Chapter 5 – Qin Cheng

On the dinner table, seated next to his father Hai Yun downed a glass of water. If anyone paid close attention to it, they would notice a faint green color diluted in the water.

“Yun’er, the servants have told me that you finally stopped visiting the tavern and have spent all your money buying useless herbs and planting them in the garden. Is this true?” Hai Yun’s father, Hai Cang Qiong interrogated his son.

Hai Cang Qiong was a martial practitioner who had tremendous amounts of talent, amongst all of his cousins, he was the strongest martial practitioner at the 2nd stage of the Spirit Aura realm. It should be known that the world of martial cultivation was divided into many realms, each with 10 stages. The first realm would be the Nascent Spirit stage, which one would step into at the age of 13. Hai Yun would enter this stage when his first profound vein opens in 10 days. As for the Spirit Aura Realm, it was the third realm of martial cultivation. To get there one would first have to cultivate pass the 10 stages of Nascent Spirit as well as Spirit Profound Realm, which came after the Nascent Spirit realm.

“Indeed father, I think I have been strangely attracted to individual herbs as my day of awakening approaches. I am not entirely sure why, but it really eases my mind to take care of those herbs.”

For people approaching their day of awakening, a new strange behavior wasn’t all that uncommon. Hai Cang Qiong had also exhibited a tendency to swim for extensive periods of time before he awakened. Logically, as his son, Hai Yun would probably also go through strange tendencies, but why was it herb planting?

Of course, Hai Yun had also gained another strange tendency, which was to spend more time reading, however because this seemed like a positive influence Hai Cang Qiong decided not to bring it up. Of course he was still tending to the herbs, but not for nearly as much time as everyone thought. His true reason for having those herbs was to concoct medicines that could deal with all these instances of being poisoned. So naturally he would spend time growing them daily.

After he had drained his glass of water he continued eating. The poisons which had been mixed into his meal had been nullified by the green liquid that he had mixed into his water. Every day there would be at least 2 attempts to poison him and reduce his talent. Fortunately, only the Bone sheering poison on his clothes was actually detrimental to his life, everything else was merely for reducing his talent.

But he was an alchemy prodigy who had equaled the realm of Divine Alchemists. Within two days of controlling his new body, all the previous talent destroying poisons in his body had been completely removed and with the knowledge from his ‘Almighty Divinity who is my Benevolent Master’ his talent was on the rise!

For example, one such technique he had learned was using snake grass to refine a thick tar that could be applied on one’s body. After being covered in it, it would seal up all of ones pores allowing no qi of heaven and earth to escape, thus straining his bodies holding capacity to the maximum. When his profound veins opened now, they would be sturdier and able to circulate qi in much larger quantities as well as in greater speed!

Almost the entire day, every day was being spent on raising his talent in the library. The entire second floor had been completely sealed off and with the aid of his ‘Almighty Divinity who is my Benevolent Master’ the forbidden area became his secret space.

“Yun’er, in two days, it will be your fiancé’s 13th birthday. And 8 days after that it will be yours. Please be on time and act responsibly when you are at your future father in-law’s house.”

“Father, have I misbehaved in the last twenty days?” Hai Yun smiled.

Indeed he hasn’t but what about before that? Hai Cang Qiong wondered. Oh well, I guess I should stop pestering him so much, I wasn’t too different before I awoke either.

-------

Two days later.

Hai Yun walked in through the front door of the Qin clan politely greeting all of his seniors at the Qin Clan. Next to him was a beautiful woman who gave off an enticing mature charm who was walking hand in hand with Hai Yun’s father.

Naturally she was Hai Yun’s mother, Yun Dongqing, the only daughter of the Yun clan’s patriarch who would let Hai Cang Qiong inherit the Yun clan’s wealth and power. She was a cultivator at the 1st stage of the Spirit Aura realm, only one stage lower than Hai Cang Qiong himself. As the small family arrived in the main hall, some more pleasantries were exchanged.

“Brother Hai!” a loud voice boomed. Following which a well-built man walked out into the main hall from one of the side halls of the Qin manor. He was also a cultivator of the 2nd stage of the Spirit Aura realm, similar to Hai Cang Qiong.

He wore a warriors robe with a belt at his waist. The upper half of his robe however was missing and appeared to have been torn off.

“Wentian! At least fully clothe yourself on your daughters awakening ceremony!” an exasperated woman called out. The voice came from a woman whose beauty was comparable to Hai Yun’s mother. She was Qin Wentian’s wife, Qing Xue, and mother of Qin Cheng. She was the only daughter of the Qing clan’s patriarch and naturally was also a cultivator. However her realm was only at the peak of the 10th stage of the Spirit profound realm, which came after the Nascent Spirit realm.

Next to her was a charming girl wearing a veil. Her complexion was extremely fair and appeared flawless, she had thin and delicate eyebrows but gloomy eyes portraying her exhaustion. However when Hai Yun entered her vision, her eyes immediately brightened.

“Brother Hai!” she called, “Why are you here?”

“Obviously I couldn’t miss the awakening day of my beautiful future wife!” Hai Yun smiled. Thankfully, with the aid of the Qin clan servants, Qin Cheng was left unaware of the old Hai Yun’s nonsense and treated him very well. This was part of the reason, the new Hai Yun wanted to be good with her.

“Whose your future wife?!?!” Qin cheng put her hands on her waist and turned around to face away from him.

“Of course my future little wife will be you!”

“Hmph, who’s your little wife, I’m older than you!” Qin Cheng pouted.

“Right, right, right, you will be my future Big Wife!” Hai Yun slapped his own forehead.

Qin Cheng stared dumbfounded. Usually he would argue about 8 days not mattering, so why was he conceding to being younger today? “Brother Hai, you seem a little different today?” she asked suspiciously. There was no doubt he wanted something, otherwise how could he possibly concede to something like this?

“Yep, I also found myself becoming increasingly handsome!” Hai Yun smiled.

Qin Cheng couldn’t help but giggle at this.

“Foolish apprentice, when you transmigrate into another body, at least act like the original owner! This little girl also thinks something’s wrong with you!” Hai Yun’s ‘Almighty Divinity who is my Benevolent Master’ criticized telepathically. He had long since ceased displaying his spirit form and would only communicate with Hai Yun mind to mind. Apparently, it was too troublesome.

“If a certain ‘Almighty Divinity who is my Benevolent Master’ wasn’t bored from having no one to listen to his ramblings for the last few centuries, I might have had much more sleep! That way I could stop acting like a fool and be more prepared for this!” Hai Yun shot back.

“Can you truly blame me for being bored?”

“Yes”

“…”

After exchanging a short conversation with Hai Yun, Qin Cheng walked outside to an open pavilion. Today was her big festival, so naturally she would have to lead it. When they arrived outside into the main quad she stood up on a preset pedestal and faced the upper class society of the nearby territory.

“Thank you all for coming to bear witness to my awakening ceremony.” She paused and smiled under her veil. “Please welcome some special guests my grandfather invited, many of you may have already of heard of them, or rather the organization they represent. They are from the Holy Music Pavilion, my family and I sincerely welcome elder Nangong and his disciples.” As she finished, she bowed towards the door.

As if on cue, a white haired old man walked through the door, tailed by 4 youths in their late teens. He sighed as if he found the pleasantries quite excessive, however it did not seem like he was looking down on them, only that his position was overly exaggerated.

However, if anything, his position was probably under exaggerated. The Holy Music Pavilion was amongst the peak powers of the continents mainland. In fact it was also the sect which Hai Yun had wanted to join in this new life as they were also one of the peak powers, but had remained neutral in the fighting for the Efficacious Nirvana.

According to his memories, this Elder Nan Gong was quite an influential figure in the sect, but instead of working at a higher post he liked travelling around the continent recruiting disciples with great talent. He had apparently also been here for Hai Cang Qiong’s awakening ceremony, but found Hai Cang Qiong’s talent to not be enough.

“We thank the Qin clan for inviting us here and providing for our stay. If simply showing our faces can repay your graciousness, then this is not an issue for us at all!” the youngest of the four boys calmly stated with a light smile. However there was no way to mask the arrogance in his voice. Albeit, compared to him they probably were quite inferior in talent, but rubbing it in everyone’s faces was still bound to be received with hostility.

“How could we dare to take your presence as compensation, to us it is the greatest honor being able to invite you to our homes!” The Qin patriarch bowed. He was an old man with long white hair and a beard that reached his kneecaps but the wrinkles on his face portrayed his humble attitude despite the youth’s rude attitude. Besides, he was addressing Elder Nangong, not this nameless junior.

After everyone was seated Qin Cheng sat cross legged in the middle of the quad. Since she was born in the afternoon, her awakening ceremony would also occur at this time of day.

For most people who awaken their profound veins, a light glow would appear on their body. This is the symbol for ordinary talent. If the talent is outstanding there would be a bright colored pillar of light which descends from the heavens onto their body. Depending on the pureness of the color and its diameter, their potentials will correspondingly greater.

It should be noted that although everyone will awaken profound veins, some people have profound veins so small that it is negligible. This is the discrepancy between people of the same cultivation level. The easiest example is between Qin Wentian and Hai Cang Qiong, who although have the same cultivation level, Hai Cang Qiong’s profound veins can accommodate more heaven and earth qi, as well as release it in greater quantities increasing his stamina and power, thus making it possible for him to be stronger than Qin Wentian.

For Qin Cheng, the results were still unknown. However it has been noted that parents with high potentials would have children that also have high potentials. As everyone awaited Qin Cheng’s awakening scene an air of anxiousness could be felt from the Qin family.

“Hey, isn’t it past the time she should have awoken?” some people in the crowd whispered.

“I don’t think so. She couldn’t have had such poor results, right?”

After another 15 minutes things began to get tenser.

“‘Almighty Divinity who is my Benevolent Master’ what do you think is wrong?” Hai Yun questioned. At this point, even he was feeling some dread.

“I am not too sure myself, I would go up there and check but with that monk here, he might notice and that would be bad for you” naturally the monk he was referring to was Elder Nangong.

“Do you not have any way to see through my eyes?” Hai Yun obviously couldn’t just walk up to check her body

“What’s the difference between that and just getting out to check myself?” Hai Yun’s master displayed a faint trace of annoyance.

“tsk, if you cant do anything, I guess I will have to,” Hai Yun muttered. Unfortunately, everyone was standing and watching so there was no way for him to take a look over other people’s heads, so he, the great divine alchemist and number one talent on the continent, got down on his hands and feet and crawled to the front…

However as he watched Qin Cheng’s body, which was no more than 3 meters in front of him, he became surprised. This surprise only lasted for a brief moment before it gave rise to panic.

“She’s… She’s… She’s DEAD!” Hai Yun’s facial expression turned extremely ugly. She was clearly fine moments ago, so why did she die now?

“‘Almighty Divinity who is my Benevolent Master’ what happened?!?! Tell ME!” he roared.

“Why are you freaking out now? Shouldn’t you have noticed she had been poisoned when you first spoke to her? Also, why do you care, I hope you don’t really think you can get your revenge by living in this small place, so why keep a wife here?” the spirit god replied as if completely disinterested in such affairs.

“Shut Up! She is my, Hai Yun’s first ever fiancé, how could I possibly let her die like this. Won’t this mean my first fiancé died from poisoning, when I am the best alchemist left on this bloody continent! If this happened, it would be the greatest joke in history!”

Without waiting for a reply, Hai Yun madly rushed up there taking a bottle out of his sleeve and just as her corpse was about to fall he caught her in his arms and dripped the liquid into her throat.

“Yun’er what are you doing!” Hai Cang Qiong rushed over.

“Boy you dare to poison your own fiancé during her awakening!” someone from the Yun clan yelled. This person was none other than Hai Yun’s antagonistic uncle. Due to the deal of merging the families, this uncle, named Yun Duo, was unable to become the next Yun family patriarch. He was a chief suspect of Hai Yun’s own poisoning, and his false accusation here, only heightened Hai Yuns suspicion towards him, but right now Hai Yun did not have the time to deal with this fellow.

“Uncle Wentian, Cheng’er was poisoned, I am trying to give her an antidote, please make sure no one kills us from afar!”

Originally when, Yun Duo had accused Hai Yun, Qin Wentian almost attacked but if Hai Yun was yelling that he was giving Cheng’er an antidote, then there was a chance he was being helpful. Thus he shouldn’t act rashly, besides if he wanted to actually hurt Qin Cheng, why wouldn’t he do so sooner?

“You shameless brat, how dare you turn black from white!” Yun Duo shouted furiously.

“Shut up you jealous pig, you only want to get rid of me so the clans can’t merge. How do I know if you didn’t poison my fiancé! I too was poisoned a few days ago and if a supreme practitioner hadn’t been passing by I might already be dead!”

The moment he finished talking the entire crowd was stunned! Hai Yun had been poisoned a few days ago? But was saved by a supreme practitioner? Everyones eyes immediately turn towards Elder Nangong, however he looked just as confused as the rest of them. It was only a certain man in the Qing clan who’s face turned ugly, but only for a brief moment.

Yet the crowd didn’t have much time to think about this because Qin Cheng started coughing violently in Hai Yun’s arms.

“Cheng’er!” her parents called out. The doubt they had harbored towards Hai Yun was immediately erased at this moment and Qin Wentian charged to their position exactly as Hai Cang Qiong arrived there. The moment his feet touched the ground though, the earth underneath exploded.

Although it seemed like these events took an eternity, it really happened within a single minute.

Instantly the sky flashed red and a massive tiger covered in red and white flames appeared like a phantom shadow roaring at the heavens. Seemingly angered by its defiance a flash of violet lightning struck out against the tiger shade in roiling thunder. Hai Yun was blown back from his spot as the tiger roared once more and turned into a pillar of red and white flames descending down to where he had been moments ago, straight at Qin Cheng’er.

“This is…” Elder Nan gong, who seemed unmoved during the entire ceremony, suddenly felt his blood rush to his head. He had once read that during the awakening of someone with a holy beasts physique, the elements of the world would merge together in the form of a beast. Could this girl have a holy beast physique? If so, then her talent would be incomparable and she could usher in a new era for the Holy Music Pavilion! “She must become my apprentice,” he silently swore.

“This is, a samsara beast!” Hai Yun’s ‘Almighty Divinity who is my Benevolent Master’ screamed. He who had originally been indifferent to this whole ceremony suddenly lost his calm.

“Samsara beast? Don’t you mean holy beast?!?!” Hai Yun asked confused. He too had read about people’s awakening causing phantom shades to appear in the sky. These were almost always signs for people that could usher in a new age of cultivation! From this the rarity of such people could be identified, however it still shouldn’t be something that surprises a god of the Ancient Antiquity.

“No you moron! A holy Beast is made of elemental essence, and would only produce a phantom shade with a single element. This phantom shade caused a Heavenly Lightning tribulation! And it is even consisting of 2 elements, not 1!

Besides, your little fiancé already died, the only reason she would suddenly awaken is because a drifting soul united with her remnant soul! This is the legendary samsara soul fusion, the heavens are truly being very good to you for the new incarnation of a samsara beast to be your future wife!” His sudden change in attitude towards Qin Cheng shocked Hai Yun. To think that he didn’t even care about analyzing her character and already said she would be good for him… This meant she really had a serious amount of talent.

“Does that mean that she could out do me?” Hai Yun was puzzled. How could this be a good thing? Wouldn’t elder Nan Gong immediately steal his future wife and turn her into the Holy Music Pavilions future master, then if he went to the Holy Music Pavilion, wouldn’t he look like a toad trying to eat swan meat?!?!

“Naturally she can’t out do you! You have me, your ‘Almighty Divinity who is my Benevolent Master’ how could you possibly be worse than her. I wanted to surprise you but these few days the stuff I have made you apply has been altering your blood vessels into an array formation which, when you awaken, I can use my spiritual power to summon a Sage Divinity level Holy beast to become a part of your physique. Naturally if you die because you couldn’t handle it, then, well that’s on you, as I now have another candidate to help me with my revenge”.