Night without Borders

Chapter 342 Ancestral Master Mind Monkey

Wei Cheng, dressed in black, chuckled. Someone actually wanted to decipher the broken jade book? What were they thinking? Was that a text accessible only to those at a lower cultivation level?
Helian Zhaoyu's previously gloomy mood began to improve, and his tense face was no longer as dark as water.

That is one of the three most difficult scriptures on the path to immortality, and even the patriarchs of all generations have been stumped by it!
Helian Zhaoyu was quite looking forward to it, eager to see just how stubborn Qin Ming was to dare to "weigh" this book with an extremely high difficulty level.

He waited to see the other party run into a wall and leave looking dejected.

Cui Chonghe was not on the same path as the two of them; they had only met at the palace gate, but he did not need to explain to anyone.

He was dressed in a blue robe, his body radiating Daoist energy, and possessed the most outstanding immortal seed aptitude. He didn't take it seriously, believing that Qin Ming would inevitably suffer a setback and return empty-handed.

Even his teacher, Sun Taichu, was stumped by the broken heavenly book and could not understand its meaning.

Cui Chonghe had also gone there, but only gained a little. He realized that it was a scripture prepared for those who were at the forefront of pioneering the field.

Qin Ming had made up his mind. He stood up and prepared to study the true scriptures.

Li Qingyue didn't say much. She knew the other party well; they wouldn't act rashly without a certain degree of certainty.

With a gentle flick of her wrist, a teacup shimmering with golden light floated up from the sandalwood table. She handed it to Qin Ming, gesturing for him to finish the Enlightenment Tea.

Helian Zhaoyu regretted entering the room, and the faint smile on his face vanished instantly.

Chen Bingyan, Tang Xumi, Wang Caiwei, and others hesitated to speak, knowing that their attempts to persuade them were futile.

As for the immortals like Pei Shuyan and Zhuo Qingming, although they appeared calm and admired Qin Ming's courage, they all believed in their hearts that he was destined to fail and gain nothing.

After all, that was a broken jade book that was famous throughout the land, and it was probably one of the most difficult scriptures to comprehend in the world.

Lu Zizai appeared, accompanied by several grandmasters.

Out of goodwill, Ling Canghai earnestly reminded him: "Young friend, you should be cautious and consider this carefully."

The other grandmasters also nodded in agreement. Even when they tried to comprehend it, they were always overwhelmed and could only grasp the basics.

Qin Ming said, "Thank you for your kindness, senior. I have longed to study this scripture for a long time. Even if I can't understand it, I will accept it calmly. My main purpose is to fulfill my wish."

The group walked deeper into the Pure Land, where the broken jade book was stored in a special place.

Qin Ming had considered the true scriptures he chose when traveling to secluded places and esoteric sects, and he had discussed them with Lu Zizai before following the latter's advice.

I won't exchange any books that can still be found outside, such as the "Yingxu Jing" and the "Bajing Shenzhao Jing," since I'll always have a chance to get closer to them in the future.

He needs to take advantage of the current good relationship with the secluded lands and the esoteric sects, which are still in a "honeymoon period," and quickly use his military achievements to exchange for the rare book. If he misses this opportunity, he won't get another chance.

Moreover, Lu Zizai pointed out that some of the true scriptures had long been coveted by the masters of silk calligraphy.

On a plain, unremarkable little hill, there are no magical trees, no divine medicines, and no rare, flowing springs. The hillside is covered with strange rocks and weeds, making it somewhat desolate and out of place in this pure land rich in spiritual energy.

However, the broken jade book was unearthed here.

The people of the Immortal Path built a palace here to preserve the Jade Book and tried their best to maintain the original appearance of the place.

This was the requirement of the patriarchs. I don't know if they didn't understand the barren slope or if they wanted to use the original site to comprehend the original book.

Of course, the entire slope was dug through and turned upside down, but it was later restored.

Qin Ming waded through the tall grass and trod on the uneven dirt road until he reached the slope and stood in front of a palace built entirely of jade.

Someone carefully carried out a wooden box to a barren spot outside the hall, where a low sandalwood table was placed, along with a futon.

Ling Canghai said that the jade book was unearthed in this barren land.

"Throughout history, the various patriarchs may have had some insights, but only the patriarchs of the secluded holy land lineage who broke away from Yezhou were able to truly comprehend the true scriptures."

Ling Canghai's meaning is clear: since records began, only one person has ever made a name for himself in this field.

There are all sorts of profound methods in the world, and most of them can be mastered; otherwise, what would be the point of their existence?
But this broken book of heaven is truly extraordinary.

Lu Zizai said, "That's not necessarily true. Perhaps some patriarchs on the path to immortality have achieved great things, but they are just too low-key and haven't made their gains public."

These words startled the grandmasters.

The disciples of the Immortal Path who followed him here were also surprised. Why would he say that?

Having broken away from the Holy Land system of Yezhou, their leader comprehended the "Subduing Heart Sutra," also known as the "Subduing Immortal Sutra," which speaks of immortals arising from the heart, subduing one's form and spirit, and making them one's own.

"What guidance does Grandmaster Lu have?" a grandmaster couldn't help but ask.

Lu Zizai, dressed in coarse linen, with clear and bright eyes, said, "Just like Cao Qianqiu, his actions throughout his life were unrestrained, even to the point of being out of control and lawless. Don't you think he's like a restless monkey?"

In an instant, the place fell silent.

Then, another uproar erupted on the slope. This new patriarch of Xinsheng Road, who had the qualifications to pioneer new paths, really dared to say anything.

The expressions of the grandmasters changed, and they wished they could cover his mouth. How could he say such a thing?

They were worried that if they brought Lao Cao here, it would provoke an epic battle.

Cao Qianqiu is really strong. Even though he has only lost 40% of his cultivation, he is still very imposing.

Although Lu Zizai broke through the Heavenly Gate with the qualifications of an unparalleled Grandmaster, he has only just stepped into the sixth realm. If he were to truly face off against the current Lao Cao, it would inevitably be a fierce battle.

“I’ve studied him, it’s not impossible,” Lu Zizai said.

"Master Lu, stop talking!" Ling Canghai quickly stopped him. This kind of question was not to be joked about; it could lead to death, and if things went wrong, this whole area could be destroyed.

The younger generation of disciples went from disbelief to skepticism, because it seemed he wasn't joking.

"Is Patriarch Cao a manifestation of a willful monkey?" Even Zhuo Qingming, a top-tier immortal being, was lost in thought.

If we understand it this way, many things seem to make sense. Cao Qianqiu's domineering, unruly, and self-centered nature is indeed quite fitting.

"Hiss, if Master Cao is a mysterious being's inner demon, how terrifying must the real one be, and where is he now? This is truly terrifying, beyond my imagination."

Pei Shuyan was also taken aback, finding this statement too subversive.

The group of immortals were somewhat bewildered, and then deeply shocked.

Even Cui Chonghe and Helian Zhaoyu frowned, their hearts shaken.

Lu Zizai said calmly, "If Cao Qianqiu is a restless monkey, he will either be subdued and return to his true form, or he will be refined into an 'immortal pill' by using all kinds of tribulations as true fire and the Night Mist World as an immortal furnace, and then directly consumed by the main body."

The group of young disciples were filled with emotion and had many thoughts.

“Grandmaster Lu, what you are saying is against the rules,” a grandmaster said in a deep voice.

“I was just mentioning it casually,” Lu Zizai said, then fell silent.

The grandmasters didn't quite believe it, feeling that Lu Zizai had some bias, perhaps intending to target Lao Cao.

This speculation caused a great deal of turmoil in their hearts.

This really makes one wonder why he brought up such a thing for no reason.
If Cao Qianqiu were to hear this now, he might come out and fight him.

If Lao Cao had known this afterward, he might have seriously questioned the meaning of life and perhaps even broken his Daoist heart.

Ling Canghai said, "Let's leave this place to our young friend Qin Ming. I'll wait outside the slope."

"If the Mind Monkey were to be slain again, that would be even more interesting," Lu Zizai said before leaving.

Can it be slain again? Some immortal beings were stunned.

A grandmaster said, "The Subduing Heart Sutra is only a part of the Broken Heavenly Book. Even if a second person makes a name for himself in it, it doesn't necessarily mean he will follow the path of slaying the Heart Monkey."

Lu Zizai nodded and said, "Yes, perhaps it can directly condense a Dao Embryo, or give birth to an Immortal."

The group was restless, leaving Qin Ming behind while they all descended the earthen slope.

Outside, snow was falling heavily, but here, tall grass grew and insects chirped softly. Qin Ming sat cross-legged on a futon and opened the wooden box on the sandalwood table.

He took a deep breath and opened it slowly.

At first glance, the four pages of the jade book were very thin, the jade was dull and lacked luster, and in addition to the densely packed small characters, there were also a large number of spider web-like cracks.

He had to handle it very carefully, afraid of breaking it.

Three of the four pages of the jade book are missing. The second page is missing a corner, the third page has a large hole in the middle, and the fourth page is broken in half.

"It is indeed quite badly broken."

However, Qin Ming didn't care. Even if only one page remained, he could still salvage the true scripture.

In fact, when selecting classic texts this time, he intentionally chose incomplete classics because they were more cost-effective.

Normally, complete scriptures of a sect, whether from the Immortal Path or the Esoteric School, are not made public; they are closely guarded secrets.

The same applies to the path of rebirth. Even if people from the Immortal Path exchange a large amount of battle merits, they still cannot obtain the cultivation methods for the Sky-Supporting Force and the Tathagata Force.

For Qin Ming, the special incomplete scripture with infinite possibilities was the best choice. He could afford to use up his battle merits, and most importantly, he had the opportunity to complete it.

At this moment, Qin Ming was stunned, his eyes wide open. He didn't recognize a single character, and it wasn't any of the fonts he was familiar with.

Since learning that 60% of the secret manuals were unearthed from the ground, Qin Ming has worked very hard over the past six months, learning several ancient scripts.

He wasn't panicking. Since people from the Immortal Path could come here to study, it meant they could decipher this script.

"Ok?"

As he stared at the first page of the jade book, Qin Ming noticed that the fine characters glowed faintly, as if countless dragons and phoenixes were swimming and rearranging themselves.

Then, they changed, and in a daze, he saw all kinds of beasts galloping, and all the characters were becoming concrete.

Then, they changed again, transforming into countless tiny figures, displaying various actions: some meditating, some leaping and bounding, and some seemingly flying like immortals.

In an instant, Qin Ming received a dense stream of information, quite chaotic, with various figures layered upon each other, pressing towards his eyes.

Even with his exceptional comprehension, he was completely bewildered. The text was utterly chaotic and disorganized; how could he possibly understand such a scripture?

Even a slight tilt of his head or a blink of his eye can alter the information he receives; the various celestial figures and chaotic little people all appear differently.

In that case, if a thousand people try to understand it, they will have all sorts of different interpretations, right?
Qin Ming frowned. What kind of scripture was this? Was it meant to be like a storybook, with an open-ended interpretation?
For a moment, he wanted to concentrate and try to resonate, but thinking of his past experiences, he was still afraid and decided to tackle the tough issues himself first, and only go for the "ecstasy" if he really couldn't get through.

"He was frowning; I guess he got stuck as soon as he started."

Many people stood outside the area covered with wormwood, waiting for the results of his comprehension of the Jade Scripture.

Wei Cheng spoke up: "This true scripture is extraordinary. Even immortals may not be able to glimpse its true form. If one's spirituality is insufficient, one cannot even read it normally."

It is said that to comprehend this sutra, one must simply enter a state of tranquility and immerse oneself in its meaning, which takes a very long time, a step that stops 90% of geniuses.

"Hiss!" Someone exclaimed in surprise.

Because, in the blink of an eye, wisps of spiritual Daoist energy emanated from Qin Ming's body, so dense that they covered the scriptures.

Most importantly, the broken jade book gave him positive feedback; it was no longer dim but emitted a hazy light, as if it were interacting with him.

"They've already gotten involved so quickly?" Even top-tier immortal beings like Pei Shuyan and Zhuo Qingming were taken aback.

Wei Cheng, who had just been looking forward to seeing a joke, immediately shut his mouth. Helian Zhaoyu, on the other hand, stared intently at the figure on the slope shrouded in spiritual energy.

"That speed is really fast!" someone among the veterans exclaimed.

Whether Qin Ming can comprehend the true scriptures is one thing, but his manifestation of spirituality alone is enough to amaze the Pure Land.

In any case, the four pages of the Heavenly Book have proven that Qin Ming is a genius at the very top of the pyramid.

While many were astonished and expressed their admiration, others remained indifferent, such as the Cui family. The forces within the Pure Land were deeply entrenched, and naturally, there were many members of powerful families.

The more prominent Qin Ming was, the more humiliated those elders, middle-aged masters, and young disciples of the Cui family who were hostile to him felt.

Many people are now aware of their past relationship with Qin Ming.

"On the path of immortality, he is actually a peerless immortal being." A renowned elder of the Cui family felt an unyielding resentment in his heart, and his chest felt tight.

In fact, some of their old rivals have recently been openly and covertly mocking them.

Some even said they were blind and spoke harshly and unpleasantly.

These rumors nearly caused some hot-tempered old men in the Cui family to explode on the spot.

"Back then, I thought he would become Chonghe's divine armor guard. Even if he couldn't keep up with Chonghe's pace, he could still protect other young prodigies who would rise to prominence in our clan in the future. I never expected that he would also be a celestial being!" an old man murmured.

He wasn't regretful, but rather remorseful for not acting sooner; now it was too late.

Now that Qin Ming has caught Lu Zizai's eye, who would dare to openly confront him?

They worried that if things continued this way, Qin Ming would become a formidable competitor to Cui Chonghe.

On the earthen slope, the boy sat quietly, his eyes deep, as if he could see the wondrous scenes contained in the jade book through the endless mist.

Qin Ming himself was astonished. After all the words were transformed into tiny figures, the process of going from chaotic to orderly was completed in the blink of an eye.

The more he stared at it, the clearer his mind became, and the more distinct the orderly scene he saw became.

Gradually, he had an epiphany: the truth is found within one's heart, and the true scriptures arise from within.

The broken jade book requires a high level of skill from the practitioner; those who are not exceptionally gifted simply cannot access it.

Talking about equality and the idea that everyone can understand the Dharma is just empty talk.

Ultimately, the essence of spiritual practice depends on talent.

If someone is of mediocre talent and wants to improve themselves and achieve a leap in life, they can only rely on so-called "heaven-defying opportunities." But how many people actually have incredible luck in their lives?
Qin Ming saw a large number of tiny figures moving, some changing, some fighting, and slowly, they all transformed into his likeness.

“This scripture is of an extremely high level!” he whispered.

Putting everything else aside, the very method of leaving behind these scriptures is nothing short of miraculous.

The first page of scripture, no matter how many years have passed, how times have changed, or how the text has been altered, does not affect its ability to preach.

It records the meaning of the scriptures with the most essential Taoist principles, presenting a constantly changing picture.

He didn't know how much time had passed, but Qin Ming had watched it many times, each time carefully observing the Daoist Rhyme Diagram evolve from beginning to end.

"It encompasses everything, seemingly including interpretations of 'ever-changing' and the principles of magical combat, containing far too much." Qin Ming felt that his level of understanding was still not high enough, otherwise he might have been able to see even more.

The advice from Ling Canghai and others was indeed correct. This scripture was meant for those at a higher level of understanding, and for him, it was too early to be exposed to it.

However, Qin Ming was not discouraged, but rather enthusiastic. All he needed to do was memorize this Daoist diagram.

He can now grasp some of the true meaning, and he can understand the parts he doesn't understand when he reaches a higher level.

Immediately after memorizing the essential Daoist diagram on the first page, he began to turn the page.

Near the earthen slope, many people were surprised that he had gone to look at the second page of the mysterious book so quickly.
Qin Ming's spiritual light spread, and he felt incredibly clear-headed. Immersed in this state, he gradually frowned, realizing that the missing corner of the second page of scripture had a significant impact.

He saw the broken Bagua Furnace, the endless flames, and the remnants of a battle.

"Is this a battle of wits and the process of refining the Mind Monkey into medicine?" Qin Ming pondered, noting that this technique was quite similar to certain myths and legends.

He carefully studied the text, combining the first two pages together, and continuously researched and verified his thoughts.

"Ok?"

Suddenly, Qin Ming was shaken.

In a daze, he seemed to see layers upon layers of mist, with a creature called a "聻" lurking behind, which was somewhat absurd and terrifying.

Immediately, he felt the burning sensation of the Eye of New Life, and his vision of the mist seemed clearer.

"The Immortal Furnace, with its true fire, can it temper my newly born eyes?"

Qin Ming connected the two pages of the jade book and carefully studied them. Regarding the part about fighting magic, he believed it leaned towards the spiritual direction.

Is this the Heart Sutra?

Moreover, the more he looked at it, the more familiar it seemed. After constantly pondering and verifying it, he suddenly realized something and began to recall another passage in his mind.

In the past, the master of silk calligraphy passed down four chapters of Qin inscriptions, but now he can only practice the chapter on the flesh.

It has now been confirmed that the original text of the "Physical Body Chapter" is the "Scripture of Body Refinement and Dao Integration," which he obtained and completed in the Immortal Hall of the Esoteric Buddhism.

The second chapter actually corresponds to most of the true meaning of the first two pages of the Jade Book, and is related to mental combat and other things!
Qin Ming was deeply shocked. No wonder Lu Zizai had emphasized this article to him; there was a reason behind it.

This means that not only the patriarch of the Holy Earth lineage gained something from this, but others also comprehended some of it.

Perhaps, the founder of the Silk Calligraphy School once targeted people of the Sacred Earth lineage.

Qin Ming can no longer trace the truth of history, but he is very excited now. He has found the source of one of the most important nourishment chapters of the silk calligraphy and will complete it.

Even knowing that the resonance would torment him, Qin Ming had no choice but to proceed. The tattered jade book was extremely important to him, but it was already damaged from the second page onwards.

He adjusted his state, bringing his energy and spirit to their peak, and then began!

He wasn't this afraid even when fighting demons; on the contrary, he was very active on the western battlefield, attacking various celestial demon species and collecting blood medicine, a process that was very exciting.

Now he felt as if facing a formidable enemy, and resonated cautiously.

With a whooshing sound, he seemed to hear a grand chanting in his ears, and his body trembled on the spot, almost falling to the ground.

At this moment, Qin Ming felt as if waves formed from the fading of time were crashing towards him, nearly drowning him.

This experience is hard to describe. He traced it back to the most ancient of the main emotions, which had become very "faded," as if they were about to be completely erased by the passage of time.

However, it was still terrifying, causing Qin Ming's blood to surge. Before long, blood began to flow from his mouth and nose, and his brains felt as if they were being violently churned.

Soon, Qin Ming emerged from this state, then grabbed a handful of precious medicine and stuffed it into his mouth.

What he has no shortage of now is healing medicine, which he has obtained in abundance on the western battlefield.

Before leaving the Pure Land, he planned to give some gifts to Li Qingyue, Chen Bingyan, and others whose injuries had not fully healed.

Near the hillside, many people were stunned. He was just trying to understand some scriptures, so why was he taking medicine?
"There's blood on his lips!" Some people were astonished. What level of concentration had Qin Ming gotten into while studying the shattered jade book that he could injure himself? That was outrageous!

Soon, people's expressions became solemn, because they discovered that the sitting boy's body was filled with spiritual light and Daoist charm, and he was now shining like a sun!

In everyone's eyes, Qin Ming and the four pages of the Heavenly Book complemented each other and reflected each other's brilliance.

"As expected of a celestial seed comparable to Jiang Ran, coupled with the foundation of the new life path, she is truly a peerless genius!" Even Grandmaster Ling Canghai praised her in this way.

They knew that Qin Ming must have gained something.

Infants do not understand the adult world, and cultivators of lower realms cannot touch the realm of patriarchs.

People knew that Qin Ming must have touched upon a part of the true scripture corresponding to his own realm and gained some enlightenment!

Wei Cheng and Helian Zhaoyu were both shocked. The boy they wanted to crush had actually been able to comprehend the broken jade book.

Even Cui Chonghe looked solemn at this moment.

Pei Shuyan, Zhuo Qingming, and other top-tier immortal beings also showed expressions of shock.

"Can he really do it?" Wang Caiwei and Chen Bingyan were both filled with mixed emotions.

Tang Xumi stared wide-eyed, finding it hard to believe, and then suddenly realized that he was still missing a chapter of the Divine Ape Skill from the other party.

At this moment, Qin Ming was filled with excitement as he saw the complete second page of the scripture. The magnificent Eight Trigrams Furnace seemed to want to swallow him whole, with boundless runes swirling around it and flames burning the sky. These Daoist images seemed to be real, trying to refine him.

Fortunately, he pulled through and kept all the changes in his heart.

At the same time, Qin Ming was also glad that, as time went by, that most primal main emotion had been weakened a lot; otherwise, his pain would have been magnified many times over.

In fact, if he were to resonate with such a statement, it could severely injure himself and endanger his life!

He practiced his skills in his mind, and the furnace appeared, with flames raging in the sky. He felt that his newborn eye was indeed improving.

He grabbed a handful of healing medicine, put it in his mouth, and recovered.

After he adjusted, he began to resonate with the third and fourth pages of the Jade Book.

The last two pages were severely missing, and no one before him had been able to decipher them. Qin Ming began to "repair the jade book," attempting to recreate the true scripture that had been lost to history.

Qin Ming and Lu Zi arrived at the Pure Land in the early night and quickly went to the hillside. It wasn't until late at night that he got up, looking pale.

It's easy to imagine that the "weight" of those four pages of scripture took a huge toll on him.

His behavior naturally alarmed many people.

"You want to fight him?" Wei Cheng looked at his companion. If anyone else had such a thought, he would think they were crazy.

Now in the third realm, Qin Ming is truly terrifying, with his brilliant record of killing more than a dozen Heavenly Demon species.

However, if Helian Zhaoyu were to participate, Wei Cheng felt that there might be a great chance of victory.

He knew that Helian Zhaoyu was incredibly talented and had a very solid foundation. He had mastered the "Immortal Scripture" and was also proficient in the methods of esoteric Buddhism.

Most importantly, he knew very well that Helian Zhaoyu had once reached the fourth realm, but in order to build the strongest foundation, he used the "Ten Thousand Forging" method to temper himself back down.

"Hmm!" Helian Zhaoyu uttered only one word, his expression indifferent.

Wei Cheng was filled with anticipation and said, "To break him when he is at his most brilliant is brilliant!"
"Poor Zhaoyu, I see your face is dark; you're about to have a terrible misfortune!" someone suddenly said.

Wei Cheng immediately turned around, about to reprimand the other person for being so tactless. However, he instantly shut his mouth.

Helian Zhaoyu was extremely displeased. He turned his head and looked over, only to find that the person speaking was his cousin, Helian Yaoqing.

Qin Ming got up and walked towards the edge of the slope.

Suddenly, he sensed something and looked towards a distant mountain shrouded in mist. He was startled and saw a familiar figure.

His heart was stirred; he wanted to meet the other person and ask about his grandfather's whereabouts.

(End of this chapter)