Chapter 157: The Ambition to Forge New Paths
This novel is translated and hosted on Bcatranslation
In the stone chamber, Qin Ming awoke abruptly from his half-dreaming state. In the misty depths of the night fog, he had glimpsed a towering figure whose mere presence seemed to dissolve the light of his spirit. His heart raced as he sat upright, still fatigued from the fleeting vision.
Calming his mind, he activated the Fate-Altering Sutra, enhancing the vitality of his flesh and blood to nourish his spirit. Soon, his strength returned, and the weariness dissipated.
“What a bizarre experience,” he murmured. “It felt as though my consciousness left my body, carried away by the mist, only to witness those extraordinary scenes—half-real, half-illusory.”
Pondering the vision, he thought of the two figures: one was undoubtedly Lu Zi Zai, but could the other have been the Six Rulers Ancestor?
Simultaneously, he reflected on the River Network Sutra. This top-tier technique was akin to a gold mine, continuously offering new surprises and revelations. As he consolidated his mastery of the technique, achieving a fifth extraordinary skill and merging it with his Celestial Light Force, Qin Ming felt an unparalleled sense of accomplishment.
Emerging from the stone cave, he inhaled the fresh morning air. Over the past few days, Lu Zi Zai often appeared around this time, strolling near the comprehension grounds. It was as though he was savoring the present while preparing for an imminent departure.
“How is your progress with the River Network Sutra?” Lu Zi Zai appeared again, standing by the edge of the verdant bamboo grove.
Qin Ming recalled how Lu Zi Zai had once mastered the sutra in just five or six days, stunning everyone around him. Those scenes seemed as vivid as yesterday.
“It’s not particularly difficult,” Lu Zi Zai remarked. “Compared to certain secret texts, it’s relatively accessible.”
Qin Ming nodded. “You’re right, Senior Brother. I feel the same way.”
“And how much have you understood?” Lu Zi Zai asked with a smile.
“I’ve comprehended all the chapters for the Awakening stage, as well as portions of the Outer Saint domain,” Qin Ming replied, confident.
Lu Zi Zai blinked in surprise. “How many days has it been?”
“Four,” Qin Ming answered. He demonstrated his mastery by summoning the Celestial Light Force into his hand. Gentle water vapor rose, and he directed the nearby Fire Spring into his palm. Clouds tinged with crimson light swirled around, resembling a fiery sunset.
“Four days?” Lu Zi Zai was momentarily stunned. This was faster than his own record. The remarkable “junior disciple” before him had surpassed what he thought was an unbeatable milestone in the Six Rulers Ancestor Court.
After a brief daze, Lu Zi Zai nodded approvingly. “Impressive. You truly have the potential to stand among us.”
Unbeknownst to them, a group of elders stood far away, ensuring they were not disturbed. Among them, the Young Ancestor’s first disciple was stationed closer and overheard Lu Zi Zai’s words. He trembled in shock.
“What’s wrong?” Zhou Tao, standing nearby, noticed the elder’s sudden reaction.
The aged disciple, hair so sparse it was nearly nonexistent, muttered, “Such innate aptitude… It’s of ancestral caliber.”
Qin Ming, undeterred by the praise, turned to Lu Zi Zai with eager eyes. “Senior Brother, can I learn the World’s Fire true method now?”
Lu Zi Zai’s expression grew complicated as he gazed at the bright-eyed youth before him. He saw a reflection of his younger self—an extraordinarily gifted individual, brimming with curiosity and ambition.
With a wry smile, he relented. “With your extraordinary comprehension, I’ll teach you the World’s Fire.”
Qin Ming listened intently and then returned to the stone chamber to delve into the teachings. As he studied, he found the sutra to be both profound and cryptic. Its subtleties were ineffable, requiring deep introspection to navigate the enigmatic sections.
“You’d better make the most of your time to comprehend this,” Lu Zi Zai advised bluntly. “If you have questions, ask me quickly—I might be gone in a few days.”
His candid remark, made in the heart of the Six Rulers Ancestor Court, was striking in its audacity.
“Will you stay or leave?” Lu Zi Zai asked.
Qin Ming hesitated. He, too, felt the urge to leave. If someone of Lu Zi Zai’s stature intended to flee, how could he remain? However, a pang of guilt held him back. He had learned the court’s extraordinary techniques and realized that the rare medicines he had used might have belonged to someone else. Could he simply leave?
“If you feel indebted to the Six Rulers Ancestor Court, repay them in the future,” Lu Zi Zai said casually.
“Understood,” Qin Ming agreed. He then sought clarification on parts of the World’s Fire. Though the sutra was concise, its depth was immense, filled with unfathomable mysteries.
Days later, Qin Ming felt confident he could navigate the unclear sections independently. Meanwhile, Lu Zi Zai began preparing to leave the Ancestor Court.
“Where are you headed, Senior Brother?” Qin Ming asked.
“To experience the world. Then, I’ll likely venture deep into the Night Fog World to explore the path of awakening,” Lu Zi Zai replied. There was no doubt—Lu Zi Zai harbored the ambition to forge new paths.
The tranquil atmosphere was broken by the resonant toll of a bell. Its sound echoed across the Ancestor Court, summoning the younger disciples.
“I’ll postpone my departure,” Lu Zi Zai muttered, visibly displeased as he paced near the comprehension grounds.
Qin Ming emerged from the chamber. “Senior Brother, what’s happening?”
“Visitors from the Exotic Lands,” Lu Zi Zai replied bluntly, his words laced with disdain. “I’m not happy about them.”
“What’s the issue?” Qin Ming pressed.
“They’ve brought disciples to spar with ours,” Lu Zi Zai said with thinly veiled irritation.
Qin Ming shrugged. “What’s the problem? The early-stage techniques of the Six Rulers are perfect for countering those from the Exotic Lands. The Celestial Light Force, for example, burns through their consciousness like a blazing sun.”
Indeed, legendary techniques like these were feared by both the Exotic Lands and the Secret Sect, especially in the earlier stages, where they held a distinct advantage. However, other variants of the Celestial Light Force were not as effective and could even be suppressed.
“The problem,” Lu Zi Zai continued, “is that they want to use our methods against us.”
“What?” Qin Ming was startled. “Techniques from the path of awakening?”
“Rumor has it that some elders from the Exotic Lands have developed extraordinary techniques. Others say they’ve acquired lost methods from our path of awakening,” Lu Zi Zai explained, his frown deepening. “It’s clear they’re here to test these techniques, and the first place they’ve chosen is the Ancestor Court.”
Though they claimed it was for sparring and exchange, there was no doubt they intended to compete—and only with confidence in their methods would they dare come knocking.
After all, if the disciples of the Six Rulers Ancestor Court were suppressed in their own home by those from the Exotic Lands, it would be a huge humiliation.
“Do you really think those profound techniques come from the Exotic Lands’ own innovation?” he asked, incredulous. “That would be extraordinary.”
Lu Zi Zai shook his head. “Of course not. Their methods are fundamentally different from ours. They couldn’t just create something like this out of thin air. It’s highly likely they’ve acquired techniques left behind by fallen ancestors of the Awakening Path, like the Heaven-Severing Strategy or the long-hidden Eight Scenes Divine Illumination Sutra.”
While Lu Zi Zai found the Six Rulers Ancestor Court outdated and in need of renewal, he was unwilling to see outsiders barge in and pose such a challenge—especially while he was still present.
“It shouldn’t be a big problem,” Qin Ming replied, confident that the court’s disciples could handle the situation.
“Don’t underestimate the Exotic Lands,” Lu Zi Zai warned. “They have ways to enhance the foundations of Awakening practitioners. Even ancestors of the Awakening Path have borrowed their methods to deepen their reserves.”
He had already learned that the visitors included a top-tier practitioner, a prodigy who had reportedly cultivated a legendary form of Celestial Light Force—possibly rivaling techniques like the Tathagata Force or Yuqing Force. Victory was far from guaranteed.
“The Six Rulers Court may not be as exceptional as it once was, but I trust they can handle this. Still, I don’t want the Exotic Lands to win even a single bout,” Lu Zi Zai declared.
Their challenge was no act of goodwill; it was an overt show of aggression using techniques from the Awakening Path. He turned to Qin Ming and said, “You’ll fight. Don’t give them an inch. Crush them. Wipe them out completely.”
“Understood, no problem!” Qin Ming nodded immediately. After all, he had benefited greatly from the court’s resources and was already thinking of ways to repay the favor. Now, he had the perfect opportunity.
“Senior Brother Lu, you’ll help me hide my identity, right? I don’t want any trouble afterward.”
“Don’t worry, I’ve already considered that,” Lu Zi Zai assured him.
Soon, Qin Ming learned more about their challengers. The visitors were from the Exotic Immortal Lands and had reportedly unearthed an ancient sutra known as the Wrestling the Immortal Sutra. It was said that the Celestial Light Force derived from this technique was comparable to legendary forces like the Tathagata Force and Yuqing Force.
“That’s quite a lofty name for a sutra,” Qin Ming remarked, astonished.
“It’s almost certainly a technique left behind by a fallen Awakening Path ancestor, rebranded and presented as their own,” Lu Zi Zai said with certainty.
The sparring was scheduled for the following day. The visitors claimed they would exchange techniques with the disciples of the Six Rulers Ancestor Court before moving on to other prominent sects like the Yuqing Sect and Tathagata Temple. Their intention to challenge the strongest doctrines of the Awakening Path was obvious.
Lu Zi Zai was incensed. “Hit them hard. Make them swallow their words. After this fight, I want them all nursing their wounds back in the Immortal Lands.”
“Got it, no problem,” Qin Ming said confidently. “But Senior Brother, I was thinking of using the River Network Sutra, and I haven’t cultivated the corresponding Celestial Light Force yet.”
He hesitated, considering whether to ask about the availability of “fallen fruits” that might help him quickly fuse the force.
Lu Zi Zai replied, “You have five extraordinary skills, each representing one of the five elements. You can temporarily convert one of them into the water element. It shouldn’t be too hard.”
“Really? I’ll give it a try!” Qin Ming said, intrigued, putting aside his thoughts about the fallen fruits.
That day, as he strolled through the court with Lu Zi Zai, he noticed a familiar figure among the visitors—a young woman in white. Though not one of the top-tier fighters, she was part of the entourage observing the sparring matches.
Lu Zi Zai saw Qin Ming’s reaction and commented, “That group likely represents the newly promoted core disciples of the Exotic Immortal Lands. They’re here to study our techniques through these high-level duels.”
Qin Ming was surprised to see her. She had become a core disciple of the Immortal Lands.
Long ago, at the Fire Spring by Twin Tree Village, Qin Ming had encountered two women. One, dressed in green, had once stood on the back of a Golden Roc and seized the greatest fortune of the Black and White Mountain. The other, her companion in white, had now risen to such a position.