Subscribe to the MTL WORLD (@mtlworld1) YouTube Channel.
***********************************
Novel: [Night Without Borders]
Chapter 25: [Second Awakening]
Author: [Chen Dong]
Translator: [Shadow Knight AK]
Editor: [Shadow Knight AK]
***********************************
Deep into the night, the world was shrouded in darkness, everything losing its color, leaving only the vague outlines of the village.
Qin Ming was busy processing the Blood Snake.
The skin of this spiritual creature was incredibly tough to peel. Its scales were harder than refined iron, clanging loudly against the wood-chopping knife with each strike.
If he wasn't careful, the crimson scales could easily slice through his fingers, each one crafted like a piece of refined gold. If made into armor, its defensive capabilities would be astonishing.
Qin Ming tossed the wood-chopping knife aside, deciding to switch to a sharper weapon.
Two days ago, Mu Qing had given him not only the Black Gold Hammer but also a short sword.
He tested it.
While not as sharp as the sword wielded by the man with the ashen face, the short sword, when gripped tightly and used with force, was just barely enough to peel the snake's skin.
Qin Ming focused intently.
After using the short sword to cut through the skin at one end of the massive snake, he pulled downward with all his might.
This method proved far easier than direct cutting.
Several sunstones emitted a soft, gentle glow, bathing the Blood Snake in a crimson, jade-like radiance.
As the crimson snake skin was gradually peeled away, the flesh beneath was revealed — snow-white and delicate.
The snake's gall bladder, unlike the dull, murky color of ordinary snakes, was a brilliant, translucent blue, like a precious gemstone.
Qin Ming had already sensed that both the snake meat and the snake gall contained a rich and vibrant Spiritual essence, even faintly glowing — undoubtedly a top-grade nourishing resources.
"No wonder the people from Chi Xia City immediately cast aside their pretense and resorted to murder and robbery upon seeing it."
He used his short sword to cut the snake meat into segments, carefully washing each piece before immediately starting a pot of water to boil.
If he could achieve Second Awakening sooner, he wouldn't wait overnight.
In this chaotic environment, Qin Ming felt a sense of crisis.
All sorts of demons and spirits had emerged, and the great clans and organizations of Chi Xia City were making their presence known.
He had no idea what else might happen in the Great Mountain next.
These factions were all searching for "Nodes" within the mountain — special areas marked by unusual phenomena.
The Four-Radiance Mist-Haze Land, in particular, was their ultimate desire, and they were offering extremely rare Advanced Scriptures as rewards for clues.
Since the mountain's magnetic field had become disrupted, the Fire Spring had extinguished and then re-emerged, leading to all sorts of strange occurrences.
"There's also a group of High-Level figures migrating here from afar, bringing their families and seizing resources in the mountain," Qin Ming mused. "Could this migration be just a cover? Are these new top-tier beings also searching for something?"
The snake meat was already simmering in the pot.
As time passed, a rich aroma began to waft out, snapping Qin Ming out of his reverie and instantly whetting his appetite.
It was late at night, and a fierce blizzard raged outside.
Inside, the fragrant snake meat stew filled the room, and Qin Ming found himself ravenously hungry.
He patiently waited for the meat to cook through completely.
"It's incredibly fragrant and incredibly fresh," he exclaimed, his eyes lighting up after the first bite.
This spiritual creature was far more delicious than ordinary snakes — it was like two completely different species.
He had once been somewhat repulsed by snakes, but now he didn't care at all.
In his eyes, this was "dragon meat" from the earth.
After just a few mouthfuls, Qin Ming felt a warmth rising within him.
The effects were immediate; the Spiritual substance was already taking effect.
"Snake gall can be steamed or soaked in strong, spicy aged wine," he mused. "Alas, I have no wine at home, so I have no choice."
As he ate the snake meat, he placed the azure-glowing snake gall in the steamer. It contained a mysterious essence of Spiritual energy, and he needed to keep a close eye on it.
Moments later, the snake gall, now resembling a large blue diamond, was fully cooked.
Qin Ming abandoned the snake meat and began to savor his true "main course."
"My... Mountain God, heavens! I feel so bitter!" Qin Ming took just one bite and his tongue went numb with bitterness.
He looked at his reflection in the mirror and saw his mouth had turned a faint blue.
He knew snake gall was bitter and had prepared himself, but the concentrated essence of the Blood Snake's gall was far more intense than he'd anticipated.
In that instant, even the snake meat, which had smelled so delicious, seemed unappetizing.
He was overwhelmed by the bitterness.
He quickly took a sip of the fragrant snake soup, hoping to wash the bitterness down, but it had little effect.
The lingering bitterness still permeated his mouth.
This stuff, purely based on taste, wouldn't even be fit for a dog. It was so bitter that even an Awakener with a Golden Foundation couldn't bear it.
Qin Ming hadn't swallowed the gall whole. It was quite large, and he figured chewing it thoroughly would release its spiritual essence more effectively, accelerating his Second Awakening.
The good mood he'd enjoyed all evening was nearly ruined by the bitterness.
Seeing the remaining half of the gall, he gritted his teeth.
Since he'd already come this far, he might as well chew it slowly and savor it.
After finishing the entire snake gall, Qin Ming examined himself in the mirror. His lips now appeared painted a vibrant blue, giving him an indescribably strange and alluring aura.
"Thank goodness I ate this in the middle of the night. If it were earlier, I wouldn't be able to face anyone!"
The snake gall's effects were indeed incredibly potent.
Not long after swallowing it, Qin Ming's entire body began to burn with fever.
Qin Ming remained calm, continuing to eat the snake meat.
He wasn't just trying to mask the bitterness; he was also adding another layer of spiritual fire to his body.
By the end, his body was radiating heat like a roaring furnace, pushing back the bitter cold of winter.
He was practically glowing.
"Nutritional supplements and medicinal cuisine — the effects are kicking in!" Qin Ming rose, grabbed his Black Gold Hammer, and went into the courtyard to practice the killing moves from the Sword Manual.
Snow on the ground shot into the night sky as a white mist swirled around him. A faint light flowed over his skin, and vitality surged through his flesh and blood. Each swing of the hammer brought forth thunderous gusts of wind.
Qin Ming's Qi and Spirit steadily soared.
He knew his Second Awakening had begun — a process, not an instant transformation.
Yet he could clearly feel the changes. His strength was increasing, his tendons felt stretched, his senses sharpened, and his vision grew stronger.
"Each Awakening is so intoxicating," Qin Ming mused, feeling his strength surge.
His entire body felt purified and cleansed, his bones vibrating with a thunderous roar.
Beneath the night sky, he glowed like a furnace, his form visibly radiating light.
A secret flame seemed to burn within his flesh, purging the old and turbid, fostering awakening, refining his Qi and Spirit, and accelerating the vibrant changes within him.
Qin Ming swung his long-handled Black Gold Hammer in the courtyard, relentlessly exhausting himself until his hair was drenched and sweat poured from his body.
Only then did he retreat to his room.
He sat quietly inside, silently observing the transformations within.
He pondered whether his body would grow again after his Second Awakening.
According to Old Liu, the choice of Intent Qi Cultivation Techniques and Meditation Technique would drastically affect the physical changes.
Next, he would test the quality of his "unorthodox technique," to see what kind of changes it would bring about.
Qin Ming had already been half a head taller than the average person before his first Awakening, and he had grown nearly two inches taller afterward.
That evening, he discussed his Awakening with Old Liu and Xu Yueping.
Both men remarked that his height change was minimal, as some Awakeners could grow a full head taller.
Old Liu, a man of vast life experience, had been close to the older generation of Mountain Patrolmen in his youth and had heard countless anecdotes about Awakeners.
"Some Intent Qi Cultivation Techniques cause the body to inflate like a bubble with each Awakening, growing taller and taller. But only a portion of this growth forms a solid Golden Body; the rest is just a Clay Body. That's why many Awakening Techniques require cultivators to suppress further growth after reaching a certain stage," Old Liu explained.
He emphasized that some secret, highly prized Intent Qi Cultivation Techniques could trigger incredibly mysterious Transformations.
For instance, they might cause a third eye to appear — a phenomenon that gave rise to certain sacred legends.
Such rare manuals were beyond the reach of even many powerful clans.
Lost in his memories while drinking, Old Liu recounted the anecdotes the old Mountain Patrolmen had shared with him long ago.
He then described several unique Awakening Techniques, along with the bizarre Transformations and effects they produced.
Finally, he mentioned an Awakening Technique that required practitioners to maintain their body's golden ratio from the very beginning, preventing uncontrolled growth.
As Old Liu drank, he looked at Qin Ming and slurred, "I don't think your height has changed that much."
Qin Ming remained calm.
He only needed to wait two days to know which path his newly practiced Awakening Technique Method leaned toward.
For the first time, he felt how isolated he was here.
He imagined that the Awakeners in Chi Xia City would already know all this, while he had pieced it together from scattered rumors.
Moreover, some people didn't rely on Awakening at all to advance.
There were other paths to follow, but those were too distant for him to even begin to understand.
After sitting quietly for a long time, Qin Ming felt hunger. The changes from his Second Awakening were now very obvious.
He immediately began eating snake soup, replenishing his body with the highly Spiritual food.
Finally, he rinsed his body with cold water and drifted into a deep sleep in the silent night.
Just before falling asleep, he vaguely saw the "Golden Thread Jade Armor" reappear on his skin.
Silver Light enveloped him, interwoven with golden threads, creating a rather mystical appearance.
Qin Ming drifted from light sleep to deep slumber, eventually reaching a state of half-dream, half-wakefulness.
He felt himself sinking into a deep sleep, his body and mind completely relaxed, receiving excellent rest. Yet a part of his consciousness remained active.
In this state between waking and dreaming, he seemed to see a dusty black cloth obscuring his subconscious, blocking his vision and preventing him from seeing what lay behind it.
But during his Second Awakening, the dust gradually blew away, and the black cloth was lifted at one corner.
Through this opening, he saw his younger self, still in a state of innocent confusion.
Though only half-awake, Qin Ming realized that his Second Awakening had brought about a comprehensive physical enhancement, including a strengthening of his spiritual consciousness.
This caused the hazy memories of his childhood to resurface.
In a daze, he heard a voice whispering in his ear: "This technique... though of great origin, it can never be mastered."
Then, through the corner of the black cloth that had been lifted, Qin Ming saw a rough, calloused hand holding a thin ancient book.
It flipped open to the first page before his younger self...
______________________________
END OF CHAPTER
Subscribe to MTL WORLD (@mtlworld1) YouTube Channel
*********************************