Night without Borders

Chapter 355 Inter-World Exchange Meeting

The old man from the Cui family braved the wind and snow, handed the brocade box to Cui Chonghe, and then hurriedly left.

Qin Ming withdrew his gaze and stood quietly by the lake.

Did the Cui family bring a silk scroll, intending to trade with the people of Pugong?

This was something Qin Ming could not tolerate. Although he had already mastered the entire manual, it was the only thing his grandfather had left him, and he would not allow it to fall into the hands of outsiders.

He believed that the Cui family would not dare to conduct the transaction openly, after all, Lu Zizai had personally visited their home.

This time, the Cui family likely communicated with others privately and secretly "appreciated" the meaning of the scriptures.

However, they should not, for their own selfish reasons, arbitrarily use other people's cherished items as bargaining chips, and be generous with other people's money.

"Qin Ming, who had disappeared for a long time, has reappeared!"

Someone spotted the tall figure on the shore and recognized him as the prominent figure from Xinsheng Road who had been making headlines recently.

The news spread quickly.

On the banks of Linghu Lake, many people turned their heads to look, and some quickly gathered around.

"Brother Ming, let's go, it's time to board the boat," Wu Yaozu said. A small boat slowly approached the shore to take them to the vast, misty lake.

"Hmm, Qin Ming is here too?"

Ruicheng, the capital of a country, has its own stronghold of the Cui family. There are experts stationed here. Upon hearing this, several elders couldn't help but frown.

Lu Zizai had previously requested the silk scroll for Qin Ming, and the Cui family couldn't keep delaying it. They wanted to make good use of it before returning it.

Cui Jiagang had just delivered the silk scroll, so how did the person in charge suddenly appear?

Can this method successfully turn waste into treasure, obtain the true scriptures that Cui Chonghe needs, and make the best use of resources?

“It’s alright, it’s a private transaction, he doesn’t know about it,” said one of the experts from the Cui family.

After thinking it over, the others also felt that it wasn't a big problem, since it wasn't a public discussion of that scripture.

Moreover, Qin Ming had only seen the silk book when he was a child, and more than ten years had passed, so how could he possibly have any recollection of it?

Even the experts from the Cui family felt that even if Qin Ming were to peruse this book in front of him, he might not be able to discern anything from it.

They naturally had no idea how amazing Qin Ming was during his rebirth in the first realm, and how many scenes from his childhood had reappeared before their eyes.

"Alright, let's make the most of this last time. Return it to him as soon as possible afterward. It's unrealistic to expect him to have no real scriptures to practice. This dragging on isn't going to work."

In the depths of winter, amidst a blanket of snow, the Linghu Lake in Ruicheng is teeming with life. In addition to schools of dragon carp, colorful seashells float on the surface, revealing their various pearls to the tinkling sounds of a zither.

In the center of Linghu Lake, at the gathering place, stood a magnificent, gilded ship, resembling a castle. Many people had already boarded the ship.

"Brother Qin, where have you been lately? You've been almost out of contact." Tang Xumi greeted him with a smile on the deck.

Qin Ming responded, "Traveling to different places, the path to rebirth is too difficult. Only through arduous cultivation and practice of the Dharma can one have hope of breaking through the barriers."

"You're too modest," Tang Xumi shook his head.

In a short while, several acquaintances approached. Pei Shuyan, Zhuo Qingming, and others came over and chatted warmly at the bow of the boat.

Upon discovering Luo Yao, the girl in white from the Immortal Land, Qin Ming smiled and asked, "Where is your sister?"

"She has gone into seclusion."

"Jiang Ran hasn't arrived yet, and you've already boarded the ship." Qin Ming's words immediately made the white-clad girl's cheeks puff out in anger, and she really wanted to punch him.

"Hmph." She turned her back on him with a dark face and walked towards the stern of the boat.

In the distance, several unfamiliar young people looked at Qin Ming with surprise, then smiled and nodded in his direction.

Qin Ming already knew who they were: Feng Qiwu, Lu Wei, and others from the Kingdom of Pugong.

Even though some people have ordinary appearances, they also have extraordinary temperament, flowing with the charm of the Dao, as if they are integrated with this great ship and the spiritual lake.

"You've had contact with them before, and communicated with them more than once, right? How did it go?" Qin Ming asked.

Zhuo Qingming said, "They are all remarkable. For example, Xie Lin is indeed a descendant of an Earth Immortal. From his comprehension to his strength, he is unfathomable."

Pei Shuyan also spoke up, saying, "If there are true dragons in this world, then Jian Huaidao should be considered one who is close to a dragon, unfathomable."

Qin Ming was surprised that these two proud and arrogant immortal beings would give such high praise to the visitors from outside the realm.

Zhuo Qingming's expression was solemn as he said, "We have some suspicions that it might be due to their bloodline that they received a 'gift' from their ancestors."

Xie Lin is a descendant of an Earth Immortal. If he can "inherit" some special power from his family, his talent will naturally be frighteningly high.

Qin Ming was surprised. In Yezhou, powerful families were indeed more likely to produce geniuses, but it hadn't yet risen to the level of "bloodline theory".

It now seems that once a powerful individual reaches the Earth Immortal level, they have a significant "impact" on their descendants.

Qin Ming nodded and said, "No wonder they are always mentioned with a prefix; the descendants of the Earth Immortals seem to be quite extraordinary."

"Qin Ming, you may have a rival on the path of new life." Luo Jingxiao, dressed in purple, was also on the ship.

He walked over and said, "That Mu Yunzhou seems to have also mastered the Chaos Force, and he also has a complete lineage behind him."

Pei Shuyan nodded and said, "I really didn't expect that this lineage still has a lineage in a distant place, and it seems that it is very famous in Pugong."

To them, this was somewhat unbelievable; one of the originators of silk calligraphy was still alive, practically a living sage.

Soon after, Cui Chonghe boarded the ship, dressed in white, looking refined and otherworldly, with an innate, almost ethereal aura.

Qin Ming immediately looked at him, and then was about to take a step.

"Brother Ming, calm down. Bloodshed is strictly prohibited here," Wu Yaozu whispered a reminder.

What's going on? Qin Ming is going to fight Cui Chonghe? Pei Shuyan, Tang Xumi, and the others were all taken aback, finding it somewhat outrageous.

……

Outside, there was a great deal of discussion. The friendly exchange between Pugong's genius and Yezhou's promising talents attracted countless eyes.

Moreover, the Evening Post and the World Post have both been following up on the story.

"Breaking news: Qin Ming has emerged from seclusion and also attended the meeting. This shows the high value of this exchange meeting. Even the prominent figures of Xinsheng Road have been attracted. Such importance is enough to demonstrate the prowess of the young people from Pugong."

"I could tell from the first whiff that this must be the work of the Night Report, praising the prodigy of Pugong once again."

"You can't argue with that. You have the bloodline of an Earth Immortal, a descendant of the Seven-Day Stacker, and your innate talent is outrageously high!"

Of course, some people suspect that this is actually a form of flattery to kill, and not necessarily a genuine compliment, because such constant praise can become somewhat off-putting.

Under the long night, in various cities, many people were talking about this matter and paying close attention to it.

……

On the large ship with its vermilion towers and emerald pavilions, Wu Yaozu held onto Qin Ming's arm, fearing he might act impulsively.

Qin Ming was both amused and exasperated, and said, "What are you thinking? I hate fighting and I prefer to reason with people."

Nearby, some people wanted to look at him sideways, wanting to say: How dare you? Who has killed more demons than you?

Not far away, Helian Zhaoyu had a sullen face. If he had known he was here, he would never have come.

Helian Yaoqing chuckled, showing no respect for her cousin whatsoever.

At this moment, Zhao Qingcheng, Cheng Sheng, and other members of the Tantric sect also boarded the ship one after another; almost everyone who was supposed to come had arrived.

After Cui Chong boarded the ship, he walked towards a young man in black and they communicated through their spiritual connection. Then, the two headed towards the attic-like cabin. "Xie Lin!" Qin Ming frowned. The other party wanted to exchange scriptures with a descendant of an Earth Immortal, not Mu Yunzhou, who he had previously thought was on the path of rebirth.

Then he saw Cui Chong gently pat the brocade box inside his robe sleeve, as if to indicate to the other party that the item had been brought and there was no problem.

At this point, Qin Ming was certain that the person involved in the transaction was indeed Xie Lin.

The Xie family is a prestigious family that has existed for four thousand years, with an earth immortal presiding over it. Why would this lineage want to observe the silk calligraphy of the New Life Path?

Qin Ming gestured for Xiao Wu to release his grip, indicating that he wouldn't do anything reckless, and then strode over to catch up with the two.

He made no attempt to hide his intentions and spoke openly in front of everyone: "Since the Cui family has delivered the scriptures, then return them to me."

Qin Ming's eyes were clear as he reached out and asked for it.

Cui Chonghe wanted to use the silk scroll passed down in his family to exchange for the true scriptures. Since he had come, we naturally had to stop him and not let him succeed.

Moreover, it's better to discuss some things openly. If the other party insists on being unreasonable and making trouble here, then he will fight to the end.

Cui Chong glanced at him indifferently and said, "I've been looking for you."

Upon hearing this, Wu Yaozu immediately stood shoulder to shoulder with Qin Ming, as the other party was in the fourth realm and was quite dangerous.

Cui Chonghe spoke up: "You've been out of contact for so long, you can't even return the scriptures if you want to."

This was his first face-to-face conversation with Qin Ming, simple and uneventful, without any waves.

Contrary to everyone's expectations, no conflict occurred.

Cui Chonghe took out a slightly yellowed silk book from his sleeve and handed it forward.

Qin Ming took it, flipped through it casually, and then put it directly into his pocket.

Today, the family heirloom has finally returned to his hands.

Although Qin Ming possessed the complete scriptures, this silk scroll was still of great use to him. Through resonance, he might be able to discern the founder's thought process in creating the Dharma, which he could then refer to and learn from.

Furthermore, the patriarchs probably had some thoughts on various hidden dangers that he should study so that he could avoid major pitfalls in the future.

Wu Yaozu realized that he had misunderstood; Cui Chonghe actually carried Ming Ge's ancestral scriptures.

At the same time, he felt that Cui Er reacted quickly and did not get entangled in the matter. He cleanly and neatly cut ties with the matter, returned the scriptures, and avoided a series of problems.

Cui Chong remained calm throughout, nodded to Qin Ming, and then still invited Xie Lin to the cabin for a chat, as if the little incident of returning the book had never happened.

Qin Ming looked at him and for the first time sensed a trace of emotion emanating from this person; just a moment ago, the other party had displayed murderous intent.

Clearly, Cui Chonghe was caught off guard by this sudden turn of events and his mind was in turmoil.

However, he was quick to react.

Qin Ming watched his retreating figure, a smile spreading across his lips.

Cui Chonghe's body stiffened slightly. His senses were incredibly sharp, and he knew that the other party had seen through his thoughts at that moment. He disliked having his inner thoughts read by others.

In particular, the other party was merely his substitute, a discarded son of the Cui family.

In the past, he always felt a sense of superiority when facing Qin Ming, believing that the other party was just a "substitute" for him at a certain period of time.

However, recently, he has felt a sense of pressure. Qin Ming's rise has been too rapid, and his trajectory of "progress" is somewhat astonishing, with a very fast pace.

He calmed down, his heart no longer troubled, and spoke in a voice only he could hear: "In the end, he was just a substitute, and eventually he will return to where he should be."

When everyone saw the two briefly confront each other, and then Cui Chonghe left, they realized what had happened and all showed strange expressions.

Those watching the spectacle were eager for more drama, while others secretly lamented that the two ultimately didn't fight.

Mu Yunzhou, dressed in a blue robe, approached. He had an ordinary appearance, but his teeth were very white. He wore a bright smile and was quite enthusiastic, saying, "Brother Qin, I've long admired your name!"

He stated his purpose directly: he wanted to spar with Qin Ming. Indeed, he had also practiced Hunyuan Jin.

"I'm tired of fighting." Qin Ming shook his head, genuinely feeling it was unnecessary.

Mu Yunzhou sighed inwardly at the pity, but did not insist. Instead, he considered exchanging the scriptures for something else.

He was undoubtedly skeptical of the rumors that Qin Ming had no one to guide him and had embarked on this path on his own.

"It's not impossible, but I need to see the patriarch's handwritten notes, the original true scripture," Qin Ming requested.

Mu Yunzhou was taken aback and asked why this was so?

Qin Ming said, "The scriptures personally written by the patriarch may carry a certain artistic conception in every stroke. I need such scriptures, but I am not interested in the others."

Actually, he wanted to see if different patriarchs had different understandings of this scripture; he hoped to see the most original "truth".

If he can achieve this wish, it will be of great benefit to his future path.

He thought he would stump the other party, but to his surprise, Mu Yunzhou agreed after a little thought, saying that someone was going back and he would try to bring them along next time.

"Good!" Qin Ming smiled. In a short time, a "consensus" had been reached, and he was quite satisfied with the future transaction.

The atmosphere became increasingly lively during the subsequent exchange.

Li Qingyue did not arrive. She had been in seclusion ever since Qin Ming left the Pure Land.

Princess Yao Ruoxian of the Dayu Dynasty was the last to arrive. When she saw Qin Ming, she was surprised, not expecting that he would finally agree to attend the meeting.

Qin Ming then realized that the scripture that the people from Pugong most wanted to see this time was actually the "Scripture of Changing Fate" from the Pure Land of the Outer World.

People naturally understood that the group of people who had traveled from Yezhou in the past had mentioned this book in Pugong, which probably attracted the attention of some high-ranking officials.

Actually, it's better to be honest about these things.

Jian Huaidao, Xie Lin, and the others did not try to get information indirectly; instead, they directly mentioned three times that they wanted to see the original copy of this extraordinary book.

This time, the people from the Pure Land of the Outside World finally brought that ancient book.

Cui Chonghe said, "No one can fully comprehend this extraordinary book; they can only grasp a fraction of it. The founders of the New Life Path should have the deepest understanding of it."

He also studied it and made some progress, but like the scholars of the past, he was unable to fully grasp its essence.

“Just because you can’t do it doesn’t mean others can’t understand it.” Wu Yaozu said, glancing at him before turning his gaze to Qin Ming.

He knew that Ming had practiced it before and seemed to have studied it very thoroughly.

Cui Chonghe said indifferently, "What I said is something no one in this world can understand."

"How about we gamble a little for fun?" Wu Yaozu asked him.

Cui Chonghe turned around but did not respond immediately.

Jian Huaidao said, "We brought a page of the true scripture with us. It is probably related to the strange book here. It is extremely difficult and profound."

"Only one page?" Pei Shuyan asked, quite disappointed and slightly dissatisfied. How could a single page of the true scripture be compared to a rare book?

Jian Huaidao's expression was serious as he said, "Don't be disappointed. Although we only obtained one page, it is densely packed with text and images, and contains a wealth of information. It is suspected to be the true scripture of the extraordinary skill you brought, and it is the original!"

They believed that the "Destiny-Changing Scripture" contained secrets, and therefore wanted to see the original text, observing it through special pupil techniques.

Before this, they were at a loss as to what to do with that page of the true scripture, always feeling that something was missing.

After some discussion, many people began to peruse the strange books and try to understand the true meaning of the scriptures. Then the place fell silent, and almost everyone was stumped and pondering deeply.

"Brother Ming, how about giving it a try?" Wu Yaozu asked.

(End of this chapter)