Chapter 29: The Changing Mountains
This novel is translated and hosted on Bcatranslation
The night sky stretched wide and dark, like a great velvet blanket covering the wilderness. Ling Xu and the tabby cat sped through the forest, moving so quickly that they seemed to vanish into thin air. One second they were there, and the next, they were just shadows swallowed by the trees.
But even that wasn’t as shocking as Wei Mo’s disappearance. Standing ten meters tall and dressed in ancient, battle-worn armor, Wei Mo was an intimidating sight. Yet, in the blink of an eye, he was gone, too fast for even the sharpest eyes to follow.
Of all the strange beings in the forest, only the old white-furred weasel took its time. With a lazy wave of its paw, it summoned a donkey. Climbing onto the donkey’s back, it casually wandered into the shadows of the mountains, fading away like the others.
The forest, which had been alive with strange creatures, began to quiet down. In the distance, figures soared through the sky, while countless others climbed the mountain slopes, vanishing into the wilderness.
Back on the snow-covered plains, the people—nobles from Scarlet Dawn City, mountain patrol teams, and the newly awakened—started to scatter. But even as they left, the air was buzzing with excitement. They couldn’t stop talking about what they had just witnessed. The sight of such powerful beings had left their minds spinning.
“Did you see that woman in the feathered robe?” someone whispered, wide-eyed. “I’ve never seen anyone like her in Scarlet Dawn City. She’s incredibly powerful.”
“She must be the expert the City Lord brought in from far away,” another person said, nodding as if they knew everything.
The teenagers in the crowd were especially excited. Their eyes sparkled with awe, and they chatted animatedly, feeling as if they had just glimpsed a whole new world.
“Do you think we could be that strong one day?” a boy asked, his voice full of hope and disbelief.
Another boy scoffed, bursting their bubble. “Yeah, right. Keep dreaming. The City Lord’s the top, and there’s only one City Lord. If you’re lucky, maybe in twenty years, you can be the guy opening the gate to his mansion.”
The group laughed, though some couldn’t hide their disappointment.
…
As the group made their way down the mountain, even the nobles couldn’t stop talking. Cao Long, Wei Zhi Rou, and Mu Qing whispered among themselves, going over everything they had seen.
“Cousin,” a young voice cut in—Cao Long’s cousin, his eyes wide with curiosity. “What level are you now? I mean, you’re on the Giant’s Path too, right? You’re over three meters tall, and that guy, Wei Mo, was ten meters. That’s not that big a difference, is it? Does that mean your strength is close to his?”
Cao Long’s face darkened instantly. He shot a sharp look at his cousin. “Quiet,” he hissed, his voice low but serious. They weren’t out of the mountains yet, and the last thing he wanted was to attract any attention. “Twenty years ago, Senior Wei was already twenty or thirty meters tall. Now he’s shrinking, changing in reverse. We can’t even imagine how powerful he is.”
His cousin gulped, shrinking back in silence, realizing he had spoken out of line.
Just then, a silver-haired elder from the mountain patrol team appeared. His sharp eyes scanned the group, his presence commanding respect. Though his face was lined with age, there was no mistaking the authority in his voice. “Is anyone here from the Wang family of Scarlet Dawn City?”
The crowd murmured, glancing around. Everyone knew what this was about—Wang Nian Zhu. He had wiped out a nest of blood snakes, but in doing so, he was accused of killing several mountain patrol members. Now, the Wang family was under scrutiny.
A middle-aged man stepped forward, his face tense. “Wang Nian Zhu’s missing,” he said, his voice strained. “We’re looking for him too.”
The elder’s eyes narrowed. “Has he fled to escape punishment?”
Normally, the Wang family might have shrugged off the deaths of a few mountain patrol members. But this time, the situation had escalated, and higher-ups were demanding answers. A sense of unease spread through the crowd—after all, the mountain patrol reported directly to the Deputy City Lord of Scarlet Dawn City.
“We’re still searching for him,” the middle-aged man said, stepping closer. “I don’t believe Nian Zhu would do something like this.”
…
In Twin Trees Village, the cold winter night was kept at bay by the warmth inside a small room where Qin Ming sat with Old Liu and Xu Yue Ping. Snowflakes drifted lazily past the window, but the three of them didn’t care. They were enjoying a hot meal of steaming donkey meat from a copper pot, paired with some fine wine they had found at the mountain patrol base.
Qin Ming wasn’t usually a fan of alcohol, but the warmth from the wine spread through him, making him feel strangely at ease. It was odd—he didn’t know Wang Nian Zhu personally, but even after his death, the man had somehow been useful to him by providing this wine.
After completing his second awakening, Qin Ming leaned back, savoring the rare moment of peace. He gazed out of the window at the falling snow, though his thoughts were far away. His face looked calm, but deep inside, a storm was brewing. He knew where he needed to go next: Falling Moon City.
Two years ago, on a night just like this, his village had been consumed by flames. In the chaos, he had seen a youth in a feathered robe walking through the ruins, cold and merciless, like a ghost. That night was burned into his memory, replaying over and over like a nightmare.
Qin Ming sighed, his breath fogging up the window. If he didn’t know what he knew now, maybe he could have found peace. But that wasn’t an option anymore. He had to move forward—quickly.
“Qin Ming,” Old Liu’s voice cut through his thoughts. “Or is it just me, or are you looking a lot more energetic than before? And I swear you’ve grown taller too.”
Old Liu’s voice was gentle, but his sharp eyes took in every detail. The man might have been frail, but his mind was as sharp as ever.
Qin Ming didn’t bother hiding the changes in himself from Old Liu and Xu Yue Ping. They had seen him before and after the second awakening, so there wasn’t much point in trying to keep it a secret.
Xu Yue Ping nodded. “Yeah, something’s definitely different about you. Your eyes are clearer, and… you’re looking pretty handsome, actually.”
Qin Ming chuckled, his face lighting up. He knew the changes were subtle—he had only grown about half an inch since his second awakening—but those who knew him well could see it.
“Well, I’m only sixteen,” Qin Ming said with a grin. “Still growing, right? At this rate, I’ll probably gain a few inches every couple of days.”
He wasn’t exaggerating. After his awakening, not only had his strength increased—he could now lift two thousand catties—but his speed and flexibility had also improved dramatically. He could feel the power coursing through his body.
The night outside grew deeper, and the world seemed to fall into a blanket of silence. Everything was quiet, as if heaven and earth had become an endless abyss.
Suddenly, far off in the mountains, a flash of silver lightning cut through the darkness. A crimson glow followed, lighting up the mountain ridges. A giant figure, holding a black spear, let out a thunderous roar as it shattered the peaks, triggering avalanches that tumbled down the slopes.
“They’ve started fighting!” Qin Ming jumped up from his seat, eyes wide with excitement.
Out on a high slope overlooking the mountains, a woman in a black fur cloak watched the scene with sharp eyes. Her gaze was filled with excitement as she took in the eerie, terrifying sight.
A purple-eyed crow perched on a nearby branch, its raspy voice breaking the silence. “Those high-level beings from elsewhere can’t hold on much longer. By tonight, they’ll have to retreat. If we act fast, we can enter the mountains in two days and find where the rainbow mist shines.”
Several shadowy figures moved behind the woman and the crow. One of them spoke, “The high-level beings from Scarlet Dawn City and the native creatures of the mountains have teamed up. Those newcomers don’t stand a chance. They might even leave behind some rare spiritual materials.”
The tall woman, her face hidden in the shadows of her cloak, continued to stare into the depths of the mountains. Without turning, she spoke, her voice cold and commanding, “You Liang Yun.”
A young man, standing stiffly behind her, flinched slightly at the sound of his name. His hands clenched inside the sleeves of his robe.
“I want you to test someone for me,” she continued. “When the mountain sweep begins, if you win, don’t kill him. If you lose, then you don’t need to return to Glimmer City with me. You can go back to Scarlet Dawn City and enjoy the life of a noble young master.”
There were more than a dozen people behind her, and tension crackled in the air. You Liang Yun, a noble from the prestigious You family, had been desperate to prove himself ever since he was allowed to accompany her. His family had pulled countless strings to secure this chance for him, but now, he felt it slipping away.
Who was this person she wanted him to fight? Would this be his last chance to earn her favor?
The woman’s gaze remained fixed on the mountains. “His name is Qin Ming,” she said softly. “He’s one of only two new awakeners with golden foundations in this area. Your family has people stationed here. It shouldn’t be hard for you to find him. Remember, I want you to test him—no dishonorable methods.”
You Liang Yun’s jaw tightened, but he nodded. “Understood,” he replied, his voice steady even as a flicker of coldness passed through his eyes.
The crow tilted its head as it watched You Liang Yun disappear into the shadows. “He could lift about 650 catties during his first awakening,” it rasped. “But he’s weaker than some of the other new awakeners in Scarlet Dawn City this year, especially compared to that boy and girl. When he built his golden foundation, there were no unusual signs or phenomena.”
The woman in the fur cloak nodded thoughtfully. “Qi Huai En, follow him and keep an eye on things. I’m more interested in seeing what kind of character You Liang Yun has. He wasn’t originally meant to accompany me to see my teacher. If he doesn’t show something special this time, we won’t bother taking him any further.” She paused, her eyes gleaming with a faint light. “And check out this Qin Ming as well. I want to see if he’s worth considering as a candidate.”
As the deep of night settled over the land, those with sharp senses—new awakeners who were attuned to their surroundings—began to feel something strange. They climbed to higher ground, gazing toward the distant mountains. The commotion from within was unmistakable, even from a great distance. The roars of the creatures echoed, loud and terrifying, making the air itself tremble.
Far away in Silver Vine Town, a mysterious old noble received word of the situation. His silver hair gleamed in the dim light, and though age had touched his face, his skin was rosy and vibrant. He wore a tiger-skin coat, his movements graceful and quick as a shadow. In the blink of an eye, he was standing on the roof of his mansion, peering into the thick fog that covered the mountains.
“I hope the special node has produced the treasure I need,” he muttered to himself, his eyes gleaming with anticipation.
Back in Twin Trees Village, Qin Ming was on high alert. He climbed onto the roof of the house and looked out toward the mountains. Even though the village was a distance away, he needed to be prepared for anything.
“Are they fighting again?” he muttered, narrowing his eyes at the distant flashes of light.
Luckily, though the mountains were chaotic that night, the disturbance didn’t spread to the surrounding areas. One side clearly held control, ensuring the chaos remained contained.
By morning, the whole village was buzzing with excitement. The news was everywhere—the mountains had changed!
People began speculating that the high-level beings and those from Scarlet Dawn City would soon allow local new awakeners to enter the mountains. There was talk of rare treasures hidden deep within special nodes, waiting to be discovered.
After a quick breakfast, Qin Ming went back to practicing the awakening techniques he had learned from the silk scroll. His body felt alive, as if it were a furnace burning with endless energy, fueling him with raw strength.
Afterward, he switched to his combat training, practicing the moves from the sword manual. Wielding his long-handled black hammer, he felt stronger than ever. The heavy iron hammer, which had once felt cumbersome, now moved through the air as lightly as if it were a mere twig.
Just then, Xu Yue Ping pushed open the door and stepped inside. His eyes widened slightly at the sight of Qin Ming swinging the massive hammer so effortlessly. “Qin Ming, stop showing off with that thing,” he chuckled. “Your future father-in-law has sent someone to invite you over.”
Qin Ming paused, mid-swing, and blinked in confusion. “Wait, what?” he asked, lowering the hammer.
Xu Yue Ping smiled. “The old noble from Silver Vine Town. He’s specifically asked to meet you.”
Qin Ming immediately understood. “It’s not just me he wants to see, is it?” he asked with a knowing look.
Xu Yue Ping sighed. “No,” he admitted. “But you and Zhou Wu Bing are the only ones with golden foundations. You both stand out. Still, I’ve been thinking… Maybe we didn’t make the best choices before.”