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Novel: [Night Without Borders]
Chapter 55: [Another Life]
Author: [Chen Dong]
Translator: [Shadow Knight AK]
Editor: [Shadow Knight AK]
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"All things carry yin and embrace yang, achieving harmony through the vital energy. Cui Chonghe," Qin Ming murmured, lost in thought.
He then used tea to write the characters "Qin Ming" on the table.
In that fragmented, hazy memory, Cui Chonghe was his name.
"Why did I end up here, remembering the name Qin Ming?" He stared at the characters on the table.
Which part of his memories was real, and which was false?
Even when he was ragged, bloodstained, and utterly destitute, he had always remembered being Qin Ming.
So why was he now gradually recalling another hazy life?
Qin Ming pondered, taking a deep breath.
The swirling, colorful mist emanating from the Three-Colored Flower carried an intense fragrance.
As these fragmented memories flickered, the overwhelming aroma made the scenes feel increasingly familiar.
Soon, a scene from the past surfaced in his mind: a group of people, all dressed in luxurious brocade robes and adorned with exquisite jade, were watching a young man with a still-youthful face with concern.
On the jade table before the young man lay a Three-Colored Flower and a jar filled with a potent medicinal liquid brimming with vitality.
Qin Ming wondered, "Who are these people? And who is that young man? They all look vaguely familiar, yet I can't quite remember them."
When Qin Ming first awoke in this remote place, the only thing he remembered was his name. Later, with each Awakening, he recalled the Silk Book and his grandfather.
"I was there too, though at a distance, quietly observing the youth consume the Three-Colored Flower and the potent medicinal liquid."
Qin Ming watched the scene unfold, noticing how everyone around the young man—men, women, and elders alike—seemed deeply concerned for him.
These individuals were clearly of noble status. Some of the women wore extraordinary hair ornaments: feathers that shimmered like flowing purple mist, and clusters of delicate peach blossoms wreathed in crimson light, appearing as if they might drip with nectar.
"That youth looks only thirteen or fourteen years old," Qin Ming mused. "He hasn't reached the Golden Age, nor has he followed the path of the Giant Spirit God. How dare he undergo Awakening prematurely? And to achieve such a level?"
Qin Ming wondered if this was the true depth of a top-tier powerful family's resources—the ability to accomplish what ordinary people could not.
He lowered his gaze to the foot-long Three-Colored Flower within the jade box.
Nourished by Heavenly Light, it had reached Supreme Grade. The flower the youth possessed was no less remarkable, its quality nearly identical.
Qin Ming retrieved the Three-Colored Flower from the jade box and carefully plucked off its translucent petals, one by one, placing them in his mouth.
As expected, this mysterious flower harvested from a special node contained the essence of Heavenly Light.
The moment it entered his mouth, he felt a searing heat, as if his throat were being burned by raging flames.
Though Qin Ming felt the pain, he found it tolerable.
Soon, his abdomen began to burn as well, the intense Heavenly Light blooming within him, threatening to tear his physical body apart.
Remaining calm, he continued plucking petals and swallowing them one after another, consuming them relentlessly.
Qin Ming's entire body began to glow, the Heavenly Light colliding within him.
One source was the otherworldly Heavenly Light that pierced the night sky and fell upon Spirit Mountain, while the other was the intrinsic Heavenly Light born within his own body.
"It does hurt quite a bit," he murmured, but he didn't stop.
After devouring the entire Three-Colored Flower, he chewed and swallowed the leaves, stems, and roots as well.
In an instant, the two types of Heavenly Light within Qin Ming's body seemed on the verge of exploding.
Yet his flesh and blood were remarkably resilient, suppressing the violent surge.
Apart from the searing pain, the chaotic energy caused no real damage to his vital essence.
In his abdomen, the two Heavenly Lights intertwined, swirling endlessly in a chase, merging into a perfect circle before finally coalescing into a unified whole.
With a thunderous roar, the two Heavenly Lights fused completely, then erupted outward, surging through his limbs and bones, purifying his entire body anew.
All of Qin Ming's Heavenly Light surged, expanding rapidly.
This surge stimulated his flesh, blood, essence, and spirit.
Within his sea of consciousness, a thunderous light erupted, illuminating his entire body.
His five vital organs, limbs, and other parts resonated in response, causing his entire body to erupt with new Heavenly Light.
Qin Ming stepped into the courtyard and unleashed several Heavenly Light Forces in succession, their power nearly bursting through his skin, far surpassing his previous capabilities.
"Merge!"
He stood there, gathering the various Heavenly Light Forces into a single point.
Simultaneously, scenes flashed before his eyes, showing the young man again, surrounded by men and women in luxurious brocade robes.
"Excellent! After Chongxuan's Third Awakening, he has actually merged four types of Heavenly Light Forces! Truly remarkable!" An elderly man with crane-white hair and a youthful face, clearly of high status, exclaimed in admiration.
A woman who appeared to be in her early thirties, dressed in palace attire with her hair styled in an elaborate cloud-like bun secured by a golden, flowing feather hairpin, nodded in agreement.
"While each Heavenly Light Force may seem ordinary on its own, this is the crucial initial stage for ascending to the heavens. Even the fusion of these four forces alone can begin to transform the mundane into the miraculous."
The young man, named Cui Chongxuan, had chosen his name from the scriptures of the Outsiders, as was customary.
He was drenched in sweat and trembling slightly, but he had indeed endured and successfully fused the four Heavenly Light Forces.
The elder said, "Although you haven't yet stepped onto the Path Beyond the Mortal Realm, your astonishing progress on this path after just three Awakenings is enough to cause a great stir if word gets out. Excellent!"
A dignified middle-aged man added, "Who can say this path cannot lead to the pinnacle? I have already procured the priceless secret manual, the Six Sovereigns Heart Sutra, for you. Do not disappoint our expectations."
Qin Ming watched quietly, likely standing far outside the crowd as an observer.
He withdrew his thoughts.
Why did it feel as if he had lived a false life?
Was he truly Qin Ming, or Cui Chonghe?
For some reason, he couldn't shake the feeling that Cui Chonghe's life had been illusory.
Otherwise, he wouldn't have forgotten it so completely, its memories less vivid than even his hazy childhood memories.
At this moment, Qin Ming had fused all his Heavenly Light Forces into a unified whole, feeling an unprecedented sense of well-being.
The Heavenly Light within his body had surged dramatically, and with such abundant Heavenly Light nourishing his body and spirit, he might not even need to seek spiritual substances for his next Awakening, potentially achieving it directly and elevating his life's essence.
"Is it really that impressive to fuse four Heavenly Light Forces by the Third Awakening stage?" Qin Ming muttered to himself, unimpressed.
He had already fused five Heavenly Light Forces, and his Intercepting Force and Mang Force were no longer simple techniques.
Qin Ming dismissed further contemplation.
He trusted that the past would soon reveal itself.
The hazy memories were growing clearer, and his next Awakening might unveil everything.
He tested his abilities again with the stone grinding wheel.
Without using his fingers, merely channeling Heavenly Light Force through the back of his hand, he effortlessly tore apart and reattached palm-sized chunks of the rough stone.
"Sorry, Old Millstone." Though he had been suppressing his power these past two days, the grinding wheel was now riddled with pits and gouges.
"I really am getting strong," Qin Ming murmured to himself.
But he quickly tempered his enthusiasm.
Just before Shallow Night fell, he had faced a dangerous encounter.
The Outsiders could fly, turn into mist, and become invisible.
Without the Jade Iron Sword, he would have been doomed!
"I've already begun merging the various Heavenly Light Forces based on the instructions from the Silk Book," Qin Ming thought, "but will these techniques be effective against Outsiders?"
[T/N: Heavenly Light Forces are different types of energy Cultivated through Heavenly Light Techniques!]
He wasn't certain, but with no other options, he had to keep growing stronger.
Old Liu finally returned as Shallow Night was ending.
Having spent fifteen Day Gold, he wasn't about to leave early. He'd lingered to enjoy a meal at Old Wu's place and stayed until the night deepened.
"Where in the Great Mountain can one find spiritual substances capable of granting a fourth Awakening?" Qin Ming asked casually.
Old Liu waved his hand dismissively.
"Creatures that have undergone four Mutation are best left alone. They all have powerful origins and are subordinates of the High-Level Aberrants of the mountain. Killing one would draw their attention."
Qin Ming immediately understood. It seemed it was truly time for him to leave this place.
In the mountains, near the Great Rift Valley, two Great Bandits frowned deeply.
The young man hadn't returned.
Had something gone wrong?
They felt uneasy.
After all, if word of the Outsider's ability to turn into mist got out, they would be implicated as well.
They had already dispatched raptors to deliver messages, seeking guidance from their elder.
Finally, as night deepened, the raptors returned, bringing the elder's reply.
One of the Great Bandits unfolded the letter and read aloud, "The elder advises us to wait another day. If he doesn't appear by tomorrow, we should disregard the matter entirely, as if nothing had happened."
The other Great Bandit asked, "We suspect he's imitating the Mountain Beast's Grave Cry, offering sacrifices here. Did the elder address this?"
His companion nodded. "The elder believes he might be a Beast from Beyond the Mortal Realm."
"Isn't he an Outsider? How could he be a beast?"
The two Great Bandits huddled together, scrutinizing the reply.
Their initial surprise gave way to understanding nods.
Just as humans who ventured into deep mountains and dangerous swamps could become mutated creatures, so too could beasts choose to enter Giant Cities, drawn by the splendor and prosperity of human society.
It wasn't even impossible for one to eventually become the city's ruler.
Moreover, some mutated creatures transcended worldly affairs, becoming Beasts Beyond the Realm—all perfectly natural occurrences.
According to the elder, in this world, nothing was impossible.
The elder reassured them that the young man who could turn into mist, whether he was a Beast Beyond the Realm or not, could never succeed in his ritual.
The grave had long since sunk into the depths of Blackwhite Mountain.
Let him kowtow all he wanted; they didn't need to pay him any attention.
The next day, the two Great Bandits from Golden Rooster Ridge led their men away.
Before departing, the two Golden Rooster Knights personally visited the nearby villages, informing each household that they must pay one Night Silver coin.
They would return mid-month to collect the tribute.
"Just as we suspected," an old man muttered under his breath, unable to contain his anger. "These bandits want us to pay for their losses."
In truth, the villagers had long anticipated this.
When Golden Rooster Ridge forcibly recruited Awakeners, they had already guessed that the bandits, having suffered heavy losses, would inevitably seek to replenish their forces by exploiting the surrounding villages.
But this winter had already been harsh for the villagers outside the mountains.
The demand for tribute ignited widespread resentment, pushing many to the brink of open rebellion.
Hearing the commotion outside, Qin Ming realized it was time to settle his affairs and prepare his companions.
He had reached his breaking point and was ready to strike against Golden Rooster Ridge!
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END OF CHAPTER
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