Chapter 35: Mysterious Goods Obtained
This novel is translated and hosted on Bcatranslation
In the age when the sun had disappeared, even in the shallowest night, everything in the distance appeared hazy. The towering mountains were no more than black shadows in the night. But now, everything has changed. From deep within the mountains, a towering beam of light shot into the sky, illuminating everything far and wide. The brilliance outshone even the rainbow-like mist that once filled the air, making it feel as if the era of daylight had returned.
It wasn’t just the massive mountains that could be seen clearly. Every tree and blade of grass clinging to the cliffs were visible, even the strange birds flying low across the sky—each feather and pattern bright and vivid, like a painting brought to life.
Everyone felt as though a curtain had been lifted from their eyes. The world, filled with light, had never been so clear. Mountains, rivers, and creatures were laid bare before them, filling their hearts with wonder. Even in the middle of winter, when snow blanketed the earth, it felt like spring had come early, and everything was bursting with life.
Old Man Liu sat atop his large yellow dog, his face filled with emotion. “I’ve lived over seventy years,” he said, voice shaking, “and I’ve never seen the world look so magnificent. Is this how the mountains should always have been? How beautiful they are! But even as one of the Awakeners, I could never see this far before. It always felt like there was a veil over my eyes.”
Cao Long spoke up, “In larger cities, actually…”
But he trailed off, realizing it wasn’t right to talk about such things with an old man from the outskirts, someone who would never see the world beyond this place. Mentioning it would only make him more wistful. Instead, he quickly changed the subject. “I haven’t traveled much either. This vast, dark world is huge. Even the most brilliant cities seem like fireflies compared to it.”
Deep in the mountains, the elite warriors and higher beings from powerful organizations were losing their minds, rushing toward the place where the ten beams of light pierced the sky. But further out, figures like Mu Qing, Wei Zhi Rou, and Cao Long remained calm, content to observe from afar. They knew that whatever lay at the heart of that phenomenon wasn’t for them. Even those of higher rank who dared to approach might not return alive. The blood of powerful warriors would surely stain that ground.
Not everyone had such clarity. Many within the mountains grew greedy, driven mad by what they witnessed. But they weren’t foolish enough to challenge the higher beings directly.
The rainbow light tore through the night sky, a sight beyond the understanding of the people watching. Nothing in the recorded history of the descending celestial lights had ever been like this. Maybe such things had happened before, but if they had, someone had ensured that no record survived.
Though their eyes gleamed with envy, the groups gathered around the mountains held back, unwilling to act recklessly. Instead, they set their sights on the areas glowing with the rainbow mist, a less dangerous but still extraordinary sight.
This mist alone was considered a rare phenomenon, undoubtedly linked to the appearance of extraordinary treasures. However, too many people have come with the same idea. Even as they gathered for the hunt, the forest was quickly stained red with blood. Competition was fierce beyond imagination.
“God of the mountains! There’s no reason here! More people are dying here than near the ten pillars of light!”
“And now, high-level creatures are appearing in this place too. They haven’t gone to the rainbow lands to fight. We need to run!”
After witnessing a wave of brutal deaths, the remaining groups made a swift decision to retreat. They had no choice.
It was then that they saw a high-level creature, shrouded in thick fog and massive beyond belief, step onto a cliff, inching ever closer to the special site. Almost immediately, a winged figure, surrounded by a halo of crimson light, swooped down from the sky, blocking its path.
…
“Is this an earthquake?” Qin Ming muttered, startled as the ground shook violently. Instinctively, he bolted outside, not wanting to be crushed to death underground.
Once he made it out, he was greeted by an incredible sight—two spectacular phenomena lighting up the sky. It was as though daylight had returned, with beams of light raining down everywhere, revealing the mountains, rivers, and forests in astonishing detail.
But he knew better than to dream big. The treasures born from those two nodes were out of his reach. Even stepping a foot closer would mean certain death. Standing at the entrance to the fissure, he watched from a distance, envy in his heart as the great warriors and elites navigated the mountains, each hoping to emerge victorious and claim unimaginable riches.
Even from this quiet area, Qin Ming could hear the shouts from within the mountains. The rainbow node, something never before seen, had everyone talking. It seemed it could produce treasures beyond anyone’s wildest imagination.
“I think I get it now. This place has always been special. A beam of light descended two years ago, but even before that, two hundred years ago, something similar happened. Back then, it didn’t lead to anything—just a barren land. But the light from two years ago fused with the one from two centuries ago. That’s what caused all of this, this incredible wonder.” An elder nearby, his voice full of excitement, confirmed it. He had spent years studying this region, pouring over old texts and records.
Two hundred years ago, a beam of light so massive that even the capital took notice landed here. They sent their best warriors, but they found nothing but barren land when they arrived. Everyone left in disappointment, but now it all makes sense. The power has been building ever since, combining with the more recent light.
The warriors and high-level creatures in the mountains knew they could do nothing but watch and speculate. None dared approach the two places.
But then, something unexpected happened. Even the most seasoned warriors and high-level beings were caught off guard.
The light from the two nodes began to shift, causing the beings locked in combat to falter.
“What’s happening? Is there a monster underground?” Even Old Weasel, the most peaceful-looking of the bunch, twitched nervously. It had been a long time since anything had shaken him so badly.
The light and mist moved in circles, faster and faster, seemingly following the spiritual veins of the land. The circle grew smaller and smaller as if the two nodes were drawing closer to each other.
“Are they… merging?” Everyone, from the elites to the bystanders, stared in disbelief, their minds reeling at the sight. None of them could comprehend what they were witnessing.
Ling Xu, Wei Mo, and other high-level beings chased after the phenomena, their frustration growing. No matter how fast they ran, they couldn’t reach the nodes. Every time they neared the mysterious sites, they vanished, only to reappear elsewhere. Exhausted and desperate, some began waiting in ambush, hoping for a chance.
Qin Ming watched in awe from the fissure. The node in front of him was far from the main chaos, leaving him in peace for the moment.
“Hmm?” His eyes widened as the ground beneath his feet began to stir. Silver threads, tinged with golden light and sometimes mixed with purple mist and red flashes, started to seep out from the fissure below.
Qin Ming’s spirits lifted immediately. Could it be that a rare treasure was about to mature here? When he entered earlier, there had been nothing at all.
“Maybe it’s because of the big changes happening deep in the mountains,” he muttered to himself, thinking that this place might be benefiting from the disturbance.
Without wasting any time, he rushed back inside the crevice. The area wrapped in rainbow-colored lights had nothing to do with him—that was way out of his league. But maybe, just maybe, there were lesser treasures here. If he could pick even one, he’d be more than satisfied.
The silver beams of light beneath the ground were now much thicker than before. As he ventured deeper, he felt a strange ripple in the air. It reminded him of the sensation he’d had when practicing the awakened technique from the ancient scroll—it was like being bathed in warm springs, the silver strands of energy cleansing him.
Now, without doing anything at all, he could already feel a gentle warmth spreading through him, like a wave brushing against his skin. He followed the ripple, tracing its path quickly to the end of the fissure.
But his way was blocked by a pile of rocks, the path forward completely sealed off.
“Figures,” he muttered. Without a second thought, he started moving the stones, clearing them away one by one. Eventually, he uncovered a new crack in the ground, leading even deeper underground.
Gripping his long-handled black iron hammer, he smashed at the walls of the fissure, widening the gap so he could squeeze through. After several rounds of hammering, Qin Ming finally reached the source of the strange ripple.
A rainbow-colored mist was pouring from even deeper underground, swirling around a black stone about the size of half a human head.
“What the heck is this?” Qin Ming said, eyes narrowing in confusion. He was sure this black stone had something to do with the rare treasures everyone was after, but he had no clue what it actually was or what it could do.
Even though the swirling mist made his chest feel tight and his heart race, he could still handle it. As he watched, the glowing mist that surrounded the black stone began to thin out like a tide receding.
“Is it about to fully mature?” Qin Ming wondered, resisting the urge to act. He stayed perfectly still, waiting. His body was strong enough to withstand the pressure, and as the mist faded, his discomfort vanished entirely.
Moments later, the area grew completely quiet. All the strange phenomena disappeared, leaving behind just the black stone. It looked utterly ordinary now, so plain that no one would even bother picking it up if someone threw it out.
But Qin Ming knew better. After everything he’d been through with the silver light washing over him, he’d gained a special sensitivity to these things. Though faint, he could still sense a weak ripple of energy coming from the stone.
“I can detect these special treasures that have been nourished by the celestial light,” he thought, pride flickering in his chest.
He picked up the stone. It felt heavy in his hands, and for a moment, he was tempted to crack it open to see what was inside. But he resisted. He needed to get out of here first. If someone caught him trapped in this fissure with a treasure, he’d be in serious trouble.
Carefully, Qin Ming crept back to the surface. Luckily, everything was quiet above ground. The deep mountains, however, were full of commotion. Shadows flitted across the mountain tops as people gazed at the dazzling light show in the distance—rainbow mist and the towering beams of light were now intertwining.
Qin Ming silently moved through the dense forest, making sure to keep out of sight. He soon found a snowbank and buried himself inside it, hoping the cold would mask his presence. Only then did he feel safe enough to examine the stone.
With the awakened technique flowing through him, he focused his energy, and his skin began to glow faintly with golden ripples. He set to work, breaking the stone apart with his bare hands. Though the stone was tough, Qin Ming’s silent determination won out, and the outer shell began to crack and peel away.
As he chipped away, the stone became noticeably smaller. At the same time, his special sensitivity to its energy grew stronger.
Qin Ming paused, his brow furrowing. “Should I keep going? What if something unexpected happens?”
He stared at the stone, conflicted. While this treasure wasn’t on the level of the legendary treasures everyone was fighting for, it was clearly not ordinary either.
The urge to crack it open and see what lay inside gnawed at him. But he also knew that if he wasn’t careful, this could turn into a disaster.