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Novel: [Night Without Borders]
Chapter 8: [Once, I Saw Rainbow Clouds Return]
Author: [Chen Dong]
Translator: [Shadow Knight AK]
Editor: [Shadow Knight AK]
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In this era, darkness enveloped the world.
Luminous creatures were rare.
When one appeared, it often signaled something terrifying, deadly, and requiring immediate evacuation from its vicinity.
The vast wilderness concealed countless dangerous beings.
To expose oneself in such a dangerous environment, fearlessly radiating light, was undoubtedly an act of supreme confidence—a likely indication of immense power.
Qin Ming silently slipped beneath a tree, hiding in the dense shadows of the forest.
His heart raced.
This was no ordinary luminous creature; it illuminated the entire night sky.
In an age without sun, moon, or stars, such a spectacle was truly extraordinary.
"The Moon Insect!" he had heard of it.
Elders often told their descendants tales of a distant past when there had been a sun and a moon.
Seeing the children's bewildered expressions, they would use the Moon Insect as an example.
"If one day you happen to catch sight of the Moon Insect, you'll know what the moon once looked like."
When the Moon Insect appeared, no one needed to explain.
Its presence was unmistakable, for it would be the sole source of light in the night sky.
Initially, as the ball of light slowly ascended, its glow was soft and gentle.
Qin Ming couldn't say for sure if it was just his imagination, but he thought he glimpsed a blurry insect-like silhouette within the light.
Now it was too dazzling to resemble any insect. Its light interwove like a radiant disc, or perhaps a divine crown casting its glow across the night sky.
The Moon Insect, oblivious to the seasons, was an anomaly.
Normally, few insects could survive the winter to see the following year.
According to the elders, the Moon Insect had migrated to this area over fifty years ago, dwelling deep within the majestic mountains and rarely appearing in the outer regions.
Local customs had long recorded it as a "famous insect," that has stood firm in the mountains for fifty years.
People had reason to believe its true power might rival that of even older mythical beasts and mountain lords that have existed for even longer.
Qin Ming was lost in thought.
Had the moon truly looked like this in ancient times?
In the night sky, it resembled a celestial lamp suspended high above, radiating brilliance and casting a pure, silvery light that bathed the dark mountains and desolate ridges.
In an instant, the entire area was tinged with a faint silver hue.
This was utterly unlike anything he had ever seen before.
The deep, inky darkness of the mountains had been completely dispelled.
The entire world had transformed.
Gazing at this breathtaking scene, Qin Ming couldn't help but yearn for the ancient era of sun and moon, wondering what kind of world it had been.
Qin Ming knew the Moon Insect only illuminated the two nearby low mountains, far inferior to the true moon - legendarily, a radiant light that shone across ten thousand miles, a vast and boundless spectacle, the true Great Brightness.
At this moment, everything was silent.
Neither the Wild Boar King nor the mysterious creature hunting it, nor any other birds or beasts, dared to stir from their hidden lairs.
Suddenly, a streak of light pierced the night sky.
The Moon Insect vanished, and the area rapidly lost its luster, plunging the mountains and forests back into boundless darkness.
Qin Ming felt a profound emptiness in his heart.
A powerful longing surged within him: When would he be able to move as freely as the Moon Insect, coming and going at will, with eternal night unable to obscure his path?
He couldn't afford to dwell on it.
Seizing the moment while the various beasts were still stunned and hesitant to emerge, he acted swiftly.
Pulling the Blade Horned Deer and the Donkey-Headed Wolf, he scaled the low mountains and quickly retreated.
Deep within the mountains, a mournful howl erupted, then abruptly ceased.
It seemed a powerful creature had been slain at the spot where the Moon Insect had descended.
Silence fell over the forest.
Neither the extraordinary mutated beasts nor the repeatedly mutated "famous birds" dared to make a sound.
Twin Tree Village came into view.
Qin Ming returned safely with his prey.
As he neared the village entrance, he glanced back.
The vast wilderness stretched endlessly into the inky blackness.
The recent dazzling spectacle still lingered in his mind, leaving him somewhat dazed.
Where was the ancient moon that once illuminated the returning colorful clouds?
"Grrrrumble!" His stomach rumbled, the sharp pang of hunger pulling him back to reality.
He shook his head, wondering why he was lost in such ethereal thoughts.
He needed to solve his immediate problem: food.
In this biting cold, only a few children were playing tag at the village entrance, unwilling to stay indoors.
"Brother Qin, you went into the mountains... and hunted a Blade Horned Deer all by yourself?" A skinny boy's eyes widened in astonishment.
The children's faces were flushed red from the cold as they gathered around, their eyes widening in fear at the sight of the Donkey-Headed Wolf, which weighed several hundred pounds.
They stared at the two carcasses, unable to resist swallowing their saliva.
"Come to my house later for meat," Qin Ming said with a smile.
He moved like a gust of wind, dragging the two carcasses back to his home.
He had endured the entire journey, yearning to experience the primal life of eating raw meat and drinking blood.
He immediately started boiling water and called Lu Ze and Liang Wanqing to help.
"Xiao Qin, are you injured?" Liang Wanqing, ever observant, noticed the bloodstains on his shoulder.
"Just a scratch, nothing to worry about," Qin Ming said, shaking his head.
Lu Ze examined the wound, saw it was shallow and already crusted over, and relaxed.
Soon, the small courtyard was filled with the rich aroma of roasting meat.
A large pot of meat simmered over the fire, while a deer leg dripped with fat as it roasted over the flames.
Qin Ming's stomach rumbled in anticipation.
He couldn't wait any longer.
He sliced off a thin piece of the deer leg with his knife, ignoring the heat, and popped it directly into his mouth.
"It's done! And it tastes amazing! Wen Rui, did your uncle fulfill your wish today?"
Wen Rui took a bite, his eyes curving into crescent moons of pure bliss. He nodded enthusiastically, like a chick pecking at grain.
"So fragrant! I've forgotten how long it's been since I last ate meat. Uncle, you're the best!"
Qin Ming gestured for Lu Ze and Liang Wanqing to eat first, promising to clean up the remaining meat later.
Two-year-old Wen Hui couldn't chew the roasted deer leg, so he had to settle for mashed meat paste.
He pouted in frustration, his eyes fixed longingly on the roasting meat, making everyone laugh.
Qin Ming was in a critical period of recovery, and his body had repeatedly sent strong signals of intense craving for meat.
Now, he devoured the food ravenously, finally satisfying his hunger.
At that moment, several children peeked through the courtyard gate.
Their faces were smudged with dirt, and the aroma of meat wafting from the courtyard made their eyes sparkle with longing, but they hesitated to enter.
Qin Ming immediately waved them in.
"Didn't I call out to you at the village entrance? Come on in, let's eat together."
"Thank you, Brother Qin."
"Uncle, you're so kind..."
The children responded with a mix of greetings and shyly entered the courtyard.
Soon, they were stuffing their cheeks like little hamsters, mumbling incoherently about how delicious the food was.
"Slow down, there's plenty for everyone,"
Liang Wanqing said, worried they might choke.
She ladled some meat broth into their bowls.
Qin Ming felt his flesh and blood rejoice, as if a long-parched land had been blessed with life-giving rain.
Countless new buds burst from the soil, and all things were reborn, brimming with boundless vitality.
He could clearly feel his tendons growing, his joints occasionally cracking, and his senses sharpening.
His spirit surged with unprecedented vigor.
After being Awakened, his body was truly being reborn!
Lu Ze and Liang Wanqing had already set down their bowls and chopsticks, but Qin Ming continued to devour the meat ravenously.
His appetite seemed bottomless, and his eating style was somewhat alarming.
Sweat poured from his body, creating a thick mist that swirled around him.
"His body is regenerating, undergoing drastic changes!" Lu Ze was astonished.
He hadn't expected Qin Ming's awakened transformation, which had begun yesterday, to continue until now, and even accelerate.
What level was he approaching?
The children, their bellies round and bulging, wore expressions of utter contentment.
Qin Ming noticed their restraint and smiled.
"Have you all eaten enough? Then go play."
News of his successful hunt of a Blade Horned Deer and a Donkey-Headed Wolf soon spread through the village.
The villagers were astonished.
At this stage, the wilderness was incredibly dangerous, and many people dared not venture into the mountains. Yet Qin Ming had achieved such a feat.
Especially the Mutated Donkey-Headed Wolf, whose fearsome reputation was well-known.
Ordinary people rarely survived encounters with it.
Qin Ming was only sixteen years old.
How could he possibly have defeated such a massive beast, weighing hundreds of pounds?
"Could he have been Awakened during his golden years?"
Suddenly, Qin Ming's courtyard was swarming with people eager to learn about the mountain's conditions.
If it was safe, they planned to go hunting themselves.
"Mom, I'm hungry," a little girl in patched clothes whispered.
In this winter of scarcity, the aroma of roasting meat in the courtyard was especially rich, drawing the hungry gazes of children hiding behind their parents.
Qin Ming knew the pangs of hunger all too well.
Seeing their frozen, crimson faces and pitiful expressions, he quickly waved them over.
"Come, all of you, eat with us."
The children hesitated, first looking at their parents, their simple and reserved natures prevailing.
Qin Ming continued, "Uncles, Aunts, I won't ask you to join us here. Instead, I'll give each family five catties of meat to take home later."
"Xiao Qin, that's too much..."
"It's settled," Qin Ming said.
With only a few dozen households in the village, there was more than enough to share.
"Xiao Qin is such a good man. We should all keep an eye out and find him a beautiful wife. He's about the right age."
"No need to rush," Qin Ming quickly waved his hand.
The courtyard filled with laughter, and the children were the happiest of all.
They gathered around the fire, their faces glistening with oil as they devoured the meat.
...
"Xiao Qin, tell me the truth, have you been Awakened?" Yang Yongqing arrived.
He had seen Qin Ming earlier that evening, just before dusk.
To have killed a Mutated Donkey-Headed Wolf so soon after their parting had truly startled him.
Qin Ming smiled and nodded.
"Didn't Uncle Yang say a noble lady was coming down? You told me to work hard to improve myself and make a good impression."
"Also, I faced danger in the mountains. The shock triggered something in me. My body kept getting hotter and hotter, and suddenly, I was awakened."
"You rascal, you're not being honest enough," Yang Yongqing chuckled, pointing at him.
Everyone present knew the truth: it was all due to Qin Ming's extraordinary physical constitution and deep accumulation of energy.
"Awakening in the golden years! This is the first time in decades for our Twin Tree Village!" Old Liu, who lived at the village entrance, exclaimed.
Everyone understood the significance.
Such a feat was dazzling even across this entire region, promising boundless potential for the future.
In this frigid weather, where exhaled breath crystallized into frost, Qin Ming's body felt like a furnace, growing hotter by the moment.
He was drenched in sweat, his skin slick and glistening, quickly becoming enveloped in a thick white mist.
"Such intense vitality! Far more potent than my own awakening back then," Yang Yongqing's beard trembled with shock.
He knew Qin Ming's entire being, from head to toe, inside and out, was undergoing rapid awakening.
First, like autumn and winter, shedding withered leaves.
Then, like spring and summer, sprouting new branches and buds.
Qin Ming's skin felt sticky, as if he were shedding yellow leaves and expelling old impurities.
Yet within, a vibrant vitality surged.
His blood glowed, and he felt as if he were returning to his mother's womb, nurturing a vigorous new life force that would reopen the limits of his body.
Drowsiness washed over Qin Ming.
After eating and drinking his fill, he felt as if he were about to enter a special kind of "hibernation," his eyelids growing heavy.
He asked Lu Ze to distribute the meat to each family while he followed his body's instincts and prepared to sleep deeply in his room.
"Granny Zhou is being buried today. Could you go on my behalf and deliver extra meat to the Zhou Family?" Qin Ming forced himself to stay awake, washing his body with icy water before collapsing onto the heated bed.
The others watched in astonishment, though they didn't fully grasp the significance of what they were witnessing.
Yang Yongqing, having seen the world, noticed Qin Ming was enveloped in a white, ethereal mist.
More astonishingly, his powerful heartbeat sounded like a drumbeat, sending a shock through Yang Yongqing's heart!
Most importantly, Qin Ming's "Awakening" was still underway, far from complete.
Could it be that after this awakening, Qin Ming might have a slim chance of approaching the renowned young prodigies of the distant, luminous city?
Yang Yongqing quickly shook his head.
No matter how excellent Qin Ming's natural talent, how could it compare to the accumulated advantages of three generations?
Moreover, those prodigies were already exceptional in their own right.
As for the male and female Awakened Individuals who had recently stunned the city, surpassing the golden age for awakening, Yang Yongqing dismissed them as incomparable.
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END OF CHAPTER
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