Chapter 56: The Triple Threat
This novel is translated and hosted on Bcatranslation
“Why should we give them our Night Silver? What right do they have?” Qin Ming shouted, his voice full of frustration.
“We almost starved a while ago, and now that things are just getting better, Golden Rooster Ridge is squeezing us again! How are we supposed to take this?”
The crowd gathered around Qin Ming was equally furious. People murmured their anger. Sure, the food had been brought in by those big beasts, but it wasn’t free. They still had to pay for it, and no one had much money left, not after the awful year they’d had. And now, those bandits at Golden Rooster Ridge were demanding more.
The worst part? They weren’t even feeding a noble cause. They were feeding thieves. In these far-off places, a single piece of Night Silver could feed a family of three for an entire month if they were careful. Now, the two knights from Golden Rooster Ridge sat there, high on the back of their roosters, demanding every household give up that month’s worth of Night Silver, and for what? Just because they felt like it?
And who knew if this was a one-time thing, or if they planned to make it a regular “contribution.” No one could take that kind of pressure.
“Those bandits are worse than animals!” someone yelled, and the rest of the crowd rumbled in agreement. People were getting angrier and angrier, many of them talking about resisting.
The two Golden Rooster knights were already well down the road, but they could still hear the outcry from the village behind them. One of them muttered, “These villagers are way too riled up. We should let the boss know before they do something crazy.”
“Yeah, especially since things at the hideout are shaky as it is. The last thing we need is more trouble.”
…
“Won’t anyone from Red Glow City step in to help?” someone in the crowd asked, the worry thick in their voice.
The villages outside the mountains were in chaos, everyone talking about the demands from Golden Rooster Ridge. Some suggested reaching out to the Mountain Patrol to intervene, or maybe even going straight to Red Glow City to let the officials know what was going on. It was winter, after all, and they couldn’t afford to let these thieves run wild.
An elderly man sighed deeply. “The officials in Red Glow City probably have their hands full right now.”
“Why?” another villager asked, eyebrows furrowed.
“A Wandering Merchant brought news from over there. Apparently, there’s some suspicion that our City Lord Ling Xu has been working with a Higher Variant from Black and White Mountain. Last time, they tried to set up a trap for them in the mountains.”
The old man shook his head. “There’s no solid proof, just suspicions. The big organizations think Ling Xu’s been playing dirty, using trickery to make fools out of them. Nothing’ll probably come of it, but right now the leaders of Red Glow City are too busy to bother with us.”
Qin Ming looked up at the dark sky, the murmurs around him fading as he fell into thought. He felt his emotions bubbling beneath the surface, like the shimmering light just waiting to break through. It was impossible for anyone to always stay calm.
After a moment, the glow on Qin Ming’s body faded away. He turned and headed to the cellar, choosing two Blood Snakes, each around six or seven feet long, that had undergone their first mutation.
Grabbing his long-handled Black Metal Hammer, Qin Ming pounded the snakes into a paste on the iron plate, and then carefully simmered the mixture until he had a pot full of meat broth.
Before he left, he had a few things to take care of.
…
Soon, Qin Ming arrived at the small courtyard next door.
“Brother Lu, how are you feeling? I managed to hunt a Mountain Beast with some spiritual properties. It might help you awaken,” Qin Ming said, not wanting to keep everything secret. He told Lu Ze that the meat broth would not only help him heal faster but also might trigger an Awakening in him soon.
“Little Qin!” Lu Ze, always a straightforward man, nodded gratefully, though words failed him.
Liang Wan Qing’s eyes were red-rimmed. She knew what Awakening would mean for her husband. She wouldn’t have to worry every time he went into the mountains. He’d be able to protect himself now.
“Sister-in-law, you should have some too,” Qin Ming said, offering the broth. “Even if it doesn’t make you awaken, it will still strengthen your body. There’s plenty.”
“It smells amazing! Uncle, I want some too!” Little Wen Rui hadn’t gone to bed yet and was sniffing the air like a curious kitten, practically drooling.
“You’re still too young,” Qin Ming said with a chuckle. “This might make you grow up too fast. But here, I brought you some of Old Huang’s freshest wild fruit.”
Wen Rui’s eyes lit up, though she tilted her head. “But Uncle, last time you said these were from Uncle Niu.”
“Well, it’s all kind of the same,” Qin Ming said, smiling as he handed her the fruit. They were actually from the Wild Bull’s domain.
“Uncle, me too!” Little Wen Hui, barely two years old, mumbled sleepily as she woke up.
And then, there was that squirrel, squeaking from its cage, bowing as if pleading for a share of the meat broth.
…
The next day, Qin Ming carefully polished his Jade-Iron Blade. It was too noticeable to use casually. If he drew it, it had to draw blood. Once the blade was hidden away, he picked up a long staff, using it like a spear, and grabbed the bow and arrows he’d used before. He was now truly a master of both spear and bow.
In the courtyard, Qin Ming showed his impressive skills. The long staff moved like a dragon in his hands, swirling through the air as if it could fly away at any moment. With a light flick, the staff split into dozens of shadowy strikes, aimed at different points. Every single drifting snowflake within range was pierced in an instant.
But as he increased his power, the staff, sturdy as it was, couldn’t handle the force and shattered into pieces.
Qin Ming tried the bow and arrows next, but after just a few draws, he realized that the bow couldn’t handle his strength. If he tried any harder, the bowstring or even the bow itself would snap.
“Guess I’m not much of a master without proper weapons,” Qin Ming muttered. He decided it was time to head into the mountains to find himself some real gear.
…
The Great Rift Valley was eerily quiet. The Golden Rooster Ridge guards were long gone. Qin Ming descended into the lifeless Underground Cave, wandering through the spider-webbed passages for ages. He found broken armor, shattered weapons, and dried pools of blood, along with the horns and bones of some Variants.
Finally, deep within the Underground Cave, Qin Ming stumbled upon an altar. It gave off a cold, eerie energy, but he smashed it with a kick, releasing a thick plume of black mist. But as soon as the Heavenly Light from his body shone brightly, the mist evaporated instantly.
“What were they doing here?” Qin Ming frowned. It seemed like the bandits and that mist-shrouded stranger were up to no good.
He searched for a while longer, finding some intact weapons. There were a few sets of armor that he pieced together, the finest kind, preserved in excellent condition. He selected a long spear and a hefty blade, as well as a bow that could withstand his strength, and filled six quivers with iron arrows.
“Tonight, I shall be the Blade Immortal, the Spear Saint, and the Arrow God,” Qin Ming whispered to himself.
He put on the shining armor, strapped the bow and arrows on his back, carried the sharp spear, and hung the Phoenix-patterned blade at his side as he walked out of the Underground Cave.
“Hmm?” Qin Ming was surprised to spot Old Liu near the Great Rift Valley.
He didn’t try to hide and walked straight over.
Old Liu’s face was serious. “I heard you went into the mountains and figured you’d come here. You’re not planning on taking on Golden Rooster Ridge, are you?”
Ever since he had seen Qin Ming destroy the ant nest, Old Liu knew the young man was special. Qin Ming’s strength was far beyond that of others at his level, and Old Liu had realized it was time to rethink things. He’d seen Qin Ming training at Old Wu’s, seen how quickly he mastered the Heavenly Light Technique. He knew Qin Ming could handle a Fourth Awakening and that he was eager to do it.
Qin Ming smiled. The old man was sharp. He’d guessed most of it right.
“If you really want to take on Golden Rooster Ridge, I know I can’t stop you. But don’t rush it. Give it a day or two,” Old Liu said.
“Why?”
Old Liu’s expression was grim. “The reason Golden Rooster Ridge even exists is that it was used as a base by the famous Golden Thieves when they were running deals between two major regions. They don’t use it much now, but if you happen to run into them, it could get ugly.”
Qin Ming took a deep breath of the crisp, snow-laden air. “Are you sure your luck isn’t cursed, Old Man? Nothing was going to happen, but now that you mention it, maybe it will.”
He laughed it off, knowing he could rely on his own strength.
“Let me find out for sure. You can wait a couple of days, can’t you?”
“How do you plan on finding out where the Golden Thieves are?” Qin Ming asked, genuinely curious.
“I don’t have any direct connections, of course. But I can make a pretty good guess based on past patterns. Word is, whenever the Golden Thieves are about to show up, the two bandit leaders at Golden Rooster Ridge send their men to gather rare foods, buy fine wine, and even invite some beautiful dancers.”
Qin Ming nodded, thinking it over. It made sense. He’d wait for Old Liu’s news.
After hiding his armor and weapons in the mountains, Qin Ming returned to the village with Old Liu, carrying some game as a cover. The village was still in an uproar because the men from Golden Rooster Ridge had returned.
“Why do you think we do this? It’s to protect all of you, that’s why we need to recruit more Awakened,” the man from Golden Rooster Ridge said.
They’d realized the villagers were furious and had come to try to calm them down, offer some kind of explanation.
“The other day, we fought the Variants at the Great Rift Valley to protect the people outside the mountains. We lost most of our men. We nearly got wiped out.”
The villagers glared at them, seeing through the lie. They knew Golden Rooster Ridge had gone into the mountains seeking something valuable, only to be almost completely wiped out. And now they were trying to claim it was all for the villagers?
“The two leaders feel for you all,” the man continued, “so they’ve decided to wait until next month to collect the Night Silver, giving you more time to prepare.”
The villagers’ rage only grew. It was still a shakedown, no matter how they tried to dress it up. Many were ready to fight.
“These villagers are crazy,” one of the Golden Rooster Ridge men muttered as they left in a hurry.
That evening, Old Liu brought news. There were no signs of the Golden Thieves, only the two leaders and their closest men at the hideout.
“Two Wandering Merchants showed up in Silver Vine Town,” Old Liu added. “They say Red Glow City is getting a new City Lord. Ling Xu’s in the clear, but he’s being moved to another city.”
Qin Ming nodded. This was the perfect chance to act.
“If those big organizations think Ling Xu worked with Variants to set up a trap, they might also suspect local groups of tipping him off. If they can’t go after Ling Xu, they’ll take down Golden Rooster Ridge instead.”
He paused, then continued to himself, “Those two bandit leaders worked with that outsider, and he ended up dead. His people will definitely blame Golden Rooster Ridge.”
The night was ending, and Qin Ming headed back into the mountains. He changed into his armor, took up his weapons, and began the fifty-mile trek to Golden Rooster Ridge.
The night was dark, the path long, and not many would dare travel it alone after sunset. Qin Ming wasn’t most people, but even he faced a challenge along the way.
Suddenly, a creature with glowing purple fur leapt from the Mountain Forest—a beast with a head like a horse’s, yet nothing like any horse he’d seen before. Its sharp, white teeth gleamed in the moonlight, clearly a predator. Its body was as strong as a tiger’s, with long, heavy legs ending in hooves.
Its sleek fur shimmered purple, and it was magnificent in its power. It lunged at Qin Ming, massive hooves aiming straight for his head.
“Purple Lightning Beast?” Qin Ming muttered in surprise. He’d heard of this creature from Old Liu. It was new to the mountains, a Third Awakening Variant, and faster than even Fourth or Fifth Awakening beasts.
It must have been spooked and fled its territory, and now it wanted Qin Ming out of the way.
Qin Ming sidestepped the deadly hooves, moving closer and managing to brush against its glistening fur.
The Purple Lightning Beast panicked. What was this strange creature that, with just a touch, seemed to cling to it like glue?
The Adhesive Trait of Qin Ming’s Heavenly Light Technique worked perfectly. Once Qin Ming got a grip, he wasn’t letting go. His fingers, then his whole hand, clung to the beast’s fur, and before it knew it, he was sitting on its back.
“Stop fighting. Just give me a ride,” Qin Ming said firmly.
The Purple Lightning Beast thrashed, refusing to be tamed. It wanted to throw him off.
But Qin Ming wasn’t having it. With a swift motion, he drew his bright blade, pressing it against the beast’s neck. “If you won’t take me, I’ll kill you now.”
The beast’s violet mane quivered, several strands falling to the ground where they’d been cut by the blade. It tensed, then relented. After glancing back at the deep mountains, it started to run.
In the heavy darkness, Qin Ming rode the majestic, glowing creature, speeding towards Golden Rooster Ridge.