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Novel: [Night Without Borders]
Chapter 78: [Alone]
Author: [Chen Dong]
Translator: [Shadow Knight AK]
Editor: [Shadow Knight AK]
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Qin Ming exhaled a long, heavy breath.
As he reflected on his past, it felt like a surreal dream.
Yet these were all real experiences.
A tightness gripped his chest as a maelstrom of thoughts churned within him.
He clenched the Jade Iron Sword to steady his emotions.
"Calm yourself," he murmured, settling back down to regain his composure.
Though he was still under twenty, his life had already been a tumultuous and complex journey.
An ordinary youth might have crumbled under such trials.
Qin Ming revisited the details of his past, seeking to anticipate future dangers.
He needed to understand the personalities and tactics of those who had opposed him.
For these conflicts were far from over.
Just recently, Mr. Cui and Madam Cui had attempted to confine him to a remote region.
"Fifth Master Cui always wore that sly smile, urging me to focus solely on the Silk Book and avoid any other Awakening Techniques. It seemed beneficial at that time, but now I realize it was meant to block my path to advancement."
Qin Ming recalled how he had sought Mr. Cui and Madam Cui's advice, and both had agreed with Fifth Master Cui's statement.
When Cui Chongxuan saw the Silk Book, his eyes burned with envy, and he begged to learn its secrets.
But Mr. Cui sternly forbade him, declaring that one cultivator was enough and promising to find him an equally formidable Six Sovereigns Heart Scripture.
Qin Ming also wished to glimpse the Six Sovereigns Heart Scripture, but Mr. Cui met his gaze calmly and asked, "Do you lack faith in yourself and the Silk Book?"
"By the time Cui Chongxuan was nearly thirteen, his elders had already pushed him through three awakenings. He had begun consuming the Three-Colored Flower, merging four types of Heavenly Light Force."
Qin Ming glanced back.
Even then, he had sensed something was amiss, but after living with his family for so many years, he refused to suspect them of malice.
The signs had been there all along.
From childhood, the Cui Family had showered him with excessive praise, attracting numerous assassination attempts.
Qin Ming vividly recalled that after each incident, the Cui Family's first reaction wasn't concern for his safety, but rather overwhelming joy.
Mr. Cui and Madam Cui remained composed, showing no anxiety or lingering fear over his near-death experiences.
Instead, they praised the experts who had intervened, hoping to eliminate as many enemies of the Cui Family as possible.
...
To Qin Ming, the Cui Family now loomed like a towering mountain piercing the clouds.
"The Silk Book that belongs to me is still there." Regardless of anything else, he had to retrieve it.
This wasn't just the only thing left by his grandfather; it also held the key to his future path.
The Silk Book was incomplete, having been mostly burned away.
Yet it undoubtedly retained traces of the emotions and painstaking efforts poured into it by generations of elders.
Through resonance, Qin Ming could potentially restore the Silk Book to its complete form.
He couldn't avoid the Cui Family; he would inevitably have to travel to Qing He City.
But retrieving the Silk Book would likely trigger further turmoil.
"Two years ago, the Cui and Li Families clashed fiercely. The Cui Family must have suffered significant losses, but they'll likely recover quickly."
The Li Family had clearly suffered greater losses.
The Cui Family had primarily deployed elderly members who were already nearing the end of their lives.
Fearless and desperate, they targeted the Li Family's promising young talents, sacrificing themselves in a bloody struggle to cripple the Li Family's future.
Qin Ming had witnessed firsthand the madness of those old men, a testament to their unwavering loyalty to the Cui Family.
He couldn't help but sigh.
This was the true depth of a millennium-old aristocratic clan—nearly impossible to shake.
Especially since many of the experts in the Beyond the Mortal Realm were members of these ancient families.
Even when a millennium-old clan declines, it rarely collapses completely unless its branches in the Beyond the Mortal Realm also crumble.
"In the past, there was a bloody lesson that shook all the Royal Courts," Qin Ming recalled, his memories returning.
Naturally, he was no stranger to the affairs of these ancient clans.
Long ago, a once-mighty dynasty had annihilated a millennium-old clan. Yet, someone emerged from the Beyond the Mortal Realm, reestablishing the clan.
The dynasty itself mysteriously declined and was ultimately overthrown.
Qin Ming suddenly realized that the Cui Family wasn't his only threat.
The Li Family, now exceptionally powerful, was already challenging the status of these ancient clans.
His chest tightened again.
This feud between the Cui Family and their enemies had nothing to do with him, yet he had been dragged into it.
The Feather-Robed Youth Li Qingxu had nearly killed him.
This matter could not be resolved peacefully.
In fact, based on Qin Ming's understanding of Li Qingxu's character, the youth would never let this go.
"His hostility toward me runs deep. When did it begin?" Qin Ming frowned, pondering.
After careful consideration, he concluded it must be related to his engagement to the Wang Clan's Eldest Daughter.
Li Qingxu seemed to have known the noblewoman long before.
"In my sixteen years of life, could my luck possibly get any worse? Life is nothing but a sham—abandoned, dying, scapegoated, and now confined to this remote place, forbidden from treading the Path of Awakening..."
Qin Ming took a deep breath and forcefully exhaled a large mouthful of pent-up frustration.
What did his engagement to the Wang Clan's Eldest Daughter have to do with him?
This was a marriage alliance between the Cui and Wang Clans.
His impression of the girl was limited to her exceptional beauty and radiant smile; he had never truly gotten to know her.
The Wang Clan's Eldest Daughter was indeed remarkably intelligent and adept at social maneuvering—this was Qin Ming's impression from their sole outing together.
Afterward, Mr. Cui had severely reprimanded him, warning him to observe proper etiquette, avoid suspicion, and refrain from any further private meetings.
Undoubtedly, Li Qingxu's hostility stemmed from this so-called "love-hate" relationship, compounded by the rivalry between their two great clans.
Perhaps he also sought to eliminate a future competitor in the Beyond the Mortal Realm early on.
"You should be looking for the real Cui Chonghe!" At that moment, Qin Ming felt an overwhelming urge to emulate Zhou Lin, Xu Sheng's outspoken female friend, and unleash a torrent of colorful language.
After a long while, he calmed down.
His greatest concern now was for his grandfather.
After sixteen years, what had become of him?
Qin Ming frowned.
When the Cui Family had searched for "Cui Chonghe," they must have been meticulous in their selection, believing him to be the most suitable candidate.
After all, some within the family had remarked on their resemblance.
His grandfather was just an ordinary man. If the Cui Family had set their sights on him, the old man would have been powerless to resist.
Now, the Cui Family had forbidden him from setting foot in Qing He City again, effectively cutting him off from his former circle.
To learn about his grandfather's fate, Qin Ming couldn't directly ask the Cui Family; he would have to rely on other channels.
Qin Ming rose and headed out of the inn.
He hadn't originally planned to visit the City Lord's Manor, but now he had no choice.
The New City Lord, Meng Xinghai, had once told him to seek him out if he ever came to Chi Xia City.
At dawn, the entire city glowed with brilliance.
The first rays of sunrise pierced through the black mist, and the streets and alleys seemed to steam with the rosy light, radiating warmth, clarity, and a sense of hope.
It was still early, so Qin Ming found a restaurant for breakfast.
"Hmm?!" As he paid and prepared to leave, a scene caught his eye, causing his heart to skip a beat.
The elderly matriarch of the Sun Family carefully retrieved money from her bosom to buy a meat pie.
She handed it to her three-year-old grandson, a smile spreading across her deeply wrinkled face, as if the lingering gloom had finally dissipated.
Two men suddenly approached.
One of them snarled, "You have money for meat pies but not to pay your debts?"
The old woman looked bewildered.
"I don't owe you any money," she protested.
"You're really getting senile," the man sneered, shoving her roughly. "You borrowed from us before. Trying to weasel out of it now?"
The old woman stumbled, nearly falling to the ground.
The other man grabbed her arm, preventing her fall, but not out of kindness.
Instead, he reached directly into her pocket, snatching all the copper coins.
"Not bad! You're living well enough to have some money!" he sneered, pocketing the stolen coins.
"Don't bully my grandma! Let her go!" the young child cried out.
"Get lost, brat!" One of the men shoved the child aside.
An adult striking a toddler would inevitably send the child sprawling, likely knocking out teeth.
But before his hand could reach the child, Qin Ming's hand shot out and seized the man's wrist, eliciting a sharp cry of pain.
"What a tragedy! Why do they keep targeting the Sun Family? The poor old woman is already struggling enough to raise her grandson alone."
"Who's that young man? He actually dared to stop Xin Yi Hall's men."
Nearby onlookers whispered, too afraid to intervene.
"Who are you? What do you want?" the Xin Yi Hall members demanded coldly.
"This grandmother and grandson have already suffered enough, relying on each other for survival," Qin Ming said. "Don't bully them any further."
He had overheard the crowd's whispers and knew their origins—the Xin Yi Hall, notorious for coveting the Sun Family's secret manual.
Yet they were still wreaking havoc.
He felt a pang of empathy.
His own family possessed a Silk Book, a testament to their ancestors' former glory.
Now, not only had their fortunes declined, but they had been utterly ruined.
Upon reflection, Qin Ming realized his situation was even worse than Wu Zheng's, and not much better than the Sun Family's.
Qin Ming had originally planned to visit the City Lord's Manor to discuss his grandfather's case.
Witnessing this scene stirred his emotions deeply, and he couldn't restrain himself.
He unleashed the Yellow Mud Palm a second time, followed by a third.
The two men barely felt the impact as they were flung backward.
In truth, they would soon cough up blood incessantly, their lives hanging by a thread.
"Young man, run..." the Sun Family elder croaked, her voice trembling with concern.
"Hurry and get away!"
"It's alright," Qin Ming reassured her.
"Haven't you heard? The New City Lord has arrived. He personally annihilated Golden Rooster Ridge and is now dealing with those who commit evil deeds. Anyone who defies him will meet a grim end."
He handed the tearful little boy, still clutching his meat pie, over to the old man.
"Stop bluffing!" the two Xin Yi Hall members blustered, their bravado masking their fear.
"You still don't believe me? Come on, let's go to the City Lord's Manor and argue it out. See if you can keep your dog lives!" Qin Ming roared, his voice sharp and authoritative.
"You..." The two men retreated.
Qin Ming turned to the old woman. "Take the boy home, don't worry about anything. I have business at the City Lord's Manor."
He wasn't just bluffing.
While he was leveraging his connections, he genuinely intended to raise these matters with Meng Xinghai.
The new City Lord would likely be eager to make a statement upon assuming office.
The two Xin Yi Hall members followed him suspiciously, only to see him indeed enter the City Lord's Manor.
Their faces paled.
Initially, the guards at the manor were skeptical.
But Qin Ming's calm demeanor and extraordinary presence convinced them to report his arrival without delay.
After more than twenty days, Qin Ming once again stood before City Lord Meng.
"I thought you'd left for another city," Meng Xinghai remarked, sizing him up.
"Not bad. It's only been a short time, but though your divine aura remains restrained, your overall vitality seems far more robust than before."
"Greetings, Uncle Meng," Qin Ming said, bowing respectfully.
"I was injured before, but I've recently recovered, and my condition has also improved significantly."
The living room was spacious but unadorned, its simplicity accentuated by antique porcelain jars, bronze artifacts, and calligraphy scrolls hanging on the walls.
Meng Xinghai, dressed in a cyan robe, appeared to be in his late thirties, resembling a scholar, yet his presence radiated authority and his Sword Technique was exceptionally sharp.
"You're quite extraordinary, young man," Meng Xinghai remarked. "You set Golden Rooster Ridge ablaze single-handedly."
Qin Ming couldn't deny or conceal the truth, as Li Qingyue had witnessed his actions that night.
"I've caused Uncle Meng trouble," Qin Ming admitted.
"Sit down," Meng Xinghai said. "It's nothing. The former City Lord Ling Xu and I both wanted to clear out that nest of bandits, but we planned to lure out their leaders first."
After Qin Ming settled into a seat, he said, "I acted impulsively and disrupted Uncle Meng's plans."
Meng Xinghai chuckled. "A fiery spirit is a good thing. It's rare to see such sincerity. There are other ways to deal with the Golden Bandit. I hope you'll maintain this integrity, unlike some of our younger generation who, despite their extraordinary talents... sigh!"
"Since Uncle Meng says so, I won't disappoint you. In fact, just now..." Qin Ming immediately recounted what he had witnessed on his way here.
Meng Xinghai hadn't expected such genuine purity from the boy—someone who acted on his words. Yet, upon reflection, even if Qin Ming was merely a pawn, his exposure to the Cui Family's corrupting influence should have tainted his innocence.
Meng Xinghai realized that this young man was remarkably mature, far beyond his apparent age.
"Since you're so eager to help, assist me with a few tasks," Meng Xinghai said, tossing him a token with surprising directness.
"Investigate these matters. Use force if necessary—I grant you full authority."
He then asked, "Now, tell me why you came to see me."
"To thank Uncle Meng for his assistance at the edge of the desert," Qin Ming replied.
"Just me?"
"And Qingyue. I know she must have spoken on my behalf," Qin Ming said sincerely.
"Hmm, you're perceptive," Meng Xinghai nodded.
Qin Ming continued, "I also wanted to ask Uncle Meng for some information."
Meng Xinghai listened intently, then grew surprised.
Qin Ming wasn't asking about the Cui Family's affairs at all; he simply wanted to know where his grandfather had gone all those years ago.
"You're putting me in a difficult position," Meng Xinghai said. "Even if I ask the Cui Family, they're unlikely to give me the truth. The only way would be to contact Seventh Master Cui, but he's probably unreachable now, having retreated to Beyond the Mortal Realm."
"Aren't you curious about your experiences with the Cui Family?" Meng Xinghai couldn't help but ask.
Qin Ming sighed. "There used to be one, but I've come to realize there must be a real Cui Chonghe. He's about to step into the spotlight."
Meng Xinghai was startled.
"No wonder some in the Cui Family distrust you. They feared your exceptional talent might lead you to rise up, uncover the truth, and harbor resentment, causing turmoil. They certainly didn't underestimate you."
He looked at Qin Ming with a strange expression.
"Even trapped within the game, your vision obscured by the fog, you've managed to discern most of the truth. That's truly remarkable."
"So, I guessed some parts wrong?" Qin Ming asked.
"Not exactly wrong, just incomplete," Meng Xinghai replied, sipping his tea. "You simply lacked certain information."
Cui Chonghe hadn't chosen to reveal himself. Instead, someone in the Beyond the Mortal Realm noticed an anomaly: as he grew older, his resemblance to Mr. Cui became increasingly striking.
Most crucially, someone discovered his secret correspondence with the Cui Family.
"So, our appearances diverged significantly as we matured," Qin Ming thought to himself. "We only looked somewhat alike in childhood."
"Furthermore," Meng Xinghai continued, "Cui Chonghe's master has emerged from seclusion. Even with the intricate web of power dynamics in the Beyond the Mortal Realm, no one dares touch the Cui Family's heir now."
"His master is that formidable?" Qin Ming couldn't help but ask.
"Mm, it's said that Cui Chonghe's senior brother had been teaching on behalf of their master. The old master had been in seclusion for ages, but now he's taken that crucial half-step forward. His cultivation is now beyond comprehension, and he's officially accepted Cui Chonghe as his last disciple, treating him like a precious treasure."
Qin Ming fell silent, reflecting on the vast differences in people's fates.
"The Cui Family's refusal to let you return to Clear River City or go to Qian Xing City, and their attempts to cut off your Path of Awakening, were indeed because the real Cui Chonghe was exposed."
Meng Xinghai explained that the Wang Clan in Qian Xing City was furious and deeply dissatisfied.
The Cui Chonghe they had known all along had been a fake, and even they had been kept in the dark.
Qin Ming chuckled bitterly. "Could the Wang Clan also harbor resentment toward me now?"
"Cui Chonghe himself is also displeased. He learned about your travels with the Wang Clan's Eldest Daughter—amd someone in Beyond the Mortal Realm saw him flew into a rage around that time."
Qin Ming felt an urge to draw his sword.
"Why me?"
Everyone else had reached a compromise, yet he alone was left to bear all the suffering.
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END OF CHAPTER
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