Night without Borders

Chapter 414 Unexpected
Night fog, tall grass, desolate main street, a tall figure treading on broken bluestone slabs, is walking step by step, very imposing.

"Second brother, you've become distant and unfamiliar. It's been many years since we last met, and I've missed you dearly." Cui Chongxiao spoke calmly through the mist, as if reminiscing about the past.

The main street seemed shrouded in his shadow; he was like an abyss, ready to devour everything nearby, silencing even the chirping of insects.

Qin Ming took out the Divine Ruler, which was forged from the Nine-Life Tree, and activated the Primordial Chaos Force. He went all out from the start, and golden light surged, forming an endless storm of sword energy!

The mist surrounding Cui Chongxiao was like molten metal that had been heated to a red-hot state, beginning to twist, rise, and become terrifying and unpredictable. He suddenly opened one of his vertical eyes.

A blinding beam of light shot out from between his eyebrows, as if plowing through the night sky, clearing away the storm of sword energy that filled the air, almost completely dispersing it.

His cultivation was profound, and he destroyed the boundless sword light with absolute power.

At the same time, the beam of light that shot out from between his eyebrows transformed into a huge fist at its tip, crystal clear and surrounded by sacred patterns, and blasted towards Qin Ming.

Qin Ming shifted his body to the side and used the Measuring God Ruler to deflect the fist, which was more than half a person tall. He was trying to deflect the force, but the fist was still trembling violently, and the light on the Measuring God Ruler was about to go out.

A Primordial Immortal Lotus appeared and bloomed here, its petals fluttering and slicing away nine layers of light from the enormous fist, making it smaller.

This is the trump card of dual-path cultivation—the Heavenly Light Immortal Lotus, which Qin Ming activated with his Hunyuan Force.

The lotus petals, like celestial blades, clanged and slashed with dazzling light as they flew towards Cui Chongxiao. Instantly, it seemed as if countless blades of light were falling from the sky.

Outside Cui Chongxiao's body, divine power surged like boiling crimson magma. He was like a god-like being, reaching out from the light mist and smashing all the lotus petals with a series of bangs, scattering the sky full of sword light.

Qin Ming's heart sank. His opponent's strength was unfathomable, far surpassing any of the young opponents he had ever encountered.

Cui Chongxiao spread two fingers of his right hand, revealing a swirling, translucent light mist emanating from his body. His movements were simple yet domineering, and he slashed at Qin Ming.

When his two fingers came together, it was as if a dragon and a tiger were joining forces. Accompanied by the sounds of wind and thunder, for a moment, the roar of dragons and tigers, lightning and thunder, made the ruins tremble.

Nine golden crows seemed to fly up from the measuring ruler in Qin Ming's hand, drawing dazzling blade light; it was the Golden Crow Shining at Night Blade.

Every time he made a move, he used the trump cards from various classic texts, and activated them with the Primordial Heavenly Light, fighting with all his might.

However, the nine golden crows were dimming, and some even exploded, as if the sword intent was breaking apart.

"Huh?" Cui Chongxiao murmured, his two fingers were blocked. Behind the nine golden crows, there was a golden blade that had taken shape, shining like the blazing sun.

This is the Nine Crows Raising Blade Technique, a unique skill from the Night-Shining Scripture. It is extremely difficult to master, and Qin Ming only recently fully mastered it.

Cui Chongxiao's two fingers glowed, his divine wisdom boiling, as if two chains of divine order had been cut out, and the night sky seemed to be distorted and collapsed.

Nine Crows raised their swords, as if to cleave the night sky in two, a truly terrifying sight.

At the same time, behind the golden blade that resembled the sun, a terrifying blade intent emerged, like a line slicing across the vast night sky.

This is the sword intent from "The Strategy of Intercepting Heaven"!
In the blur, it seemed as if a torrential rain was pouring down, and the light of the otherworld descended, as if heaven and earth were cut off by a single stroke.

With a dull thud, flashes of light and finger strikes exploded, the night fog dissipated, and large sections of nearby broken walls and ruins flew up and turned to ashes.

Qin Ming felt heavy-hearted. He had used his ultimate techniques repeatedly, but he could only break one of the opponent's finger techniques. He couldn't figure out the opponent's true strength at all.

Throughout this process, Cui Chongxiao kept moving forward without stopping, maintaining a consistent pace, neither hurried nor slow.

"Second brother, you are very strong. Among those whose cultivation level is lower than mine, you are the first person to escape from the Heavenly God's finger. You are even more powerful than I expected."

"Stop pretending to be a good woman!" Qin Ming said, holding the measuring ruler. He suspected that the other party might have reached the mid-stage of the fourth realm. If so, he might be in grave danger.

So far, he has not yet fought against a god at this level.

Cui Chongxiao raised his palm, and with a loud boom, boundless black cold air emerged, even denser than the night, like something rising from hell.

Qin Ming changed positions repeatedly to avoid direct confrontation.

Cui Chongxiao's giant hand seemed to tear open a corner of the underworld, pouring out a thick black fog that completely engulfed the area.

Qin Ming was frozen in ice, appearing inside a large, dark block of ice.

The spiritual energy he emitted tore through the ice, distorting and threatening to shatter the night sky.

However, the black, icy mist gushed forth from Cui Chongxiao's location like a waterfall, instantly repairing the ice. This substance could completely freeze a person's soul.

Qin Ming's various spiritual fields resonated, and the Southern Bright Fire surged forth. With the Six Ding Divine Fire protecting his consciousness, the pitch-black ice block disintegrated with a loud bang, scattering in all directions.

With a hum, it was as if thunder rumbled in the void, the muffled sound deafening. Dozens of divine halos appeared around Qin Ming's body, all laws converged into one, and the entire world seemed to shake violently.

This method is extremely costly, and he would not use it lightly.

But right now, facing the unfathomable opponent Cui Chongxiao, he has no choice but to fight to the death, otherwise he won't be able to hurt his opponent at all.

"Impressive. Is this the strongest Chaos Force that you've mastered all by yourself? Let me take a closer look." Cui Chongxiao remained calm. Around him, the scenery became clear, as if a divine kingdom was opening.

Around him, mountains and rivers appeared, vegetation grew wildly, lightning intertwined in the void, and for a moment the shadows of the gods were revealed.

This is the inner vision he comprehended, and it is also the foundation for becoming a god. It corresponds to more than one kind of god and integrates multiple inner visions, which is quite amazing and terrifying.

Most terrifyingly, there were also things in the sky. In the distance, a golden palace seemed to appear, as if a god was looking down on it!

Qin Ming was awestruck. Had Cui Chongxiao actually visited the ruins of the grotto-heaven? But there was no such place in Yezhou.

Boom!

Qin Ming's body was surrounded by a dense array of divine halos. As he swung the Divine Ruler, they resembled intertwined chains of magic, threatening to tear his opponent apart.

Cui Chongxiao was fearless and directly withstood the Chaos Force.

On the ground where he stood, shadowy figures appeared, representing the revival of the earth deities. In the high sky, the phantoms of celestial gods opened their eyes. Earth and heaven merged, deities and gods fused together, converging into one.

This is suppression from the pure realm!

Qin Ming felt as if he were being crushed by heaven and earth, about to be pulverized.

He wielded the Measuring Ruler and used the Nine Great Sacred Fiends, further enhancing his power with a tattered cloth, unleashing a barrage of chaotic heavenly light.

Outside its body, the Five Elements Wheel rotates, accompanied by the Vermilion Bird carrying raging flames, the White Tiger with its flowing metallic luster exuding murderous aura, and the Earth Dragon tearing the earth apart.

Furthermore, the resonance of wind and thunder suggests a renewed potential for calamity.

Furthermore, as Qin Ming approached, a black and white Tai Chi diagram rotated, protecting him within it.

"Hiss, you can't be allowed to live! Are these all Holy Fiends?" Cui Chongxiao gasped in the night mist.

His eyes blazed with divine light, his killing intent no longer concealed. The chaotic energy combined with the resonance of the nine great holy demons made him extremely wary.

Around it, the interior becomes clearer, every inch of land is composed of divine wisdom, sacred trees are magnificent, petals fall in profusion, and earth deities and heavenly gods stand side by side.

The measuring ruler in Qin Ming's right hand left behind a series of afterimages, and the fist light poured down without stopping.

Instantly, this area was like a vast volcanic eruption, or a divine sea bursting its banks, with both the night sky and the ground covered by heavenly light and divine wisdom.

With blood and foam filling his mouth, Qin Ming moved through the area like a ghost. Even though he avoided the sharpest attacks and constantly used the Chaotic Heavenly Light to strike at the opponent's vital points, he was still extremely passive.

Cui Chongxiao said, "I originally wanted to capture you alive and leave you for Chonghe to test his skills, but seeing your performance, I'd better send you on your way as soon as possible."

Qin Ming's lips were stained with crimson blood essence. He said, "Screw you! If we were the same age, I would kill both of you brothers by myself and smash your dog heads in!"

Cui Chongxiao, in his early twenties, naturally possessed far greater cultivation. He spoke calmly, "In battles between equals, I have never been defeated. However, judging from your performance today, once your cultivation catches up, you might indeed pose a threat to me. Yet, reality is cruel. You started late, and your cultivation is a notch below mine. Today, fate has brought us together again, and that is your death day!" Qin Ming retreated with lightning speed. The opponent's Heavenly Divine Finger was already upon him, but at the critical moment, he used his spiritual field to block it, activating the Taiji Diagram to rotate and deflect it.

Cui Chongxiao said, "Don't expect that mysterious creature to resurrect you. It itself said that it only tries to save the people who died here. Since I've taken action, everything will be arranged 'safely'."

A mysterious fog rose around him. Standing in the Tongyou Realm, the fourth realm of Tantric Buddhism, he could be omnipresent, moving in and out of the ground and the night sky.

In an instant, he was right in front of Qin Ming.

Qin Ming moved like a floating light, or like a golden-winged roc soaring through the sky, constantly changing his position, yet he still couldn't shake off his opponent.

His chaotic celestial light had erupted continuously, leaving him feeling weak. His arms were convulsed by the opponent's divine power, as if they were about to break.

A streak of light tore through the night mist above the ruins and arrived at breakneck speed. Only after it appeared did the thunderous explosion from the sky reach them.

Li Qingyue descended, continuously waving her palms and activating the Six Ding Divine Fire, striking towards Cui Chongxiao.

Qin Ming hadn't expected that someone from his own side would appear at this critical juncture; it was beyond his expectations.

"Li Qingyue, this is none of your business!" Cui Chongxiao looked at the armor on her body and was quite frightened. He knew that it was formed by the Eight Trigrams Furnace.

While attacking, Qin Ming warned, "Be careful, his skills are extremely profound!"

"Your cultivation is too profound? In that case, let's settle this with one move!" Li Qingyue spoke, her immortal aura ethereal and otherworldly. Her sacred battle armor suddenly detached from her body, transforming into a stream of light and flying forward.

Cui Chongxiao let out a loud cry and tried to escape using his supernatural abilities, quickly disappearing underground.

However, Liu Guang followed him in, and with a loud boom, it transformed into the shape of a Bagua furnace, taking him inside.

Then, the Six Ding Divine Fire roared there, and from the furnace came Cui Chongxiao's painful roar. He tried to push open the furnace lid, making a rattling sound.

This special weapon comes from the Tushita Palace and possesses immense power.

Unfortunately, the Eight Trigrams Furnace was damaged, leaking fire everywhere, and even the lid was broken, with Cui Chongxiao's head peeking out from the gap.

"Ah..." he roared, struggling to break free, but the divine fire on his body did not go out and continued to burn fiercely.

The flames, fueled by the Eight Trigrams Furnace, were covered in runes and burned his entire body, leaving large holes in it.

Qin Ming rushed over, swung the Divine Ruler, and with a "thud," sliced ​​off half of his head, saying, "I'll smash your dog head in!"

Li Qingyue also made a move, activating the Eight Trigrams Furnace to set Cui Chongxiao ablaze.

“You…” The remaining half of Cui Chongxiao’s face was incredibly ferocious.

In the end, he collapsed and was completely destroyed by Qin Ming and Li Qingyue. His remaining body fragments were then collected by the Eight Trigrams Furnace and burned to ashes.

"Qingyue!" Qin Ming walked over. If it weren't for her, he would most likely be in grave danger today. Cui Chongxiao was eight years older than him, and the difference in their cultivation levels was insurmountable.

"Jiang Ran is calling me; I have to get there immediately." Li Qingyue put her armor back on, her beautiful face serious, and she transformed into a streak of light, disappearing in an instant.

Qin Ming followed, but the other party was empowered by the Eight Trigrams Furnace, making them incredibly fast; they disappeared in the blink of an eye.

"Cui Chongxiao is dead just like that?" He felt a little unreal. The other party was burned to ashes by a special weapon, so it was unlikely that he could be resurrected.

He lost track of Li Qingyue. In the night fog, strange noises appeared, and a creature appeared and blocked his way.

A giant snail, emitting a faint golden light and possessing a human face, said, "Abyss Demon, where do you think you're going!"

"What did you say?" This was the first time Qin Ming had been addressed like this by his opponent.

The giant snail spoke up: "What's wrong with that? The city is full of demons. You are all creatures from the abyss, while we are descendants of celestial beings, who came here specifically to subdue the demons."

Qin Ming noticed that among the broken walls behind it, there was sticky residue left by it as it crawled over, the traces clearly visible.

He realized that this was most likely just an ordinary snail, endowed with terrifying power by the mysterious force remaining in the Chosen Land.

Without saying much, he fought fiercely and killed the ox.

During his subsequent journey, Qin Ming encountered some bizarre creatures, each one more boastful than the last. Some claimed to be disciples of the gods, while others styled themselves as immortals, all calling him the Demon of the Abyss.

This made Qin Ming wonder what kind of place the foggy world without the sun really was.

"Could the so-called search for the truth in the ruins be bloody, cruel, and piercing through certain realities?" He pondered these thoughts along the way.

"Hehe, hahaha..." Ahead, someone laughed loudly. In the mist, a furry Dharma image emerged, and the true form of that being seemed to be a young man, extremely powerful, with one hand behind his back, blocking the way.

"Could it be that the real mastermind behind Heart Monkey has arrived?" Qin Ming's expression turned solemn.

"Qin Ming, I never expected to meet you here. Let's settle this once and for all, and I'll send you on your way!" the creature in the mist said.

Qin Ming didn't speak, his eyes fixed on the front. At this moment, he thought of many things. Why did he have to encounter the most troublesome enemies?
First it was Cui Chongxiao, then it was the person behind Xinyuan. Isn't this too much of a coincidence?
Moreover, during his desperate battle, Li Qingyue arrived just in time to come to his aid.

"Damn it!" Qin Ming couldn't help but want to curse.

He recalled his battle with Cui Chongxiao. The opponent's methods... were all within the bounds of what he knew, and were all secret techniques he had heard of.

Since becoming adversaries with the Cui family, he has naturally been gathering information on the powerful figures of this ancient family. As for the low-profile Cui Chongxiao, few of the cultivation methods he has practiced have been made public, and most of the methods the other party just used were these.

Qin Ming's expression was grim. If he could fight fiercely with ordinary spiders, broken wind chimes, and unremarkable snails, why couldn't he fight a phantom figure that resembled Cui Chongxiao?
Qin Ming frowned deeply, wondering if he was fighting against the very things he was thinking about.

"This damned place!" He suddenly looked up at the figure opposite him; this was probably fake too!
"Don't believe what you see or hear. Who said the Jade Capital Supreme Scripture is all worthless? The creature that brought you here is suspicious." On the broken bluestone road, in the weeds, a cricket was calling to him.

"It is a colossal creature that wants to devour all laws to replenish itself, and it needs a constant stream of pioneers to serve it!" After the cricket finished speaking, it turned into shattered ripples and disappeared.

Qin Ming remained silent. Everything was so chaotic and unreal that it stirred up his emotions as well.

However, he saw that after the cricket turned into ripples, the main body of the Mind Monkey also dimmed and eventually disappeared.

Along the way, Qin Ming encountered various gods and ant immortals, all of whom wanted to subdue him, this demon from the abyss.

Until, lightning struck from the heavens in massive bursts, and a terrifying figure descended. Unshrouded in mist, its face and form were clearly visible, as if the balance of this place had been broken.

"Cao Qianqiu?!" Qin Ming looked at the old man with eyes like golden lamps, and at this point he found it hard to believe what he had seen in the ruins.

"Warning! Something's happened here! Retreat immediately!" The creature that had guided them here urgently transmitted its voice from the night sky.

Subsequently, auspicious clouds streaked across the sky from all the ruins.

Before leaving, Qin Ming saw Cao Qianqiu make a move, throwing a punch at him, causing the entire ruins to explode!

Although he was in a trance state and what he saw was likely not real, Qin Ming still felt a suffocating sense of deathly oppression.

He had some doubts. Even if it wasn't Old Cao's real body, it was a real, terrifying monster attacking, and if he were hit, the consequences would be unpredictable.

As the group left the ruins, they looked back to find themselves enveloped in a thick fog, with cliffs and city remnants vanishing like dreamlike bubbles.

Hundreds of people did not return on auspicious clouds, but instead awoke directly from their physical bodies, their spiritual journey abruptly ending, and they were already in their own rooms.

"The upside-down Jade Capital has appeared, and outside it... there is a gigantic object!"

In the dead of night, the tranquility of Tucheng was shattered. Many people felt a chill run down their spines and rushed out of their rooms, only to look up and witness a terrifying scene.

Qin Ming, who had just opened his eyes, was now completely awake. Could it be that the strange activity in Yujing had interrupted their spiritual journey and caused them to suddenly return?
(End of this chapter)