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Novel: [Night Without Borders]
Chapter 45: [A Single Sheet of True Inheritance]
Author: [Chen Dong]
Translator: [Shadow Knight AK]
Editor: [Shadow Knight AK]
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The young noble Huang Jingjun wore a faint smile.
Even at this critical moment, the young man's eyes still shone with fascination as he stared at the Three-Colored Flower.
'He really is just a hunter from some remote region,' Huang Jingjun thought, 'completely unaware of his predicament.'
His elder brother, Huang Jingde, remained calm and composed. Whether the boy was genuinely naive or merely feigning innocence to stall for time, it made no difference.
"I never imagined such mysterious resources existed underground," Qin Ming said. "Can you truly cultivate the Heavenly Light Force by consuming this flower?"
He asked with genuine humility, his eyes clear and pure, reflecting the sincerity of a young man eager to learn about something entirely new.
"First, you must choose a compatible Heavenly Light Technique and cultivate it to the initial stage. Only then will consuming the Three-Colored Flower yield optimal results. Hmm, I should select another one when I return. I'll need to think carefully about it."
Huang Jingde chuckled, answering every question patiently. After all, there was plenty of time to spare, and he might as well pass the time.
What trouble could a mere hunter who had undergone only one awakening possibly cause?
As a Third Awakener, Huang Jingde could crush him with a flick of his wrist.
"There are many types of Heavenly Light Techniques," Qin Ming continued, his thirst for knowledge undeterred by the circumstances. "Is the selection process particularly important?"
Huang Jingde nodded. "Indeed. A Third Awakener is fortunate to master even a single Heavenly Light Technique. Only with further cultivation realms can one cultivate Heavenly Light Techniques, and combining them strategically unlocks even more terrifying power."
Qin Ming frowned. "How does one choose and combine them effectively? Surely these are the closely guarded secrets of each sect's Advanced Intent Qi Cultivation Techniques?"
Huang Jingde chuckled. "Precisely. True knowledge fits on a single sheet of paper, while false knowledge fills a thousand scrolls. This one sheet contains the core essence."
Qin Ming sighed.
Who would readily share such fundamental secrets?
Huang Jingde, having practiced Heavenly Light Technique himself, added with some emotion, "Do you think those rare Heavenly Light Techniques simply appeared? They're the result of countless trials and errors by predecessors, who fused various techniques and combined them."
"The legendary Heaven-Shattering Technique and Tathagata Technique, for example, are even more precious. They must have integrated countless Heavenly Light Techniques. Even a single leaked fragment would be worth a fortune."
As Huang Jingde spoke, his eyes shone with longing.
Those techniques were far beyond his reach, tantalizingly close yet unattainable.
He sighed. "Let's set aside those legends and return to reality. Every Heavenly Light Technique with any reputation has been 'forged through countless trials,' incorporating numerous different Qi techniques. This path we tread is arduous indeed. Even if the true lineage's scroll were laid before you, you'd still need to master every densely recorded Heavenly Light Technique within it."
Qin Ming felt numb.
It seemed there was no mention of this in the Silk Scroll?
Or was it on the third page?
He was utterly bewildered.
What should he do now?
"Does this mean ordinary people have no path to advancement?" he asked. "Without the true lineage's scroll, can one never master a powerful Heavenly Light Technique?"
Huang Jingde replied, "Of course there's a way. Those rare Heavenly Light Techniques, and the legendary foundational principles of our sect, were all forged through the continuous fusion of techniques by our predecessors. You could also learn the more common Heavenly Light Techniques circulating in the world, cultivate them extensively, and attempt your own fusion."
The young noble Huang Jingjun, seeing Qin Ming actually pondering this, couldn't suppress a smirk.
"Do you think Heavenly Light Technique is some superficial skill?" he scoffed. "Each technique is incredibly complex. How many could you possibly master in your lifetime?"
Qin Ming seemed to snap out of his reverie.
"Since you're returning to choose a new Heavenly Light Technique, why not consume the Three-Colored Flower here? Aren't you worried about its potency diminishing?"
Huang Jingde said, "It's fine. The weather is so cold that the flower will keep for over two months after it ripens. Storing it in a jade box will extend its lifespan even further."
He scrutinized Qin Ming with a piercing gaze.
"You've asked me so many questions. Are you playing dumb, or are you truly confident?"
Qin Ming replied calmly, "Zhou Wubing is my nephew, and Master Xu Kong is my senior brother. They're nearby. Do you think I lack confidence?"
Huang Jingde froze for a moment, then let out a derisive laugh.
"You seem unaware that Master Xu Kong left this remote place with Zhou Wubing yesterday."
[T/N: Hahahahha...]
Qin Ming was taken aback.
Er Bingzi had already departed, meaning he wouldn't get to beat him up anytime soon.
"Here," Huang Jingde said, tossing Qin Ming a jade box.
He wasn't worried about Qin Ming damaging it, as he carried several spares.
"Go pick the Three-Colored Flower later."
Qin Ming caught the box and walked aside, carefully burying it beneath a pile of rocks, feigning extreme caution to avoid damaging it.
"What are you doing?"
"I'm afraid it'll break during the fight," Qin Ming answered truthfully.
He had already seen through Huang Jingde's smiling facade.
The man had no discernible weaknesses, making a surprise attack impossible.
This would be a straight-up battle.
"Your act won't change anything," the younger Huang Jingjun stepped forward. "I'll teach you a lesson first."
"You're no match for me," Qin Ming stated bluntly. "Even Nie Rui and Shen Jiayun couldn't stand against me, and you're far inferior to them."
Huang Jingjun's face wore a cold smile. "You haven't let a few compliments from those Chi Xia City youths go to your head, have you? Do you really think you're something special?"
He sneered. "A mere Awakener dares to act so arrogant before me? Before you reach the Second Awakening Realm, you're nothing to me!"
With a clang, he drew a longsword that gleamed with a chilling light.
"You specialize in spear techniques, yet you don't even possess a decent weapon."
"It doesn't matter what weapon I use," Qin Ming replied, drawing a snow-bright longsword from his back.
Its quality was noticeably superior to Huang Jingjun's sword.
After all, this was the weapon of a Third Awakener from Golden Rooster Ridge.
Huang Jingjun's expression remained impassive.
Without another word, he suddenly surged forward, his longsword slashing through the air with a blinding arc as he brought it down in a vertical strike.
In his eyes, his Second Awakening had granted him nearly 1,200 catties of force—enough to crush this young hunter with a single blow.
Qin Ming executed just two movements.
First, he parried with the flat of his sword, striking the opponent's sword face.
Without holding back, the impact sent tremors through Huang Jingjun's arm, forcing him to lose his grip on the hilt.
Moreover, his hands were covered in blood, the soft flesh between his fingers torn apart by immense force.
Stunned and terrified, he stumbled backward.
Qin Ming's second move was a swift downward slash.
Even though Huang Jingjun reacted quickly, leaping back, he couldn't completely evade the strike.
Amidst a shower of sparks, Huang Jingjun's fine armor shattered, blood-stained fragments flying in all directions.
A horrifying gash stretched from Huang Jingjun's shoulder to his abdomen, narrowly missing severing him in two.
He collapsed to the ground with a pained cry, the gaping wound revealing glimpses of his internal organs.
"Weak!" Qin Ming remarked, dismissing him and turning his attention to Huang Jingde across the battlefield.
"Brother..." Huang Jingjun gasped, still alive but knowing he wouldn't survive without immediate medical attention.
Huang Jingde charged forward, silver spear in hand, his earlier composure and indifference completely gone.
He had initially regarded Qin Ming with condescension, unconcerned and even amused during their earlier exchange, perhaps even toying with him.
But now, witnessing Qin Ming's lethal prowess, he erupted into action.
Qin Ming remained unfazed.
Having faced Third Awakener before, he drew upon his experience, wielding the old man's long sword from Golden Rooster Ridge to meet the challenge.
With a resounding clang, he slashed his sword, deflecting the fiercely thrusting spear aside from its original trajectory.
Seizing the momentum, he pressed forward with his sword, its snow-white light vibrating and surging like a vast, blinding wave between sea and sky, threatening to engulf his opponent.
Huang Jingde's gaze turned icy.
Gripping his spear in one hand, he channeled pure Heavenly Light into his other, striking the side of the sword in an attempt to deflect it.
He struck the sword precisely, yet failed to fully divert it. The sword's power was overwhelming, creating a surreal illusion: the flashing light seemed to conjure a thunderous white wave crashing down from the horizon.
Huang Jingde dodged with lightning speed, but even so, a portion of his chest armor shattered.
The glancing blow carried such devastating force—far exceeding his expectations and even surpassing the power of a Third Awakener like himself!
A faint bloodstain appeared on his chest.
"How is this possible?" Huang Jingjun, writhing in agony on the ground, couldn't believe his eyes.
His elder brother, a master of the Third Awakening Realm, had been outmatched in the very first exchange?
Yet Huang Jingde had clearly seen that no Heavenly Light flowed from his opponent during their clash.
This meant the youth hadn't yet achieved Third Awakening.
How could he possess such terrifying strength?
"I underestimated him," Huang Jingde muttered, his expression grave. "I never imagined someone who hadn't mastered the Heavenly Light Technique could be this strong—completely capable of matching a Third Awakener."
He gripped his silver spear with both hands, his focus sharpening to a razor's edge, adopting a stance that signaled a life-or-death struggle.
He would hold nothing back.
Hearing his elder brother's assessment, Huang Jingjun clutched his wound and coughed violently, blood gushing more freely.
He simply couldn't accept that this hunter boy could be so absurdly powerful.
Qin Ming's expression also turned serious.
Although Huang Jingde was much younger than the old man from Golden Rooster Ridge, his strength might actually surpass the old man's.
Sure enough, when they clashed again, Huang Jingde fought with far greater ferocity.
His spear transformed into a dragon soaring through the Cloud Mist, its claws and fangs bared, as if coming to life. It relentlessly stabbed at Qin Ming's vital points.
Simultaneously, Huang Jingde's other hand occasionally morphed into a palm sword, striking out with unexpected slashes whenever he closed the distance.
Yet, he couldn't break through Qin Ming's defenses even once, each attack blocked by layers of flashing sword light.
What frustrated him most was the large hammer Qin Ming wielded in his left hand, which repeatedly struck his palm swords with pinpoint accuracy, sending searing pain through his arm.
The intense battle had raged for some time.
Facing a Third Awakener protected by the Heavenly Light Body Protection, Qin Ming had no better strategy than to relentlessly attack.
Relying on his overwhelming strength and peerless sword technique, he forced his opponent to repeatedly activate the Heavenly Light defense, rapidly depleting its energy.
In the distance, the Three-Colored Flower shimmered with iridescent light. Some of its petals had begun to unfurl, and the luminous mist swirling around it grew denser, signaling the flower's imminent maturity.
Even from afar, its fragrance was intoxicating.
As the petals became increasingly crystalline, they gradually glowed with a dazzling brilliance, emitting a shower of radiant light—a truly mystical and extraordinary sight.
"How many types of Heavenly Light Technique can this spiritual flower help one cultivate? I am looking forward to it!" Qin Ming's eyes burned with anticipation.
His battle spirit surged even higher.
Eager to end the fight quickly and harvest the ripening Three-Colored Flower, he unleashed his full power.
In that instant, Qin Ming unleashed his most powerful strike.
For a fleeting moment, he found himself in a torrential rainstorm, lightning flashing and thunder roaring.
Amidst the dark night, his Sword Intent surged, his spiritual power elevating.
The long sword slashed through the air, as if cleaving the night sky itself, severing the lightning bolts that tore across the heavens.
Huang Jingde's face twisted in terror.
This strike was terrifying, carrying endless lightning and rain mist, threatening to cleave the karst cave and shatter all resistance.
He dodged frantically, but the sword closed in relentlessly, impossible to evade.
He parried with his silver spear, only to be violently thrown aside by the overwhelming force.
His face drained of color as the sword descended.
Huang Jingde roared, gripping his spear with both hands and bracing it horizontally against the descending sword.
How could he allow his opponent to cleave him in two?
With a clang that reverberated like a mountain collapsing, his silver spear was sent flying.
Simultaneously, a searing pain tore through his shoulder as his right arm fell to the ground, blood gushing from the wound.
Though he had narrowly escaped death, he was utterly incapacitated.
Staggering backward, half his body was drenched in blood.
"You... aren't you supposed to be only skilled in spear techniques?" Huang Jingjun, lying mortally wounded on the ground, asked in despair.
"I'm quite proficient with the sword as well," Qin Ming replied.
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END OF CHAPTER
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