Chapter 162: The Consequences of Walking the Night Path
This novel is translated and hosted on Bcatranslation
Warmth surged in Qin Ming’s heart as he approached Li Qing Yun, who had been waiting outside the mountain gate. Filled with genuine emotion, he called out, “Uncle Li!”
Qin Ming’s early years had been marred by hardship. Orphaned except for his grandfather, he lived through abandonment by the Cui family, was sent to the Black and White Mountain to eke out his last utility, and faced near-death, amnesia, and starvation. These experiences gave him a profound appreciation for kindness.
Li Qing Yun’s expression changed as he looked Qin Ming over. “What happened to your face? Bruises everywhere—did one of those old geezers from the Six Rulers Ancestor Court beat you up?”
“Uncle Li, I’m fine. Just injuries from training.” Qin Ming chuckled sheepishly. The past few days of refining internal elixirs with Thunderfire Force had left him battered and disheveled.
As they spoke, Qin Ming began drawing in the nearby essence of Wood Force, nourishing his body and spirit.
Li Qing Yun raised an eyebrow in surprise. “Impressive! Many people study the Wood Sutra for years, using it to develop combat techniques, but true harmony with flora is rare. You’ve achieved it in such a short time. Remarkable!”
Reassured, he lowered his voice. “I’ve heard rumors over the past two days that the Six Rulers Ancestor Court produced an incredible genius. Supposedly, he single-handedly subdued a group of prodigies from the Exotic Immortal Lands. Is that true?”
“It is. His name is Qi Zi Zai, and he’s truly extraordinary,” Qin Ming replied modestly, stopping his cultivation to avoid creating a spectacle of surging green energy near the gate.
“Brother Qi Zi Zai will surely be the great revitalizer of the Six Rulers Ancestor Court!” a passing youth exclaimed upon overhearing their conversation.
Two female disciples leaving the mountain gate also nodded in agreement.
“Well-deserved praise for one of the strongest doctrines on the New Awakening Path. The Six Rulers Ancestor Court’s reputation is well-earned,” Li Qing Yun remarked diplomatically, careful with his words on someone else’s turf.
Privately, however, he suspected a connection between Qi Zi Zai and Qin Ming.
“Uncle Li, I’ll say goodbye to my friend before we leave,” Qin Ming said, moving to bid farewell to Lu Zi Zai.
Li Qing Yun turned his gaze to the youth in rough linen standing in the distance. At first glance, the boy seemed serene and composed, but as Li Qing Yun examined him more closely, a chill ran through him. He couldn’t see through the boy’s depths.
His attention shifted to the golden bird perched on the youth’s shoulder, and his heart raced. This was no ordinary creature—it resembled a legendary species. Despite its small size, he sensed an overwhelming surge of golden blood energy within it, the kind that could obliterate entire landscapes if unleashed.
Li Qing Yun cupped his hands in a respectful gesture, recognizing Lu Zi Zai’s extraordinary nature. Lu Zi Zai nodded faintly in acknowledgment.
“Senior Brother Lu, I’m leaving,” Qin Ming said simply as he approached.
“You’re practicing a dangerous scripture. I’m not sure you can push through to the end. Don’t rush to merge top-tier techniques—it won’t benefit you. If you proceed too hastily, your body might suddenly explode over time,” Lu Zi Zai warned him through a private transmission. “Even ancestral masters in history couldn’t withstand it. Focus on tempering your true essence with mundane fire instead.”
He then gestured toward the golden bird on his shoulder. “This one, Xiao Jin, has been left untended and free-roaming. Its sibling, on the other hand, was pampered, constantly fed spiritual medicines and exposed to teachings at the mountain gate. Yet when it was finally released, it was slaughtered as a source of flesh and blood for an elixir. It didn’t stand a chance.”
“Senior Brother, stop! That’s a terrible analogy,” Qin Ming protested, wincing.
“You’re overthinking it. It’s a true story,” Lu Zi Zai said calmly before turning and disappearing into the pitch-black horizon.
The night wind howled as a high-level aberrant tore through the sky, flying at unimaginable speed toward the distant Red Glow City, over fifteen thousand miles away.
“Qi Zi Zai—is it really you?” Despite having guessed the truth, Li Qing Yun wavered in mid-air, struggling to reconcile the boy he knew with the prodigy of recent rumors.
“Uncle Li, be careful,” Qin Ming warned. The blackness around them was treacherous, and a fall from this height would have catastrophic consequences.
Li Qing Yun’s heart swelled with relief and pride. He had always seen great potential in Qin Ming but realized now that he had still underestimated him.
As they flew, Li Qing Yun shared news. “Lately, the Night Report has been full of stories about renowned prodigies. Geniuses from different cities are battling for supremacy, and even a figure capable of sweeping across eighty-one cities has emerged. It’s a time of upheaval—a new era is dawning. People speak of young grandmasters rising and even Pure Yang Physiques appearing along the Immortal Path. The buzz is everywhere.”
The aberrant creature continued its swift flight, drawing closer to Red Glow City. Suddenly, Li Qing Yun’s expression darkened. “Stop! Change direction!” he shouted.
Qin Ming’s body tensed instinctively. Ahead of them, what should have been a pitch-black landscape was lit by a faint halo of light.
The light wasn’t from city flames. It was far brighter and shimmered eerily in the clouds above. The sight was chilling.
The pale blue glow seemed soft and gentle as it spread, yet the faint sounds of collapsing echoed with its movements. Wherever it extended, the dense clouds fractured and crumbled.
“Hurry! It’s gaining on us!” Li Qing Yun urged, his voice rising in alarm. They had encountered a phenomenon too strange to ignore.
The Night Fog World, mysterious and inscrutable, occasionally presented inexplicable occurrences within humanity’s claimed territories. Some were bizarre, others terrifying, and many defied understanding.
“Qin! Did you put on your wing suit?” Li Qing Yun asked over the turbulence.
“It’s on!” Qin Ming confirmed.
Qin Ming and Li Qing Yun clung tightly to the back of their flying mount, their nerves taut. Even the high-level aberrant beneath them was trembling slightly.
“Old friend, what’s wrong?” Li Qing Yun asked, his voice laced with concern.
“I’ve lost my sense of direction. I can’t see anything,” the aberrant replied, its voice quivering.
Both riders felt a chill seep into their hearts. Their own senses had also dulled—sight, sound, even touch—becoming numb and unresponsive. It was as though their very awareness was freezing.
They realized they were now shrouded in the faint blue mist. The halo of light had expanded to their location, illuminating the surrounding Night Fog.
“Can you determine the direction of the ground? Descend quickly!” Qin Ming urged.
The Night Fog around them roared and churned as they began their descent. The turbulence intensified, and the world seemed to flip and collapse as they tumbled into the unknown.
“Don’t worry! We’re close to the ground!” Li Qing Yun shouted.
But his voice soon faded into silence. Despite their prolonged descent, there was still no sign of solid ground.
Suddenly, the pale blue glow surged like a tidal wave, slamming into their mount. The aberrant bucked violently, flinging its riders away. Both men were dazed, their perceptions dulled, their reactions sluggish.
Qin Ming’s body erupted with Celestial Light Force as he spread his wingsuit, gliding like a bird of the night through the misty abyss.
He recalled the words of Old Liu from Black and White Village: “If you walk the Night Path long enough, you’ll encounter all kinds of horrors and oddities.” Resigned to his fate, Qin Ming could only leave it to the heavens.
The resonating vibrations of his techniques, along with the fusion of over twenty types of Celestial Light Force, transformed him into a blazing golden crow plunging through the fog.
In an instant, he struck the ground with a loud thud. Despite the protection of his Celestial Light Force, the impact left him seeing stars. His vision darkened as unconsciousness claimed him.
It was unclear how much time had passed before Qin Ming regained consciousness. His surroundings were blurred, veiled by faint blue mist. Slowly, his senses returned, and his awareness sharpened.
Shaking his head to clear it, he noted the cracks radiating from the spot where he’d landed. Blood stained the corner of his lips, but thanks to his protective Celestial Light Force, his injuries were not severe.
He carefully assessed his condition. The pain was intense, but none of his bones were broken, and his internal organs remained intact. It seemed he hadn’t fallen from a great height after all.
Immediately, he activated the Fate-Altering Sutra to rejuvenate his vitality and enhance his recovery. Then, using the Wood Sutra, he drew in the essence of nearby flora to mend his wounds.
As his senses fully returned, Qin Ming stood and scanned his surroundings. Drawing his white jade iron blade, he prepared to investigate the area.
His search revealed no trace of Li Qing Yun or their flying mount. The world around him was shrouded in impenetrable darkness, with only thin strands of blue mist to light his way.
Calling out, he shouted, “Uncle Li!”
Silence answered him.
Qin Ming sighed. “No wonder so many experts avoid crossing the Night Sky. Every so often, you hear about birds falling from it, and now I understand why. It’s something no one could bear.”
He reflected on the countless unexplained phenomena that plagued the Night Fog World, events as mysterious as they were unsettling.
Wandering cautiously through the faintly glowing mist, he eventually recognized a familiar landmark. Ahead lay the western wasteland near Red Glow City.
“I made it out unscathed, so Uncle Li should’ve fared even better,” Qin Ming reasoned, reassuring himself.
Climbing over a barren slope, he finally caught sight of Red Glow City looming in the heavy darkness. Quickening his pace, he pressed onward.
The scenery grew increasingly familiar as he approached the city, though the eerie silence and the thin blue mist gave the place an unsettling aura.
By the time he reached the city, it was late at night. The Fire Springs, normally bright and fiery, were covered, and the entire city was cloaked in darkness, with only faint flows of light visible.
A dim blue glow lingered in the mist, giving the city a ghostly appearance.
“It’s definitely Red Glow City,” Qin Ming muttered, stopping briefly at a large green stone outside the city. He recognized a deep punch mark he had left on the stone during a past outing.
The city gate towered ahead, its heavy doors firmly shut. Qin Ming silently scaled a section of the wall in a remote area and entered the city.
“It’s so quiet,” he murmured, frowning. While the section of the wall he climbed was secluded, the complete silence inside the city was unsettling.
As he ventured further, passing through what should have been a bustling night market, his unease deepened. Even at this hour, there should have been activity, yet the market was completely deserted.
The eerie blue mist flowing through the streets only heightened the uncanny atmosphere.
With his jade iron blade in hand, Qin Ming continued deeper into the silent city. Even the usually vibrant inns and taverns, their lights still burning, were eerily empty.
Climbing one of the larger taverns, he found not a single person inside. Plates of food and cups of wine remained on tables, still warm, as though their owners had vanished moments before.
Qin Ming searched the kitchen and back rooms but found nothing. Resolving not to leave immediately, he headed toward the City Lord’s Mansion.
The mansion was equally deserted. Familiar bronze artifacts and decorations were in place, untouched. A faint scent of incense lingered in the air, and a teacup on the wooden table still radiated warmth, its tea freshly brewed.
After thoroughly exploring the mansion, Qin Ming came to a grim conclusion: the entire city, even this once-bustling hub, had been emptied.
His brow furrowed deeply. Could the blue mist be responsible for this eerie transformation?
The silence was suffocating. Red Glow City, now resembling a ghost town, was devoid of life and hauntingly desolate.
Seeking answers, Qin Ming made his way to the brightest area of the city. Here, the city’s Fourth-Level Fire Spring and several smaller springs should have lit up the night sky.
But what he saw made his pupils contract in shock.
The Fire Springs no longer emitted their characteristic red radiance. Instead, they surged with an intense, otherworldly blue light.
“Have the Fire Springs been corrupted?” he muttered, stunned.
The springs were intact, but the blue liquid they now produced seemed unnatural. Rising into the sky, the blue mist spread, blanketing the city in an otherworldly glow. The sight was both mesmerizing and deeply unsettling.