Chapter 69: Dawn’s Awakening

Qi Qi recalled the words Ji Yuanjia had asked her. Why didn’t she tell him? But, why should she tell him?

Yu Yingnan had already returned to the military successfully and was proceeding step by step towards the future she desired. Qian Ye was merely a passerby in her life. That’s what Qi Qi told herself.

Qi Qi hadn’t realized that while she had been relentlessly questioning Wei Po Tian about his relationship with Qian Ye, she never thought to ask Qian Ye himself. In fact, she had already begun subconsciously avoiding a possible outcome; no matter what answer Qian Ye might give her, it could result in her departure. People from the lower realms have no past or future; they only live in the present.

Qian Ye noticed her staring off into space and reached out to pat her head, smiling, “But you came, didn’t you? Why dwell on so much?”

Qi Qi slapped his hand away, angrily saying, “Do you think I’m a puppy?” The moment the words left her mouth, Qi Qi was struck speechless, seeing Qian Ye’s barely suppressed smile. She wanted to kick him off the tree.

Collecting herself, Qi Qi quickly returned to normal and said, “Alright, let’s get to the point! The Great Steward of the Duke Wei wants to see you. He’s on his way, so get ready.”

“Why does he want to see me?” Qian Ye furrowed his brow. For someone of the Great Steward’s standing to specifically request to see a fifth-level family guard like him, trouble was clearly brewing.

“After each Spring Hunt, Duke Wei selects individuals who have performed exceptionally for additional rewards. Most of those selected are from noble families.”

Qian Ye understood Qi Qi’s meaning. The Spring Hunt, aside from maintaining the empire’s martial spirit, was also about discovering talent. As the host of the Heavenly Mystery Spring Hunt, Duke Wei had the most legitimate reason and convenience to interact with those he deemed worthy. Even if he couldn’t recruit them all, offering some benefits to gain a reputation for valuing talent was not a loss. However, since the members of the hunting team were already affiliated with various noble houses, the targets of such goodwill were naturally the clans.

“The rewards are usually weapons or potions, so the user’s bloodline and origin power must be tested to ensure suitability,” Qi Qi shrugged. “Actually, it’s just an excuse to see the other person’s potential and secret techniques.”

A cultivator’s inherent origin power and the secret techniques they practice are very private. In battle, a mistake in judging an opponent’s secret technique could mean life or death. Therefore, no one would be willing to be thoroughly examined without reason. Similarly, when powerful families use people, the closer to the core, the less likely they are to trust someone with an unclear background. Choosing appropriate rewards is indeed a good reason to soothe the test subjects.

Qian Ye smiled suddenly, “I understand. It’s like the checkup Old Du did that day.” Reflecting on it now, when he met Song Zining after a long separation, they only discussed his physical condition. Clearly, Song Zining was familiar with the ways of the major clans and had foreseen the trouble Qian Ye might face after the hunting field battle. Thinking of this, Qian Ye felt a warmth in his heart.

Qi Qi looked at Qian Ye’s eyes, as dark and bright as obsidian, and felt inexplicably guilty. Though she was genuinely concerned about any hidden injuries Qian Ye might have suffered from the bloody battle, she also planned to have him participate in the Heavenly Mystery Spring Hunt. Claiming to check for injuries was also a way to test his innate bloodline.

Qian Ye looked at Qi Qi, nonchalantly, “Alright, I’ll change clothes and go over there.”

A short while later, Qian Ye followed Qi Qi to the main hall, where he saw an emaciated old man sitting at the top. His appearance was gaunt, his skin taut against his bones, making him look like a mummy. Old Du, who had previously examined Qian Ye at the Yan family villa, was accompanying him.

“This is Grand Steward Wen,” Qi Qi introduced.

Qian Ye bowed respectfully, “Grand Steward Wen!”

Grand Steward Wen nodded slightly and spoke in a sharp, high-pitched voice, “I heard this boy comes from commoner origins, but his manners are not bad. Qi Qi, you’ve put some effort into this.”

Qi Qi smiled, “Those teachers cost me quite a bit!”

Grand Steward Wen forced a very ugly smile, “Your Yan family is among the top noble families, and you have the backing of the mighty Song clan. How could you care about such a small amount of money?”

Qi Qi gave Old Du a meaningful look, then gracefully sat down on the right side, charmingly, “Grand Steward, you jest. The Song clan is a great tree, and I am merely sheltered by its shade. My father and uncles have worked hard, and the Yan family is fortunate to have a good name. I merely follow my elders around, broadening my horizons. How is your health, Grand Steward? I have some local remedies from the Evernight Continent, not worth much, but perhaps you can find them interesting.”

Old Du immediately took out a small box and handed it over.

Grand Steward Wen’s eyelids lowered, and he gently pushed open the lid with a finger, glancing inside. Inside, the box was tightly packed with the finest black crystals. These were hardly local products of the Evernight Continent.

His eyelids twitched slightly, and he closed the lid without a sound, placing his dry, bony hand on the box. The box vanished.

Grand Steward Wen’s face showed a barely perceptible smile, “Miss Qi Qi, you are very considerate. My body is indeed getting weaker every year. I cough incessantly during rainy days, and I wonder how many more years I can serve the Duke.”

Old Du stroked his beard and chuckled, “Brother Wen, I see your skills have improved even more. In a few years, you may reach an even higher level. Then, you will leave us far behind.”

Grand Steward Wen waved his hand and sighed, “At our age, advancing further is as difficult as climbing to the sky. I no longer entertain such thoughts. Well, the Duke is waiting for me to report back. Let’s examine this boy quickly!” He motioned to Qian Ye, “You’re surnamed Qian? Come a bit closer.”

Qian Ye stepped three paces in front of Grand Steward Wen and stopped.

Grand Steward Wen’s left hand flicked repeatedly, and invisible, cold energy shot out like needles, striking various points on Qian Ye’s body. Qian Ye shivered, and his Dawn Origin Power began to surge, as did the three-colored blood qi, which was now uncontrollably emerging from his heart. Even his latent bloodline was struggling to be suppressed.

Qian Ye, however, remained calm. He had considered how to handle this while changing clothes, and now it was time to test it. With a slight mental nudge, the golden blood qi indeed responded, flowing out from the coiled symbols and circling lazily around his heart.

With the golden blood qi present, the other blood qis ceased their agitation, even the purple blood qi lying in wait within the symbols became still.

After another round of energy shots, Grand Steward Wen, seeing Qian Ye’s unchanged expression, was impressed. He nodded, “This boy’s foundation in Origin Power is remarkably solid, a rarity! No wonder he could defeat opponents beyond his level.”

Grand Steward Wen’s left fingertips emitted a faint blue light, and the next round of energy shots carried a subtle blue glow, like transparent needles piercing Qian Ye’s body. These external Origin Power energies were almost tangible, carrying an unparalleled chill and sharpness, easily penetrating Qian Ye’s body and coursing through his meridians.

This time, Qian Ye could no longer control his internal Origin Power. A thunderous sound echoed in his ears, and all his Origin Power erupted, causing a wild surge within him!

The golden blood qi, undisturbed by the storm, continued to circle around his heart steadily. Occasionally, when the blue light from Grand Steward Wen’s cold energy approached, it seemed to see a delicious meal, rushing forward and crushing it, just as it normally devoured ordinary blood qi.

Now, Qian Ye’s eyes were tightly closed, and his entire body trembled. A faint Origin Power glow surrounded him, with golden specks floating in a rosy mist.

Grand Steward Wen’s expression was solemn, and he involuntarily leaned forward, as if about to stand up. He stared intently at the golden specks, his gaze unswerving. Old Du pondered, seemingly remembering something, his expression shifting.

After another round of energy shots, Grand Steward Wen suddenly withdrew his hand and sighed deeply.

Qian Ye let out a low groan, and the Origin Power glow around him slowly faded, but two lines of blood trickled from his nose.

Grand Steward Wen looked at Qian Ye, pointing to a chair below, and said gently, “Go sit down and rest for a while. This technique can cause minor injuries, but nothing serious. You should recover by morning. With your special constitution, you’ll be fine in a few hours.”

Qian Ye nodded slightly and sat down.

Old Du stroked his beard, pondering, and finally asked seriously, “Brother Wen, if I saw correctly, this is…?”

Grand Steward Wen nodded, “Yes, one of the top three in Dawn Origin Power, Aurora Dawn!”

Aurora Dawn. The dawn carries brilliance, and at its emergence, everything shines.

Old Du was visibly moved, then showed a look of regret, sighing, “This boy, alas, it’s such a pity! Too much of a pity!”

Both Qi Qi and Qian Ye were stunned. The word “top” was enough to explain everything, and neither had expected such an outcome.

Qi Qi’s eyes gleamed with intense interest, and if Grand Steward Wen weren’t present, she might have playfully teased Qian Ye. Qian Ye’s surprise was different. Recalling Song Zining’s expression, he knew that guy must have known about the Aurora Dawn phenomenon and had the audacity to let him impersonate such a top-tier talent.

Qian Ye kept an eye on Grand Steward Wen, noticing that although the man wasn’t directly looking at him, his peripheral vision was always on him. Despite guessing that releasing the golden blood qi would produce a similar effect, hearing it was one of the top-tier talents still surprised him, a natural reaction that Grand Steward Wen couldn’t fault.

Grand Steward Wen said slowly, “It’s not too late. Although this boy has passed the best age for building a foundation, if he starts cultivating the right techniques now and uses enough rare medicinal herbs, he might still advance further after reaching the rank of Warlord.”

These words were mostly empty, even if the Yan family was wealthy and had no shortage of medicinal resources, who knew what techniques could make up for the lost time of such a legendary talent like Aurora Dawn.

Grand Steward Wen stood up, “It’s getting late, and I’ve seen what I needed to see. Master Lu, the maker of the Origin Power arrays, is waiting for me.”

Qi Qi and Old Du promptly stood up and respectfully escorted Grand Steward Wen out.

Qian Ye didn’t stand, remaining seated in the chair, seemingly still affected by the invasive Origin Power. Grand Steward Wen didn’t take offense, and before leaving, he patted Qian Ye’s shoulder amicably.

Qian Ye watched their retreating figures until they disappeared beyond the courtyard gate. Only then did his face turn grim, a hint of deadly intent flashing in his eyes.