Chapter 51: The End of Joy
This novel is translated and hosted on Bcatranslation
“To do a good job, one must first sharpen their tools,” Qin Ming whispered to himself, echoing the words of wisdom he had once heard.
He was preparing for something big—something that could spark chaos across the region, maybe even reaching the city of Chixia. He needed to be fully prepared.
Aside from the need for a sharp blade, Qin Ming also had to master one or two new techniques. He already had a blade manual in hand, and thanks to Old Liu’s efforts, a fallen but once-prestigious family had agreed to share their skills with him. With these new techniques and the power of the Three-Colored Flower, he could significantly boost his strength. He needed to be ready for what was to come.
“Who’s Qin Ming?” a voice shouted from the village entrance. It was someone from Golden Rooster Ridge, calling out his name directly.
“They sure are paying attention to me now,” Qin Ming murmured, slightly surprised. It was clear that the two bandit leaders had given specific orders to their men about him.
Old Liu hurried over, his face tight with worry. “Don’t let your pride get the best of you, Qin Ming. After three awakenings, you may feel unstoppable, but rejecting Golden Rooster Ridge could bring a bloody disaster upon us all.”
Though Old Liu had once been dragged by his collar by the bandits, leaving him humiliated, the current situation was too dangerous to resist. “We have to play along,” he added in a low voice.
“Don’t worry, I’m not that impulsive.” Qin Ming replied calmly. He walked toward the Flame Spring under the black and white tree, nodding his agreement to join Golden Rooster Ridge. They made a note of his name.
“That’s one healthy goat you’ve got there,” remarked a young man from Golden Rooster Ridge, his eyes fixed on a large black goat standing near Yang Yong Qing’s home. Without hesitation, he grabbed the nearly human-sized animal.
“Hey, little brother, you can’t take him! I’ve raised him with care. He’s almost about to mutate,” Yang Yong Qing pleaded, desperately trying to stop the man.
The young man from Golden Rooster Ridge didn’t seem to care. “We’ve suffered heavy losses protecting villages like yours from the dangers of the mountains. Even our golden roosters are almost gone. This black goat will make a fine mount.”
He then looked at Yang Yong Qing and added, “You’re an awakened one too. How about you come join us at Golden Rooster Ridge? After all, you’re the goat’s owner, so it’ll obey you better as a mount. If someone else takes it, it might resist, and then we’d just end up eating it.”
Yang Yong Qing’s face went pale. Was he seriously about to lose both his goat and his freedom?
Qin Ming stepped forward, hoping to resolve things. “Our village is small. Isn’t it enough for me to join?”
But the young bandit was unmoved. “We’re short on people. Another goat rider won’t hurt. I’ll just add his name too.” He wrote down Yang Yong Qing’s name before riding away on his golden rooster, disappearing into the distance. He was an awakened warrior, with strength beyond the ordinary, and before leaving, he told Qin Ming and Yang Yong Qing to report to Golden Rooster Ridge in five days.
“I don’t have much time. I need to make the most of it!” Qin Ming thought to himself, knowing he had to act fast.
Patting Yang Yong Qing’s shoulder, Xu Yue Ping offered some comfort. “Don’t think too much about it. As much as we dislike those Golden Rooster Ridge guys, the treatment there isn’t all bad.”
It was true. Not everyone opposed joining them. Some of the awakened from other villages had even volunteered, caring little for their bad reputation.
“But didn’t they almost get wiped out in the Great Rift?” Yang Yong Qing asked in a whisper.
Old Liu replied, “Everyone knows the Rift is dangerous because of the strange resources found there. The fact that these guys survived means they have connections. They’re the worst kind—you can’t go wrong cutting any one of them down.”
Qin Ming glanced at Old Liu, whose face was flushed—a sign that his third awakening was still in progress. Fortunately, the two big leaders of Golden Rooster Ridge weren’t around, or they’d surely notice something off about him.
Later, Qin Ming headed to Old Liu’s house to discuss borrowing the martial arts manual. “Did you manage to arrange things with that family?” he asked.
“They reluctantly agreed, but the price will be steep. We’ll go together tomorrow. I still haven’t fully recovered from my third awakening,” Old Liu said.
Qin Ming nodded. The process of awakening took time, and Old Liu’s would likely be complete by tomorrow.
“You can’t go out looking like this,” Qin Ming warned. “Your face is practically glowing. If a master spots you, they’ll know something’s up.” He taught Old Liu the concealment technique “Light Shroud.” It was practical and easy to learn.
If Old Liu’s condition was exposed, it wouldn’t be long before Qin Ming’s own secrets were revealed.
“Good thinking, boy. I was worried about running into those two bandit bosses again,” Old Liu admitted.
After a pause, he asked, “Have you learned any of the light aura techniques yet? They say the more you master, the better. The most famous warriors are those who combine different techniques. I know one myself, called the Silk-Twisting Aura, taught to me by an old mountain patrolman. You should give it a try.”
“Sure!” Qin Ming agreed enthusiastically. The manual he had been studying emphasized the importance of combining techniques.
“Do you want me to teach you a light aura technique in return?” Qin Ming offered.
“Nah,” Old Liu waved it off. “I’ve got enough on my plate with the Silk-Twisting Aura. Besides, you’re not from around here—you’ve got your own secrets. I’ll stick to what I know and focus on mastering this technique during my third awakening. Tomorrow, we can both benefit from that family’s secrets.”
“Alright,” Qin Ming replied, knowing that the contents of his own manual were too dangerous for outsiders to learn.
Back at his small courtyard, Qin Ming began honing the light aura technique he had learned. After a while, he experimented with it, reaching for a nearby hammer. As soon as his fingers touched the handle, the hammer flew into his hand with startling speed. Even using the back of his hand, he could feel the technique’s power, its ability to “stick” to objects.
In combat, this technique would allow him to cling to an opponent, tearing at their flesh with ease. Testing its strength, Qin Ming drove his glowing fingers into a stone mill, sending shards flying everywhere. The force was remarkable—it wasn’t just strong but incredibly practical.
After mastering his new technique, Qin Ming began practicing Old Liu’s Silk-Twisting Aura. Though it wasn’t overly complicated, it was clever. The technique relied on finesse, using precise movements to overcome brute strength. As he practiced, Qin Ming realized it was a technique passed down through generations of mountain patrolmen, designed to fight wild beasts.
While simple compared to other light auras, the Silk-Twisting Aura was highly effective in combat. After half a day of practice, Qin Ming felt confident using it.
“I guess I’m not too bad at this,” he thought with a satisfied grin.
He began imagining how easily he could take down Golden Rooster Ridge’s fighters with this new technique, especially the three-time awakened elder and Huang Jing De. Without even using his raw strength, he could make them both regret ever crossing him.
“Wait, what?” Qin Ming’s eyes widened as he realized something. The Silk-Twisting Aura perfectly complemented his own technique, blending with it effortlessly. It was his first successful fusion of techniques, and the power boost was immediate.
Qin Ming experimented further, and the results were even better than he had imagined. The combined technique was far stronger than either on its own. However, he soon realized that practicing both together too quickly was exhausting. He would need to master the Silk-Twisting Aura fully before integrating it with his original technique.
Resting on the stone mill in his courtyard, Qin Ming felt a sense of accomplishment. Looking up at the night sky, his thoughts drifted toward the future, imagining the grand cities that stood on the far horizon, glittering under the stars. He yearned to venture beyond his small village, seeking new techniques and experiencing the wonders of the world.
But then, something caught his eye. His pupils narrowed, and though he quickly forced himself to remain calm, a storm had begun to brew in his mind. In the distance, a black mist, like a serpent, slithered through the air toward the village, circling above it.
It eventually descended, disappearing from view.
What was that? His heart raced, but he maintained his composure, pretending nothing had happened. No one else had noticed the eerie mist. Not even Old Liu, despite his second awakening.
Qin Ming forced himself to remain steady. Now was not the time to draw attention. His white jade metal had yet to be honed into a weapon capable of dealing with such threats.
He quietly returned to his room and opened his old, tattered sword manual. At first, he couldn’t focus, but soon the depth of the ancient text pulled him in.
The manual contained the essence of generations of warriors. As Qin Ming read, he could feel the lingering emotions of those who had once studied its pages, a resonance with their long-lost struggles.
As he delved into the techniques, two strong emotions struck him. One belonged to the original author, but the other was from someone who had studied the manual afterward, leaving behind a note.
“I wish I could master the Tathagata Aura!” the note expressed, filled with frustration and longing.
Qin Ming’s heart skipped a beat. Had this person actually come close to mastering it?