Night without Borders

Chapter 434 Testing the Sword in Heaven
Beyond the sky, the Sea of ​​Night Fog is as black as an abyss, and the gale is as sharp as a knife.

Inside the Immortal Town, the scene was completely different. It was shrouded in celestial mist, creating a hazy and peaceful atmosphere. Qin Ming followed the crowd forward, preparing to go down to the stage.

"I'll say it again, the so-called genius, the new generation of blazing sun—Zhou Tiandao, is fake. He is not that rising star from my Sky City."

An old man's voice resounded through the night sky, causing the clouds to ripple.

"It's alright, let's just treat him as Zhou Tiandao," someone jeered.

The main street of the immortal town was bustling with people, shoulder to shoulder, with so many beings from the heavens, the earth, and beyond that realm, coming and going in an endless stream.

"What's going on?" Qin Ming asked in surprise. Someone was impersonating him?
Nearby, someone calmly remarked, "You're obviously new here."

The other person glanced at Qin Ming and said, "That's normal. It's just a name, a symbol. You could call him Lord of Jade Capital."

Is that even possible? Qin Ming was speechless. If that's the case, then wouldn't some of the acquaintances he had just caught a glimpse of also have their identities stolen?

He shook his head. Pei Shuyan, Helian Yaoqing and others should be appearing under their true identities. He had sensed a familiar aura from them.

A young man laughed and said, "A couple of days ago, the Grandmaster of the Cui family on the ground even fought with Cui Chonghe, which ended with the Cui family Grandmaster suffering a crushing defeat."

"This actually works?" Qin Ming couldn't help but laugh.

Someone nearby smiled and said, "The Cui family is furious. They have repeatedly stated that someone is impersonating the Cui family's immortal seed."

Qin Ming realized that, given Cui Chonghe's personality, he wouldn't be so high-profile and would most likely appear under a different identity. He never expected that someone would "usurp" his name.

Qin Ming said, "With such chaos above the Nine Heavens, isn't there anyone to maintain order?"

A young man sneered and said, "Is it necessary? You'll get used to it. Besides, the New Ranking and the Golden Ranking are meant to select those with extraordinary talents. The more chaotic it is, the better. If you're not happy, go and fight to prove yourself."

"May I ask your esteemed name, fellow Daoist?" Qin Ming inquired.

"I am the Bodhi Saint." Clearly, this young man was also an old fellow, with deep-set eyes and an air of detachment from worldly affairs.

"I've heard so much about you!" Qin Ming said against his conscience.

The young man nodded, quite confidently, and said, "After today, my name is destined to be famous throughout the world."

Qin Ming was somewhat suspicious that his name might have been taken by someone else. He didn't want to ask directly, as that would be tantamount to revealing his identity.

He felt that some old guys were really going too far, coming here to "reincarnate as demons," not only bullying the weak, but even trying to steal their names.

Qin Ming realized that there was no need to think too much in this place; he could just focus on the good fortune on the list. Right now, everyone, whether human or ghost, was showing off, and many people's identities couldn't be taken seriously.

Because of this, there has indeed been a lot of conflict in this area.

Of course, many people remained unmoved and did not change their minds.

Qin Ming followed the crowd to the back of the town, where the blue clouds were like a canopy, and a list was spread out in the sky, shining brightly, with many Daoist ribbons hanging down.

Many people walked towards those silk ribbons, and were then covered by divine light, directly entering the ranking list to test their own innate talent and cultivation level, which would determine their ranking.

In addition, below the azure clouds, there are numerous high platforms, all shrouded in celestial mist; these are sword-fighting arenas specifically designed for actual combat.

Because many people are unwilling to enter that dazzling and mysterious new ranking, harboring concerns, they would rather choose to fight fiercely with others on the high platform outside.

At this moment, almost every platform had people competing.

Clearly, a considerable number of people are quite cautious.

On those high platforms, the battle was exceptionally fierce.

The young Bodhi Saint spoke up: "After all, this is not a war against foreign powers; everyone is merely 'going to the capital for the imperial examination,' so it will not involve life and death."

All those high platforms are protected by safety measures. No matter how fiercely people fight, they will be stopped at the last moment, and Daoist energy will descend to heal the fighters.

Another person said, "We can decide the life or death, but we need to leave this place and go to the pitch-black sea of ​​night fog outside the town."

In addition, those dueling arenas are also prepared for people with disputes. As long as both parties agree, they can go up on the stage to discuss their doctrines and use absolute force to settle their differences.

Qin Ming was new to the area and didn't know much, so he humbly asked for advice, saying, "If rankings are determined by actual combat, if I want to challenge someone, can they accept the challenge at any time?"

Bodhi Saint shook his head and said, "Of course we can't be so casual, otherwise those on the list would be driven crazy. The new list will record their battle footage and simulate that power as much as possible. Anyone who wants to challenge them must pass this test first."

Qin Ming asked, "Fellow Daoist, have you participated in the competition? What was your ranking?"

"Just as I was about to take the stage, old man... I only need to make a slight move to enter the top ten." The young Bodhi Saint appeared with a spirited demeanor.

In fact, some habits are hard to break, and he had almost already started calling himself "old man".

Qin Ming already knew that this must be a person of great importance, so he nodded in agreement and said, "Judging from your appearance, fellow Daoist, you have a dignified bearing and outstanding talent. You are clearly a dragon among men."

The Bodhi Saint nodded calmly, not taking it as a compliment. He naturally assumed that he was at the very top of the pyramid.

He casually asked, "And you?"

"I'll start by challenging the person ranked one hundredth," Qin Ming replied, wanting to assess the level of the last cultivator on the new ranking.

"Well, good luck." Bodhi Saint nodded, and then he himself prepared to take on the challenge, immediately setting his sights on the ninth place on the new rankings.

"hiss!"

Immediately, a collective gasp of cold air emanated from the area.

"This guy is definitely a veteran; he was positioned within the top ten from the start!"

"Forget the top ten, there are hardly any newcomers in the top fifty. They're all taken up by the old guys. Could it be that a celestial being has personally arrived?"

Soon, the entire fairy town was filled with noise and gradually became bustling.

Because the top ten rankings have almost solidified and haven't changed for a long time, and now someone is actually trying to take the ninth position right away.

Qin Ming was keenly aware of the value of the top ten on the new list.

He went to check it out, and found that the fake Cui Chonghe had been squeezed out of the top twenty, and this person might be an old monster.

Many people suspect that within the first twenty, there may not be any real teenagers, but rather all senior masters who have cultivated for most of their lives.

"We simply can't compete. Even if we are immortals or gods, it's no use. After all, which of those grandmasters, ancestors, and earth immortals didn't come from this stage? After cultivating for hundreds of years, they can easily deal with the young lads and girls of later generations!"

Many people have made this point, and they all feel there's some truth to it.

Of course, some people hold a different view, believing that even if there are many Earth Immortals, it is impossible for them to dominate the first realm rankings. There must be some exceptional young people who can squeeze into the top ranks.

"These old guys are really... shameless!" someone commented.

"There's no other way. This involves the blessings of Jade Capital and concerns the future. It could lead to becoming a Celestial Immortal or even the new ruler of Jade Capital. Who can remain calm and composed?"

"The main reason is that the potential benefits are too great!"

In contrast, Qin Ming started from the hundredth place and officially went to challenge, but his performance was uneventful.

High in the sky, azure clouds surged, new banners were unfurled, and wisps of Daoist charm descended, landing on each high platform.

Qin Ming had already stepped onto the stage, his feet resting on gray-brown stone slabs engraved with intricate patterns to ensure that no one could destroy the venue.

A phantom appeared on the dueling platform, a replay of the battle footage. The huge new ranking list in the sky imbued the phantom with power, making it seem as if the cultivator ranked 100th had stepped out and launched his strongest attack on Qin Ming.

Nine arrows, like a peacock spreading its tail, carried nine-colored divine light and filled the dueling platform, covering Qin Ming's area.

"Are people ranked 100th already this amazing?"

Qin Ming borrowed a body, now in the form of a scarecrow, but it functioned no differently than a flesh-and-blood body. He swung his palm blade, severing all nine dazzling arrows with a clang.

The arrow fletching shattered, yet nine invisible arrow intents still attacked.

Golden light rose from Qin Ming's body, extinguishing the arrow's intent and quickly restoring calm to the dueling arena.

At the same time, in the divine city corresponding to the third realm, a young master instantly realized that the strongest arrow intent he had left behind had been broken.

Now he has two choices: concede defeat or go back to accept a formal challenge.

He sighed, "After careful evaluation, Newrank believes that person is much stronger than me. Forget it, I admit defeat and will find a different opponent to challenge."

Qin Ming hadn't expected things to go so smoothly; there was no need for him to have a formal duel with that person.

Near the dueling arena, almost no one was watching. This was because, on a distant high platform, the Bodhi Saint was already locked in battle with the mysterious powerhouse ranked ninth.

Qin Ming also went over to watch the battle, and found that the two old monsters with unfathomable origins did not use complicated moves. They were entangled like lightning, and after colliding dozens of times in the shortest amount of time, the winner had already been decided.

Bodhi Saint breathed heavily, having successfully completed the challenge.

Instantly, the area erupted in excitement, and the rankings of the top ten changed.

When the Bodhi Saint stepped down, no one dared to block his way.

"Congratulations, fellow Daoist!" Qin Ming greeted him with a smile as he saw him walk over and rest in his original spot.

The Bodhi Saint asked, "Hmm, you succeeded in the challenge too?"

"I'm already on the list," Qin Ming replied.

"Yes, keep up the good work and strive for a higher ranking. Not to mention the many benefits in the future, the rewards at this stage are quite considerable." Although Bodhi Saint looks like a young man, he now appears somewhat old-fashioned.

"Fellow Daoist, would you like to go up on stage?" Qin Ming asked.

"After a short rest, I'm going to challenge that old guy ranked seventh." The Bodhi Saint didn't hide anything anymore; he seemed to know exactly who his opponent was.

"And you?" he asked casually.

Qin Ming thought for a moment and said, "I plan to try challenging the expert ranked fiftieth."

For the first time, Bodhi Saint showed surprise and said, "You have great courage to make such a big leap. There are very few truly outstanding young people in the top fifty. You need to be careful and work hard."

Qin Ming nodded. He was actually quite curious about this old monster. What was his background?
The people on the new list now have no way of knowing their true backgrounds just from their names.

Qin Ming originally wanted to spar with Little Buddha and Cui Chong, but after thinking about it, he realized that there was no need to select opponents in the first realm; he could just look forward.

Because, along his journey, he has honed his skills most thoroughly and is most confident in the first realm.

During the first stage, his physical body exploded. Later, he made minor adjustments and improvements to his calligraphy, achieving a level of perfection that could not be improved further.

In the past, even Lu Zizai, who was known as having reached the supreme realm of the new life realm, was not as good as him when he was in the first realm.

Qin Ming had carefully assessed himself. In the first realm, he had mastered the Four Control Forces, which were unprecedented and even stronger.

Therefore, he believed that there was no need to test his skills with any old acquaintances in the first realm.

"After fiftieth place, let's go straight into the top ten." Qin Ming looked up at the shining names on the new list.

Even if those old monsters included supreme patriarchs and beings at the level of earth immortals, he felt he could still squeeze into the top ranks, and even had a certain chance of taking the top spot in the first realm.

If he can't excel in this field, then he can forget about the second and third realms; he probably won't even make it into the top ten.

Soon after, Qin Ming and Bodhi Saint got up one after the other and walked to different dueling platforms.

"Huh, someone actually challenged the fiftieth ranked expert. His eyes are clear, and he exudes a refreshing aura. I feel he is a true young man. Who is he?"

"His name is Taiyi, they really dare to give him that name!"

"Hmm, he just rose to the bottom of the rankings and then directly challenged someone fifty places higher. Is he crazy? Doesn't he know that's the old monsters' private territory?"

Qin Ming's appearance on the stage this time finally attracted attention from all sides, because the 50th place was very eye-catching. After this ranking, there are not many real young prodigies left, they are all old guys pretending to be young.

Many people began to scrutinize him, wondering whether he was a true youth or an old monster.

With a whoosh, a woman's figure appeared on the dueling platform. Although it was not her real body, it was lifelike and blessed by the new ranking system, allowing her to display her strongest attack methods.

Four figures appeared beside her, all looking exactly like her.

As soon as she appeared, she displayed four incarnations, each with power equal to hers, protecting her at the center.

In an instant, dozens of lightning spears and swarms of flaming blades appeared around her and her avatar, then all of them poured down on Qin Ming.

Furthermore, those figures identical to her all transformed into streaks of light and rushed towards Qin Ming.

At this moment, Qin Ming's right hand was held together like a sword. Although he was a scarecrow, his casual strike was like that of an unparalleled swordsman, unleashing the most stunning sword strike.

The sword light illuminated the entire dueling arena, severing all the avatars, lightning spears, and flame blades. The sword light continued its relentless advance, piercing the woman's brow.

"Wow, so fierce!" Many people were shocked. No one expected that this young man would show such prowess right from the start.

At this moment, Qin Ming officially entered everyone's field of vision, no longer ignored as before, and all eyes began to focus on him.

Soon, the woman in the distant divine city learned what had happened, and after receiving feedback from the new rankings, she frowned and gave up the opportunity to go and fight in her true form.

"What? Taiyi succeeded in the challenge directly?"

"I dare say he is definitely not a young man. He must be at least a peerless grandmaster. Otherwise, how could he dare to challenge fifty experts so boldly and win?"

The people in the town were in an uproar, and then a heated discussion ensued.

Now, Qin Ming can't help but attract attention.

However, the commotion quickly subsided as the true forms of the Bodhi Saint and the mysterious master ranked seventh engaged in a fierce battle.

Blood splattered on the high platform, and it wasn't until the glowing new list in the sky displayed Daoist energy that people realized the battle was over.

"Who is the Bodhi Saint? Although he won a Pyrrhic victory, he ultimately succeeded in the challenge, which is truly astonishing. Will he continue to challenge higher levels?"

Many people were shocked; this was definitely a formidable opponent, having knocked out two of the top ten experts in a row.

Qin Ming smiled and said, "Congratulations, fellow Daoist, on successfully breaking through the barrier again. Do you wish to continue the challenge?"

Bodhi Saint nodded and said, "Yes, I'm going to challenge that guy ranked fifth in a bit."

He then looked surprised and said, "You are Taiyi, ranked fiftieth?"

"We were quite lucky," Qin Ming said with a smile.

"Do you want to continue?" asked the Bodhi Saint.

"Of course we must continue. This time I'm probably going to experience a real battle," Qin Ming said solemnly. He already knew just how strong the opponents at all levels were.

"Are you perhaps going to challenge those old guys in the top thirty?" Bodhi Saint showed a look of surprise, feeling that this young man was indeed extraordinary.

Qin Ming smiled but didn't say anything more.

His next target is the top ten players.

When Bodhi Saint saw that he did not speak, he assumed that he had tacitly agreed, and was even more surprised. He really dared to take such a big step, which was truly brave.

After resting for a long time, the Bodhi Saint ascended the fifth high platform.

"This old monster is ridiculously powerful. He's been challenging top ten experts one after another. Is he trying to win all the way into the top three?"

Inside the town of Xian, many people showed expressions of surprise.

The noise subsided briefly, then erupted into a frenzy, with the discussions becoming even more intense and astonishing than before.

Bodhi Saint felt something was amiss. Why were so many people mentioning the name Taiyi?

He turned his head to look in another direction and immediately saw the scarecrow with the fresh and youthful aura leap onto the fighting platform ranked third.

"!" The Bodhi Saint's face froze.

Qin Ming nodded to him and greeted him.

Bodhi Saint strongly suspected that this was not a young man of the new generation at all, but most likely an old monster like himself.

Had he misjudged the situation? He had even hinted to the other party earlier not to take too big a step, but the other party went straight to the dueling platform in front of him to challenge him.

Qin Ming originally wanted to play it safe and start with the tenth expert, but he discovered that the one was defeated by the Bodhi Saint from the ninth position.

He gritted his teeth and decided to go all the way, bypassing the group that was still entangled with the Bodhi Saint and directly challenging the third-ranked expert.

"Am I being too confident?" Qin Ming murmured, after all, this place was a gathering of masters from different eras.

(End of this chapter)