Chapter 173: The Trial of Life and Death
This novel is translated and hosted on Bcatranslation
Under the dark clouds at the edge of the enormous nest, Qin Ming picked up a fragment of an eggshell. It crumbled effortlessly in his grasp, devoid of any spiritual essence.
“Many years ago, could this have been the home of a Golden-Winged Roc, a Golden Crow, or perhaps even a True Dragon?” he murmured to himself.
The thought of such mythical creatures sent a shiver through him. Only beings of legend could claim a home within these clouds. Yet this abandoned nest had left nothing behind. Its ancient wooden structure, though struck by lightning and scarred with charred marks, remained remarkably intact.
Qin Ming searched thoroughly but found nothing of value. It was no surprise—those from the Exotic Lands and the Secret Sect had long since discovered this place.
Following the faint trail of a golden spike, now dulled over time, Qin Ming pressed forward. The spikes multiplied as he advanced, sprawling in chaotic directions. His expression grew serious. Something was wrong—these weren’t spikes at all.
When a strand of his hair fell into his line of sight, realization struck. Could these be strands of hair? His heart skipped a beat. Hair as thick as a water barrel—what kind of colossal creature could this belong to?
Moreover, these strands floated upon the clouds without falling. The mere thought defied reason. One strand alone could pierce through a starship, and they crisscrossed like woven roads, even serving as nesting grounds for mysterious creatures. The enigma left Qin Ming in a daze.
“Or perhaps… beast fur!” he speculated aloud.
Traversing the “hair,” he walked for miles across the cloudscape until he stumbled upon a denser concentration of the pale-golden strands. Intertwined and shrouded in black mist, they grew thicker the further he ventured, forming an eerie and surreal landscape.
There was no doubt now—this confirmed his earlier suspicion. Yet the creature to whom this belonged remained unseen.
“Mount Lu’s true face remains hidden because I’m in its midst,” Qin Ming muttered.
Soon, he was stunned to discover a towering mountain rising before him.
“What’s going on here?” he mumbled, baffled.
The mountain emanated streams of golden light, violet mist, and radiant glows that pierced the heavy night fog. It was undoubtedly extraordinary. Qin Ming couldn’t comprehend how, after traveling aboard the Vermilion Bird Vessel across the dark sky, he’d come across a mountain floating amidst the clouds.
As he approached the mountain’s base, he noticed countless dull “spikes” crossing and supporting the massive structure.
“Could this be a meteorite that landed on a giant creature?” he wondered.
The mountain’s material was peculiar, riddled with holes from which glows and mists occasionally emerged. Among the rocky terrain, Qin Ming spotted Su Shi Yun, Zhao Yao Ting, and others already scattered across the slopes. Each wielded unique artifacts to harvest the violet mist and golden light—clearly their “mission” for this journey.
The elders of the Exotic Lands and the Secret Sect had clearly given them special guidance, bestowing unique opportunities.
Qin Ming hurried to catch up. Realizing the others were far ahead and of a higher cultivation realm—most at the second great realm or beyond—he wasted no time. As he ascended, he saw peculiar plants growing in certain areas. These were protected by shimmering silver runes, barring anyone from approaching.
Quickly navigating the glowing mountainside, Qin Ming was captivated by the dazzling sights around him. Nearby, a silvery vine resembling polished metal swayed in the fierce wind, its bowl-sized flowers releasing a sweet fragrance. Not far off, a small tree barely three feet tall shimmered with golden light.
Unfortunately, all these treasures were surrounded by protective runes, making them inaccessible.
“A mountain above the heavens, hidden amidst the clouds, bearing unknown flora,” he mused. The sheer value of this place was undeniable.
It was no wonder the Exotic Immortal Lands and the Secret Sect jointly managed it. What better display of deep foundations could there be than claiming a piece of the heavens capable of producing rare medicinal plants and fruits?
Qin Ming sighed at the vast disparity between himself and others. Here he was, struggling to afford a modest home in the city, while this place overflowed with priceless treasures.
Finding a spot, he immediately began absorbing the radiant energy around him. As the last to arrive, he couldn’t afford to waste time.
“This is high-grade Celestial Essence!” he quickly discerned.
The mountain, perched so close to the heavens, had accumulated countless rare spiritual materials over the years.
Despite his efforts, Qin Ming couldn’t match the efficiency of others, who all possessed specialized artifacts. His thoughts turned to the tattered cloth in his possession, wondering if it could be put to use. But the cloth had a severe drawback—it absorbed but never gave back. Worse still, he’d discovered its abilities merely amplified his Celestial Light Force, and not by much.
Even so, he reluctantly retrieved the cloth, inserting it into one of the glowing holes. Usually inert, the cloth sprang to life when exposed to spiritual and divine energy, greedily absorbing the light and repairing itself.
Observing another hole emitting violet mist, Qin Ming quickly grabbed the cloth and dashed over. This time, he wasn’t about to feed it.
Drawing a deep breath, he inhaled the mist directly. Instantly, a wave of comfort washed over him as his pores opened wide. He knew this violet cloud, if it truly was Celestial Essence, was of an exceptionally high grade.
Reluctant to stop, Qin Ming absorbed every trace of mist in the hollow. Pressing his palm to the pit, he used his Celestial Light Force to probe deeper, searching for more hidden deposits. Carefully restraining his Thunderfire Force, he avoided triggering a premature refinement of the rare materials.
“More!” he exclaimed with delight, extracting several more wisps of violet mist that merged harmoniously into his body.
He continued his search, rushing from one glowing area to the next. Along the way, he encountered rippling golden light and absorbed it too, unwilling to leave any rare spiritual material behind.
“The more of these celestial substances I absorb, the better my body feels!” Qin Ming marveled.
With his Purple Core Thunderfire Force itching to activate again, he’d uncovered the perfect method for internal refinement: using “Earth Fire” to invoke “Sky Thunder.” Every luminous deposit he found became a new source of power.
Except for ordinary Celestial Essence, which he fed to the tattered cloth, Qin Ming left nothing unclaimed. This truly was a blessed land for him.
Qin Ming wandered across the mountain, chasing after the celestial essence that had fallen from beyond the skies. He relied solely on his physical body to absorb and contain it, feeling increasingly “stuffed” as he consumed more. It was time to consider seeking something else.
What he truly longed for was the liquid formed by celestial light. Given that this mountain was closer to the heavens, it should theoretically be present. Yet, despite his efforts, he couldn’t find any.
The mountain was vast, and Su Shi Yun, Sun Jing Xiao, and Leng Fei Yue had spread out to cover as much ground as possible, maintaining significant distances from one another. Qin Ming also kept his distance, avoiding any unnecessary misunderstandings.
Before long, he discovered the source of the celestial light. It was swirling around the roots of peculiar plants. Inhaling the night mist deeply, Qin Ming marveled at this extraordinary floating “land in the sky.”
Soon after, he encountered an elderly woman. She wore jade armor and carried a five-colored bottle, from which she had just poured a small amount of celestial light liquid onto a fiery red sapling.
“Young one, are you searching for celestial light liquid?” she asked with a kind smile. Her hair was pure white, and her thin, hunched frame suggested great age as she emerged from the other side of the mountain.
Startled, Qin Ming hadn’t expected anyone to be tending these plants. The woman was likely a Jade Armor Guardian, someone in the Third Realm.
In the realms of cultivation, the Awakening and Outer Saint stages were populated with many youths. However, beginning with the Third Realm—”Spiritual Field”—it was rare to see young practitioners. The gap between realms often felt like a gulf between generations.
Maintaining composure, Qin Ming nodded politely. It was no time to show any sign of unease.
The old woman muttered to herself, “Strange. This is a shared territory between the Beyond and the Secret Sect. How could a mere Awakening-level individual be permitted to extract celestial essence here?”
“You might want to verify that,” Qin Ming replied, producing his ticket. “There are eight of us, and we booked this area together.”
Smiling, the woman approached. “Ah, I see. Your extraordinary talent must have caught the eye of a Near-Immortal Seed, who granted you special permission to follow them here.”
Qin Ming sensed a subtle malice in her tone. This old woman was dangerous.
Taking a step back, he said, “My elder is nearby. Perhaps we should go see them together.”
“Very well,” she agreed with a smile, her steps deliberate and unhurried.
Qin Ming realized the gravity of the situation. Being targeted by someone at the Third Realm spelled serious trouble. As they walked along a path as wide as a water barrel, he considered leaping off.
“Don’t,” the old woman said softly, her smile unwavering. “Trust me, if a Spiritual Field practitioner like me unleashes their power, you’d be torn apart mid-leap by my celestial light and life field.”
Her intentions were now unmistakably hostile.
“My elder is right outside,” Qin Ming insisted. “What exactly are you trying to do?”
“A fabricated elder, but the real you,” she retorted, shaking her head. “We’ve already left the mountain, so no one else will notice.”
“Senior, we’re both on the Awakening path. Why resort to this?” Qin Ming tried reasoning.
“Relax,” she said, chuckling. “This is a fortunate encounter.”
Her sudden use of “young master” sent chills down Qin Ming’s spine.
“Young master, don’t be tense. Meeting here is a blessing,” she said, holding up the five-colored bottle. “You want this, don’t you? I’ll give it to you. However, you can’t consume it directly. Only spiritual fruits nurtured by this liquid are edible.”
“You people are relentless! Even here, I can’t escape your kind,” Qin Ming said darkly.
The title “young master,” spoken with malice, left little doubt about her allegiance. Only one family used it—none other than the Cui family.
The old woman smiled. “What a coincidence. Years without meeting, and here I am, tending fields in the sky, running into you. A delightful surprise.”
Qin Ming had no memory of her, assuming she wasn’t a core member of the Cui family.
“So, you’re from the Cui family,” Qin Ming said casually, stalling for time. “A millennial clan, yet here you are, serving as a Jade Armor Guardian and laboring in this field?”
“It’s an honor,” she replied calmly. “Being a guardian for our family’s prodigies is no disgrace. Besides, this place is perfect for cultivation—a coveted opportunity for many.”
Her smile sharpened. “You’re family. Return to us. Everyone says you have great potential, perhaps even worthy of becoming a Jade Armor Guardian for the esteemed Chong He Young Master.”
Qin Ming loathed such remarks, having heard them before from Cui He and Cui Shu Ning, who had once surrendered the Wood Sutra to him.
“You overestimate Chong He,” he said coldly. “In this stage of life, the future’s course remains uncertain.”
“You should be grateful,” the old woman replied. “You’re merely an Awakening-level aberrant. Offering you a chance to follow someone destined to ascend near-immortality is an act of kindness.”
“Enough!” Qin Ming’s voice cut through the tension.
“Ah, such youthful pride. This is a precious opportunity. Accept it, and there will be peace,” she said. Then, almost as an afterthought, she added, “I heard you’re searching for news about your grandfather. I can tell you.”
“Speak,” Qin Ming demanded.
“Bow your head in submission,” she said, her smile laced with mockery.
Qin Ming lowered his gaze but remained calm. The height difference made it seem like he was looking down on her.
“Tell me,” he demanded.
“Not with that attitude,” she snapped coldly.
Suddenly, celestial light surged around her, but a small, white jade sword shot through the light and struck her forehead, drawing blood.
Both were stunned.
At such close range, Qin Ming had unleashed the special ability from his Sixth Awakening—a weapon forged from exotic gold, designed to pierce celestial light. Yet, it hadn’t delivered a fatal blow.
The old woman, shaken, realized how close she had come to death. Despite her vast experience and years in the Third Realm, her forehead now bled profusely.
Qin Ming wasted no time. Activating the ability from his Seventh Awakening, he unleashed a powerful force.
The old woman countered with her celestial light and life field.
Blinding light erupted as the two plummeted from the golden threads, descending into the dark clouds below. Night mist engulfed them as blood splattered across the void.