Night without Borders

Chapter 344 Even the resurrected sages are no match for them.

Night, strong wind, blizzard.

Helian Zhaoyu suddenly turned his head, his eyes fixed on his opponent like ice blades, as if he wanted to tear off two large chunks of flesh.

Qin Ming didn't look at him. Instead, he braved the cold wind and stepped through the snow, rushing forward and saying, "Hurry up, I'm in a hurry."

Helian Zhaoyu stared at his retreating figure, his eyes suddenly becoming incredibly deep.

Before the fight even officially began, the two were already clashing. Helian Zhaoyu was very aggressive, while Qin Ming was nonchalant and dealt with him with a calm and collected approach.

A group of people followed behind the two, walking through the frigid weather, some whispering and discussing.

"Why did Helian Zhaoyu challenge Qin Ming to a duel?" someone asked, puzzled.
Anyone could see that this was not a friendly exchange at all, but more like a premeditated challenge.

Qin Ming was a guest at the Pure Land, but Helian Zhaoyu did this, showing not a trace of goodwill.

"You're so out of touch! Don't you even know this? In the mountain city of the Sun Elves, Helian Zhaoyu and Wei Cheng tried to pressure Qin Ming but failed and ended up having all their teeth knocked out. Given his personality, do you think he'd swallow that insult? He'd find an opportunity to strike even without a reason!"

"Actually, the main reason is that Helian Zhaoyu is ambitious and has his eye on the revived Bagua Furnace, which is a special weapon. It is rumored that Li Qingyue may have obtained the 'controlling power' to control it, and since she is close to Qin Ming, Helian Zhaoyu is probably afraid that she will be outmaneuvered..."

Immediately, the expressions on everyone's faces changed. The power of that special weapon was evident to all during the Western Frontier War.

The broken measuring ruler in Leng Mingkong's hand, and the broken arrow in Helian Chengyun's hand, had once slaughtered demon gods and demon immortals. Their deterrent power was too great, and who wouldn't be envious?
"Isn't it still uncertain whether Li Qingyue has obtained the 'Imperial Law'?"

There is no doubt that this matter is rife with undercurrents, and many people have already heard about it.

"By the time the news is confirmed, it will be too late. If there is any doubt, some people will definitely be unable to resist reaching out."

Especially Helian Zhaoyu, who has the backing of the Imperial Immortal Sect and an ancestor who can slay immortals at the top, if he were to start by becoming Daoist partners, he would actually have a good chance of winning.

In the pitch-black world, the howling wind sounded like a vengeful ghost, instantly drowning out the chatter of some people.

Qin Ming suddenly stopped, and opposite him, Helian Zhaoyu, dressed in black, also stopped.

The night was as dark as an abyss, and a fierce wind whipped up a blizzard that crashed down.

In the distance, golden rays rippled across the pristine land, and the vegetation was lush and verdant. The same world, so close to each other, presented two completely different scenes.

"You ask me if I've ever shone brightly? Let me tell you, all these years I've been traveling the Night Fog world under my second identity, venturing into all sorts of perilous places and meeting all kinds of seeds, while you were still begging in Black and White Mountain!"

Clearly, Helian Zhaoyu cared a lot about Qin Ming's words, otherwise he wouldn't have responded with a cold expression after catching up.

"You were already meeting with all sorts of people three years ago, and now you still can't look down on them?" Qin Ming looked at him in surprise.

Helian Zhaoyu discovered that every time he threw a heavy punch, his opponent would throw out a light "cotton" that made him waste his energy.

He took a deep breath and quickly calmed himself down.

He used a secret method to transmit his voice, limited to the two of them, and said indifferently, "Everyone says you possess two kinds of blessings, but I know you are merely a seed on the path of rebirth, a fusion of heavenly light and consciousness. The reason you can progress so quickly is that you must have taken a powerful elixir. Eventually, you will slow down and your true form will be revealed..."

"Get to the point!" Qin Ming interrupted him impatiently.

Helian Zhaoyu felt a surge of anger rising within him, almost bursting out of his skull. He realized that he and the other party could never be on the same path.

He spoke coldly, “In your current state, with your false dual-enhancement, you are not suited to be with Li Qingyue. You must understand that when a Celestial Seed of the Fourth Realm travels, they are always escorted by Jade Armor Warriors. You, a false Celestial Seed on the path of rebirth, will be lucky to even reach the Fourth Realm of Jade Armor Warriors after your temples turn gray. In the Pure Land, golden clouds stretch for miles, and giant dragons soar through the sky. Even divine medicines can be found on the beautiful cliffs. What is your usual living environment like? Just as you see before me, the wilderness is vast and desolate, the night is dark, and the land is covered in ice and snow. Having seen the sun and moon hanging in the sky, how can you be content to crawl in the mud like an ant, humbly begging for survival? Most importantly, Li Qingyue has obtained the ‘Imperial Law,’ and you cannot protect her. Almost all the patriarchs are recuperating from their injuries; otherwise, this pool of water might be even more turbid.”

Qin Ming remained calm and said, "No wonder he's Helian Yunji's grandson, just like him!"

With one hand behind his back, his black robes fluttering in the wind and snow, Helian Zhaoyu said, "In short, it's far better for her to stand with me in the Imperial Immortal Sect than to be close to you. It will ensure her safety."

Qin Ming looked ahead and said, "How can a mere immortal seed like you influence the decisions of all the patriarchs? You're overthinking it. Stop living in your own dream!"

Immediately, he opened his newborn eyes and said, "You are in... the third realm? After accumulating for so many years, your cultivation is still so low. How dare you speak so arrogantly?"

Helian Zhaoyu said calmly, "What do you know? The realm I pursue is beyond your comprehension. It is the strongest domain of its kind, revered by ancient sages. It is impervious to all laws, and wherever I stand, fellow cultivators will retreat."

Then, he raised his chin in the wind and snow, stood with his hands behind his back, quite self-assured, and said, "I broke through the Heavenly Barrier a long time ago and stepped into the Fourth Realm. I used the Ten Thousand Refinements Method to temper myself back to the Third Realm. My domain is so vast that even if an ancient sage were to be resurrected and return to his youth, he might not be my match."

Qin Ming succinctly summarized, "Others have advanced, but your realm has fallen. You're really doing poorly!"

Helian Zhaoyu didn't want to say anything more to him, because every powerful word and brilliant achievement ultimately felt like hitting cotton.

Qin Ming took the initiative to speak, saying, "I am different from you. I never turn back. Wherever I arrive, my foothold becomes the strongest domain."

Helian Zhaoyu's expression was cold. This opponent was even more arrogant and conceited than him!
At this point, he didn't want to say another word; he just wanted to defeat his opponent immediately.

Seeing that Qin Ming was about to speak again, he quickly drew his sword, not wanting to hear his nonchalant mockery any longer.

Snowflakes fluttered down, blanketing the boundless snow-covered landscape.

Many people were excited and eagerly awaited a fierce battle.

Those in the know are aware that Helian Zhaoyu is actually ridiculously strong. He was trained by Grandmaster Helian Yunji from a young age and was taken to various parts of the Night Fog world to hone his skills. For a period of time, he had an extremely strong killing aura, and even birds and beasts dared not approach him. He finally managed to dispel it by practicing a special skill.

Qin Ming has a brilliant record on the Western Frontier battlefield and is now shining brightly.

The sight of these two together truly drew the attention of everyone in the Pure Land's youth. Qin Ming drew his sword; after this period of nurturing, the mutton-fat jade iron sword had returned to its original state.

Helian Zhaoyu let out a long roar, and a rumbling avalanche erupted on the snow-capped mountain not far away, as if a thousand troops were swooping down.

At that very moment, he drew his sword. A dazzling sword light ripped through the white, snowy world and tore through the dark night sky, exceptionally bright.

In an instant, he unleashed dozens or even hundreds of sword beams, incredibly fast.

In that instant, the wind and snow seemed to stop, and time and space seemed to freeze in the sword light.

Only the surging sword energy could pierce the snowy night and fly towards the opponent ahead.

Qin Ming remained calm and composed as he wielded the mutton-fat jade iron knife, its blade gleaming like the blazing sun. This was the result of a perfect fusion of his consciousness, spiritual power, and heavenly light; if fully unleashed, all the various celestial demon species would be reduced to corpses!

Under the cover of night, the frozen snow suddenly burst open. In the glint of the blade, the world returned to normal, with howling winds and raging blizzards flying everywhere.

The flashes of blades and the light of swords clashed fiercely. The two figures, like gods and demons traversing the night sky, instantly fought their way from the icy snowfield to the high sky.

They could all briefly hover in the sky, their swords clashing, their consciousness flashing, and the sky's light pouring down—it was truly terrifying beyond measure.

With a loud crash, the two landed, each stomping on the ground and causing it to shatter. Not only did the ground break apart, but large waves of snow rushed in all directions and into the sky.

In an instant, the battlefield where the two were located was completely submerged by white waves of snow.

Many spectators' pupils contracted upon witnessing this scene.

On the battlefield, large amounts of snowflakes fell again, like a waterfall cascading down.

In this endless, frigid world, two figures moved like lightning, shattering the night mist and crashing through the snow waterfall, constantly clashing with each other. If either of them made the slightest mistake, blood would splatter on the spot.

Qin Ming admitted that this was an extremely formidable opponent, a rare and formidable foe.

The two of them were like thunderbolts sweeping across the earth, and the pitch-black night sky, storms, and snowfalls were all thrown into chaos by them, leaving the entire area a vast expanse of white.

Only when the light of blades and swords flashes can their ghostly or godlike figures be seen, as swords clash, sparks fly, and lightning erupts.

Li Qingxu arrived, somewhat silent. As a cultivator of the realm, he frowned deeply as he looked at the two figures on the battlefield, remaining silent for a long time.

At this moment, everyone was watching the two people on the battlefield with bated breath.

Even Li Qingyue was taken aback. She had great confidence in Qin Ming, but she hadn't expected Helian Zhaoyu to be so strong. The two had almost exchanged a hundred blows.

“Foolish cousin, you’ve been hiding your true colors very well,” Helian Yaoqing whispered.

Wei Cheng, as Helian Zhaoyu's "close friend," was very easygoing. He didn't care; after all, it wasn't him who made the move. Winning or losing didn't matter; he would just take it in stride.

Pei Shuyan looked solemn. He had long known that Helian Zhaoyu was no ordinary person, and today he finally saw the truth about him.

With a crack, as the two climbed a snow-capped mountain, the cliff broke apart, and heavy snow howled down, covering the sky and the earth.

Helian Zhaoyu spoke calmly amidst the wind and snow: "I'm sorry, I tried my best, but I only managed to advance from the fourth realm to the middle stage of the third realm, dissolving some of the 'impurities' in my cultivation. From then on, my cultivation could no longer be advanced, as indestructible as an immortal golden elixir."

He felt that the harvest season had arrived, and he had experienced the realm of inviolability of all laws, which was advocated by the ancient sages. His peers had to bow their heads and retreat when they saw him.

Qin Ming, who shines brightly in the eyes of others, possesses two powers and has even slain future Heavenly Demons, yet he has been stopped by him, and he has not yet used his full strength!

Qin Ming sneered in the wind and snow, saying, "In my opinion, if you hadn't used the Ten Thousand Refinements Technique to break through your realm, I might have retreated. As for you now, your so-called approach to the realm of ancient sages is merely a matter of barely getting close to me!"

Helian Zhaoyu regretted speaking to him. He released his grip, and the dazzling sword shot into the night sky like a streak of light, bringing with it boundless pressure.

At that moment, the mountains and valleys shook, and the endless ice and snow seemed to boil, rumbling incessantly.

For a moment, the snow-capped mountain beneath his feet seemed to fly into the night sky, resonating with the flying sword.

Avalanches occurred on each mountain peak, creating an endless expanse of white, before the waves surged upwards into the vast sky.

To outsiders, when the snow waves surged up, all the mountains seemed to rise from the ground with tremendous force, resonating with the magnificent flying sword.

Helian Zhaoyu pointed, and the flying sword seemed to carry the power of the entire icy world as it slashed towards Qin Ming. The pitch-black night was thus made extremely dazzling, and this sword light seemed to become eternal.

Many people were shaken, and even those who were far away involuntarily retreated, as if a sword aura had slashed into their hearts.

Everyone knew that this was the ultimate technique of the Immortal Control Sect; not only could it control swords, but legend had it that it could even control immortals.

Helian Zhaoyu's cold voice rang out: "All things can be controlled, the world is overturned by turbulent waves. Once the Immortal Sword is drawn, who in the three realms of the world cannot be slain?"

"You said that?" Qin Ming rode his sword, and around him, flames soared into the sky, thunder roared, the fire of the earth and the thunder in the night sky were connected, and the world seemed to be about to collapse.

"I said, once the Immortal Qi is released, all things obey my command. Flowers dare not turn red, nights dare not turn black, and skies dare not turn blue!" Three streams of Qi rose from Helian Zhaoyu's body, like three rivers, which flowed into the flying sword, slicing through the night sky and falling down.

The blade light beneath Qin Ming's feet surged, merging with thunder and fire, while the light from his own fists was even more terrifying. One punch revealed life and death, another revealed prosperity and decay, with black and white light alternating to reflect the Yin-Yang diagram.

For those of you who haven't had dental implants, would you like to know what the experience is like? The sound of the drill, the insertion of metal pins… I'm still experiencing bleeding and pain. Please allow me to "live off" for a few days, writing about 3,000 words a day. I can't stay up late, so I need to rest. (This paragraph is not included in the paid word count.)
(End of this chapter)