Night without Borders

Chapter 424 Shocking Inside Story
Cui San's short silver hair stood on end, his eyes were like cold swords, and he let out a low growl like a trapped beast in the face of this inescapable killing situation.

In a flash, he possessed divine wisdom and used esoteric methods to seemingly blend into the environment, with the forest, frozen ground, and mountains helping him share the damage.

However, the fierce attacks of the three masters broke through his defenses, the frozen soil collapsed, and the towering ancient trees exploded one after another. Cui San's body flew backward like a tattered rag bag, splattering blood.

The flying hammer struck him like a thunderbolt, with a deafening roar, hitting his left shoulder and severing his arm, which exploded into a bloody mist.

Old Pig's blade flashed like a divine waterfall, piercing through Cui San's chest, leaving his body translucent from front to back, his internal organs ruptured.

The bronze incense burner where Meng Xinghai usually kept incense to calm his nerves grew larger with the wind, crashing down like a small mountain, causing Cui San's bones to crack incessantly.

Cui San fell to the ground some distance away, his body like a patched-up rag doll, tattered and bleeding profusely, staining the ground red.

He was furious. The forest was stained with blood and littered with debris. So many members of the Cui family had been mobilized, yet they had been turned around and attacked by just three people.

"They're all dead..." His voice was hoarse. His throat had been slashed open by the old man carrying the white paper lantern, leaving a slight draft. He had managed to escape with great difficulty, only to face this deadly trap.

He was very unwilling. Among his generation, he was exceptionally talented and had the potential to become a grandmaster, but today he was going to die at the hands of three juniors.

He was like a wounded lone wolf, staring fiercely at Qin Ming. He had considered all sorts of possibilities, but he never expected to be driven into a corner by the pawn in Qin Ming's eyes.

He then looked at Meng Xinghai and said, "Young man from the Meng family, you are very good at downplaying other people's attention on you. Without anyone noticing, you have actually reached this level!"

He then looked at the former master of Black and White Mountain and said, "The one who made the move was actually a pig. What a disaster! It will make me feel uneasy even in death."

The three masters hadn't spoken at first, but now the pig in the palm of his hand couldn't hold back any longer. This dying old geezer was actually attacking the pig's body. He was an old bastard who was about to die, yet he was still discriminating against him.

"Huff..." Old Pig spoke his mind directly, and his pig-like language was naturally not very pleasant to hear. He was tracing the ancestors of the Cui family, and his style was rough and fierce.

Cui San fought desperately as he lay dying, but he was too badly injured to take someone down with him; it was just wishful thinking.

Click!
His forehead was struck by the pitch-black hammer, and the sound of his skull shattering could be clearly heard. His waist was sliced ​​in two by a flash of light, and finally, the purple bronze furnace fell down, pouring out flames that ignited his mangled body.

Cui San died suddenly!

The tragic death of a master who was poised to become a grandmaster was a tremendous loss for the Cui family.

Furthermore, with the entire team wiped out, if the news gets back, many members of the Cui family will likely be devastated.

"Don't make a move! We are from Mingyao City. We were dragged here and have no ill intentions!" There are still survivors in the snow, hidden among the piles of dead bodies and under the snow.

"Making the wrong choice comes at a price!" said the Palm Pig.

These were all prominent figures in Mingyao City. Initially, they had followed Cui Ming's orders and participated in the attack, but when they saw that things were not going well, they chose to lie down and not get up.

An old man cried out, "Lord Meng, you are good people, please be merciful and let us go back."

Meng Xinghai calmly said, "Do you think that good people should be easy to talk to and need to be forgiven for any mistakes you make? If that's the case, then there's no cost to doing evil, no need to pay a price, and good people have to suffer losses, right?"

Then, he took matters into his own hands!

Qin Ming did not hesitate. He flew up with his hammer, and the heavy black jade hammer swept across the land, smashing these prominent figures to pieces with a series of thuds.

After cleaning up the battlefield, they carefully cleared away the creatures from the night market along the way. When they encountered monsters they couldn't mess with, such as the old man carrying a white paper lantern, they chose to take a detour.

Qin Ming discovered that when he used the rag to amplify the light of heaven, Meng Xinghai and Lao Zhu did not sense it, and they were unaware even when his actions were "excessive".

He was certain that after the journey to the moon, others could no longer see Old Bu. Was this the manifestation of the so-called "temporary owner"?
This was also confirmed when they encountered the "celestial being" in the red sedan chair.

Unfortunately, the "quality" he needed was shockingly low!
Qin Ming tried to fight by draping himself in cloth, transforming it into a special liquid armor, but received no response whatsoever.

……

Cui Chonghe traveled alone across the dark land, where city after city resembled candlelight in the abyss. He discovered that the further he went into the remote areas, the more "creatures of flesh and blood" such as yin spirits and ghosts appeared.

"We are still two thousand miles from Crimson Cloud City." He gazed ahead, having made numerous moves along the way to slay demons and destroy evil spirits. His cultivation was profound and his methods exquisite.

Cui Chonghe honed his three fundamental principles and gradually gained a completely new understanding of them.

The night wind was sharp as a knife, and he suddenly stopped, staring into the depths of the night fog ahead.

This is a desolate section of road far from any town, with only frozen ground and snow, and no pedestrians in sight.

A faint light emanated from the night fog, followed by a burst of divine light. A tattered suit of armor silently appeared, as if made of paper, and floated in lightly.

It was shiny, like a silver vest, and covered with holes. It floated in mid-air, as if looking down at Cui Chonghe. This thing appeared in such a strange atmosphere.

"Five thousand years have passed since we parted from this world, and now the mountains and rivers are no longer what they once were." The voice came from the tattered armor with holes in the fists and arrows.

Cui Chonghe stared at it, sensing that he had encountered trouble. The environment of the world was changing every day, and the stranger the things one encountered, the more dangerous they were.

Wisps of white mist emanated from the tattered armor, filling in the missing parts and forming faint humanoid shapes, as if someone were standing in armor.

"Rare indeed. Even in a prosperous era, you possess exceptional talent and qualities, and you have even cultivated a rare Dao physique." The humanoid white mist within the armor nodded in praise.

"What advice do you have for me?" Cui Chonghe asked warily, ready to fight at any moment.

The white mist swayed and uttered a voice: "I have returned from the Night Market. As I approach my homeland, I see those with extraordinary talents and insights, and I am moved to speak."

Then it let out a soft exclamation and said, "You seem to have some problems."

"Is there anything unusual?" Cui Chong asked calmly. He had become famous at a young age and was very mature. He was not surprised by anything strange, and his eyes were as clear as a cold spring.

The white mist, transformed into a human form, spoke: "Judging from your Dao body, your foundation is astonishingly solid. You probably attained enlightenment at the age of three or four. The seven-colored immortal light is contained within, and the three 'Dao flowers' are about to bloom, proving that the seven souls and three spirits have firmly taken root in your physical body, indicating extremely profound inner strength."

Cui Chonghe felt a chill run down his spine. The fact that the other party could see through his true strength was truly terrifying.

"The unusual thing is that the Dao body you cultivated has not suffered any damage, and its potential has not been diminished in the slightest. It can be called a flawless body. However, being too perfect makes it seem unreal. You should know that a celestial sword must be forged through tempering. Even if it is damaged, it can be repaired."

Cui Chonghe stared ahead and asked, "What are you trying to tell me?"

A wisp of white mist rose from the armor, and a voice emanated from within: "Your physical body is excellent. What would it be like if someone else wore it? For example, an old fellow awaiting revival. He is not lacking in combat experience. After decaying, his pure Yang consciousness leaves his body and uses your physical body as a treasure ship to return to the world and compete for survival. That would be quite terrifying."

Upon hearing this, Cui Chonghe felt a chill run down his spine. Could it be that the human form transformed from the white mist was about to enter his flesh and blood?

The white mist swayed, and the voice there was very calm, saying, "You're overthinking it. If it were me, would I be reminding you? Think about the people around you. Are there any powerful figures who are getting old and doing their best to nurture you into a flawless Dao body?"

Cui Chong felt a headache coming on. He immediately thought of his master, who had been incredibly kind to him, like a father to him, and who had recently helped him refine three doses of powerful medicine.

"Have you already pictured a specific person in your mind?"

Upon hearing this, Cui Chonghe immediately retorted, "The creatures of the Night Ruins, do not try to disturb my Dao heart; these things have no effect on me."

"Actually, breaking the deadlock is simple: just let your physical body be injured, and then recover in the spring breeze. Moreover, you also need to gain insights from life and death. Most importantly, you are practicing three fundamental scriptures, among which the 'Golden Palace Jade Chapter' requires you to sever worldly ties. Family, sect elders, and others cannot bind you too deeply. You must sever what needs to be severed, otherwise practicing this scripture will cause trouble. You have already accumulated quite a few problems."

“You are a demon from the abyss!” Cui Chonghe exclaimed.

A voice came from the white mist, saying, "Am I wrong? The Golden Jade Chapter is extremely powerful, but it is also very dangerous if you practice it and something goes wrong. You urgently need to resolve this now. Next, you need to 'transcend the mundane world,' stand in the mortal realm, and keep your mind above the nine heavens."

"Why are you telling me all this?" Cui Chonghe frowned. His master, Sun Taichu, had also mentioned the "Golden Jade Chapter" to him, telling him to temporarily "sever ties with the mortal world" and continue practicing the scripture in the future.

The voice from within the armor carried a sense of melancholy as it said, "Because I had a favorite disciple who was once unparalleled among his peers, but he encountered problems while practicing this scripture and ultimately died and vanished, leaving me to reminisce for five thousand years."

Cui Chonghe stared ahead at a creature he had never seen before, who was speaking so intimately with him despite their brief acquaintance, which he found hard to believe.

“You have serious problems. Turn back and hone your skills. Only through loss can you make a great improvement. You may have honed your skills in your daily life, but you lack experience in life-or-death situations. Most importantly, you must immediately resolve the hidden dangers of the ‘Golden Jade Chapter.’ Today, I will help you understand just how dangerous your situation is.” The tattered armor glowed, and a humanoid figure formed from white mist floated forward before attacking Cui Chonghe.

In an instant, Cui Chong's eyes sharpened, and he unleashed a burst of divine light, engaging in a fierce battle with him.

Clad in white armor, his cultivation and skills were all at the fourth realm. He spoke, saying, "Your fighting talent is strong, but you lack the courage to face hell head-on. You overthink things and have been hiding your abilities for many years, gradually losing your edge. I will fight you with a body of the same realm."

The armor gleamed like the blazing sun overhead, and the figure, shrouded in white mist, unleashed a series of deadly attacks, engaging in a fierce battle with Cui Chonghe.

Cui Chonghe was shocked. The opponent seemed to be able to predict the methods he wanted to use, which put him in a passive and dangerous situation right from the start.

Fortunately, his combat talent was extraordinary. He quickly adjusted and engaged in a fierce battle with the creatures from the Night Ruins, his pure Yang light like thunder.

If outsiders were to witness this, they would be utterly astonished. Both sides displayed ingenious techniques, many of which were strokes of genius, rarely seen among their peers. In the end, Cui Chong was utterly defeated after five hundred moves. If his opponent had wanted to kill him, he would no longer exist.

He was covered in wounds, and his physical body was almost destroyed.

The voice from within the armor remained emotionless as it said, "Think about what I said. Go back and hone your skills, eliminate any hidden dangers. And, whatever you do, never get close to your master!"

Cui Chonghe didn't say a word, turned around and walked back.

In the darkness, on this desolate road, the figure in armor shattered with a bang, but the voice remained: "Suppressed to the same level, I actually suffered a crushing defeat."

Clearly, this is the truth.

Immediately, the gleaming armor disintegrated, the white mist evaporated, and an old man appeared, with a ruddy complexion, who was none other than Sun Taichu.

The only difference was that his hair was pure gold.

"Black and White Mountain has a major problem and should not be approached. Your 'Golden Jade Chapter' has indeed accumulated serious hidden dangers that need to be resolved." He muttered to himself, gazing in the direction Cui Chonghe had gone.

He sighed softly, "I have encountered a life-or-death crisis and need to fight against my own 'self,' yet I still have to worry about you."

He stopped Cui Chonghe, but set off on his own, heading towards Black and White Mountain.

His Taoist skills were unfathomable, and he dared to take shortcuts. On the way to Black and White Mountain, he encountered a hanging vermilion coffin blocking his way. After he left a deep palm print on the coffin board, the road was clear.

He once saw a blood-dripping head in the clouds, which he then crushed with his fist.

However, as he approached Black and White Mountain, he felt uneasy. He consulted a fortune teller, hesitated for a long time, and then turned and left.

"No wonder Cao Qianqiu encountered danger here. If I were to set foot here, I might also run into trouble."

After he left, he entered Crimson Cloud City.

"Hmm? That boy isn't here. Fine, the divination is unclear, so I'll just stay out of it." In the end, he disappeared from this area.

……

Qin Ming was not in Chixia City, and he did not enter Mingyao City when he passed by. He had already gone far away, heading towards the capital of the Great Yu Dynasty.

The Thunder King Bird carried him, sometimes flying high in the sky, sometimes running on the ground like a free-range chicken.

Under normal circumstances, the Thunder King Bird can fly to the capital of the Great Yu Dynasty, Chongxiao City, on the same day.

Now, it not only has to run on the ground, but also face various dangerous monsters in the darkness with Qin Ming, making the journey quite difficult.

In remote areas, the roads between cities were cut off, making travel difficult. Fortunately, the closer Qin Ming and the Thunder King Bird got to prosperous areas, the smoother the roads became.

Several days later, they arrived at Chongxiao City.

While there was ice and snow along the way, everything here had already come back to life. The silver willows and wisteria along the Shuyu River had sprouted new buds, and the whole city was filled with the breath of early spring.

However, the overall situation of the Great Yu Dynasty was not good, as many cities were out of contact and no longer under their control.

The Great Yu royal family suspects that Tucheng is still trying to promote unification, and that the people who have made meritorious contributions to protecting the city can become the new city lord. This is an attempt to undermine the foundation of the three great dynasties and more than a dozen other dynasties.

The next day, Qin Ming contacted Yao Ruoxian, the fourth princess of Dayu.

In a large house in the city, flowers were in full bloom, golden wisteria and purple primroses had already formed buds, and spring was in full swing.

This was a residence that Yao Ruoxian rarely visited, but she secretly received Qin Ming here.

"A rare guest indeed, you actually took the initiative to see me." Yao Ruoxian, dressed in a snow-white long dress, looked more charming today compared to her heroic appearance when she wore the red lotus armor.

Her hair was black and shiny, falling to her waist. Her eyes were full of curiosity as she wondered why Qin Ming had come from so far away.

Qin Ming smiled and said, "I missed an old friend, so I came here specifically to have a chat."

Yao Ruoxian didn't speak, she just looked at him.

"Alright, I have something to ask of you." Qin Ming put down his teacup.

The Thunder King Bird spoke up: "Your Highness, where is my clan's royal bird?"

"In the princess's residence."

"I'm going to see it!" The three-headed, six-winged Thunder King Bird couldn't wait to see its dream bird.

Qin Ming shook his head. With its enthusiastic attitude, even if it had profound cultivation and high strength, it would probably have difficulty getting what it wanted.

He said, "Princess, I need a special place to cultivate my skills in seclusion..."

After listening to his detailed explanation, Yao Ruoxian said, "No problem, I'll figure out a way to arrange it for you."

She even mentioned that there was a sea in the Night Market, but it was quite dangerous.

Qin Ming was overjoyed upon hearing this. With the sea already secured, and large metal veins and land rich in earth essence, things were even better.

He was somewhat excited. Once he broke through the major barrier and entered the fourth realm—the Heart Lamp—he would be much more at ease, and some so-called formidable enemies and dangers would no longer be a problem.

Yao Ruoxian spoke up: "You are far from the central area, are you aware of the many troubles that have recently occurred?"

"Oh, what happened? Please tell me." Qin Ming looked at her.

"Recently, many senior figures have encountered problems while practicing their skills!" Yao Ruoxian said with extreme seriousness. Everyone was trying to keep it a secret, but it was clear that it was about to come out.

Qin Ming's expression turned serious as he asked, "Why is that?"

Yao Ruoxian shook her head and said, "I don't know. It's unclear why. The elders of our Great Yu royal family have all been forced into seclusion and are not seeing outsiders."

She then went on to mention that many people in Tucheng wanted to escape back to heaven.

Then, she secretly transmitted her voice, her expression extremely solemn, and said, "In addition, there is another matter that is very important and even more significant."

"What is it?" Qin Ming asked.

“Yujing may not have completely disappeared,” Yao Ruoxian informed her.

"This..." Qin Ming was shocked. What did this mean? Many people had seen it back then: Yujing collapsed and fell to the ground.

Yao Ruoxian said, "It is said that an old earth immortal from the Nine Heavens sensed something and let it slip that perhaps the Jade Capital is undergoing Nirvana."

Qin Ming was lost in thought, finding it absurd, and said, "Is Yujing a city or a living being? How can it transform?"

"I don't know." Yao Ruoxian was also unclear about the true nature of Yujing.

She said, "Even if it returns, it will be completely different from before. It is said to be in its embryonic form, with endless wonders, which is a great opportunity for us."

"What do you mean?" Qin Ming perked up.

Yao Ruoxian said, "Some people speculate that the prototype of Jade Capital is the initial land, without the former powerful beings. It is a blank space waiting to be 'painted'. Once you establish yourself there, there will be endless wonders. It is like the most fertile soil of the Dao. If you and I, the immortal seeds and divine seeds, enter the capital and are nourished by it, we will quickly grow into towering trees."

Qin Ming felt that he was indeed too isolated from the news while he was near Black and White Mountain. Such a big event was brewing, and he hadn't heard a word about it.

Currently, undercurrents are swirling, and it is said that someone is already formulating a plan to revive Yujing.

"There are even rumors that the prototype of Jade Capital has already appeared, and the most talented people of this era are the gods and immortals who walk on the ground, who may become the high-ranking officials of Jade Capital in the future."

Yao Ruoxian informed her that powerful figures from various regions beyond the realm had also intercepted a wisp of heavenly secret and had already sent people to discuss important matters.

She began, "A few people are saying that you, me, and everyone else are all gods, temporarily residing on Earth, and will soon be competing for the qualification to enter the embryonic form of the Jade Capital!"

Let me advertise for someone: The abyss hides the flames of calamity, and the path to immortality is born from the ashes. This is Xiaodao Fengli's new Xianxia novel, "The Ashes of Taiyuan".

(End of this chapter)