Night without Borders

Chapter 417 Night Market
The Jade Capital has fallen, stones are blooming, the moon is reflected in the water, and celestial beings are emerging from the clouds. All sorts of mysterious phenomena and terrifying things are springing up like mushrooms after rain. Now, something even more ruthless has arrived, involving celestial beings.

Qin Ming ignored the sedan bearers and stared at the red sedan chair.

The exquisite red shoes adorned with gold thread accompanied Ruixia as her owner emerged, her long red dress billowing in the cold wind, her slender figure appearing in the night sky.

It was a bizarre and eerie atmosphere. The four sedan bearers were dressed in mourning clothes, their bodies covered in white, their faces shrouded in shadow, like hideous demons and ghosts. And out of the red sedan chair, a celestial being in red robes stepped out, which was truly unusual.

"Huh?" Qin Ming was taken aback. Amidst the snow and ice, the red dress fluttered in mid-air, creating a somewhat beautiful scene. But why was there no head at the neckline? It was empty.

He was surprised to find that it was an empty dress with nothing underneath, and the red shoes were just floating there, without the celestial feet that should have been there.

Even so, when the red sedan chair arrived, the six old merchants all stepped back to make way for her, clearly sensing that she was not someone to be trifled with.

"Where did you get that scarf?" came the voice from the red dress that was floating in mid-air. This was the so-called celestial being.

Qin Ming realized where the problem lay. He didn't have a scarf at all; it was a tattered imitation that he had taken from Tang Yushang in the Great Thunder Temple and used to tie her hair.

It is woven from various exotic metals and is naturally resistant to evil. In this unusual environment, he naturally used it to protect the back of his neck from being attacked from behind by the evil spirits.

"A gift from a friend, from Taixu," Qin Ming said.

Tang Yushang, who had always wanted to take action against him, came from the undamaged Chosen Land. If this red-clad celestial being were to be traced back, she could certainly consider it.

Her red dress fluttered in the night breeze, and her delicate gold-threaded red shoes seemed to step in mid-air. She moved a little closer, and the empty neckline made it seem as if someone was actually looking down at the tattered replica.

"Unfortunately, it's not you after all." She sighed.

Qin Ming was very unsettled. He knew very well that the woman was talking about real rags, which she must have come into contact with or seen before.

But the old cloth was right on him, couldn't the woman in the red dress notice?
He thought of his experience on Earth and the Moon. He was now a "temporary owner." Did this mean that Old Bu was hiding his true intentions so that outsiders couldn't detect them?
Her red shoes moved lightly, her wide sleeves fluttered, and a faint red mist emanated from the cuffs, outlining the shape of a slender hand reaching out to grab Qin Ming.

Clang!
The sword light soared into the sky, dazzlingly bright. A small, strangely golden sword hovered in front of Qin Ming, ready to fight her to the death.

Qin Ming did not believe that the woman in the red dress in her current state was a true celestial being. If she were of that level, she would not need to take action; a single ray of spiritual light would be enough to reduce him to ashes.

"The Six Ding Divine Fire, and it has even been refined with runes. Are you a true disciple of the Tushita Palace?" The woman suddenly stopped, seemingly in a strange mood. How could there be a core disciple of that lineage within the territory radiating from Yujing?

In order to subdue evil, Qin Ming not only used exotic metal weapons, but also used various sacred methods, which made her recognize the origin of the Six Ding Divine Fire at a glance.

"Fine, what you say is true, there should be replicas in Taixu." She withdrew her hand, turned and entered the sedan chair.

Then, four sedan chair bearers, dressed in mourning clothes, carried her into the night fog, and gradually faded away, about to disappear.

Qin Ming's thoughts were in turmoil. Was the Tushita Palace really that famous? The woman in the red dress left because he was a true disciple of the temple.

He opened his newborn eyes and observed carefully, immediately seeing part of the blurry truth.

The red sedan chair passed through a layer of misty area, and then went deeper into another layer, as if it had crossed two worlds and completely disappeared from the real world.

Having witnessed what had just happened, the six veteran merchants were wary and did not linger. They also dimmed and disappeared as they passed through the first layer of misty area.

"Finally gone! My face was almost white with fear." The big crow spoke, and then it followed Qin Ming at breakneck speed, rushing towards the big city ahead.

Dawn City, with a population of over one million, is not small in scale and is very prosperous. There are many people coming and going on weekdays, and it has frequent exchanges with various places.

Qin Ming decided to rest here and wanted to gain a deeper understanding of the changes in various places, otherwise it would be too dangerous to travel in complete darkness.

Sure enough, a large city has its advantages; it's well-connected, and he quickly learned a lot about the situation.

"Everyone, if you're going on a long journey, don't try to take shortcuts by crossing dark, uninhabited areas. It's easy to run into trouble. For safety's sake, go where there are more people." Someone had already summarized their experience so quickly.

Between towns and villages, there are currently no major problems in places with a large population. However, once you go far away, you may encounter all sorts of monsters and demons.

That day, Qin Ming also learned some very important information, all of which was released by the City Lord's Mansion.

“In the past, some mysterious phenomena have become more concrete, as if they have clearly emerged from a layer of world behind the night fog and can enter reality.”

Qin Ming immediately thought of what he had seen along the way: the old traveling merchant, the worm, the red-clad female celestial being, and so on.

The entire world is undergoing dramatic changes, and some things are still developing. The powerful figures from all sides have not yet fully grasped the situation, and more time is needed.

Qin Ming decided to stay for the time being, wanting to learn more.

Two days later, a message came from Tucheng: an old earth immortal at the Great Perfection level in the heavens informed them that behind the world of night fog, there was an even deeper realm, vast and expansive.

That realm is called—Night Ruins!
For example, why are the indelible "scenes" and incomprehensible "phenomena" in the desolate land so difficult to eradicate? Because they are rooted in the Night Ruins.

That was the final resting place for the old itinerant merchant.

Moreover, the Night Market has more than one level.

The old traveling merchant was in the first level of the night market, while the cunning one was in a deeper level of the territory.

"When a person dies, they become a ghost; when a ghost dies, it becomes a '聻' (a type of spirit). Is this saying still correct?" This is a common belief.

However, this ingrained perception now seems to have been overturned.

Are the old itinerant merchants ghosts? No, they have physical bodies, they are not ghosts. They have been walking in the dark, no-man's-land for many years and have come into contact with the first layer of the Night Ruins.

Now that the Jade Capital no longer hangs high above, the mist between the Night Market and the real world has thinned, so some bizarre phenomena have materialized and can enter reality.

Qin Ming pondered that the woman in the red sedan chair should be Ni. Although the sedan chair bearers called her a celestial being, she might have been at that level in reality. However, she had fallen into the second level of the Night Ruins, which meant that she had encountered serious problems in the past and probably did not have such high cultivation anymore.

She might not even have been able to keep her physical body, otherwise why would only her bright red dress be visible?

"Beyond the realm have arrived, seeking to seize the legacy left behind by the Jade Capital!"

This message comes from the patriarchs of Esoteric Buddhism, the New Life Path, and the Land Beyond the Realm, reminding people everywhere to be cautious, as there may be unexpected bloodshed.

At this moment, Yezhou can be summed up in one word: chaos!

The main thing is that, besides the Night Market, all sorts of other strange things have appeared, such as flowers in stones, the moon in water, and bronze lions that have come to life.

"Not to mention anything else, there are many dangers even in the clouds. Human skins roam around, immortals dance, and all sorts of absurd and unbelievable things happen one after another."

Qin Ming set off again, but this time at a slower pace. The giant crow no longer dared to take shortcuts, and the dark, uninhabited area became a forbidden zone requiring detours.

When they arrived in Luofu City to rest, it stammered a little, looking quite embarrassed, and said, "Lord Qin, could you please end this journey here?"

It dared not go any further. Black and White Mountain was a remote place with few people. There was only one town a long way to go. Now, demons were running rampant, and all sorts of strange things were appearing. It was afraid that this road would be difficult to travel and that it would never return.

Qin Ming didn't press the matter, saying, "Alright, be careful on your way back."

Luofu City is a huge city, and Qin Ming is no stranger to it. The ruins of the Luofu Sect are just outside the city. He once helped Li Qingyue seize the Eight Trigrams Furnace, leaving behind many memories.

"It's still four thousand li to Crimson Cloud City, but we can walk there." Qin Ming set off.

The snow was very deep, exceeding the height of a person in many areas. The once-in-a-century blizzard slowed Qin Ming's travel speed considerably.

In particular, he had to take a long detour, only choosing routes between towns, which really wasted a lot of time.

Even so, he traveled and rested intermittently, and two days later he was not far from Chixia City.

Under the cover of night, Qin Ming's expression was solemn. He had indeed encountered some troubles along the way: an old woman who stood trembling but determined to block his path in the middle of the night, a coffin dripping blood hanging in the night sky, and a "grandfather" who carried a white paper lantern and chatted with him all the way... What he saw along the way truly broadened Qin Ming's horizons. He encountered crises many times, but managed to turn them into opportunities.

His expression was complicated. Looking back, he saw a thin, dark figure carrying a white paper lantern disappearing into the distance. That person really looked exactly like his grandfather from his childhood memories.

"What will this world become?" Qin Ming exhaled a breath of stale air.

He realized that a big problem was about to occur.

Contact between different places is likely to be cut off. Even he, the leading figure of Xinsheng Road, almost encountered danger while traveling four thousand miles alone. What about others?

If things continue to develop this way, the impact of the fall of Yujing will continue to ferment, and the overall environment will become increasingly harsh. In the end, even experts at the sixth realm will find it difficult to travel far.

As time goes by, the cities and towns may become isolated islands.

"Should we flee Yezhou?" Qin Ming asked with a worried expression.

Next, it depends on whether the Earth Immortals and the patriarchs of each path can keep the roads in Yezhou clear; otherwise, something truly terrible will happen.

As the people of Night State panicked, waves of people from outside the region stormed in.

"Fragments of the Jade Capital, the corpse of a colossus—even obtaining just a small piece would be an incredible stroke of luck!"

A multitude of heroes vie for the legacy of Yujing!
In fact, the masters of Tucheng and the founders of various paths are all taking their own actions. The top leaders all understand that after a major crisis, there will be treasures everywhere and great opportunities may arise.

"Ancestor, we may not be able to return. We did discover something extraordinary in Yezhou, but now we may all die..."

In the midst of ice and snow, a grove of ginkgo trees sprouts new branches and buds in winter, their leaves turning a vibrant blood-red. After quickly flowering and bearing fruit, their fruits are as translucent as red agate.

Led by a grandmaster-level figure from beyond the realm, they arrived here, only to find themselves unable to leave this ancient forest.

After consuming the crimson ginkgo fruits, their powers greatly increased; however, their memories became blurred, their consciousness dissipated, and their physical forms changed.

"Perhaps our physical forms can survive, but our consciousness will not exist. Then we will certainly not be ourselves, Ancestor. Night State is very dangerous!"

These were the last words of the master leading the group in the ginkgo forest, followed by a low growl, and then a group of terrifying monsters began to howl.

Similar incidents, but with different dangers, are unfolding across Yezhou.

Amidst the crisis, some also reaped enormous benefits. The former master of Chunyang Palace, an important sect on the path of rebirth, gazed from the deep mountains at a strange, newly appeared fire spring, with pure golden flames rising and a flower in the center, as radiant as the sun.

"The former master of Chunyang Palace accidentally picked a precious herb and successfully broke through to the sixth realm, becoming a powerful figure at the ancestral master level!"

Many people knew that this grandmaster was old and frail and had no hope of breaking through to the next level in this lifetime, but he still managed to advance to the sixth level, shocking the world.

He named this powerful herb Chunyang Flower.

Everyone knows that the path of cultivation is extremely difficult, and becoming a patriarch is even more difficult. The fact that he was able to break through in his current state is truly a miracle.

This incident caused a sensation throughout the world, driving major powers and even some veteran experts into a frenzy.

The New Life Path, the Secret Sect, the Immortal Path—all the major sects mobilized. The fearless old men, their blood boiling with excitement, seemed to have returned to their eighteen-year-old selves, charging out with boundless vigor.

The ancient families were even more proactive, believing that danger and opportunity coexisted. They thought that in this special era, they might be able to change the fate of their family and create extraordinary strongmen.

"The opportunity to overtake on a curve has arrived!" Some people even think so.

Against this backdrop, perhaps a new force will rise and surpass the ancestral temples of Tantric Buddhism and the Immortal Path.

"Uncle Meng, are there any special products or other unique products found in this area, near Black and White Mountain?" Qin Ming successfully returned to Crimson Cloud City.

He was now sitting in his familiar living room, watching the calming incense smoke rising from the bronze incense burner, and taking a sip of fragrant mountain tea.

"You know what, there really are. There are several special glowing areas in this area, which make it seem a bit different from other places. You came all this way back just for these things, right?" Meng Xinghai laughed.

Qin Ming nodded and said, "Yes, it's too dangerous outside. Grandmasters can jump out at any time. My peers with immortal seeds and divine seeds may have protectors behind them. I think it's safer to go back to our hometown. Surely no one would come all this way to compete with us?"

The main reason is that the area surrounding Black and White Mountain is indeed extraordinary. Since ancient times, there have been mysterious Taoist temples and divine creatures. Even in this era, there was a giant centipede that wanted to become a god here.

Moreover, the presence of the Blood Kite in this area would put Qin Ming at ease, as he would feel more secure even if outsiders intruded, as he could still compete on his home turf.

In fact, even in remote areas, there are people who have their eyes on them.

During this period, all the major powers were scrambling for territory and searching for extraordinary opportunities across the land.

Not to mention the ancestral temples of various religions and ancient families, even the people of Tucheng are restless, and many beings from heaven have already rushed to various places.

Furthermore, they dispatched wave after wave of troops into Yezhou. As various rumors emerged, Yezhou was abuzz with discussion, and all parties were restless.

"Black and White Mountain has been a sacred site of gods since ancient times, and it has been extraordinary in recent times as well. It also contains forbidden lands. There is a high probability that extraordinary things will appear in its vicinity!"

Some major powers have outlined the Black and White Mountains, and even though they are remote, it is worthwhile to send some of their forces there.

Among them, the Cui family also set their sights on Black and White Mountain, regarding it as one of their targets.

Cui Qi, the father of Cui Chonghe, spoke up: "The more remote the area, the less people there will be and the less intense the competition. Also, that rebellious son might return to Black and White Mountain. If he really has good fortune, we should immediately take him down and not let him get his hands on it!"

In the City Lord's Mansion of Crimson Cloud City, Qin Ming inquired about Shuangshu Village from Meng Xinghai and was told that everything was fine there.

"There's just one thing: Old Immortal Liu is getting increasingly sleepy, but everything else is normal."

Qin Ming nodded, guessing that Liu Mo might be going to be silent for a long time. In this environment, he didn't know whether it was good or bad.

“Uncle Meng, let’s ask a suitable opponent to scout ahead, and then we need to consider going into the mountains,” Qin Ming said.

That day, another sensational piece of news broke.

Someone discovered the Earth Immortal Flower, rooted deep in a desolate wasteland, where it shines for seven days straight, illuminating the icy and snowy landscape—a truly wondrous sight.

When the Pure Yang Flower appeared, it shook the Night State.

Now, even the legendary Earth Immortal Flower has appeared in the world, directly igniting the world and drawing countless eyes to it, with a large number of experts setting out.

"Even I can't sit still any longer!" Even the Earth Immortals outside Yezhou couldn't hold back any longer.

In Tu City, a powerful expert at the Great Perfection of Earth Immortal level walked out directly. Even the experts in the heavens were so down-to-earth, no longer putting on airs.

"Be careful, the core area of ​​the Jedi is connected to the Nightfall!"

"No problem, we'll wait for the right opportunity!"

In an instant, the tense and fearful atmosphere that had been present throughout Yezhou was dispelled.

Many people realized that this might be the most dangerous era, or it might be the most brilliant, with a hundred schools of thought contending and all paths vying for dominance, and everyone having the hope of rising to prominence.

"Dragons and snakes rise from the land, and even the wild grass can soar to the sky. This is a great era completely different from the past, one that must support a magnificent scroll, with stars shining and the sun and moon illuminating the heavens. In the end, either the apocalypse will arrive, and the glorious scroll will be reduced to ashes, or a prosperous era will slowly unfold!"

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(End of this chapter)