming?”
“Yes,” Qin Ming replied, though he didn’t recall ever meeting her before.
“My cousin is Yu Zhuo Han,” Zhuo Ya said, her frosty demeanor melting into a smile as radiant as a snow lotus in bloom.
“Oh, so we’re connected,” Qin Ming said warmly. “He and I bonded through a friendly fight.”
“But,” Zhuo Ya continued, her smile turning playful, “he asked me to punch you on his behalf.”
Qin Ming chuckled inwardly. Clearly, Yu Zhuo Han still harbored a grudge over their previous bout and had vented to his cousin about it.
The next day, an elder of the Six Rulers Sect arrived with several young disciples. “I assume you’ve all heard what you need to know,” he said. “I won’t waste time explaining further. Let’s depart.”
“Elder, we don’t even know where we’re going!” someone exclaimed.
“To the edge of the world,” replied one of the young disciples.
The elder elaborated, “There’s no point in testing you within the ancestral grounds. That would lead to unnecessary infighting. Instead, I’ll take you to see the true face of the world, where your energy will be better spent.”
Two massive avian creatures unfurled their wings, generating powerful gusts as they soared into the night sky. The black-feathered crane and the snow-white peacock radiated an awe-inspiring presence, dispersing the thick fog with their overwhelming auras. Both were high-level aberrants in their own right.
The group of over sixty participants climbed aboard, their expressions solemn. As the avian beasts flew through the darkness, only faint glimmers of light occasionally broke the vast expanse below.
The endless world stretched beneath them. Regions with fire springs were scarce, and even sprawling cities appeared as faint, sporadic glimmers in the dense night fog.
By the end of the journey, they had traveled 40,000 miles from the ancestral grounds of the Six Rulers Sect, arriving at their mysterious destination.