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Novel: [Night Without Borders]
Chapter 9: [The Gold-Threaded Jade Garment]
Author: [Chen Dong]
Translator: [Shadow Knight AK]
Editor: [Shadow Knight AK]
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As dawn approached, Qin Ming woke up.
The sunstone in the copper basin emitted a soft, fiery glow, and the house was silent.
Parched with thirst, his throat felt like it was on fire.
After gulping down several large bowls of ice water, he finally let out a long sigh.
He soon noticed something amiss.
His close-fitting clothes felt slightly tight, almost too small.
Realizing what had happened, he stood in the doorway and measured himself against the frame.
He confirmed that he had grown taller.
Qin Ming was stunned.
He had only slept for a short while, but the process had been extraordinary.
In a remarkably short time, a potent force of Awakening had gestated within him, causing his Innate Foundation to develop further.
He stretched his limbs, feeling as if he had an inexhaustible supply of energy.
Stepping into the courtyard, he effortlessly lifted two stone millstones.
Next, he tried to hold one up with a single hand.
Though it felt incredibly heavy, he managed to support it for a brief moment.
Qin Ming was astonished.
He could now barely lift a four-hundred-jin weight with one hand.
Did this mean he was now on par with the renowned young men of that distant, Luminous City?
He stripped off his ill-fitting clothes and found that the blood crust on his shoulder had already fallen off, leaving no scar behind.
This was another sign of his Awakening.
Next, he began preparing dinner.
Qin Ming boiled a pot of meat broth and grilled wolf ribs until they were fragrant and tempting.
The Mutant Creature ingredients were more than enough to fuel his body's "Awakening" process.
He devoured the meat in large bites and drank the broth from a large bowl.
His body was already burning hot, and now he was drenched in sweat.
A surge of heat coursed through his veins, spreading throughout his body.
Though the final stages of Awakening had begun, it wasn't over yet.
He wanted to strike while the iron was hot, fully activating his body's vitality to accelerate the process.
His physical constitution had improved dramatically.
The difficult maneuvers he had struggled with before were now effortless and graceful.
A fiery glow seemed to burn within Qin Ming, threatening to burst through his skin.
Finally, golden speckles appeared all over his body. They then "broke through the surface," and tiny golden bristles emerged, barely visible but unmistakable.
This was unprecedented.
It had never happened before.
The Golden Bristles sprouted from his flesh, tinged with faint traces of blood.
Though alarming at first glance, they posed no real threat to his body.
Qin Ming actually felt a sense of relief.
The Qi energy in his body became increasingly fresh, vibrant, and full of vitality - a process akin to "detoxification."
He soon realized what was happening: he was undergoing a thorough regeneration awakening, purging all harmful substances.
His original pores seemed insufficient.
Clusters of Golden Bristles began sprouting from his body, emerging with faint traces of blood, carrying out old impurities.
Golden light continued to emerge, dense and numerous, like golden needles dancing across his skin, responding to each other, weaving across Qin Ming's body as if sewing a garment.
This created a surreal spectacle.
Combined with the faint white mist surrounding him, he appeared quite ethereal.
He worked tirelessly, expending enormous energy.
When hungry, he ate wolf ribs, resting briefly before resuming his stimulation of his body's vitality.
Occasionally, he would also study Lu Ze's Night Meditation Technique.
Throughout the night, Qin Ming sweated profusely, his metabolism surging.
His body tingled, as if sprouting new branches and leaves, bursting with life and carrying the scent of the world's first dawn.
When overwhelming drowsiness finally struck, he stopped moving.
He realized he was about to enter the final stage of "hibernation."
After a quick rinse, he collapsed onto the bed, his eyelids barely able to stay open.
Through a haze, he saw a faint silver light emerge on his skin, along with countless Golden Bristles erupting like golden needles weaving through a silver-white mist.
Though utterly exhausted, Qin Ming was deeply astonished.
The golden threads crisscrossed, dividing the silver light into countless tiny squares, forming a dense grid pattern.
Viewed as a whole, his body seemed to be encased in a Gold-Threaded Jade Garment.
He drifted into a daze, his thoughts wandering.
Ancient emperors were buried in Gold-Threaded Jade Garment, their bodies adorned with pearl-embroidered robes and jade caskets, all bound together with Gold Thread—a testament to their eternal longing for immortality, a pursuit that continued even in death.
Could the "Unorthodox Technique" he'd memorized as a child be so extraordinary?
During his awakening, a layer of pure white mist naturally flowed around him, and the golden threads interlinked, as if he were donning a Gold-Threaded Jade Garment.
Had ancient emperors heard rumors that inspired them to commission the creation of these suits?
He shook his head, dismissing the thought as an overactive imagination.
Soon, he could no longer resist the overwhelming fatigue and drifted into the deepest slumber.
As dawn approached, Qin Ming woke up, feeling stiff and constricted.
He quickly realized what had happened: he'd sweated profusely during the night, and the golden needles had drawn out tiny droplets of blood.
This "old filth" had dried on his skin, forming a thin cocoon.
The water tank held a solid block of ice.
After smashing it into fragments, Qin Ming boiled a pot of water.
After washing and changing into loose, clean clothes, he felt refreshed and invigorated.
It was clear his body temperature had dropped, indicating that his "Awakening" was nearly complete.
Qin Ming went to the courtyard and lifted two stone millstones again.
This time, it was much easier; he could hold them up with one hand for a long time.
Next, he added a hundred-jin stone lock on top.
"Heavy!" he thought, feeling the weight pressing down on his hand.
It took considerable effort to hold it.
The two rough stone millstones, combined with the stone lock for arm strength training, weighed over five hundred jin in total, yet he could still support them with one hand.
Lu Ze had told him about a young man in the distant, luminous city who could lift a six-hundred-jin bronze cauldron.
Qin Ming's eyes were clear, and a radiant smile spread across his face.
His arms now possessed a thousand jin of strength.
As for the mysterious, unknown cities at the edge of the world, he had no idea how powerful the Awakened Individuals during their Golden Age might be.
Qin Ming picked up half a Blade Horned Deer, a hind leg and part of the rib cage of a Donkey-Headed Wolf, and went to the neighboring courtyard.
"Xiao Qin, this... this is far too much!"
"Brother Lu, Sister-in-law, I can't finish all this myself. I'll be going back into the mountains soon anyway, so it's better to change things up," Qin Ming said.
If Lu Ze hadn't taken care of him recently, he might have starved to death.
"Uncle, you're so kind! Otherwise, we'd be starving in a few days," Wen Rui said, his face beaming.
He'd overheard his parents saying their family's food stores were running low.
Qin Ming ruffled his hair. "As long as your Uncle is around, you'll never go hungry."
The Mutant Squirrel in its cage hopped and darted around, the only one still furious.
It chittered angrily at Qin Ming, this intelligent little mountain beast holding a grudge.
"Xiao Qin..." Village Chief Xu Yueping arrived, wearing a fur-lined coat.
In his forties, he had a square face, thick eyebrows, piercing eyes, and a sturdy build.
"Uncle Xu," Qin Ming greeted him.
The village chief laughed heartily. "I knew you'd pull through, kid. This step you've taken is like leaving a golden footprint."
He was eager to see how strong Qin Ming's physical abilities had become after his Awakening during the Golden Age.
"Xiao Qin, you've grown taller. Is your Awakening complete?" Lu Ze asked.
Just as Qin Ming was about to respond, he suddenly felt a gust of wind rush towards him.
Xu Yueping's right hand, sharp as a blade, slashed towards his neck without warning.
The attack was so sudden and the distance so close that Qin Ming had no time to react.
Yet he managed to dodge the blow and counter with precision, grabbing Xu Yueping's wrist with a resounding thud.
"Your reaction speed far surpasses that of other Awakened Individuals," Xu Yueping exclaimed, genuinely astonished.
At such close range, even the most agile mountain beasts would struggle to evade his surprise attack.
Liang Wanqing gasped, then realized Xu Yueping was testing Qin Ming's foundation after his Awakening.
Xu Yueping's wrist was held firmly, and to his surprise, he couldn't budge it even an inch.
"The power of your Awakening..." he said, his eyes widening in disbelief.
Lu Ze and Liang Wanqing watched with anticipation, hoping Qin Ming's physical abilities had undergone a significant transformation, a qualitative leap.
After all, this was a life-altering opportunity, a chance to rewrite one's destiny.
Qin Ming released his grip.
Xu Yueping's eyelids twitched violently.
As the strongest Reborn in Twin Tree Village, he could tell the young man hadn't even used his full strength.
He spoke solemnly, "I estimate your current strength is close to six hundred jin."
Liang Wanqing was stunned. She knew that the strongest Awakener in this area could only lift a maximum of 500 jin.
Lu Ze was thrilled. "This... even if he went to that city in the distance, he wouldn't be any worse than the people there."
"Uncle is the best!" Wen Rui clapped his hands and cheered.
"Old Xu, the Mountain Patrol Group is here," Yang Yongqing said, arriving just in time to hear the conversation.
His heart pounded.
He realized that Qin Ming had shattered the local Awakening limit.
The Mountain Patrol Group's arrival meant something serious was happening.
Xu Yueping and Yang Yongqing quickly left.
A quarter of an hour later, someone came to summon Qin Ming to the Village Chief's house.
He was puzzled.
Why had they called for him?
"All Awakeners must attend. The Mountain Patrol Group will be briefing us on the situation in the mountains," the messenger explained.
Xu Yueping's house was bustling.
Including Qin Ming, there were seven Awakeners in the village, all present.
Even Old Liu, who was over seventy, hadn't missed the meeting.
The sunstone illuminated the room brightly, creating a warm atmosphere.
The Mountain Patrol Group's representative, Feng Yi'an, was describing the recent changes in the mountains.
"The magnetic field in the mountains has been unstable recently," Feng Yi'an said, his face framed by a thick, unkempt beard.
He drank his tea in one gulp, his manner rough and unrefined.
"Venturing deep into the mountains is easy to get lost, and strange events have been occurring. The fire springs where dangerous creatures dwell are nearly extinguished, while high-level fire springs have emerged deep within the night mist."
Qin Ming finally understood why the mountains had been so chaotic lately, with colossal creatures appearing near the edge of the dense forests.
The upheaval in the mountains had disrupted the nests of rare birds and exotic beasts, causing them to stir and drive other creatures to flee.
"Will the situation worsen? What if high-level species break out?" someone asked.
"Rest assured, everyone," Feng Yi'an replied. "High-ranking figures will enter the mountains to negotiate with those mysterious creatures and restore peace to the area as quickly as possible."
He assured them that even if negotiations failed, powerful individuals would block the mountain's top-tier creatures from escaping.
"As a precaution, the Mountain Patrol Group members are on high alert, and all Awakeners of villages and towns outside the mountains must prepare for any eventuality."
Feng Yi'an explained that the high-level net was primarily to prevent top-tier creatures from escaping, but smaller creatures might slip through the mesh.
The faces of those present grew solemn upon hearing this.
Awakened cultivators would have to join the fight if necessary!
Feng Yi'an chuckled. "Don't worry, it's not as dire as it sounds. Besides, if a major battle erupts, the luminous city in the distance will send noble youths here for training. They're all elites and will help us sweep the mountain."
The people in the room breathed a collective sigh of relief.
"Brother Feng, you patrolled the mountain all night and then came here early this morning to deliver this message. You've worked incredibly hard," Xu Yueping said.
Feng Yi'an waved his hand. "Brother Xu, what are you saying? This is my duty. Rest assured, if any ferocious beasts or mountain monsters break through, they'll have to step over our corpses first. They won't harm anyone outside the mountain."
Xu Yueping personally brought in a large iron platter holding an entire roasted rock sheep, its aroma filling the room.
He offered it to Feng Yi'an.
He stopped several people who were about to leave.
"Don't go yet. Let's all stay and share a few drinks with Brother Feng."
The atmosphere in the room immediately warmed up.
"Let me tell you all," Feng Yi'an said after a few cups of wine, "there's no need to worry. Not only will the city lord who governs this region be attending, but we've also invited a master from afar. There won't be any trouble. The main purpose is to guard against the Moon Insects and any unpredictable mountain lords."
Qin Ming listened intently, surprised by the information.
Unaccustomed to the spicy old wine, he reached for a cup of tea but hesitated.
Besides bitter tea, it contained dried ants the size of thumb pads, making the tea's composition complex.
Xu Yueping chuckled. "Xiao Qin, a man must learn to drink. And these black ants are incredibly nourishing - a true delicacy."
Feng Yi'an turned to Qin Ming. "This young man looks unfamiliar."
"Uncle Feng, just call me Xiao Qin."
Xu Yueping introduced, "This is Qin Ming, just over sixteen years old. He recently achieved Awakening and is the most promising young man in our region. I hope he can study in the distant Crimson Cloud (Chi Xia) City."
"A fine seedling," Feng Yi'an said with deep feeling. "To undergo awakening transformation during the Golden Age - what a foundation to envy."
The others chimed in with praise and envy, fully aware of the immense potential held by those with a Golden Age foundation.
They raised their cups repeatedly, the atmosphere around the table growing lively.
Feng Yi'an shared some bizarre tales from the mountains.
"Have any of you ever seen a mysterious field deep in the mountains? All the crops glow golden, and the thick fog can't conceal their brilliant light, which pierces the dark night sky... Whose food could it be?"
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END OF CHAPTER
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