Chapter 89: The Young Immortal Wields the Great Hammer
This novel is translated and hosted on Bcatranslation
Night cloaked the mountains, and Golden Rooster Ridge lay blanketed in pristine white snow. At its heart, a crimson-hot spring gushed forth, glowing like molten fire.
An elderly man with silver hair, face pale and beardless, stood at the edge of the spring. At first glance, he resembled a scholarly teacher, devoid of the vicious aura of a bandit. Yet when his eyes snapped open in anger, his entire presence shifted.
A faint layer of Celestial Light Force enveloped his body, tinged with an ominous crimson hue. This wasn’t natural—it was the mark of a man who had slain countless lives, a murderous aura so potent that even a lifetime of cultivating Celestial Light could not cleanse it.
Across from him, a young man stood by the fiery spring. Qin Ming was dressed in plain azure robes, his clear and refined features exuding an otherworldly air. From head to toe, his presence was tranquil yet brimming with vitality, as though he belonged to a realm beyond the mundane.
The elder suddenly erupted into motion, the snow beneath his feet exploding outward with a deafening crack. He shot forward like an eagle, crossing ten meters in a single bound. In his hand, a Black Ruler, its surface cold and polished, swept out from his sleeve in a deadly arc toward the youth.
Qin Ming, unfazed, swung his Black Gold Hammer with a thunderous motion. The air itself seemed to quake, and a sharp sonic boom echoed through the mountaintop.
The collision was brief but explosive. The elder was sent hurtling backward, smashing into a decrepit wooden hut. The structure shattered into splinters upon impact, its debris scattering across the snow.
The elder’s eyes were wide with shock. This boy, this seemingly serene youth who wielded a hammer larger than himself, had overpowered him—an infamous Golden Thief, feared and battle-hardened. The elder had faced countless foes, but never before one so ferocious, so inhumanly strong.
“Is this boy even human?” he muttered under his breath, his thoughts racing. “Could he be a monster from the mountains, disguised as a mortal?”
Qin Ming’s expression remained tranquil. His black hair, illuminated by the glow of the fiery spring, seemed to shimmer in the night. He was poised, calm, and eerily radiant.
“You’ve had seven awakenings, yet this is all you’ve achieved?” Qin Ming’s voice was soft, but his words carried the weight of disdain. He stepped forward, his boots crunching against the snow with a quiet elegance.
The elder’s heart pounded as he watched the youth approach. Each step felt like the advance of a towering beast hidden in human form. For the first time in decades, the Golden Thief felt a chill of fear.
“How could this be? My Black Ruler, forged from the finest refined gold, is bent…” He glanced at the warped weapon in his hand, the realization of Qin Ming’s overwhelming strength sinking in.
Without warning, Qin Ming moved again. His Flying on Grass Technique carried him forward like a shadow in the wind. In a blur, he was upon the elder.
The mountain shook as the hammer struck. Snow exploded into the air, and what remained of the wooden huts was reduced to rubble. The elder barely had time to raise his Black Ruler in defense before it was struck again.
The collision was catastrophic. The elder’s weapon snapped like a twig, and even the protective Celestial Light surrounding his body couldn’t shield him entirely. Blood spurted from his hand, and he was thrown backward, crashing into another dilapidated hut.
Qin Ming’s voice cut through the chaos. “You’re just like Ge Qian Xun—nothing more than a mediocre Golden Thief. Your strength barely exceeds 4,000 jin, and I’d wager your seventh awakening was forced with forbidden elixirs.”
The elder’s pupils contracted at the mention of Ge Qian Xun. Had this boy defeated Ge as well?
Rage and humiliation burned within the elder. Tossing aside his ruined weapon, he lunged forward, his fists glowing with renewed determination.
Qin Ming smirked faintly. With effortless grace, he sidestepped the elder’s attack. “You’ll meet the same fate as the bandits of Golden Rooster Ridge. I personally sent them to their graves.”
The elder’s composure broke. His eyes turned bloodshot, his face twisted with fury. “My nephew and grandson were among those men! You dare… you’ll pay for this!”
With a roar that echoed like a wounded beast, the elder turned and fled down the mountain, his rage fueling every step.
But Qin Ming was relentless. His Flying on Grass Technique closed the distance in an instant.
Cornered, the elder’s survival instincts kicked in. He activated the abilities gained from his sixth awakening, burning his essence, qi, and spirit to enhance his reflexes and strength. The price was steep—his life force ebbed with every passing second.
The elder lunged again, his movements sharper, faster. But Qin Ming was ready. With a subtle twist of his wrist, he unleashed his Silk Wrapping Force, tangling the elder’s momentum and sending him tumbling to the ground.
Humiliated and desperate, the elder lashed out with a kick, his leg like a steel whip aimed at Qin Ming’s head.
Qin Ming caught the attack with ease, his fingers sinking into the elder’s armored leg with a burst of Nail Force. The elder screamed in agony, stumbling back, his leg pierced as though by iron spikes.
“You’ve tested my patience,” Qin Ming said coldly. He unleashed the full power of his Explosion Force, the strike blasting the elder into the air. When the dust settled, the elder lay broken, bloodied, and trembling.
Qin Ming stood over him, his gaze unyielding. “Golden Thief or not, this is your end.”
With those words, the young immortal, hammer in hand, delivered the final blow. The elder’s body crumpled into the snow, his aura fading into the night.
Qin Ming felt there was no longer any purpose in testing himself against his opponent. With that thought, he unleashed a Yellow Mud Palm, a faint yellow mist rising from his right hand.
The sight shocked the old man, who cried out in disbelief, “Yellow Mud Palm?! How could someone your age possibly master it?”
The secret manual of the Golden Rooster Ridge was one the elder himself had left behind years ago. Yet, even in his prime, he had only managed to grasp its basic level, unable to progress further. To him, the manual had lost its value long ago.
He could imagine the scene: the boy had likely obtained the ancient book over a month ago when he wiped out Golden Rooster Ridge. But the elder simply couldn’t believe it. How could someone master such a technique to this degree in such a short time?
Before he could react, a thunderous sound rang out. The elder was struck squarely by the Yellow Mud Palm, and the yellow mist enveloped him. His body began to crack like dried earth, and moments later, with a sickening squelch, he collapsed into a heap of blood, flesh, and shattered bones, blending into a mass of foul mud.
Even in his final moments, he whispered in disbelief, “Impossible…”
His very understanding of the world had been shattered. Wasn’t it said that only someone at the Outer Saint stage could begin to draw upon the essence of the earth?
Protected by his Celestial Light Force, which extended slightly beyond his body, Qin Ming stood untouched by the elder’s splattering blood. Not a single drop landed on him.
The night wind swept through, lifting his black hair and making his green robe ripple softly. If not for the massive hammer at his feet and the pile of blood and gore beside him, he might have seemed otherworldly, ethereal.
From the elder’s appearance to his swift demise, the entire exchange had taken less than ten breaths.
“Let’s go. The business with Golden Rooster Ridge is finally over.” Qin Ming called out to the Red Eagle, leaped onto the bird’s back, and soared into the sky, heading toward Twin Tree Village.
Suddenly, a panicked cry rang out through the night sky. “Disaster! The Golden Thieves have appeared in Silver Vine Town!”
Even from a great distance, Qin Ming could hear the Talking Sparrow’s frantic shouting.
“Ah, Master Qin, you’re here! Four vicious thieves have shown up over there. The two experts sent from Red Glow City couldn’t hold them off and had to flee from the town,” the sparrow reported.
Qin Ming’s heart sank. The situation was worse than he’d thought. The Golden Thieves weren’t just one or two individuals—they seemed to be swarming the Black and White Mountain region.
“Let’s go check it out!” Qin Ming said decisively. He wasn’t rushing toward certain death—he had a plan. He knew that the two from Silver Vine Town hadn’t reached the level of external Celestial Light projection yet.
The vast domain under Red Glow City’s protection included Black and White Mountain, but it was impossible for every town to be guarded by an Outer Saint.
“The fact that those two managed to escape means the four Golden Thieves haven’t broken through to higher levels yet,” Qin Ming surmised.
The wind howled, the night mist churned, and the Red Eagle carried him across fifty miles in no time. The Talking Sparrow chirped incessantly, providing updates.
Qin Ming’s expression grew heavier as they neared their destination. Silver Vine Town was only ten miles from Twin Tree Village. The danger was all too real.
When they arrived, the town was already ablaze. Flames roared into the night, their orange glow visible from afar. Several houses at the town entrance had been set alight, accompanied by wild laughter and the sound of crying.
“Golden Thieves, come out and face your death!” Qin Ming bellowed, his voice resonating through the chaos.
The Red Eagle descended, stirring up a cloud of dust as it landed. Qin Ming leapt down, striding into the town without hesitation.
The four Golden Thieves were smeared with blood and dragging the corpses of two elderly individuals. It was clear that the two experts from Red Glow City had managed to flee the town, only to be hunted down and killed by the thieves. Their bodies had been tossed into the burning houses, and now the thieves stood there, grinning wickedly.
Panic filled the town as villagers, women and children included, scrambled further into the settlement in desperation.
The four thieves turned to see the young man charging toward them. Their grins widened into sneers. One of them mocked, “Little brat, do you want to die too?”
The youngest of the thieves was over sixty, while the oldest had passed eighty. One had a thick, grizzled beard matted with the blood of his victims, making him look particularly menacing.
Not far from the town, a richly dressed young man under the night sky wore a puzzled expression. This was Cui Chong Yi, the cousin of Qin Ming, who had once been captured by the White Owl, a subordinate of the Purple Lightning Beast.
“Uncle Hong, did you hear that shout from the sky just now? It sounded familiar, like Qin Ming’s voice, but less raw than before,” Cui Chong Yi said.
“It seems… it really might be him,” replied Cui Hong, his expression complex.
They were less than a mile from Silver Vine Town. Sprinting at full speed, they quickly closed the distance, arriving just in time to see a young man facing off against four Golden Thieves in the glow of the burning town.
“Qin Ming, let me help you!” Cui Chong Yi shouted from afar.
But before he could join, he saw Qin Ming explode into action.
With one hand wielding a massive hammer and the other radiating Celestial Light Force, Qin Ming struck.
With a sickening crunch, one thief was obliterated by the hammer.
“Ahhh!” another thief screamed as his arm was shattered in a clash of palms, only for his body to disintegrate entirely under Qin Ming’s next strike.
“You…” The remaining two, both older thieves, were paralyzed with fear. This boy was monstrous! Moments ago, they had suffered minor injuries but still stood firm. Now, with his allies nearby, this youth’s power surged further—how was that possible?!
Qin Ming moved again, his speed escalating. The third thief was crushed into a mess of blood and bones.
Then, with a final swing of the hammer, the last thief was obliterated.
Without sparing a glance, Qin Ming dashed deeper into Silver Vine Town. With a sharp whistle, the Red Eagle descended, and he leapt onto its back, soaring into the night sky.
At the town’s edge, Cui Chong Yi shouted, “Cousin, it’s me! Don’t leave!”
Beside him, Cui Hong sighed. “He doesn’t trust us anymore. You should follow him.”
Cui Chong Yi called out to the disappearing figure, “Qin Ming, wait for me! There are familiar faces nearby—Li Qing Xu is here too. He’s seeking great medicine in Black and White Mountain. Be careful in this area!”