Chapter 64: A Full Sense of Ritual
This novel is translated and hosted on Bcatranslation
After two years, Qin Ming unexpectedly ran into the Man with Long Arms again in this very place. He was completely shocked. So many questions crowded his mind, all about what had happened back then.
Cui Hong barely glanced at him before diving back into the fierce battle, not daring to let the Old Elephant notice anything unusual. He feared things could go horribly wrong. These mysterious and dangerous creatures had already captured Cui Chong Yi, and if they also took Cui Chong He, Cui Hong knew he’d lose his mind.
In the briefest of moments, Qin Ming saw a series of emotions flash across Cui Hong’s face: surprise, joy, guilt—all of them appearing in an instant. Why that expression? Qin Ming couldn’t help but wonder.
The Man with Long Arms also looked conflicted in that final moment, as if unsure what to do. It wasn’t the kind of look you’d expect at a reunion like this.
Qin Ming watched, his heart heating up, beating faster at the sight of his rescuer. But soon, the excitement cooled, replaced by a growing calm.
The path ahead was blocked. The merchant caravan couldn’t go any further, and people were becoming nervous. The battle they were witnessing was too overwhelming—so intense it shook them to their core.
The Old Elephant roared, and it felt as though even the mountains were trembling in response. The sound was deafening, causing everyone’s ears to ring, forcing them to cover their ears in pain.
To their right, the narrow path fell into a vast desert, pitch black like a bottomless abyss. On the left loomed towering, steep mountains stretching endlessly.
The Old Elephant was a magnificent sight, its entire body pure white like jade, radiating a celestial glow. Every strike of its trunk unleashed blade-like light, and the tusk-blades on its forelimbs were devastating. They slammed into the mountainside on the left, sending giant rocks crashing down.
People were terrified—would the towering mountain itself eventually be carved through?
Cui Hong was using the powerful Heaven-Penetrating Skill. His arms seemed to carry an immense force, as though they could rip apart the very night sky. His strength was enough to match the Old Elephant head-on.
The clash between human and beast made celestial lights pulse, causing rocks weighing thousands of pounds to tumble down, blocking the path ahead.
The merchant leader, Xu Sheng, muttered bitterly about his rotten luck. He couldn’t believe he had run into something like this. He led the group farther back, not wanting to get involved in a clash between such powerful beings that could wipe them out entirely.
“Terrifying!” someone whispered in awe, but most people’s faces were pale with fear.
The battle between the two powerhouses brought part of the cliff down. Massive chunks of stone fell like a landslide, filling the air with dust and making everyone tremble.
Xu Sheng was growing anxious. The two fighters hadn’t moved away yet, and now their group was stuck in the latter part of the narrow path. They were supposed to have already passed beyond the edge of the desert before nightfall, but the path ahead was blocked. They were running out of time.
Turning back along the way they’d come was also not an option; they simply didn’t have enough time.
People noticed something strange. The celestial light from the two fighters was bright enough to illuminate the steep mountainside clearly, but the desert to the right remained as dark as ever, untouched by the light.
“Old Elephant, I don’t want to fight you anymore. Can we call it a truce?” Cui Hong called out.
“Fine, then leave,” the Old Elephant replied, nodding. Despite its size, it moved gracefully, like it was gliding. It jumped effortlessly onto a mountain peak, ready to leave.
Cui Hong’s expression darkened. “Since we’re stopping, can you let our people go?”
“We’re not done questioning them,” the Old Elephant said calmly.
Cui Hong’s voice grew tense. “You know where we come from.”
“Yes, the Cui family, a thousand-year-old clan. Quite impressive—feared by many, famous across the darkened lands. But we’re not pushovers either. We live atop renowned mountains, and you call our place a blessed land,” the Old Elephant answered indifferently.
Cui Hong’s face grew even more serious. “Let’s talk. There must be some misunderstanding here. We only just arrived; we couldn’t have offended you.”
He feared for Cui Chong Yi’s safety and wanted to settle things quickly. He also hoped to lure the Old Elephant away, so he could slip back later to meet Cui Chong He.
…
When Xu Sheng saw that the two powerhouses had finally disappeared after a brief confrontation, he yelled, “Move! No, run with me!”
Time was running short, and he led everyone in a sprint. He didn’t want to be stuck at the desert’s edge when night fully descended.
Thankfully, everyone here was a novice. If they weren’t, it would’ve taken ages for ordinary people to climb over the collapsed cliffs blocking their way.
They ran as fast as they could, panting heavily. Then, a thick fog suddenly rose up ahead, almost completely obscuring the rugged path beneath their feet.
Xu Sheng soon stopped, unable to proceed. The fog was too dense, making it dangerous to move too quickly—they could easily wander into the desert by mistake.
“Brother Xu, what should we do?” someone asked anxiously.
“Don’t panic,” Xu Sheng said firmly. “We haven’t disrespected the desert at all on our way here; we’ve always spoken of it with respect. So, no one panic. Hold on to the person in front of you and don’t let go, no matter what. I’ll lead the way.”
Everyone tried to grab Xu Sheng’s clothes, hoping to stay close to him, but he shouted, “Don’t crowd me! If anyone falls into the desert, I’m not coming to find you.”
Truthfully, even Xu Sheng wasn’t entirely sure what to do. An old traveling merchant had once told him, “You aren’t truly seasoned until you’ve faced a dozen life-or-death journeys at night.” Maybe tonight was one of those times.
Qin Ming stayed quiet, clutching Xu Sheng’s clothing. He had been quick to react, getting right behind him. In times like this, sticking close to an experienced merchant seemed the smartest choice.
He was afraid someone in the middle of their line would mess up and lose contact with the person ahead, breaking their link to the guide.
Xu Sheng pulled out a torch, trying to light it, but he failed again and again.
Half of the group carried torches too, and they tried to light theirs. Someone’s voice trembled as they said, “Brother Xu, I think… something’s blowing cold air at me, putting out my flame every time.”
“Stop talking!” Xu Sheng snapped, not wanting to hear it. He also felt a chill on the back of his neck, raising goosebumps all over.
The fog was unnaturally thick now. They couldn’t see the mountain on their left or the path beneath their feet. Only endless darkness surrounded them, and their eyes were practically useless.
Qin Ming kept quiet. The atmosphere was eerie and oppressive, with the sudden fog making everything vanish, even their senses.
“Brother Xu, there’s no need for the torch,” someone said suddenly. “Look, there’s a group ahead! They’ve got their torches lit, and though it’s far and blurry, we could just follow them.”
“Hey, yeah, there really is a group up there,” another voice added. “Shadows moving, torches lighting the way. They could lead us out.”
Everyone looked relieved.
Qin Ming could feel Xu Sheng stiffen beside him. The man seemed to freeze entirely, his whole body tensing as though he’d broken out in goosebumps.
“Don’t look at the torches. Don’t stare at that group!” Xu Sheng’s voice was low, but his warning was fast and urgent. “I asked around before we set out, back at the supply town near the desert. There’s no one else traveling tonight—just us.”
“What?!”
“Oh, my gods!”
Everyone gasped, their breaths shaky. What kind of group was that, then?
“Hey, don’t shove me like that! My soul nearly left my body!” someone grumbled.
Qin Ming looked into the thick night fog and saw that shadowy group ahead. There were indeed many figures, their torches glowing dimly, almost as if inviting them, pointing the way.
But it was eerily quiet—not a sound came from them.
After a quick glance, everyone lowered their heads and stopped looking, heeding Xu Sheng’s advice.
“What… what are they?” someone whispered, unable to hold back. In tense situations like this, fear only made people more curious.
“According to old merchants,” Xu Sheng began, then shook his head. “Forget it. Telling you would scare you to death.”
Some of the stronger members of the group exchanged looks. If the timing and place weren’t so wrong, they might have punched Xu Sheng. Half-told stories were scarier than no stories at all.
“Brother Xu, you’ve already mentioned it. Just tell us,” someone urged.
“The old merchants said,” Xu Sheng finally explained, “that what’s happening now is some kind of ritual linked to gods. We’re not allowed to join it. We don’t have the right. If we stare too long at those torches, if we follow that group, we’ll end up as a side dish on someone’s table—eaten alive.”
Everyone went quiet.
Qin Ming also stayed silent. Traveling in these lands covered by the eternal night was hard for a novice. Danger lurked everywhere.
He hadn’t even left this remote region yet, and he was already encountering something like this. What other horrors would await in the vast, uncharted lands ahead?
“Are there… other explanations?” someone asked. Fear made them want to know more, to dig deeper, to find the truth.
“There’s an ancient one,” Xu Sheng said. “It’s said that some unknowable presence in the desert has been offended. The fog is its anger, and the torchlight is its fire. Are you ready to be a moth to the flame?”
Suddenly, Xu Sheng came to a full stop, refusing to move another step. He realized he was starting to lose his bearings. The torchlight was tempting him, and now he couldn’t tell which way was the desert or where the mountain lay.
Qin Ming also sensed something was wrong. The mountain should have been to their left, and the desert to the right, yet his left foot was sinking into the sand.
Xu Sheng had also noticed this, and that’s why he had abruptly halted. Slowly, he pulled his left foot from the sand, afraid to go on.
“Stop pushing!” someone behind called out, losing their balance.
“Watch it—oh, it’s a young lady. It’s alright, no need to panic,” someone reassured. Even in the darkness, everyone still felt tense but slightly amused by the man’s tone.
“Miss, don’t worry,” the man continued. “Why are you hanging on me, though? Alright, I’ll carry you if it helps. Just hold onto my neck.”
But soon, his voice started to tremble. “Miss, why are your nails so long… so cold? Could you… maybe not scratch my neck like that? Please?”
The rest of the group’s unease spiked into fear. They listened, hardly able to stay calm.
“Miss, say something, will you? Stop touching my neck. I think… I think I’m bleeding. It kind of hurts,” the man’s voice grew hoarse.
A boy behind him, pale-faced, spoke up, “Brother, just… stop talking. I…”
The man asked, his voice shaking, “Kid, are you… are you holding onto her clothes? Can you help me pull her off?”
“I think… I’m holding onto something hairy,” the boy stammered.
“Someone, please help me,” the man’s voice grew faint. “I… I can’t breathe. My neck’s bleeding, it hurts. I can’t pry her hands off, her nails are too long.”
No one said a word. Everyone gripped their weapons tightly, their silence filled with dread.