Night without Borders

Chapter 458 Sealing the Heavens
"As expected, 'borrowing a body' to circulate the Silk Calligraphy in the Jade Capital Villa is not very meaningful." In the underground palace dozens of meters below, Qin Ming sat calmly as usual, his black hair wet, with a few strands stuck to his cheeks with blood.

Only by truly entering the game, when body and spirit resonate, and operating this fundamental scripture with a method that transcends limits, can one fill in the gaps and ultimately eliminate all hidden dangers.

"The 'Destiny-Changing Scripture' is truly extraordinary. Its scope seems barren and obscure, yet it can be incredibly effective at crucial moments." Qin Ming's eyes shone brightly.

Qin Ming's flesh and blood were clear and bright. As he circulated the Silk Script again, it became even more transparent and brilliant. Inside, there were luminous symbols shining, like tangible immortal characters flowing in his blood.

In the end, he even began to exude a fragrance reminiscent of orchids and musk, which then permeated the air.

He became increasingly serene and holy, like a god or demon sitting cross-legged in an underground palace.

When he reached the pinnacle of his brilliance, suddenly with a bang, he disintegrated, and blood splattered high into the air.

Qin Ming's body was covered in blood-red fissures from head to toe, crisscrossing in hundreds of places. This was the result of continuously circulating the Fundamental Scripture to its limit.

Under such extreme conditions, his body and spirit were burning up, and the mysterious characters flowing in his blood resonated, forming a human figure.

As Qin Ming's body was covered in cracks, a humanoid figure composed of dazzling characters seemed to transcend his physical form and manifest independently in the world.

"The Fundamental Scripture!"

Despite the excruciating pain, Qin Ming examined the diagram internally.

He was essentially blown apart, but his flesh and blood didn't fly in all directions. At the crucial moment, he used his sticky strength to piece his body back together.

Soon, his mind was drawn to the fundamental scripture diagram.

“In this area, the path of sunlight is slightly dim and not smooth enough, and here, the microcirculation path is slightly blocked.”

He was looking at a vast star map, "filling in the gaps," magnifying the details a thousand times to truly see the essence.

At this moment, Qin Ming was covered in injuries, and even his skull was cracked. He didn't panic; instead, he felt relieved.

Even if he were to truly explode once, he always felt that he was still lacking something.

Soon after, the humanoid celestial rune diagram became nearly flawless, re-entering the flesh and blood, fitting perfectly, while its consciousness, spiritual light, and divine wisdom were also integrated into it.

The silk calligraphy began to work on its own, healing his wounds.

In an instant, golden needles moved swiftly, weaving between body and spirit. Jade robes covered his body, as if medicine were being applied. Qin Ming seemed to be wearing a golden jade robe, his whole body shining brightly.

Moreover, a delicate fragrance emanated from him, making him seem like a deity descending to earth.

"It should be fine now." Qin Ming entered a state of "mental clarity," allowing him to perceive the current situation in great detail.

The wishing well is glowing and has begun to function.

The pool water resembled moonlight gathering, first rippling, then rising in thin smoke, emitting a soft, ethereal light that enveloped Qin Ming's entire body.

The remaining effects of the medicine were working, repairing his injuries.

It took three days and three nights in total. Qin Ming partially disintegrated once, and then his whole body exploded once. He eliminated the hidden danger at its source.

Currently, there are no problems with the level he has reached.

"We can sort out the higher-level scriptures when we delve into them in the future, using the methods we have now." Qin Ming got up from the wishing well, which had become spiritually barren.

Inside the underground palace, there were hot springs with wisps of white mist rising from them, as well as icy underground springs. Qin Ming washed away the bloodstains, his body glowing like jade, his jet-black hair flowing down to his waist, shimmering slightly, and his eyes shining like the morning sun.

He changed into clean clothes and walked out of the underground palace. He felt lighter and more refreshed, as if he had been bathed in holy light, which cleansed his body and cleansed his mind.

Meng Xinghai was surprised when he saw him and said, "Little Qin, how come you are even more otherworldly than the people on the Immortal Path? You give me the feeling that you are about to ascend to heaven at any moment."

Moreover, the fragrance made the living room feel much fresher.

He looked surprised and said, "Could this be the manifestation of a cultivator who has reached the end of a certain realm, as the legend says?"

However, there has never been such a person since ancient times.

Even in ancient times, before civilization was interrupted, the emergence of such figures required the assistance of various rare natural treasures.

By this time, many precious body-refining materials had become extinct.

"I gradually see the road ahead more clearly, and I have sorted out the fundamental principles. Now it suits me more and more, and I have made some progress in my closed-door training." Qin Ming's flesh and blood have become more active, exuding a fresh and rich vitality.

This was not an illusion; he believed that he would soon be able to undergo a natural rebirth. The silk calligraphy became increasingly compatible with him, constantly in operation at a moderate pace, drawing upon the Daoist principles deep within the night mist to regulate himself, as if he were slowly consuming a tonic.

In fact, he seemed to have broken free from the constraints, and although he still focused on the path of new life, he also ventured into other paths.

Qin Ming's path is becoming wider and wider, as if he has broken free of a shackle after accumulating enough experience.

Meng Xinghai reminded him, "Your fragrance makes you seem like a deity, even more special than the gifted immortals who cultivated their bodies in ancient times."

Qin Ming smiled and said, "I have made some progress in body refinement, and my physique is improving. This kind of energy will soon be contained within me."

In fact, this is a divine substance that his body and spirit are emanating. He only needs to cultivate it internally, which will benefit him. He is not yet used to it since he has just come out of seclusion.

Meng Xinghai nodded, then his expression turned serious. He said, "Something big has happened. Above the Nine Heavens, some 'old strongholds' in Jade Capital have revived, and now they want to seal off the heavens!"

What is the Heaven-Sealing Technique? Qin Ming had heard of it briefly when he was in the heavens, but he was still completely clueless about it.

Meng Xinghai said, "Currently, a celestial being has descended to earth and found the high-ranking officials of various paths. They are having secret talks. We have only received a few words of information and still have to wait."

Qin Ming arrived in the courtyard and saw that in the depths of the vast night sky, divine chains crisscrossed, occasionally emitting blinding light, as if trying to seal off the heavens—a truly astonishing sight.

Meng Xinghai said, "You didn't see the initial scene. It was even more astonishing. Even ordinary people could see it when they looked up. The sky looked like it was being locked up by thick chains. It was terrifying."

……

Above the nine heavens, some of the "remnants" left behind by Yujing are huge mountain ranges that stretch across the sea of ​​night mist, like a lonely island floating.

Some are merely faint gateways, leading to a sacred, gradually "withering" sanctuary.

In other areas, black mist billows, and rusty spears, greatswords, and giant blades are stuck in the ground, resembling an ancient battlefield or a weapons cemetery.

They are scattered like stars, located deep within the Sea of ​​Night Fog.

There are also fierce disputes among these "old factions," and they have not reached a complete consensus.

"Why focus your area as the center and pour more Daoist energy into it? Is it because there are still ancient gods who have not completely decayed and are waiting to be revived?"

"We're all getting old. This is no longer our era. What's the point of arguing? Those who are ready to be buried should go find their own graves. I think we should just focus on training new people!"

A few people also prefer Newrank, but the general trend is hard to defy.

"Our blood is still hot, why can't we carry the flag?" an old monster said.

He believes that the new generation started too late and it is unknown when they will be able to grow up, which is far less than the older generation's ability to restore the country.

The other person nodded and said, "Yes, after the Empress's coronation, I should be able to undergo a great rebirth and live another life, returning as a young man. What difference would there be between me and the new generation?"

Moreover, his vision, knowledge, and experience far surpass those of later generations, enabling him to seize various opportunities more accurately.

"I suspect that you have a Celestial Ancestor who is not quite dead behind you!"

"not at all!"

"The environment has changed. In this era, what's wrong with the emergence of a few celestial beings or gods? They could decide the fate of the world with a single strike!"

……

A group of people were having a private conversation, accompanied by arguments, each with their own "old faction" behind them. The so-called sealing of the heavens refers to locking down a large area of ​​the Nine Heavens, receiving the Daoist essence from beyond the heavens, and gathering it to support a group of powerful individuals, allowing them to overcome the calamities caused by the upheavals in the world, recover from their injuries, and ultimately achieve further breakthroughs.

Above the nine heavens, there are many abandoned medicinal fields, lost areas of creation, and broken grotto-heavens. If they can be effectively managed, their value will be astonishing.

If only a select few experts are supported, then that would be no small matter!
"Doing so would be a serious violation of our original agreement. We are all getting old, and we should be discovering those with extraordinary talents and cultivating a new generation of geniuses and anomalies."

A minority of people attempted to oppose this, standing on Newrank's position and hoping to attract more fresh blood.

"That's not right. We're not alone. Do we not have descendants? These young people have already begun to show their talents and shine brightly. Aren't they all gifted? Training them is like absorbing new talent, and they're reliable. There's no need to worry that they're pawns planted by other civilizations."

"Doing this goes against our original intention. The original agreement was that all outstanding individuals within the territory ruled by Yujing would have the opportunity to be nurtured and given special attention."

Now a group of "old factions" are determined to seal off the sky, and the old contracts are nothing but empty words.

Then someone warned, "I must remind you, not all the creatures in Jade Capital have died!"

Many people's expressions changed slightly, and the atmosphere at the scene became somewhat heavy.

An old man spoke up: "We are not in breach of contract. Didn't a celestial being descend to earth? We need to absorb outstanding individuals from all paths and invite them to heaven to help us overcome this difficulty."

"Hmm, if we invite them to come here to recuperate, close to a place with a strong Daoist aura, I don't think they'll refuse, right?"

Many people nodded. Although the heavens were to be sealed off, they had not forgotten the earth and wanted to select a group of people to ascend to the highest heavens.

A middle-aged man spoke up: "Are you truly dedicated to nurturing prodigies and inviting them into the core of the Creation Ground, or are you treating them as future followers and only allowing them to stay in the outer areas?"

In fact, he had already put it rather tactfully. Some old factions were not only selecting talent, but also mostly wanting to cultivate assassins and laborers to do dirty and tiring work in the future.

If the celestial beings ultimately achieve Nirvana, how can they not have capable subordinates in the future? This group alone is insufficient to support such a vast situation.

An old monster spoke up: "The sealing of heaven is already underway and cannot be changed. Earth Immortals have also descended to the mortal realm, so let's recruit more experts and beings with potential during the talent selection process."

After discussing these matters, they also speculated on whether sealing off the sky would have a huge impact on the ground.

"It's not that obvious. It will only lock in some of the Daoist essence from beyond the heavens. Cultivating on the ground will only be slightly more difficult. The overall change is not that significant."

"Yes, that's just how things are. It's no longer the old days when one could become a god simply by cultivating on the ground. I don't think it'll get any worse."

Many people nodded in agreement, believing that the impact was not that serious.

During the discussion, someone mentioned that the world on the ground is a mixed bag, and even the most gifted geniuses cannot be trusted entirely.

If we follow the rules and bestow blessings and spiritual cleansing upon those people, there will likely be a backlash.

"Perhaps, someone will venture deep into the world of night fog, leaving the territory ruled by Jade Capital." Someone raised this serious question.

"Now that Yujing has disintegrated and Yexu has descended upon the world, all the experts, including you and me, are seriously ill and it is difficult for us to travel to foreign lands. This is because the Daoist principles of different cultivation civilizations are different, and traveling far away will aggravate our injuries, and we may very well die far from home."

After a group of people discussed it, they felt that it wasn't a big problem.

Those who are strong or talented on the ground have only two choices: either go to the sky, which will help them recover from their injuries, or endure the pain on the ground and recover on their own.

“Some people, without changing their life form, have the potential to become Seven-Day Overlayers. They must ascend to heaven, and some exceptional individuals must also go with them. They have no choice!” an old monster said in a forceful tone.

An old man reminded them: "Have you ever thought that some outstanding individuals are willing to stay on the ground and undergo a special transformation in the harsh environment? When the world is 'opened up' again in the future, some of them may be even more terrifying in combat than those in the heavens?"

A young man spoke up: "If you cultivate in the heavens where it's easier to absorb the Dao, and you still end up being inferior to the ascetic cultivators on the ground, then you might as well just smash your head against a wall and die. There's no hope for you!"

Immediately, many people laughed. If they didn't have this kind of confidence, how could they dare to seal the heavens?

They felt it was more appropriate to break through the barrier by relying on celestial resources, and they were all preparing for a great rebirth, wanting to become the true pillars of this era.

"Yes, some things should be moved forward. The land of Yezhou needs to be unified. When the world is 'opened up' in the future, Yujing may be projected onto the earth, and a city site that integrates heaven and earth is needed."

"Your Sky City is in charge of this matter, and progress is indeed very slow."

There is no doubt that Sky City is also one of the "old strongholds", but its strength and status here are not high.

And the earthen city under its command has always been in charge of unifying the Ye state.

An old man in Sky City sighed inwardly, truly not expecting that these "old strongholds" would suddenly revive, and that many of them were still alive.

He nodded and said, "Yes, we'll speed things up!"

Someone whispered, "Do you think any beings in the nascent form of Jade Capital underwent Nirvana? They never left, and they never died."

……

In the night sky, the chains of magic intertwined, like chains cast from divine metal, real and enormous, densely packed, locking up a large part of the sky.

In fact, it is the spread and expansion of order that is sealing off the heavens.

The people on the ground were in a state of panic. Ordinary cultivators on all the paths were unaware of what had happened, while the leaders of several paths looked extremely solemn, as a terrestrial immortal had personally come to their door.

They already know part of the truth, and they don't have many options left.

Two days later, rumors began to circulate, causing an uproar throughout the land and sparking heated discussions among many people in various cities.

"They are actually inviting experts of the sixth realm to ascend to heaven, and they can even bring their families. It's like one person attaining enlightenment and their entire family ascending to heaven. This is an olive branch extended by those hidden grotto heavens above the nine heavens, showing exceptional favor to the ancestors of all paths."

"What do you know? Does true ascension to heaven require such a guide? Besides, there's clearly more to this sealing of heaven than meets the eye!"

People in different places who couldn't see the "whole picture" started arguing about this.

Soon, many renowned young men, as well as immortals and gods from various paths, also received "preferential treatment" and people began to contact them.

This time, it wasn't the Earth Immortal who personally summoned him; rather, it was the people of Tu City who were responsible for delivering the message and lobbying.

Upon hearing the news, Meng Xinghai immediately told Qin Ming to hide and not get directly involved in Fengtian's affairs.

He said, "If someone comes to your door in person, I will 'filter' them out for you to avoid meeting them. If you refuse them in person, there will be no room for negotiation."

"Thank you for your trouble, Uncle Meng," Qin Ming said.

The next day, someone came to the door, insisting on seeing Qin Ming.

Meng Xinghai helped him brush it off, saying that he was currently in seclusion and would seriously consider the matter after he emerged from seclusion soon.

That day, Qin Ming was wandering deep in the Black and White Mountains when he saw a rain of light falling from the night sky, and a faint figure approaching, like an immortal descending to earth.

Two figures, a man and a woman, descended and invited him to the highest heavens.

Qin Ming's expression was solemn. He had hidden himself in such a place, isolated from the outside world, how did they find him so easily?
The woman said, "Brother Daoist, please!"

These two were young, having traveled in spirit, and possessed a special flying tool to traverse the Sea of ​​Night Mist. They were shrouded in a hazy, ethereal mist.

The man laughed and said, "Brother Dao, the Heavenly Sealing is about to take place. The environment on Earth will change, and true gods can be nurtured in the heavens. That is our destiny."

The woman spoke again: "There is a Tree of the Great Dao in the heavens, which is of great benefit to our cultivation..."

They were very direct, and there was no real persuasion involved; they simply told us how to choose.

Qin Ming was displeased. The New Ranking had originally intended to give him the third Great Dao Flower, but it was intercepted by the people in the sky. Now they were even mentioning the Great Dao Tree.

At this moment, he was seriously considering the various possibilities of sealing the Heavenly Empress.

"Please ascend to heaven, fellow Daoist, and join the ranks of the immortals!" The two men reached out their hands, inviting him to depart.

(End of this chapter)