Night without Borders

Chapter 530 The Living Myth

Qin Ming suddenly stopped. Who was whispering? Was it directed at everyone, or was it just a whisper directed at him?

The voice came so suddenly, carrying endless weariness and an unspeakable sense of vicissitude, as if it had endured the trials of time and was barely clinging to life.

A colossal abyss stretched out before them, pitch black and boundless, a sight that sent chills down one's spine. It seemed capable of devouring all gods and all things, vast and unfathomable.

Qin Ming discreetly observed the people nearby, trying to see if they had also heard that mysterious and unsettling whisper.

The group of young men and women walked steadily, showing no sign of anything unusual; perhaps they were restraining themselves, or perhaps they were feigning composure.

Qin Ming resonated with the two people closest to him and discovered that they were very nervous and uneasy, hoping to stumble upon a great "destiny," but he did not hear any strange voices.

The murmurs seemed to be directed at him.
"Ah..." A shrill scream suddenly came from the abyss, filled with pain and seemingly in utter despair.

Someone stumbled out, covered in blood, disheveled, face ashen, with spiderweb-like cracks between his brows and lifeless eyes.

Soon, people learned what had happened: two young prodigies had simultaneously set their sights on a fragment of a ruined tower, and upon discovering that it was about to revive, they immediately began to fight.

One of them had his physical body shattered, and his pure Yang consciousness was also torn apart by his opponent. It can be said that the two of them were fighting with all their might, and it was a fight to the death.

However, the final winner did not obtain the broken tower. Instead, he was severely injured in spirit by the spirit within the fragments of a special weapon, and his gaze became unfocused.

Not only him, but also more than a dozen others staggered out, clutching their heads in their hands, their expressions filled with pain. Their mental states were also severely impacted.

"There's something wrong with that weapon. It's roaring, and its ferocity is overwhelming!"

They appeared near the ruined tower, thinking it had been revived, and rushed over to try and communicate with it, only to flee with blood streaming from their foreheads.

Jinbang solemnly warns: "Some revived artifact spirits may be insane. Forcibly taking them may endanger your life. You should give up immediately and stay away."

Then, it emphasized very strongly that competition is possible in the abyss, but killing each other is absolutely unacceptable.

With a foreign war imminent, what kind of country would it be if its own people were to engage in bloody internal strife? Jinbang set rules for everyone, forbidding them from secretly hunting each other down.

"What if multiple people work together to revive a special weapon, and more than one person gains recognition?"

Jinbang responded: "Either we take control together, or as you wish, we will have a friendly competition to determine the outcome. The premise is that both sides agree to the fight, there should be no coercion, and injuries should be avoided as much as possible."

It warns that some weapons in the abyss are very ancient, with an age that is difficult to verify, and they are all ancient predecessors with great origins.

Even fragments of the Jade Emperor's weapon are buried in the abyss.

Jinbang said, "It is impossible to know which generation of Jade Capital ruler that such a treasure followed."

Of course, such special objects are difficult to recognize even if encountered, as they may have long since deteriorated and become completely covered in dust.

People were utterly stunned. The weapon of the Lord of Jade Capital was insane to even think about. He was the strongest being in the entire region, who once ruled over heaven and earth.

For them, that existence was too far away, like being separated by a vast chasm, as if they were beings from a completely different dimension.

Their social status, cultivation level, and other aspects were worlds apart.

If one could gain the approval of that artifact spirit, one might be able to obtain many secrets of the Lord of Jade Capital, such as the legendary supreme inheritance.

The list of names indicates that perhaps more than one fragment of a Jade Capital Lord's weapon has been lost here.

At the same time, it once again warns that no one should attempt to challenge moral boundaries!
"Each person may take only one weapon fragment." This was the last constraint imposed by Jinbang.

Many people are thinking, is it really necessary to remind them like this? Absolutely not. How many people have actually received special weapons approval so far? You can count them on one hand.

"No one can get more than two weapon fragments on their own, okay?" a girl muttered softly.

Qin Ming entered the abyss, where all around was vast and dark, and he could not see his own hand in front of his face.

Those with high cultivation levels were able to fly for a short time and were already heading into the distance, while some inexperienced teenagers were climbing the rock wall, heading towards the bottom.

Currently, both teenagers and young adults can enter, and their abilities vary greatly.

Among middle-aged people over forty, some immortal beings have reached the Great Perfection of the Fourth Realm, and some extremely powerful individuals have even become Grandmasters.

A vast, boundless abyss, seemingly leading to an endless hell.

Those boys climbing the rock face seemed never to reach the bottom. However, there were also fragments of weapons on the rough, abyss-like walls.

As Qin Ming advanced, he discovered some floating islands and rough meteorites in the abyss, suspended in mid-air and scattered like stars, which could provide leverage for those in the air to take a short rest.

He turned around and saw a large group of people nearby, heading in the same direction as him.

Ahead, light illuminated a massive meteorite, upon which stood a ruined tower, emanating a dangerous aura and rife with chaotic consciousness.

Someone warned their companion, "Be careful, don't go near that area, the weapon's spirit has gone mad."

Once you reach this area, the abyss is no longer so dark and boundless; there are faint glimmers of light in the deeper parts, and these become more numerous as you go further.

They are like fireflies, fluttering in the abyss.

Even brighter beams of light suddenly streaked across the dark area, like a shooting star hurtling away.

People know that these are special fragments of treasures, some of which are in a state of revival, restlessly stirring.

More often, they are arranged randomly, silent and still, faintly glowing, like mottled stars adorning the deep ocean of the universe.

"So many?" Many people were surprised. Such weapons were treasures, and if they could be traced back to their origins, each one would have a remarkable and moving history.

They are living myths.

Forging even one of these artifacts is incredibly difficult, requiring not only the combined power of an entire sect but also the blood of a celestial being.

It's impossible to achieve this in this era, because all the celestial beings have decayed and passed away one after another.

"There aren't that many. Look over there, it looks like a cluster of stars, but it's actually just a few pieces. After each piece disintegrated, it shattered into a dense, scattered mess."

People speculate that if one were to piece together a relatively complete collection of treasures from this abyss, there would be at most thirty pieces.

"Excuse me, everyone, I must go first!" Someone went to chase after the resurrecting "shooting star".

Some people arrived in spirit form, their pure Yang consciousness weaving like streams of light in the abyss, making travel convenient and far faster than those who entered in their physical bodies.

"You've come...come here..."

The abrupt, intermittent sound rang in Qin Ming's ears again, as if whispering and calling softly from the darkest depths of the abyss.

Qin Ming was certain that no one around him was acting strangely; the whispering was indeed directed at him alone.

He remained expressionless, exploring forward at a leisurely pace.

On a meteorite several tens of feet long, Qin Ming saw a white fragment of a long sword stuck in the ground. He immediately went over and examined it carefully.

For him, long swords, hammers, and axes are definitely the most convenient weapons to use.

As he approached, a dozen or so people followed, surrounding the snow-white blade with burning eyes.

Qin Ming examined it closely. The blade was severely damaged, with only the tip remaining. He tried to resonate with it and discovered that its magical power was incomplete.

He could only sigh, for time is invincible and can wash away everything in the world.

Qin Ming turned and left, heading towards his next target.

A solitary island hangs in the abyss, with a small section of a spear stuck in it. The spear is as red as agate, crystal clear. Although it has no spearhead, such a large weapon is very rare.

Qin Ming noticed that after the group of people shook their heads, they also left the white blades and followed them over.

……

Outside the abyss, Xie Muze, the grandmaster of Star Mountain, with his full head of silver hair, was "gambling for fun" with someone. He was usually strong and aloof, but now he had a faint smile on his face.

Even though some of them look relatively young, they are no longer considered part of the middle-aged and younger generation.

Someone reminded him, "Old Xie, I heard you prepared a contract, but it was rejected? Although you're unhappy, you should be careful and not cause trouble here."

Xie Muze nodded and said, "Yes, I will strictly follow the divine decree of the Golden List and never overstep the rules."

"Then why are you so certain that the other party has gained nothing in the abyss?"

Xie Muze calmly said, "What can a badger gain by traveling with a mountain lord? A third-realm warrior traveling with a grandmaster is like a firefly trying to compete with the bright moon. Isn't that a joke? Overestimating oneself."

Immediately, those present guessed that his niece, Xie Jingxian, must have broken through to become a Grandmaster.

In fact, there had been rumors for some time that this woman from the Xie family possessed extraordinary talent, and that half a year ago, there were rumors that she could break through to the fifth realm at any time.

"I heard she practices both paths simultaneously?" someone asked.

This is no secret, and it can't be hidden even if you want to. Xie Muze nodded confidently and said, "She has already achieved inner vision and her divine path is progressing smoothly. If there are no accidents, she will be able to break through to the Grandmaster realm within half a year."

Entering the fifth realm in her forties, Xie Jingxian would be considered an extremely powerful figure even in the heavens. Coupled with her achievement of becoming a dual Grandmaster, she was truly terrifying.

The group of old men fell silent; despite their seniority, they had all been outshone.

They would never have achieved this level of success at Xie Jingxian's age.

An old man with a beaming smile said, "My eldest grandson is also a potential Grandmaster. He will break through the Great Barrier within two years at the latest. Brother Xie, how about we get married?"

Xie Muze flatly refused, saying, "What a joke! A double grandmaster in his forties would be given special training in my Starry Sky Mountain. How could he possibly marry into your Purple Cloud Cave?"

He has always been assertive, not only because of his promising future, but also because of the Xie family's strong foundation, and some of his descendants have also lived up to expectations.

An old master spoke up: "Old Xie, comparing a badger to a mountain tiger is a bit harsh. Why are you arguing with a junior?"

Xie Muze shook his head and said, "I've seen plenty of geniuses. He's only at the third realm, yet he dares to look down on my Star Mountain! Who does he think he is? I'm giving him a chance to change his fate. How many great benefactors can one encounter in a lifetime? He's not only ungrateful, but he also dares to offend the dignity of a grandmaster and defy me. It's only because we're in the heavens, bound by the Golden List and divine decree, otherwise, heh..."

He stared into the abyss and sneered, "Does he think he's a sword? A maid's life is nothing but a harpoon, her life is as thin as paper, but her heart is higher than the sky."

“You know what, his identity was once questioned and was observed by some senior figures, such as Lu Tianzun, who once suspected that he was Taiyi.”

"If he's Taiyi, even if he can't compare to Yijian, he's still someone who's reached the top of the rankings, that's incredible!" "Brother, you're overthinking it."

……

Qin Ming looked at the dozen or so people with surprise.

There are still many weapon fragments in this abyss, so there's no need for them to be swarming together. What do these people mean by this?
Qin Ming hadn't paid much attention to them before, but now he had to seriously resonate with them and investigate their origins and purposes.

Although some of the individuals were extraordinary, resolute, and showed no outward display of emotion, he learned from others that some of them were from Star Mountain.

No matter what treasure fragment he sets his sights on, people from Star Mountain will always come to disrupt him.

Behind these people was a female grandmaster surnamed Xie with exceptional talent.

Qin Ming remained calm and composed, like the moon reflected in a well. Did the other party really think he was so easy to manipulate, competing with him in such a place? They were courting death.

He tried it out, and the pure yang consciousness, which blended with the heavenly light, attached itself to the old cloth and quietly left the physical body. As a result, no one noticed, and he could gather and disperse at will.

As for Jinbang, they probably already knew his background. After all, Xinbang is his "old buddy".

In the end, Qin Ming abandoned the broken spear, mainly because the consciousness inside was somewhat insane, and he was afraid of being devoured by it.

"So that's how it is. Some artifact spirits go mad because they are entangled with more than one consciousness, and may even be mixed with the undying mark of their opponents."

Qin Ming uncovered part of the truth and became serious; he knew he couldn't touch a weapon that had gone mad.

"It seems that any warnings and reminders from Jinbang need to be taken seriously."

On the rest of the journey, Qin Ming heard mysterious whispers several times, beckoning him and wanting to meet him.

He ignored them and decided to first select a treasure that suited his taste and then fully equip himself with it.

Qin Ming saw more than a dozen fragments of treasures, some of which were quite tempting and had become his shortlist. Along the way, he saw everything from fragments of a jet-black spear to important parts of a silver cauldron, and then to the tri-colored hammer that he was quite satisfied with...

He never imagined he would have such a luxurious day, to see so many special weapons, and to actually have the opportunity to pick and choose.

He was somewhat lost in thought; it felt like a dream.

Each broken artifact is like a piece of history, heavy, profound, and weathered. Qin Ming resonated with it several times, assessing the condition of his desired weapon. He saw blood and fire, endless slaughter, and tragic figures staining the sky with blood, before silently falling into the abyss...

However, these are all vague and fragmented, making it difficult to fully understand the past.

Nevertheless, in the end, Qin Ming was unwilling to delve any deeper. It was too oppressive, as if the lost history and tragic heroes were surging towards him through the space-time of history, making his scalp tingle.

During this process, most of the group dispersed, but four people stayed with him. They were the direct descendants of Xingchen Mountain and were ordered to keep an eye on him.

Suddenly, a voice rang out: "Young man, something's not right with you. There seems to be an endless, rich spiritual light lurking within you. You are no ordinary person."

Qin Ming was surprised that a fragment of a treasure that he had not yet explored had actually come to life, emitting fluctuations and taking the initiative to communicate with him.

He walked over and stared at the object.

It's about the size of two palms, which isn't small for this area; it's already considered a "significant piece."

Moreover, it has five colors, which means that it contains at least five different metals, which is quite rare here and obviously not simple.

Most importantly, this fragment of treasure is actively engaging in dialogue, which is quite remarkable and demonstrates a high level of spirituality.

It emitted a ripple and said, "After being sealed away for countless years, my new consciousness is beginning to recover. I want to go out and see the world. How about I go with you to the mortal world?"

"What is your true form?" Qin Ming asked.

"A piece of exotic gold with an engraved design." It told Qin Ming that it could certainly meet his needs, as the design depicted various weapons, all of which it could materialize.

"Okay!" Qin Ming nodded.

He knew that this weapon must have a significant origin.

The fragments of the treasure glowed, and the four people following Qin Ming immediately widened their eyes, shocked. They never expected that this ungrateful brat, who showed no appreciation or respect for Grandmaster Xie Muze, would have such an opportunity, with a special weapon being revived for him.

They immediately sent a message, calling for Xie Jingxian, who was exploring other treasures not far away.

With a whoosh, the newly promoted female grandmaster arrived at lightning speed, landing on the suspended island, and took out a ball of liquid metal with such rich Daoist energy that it was impossible to dissolve.

The five-colored fragment glowed and said, "You've put in a lot of effort. You've actually managed to collect a small amount of the active substances used to repair precious artifacts that have been nurtured for many years. Do you want me to leave with you?"

"Please grant my request, senior!" Xie Jingxian nodded.

Qin Ming's face darkened. This was a blatant attempt to steal the prize right in front of him; the Xie family's female grandmaster treated him like he was nothing.

Xie Jingxian was dressed in black, with a slender figure and outstanding looks. Her black hair was loose, and she had a beauty mark at the corner of her right eye. Wherever she went, she was like a fairy.

"This is putting me in a difficult position," sighed the five-colored treasure fragment.

Xie Jingxian glanced at Qin Ming and said, "Under these circumstances, do you still want to argue with me? Step aside!"

Qin Ming ignored her and instead asked about the fragment of the special weapon, saying, "You choose for yourself, who do you want to be with?"

He didn't want an unstable element around him. If this treasure had a change of heart, it would be better to replace it with another one as soon as possible. It wasn't like he absolutely needed this one.

However, if Qin Ming were to choose this female grandmaster as the fragment of the Five-Colored Treasure, he wouldn't mind striking first and annihilating the Xie family member who came to intercept him, before choosing a different weapon.

The five-colored treasure fragment secretly responded, indicating its willingness to go with Qin Ming, but it also wanted to consume the active substance rich in Daoist energy.

Xie Jingxian glanced at Qin Ming and said, "What, you're still not convinced? If we encounter this kind of problem, we can settle it through a duel, but do you dare to accept?"

"You're so self-righteous. Have you even asked the treasure itself?" Qin Ming said coldly.

Not far away, a pure Yang consciousness flew over, as bright as the blazing sun, and very powerful, saying, "Hmm, I also want to get involved. You two, step back."

This was Qin Ming's primordial consciousness and divine wisdom leaving his body, attaching to Old Bu before leaving, and then quietly reappearing in front of a grandmaster.

Clearly, the other party did not realize anything was amiss.

"Who are you to dare compete with me?" Xie Jingxian asked coldly.

"Who do you think you are!" Qin Ming's pure Yang consciousness rebuked him mercilessly. He had originally wanted to make a move, and now was the perfect time.

At this moment, he was extremely domineering and said, "This treasure belongs to me. You can get lost."

Xie Jingxian's beautiful eyes widened. She had never seen such an arrogant person before, who came up and cleared the area, and actually dared to tell her to get out.

She said coldly, "Trying to steal the prize? Then let's have a fight!"

Qin Ming's pure Yang consciousness said, "If that's the case, you old hag, crawl over here!"

Immediately, Xie Jingxian was furious. She hadn't been emotionally affected by the previous scolding, but upon hearing the words "old hag," she was about to explode.

"What the hell are you saying? You're asking for it!" she said sharply.

Qin Ming disliked her, so he was very sharp-tongued, saying, "When I'm polite to you, you're a fairy; when I'm not, you're just a wretched old woman."

Xie Jingxian wanted to skin this person alive. She was in her prime, still a budding talent among the grandmasters, a vibrant young woman who should not be offended.

This battle was inevitable, and the Xie family's female grandmaster went all out.

She originally came for the young man next to her, intending to seize the treasure, but now she has to fight a fierce battle with a strange master.

Qin Ming held nothing back, revealing the top-tier techniques of the esoteric sect, using the Inner Realm Heaven-Opening Axe—his trump card right from the start.

Boom!

A gleaming axe flashed, illuminating the pitch-black abyss; his every move exuded domineering power.

Xie Jingxian was startled. She was very confident and self-assured, but now she felt her heart pounding. She knew she had met a formidable opponent.

In an instant, beams of light burst forth around her, like hundreds and thousands of starlight intertwining, to counter the massive, rune-covered axe that materialized.

Qin Ming was surprised. This woman was truly formidable. When he resonated with the others, he already knew that she had only recently broken through to the fifth realm, yet she was able to withstand his trump card.

No matter, if one axe blow isn't enough, he'll just take a second, a third...

Everyone nearby was alarmed, and then utterly shocked. The duel between the two was terrifying, tearing through the darkness and making that area incredibly dazzling.

Qin Ming launched a series of attacks, hacking away with his axe one after another.

"what……"

In the end, Xie Jingxian screamed in agony; she was almost cleaved in two by a diagonal shoulder strike.

puff!
Then, she was cut in half at the waist.

The terrifying axe flash sliced ​​through her flesh and severed her spine, breaking her in two at the waist.

At the critical moment, she activated the teleportation talisman, showering down a large amount of blood rain, and fled in panic.

In fact, Qin Ming was warned by Jin Bang not to engage in bloody infighting here, so at the last moment he did not try to pursue or throw the axe.

However, he kept the liquid metal.

"I'm sorry, I choose Qin Ming," the five-colored treasure fragment said.

Qin Ming's pure Yang consciousness snorted coldly, drifted away, and then returned.

"That's going too far. How could I sense something at such close range?" the five-colored treasure fragment muttered.

Soon after, Qin Ming, clad in five-colored liquid armor, arrived at the bottom of the abyss and saw who was calling him.

"I have waited... for many years!"

(End of this chapter)