Chapter 41: Defeated to Become a God
This novel is translated and hosted on Bcatranslation
Last time at the old noble’s estate, the Sickly had gone to meet Xie Ling Xi, who stood at five meters tall. After returning, he was vague with Qin Ming, using all kinds of misleading hints before running off. Now, here he was again, pulling another stunt.
Qin Ming had mentally noted it down. Next time they met, he was determined to beat him until he was genuinely sick.
Standing in Scarlet Dawn City, Nie Rui was like a beam of light cutting through the night fog. He was one of the two most dazzling figures in the past twenty years, breaking records with his physical prowess after his awakening. Now, he was the one speaking, and the teams from the Cao, Mu, and Wei families exchanged curious glances while many eyes turned toward Qin Ming.
Suddenly, the others understood. This must be the person Nie Rui was looking for.
For the first time, Qin Ming felt the weight of everyone’s attention. All the young nobles of Scarlet Dawn City were sizing him up from head to toe. Of course, it was all thanks to Nie Rui. Without the genius of Scarlet Dawn City mentioning him, no one would have paid attention to a boy from a remote place.
Many people eyed him skeptically. Could a genius really emerge from such a backwater town? It didn’t seem likely.
Some noble girls, however, seemed more interested and started whispering among themselves. “He’s quite handsome. If he put some effort into his appearance, he’d improve his aura. Letting his black hair fall freely isn’t helping. If he swapped his black armor for something brighter, I think he’d be very charming.”
Nie Rui smiled warmly, suggesting a friendly match with Qin Ming. “Don’t feel pressured. We can just spar for fun. I trust the judgment of Master Xu’s only disciple.”
On the other hand, Qin Ming was more eager to punch that Sickly. But he also realized that Master Xu was someone extraordinary—someone that people in Scarlet Dawn City held in great respect.
“I can’t compare to you,” Qin Ming replied humbly. “Even though I’m from a remote village, I’ve heard people talk about the remarkable pair of youths from Scarlet Dawn City who’ve amazed the entire region.”
The young nobles nodded in agreement, acknowledging the truth of his words. In the vast region under the rule of Scarlet Dawn City, the top geniuses naturally hailed from the city itself.
Nie Rui jumped off his white rhinoceros, his silver armor gleaming, making him seem as if he were glowing. His smile was warm and friendly as he said, “You’re too modest. I’ve met You Liang Yun before. No worries, let’s just have a light spar.”
Most people didn’t know what he meant, and Nie Rui couldn’t directly say that You Liang Yun had been defeated by this boy.
At this point, Qin Ming couldn’t refuse anymore.
“I’ve undergone a second awakening,” Nie Rui explained. “I’ll suppress my power. Don’t worry, I won’t go beyond the limit.”
Qin Ming had considered using this as an excuse to refuse, but after thinking it over, constant evasion wasn’t a good look. So, he finally nodded.
“Nie Rui, be careful not to hurt him,” Cao Long spoke up, worried for Qin Ming.
“Do you need a different weapon, Qin Ming?” Mu Qing asked.
Everyone knew that Nie Rui, after his first awakening, had a terrifying strength of seven hundred ninety pounds in his arms. It was no wonder he had caused such a stir, being the strongest in twenty years. You Liang Yun, who was the same age, had been remarkable himself, but had only ended up in third place by lifting six hundred fifty pounds.
In the eyes of the onlookers, it would be unwise for Qin Ming to fight with his heavy, long-handled black hammer, especially if he planned to clash with Nie Rui’s sheer strength.
Qin Ming, ever pragmatic, put down the hammer. “Other than the hammer, I’m good with a spear. Does anyone have one I can borrow?”
Mu Qing glanced at the youths behind him. Most of them carried long swords, and the few spears they had weren’t of good quality, being far too light in weight.
None of the other nobles spoke up. After a brief silence, someone laughed, “Here, use my purple metal spear. It’s a weapon forged a thousand times over. Consider this an honor for me—to indirectly fight against Brother Nie.”
Qin Ming noticed how much everyone respected Nie Rui. Even lending a weapon had turned into an opportunity for them to express admiration.
“Nie Rui, maybe you’ll lose this time,” a girl sitting atop a black tiger said. Her bright eyes and pearly white teeth caught the light, her dark hair fluttering in the wind. She had an air of elegance, like an immortal.
Her name was Shen Jia Yun, and her strength matched Nie Rui’s. But more importantly, she had already been chosen by a legendary figure to walk a brilliant path.
To many young nobles, Shen Jia Yun had already won from the very start.
Nie Rui strode forward, his silver armor shining brightly. His smile radiated as he gripped a long sword. “Please!”
Qin Ming had already weighed the purple metal spear in his hands. He gave it a quick flourish, sending out a dazzling trail of purple light.
“Be careful, Little Qin! Don’t get hurt,” Xu Yue Ping called out.
“If it gets tough, surrender right away,” Old Liu shouted more bluntly.
The young nobles chuckled lightly. With Nie Rui’s strength, he could control the fight with ease. There was no suspense in this duel; the boy wouldn’t get hurt.
Some of the spectators made quiet gestures, betting on whether Nie Rui would win in four moves or a single exchange. They didn’t want to make it too obvious by openly gambling, as it wouldn’t be respectful to either Qin Ming or Nie Rui.
“I bet Nie Rui will take him down after using his third sword technique.”
“I’ll be more cautious—seven moves. If Nie Rui himself wants to gauge the boy’s skill, there must be something special about him.”
Clang!
In an instant, the sharp sound of weapons clashing yanked everyone’s attention back to the fight. Their eyes widened in surprise—Nie Rui and Qin Ming had already exchanged more than ten moves.
With a swift whoosh, they separated, standing more than twenty meters apart. The snow on the ground had exploded into the air, swirling like a sudden blizzard. Only now did the cracking of branches reach their ears as huge chunks of tree limbs fell to the ground.
Everyone felt a jolt of shock. Their focus sharpened as they realized they had seriously underestimated Qin Ming. The speed and intensity of the fight had already neared the upper limits of what a first awakening fighter could handle.
“This boy from the backwoods is no joke!”
“What’s his name again? Qin Ming, right? I’ll remember that.”
People murmured quietly, as though seeing the young hunter in a new light.
Even Cao Long and Wei Zhi Rou, who had spent days with Qin Ming, couldn’t hide their surprise. They had known Qin Ming was impressive but hadn’t expected this level of skill.
Mu Qing, wrapped in his black cloak, spoke up, “Qin Ming, don’t hold back. Nie Rui isn’t someone who’s stingy.”
“Don’t hide your true strength,” Nie Rui agreed with a nod.
Old Liu muttered under his breath, “Little Qin’s better than I thought. He might not have reached Scarlet Dawn City yet, but his name might get there first.”
Qin Ming hadn’t used his strongest attribute—his raw power. Instead, he relied purely on his spear technique, adapting and reacting with lightning-fast decisions. He even mixed sword techniques into his spear moves, all without anyone noticing.
Nie Rui moved again, this time so fast that the snow under his feet exploded, sending gusts of wind whipping through the air. His silver sword gleamed, slicing through the snowy wind like he was controlling the very storm itself.
Qin Ming didn’t block the strike directly. He sidestepped, dodging the downward slash, and in a split second, pressed the back of the sword with his purple metal spear, sending sparks flying. In the blink of an eye, he thrust forward, closing in on Nie Rui’s position.
The sight in front of them caused many to widen their eyes. Qin Ming’s ability to seize control of the battle was incredible. In the blink of an eye, amidst Nie Rui’s ferocious blade attacks, he found the perfect opportunity to counter. His spear pressed against the back of Nie Rui’s sword, both weapons crossing at a sharp angle. The spearhead, like a dragon slithering along a mountain ridge, sliced through the night and shot directly toward its target.
Nie Rui, reacting quickly, put force into his right hand, trying to lift the sword and knock away the spear. At the same time, his left hand began to glow faintly as he prepared to grab the spear shaft.
But Qin Ming held on tight with both hands, pressing the spear fully against the sword and giving it a hard shake. The spearhead trembled violently, causing a spray of dazzling spear flowers.
Nie Rui’s attempt to push away the spear with one hand failed. The tip of the spear blurred into a shower of stars, rapidly advancing toward him. Left with no choice, he withdrew his sword and swiftly sidestepped to dodge.
This time, Nie Rui was forced back, retreating far before he could regain his footing.
A stunned silence fell over the battlefield. No one could believe what they were seeing. Standing there with a purple metal spear, the young boy had performed brilliantly. In his hands, the spear seemed to come alive, like a writhing dragon seeking its prey in the night.
“I have to admit,” Nie Rui said seriously, “that spear in your hands feels like it has a soul. You aren’t following traditional techniques; everything flows naturally, and each move is brilliant.”
With a serious expression, Nie Rui stopped talking and refocused, lowering his power to a safe level before charging at Qin Ming again.
In an instant, their weapons clashed again. Nie Rui’s sword gleamed as it sliced through the thick night, cutting down tree branches in their wake. The snow on the ground exploded around them as they moved, and some trees even fell with a thunderous crash, sending waves of snow flying into the air.
“This boy from the outskirts… His strength may not match Nie Rui’s, but he’s nearly at seven hundred pounds. Impressive!”
“His spear technique is like a series of common movements, nothing beyond our comprehension, but somehow he turns the ordinary into the extraordinary.”
“That’s because he’s improvising! He’s adapting on the fly, turning ordinary strikes into brilliant moves.”
Even Cao Long and Feng Xing couldn’t help but give their evaluations.
What spear technique? Qin Ming thought to himself. It’s really a blade technique disguised as a spear. Compared to using hammers, this gives me a completely different experience.
The more Qin Ming fought, the more natural he felt. He wasn’t sticking to any rigid set of moves, combining techniques freely. For instance, when he swung the spear horizontally, it felt as though the spearhead was a blade slicing through flesh. He shook the spear as he did so.
In blade techniques, this would be known as The Line Between Heaven and Sea, where the blade trembles, causing a wave of light to follow. Now, with the spear replacing the blade, Qin Ming created a similar effect, causing a series of illusions as the spear trembled even more intensely. This made the blade technique even more powerful, like thunder roaring through the skies, with lightning striking down into the vast ocean.
Nie Rui staggered backward, sweat beading on his forehead, his black hair clinging messily to his face. Panic flashed across his eyes. Was he… about to lose?
At that moment, Qin Ming took the spear technique to a whole new level, using the “kick blade technique” to launch the purple metal spear forward while kicking at it repeatedly with lightning speed. Nie Rui was so startled that he barely dodged, his cold sweat dripping more profusely.
What was most astonishing was that the spear didn’t fly away from Qin Ming’s kicks. Instead, it moved like a living dragon, circling his body before finally returning to his hand.
Clang!
Nie Rui’s sword collided with the purple metal spear, but his arm shook from the impact. Sparks flew, and several pieces of his silver armor cracked under the force of the spear.
Qin Ming withdrew his hand, planting the spear into the ground. He felt a bit of regret. Using the spear-blade technique for the first time, he had gotten too caught up in the moment and failed to hold back.
Originally, he had intended to end the match in a draw. But somehow, without meaning to, he had defeated Nie Rui.
The entire crowd stood in stunned silence. No one could believe what they had just witnessed: Nie Rui, the brightest talent Scarlet Dawn City had seen in twenty years, had been defeated by a young hunter from a remote area.
Everyone stared, their worldview shattered by what they had just seen.
Could the Black and White Mountains be awakening again after being desolate for five hundred years? Was this remote region regaining its spiritual power? People were beginning to wonder.
It was the girl on the black tiger, Shen Jia Yun, who broke the silence.
“Nie Rui, are you okay?” she asked.
Nie Rui shook his head, managing a smile. “I’m fine. I lost fair and square.”
“Are you sure you’re okay? I mean, isn’t losing hard on you?” Shen Jia Yun teased, her smile carefree, clearly not too concerned about Nie Rui’s feelings.
Nie Rui chuckled. “What do you think could possibly be wrong? Brother Qin here woke me up—made me realize that this path might not be the right one for me after all.” He sheathed his sword and shook his head once more. “Since that’s the case, I’ll choose the path of becoming a god.”
Qin Ming had been thinking about what to say, but hearing this insane comment made his mind spin.
First, You Liang Yun lost and decided to inherit his noble title, spending the rest of his life living in luxury. Now Nie Rui was saying that losing meant he was destined to become a god?
Qin Ming’s breathing grew heavy.
Nie Rui noticed his reaction and finally laughed. “It’s not what you think.”
It was clear that Nie Rui wasn’t petty, as he wasn’t bitter about his loss. Instead, he seemed completely at peace, having decided to walk a different path.
“Gods, in truth, are just powerful beings we can’t yet comprehend. The elders of a certain secret sect took notice of me. They say I have the rare ‘wisdom of the gods’ and that I’m suited for their path. I had hoped to walk my own road, journeying through the darkness with my mortal body, but I have no choice now. I’ve recognized my limits,” Nie Rui sighed deeply.
“Quit sighing already! If you feel down about losing, how do you think the rest of us feel?” Qin Ming couldn’t help but roll his eyes.
Just then, Shen Jia Yun spoke again from atop the black tiger. “Qin Ming, I want to spar with you too.”
Effortlessly, she leapt to the ground, her long hair fluttering in the breeze. Holding a gleaming longsword, she strode gracefully toward him.
The forest came alive with murmurs. The nobles from Scarlet Dawn City could no longer contain their excitement. Today had gone far beyond anything they had expected.
“Alright,” Qin Ming agreed with a nod. He had already beaten one, so why not go for a second?
In a flash, the snow-covered field came alive with streaks of sword light. Thunder rumbled as Shen Jia Yun fought fiercely. To the onlookers, it was as if a sword immortal was dancing through the air.
But she eventually lost too. Qin Ming’s spear grazed a delicate blue flower ornament from her hair, and he pressed the spearhead lightly against her right shoulder.
Once again, silence fell. Everyone watched in awe. The two most gifted youths of Scarlet Dawn City had both been defeated by the same boy.
Shen Jia Yun smoothed her hair and smiled, her laughter bright and charming. “Don’t get too cocky, boy. Give it a year, and next time we meet, you won’t stand a chance against me.”
There wasn’t the slightest hint of disappointment in her tone. Her smile was radiant, with a charm that could dazzle anyone who saw it.
“I’ll be waiting,” Qin Ming replied, lifting his spear from her shoulder. With a flick, the blue flower ornament floated down, but before it could touch the ground, Qin Ming tapped it back into her hair with the tip of his spear.