Chapter 82: Flowing Stream Under the Crooked Water
This novel is translated and hosted on Bcatranslation
Under the night sky, as underground fire springs came back to life, the ice and snow melted away, and streams of water began to flow, converging into rivulets among the mountains.
Qin Ming had chosen this stretch of forest for its open terrain, ideal for confrontation. Now, he was surrounded by Dai Shi Feng and ten of his most trusted allies.
“They’re all here!” Dai Shi Feng whispered anxiously, his voice taut with unease. The Vice Hall Master had already arrived with his bird, so why hadn’t the City Lord’s people shown up yet?
Qin Ming remained silent. At this stage, he knew there was no point in holding back if he wanted others’ full support. He had to unleash the full extent of his unique value.
Above, a black giant bird circled in the sky. Ge Qian Xun observed the forest below with a cautious eye, not making any immediate moves.
Spring was just beginning, and the chill in the air had softened. Standing atop a silver aberrant bird, a white-clad youth, elegant and refined, cut a striking figure as his robes fluttered gently in the breeze.
He glanced downward and spoke in a calm voice, “How does it feel to be here now?”
“Grounded,” Qin Ming replied, meeting the boy’s gaze steadily. “Not bad.”
The white-clad youth nodded. “Once, you were seated above the clouds. Now, fallen into the dust, yet your attitude remains unchanged.”
Qin Ming’s expression stayed indifferent. “No need for the pretense. We both know what we are.”
The boy, appearing around sixteen or seventeen, replied with an air of detachment, “You’re no longer who you once were. I’m speaking to you as an equal now—what’s so wrong about that?”
Qin Ming stared at him. “For old times’ sake, and considering certain others, I’ll give you some advice. Let the past be. Stirring up trouble now will only harm everyone.”
“Old ties?” The youth scoffed, folding his hands behind his back. “There’s no need to bring that up. There’s no face to save between us anymore.”
“So it seems,” Qin Ming said coldly. “I’m starting to find your presence quite unpleasant.”
“Likewise,” the boy retorted, his voice laced with disdain. “Some of our mutual acquaintances said you’ve finally fallen to where you belong.”
With a sneer, Qin Ming shot back, “If we’re strangers now, why are you here putting on airs? Trying to remind me how noble you are, flaunting your supposed refinement? I’ve seen your real face before. Get lost.”
The boy remained unfazed. “Once, you were surrounded by admirers, even your mount was a four-time mutated aberration. And now? You’re wielding a hammer. How the mighty have fallen.”
Instead of getting angry, Qin Ming smiled faintly. “Seems I really left quite an impression on you back then. Does Wang Cai Wei know you’re here? If she finds out, do you think she’d break your legs herself?”
“Shut up!” The boy’s voice turned sharp as he stood atop the silver aberrant bird. “It’s not enough that you’ve fallen this far. You should disappear entirely. That would be best for all of us.”
“Enough,” Qin Ming said, shaking his head. Dropping the hammer at his side, he reached for a long bundle slung across his back. “You speak of differences between us? Let me clarify that for you.”
In a fluid motion, he unwrapped the bundle, revealing a heavy bow. With no more words, Qin Ming strung the bow and drew it taut, the arrow gleaming under the moonlight. He released. The iron arrow tore through the air like a thunderbolt, straight for the heavens.
The boy had already urged the silver bird to ascend higher, dismissive of the attack. Qin Ming, stranded in a remote region for two years and only recently making a comeback, couldn’t possibly pose a threat, right?
Thwack!
The arrow struck true, wounding one of the silver bird’s wings. Although it didn’t go down immediately, its balance faltered, and it began to sway.
Before the boy could recover, another arrow flew. Whistle! It pierced the bird’s feathered flank, drawing blood and causing it to spiral downward in an unsteady descent.
Meanwhile, Ge Qian Xun, atop his black giant bird, chose an entirely different strategy. He urged his mount to dive toward the ground.
“Experienced, aren’t you?” Qin Ming muttered as he loosed another arrow. It streaked like a comet, piercing the black bird’s skull. The creature dropped lifelessly from the sky.
Ge Qian Xun tumbled, but to Qin Ming’s surprise, the man was prepared. Wearing bat-like black robes, Ge Qian Xun abandoned his fallen mount and glided toward the trees, crashing through branches but landing safely with the help of his Celestial Light Force.
On the other side, the white-clad youth tried to redirect his injured silver bird toward a nearby peak. But Qin Ming was in complete control of the rhythm now. Another arrow struck the bird’s wing joint, forcing it to spiral down again.
“You—” the boy’s voice trembled. He clung to the bird’s neck, his earlier arrogance crumbling as he begged the creature to stabilize itself. “Steady… please, steady!”
Qin Ming fired two more arrows, expertly guiding the bird’s descent to ensure it wouldn’t fall too high above the ground. Then, with one final shot, he pierced its skull.
The bird and the boy crashed into a muddy streambed below. With a loud splash, the boy was thrown from the bird’s back, landing in the mud and water with a disheveled yell.
Qin Ming lowered his bow and watched in silence. The crooked stream ran cold, its waters indifferent to the drama unfolding on its banks.
Even though he tried his best, using the Celestial Light Force to protect himself, he was still thrown so hard he felt utterly disoriented, his internal organs aching terribly. Now, his once pristine white robes were covered in mud, his elegant appearance ruined, his handsome face smeared beyond recognition.
“Argh…” he cried out in pain. It wasn’t that his bones were broken—it was mostly anger. What had he been reduced to?
“Do you understand now? The difference between the heavens and the mud?” came Qin Ming’s taunting voice from afar.
“Cui Chong He—no, Qin Ming!” the boy in white bellowed back. He hadn’t coughed up blood, but his head was spinning, and he looked utterly humiliated. His face burned with fury as he shouted, unable to hide his embarrassment.
Once, he had been a carefree soul, spending his days with like-minded friends. They reveled in poetry and elegance, wandering the mountain forests, composing verses, and lying drunk beneath the pine trees by bubbling springs, basking in their idyllic lives.
Now, here he was, fallen into the mud, resembling nothing short of a filthy ragdoll. He had unwillingly experienced a new kind of “floating cups along the winding stream.”
With a sharp crack, Qin Ming shot an arrow that shattered the hairpin atop the boy’s head. His once neatly tied hair now spilled over his shoulders, leaving him disheveled and stripping away any trace of noble refinement.
In the forest, Ge Qian Xun landed safely, letting out a long breath of relief. That had been far too close.
Nearby, Dai Shi Feng arrived with ten of his most trusted followers, closing in on the scene without hesitation.
“Old Dai, why don’t you—”
“Vice Hall Master, you’re surrounded!” Dai Shi Feng cut in sternly.
Ge Qian Xun froze, thinking he must have misheard. He was surrounded? By his own men?
“Dai Shi Feng, have you gone mad?” Ge Qian Xun roared.
Dai Shi Feng’s tone was grave. “It’s not me who’s mad, former Hall Master. It’s you!”
Ge Qian Xun was stunned. His deputy had not only surrounded him with armed men but now referred to him as a former Hall Master. This was outright rebellion—a blatant coup!
“Former Hall Master, do you even understand the meaning of the word ‘righteousness’ anymore?” Dai Shi Feng demanded, his voice sharp.
Ge Qian Xun was beside himself with rage. Before he could punish these insubordinates, they were already throwing baseless accusations at him. Was there no justice left in the world?
“You dare defy your superior?!” Ge Qian Xun snarled, rolling his shoulders and cracking his knuckles. He was preparing to deal with Dai Shi Feng decisively—eliminate the traitor first, and deal with the aftermath later.
But Dai Shi Feng’s voice rose even louder. “Ge Qian Xun, you’ve embezzled Hall of Righteousness funds and planned to flee with stolen Daylight Gold. You’re the true traitor here! Not to mention, you’re the infamous Golden Thief, who infiltrated the Hall with sinister intentions, stealing its leadership for years and destroying its foundation. Your crimes are unforgivable!”
“Old Dai, you’ve always been overqualified as my deputy,” Ge Qian Xun sneered darkly. “But you’ll have no chance to replace me—I’ll deal with you first!”
Abandoning all pretense, Ge Qian Xun prepared to strike, knowing that killing Dai Shi Feng outright was far more effective than any verbal sparring.
Before he could act, Qin Ming stepped forward, his tone calm but carrying weight. “Every grudge has its owner, every debt its lender. Ge Qian Xun, it’s time to settle things with me.”
“I have no grudge against you,” Ge Qian Xun replied coldly, “only the accounts promised by my employers.”
“The Sun Family’s secret manual—you stole it, didn’t you?” Qin Ming’s voice was unyielding. “And you murdered Old Sun. Now you’ve even sent people to torment his widow and grandson. I learned the Sun Family’s hammer techniques—I’m one of the inheritors of that manual. Today, I’m here to collect a blood debt on their behalf.”
He raised a massive hammer, his steps steady and menacing.
Ge Qian Xun, ever cautious, noticed the youth’s determination. Not wanting to test the waters, he turned on his heels and bolted into the forest, his movements quick and nimble.
But his face turned pale almost immediately. In an instant, Qin Ming, moving with ghost-like speed, appeared directly in his path. The boy swung his hammer with unrelenting force, aiming straight for Ge Qian Xun.