Night without Borders

Chapter 512 Becoming an Immortal Alone in a Foreign Land
In the sky, mountains sit amidst a thin mist, like distant ink paintings. The celestial pool shimmers with a warm, flowing light. Heavenly dragons soar through the air, and silver palaces, feathered towers, and the five-colored city gleam brightly. Auspicious birds flit through this splendid fairyland, their cries clear and melodious.

Young talents gathered together; this was their grand event.

Surrounding such a magnificent scene was pitch black, like an abyss, a vast and boundless sea of ​​night mist, without a trace of light, only deathly silence and desolation spreading, this was the most authentic appearance of the vast heavens.

Before the magnificent building with rolling lightning on its golden tiles, several elderly men stood side by side. Undoubtedly, they were all powerful Earth Immortals who had not shown their faces for a long time, and they had come to show their support today.

Only in heaven were their situation not too bad.

Nourished by the blessed light rising from the Great Yu Dynasty, and with the Heaven-Locking Formation above the Nine Heavens, their "illness" can be alleviated.

One of the seven-day superimposed individuals spoke up: "This is just the preliminary selection. Those who did not qualify should not be disappointed. They can challenge the people in front of the Dragon Transformation Pool at any time in the future. If they win, they can take their place."

Then, another top-tier immortal added: "The most outstanding among the eliminated candidates can also go and comprehend the supreme inheritance in the early stages, giving you a chance to rise and use this opportunity to hone your skills and take on challenges."

Furthermore, considering that there are a few late bloomers in the world, we leave room for them, so that such people will also have the opportunity to compete for the highest scriptures in the future.

A large number of young people were restless and discussed the matter extensively. Overall, all parties were relatively satisfied, and those who were not selected had hope in their hearts.

Li Heng, Feng Zhige, and the others all relaxed their brows.

In no time, the atmosphere became increasingly harmonious as glasses clinked and toasts were exchanged.

The four people in front of the Dragon Transformation Pool were undoubtedly the center of attention, surrounded by a crowd of people holding wine cups.

"Yun Jianyue, Wu Qingyuan, Wen Dao, and Xie Xiyan, barring any unforeseen circumstances, these four should be the four future giants." Many young people looked at them, some unable to look away.

Even some of the older generation of celebrities who were invited were deeply moved, feeling the pressure and realizing that they might be surpassed by newcomers at any moment.

Yun Jianyue and Wu Qingyuan had long ago occupied two Great Dao Flowers, and after years of arduous cultivation, they were both unfathomable, and no one knew their true strength or weakness.

It is said that he has a very important background and has gained the recognition of some of the old mountain factions in the heavens. When the third flower of the Great Dao bloomed, he was immediately selected.

At the time, Newrank was very fond of Taiyi, but ultimately could not go against the decision made by all parties.

Xie Xiyan is the most mysterious of the four. He has emerged as a dark horse this time, and many people did not know that he existed in the past.

Even some of the usually aloof fairies took the initiative to move to the Dragon Transformation Pool at this moment, their icy expressions melting away, revealing smiles that added warmth to the surrounding air.

Some people remarked: "The road ahead is vast and the landscapes are magnificent. Looking ahead, among our generation, those four should be the ones who can go the furthest and overlook all the sights of the world."

Everyone has their own judgment on who among their peers will be able to lead the way and rule the world in the future. Those who are at the forefront of the field may take the lead step by step until they are admired by everyone.

Su Mohua stood gracefully and asked with a smile, "Sister, is Uncle also here to find a rich husband?"

"You're asking for it." Su Mo Ran grabbed her fair earlobe.

Gao Chan silently drank a cup of wine. Standing there, he felt depressed. Among so many talented people, it was difficult for him to rise to prominence. His former glory was gradually fading.

Of course, it wasn't just those four who received attention. Zhou Tiandao was known as a genius, and Yan Zhuohua, like a classical goddess who stepped out of a traditional Chinese ink painting, still shone brightly. She was considered to have great potential and was expected to compete for the supreme inheritance.

Moreover, even if they ultimately fail in their challenge, their status will already be high enough that they will definitely be among the future high-ranking figures of Yujing.

Before the golden palace, where thunder and fire intertwined, several Earth Immortal-level experts were drinking. They all held extremely high statuses, such as the Heavenly Venerable himself, the Mountain Lord of Star Mountain, and the Palace Master of Thunder Swamp Palace.

A supreme immortal asked, "Sage, your disciple Li Wanfa has great potential, why hasn't he ascended to heaven?"

One of the sources of Chaos Force, a contemporary sage, was also present. Within his body, the blood energy seemed to flow like a shattered sun, containing the most powerful and yang energy. He responded, "All things have their own choices, and I will not interfere."

Celestial Venerable Lu Heng also looked over and asked, "Let's have a spar sometime. By the way, there's another one who practices your kind of technique, Qin Ming. His combat strength is quite extraordinary. Why isn't he here?"

The sage said, "In fact, those who practice Chaos Force do not have much desire for so-called supreme inheritances. The overly domineering scriptures are simply too difficult for him to integrate with his current level. When he reaches the fifth realm in the future, he should first consider the problem of the True Form Tribulation to avoid his body and spirit exploding."

This is true. The fifth realm of the path to rebirth—the true form—is a matter of life and death for all those who practice silk calligraphy. Even the creators of this method have been shattered more than once.

"The heavens are truly teeming with talented people." The sage gazed ahead, surveying a large group of energetic and brilliant young geniuses.

In the distance, some grandmasters also arrived and were discussing the matter.

"Weren't there supposed to be a few special young people on the ground? Why didn't they come to compete?"

"I heard that Wei Shouzhen has passed the preliminary selection, but he didn't show up today. He can be ranked alongside those four."

"What a surprise!" A middle-aged man with a relaxed and elegant demeanor looked surprised.

His name is Cheng Xian. He once descended to Earth, drank tea, splashed ink and painted, and used some methods to cause some trouble for some special young masters.

"What is your background?" he asked.

"It is said to come from the demon realm outside Yezhou, but it seems to be a pure human."

Clearly, the four people in the center of the arena were the most ideal marriage partners for the various old mountain strongholds in the heavens.

Several top-tier immortals and those who have achieved the Seven-Day Accumulation Realm personally appeared here, undoubtedly with this consideration in mind. They warmly greeted them and offered encouragement.

However, once they become the supreme saints of Yujing, even the high-ranking members of these old factions cannot directly interfere with their choices.

On the ground, Qin Ming remained unmoved after receiving the letter. Inviting him to ascend to the heavens? That was not his choice. He did not need to risk his life to face a group of old monsters.

He has some desire for the supreme scriptures, but not so eagerly. He has already obtained quite a few scriptures, enough for him to comprehend.

Moreover, he has his own plans and has set goals for himself. Once he becomes a grandmaster, he should consider integrating several true skills that he has long coveted.

Those are naturally: such as Lai Jin, Liu Yu Jin, Qing Tian Jin, Yu Qing Jin, etc.

Lu Zizai had warned him not to act rashly if his cultivation was not high enough. Qin Ming felt that if he could reach the fifth realm of the path to rebirth—true form, then he would be almost there.

The core inheritances of the major ancestral courts have each incorporated different top-tier scriptures, with different focuses, but all are incredibly powerful.

If given a choice, Qin Ming would naturally not miss the several renowned energy techniques on the path to rebirth. Only by absorbing them all could he prove that he had mastered this system.

The truth is, even the creators of the laws did not achieve this. They each had their own focus. For example, the sage mainly integrated the Tathagata Force, plus the Devouring characteristic.

Some even say that his chaotic energy is a mutated form of Tathagata energy.

How could Qin Ming not be envious? Every kind of power technique represents a limit to the path of new life.

However, the fifth realm is extremely complex. He knew the horror of the True Form Tribulation and that it would be very difficult to integrate Tathagata Force, Jade Purity Force, and so on.

Jinrui City is a bustling metropolis. In the past, when the Yuqing Sect and the Six Imperial Ancestral Court were selecting disciples, Qin Ming had come to this city with Meng Xinghai.

In the suburbs outside the city, there is an ancient, misty gate that is very deep.

Qin Ming set off discreetly. As he passed through the thick fog, he vaguely saw one large star after another, which was swallowed up by the endless black fog.

With a whoosh, he passed through the door in his true form and arrived in a brand new world.

Qin Ming adapted to local customs, changing into the more rustic clothing beforehand. To blend in, he significantly toned down his otherworldly aura, becoming more rugged, and even his skin turned bronze.

He was dressed in animal skin clothing, with his right shoulder and arm bare. His loose hair was tousled and slightly fluffy. He had a strong and powerful physique and carried a white bone club on his shoulder.

In this world, humans and demons live together. Many creatures are half-human and half-demon, and it wouldn't be wrong to call them demon-humans. They are all born with great strength and agility, and most demon-humans retain some racial characteristics.

This region is inhabited mainly by cat-people and pig-people. Their ancestors once took human form, but some of their descendants have reverted to their ancestral ways. The cat-people are slender and agile, appearing to be humanoid, except that they have a pair of fluffy cat ears and their cat tails have not degenerated.

Pig-people have large ears, thick nostrils, and their faces are not delicate. Most of them are quite ugly, and some atavistic individuals even have a pig's head.

Qin Ming designed a new identity for himself, belonging to the descendants of the upright ape demons. After all, he had practiced the "Upright Ape Demon Scripture," which was quite fitting.

When he was practicing this miraculous skill, he inevitably thought of Tang Xumi. Unfortunately, the friend who gave him the scriptures died during the Great Dream God Mushroom Blood Chaos.

Qin Ming knew that as time went by, more of these friends would probably die. The path of cultivation was cruel. Even Su Shiyun, a top-tier immortal seed who was favored by many, died on the Divine Desolation Plain.
He walked deep into the earth, and although he saw great cities, he passed by without entering. He came for the rainy season, and it was enough for him to stay in a remote place, far away from trouble.

Along the way, he passed through some cat-people villages and towns, experiencing the exotic customs. Some children climbed up and down like kittens, very active.

The fiery springs flowed, casting a soft light on the abyss-like earth, nourishing the crops outside the village.

"The rainy season is coming soon, so I need to hurry up and prepare the venue."

Qin Ming went into the mountains with a clear goal: he had already traveled to this area several times in his mind and had his eye on a dilapidated mountain god temple.

The old temple keeper died more than half a year ago, and the place is now quite desolate and unattended. The dilapidated temple is covered with thick layers of dust and overgrown with weeds.

Moreover, the old temple keeper was himself an ape-man, which was one of the important reasons why Qin Ming chose this place.

He quickly cleaned up the dilapidated temple built on the mountaintop.

Afterwards, he quarried rocks to build a tower, which was built entirely according to the blueprints of the mature towers on the Immortal Path, so there was no need to worry about making mistakes. Of course, it wouldn't be that tall.

In Kunling City, he had seen various tall towers, all built by people on the Immortal Path to guide lightning and fire, mainly for refining powerful rare treasures and brewing special precious medicines. Compared to this mature lightning-guiding tower, the Thunderfire Alchemy Hall was somewhat complicated, and its construction also involved accidental factors.

After comparing the two options and studying them carefully, Qin Ming decided to build the tower.

"Meow, you're really strong, Ape Man!"

"Meow meow meow, Brother Ape-man, are you going to become the new temple keeper here?"

When the villagers at the foot of the mountain saw the construction work underway, a few curious "kittens" ran up to the site.

When the cats were young, they had big, innocent eyes, loved to use both hands and feet, and were very active. The little ones would crawl all over the yard and run on the roof, just like a few little wild cats.

Qin Ming did not choose the deep mountains, fearing that higher species might inhabit them. The adjacent village was just right, with no powerful figures around, making it the perfect place to keep a low profile.

"You guys be careful, don't fall down, meow." Qin Ming said in fluent local dialect.

This is the benefit of having a strong enough consciousness. He traveled here several times in his mind, learned the local language in advance, and even used the authentic local dialect.

The cats were very enthusiastic and helped him move the materials as much as they could.

Qin Ming greeted them, saying, "Come on, I'll treat you to grilled fish and grilled goose wings."

These are six-eyed fish that he caught from a lake in the mountains, which carry some spiritual energy. In addition, black swans that live nearby also became food.

"Meow, you're so kind, Ape Brother! It smells so good!"

"Meow meow meow, it's so delicious!"

Several children sat down, complaining that it was too hot, and couldn't help but start biting with their little mouths. They were as innocent and active as human children, blinking their big eyes and looking extremely happy. They were just extra furry ears and tails.

In the cat-people village at the foot of the mountain, the adults were initially curious about the ape-man Qin Ming, but they weren't too surprised, since the old temple keeper who had died was an ape-man.

Moreover, they knew that many members of the ape-man tribe had taken the path of becoming gods of mountains and rivers.

Qin Mingjian's tower wasn't actually very tall. The lightning-attracting array he engraved didn't consume much metal, and it was already quite perfect. He was waiting for the rainy season to arrive, hoping for a breakthrough.

"Alone in a foreign land, waiting to be struck by lightning, I wonder where Xiao Wu and Xiang Yiwu are, how they are doing, and what level those geniuses in the sky with resources and supreme scriptures have reached?"

Qin Ming lived a peaceful life, maintaining a relatively harmonious relationship with the cat people in the village at the foot of the mountain, and waited for the rainy season to arrive.

He had no intention of exploring the deepest secrets of this world. Given his level of cultivation, he had not yet reached the Grandmaster realm and was not qualified to roam around.

Because he had already learned some things from his predecessors.

After the first few groups of people entered this world, some of them went deep into it and found that although this place seemed relatively barren, there were unfathomable masters deep in the earth.

Several groups even nearly suffered total annihilation, having encountered extremely terrifying creatures.

"A battle between two grandmasters is suspected to have taken place in a medium-sized city." This kind of uncertain news seems rather frightening.

In this world, all the masters are lying low, afraid to come out. And in this world, which is clearly desolate and barren, you can easily see grandmasters fighting each other.

Although Qin Ming was curious, he did not want to explore this world in depth.

He lived a secluded life, not wanting to get involved in any karma. He reminded himself that he was just a fleeting visitor in this world.

"Crack!"

Five days later, in the night sky, thick clouds collided and lightning flashed. Before the rainy season, the thunder medicine that Qin Ming had been longing for appeared ahead of schedule.

The sky and earth were as dark as ink, a light rain was falling, but there was no shortage of lightning.

With meticulous craftsmanship, Qin Ming's tower successfully attracted lightning without any major accidents such as lightning leakage.

After observing for a moment and confirming that he would not be directly confronted by the heavenly lightning, he entered the tower and began practicing his skills, watching the glowing lightning-attracting runes draw in the appropriate amount of lightning and fire.

"A treasure trove of natural wonders!" Qin Ming exclaimed with delight.

He held a wine cup formed from the primordial light of heaven, drawing in the lightning. For others, this was an extremely dangerous act; even a fourth-realm master would feel a chill run down their spine, fearing their body would be blown apart. But for him, it was like fine wine, and he smelled its refreshing fragrance.

Qin Ming mastered the "Primordial Thunder Seal," and these thunder and fires had a real and clear, rich medicinal fragrance to him, belonging to the wonderful things that strengthen the foundation and nourish the vital energy.

He took a cup of celestial thunder medicine, gently shook it, and it was crystal clear, with thunder and fire churning inside. The moment he put it in his mouth, all the pores on his body opened, his hair trembled, and his flesh and blood became translucent.

It was like being electrocuted from head to toe; he felt so comfortable he wanted to groan out loud.

Qin Ming drank cup after cup, his mouth filled with the aroma of thunder medicine, enjoying it immensely. When he circulated the Primordial Thunder Seal, he felt as if he were about to ascend to immortality, floating on air like a celestial being.

Amidst the thunder and fire, the patterns on his Purple Gold Pill became more numerous. By refining the pill with thunder and fire, he could clearly feel his cultivation slowly growing stronger, and his physique also improved.

"Excellent thunder, wondrous medicine, extraordinary thunder seal technique." Qin Ming's seven orifices glowed, his meridians shone, and thunder light traveled through his acupoints, causing him to emit a rain of light that seemed to transform into a feather.

Each time a shower of light rose from his body, his physical condition became stronger.

"Ascension to immortality? The true meaning is unfathomable!"

Thus, in the two weeks leading up to the rainy season, Qin Ming had already received three lightning strikes, and he felt that a few more would be enough to break through his cultivation barrier.

Clearly, this is because he has already developed "drug resistance," otherwise he wouldn't have had to endure the special season when thunderstorms are frequent.

"Meow, brother ape, if there's thunder next time, come to my house to take shelter from the rain. My dad said that the tower you built is too tall and it's easy for it to be struck by lightning, which is very unsafe."

"Meow meow meow, come to my house!"

Several kittens blinked their clear, big eyes, tilted their heads back, and shook Qin Ming's arm, extending a warm invitation.

This affection wasn't just fostered by Qin Ming's "feeding" of grilled fish; it was mainly due to the children's simple and honest nature.

Three of the children would come over whenever they had free time, and Qin Ming called them: Sanhua, Lihua, and Heibai.

This name is entirely based on the color of their furry ears and tails; as for their original name, it's a long string of characters that's inconvenient to pronounce.

"It's alright. You should know that we upright ape demons all use mountains and rivers to become gods and immortals. I'm just observing lightning to cultivate. You don't need to worry about me."

"Meow, Brother Ape is amazing, thinking about becoming an immortal so early."

A few days later, Sanhua came up the mountain looking worried. She was just a child, but her little face was full of worry, and her furry ears were trembling.

The tabby and the black-and-white ones also arrived, constantly wagging their little tails and muttering something.

"What's wrong with you guys?" Qin Ming asked them, puzzled.

Sanhua whispered, "Brother Ape-man, something terrible has happened! After decades, the black soil in the distance has sprouted heavy ears of black wheat again."

Qin Ming was taken aback. Wasn't harvesting grain a good thing? Clearly, there were things he didn't understand, and he couldn't easily express his opinion.

Fortunately, there were three children, and he could easily find out what was going on from them.

"There will be disputes after black wheat grows on that piece of land. It might be... divine food?" Qin Ming was astonished after learning this.

He chose an extremely remote and desolate place, so why did he still encounter something strange?
Qin Ming comforted them, "Don't be afraid, your ape brother will go and take a look for you."

Little Tabby Cat advised, "Meow, Brother Ape-man, don't go there. It's dangerous there sometimes. Only the oldest people in the village dare to peek there."

In the end, Qin Ming still went there alone. It was a desolate place, barren of vegetation, without any fire springs, and extremely dark.

But now, after decades of barrenness, this dry, black soil has sprouted vast fields of wheat, black from root to leaf, and the heavy ears of wheat are also black.

Lightning patterns appeared in Qin Ming's pupils, and his heart trembled. The quiet wheat field was not lifeless; there were actually living beings, and a small group of them at that.

They were a group of tiny people, about three inches tall, dancing on the ears of wheat. Some had wings and could fly, while others were carried by dark clouds, leaping from one ear of wheat to another, light and agile.

"Among them are... Grandmasters!" Qin Ming found it outrageous.

This seemingly barren world was indeed strange, full of mysteries he didn't understand.

Among a group of petty people, he discovered at least two masters.

Moreover, there seemed to be a group of tiny people dancing in the distance.

They would sometimes dissipate, turning into black clouds and disappearing into the heavy ears of wheat, and then reappear, dancing and performing rituals in an orderly manner according to some mysterious ancient method.

"What's going on here?" Qin Ming was a little confused. On a piece of black soil, a creature at the Grandmaster level had actually "grown".

(End of this chapter)