Chapter 8: Once Shone on the Rosy Clouds

In this era, darkness shrouded the heavens and the earth.

Glowing creatures were rare; once they appeared, it likely meant they were formidable and lethal. One needed to stay far away from their territory as soon as possible.

In the vast wilderness, no one knew how many dangerous beings lay in wait.

To dare expose oneself in such a peril-filled environment, unscrupulously radiating light, was undoubtedly a manifestation of confidence. There was a high probability that such a creature possessed overwhelming strength.

Qin Ming slid silently down from the tree, hiding in the shadows of the dense forest. He could not calm his heart.

That was no ordinary glowing creature—it illuminated the entire night sky.

In an age without the sun, moon, or stars, such a wondrous sight had actually appeared in the pitch-black world.

"A Moon Bug!" he had heard of them before.

The elders often told the younger generation that in the distant past, there had been a sun and a moon. Seeing the confused looks in the children's eyes, the elders would use the Moon Bug as an example.

"If one day you happen to gaze upon a Moon Bug from afar, you will know what the moon looked like."

If a Moon Bug appeared, no one would need to tell you what it was. You would simply know, for it would be the only thing in the night sky.

When that orb of light first rose slowly, it was quite soft. Qin Ming didn't know if it was because of his preconceived notions, but he thought he could vaguely see the blurry silhouette of an insect.

Now, however, it was too brilliant. Where was the form of an insect? The light interwove like a gorgeous disc, or perhaps like a divine crown, shining down upon the night sky.

The summer cicada knows not the passage of spring and autumn. Normally, it was rare for any insect to survive the winter into the next year.

According to the elders, the Moon Bug had migrated to this region over fifty years ago, dwelling deep within the grand mountain ranges and rarely appearing in the outer areas.

According to local custom, it had long been recorded as a "Famous Bug" that had stood tall in the mountains for fifty years.

People had reason to believe its true depth was likely not inferior to the Mutated Creatures or Mountain Lords that had existed for even longer.

Qin Ming was entranced. In that distant antiquity, was the moon truly like this?

In the night sky, it was as if a lamp from a celestial palace hung high, glowing brightly and shedding pure light. It fell upon the dark mountain forests and blanketed the gloomy, desolate ridges. In an instant, this region was dyed a faint silver.

This was completely different from what he usually saw; the heavy ink-like darkness of the mountains was thoroughly dispelled.

The entire world felt different. Gazing at such beauty, Qin Ming couldn't help but feel a yearning for the ancient times that possessed a sun and moon. What kind of world was that?

He knew that the Moon Bug only illuminated the two nearby low mountains, far inferior to the true moon. After all, legends said the moon’s radiance stretched for ten thousand miles, a vast spectacle in the void—a true, great light.

At this moment, everything was silent. Whether it was the Wild Boar King, the mysterious creature hunting it, or any other birds and beasts, all were hunker down in silence.

Suddenly, a streak of light cut through the sky. The Moon Bug departed, and the surrounding area quickly lost its luster as the mountain forest plunged back into boundless darkness.

Qin Ming felt a sense of emptiness in his heart. Then, a strong desire welled up within him: when would he be able to come and go as freely as the Moon Bug, where the Eternal Night could not obscure his path?

He didn't have much time for contemplation. Taking advantage of the fact that the various fierce beasts were still cowed and did not dare emerge, he sprang into action. He dragged the Saber-horned Deer and the Mountain Mixer over the low mountain and quickly moved away.

Deep in the mountains, a shrill howl rang out and then stopped abruptly. It seemed a powerful being had been slain where the Moon Bug had descended.

The mountain forest remained quiet. Neither extraordinary beasts nor many-times-mutated "Famous Birds" were willing to make a sound.

Twin Tree Village came into view, and Qin Ming successfully returned with his prey.

As he neared the village entrance, he looked back. The four directions were vast and pitch black.

The various brilliant scenes from moments ago still surfaced in his mind. He felt somewhat dazed. The bright moon of old once shone on the rosy clouds as one returned; where was it today?

Growl!

A sound came from his stomach. The intense hunger pulled him back to reality. He chuckled at himself; why think about such ethereal matters? Right now, he needed to solve the problem of food and warmth.

In such cold weather, only a few children were chasing each other at the village entrance, unwilling to stay indoors.

"Brother Qin, you went into the mountains... and hunted a Saber-horned Deer by yourself?" A thin boy's eyes widened in shock.

The children's small faces were red from the cold. They crowded forward together and were startled when they saw the black Mountain Mixer that weighed several hundred pounds.

Staring at the two carcasses, they couldn't help but secretly swallow their saliva.

"Come to my house to eat meat in a bit," Qin Ming said with a smile.

He moved like a gust of wind, dragging the two prey back to his home.

Having held back for the entire journey, he felt like he could almost live like a primitive, eating raw flesh and drinking blood. He immediately started boiling water and called Lu Ze and Liang Wanqing to help.

"Xiao Qin, are you hurt?" Liang Wanqing was observant and immediately saw the bloodstains on his shoulder.

"A minor injury, it's fine," Qin Ming shook his head.

Lu Ze helped him check it. Seeing that the wound wasn't deep and had already scabbed over, he felt relieved.

Soon, a rich aroma wafted through the small courtyard. Large chunks of meat were boiling in an iron pot, while a deer leg was roasting over the fire, fat dripping steadily into the flames.

Qin Ming's stomach rumbled like thunder; he couldn't wait any longer. He used a small knife to carve a thin slice from the deer leg and popped it straight into his mouth, heedless of the heat.

"It's cooked, and the taste is great! Wenrui, did your uncle satisfy your wish today?"

Wenrui took a bite, his eyes curving into crescents with delight. He nodded like a chicken pecking at rice and said, "It smells so good! I've forgotten how long it's been since I last ate meat. Uncle, you're the best!"

Qin Ming called for Lu Ze and Liang Wanqing to eat first, saying they would clean up the remaining meat later.

Wenhui, who was just over two years old, couldn't chew the roasted deer leg yet. He could only eat meat paste that had been boiled and mashed. He pouted his lips aggrievedly and watched with wide eyes, making everyone laugh.

Qin Ming was in the critical stage of Rebirth. His body had sent out several strong signals of an intense craving for meat. Now, as he ate ravenously, he was finally satisfied.

At that moment, several children peeked through the courtyard gate. Their faces were dirty, and they looked longingly at the meat, their eyes bright with desire, though they were too shy to enter.

Qin Ming immediately beckoned to them. "Didn't I call out to you at the village entrance? Come in quickly and eat together."

"Thank you, Brother Qin."

"Uncle, you're so nice..."

The children called out various greetings and entered the courtyard sheepishly. Soon, they were stuffing their cheeks like little hamsters, mumbling about how delicious it was.

"Slow down, there's plenty more." Liang Wanqing was afraid the children would choke, so she ladled some meat broth for them.

Qin Ming felt his flesh and blood cheering. It was like a great rain falling upon a parched land; countless new shoots broke through the soil, and all things were being born anew, gushing with infinite vitality.

He clearly felt his meridians growing and his joints popping occasionally. His hearing and vision became sharper, and his spirit became exceptionally vigorous.

Post-natal embryonic transformation—his body was truly undergoing Rebirth!

Lu Ze and Liang Wanqing had long since set down their utensils, but Qin Ming was still eating large mouthfuls of meat. His stomach was like a bottomless pit. This way of eating was somewhat frightening, and sweat constantly poured from his body, turning into a rising white mist.

"His body is undergoing Rebirth; it's changing drastically!" Lu Ze was astonished. He hadn't expected Qin Ming's process, which started yesterday, to still be ongoing. In fact, it was accelerating. What level was he going to reach?

The children couldn't eat anymore. Their bellies were round, and their small faces were filled with utter satisfaction.

Qin Ming saw that they were a bit restrained staying there, so he smiled and said, "All full? Go and play then."

Soon, the news of him hunting a Saber-horned Deer and a Mountain Mixer spread.

The villagers were shocked. At this stage, the wilderness was extremely dangerous, and many people didn't dare enter the mountains anymore. To think he had such a harvest.

Especially the mutated Donkey-headed Wolf—it had a fearsome reputation, and it was hard for an ordinary person to survive an encounter with one.

Qin Ming was only just over sixteen. How could he deal with such a several-hundred-pound beast?

"Could it be that he has achieved Rebirth during his Golden Period?"

For a time, many people came to Qin Ming's small courtyard to ask about the situation in the mountains.

If it was safe, they also planned to go hunting.

"Mother, I'm hungry," a little girl in patched clothes said softly.

In this winter of food scarcity, the roasted meat in the courtyard smelled particularly fragrant. Some children hid behind the adults, watching longingly.

Qin Ming knew the feeling of hunger. Looking at those red, cold faces and their pitiful expressions, he quickly waved them over. "Everyone, come and eat together."

The children didn't sit down immediately. Instead, they looked at their parents first, being quite simple and reserved.

Qin Ming continued, "Uncles and elders, I won't invite you to eat here, but later, every family can take five pounds of meat home."

"Xiao Qin, how can we..."

"It's settled," Qin Ming said. There were only a few dozen households in the village; there was enough to share.

"Xiao Qin is truly a good lad. Later, let's all look around and quickly arrange a beautiful wife for him. He's at the right age."

"No rush for that," Qin Ming hurriedly waved his hand.

The courtyard was filled with laughter. The group of children was the happiest, sitting together and eating until their small faces were covered in grease.

...

"Xiao Qin, tell me the truth. Have you achieved Rebirth?" Yang Yongqing arrived.

Before the Shallow Night had arrived, he had met Qin Ming. It hadn't been long since they parted, and the boy was already able to kill a mutated Mountain Mixer. It had truly given him a fright.

Qin Ming nodded with a smile. "Didn't Uncle Yang say that noble ladies were coming down and that I should work hard to improve myself and perform well? Combined with the danger I faced in the mountains, I was stimulated. My body kept getting hotter, and suddenly, I achieved Rebirth."

"You kid, you're not being honest enough," Yang Yongqing pointed at him with a laugh.

Everyone present knew clearly that this was all because Qin Ming's physical constitution was extraordinary and his accumulation was deep enough.

"Rebirth during the Golden Period... in decades, this is the first for our Twin Tree Village!" Old Man Liu, who lived at the village entrance, sighed with emotion.

Everyone knew what this meant. Even looking at this entire region, it was dazzling. There were infinite possibilities for the future.

In this extreme cold where one's breath could turn into ice crystals, Qin Ming's body was like a furnace, growing hotter and hotter. A large amount of sweat was expelled, leaving him drenched. He was nearly enveloped in white mist.

"His flesh and blood vitality is so strong; it's much more violent than mine was back then." Yang Yongqing's bearded chin trembled in shock.

He understood clearly that Qin Ming was accelerating his Rebirth from head to toe, inside and out. First like autumn and winter, sweeping away withered leaves, then like spring and summer, sprouting new branches.

The stickiness on his skin was the shedding of "yellow leaves"—expelling old impurities—while his interior was brimming with life. His blood glowed; he was like he had returned to the womb, nurturing a burgeoning power of Rebirth and reopening the limits of his body.

Qin Ming felt a wave of drowsiness. After eating and drinking his fill, it felt as though he was falling into a special kind of "hibernation." He could barely keep his eyes open.

He asked Lu Ze to distribute the meat to the households while he followed his body's instincts and prepared to go inside for a long sleep.

"Grandma Zhou is being buried today. Help me go there and send more meat to the Zhou family." Qin Ming forced back his sleepiness, washed his body with ice-cold water, and then lay down on the heated brick bed.

The others felt surprised seeing this, but their realization wasn't as deep.

Yang Yongqing, having seen more of the world, noticed that Qin Ming seemed enveloped in a white celestial mist, and his strong, powerful heartbeat sounded like a beating drum. This shook his heart tremendously!

The most crucial point was that the other party was still in the middle of "Rebirth," far from finished.

Could it be that after this Rebirth, Qin Ming might have a sliver of a chance to approach those famous youths in that bright city far away?

Soon, Yang Yongqing shook his head again. No matter how good one's natural talent, how could it compare to three generations of accumulation from others? Not to mention those people themselves were exceptionally outstanding.

As for the young man and woman who had recently stunned that city—exceeding all previous Golden Period Rebirth achievers—he believed there was no need to even think about them. It wasn't suitable to even make a comparison.