Chapter 45: True Teachings on a Singla Page
This novel is translated and hosted on Bcatranslation
The young noble Huang Jing Jun smiled faintly as he observed the boy in front of him. He couldn’t quite believe what he was seeing—Qin Ming, with that same curious sparkle in his eyes, gazed at the three-colored flower, completely mesmerized. “Typical of a countryside hunter,” Huang Jing Jun thought, amused. He was certain this boy had no idea of the true situation he was in.
Huang Jing De, the older of the two, remained cool. Whether this boy was naive or just buying time didn’t matter to him. The result would be the same either way.
“So, you’re saying that eating this flower will help me master the light aura?” Qin Ming asked, his voice full of curiosity. His expression was innocent, clearly eager to learn about this new mysterious knowledge.
“You need to pick the right light aura to train with first,” Huang Jing De explained, smiling warmly. “You’ll need to reach the entry level before consuming the three-colored flower. Only then will it have the best effect. I’ll probably need to select a new technique myself when I get back. It requires careful thought.”
Huang Jing De answered each of Qin Ming’s questions with patience. After all, what harm could a newly trained hunter do? With his three cycles of awakening, Huang Jing De could easily crush the boy with just a flick of his wrist.
“There are a lot of different light auras, right? So how important is choosing the right one?” Qin Ming asked again, pressing for more details, completely unaware of the danger surrounding him.
“Absolutely,” Huang Jing De nodded. “For those of us who have experienced three awakenings, mastering even one light aura is an achievement. As your abilities grow, you can start taking on more forces. If you combine them wisely, the power can be… overwhelming.”
Qin Ming furrowed his brow. “So, choosing the right one and combining them well… that sounds like something your family wouldn’t just teach anyone, right?”
Huang Jing De chuckled softly. “You’re not wrong. They say the true essence fits on a single page, while false lessons fill a thousand scrolls. What’s valuable is all on that one page.”
Qin Ming sighed. Who would willingly share something so precious?
Huang Jing De, momentarily lost in thought, added, “Do you know how rare light auras were discovered? It’s all trial and error from those who came before us. They experimented with different forces, blending them. Like the legendary Sky-Supporting Aura or Buddha Aura—they’ve been fused from countless techniques. Even the slightest trace of them is priceless.”
His expression turned wistful. Those forces were far beyond his reach—things of legend.
“But let’s not get caught up in myths. In reality, any famous light aura has gone through countless refinements, merging many techniques. The path ahead for people like us is tough. Even if you had that single page of true knowledge, you’d still have to master every force written on it.”
A wave of unease washed over Qin Ming. The parchment he had didn’t seem to mention any of this. Or was it on the third page? He felt completely lost. What should he do now?
“Does this mean that ordinary people without that one page of knowledge can’t master powerful light auras?” Qin Ming asked, his voice tinged with uncertainty.
“Of course they can,” Huang Jing De replied confidently. “Those rare forces, the true teachings of the sects, were all created by people who kept experimenting. You can always study the more common forces and try to fuse them yourself.”
Huang Jing Jun, who had been watching Qin Ming closely, couldn’t help but smirk. “You really think you can master the light aura? It’s not some simple trick. Every aura is complicated. How many do you think you can handle in your lifetime?”
Qin Ming snapped out of his thoughts. “So, you’re planning to choose a new light aura when you get back, huh? Aren’t you worried that if you don’t eat the three-colored flower now, its effects will wear off?”
Huang Jing De shook his head calmly. “That’s not a issue. In this cold weather, it’ll stay potent for over two months. And if you store it in a jade box, it’ll last even longer.”
He shot a sharp look at Qin Ming. “You’ve been asking a lot of questions. Are you playing dumb, or are you just that confident?”
Qin Ming shrugged casually. “Well, my Senior Uncle is Zhou Wu Bing, and my senior is Master Xu Kong, both nearby. So, what do you think—am I confident?”
Huang Jing De paused for a moment, then chuckled. “I think you don’t realize that Master Xu Kong left this backwater place with Zhou Wu Bing just yesterday.”
Qin Ming’s blinked in surprise. The fact that Sickly had left on a journey meant he couldn’t beat the guy anytime soon.
“Let’s go. It’s time to gather the three-colored flower.” Huang Jing De tossed a jade box toward Qin Ming. He didn’t worry about the boy destroying it—he had more than one.
Qin Ming caught the box, then walked over to a pile of rocks and carefully buried it underneath as if trying to protect it from harm.
“What are you doing?” Huang Jing Jun asked suspicion in his voice.
“I’m just making sure the box doesn’t break during the fight,” Qin Ming said casually.
He had already noticed that despite Huang Jing De’s calm demeanor, his stance was flawless. There was no chance for a sneak attack—this was going to be a difficult battle.
“You acting dumb won’t change anything,” Huang Jing Jun sneered, stepping forward. “I’ll teach you a lesson.”
“You’re not good enough. Even Nie Rui and Shen Jia Yun couldn’t beat me. You’re nowhere near their level,” Qin Ming replied honestly.
Huang Jing Jun’s face darkened, a cruel smile playing on his lips. “You think you’re something special just because some kids in Scarlet Dawn City praised you?”
He sneered. “You’ve only experienced your first awakening. In front of me, you’re nothing. Until you reach the second awakening, you’re just a joke.”
With a sharp, metallic sound, Huang Jing Jun drew a long blade that gleamed in the cold light. His expression was smug as he spoke. “They say you’re good with a spear, but look at you now. You don’t even have a proper weapon.”
Qin Ming didn’t seem bothered by the remark. “Doesn’t matter what weapon I use,” he replied casually, pulling out a long blade from behind his back. The blade shimmered in the dim light, clearly of much higher quality than Huang Jing Jun’s. After all, it had once belonged to a warrior who had gone through three awakenings on Golden Rooster Ridge.
Huang Jing Jun’s smirk faded, replaced by a grim determination. Without saying another word, he lunged at Qin Ming, his blade cutting through the air with deadly precision. With the strength of someone who had experienced two awakenings, he was certain he could take down the young hunter in one swift move.
But Qin Ming was ready. He made two swift movements. First, he used the back of his blade to deflect the incoming strike, hitting Huang Jing Jun’s weapon with such force that it reverberated through his arm. Huang Jing Jun’s hand trembled uncontrollably, and before he knew it, his grip on the hilt loosened, forcing him to release the blade.
Blood began to trickle from Huang Jing Jun’s hands, his fingers torn from the sheer impact. Shocked, and with a sense of growing fear, he leaped backward, retreating as quickly as he could.
Qin Ming’s second move came in an instant. He swung his blade forward, aiming straight for Huang Jing Jun. Though the young noble managed to dodge back, he wasn’t fast enough.
Sparks flew as Qin Ming’s blade struck his armor, shattering it into fragments that scattered across the ground. Blood-stained pieces of metal rained down as a deep wound appeared on Huang Jing Jun’s torso, stretching from his shoulder down to his abdomen, almost splitting him in two.
A howl of pain escaped Huang Jing Jun’s lips as he collapsed to the ground, his body trembling in agony, the torn flesh revealing glimpses of his internal organs.
“Weak,” Qin Ming muttered, his voice calm, almost disappointed. Without sparing another glance at the fallen Huang Jing Jun, he turned his gaze toward Huang Jing De, who stood watching from the opposite side.
“B-brother…” Huang Jing Jun’s voice shook as he called out. Though he was still alive, it was clear that if he wasn’t treated soon, he wouldn’t last much longer.
Huang Jing De, who had been maintaining a calm and composed demeanor, suddenly sprang forward. His silver spear glinted as he advanced, his previous detachment completely gone. Earlier, he had treated their encounter like a game, certain of his superiority. But now, seeing what Qin Ming was capable of, he knew he couldn’t afford to underestimate him any longer.
Qin Ming didn’t flinch. He had faced warriors with three awakenings before and gained valuable experience from those battles. This time, he stood firm, meeting Huang Jing De’s charge head-on with the long blade he had claimed from the elder at Golden Rooster Ridge.
With a resounding clash, Qin Ming swung his blade, knocking aside Huang Jing De’s spear, redirecting its deadly point. He followed up with a powerful strike, his blade flashing with a brilliant white light, crashing forward like an unstoppable wave. It was as if the very ocean had risen up, threatening to swallow everything in its path.
Huang Jing De’s eyes narrowed. His expression hardened as he gripped his spear tightly with one hand while his other hand glowed with the faint energy of a light aura. He struck the side of Qin Ming’s blade, attempting to deflect the powerful blow.
The result was he managed to hit the blade, but the force behind it was overwhelming. For a brief moment, he imagined seeing something terrifying—waves of light crashing toward him as if the sea had come alive to consume him.
Though he dodged quickly, his armor still cracked under the pressure, and a shallow cut appeared across his chest. Qin Ming’s power was far beyond anything he had expected, surpassing even that of someone who had gone through three awakenings.
A thin line of blood trailed down Huang Jing De’s chest.
“How… how is this possible?” Huang Jing Jun gasped, still writhing in pain on the ground. He could hardly believe his eyes. His older brother, a warrior who had undergone three awakenings, had been wounded in the very first exchange. How could this boy be so strong?
Qin Ming hadn’t even used any Celestial techniques during their fight. If that was the case, then he hadn’t reached his third awakening yet. So how could he be this powerful?
“I underestimated you,” Huang Jing De said through gritted teeth. “I didn’t expect someone who hasn’t mastered a light aura to be this strong. You’re nearly as powerful as someone who’s undergone three awakenings.” His face grew more serious as he shifted his stance, gripping his spear with both hands, preparing for a life-or-death battle.
Coughing violently, Huang Jing Jun clutched his wound, more blood spilling from his body. He couldn’t accept it—how could this young hunter, this boy, be so unbelievably strong?
Qin Ming, too, grew more cautious. Though Huang Jing De was younger than the elder at Golden Rooster Ridge, his strength might actually surpass the elder’s.
The battle resumed with even greater intensity. Huang Jing De’s spear moved like a dragon weaving through the clouds, its deadly tip constantly aiming for Qin Ming’s vital points. Occasionally, his other hand would dart out, slicing through the air with knife-like precision whenever he got close.
But no matter how fast or fierce Huang Jing De’s attacks became, they couldn’t break through Qin Ming’s defense. Each time, the boy’s blade was there, blocking the strikes with flashes of steel, like a wall of light.
What frustrated Huang Jing De the most was Qin Ming’s left hand. Holding a massive hammer, Qin Ming repeatedly struck at Huang Jing De’s spear-hand, sending waves of pain up his arm with every blow.
The fierce battle raged on, neither side willing to give an inch. Despite Huang Jing De’s light aura protecting him, Qin Ming’s relentless attacks forced him to expend more and more energy, draining his reserves.
In the distance, the three-colored flower glimmered with a radiant light. Some of its petals had already begun to open, and a glowing mist thickened around it, signaling that the flower was nearing full maturity.
Even from afar, the flower’s sweet fragrance filled the air, and the petals sparkled like drops of light. A gentle rain of glowing particles began to fall, making the flower seem even more magical.
“How many light auras can this flower help someone master?” Qin Ming’s eyes burned with excitement. His fighting spirit surged as he prepared to end the battle quickly and claim the flower.
In one fluid motion, Qin Ming unleashed his most powerful strike yet. In his mind, it felt as if he had been transported to a stormy night. Lightning flashed across the sky, rain poured down in torrents, and he stood in the heart of the storm, his blade raised high. His willpower surged as his blade cut through the darkness, as though slicing through the very storm itself.
Terror filled Huang Jing De’s eyes. The strike coming toward him was unlike anything he had ever faced before. It carried the force of endless lightning and rain, a power that could tear the earth apart.
He tried to dodge, but the blade was already too close. He raised his silver spear to block it, but the force behind Qin Ming’s strike was too much. The spear flew from his hands, clattering to the ground.
At the same moment, a sharp pain exploded in Huang Jing De’s shoulder. His right arm fell to the ground, severed cleanly at the shoulder, blood spurting from the wound. Though he had narrowly survived, he was now completely out of the fight, stumbling backward, drenched in his own blood.
“You… weren’t you supposed to be a spear fighter?” Huang Jing Jun, still lying helpless on the ground, asked in despair, his voice weak and trembling.
Qin Ming glanced at him with a smirk. “I’m pretty good with a blade too.”