Chapter 153: A Happy Ending
This novel is translated and hosted on Bcatranslation
A large teal raptor came to fetch Qin Ming, calling out loudly from a distance, “Brother Qin, it’s me, your own bird! Please, don’t shoot any arrows!”
On its way, the bird had been anxious, terrified of being mistaken for prey. Lately, the avian world had been abuzz with tales of a ruthless youth who shot down any bird in sight, his skill so fearsome it sent shivers through the feathers of all who heard.
Qin Ming waved with a smile, gesturing for the bird to relax.
The teal raptor breathed a sigh of relief as it descended in a graceful arc, but its composure faltered when it noticed the spoils of Qin Ming’s battles.
The first thing it saw was the formidable talons of the Black Roc King.
Next, its eyes fell on the remains of the Fire Lion, Mountain Ape, Brocade Sparrow, and even the feathers and hide of the blade-master Huang Yuan, their brilliance gleaming in the sunlight.
It was a horrifying sight. These weren’t just ordinary beasts; they were all ancient and powerful monsters of legend.
“Are you a local bird demon?” Qin Ming asked calmly.
“Brother—no, my lord!” the raptor stammered, trembling. “I am indeed local, but I’ve long since turned over a new leaf. Recently, I’ve been following the orders of the White Peacock King, patrolling the region. I swear, I’ve done nothing evil!”
The teal raptor was utterly frightened, fearing that the godlike young man before it intended to exact justice on it as well. Its beak trembled so much that it almost bit its own tongue.
The wind whistled as the raptor carried Qin Ming and his trophies toward the city, a hundred miles away. It remained tense the entire journey, barely daring to breathe.
Large birds like it couldn’t enter cities directly—otherwise, they risked being shot down by giant crossbows stationed on the city walls. Qin Ming disembarked outside and carried his vast collection of spoils into the city. His arrival turned heads, and experienced adventurers and hunters alike stared in shock.
“So young, yet he’s slain so many ancient monsters? What’s his background? Could he be a rising talent specially groomed by the Six Rulers?” whispered one observer.
“Such remarkable achievements at his age! Could it be that the declining Ancestor Court of the Six Rulers is on the brink of a revival?” another speculated.
Within the Six Rulers’ encampment, Zhou Tao, the White Peacock, and the Black Crane were busy “balancing the books,” engaged in a serious discussion.
“This assessment saw two attempts on the young Cui scion’s life,” the White Peacock noted. “Could someone be trying to sow discord between the ancient Cui family and the Six Rulers?”
Zhou Tao’s expression shifted. “Do you mean Cui Chong Xuan, or Qin Ming?” he asked.
“Cui Chong Xuan was targeted twice,” the White Peacock confirmed, her tone steady. She oversaw several of the young aberrants in the trial. “As for Qin Ming, Zhuo Ya, and Cao Wu Ji, each of them was also targeted once.”
The Black Crane interjected, “My side was relatively peaceful; no unexpected incidents occurred.” The group it monitored consisted of ordinary youths, not aberrants.
“Even the depths of the Shenzhang Plains have been quiet,” Zhou Tao added, referring to the dangerous otherworldly entities lurking within the fog. Then, with a sigh, he began pondering how he would explain the trial’s events to the elders back home.
The White Peacock tried to reassure him. “Simply tell them the truth. The rare medicines were part of the rewards, fair within the rules. Anyone capable of claiming them deserves the credit.”
Zhou Tao’s frustration bubbled over. “Four aberrants participated. Taking one or two herbs would be normal—even three might be acceptable. But one boy practically treated it like a harvest, sweeping the area clean as if wielding a scythe!”
The Black Crane looked startled. “In today’s declining age for the New Awakening Path, such an extraordinary youth still exists? I’ll need to take a closer look at him later.”
The White Peacock spoke with solemnity. “Elder Zhou, you should be glad. The Six Rulers have grown stagnant and decayed, but you may have just witnessed the rise of a revivalist leader!”
“I understand,” Zhou Tao replied with a nod.
The White Peacock continued, “The area you assigned to him was perilously close to the redline zone, with significant challenges.”
“It wasn’t beyond his capabilities,” Zhou Tao countered. “The Silver Wolf King, Black Roc, and Fire Lion weren’t even listed in the records. All he had to do was eliminate a donkey demon. Who could have guessed he’d have such a strong sense of justice and fight with such fervor, nearly sacrificing himself to slay several ancient monsters?”
The White Peacock nodded. “The details are unclear. He even took down all nine bird demons I had tamed.”
Zhou Tao let the matter rest, recognizing the futility of pressing for more.
When Qin Ming arrived at the encampment, the young disciples of the Six Rulers stared at him with astonished expressions. Some opened their mouths as if to speak, but no words came out.
These disciples included individuals from the Zhou family and other prestigious clans. They had come to assist with the trial and inspect the rare medicines, but now their faces were pale with disbelief. It felt as though the sky had fallen—their precious herb fields had been swept bare!
Many knew that prized medicines had already been promised to favored junior disciples, but those treasures had been intercepted. The sheer scale of the disruption left Zhou Tao with a splitting headache, as he could only imagine the backlash from all the parties involved.
Among the returning youths, more than a dozen had been lost, despite being warned to act within their abilities. Even so, some had overreached, paying with their lives.
Zhou Tao sighed, mourning the fallen before turning his attention to those who had made it back. These survivors, the seeds of the Six Rulers’ future, were met with personal words of encouragement.
An evening banquet was held to celebrate their safe return. Many senior members of the sect, including the White Peacock and Black Crane, attended, paying particular attention to the aberrant youths—especially Qin Ming. His feats were nothing short of extraordinary, even by the standards of those who had mastered the Six Rulers Sutra.
Both high-ranking aberrants marveled, unaware that Qin Ming had only undergone seven awakenings.
“He couldn’t possibly have trained with Cui Chong Xuan in the Six Rulers Heart Sutra, could he?” the Black Crane mused aloud, filled with doubt.
As the banquet unfolded, laughter and camaraderie filled the air. Those who survived had passed the trial, their smiles reflecting the bonds of future camaraderie. Many realized they might not all become core disciples, but being elite disciples was still a worthwhile pursuit.
Qin Ming’s reputation preceded him. Many were eager to befriend the boy known for his courage and kindness, having crossed boundaries to assist others, such as Zhou Lei and Huang Cheng.
His achievements seemed almost mythical. Yet even the scaled-down version shared at the banquet was terrifying. Zhou Tao had deliberately withheld the full details, telling Qin Ming it was a protective measure to prevent premature targeting of his talent.
Qin Ming nodded in agreement, grateful for the elder’s foresight.
Zhou Tao was engulfed in a swirl of emotions. This time, he had allowed his personal bias to influence his decisions. His uncle, Zhou Shi Ze, had mentioned in passing that the truly exceptional should be challenged further, given more trials to temper them into greatness. He had even named Qin Ming specifically but cautioned Zhou Tao to avoid crossing any lines and to stay within the rules.
“We’ll talk later,” Zhou Tao said, turning to leave. He couldn’t show favoritism, as he still needed to attend to the other young aberrants—Zhuo Ya, Cao Wu Ji, and Cui Chong Xuan.
“You are all uncut gems,” Zhou Tao began, addressing the trio. “Once you master the Six Rulers Force, you’ll be able to crush foes like the White Drake or Golden Rhino. With your potential, nothing will stand in your way!”
Cao Wu Ji’s eyes immediately brightened. What he lacked most was a renowned technique to cement his place in the Night Fog World. He had the raw potential of an aberrant but no Celestial Light Force to match his gifts.
Qin Ming listened intently, reflecting deeply on the potential of the Six Rulers Force during the Awakening stage. He recalled his duel with Cui Chong Xuan on Luo Fu Immortal Mountain, where Cui had mentioned that an aberrant who mastered two aspects of the Six Rulers Force during the Awakening stage would be considered successful.
That “success” seemed to imply passing the minimum threshold. But was it possible for someone to master three aspects of the Six Rulers Force while still at this stage?
Pondering this, Qin Ming frowned. If that were the case, he could not afford to grow complacent and needed to push himself further. After all, with his fusion of two extraordinary techniques and over a dozen types of Celestial Light Force, he could already suppress Cui Chong Xuan, who had mastered one aspect.
If someone could reach three aspects, would Qin Ming need to fuse six extraordinary techniques and as many as thirty or forty types of Celestial Light Force to keep pace?
“The road ahead is long, and I must strive harder!” Qin Ming resolved. Ever humble, he preferred to overestimate his potential adversaries from the Ancestor Court rather than underestimate the terrifying talents he might one day face.
“Don’t worry,” Zhou Tao continued reassuringly, “studying the Six Rulers Force at the Outer Saint stage is not too late. It can still transform you completely. That’s the brilliance of the Six Rulers Heart Sutra. Our Fourth Ancestor and Young Ancestor both started even later than you and achieved even greater heights.”
The mention of the Fourth Ancestor and Young Ancestor referred to the founder’s fourth disciple and final apprentice. It was a well-established truth that it was never too late to learn the Six Rulers Heart Sutra.
“To be safe, I’ll need to fuse at least six extraordinary techniques during the Awakening stage,” Qin Ming mused.
After speaking with the group of youths and offering them heartfelt encouragement, Zhou Tao approached Qin Ming, the boy who might very well be the harbinger of the sect’s revival. Taking a deep breath, he adjusted his mindset, fully aware of the significance of this young man.
“Elder Zhou, while slaying an ancient monster, I found its horn to be extraordinary. It can neutralize poisons and enhance the efficacy of medicines. I crafted it into a cup as a token of thanks for your guidance.” Qin Ming smiled warmly as he handed Zhou Tao a radiant, golden horn cup.
Zhou Tao accepted it, but the moment he recognized the material, his hands trembled. This was the horn of the Golden Rhino—a creature his uncle Zhou Shi Ze had carefully raised for its medicinal properties. The thought of using it as a tea cup nearly made him drop it.
“Excellent! This is a thoughtful gift,” Zhou Tao said with a forced smile, tucking the cup away quickly. He resolved to ensure his uncle never found out about its new purpose.
Then his expression grew serious. “For this trial, I’ll give you the highest evaluation possible. In my opinion, your performance reaches the level of a young sect master—perhaps even a Young Ancestor. However, I stand by my decision to keep your achievements under wraps for now. Publicizing them could draw the attention of the Six Rulers’ adversaries and put you in danger.”
“I’ll follow your guidance,” Qin Ming replied with a nod.
Inwardly, Zhou Tao calculated Qin Ming’s potential. Even among top-tier aberrants, the boy stood out. With his fusion of multiple extraordinary bloodlines, his aptitude might rival that of a Young Ancestor—or even surpass it.
Could this boy be a future Ancestor-level figure?
Zhou Tao added, “I’ve examined some of your prey. The Celestial Light Force techniques you use are indeed extraordinary, but many such techniques excel only during the Awakening and Outer Saint stages. They often lack sustainability and cannot progress further. The Six Rulers Heart Sutra, however, can guide you through every major realm, placing you at the forefront in each stage. Only a handful of legacies can rival it.”
Zhou Tao’s deep understanding of the Six Rulers Heart Sutra surpassed that of even high-level aberrants like the White Peacock and Black Crane. He could immediately tell that Qin Ming had not studied alongside Cui Chong Xuan.
Qin Ming nodded solemnly. Whether or not he decided to join the Ancestor Court, he knew he had to appear genuinely eager.
Having sorted out his thoughts, Zhou Tao’s attitude toward Qin Ming changed completely. If this boy truly was the sect’s future savior, when else could he establish a rapport if not now? To him, this was the best possible outcome for everyone.
Shortly after, the White Peacock and Black Crane joined the conversation, treating Qin Ming with newfound respect. They didn’t linger long, however, wary of drawing too much attention to their unusual interest in the boy.
The following day, under the churning skies of the Night Fog World, the White Peacock and Black Crane carried their group on the journey home.
Zhou Tao remained burdened, knowing he alone would have to bear the responsibility for everything that had transpired. He began rehearsing how to explain the disappearance of the rare medicines to the elders.
Qin Ming, on the other hand, was filled with anticipation. Both Zhou Tao and the White Peacock had promised that upon their return, he would be granted access to one of the Ancestor Court’s profound techniques.
The vast, pitch-black expanse stretched endlessly before them. The two flying mounts streaked through the skies at incredible speeds, effortlessly covering forty thousand miles.
At last, the Six Rulers’ Ancestor Court came into view, and the group made their triumphant return.