Chapter 60: Familiar Faces?
This novel is translated and hosted on Bcatranslation
Under the dark blanket of night, two tall men stood in gleaming golden armor. The armor, shimmering faintly despite the darkness, bore a resemblance to the legendary Six Ding and Six Jia warriors spoken of in ancient tales.
Qin Ming observed the two with quiet caution. Something about them seemed extraordinary—an undeniable vitality pulsed through their bodies, their abundant energy and blood coursing so strongly that it seemed to pierce through the armor itself.
He had never seen any of these four people before, but his attention was naturally drawn to the woman leading the group.
His first impression of her was simple: beautiful. She was stunning at first glance, and upon closer inspection, her allure only seemed to deepen, as if her presence demanded the attention of all who laid eyes on her.
On the roadside, Li Qing Yue had stopped, her expression calm and composed. Her jet-black hair cascaded like a waterfall, and her slender figure swayed lightly like a delicate willow tree. The night wind stirred her flowing garments, giving her an ethereal quality that almost seemed to dispel the dense mist shrouding the surroundings. Though there was no fiery spring here to illuminate the scene, her presence radiated like a glow piercing the darkness.
Qin Ming, however, glanced only briefly at her. His instincts urged him forward, urging the Purple Lightning Beast beneath him to charge ahead without delay.
Behind him, the little maid opened her mouth, as if to say something, but she quickly shut it again. Her mistress’s previous instructions had been clear—it was not the time to reveal themselves.
Even so, Qin Ming’s sharp gaze caught the flicker of emotion in her expression. Not even the deep night could obscure what his perceptive eyes now noticed. At the same time, he realized the silver-clad woman was studying him as well.
His curiosity piqued, Qin Ming stole another glance.
The two were close enough that he could make out even the intricate patterns on her hairpin. Her silver-feathered gown glimmered faintly, and she wore no makeup, yet her face was flawlessly exquisite. She stood there like a radiant moon breaking through the clouds, illuminating the blackness of night. Her figure was graceful, her presence serene yet commanding, a beauty so refined it was almost unreal.
But Qin Ming’s memories stirred uneasily. Not long ago, he had been ambushed by an otherworldly assailant capable of turning to mist. And two years prior, a feather-cloaked youth had nearly taken his life, leaving him stranded in this remote land.
He had learned to be wary of those from beyond the boundaries of his world.
Though the silver-feathered woman was undeniably captivating, Qin Ming felt nothing beyond mild interest. He swept his gaze over her briefly, then urged his mount forward and disappeared into the night.
Behind him, Li Qing Yue turned to watch his retreating figure.
She had once thought it best never to meet again, but fate had brought them together here. She hesitated, unsure whether to call out to him, but he had passed her by so indifferently, without a single pause.
Her delicate brows furrowed slightly. She hadn’t worn a veil—there was no way he wouldn’t recognize her. Yet his gaze had been calm, even distant, as if she were just another passerby.
Had two years really changed them so much? She felt as if she had glimpsed a preview of what it meant for the world to change, leaving things unfamiliar.
“Miss, do you know him?” her maid asked hesitantly. “There’s something strange about the way he acted. You thought it best not to meet again, but he seemed even colder, almost indifferent. If we hadn’t looked at him first, I think he wouldn’t have spared us a single glance. He’s so… distant. So heartless!”
Li Qing Yue shook her head. “What nonsense are you talking about? We were… friends, once. That’s all.”
The maid seemed to understand, nodding thoughtfully. “So he’s one of those people from the same circle as you, isn’t he? Nothing more?”
Li Qing Yue sighed. “Two years ago, so much happened. Everyone we knew scattered. Some became people beyond the boundaries, some embarked on the path of awakening early, and some rose to fame. Others faded into mediocrity, their families still powerful but their own paths uncertain. I don’t know why he ended up here.”
“Which type of person is he?” the maid asked cautiously, her voice barely above a whisper.
“A fleeting figure,” Li Qing Yue replied softly, before turning and walking toward Green Pine Town.
“Strange. She felt… familiar,” Qin Ming mused as he rode on.
Inwardly, he assessed the situation. The feather-clad woman, so delicate in appearance, wouldn’t stand a chance against him in physical combat. One punch would probably send her flying—assuming she didn’t resort to the unpredictable methods of those beyond the boundaries.
Shaking his head, he tapped the Purple Lightning Beast with his battered spear, urging it to move faster.
A little later, he stopped, glancing around the dark wilderness. They had traveled more than eighty miles away from Twin Trees Village. “Alright, you’re free to go,” he said firmly.
The Purple Lightning Beast froze, startled. It had been bracing itself for the worst, resigned to endure humiliation for now and exact its revenge later. It had never expected to be let go so easily.
“What are you waiting for? Get lost!” Qin Ming barked, kicking it sharply on its rear.
The beast yelped in outrage, leaping several meters away before turning to glare at him. It pawed the ground with a forelimb and let out a low growl, as if voicing its indignation.
“What’s that? Still want to fight?” Qin Ming lifted his broken spear menacingly.
The Purple Lightning Beast shuddered and bolted into the forest, disappearing in seconds.
With a faint smile, Qin Ming turned toward home. He didn’t take the same path back, instead weaving through the dense forest. Along the way, he stopped to bury his armor, weapons, and other gear deep underground, leaving them behind for good.
With the fusion of multiple celestial light forces, his body’s natural defenses now surpassed anything his armor could offer. Even the legendary Five-Time Mutated Old Golden Rooster couldn’t pierce his protective aura with its Phoenix Wing Strike.
Now carrying only the lightweight White Jade Alloy Blade, Qin Ming’s pace quickened.
By the time he returned to the village, snow had begun to fall gently, blanketing the world in quiet. It wasn’t particularly late, despite his long journey and battles.
His mood was bright—after all, he had single-handedly toppled Golden Rooster Ridge.
“After a night of running and fighting, I’m starving,” he muttered to himself.
He first munched on some fruits from Wild Ox Ridge, then cooked up a steaming pot of beef stew in his trusty copper pot. The aroma filled the air, warming him against the cold.
In the depths of the mountain, the Purple Lightning Beast was utterly enraged. It charged violently into the trees, its immense body breaking trunks as thick as barrels with deafening crashes.
A white owl swooped down gracefully, perching nearby. “Calm down,” it hooted soothingly. “There’s no need for such fury.”
The owl then asked in a quieter tone, “Did you visit the Mountain Lord? Were you able to acquire the Yin-Yang Grand Elixir?”
“That old mountain boar is hiding something,” the Purple Lightning Beast replied, its voice filled with frustration. “I didn’t even get close—I fled immediately.”
“You should still call it ‘Mountain Lord’ in these parts,” the owl cautioned. “What’s the problem?”
“The mountain boar has been replaced!” the beast growled.
“Replaced? By whom?” the owl asked, startled.
“I suspect it’s that white-furred old beast from years ago—the one that was grieving in the graveyard. It didn’t die, nor did it leave. Instead, it’s taken the Mountain Lord’s place.”
The owl hesitated, then asked, “What now? Everyone knows about this region. The ancient tree remnants from Black and White Mountain—its roots and trunks—have been nourished by celestial light and transformed into Yin-Yang Grand Elixirs. Every faction is pressuring to claim it. Especially those outsiders—they’re desperate for these herbs imbued with yin and yang energies. If too many people covet them, how can you still get your hands on them?”
The Purple Lightning Beast sighed heavily. “We’ll need someone senior to step in. I can’t handle this on my own.”
Then, trembling with rage, it added, “And you! Investigate a man for me. He’s undergone four or five awakenings. He’s clearly not from around here—his accent gives away his origin in one of the great cities where noble families live. Find out who recently came to Black and White Mountain. When I get hold of him, I’ll smash his head in!”
Even as the beast recalled the humiliation it had suffered, it felt its anger rise again. Unable to contain itself, it dashed off to soak in a hot spring, as if hoping to wash away the shame.
Qin Ming, speaking with the local dialect as he always did, had recently found his accent slipping into one from a faraway place. Ever since fragments of blurry scenes and broken memories had begun surfacing in his mind, it felt as though he belonged to another region. That night, however, he was pretending to be an outsider.
While sorting through his spoils, he found some papers tucked inside a book. To his surprise, they turned out to be letters exchanged between two notorious bandits and an elder of the Golden Bandits from a distant land.
“The Golden Bandits have ties with outsiders,” he murmured. “Could that man who could transform into mist be one of those beasts from beyond?”
Qin Ming didn’t dwell on it. In his mind, all leads ended at Golden Rooster Ridge.
The next morning, he woke feeling energized. With the bandits eliminated, a weight had lifted from his shoulders. It was time to move on.
“Qin!” Old Liu knocked on the door early in the morning. When he saw Qin Ming was home, he breathed a sigh of relief.
“It’s done,” Qin Ming said, offering only two words.
Old Liu, knowing Qin had ventured out the previous night for something significant, was overwhelmed with emotion. He took a deep breath to calm himself, suppressing the urge to shout for joy.
“You’re incredible!” Old Liu exclaimed, awestruck. After just three awakenings, Qin Ming had managed to eliminate Golden Rooster Ridge’s bandits all by himself!
Satisfied with what he’d learned, Old Liu returned home and opened a jar of fine wine he’d obtained from the Mountain Patrol. Pouring himself a celebratory drink, he sipped contentedly.
He knew it wouldn’t be long before a storm of events broke over the region.
“Yong Qing!” he called to his neighbor, Yang Yong Qing. “Come over for a drink!”
“Uncle Liu,” Yong Qing replied with a sigh, “I’m about to become a mountain bandit. How can I think of drinking?”
Old Liu chuckled. “You haven’t gone yet. Enjoy today’s wine while you can! Maybe they’ll change their minds and won’t force you to Golden Rooster Ridge.”
Yong Qing shook his head. “Unless they all drop dead, how could their overbearing nature ever change?”
Qin Ming waited for events to unfold before leaving. Disappearing immediately might arouse suspicion. Instead, he studied three books he had acquired. Two were manuals written by the bandit leaders to train new recruits—he had little interest in those.
The third book, however, was something special. Its yellowed pages hinted at its age, and its contents commanded his full attention. The book contained a technique for awakening, detailing a unique form of Celestial Light Force—a soft energy that specialized in overcoming hardness with softness. It also described an advanced martial art: the Yellow Mud Palm.
Qin Ming skimmed through the book without delving too deeply. Just from the name, the palm technique didn’t sound particularly impressive. Yet, someone had scrawled notes in the margins, mentioning that they had once killed an outsider using this technique.
“So,” Qin Ming murmured, “outsiders are an overwhelming threat to those who take a different path. Killing even one was such a monumental feat that this master recorded it in his most prized book.”
It was ironic. He hadn’t even left this remote region and had already encountered multiple outsiders.
His thoughts drifted to the feather-clothed woman he had seen the previous night. There was something familiar about her. Her face, exquisitely beautiful, and her elegant demeanor were rare. The more he thought about it, the more it felt like he knew her.
Fragments of memories suddenly surfaced in his mind. He did know her!
“No wonder she stopped and looked at me so strangely,” Qin Ming murmured. “She must have recognized me. I must have forgotten some things after being gravely injured. Only recently have I started piecing them back together. She stood there, not acknowledging me… Was she deliberately avoiding something?”