Night without Borders

Chapter 488: Eliminate enemies at targeted locations
The critically injured and dying old man Yunfeng coughed up blood in his final moments, driven to despair. He had helped a friend by making contact with the Thunder Palace, but was instead killed. He died with his eyes wide open in anger.

The two blurry figures were calm and indifferent, handling their old friend's funeral arrangements cleanly and efficiently, making it seem as if he had simply passed away at the end of his life.

The older man had long, emerald-green hair, and his eyes shimmered with a green glow. His face was fair, and he was quite familiar to Qin Ming.

The green-haired man was none other than Cui Changqing, who was very famous. He was one of the few people who had mastered the "Scripture of Living in the World" to the highest level and was extremely powerful.

He was a recluse who practiced the "Scripture of Staying in the World" mainly to maintain his physical functions at their peak year-round and to yearn for eternal youth.

He was over a hundred years old, but his face was still as smooth and warm as jade, without a single wrinkle, and he did not look old. He looked like he was only in his thirties.

Years ago, when the Six Imperial Ancestral Court was selecting disciples, choosing those with outstanding talents, Cui Changqing once visited with generous gifts. In addition to ensuring that Cui Chongxuan could become a core disciple, he also casually mentioned Qin Ming, intending to cut off his path to enlightenment.

Beside him stood a young man named Cui Chongye, his grandson. He was unassuming and practiced the "Scripture of Preserving Life," so his actual age was greater than he appeared.

Qin Ming was no stranger to this person. Cui Chongye held a high position in the Cui family and was a genius who was "hidden away," but he could never be compared with Cui Chonghe.

"Grandpa, are you about to break through to the Grandmaster realm?" Cui Chongye knew that his grandfather was in excellent physical condition, maintaining vigorous vitality. He had been patiently honing his skills for many years and was expected to reach an even higher level.

Cui Changqing waved his hand, indicating that the topic should not be continued in this kind of place.

There is no doubt that the Cui family is becoming increasingly wary of Qin Ming; otherwise, Cui Changqing would not have asked his friend, Old Man Yunfeng, for help.

"He hasn't shown up for almost two years. Is he lying low and biding his time? I'm very worried. I'm really afraid that he will rise up and come to my Cui family for revenge."

Cui Changqing never imagined that the former outcast could master the Tongbo calligraphy style on his own and reach such a level, which gave them a sense of dread.

They regretted it. They had carelessly thrown away a piece of gold, and a small snake that should have been coiled in the mud had transformed into a dragon.

They regretted that their early intervention was too mild. A series of unforeseen events had allowed the little snake in the dust to gain momentum and enter the sights of certain powerful figures. First, Meng Xinghai and Li Qingyun protected his life, and then Lu Zizai tried his best to protect him.

It's too late to say anything now.

Cui Changqing said, "With his talent, if he were to be active outside these two years, full of youthful vigor and drive, he would surely be crushed by the winds in such a complex environment, both in the air and on the ground!"

Cui Chongye nodded, secretly sighing in regret.

He then carefully examined the surrounding area to ensure that no traces were left behind. After the old man Yunfeng passed away, there was no way to verify the truth.

The grandfather and grandson were quite satisfied. They disliked stepping into the limelight and were unwilling to get involved themselves. It was best to keep the Cui family out in the open and let others have the bloodshed.

Cui Chongye said, "Grandpa, don't overthink it. It's just a game of chess. Don't be elated by external gains or saddened by personal losses. Just play as you please. You should go and break through the barrier."

Cui Changqing was very satisfied with his grandson, thinking he resembled himself in his youth—low-key and unassuming. He nodded and said, "That's right. He casually plucks the strings, watches the world go by, enjoys a cup of tea, and lives a peaceful life. I'm leaving now."

The grandfather and grandson smiled faintly, their figures completely blurring out.

Qin Ming quietly finished reading, then threw the jade pendant into the coffin and restored the place to its original state.

He felt that the Cui family was like a ghost, constantly haunting him, lingering in the shadows behind him, making him feel like he had a thorn in his side.

If it weren't for his special ability to resonate, he really wouldn't have been able to identify the grandfather and grandson.

Even if one arrives here with extraordinary treasures, it is difficult to trace back to the past, because there is an expiration date. After several months, the truth of the past will have long been erased.

"You think you're above the law by resorting to such tricks?" Qin Ming's expression grew cold. Even if they couldn't uncover this secret, could the Cui family really remain uninvolved?
He acts "upright and honorable." If he feels he has been wronged, he will definitely target all potential enemies indiscriminately, leaving none of them to escape.

The Cui family has an ancestor at the sixth realm—Cui Geng. Qin Ming must avoid him and is far from provoking him.

As for the fifth-level members of the Cui family, he didn't know them and wouldn't consider them for the time being.

However, he could have targeted and eliminated the others, causing them immense pain.

"Cui Changqing, is your grandson the most like you when you were young? Then let's behead him right in front of you."

"You're aiming to break through to the Grandmaster realm? Cui Changqing, you're truly remarkable." Qin Ming hadn't expected that the green-haired old monster could reach such a height.

The centenarian master is actually still considered "young" and is definitely not considered old and decrepit.

"Cui Changqing, your path to mastery ends here. Even though you've already stepped one foot into the Grandmaster realm, I will pull you back..."

What Qin Ming disliked most was the way the grandfather and grandson acted. Despite their dirty tricks, they remained nonchalant, watching the fight from the sidelines, appearing leisurely and detached.

"And Cui Chonghe." Qin Ming's eyes were deep and unfathomable. If it weren't for Sun Taichu behind him, and the fact that Cui Er was a precious gem of the secluded paradise, he could have kicked him down from the clouds even if he went there alone.

It can be said that Qin Ming now lives up to the name of "Realm Master". In terms of cultivation alone, he is no longer afraid of the group of immortals and gods from back then.

"I wonder how badly Old Sun is injured, and whether he might die peacefully?" Qin Ming muttered to himself.

Since Cui Chonghe has Sun Taichu backing him up, then he should just have a public fight with him.

Qin Ming had seen that letter when he was in Chixia City. Now, Cui Chong was bursting with confidence and no longer kept a low profile. He was already challenging various geniuses from Yezhou and beyond.

"Once I've made all the arrangements, I'll show myself at the right time and fight you," he muttered calmly to himself.

Qin Ming took Wen Rui away silently, without alerting the old abbot of the Changsheng Temple, and rode the wind away into the distance.

He once again had Huang Luo cover the umbrella to erase any traces, preventing anyone from using the treasure to trace back to any images or traces at the scene.

"Uncle." Lu Wenrui could hardly believe his eyes. After four years, he actually saw that familiar face in the Lingxu Mountains.

Qin Ming returned to Shuangshu Village many times, but to avoid affecting innocent people because of him, he only met with Liu Mo each time and did not meet with Lu Ze, Wen Rui and others.

Even so, some people still tried to implicate those around him, which enraged him.

In fact, over the past few years, the red squirrel that grew up with Wenrui had hinted that Qin Ming had returned, but Wenrui ran to the village entrance many times but never saw that figure.

“Wenrui is a big kid now.” Qin Ming looked at him, feeling somewhat uncomfortable. He was supposed to be a nine-year-old child, but his body had “expanded” so much that he was taller than an average adult.

Four years ago, Wenrui was still a little boy with rosy cheeks and big, clear eyes. He was very innocent. In that winter when food was scarce, he was well-behaved and sensible when he brought food to Qin Ming. Although he wanted to eat, he hid it and just swallowed his saliva in secret.

Wenrui said, "Uncle, I am also a cultivator now. Although I am not as powerful as you, I can protect my younger brother and will be able to protect Shuangshu Village in the future."

Clearly, although he was physically strong, his mind was far from mature, which was in line with his age. He had no idea of ​​the difficulties of the path of the Giant Spirit God and the danger of dying young.

Among the powerful figures Qin Ming knew, only one old barbarian god had achieved great success on this path, reaching the seventh realm. There were no other giant spirit gods among the top experts.

Thinking about all this, Qin Ming felt even more disgusted and resentful towards the old strongholds like Lei Ze Palace and Xing Chen Mountain. When their superiors inspected the Ling Xu Mountain Range, they casually mentioned that Wen Rui was being trained as a strongman, thus ruining his future.

After careful consideration, Qin Ming said, "Wenrui, your uncle has a way to help you change your route. Although it will take time and effort, it will allow you to go further."

"Ah, Uncle, I'm used to the hardship of repairing this road. Is it okay to change the road?" Wenrui asked, somewhat confused.

"We'll talk about this when we get back," Qin Ming said, leading him on a journey through the night fog, soaring far each time before landing on the ground for support.

Wenrui was still a child at heart; he felt like he was flying, exclaiming in surprise from time to time, and then filled with joy after getting used to it. Although they hadn't seen each other for a long time, Wenrui had already remembered things before Qin Ming left and felt a great fondness for his uncle.

In addition, his parents often mentioned that his uncle was an extraordinary talent who was very famous in those brightly lit cities far away.

In Shuangshu Village, Lu Ze and Liang Wanqing exclaimed, "Wenrui!"

They were incredulous, unable to believe their eyes. Their eldest son had suddenly returned after leaving, and how could he be so tall?
"Mother, Father!" Wenrui rushed over with tears in his eyes.

"Brother!" Wenhui, who is now six years old, immediately ran over.

"Xiao Qin, you...you're back!" Then, Lu Ze saw Qin Ming behind him, rushed over, hugged his shoulders, and was extremely excited.

"Little Qin?" Liang Wanqing was also surprised. She and Lu Ze already knew that Qin Ming was now famous throughout Yezhou and belonged to the strongest group of geniuses.

"Uncle!" Wenhui ran over as well. He had no recollection of the person in front of him, but he often heard his parents talk about this uncle's past and legendary experiences.

"Brother Lu, sister-in-law!" Qin Ming came over. He had tried to avoid them, but he hadn't expected that something bad would still happen. Now he was going to bring Black and White Mountain over and stop trying to hide anything.

He discussed some things with Lu Ze in detail, and afterwards told others that Wen Rui, Wen Hui, and Liu Mo's youngest son were playmates.

……

A sparrow flew over and reported, "Mountain Lord, Dog Lord is still in the mountain, but his condition seems dire. He keeps coughing up blood, and he's hesitating about whether to ascend to heaven. However, since it involves the Divine Child, he's determined to get involved, and he's pressing for details."

Qin Ming nodded and said, "I do have some new information."

The flying sparrow carried messages between Black and White Mountain and Twin Tree Village. The sparrow and its partner this year were very dedicated to their work.

"If it weren't for the fact that Dog Lord was so badly injured, it would have personally come out of seclusion. Even so, it's still furious and has decided to intimidate!" Yu Que was very excited. Dog Sword Immortal ordered people to take its green bamboo sword and cut down the Thunder Palace and Star Mountain branches on the ground. If any important figures dared to object and actually jump out, it would kill them even if it was injured.

Qin Ming was somewhat worried after learning about the dog sword immortal's condition; the illness of a being at the Earth Immortal level had become so severe.

Therefore, he didn't mention the Cui family at all. He believed that he could take revenge himself and there was no need to ask the Beast God. He could handle things step by step on his own.

However, he still needs to take advantage of opportunities when they arise, otherwise wouldn't it be a waste?

Two days later, the creatures in the Black and White Mountain Forbidden Land obeyed the ancestor's instructions, carried the Green Bamboo Sword, and set off for Chongxiao City, the capital of the Great Yu Dynasty.

Today, this place has become the center of Night State, with tangible networks extending outwards, expanding, and organizing the order of heaven and earth, covering the dark earth.

Most importantly, there is no intense fluctuation of Daoist energy here; relatively speaking, it is a place close to the Dao.

Whether in the heavens or on the ground, all powerful beings know that this place is very important. The sacred radiance rising from this place blends with the pure land in the heavens, which can help earth immortals heal their injuries.

Therefore, all major forces now have special strongholds in Chongxiao City.

Both the Lei Ze Palace and the Xing Chen Mountain branch are located in the most prosperous area of ​​the city, situated on the banks of the Shu Yu River. Here, silver willows sway and shimmer in the sunlight, and the two magnificent mansions are nestled among them, occupying a considerable area.

Arcs of electricity crackled across the golden tiles of the Thunder Palace, which was protected by a powerful array. Meanwhile, the buildings of Star Mountain were enveloped in a galaxy-like radiance, creating an extraordinary spectacle.

At that very moment, a loud shout rang out: "By the decree of the Beast God, come and slay the Thunder Swamp Palace!"

With a thick, emerald-green sword beam, the Thunder Palace exploded, its massive complex shattering into dust amidst the sword energy.

Throughout the mansion, many people screamed in agony. The strongest among them was an elderly grandmaster, demonstrating that in the current special circumstances, someone of this level was already capable of holding sway over a region.

He screamed shrilly, his hair disheveled, and charged into the night sky, but he could not escape his fate. In an instant, he exploded into a cloud of blood mist and died a gruesome death.

Many people were stunned. They never expected that someone would dare to act so recklessly in the newly established unified Immortal Dynasty.

However, after learning the origin of the person who made the move, many people gasped in disbelief. Who hadn't heard that when the Four Great Earth Immortals descended to the mortal realm, it was the Beast God of Black and White Mountain who was the first to jump out?

Nearly two years have passed, but the story of the Dog Sword Immortal's solo battle against four Earth Immortals still intimidates all sides.

“Fellow Daoist, why go to such lengths?” someone asked.

"Black and White Mountain is the Daoist temple of my ancestor. The Twin Tree Village outside the mountain has a great connection with it. How dare the Thunder Palace run wild in Twin Tree Village and kidnap people? Those involved should be executed!" shouted the experts of Black and White Mountain.

People noticed that the Beast God sent two grandmasters, each carrying its green bamboo sword, to lead the way. This was because the Beast God was truly enraged, hence the intense killing intent.

On this day, Shuangshu Village was destined to become famous throughout the world.

"That name sounds familiar."

"You forgot, Qin Ming also came from there!"

As people were in shock, the two grandmaster-level envoys from Black and White Mountain once again raised their swords and shouted, "Star Mountain, it shall be slain!"

With a deafening roar, green light enveloped the banks of the Shuyu River. The mansion, shrouded in starlight, was covered by terrifying sword energy before exploding with a thunderous crash.

"Ah..." A grandmaster struggled and screamed in the disintegrating mansion, summoning a rare treasure, but it could not change anything at all. It shattered in an instant, and his body and soul were destroyed.

At this very moment, in Chongxiao City, the leaders of all the major organizations' strongholds were furious and fled in a panic, all hiding far away.

No one knew whether the people from Black and White Mountain would strike again; they were too audacious, barging straight into the capital of the Great Yu Dynasty to kill people.

Moreover, they were dealing with a branch of the old mountain stronghold in the sky, acting recklessly and arrogantly.

"Let's put this matter behind us for now, and let it not happen again, or the sword light will cleave straight to the heavens!" The two grandmasters led their team away, cleanly and decisively, without any hesitation.

In fact, they were not doing well themselves. Although it was only a partial activation of the power left behind by the Dog Sword Immortal, the two grandmasters were still shaken to the point of coughing up blood, and their physical condition was very poor.

The capital of the Great Yu Dynasty was first deathly silent, then it erupted in chaos.

"That beast god is too powerful, isn't he?"

"Shh, that's not the point. The once-powerful and vengeful demon is extremely vengeful. Making any rash remarks might get you into trouble!"

Many people were stunned that day, never expecting such a bloody incident to occur.

"Leize Palace only offended a village outside Black and White Mountain, yet that Beast God is eager to wage war against the heavens. He truly holds a grudge and should not be provoked!"

Shuangshu Village became associated with Black and White Mountain in this way, and the story spread throughout Yezhou.

Although the Dog Sword Immortal did not arrive in person, his descendant came with his bamboo sword. With two swift strikes, he eliminated Thunder Swamp Palace and Star Mountain, directly shocking all sides.

"Wait, why do I think I see Qin Ming?"

“That’s right, I think I saw it just now too. He wasn’t far from those people from Black and White Mountain. Could they be from the same group?”

Qin Ming, the face of Xinsheng Road who had disappeared for nearly two years, has reappeared, causing a huge stir as many people are looking for him.

"Qin Ming?" Upon hearing that her old friend had appeared, Yao Ruoxian, the fourth princess of the Great Yu Dynasty, immediately sent someone to invite him, but to no avail; Qin Ming had already disappeared.

"Sister, don't be impulsive!" Inside Chongxiao City, Bai Meng was trying to persuade Tang Yushang, genuinely afraid that she would draw her sword and chase after them.

Without a doubt, Shuangshu Village became famous overnight.

In the days that followed, there were always eyes watching from the surrounding area, but no one dared to venture into the village. Everyone came here to find out what was going on and avoid making any mistakes in the future.

"Gentlemen, have you forgotten? Even Cao Qianqiu once encountered misfortune here and suffered setbacks more than once."

"Ah? So this is the place!"

Some people's pupils contracted because they saw Qin Ming.

He now lives in the village, and is taking advantage of the situation.

The news spread far and wide, and the various forces reacted in different ways.

Is Qin Ming also someone with a significant background? How could many large organizations not have such thoughts?

He then disappeared and entered Black and White Mountain. Appearing occasionally was enough; he did not want to be constantly investigated and spied on by outsiders.

Qin Ming traversed the Black and White Mountains and quietly departed.

Dog Sword Immortal set an example by eliminating key locations on the ground, including Lei Ze Palace and Xing Chen Mountain.

Qin Ming also prepared to take action, intending to target and eliminate certain members of the Cui family.

"Huh?" He suddenly stopped as he sped away under the cover of the mountains, and saw something incredible along the way.

In the pitch-black night sky, a beam of light descended, its dense symbols rapidly forming a human-shaped silhouette in the mountains. The figure was entirely composed of text, like smoke and mist, and was not real.

The beam of light did not come from the sky, but fell from a height slightly above the mountain, dispelling the darkness at the summit.

Qin Ming hid in the distance, feeling a strange mix of emotions.

This scene is much like a window suddenly being opened in a closed, dark box, allowing outside light to shine in.

"When the future is unveiled, this will be my territory." The glowing humanoid silhouette spoke, in a completely different language. As it spoke, words flowed, twinkling like tiny stars, as if expanding a spiritual field, their meaning could be understood.

The humanoid silhouette surveyed the surroundings and said, "Every blade of grass, every tree, and all things here, including you, belong to me."

Clearly, this creature had caught a glimpse of Qin Ming, and the creature it was referring to included him.

Soon, the window in the night sky closed, and the figure gradually disappeared, like a shower of spiritual light scattering across the mountains.

Qin Ming vanished in an instant, using a yellow silk umbrella to protect his body and a tattered cloth to shield his mind. Untouched by the mist and rain, he disappeared into the horizon in the blink of an eye.

"The world of night fog is full of unknowns and mysteries. What was that just now?" Qin Ming pondered all the way.

In comparison, the impact of Daoist energy and the drastic changes in the environment are nothing. The world of night mist clearly holds many deeper secrets that are difficult to fathom.

Putting everything else aside, the very ground beneath our feet is beyond comprehension; this is definitely not a planet.

Qin Ming cast aside these thoughts, rode the wind, and disappeared into the vast night. He traversed the night fog and headed directly for the Cui family's important territory. Since others had already made their moves, he naturally wanted to "repay them with something precious."

(End of this chapter)