Chapter 182: Thrilled and Excited
This novel is translated and hosted on Bcatranslation
Within the main hall of the Divine Temple, a woman clothed in white glided gracefully forward, her tone light and teasing. “Do you think I’d stoop to overpowering you with my superior cultivation?”
Hearing this, Qin Ming couldn’t help but feel a surge of confidence. His excitement nearly bubbled over—his hands almost rubbing together in anticipation. The idea of facing an Ancestor-Level Figure on equal footing thrilled him to his core.
However, he remained cautious. There was something peculiar about this woman; despite her appearance, her demeanor felt anything but aged.
“Senior, if I manage to win by some chance,” Qin Ming said, his tone steady but firm, “I’d like the Five-Colored Bottle and the chance to study the complete sutra carved on the temple walls.”
The woman arched a brow, her voice carrying a trace of annoyance. “You still don’t trust me?”
Her face was partially veiled by dark hair cascading over her shoulders. Draped in a pure white gown, her slender waist and tall figure accentuated her graceful stride as she approached him.
Qin Ming offered a sheepish smile, deciding it was better to clarify things upfront. Then, changing the subject, he asked, “Senior, which path do you intend to use for this sparring session?”
“I adapt based on my opponent,” she replied with a faint smile. “Against a strong one, I become stronger. Against a weaker one… I dominate. But this is the First Realm, so I’ll meet you using the methods of your New Awakening Path—we’ll engage where you are most proficient.”
Her tone was gentle, but Qin Ming could sense the innate pride laced within her words. She wasn’t merely offering to exchange insights—she intended to defeat him in his strongest domain.
And he couldn’t hold back anymore. Qin Ming rubbed his hands together twice, a wide grin spreading across his face.
The woman tilted her head, her gaze sharpening. “You’re really excited, aren’t you?”
Her voice rose slightly, still melodious but tinged with a playful reprimand as she glared at him.
“No, no!” Qin Ming hastily explained. “I’m just nervous… maybe even a bit scared. My palms tend to sweat at times like this, and I need to wipe them off quickly.”
“Fine then,” she said, her tone softening. “Just don’t let your hands get clammy during the fight.”
She reached up as if to brush away the strands of hair framing her face but then stopped midway, dropping her hand. Her smile returned as she asked, “Are you ready?”
Her snow-white gown swayed as though woven from moonlight and mist. Taking slow, deliberate steps forward, she seemed to glow faintly, her entire presence exuding otherworldly purity. Wisps of white fog rose around her feet, accentuating her ethereal air.
Clad in coarse linen, with dark hair falling past his shoulders, Qin Ming stood in stark contrast. Yet, his eyes shone brightly as he gestured respectfully with his hand. “Please, after you!”
“Boom!”
The entire hall seemed to tremble. In an instant, the ethereal grace of the White-Clothed Woman transformed into blazing radiance. Like a streak of lightning piercing the heavens, she moved, her attack as fierce and overwhelming as a thunderclap.
Qin Ming’s expression grew serious. With just one strike, he discerned her mastery of multiple techniques. Her seemingly simple palm strike concealed the essence of Withering and Flourishing Sutra, guided by Earth Flame Force. Hidden within was the potential for these forces to ignite into explosive power. Layered behind this was the subtle interplay of Yin-Yang Transformation, while further behind loomed the devastating might of Five-Colored Thunder Force waiting to erupt.
He had to admit, her grasp of the New Awakening Path was unparalleled. A casual strike of hers embodied two or three supreme techniques, each carrying profound truth.
Qin Ming responded with a punch imbued with Separation Flame Force, flames visibly flickering around his fist. His strategy was to preemptively ignite her layered techniques, forcing them to explode under controlled circumstances.
The hall filled with blinding light as their moves collided. Their clothes whipped violently in the wind generated by the impact, and where fist met palm, dazzling arcs of lightning and fire intertwined and burst forth. Just as Qin Ming predicted, her Earth Flame Force surged forward, amplifying the flames into a massive explosion.
For a less seasoned practitioner, this one clash would have been fatal. But Qin Ming held firm, advancing and countering her intricate moves with his own expertise. They clashed repeatedly, their forms streaking through the hall like dancing flames before separating and re-engaging.
Her mastery of the Withering and Flourishing Sutra was flawless. She seamlessly shifted her techniques, weaving Yin-Yang Transformation with devastatingly precise strikes of Five-Colored Thunder Force. These were no simple techniques; they were core methods of top-tier doctrines. Many elite disciples would falter under such relentless and varied attacks.
But Qin Ming stood his ground.
He countered with strategy, utilizing the River Network Sutra to summon dense mist and steam. Within this fog, he absorbed and deflected the force of her thunder, using gale-like winds to neutralize its impact.
Then, shifting tactics, Qin Ming unleashed raw power. The Silk Script Method he practiced surged to its peak as he clenched his right fist, which now glowed like a miniature sun—a Golden Crow in his grasp. With it, he shattered her Yin-Yang Force head-on.
The woman’s response was equally swift. She conjured an even deeper transformation, her Yin-Yang Force twisting into three distinct hues, echoing the profound doctrine of “from two, comes three,” a path leading to boundless possibilities.
Yet Qin Ming pressed forward, his Celestial Light Force surging. Ignoring the myriad techniques she unleashed, he forced her back with the sheer ferocity of his strikes.
Finally, her alabaster hands came together, clasping his fist with an unyielding grip. Her attempt to break his fist bore down with unimaginable pressure, as ancient symbols emerged across her hands—an ability Qin Ming had never seen before. Her palms exuded a might so terrifying that the scattered fragments of light seemed to write out mystical scripts mid-air.
Still, her repeated attempts to break his fist failed. In that moment, Qin Ming’s other hand burst with radiant energy, shooting toward her forehead without hesitation.
At that instant, there was no “Senior” in his eyes—only an opponent to overcome.
With ghostly grace, the White-Clothed Woman evaded. Her movements were otherworldly, as though she stepped across a sea of shattered starlight, disappearing and reappearing in a flash. This was no ordinary footwork—it was as if she was teleporting.
Qin Ming followed without pause, merging River Network Force with Thunder and Fire Force. The mist churned as streaks of lightning surged wildly, each bolt aiming at her residual images, striking indiscriminately.
The ground beneath Qin Ming’s feet trembled as he activated the Wuji Force, drawing upon the essence of the earth. With a deafening rumble, the earth quaked violently. As the White-Clothed Woman’s steps faltered slightly in response, Qin Ming seized the moment, advancing swiftly.
Channeling the Wuji Force, Qin Ming seemed to merge with the earth itself. Yellow earth energy surged around him, bubbling like molten gold. With his left fist and right palm striking in tandem, he launched a ferocious assault. Simultaneously, waves of Separation Flame Force rippled through the air, mingling with the earth’s essence.
Their figures blurred into motion, darting like two swift birds in a deadly chase. Their forms entwined, fists clashing against palms in sharp collisions. Her white gown swirled like a cloud, while his linen robes flapped wildly. Long legs struck out, and dark hair flew in sharp arcs as they battled.
As the flames and earth energy blended further, the ground beneath Qin Ming’s feet began to glow red. Without hesitation, he unleashed the Thunder-Fire Force, directing it downward in a tremendous burst. In tandem, he drew upon the formidable Purple Core Thunderfire Force, weaving an intricate dance of multiple techniques. Together, they triggered the awe-inspiring phenomenon: Heavenly Thunder Conjures Earth Fire.
What had once been individual forces of terrifying might—Earth Fire and Sky Thunder—now combined, creating an overwhelming synergy. The result was extraordinary, a revelation Qin Ming hadn’t anticipated even in his wildest training. Facing his attack head-on, the White-Clothed Woman’s poised body tensed visibly for the first time. He knew then she felt genuine pressure. At this stage of her Seventh Awakening, her speed should have been unrivaled. Unless she cheated, escape was impossible.
The heavens roared, and flames erupted from the earth. Thunderbolts cascaded down like radiant whips, interweaving naturally with the rising fire. The spectacle was nothing short of magnificent. Yet, despite her astonishing speed, the White-Clothed Woman couldn’t fully evade. Her steps flickered as if skipping through dimensions, phasing in and out of sight. Even so, the thunder-fire storm enveloped her, arcs of electric light snapping across her figure. For an instant, her graceful body stiffened under the onslaught.
Qin Ming’s eyes sharpened, and without a moment’s hesitation, he surged forward, stoking the Thunder-Fire Force to intensify the attack. “Let’s see you handle this!” he muttered under his breath.
The White-Clothed Woman clenched her teeth, her composure threatening to break. She almost considered breaking the rules entirely. Yet her pride as a Proud Daughter of Heaven wouldn’t let her stoop to such disgrace. She forced herself to hold back, meeting Qin Ming’s determined gaze. No, she would not concede.
The crackling of fire and lightning filled the air as she deployed an enigmatic scripture technique, Sky-Severing Blade Intent, slicing through the earth fire and deflecting portions of the thunder strikes. Even so, she couldn’t escape unscathed. Her body trembled faintly from the residual electric charge. Though her cultivation rendered such attacks trivial, she was bound to the limitations of her Seventh Awakening stage. She could neither exceed her power nor wield forbidden abilities.
Qin Ming saw her struggle and grinned. Fists and palms rained down in relentless rhythm, their speed leaving ghostly afterimages in the air. For the first time, he felt exhilaration. Facing a figure of her caliber was an honor, and their duel was pushing his limits. They clashed directly, their blows echoing like cannon fire.
After enduring another thunder-fire surge, the White-Clothed Woman finally broke away, retreating swiftly to recalibrate. Her hands trembled slightly, betraying a fleeting numbness. The state of her body left her visibly displeased—she had underestimated him.
Her snowy-white gown was no longer pristine. The sleeves were scorched and tattered, exposing her delicate, jade-like arms. The sight was disconcerting to her. She had rarely faced such indignity.
Qin Ming, meanwhile, felt an overwhelming sense of satisfaction. His combat strategies were proving more effective than he had dared to hope. He noted her fairness, too—she hadn’t relied on artifacts or higher-level tricks. Even her attire was simple silk rather than protective armor.
“You cheated,” she accused, her gaze sharp and accusing.
“Me? Cheat?” Qin Ming laughed, shaking his head. “Senior, you’re far from defeated, and you’re clearly holding back too. Aren’t you?”
The White-Clothed Woman’s lips tightened, her hands curling into fists. His words struck home. Though she had restricted herself to the Seventh Awakening level, she had quietly used forbidden scriptures to neutralize his assault. Her reaction betrayed her guilt.
Looking at her singed gown and exposed arms, she muttered something under her breath, clearly unhappy. Reflexively, she brushed her disheveled hair aside, revealing a glimpse of her radiant, otherworldly face. Even Qin Ming was momentarily captivated. For a split second, he thought to himself, “Not a ghost after all.”
“Senior, you’re truly remarkable—both your skills and your beauty are unparalleled!” Qin Ming exclaimed, partly to flatter and partly to smooth over the tension. However, the compliment only darkened her expression further.
“Again,” she demanded coldly. “I’ll show you what happens when I stop holding back!”
Encased in a silvery glow reminiscent of moonlight, she stepped forward. The remnants of her damaged gown fluttered like ethereal clouds, yet her presence was anything but serene. Celestial Light Force surged around her, heralding an impending explosion of power.
Qin Ming couldn’t help but grin, rolling up his sleeves in anticipation. “This is going to be fun.”
Her expression froze momentarily. Was this boy actually thrilled to fight her? He had been far less excited when dealing with that old woman before. This realization irritated her beyond measure.
“Are you ready, Senior?” Qin Ming asked, his voice brimming with enthusiasm as he prepared to unleash his full strength.