Chapter 183: Awaken!
Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
The old woman's dark eyes sparkled as she stood on Lake of Colors Mountain. She looked at Han Mountain Bell, then at the stone pillars everyone was looking at while crying out in surprise.
By the old woman's side, Yan Luan was also in a state of disbelief when the same thought that was going through everyone's head appeared in her mind.
'Could it be… Is he really not dead?! Why else would the stone pillars not sink?!'
The old woman was silent. She stared at the stone pillars and frowned. This matter threw her into a rare state of bafflement.
Due to the dark clouds, moonlight could not fall completely to the ground. While it may not be so dark that people could not even see their own hands if they stretched them out in front of their eyes, but it was still rather dark, and they could only barely see the Chain of Han Mountain swaying in the wind. The stone pillars continued standing tall underneath the pillars without any signs of sinking.
The amount of labored breathing gradually increased in Han Mountain City. All of the watchers, including the people who originally wanted to leave, were all looking at the Chain with full attention.
An indescribable feeling, like the calm before a storm, fell upon on the entire Han Mountain. All of them were waiting for the person who might appear in their sights under the swaying Chain.
Su Ming did not know that there were so many people waiting for him to appear. He did not even know that he slipped off the Chain. Contrary to what the crowd saw, Su Ming was not in a muddled state. His mind was very clear, but what he saw was completely different from what the crowd saw!
What he saw was still the swaying Chain of Han Mountain in the wind. What he saw was still him with one foot on the seventh section of the Chain. He saw Lei Chen's apparition breaking apart before him. That devastated laughter made his heart tremble.
He could not tell whether it was his own illusion or whether it was Lei Chen's illusion. He did not even know whether this was real or fake. Even if he knew that everything might be a product of his own mind, Lei Chen's current appearance and his words made an uncontrollable sharp pain spike through his entire body.
"He buried me with his own hands…" Su Ming mumbled.
He fell silent for a long time, for a very long time. He did not hear the thunder in the sky, did not hear the wind whistling, did not see the lightning.
He looked at the Chain. Suddenly, the Chain was no longer horizontal in his sight, but had turned vertical. The world too, had turned upside down.
He lifted his foot silently and moved forward. Yet when he felt that he had taken ten steps forward, mist instantly gathered before him once again. A shudder ran through his body.
The mist quickly gathered and eventually turned into the figure of a man. This person did not have his right arm. He wore a green robe and was standing there with a baffled expression, as if he did not know why he had appeared there. He had a handsome face, and after a short moment, the bafflement in his eyes was replaced by a piercing glint that was akin to light reflecting off a sword.
Yet this piercing glint turned into a stunned expression when he saw Su Ming, which was quickly followed by a frown. His face became dark.
"Bei Ling…" Su Ming mumbled and stared dumbly at the man who had obviously aged before him. An indescribable feeling rose within his heart.
"Who are you? Why did you lead my consciousness here..? You… Your presence… Have we met before?"
Bei Ling hesitated for a moment. The moment he saw this person, an incredibly familiar feeling rose within him. It felt as if it was something that was carved into his bones, as if it was a feeling that existed from a long time ago.
Su Ming was silent for a time. After a long while, he said softly, "I'm… Su Ming…"
The moment he heard Su Ming's name, Bei Ling trembled. He glared at him, with an expression that spoke of disbelief and that he could not imagine this happening. It was as if these two words left behind an impression that was difficult to erase within him.
Bei Ling was silent. Su Ming did not speak either. He could not tell whether this was real or fake. Bewilderment filled every corner of his body.
Neither knew how much time had passed when Bei Ling suddenly laughed coldly. He cast a deep look at Su Ming and his eyes became cold.
"Since when did the Great Tribe of Miao Man toy with Berserker Illusionary Arts? And you don't even try forming the illusions of those around me, but chose to form Su… Ming's illusion, who had already died… I don't care which Miao Man Ancestor you are, but you shouldn't have created Su Ming's illusion… Su Ming is a member of my tribe. He is the hero of Dark Mountain… You… have no right to turn into him!"
Bei Ling's last words were practically shouted out. Anger and sadness filled his face, as if an old scar that had been sealed off was forcefully ripped open, which caused Bei Ling to lift up his left hand abruptly, and immediately, the apparition of a giant bow appeared behind him. That bow exuded a presence that could destroy heaven and earth.
The moment it appeared, it was drawn out as if an invisible person was drawing it. Wisps of black mist appeared from within Bei Ling's body and gathered around him, turning into a black mist arrow. The moment the bow was drawn out, the arrow shot out from the bow with a buzzing sound and charged straight at Su Ming.
"Bei Ling… Big brother…" Su Ming mumbled.
His mind was very clear. He knew that all of this was fake… but even if he knew that it was fake, he still wanted to see whether after Bei Ling, the elder would appear, and whether the girl whom he failed to keep his promise with her would appear.
The charging arrow came to an abrupt halt before Su Ming. It was just like with Lei Chen's punch, it stopped.
"What… You… What did you just say?"
The pain on Bei Ling's face grew stronger. He looked at Su Ming, and after a long while, he closed his eyes.
"Thank you, for letting me see Su Ming once again… I don't care why you chose to cast this illusion, but today, I thank you…"
After a while, Bei Ling opened his eyes. A calm look settled on his face. There was a gentle look in his eyes as he looked at Su Ming, as if he was looking at his own younger brother.
"Su Ming, take care…"
Bei Ling turned around. There were tears in his eyes. He slowly walked into the distance, looking as if he was about to disappear from the world.
"Big brother Bei Ling, is Chen Xin alright…?"
At that moment, Su Ming forgot to remind himself that all of this was fake. He looked at Bei Ling walking away and instinctively opened his mouth to ask.
Bei Ling shuddered and stopped. He turned around and his breathing became rapid as he stared at Su Ming. Bafflement and uncertainty appeared on his face.
Su Ming looked at Bei Ling, then quickly put his right hand into his bosom. When he took his hand out, there was a black shard in his palm. That shard was the piece he took when Dark Mountain's statue of the God of Berserkers broke!
"Even if all of this is fake… even if none of this is real… Even so… Even so… It doesn't matter!" Su Ming lifted his head and placed the shard in his hand for Bei Ling to see.
The moment he saw the shard, Bei Ling's body trembled furiously. Shock appeared on his face and he stared at Su Ming dumbly.
"Are… you really Su Ming…?"
"I am," Su Ming said bitterly.
Bei Ling suddenly started laughing loudly. That laughter was filled with misery and a pain that Su Ming did not understand.
"If you are Su Ming, why didn't you come back?! Do you know how long we waited for you..? Do you know just how long we waited for you..? Su Ming, Su Ming… you're not him!"
There was sorrow on Bei Ling's face. He turned around and gradually walked into the distance as he laughed miserably, disappearing from the Chains of Han Mountain, from Su Ming's sight.
Su Ming stood there right up until Bei Ling's body disappeared. Tears fell from the corners of his eyes… It had been a long time since he cried.
At that moment, tears fell down his cheeks and on the Chain, then into the canyons, disappearing without a trace.
'Chains of Han Mountain, just what sort of chains are you? Why did this scene appear? Are you trying to tell me something..?'
Su Ming closed his eyes and only opened them after a long while before silently starting to walk forward again.
Walking through the Chain was no longer important. Su Ming did not want to think whether it was real or fake any longer. He did not even care whether it was dangerous. He just wanted to see who he would see as he continued walking forward…
He continued onward. When he was halfway through the seventh section of the Chain, he saw Wu La, the Head of the Guards, Shan Hen… Eventually, the back of an old person with white hair appeared in the mist before him.
"Elder…"
Su Ming's heart clenched in pain. He was just about to see the old man clearly when he turned around, his vision suddenly blurring and a sword whistle echoing in his head. At the same time, a voice filled with anxiety repeatedly crashed into his mind. This voice belonged to He Feng, who was shocked awake when he sensed death looming over him.
"Master! Master, wake up!
"Master! You- You- If you don't wake up, then we'll die! Damn you! Curse you! why aren't you awake yet?!
"If you want to die, at least release me first, I… I…" He Feng was in a state of frenzy as he yelled in a panic in his head.
Su Ming's Qi was not circulating at all. It was as if his Qi was suppressed, but the small virescent sword hidden within the path of blood that had been opened inside him was letting out a buzzing sound that only he could hear. That buzzing sound was becoming increasingly stronger and was stimulating Su Ming's mind, causing him to wake up as he was dangerously falling.
The moment he woke up, a sense of death looming over him instantly rushed into his heart and broke through everything in sight, as if the world before him shattered into pieces. Once it disappeared, what appeared before Su Ming was endless darkness and his rapidly falling body.
He became truly awake.
The moment he woke up, Su Ming suddenly understood. It did not matter whether what he saw was real or fake, in truth, these were all the lingering sights from the illusions that appeared when he was walking on the seventh section of the Chain, which all remained in his head as he fell.
'Have I failed..? But I haven't seen the elder!'
Su Ming was falling rapidly. The canyon was very deep. He could feel the wind around him roaring as his body rapidly closed in on the pit below.
He Feng's panicked and terrified screams, along with the sword whistles reverberated in his head like thunder.
'No wonder the people who challenge the Chains rarely survive if they fail… The Chains of Han Mountain are really strange. They can suppress your Qi and cause it to not circulate, and it can also make people lose consciousness. The only outcome is death. It's very hard for others to save the challengers. He Feng survived in the past not just due to Han Fei Zi's preparations, but also because of his luck.'
Su Ming became calm as his body continued falling. He might not know just how far the ground was, but the approaching impact and the increasingly stronger sense of death was enough to tell him that death was closing in on him rapidly.
Chapter 184: Elder, Please Come Out
Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
"Master, you're finally awake!"
There was a hint of bitterness He Feng's voice. He already did not know how to express himself. He was shocked awake when he sensed death looming dangerously over him and immediately discovered that something was wrong with Su Ming. It was as if he had lost his soul, and his body was falling rapidly. Before long, he would crash and his body would turn to smithereens.
Su Ming was unaware of his surroundings, so it was only natural that he did not know fear, but He Feng was conscious. He could only watch Su Ming's body fall, watch himself dying together with Su Ming, and he could do nothing about it. He could not control Su Ming's body, and neither could he leave it. The power outside that was suppressing his Qi would also bring about destructive harm to him.
He was truly afraid. This sort of torture where he had to walk to his own death and could do nothing about it made him mad. He called out to Su Ming in panic, had even started cursing him without bothering to sugarcoat his words by the end when he sank into despair.
Yet when he saw that Su Ming was awake, He Feng suddenly became afraid again. That fear was no longer due to possibility of death, but due to the possibility of Su Ming having heard his words just now. If he did, then he might be in serious trouble.
"Mas… Master? What did you hear just now? I was just worried about your safety…" He Feng quickly explained himself cautiously, worried that Su Ming would punish him because of that.
Su Ming ignored He Feng. His body was falling rapidly. All sorts of thoughts flashed through his mind, and eventually, a faint glint appeared in his eyes. Immediately, the souls of Wings of Moon spread out from within his body. Yet the moment they came out, a mighty pressure fell upon him instantly, trapping the souls of Wings of the Moon within his body, causing them to be unable to come out.
'I can't circulate my Qi, and the souls of Wings of the Moon can't leave my body either… This is the only way now!'
Su Ming activated the Branding Art in his mind, and a green light flashed at the center of his brows before the small virescent sword charged out.
The small sword was also not faring very well under the pressure of the place when it appeared. It swayed as if it could not bear the pressure, but when Su Ming gathered all the power of the Branding Art on the sword, it immediately stabilized, and with a flash, it dashed underneath Su Ming's feet to support him, allowing him to step on the blade.
Due to the force of the fall, the moment his feet landed on the blade, Su Ming felt as if he was crushed. The small sword only managed to dissipate some of the force, the rest was all gathered in his body. Banging sounds reverberated within him, and Su Ming's face immediately turned pale. He coughed out a mouthful of blood, and the small sword abruptly sank hundreds of feet before it slowly came to a halt.
Su Ming was gasping as he stood on the small sword. He lifted his head swiftly and looked at the dark sky above him. He saw lighting flashing in the sky. During the short instance when the world was bright, he saw the faint and indistinct Chain swaying above him.
"I haven't finished challenging the Chain!" Su Ming mumbled.
He was wearing a black robe, but the hood had flown off when he was falling so he lifted it back up to cover his head once more. He then loosened the robes around his feet so that he could hide what was lifting him up.
The small virescent sword slowly rose up under his will, supporting his body from the depths of the canyons as he gradually floated upwards.
He returned!
Within Han Mountain City, as time trickled by and innumerable thunders rumbled in the sky, occasionally, lightning would slice through the air and light up the area. It also illuminated the Chain that was under the scrutiny of everyone in Han Mountain City. Similarly, the faces of the crowd standing in the city waiting were also illuminated when lightning flashed in the sky.
No one felt impatient. All of them knew clearly in their hearts that there was only one explanation to the strange sight of the stone pillars not sinking.
The challenge of the Chains of Han Mountain had not ended. The challenger did not fail!
However, they might know the reason behind it, but the people could not help but be skeptical due to everything that had happened that day.
"Is… he really not dead?"
"It's been a long time since then. If he's really not dead, then why hasn't he appeared?"
"Puqiang Tribe should have sent someone to look for his corpse. I wonder how they fared…"
The low sounds of discussions broke the silence. It had been too long. Even if the people knew the reason as to why the stone pillars had not sunk, their uncertainty grew stronger as time passed by.
The Elder of Tranquil East had a grave expression on his face as he stood at the edge of Tranquil East Mountain. He kept his gaze fixed on the Canyon. Behind him, Fang Shen and Han Cang Zi, who stood a little further away, were doing the same.
"This has never happened before… Is he really not dead?"
Soon, an hour passed by. An hour usually passed by quickly for people, but now, to these people, this hour seemed to be passing by so slowly it was as if time had been lengthened by several fold.
On Puqiang Mountain, the thin and dried up Elder sucked in a deep breath, and the grave expression on his face gradually relaxed.
"It has been over an hour, perhaps something is wrong with the Chains of Han Mountain, and not because the person… hasn't died… What do you think?"
The Elder of Puqiang Tribe's final sentence was directed towards the man who looked like a mountain of flesh and stood by his side.
The man hesitated for a moment, looked at the sky, then looked at the canyons before he spoke slowly. "It has been quite some time. There's a high chance that this person is dead… The tribe members who went down to look should have also…"
He did not manage to finish speaking. Suddenly, his body lurched forward and he stared fixedly at the canyons. He… saw it!
He was not the only one. Beside him, the expression of Puqiang Tribe's Elder also changed. It was as if there was anger roaring with the might of a windstorm and giant waves within his body, ready to erupt forth at any moment as he stared into the canyons. He saw it!
Besides the two of them, the other people on Puqiang Mountain also trembled and looked into the canyons. Their expressions changed drastically because of what they saw!
They saw it!
Lightning flashed in the sky at that moment, and during the instant the light from the bolt of lightning illuminated the world, a person in black robes could be seen rising slowly from within Han Mountain's canyons!
Cries of surprise rose from Han Mountain!
The Elder of Tranquil East Tribe took a deep breath and a piercing glint appeared in his eyes as he stared into the canyons with a look of amazement. He too, saw it!
Fang Shen and Han Cang Zi, who were standing by his side, had different expressions on their faces. Fang Shen was shocked, while Han Cang Zi let out a huge sigh of relief. They also saw it!
On Lake of Colors Tribe, the old woman instinctively clenched and loosened her right hand before she clenched it again. This repeated several times, but her expression remained calm. It was as if even if she saw that shocking scene in the canyons, her emotions would not surge too much.
By her side, Yan Luan was stunned for a moment when she saw what was happening in the canyons, then a brilliant light appeared in her eyes. She was about to say something when she suddenly noticed the old woman's right hand, and her heart skipped a beat.
Everyone said that her power was stronger than the Elder's. This was true, but only Yan Luan herself knew the might of Lake of Colors' Elder. She also knew that the Elder had a habit. When she was uncertain about something, her right hand would clench and unclench multiple times, just like now.
"Elder, what are you hesitating about?"
Yan Luan did not quite understand what was going on. Right now, this had nothing to do with Lake of Colors Tribe, so why would there be anything that would make the Elder so uncertain?
Besides the mountains that belonged to the three tribes, the entire crowd in Han Mountain City that was watching the Chain also saw what was happening in the canyons. Once they saw it, the crowd burst into a shocked uproar. The waves of sounds rose and fell with such a volume that it seemed to be able to surpass the thunder rumbling in the sky.
"He really hasn't died!"
"It's him! He's out!"
"Just what is his level of cultivation? He… He actually managed to come out from the canyons!"
"No one has ever managed to stay alive after falling for such a long time. This person… He really hasn't died, and he even came out from the canyons!"
Nan Tian took a deep breath and admiration appeared for the first time in his eyes. He looked at the canyons and mumbled under his breath.
Leng Ying and Ke Jiu Si's expressions also changed once they saw what was happening in the canyons. Just like Nan Tian, they came to admire this man. Powerful Berserkers should be respected, and the person who walked out of the canyons especially so.
Han Fei Zi stood on the white cloud in midair. The veil covered the smile that appeared on her lips. Her eyes also became much brighter compared to before.
Only Xuan Lun's face turned so dark his expression was like ice. He clenched his fists tightly and lowered his head, hiding the jealousy and killing intent in his eyes!
Su Ming stood on the small virescent sword that was hidden by his robes and slowly rose from the canyon. He appeared in the air and before the people's eyes.
After what happened, he could be said to truly be the center of everyone's attention. His every action moved the people's hearts. Even the disdain held by some when they previously watched him was gone like the wind.
It would not be an exaggeration to say that he crawled out from death's door. To be able to walk out from the canyons after falling was a feat that would surely make him famous in Han Mountain. He was bound to be remembered by people even after centuries had gone by, and this incident was bound to be talked about by the people who watched what had happened on this day every time whenever someone else challenged the Chains of Han Mountain in the future!
It was also destined that this time, Su Ming's challenge would stun the entire Han Mountain because nothing like this had ever happened before, allowing him to achieve his goal of shocking these people!
He floated up, and when Su Ming's body was at the same level as the seventh section of the Chain, an even stronger outcry and uproar stirred up within Han Mountain City. Even Su Ming could hear the sounds reverberating in the city.
"Does he still want to continue?!"
"Just how does he look like?! What's his name?!"
"He's definitely going to be chosen by Freezing Sky Clan as a disciple. Even if he doesn't continue, there's still a high chance that Freezing Sky Clan will take him in!"
Su Ming stood beside the seventh section of the Chain amidst the buzzing sounds of discussions. He did not look at the silent Puqiang Mountain, which was connected to the Chain, but lifted his foot and stepped on the Chain instead.
The instant he stepped on the same Chain the second time, the volume of the discussions in Han Mountain City reached their peak. The people of the three tribes also looked on anxiously from their mountains.
At the same time Su Ming stepped on the Chain, the small virescent sword disappeared without a trace under his feet. Su Ming stood on the seventh section of the Chain and welcomed the mountain breeze. He let out a deep breath.
"Let's continue, Chains of Han Mountain…" he mumbled.
He lifted his right foot and took a step forward on the Chain. As he moved, the sixth stone pillar behind him shattered and turned into a countless debris that fell into the canyons.
Even now, Su Ming had not forgotten what Puqiang Tribe had asked of him…
'Elder, please come out…'
Su Ming moved forward. His footsteps were not quick. He didn't want to walk through this section too quickly.
Chapter 185: Refuse!
Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
After what had happened at daytime and how he had crawled back to life from death, every single one of Su Ming's actions now tugged at the heartstrings of many who were watching.
They watched Su Ming walking on the seventh section of the Chain. They looked at the person basked in moonlight, and for some unknown reason, the person in the air seemed to let out a lonely presence. This feeling was very faint, and since everyone's perception was different, what they saw and felt was also slightly different.
'Elder, please come out…'
Su Ming slowly walked forward. He longed and yearned to see the elder, even if it was just a glance.
Before him was Puqiang Mountain, which laid behind the eighth and ninth sections of the Chain. After being silent for a moment, the delicate voice that the people had heard before traveled forth.
"Sir, you've already failed, why do you persist?! Even if you continue on, you've still failed! Your challenge has ended!"
The delicate voice spoke slowly, and it traveled all over the region.
The instant this voice reached them, the people in Han Mountain City immediately fell silent. Even Nan Tian and the others frowned, but once Nan Tian looked at Puqiang Mountain, he chose not to speak.
Su Ming ignored them and continued walking forward silently on the Chain. His eyes fell on the end of the seventh section of the Chain, and a hint of longing that was hidden deep within his eyes appeared.
"Elder… elder…" he mumbled.
He did not stop. At that moment, his heart jumped. He saw what other people could not see. The black mist on the Chain was gathering and slowly turning into an old man's back. That back was familiar to Su Ming, and his eyes lit up with eagerness.
He knew that it was fake, but if he could just see the elder even once, he would be satisfied.
"Your challenge has ended. You have failed. You are fortunate you didn't die. I suggest that you leave as soon as possible. If you insist on continuing, then you will be treated as challenging the might of Puqiang Tribe…"
That delicate voice resounded once again. The voice had a velvety quality to it, but there was a hint of venom hidden within.
The voice from Puqiang Tribe made the entire Han Mountain City fall into silence. Almost everyone became quiet. In the face of one of the three masters of Han Mountain City, Puqiang, the visitors who came to this city had no power to resist their will.
They were not the ones who set the rules, even if they wanted to change it, they were not the ones in power to do so. Even if this was slightly against the original intention set for the Chains of Han Mountain, Su Ming had failed once, even if that failure was not acknowledged by the Chain itself and he had risen from the canyons.
However, if Puqiang Tribe used this as a reason, it was difficult for them to say anything about it, nor did they have the right to say anything about it.
Perhaps Nan Tian had some right to do so, but he chose to remain silent.
Ke Jiu Si hesitated for a moment before he sighed. He knew that he was in Han Mountain City and he was an outsider to Puqiang Tribe, that was why he did not have any right to refute their decision.
Leng Ying frowned, but he also stayed silent.
Xuan Lun stood in the air in the distance and loosened his clenched fist. Sadistic delight appeared in his eyes. He wanted Su Ming to refuse it, because if that was the case, then it meant he was going up against Puqiang. Xuan Lun himself did not even need to do anything, and Su Ming would be destroyed!
Everyone fell silent. Han Fei Zi lowered her head thinking about something.
Lake of Colors Mountain and Tranquil East Mountain also fell silent when they heard that delicate voice from Puqiang Mountain.
The world suddenly became silent. Even thunder did not rang out.
Pairs of eyes from Han Mountain City became fixated on Su Ming. The owners of these gazes wanted to know what he would choose.
However, they did not know that Su Ming did not have the time to be bothered by the delicate voice. His gaze was completely captured by the old man's back that appeared from the mist.
He trembled. Tears fell once again from his eyes. He looked at the old man standing not too far away, turning around slowly to look at him. Su Ming's voice became hoarse.
"Elder…"
That old man was the elder of Dark Mountain Tribe – Mo Sang!
He was still wearing the same clothes as he did when Su Ming saw him last. When he saw Su Ming, a baffled look appeared on his face. There was also a hint of conflict as he looked at Su Ming with a dumbfounded expression, at the child he took care of since he was young.
He looked like he was about to say something, but no sound came out. The bewilderment and conflict in his eyes were replaced by gentleness and love. There was even a hint of praise, as if he was very pleased with the current Su Ming. Very, very pleased.
Su Ming looked at the elder and the tests that would not stop. No matter how much he grew, how much he learned to be indifferent, and how much he embraced solitude, no matter how many people he killed and how many things he went through, the moment he saw the elder, all of these vanished. He was still the carefree child that lived in Dark Mountain. He had Xiao Hong's companionship and the elder's love. He would wait for rain to come to collect Dark Dragon's Saliva, would wait for the bonfire to burn in the tribe, and he would dance around the elder as he laughed happily.
The sky then was very blue, the clouds were very white, but he could no longer recall them as clearly.
"Elder… I miss home…"
Su Ming moved forward. He wanted to get closer to look at his elder. Even if this was an illusion, he did not mind.
The elder looked at Su Ming, and the gentleness in his eyes made Su Ming's heart tremble, and he could not help but see all the happy memories of his youth surfacing in his mind.
When he got closer and stood before the elder formed from the mist, he cried even harder. He looked at the white haired old man and the same clothes his elder wore in his memories. Su Ming looked at him and forced out a smile on his face.
"Elder, your La Su grew up. Look, I grew much taller…"
The elder smiled as he looked at Su Ming. Then he sighed softly, and the gentleness in his eyes was once again replaced by conflict. Within that conflict was a hint of compassion. A hint… of profoundness that Su Ming could not understand.
Eventually, Su Ming saw a hint of resolution and determination on the elder's face. He saw a strange glint suddenly appearing in the elder's eyes. That glint went into Su Ming's mind, making a boom resound in his head, as if his mind trembled.
At the same moment, he clearly heard the voice that only existed in his memories!
"Su Ming… you…"
Su Ming shuddered, but the moment the voice began speaking, the elder's body suddenly trembled and abruptly dissipated before the words could even be clearly heard. That mist seemed to be blown apart by a strong force that came from behind it, causing everything before Su Ming's eyes to completely disappear!
The mist disappeared, the elder disappeared, and even his voice turned into a faint lingering echo in his mind, causing Su Ming to be unable to hear it clearly. But all of this was not due to him missing a step, neither was it due to something going wrong with the Chains of Han Mountain. All of this was due to the strong force charging towards him at that moment.
The source of that strong force was a black bone ring. That bone ring whistled as it flew out from Puqiang Mountain and charged towards Su Ming. It was the thing that shook the Chain, causing the illusions from the Chain that were reflected in Su Ming's eyes to disappear.
Su Ming's eyes immediately turned red. He had originally learned how to remain calm and not be reckless, but there were certain things that he could not tolerate, that he absolutely refused to take lying down!
The elder was among these things!
The incoming bone ring dissipated the mist that turned into the elder, scattering away the beautiful and happy memories of his youth that had appeared in his heart. This scene was like when he saw the gaze that appeared when Dark Mountain was eventually shattered by a giant hand when he was walking through the blood path leading to the isolation grounds of Han Mountain's ancestor.
The bone ring and its owner broke the bottom line that Su Ming refused to let anyone stain, causing him… to fall into madness!
He let out a roar that had not come from his mouth for a very long time. It spread through the land swiftly and blended with the thunder that rang in the sky at that very moment. It was as if his anger was the sky's anger.
As he roared, Su Ming lifted his head swiftly and the shadow of the blood moon appeared in his eyes. He looked at the bone ring closing in on him and took a huge step forward. His Qi surged out of his body, and as it erupted forth with astonishing power, a large amount of moonlight rapidly descended upon him. The Branding Art also burst forth, causing green light to flash on the center of his brows, and the small virescent sword turned into a ray of green light that gathered all the power of his Qi, the shadow of the blood moon, and the Branding Art. Then the green light flashed!
Light illuminated the sky. There was no lightning, but at that moment, the world was illuminated by green light in an instant. Thunder rumbled, and the green light charged into the incoming bone ring. The instant it touched the ring, the light cut through the ring with one slash!
There was a loud crash, and the world trembled. Tremors shook the land. Su Ming coughed out a mouthful of blood and staggered backwards, but each time his feet landed, they would fall precisely on the Chain.
The green light dissipated and tumbled backwards into Su Ming's body. The green light only appeared for an instant from its emergence to the moment it dissipated. No one managed to see what it actually was!
Before Su Ming, the black bone ring remained unmoving. A thin crack appeared on its surface, and it abruptly shattered, splitting into half before it fell into the canyons!
At that moment, the man who looked like a mountain of flesh trembled furiously and coughed out a huge mouthful of blood on Puqiang Mountain. His face instantly turned deathly pale, and the flesh on his body mysteriously shrank by a large portion.
"How dare you! We've already warned you that if you continue, then you will be treated as provoking Puqiang Tribe. This is your final chance, turn back now! You have failed!" the man who looked like a mountain of flesh yelled out with a weakened, venomous voice.
"I refuse!"
Su Ming wiped off the blood at the corners of his mouth and glared at Puqiang Mountain coldly. At that moment, he had returned to being calm.
"You refuse? What right do you have to refuse? You're just an outsider in Han Mountain! The three tribes make all decisions within Han Mountain! Within three breaths, if you don't leave, then don't think about leaving ever again!"
The one who spoke this time was not the man who looked like a mountain of flesh, but another old man who stood beside the Elder of Puqiang Tribe. That old man had an arrogant and wild look on his face, and his cold laughter carried contempt.
The moment he spoke, the man who looked like a mountain of flesh immediately frowned. He looked as if he was about to say something, but did not voice his thoughts.
As for the Elder of Puqiang Tribe, he remained silent, but the freezing look in his eyes revealed his thoughts.
Su Ming fell silent.
Some of the people in Han Mountain City had clenched their fists. They were also outsiders in Han Mountain. Even if they had lived in Han Mountain City for many years, the city belonged to the three tribes. As long as they were not from the three tribes, then they were all outsiders!
They did indeed not have any right to refute, but gradually, more people's gazes turned cold as they looked at Puqiang Tribe. Some sort of acknowledgement slowly arose within them towards Su Ming, because they were all outsiders.
Nan Tian, Ke Jiu Si, and Leng Ying looked at Puqiang Mountain coldly when they heard those words, but they still chose to remain silent.
"Then do I have the right?"
Chapter 186: The Outburst In The Midst of Silence
Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
When everyone fell silent in Han Mountain City, an old and aged voice suddenly came from Lake of Colors Mountain. That voice was a little weak, but the moment that voice appeared, it instantly broke the stillness caused by the people's silence!
All their eyes gathered on Lake of Colors Mountain. Most of the people were unfamiliar with the voice that suddenly rang out. They only knew that the voice came from Lake of Colors Tribe, but they did not know the identity of the person who spoke.
However, there were still people who recognized the owner of the voice. Shocked expressions immediately appeared on their faces, and they whipped their heads around to look at Lake of Colors Mountain.
Nan Tian's body shuddered. He had, of course, recognized the owner of the voice, and he immediately looked over.
Leng Yin also sucked in a sharp breath and looked towards Lake of Colors Mountain.
Ke Jiu Si was definitely the one outsider who was feeling the most overwhelmed at that moment. He knew the identity of the person who spoke, and because he had been a guest in Lake of Colors, he also knew a secret that practically no outsider would know - the terrifying aspects of the oft ignored Lake of Colors' Elder due to the rumors spread among the outsiders that the head of Lake of Colors was the tribe leader.
"Lake of Colors'… Elder!"
Yan Luan's expression immediately changed on Lake of Colors Mountain. She looked towards the old woman by her side. She did not expect the Elder to say such words at this moment. This act would in no doubt offend Puqiang. Even with the previous attempts to repair their relationship, it would be completely broken because of this.
Sometimes, killing someone for personal gain was perhaps something trivial for two small tribes, but at this moment, if she said this before all the people in Han Mountain City, then this sentence would bring about almost irreparable damage!
She suddenly understood why the Elder had been flexing her right hand repeatedly just now. The answer to the Elder's hesitation, which she did not understand, was revealed.
'Could the Elder have predicted that something like this would happen, that's why… she was hesitant..?'
Yan Luan took a deep breath and lowered her head.
The words of Lake of Colors' Elder reverberated in the area, causing the signs of an outburst in Han Mountain City to begin appearing among the crowd. However, they still remained silent.
On Puqiang Mountain, the expression immediately changed on the man who looked like a mountain of flesh. The sullen old man who spoke by his side was momentarily stunned and found himself at a loss for words.
The Elder of Puqiang Tribe frowned and anger appeared in his eyes. He slowly stood up and looked towards Lake of Colors Mountain.
After a long while, he uttered his words slowly. "You are the Elder of Lake of Colors, of course you have the right."
The moment he spoke, the ones who did not know the identity of the person in Han Mountain City immediately fell into a state of shock and amazement. However, oddly enough, they did not talk amongst themselves. Instead, they turned this shock into a force for an outburst that was about to appear in the midst of their silence.
"I disagree with this!" The Elder of Lake of Colors Tribe, the old woman who looked increasingly lethargic, said languidly.
Yan Luan gritted her teeth and shouted out, "I, Yan Luan, tribe leader of Lake of Colors Tribe, also disagree with this!"
The voices of the tribe leader and the Elder were the most significant will in a tribe. Yan Luan and the Elder's words symbolized the stand Lake of Colors Tribe decided to take. The meaning behind their words was enough to shake the entire Han Mountain!
"Very well! Very well!"
The entire Puqiang Tribe was in shock. Countless Puqiang Tribe's members were filled with anger, and their expressions changed. On the summit, the Elder of Puqiang Tribe laughed in anger, and his laughter was incredibly dark.
The old man who previously spoke by his side was shivering. He had a feeling that all of this was related to what he had just said. That feeling became stronger when the man who looked like a mountain of flesh glared at him coldly.
The man who looked like a mountain of flesh took a deep breath and stood up beside the Elder of Puqiang Tribe. He glared at Lake of Colors Mountain venomously and was just about to speak…
Yet at that moment!
An old and aged bark of laughter traveled forth from Tranquil East Mountain.
"I disagree with this as well!"
"I, Fang Shen, tribe leader of Tranquil East Tribe, too, disagree with this!"
Right after the Elder of Tranquil East spoke, Fang Shen's authoritative voice also reverberated in the air.
"I, Han Cang Zi, disciple of Freezing Sky Clan, tribe member of Tranquil East Tribe, also disagree with this!"
Han Cang Zi's voice had always been delicate, yet at this moment, there was a steadfast tone within that delicate voice.
On Puqiang Mountain, the man who looked like a mountain of flesh staggered and his expression changed. At that moment, the people of Puqiang Tribe were no longer angry, but incredibly uneasy. They had a feeling that something big was about to happen!
The Elder of Puqiang Tribe turned pale. The anger in his eyes burned stronger. He was about to speak, when suddenly, voices came once again, this time from Han Mountain City.
"I, Yan Fei from Lake of Colors Tribe, disagree with Puqiang's decision."
"I, Nan Tian of the Transcendence Realm of Han Mountain City, disagree!"
"I, Ke Jiu Si of the Transcendence Realm of Han Mountain City, disagree!"
"I, Leng Ying of Han Mountain City, disagree with Puqiang Tribe's decision!"
Right after Lake of Colors and Tranquil East, the four voices that traveled forth from Han Mountain City finally provided the final burst of energy necessary to break the silence. Without including Han Fei Zi, the other three were powerful Transcended Berserkers. It would have been useful if only one of them spoke, but the intimidating force created when the three of them spoke in succession, while not as powerful as a small tribe, was still a force that could not be overlooked!
Especially when they were also outsiders!
That was enough!
"I, Lu Tao, Han Mountain outsider, disagree with this!"
"I'm also an outsider in Han Mountain, even if I don't have the right, I'm also telling you, Puqiang! I disagree!"
"I, Song Yun, an outsider, disagree with this!"
Roars broke out from among the silent crowd within Han Mountain City. As the voices shouted out, more and more people broke out from their silence and cried out. They broke out of their silence and opened their mouths, howling towards Puqiang Mountain!
"I, Luo Hai, Han Mountain outsider, disagree!"
"I, Yan Luo, Han Mountain outsider, disagree!"
"I, Chen Feng, outsider, disagree!"
"I, Qiao Da, also disagree!"
"Me too. I, Qiao Song, also disagree…"
The voices shook the sky and earth, and gradually, everyone within Han Mountain City shouted out their thoughts. The countless people within Han Mountain City cried out the same words, and their voices blended together to form an outcry that could overcome the sound of thunder. Although saying that their voices shook the sky and earth was slightly too much of an exaggeration, it could still cause alarm to Puqiang Tribe.
The voices rumbled and shook the region, as if it could drown Puqiang Tribe in a wave of sound, causing all the people on Puqiang Mountain to turn pale with terror and disbelief.
The man who looked like a mountain of flesh did not speak for a long time on the mountain. He had not expected for things to turn out this way. This was no longer something that was solely related to the challenger of the Chain. This was a surprise attack launched against them by all the people in Han Mountain City, along with Lake of Colors and Tranquil East!
It was something of such epic proportions that could overturn the entire Puqiang Tribe. This was blatant animosity. If they did not handle this with care, then they might even bring doom upon themselves!
He was afraid. This fear even turned into terror.
"This is a conspiracy! This must be a conspiracy that was planned a long time ago!"
The man who looked like a mountain of flesh whipped his head around to look at the Elder.
The Elder's face was pale. This had long since exceeded his expectations, and just like the man who looked like a mountain of flesh, he too, absolutely did not expect things to turn out this way.
"Elder, please make a decision quickly!"
The man that looked like a mountain of flesh was brimming with anxiety. He saw that the people around them were already overcome by terror, and their tribe members were crying out in fear.
The shouts of disagreement traveled from outside, growing stronger to the volume of thunder, causing them to feel shocked and terrified. Even though only some of the people who shouted were Transcended Berserkers, even though most of those who cried out were only at the Blood Solidification Realm, and some were even like ants in their eyes.
"Elder!"
When the man who looked like a mountain of flesh saw that the Elder still remained unmoving, he whipped his head around to look at the old man who had spoken rashly in his panic.
The old man trembled. He had felt that something bad was about to happen to him, and when he saw the tribe leader turning to look at him, the old man instinctively backed down. A sense of death looming over his head abruptly rose within him, and right at the moment the man who looked like a mountain of flesh moved and charged towards him, the old man quickly withdrew, a shrill cry tumbling out of his mouth.
"I'm the chief of the hunters, even if you're the tribe leader, you can't apprehend me because of one sentence!"
Even if the old man was running, the man who looked like a mountain of flesh had already closed in on him.
"Elder! I contributed to the tribe! I'm one of the leaders in the tribe!"
The old man was terrified. Even as he retreated, no one came forth to help him. All of them were silent and watched as the man who looked like a mountain of flesh closed in on him and seized him with his right hand.
"You forced my hand!"
When the old man saw that he was cornered, hatred and viciousness immediately appeared on his face. He did not want to die. He was just about to launch a desperate attack when the Elder who had been staying silent all this while turned around at this moment.
"Stop!"
His voice was not great, but it was filled with authority, causing the man who looked like a mountain of flesh to flinch. Once he descended to the ground, he looked at the Elder anxiously.
The old man also let out a huge sigh of relief. He also looked at the Elder with anxiousness and uncertainty.
"The chief of hunters has contributed to the tribe…"
The Elder of Puqiang Tribe was passive, and no emotion could be seen on his face, be it happiness or anger. As he spoke, he walked forward.
"But, Elder…" The man who looked like a mountain of flesh was just about to speak, but his words were cut off by the Elder.
"Not only did he contribute to the tribe, he's also loyal to the tribe. How can we condemn him because of one sentence? I cannot do something like this!" The Elder said languidly as he continued walking forward.
Only then did the old man completely relax. Sweat beaded on his forehead and gratitude appeared in his eyes as he looked at the Elder. He wrapped his fist in his palm and bowed towards him.
"He is loyal and even if the tribe is in danger of destruction, he would not run for his own life. He would live for the tribe, and die for the tribe. Is that not so, chief of the hunters?"
As the Elder spoke, he was already 30 feet away from the old man.
"As long as the tribe is here, then I will be here! If the tribe is in danger, then I won't live either!" the old man quickly said.
The Elder came within ten feet from the old man and spoke languidly. "If that is the case, then I will fulfil your wish. Thank you for all that you've done for the tribe."
The moment his words came out, the old man was dumbfounded, then his expression drastically changed. Just as he was about to run away, the Elder lifted his right hand and swung it abruptly. The chief of the hunters immediately let out a pained scream and bundles of black mist instantly surrounded his body. He trembled, and his body was enveloped by the mist before it charged out of Puqiang Mountain. In the blink of an eye, he was brought above the howling Han Mountain City.
Chapter 187: It's Him!
Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
"This person intentionally said such words because he is a spy from another tribe. He is here to sow discord between Puqiang and Han Mountain, and this alone is a crime punishable by death! I will personally end this person's life, and will agree to the continuation of the challenge!"
As the old and aged voice of the Elder of Puqiang Tribe reverberated in the air, the person who was enveloped by the black mist above Han Mountain City burst apart with a bang and a shrill cry, turning into pieces of flesh and blood. Before he even fell down, he turned into wisps of black mist that disappeared into the air.
Wind was blowing, and it took away the stench of blood that filled the air in the city, causing the angered people in Han Mountain City to gradually calm down.
Su Ming stood on the seventh section of the Chain and turned around to look at Han Mountain City, then he wrapped his fist in his palm and bowed deeply in the city's direction.
When he bowed, he immediately caused the crowd who became calm in Han Mountain City to let out shocked cries once again.
"Sir, you have to finish walking through the entire Chain! Walk through the ninth section and fight for all us outsiders in Han Mountain!"
"Go on! We're all watching you! Please, walk forward!"
"Go to Puqiang Mountain and complete your challenge! Enter Freezing Sky Clan and give us fellow outsiders hope!"
The voices that rose one after another were different from before. At that moment, all their words were filled with encouragement and hope. To them, the challenger, Su Ming, was no longer a stranger. He was the symbol of their hope and the representative of all the outsiders in Han Mountain.
"Brother, you have to complete the challenge! Once you return, I will prepare a feast. Let's hook arms and have a toast!"
Nan Tian's boisterous voice reverberated in the air. The admiration in his eyes had seeped into his invitation as he spoke.
"Count me in!"
Leng Ying's face was still cold and detached, but there was the ghost of a smile on his lips at that moment.
"Don't exclude me in this. Brother Nan, you'll have to bring out the drunken flower wine you have this time."
When Ke Jiu Si's laughter appeared, it caused the voices coming out from within Han Mountain City to be stronger.
"That can be easily arranged! I'll definitely take it out!" Nan Tian laughed heartily.
Xuan Lun's face turned darker. He stood in the distance and did not say a word.
Su Ming heard all of their words. He lifted his head and looked at Han Mountain for a long while before he turned around and walked towards the seventh stone pillar at the end of the seventh section of the Chain.
He no longer saw his elder on the Chain. The girl that was hidden deep within his heart too, did not appear.
Su Ming did not want to think what this signified. He could not tell himself calmly that everything on the Chain was fake. He was no longer certain.
Amidst the discussions and excited hollers from outside, Su Ming moved forward silently until he completed the seventh section of the Chain and stood on the seventh stone pillar.
At that moment, the sky was starting to brighten up. He could see dark clouds still covering most parts of the sky, including the light, casting the world in dimness.
"The eighth section…"
Su Ming did not stop to rest on the seventh stone pillar. He lifted his foot instead and stepped on the eighth section of the Chain. He still did not see the girl he hoped to see the moment he stepped on the Chain. It was clouded before him, but he was already very close to Puqiang Mountain.
He could even see the people on Puqiang Mountain glaring at him coldly.
Su Ming felt the pressure formed by age and time when he walked on the eighth section on the Chain. It was the feeling of a lot of his life force being sucked away with each step he took. Even if he circulated his Qi, it was becoming harder for him to persist as he walked on.
Fatigue filled Su Ming's entire body. Once he moved 100 feet forward, his breathing was ragged and harsh. He could even feel age sweeping by on his body in his fatigue, taking away his life force, his strength, his vitality.
It was as if he was aging slowly in the face of time. In fact, he had the feeling that once he became old, he would turn into ashes and scatter away.
'Is this the mystery of the eighth section of the Chain? Time is passing so quickly that before anyone can embrace it, it's already over.'
Su Ming continued moving forward. He had no idea how much time passed. When the world gradually escaped from darkness, he looked at his hand. Wrinkles had appeared on his skin, and he no longer looked like a young man, but an old person.
At that moment, he was only half way through the eighth section of the Chain. The other half left was swaying in the air, and seemed like it was rocking away time, making people feel that they could not keep time by their side even if they noticed it leaving.
As the world brightened up and morning arrived, the Elder of Puqiang Tribe and the others glared coldly at Su Ming, who was already very close to them on the Chain. Their gazes turned chilling.
Su Ming lifted his head to look at Puqiang Mountain, which was lightening up in the sun. He saw the cold gazes and fell into pensive silence for a moment.
'I can't go over… If I can't cancel out the power of time, even if I walk to the end of the eighth section, I'll still lose all of my life force and die.
'Then I might as well… not hide anymore!'
A bright sparkle appeared in Su Ming's eyes. He slowly lifted his head to look at the cloud covered sky, and blood veins surfaced on his body rapidly.
They appeared first on his face. In an instant, many blood veins appeared on the face that he hid underneath the hood. The blood veins were like a totem that formed a strange picture.
At the same time, a shocking, powerful presence erupted forth from his body. The moment the presence appeared, the dark clouds in the sky seemed to change, showing signs of tumbling backwards.
The Elder and the others on Puqiang Mountain were the first to notice this. As the Elder's pupils shrank and the expression of the man who looked like a mountain of flesh changed instantly, all the people on Puqiang Mountain felt a wave of restlessness come over them that stemmed from the blood veins in their bodies. It was an impulse that they could not control!
Under the robes, Su Ming's upper torso and his arms were covered in many blood veins in an instant, and the astonishing presence continued growing. A much stronger presence erupted forth with a loud crash!
Having his blood veins circulate in his body while they were hidden and having them circulate while they were completely manifested on his body was different. If he circulated them within his body, he would be using his own Qi, but if he manifested them on his body, then his Qi would be connected to the heavens and earth, and the strongest power he could muster would burst forth.
Su Ming had concealed his blood veins within his body all this while. Right then, he no longer hid them, but chose to completely manifest them!
As the astonishing Qi within his body grew stronger, cries of surprise and uproars resounded from Puqiang Mountain. On the mountain, besides the Elder, even the man who looked like a mountain of flesh was also in a state of shock. At that moment, the same memory appeared in their minds – the incredible event that caused the weather to change a few months ago in Han Mountain!
The Elder of Puqiang Tribe may have seemed calm, but there was a fierce storm raging in his heart, in a manner that was not at all weaker than the wrath he showed the people just now.
"He… He is…"
Disbelief appeared in the Elder's eyes. There was even a hint of shock within them. He suddenly realized that while he had already viewed this person highly since the beginning, but now, it turned out that it was not enough, he still underestimated him.
Fear rose inside the Elder of Puqiang Tribe. He suddenly understood that Puqiang's greatest mistake was not in inciting the wrath of the crowd in Han Mountain, or Lake of Colors and Tranquil East, but that they did not see through this person!
"Completion of the Blood Solidification Realm…"
The Elder of Puqiang Tribe staggered a few steps back, and his face turned pale.
The moment he mumbled out his words, Su Ming's legs were covered by dense blood veins. Even if his blood veins were hidden under the robes, a power of Qi so incredible it shook the heavens and earth was surging forth from his body. It made the color of the sky change, the clouds tumble, made the wind in the area still. The world turned dark!
Su Ming lifted his head. At that moment, the dark clouds were tumbling in the sky, just like the strange phenomenon that had happened a few months ago. The deity statue of Transcendence was about to descend upon Han Mountain once again!
At the same time, red lines appeared out of thin air above Su Ming. The red lines were mere illusions, but the moment they appeared, they started gathering together rapidly. In a few moments, a gigantic figure of hundreds of feet appeared in the air above Su Ming.
That person did not have a face, only the contour of its countenance. The contour was formed by the 979 blood veins. The moment it appeared, the presence of a Berserker who attained completion during the Blood Solidification Realm on Su Ming reached its peak!
"It's… him! Completion in the Blood Solidification Realm… 979 blood veins, only one more, and he'll attain the great completion that's only spoken in legends… Such a person is challenging Puqiang Tribe's Chain, and we even wanted to plot against him just now…"
On Puqiang Mountain, when the man who looked like a mountain of flesh saw the giant formed from blood veins hovering above Su Ming, he coughed out a mouthful of blood. Shock replaced all other emotions on his face. The others behind him were all dumbfounded, their expressions saying that they could not conceive what was happening before them.
Yan Luan sucked in a breath on Lake of Colors Mountain. She was shaken, and shock appeared on her face. She did not expect that the Chain's challenger would be the person who appeared a few months ago!
"I can't believe… it's him!"
Beside her, a healthy red hue replaced the lethargic look on the old woman's face. She looked at Su Ming and at the person above him, and a brightness that was never seen before appeared in her eyes.
Tranquil East Mountain burst into an earth shattering uproar. The Elder of Tranquil East instinctively took a few steps back. His expression changed and eventually settled on shock. If he was in this state, then it was even more so for Fang Shen, who stood beside him. Fang Shen was already completely stunned.
Only Han Cang Zi appeared excited as she trembled.
Han Mountain City fell into momentary silence before shouts filled with excitement and surprise broke out from within the city. The manifested blood veins on Su Ming's body stirred up a drastic change that made them all mystified.
Han Fei Zi trembled and her breathing quickened. Nan Tian, Ke Jiu Si, and Leng Ying were stunned, and only wrapped their heads around what had happened after a long while. Their gazes as they looked towards Su Ming were no longer of admiration, but respect!
"979 blood veins, he just needs one more, and… he'll attain… great completion! If he Transcends during great completion, his power can rival those in the middle stage of Transcendence, and he can even hold his own with an ordinary Berserker in the later stage of the Transcendence Realm!"
"This person… if he Transcends during great completion, then the strongest in Han Mountain City and the three tribes will be him. He'll be able to massacre an entire tribe on his own if he so wishes!"
"I know why he didn't choose to Transcend a few months ago. He wants to manifest that one more blood vein. I'm guessing that he chose to challenge the Chains of Han Mountain to use that as a shock to gain one more blood vein!"
Chapter 188: Great Completion!
Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
The crowd's opinions varied. Discussions and uproars that shook the sky rose among them. The challenge of the Chains of Han Mountain this time made all those paying attention feel as if their emotions were surging like waves, and they could not help it. Whether it was Su Ming's failure and fall, or his subsequent rise from the canyons, or even the words that came from Puqiang that eventually sparked the anger and outcries of disagreements that broke the silence that seemed to be still lingering in their ears—all of these made them excited, made their hearts surge with waves of emotions.
However, compared to these, the shock they felt at the moment completely overcame all that they previously felt. The sight that unfolded before them was of a person with his head lifted towards the sky on the Chain and a giant above them, catching all their attention.
979 blood veins. This was something that most people could not see in their lives. It was also something that most people could not do in their lives.
As the clouds tumbled in the sky, the sight that had appeared a few months ago surfaced in their hearts, and one of the two great mysterious people that was the center of all topics in Han Mountain City appeared before their eyes.
That emotion was too difficult to describe with words, only shock could be marginally used to describe it!
On Puqiang Mountain, the Elder of Puqiang Tribe was deathly pale. His mind was in turmoil, and he lost all ability to think. All the things that had happened during that one day made him feel helpless. First it was Han Mountain Bell's chimes that caused the fog protecting their mountain to scatter, then it was the catastrophe that almost fell upon them. They had just managed to escape from it by a hair's breadth and he was looking at the person who brought the disaster on their heads with a cold, murderous look, when he suddenly realized that the person who was the source of the calamity only needed one more blood vein before he attained full completion right before his eyes.
Even if the three tribes banded together, they still could not provoke a person like this, much less him alone!
If such a person manifested one more blood vein and Transcended, he could surpass all the powerful Berserkers in the middle stage of the Transcendence Realm! There was no way Puqiang Tribe would dare to provoke such a person!
When he thought back on their plots against this person as they tried to prevent him from continuing the challenge, it made a strong sense of fear grow within the Elder's heart.
"He wanted to use the Chains of Han Mountain as a shock to himself so that he could gain one more blood vein… and we were deliberately making things difficult for him. Once he succeeds…" the Elder of Puqiang Tribe mumbled, and anguish rose within his heart.
"No wonder he had dared to snatch what belonged to Sir Si Ma. He… has the right to do so!"
The man who looked like a mountain of flesh took a deep breath and immediately took a few steps forward to stand at the edge of the mountain. He forced out a smile and wrapped his fist in his palm before bowing deeply towards Su Ming, who was standing on the eighth section of the Chain.
"I am Kuang Zhang Ning, tribe leader of Puqiang Tribe. Greetings, sir. I hope you will forgive our previous transgressions. It is our honor that you chose our tribe's Chain. We will all wait here and hope that you will be able to gain one more blood vein. When your name sounds through all of South Morning, our tribe will be honored as well."
The man's voice was very sincere and his face was filled with reverence as he bowed three times in succession.
The Elder of Puqiang Tribe remained silent for a moment before he bowed deeply towards Su Ming. "I am Kuang Bei Xing, Elder of Puqiang Tribe. Greetings… sir."
When they saw their tribe leader and Elder doing so, the other leaders of Puqiang Tribe standing behind them also bowed in reverence.
Su Ming cast a glance at the Elder and tribe leader on Puqiang Mountain. He did not speak. When he manifested all his blood veins, he had already speculated that this would happen. If the Elder and tribe leader of a middle-sized tribe did not have this sort of resolution and forbearance, they would have long since been replaced by someone else.
Yet he was short on time. As the clouds tumbled in the sky, Su Ming felt the urge to Transcend that had been suppressed within his body showing signs of running out of control. He might Transcend at any moment.
"I will Transcend at Puqiang Mountain today. Defend me, and I will forgive all your previous transgressions," he stated languidly.
The Elder and tribe leader of Puqiang Tribe immediately lifted their heads. Shock appeared on their faces, but it was quickly replaced by a solemn expression as they nodded their heads and obeyed.
"Sir, worry not! I can also defend you! Please Transcend without worry. I will not agree to anyone disturbing you!" the old woman's voice came from Lake of Colors Mountain. Her voice might be old and aged, but there was strength in it, and a hint of steadfastness.
"I, Yan Luan, will also defend you. Please Transcend without worry!"
"I, Fang Zhen, Elder of Tranquil East Tribe, wish that you can increase your blood veins once again and reach the Transcendence Realm when you have attained great completion. This is a major event for all the three tribes in Han Mountain. I will also defend you, please Transcend without worry!"
"I, Fang Shen, tribe leader of Tranquil East Tribe, am willing to defend you!"
"I, Nan Tian, am willing to defend you! Please, do not worry!"
"I, Ke Jiu Si, am willing to defend you!"
"Me too! I've never seen a Berserker who attained great completion Transcending. Today, I, Leng Ying, will defend you!"
At the same moment, waves of sounds stirred up in the crowd in Han Mountain City. Those waves were from numerous people telling Su Ming respectfully in declaration that they were willing to defend him. Gradually, the entire world seemed to be filled with the echoing waves of sounds, which turned into an earth shattering statement.
"We are willing to defend you!"
Su Ming stood on the Chain and wrapped his fist as thanks towards all those around him. Then he took an abrupt step forward as his Qi in his entire body circulated and turned into a blood red light that illuminated the sky. The blood-red light shone out from within his body. The apparition of a giant above him was also glowing with red light, causing the entire region to be dyed in an impressive shade of red at that very moment!
As his Qi circulated, Su Ming also activated the Branding Art and entered fine control, causing each step he took to be his most powerful step. Due to his Qi, the absorption of his life force gradually balanced out on the Chain.
With each step, the red light flickered on Su Ming's body. He had already traversed half of the eighth section of the Chain. With all his Qi in motion, his speed increased. Eventually, he was practically not looking at the Chain under his feet as he moved forward, but each time he took a step, his feet would land precisely on the Chain.
After the time it takes to burn an incense stick, when Su Ming stood on the eighth stone pillar, there was only one final section left before him before he reached Puqiang Mountain!
It was also at that moment that due to the continuous circulation of Qi as he walked forward, the mighty presence coming out from within his body increased once again with a loud bang!
Su Ming expected this increase. It was already very difficult for him to suppress the urge to Transcend; he didn't have any further thoughts of suppressing it again. Today, he would finish challenging the Chains of Han Mountain. Today, he would Transcend!
A flash of shocking red light appeared on the forehead of the muddled face covered by blood veins belonging to the giant formed by blood veins… The 980th blood vein appeared!
The moment the blood vein appeared, the sky rumbled incessantly. The layers of clouds tumbled as if there was a pair of hands that reached deep within them and split them apart forcefully. As the clouds were torn apart, sunlight fell on the earth clearly and gathered on Su Ming's body.
At the same time, a twisted apparition appeared in the sky. The scene that occurred in Han Mountain a few months ago appeared once again!
This was the sign that the deity statue of Transcendence was about to manifest. This symbolized that before long, the deity statue of Transcendence would descend upon them once more!
The sky rumbled incessantly. A large amount of clouds were ripped apart. A gentle light fell upon the entire world. The earth trembled slightly. A strong, imposing pressure accumulated in the sky. It had yet to fall upon people, but it was enough to make them feel shaken.
Su Ming jolted. There was also a blood vein gathering on his forehead. That blood vein laid diagonally as if it penetrated his entire face. Once it appeared, he could clearly feel a boom that could shake the sky and earth within his body. No one else could hear that sound. Only he could.
As the boom resounded, he felt strong. He could feel a vague calling in the sky! In fact, at that moment, he felt that all the people around him, even all the powerful Transcended Berserkers, were giving him a distinct sense that they were all weak.
It was even more so for those in the Blood Solidification Realm. Su Ming had an impression that with just one thought, he could make all the blood veins leave the bodies of those still in the Blood Solidification Realm. As for those in the Transcendence Realm, they were no longer powerful in his eyes.
Only the presence of a Berserker in the middle stage of the Transcendence Realm coming from each of the three tribes could make Su Ming pay slight attention to them.
'This is the great completion in the Blood Solidification Realm..?'
Su Ming closed his eyes before he reopened them slowly, no longer suppressing the urge to Transcend. He lifted his foot and moved towards the ninth section of the Chain.
"9… 80… blood veins!"
The Elder of Puqiang Tribe trembled. He no longer harbored any antagonistic thoughts towards Su Ming, who stood on the stone pillar before him. There was only deep reverence within him.
"Great completion… of the Blood Solidification Realm… This is the first time I see someone like this. Berserkers who can attain great completion like this should be rare in the entire Land of South Morning!"
There was a frenzied look in the eyes of the tribe leader of Puqiang Tribe. All Berserkers worshipped the powerful. The person before him was definitely someone who could Transcend. Once he Transcended, then he would in no doubt be the strongest person in the entire region in Han Mountain!
On Tranquil East Mountain, the Elder's breathing quickened. He had already came to a conclusion that this person was somehow connected to Si Ma Xin, perhaps something like… destiny?
The Elder of Tranquil East did not dare speculate. It did not matter whether it was Mo Su or Si Ma Xin, he could not freely form speculations about them. However, it was his belief that if Mo Su entered Freezing Sky Clan and returned to Han Mountain once again, he would be a presence that was akin to the blazing sun.
Fang Shen was thrilled. He knew that his son, Fang Mu, could truly be cured. Mo Su did not lie to him.
"He attained great completion!"
The old woman looked at the Chains of Han Mountain on Lake of Colors Mountain, then at Han Fei Zi, who stood in the distance, and a strange glint appeared in her eyes.
"Fei Er, I've already prepared everything for you, whether you succeed or not once you enter Freezing Sky Clan will depend on your luck."
As the power in the sky gathered together, when the crowd in Han Mountain City saw the 980th blood vein appear on Su Ming's body, all sounds of discussions and uproars died. Their gazes spoke of everything in their thoughts.
Great completion of the Blood Solidification Realm!
It was also at this moment that Han Mountain Bell, which was located by the side of the stone gate connecting the third and second layer, let out a faint and muffled bell chime even though no one touched it.
Chapter 189: The Envoys from Freezing Sky
Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
The ninth section of the Chain was the final section of the entire Chain of Han Mountain. It was connected to Puqiang Mountain. If he stood there, he could see all the details on Puqiang Mountain clearly.
Su Ming took a step forward. The moment his foot landed on the ninth section of the Chain, a loud boom echoed in his body once again. This time, however, he was not the only one who heard the boom. That sound also reverberated in the air.
This was a sign that another blood vein was about to manifest as his blood veins clashed against each other in his body in a strange manner!
The sound may not have been loud, but it made the Elder and tribe leader standing on Puqiang Mountain, along with all those who heard it, to be shocked. It was as if their blood veins were stirring up due to the boom and started appearing one by one on their bodies.
The feeling of time spreading out from the ninth section of the Chain was incredibly shocking, causing Su Ming to be unable to move fast. He moved forward, and once he covered two tenths of the ninth section, a jolt ran through his entire body. The booming sounds inside his body were growing stronger, reaching a volume that shook the heavens and earth. Amidst the dense blood veins covering the chest of the blood red giant above him, another blood vein appeared once again!
The 981st vein!
Su Ming lifted his head and looked at the clear sky. His eyes, which were hidden underneath the hood, were sparkling brightly. By revealing that he had attained completion of the Blood Solidification Realm when he climbed the Chains of Han Mountain, not only could he amaze the people, as per his goal, he could also use this method to increase his power as he walked through the Chains of Han Mountain.
The Elders of the three tribes and the other leaders had guessed that Su Ming wanted to use the Chains of Han Mountain to increase his blood veins, but they did not manage to speculate that Su Ming had a second goal.
Su Ming took in a deep breath. Mountain breeze blew against his face, causing him to feel as if his breathing had stilled. Even if he managed to suck in a breath into his mouth, it was difficult for him to inhale it. The Chain swayed under his feet. With each swing, it would feel as if time itself was surging like waves.
"981 blood veins… It's still not enough," Su Ming mumbled and moved forward once again.
He had no idea how those who managed to walk through the ninth section of the Chain did it. He could sense that the speed at which the Chain was absorbing his life force was so quick that even a Berserker in the Transcendence Realm would find it hard to counter it. Even if they managed to walk through it, their vitality would suffer greatly.
A glint appeared in Su Ming's eyes. He walked forward and the distance between him and Puqiang Mountain continuously shrank. The presence emitting forth from his body grew once again after the time it takes to burn an incense stick.
This time, the additional blood vein also appeared on his chest. As it was reflected on the giant above him, all the people in the area saw the 982nd blood vein appearing abruptly on Su Ming's body.
Uproars broke out in the area. Han Mountain City was seething with excitement. All the people from the three tribes stood on the three mountains gazing upon Su Ming standing on the ninth section of the Chain with a respectful look.
"982 blood veins! If he finishes walking through the ninth section, just how many blood veins will he manage to obtain?!"
"I've never seen a Berserker attaining great completion in the Blood Solidification Realm before. Could… Could he be trying to create a miracle and challenge himself to achieve the one state that was considered rare even during the time of the Ancients... 1,000 blood veins?!"
"1,000 blood veins… I've heard about an old saying, 'Those who Transcend with 1,000 blood veins will be the strongest among all below the Bone Sacrifice Realm!'"
Discussions were rife in the air, but the Elders and tribe leaders were silent, their faces filled with reverence towards Su Ming.
Su Ming continued walking down the Chain. He could sense his own might. As his blood veins increased, even if it was just by one blood vein, it felt as if he had taken a gigantic leap forward in his Path, making him realize clearly that he had total control over a certain power.
That power was the power of the Qi from all 982 blood veins. It was a power that was unique to all Berserkers who attained great completion of the Blood Solidification Realm!
He would even occasionally look at the sky. The clouds had been ripped apart and in their place was a layer of mist. That mist was not as thick as the clouds, but it was filled with a majestic presence. The deity statue of Transcendence was rapidly materializing in the sky. Once it appeared again, it would mean that Su Ming needed to Transcend.
"I've finally chosen to Transcend…"
Su Ming looked at the mist tumbling in the sky with a conflicted expression. He lifted his foot and walked forward along the Chain slowly.
Walking on the Chain was akin to walking on the passages of time. However, the memories of his life when he was in Dark Mountain surfaced in his mind. How many years had it been? Perhaps it had been four to five years, perhaps it was longer. Su Ming could not tell himself with certainty just how many years it had been.
The memories of the confusion and sorrow when he initially arrived in the Land of South Morning, and when he laid on the mountainside crying as he looked at the sky at a loss were still fresh in his mind.
The already mighty presence within Su Ming's body increased once again, and there were 983 blood veins on the giant above him now!
The 983 blood veins glowed with a bright red light that lit up the sky and pierced into the eyes of all those watching. A mighty pressure that could make all those in the Blood Solidification Realm tremble erupted forth from Su Ming's body.
All those who were in the Blood Solidification Realm within Han Mountain City and the three tribes started shivering faintly under this pressure, as if they were about to lose control of their bodies and were going to fall down to their knees to worship.
This was the subjugation of blood veins. It was also something that would only appear once a Berserker attained great completion of the Blood Solidification Realm – a subjugation of a level equivalent to those in the Transcendence Realm!
During the first time he saw Jing Nan, the very first time he saw a powerful Berserker in the Transcendence Realm, Su Ming's heart had been overwhelmed by shock and eagerness. The seed of desire to become a powerful Transcended Berserker was sown in his heart since that time and been growing ever since.
"I want to Transcend. I want to be a powerful Berserker in the Transcendence Realm…" Su Ming mumbled.
This was his most straightforward wish at that time – to become a powerful Transcended Berserker and protect his tribe.
Yet now… Sorrow appeared on Su Ming's face. He was close to Transcendence, so close that he could Transcend at any moment, however… he could no longer find the desire to Transcend in hopes to protect his tribe.
His sorrow melted into the presence emanating from his body, making the people sink into an indescribable state of depression, causing the commotion in the area to become silent.
As Su Ming walked, his blood veins increased by one again, and he now had 984 blood veins!
The existence of 984 blood veins caused Su Ming to be covered densely by blood veins, as if every inch of his skin was occupied.
The sky rumbled, thunder roared, lightning continued crackling in the sky. The mist that covered the sky gathered together and the contour of the deity statue of Transcendence appeared.
The instant the statue's contour appeared, its might descended upon everyone. All the living beings on the land felt their hearts shaken to the core at that moment.
Su Ming continued walking, and the image of Bi Tu, the Elder of Black Mountain Tribe, surfaced in his mind. This was the second Transcended Berserker he saw. Su Ming even had the feeling that Bi Tu was stronger than Jing Nan.
Bi Tu's strength came from his power in the Transcendence Realm. The strange Berserker Arts he'd casted, their fierce battle against each other had caused Su Ming to feel powerless time and again, and his desire to Transcend had increased.
Booming sounds came from within Su Ming, and the 985th blood vein manifested! The shocking speed made all those who saw show expressions of disbelief. Even Nan Tian and the others, including Han Fei Zi, found it hard to hide the shock in their eyes.
They suddenly understood once again why Su Ming chose not to Transcend all those months ago! He was not pleased with the number of blood veins he had. He… wanted to obtain more!
With 985 blood veins, he could call himself a Berserker who attained great completion in the Blood Solidification Realm, yet with each individual increase of one more blood vein once he attained great completion, his strength once he Transcended would also increase.
The difference that existed between him and those who Transcended would also be gigantic!
Su Ming walked forth silently. He felt as if he had returned to the moment when he first arrived in Han Mountain City, had returned to the time when he first saw He Feng and Han Fei Zi. At that time, he had absolutely not expected that he would one day become He Feng's Master, much less cross hands with Han Fei Zi and from then on become entangled with her.
"Elder, do you know? Your La Su is about to Transcend… he's about draw his own Berserker Mark. How would my Berserker Mark look like..?" Su Ming mumbled as he took another step, another blood vein manifesting on his skin.
The 986th vein!
By then, Su Ming had walked through most of the ninth section of the Chain. There was not even 1,000 feet away between him and Puqiang Mountain. Not only could Su Ming see the faces of those standing on the summit, the Elder of Puqiang Tribe and the others could also see Su Ming's robes clearly.
The Elder of Puqiang Tribe lowered his head in reverence.
By his side, the tribe leader also lowered his head as if he was waiting for Su Ming's arrival.
At the moment, the sky was illuminated by blood light. Thunder rumbled above. The deity statue of Transcendence was materializing slowly, becoming whole from just being a mere outline.
The domineering might became stronger and covered the entire land!
It was also at that moment that a sudden bright light came from Lake of Colors Tribe. That light was white. If it were during normal times, the light would not garner much attention as it was also daylight, but since the world was illuminated in red, when the white light shone, it immediately became glaringly obvious.
The light caught a lot of people's attention, but only a handful people knew the source of the light.
"Relocation?"
The Elder of Tranquil East was stunned. He cast a glance at the tribe leader, and they saw the uncertainty in each other's eyes.
Puqiang Tribe was similarly swathed in uncertainty. Even Lake of Colors Tribe was also uncertain. The old woman turned her head around swiftly and looked towards the location where the light was shining. That was the center of the summit of Lake of Colors Mountain. There was a gigantic picture carved on the ground over there.
"Elder, this… that Relocation Rune can only be used by Freezing Sky Clan… could it be..?"
Yan Luan looked towards the old woman.
The old woman remained silent for a moment before she nodded.
However, right at the moment the Relocation light appeared, it was instantly crushed into mere fragments of light by the domineering pressure formed by the deity statue of Transcendence that appeared in the sky. The fragments scattered away.
At the same time, in the sky above a remote mountain 10,000 li away from Han Mountain City, a loud boom suddenly resounded in the sky. A white light came out of nowhere and turned into a complex picture that burst apart. Three people walked out of the white light, looking like a right mess.
"What happened in Han Mountain City? There's something interfering with the power of Relocation. It could only transfer us here!"
The leader of the three people was an old man in white. His eyes were sparkling with an intimidating might. At that moment, he was frowning as he looked towards Han Mountain City.
The two people by his side were a man and a woman respectively. The two of them were in their thirties. They were extraordinarily good-looking, and what was more, they were Berserkers in the Transcendence Realm!
The person who spoke was the younger man.