Night without Borders

Chapter 519 The Grand Opening Ceremony

In the night sky, one hundred and eight small black swords cleaved through the rain and pierced the clouds. They were intertwined with thunder and fire, becoming even more crystalline and translucent, tearing through the dark sky and shining brightly.

Qin Ming, dressed in a green robe with flowing black hair, was lifted to the heavens by this set of small swords. They all swayed with long trails of light, and their blades were shrouded in lightning runes, making them exceptionally dazzling.

Looking out into the distance, on the sea shrouded in night mist, Qin Ming's sleeves billowed, exuding an ethereal and otherworldly aura. Beneath his feet, a sword light of thunder and fire resembled a galaxy, with hundreds of interwoven beams, a dazzling array of stars. He seemed like a banished immortal, untouched by worldly affairs, on a journey.

He stood high in the sky, trampling thunderstorms under his feet, and traversed the fierce winds and foggy seas to the distance.

Bathed in the light rain, Qin Ming felt as if he were ascending to immortality, experiencing the cultivation world he had longed for since childhood, traversing the world and traveling thousands of miles in an instant.

Unfortunately, after only a short while, the hundred or so small swords, as clear as black jade, could no longer support him as he began to fall.

Qin Ming carefully sensed that this suppression came from the power of the sky and the pull of the ground, especially in areas with super fire springs, where the pulling force was enormous.

He had to think deeply. In those distant ancient times, people in the second realm could fly into the sky with their physical bodies. Now, even grandmasters could only sigh in despair. Only earth immortals could completely sever that invisible power.

"The night fog that covers the boundless world, and the fire spring that nourishes all things, the water is very deep."

After landing, Qin Ming rested briefly before piercing through the rain curtain once more, ascending to the sky and traversing the surging sea of ​​night mist.

He was about 5,000 miles away from the Ancient Misty Gate, but traveling at such a rapid pace, the so-called long distance was nothing.

Along the way, Qin Ming gazed upon the vast land, where some brightly lit mega-cities stood out, and in some areas, super-sized clusters of fire springs surged, quite eye-catching.

In other places, the mountains and rivers are beautiful, and a rich purple aura surrounds them, as if a real dragon is coiling around them. The corresponding blessed lands are magnificent and radiate spiritual brilliance, which should be the mountain gates of top-level sects.

Qin Ming looked down at the earth under the night sky, feeling a mix of emotions.

"What is the purpose of spiritual practice?"

Over the years, he has been constantly working hard to improve himself, all for the sake of survival. Even today, some crises remain, requiring him to further improve himself.

Because his opponents, enemies, the sects he was involved with, and the old monsters behind him were all unfathomable.

The clash between supreme civilizations, the distant Qilin's toe, the glowing giant footprint, and the secrets deep within the Night Fog world are still far from his reach.

He was busy all day long and felt like he was missing out on something.

"Upon closer reflection, this kind of cultivation is somewhat tedious. Looking around, there are beautiful mountains and rivers in front of me, but I have never really appreciated them when I traveled around nearby."

Qin Ming felt that his current life, spent constantly cultivating and dealing with crises, was a far cry from his childhood dream. Back then, he longed to see the boundless sea of ​​clouds, traverse magnificent mountains and rivers, and experience all sorts of exotic customs and cultures.

These things were clearly not far from him, yet he never truly appreciated them.

In addition, he was unable to see off Xiao Wu, Xiang Yiwu, Li Qingyue, Jiang Ran and others who had gone far away.

With a whoosh, Qin Ming landed on the ground. Bathed in the night, he gazed at a dazzling city deep in the earth and felt an urge to explore it.

"Life is not just about hardship. Taking a break occasionally and looking at the people and scenery along the way may lead to a better understanding."

As Qin Ming approached the Grandmaster level, his mind became clear and his consciousness grew increasingly powerful.

He had a feeling that he might be able to draw inspiration from the everyday life and the beauty of nature.

"We must not be careless." He did not lose his vigilance. He did not belong to this world. If we look closely, in the eyes of the natives, he might be considered an extraterrestrial demon.

A few days later, Qin Ming frowned. After a brief tour, he confirmed that this world was of a high level and even had legends of gods, though they had disappeared for more than five hundred years.

"More than 500 years ago, it was like a small turning point. Similar characteristics appeared all over the world: top organisms either decayed or began to disappear."

In the past two days, Qin Ming heard news of Old Sheep again. The other party had completely run away, which caused the old monster of the seventh realm to chase after him to the outer realm, causing a huge uproar in the distance.

"It's good that the gods have gone far away and haven't lingered in the vicinity." Qin Ming felt that he could now venture a little deeper into this land.

In fact, normally, the old monsters wouldn't go crazy. In the current environment, having a master-level cultivation level is enough to protect oneself.

Moreover, the term "Grandmaster" almost exclusively refers to beings at the early stage of the Fifth Realm.

If a Grandmaster at the peak of the Fifth Realm were to fight with all their might, they would most likely die a tragic death afterward. And if a person in the middle stage of the Fifth Realm were to engage in a fierce battle, the consequences would be quite serious.

Unless a great opportunity arises, the old guys will remain dormant and extremely low-key.

"Hmm, in that chaotic region that produces divine food, a Grandmaster died two days ago?" Qin Ming asked in surprise.

After being exploited, some grandmasters became increasingly angry. Some borrowed powerful weapons, some set up magic arrays, and some brought teleportation talismans. Together, they detonated a grandmaster.

Qin Ming relaxed more and more. This kind of rumor should make those grandmasters who are about to die see things more clearly.

He has been traveling deep into the earth for six days, but unfortunately, all the so-called blessed lands are already owned.

He once saw the "Nine Phoenixes Facing the Sun" painting. The terrain of that mountain range was so unique, and it was full of Taoist charm. Unfortunately, four thousand years ago, it became the ancestral home of a religion.

Even when this lineage was at its weakest, there were always experts at the sixth realm stationed there.

Then, in another region eight thousand miles away, he saw an exceptionally magnificent landscape, where every inch of land shone, like the kingdom of a true god.

There wasn't a single weed in the mountains; instead, spiritual plants grew everywhere. This was mainly because there were four super-sized hot springs there, displaying a vibrant array of colors: gold, silver, purple, and blue.

Qin Ming gazed into the distance, somewhat lost in thought. Normally, these should all be red fire springs. It would be amazing to see even one unusual spring, but here several kinds coexisted.

The central area where four super fire springs converge is said to be a place where beings from the seventh realm often seclude themselves year-round.

"What a wonderful place!" Qin Ming exclaimed.

In the realm of mature civilizations, there are no unclaimed pure lands; all divine medicines, spiritual nests of mountains and rivers have long been divided up.

The Night Fog World is vast, with expansive uninhabited areas, but all are extremely dangerous, otherwise they would have been occupied by powerful forces long ago.

Some nomadic tribes prefer to invade ancient civilizations, but that's not pioneering; it's more like plundering, which eventually leads to a bloody clash.

Qin Ming then thought of his own world, where various unusual phenomena had recently appeared in the sky. Could it be that an external crisis was approaching and a great war was about to break out?
"Have you heard? This season's Kaiyuan Grand Event has some 'big news,' all of them quite extraordinary, and all are priceless treasures."

During his travels, Qin Ming overheard this news unexpectedly in a teahouse in a small town.

The so-called Kaiyuan Grand Gathering refers to a high-profile auction held in the Kaiyuan Giant City, where all kinds of rare resources, from rare medicines to secret treasures and even true scriptures, may appear.

Even advanced alien beasts, as well as powerful captives from other civilizations, can be auctioned.

Qin Ming became interested and listened attentively.

"Rumor has it that there will be a 'blood of the unicorn' up for auction this time. It is a drop of blood that fell from the divine magnetic storm. It is purple-gold in color and looks like a small purple sun. Even if it can't be the final item, it's close enough."

“You underestimate this auction. I’ve heard that the fifth most rare insect in the world, the Dream Insect, may be born at the Kaiyuan Grand Gathering.”

"Dream Worms? Never heard of them. What's so special about their high ranking?"

"You're ignorant, aren't you? This strange insect is quite remarkable."

In fact, Qin Ming was one of those who were ignorant and had never heard of Dream Worm.

"This is an item submitted for auction by members of the Godlike Society..."

Qin Ming was surprised. He heard the name of this organization everywhere he went. It was indeed a behemoth that spanned multiple realms and was unfathomable.

The Dream Bug is truly extraordinary; it can connect with other people's dreams, learn about their entire life experiences, and uncover their deepest secrets.

When it invades, the target is likely to be completely unaware.

"If you raise a dream insect and tame it completely, it will have endless uses."

This strange insect is terrifying; it can kill in dreams and feeds on the consciousness of its target.

Among the onlookers, someone couldn't help but speak up: "It certainly seems extraordinary, but these alone are not enough to rank it fifth among all the strange insects in the world, are they?"

"Yes, dream insects are very special. Unlike other strange insects that rely on quantity, this species is quite difficult to reproduce and is very rare. They are on the verge of extinction, but a single one is terrifying. Most importantly, it also has a wonderful use: it can use the dreams of others to gain enlightenment."

According to legend, if the owner of a dream insect sets his sights on a person with exceptional talent, he can use the dream insect to entangle him, borrowing their talent and aptitude to cultivate himself, and helping him to attain enlightenment in his dreams.

"That's outrageous! That's insane!"

……

After Qin Ming left, he felt it necessary to attend the Kaiyuan Grand Gathering to broaden his horizons and perhaps even participate in the auction himself.

He had several storage bracelets wrapped around his wrist, containing many healing medicines and other valuable items—all of which were hard currency.

Moreover, if he can find a way out of this path, he can consider using large auctions in various foreign lands to acquire rare resources and thus break through the barrier.

“It’s worth a try.”

Qin Ming understood that integrating into this grand event was somewhat risky. However, how could one expect to advance aggressively without facing any obstacles?
All he needs to do is manage the risks and plan for the future.

That day, Qin Ming passed through the Ancient Mist Gate, returned to Night State, and sent his physical body back.

Without pausing, he wrapped himself in the old cloth and once again wandered into that otherworldly realm. Without a physical body, he could escape even faster, and as the temporary owner of the golden cloth, he was invisible to outsiders, but could use it to conceal himself at crucial moments.

To enter the auction, he needed a temporary physical body, which was easy to find in the cultivation world.

Of course, Qin Ming had no intention of killing innocent people indiscriminately. He originally wanted to find a notorious villain along the way and eliminate him so that he could possess him.

He didn't even need to lift a finger; on the way, he witnessed several feuds and killings, and in the end, he chose a tiger clan member whose body was still warm.

The original owner's cultivation was at the late stage of the fourth realm. After his soul left his body, he perished along with his opponent, leaving behind a very good physical body that met Qin Ming's requirements.

A moment later, in the woods, Qin Ming revived on the body of a middle-aged tiger-man. Opening his eyes, he performed a simple healing act, his bones cracking instantly, and he recovered in the blink of an eye.

He then began to modify his body. His face changed, transforming from its original fierce appearance into a more handsome one that appealed to a wider audience. His eyes were pale gold, intertwined with lightning symbols.

This is very similar to the Golden-Striped Divine Eye in the legends of the Tiger Clan. It is one in a million, and those who possess this gift will at least become top-tier grandmasters in the future.

At the same time, Qin Ming exuded a Daoist aura no less powerful than that of a Grandmaster.

Those who participate in such a grand event but lack sufficient strength may encounter various hidden dangers and troubles.

Qin Ming stretched his limbs, his slender and strong body radiating a precious glow. Apart from his pale golden divine eyes, he also had a tiger tail like a steel whip and a pair of furry ears. Otherwise, he was no different from a human.

On that day, Qin Ming sprinted with the force of a tiger, but when he walked slowly, he took a slightly cat-like step. Although it was a bit awkward, it was a characteristic of the Tiger Clan.

The handsome and dashing "Hu Dingming" entered Kaiyuan City with light, cat-like steps.

This city is very large, guarded by a grand canal, and is extremely prosperous. It is also nourished by super hot springs, making the entire area very wealthy.

The city's wide streets were bustling with traffic, many of them unusual, like silver butterflies fluttering in mid-air, pulling a tiny cart the size of a palm, inside which was a fiery red bird with its wings clasped together, legs crossed, and a halo behind its head, looking dignified and majestic.

"Grandmaster!" Qin Ming could tell at a glance that the little red bird was in the fifth realm, possibly approaching the middle stage.

The ground trembled slightly as a giant covered in golden fur entered the city. It was a towering 15 meters tall and was a mutated upright ape demon, also at the Grandmaster level.

Qin Ming was awestruck. He had only been in the city for a short time when he encountered several Grandmasters on the street.

Fortunately, things weren't so outrageous after that. Although he could see creatures of various races, he couldn't spot a Grandmaster with just a casual glance.

In Kaiyuan City, most of the creatures are humanoid, and there are very few true pure-blooded humans.

Qin Ming arrived early; there were still four days until the auction. He familiarized himself with the environment beforehand and then went to verify his qualifications to obtain a special jade token that allowed him to enter.

Over the next few days, Qin Ming toured the giant city and learned about some of the auction items that had been announced in advance.

"What a pity, that incredibly rare Dream Insect is on the verge of death, sealed within the Spiritual Ice Soul. Whether it can be saved is completely unknown."

"That's normal. Otherwise, why would the fifth-ranked rare insect need to be auctioned? It would have been secretly traded away by some important figure long ago and wouldn't even appear here."

At this point in time, Qin Ming didn't need to inquire specifically; people everywhere in the restaurants and teahouses were discussing news related to the auction.

"This auction is of such a high standard, is there any real secret involved?"

"Of course, and it's the very famous 'Immortal Slaying Scripture,' but it only has the first volume of the three volumes. If you cultivate it with that drop of 'unicorn blood,' it will surely be wonderful."

Qin Ming pondered that there were indeed many good things at this Kaiyuan Grand Gathering, but it required sufficient financial resources to support them; otherwise, one could only watch longingly.

He then heard that two pieces of exotic gold would be auctioned this time.

Qin Ming was naturally very envious. He had seriously considered it in recent days and thought that it was unrealistic to forge a heavy, exotic metal longsword, as it would consume too many materials.

In fact, even Li Qingyue's Bagua Furnace was only the height of a palm.

The yellow parasol itself is only a few inches tall.

These top-tier items place greater emphasis on internal inscriptions, such as magic arrays engraved deep within.

Qin Ming believed that his current finger-length, pendant-like, pure white gold sword was normal and not petite. If he engraved runes that could change size, all the problems would be solved.

Clearly, it is still in its rough stage and has not yet demonstrated its full value.

If sword patterns were engraved on it, and it were used in conjunction with the Nine-Colored Sword Aura, it would be absolutely terrifying.

Following this line of thought, Qin Ming felt he could collect exotic metals and forge a small axe to use in conjunction with the Inner Realm Heaven-Opening Axe.

Similarly, he could also forge a small hammer of strange metal, containing thunder seal script, to be used in conjunction with the true scripture "Primordial Thunder Seal Script".

"The true scripture 'The Beginning of Oneness' deserves a small lamp of exotic gold, while the 'Black and White Scripture' requires..."

If possible, he could use the true scriptures or the strongest techniques he possesses to forge a corresponding weapon, striving to achieve "perfection in the ninth level".

"At the same time, every weapon made of different metals must be suitable for unleashing the Chaos Force."

In that case, when they appear in groups and all nine exotic metal weapons are unleashed at the same time, the scene is bound to be terrifying.

"Breaking news: A young dragon will actually appear at this Kaiyuan Grand Gathering, which is far beyond our expectations."

"It's most likely a hybrid dragon, otherwise wouldn't that be defying the heavens?"

People are buzzing about how big this event is.

Following this, all sorts of rumors flew around, such as the appearance of a young powerhouse hailed as the greatest genius in this world, who wanted to bid for the young dragon.

This quickly sparked controversy, as some people disagreed on the ranking of the number one genius, with a significant number believing it should be another holy woman surnamed Ji.

"During the Divine Assembly, a divine son also came to Kaiyuan City. His background is terrifying. By the way, the Dream Insect was sent by them. They wanted to ask for a longevity elixir."

Rumors are circulating that the supreme leader of the Godlike Society is decaying and nearing his death. Currently, many branches in various parts of the Night Mist World are searching for miraculous medicines to prolong his life.

As Qin Ming strolled through the city, he saw many races he had never heard of before, such as the Tree People, whose lush branches were laden with bright yellow, fragrant fruit.

Upon smelling it, Qin Ming felt his mouth water and almost asked if he sold fresh fruit.

As for some of the children, they were almost crying from craving.

"Hold on, that's a harmful, strange fragrance, belonging to a special realm. If you eat one of its fruits, you'll be branded with its life mark and enslaved by it for at least a hundred years."

……

Before he knew it, Qin Ming had seen dozens or even hundreds of humanoid creatures of different races, and had truly experienced different exotic customs.

"Young master, this way please, let's go upstairs!"

Qin Ming looked up and saw a magnificent jade tower shrouded in white mist. A graceful woman greeted him and invited him to ascend the jade palace.

It was only then that Qin Ming realized that he had arrived at a bustling street where people could listen to fairy music and enjoy wonderful dances. The place was very popular, and the buildings on both sides were filled with the melodious sounds of string and wind instruments.

Qin Ming swore that he wanted to experience the different customs and cultures of foreign lands, but he really didn't expect to come here.

The magnificent building shrouded in ethereal mist seemed quite unique, with hardly anyone visiting, unlike other buildings that were bustling with activity and thriving business.

The graceful woman upstairs explained, "We have a master playing the seven-stringed zither here. We don't invite anyone who isn't specially destined to enter; they're not qualified to come in."

Qin Ming was stunned. In this world, every industry is so competitive that even female grandmasters are forced to make a living? How pathetic! He casually flicked ten gold coins at the top and sighed, "Alas!"

He then turned and left.

On the magnificent palace, the woman stood disheveled in the wind, feeling humiliated, and wanted to speak to express her intense resentment.

As a result, in the pavilion behind her, a veiled woman plucked the strings of a zither with her delicate hands, and the sound stopped her impulsive act.

"That person... actually regards you as the most beautiful courtesan and rewards you with such a large sum of money, that's too much!"

……

The grand opening ceremony was held as scheduled.

Qin Ming discovered that, not counting the VIP rooms, the ordinary seats outside were already packed with people, indicating that there were far too many attendees.

"We want to know if that dream insect is, as rumored, already dying and sealed in the Ice Soul. What's the point of having such a rare insect, no matter how high its ranking is?"

Immediately, a master stepped forward and explained that this strange insect was not the final item to be auctioned, and that it might even be possible to save it.

He used a memory crystal to demonstrate the state of the dream insect, informing it that it had been injured by a special method, and that since there are many extraordinary people in the world, there should be a way to break the curse.

Qin Ming remained outwardly calm, but deep inside, a storm was brewing. He had seen the "golden needle threading" technique in the family's silk scroll!

Whether in Yezhou or in Pugong, where the sages of this era reside, theoretically, no one else has mastered the Hunyuan Jin with this unique quality.

The chaotic energy of sages is primarily characterized by devouring.

Currently, only Qin Ming possesses the longevity trait similar to being covered in a jade burial suit. However, he has witnessed a similar technique here.

(End of this chapter)