Chapter 75: Sighs of the Past
This novel is translated and hosted on Bcatranslation
As daylight faded and the hazy night covered Red Glow City, Qin Ming sat quietly in his room, staring at fragmented memories that seemed to drift closer, reforming and becoming clearer.
“So, you are Li Qing Xu,” Qin Ming muttered as he looked at the figure of the Feather-Clothed Youth in the vision, finally recognizing his name. The two had met before, but they weren’t close—merely acquaintances who had exchanged a nod in passing.
“A direct member of the Li family, with a rare gift. Most people can’t even dream of being accepted by the People Beyond the Boundaries, but he was different. He fit the path perfectly, and a legendary elder from the dark world chose him as a last disciple, bending the rules,” Qin Ming thought, frowning. That elder, a figure from the mysterious Beyond the Boundaries, was someone no one wanted to provoke. Even the powerful Millennial Clans respected him.
Again, Li Qing Xu’s figure appeared in his mind—his feathered clothes seemed almost otherworldly, glowing with an ethereal light, like he wasn’t bound by the mundane world. Even the radiant purple bamboo stick in his hand was something special, a relic nurtured by the energy of a sacred place.
The image slowly faded, replaced by other scenes as all the shattered fragments of his memories came rushing back, hitting him like a wave. There were still some vague details, but most of his memories from the past were returning. Qin Ming rubbed his temples, trying to ease the fatigue.
Memories surged like waves crashing into him, all the way from his childhood to his youth. Those experiences were overwhelming, evoking a sea of emotions that threatened to drown him.
Qin Ming took a deep breath and began using the Silk Script Method to calm himself, breaking free from the overwhelming surge of emotions, viewing his past from a detached perspective. He wanted to see his former self from a new angle, to answer the questions that had been lingering in his mind.
“I am Cui Chong He, a direct descendant of a Millennial Clan,” Qin Ming reminded himself, piecing together his identity from the fragments of his past.
The memories felt like dusty, yellowed pages from an old book, long forgotten in a room filled with cobwebs. Now, he was opening that book once more. Qin Ming turned to the first page, as if stepping across the weathered bridge of time to return to over a decade ago.
“Poor child, you suffered out there. Remember, I’m your Seventh Uncle,” said a young man with thick eyebrows and bright eyes, his hand resting gently on Qin Ming’s head. He had a warm smile, his teeth so white they seemed to shine.
Qin Ming knew him well. This was Cui Hao, one of the people he was closest to, and someone who had always been around throughout his childhood.
“Was I lost once?” Qin Ming whispered. In the vision, he was just three or four years old, his clothes torn and dirty. He wanted to remember more, but the memories refused to come.
The earliest memories of a person usually begin around that age.
Someone had taken him to bathe, dressed him in clean clothes, and put a beautiful jade ornament on him. It was as if he had transformed into another person. Though he felt a little uneasy, his stubborn nature refused to let him show fear. The small figure stood straight and silent.
The scene changed quickly. He moved into the Cui household. They taught him how to read, to follow their rules, and he listened attentively. He had cried in secret during those early days, but he didn’t want anyone to see.
“Chong He, remember your name, and don’t forget it again. Come, I’ll show you how to write these characters,” an elder said as they guided his hand.
“Chong He, come here. This is your younger brother, Cui Chong Xuan. You must protect him; he is one of the closest people to you,” said Cui Mother, stepping into the room.
She looked young and regal, her face beautifully refined. A golden feather with a soft glow was pinned in her hair, used as an ornamental hairpin—clearly no ordinary item. She was holding a little boy’s hand, who seemed around two years old. He looked incredibly smart, his dark eyes wide open in curiosity.
“He’s a year and a half younger than you. From now on, you two must love each other. You’re the older brother, so you need to take care of him,” Cui Mother said gently.
“Okay!” Qin Ming—almost four years old then—nodded firmly.
Settling into the Cui household, Qin Ming eventually got used to life there.
Cui Father was strict, with great authority in the family, and young Qin Ming always remained silent in his presence. Perhaps that was why he grew so close to Cui Hao. His Seventh Uncle wasn’t imposing at all—sometimes he would take Qin Ming to explore the lively streets or even ride aberrant beasts beyond the city. Once, he even took him to ride a boat down the Ink Charm River at night.
Of course, for this, Cui Hao had been scolded by Cui Father.
The pages of the dusty book of time turned again, and Qin Ming found himself looking at the past, this time seeing his elder brother, Cui Chong Xiao. Chong Xiao was eight years older, and though still a youth, he was already quite mature and composed—a lot like Cui Father.
It was only when Chong Xiao looked at young Qin Ming that his eyes lit up, showing the carefree warmth of someone his age. He would smile as he came closer, studying Qin Ming closely.
Chong Xiao had become the disciple of a great master, but no one was allowed to speak of where he was, nor spread any rumors. All they knew was that his elder brother would only come back once every few years.
This secretive attitude said a lot about Cui Father and Cui Mother’s cautious nature. They didn’t want anyone to know that Chong Xiao had been apprenticed to an extraordinary teacher.
Qin Ming had overheard them whispering once—that’s how he learned that his brother was studying under an ancient sect related to divine beings. It wasn’t about worshipping or meditating on the gods; instead, it was an ambitious pursuit, focused on taming extraordinary “phenomena” and “domains,” turning them into one’s own power, and eventually becoming a deity.
Each spring, his parents would receive a special letter that required consulting several ancient books to decipher. It was a careful, multi-layered encryption.
Even Cui Father, the strictest of them all, would smile when these letters arrived, and he would seem so gentle and joyful.
Qin Ming and Cui Chong Xuan suspected these letters were from their elder brother—that’s why their parents seemed so happy.
Once, Cui Chong Xuan tried to steal one of the letters to read it, but the secret language meant nothing to him. He was caught by Cui Father, who punished him severely, and from then on, he never dared to touch the letters again.
The Cui Family’s main branch had many elderly members—their hair white with age, their strength unfathomable. Some had ventured into Beyond the Boundaries and rarely stayed in the family. One elder, who practiced the Awakening Method, once amused the young ones by taking a deep breath and pulling a Four-colored Sparrow from the tree into his hand.
Some of these elders were kind, others strict, but all of them cared deeply about the younger generation’s upbringing.
Whenever they greeted Qin Ming with a smile and asked him to call them Fifth Grandfather or Seventh Grandfather, he would think of a blurry figure—a vague memory of a grandfather from his early childhood, someone Qin Ming had wanted to find.
“He left a long time ago, to the Capital of the Great Yu Kingdom. He almost lost his mind training in the Silk Script Method, and now he’s ‘cut all ties’ and is seeking his own path.”
“I miss him—I miss that grandfather.” Though Qin Ming had gotten used to life at Cui Manor, he couldn’t help but feel his eyes well up. He had asked for the Silk Script back then.
“No, you can’t. The Silk Script is an ancient relic, and it’s fragile. You need to master the first few pages before you can see the rest—though… it’s not easy to master.”
From then on, Qin Ming dedicated himself to practicing the Silk Script Method, refusing to waver. He trained every day, rain or shine.
He had many cousins. Some of them were chosen by the People Beyond the Boundaries and set off on extraordinary paths. Others joined the Secret Sect or well-known schools, while some stayed home and took up the Awakening Method.
“The Silk Script is a big deal. It used to be one of the most famous ancient texts, right?” Cui Chong Xuan said as he grew older. He wanted to learn it too when he found out what his elder brother was practicing.
Cui Father scolded him. “The Silk Script is too hard. One person is enough for this path. You can choose another secret technique book.”
Cui Chong Xuan, now taller, grew jealous. “Why can’t I learn it too?” he grumbled, glaring at his brother.
“Is the Silk Script the strongest Awakening Method?” Cui Chong Xuan asked one day, standing up to Cui Father, determined to find out.
Cui Father’s expression softened a little. “Who can say what’s the strongest? There isn’t only one Silk Script in this world. There are other powerful heritages—like the Six Imperial Heart Sutra, the Tathagata Method, and the Heaven-Penetrating Skill. Focus on mastering our family’s secret techniques, and one day, I might be able to get you a volume of the Six Imperial Heart Sutra. If you’re strong enough, becoming a true disciple of that elder isn’t impossible.”
Qin Ming spoke up, “Father, I want to study the Six Imperial Heart Sutra too, to compare it with the Silk Script. The later sections of the Silk Script Method are really tough—it feels like I can’t move forward.”
“What—you don’t believe in yourself anymore?” Cui Father asked, his gaze seeming to pierce through Qin Ming’s thoughts.
“I do!” Qin Ming replied, feeling restless as he turned to leave. Later, he borrowed some secret texts from his cousin, wanting to explore other Awakening Methods.
Fifth Grandfather from the main branch watched him with a kind smile. “The foundation you choose for your Awakening Method matters greatly. It affects your ultimate potential. If you start with ordinary secret techniques, and then later switch to the Silk Script Method after stepping into the Awakening realm, the effect won’t be as good as staying true to the original path.”
After hearing this, Qin Ming went to consult with Cui Father and Cui Mother again, and they gave similar answers. He skimmed through his cousin’s Visualization and Qi and Intent Skill manuals, then discarded them, deciding to remain committed to the Silk Script Method.
Back in the inn room, Qin Ming sat quietly, feeling like an outsider looking in on his own past as he turned another page in his memories.
The Cui family acknowledged him—not just within the family, but even when facing outsiders, they praised him without reservation. Everyone could see that Qin Ming was at the core of the direct bloodline.
From early on, it was understood that Cui Chong He would probably be the future banner holder of the main branch. He was being groomed for it. Once, Cui Second Uncle, while drunk, accidentally revealed that Cui Chong He had a special talent that made him perfect for treading the Beyond the Boundaries path. Practicing the Silk Script was secondary—he was destined to be someone near-divine.
Cui Second Uncle also let slip that Qin Ming hadn’t been sent away yet because they were waiting for a famous elder from the Night Fog World to finish his retreat. There was an agreement that Qin Ming would become his disciple.
When Cui Father learned about his drunken slip-up, his face turned as dark as thunder. Cui Second Uncle, full of regret, isolated himself for training as punishment.
Even though Cui Second Uncle had spoken out of turn, some people outside the family learned of this, and Qin Ming’s safety was threatened. Several attempts were made against him, but all were foiled by the Cui family.
As Qin Ming grew older, his treatment in the Cui family was exceptional. He even received a mount that had undergone four mutations, an extraordinary creature. While four mutations were the limit for that aberration, giving it to someone who hadn’t even started the Awakening was an extravagant gesture—a top-tier privilege.
The Cui family protected him well, and despite the attempts on his life, nothing happened.
When Qin Ming was still young, Cui Father arranged for him to be married to the Wang Family Direct Descendant from Thousand Star City, thus forming an alliance between the two families.
Qin Ming had even met the girl. She was incredibly beautiful and always smiling.
But as he grew older, his parents began warning him to keep his distance, to be respectful, and not get too close to her. Once, after they toured Clear River City together, Cui Father was furious and scolded him afterward.
As Qin Ming continued to grow up, the Cui family still valued him, praising him as their prodigy. However, they avoided letting him meet those important guests, afraid he would lose focus and wanted him to concentrate on the Silk Script Method.
In his teenage years, Qin Ming met many people—key figures from various families, direct members of the Millennial Clans, and even disciples of the People Beyond the Boundaries.
It was undeniable that the Millennial Clans had deep roots. Even the ancient sects, powerful schools, and the People Beyond the Boundaries were willing to connect with them.
For years, rumors spread that some prominent figures from Beyond the Boundaries were planning to take on disciples. Several would end their seclusion to come into the mortal world and choose suitable apprentices. The chosen place was Clear River City.
The rumors were true, and every family made preparations. Li Qing Xu, Li Qing Yue, the Wang Family Direct Descendant, and many others arrived in the Great City, all hoping to become disciples of these powerful figures.
That was when Qin Ming first felt the animosity from Li Qing Xu.
Eventually, those powerful figures emerged, and a few people were chosen. One of the elders—a big name—took a particular interest in Li Qing Xu, gifting him a radiant purple bamboo stick imbued with heavenly light.
Afterward, Qin Ming was puzzled. Wasn’t there supposed to be a renowned elder from the Night Fog World coming to take him as a disciple? Why had Li Qing Xu been chosen instead?
“Don’t worry,” Cui Father said. “The one who wants you hasn’t left his retreat yet.”
Soon after, Qin Ming was attacked several times but managed to come out unscathed.
No one could have predicted that, just as the Li family began to rise, they would suddenly declare war on the Cui family.
Perhaps Qin Ming hadn’t noticed it, but the Cui family elders had likely been preparing for this all along.
“The Li family has an elder who’s recently advanced—he might become near-immortal. Meanwhile, our own ancestor hasn’t appeared for over two centuries. The Li family wants to clash with us to achieve certain goals—to show their strength and elevate themselves to the status of a true Millennial Clan. They need a war like this.”
“What’s worse, they have someone backing them—maybe they’re even being pushed into this.”
As the clash between the two families loomed, Qin Ming overheard these discussions among his family members. He couldn’t help but feel worried for them.
“Our ancestor still hasn’t appeared. Things are looking grim—we might not be able to hold them off. We need to protect our foundation and withdraw for now. We must also try to find our ancestor’s retreat. I’m sure he’s still alive. We need to have him return as soon as possible.”
On a dark night, the Cui family quietly sent away a group of important members. Another group, including Qin Ming, had to take a different path—one that would likely lead to a confrontation with the Li family’s experts.
“Chong He, you’re my son. Our main branch must take responsibility. I have to stay here to manage things, and your brother is still too young and not ready for such a task. You will represent me and go with the elders on the second path,” Cui Father said, his voice filled with complexity as he patted Qin Ming’s shoulder.
Qin Ming looked at his parents, understanding that the path he was about to take was full of danger—a near-suicidal mission meant to draw the attention of the Li family’s strongest forces. The people traveling with him were elderly members of the Cui family who didn’t have much time left.
“Father, Mother, Brother!” Qin Ming said, tears welling in his eyes. He bid them farewell, climbing onto the Bronze Carriage. He turned back once, seeing only the distant figures of his parents fading into the darkness.
Sitting quietly in the inn, Qin Ming let out a long sigh.