Night without Borders

Chapter 340 The Path to Immortality with Talent

The fairyland is a place where every ten steps reveal a new scene. Azure fiery waterfalls cascade down the beautiful mountain peaks, silver bamboo grows in abundance along the roadside, and moon insects hang high in the night sky like stars. All kinds of scenic spots and landscapes are available.

"That's just a fragment of a scripture," the old master Zhou Rui of the Immortal Land reminded him with a smile.

Qin Ming said, "I have long heard of its name, and many predecessors have mentioned it. I regret that I have not been able to read it all. I am also very curious, so I would like to ask for the true scriptures to read."

In truth, who can not understand his thoughts?

Now, many people have speculated that he has practiced silk calligraphy and seems to have successfully embarked on the path.

Back then, many old monsters on Xinsheng Road wanted to borrow the "Golden Crow Shining at Night Scripture," but in the end, each sect's ancestral temple only copied a portion of it.

“Alright, you want to see the original. I’ll have someone prepare it.” Grandmaster Zhou Rui nodded, not making things difficult for him, as everything had been discussed beforehand.

The temple where they drank tea was built on a high ground, overlooking the surrounding scenery. The view was picturesque and refreshing.

Many young faces appeared near the palace, all with unusual expressions. Many of them had come specifically to see this rather legendary young man.

"He wants to read the 'Golden Crow Illuminating the Night Sutra,' there's probably no sutra more difficult to practice than that, isn't there?"

In the realm beyond the mortal realm, some of the top immortal species have applied to borrow this book, and after reading it, they all turned pale and frowned deeply.

Even though many grandmasters and patriarchs on the Immortal Path have studied this article carefully and have made their own conclusions, which can be used as a reference, young people should not expect to fully understand it.

"Perhaps, the Golden Crow Shining at Night Sutra is truly the most suitable for the new path. Otherwise, would they have such a strong obsession to get their hands on it?"

"Not necessarily. In our Immortal Land, we have trained people who cultivate both paths simultaneously. Several exceptional individuals have studied this scripture, but none of them have achieved anything remarkable."

……

Qin Ming sipped tea in the warm, spring-like blessed land, listening to the melodious chirping of the sparrows on the precious tree, and seeing the snow falling heavily outside, which evoked a unique feeling in him.

The difference in climate among people living in the same world is astonishing.

At the same time last year, he was struggling to make ends meet and nearly died of illness in that cold winter. Today, he is a guest of honor in the blessed land of immortals.

"Yao'er, what are you daydreaming about? Pour some tea!" Jiang Ran said.

The girl in white, Luo Yao, was in a daze, feeling that fate was truly unpredictable. She witnessed the boy sitting there rise from the bottom and undergo a qualitative leap in his life trajectory.

Qin Ming put down his teacup and said, "Good tea. I accidentally drank too much, just like I was drinking fine wine."

Zhou Rui smiled and said, "This is a specialty of the Immortal Land. Since you think it tastes good, young friend, you can take a few pounds with you when you leave."

Outside the palace, some core disciples were surprised. That was the very famous "Silver Sprout" tea from the Immortal Land, which could help people calm their minds and comprehend the Dao. It was extremely precious, even though their annual quota was limited to no more than three catties.

Jiang Ran also enjoys drinking tea, saying, "The best taste is when you drink the Silver Bud tea from the Immortal Land with the 'Golden Glow' tea from the Pure Land. It is fragrant, long-lasting, and leaves a lasting aftertaste."

She also demonstrated the tea ceremony on the spot, with boiling water leaping up and turning into a phoenix with rising white mist, washing the tea set in mid-air. Then she gently raised her hand, her movements flowing and beautiful.

At this moment, immortal beings entered the palace one after another, specifically to accompany Qin Ming and drink tea.

"It is said that Brother Qin is advancing on two paths simultaneously and is also proficient in the Immortal Path Techniques. Is that true?" One of the Immortal Seeds couldn't help but ask in front of everyone.

Qin Ming said, "I have made some progress in immortal techniques, but I can't say I'm an expert. Compared to you all, I am indeed much inferior."

Zhou Rui said, "You're too modest. Now that you mention it, I'm quite interested and would like to test your talent for the path to immortality."

Clearly, that immortal seed was merely a prelude for him. This old grandmaster originally came with a mission: to see Qin Ming's true background and worth.

"How do we test it?" Qin Ming asked.

Zhou Rui put down his teacup and smiled, "Don't overthink it. I didn't mean to pry into your thoughts. Just stand in the 'Harmony Hall' and release your subconscious spiritual light at will."

Then, they moved to a gray, drab palace not far away.

In fact, a master like him could directly examine Qin Ming's aptitude and other qualities by simply reaching out or probing his spiritual field. However, to avoid causing misunderstandings among Lu Zizai and others in the new student path, he did not act rashly.

Immediately, the place was packed with people, and even the descendants of the immortals and the pioneers were eagerly anticipating it.

Even Jiang Ran became interested and personally accompanied Qin Ming into the hall, making him stand in the designated area.

The ground has many textures and is engraved with dense runes. Strange symbols also appear on the thick stone pillars and even the walls throughout the hall.

"That's fine," Jiang Ran indicated.

Qin Ming thought for a moment, then his inner light subsided, his spiritual field expanded, and his consciousness and spiritual light overflowed out of his body, like a raging fire leaping and burning.

"Hiss, this is a consciousness power that is almost pure Yang attribute?" Some core disciples were greatly shocked, many of whom had not reached this level.

"Let's try another burst," Jiang Ran said.

Then, Qin Ming burst forth like a giant fireball, his consciousness surging with light, which was actually mixed with the light of heaven. He didn't care and just erupted like that.

Anyway, everyone knows that he is pursuing two paths simultaneously.

The originally gray and drab palace instantly brightened up, with golden lines moving across the ground, the huge pillars, and the walls.

Then, with a loud boom, the palace burst into dazzling light, multicolored and radiant, as celestial brilliance shot into the night sky.

Without a doubt, the "Hall of Harmony and Light" exists to test one's aptitude for the path to immortality, and it can amplify and clearly manifest one's spiritual light.

"What's going on? Has my Immortal Path recruited another peerless genius?"

In the distance, many people were lost in thought.

Such a commotion in the "He Guang Hall" caused many people throughout the Immortal Land to look up.

"It's not time to recruit apprentices yet this year, so did they bring this super-talented seedling back ahead of schedule after discovering it?"

"Is this level of talent comparable to Jiang Ran's?"

On the various spiritual mountains of the Immortal Land, many experts were alarmed. They pushed open their doors, stood on the peaks, and looked out in astonishment.

Some renowned figures even had their consciousness and spiritual light leave their bodies, transforming into streaks of light that swiftly broke through the air to arrive, hoping to take a super immortal seed as their disciple.

Everyone in front of the Hall of Harmony was dumbfounded.

Those who came earlier naturally understood the situation. Was Qin Ming, who was on the path of rebirth, just as extraordinary as he was on the path of immortality?

Grandmaster Zhou Rui was very excited and said, "This is truly a peerless immortal talent, whose potential is no less than that of Xiao Ran."

His comments shocked everyone even more. It was now certain that Qin Ming's aptitude on the Immortal Path was perhaps more suitable for him than on the Path of Rebirth.

"Possessing two traits in one, one can be described as exceptionally gifted."

"He was truly blessed by the heavens. Not only did he have the most outstanding talent in one path, but another path was also paved for him. He is a rare talent in the world."

A gasp of surprise rang out outside the Hall of Harmony.

Even though they were descendants of the trailblazers, they couldn't quite understand what they were feeling, because the other party had displayed the most outstanding aptitude for immortality.

Grandmaster Zhou Rui was quite agitated, and then, with a hint of indignation, said, "The Cui family, a thousand-year-old clan, isn't this just making a fool of themselves? They've ruined a promising talent!"

Some of the local celebrities who rushed over were also stunned when they learned what had happened. It turned out that the commotion was caused by people from Xinsheng Road.

“In the past there were masters of two paths, and in the future there will most likely be ancestors of two paths,” an old man said in a low voice.

Undoubtedly, the commotion caused by Qin Ming has truly stirred up the Immortal Land.

Grandmasters have all left this place, and almost all of them are injured and in seclusion. Otherwise, powerful figures might have come in person.

Only Qin Ming himself understood that it wasn't as mysterious as it seemed; the mingled light he had created was also playing a part, making the gray palace shine brilliantly.

Of course, he believed that his talent for the path to immortality was indeed extraordinary.

If every spark of consciousness hadn't been swallowed by the heavenly light, it might have truly created a genuine spectacle.

Once a spark of consciousness is swallowed up, it cannot grow like a snowball; instead, it needs to be accumulated from scratch.

Clearly, he was already bound to the path of new life.

However, from the current perspective, this result is not bad, because the power that he fused together can actually be used as a source of spiritual inspiration!

Several more grandmasters from the Immortal Land have arrived. They live not far from here, and even though they were all seriously injured in the great battle in the Western Region, they have now been alerted.

These people had complex expressions. While it's possible to encounter a person with the potential to become a celestial being, finding someone as outstanding as Jiang Ran is extremely rare.

There is one right in front of me, but he has long been labeled as a new student.

“It doesn’t matter. In the end, he will still need to use immortal techniques to break through the barrier. Wasn’t Li Wuwei the same?” an old master said in secret.

Li Wuwei was Tang Jin's master, a former grandmaster and now an ancestor. He also possessed two kinds of spiritual essence, but in the end, his path of rebirth could not keep up with the progress of his path of immortality.

Qin Ming saw many fervent gazes in the Immortal Land, and many people were more enthusiastic than before.

"Young friend, have you ever thought about coming to my immortal land to cultivate in seclusion for a while?" an old master who was injured asked.

He put it very euphemistically, but what he really wanted was to poach people and get them to join the Immortal Land.

Qin Ming knew his own situation. The main substance accumulated in his body was Heavenly Light. If an Immortal Ancestor came out of seclusion, he would immediately understand after a little investigation, and it would be impossible to hide it from him.

Even these masters, if they were to be careless and examine his bones or invade his consciousness to investigate carefully, could discover the truth.

Therefore, he did not want to stay here for long.

Qin Ming was very modest and expressed his gratitude, saying, "Thank you all for your kindness and appreciation. I am lazy by nature and used to being wild outside. If I were to enter the Immortal Land, I would probably make mistakes and break all sorts of rules. So I won't bother you any longer. However, I can communicate with you immortal beings from time to time in the future, and I am very willing to listen to your guidance."

The senior masters nodded helplessly; they had already politely declined, so what else could they do? They all felt quite regretful.

Of course, not everyone was well-intentioned; for example, some of the renowned figures were members of the Cui family who watched coldly from the sidelines.

In this remote land, various powerful forces are deeply entrenched, and many aristocratic families and clans actively send their qualified disciples here every year.

Having gained the appreciation of several veteran masters, Qin Ming's subsequent journey naturally went more smoothly.

The original text of the "Golden Crow Illuminating the Night Scripture" has already been prepared by the Immortal Land.

Moreover, Jiang Ran accompanied Qin Ming and led him to an extraordinary and important place.

Even from a distance, Qin Ming showed surprise. The celestial light in that area was like a shower of stars, surrounded by white mist, and there seemed to be faint chanting sounds coming from it.

It was an old tree, rooted in five-colored soil. Its leaves swayed in the breeze, the sound of them colliding like turning the pages of a scripture, and showers of light fell down.

It is very large and thick, with cracked old skin, and it exudes a strong Taoist aura. There are some futons on the ground, and occasionally the patriarchs come here to meditate.

However, after the great battle in the Western Regions, they all went to recuperate. "This is the Bodhi Immortal Tree, which has been planted for over 2,900 years," Jiang Ran introduced.

Without a doubt, this is one of the most valuable treasure trees in the Immortal Land.

Among the lush leaves, some glistening "fruits" can be seen. Among them, the snow-white Bodhi seeds with "five orifices" are considered rare treasures, ensuring that one can remain undisturbed and immersed in a state of clarity.

On its branches grows the seven-aperture Bodhi seed, which is rare to produce even once every three hundred years. It is about to mature, surrounded by black and white light, and can bring enlightenment.

Near the main trunk, there is a special, tender branch bearing a bodhi seed the size of an egg. It is ordinary and lacks luster, but it has nine orifices.

This sacred tree, nearly three thousand years old, has only just produced a semi-mature nine-aperture Bodhi seed.

The exact value of the highest-grade Bodhi seeds remains unclear, even the patriarchs of the Immortal Land are waiting to find out.

Qin Ming was given special permission to view the "Golden Crow Illuminating the Night Scripture" near the Bodhi Immortal Tree, which shows that the Immortal Land was very sincere.

He said, "Thank you!"

Upon hearing this, the immortal mark between Jiang Ran's brows appeared, emitting a shimmering light. A smile appeared on her exquisite face as she said, "Actually, I'm really looking forward to seeing how fast you can go on the path of new students and what heights you can reach."

Dressed in green, with a graceful and elegant figure, she drifted away. She was the most ethereal disciple in the Immortal Land, and it seemed she had seen through Qin Ming's true nature.

However, she didn't say much to those veterans.

Qin Ming watched her retreating figure, took a deep breath, and then sat cross-legged on a futon, flipping through a black animal skin book that was clearly an antique.

"Could it be made from immortal skin?" he wondered. Ancient scriptures were usually made from the finest materials to avoid damage.

He was immediately captivated when he opened it; it was filled with densely packed small gold characters and illustrations, and the opening was already very profound.

As Qin Ming became engrossed in the activity, he looked at the golden characters on the black page and felt a burning sensation, as if they were tiny suns illuminating the night sky.

"Could this scripture be named after this?"

Qin Ming sat on the futon, no longer distracted, and began to study page after page with exceptional focus. Soon, he felt the Taoist charm of the Bodhi tree, and the hazy light shone down, making him more and more clear-headed and calm.

However, this boost to him wasn't very noticeable, because once he immersed himself in his own state of enlightenment, he was already capable of achieving this.

Right now, he is still some distance from the mother tree.

Even if Jiang Ran wanted to rely on the Bodhi Immortal Tree, she would still need to apply. The higher-ups were worried that if someone in a state of enlightenment released their power, it might damage the nine-aperture Bodhi seeds on the tree.

As Qin Ming focused his mind, he resonated with the emotional fluctuations of past sages.

He quickly broke free; he didn't want to experience that excruciating pain, like his brains were about to be ripped out, right from the start.

He doesn't need to draw on the insights of his predecessors for the parts that are documented in writing; this is Qin Ming's confidence.

So far, only one scripture has stumped him; as long as his level of understanding is sufficient, the others are no problem.

"Hmm, no wonder the founder of the New Life Path was so concerned. This scripture is indeed extraordinary!" Qin Ming sighed as he read it.

Those who study it on the path to immortality can make their spiritual light more intense, leading to the sublimation of pure Yang.

For Xinshenglu, nature has an even more extraordinary significance. The sunlight is as bright as the sun, which is what many people pursue, and the "Golden Crow Shining at Night Sutra" can amplify this change.

It can make the sunlight even more dazzling, so intense that it undergoes a qualitative change.

In the end, if you really master it, whether you have pure yang spiritual light or Tathagata heavenly light, you can be even more domineering. Who wouldn't crave that?

However, it is really difficult to practice. When it circulates in the body, it burns the flesh and blood, opening up new paths, much like pioneering in the dark, which is quite difficult.

There might even be dangers along the way, with wild beasts emerging from the darkness to attack and kill the pioneers.

The manifestation of this scripture is that certain parts of the body, such as acupoints, or more precisely, the body's spiritual lakes and seas of consciousness, may suddenly unleash unknown forces that impact consciousness, injure the physical body, and cause the light of heaven to abruptly change course, thus harming oneself.

"Wonderful! What a wonderful scripture! It opens up many unknown areas and is worth exploring!"

In comparison, Qin Ming mastered the physical form of the Silk Calligraphy Master, which could withstand hardship. His consciousness merged with the light of heaven, and he was not afraid of hurting himself.

This classic text is profound and unfathomable. As he delved deeper into its meaning, its interpretations gradually surpassed his own level of understanding, making it difficult for him to comprehend. He could only memorize it.

He flipped to the very end, to the very last page of the book, which wasn't very thick, and then abruptly stopped, clearly having lost much of its meaning.

It can also be seen from the last page of the scripture that a portion has been torn out; Qin Ming estimated that perhaps more than half of it is missing.

Then, he began to take deep breaths, adjusting his state, looking as if he were about to bravely face death, making it impossible not to resonate with him.

He wants to complete the "Golden Crow Illuminating the Night Sutra"!
A moment later, Qin Ming's mental field became unified and he began to comprehend it. Sure enough, as soon as he started, it felt like his head had been hit by an iron rod. His ears were ringing and his vision went black.

He had no choice but to quit and wait a while before continuing.

Half an hour later, blood trickled from the corner of Qin Ming's mouth, and his eyes were bloodshot; he had been severely impacted.

He sighed, "It's just trying to understand a scripture, and it's made me feel like I'm dying." He then took a jar of healing medicine.

On the western battlefield, what he gained most were life-saving medicines, and he wasn't afraid of wasting them.

And so, Qin Ming took the medicine while resonating with the scriptures, like cutting his intestines, slowly and carefully resonating with the subsequent texts.

It must be said that the emotions of the Daoist master of the Golden Crow Shining at Night Scripture were truly terrifying, making him feel both ecstatic and on the verge of death. When he ascended to the blissful state of immortality, he clearly saw the scripture approaching its completeness. When he was on the verge of death, he felt as if he had fallen into hell, as if his spirit was being devoured by countless vengeful ghosts.

He breathed a sigh of relief after finally completing the scripture; he really didn't want to go through that experience again.

But in recent days, he has been destined to travel back and forth between paradise and hell, repeating this process of joy and pain.

Qin Ming opened his eyes, panting heavily. It took him a long time to fully recover. He noticed an exquisite food box not far away, filled with highly nourishing ingredients, belonging to the category of immortal medicinal cuisine.

He didn't stand on ceremony and quickly swept everything away.

"How do you feel?" Jiang Ran appeared, knowing that he had finished his enlightenment.

"Not bad!" Qin Ming nodded truthfully. He had gained a lot this time. The Golden Crow Illuminating the Night Scripture was very suitable for the new path. When he practiced it to the end, the heavenly light in his body would undergo a further transformation. When he raised his hand to strike, it would be like a golden crow streaking across the night sky.

"Shall we have a friendly spar? I learned this from the realm of spiritual light." Jiang Ran smiled brightly.

"Okay!" Qin Ming readily agreed.

He realized from her words that Jiang Ran knew he was majoring in Heavenly Light and following the path of new life; none of the grandmasters were as perceptive as she was.

When news broke that two top seeds were going to have a match, the younger generation was in an uproar and all rushed over to watch, and even some older figures came out of seclusion.

However, both of them shook their heads at the same time, indicating that this was a private conversation and they did not want to attract attention.

In a giant palace, only Luo Yao was fortunate enough to witness the two arguing, gesturing, and exchanging ideas, which was not a fight in the ordinary sense.

This closed-door sparring session greatly surprised Jiang Ran. She thought that among the young generation in the Immortal Land, only she had a thorough understanding of the "Golden Crow Shining at Night Scripture," but she never expected that Qin Ming's insights were unique and that he had completely comprehended the chapter corresponding to his realm.

This exchange benefited her greatly.

In fact, Qin Ming was also greatly inspired by her, and his understanding of this scripture became more profound.

Luo Yao discovered that she was "unemployed." This time, she wasn't even asked to serve tea or water; Jiang Ran personally brewed the tea, and the two chatted happily.

Jiang Ran saw Qin Ming off for a long distance from the mountain gate until he left the Immortal Land.

Luo Yao knew that Qin Ming had caught Jiang Ran's eye and was highly regarded by her; otherwise, he would never have received such treatment.

For his second stop, Qin Ming went to the Immortal Palace.

This is a very important sect of Tantric Buddhism, located in a continuous mountain range where the peaks soar into the clouds, and its main temple sits above the dark clouds.

The trip went smoothly, and Qin Ming was not given any trouble. He was able to borrow the "Refining the Body and Uniting with the Dao Scripture".

He was shocked to discover that this sutra was quite similar to the one passed down from the master of silk calligraphy to him in his physical body. As he turned the pages, he realized that they were indeed from the same source.

However, the section on the physical body only occupies half of this sutra; this is the true text.

Qin Ming understood. The masters who studied silk calligraphy had a very ambitious spirit. They drew on the strengths of many schools of thought and even applied them to esoteric Buddhism.

“This text is one of the few scriptures in our esoteric sects that is rarely read and is kept on the shelf,” sighed the old master of the Immortal Hall.

Is this scripture not powerful enough? No, it's just too difficult to practice. Its ultimate path is completely different from the divine encounters and rituals of other sects.

This book tells of slaying gods with one's own flesh.

The old master spoke frankly, saying that these were unearthed scriptures, not part of the orthodox esoteric Buddhist system, and perhaps they were indeed suitable for a domineering new path.

Historically, many people in the Tantric tradition have studied this scripture. No one has been found to have physically severed a god, but there was one who achieved godhood in the physical body.

The old master said, "This scripture is missing the last few pages and has some flaws."

Qin Ming nodded and said, "Thank you for telling me, senior. It's nothing. I was just using it as a reference."

In fact, he was quite excited deep down. He had always attached great importance to the chapter on the physical body, and he never expected to find the "complete version" here!
No wonder Lu Zizai mentioned this to him; he clearly knew that the patriarchs had studied this scripture, but only obtained half of the true scripture.

"If the patriarchs had obtained more chapters of the 'Refining the Body and Uniting with the Dao Scripture,' the problem of the physical body exploding might not have been so serious."

Qin Ming was tormented by his mental state, experiencing both ecstasy and despair, until finally he completely relaxed and left satisfied.

During this period, the old master of Tantric Buddhism almost tested him to see if he had endless divine wisdom, because he always felt that he seemed to be suitable for the Tantric path and might be a divine being.

But Qin Ming was too engrossed in studying the scriptures, so he didn't want to disturb him.

On that day, Lu Zizai appeared and accompanied Qin Ming to the third stop—the Pure Land of the Outside World.

This place is quite special; both Cao Qianqiu and Sun Taichu are from here.

Although Lao Cao was crippled, Lu Zizai accompanied him as a precaution.

Meanwhile, the Pure Land of the Outside World is also the headquarters of the Imperial Immortal Sect, and the Helian family is also located here.

In addition, many of Qin Ming's old friends are here, such as Li Qingyue, Li Qingxu, Cui Chonghe, Wang Caiwei, Zheng Maoze, Chen Bingyan and others.

In addition, there are Tang Xumi, Pei Shuyan, Helian Yaoqing, and many other immortals in the Pure Land.

"Here you go, this is the Heaven-Slaying Blade Technique." Lu Zizai handed over a sword manual.

"Senior Brother Lu, I also have an important scripture to give you!"

Soon after, Lu Zizai was shocked to discover that the complete version of the "Golden Crow Illuminating the Night Scripture" actually existed!

On that day, the two ascended to the Pure Land and saw many people coming out to greet them.

(End of this chapter)