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Novel: [Night Without Borders]
Chapter 62: [The Storm]
Author: [Chen Dong]
Translator: [Shadow Knight AK]
Editor: [Shadow Knight AK]
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The entire mansion was as bright as day.
Though it was the snowy season, the interior remained warm as spring, with vibrant flowers blooming in the gardens and lush greenery adorning the courtyards.
In the spacious hall, the dignified middle-aged man remained silent for a moment.
The brief stillness made Cui Hong, who stood with his hands respectfully at his sides, feel as if he were facing a towering mountain.
"Leave him plenty of Day Gold," the man finally spoke. "Let him live a life of comfort and prosperity there, free from worry."
Cui Hong, a man with unusually long arms, immediately nodded in agreement.
However, he cautiously inquired, "If he has already undergone awakening, should we...?"
The middle-aged man interrupted, "The techniques in the Silk Book cannot be mastered."
"But if he has abandoned the Silk Book and, in that remote and barren region, has adapted to survive by practicing other methods, embarking on a new path of awakening..." Cui Hong pressed cautiously.
The middle-aged man rose and stood before a massive pillar carved with cloud patterns.
Gazing at the meticulously landscaped gardens, dotted with pavilions and terraces, each step revealing a new vista, he said, "Let him live a proper life as an ordinary man. Let him take root there completely—prosperity, peace, these are enough."
Cui Hong nodded, but he felt the matter was far from settled.
While it seemed manageable now, who could predict what future troubles might arise?
Before departing, he added, "If he has already passed away, unable to endure, I will ensure he receives a proper burial."
The dignified middle-aged man hummed in acknowledgment, signaling that Cui Hong was dismissed.
...
The destruction of Jin Ji (Golden Rooster) Ridge swept through the region like a hurricane, naturally eliciting cheers from the villages outside the mountains.
The established powers in the area—merchant guilds, Mountain Guardians, and even the strange creatures dwelling within the mountains—were stunned and shocked.
"The scene was utterly gruesome. I went to see it myself. Wild beasts were scavenging the remains, leaving not a single intact bone."
"Jin Ji (Golden Rooster) Ridge claimed to be righteous. When they collected protection taxes last time, they said it was to ensure our safety while fighting mutated creatures in the Great Rift Valley, nearly wiping out their entire force. I didn't believe them then, but now I'm convinced. They kept their word—they really did get completely wiped out, feeding the mutant creatures!"
The mockery revealed just how unpopular Golden Rooster Ridge had been.
Upon hearing of their demise, the reaction was nearly universal celebration.
"Which great hero accomplished this? I bow to them!" someone shouted excitedly.
Many knew that the two bandit leaders of Golden Rooster Ridge were Fourth-Stage Awakeners. Those with deeper knowledge understood that a Fifth-Stage Mutant Old Golden Rooster also resided there, making them one of the region's most formidable powers.
Yet, they had been completely annihilated in a single night.
Merchant guilds dispatched representatives to investigate, accompanied by experienced Mountain Guardians.
"The remaining bones left by mutated creatures after they gorged themselves, bear sword marks, spear wounds, and arrow holes," someone analyzed earnestly. "This suggests three powerful individuals joined forces to raze Jin Ji (Golden Rooster) Ridge."
A mountain patrolman added, "The swordsman among them was undoubtedly a master. The severed bones show no cracks, the cuts were as smooth as polished mirrors."
"The person who used spear was equally formidable; the force of each spear attack was exactly the same, the spear holes in the bones appears like they were meticulously crafted."
"The archer was likely the weakest of the three, though his accuracy was terrifyingly precise—he single-handedly killed most of the mountain bandits. However, his arm strength couldn't have exceeded two thousand pounds."
Qin Ming listened to these assessments in silence.
Upon hearing this news, larger organizations began to take notice.
Jin Ji (Golden Rooster) Ridge was backed by the Golden Bandits, whose operations spanned vast territories far beyond the influence of Chi Xia City.
Now, someone had brazenly wiped out one of their strongholds.
Later, hidden details surfaced: not everyone at Golden Rooster Ridge had been killed.
Two survivors had been away that night and escaped the massacre.
The pair had fled to join the Golden Bandits, but before leaving, they spread word of what had happened.
"Our leader died a terrible death. We heard their cries from afar as we returned to the mountain stronghold. They mentioned the City Lord and the Mountain Guardians of the Outsiders."
With this, the truth of the matter seemed to surface, and many began to speculate.
News then came from the Aberrants that Meng Xinghai, the new City Lord of Chi Xia City, had passed through the area that night and met with the Old Mountain Lord in the mountains.
Later, residents of Qing Song (Green Pine) Town claimed to have seen Outsiders accompanied by two golden-armored Mountain Guardians check into an inn that same night.
"This new City Lord is quite assertive. We'll need to be cautious when dealing with him in the future."
"The Outsiders have gotten involved too? Hmm, there are rumors that Meng Xinghai was seen with a Feather-Robed Woman. It seems they're the ones responsible."
Various factions began analyzing the situation. They cared little about the fate of Jin Ji (Golden Rooster) Ridge, focusing instead on understanding the true nature of the new City Lord, Meng Xinghai.
Li Qingyue also followed the developments closely, eager to learn the motives behind Cui Chonghe's actions and their consequences.
She never imagined the "blame" would land on her own head.
As an eyewitness, she knew who the real culprit was, yet she was being framed.
Worse still, Meng Xinghai had been dragged into the mess as well, now widely perceived as an overbearing and difficult leader.
The "three fires" of a new official's arrival seemed to suggest he might target the Golden Bandits next.
...
"Uncle Meng, I'm truly sorry. You went to Black White Mountain to retrieve the Yin-Yang Elixir for me, and now people have misunderstood you..." Li Qingyue said apologetically.
Wiping out Golden Rooster Ridge was a minor matter—they deserved to die.
But the misjudgment of Meng Xinghai's character and future actions by various factions could have significant consequences.
Meng Xinghai, dressed in green robes and appearing to be in his late thirties, looked more like a scholar than a warrior. Yet his words carried undeniable authority.
He shook his head. "It's nothing. City Lord Ling Xu and I have corresponded before. He originally planned to lure out the Golden Bandits at Jin Ji (Golden Rooster) Ridge to hunt them down, and I had the same idea. I'm not worried about others' misinterpretations."
He added, "What I obtained from the Mountain Lord was a branch of the Black White Tree. City Lord Ling Xu has the roots and stems. I'll help you get a portion later."
"Thank you, Uncle Meng."
"Why are you being so formal? Your family or your master could have resolved this with a single word."
Li Qingyue shook her head. "The Yin-Yang Elixir is crucial for Outsiders. Now, multiple powerful Sects are coveting it, either sending letters of request or dispatching envoys. If we delay, we might fall behind and make a wasted trip."
Meng Xinghai sighed. "Your path is truly enviable, so brilliant and unmatched. In just a few years, you might even surpass me."
...
The destruction of Golden Rooster Ridge had far-reaching consequences, eliciting diverse reactions from major organizations to local factions.
The Three-Eyed Sect, for instance, acted completely out of character.
They dispatched members to villages, inquiring if any mutated creatures were terrorizing the area and offering to eliminate them—their attitude was remarkably accommodating.
They even sent grain to the most impoverished villages as relief aid.
The initial reaction was disbelief: "The Three-Eyed Sect has gone mad! Not only have they stopped exploiting us, but now they're actually providing aid?"
Soon, however, the truth dawned on people: the local Three-Eyed Sect leaders had panicked, fearing they would suffer the same fate as Golden Rooster Ridge.
They were now desperately trying to earn goodwill to protect themselves.
"Let me tell you," someone finally revealed, "the hero who crushed Golden Rooster Ridge was someone else entirely. He rode a Purple Lightning Beast and wielded a Sky-Splitting Spear—truly a heroic figure. He single-handedly annihilated those mountain bandits and slew Old Golden Rooster. He even came to Qing Song (Green Pine) Town, scaring all the Three-Eyed Sect members into fleeing overnight."
This credible lead, however, quickly ran cold.
All traces of the hero had vanished.
When attempts were made to contact the mutant creatures, some Mountain Monsters turned hostile at the mere mention of the Purple Lightning Beast, refusing to cooperate.
It became clear that this Purple Lightning Beast was no ordinary creature.
"Damn it! This whole mess just won't end, will it? Is this going to become a black mark on my record?" Deep in the mountains, the Purple Lightning Beast bristled with rage.
It summoned the white owl again, demanding any leads on the outsider.
If none were forthcoming, it ordered reinforcements to be dispatched immediately.
The owl replied, "Black White Mountain isn't our territory. The investigation will take time."
...
Qin Ming had been diligently practicing the Yellow Mud Palm, progressing beyond the initial stages to a point where his mastery was considerable.
When he circulated the soft force and unleashed the Heavenly Light Force, the power was terrifying.
He tested his technique on a wild bull.
With a gentle tap of his right hand, the flesh, organs, and bones beneath the bull's tough hide were rapidly destroyed, reduced to a pulpy mess.
"This isn't suitable for sparring," Qin Ming muttered to himself. "Any strike could be fatal."
What he truly anticipated was the Yellow Mud Palm infused with Earth Qi.
That was the ultimate technique he sought to master.
Before leaving, Qin Ming wanted to find one or two more ancient texts. He asked Old Liu to help him search, and they discovered a declining sect.
However, their asking price was exorbitant.
Knowing the Wu Clan had paid fifteen Day Gold coins, they immediately demanded fifty.
"Could you inquire about the type of Heavenly Light Technique they have?" Qin Ming asked.
"No need to ask," Old Liu replied. "Everyone knows it's the Nail Technique. It's indeed formidable, but their price is highway robbery."
"Even if they lowered it to a single Day Gold coin, I wouldn't bother looking at it!" Qin Ming declared.
He couldn't help but feel a pang of melancholy. This remote region truly had limited secret manuals; only a few circulated among the people.
The so-called "Nail Technique" he had long since mastered—it was the very technique the burly, bearded man who wrote "I wish I could cultivate the Tathagata Technique" in the sword manual had painstakingly sought out.
Two days later, Qin Ming prepared to embark on a long journey, intending to leave quietly without alerting too many people.
Before departing, he visited the neighboring courtyard.
After consuming the Fire Snake meat, Lu Ze's injuries had not only healed at an astonishing rate, but he had also undergone his first awakening.
Qin Ming informed him that he had frozen a twice-mutated Fire Snake in his cellar, instructing him to eat it before spring arrived.
If Lu Ze's potential wasn't too poor, he might even achieve a second awakening.
Originally, Qin Ming had brought back two large snakes and six smaller ones.
He hadn't even finished one of the large snakes himself, having shared some of the meat stew with Old Liu to help him recover from his injuries.
The Lu Ze couple were stunned, finally understanding who had annihilated the mountain patrol team.
"Xiao Qin, are you really leaving?!" they asked, their voices filled with reluctance.
Qin Ming nodded. "I want to see the world beyond."
"Uncle, will you come back?" Wen Rui asked, wiping away tears as he clung to him, unwilling to let go.
Two-year-old Wen Hui, though his speech was still clumsy, understood that Qin Ming was leaving.
He looked up and called out "Uncle" in his garbled voice.
"I'll be back," Qin Ming said, patting both children on the head.
Before leaving, he handed Lu Ze a handwritten manual of cultivation techniques, urging him to practice diligently and teach Wen Rui later.
"Focus on mastering Harmonizing With the World Technique first. If you undergo a second awakening soon, it will help you conceal your true nature."
Qin Ming refused to let them see him off.
Carrying the Jade Iron Sword on his back, he vanished from the village at lightning speed.
Old Liu waited in the snowy fields some distance away, having come specifically to bid him farewell.
Meanwhile, a massive raptor soared through the night mist, carrying Cui Hong and a young man in opulent robes across the vast, boundless land.
They arrived in the Black White Mountain region, circled once, and slowly descended toward the snowy fields outside Yinteng (Silvervine) Town.
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END OF CHAPTER
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