Chapter 86: Honor and Disgrace Drift Away Like the Wind
This novel is translated and hosted on Bcatranslation
Without hesitation, Qin Ming pulled out ten Daylight Gold coins and quickly tucked the ancient book into his coat.
The Mountain Monster, covered head to toe in black fur, was unusually sophisticated. Its sharp eyes didn’t solely focus on the Purple Lightning Beast but turned toward Qin Ming for a chat. “Customer, aren’t you going to take a closer look at this book before buying it?”
Qin Ming rubbed the bushy beard on his chubby face and said, “I buy ancient books purely to seem cultured. Having old, historical items like this on my shelf gives off a sophisticated vibe. I don’t read much, so this is my way of compensating—filling the gaps, you know. Plus, they look impressive in a study.”
The Mountain Monster vendor laughed along. “You’re far too modest. Only true scholars love books like this.”
Qin Ming chuckled, but inwardly, he felt like he was walking on a tightrope. This place, filled with watchful, aberrant gazes, made him feel as though a trap could spring at any moment.
Just as he was about to leave, something caught his eye—a distant stall piled high with books!
Being a genuine lover of books, Qin Ming couldn’t tear his eyes away. His feet felt rooted to the spot, and his mind wrestled with itself.
“To hell with it!” Qin Ming thought. Since he was already here and had stumbled upon this treasure trove of rare books, how could he pass it up? He would regret it for years if he didn’t at least take a look. Besides, it was only a matter of moments. He could handle himself in a fight, even if it came to bathing in aberrant blood to escape.
Despite his apprehension, Qin Ming pressed on. The aberrants nearby felt a mix of pressure and curiosity. A man personally accompanied by a noblewoman from the Blessed Land couldn’t be an ordinary human.
Especially with the Purple Lightning Beast walking so closely beside him, its solemn demeanor spoke volumes. It made Qin Ming seem even more formidable. The aberrants noted, too, how two of the beast’s followers perched on Qin Ming’s shoulders, grinning foolishly as if merely being near him granted them a golden ticket to success.
In truth, the two birds were miserable. They weren’t smiling out of joy; they had no choice. Stuck on Qin Ming’s shoulders, they dared not resist for fear of being flattened into paste.
Before entering, their bloodstained feathers had been forcibly cleaned, though now they huddled close enough that the traces were hidden.
Qin Ming picked up one worn, weathered book after another, flipping through a few pages of each. A frown crossed his face—why didn’t any of them stir his spirit?
It didn’t take him long to realize the truth: mass-produced fakes!
Looking up at the bear-like Mountain Monster vendor, who grinned stupidly, Qin Ming sighed internally. “Even the wilderness has this level of competition now? This vendor must be desperate to scam humans.”
“These are all things my father left behind,” the vendor said, baring teeth in a grin that reeked of stale meat. “I don’t know much about them myself; can’t read the language.”
Qin Ming didn’t waste time arguing. He was on the clock, constantly alert for the bloodbath that could erupt between him and these aberrants. He needed to sift through as much as possible and find something truly valuable.
Relationships between humans and aberrants were complicated. Sometimes peaceful coexistence was possible; at other times, they hunted and killed one another. In these mountains, it was often a matter of who struck first.
Each book here likely carried a bloody history.
Finally, Qin Ming found something: a manual on leg techniques. His heart leaped. This was the first time he had acquired such a unique type of inheritance.
The Purple Lightning Beast loomed nearby, its presence a backdrop to the entire scene. Qin Ming’s opportunism was blatant—using the beast’s reputation to his advantage and plundering with impunity.
“Gah-gah!” The Talking Sparrow and the Mynah laughed louder as Qin Ming’s stash grew.
The two birds were trying to mask the tension. Their master, the Purple Lightning Beast, was stone-faced, and they feared any slip-up might lead to disaster. They couldn’t afford to let this fat human go on a rampage, slaughtering beasts and leaving no survivors.
At first, Qin Ming’s palms were sweaty from nerves. The growing attention from the surrounding Mountain Monsters set him on edge. But then he realized—he had been overthinking it. The aberrants had entirely misunderstood!
Their gazes weren’t just watchful; they seemed almost… respectful.
“This esteemed gentleman is a close friend of my master!” the Talking Sparrow announced through its fake grin.
Some aberrants scoffed. “This treacherous bird has clearly switched sides and now follows the human!”
Qin Ming quickened his pace. Pillaging under the guise of friendship felt incredibly satisfying.
“Shopkeeper,” Qin Ming called, stopping at a more elaborate stall. “I saw a book here earlier from afar. Where is it now?”
This wasn’t an ordinary stall but a gleaming silver beast-hide tent, exuding an air of wealth. The vendor was clearly someone of high standing—a third-generation descendant of a beast clan, out here trading for fun.
“Did you see us coming and hide it on purpose?” Qin Ming pressed, feigning accusation. Whatever the fallout, he’d pin the blame on the Purple Lightning Beast.
The humanoid aberrant vendor had long, flowing silver hair, with two jade-like horns—one longer than the other—protruding from its head. It looked like a White Rhino, an aberrant of noble lineage.
The Purple Lightning Beast squinted in disapproval. Was this White Rhino hiding things out of distrust?
The White Rhino, Bai Xi, broke into a cold sweat under the beast’s glare. Though descended from the mighty Jade Rhino, Bai Xi knew it was no match for someone from the Blessed Land.
“Here it is,” Bai Xi said with a smile, retrieving a gold beast-skin book from the tent. “I noticed it was dusty and gave it a wipe.”
Feigning nonchalance, Qin Ming accepted the book, projecting an air of authority. His demeanor intimidated the surrounding Mountain Monsters, even Bai Xi.
Qin Ming opened the book and skimmed a couple of pages, instantly recognizing its extraordinary nature. No wonder the rhino had hidden it—it was worth far more than ordinary books.
“How many Daylight Gold coins?” Qin Ming asked coolly.
“To mention money is crude,” Bai Xi said, forcing a hearty laugh. “I, Bai Xi, would rather make a friend like you than sell it. Take it as a gift!”
Qin Ming smiled. “I am Zheng Mao Rong. I’ll be sure to visit you in the mountains one day, Bai Xi.”
The Purple Lightning Beast blinked. So, its subtle disapproval had helped Qin Ming score a free book? This scheming fat man was insufferable!
Deep in his heart, Qin Ming was feeling the pressure. The events of the day had led him down a path with no easy way back, and now he had no choice but to push through boldly.
At this moment, he arrived at another stall set up under a tent. Unfortunately, there were no secret manuals to be found here either.
“Do you have spiritual substances?” Qin Ming asked casually.
From a lounge chair inside the tent, a woman in a flowing black dress lifted her gaze. Her delicate, snow-white face froze for a moment at his question. Her slender figure seemed as graceful as a willow, but her expression now betrayed her irritation—this time, the wool was being pulled from her back. She had thought the absence of secret manuals would leave her unscathed.
It was then that Qin Ming noticed something peculiar. The lower half of her body wasn’t legs but a sleek, black snake tail.
“Do you have any spiritual substances capable of six or seven resurgences?” Qin Ming asked, suspecting this woman was likely a third-generation beast from the deep mountains.
The snake-woman, Wu Yi Yi, had to suppress an urge to slap him with her tail. His request was absurdly greedy, and she could tell he wasn’t planning to pay but to seize by force. Maintaining her composure, she shook her head and replied, “No, I only had a Level 5 spiritual substance. But a friend reserved it last month, and it was picked up this morning.”
Qin Ming sighed with exaggerated disappointment.
“Level 5? That’s not good enough,” he said nonchalantly. Despite not acquiring anything, he refused to lower his standards. After all, he now considered himself a friend of the Purple Lightning Beast.
“Well, I do have some Level 2 spiritual substances,” Wu Yi Yi said with a polite smile, though her tone was laced with irritation.
“Show me the Level 2 ones,” Qin Ming said calmly. “Now that I think about it, I might need some for refining sparrows soon.”
Wu Yi Yi’s expression stiffened. The audacity! Where was the sophistication he had shown moments ago? Even the Purple Lightning Beast, standing beside him, seemed humiliated to be associated with such shamelessness.
In the end, Qin Ming purchased a jar of Level 2 spiritual substance at cost price. “A mosquito may be small, but it’s still meat,” he muttered to himself. To him, dignity and appearances were trivial matters. He let his actions be carried away with the wind, along with the scorn of those around him.
He knew he had thoroughly offended the Purple Lightning Beast by now. But in his mind, it could serve one last purpose before he made his escape.
“Something’s wrong!” Qin Ming suddenly became alert, noticing the sharp intuition of some of the mountain creatures around him. The snake-woman, Wu Yi Yi, in particular, had a strange glint in her eyes.
“Give me a stack of waterproof oiled paper,” he said to her as he prepared to leave. For once, he wasn’t scheming—he genuinely needed the paper.
Even so, Wu Yi Yi was dumbfounded. The Purple Lightning Beast sighed internally, feeling Qin Ming had hit a new low, even resorting to swindling stationery.
“Let’s go. This place is boring. There’s nothing of real value here,” Qin Ming said as he restrained himself from exploring further. Wrapping up his business, he dragged the Purple Lightning Beast and the two sparrows along as he left the Black Market in the Night Fog.
“Leaving so soon, my lord?” one of the sparrows, a Talking Sparrow, chirped.
“Haven’t you heard the old saying?” Qin Ming replied. “‘Knowing contentment prevents disgrace, knowing when to stop prevents peril.’ That’s how you endure.”
With that, he climbed onto the back of the Purple Lightning Beast and urged it forward. “Move! Give me a ride!”
The Purple Lightning Beast looked like it was about to explode from frustration. Once again, it had been reduced to a mere mount.
“Go!” Qin Ming snapped. His instincts told him danger was near.
And he was right. As soon as they sprinted a mile, a dense black fog rose from the forest, cloaking everything in cold, suffocating darkness.
Qin Ming inhaled sharply, catching the scent of fresh spring leaves mixed with the dampness of the mist. Something monstrous was approaching. This had the unmistakable signs of an Outer Saint’s techniques.
A White Owl perched on a towering tree nearby, its anxiety visible in the way it shuffled its feathers. This species, active in the late hours of the night, had only taken a brief nap while its master soaked in the hot springs. Now, things had spiraled out of control.
If the guardian, the Four-Tusked Old Elephant, returned from its revelry in the mountains and found out about this, the owl knew it would take the blame.
Its glowing eyes narrowed as it opened its beak, spewing out black fog that pressed toward Qin Ming and his group like a massive wave.
The oppressive force made Qin Ming feel as if the mountains themselves were closing in on him. He recognized this as the handiwork of an Outer Saint.
The two sparrows beside him rolled their eyes and fainted from the pressure.
“Useless,” Qin Ming muttered, releasing their bindings and letting them drop to the ground. He wasn’t interested in making things difficult for them.
He glanced down at the Purple Lightning Beast. Strangely, the black fog didn’t affect it at all; instead, it surged violently toward Qin Ming’s own body.
With a sharp slap on the Purple Lightning Beast’s back, he barked, “If you don’t act now, I’ll kill you!”
He brandished his blade threateningly, but the unseen Outer Saint wasn’t fazed. The fog condensed further, transforming into a mountain of darkness that bore down on his flesh and bones.
Qin Ming’s bones creaked under the immense pressure. Then, his entire body erupted with radiant Celestial Light, piercing through the night like a thunderclap.
Initially, he had planned to rely on his White Jade Alloy Blade, but to his surprise, the Unified Celestial Light Force he had cultivated tore through the fog. Channeling all his energy, he unleashed the Sky-Rending Palm.
The impact was like a bolt of lightning striking the earth. The black fog roiled violently, crashing like turbulent waves and snapping nearby trees like twigs.
Seeing the effectiveness of his attack, Qin Ming struck repeatedly, shattering the black mountain-shaped fog surrounding him.
In the past, when he had encountered the young man capable of mist transformation, his Celestial Light Force had been utterly ineffective. Only a surprise strike with the White Jade Alloy Blade had saved him. But now, after refining multiple techniques into one cohesive force, he found his power capable of countering certain Outer Saint methods.
As the fog dissipated, a white figure appeared perched on a tree—a White Owl.
“Whose Celestial Light Force is this? Such raw power,” it remarked, surprised.
“Let me leave,” Qin Ming said coldly, pressing his blade to the Purple Lightning Beast’s neck.
“Fine. As long as you don’t harm it,” the White Owl replied, deciding not to take any risks.
Moments later, Qin Ming emerged near the Red Mist Cave, just two miles from the battle. He recalled visiting this place days ago with Xu Sheng and Sister Fen Fang to fish for Spiritual Eels, only to be ambushed by hordes of Fire Bats.
Standing there now, he patted the Purple Lightning Beast on the back and said, “There’s an old saying: ‘Send someone off a thousand miles, and eventually, you must part.’ Time for you to go back.”
The Purple Lightning Beast trembled with rage, its eyes practically spitting fire.
Suspicious, Qin Ming tilted his head. “Why do you look so familiar? That baring-teeth-and-glaring look… You’re just like the last Purple Lightning Beast I met. Don’t tell me you followed me all the way from Black and White Mountain?”
Qin Ming dashed through the dense red mist of the cave, his breath coming in short bursts. The Purple Lightning Beast, its fur crackling with electric energy, snarled furiously, unable to bear the taunts any longer.
“Get lost!” it roared, its voice shockingly clear, as though a human had spoken.
Qin Ming froze mid-step, eyes wide with astonishment. “You can actually speak human language?” he exclaimed. Without missing a beat, he raised his palm and struck the creature, sending it hurtling out of the Red Mist Cave.
Knowing time was short, Qin Ming acted swiftly. He triggered an explosion in the cave, setting off a chaotic swarm of Fire Bats that poured out like a living storm. He turned and ran at full speed, heading toward the icy pool he had scouted earlier. Along the way, he stuffed several ancient books into a bundle made from waterproof oiled paper, ensuring they stayed dry.
With no hesitation, Qin Ming dove into the freezing waters. His body sliced through the chill, and he swam swiftly, emerging miles away in a lake region, hidden from his pursuers. Gasping for air, he pulled himself to the shore. There, he ripped away his fake bushy beard and shrugged off his oversized clothing. Gone was the image of a rotund, unassuming wanderer. Beneath the disguise, Qin Ming’s lean and wiry frame was revealed.
He still wore a loose inner garment, which he dried using the Celestial Light Force, steam rising in thin wisps as he worked. The damp fabric transformed under his control, flowing gracefully as his sleeves fluttered. His youthful appearance was now unmistakable: black hair billowing in the breeze, a face sharp yet soft, and eyes that sparkled with clarity, untouched by worldly burdens.
Though he had escaped immediate danger, Qin Ming didn’t hurry to return. Instead, he spent a few days in the mountains, hunting for food and observing the landscape. When the time felt right, and others began emerging from the forest trails, he blended in, joining the flow of travelers on their way back to civilization.
The road to Red Glow City was bustling with people, but chaos unfolded at a checkpoint along the way. A flock of noisy Talking Sparrows, accompanied by a terrifying Mountain Monster, blocked the path. Their shrill cries echoed through the air:
“You there, the fat man with the beard, step forward!”
“And you, the hairless fatty—yes, you! Did you shave your beard just now?”
Every rotund individual was subjected to relentless heckling, their dignity shredded by the sharp-tongued birds and the looming menace of the Mountain Monster. Each was stopped and questioned before being allowed to continue.
Meanwhile, Qin Ming moved effortlessly through the commotion. His robes, light as air, billowed as he walked. His long black hair gleamed under the spring sunlight, and his youthful face, serene and untouched by the harshness of the world, drew glances of admiration. Gracefully, and without drawing attention, he strolled into the city gates of Red Glow City, the shadow of danger left far behind.