Night without Borders

Chapter 352 The Visitor from Beyond the Territory Recognizes His Relatives
Kunlun Mountain, the golden bell tolls, its sound echoing for miles.

It hung in the night sky, then disappeared into the clouds, its power reaching the heavens.

It is said that this is a broken bell that fell from Yujing, and it should not be struck unless a major emergency occurs.

Golden ripples spread out in concentric circles, illuminating the entire cloud layer with tangible bell waves. Amidst the grand sound, the sky became completely clear.

Clearly, this is a turbulent time; including today, the Golden Bell has rung three times in a year.

In the Kunling region, everyone was stunned. What was happening? Many people stared at the clouds bathed in golden light, their bodies stiff and their faces blank. Was another "celestial upheaval" about to occur?
At the instant the bell rang, dozens of Zapdos disappeared into the night fog, shining brightly like shooting stars, vanishing in an instant.

They pierced through the clouds and mist, flying towards distant lands, their destinations being the various ancestral lands.

"Jingle Bell!"

On their legs hang pure white bells, rippling with gentle waves, their "sound" reaching the hearts of creatures along the way.

This is a rare treasure that can resonate with one's spiritual field.

No one may obstruct the journey, for this precious bell was personally crafted by the patriarch and holds special significance.

"A message from Yuling: It's extremely urgent."

In the long night, even the city lords felt their scalps tingle upon hearing this strange bell sound; it was the last thing they wanted to hear such a "message."

Sometimes, the lack of news is the best news.

The appearance of the jade bell could very well mean that chaos is about to break out in the world.

Dozens of Zapdos flew to various parts of Night State, causing a huge uproar.

"Hiss! Visitors from another realm! Several Grandmaster-level experts have appeared in Kunlun!"

The imperial court, the ancestral temples of various religions, and super organizations were all alarmed that day. Many senior figures emerged from seclusion and couldn't help but gasp in shock.

"The visitors from beyond the Sixth Realm have quietly infiltrated Kunling. Their whereabouts are very strange. They have entered and exited various universities, forbidden lands, and evil lands, as if they are searching for something."

Moreover, powerful beings from beyond the realm have entered the layers of misty space, seemingly investigating the earthen city connected to Yujing.

These were discovered and revealed by the Heavenly Mirror of Kunlun, and the Grandmaster-level figures immediately rang the golden bell to warn others and seek help from the patriarchs of all paths.

Throughout Yezhou, one after another, the sun rose into the sky, like a rainbow piercing the heavens, tearing through the dark night and rushing towards the Kunling territory at breakneck speed.

Many people were frightened. Could it be that the great war with the demon civilization had just ended, and a new war was about to begin?

As night fell, all the cities fell into a brief silence. Last time, all the roads were draped in white mourning clothes, and too many people died. Now, no one wanted to reignite the war.

Among the visitors from beyond the realm, an old man spoke up: "I've already said it, Night State is different from other places. The waters run deep. Even without a local immortal guarding it, some remnants of treasures remain. Even if we are too high-profile, we will be discovered immediately."

They have been in Yezhou for half a month. Some people have returned to their old haunts, reminiscing about something, while others have entered and exited some important places, exploring the ruins.

The founders of various religions had already gathered along the way and arrived very quickly. From a distance, they could see some super mounts, such as the Earth Tyrannosaurus, the Golden Butterfly, and the Jade Rhinoceros.

The visitors from outside the region did not flee; they actually waited in Kunling.

Under the night fog, among them, some had white hair, some were in their prime, and some looked rather young; the age range was quite wide.

In the battle in the Western Territory, all routes in Yezhou suffered heavy losses. Some of the founders died in battle, and those who survived were all injured. Some even had to go into seclusion to cultivate to the death.

The number of people appearing now is naturally far less than in its heyday.

However, the patriarchs who descended upon Kunlun were all formidable figures, such as Leng Mingkong, Helian Chengyun, the contemporary Buddha, and senior figures in Esoteric Buddhism known as "the immortals."

“We have no ill intentions. In fact, some of us were born here and are natives of Yezhou,” an old woman among the visitors from beyond the borders said.

In Yezhou, all the patriarchs were taken aback. Had the person who had entered the depths of the Night Mist World returned?

At this moment, they were both standing outside Kunling City, surrounded by a vast expanse of snow, several miles apart.

For a master like him, this is no different from being face-to-face.

Even with heavy casualties, Yezhou still held an absolute numerical advantage. As they moved forward, the people on the other side showed goodwill and approached.

"Huh? Chengyun, you're still alive! That's wonderful!"

Across from them, the old woman who had spoken earlier was somewhat agitated. Upon noticing Helian Chengyun in the crowd, her eyes even turned red.

She gazed at the young man covered in crimson armor, staring at the red mark between his brows, sensing his familiar, cold demeanor, and confirming his identity.

Although Helian Chengyun is a veteran in the field of road construction, he does not look old and is still full of vigor.

At this moment, even his usually calm and composed mind was stirred. He stared blankly at the person opposite him and tentatively called out, "Zhao Lin... Senior Sister?"

In the past, the two almost became a couple.

Zhao Lin's master is Helian Chengyun's uncle. Five hundred years ago, that ancestor of the Immortal Path led several disciples to the depths of the Night Mist World.

According to the sealed records of the Pure Land of the Immortals, it was the Immortal Path that took the initiative to send experts to explore distant places, but unfortunately, those who went never returned.

"Zhuo Qingya... Senior Brother?" Among the visitors from beyond the realm, an old man looked at the founder of the Heavenly God Palace, an important sect of Tantric Buddhism, with an uncertain tone.

After all, they had been separated for over five hundred years, and back then they were both in their prime.

The patriarch of the Esoteric School, Zhuo Qingya, stared ahead and said, "You are... Junior Brother Lu Yuzhang?"

"Is that the one opposite us... the Little Tathagata whom our Grandmaster jokingly appointed back then?" Among the visitors from beyond the realm, a bald old man with golden rays shining from his eyes looked towards the ancestor of the New Life Path.

In fact, the Buddha himself had been watching him closely, and his mind was far from at peace. He had already discerned with his "wise eye" that the man was likely the former master's eldest disciple.

However, the two have been separated for more than five hundred years, and with the passage of time, they are very different from each other in the past.

"You are... Senior Brother Zhanlong?"

"It's me, Little Buddha! You've grown so tall!"

No one expected that the golden bell, a divine treasure that fell from Yujing, would cause a "celestial upheaval" after it was rung, but instead, it became a large-scale family reunion event.

Some of the relatively "young" founders were lost in thought, mistaking them for a formidable enemy. In reality, they were all senior figures who had left Yezhou. These people hadn't left Yezhou together back then, but it seemed they had all ended up in the same area.

"Senior brother, now that you've returned, why haven't you gone back to the ancestral temple, but instead linger outside?"

"Alas, I feel apprehensive as I approach my hometown. More than 500 years have passed, and I worry that things have changed. Since I set foot on my homeland again, I have been traveling around, reminiscing about the past, and trying to understand the changes over the past few hundred years."

……

That day, the world was shaken, and the cities under the cover of night were in an uproar; people were stunned.

This isn't some sensational headline written with exaggerated language by the nightly newspaper's "Shocking News Department"; it's a genuine shock that has resonated with people all over the world.

Hundreds of years ago, some patriarchs led their disciples away from Yezhou to explore new worlds. Even those disciples have broken through to become patriarchs themselves and are returning today.

Among these people, the earliest group left nearly 600 years ago, and the group that left a little closer to the present has been gone for 480 years.

"Investigate further, report back!" Even the leaders of some large organizations were itching to find out the truth: where did this group go, why were they missing for hundreds of years, and why did they suddenly return?

Subsequently, various rumors circulated.

Among those who returned were relatives of the contemporary patriarch.

For example, the patriarch Qingtian, who is involved in the path of new life, has his second son, who disappeared more than 500 years ago, return.

Originally, Qingtian had suffered a severe injury and was in seclusion, but he was so shocked that he walked out of the secret room.

“Father, your unfilial son has been lingering outside the mountain gate for many days, not daring to enter the ancestral temple. He has not been able to share your worries, but has instead disturbed your recovery.”

Qingtian stared at him for a long time, then asked, "Are you really my offspring?"

"Father, you don't recognize me anymore?" Qingtian's second son, with his white hair and tears in his eyes, knelt down with a thud, using his knees to push against the ground and move his body forward.

In the following days, the news spread like wildfire throughout Yezhou, reaching everything from brightly lit cities to remote villages.

Qin Ming was also stunned. He only heard the news four days later when a traveling merchant came to the nearby Yinteng Town.

It can only be said that the Black and White Mountain area is too remote, and communication is not smooth.

He pondered for a long time. This matter had a significant impact. What area did those people explore back then? Could they have settled in the same place deep within the Night Fog World?
At the same time, he was very concerned about whether any disciples of the master of silk calligraphy had returned.
Some truths are gradually being revealed.

This time, a total of more than eighty people entered Yezhou, but it is clear that only a portion of them were returning to their homeland.

"In the distance, there lies a vast and magnificent kingdom, its territory boundless, its majestic mountains and rivers adorned with brocade, its towering peaks stretching like dragons. A land blessed with natural beauty and abundant resources, it has produced countless heroes and talented individuals. Numerous colossal cities, each more imposing than the last, are scattered throughout the land. Its cultivation civilization flourishes, its ancient texts and secret techniques as vast as the ocean..."

The news immediately caused a sensation throughout the country.

Most importantly, that glorious civilization belonged to a powerful nation of humankind.

In the days that followed, everyone was talking about that dazzling human civilization in the distance, sparking a nationwide discussion.

Evening newspapers, world newspapers, and daytime newspapers spared no effort in reporting extensively, presenting a vast and magnificent world to the people.

Many people yearn for it and wish they could travel far and wide to experience it for themselves.

"There's a celestial being guarding that place!"

Every new piece of news that comes out is enough to stir one's emotions.

It should be noted that Yezhou is extremely wary of civilizations with Earth Immortals, and now that they have heard that a cultivation civilization has flourished to such an extent in a human-dominated country, they are naturally very excited.

"There are even those who have accumulated seven days, and some have successfully reached the seventh realm without changing their life form."

The news shocked the world.

In Yezhou, with the continuous expansion of roads, each generation is generally stronger than the last. In this era, if the founders of certain extreme fields want to change their life form, they may not be unable to become Earth Immortals.

For example, Leng Mingkong, Helian Chengyun, and others.

However, the patriarch of Yezhou had no interest in this.

They wanted to maintain their original form, sweep away all obstacles, break through the Heavenly Gate, and establish themselves in the Seventh Realm.

At present, in distant human kingdoms, they have already ventured into that field. The message brought back by those who left has truly caused a major earthquake.

It is said that in recent days, the seeds of Tantric Buddhism, the Land of the Immortals, and the Path of New Life have been in close contact and engaging in enthusiastic exchanges with the young people who have traveled from afar.

Some immortals and gods even wanted to travel far away to that mysterious country to further their studies and improve themselves.

That brilliant human civilization was rooted in a vast and beautiful land in the southwest of Yezhou, where it was highly prosperous and flourishing. It was at least 1.5 million miles away from the open paths of Yezhou.

"Most importantly, to travel between the two places, one needs to pass through a foggy area where there is a 'gate' that seems to be a shortcut."

Otherwise, it would be difficult to say exactly how far apart the two places are.

Outside, the atmosphere was in uproar, with a flood of news shattering the peace.

At Black and White Mountain, Qin Ming seemed to be isolated from the world. No matter how much turmoil was happening in the distance, he remained unmoved and quietly cultivated.

The return of a "wanderer" who has traveled far away is almost universally admired and dominates all the hot topics.

Of course, among all the heated discussions, there were also some "discordant" voices. For example, "Real News" once expressed its opinion, questioning why those people had stopped speaking for so long.

"The predecessors who traveled far away were lucky, successfully avoiding the two bloody battles of 450 years ago. In that era, almost all the patriarchs were wiped out. In this life, if they had returned two months earlier, with their cultivation and experience, they would have been able to show their extraordinary talents in the bloody war against foreign powers in this era, and perhaps even make up for the 'regret' of that year."

These words were slightly barbed, but they did resonate with some people.

However, there were few extreme remarks from any side, and everyone refrained from making any excessive statements.

Throughout history, many masters from Yezhou have ventured into the depths of the Night Fog World, but most never returned, their fates remaining a mystery. It is truly rare for such a large group to return like this.

That incomparably glorious human civilization is very important to Yezhou. If there are no problems, many experts from all walks of life would like to travel there.

"Let the winds blow from the east, west, south, or north, I will continue my cultivation!" Qin Ming sat cross-legged under the black and white tree, gradually merging himself with the two trees into one, transforming into a yin-yang diagram, with black and white energy swirling rapidly around him.

(End of this chapter)