Naming Technique of the Night

Qing Yi nodded slightly, "I do want to learn, or else I wouldn't know what else to do."

"Then this time, I can't protect you too well," Qing Chen said after a moment of thought, "because you'll always face dangers on this path, so you need to learn how to fight for yourself. You have to force yourself to grow up faster because we don't have much time. I can perform the Empowerment to enhance your strength, but strength alone doesn't determine everything in this world."

Qing Yi thought for a moment, "Understood."

"Stay here for a few days, then go to the No. 065 market town to scout ahead for me, and help me understand the situation there," Qing Chen continued, "I suspect that the people from Jindai might have already arrived."

At this moment, Qing Chen had made up his mind. He wanted Qing Yi to survive until the end in the Shadow's struggle and become the Shadow.

Or more precisely, the Shadow's Shadow.

Nobody could guess who the Shadow was in this generation.

Many a high-ranking official from Qing's Family might think they knew, but was what they knew really the truth?

Qing Chen suddenly realized that if you don't even know who the Shadow is and only use electronic beacons and disguises to differentiate, then there could actually be many Shadows.

It could even be an organization.

This generation's Shadow had done a good job of hiding his identity. Qing Chen thought he should learn from that.

Just as Sun Chu Ci was his "white glove" now, Qing Yi could also become his white glove within Qing's Family.

Qing Yi hummed in acknowledgment, then looking at the campfire, suddenly said, "I wonder how Li Ke has been? Haven't seen him in a long time."

"Missing him?" Qing Chen asked with a smile.

"A bit."

"You'll see him again eventually."

Qing Yi sat by the campfire, feeling the flickering warmth of the flames, filled with anticipation at the thought of his teacher right beside him, and Li Ke possibly returning at any time.

Unfortunately, there were outsiders present. The teacher couldn't perform the Empowerment on him yet; he had to wait until everyone else was asleep.

The film crew staff didn't rest either, becoming busier instead.

The long-awaited Great Snow had finally arrived, and they had to finish filming all the scenes from the first sequence before the snow stopped.

Song Niannian started to put on her makeup, and the actors for the male and female leads also entered the makeshift makeup tent.

Strangely enough, Li Yu, who used to be the center of attention in the film crew, suddenly found himself ignored by everyone.

Director Zhang's hair now had a bit of snow in it, making it look as though his hair had turned white with worry.

He dare not use Li Yu anymore; the bigwigs were too intimidating to offend.

Director Zhang felt that even if he shot the scenes well now, it probably wouldn't be broadcast when he got back.

He whispered to Assistant Director Wang, "Hurry and talk to Li Yu, tell him to apologize to the higher-ups; otherwise, nobody will dare to cast him. If the bigwigs haven't forgiven him, all the scenes we've shot with him will have to be deleted and replaced with a new leading man."

Assistant Director Wang was startled for a moment, then hurriedly strode towards Li Yu, "Where the hell, in this desolate wilderness, can we find a new leading man?"

...

...

At this moment, in the southwestern forests.

Li Ke was also sitting by a campfire, while Li Yunjing sat beside him like an ancient tree, meditating with eyes closed.

As he meditated, the fire in front of him flowed strangely, as if gripped by a hand, condensing like a waterfall gathering together.

Li Ke asked, "Uncle Mirror, what legacy are you cultivating?"

Li Yunjing responded, "It was given by the old patriarch, and I don't know what legacy it is."

"Eh, I haven't heard of any complete legacy in the Li Family," Li Ke felt puzzled.

"Because no one else can cultivate it," Li Yunjing said, still with eyes closed, not elaborating further.

However, during their conversation, rustling sounds came from a distance, as if the wind had stirred the leaves.

Li Yunjing suddenly opened his eyes.

The flames in front of him burst forth as if released from a sudden grip, illuminating the woods with clarity.

Within the woods, figures were stirring, relentlessly approaching.

Li Ke said, "Uncle Mirror, they're wilders."

These people had human finger bones strung around their necks and faces painted with white lines.

Li Yunjing corrected him, "They are Fire Pit people."

It seemed to Li Yunjing that wilders and Fire Pit people were not one and the same.

"Why would Fire Pit people appear here?" Li Ke wondered, not the least bit panicked.

Normally, Fire Pit hunting grounds and their range of activity would not extend to this area, so it was rather strange.

Li Yunjing said, "Fire Pit people typically only roam this far when a God's Child has an adulthood hunting ritual. It seems someone has leaked your information, and that's why Fire Pit people have come."

For the God's Child's hunt, they either hunt the fiercest beasts deep within the Taboo Land, or they go after the magnates of the conglomerates.

Li Ke just happened to meet the criteria.

Li Yunjing glanced at the figures rapidly approaching, then looked towards Li Ke, "Aren't you afraid? They've brought a lot of people."

"Not afraid, with Uncle Jing here," Li Ke said.

"You are somewhat stronger than your father," Li Yunjing said.

"That doesn't seem right. I heard that my dad was especially valiant when he was young. When he held a post in the south, there was a major dispute over mineral resources between the Li Family and the Chen Clan. He went alone to negotiate with the Chen Clan," Li Ke said. "Mom said that if it weren't for his gesture of negotiating alone, which intimidated the other side, a civil war within the Federation might have broken out a long time ago."

After thinking for a moment, Li Yunjing said, "This is where your father's strengths lay. He was actually very scared, but he still did it. That's the most important reason why the old man chose him as the Family Head—to know awe, not to act rashly, and to have a calm temperament."

"I see."

In the face of the murderous intent in the dense forest and Fire Pit, neither of them showed any sign of worry.

The next second, Li Yunjing picked up a withered twig from the ground and threw it out, only to see the twig penetrate three large trees, nailing itself to the tree beside a Fire Pit person.

Li Yunjing said, "If your Grand Elder hasn't come, then don't bother... Don't hide anymore, come out and talk."

Li Yunjing added, "If you still have the guts, that is."

His casual throw of the withered twig had intimidated many Fire Pit people; they were very clear they had encountered a tough opponent, undoubtedly an A-Class expert.

So, the wisest choice was to retreat.

However, the Fire Pit people seemed to have not left.

Footsteps were heard, and a girl with braided pigtails slowly walked out of the forest, sitting down by the bonfire with a beaming smile.

The girl's wheat-colored skin glowed healthily under the firelight, with a black totem resembling a flame on her brow.

Both Li Yunjing and Li Ke knew that it was a symbol of power bestowed by the Fire Pit 'God.'

The totems on Fire Pit people generally appeared on hands, backs, or legs, but a totem on the face indicated someone who was favored by their god.

Such Fire Pit people were extremely rare.

Li Yunjing sized up the girl, appearing somewhat puzzled, "I thought it would be some God's Child who came, but it turns out to be you, the Goddess newly emerged from Fire Pit legends. Fire Pit finally produced a Goddess, and that Grand Elder really dares to let you out so soon to complete your rite of passage."

The girl smiled, "My name is Qin Yiyi, Uncle, you can call me Yiyi. But I am very curious, what do you wish to discuss by calling us over?"

Li Yunjing said, "You're quite bold. Aren't you afraid I'll kill you?"

"Afraid of what," the girl's eyes twinkled, bright and clear, "With Uncle so powerful, if you wanted to kill someone, you would have done it by now. Our small group couldn't stop you. Do you eat apples? Here's one for you, don't worry, it's not poisoned."

As she spoke, she took out two apples from the small sling bag she was carrying and threw one each to Li Ke and Li Yunjing.

Qin Yiyi spoke for herself, "The apples from the southwest aren't as tasty as those from my hometown, but they're not bad either."

There wasn't a hint of fear in the girl's speech.

While talking, Fire Pit people one by one gathered beside the girl, their eyes cautiously watching Li Yunjing, as if facing a formidable enemy.

But curiously, despite their fear and wariness of Li Yunjing's strength, they still performed their duty, protecting the girl.

Li Yunjing asked, "Who leaked Li Ke's whereabouts?"

"I really couldn't say," the girl chuckled.

After thinking a bit, Li Yunjing said, "I don't care about the others from the Li Family, but Fire Pit should stop targeting Li Ke from now on."

The girl wasn't scared either, she said cheerfully, "Okay."

Li Yunjing smiled, not knowing why, but he always felt an indescribable sense of kinship with the girl.

This feeling had nothing to do with emotions, purely because the girl's straightforward and open nature left one without the urge to be on guard.

Li Yunjing continued, "Still the same question, you must tell me who leaked Li Ke's whereabouts to Fire Pit."

Qin Yiyi curiously said, "Uncle, how could I tell you something like that? It's a secret of Fire Pit. If you want to know, you should give me a reason why I should tell you."

Li Yunjing thought for a moment, then suddenly shouted into the forest, "Old man Kangba, I know you're there."

The girl's eyes sparkled, "You know our Grand Elder?"

"Had some dealings," Li Yunjing replied calmly.

The next moment, the Grand Elder of Fire Pit, stooping with age, slowly meandered out of the forest. He chuckled and said, "The person who leaked Li Ke's secret... I don't know whether they want to entrap you or my Fire Pit. If I had known you were here, I would have chosen different prey."

Li Yunjing looked at the Grand Elder, "The Goddess truly is a treasured gem, even you who haven't ventured out of the Great Snow Mountains for over a decade are personally overseeing her rite of passage."

The Grand Elder smiled, fingering the necklace full of knuckle joints around his neck, creating a clattering sound, "You wouldn't understand."

Li Yunjing said earnestly, "I want to know who wants Li Ke dead."

The Grand Elder countered, "The reason?"

"He's a Knight," Li Yunjing stated, "Your Fire Pit has a covenant with the Knights, and now someone hoodwinked you into killing a Knight's heir. If you don't disclose the traitor, it won't pass unnoticed."

The Grand Elder was stunned, he turned and scrutinized Li Ke closely, "Bad luck..."

But at that moment, the girl Qin Yiyi suddenly asked Li Ke, "Wait, you're a Knight? Who is your master?"