Night without Borders

Chapter 412 Changes in Yujing
Yezhou was still in winter, with endless frozen ground and a cold wind whipping up heavy snowflakes that pounded against the windows. The atmosphere in Tucheng seemed to be frozen as well, and was rather heavy.

"Ye Weiyang!"

The information conveyed by Yujing, in the part that can be made public, mainly highlights these three words.

This means that the night is still deep, not yet halfway through, and has not yet reached its peak.

Upon reflection, it fills one with a sense of powerlessness. How many years has this long night shrouded the world? And it is far from over; there is no hope in sight.

Even the oldest creatures in Night State have never experienced the era of daylight.

A world with a sun can only exist in the fantasies of later generations, which is truly despairing.

With the resurgence of the supreme Jade Capital, the decrees that descended were naturally more than just these, but since they landed in the Sky City, some were not suitable for public disclosure.

However, some information was leaked, mainly in the word "return".

It is said that in the broken Golden Palace high above the nine heavens, several powerful old earth immortals sat for a long time, studying the decree, and were all somewhat exhausted.

"Is it them returning?"

"I am anxious!"

"Or is it that they have returned?"

Rumors spread like wildfire, and it was said that some old geomancers were deeply uneasy.

Therefore, the atmosphere in Tucheng was somewhat heavy. There were people from the heavens here, and some of them with extraordinary identities had already heard of them.

"Who is misinterpreting the will of the Jade Capital?"

Two days ago, an imperial envoy descended upon Tucheng and sternly warned some people not to tamper with or make irresponsible remarks about the original intent of the Jade Capital's decrees.

……

The group of people who returned from Bodhi Cave, from the oldest to the youngest, were naturally somewhat bewildered upon hearing this news, and then their hearts were shaken.

Many people realize that this era is bound to undergo dramatic changes.

When it comes to Yujing, there are absolutely no small matters.

"Something's wrong, and it's serious!" Xuan Nu Tian Ge exclaimed.

"A familiar 'scent,' but I can't quite place it," the spirit of unknown origin murmured.

"Senior Six Desires, think back carefully, what exactly is going on?" Qin Ming asked, referring to the mysterious artifact spirit by the name "Six Desires Sacred Flame".

It accepted it readily without objection.

Liu Yudao said, "I am just a fragment. The past has turned to dust, and much of it is difficult to trace back."

Xuan Nu Tian Ge also sighed softly. It had been shattered, and many important events from ancient times could no longer be recalled.

After the group entered Tucheng, before parting, Liuyu secretly transmitted his voice: "Child, these are turbulent times, and the world is about to change. You must think carefully."

Even in this atmosphere, it didn't forget the important matter and reminded Qin Ming again: "The Crimson Ritual is very simple."

Liu Yu emphasized that the Crimson Ritual was harmless to Qin Ming and even had many benefits.

At the very least, the "signing fee" would be a Jade Concubine, and after the contract was signed, he would immediately receive a sacred scripture from an ancient powerful force.

Qin Ming didn't respond. If they continued talking, the "Ancient War" would break out again, and Xuan Nu Tian Ge had heard the whole thing.

"Master!" Su Mohua came to see Qin Ming after he returned to his residence.

Qin Ming was also eager to learn about the Jade Capital Decree, so he took the tea and asked her if there was any hidden story.

"Even the old city lord is deeply worried high in the heavens," Su Mohua informed him.

“Some people even said he was afraid!” she added.

"Why? Are there any details?" Qin Ming asked.

Su Mohua said, "The old city lord once said that he could not see the future at all."

In Sky City, the city lord, a Great Perfection Earth Immortal, was actually confused, worried, and afraid. How could a decree from the Jade Capital have such power!
Su Mohua informed her: "What is certain is that Yujing is showing signs of recovery. Its decrees may hope for healthy competition among all paths, and may be accompanied by incentives and favors."

Soon after, a rumor spread that Yujing favored those who dared to pioneer new paths, especially the "young and strong."

At this juncture, the founders of Yezhou kept a low profile. Even though their passion and ambition remained undiminished, they all fell into "silence".

"We're old, far removed from the young and strong." Even they are afraid!

Two days later, Su Mohua brought Qin Ming some mixed news, including conversations and judgments from the Su family's higher-ups.

Why do the oldest immortals in Sky City experience such intense unease and fear? The reason is known.

“Over the years, black mist has been churning outside Yujing, like an abyss swallowing the city. A terrestrial immortal once tried to approach it... but died instantly, without even taking away a single word of information.”

Qin Ming had already heard about these things some time ago.

It is said that a "giant object" is approaching Yujing. It may be some kind of incomprehensible mysterious phenomenon, an unknown terrifying force, or even a specific creature.

In short, it possesses extraordinary power beyond imagination.

Su Mohua said, "Some Earth Immortals are afraid, worried that the imperial decree did not come from the Jade Capital, but from an unknown adversary!"

Upon hearing this, Qin Ming felt a chill run down his spine.

What is the current situation in Yujing? It's impossible to tell. Perhaps it used all its methods to suppress the behemoth, or perhaps it was locked onto by the latter, leading to a series of changes.

“If Yujing has already begun to collapse and fall, then everything that exists will be overturned in the near future!” Su Mohua’s voice trembled.

This is the reason for the old city lord's fear at the Great Perfection of Earth Immortal level. Even a great figure like him cannot see through the true state of Jade Capital.

Under these circumstances, he had no choice but to accept the imperial decree.

It could be said that if he makes one wrong step, he could make a series of mistakes, but at the moment he has no other choice.

In the Sky City, some immortals are suffering greatly, feeling their souls are clouded and they can no longer see the future.

Qin Ming was deeply troubled. Could this be a pivotal moment in history? The slightest misstep could overturn the world, and the entire region radiating from Yujing would be completely transformed!

Who could have imagined that the overall environment would become like this?

He immediately informed Li Qingyue, Jiang Ran, Xiao Wu, and others of the situation.

"Have the founders of each path been digging spatial tunnels in the last two days?"

"It's in progress, but it's already failed twice!"

"hiss!"

It's hard not to overthink this.

In the dead of night, Qin Ming, who was meditating, suddenly heard the sounds of fighting. He saw smoke billowing into the sky and blood-stained meteors falling on the boundless battlefield.

"What happened?" His heart pounded. Was this a dream of a thousand armies?
Qin Ming was somewhat dazed. He heard deafening shouts of battle and saw endless flashes of swords and shadows. Then he discovered that a large amount of night fog was surging and engulfing him.

"Ok?"

He realized that his consciousness was merging with the light of the heavens and was separating from his physical body. This was not something he was doing on his own, but rather something he was being pulled by some unknown force.

If the grand battlefield he had seen before was an illusion, then his current experience was definitely not fake; he was about to be... forced into a dreamlike state!
In the blink of an eye, he was standing on a road. The surroundings were dark and shrouded in fog. The road beneath his feet was narrow, and weeds grew among the broken bluestone slabs. It was very desolate.

Qin Ming was unaware of the situation and wanted to retreat and return to his physical body. However, he could not break free and could only move forward, as if a mysterious force was guiding him.

Where does this road lead? He had all sorts of thoughts.

Lately, there have been many rumors related to Yujing. Could it be that the rumors are about to come true? Qin Ming couldn't help but let his mind wander.

At first, the night was shrouded in mist and the surroundings were peaceful. But as he wandered in his mind and went deeper along the blue stone path, the shadows of the trees on both sides of the path swayed, and huge eyes opened.

Qin Ming gasped. The woman had emerald green vertical pupils and was even taller than him.

Golden eyes also hung in the night sky, floating like lanterns. The owner of those eyes could be seen, their hazy yet enormous body outline resembling a prehistoric behemoth. Qin Ming prepared for battle, and at the same time, he noticed the tattered cloth covering his body.

He remembered clearly that Old Cloth was inside his body, and he didn't have time to take it away before he left.

Does becoming a "temporary owner" mean that it is "temporarily" bound to him?

Now is not the time to focus on it, and besides, there's nothing to study. It can't resonate, it doesn't demonstrate great power, and for now, calling it worthless is not wrong.

With a whoosh, a guiding light seemed to shine from the end of the road, forcing Qin Ming to accelerate, like a divine rainbow piercing through the vast night fog, nearing his destination.

Soon, he arrived at a half-collapsed giant palace. It was so magnificent that standing there made one feel very small. Each stone step at the entrance was more than ten meters high.

He entered the giant palace, where the decaying pillars were incredibly thick and carved with various creatures. Dragons and roc were just ordinary decorations, and there were many headless creatures that looked very fierce.

There were already people in the giant palace, and more and more people were coming from different paths to this old, half-collapsed building.

Everyone was blurry, shrouded in a hazy mist.

Qin Ming tried to use his Eye of New Life, but found that he couldn't see through it; his vision was blocked.

He himself was shrouded in mist, and it is likely that outsiders could not see his true face.

In the vast, empty palace, there were both humans and other beings. The number of creatures increased, eventually reaching several hundred.

"The Jade Capital favors those who pave the way." A voice rang out, or rather, a fluctuation of consciousness, hazy and ethereal, as if it came from beyond the heavens.

Immediately, the creatures within the giant palace stirred.

Qin Ming was also taken aback. Could the bluestone path he was walking on be the road leading to Yujing?

Then he shook his head, thinking that they must be overthinking it; how could they possibly enter Yujing at this stage?

Moreover, at this special historical juncture, the area radiated by Yujing may be about to undergo drastic changes.

Whether it is the revival of Yujing or the "giant" that is in control, even the old earth immortals cannot tell at present.

"The stars have returned to their places." A very soft voice came from the sky.

The giant palace had collapsed by more than half, so the vast night sky could be seen. At this moment, a large number of stars lit up, dispelling the night fog and illuminating the dark sky.

Hundreds of people looked up. Although no one exclaimed, they were clearly not at peace, but they were able to control their emotions well.

Who is this person who can command the starry sky to reappear with just a word?

Moreover, when the stars were shining, a divine moon appeared in the night sky, rising slowly from afar, and there was more than one moon.

Then, an even more intense golden glow shone down, and the blazing sun shone on everything.

The key point is that there is more than one such sun, adorning the sky and completely tearing open the night.

People realized that this was not a real star, and they could hear the sound of air being torn apart, like a tsunami, or like a thousand horses galloping.

Countless stars flew in, the bright moon set, and the sun sank.

They swooped in from the area where the giant palace had collapsed, so dazzling that it was impossible to look directly at them.

Moreover, everyone lost their footing and staggered backward; not only that, everyone felt as if they were about to explode.

The stars descended upon the world, bringing with them terrifying fluctuations.

Suddenly, a thick fog rose, and it seemed as if some inexplicable force within the giant palace purified it. The sounds of collapsing mountains and tsunamis subsided, and the blinding light dimmed.

It was a dense mass of weapon fragments, so many that they were almost unrecognizable.

These artifacts were so badly broken that some were as big as a fingernail, but the materials they were made of were all extraordinary. Even though some of them looked like stones, they were emitting immortal mist and containing divine light, and their cross-sections were filled with rich Daoist charm.

A few larger fragments, such as the furnace lid and broken arrows, were what transformed into the earlier bright moon. There were also larger pieces of material, such as a stone tower, which was the object that radiated the brilliance of the sun not long ago.

"Sense with your heart and see if there is a weapon that suits you." The ethereal voice from beyond the heavens rang out once more.

One by one, people made a move, approaching the fragments and trying to touch the "stars".

Among them, a few weapons were particularly eye-catching. Even when dimmed, they were still unique because, relatively speaking, their Daoist aura was stronger and they were not as badly broken.

Like a golden battle armor, it has a metallic texture and a sacred aura. Only one-third of it remains, with Taoist charm interwoven into chains, as if waiting for someone to put it on and restore its past glory.

Many people stepped forward, wanting to choose it.

However, this sacred armor remained silent and unresponsive. Anyone who tried to touch it was immediately repelled by its fiery golden light.

However, it did not harm anyone, and the power it emitted was relatively gentle.

Most people are pragmatic; if they are not recognized, they will immediately move on to the next goal.

As time went on, more than 90% of the hundreds of people did not gain the approval of these weapons.

Only a very few people succeed. When they touch the corresponding weapon fragments, they sink into their fingertips, as if a trickle of water enters their consciousness.

"It's not a real weapon, just a brand?" someone asked doubtfully.

The voice from beyond the heavens replied: "You will see it when the time is right. Right now, it can only prove that this weapon suits you, but whether it will belong to you in the future is still uncertain."

No one spoke in the giant palace.

Qin Ming tried many times, but none of the weapon fragments were suitable for him.

It can't be said that all the weapons were unresponsive. For example, the stone tower and the holy armor were both hot to the touch.

However, he was eventually bounced away again.

Qin Ming suspected that it might be because he was wearing rags that the rags moved slightly when he was shaken off.

"That concludes today. Go your separate ways. Tomorrow, in another location, we will offer you a second option." The cold voice echoed through the giant palace, clearly signaling the departure of guests.

Then, a reminder came from the night sky: "The journey home may be fraught with danger. Go forth and fight for your lives."

Qin Ming retraced his steps in his mind's journey and, as expected, encountered danger along the way. The lanterns hanging in mid-air came back to life, and a prehistoric behemoth charged toward him.

A massive, mountain-sized, vertical pupil suddenly opened, accompanied by a foul stench, as a colossal beast-like body crashed down upon him.

After a fierce battle, Qin Ming emerged from the mist and appeared in his room, quickly returning to his physical body.

Soon after, he heard Xiao Wu's screams and was immediately startled. He left a blur in his tracks and rushed over in an instant.

"What's wrong with you?" Qin Ming kicked open the door to the room.

At the same time, Xiang Yiwu also arrived.

Qin Ming saw that between Xiao Wu's mouths, many golden hairs turned into soft ripples and were dissipating.

"You guys were also lost in thought, weren't you? What happened on your way back?" Wu Yaozu asked miserably.

"A behemoth!" Qin Ming reported.

Xiang Yiwu encountered some very vicious people, but he beat their heads so badly they turned into dog heads.

Xiao Wu sighed. He encountered a dog carrying a bamboo sword and was brutally abused. In the end, he had no choice but to use the Heavenly Light Milk and bite the dog's neck to break free.

"You bit the dog?" Qin Ming and Xiang Yiwu were both stunned, looking at each other in disbelief.

"Stop talking!" Xiao Wu felt ashamed.

The next morning, they talked with Li Qingyue and Jiang Ran and confirmed that their experience the previous night must have been the so-called "favor" from Yujing.

"It's hard to say whether Yujing is recovering or its rivals are orchestrating it all."

As night fell, Qin Ming was once again forced into a dreamlike state. The path was completely different from yesterday's. This time, he ascended on a nine-colored auspicious cloud and saw a magnificent city engulfed in black mist in the distance.

"Am I to be heading to the Jade Capital tonight?" He gazed into the distance.

(End of this chapter)