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Novel: [Night Without Borders]
Chapter 6: [The Golden Age of Awakening]
Author: [Chen Dong]
Translator: [Shadow Knight AK]
Editor: [Shadow Knight AK]
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Qin Ming's heart stirred.
Could the "Technique" he had been told he would never master now be perfected and fully integrated?
He had returned from the wilderness feeling as if a fire burned within him, making even the depths of winter feel warm.
The surge of strength throughout his body was no illusion.
With a flick of his toes, he lifted the stone roller in the courtyard off the ground.
He leaped into the air, experiencing a strong sense of weightlessness, and snatched a handful of snow from the eaves.
When he exhaled, a stream of white Qi shot out like a long spear wreathed in mist, accompanied by a sharp crackling sound.
Qin Ming's abdominal breathing grew more intense with each movement. His ethereal form danced through the courtyard, stirring the snow into a swirling vortex that sent flurries of goose-down flakes raining down once more.
With a single movement, every part of his body followed. He swung his arm horizontally, shattering the swirling snowflakes before him.
The vitality of his flesh and blood had surged dramatically. His body burned with heat, and silver patterns intertwined within his pores, releasing streams of sweat as if purifying his form.
Qin Ming felt a profound sense of ease, his entire being enveloped in a faint Silver Light.
Such a phenomenon was rare even during the "Awakening" process.
He trained for a long time, expending a great amount of energy.
Only when he truly felt exhausted did he finally stop.
Qin Ming felt himself changing, a process he believed was nearing completion.
He was confident his wish would be fulfilled soon.
He didn't return to his room.
Instead, he sat quietly in the courtyard, letting the swirling snowflakes drift onto him.
He remained unfazed by the biting cold, his body radiating warmth.
This was completely different from before.
When he had first recovered from his illness, he had shivered even wrapped in thick cotton blankets on a heated bed.
Qin Ming closed his eyes and visualized himself, repeating the complex movements he had performed earlier to train his Mental Power.
The Silver Ripples that had just faded reappeared, his breathing now guided by his thoughts, constantly adjusting and becoming increasingly complex, defying any discernible pattern.
Thoughts originate in the Spirit, Qi is moved by intention, and the flowing light on his skin brightened slightly as a result.
The courtyard fell silent, Qin Ming covered in snowflakes.
After a long time, he emptied his mind, letting go of all thoughts and distractions.
Only when the Silver Light completely vanished did he slowly open his eyes, sensing the changes within him.
He was certain a vibrant new life force was brewing within his body.
Qin Ming effortlessly lifted the two-hundred-pound millstone from the courtyard, then gently set it back down.
"Awakening will likely be complete within two days," he thought, a sense of certainty filling him.
At this moment, Qin Ming felt hunger, as expected, and it was intense.
He cooked a pot of mushroom soup and treated walnuts, almonds, and chestnuts as the main course, with red dates and hawthorns as side dishes.
He ate with great satisfaction.
After sufficient rest, a new round of training began.
He wanted to accelerate the process of his "Awakening."
Qin Ming moved like a released bowstring, his strikes as explosive as thunder, stirring up snowflakes throughout the courtyard. The vitality in his flesh and blood grew stronger with each movement.
He rested when tired, feasted on dried fruits when hungry, and resumed training after regaining his energy.
From Shallow Night until deep into the night, a vibrant life force surged through him.
Before bed, he washed with ice-cold water, but felt no chill.
His slender, muscular body, devoid of any excess fat, was taut and streamlined. His wet black hair, still beaded with water droplets, gleamed under the fiery glow of the sunstone, radiating a powerful aura.
That night, he slept soundly, having no dreams, sinking into the deepest level of sleep.
Because he was accelerating his awakening, his body was constantly infused with fresh vitality.
The next day, Qin Ming's appetite had increased dramatically.
He was now eating seven meals a day.
The main reason was the immense energy expenditure required for his Innate Ability Transformation.
Even the most delicious food becomes tiresome after eating it for many meals in a row.
Moreover, it was all dried goods, and he needed hot water to eat it with.
"Too bad there aren't many mushrooms left. I can't even make a fresh soup," Qin Ming lamented.
What truly troubled him was the dwindling food supply.
At this rate, it would only last another day.
"Am I a bottomless pit? Half a sack of dried goods only lasted three days," Qin Ming muttered to himself.
The Technique that aided his swakening couldn't stop. When still, he was like a towering mountain; when moving, he was like an eagle soaring through the sky.
The Silver Light emanating from his pores grew increasingly intense.
He could genuinely feel his physical strength improving, not suddenly, but gradually.
Qin Ming walked to the side of the courtyard and attempted to lift the two millstones, one above the other.
With a sudden burst of force, he managed to lift them off the ground.
Lu Ze happened to push open the courtyard gate at that moment, his eyes widening in astonishment.
"Xiao Qin, what... what is this?" he stammered, his expression a mixture of surprise and disbelief.
Just yesterday, he had felt sorry for Qin Ming, believing he would miss the Golden Age of Awakening.
Today, he witnessed this incredible feat.
Hearing the commotion, Liang Wanqing, who lived in the courtyard next door, also came over.
When she learned what had happened, she was left speechless.
"Just like Er Bingzi from the neighboring village, Qin Ming can lift over four hundred jin of weight right after his Awakening," Lu Ze said, genuinely happy for him.
"Awakening during the Golden Age - Xiao Qin has truly done it," Liang Wanqing said. "In all these years, he's the first in Twin Tree Village to achieve this."
"Uncle, you're amazing!" Wen Rui ran over, his big eyes sparkling as he looked up at Qin Ming, his face filled with admiration.
"I feel like the changes from my Awakening are still ongoing," Qin Ming said.
He realized that the process would take longer than he had initially anticipated and was far from complete.
Liang Wanqing's expression turned shocked. "Even those who Awaken during the Golden Age in our region usually reach their limit at five hundred jin after stabilizing. Xiao Qin, you're not about to break through, are you?"
"They say there's a young man in that bright city far away who can lift six hundred jin," Lu Ze said, eager to see how high Qin Ming's Awakening would take him.
Suddenly, a commotion erupted in the street.
Liang Wanqing went out to investigate and quickly returned.
"Granny Zhou from the Zhou Family is not doing well," she reported.
Qin Ming had seen her on the road just yesterday. Recalling her frail frame and pale complexion, he realized her condition had indeed been alarming.
"What happened?" Lu Ze asked.
Liang Wanqing sighed. "They say she's been eating too little lately. Coupled with her already poor health, it all caught up with her."
Qin Ming and Lu Ze went out to the street to learn more.
Granny Zhou's son had been away recently and returned not with food but with a serious injury - a broken bone in his right arm.
This winter, food was scarce for everyone.
With the family's breadwinner incapacitated, Granny Zhou had been deeply worried.
Every day, she secretly set aside her own portion of food, taking only a small amount to stave off hunger.
When Qin Ming and Lu Ze arrived at the Zhou Family's courtyard, a crowd had already gathered.
Inside the house, they found Granny Zhou lying motionless, her face waxen and still.
Her two grandchildren were kneeling nearby, tears streaming down their faces as they cried out for their grandmother.
Before passing, Granny Zhou had told them where to find the food she'd hidden - Sweet Potatoes and stale buns tucked away in a bamboo basket beneath the snow.
Even the nuts Qin Ming had given her, she hadn't eaten a single one.
It was only today that Zhou Changyu's family learned the truth: Granny Zhou had been scrimping and saving, carefully setting aside her own rations.
She feared her critically wounded son, Zhou Changyu, might never return with food again, and she worried her grandson and granddaughter would starve.
So she chose to eat less, or not at all, herself.
When Zhou Changyu learned the truth, his heart shattered.
The nearly thirty-year-old man wept openly, furiously slapping his own face, calling himself useless, unfilial, and blind for not having discovered this sooner.
His wife knelt beside him, her wails of grief echoing through the courtyard.
Many in the crowd sighed, for in these times of disaster, the entire region was suffering from a severe shortage of food and clothing.
Life was incredibly difficult.
Qin Ming felt a lump form in his throat.
Just two days ago, when he'd seen Granny Zhou looking pale and frail, she had tremblingly pulled out a few pieces of dried Sweet Potato and tried to press them into his hand.
Now it was clear: those were the rations she had been secretly saving each day.
What a kind woman, gone too soon.
Qin Ming stood in silence for a long time.
After Shallow Night ended, the crowd gradually dispersed.
Qin Ming returned, carrying a cloth bag filled with five pounds of nuts.
He handed it to Zhou Changyu, offering his condolences.
"Brother Qin!" Zhou Changyu's eyes were red as he tried to refuse.
He knew how difficult it was to find food in the wild these days.
Qin Ming pressed the bag into his hands and turned to leave.
It was already late, yet the Zhou Family's cries still echoed through the night.
Qin Ming sat in the pitch-black courtyard.
While others had family to mourn for, he was haunted by the fading faces in his memory.
He feared the day he would forget them completely, losing every trace of their existence.
On this frigid winter night, he gazed at the starless sky, lost in thought for a long time.
An indescribable loneliness washed over him.
In his mind, a hazy glow flickered - dim figures he longed to see clearly. Yet he could never grasp those faded childhood memories, no matter how hard he tried.
Suddenly, a chilling aura swept over him, oppressive and suffocating. Qin Ming's body tensed instantly.
In the inky darkness, two golden lanterns materialized - mysterious and terrifying!
The tranquil winter night erupted into a furious storm. Snow swirled violently, and the roof of the house trembled as if about to be torn off.
Across the abyss-like sky, the golden lanterns soared, accompanied by a gale that carried an overwhelming sense of dread, making it hard to breathe.
Qin Ming's pupils contracted.
He guessed it was a high-level Spirit, impossibly massive, its wings blotting out the sky like a dark cloud as it passed over Twin Tree Village.
Its golden lantern eyes watched as it soared away, the sudden storm that had erupted around it rapidly weakening and then dissipating.
A commotion broke out in the village as many people emerged from their homes, murmuring among themselves.
The older villagers, who had witnessed similar events before, wore solemn expressions but reassured the younger generation not to panic.
They explained that it was likely a higher-level Spirit passing through, merely passing by on its journey.
Qin Ming returned from the street and sat in his courtyard for a long time, gazing at the boundless night sky.
The darkness enveloped the world, obscuring the path to the distant horizon and making the world seem even more mysterious.
A surge of emotion welled up within him, a deep longing to venture out and explore the vast expanse of the land.
Finally, he rose resolutely and began practicing the series of specific movements he remembered most clearly from his childhood.
Even with a burning desire, strength was essential.
Gradually, a surge of vibrant, nascent energy coursed through his body, and a faint mist of light shimmered across his skin.
After a long while, he felt an unprecedented hunger.
The transformation within him hadn't stopped; it seemed to be intensifying.
Qin Ming ate a large amount of dried goods with hot water, yet still felt unsatisfied.
When images of the Mutant Squirrel and Yang Yongqing's Black Goat at the village entrance flashed through his mind, he couldn't help but swallow hard.
He desperately craved meat.
Even the mere thought of it conjured the rich aroma, and he realized his body was sending a clear signal: it needed nourishment.
Only after Qin Ming had devoured a lot of nuts did the unusual craving gradually subside.
"Looks like I'll have to return to the mountains once Shallow Night arrives," he muttered.
He needed to satisfy his body's demands to ensure the Awakening's transformation proceeded without any issues.
In truth, after giving the Zhou Family five catties of dried goods, his remaining food were already running low.
He slept soundly through the night and woke early the next morning.
Though his stomach rumbled with hunger, his spirit was exceptionally vibrant.
He sensed that his body, having undergone continuous awakening transformation, could now withstand a weight of over five hundred catties.
"Most importantly, the Awakening transformation is still ongoing." This thought filled him with anticipation: what level would he ultimately reach?
He began to stretch.
First, Qin Ming arched his back, then violently leaned backward, his entire spine forming an exaggerated crescent moon curve.
Each vertebra cracked loudly as his flesh trembled violently.
Starting from his tailbone, Yang Qi surged upward along his Spine, reaching his head.
Qin Ming's entire body tingled as if electrified. His pores opened wide, and a warm glow enveloped him, completely saturated by Yang Qi.
Simultaneously, a layer of silver light shimmered on his skin, clearer and more distinct than before.
There's no doubt this significantly accelerated the process of awakening!
Before Shallow Night had fully arrived, Qin Ming was already outside the village.
The various dried fruits could no longer satisfy his appetite, which seemed insatiable.
The thought of Rock Sheep, Night Deer, and Black-feathered Pheasants roasting over a bonfire, their fat sizzling and dripping onto the charcoal, made his mouth water uncontrollably.
His feet moved like the wind, and he yearned to rush into the dense forest immediately.
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END OF CHAPTER
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