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Novel: [Night Without Borders]
Chapter 63: [Chance Encounter]
Author: [Chen Dong]
Translator: [Shadow Knight AK]
Editor: [Shadow Knight AK]
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Under the cloak of night, a massive crimson exotic bird descended in a swirling vortex of gale-force winds, sending snow billowing across the ground.
"Thank you for the ride, Senior Red Roc!" Cui Hong leaped to the ground and bowed respectfully to the glowing red avian giant, treating it with the reverence due to an elder.
The young man in luxurious brocade robes, Cui Chongyi, also bowed, watching the Red Roc soar into the distance.
"Uncle Hong, is this where Chonghe is staying? It's so desolate! That small town ahead has a low-grade Fire Spring—it can't possibly produce any spiritual treasures. Why didn't they have arranged a better place for him?"
"Young Master, please don't call me 'Uncle Hong.' I don't deserve such familiarity," Cui Hong quickly interjected.
Though he appeared to be in his thirties, his arms were unusually long, a result of practicing the Heaven-Piercing Technique.
His face was sharply chiseled, his eyes piercingly sharp.
After scanning the surroundings warily, he sighed, "I was merely following orders."
Cui Chongyi nodded, realizing it was best not to press the matter further.
He was not yet twenty, with a beauty mark beneath his left eye, but he didn't seem particularly sentimental.
Rather, he was quite talkative, saying, "Uncle Hong, when you're traveling, you can't be too fussy. I need to gain some experience out in the world, and I'll be relying on you to look after me from now on. Let's not stand on ceremony."
Cui Hong didn't press the matter and led him toward Yinteng (Silver Vine) Town.
"Why is this house empty?" Cui Hong's expression darkened as he stood at the town entrance, noticing the empty, moderately sized residence.
After questioning nearby residents, he finally breathed a sigh of relief.
The family hadn't left Yinteng (Silver Vine) Town; they had simply moved to a larger house in the town center.
The two inquired along the way until they finally found the new residence.
"Suspicious target detected," a Talking Sparrow chirped, flapping its wings and flying away from Yinteng (Silver Vine) Town.
Moments later, Cui Hong's furious roar echoed from the grand mansion in the town center: "I gave you a lot Day Gold back then! Is this how you repay me? Then you won't live to see another day!"
Cui Chongyi shot to his feet, slamming his palm down on the tea table, shattering it. His face was livid.
"It wasn't my fault!" a man in his early forties, his face pale, stammered. "He woke up suddenly, clutched his head, and bolted out of the room, growling like a madman. I didn't dare... approach him. When I went back to look for him later, he was gone."
Cui Hong's eyes blazed like golden lanterns, radiating an almost tangible light.
With a swift, powerful motion, he seized the man by the collar and hauled him to his feet.
The middle-aged man's face drained of color as he frantically explained, "He should be fine! I... I saw him on the street a few days ago. He looked quite energetic."
"Hmm?" This unexpected news surprised both Cui Hong and Cui Chongyi.
Their hearts had sunk with dread, fearing the worst, but now a glimmer of hope emerged.
The man hurried on, "I saw him with my own eyes visiting the Wu Clan with Old Liu. He looked radiant—his illness must be completely cured."
"What's the Wu Clan's background?" Cui Chongyi asked.
"Their ancestors were legendary, renowned as masters of both spear and arrow. They once dominated this entire region, unchallenged by any foe. But their glory has faded. I suspect the young man might be seeking to learn the Awakening Techniques from them."
Cui Hong released him, his expression shifting rapidly.
He muttered to himself, "Did he truly went through awakening in this remote place? I... sigh!"
His brow furrowed deeply. The stern middle-aged man of the Cui Clan had instructed him to ensure Cui Chonghe lived a normal life here.
"Let's find Chonghe first," Cui Chongyi suggested.
Cui Hong went to the Wu Clan to gather information.
Cui Chongyi remained outside, standing on the streets of Yinteng (Silver Vine) Town, eager to experience the local customs and culture of this remote region.
He didn't wander far, staying within a hundred meters of the Wu Clan's gate, inquiring about the prices of local specialties at nearby shops.
"Are the birds in this remote place so bold? It nearly collided with me," Cui Chongyi said, quickly turning his head as a small black bird brushed past his head.
Nearby, perched high in a towering locust tree, a white owl narrowed its eyes, gazing down and muttering to itself, "Not only does he speak with the accent of the great clans' cities, but his reaction suggests his strength might match his lineage. Forgive me, young man, but if I've made a mistake, it's not my fault. I'll use you to help quell the fire first, to prove I'm doing my utmost."
...
Outside Twin Tree Village, Old Liu felt no particular reluctance.
Having lived so long, he had seen it all.
He was simply there to see Qin Ming off.
"If you can't make it out there, come back early and spend your retirement with me," Old Liu said.
"You really know how to ruin the mood, old man," Qin Ming retorted, glancing back at Twin Tree Village.
Under the night sky, the Black and White Twin Trees stood out strikingly against the glow of the Fire Spring.
"Don't underestimate Black White Mountain," Old Liu warned. "It used to be a forbidden zone that suffocated all who dared to approach. Sooner or later, this place will stir up trouble again!"
Qin Ming gazed at the mountain, a pang of reluctance tugging at his heart.
After all, he had lived here for two years.
"I'm leaving now. Any words of wisdom for me?"
"This world is ultimately filled with more good people than bad," Old Liu replied, "but you can never let your guard down. I think you're mature enough not to need my reminders. Just be careful of the people in the city. I'll mention two types you'll often encounter outside the city that you should watch out for."
Qin Ming had only asked casually, but he hadn't expected Old Liu to actually offer advice.
"First, never underestimate an elderly traveling merchant, regardless of their apparent strength. Anyone who dares to roam the Eternal Night-shrouded lands for decades must possess extraordinary skills."
"Some of these merchants may conceal their true identities—you don't know if they are truly trading, or they are searching for something else entirely?"
Qin Ming nodded solemnly, acknowledging the lesson.
Today, he was setting out with a traveling merchant caravan on a long journey.
"Every region has its mountain patrols. Anyone who has survived past a hundred years and still frequently ventures into the dark mountains should not be provoked lightly. You never know what they truly are."
Qin Ming nodded gravely and bid farewell to Old Liu.
"The traveling merchant you helped me choose is leading a caravan departing from Emei Town. Should I pass by there, would you want me to go into the mountains and wipe out that monkey nest for you? To avenge the humiliation you suffered in your youth?" He was deliberately bringing up a sore subject.
"Just get going already!"
"Hahaha..." Qin Ming laughed heartily as he strode away, disappearing into the vast, snowy wilderness.
...
In Emei Town, Qin Ming joined the Traveling Merchant's caravan and was surprised to find a familiar face.
This young man had served tea to him and Old Liu when they visited the Wu Clan to read the Secret Manual.
"You're... Qin Ming?" Wu Zheng exclaimed in surprise, then beamed with delight, seeing it as good fortune to travel with someone he knew.
"Are you heading to Chi Xia City too?" Qin Ming asked.
The seventeen-year-old Wu Zheng nodded.
"Yes, I want to see the world. Every member of the Wu Clan who's achieved anything has visited Chi Xia City to broaden their horizons."
Qin Ming wanted to tell him that Old Wu had been there too, where the dazzling distractions had led him to squander two Day Gold coins in a single night, ultimately bankrupting the Wu Clan.
"Remember to stay true to yourself and know why you're going there," Qin Ming advised.
"I'm going to become the next generation's master of both spear and arrow!" The seventeen-year-old Wu Zheng, a newly awakened, burned with ambition and yearned to prove himself in distant lands.
The caravan leader, Traveling Merchant Xu Sheng, was in his early thirties—not the seasoned veteran Old Liu had mentioned, which reassured Qin Ming somewhat.
This Traveling Merchant named Xu Sheng had a good reputation locally, frequently traveling between Chi Xia City and this remote region.
In addition to trading goods, he also led paid expeditions, guiding people back and forth between the two areas.
"Listen up, everyone," Xu Sheng said gravely on the second day of their journey, as they approached the desert. "There's a vast desert ahead, stretching across the land. It's absolutely dark—not a single ray of light penetrates it. Anyone who gets lost in there is doomed, never to escape. No one is allowed to wander off. Stay close to me and follow the path along the mountain's base. Remember, do not speak carelessly at the desert's edge, or you'll invite disaster!"
The desert was devoid of Fire Springs, its atmosphere heavy with deathly stillness.
Even the most skilled expert who ventured into its depths faced near-certain death, unable to see anything and quickly becoming hopelessly lost.
At that moment, they were traversing a flat plain, the world reduced to the darkness of night and the whiteness of snow.
As they neared the desert, vegetation became increasingly scarce.
It was still early evening, yet this stretch of plains already felt like the dead of night, as if a vast abyss lay ahead, devouring everything in its path.
"What's in this desert? Can't we even speak freely?"
Xu Sheng replied, "Even High-Grade Exotic Birds wouldn't dare cross the Desert—they'd die. Don't you understand its danger level? Besides, any Awakener who disrespects the Desert is doomed to disaster. This isn't a joke; it's true for deserts everywhere."
"But what's really going on?" someone persisted, refusing to give up.
"You still want to dig into this? There are dozens of explanations. I could tell you any one and you'd lose your nerve. According to some Esoteric Sects, the Desert is connected to sacred rituals of certain deities. Anyone who dares to act recklessly nearby will face divine retribution."
The group fell silent. If "retribution" meant death, what would "severe punishment" entail?
"Didn't they say deities are just powerful creatures?"
"To you, they are gods. Shut up now, or get out of the group!"
...
At this moment, Cui Hong was sitting in the mountain forest, facing a pristine white old elephant and listening to its incessant rambling.
Yesterday, Cui Chongyi had been snatched away by a massive bird, driving Cui Hong into a frenzy.
After a relentless pursuit deep into the mountains, he finally found a clue: he learned that a formidable Purple Lightning Beast had taken him, suspecting him of something, but Cui Chongyi's life wasn't in immediate danger.
Cui Hong tracked the beast to this location, only to encounter the unfathomable Old Elephant.
The creature sat cross-legged in the forest, radiating the aura of an enlightened sage, its most striking feature being its four snow-white tusks.
Cui Hong's head swam with confusion, utterly stunned by the sight.
It wasn't until the Old Elephant, in a moment of carelessness, accidentally knocked off one of its massive tusks that Cui Hong realized two of them were fake, temporarily attached.
Enraged by this deception and the wasted time, Cui Hong had genuinely believed he had encountered a descendant of the legendary Six-Tusked White Elephant.
"Boom!"
A fierce battle erupted in the mountain forest.
...
On the third day of their journey, Qin Ming witnessed the true darkness of the desert.
Ordinary Awakeners would indeed become instantly lost there, where visibility was zero.
Even with his keen hearing, sharp vision, and extraordinary senses, the sight sent chills down his spine.
Fortunately, they were traveling along the base of the towering mountains bordering the desert. With the mountain range as a reference point, they could navigate smoothly as long as they stayed on course.
As for traversing the mountains themselves, that was far too dangerous.
The terrain was riddled with the territories of various mutated creatures, and the mountains were so colossal that passage was nearly impossible.
"Boom!"
A deafening roar erupted ahead.
From the mountainside, massive boulders came crashing down, nearly crushing the vanguard of the group.
"Retreat!" Traveling Merchant Xu Sheng shouted.
Then, they saw it: a luminous, snow-white Old Elephant standing upright, locked in fierce combat with a human.
The elephant swung its trunk, unleashing blinding blades of light with each strike.
In addition to the two ivory tusks protruding from its mouth, the creature's forelimbs were as agile as human arms.
Clinging to the two jade-white tusks, it wielded them like twin swords, slashing relentlessly at its opponent.
Qin Ming's pupils constricted.
Even in the dim light of this subterranean realm, he could clearly discern the figure battling the Old Elephant.
The glowing white elephant illuminated the man's features with stark clarity.
"A man with unusually long arms, in his early thirties, with sharply defined features like they'd been carved with a knife—he looks remarkably like one of the two people I've been gradually remembering!"
Qin Ming was astonished to encounter one of the two people who had saved him years ago in such an unexpected place.
Cui Hong, a master of exceptional sensitivity, sensed the prolonged gaze upon him.
Turning toward the caravan, his heart leaped—he had unexpectedly found the person he had been searching for.
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END OF CHAPTER
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