Lord of the Eternal Night

Chapter 4:Superhuman talent, Force plunder

The Great Evolution Heavenly Mystery Art mastered by Lin Xitang was replete with unfathomable mysteries. Among its manifold effects, one remarkable aspect was its ability to guide and stimulate the latent cultivation potential within the human race. Truly, those individuals graced with extraordinary gifts would frequently manifest astonishing phenomena under the impetus of this art.These extraordinary manifestations were categorized into five distinct grades. Take, for instance, the feeble star-like glimmers witnessed in the junkyard, which represented the lowest echelon, merely signifying the possession of the potential to cultivate the origin force. In the case of first-class talent, variegated light columns would come into being, accompanied by extraordinary manifestations encircling them, evoking the imagery of being surrounded by a constellation of stars with the column at the center, much like the moon being cradled by the firmament. Moreover, these manifestations served as harbingers of the future direction of one's innate gifts. Second-class talent, on the other hand, was characterized by the appearance of light columns alone, bereft of any additional extraordinary manifestations. Third-class talent manifested as a searing, blazing light, reminiscent of surging flames, while fourth-class talent simply shone with a bright luminosity, devoid of any other remarkable features.Above the first class, there existed the super-class, reserved for those truly prodigious talents, veritable paragons brimming with innate prowess. The extraordinary manifestations that accompanied them might take the form of majestic mountains, vast rivers, or even rare and precious beasts and birds, all depicted with a vivid and lifelike quality.Although the red light column that appeared beneath the nocturnal sky was of the lowest tier within the first-class category, even so, among the countless cultivators across the empire, those possessing first-class talent were as rare as one in a hundred thousand. Whenever such an individual emerged, they were worthy of the empire's meticulous cultivation and were destined to become the cornerstone of the military in the future.This red light column was akin to a stinging slap across Gu Tuohai's visage, leaving his cheeks smarting with a sense of embarrassment."Let us proceed to investigate!" Without awaiting the flying boat to alter its course, Lin Xitang exited the cabin and plunged directly from a height of several hundred meters.Over a dozen fully armed guards from the guard contingent on the flying boat promptly followed suit, leaping down in succession and trailing closely behind Lin Xitang. Gu Tuohai, meanwhile, struck the window frame with a resentful gesture before begrudgingly following in their wake.The strange metamorphosis occurring on the little boy clearly instilled fear in those older children. However, the little girl merely paused in momentary astonishment. Once she became aware of her sudden increase in strength, she hastened towards another larger stone and, with great exertion, dragged it over.The little boy was in a daze, emitting a low groan as he turned his body.Suddenly, a pair of thick-soled military boots crafted from deerskin materialized beside him.These military boots did not actually make contact with the ground but hovered a few centimeters above it. An invisible force field quietly unfurled, banishing all dust, dirt, and refuse to a distance.The little girl halted in trepidation, her gaze fixed upon the silver-haired man who had seemingly materialized out of thin air. She widened her beautiful, innocent eyes, assuming a guileless and harmless expression, and simultaneously, with a furtive movement, she let go of the stone she held in her hand.The little girl had a luminous glow emanating from her body, yet she remained oblivious to the fact that the sweat on her palms had completely evaporated. The silver-haired man, however, did not deign to cast even a cursory glance in her direction.Lin Xitang furrowed his brow as he surveyed the numerous wounds adorning the little boy's body. In several instances, it was evident that the injuries had encroached upon his internal organs, and the situation was graver than initially anticipated. With a sweep of his hand, a swathe of luminous mist materialized in the air, from which tiny green raindrops cascaded, alighting upon the little boy and seamlessly integrating into his skin.These green raindrops were imbued with a prodigious amount of origin force, and the little boy's wounds immediately commenced healing at a perceptible pace. He let out a soft groan and gradually opened his eyes, fully regaining his senses.The first sight that greeted the little boy upon regaining consciousness was the imposing and resolute countenance of the silver-haired man.For a moment, he struggled to comprehend precisely what had transpired, yet instinctively, he recoiled from the notion of lying vulnerably on the ground. Thus, with a valiant effort, he once again struggled to his feet. Glancing around, his eyes fell upon the older children once more, and in an instant, he recollected the prior events, causing his complexion to undergo a drastic change.Lin Xitang followed the little boy's gaze and took in the sight of the surrounding older children, as well as the remnants of the fresh oil paper packaging on the ground. He immediately grasped the reason behind the little boy's grievous injuries. Such occurrences were all too commonplace within the confines of the junkyard.Lin Xitang slightly narrowed his eyes and then gracefully bent down, extending his hand towards the little boy and speaking in a gentle tone, "Come hither, place your hand in mine. What might your name be?"The little boy, however, exhibited a degree of hesitation. With great difficulty, he summoned up his courage and softly replied, "Qian... Qianye." Nevertheless, his tiny hand halted midway, lacking the boldness to extend any further.That diminutive hand was begrimed with dirt and mud. Although the wounds had ceased bleeding under the nourishing influence of the light rain, the bloodstains and grime still clung to it.Regardless of the circumstances, he simply could not bring himself to place his hand within the immaculate grasp of the silver-haired man. Yet, in the eyes of young Qianye, that outstretched, large hand represented the sole source of warmth in the world at that moment.Lin Xitang offered a reassuring smile and gently encouraged him, "Fear not, simply place your hand in mine."At this juncture, Gu Tuohai also descended from the sky. Ordinarily, he was wont to present a genial countenance, but upon beholding Qianye's battered and bruised state, his anger was palpable, and he could not refrain from emitting a heavy snort, casting a cold and disdainful glance towards the surrounding older children.The older children, who had gradually congregated and huddled together, betrayed a look of palpable fear. However, with over a dozen guards having cordoned off all the access routes in the area, they dared not attempt to flee.Lin Xitang maintained a slight bend at the waist, his hand outstretched, patiently awaiting the little boy's response. Under the clear and serene gaze of Lin Xitang, Qianye finally mustered the courage and placed his hand within that warm, dry, and powerful grasp.Lin Xitang delicately clasped the tiny hand, which was scarcely half the size of his own, closed his eyes, and quietly engaged in a process of sensing and discerning.Gu Tuohai directed his gaze towards Qianye and suddenly knitted his brows, his countenance betraying a pensive air.Lin Xitang emitted a soft exclamation and opened his eyes once more. He subjected Qianye to a thorough scrutiny from head to toe before reaching out to lift the tattered rags covering the little boy's upper body. Instantly, his gaze became fixed and intent.Upon Qianye's emaciated chest, where his ribs were prominently visible, there was a colossal scar, stretching from half an inch below his heart all the way to his navel. Merely beholding this unsightly, raised mark was sufficient to convey that it had once been a harrowing, gaping wound that had laid his abdomen bare.But how old was Qianye? And by what miracle had he survived such a grievous injury?After a momentary pause, Lin Xitang straightened his posture and addressed Gu Tuohai, "Brother Tuohai, given your proficiency in the medical arts, I beseech you to assist me in examining this child."Gu Tuohai remained silent, approaching Qianye without regard for the filth. His large hands traversed the entirety of the little boy's body, and wherever they made contact, it felt as if red-hot steel needles were piercing his flesh. Despite the intense pain, Qianye clenched his teeth with a tenacity that precluded any sound from escaping his lips.A flicker of surprise flitted across Gu Tuohai's eyes, and he offered a word of praise, "At such a tender age, he displays remarkable courage. Truly fascinating!"He then rose to his feet and addressed Lin Xitang, "This child did indeed possess first-class talent initially, yet the severity of this injury has wrought havoc upon his very foundation. Furthermore, I harbor a suspicion that there might have once been an origin force crystal within his body." Lin Xitang immediately thought of a taboo term, "Origin Force Plundering!" He narrowed his eyes slightly and said in a somber tone, "Do you mean..."Gu Tuohai said gravely, "No, it's merely a speculation. As you are aware, that sort of thing is a major taboo. However, his injury has persisted for several years. He should have been less than three years old when he was wounded. As for now, as you can see, his foundation has been severely damaged. Even though his cultivation talent is stronger than that of the people here, it is no longer first-class."Given that Qianye's old injury was so severe and yet he could still trigger the emergence of a red origin energy column, it implied that his original talent might have been so extraordinary as to reach the super-class level. However, considering his current physical condition, it would be a stretch to even categorize it as fourth-class.Such a talent, which was only marginally superior to that of ordinary people, held no value whatsoever for the two prominent figures in the imperial military. Moreover, the massive wound on Qianye's body had left latent perils, and it was uncertain whether he could endure the rigors of cultivation.Gu Tuohai heaved a sigh of profound regret.Lin Xitang looked at the diminutive Qianye, who tilted his head back to meet his gaze. Perhaps the trace of warmth in his palm had not yet completely dissipated, for there was an unconscious dependence in the little boy's eyes.Lin Xitang's heart was slightly stirred, and he said slowly, "It's somewhat fated that we should meet here. Well then, I'll take you away, and as for where to go, you can make the choice yourself."He took out several smooth jade tablets, and with a swipe of his hand, words appeared on the upper side of the tablets. He held them with the inscribed side facing down and then extended them towards Qianye.Qianye hesitated for a moment before drawing out the middle jade tablet and turning it over. There were two characters on it, yet he couldn't read them.Upon seeing this, Gu Tuohai merely sighed and then shook his head.Lin Xitang gently read the words aloud for Qianye, "Huang Quan." Then he retrieved the jade tablet from Qianye's hand, reached out to stroke his head, and asked, "What's your surname?""I... I don't have a surname. My name is Qianye."Lin Xitang nodded and said gently, "Alright. If you manage to return alive from that place in the future, you can use my surname, Lin!"Qianye didn't understand what Lin Xitang was talking about; he just listened in a daze.Lin Xitang didn't expect him to understand at present. He turned his head and instructed, "Take him back to the 'Blue Bird', bathe him, treat his wounds, get him some food, and change his clothes."After giving these instructions, Lin Xitang and Gu Tuohai slowly ascended, gradually picked up speed, and flew towards the hovering light boat.The older children had lingered nearby for a long time, witnessing everything. Although they might not have fully grasped the adults' words, the alluring terms like "bath", "food", and "clothes" were crystal clear to them.Seeing that the guards were about to take Qianye away, the leader of the older children suddenly rushed forward, screeching at the top of his voice, "Take me with you! Take me! I also want to take a bath and have something to eat!"He reached out and grabbed Qianye, attempting to pull him down from the guards' embrace...