Chapter 145: From Abyss to Zenith
This novel is translated and hosted on Bcatranslation
The Black Roc, its body shimmering like forged black iron, stood atop a towering mountain overlooking the plains cloaked in night. Its wounds were healing as it emanated waves of terrifying energy.
“Third Brother, you’ve gone too far this time—bringing outsiders into our territory?!” the Black Roc snarled, displeased. Though its recovery was swift, allowing it to fend off potential challengers, the risk of powerful intruders remained high.
The old donkey quickly explained, “Big Brother, I’m scared! He’s refining Old Fourth’s silver blood. If we don’t act, he’ll only grow stronger.”
Nearby, the Fire Lion, its frame even more massive than an elephant’s, was also recuperating. Its crimson scales radiated a fiery glow as it let out occasional low growls. Though it had suffered grievously—its skull pierced—it had survived. Slowly but surely, the wound on its forehead was mending, its peculiar bloodline glowing faintly within. This bloodline traced back to the depths of the Night Fog World, connecting it to the legendary Fire Qilin.
The Black Roc commanded, “Since you’ve already summoned outsiders, I’ll issue a kill order under my name. Let our kindred come in droves to hunt him down. He must not leave the Shenzhang Plains alive!”
“Understood!” the old donkey replied immediately.
Beneath the night sky, chaos erupted across the Shenzhang Plains. Beastly roars echoed incessantly as flocks of predatory birds sliced through the dense night fog, circling the canopy of the forest. The kill order spread far and wide, turning the territory of the four old demons into a cauldron of turmoil. Powerful aberrants and even some humans joined the hunt, each drawn by greed.
Meanwhile, Qin Ming absorbed the last of the silver radiance enveloping his body. The rich medicinal aroma faded, and his seventh awakening began in earnest. He could feel the changes vividly. Scabs formed over his wounds, his broken bones reconnected, and his body burned with heat as if his very flesh and blood were being purified. Vital energy surged within him, enveloping his internal organs in a misty vitality, akin to the flourishing of life in early spring.
His fractured bones mended rapidly, and by the time his awakening concluded, they would be entirely healed. Without the silver heart’s scent betraying him, Qin Ming’s situation improved significantly. Employing Blend with the Dust, he concealed himself in the forest under the night’s cover. Standing still for a quarter hour, he merged into the shadows. But peace was fleeting—this land teemed with demons and monsters, and he was soon discovered.
A massive black sheep, as tall as ten meters, emerged. It was even more imposing than the Fire Lion. Though its rough, blunt horns lacked sharpness, Qin Ming instinctively sensed danger.
True to his instincts, the black sheep was extraordinary. Without emanating any demon aura, it relied purely on overwhelming physical strength to obliterate everything in its path. It barreled forward, shattering massive trees in its wake. Encased in a layer of black radiance that rendered it nearly indestructible, it seemed to have trained a technique akin to Iron Skin.
Still in the process of awakening, with his bones barely reconnected, Qin Ming avoided confrontation, unwilling to risk reinjuring himself. He turned and fled.
With a thunderous crash, the black sheep shattered a massive boulder blocking its path. Its coarse horns obliterated entire swathes of towering trees as it charged, its momentum as if it could pierce the heavens.
“I am Yang Dingtian! Hand over the silver heart, and I’ll spare your life!” it bellowed.
“I already ate it,” Qin Ming replied flatly.
“Then I’ll refine you instead. The medicinal effects will still linger,” Yang Dingtian sneered, resuming the chase.
Qin Ming leapt into a great river, swimming several miles downstream, only to be forced ashore by a massive fish over ten meters long. Shortly after, a towering mountain ape appeared, standing fifteen meters tall. Its innate strength and Celestial Light were far beyond that of a typical Outer Saint.
This mountain ape left a deep impression on Qin Ming. Pursued relentlessly, he narrowly avoided its massive stomping feet multiple times. The ground cracked, trees splintered, and the ape swung a bone blade—a weapon carved from a giant beast’s rib—down with devastating force, shaking the earth.
Reluctant to fight, Qin Ming leapt into a large lake, hoping to evade further conflict. However, he quickly surfaced on the far shore, grimacing. The lake teemed with electric eels, though their cultivation levels were low enough for him to escape without serious harm.
The day passed in unending flight. By nightfall, Qin Ming found a moment of respite. Hiding in a giant crocodile’s mouth, he reflected grimly on his predicament. Never had he imagined his struggle for survival would descend to such a humiliating extent.
Having been chased by countless colossal creatures, he sought refuge in a swamp, smearing himself with mud to mask his presence. Yet even there, he encountered an Outer Saint-level crocodile.
This time, Qin Ming snapped. Charging into the crocodile’s maw, he unleashed his Celestial Light Force, detonating it from within. The creature’s life force dissipated instantly, though its body remained intact.
Finally relaxing inside the crocodile’s mouth, Qin Ming muttered, “The Six Rulers Sect’s core disciple trial…”
This particular elder had deliberately assigned the testing grounds based on the disciples’ respective strength. Though still at the Awakening level, Qin Ming had been thrust into confrontations with terrifying old demons like the Black Roc, Fire Lion, and Yang Dingtian—all of whom far surpassed ordinary Outer Saints.
“If I ascend to the Outer Saint realm, will they place me in areas guarded by beings of the third great realm?” he mused, weary.
That night, Qin Ming slept deeply. His body underwent astonishing transformations as he rested. Tiny golden threads and silver medicinal mud worked over his injuries, knitting his broken bones and healing his wounds. Every damaged part of his body emitted faint sounds as it mended, nourished by the potent medicine.
By dawn, Qin Ming awoke feeling rejuvenated, his energy at an all-time high. Despite the grim setting of the crocodile’s mouth, he was pleased with his condition. His injuries had healed entirely, his strength had increased, and his senses were sharper than ever. His Celestial Light Force had grown denser, and his Divine Wisdom and consciousness aura were more profound.
“If things continue at this pace, I’ll complete my seventh awakening in half a day!” he thought confidently.
Emerging from the crocodile’s mouth, he washed thoroughly in a clear pool, though his Celestial Light had already shielded him from any foul odors. After roasting an eel and eating some wild fruit, his eyes gleamed with cold determination.
Yesterday had been a nightmare, but now, vengeance was on his mind. Thinking of the old demons, Qin Ming speculated that the Fire Lion’s unique “strange blood” might further fortify his foundation. A plan for retaliation began to take shape.
As dawn broke, the fervor of the monsters chasing Qin Ming began to wane. Believing he had fully absorbed the medicinal essence of the silver blood, they deemed him no longer worth the effort.
By noon, under the faintest shadows of the day and amidst the dense mist covering the Shenzhang Plains, Qin Ming felt a surge of elation—his seventh awakening was finally complete.
He instinctively sensed that his foundation had once again pushed past its prior limits. Though he had obtained and refined two types of “strange blood,” the improvement was more modest than he’d imagined. His breakthrough, while significant, was not as dramatic as he had hoped.
“It seems that surpassing the initial limit of 1,500 pounds of arm strength is an incredibly high bar,” Qin Ming thought, reflecting on how even the most legendary grandmasters throughout history seemed unable to break it.
With his seventh awakening, Qin Ming had exceeded a total strength of 10,500 pounds but had yet to reach 11,000. This estimate came from his honed intuition, a rough calculation of his progress.
“To break through this ceiling and further solidify my foundation, I’ll need more strange blood,” Qin Ming mused. The Shenzhang Plains appeared to be a unique region, home to an unusual concentration of creatures with rare bloodlines. He had already encountered three such beings.
Beyond his physical enhancements and strength boost, his body brimmed with an extraordinary radiance. A golden mist resembling fragments of a shattered sun mixed with light fog coalesced around him. This was the unique ability granted by his seventh awakening. Qin Ming took a deep breath, centering himself. His transformation was far from over—this was only the beginning of a true qualitative leap.
Surveying the forested expanse of the plains, Qin Ming murmured, “What a perfect place to practice the Wood Sutra.”
Seated cross-legged, he began to circulate the sutra’s energy. Immediately, a fresh, verdant aura spread across the area. The rustling of leaves echoed as a faint green essence flowed toward him.
Having already mastered the Wood Force, Qin Ming now consumed Falling Fruits to further enhance this technique. These fruits, brimming with near-immortal Celestial Light, almost seemed to liquefy as they entered his body, unleashing vibrant, volatile energy. Most people couldn’t withstand this potency—it would overheat and destroy their bodies.
But Qin Ming could. Consuming fruit after fruit, his Wood Force ascended to new heights. By the end, his entire body radiated a green light, and the surrounding forest seemed to resonate with him, channeling its vitality into his being. The sutra, indeed, was extraordinary, capable of extending life and enhancing its essence.
Green radiance surrounded him, light fog wreathed the area, and dense vitality surged toward Qin Ming. The forest itself whispered and hummed, as if communicating with him.
At last, his skin turned lustrous and jade-like, his hair shimmering emerald green and crystalline, giving him an almost otherworldly appearance. By resonating with the forest and harnessing the fruits, he had pushed the Wood Sutra to the limits of his current body.
“The Wood Sutra isn’t just about nurturing life—it packs immense power!” Qin Ming thought, testing its strength. Green energy enveloped his palm as he gently struck the ground. With a resounding boom, the earth shattered, and the force penetrated deep underground.
He brushed his hand lightly across a massive boulder nearby, and the energy’s touch reduced it to fine powder.
When he ceased channeling the sutra, his hair returned to its natural jet-black color.
Next, Qin Ming began practicing Wind and Thunder Force, a technique he had acquired from the Wind and Thunder Blade Manual taken from the weasel demon. He had long aspired to master the power of lightning.
Although not a pure lightning technique, the combination with wind satisfied him greatly. This blade technique, likely an ultimate skill from a grand sect, was astonishingly potent. Lightning energy coiled around him, accompanied by gusting winds. When Qin Ming casually swung his fist, the air rumbled with thunderous crashes.
The technique’s power was undeniable.
He then incorporated Electric Force from the Five Elements Palace—a decent, if not supreme, lightning skill. Methodically, Qin Ming cycled through his techniques, including Lesser Yang Force, Wind-Flame Force, Golden Severing Force, Dragon Claw Force, Bright Light Force, and Jade Radiance Force.
Using the Silk Script Method, he fused them all into a unified whole.
Yesterday, he had plummeted into the depths of despair, hunted by countless demons and monsters. Now, following his seventh awakening and the mastery of these techniques, he rose to dazzling heights. Qin Ming had successfully integrated nine forces at once—a feat unheard of.
Most of these forces had been acquired during his time helping Li Qing Yue retrieve near-immortal artifacts on Luo Fu Immortal Mountain.
He still possessed three additional Celestial Light forces that remained unrefined, largely because he had exhausted his supply of Falling Fruits. Despite the significant quantity of fruits provided by Meng Xing Hai, their immense consumption was unavoidable given the strength of the techniques. Moreover, Qin Ming had reached his physical capacity.
“For the first time, I feel I’ve hit a limit,” Qin Ming admitted. “I’m full—one more bite, and I might explode on the spot.”
At this point, he had mastered four grand techniques and integrated twenty-seven different Celestial Light forces.
When Qin Ming rose to his feet, his fused Celestial Light Force erupted outward, shimmering with an unmistakable transformation. He had ascended to a whole new level of strength. The radiant energy enshrouding him resembled divine armor, making him appear like a youthful deity stepping out from the brilliant sun. His every movement exuded otherworldly majesty and an overwhelming presence.
“It’s time to move on!” Qin Ming declared. Gripping his white jade alloy blade, he set off across the Shenzhang Plains, a lone figure radiating invincibility.