Night without Borders

Chapter 504 Bloodstained Forbidden Zone

The night fog was so thick it was choking, and lightning bolts darted through the void like fiery snakes. The tribulation-transcending array that sealed the ancient medicine field was loosening, and medicinal vapors were overflowing along with arcs of electricity.

Near the collapsed mountain, the crowd stirred, their burning gazes seemingly trying to pierce through the thick fog, fixed intently on the direction of the medicinal herb field.

The dilapidated black and gold towers glowed faintly, but Qian Cheng remained unmoved, showing no signs of agitation. His mind became even more focused as he traced the runes on the towers with his fingers.

His eyes became deep, as if lightning had pierced the abyss, a sea of ​​electricity had surged, and dense, mysterious characters had flowed within them; his aura had changed.

Later, as his movements became faster and faster, wandering in front of each gradually crystalline black tower, his flesh and blood emitted lightning, condensing into seal-like patterns.

People nearby were astonished; it was obvious that this mysterious young man had made an extraordinary discovery here.

"What a pity!" Qian Cheng sighed, then stopped and stood still.

"Fellow Daoist, you are truly a divine being! To actually find the true scriptures in such a dilapidated tower!" said an old man in the late stage of the fourth realm, who was both surprised and deeply puzzled.

He was also proficient in lightning magic, but when he stepped forward, he felt nothing and could not understand the runes on the black tower.

Qian Cheng shook his head and said, "What's gone can never be retrieved, which is truly a source of endless regret. All that's left here is the remnant of the lightning-summoning array. Even if I wanted to glimpse the profound array, I could only scratch the surface."

He looked wistful, but it didn't seem like he was putting on an act.

Qian Cheng exhaled a heavy breath, turned and disappeared into the night, quickly walking towards the main medicinal field of the three treasures of essence, energy and spirit.

Time was running out, and many people left, no longer wanting to waste any more time at the Black Gold Pagoda.

Some people, their eyes gleaming, came to this ruined tower and tried to explore it like Qian Cheng. Most of them were people who had studied the methods of thunder.

Qin Ming kept a low profile, blending into the crowd, touching each of the towers that Qian Cheng had touched, and copying the complex symbols, some incomplete and some complete.

"Alas, this method is not for me," someone said bitterly.

"Even if a long-neglected thunder array contains profound scriptures, it is not something that ordinary people can extract, unless you have an innate thunder physique."

Some shook their heads, some sighed, and they all gave up, having gained nothing from this place.

Qin Ming felt as if thunder had exploded in his ears. He observed the place using resonance techniques, moving his feet slowly, as if he were seeing a completely different world.

The Black Gold Pagoda itself retains very little of its special emotions; they have been worn away by time. Nothing in the world can last forever.

However, Qian Cheng's emotional fluctuations were intense just now. Although they hadn't been repeatedly reinforced and were destined not to accumulate on the tower for long, they weren't about to dissipate yet.

This time difference was enough for Qin Ming.

He sensed Qian Cheng's recent joy and excitement, as well as his final loss and melancholy.

Qian Cheng was proficient in various thunder-based techniques and possessed a very rare and incomplete technique. He was surprised to see a similar true meaning in the magic array.

"Its name is 'Primordial Myriad Thunder Seal,' one of the strongest true scriptures in the Thunder Dao realm." Qin Ming's heart surged with turmoil, making it difficult for him to calm down.

This supreme scripture was passed down in the form of thunder seal script. The ancient great beings who set up the magic array were proficient in this scripture and incorporated various techniques into the array to outline some of the core symbols.

Ordinary people would have no way of understanding these traces. But Qian Cheng had practiced this incomplete scripture and was able to grasp its true meaning, thus benefiting greatly.

"What a pity." Qin Ming also sighed softly, feeling truly regretful.

Because, in the end, Qian Cheng only managed to reconstruct the first volume of "Tai Chu Wan Ting Zhuan".

"Young man, why are you sighing? Everything in this world is about fate," said an old woman nearby.

"You're right." Qin Ming nodded, immediately becoming more open-minded.

He had been immersed in Qian Cheng's intense emotions and felt melancholy along with him, but for him personally, the trip had been incredibly rewarding, even if he hadn't managed to find the rare medicine.

This is a brilliant masterpiece in the field of thunder, illuminating all ages. He crossed the river by feeling for Qian Cheng and unexpectedly obtained the first volume. What more could he ask for?

He couldn't wait to enter a thunderstorm and master this scripture.

Qin Ming noticed that although several people were well concealed, they were secretly spying on him.

Ordinary people wouldn't notice, but his perception was frighteningly sharp. He left the place without making a sound.

The group of people followed quietly, their faces showing mockery.

"As expected, he's just a greenhorn in the third realm, his senses are too dull. Gentlemen, I'm a bit short on cash lately, so let me take care of this prey."

"No, the reward this time is very generous. Since we've run into each other, we have to split it equally!"

The three of them made no attempt to hide their feelings and quickly gave chase, each trying to claim credit for the other's actions.

Suddenly, a cold voice rang out: "What are you doing? So restless, are you still hunters walking in the dark?"

Behind the three, a statue carved from lightning-struck wood glowed, containing the pure yang consciousness of a woman, who whispered a rebuke to them.

"My lord!" The three were startled and immediately bowed.

This is their superior, a very powerful figure. If it weren't for the surge of Dao energy, she would probably have already broken through to become a Grandmaster. Even so, she should be able to achieve her goal within two years at the latest.

Most importantly, this woman is not yet seventy years old, has great potential, and has unlimited possibilities for the future.

The three men looked respectful and asked the woman to kill the target, clearly wanting to give the credit to this future female grandmaster.

The woman in the statue spoke: "The reward is good, but I'm not going to steal your credit. Stop dawdling and quickly take care of him in the ravine ahead."

With a whooshing sound, the three of them accelerated instantly, all at the late stage of the fourth realm, and in the blink of an eye, they blocked Qin Ming's path.

The statue floated, no more than a foot high, emitting a hazy pure yang spiritual light. The woman followed behind to cover the rear. Facing the young man in the third realm, she disdained to make a move.

Qin Ming said impatiently, "You guys are so slow, why did it take you so long to get here?"

The three men, without saying a word, charged straight at the enemy.

Qin Ming took to the air and headed towards the woman, saying, "The Three Treasures Medicine of Essence, Qi, and Spirit is about to be born. We are all pressed for time, so quickly explain your origins."

Who is the villain? Everything has been reversed. Three old men took to the air to intercept him, clearly displeased.

However, Qin Ming moved with lightning speed, traversing the night sky and arriving before the statue, where he made his move against the woman who had reached the Great Perfection of the Fourth Realm.

Earlier, the woman, confident in her status, stood reservedly at the back, showing no intention of getting involved. But now, her expression changed drastically, and her pupils contracted.

The woman felt a chill run down her spine from the dangerous aura emanating from the air; she felt as if she were being watched by a prehistoric beast.

Qin Ming appeared out of nowhere, his Primordial Heart Lamp shining brightly, instantly purifying the void. Centered on him, the Heart Lamp illuminated a golden handprint, which struck the foot-tall statue with a bang, shattering it into pieces and then exploding into dust.

The woman's pure Yang consciousness was shaken out and cracks appeared. She did try to fight back, but she couldn't stop it at all.

From Qin Ming's Primordial Heart Lamp, a celestial blade shone forth, slicing half of the woman's body apart with a soft "poof".

Her true form had not yet arrived; only a portion of her pure Yang consciousness had entered the other world. Compared to Qin Ming, who had emerged from seclusion after a year of arduous cultivation, she was no match for him.

Qin Ming reached out, his hand burning like the scorching sun. His five fingers were like red-hot irons touching snowflakes. He grabbed the woman's neck, causing her pure yang energy to melt away. The woman let out a painful growl.

The three old men were all stunned, their bodies stiffening for a moment. Was this really the target of the third realm?

How could such a master be outmaneuvered, manipulated, or made such absurd mistakes by them!

Their boss, the future female grandmaster, was grabbed by someone. What kind of ferocious monster had they encountered?
Even though the woman was not consciously aware of what was happening, the fact that she was being held captive by someone was enough to prove how fierce and powerful the target was, and that they were not people they could mess with.

Qin Ming hovered in the air, like the blazing sun dispelling the darkness. The Primordial Heart Lamp illuminated the blades, swords, and spears, piercing through the three who tried to escape immediately.

He quickly resonated with them and learned that they came from an organization called "Jingshizhai".

Under the illumination of his heart lamp, the four of them melted like ice and snow, unable to even let out a roar, their bodies burning and turning into ashes.

"The Pure World Sect has a very elegant name, but it's actually a dark organization. The contrast is striking." Qin Ming frowned. This organization, like the Three-Eyed Sect, actually spans many regions.

"You've used a few strands of my hair to trace my origins?" His eyes were icy cold.

Qin Ming clung to the tattered cloth and disappeared into the ravine, preparing to gather herbs—his top priority.

Half an hour later, a thunderbolt of earth-shattering power pierced the sky in the restricted area, seemingly about to penetrate the entire area. Everyone was horrified, as if they were witnessing the end of the world.

The lightning illuminated many pale faces, and many people were shaken and frozen in place.

At this moment, even grandmasters were teetering on the brink of collapse, filled with fear. If this bolt of lightning were to strike, they would be instantly reduced to ashes.

Thankfully, the tragedy did not occur.

"This is... the tribulation-crossing formation is collapsing, and the lightning is striking the sky in the opposite direction, without connecting to the ground!"

People knew that the magic array covering the entire forbidden area was gradually disappearing, and that the creatures outside were about to break in. Soon, a massive army would storm the ancient medicinal field.

Without anyone saying a word, everyone immediately rushed towards the colorful and miraculous herbs in the field.

The area was in an uproar!

Even though Qin Ming was invisible, he did not approach the three main medicinal fields. He did not know if there were any Earth Immortal level experts there, but in any case, a Grandmaster had already made a move.

Qian Cheng also retreated from that area and set his sights on the scattered medicinal herb fields.

Many people's eyes turned red. When they rushed into the medicinal field, they had already started fighting each other. Blood splattered everywhere, staining the soil red. Pure Yang spiritual light exploded and dissipated into the void.

The Flowing Light Birds, Dawn Beasts, and other creatures, which were originally densely packed and covered the sky, are now exploding in groups and falling like dumplings being dropped into a pot.

This was only the beginning; blood rained down from mid-air, and many people, including those of other species, began to die tragically.

Qian Cheng retreated. Instead of personally picking the rare herbs, he waited outside the herb field, avoiding the bloody slaughter.

Outside the ancient medicinal field, some experienced cultivators didn't even frown, letting the blood, the dissipated pure yang spiritual light, and divine wisdom scatter around them and soak into their bodies.

In their view, hunting for herbs is not as good as hunting for hunters; they just need to wait for the herb gatherers to come out.

Many ruthless individuals keep a close eye on their chosen targets.

"What's going on? We're stuck in the mud!" The people and aliens who entered the medicinal field were all shocked. They moved slowly, as if they were stuck in a swamp.

Furthermore, those who probed the medicinal field with their pure Yang consciousness all suffered the same fate, and various rare treasures also fell onto the field ridges one after another.

Their gathering of herbs was arduous and slow-moving, resembling the laborious work of old farmers—very primitive, and not at all like spiritual practitioners.

Some people retreated in fear and anxiety, their movements slow but managing to break free. For a moment, everyone was torn with conflicting emotions; some were afraid, while others looked on with greed. Should they enter the medicinal field to pick the rare herbs?

At this critical juncture, they had no time to hesitate. Some of the old folks who were nearing the end of their lives gritted their teeth and rushed in, disregarding everything else, to directly collect the rare herbs.

The young people are in great pain. Making a decision in an instant is too much of a test of their hearts. Every medicinal field contains rare and precious herbs, which are destined to help them break through the barriers and reach a higher level. But everyone knows that this is different from the recorded experience and may be a dead end.

"Roar!"

Most terrifyingly, a beastly roar came from afar—a mental sonic wave, far exceeding the speed of sound, shaking the heavens and earth.

Furthermore, the sound of flapping wings came from the night sky, and large shadows, like dark clouds colliding, surged over with a roar, covering the sky and the earth. These were flying beasts and birds of prey from another world, as well as strange insects with feathers.

"I knew it! Over the long years, the rules here have changed!" some people sighed, their expressions bitter. Seeing the rare medicine so close yet unable to be harvested immediately, many felt heartbroken and could hardly breathe.

In the void, Qin Ming pondered carefully, retreating again and again, but he did not completely distance himself from the medicine field.

With a whoosh, a giant hand appeared in the night sky, covering the entire heavens and earth. The lines of its five fingers were clearly visible, each one like a mountain range. The palm covered the ground and reached down to grab.

"You demons have returned after many years, but the rules of the forbidden zone have changed. Here, all beings are equal. Those who arrive first must wait for those who come later, and only after a fierce battle can they be harvested!"

The owner of the giant hand spoke, his voice like a storm shaking the heavens, shattering the night fog.

Those of weaker strength were terrified, forced to lie prostrate on the ground, unable to move.

"A sixth-realm expert!" The man lying on the ground cried out in despair.

Others simply rose into the air, turned around, and left, no longer caring about the so-called elixir of essence, energy, and spirit. This place had changed; it was no longer a wondrous land.

From the main medicinal field, a terrifying fist shot into the sky, equally enormous, disappearing into the night sky and colliding with the giant hand. It was clearly a clash between patriarch-level experts.

Sword light, tearing through the sky, shot up from the ground, dazzlingly bright, and met a nine-headed raptor in a fierce battle.

More than one Grandmaster-level expert has personally visited the area radiated by Yujing, and is now forced to expose himself.

Near the medicinal field, although the ground was turbulent, no one died and everyone was temporarily unharmed. However, many of the figures who fled into the distance at the first moment were blown up.

Even if the Earth Immortals were attacking each other, it wouldn't affect the medicinal fields; they were all desperately defending them.

However, once you get away from this place, you don't need to worry about it. Those who were more cautious and ran away first suffered heavy casualties, as they were affected by the blazing sunlight emitted by the sixth-realm powerhouse and were completely destroyed.

Qin Ming had chosen a good location, on the edge of the medicinal field, where he was not touched by the killing light of the sixth-realm expert, but his heart sank.

The records of the Yujing region are outdated. This forbidden area is completely different now, emphasizing a "balance." As outsiders, they cannot gather herbs in advance, which slows their progress.

Most importantly, the creatures outside the forbidden zone seemed unaffected by the aftershocks of the tribulation array, giving them no time to react and rapidly approaching.

In the night fog, a large number of flying monsters, various birds of prey, and strange insects with flapping wings, like clouds and smoke, obscured the night sky, indicating that they were approaching.

On the earth, many tall figures, like small mountains, were moving. There were silver giants hundreds of meters tall running wildly, black bulls with flames all over their bodies trampling mountains and bringing seas of fire, and giant centipedes tens of meters long swimming on the ground like real dragons.

Behind them, all sorts of strange and humanoid creatures surged forth like a tidal wave.

"Everyone, stop those extraterrestrial demons. The forbidden zone is all about equal exchange. If we give them herbs of equal value, they will leave us meat medicine of equal value. We must not let a single extraterrestrial demon escape. We must keep them here."

An old goat, as tall and majestic as a mountain peak, spoke, and although it coughed up blood amidst the surging Daoist energy, it still issued this death order.

The various changes in the forbidden zone of the alien realm were extremely disadvantageous to outsiders who came through the ancient fog gate. First, there was the "equality of all beings," followed by a massive siege by alien creatures, turning this place into a blood-red purgatory.

So far, the medicinal field is still like a quagmire, and those who are trapped inside move slowly. Those who rushed into the deepest part in hopes of picking the priceless medicinal herbs are in utter despair. They try to retreat, but it is as slow as an ordinary person struggling to walk.

"This is no longer the sacred place for gathering herbs in ancient times, this is hell!" someone lamented. How many people can survive such an encirclement and suppression?

The first person to use the Void Teleportation Talisman exploded with a bang, shattered by a sixth-realm expert's flick of the finger across the void, his pure Yang consciousness annihilated.

"kill!"

Finally, swarms of flying beasts, strange birds, and bizarre insects arrived, and the ground army soon surrounded them, unleashing the most brutal and bloody mode.

This place was filled with the sounds of fighting and blood splattering everywhere. Various rare treasures were exploding and flying swords were breaking. It was a slaughterhouse of flesh and blood and pure yang consciousness.

The most terrifying thing is that it seems that there are figures at the Earth Immortal level on both sides, and they are in a standoff. If they make a move, they may not be able to withstand it and will die in the forbidden zone. However, their target will also die without any doubt or chance of survival.

"Is the Earth Immortal really here?" Many people felt as if they had fallen into an abyss. If so, this was not a "feast" they should be attending.

"Maybe it's fake news!" People are still shopping sprees.

Qin Ming didn't know whether the Earth Immortal had appeared or not, but there was no need to delve into it. The arrival of the sixth-realm patriarch had already turned this place into a battlefield of carnage, where every inch of land would be thoroughly soaked with blood, flesh, and remnant souls.

He clung to the tattered cloth, drifting with the tide amidst the chaos of the army, floating like a fallen leaf, sometimes to the east, sometimes to the west.

He had given up on the idea of ​​miraculous medicines, because the area around the medicine fields had been occupied by grandmasters, and even the patriarch himself had come, which was a hopeless situation.

He only wanted to escape and had no intention of taking advantage of the chaos to gather herbs.

"Alas, there's no chance this time. What a pity to waste so many precious medicines. I'm leaving!" Feng Zhige, who came from the sky, took out a Great Void Teleportation Talisman, a treasure personally crafted by an Earth Immortal.

With a whoosh, he vanished from the spot.

At the critical moment, someone intervened, using pure Yang spiritual light to bind his right leg. As they ran, he disappeared into the night like a kite being flown.

Qin Ming was surprised; the old guy who had followed him on his escape was quite shrewd, actually managing to use the situation to his advantage.

He immediately searched for his target, moving swiftly through the bloody battlefield.

Not far away, Little Tathagata used a Void Teleportation Talisman to escape amidst the massive army without being stopped.

Qin Ming discovered that Yao Ruoxian had used a teleportation talisman, but he was too embarrassed to bother this princess with whom he had a good relationship, so he changed his target.

Then, he saw Lu Zheng, the Little Celestial Venerable, nearby.

The moment Lu Zheng activated the Great Void Teleportation Talisman, Qin Ming decisively stuck to him.

Besides him, there was another sick master who decisively clung to Lu Zheng's coattails and took advantage of him.

"Screw them!" Lu Zheng was furious, but it was too late. The Great Void Teleportation Talisman carried them away with a whoosh.

A moment later, Qin Ming suddenly felt empty. He was swept away by the extreme golden light and could no longer stick to Lu Zheng. At the same time, the sickly grandmaster was also shaken off.

Lu Zheng possessed a rare treasure, likely bestowed by the Heavenly Venerable, which purified him and banished the two burdens within him.

Fortunately, in just a short while, they were far away from the medicinal field and no longer in the Blood Hell. However, this area was still not safe. If there were any ambushers, it would be a disaster.

The Sick Master vanished in a few flashes. Qin Ming, on the other hand, fled silently, hiding himself. He dared not make a commotion, fearing that the sound of the tattered cloth slicing through the air would attract the hunters.

Soon after, he saw Qian Cheng, who was wrapped in a silver flag and sped away, skimming the ground.

Then, several streaks of light traversed the void.

Qin Ming flew at a suitable altitude, making a calm escape while also waiting to see if he could hitch a ride.

After a dozen streaks of light flashed past in the distance, another appeared and headed toward him.

Qin Ming decisively used his sticky strength and successfully latched onto the powerful figure.

It turned out to be Yan Zhuohua. A woman, probably an acquaintance of hers, was hanging from her other leg and hadn't been shaken off.

"Ah..." Obviously, Yan Zhuohua sensed it and discovered that pure yang spiritual light was attached to her, which startled her.

Qin Ming was swept away again, and Yan Zhuohua also had a protective treasure on her body.

The second time, he only hitched a ride for a short while, but he was already not far from the exit.

"Will anyone stop us near the exit?"

Qin Ming didn't dare to rush over immediately. He watched from a distance and saw streaks of light rushing past without being intercepted, which put his mind at ease.

At the last moment, Qin Ming saw Tang Jin, Master Wu, and Qi Qianchen return at lightning speed in a small boat the size of a palm, and they were surprisingly steady.

"I should take a boat. It would be troublesome if someone outside the exit counted who had returned."

Qin Ming saw the small boat slow down at the exit, so he decisively followed, stuck to the bottom of the boat, and rushed out.

"Gentlemen, do you sell rare medicine?" There were indeed people guarding the exit, and they were shameless, begging to buy the medicine, so they seemed to be someone of great importance.

"We didn't pick any!" Tang Jin said coldly.

"You are……"

"Senior brother, stop talking. This is a disciple of Li Wuwei, the founder of the dual-path approach."

"Something happened in the forbidden zone of the alien realm?"

Only then did the people near the exit realize the earth-shattering event that had occurred inside. Those who had returned earlier ignored them and immediately fled to deliver the message.

Qin Ming breathed a sigh of relief and silently disappeared into the distance. Once back in his physical body, he immediately ran away.

"Who was that person who was stuck to the bottom of our boat just now?" Tang Jin whispered.

Master Wu said, "Never mind that, hurry up and report to your teacher."

That day, as Qin Ming approached the border of Black and White Mountain, he looked up at the sky and saw thick black clouds colliding and arcs of electricity intertwining. He decisively headed to the Thunderfire Alchemy Hall.

"The rainy season is here, and I'll just be going into seclusion there!"

Having just obtained the "Primordial Thunder Scripture," practicing this true scripture amidst thunder and rain is most appropriate.

"Next time I go to explore new lands, I must find a peaceful place. So-called forbidden zones, full of exotic flowers and rare herbs, and even containing various immortal-level medicinal herbs, are completely unreliable. These kinds of unsettling places are all traps!" Qin Ming reflected.

At this moment, he had already arrived at the Thunderfire Alchemy Hall.

He started by practicing Thunder and Fire Force, Wind and Thunder Force, and Heavenly Thunder Stirring Earthly Fire, before finally beginning to comprehend the "Primordial Myriad Thunder Seal".

He hadn't expected that practicing his skills during a thunderstorm would bring him such a pleasant surprise. He slowly absorbed a small amount of lightning and a large amount of sunlight, and the effect was surprisingly good.

Qin Ming was shocked. Just by using the lightning to practice this supreme scripture normally, he might be able to break through his cultivation level.

"That's right, Thunderfire is the great medicine to help me practice this true scripture. I'm practicing this true skill for the first time and I don't have any resistance yet, so how could there be no reaction?" In the thunderstorm, Qin Ming's eyes shone brightly, full of anticipation.

(End of this chapter)