Night without Borders

Chapter 493 The Abandoned Child and the True Protagonist

The surrounding area was quiet.

What was he saying? He was in the eighth level of the Spirit Realm, yet he thought that Cui Chonghe, who was only at the fourth level, was enough.

Everyone stopped talking and looked over.

In fact, Cui Chonghe's words and actions were no less impressive. He casually remarked that he could not get any weaker, and could only suppress himself to the early stage of the fourth realm at most. His arrogance and indifference were already evident in his words.

Many people speculate that Qin Ming may have felt slighted, which is why he reacted that way.

The two men remained calm, yet their few words seemed to unleash a storm.

The peaceful atmosphere was broken, and a sense of tension quietly arose, making things become subtle.

Cui Chonghe was dressed in white, his black hair flowing with a luster like silk. He was handsome and outstanding, with clear eyes like springs and a gentle and refined temperament, standing out from the crowd.

"No need." He spoke calmly, uttering only these three words, glancing at Qin Ming briefly before turning away and no longer paying attention.

Beside him stood Cui Xiao, a renowned elder of the Cui family in his prime. His body, clad in black, exuded a vigorous yet restrained aura. He smiled gently and said, "Qin Ming, there's really no need for this. There's no need to overreact. Let's wait until we reach the fourth realm."

Cui Changfeng also spoke up: "So-called youthful vigor is mostly just acting rashly and impulsively when one is hot-blooded. You should calm down first."

He was a senior expert in the Cui family, and his status was indeed not low.

Cui Chong and the people around him did not glare at him; they were all relatively calm and composed, and even offered advice, showing the demeanor of a family with a thousand-year history.

Some people around them nodded in agreement, acknowledging their style of handling things.

However, some believe that the seemingly gentle appearance of the Cui family elders is actually an attempt to highlight Cui Chonghe's magnanimity, his unwillingness to bully the weak, and his detached nature.

Moreover, Cui Chonghe was very sparing with words, using only a few simple sentences and unwilling to waste words, which made him appear to be of a very high level.

The other members of the Cui family acted as "mouth substitutes," which deepened this impression and highlighted Qin Ming's impulsiveness and recklessness, thus creating an implicit contrast between the two.

Qin Ming, dressed in a blue robe with his hair fluttering in the wind, possessed an ethereal quality that surpassed even those outside the mortal realm, despite his major cultivation path. His upright and heroic bearing exuded a transcendent charm.

In terms of appearance and demeanor alone, he was naturally no less than the two dragons of the Cui family, otherwise he wouldn't have been chosen as Cui Chonghe's stand-in so early on.

"Didn't you want to spar with me? Why are you bringing it up again at the last minute?" Qin Ming spoke, his simple words direct and powerful. He certainly wouldn't become someone else's background.

After his expression turned slightly cold, his so-called otherworldly and serene demeanor gradually faded, replaced by a rare iron-blooded and ruthless aura in Cui Chonghe.

"Moreover, I'm telling the truth. Is it really that difficult for someone at the eighth level of the Spirit Realm to defeat you?" he emphasized again.

Throughout, Qin Ming's tone remained calm and natural, and he finally looked at the Cui family's distinguished members with surprise.

"Aren't you in the wrong place, singing and dancing like this? You should be telling stories in a teahouse, or perhaps you should join an opera troupe."

These words were rather blunt; Qin Ming spoke his mind directly, showing no mercy whatsoever.

Before Cui Chonghe and the other prominent figures could speak, Cui Chongxiao, the eldest son of the Cui family, arrived with several people, speaking in a deep voice.

"I'm giving you a chance to rephrase your words." He had deep eyes, a refined and elegant appearance, and a calm and extraordinary demeanor.

The two Cui brothers were indeed exceptionally handsome and stood out in the entire venue.

Faced with such a deep gaze and cold questioning, Qin Ming naturally wouldn't indulge him, and responded bluntly: "Are you possessed by a demon? Can't you understand Yezhou dialect? Or are you prematurely aging and severely hard of hearing? If you have a problem, go get treatment right away."

In an instant, everyone looked over, and the atmosphere on the scene became extremely tense, with both sides seemingly on the verge of a violent conflict at the slightest disagreement.

Cui Chongxiao was tall and had eyes like lightning. As a disciple of a top expert in the Secret Sect, he was low-key but his cultivation was terrifying. His invisible aura expanded forward, aiming to suppress his opponents.

An elder from the Great Yu royal family appeared like a ghost and said, "Everyone, please calm down. We are here to discuss an important matter: the reopening of the ancient Misty Gate. Let's not spoil the harmony."

Without a doubt, he was quite powerful, being at the peak of the fourth realm. He stood between the Cui family and Qin Ming, preventing them from fighting each other here.

"I'm sorry, I acted impulsively." Cui Chongxiao regained his composure and apologized to the experts of the Great Yu royal family.

Then, he glanced at Qin Ming and adopted a different attitude, saying, "If the time and place were different, some people would probably be 'forced' to behave themselves."

This was a threat and intimidation; Cui Chongxiao exuded a faint killing intent as he issued a warning.

Qin Ming was unfazed and sneered, "What are you trying to prove? If the time is right in the future, you two brothers can just attack together, and I'll take on both of you by myself!"

In an instant, a commotion broke out here.

Cui Chongxiao looked down at them with a superior attitude, but Qin Ming, whose cultivation level was lower than his, was not afraid at all and even wanted to fight the two brothers, which was really quite domineering.

“Interesting.” Li Wanfa arrived. Although he looked very young, he was of extremely high seniority. He was a direct disciple of a contemporary sage.

Beside him, Little Tathagata also showed a strange expression, thinking to himself, "It's a pity that he hasn't reached the fourth realm yet. He still needs to wait a long time before he reaches the Grandmaster level that the Patriarch mentioned."

Many people are watching, including disciples of the Earth Immortal Daoist sect.

"Gentlemen, let's value harmony." The old royal uncle of the Great Yu personally came over and stopped both sides.

Yao Ruoxian, graceful and elegant, with her flowing black hair and the colorful golden hairpin on her head shimmering with a dreamlike brilliance, also spoke up, trying to dissuade the two sides from a conflict.

She secretly transmitted her voice, saying, "Qin Ming, don't be impulsive. Not to mention Cui Chonghe, that Cui Chongxiao is nearly thirty years old, has been cultivating for much longer than you, and his realm is indeed quite high."

Qin Ming nodded. This was the palace of the Great Yu royal family. They had sent out invitations widely, and many young experts from the heavens and outer realms were here. He didn't want to spoil the atmosphere.

Before Cui Chongxiao could say anything more, Cui Chonghe stopped him, saying, "Brother, I can do it myself."

Cui Chonghe looked ahead, his expression calm and indifferent, maintaining his previous demeanor, and said, "Qin Ming, I'm giving you a chance to change your mind..."

Qin Ming interrupted him, saying, "If you were at the early stage of the fourth realm, you probably really wouldn't be able to do it."

His only response, consisting of just this one sentence, immediately turned Cui Chonghe's face cold.

Clearly, Qin Ming knew his temperament and had anticipated this outcome.

“Alright, after this gathering ends, we’ll have a public showdown.” Cui Chong’s voice was powerful and clear, echoing throughout the room.

This immediately sparked a wave of discussion.

"Qin Ming wants to fight Cui Chonghe? Great! I'm really looking forward to it. How will the Chaos Force, famous for its offensive prowess, perform against the 'Golden Jade Chapter'?"

Now, whether from the local area, the outer realms, or even the heavens, everyone who has come here knows that the grudges and entanglements between these two people actually involve the issue of substitutes and abandoned pawns.

"From Cui Chonghe's initiative to write a letter challenging Qin Ming to a duel, it can be seen that the latter is truly exceptionally talented. After all, this obviously made the main character feel the crisis and pressure."

Of course, there were also people who were on good terms with the Cui family and stood on their side, saying, "Is this the Tanuki War Prince? He's just a shadow, but he's already gained power and wants to kill his master."

"Shut your stinking mouth. Haven't you heard the details? Qin Ming died once for the Cui family, and in terms of background, he's not necessarily inferior to the Cui family."

Recently, rumors have been circulating that Qin Ming, who practices Chaos Force, may be a descendant of the Qin family ancestor, one of the founders of silk calligraphy.

"One of the earliest founders of silk calligraphy, his descendants, if not of noble birth, are certainly no less distinguished than the so-called scions of a thousand-year-old aristocratic family. But what did the Cui family do? They disregarded the descendants of Master Qin, treating them as puppets, forcing them to die in their place, and even coveted their silk calligraphy. What kind of despicable act is this?"

"If this is true, the Cui family is truly inhuman. It's a pity that the legendary Ancestor Qin disappeared nine hundred years ago; he should be dead by now, otherwise he would have surely trampled the Cui family to pieces!"

The simple challenge and response from the two players sparked a controversy, with different people holding different views, leading to heated discussions.

"You may not know, but four months ago, Cui Chonghe mastered the Golden Jade Chapter, which is one of the three most difficult true scriptures to master on the path to immortality."

It is said that this caused Cui Chonghe's physical body and spirit to undergo another great rebirth, making his cultivation extremely terrifying. In terms of combat against opponents of the same realm, he is formidable and not necessarily weaker than someone who has mastered the Chaos Force, especially since his realm is even higher.

Immediately, the group gasped in surprise at the night fog.

Even those from the old mountain peaks of heaven were deeply shaken, for they knew that the "Golden Palace Jade Chapter" was a law from heaven and belonged to one of the orthodox lineages of the Jade Capital.

"Could this be a fierce battle between dragons and tigers?"

"Hmm, the stand-in has transformed into a real dragon, otherwise it wouldn't have been suspected of being 'One Sword'. Cui Chong and he have such a deep bond, as the real one, he can also be called a dragon, right? Wouldn't you call this a battle between two dragons?"

Cui Chonghe and Qin Ming made a preliminary agreement that the duel would be held three days later.

Because the current gathering will last for one or two days, focusing on discussing the ancient Misty Gate and the exploration into the depths of the Night Mist World, no one wants to miss it.

Soon after, the commotion caused by the battle between the two dragons of Dayu gradually subsided.

The night was as dark as gauze, and the royal palace gardens were beautiful. The jade pavilions were half-hidden in the purple bamboo forest, and the flying dragon vines hung down from the sky. The silver wind chimes swayed gently, and the "moon lotus" in the lake quietly bloomed. The bright "moonlight" spread across the void in layers.

At this time, everyone who came to the meeting was given a booklet, which recorded various ancient fog gates and some of the unearthed truths.

"Everyone, the older generation has retired due to health issues, so it's up to our generation to take over," someone set the tone for the gathering.

Now, the younger generation is rising, and they will be the ones to carry the banner of this era.

However, the harsh reality has already revealed that some of them may not be able to withstand the test in the future, but those who can be reborn from the ashes will surely be "true gold." The sandalwood table exudes a faint fragrance, and Qin Ming, as a participant, is naturally also carefully reading the secret book on the table.

Those who can come here are either renowned geniuses, disciples of earth immortals, or descendants of the blazing sun in the sky and the Seven-Day Stacker; it can be said that young masters gather here.

Even the ultimate form of the fusion of the "Celestial Fairy" and the "Celestial God"—Yun Jianyue—has already arrived here in person.

"This ancient mist gate is worth exploring. A grandmaster once passed through it and returned as a sixth-realm expert."

Someone spoke up, pointing to a single page with a separate commentary, suggesting that this mysterious gate should be studied in detail.

"Fellow Daoist, don't rush, there is supplementary information. Please turn to the next page," someone reminded you.

Many people frowned because the powerful figure who had broken through returned to that world three years later, only to return insane within three days.

Furthermore, none of the powerful individuals at the sixth realm who accompanied him, including the top-level patriarchs, returned.

Someone sighed, "There's a great chance that there are extraordinary medicinal herbs in that area, but there might also be terrifying monsters deliberately luring people in, making it a very ominous place."

The Ancient Misty Gate requires a special "life talisman" to enter and exit. Each talisman is unique and bound to a specific person in advance. If the identity does not match, one cannot embark on the journey home.

This is to prevent the source of the ominous creature from being traced and hunted down.

It is conceivable that the ancient sages must have experienced very painful lessons in order to develop such a special destiny symbol.

Some people flipped through the pages and found more descriptions of the area.

"This... is not a fog gate prepared for us at all. It is far too tragic. If we insist on going, we may all be wiped out."

Behind this mist, spiritual flowers bloom and rare herbs abound, making it a peaceful place. However, when a group of immortals led an exploration, they were discovered by later explorers, whose corpses were found hanging on an old tree, mostly devoured.

Immediately, everyone present felt their brows twitch. The thought of a celestial being hanging from a tree branch and becoming food was truly chilling.

Most ancient fog gates are blank, without any description, and full of unknowns.

The more this was the case, the heavier people's mood became, and a chill ran down their spines. This was because the few recorded Misty Gates were all more sinister than the last, and who wouldn't have doubts? How could anyone dare to go there?

"Are these old men crazy? Do they really think we young people are cannon fodder? Sending us to our deaths, going out to scout ahead, what are they thinking!"

Some people are dissatisfied, saying that these blood-red fog gates are for anyone who wants to go, and that 90% of them have already rejected them in their hearts and will never get involved.

"There are also places with extremely low risk, where the Dharma is just beginning to emerge. It is said that some sages went there to become gods and ancestors, and they gained a great deal there!"

Researchers have discovered that some strange places, though seemingly barren, are worth exploring, as they hold unexpected wonders. For example, there may be rare and exotic gold mines, or declining lands that are gradually being unsealed, allowing outsiders to grow stronger day by day and become supreme immortals, Buddhas, or peerless masters in other realms.

"The Land of Daylight?!" A prodigy from the Earth Immortal Dojo raised his voice, seemingly astonished.

In fact, these four words alone are enough to evoke a lot of thoughts.

However, people fell silent after their eyes fell on that page, because there were only those four words, without any further description.

Tang Yushang said, "There was originally half a page of records, but it was torn out and deliberately damaged. I guess that area is quite extraordinary."

She was also present, with bright, clear eyes and long, flowing black hair that reached her waist. Her beauty was truly breathtaking, and her black dress accentuated her cool and elegant demeanor, making her appear exceptionally graceful.

"Everyone, you may not know this, but in the distant past, some of the gods here were made behind those misty gates." A young man spoke, dressed in spotless white robes. He was none other than Zhou Tiandao, a divine being from the highest heavens, exuding an extraordinary and otherworldly aura.

It was quiet at first, then the noise started to pick up, and these mysterious gates sparked heated discussions.

Qin Ming tapped the sandalwood table lightly with his fingers. He felt that some lower-level otherworldly realms were worth exploring, but as for the Misty Gate, which offered great fortune and even Earth Immortals would encounter danger if they went there, he would never get involved.

Unless absolutely necessary, who would willingly venture into such a place? Wouldn't that be courting death?
He strongly suspected that in that mysterious and unknown world, there were likely wild, god-level monsters.

Everyone knows that the greater the risk, the greater the reward, but you also need to be alive to get it.

The gathering lasted two days, during which all parties discussed and consulted ancient texts to uncover the truth behind the sealed Fog Gates, and then summarized their findings.

"Gentlemen, we'll discuss this further once we've uncovered more of the Fog Gate's past."

In reality, uncovering the truth is unlikely; the available information is limited, and what we have is barely enough for further exploration. Some have decided that once the Qilin Toe, the Golden Claw Mark, and other such marks completely disappear, they will consider embarking on a long journey to explore relatively safer, exotic lands.

“Brother Qin, you are about to fight Cui Chonghe. Are you confident? He is at the fourth level, while you have not been cultivating for long. It is a bit risky!” Cheng Sheng from the Secret Sect came over, with Zhao Qingcheng beside him. The two of them were considered to be among the top-ranking divine seeds in the Secret Sect.

In fact, many people are paying attention to this.

As soon as the party ended, everyone was looking at Qin Ming and Cui Chonghe, knowing that it would soon be their turn to face off.

"It's nothing, just a simple battle," Qin Ming said with a smile, even inviting the two of them to have a drink.

"I'm waiting to see his results!" Qi Yunxiao, the Eastern Prodigy who had been crippled by Qin Ming, whispered in the distance. He practiced the "Nirvana Scripture". Two years later, with the personal intervention of the patriarch of the Earth Immortal Dojo, he was reborn and completely recovered.

Mu Xingyao and Cen Jinghong, who were captured by Qin Ming in the past, had complicated expressions, while Xiao Jinye, the grandson of the old barbarian god, and the geniuses in the sky, Feng Zhige, Yan Zhuohua, Lu Chengyuan and others also looked forward.

"Brother Ming, a resounding victory!" Bai Meng transmitted his voice.

Qin Ming responded discreetly, saying, "You've worked hard these past two days."

"It's nothing!" Bai Meng waved his hand. For the past two days, he had been quietly spreading the word that Cui Chonghe would face off against Qin Ming, who was in the third realm, with the strength of the early stage of the fourth realm.

Not only him, but also the old master Yu Gengsheng mobilized his connections to help.

If Qin Ming were to directly confront Cui Chonghe, who was in the mid-stage of the fourth realm, he could defeat him, but it would be too conspicuous.

Since Cui Er was so arrogant, Qin Ming decided to grant his wish.

According to Qin Ming's understanding, Cui Chonghe is very self-confident. Judging from his personality, he shouldn't cause trouble on his own, but with the Cui family members involved, it's hard to say.

Therefore, it is still necessary to spread some necessary "rumors" to block the way for certain people.

As he expected, some of the core members of the Cui family came to the capital of the Great Yu Dynasty. For example, Cui Chonghe's father, Cui Qi, had arrived two days earlier, and the clan's ailing elder had also come. Everyone was very concerned about this matter.

An old man with almost no eyebrows spoke up: "Since the abandoned son is so arrogant, then let him 'die a worthy death.' Don't suppress your cultivation level, Chonghe. Don't be ashamed of your pride. When the time comes, use the power of the mid-stage of the fourth realm and beat him to a pulp in the arena!"

“Hmm, it’s not impossible.” Cui Qi nodded in agreement, instructing his second son to do as he was told.

“That’s only right, he brought this on himself!” Cui Chongxiao, the eldest son of the Cui family, also supported this course of action.

However, Cui Changfa spoke up from the side: "These past two days, rumors have been circulating that Chong He is going to fight Qin Ming with the strength of the early stage of the fourth realm."

Cui Qi's expression immediately darkened, and he said, "This...we don't need to pay attention to those!"

Cui Chonghe shook his head. He was confident in himself and had already made his promise at the gathering. Was he going to go back on his word? He originally wanted to defeat Qin Ming head-on and didn't want his otherwise brilliant record to be tarnished.

"It's definitely those abandoned party spreading this kind of news on purpose, how shameful!" An elder from the Cui family slammed his hand on the table and said.

They knew Cui Chonghe very well and knew that once he made a decision, there was no point in trying to dissuade him.

At this moment, the old master from the Cui family, who had come despite his illness, spoke up: "The first to third levels of the fourth realm are all considered the initial stage. Chonghe, for the sake of stability and for the sake of the Cui family's thousand-year glory, you can no longer act recklessly. You must know that your grandfather Changqing was killed unexpectedly, and our Cui family has lost a master who should have risen to prominence. Recently, our morale has been low, and the negative impact is enormous. You must achieve a great victory; you cannot afford to lose!"

Upon hearing this, Cui Qi immediately nodded and said, "Yes, it's settled then!"

After saying that, he patted Cui Chonghe on the shoulder, telling him to obey his orders.

Previously, Qin Ming and Cui Chonghe had agreed to fight three days later, and there were no changes. Time passed quickly, and the official day was approaching.

By then, the news had already spread.

Not only the Cui family arrived, but also people from various Daoist sects, direct descendants of top families, and experts from other regions in Yezhou, all gathered towards the capital of the Great Yu Dynasty.

Some old acquaintances of Qin Ming and Cui Chong also came, such as Chen Bingyan, Zheng Maoze and others. Even Zeng Yuan, who returned home to become a wealthy man after breaking his leg, came to watch the battle. In addition, Wang Caiwei, the "female lead" who was involved in past grievances, also came to Chongxiao City to watch the duel.

Yun Jianyue, a core saint from the Nine Heavens, also personally attended the competition. As for Zhou Tiandao, Feng Zhige, and others, they had already arrived early.

In addition, some people from the sky came specifically to observe with their own eyes and finally confirm whether Qin Ming was a member of the Realm School and a Sword Master.

The arena for the duel was provided by the royal family of Dayu. It was a vast area, large enough for all sides to watch the battle live.

Qin Ming strode confidently into the arena.

Cui Chonghe stood motionless, like a statue, surrounded by ethereal mist. He had been in the arena for half an hour already.

"This is your last chance. It's not too late to back out now," Cui Chonghe said. He knew perfectly well that things had come to this point, and the other party had no chance of backing down.

"Even now, you're still putting on airs. To be honest, if you brothers were only at the early stage of the fourth realm, I could take on both of you by myself." Qin Ming said, glancing at Cui Chongxiao outside the arena.

"Who gave you the guts?" Cui Chongxiao shouted from the sidelines, his face turning completely grim.

"If you're not convinced, then you try!" Qin Ming stared directly at him.

(End of this chapter)