Night without Borders

Chapter 564 The Turmoil Ends
Under the cover of night, Kunling City was brightly lit.

At the Mountain and River Academy, Qin Ming's conch shell rang frequently, and he also used the Flowing Light Bird to send messages to the outside world very often.

"Uncle Meng, don't worry, I'm fine. It's great that you're back safe and sound. Take care of yourself."

"Thank you for your kindness, senior. I have just returned safely."

"My injuries have healed, and I'm full of energy. I feel like I could kill a six-tusked white elephant with one punch now."

"Ah, Daoist partner. I am still young, let me slow down a bit."

……

Qin Ming was indeed very busy. Since setting foot on the land of Yezhou, many people had been contacting him. Some were extremely anxious and genuinely concerned, such as Meng Xinghai and Ning Siqi, as well as some grandmasters from the New Life Road who had abandoned their physical bodies to travel in spirit to save him when they were in the enclave, and were now worried about his safety.

In addition, there are people in the sky who are also concerned about whether he will return alive.

In this war against foreign powers, Qin Ming, though not comparable to Yi Jian or the Jingjie Sect, still displayed remarkable talent. During his sparring session with the Totem Civilization, he single-handedly defeated a group of opponents.

In many people's eyes, he was just not at the top level; otherwise, he would probably be a saint-level figure.

In particular, many people are filled with anticipation for him because they know that he started his spiritual practice relatively late, only embarking on the path of rebirth at the age of sixteen.

As long as the new student system doesn't hinder his path to advancement and force him to become a grandmaster only when his temples are gray, then his future should be bright.

"Thank you for your concern, senior. I can feel it. The barrier of the Heart Lamp is loosening. I will work harder and strive to step into the fourth realm as soon as possible."

Qin Ming displayed high morale, great drive, and even a slightly smug aura.

In fact, he has been quite "humble"; his current goal is the fifth realm—True Form, which is the Grandmaster realm. In comparison, in cultivation civilizations, the fifth realm is called Nascent Soul.

Qin Ming is not yet twenty-two years old.

"The Huang family is choosing a son-in-law, and they want me to give it a try. Is it a legitimate daughter or a concubine's daughter involved? Uh, I'm still young, and it's the time for me to make great strides. I'll give it my all."

Following the Lu family, where Celestial Venerable Lu Heng resides, another established power in the Nine Heavens has finally set its sights on him, and it seems to be even more powerful.

"The Huang family may still have living deities slumbering in Jade Capital? This... is indeed a terrifying foundation!" Qin Ming exclaimed.

However, he thought to himself, it's not like the gods are choosing husbands, what business is it of his?

"Don't refuse to die. We should give the Celestial God family the proper respect. Okay, I understand. If we go to the Nine Heavens again, we'll act according to the circumstances."

Qin Ming discovered that after gaining some fame, a host of complex interpersonal relationships suddenly came crashing down on him, and all sorts of situations and problems started to arise.

In the sky, the old monsters of the Seventh Realm all breathed a slight sigh of relief.

The massive fluctuations from the chasm have already been fed back, indicating that fragments of the Dao Ranking, the Gold Ranking, and the New Ranking are embarking on their return journey.

Initially, many people were disheartened.

Fortunately, confirmation came soon after: although the three rankings had been severely damaged and were on their way back, Yujing was still there and currently held the advantage.

Therefore, the tense atmosphere in the sky eased, and everyone began to consider the post-war situation.

Qin Ming made calls to various parties and learned about the situations of some acquaintances after a series of contacts. There were both good and bad news. Zhao Qingcheng, a prominent figure in the secret sect, had died in battle.

Looking back, she was very close to Li Qingyue and Yao Ruoxian, and they walked side by side.

In addition, Zhuo Qingming, Luo Jingxiao and others from the Immortal Path have also perished in battle, and some top-tier extraordinary individuals and young masters from the New Life Path have been left forever on the edge of the Crimson Forest.

These are just the peers Qin Ming knows. As for other experts and celebrities he isn't very familiar with, there are many more.

In any major battle, people inevitably die. It's bloody, extremely cruel—that's reality.

From an outsider's perspective, all of this seems normal.

But when it comes to old acquaintances, all that's left is a sigh of regret, and a heavy sigh of relief.

If every war and every act of pioneering leads to the death of a group of old friends, the longer a master lives and the stronger they become, the more lonely they will gradually become in the end.

Actually, the losses this time were acceptable, mainly because everyone was initially within the territory of Jinbang Mountain and Sea, fighting as a whole against external forces.

Otherwise, if everyone were to fight each other in a chaotic manner, it would be even more tragic, and there is a high probability that more than 80% of them would die in battle.

After all, this involves the Supreme Blood Battle.

Even the old mountains in the sky have lost many powerful figures. For example, even the Heavenly God Ridge, which is on par with Star Mountain and Thunder Palace, has lost its core leaders, and its ridge lord has even died in battle.

This is why the Huang family, the Lu family, and others wanted to recruit sons-in-law after returning, hoping to replenish their ranks with fresh blood of boundless potential, while other major powers were also actively recruiting disciples.

In this campaign against foreign enemies, young and strong individuals such as Yi Jian, Yun Jianyue, Li Wanfa, and Wei Shouzhen achieved brilliant results, while Qian Cheng, Li Shi'an, and Yin Tian emerged as dark horses, rising from obscurity to fame overnight.

These people naturally attracted attention, and all sides became interested in them.

"Brother Ming, Senior Yu has woken up." Bai Meng ran over and reported the situation.

Outside the Crimson Forest, the supreme battle was not yet over, and the returning old monsters gathered in the sky, as if they were sticking together for warmth.

Tang Yushang, Bai Meng, and the others followed them to Yezhou, also not daring to be alone, in case of any unforeseen circumstances.

On the way to visit Yu Gengsheng, Bai Meng asked in surprise, "Brother Ming, are you alright? I feel like you're even more imposing than before."

"Not bad." Qin Ming nodded. In reality, he was researching a special cultivation technique that ventured into forbidden territory, allowing him to absorb various spiritual essences and mystical substances from the surrounding environment.

Therefore, when Bai Meng approached, he felt as if he were facing an abyss.

Qin Ming immediately adjusted himself, restoring himself to an ethereal and otherworldly state.

After passing through the quiet bamboo forest, they arrived at the back of the mountain and saw the old man lying on his sickbed.

Yu Gensheng was pale. In addition to missing both arms, he also had other missing parts, such as his right calf, half of his heart, and only a small part of his sternum and scapula.

Fortunately, he was a Grandmaster, and as long as he was alive, his injuries would heal automatically.

"Senior, you're awake." Qin Ming stepped forward, channeling sunlight into him, and then used golden threads with longevity properties to mend and repair him once again.

"I...I'm fine," Yu Gengsheng said weakly, a relieved smile on his face. He felt it was all worth it to have fought so hard against the white-haired grandmaster and ensured the safety of Qin Ming, Tang Yushang, and the others.

Then, he frowned slightly and said, "Those students..."

Earlier, he walked with a group of students from Shanhe Academy and protected them as they left. Later, worried about Qin Ming, he entrusted them to Li Qingyun, who was traveling with him.

Qin Ming reassured him, saying, "They are all safe and sound. They encountered a group of experts from the Immortal Path, and news came not long ago that they have entered Yezhou."

"That's good." Yu Gensheng breathed a sigh of relief.

Tang Yushang also emerged from seclusion and came to the Bamboo Forest Cottage to visit the Grandmaster who had risked his life to protect them.

For the past two days, Da Tang has been studying the shackles within her body. She discovered that they were not only a bloodline cage, but also contained unimaginable mysterious energy.

This time, she was on the verge of death, but she actually experienced a rebirth through this ordeal.

Tang Yushang felt that if used properly, this would not be a shackle that hindered her path, but rather a mysterious source for her to elevate her life level and achieve a great rebirth.

She spoke to him by his bedside, saying, "Senior, take good care of yourself. You have survived this bloody calamity, and you may even have a chance to reach the Ancestral Master realm."

Yu Gensheng shook his head and said, "The Ancestral Master's barrier is difficult to break. The sixth realm—Hun Yuan—is extremely difficult and too ethereal for many people. Besides, given this special environment, I, an old man in my twilight years, won't think about it too much."

Tang Yushang comforted her, saying, "This kind of cruel era will force the most outstanding people in all fields to explore new paths and research new methods, which may lead to special ways to break through the barriers."

Pei Shuyan arrived shortly after. He was able to walk and no longer worried that his arm would fall off or his foot would detach from his body at any moment.

In the past two days, he has been "insulting travelers" as usual, recuperating at the Shanhe Academy, and occasionally interrogating the Holy Traveler.

"Senior, you've finally woken up." Jin Xiang also arrived. His true form was a golden sheep, who had been pulling a cart in Kunling City for over twenty years, tempering his heart in the mortal world.

At this moment, he transformed into human form, one of his horns broken off, and was in his prime, exuding a sense of composure accumulated over the years.

Yu Gengsheng nodded and said, "Good child, your will is indeed strong. You have always been able to quietly hone your skills. You are not far from becoming a grandmaster."

Jin Xiang was an outstanding graduate of Shanhe Academy more than 20 years ago. He was extraordinary, practicing both the path of new students and the path of esoteric Buddhism, and daring to be a beast of burden in the mundane world to comprehend the Heart Sutra.

He disregarded worldly opinions and cared little for honor or disgrace; such a state of mind is rarely matched.

"Senior Brother Jin, congratulations." Qin Ming greeted him. Back when he and Xiao Wu first entered Kunling City, it was Jin Xiang who brought them to Shanhe Academy.

Jin Xiang smiled and replied, "You are destined to surpass us and pave the way for us. Junior Brother Qin, I will be waiting for you to guide me then."

Pei Shuyan laughed and said, "Brother Jin, you want Brother Qin to guide you to immortality, right? With your steady and methodical approach, the other levels shouldn't be a problem."

Soon after, they took their leave, telling Yu Gengsheng to rest and recuperate in peace.

However, having survived a near-death experience to become a Grandmaster, Lao Yu is destined to be restless now that he has awakened, and many people will come to visit him.

Qin Ming and Tang Yushang went to interrogate the Holy Traveler again. He felt that it was about time. After extracting no useful value from this person, he should be eliminated. Keeping him around would only cause trouble.

Unfortunately, the highest inheritance of the traveler's civilization is untouchable; any attempt to explore it will only cause a piece of the spiritual imprint of this flaxen-haired youth to crumble.

Qin Ming's exploration of other areas yielded some results, such as gaining some understanding of the Traveler Civilization and acquiring some fragments of techniques, including various Dharma Forms, the Flying Immortal Seal, and tips for increasing speed.

He felt he had gained a great deal. Take the Flying Immortal Seal for example; it originally had a fundamental scripture and must possess the wonder of seizing the creation of heaven and earth, no less powerful than the Inner Realm Heaven-Opening Axe.

Qin Ming tried to activate it with Chaos Force and felt that he could roughly use this technique.

"This guy is really ruthless. He traveled around and happened to meet a Daoist disciple of a certain cultivation system. He asked the white-haired grandmaster to help him take action and eliminate that opponent."

Indeed, it is quite dangerous to "roam" in the outside world.

The Daoist disciple in the cultivation system is a level higher than the Saint Traveler, and he is also very young, only in his early thirties.

As a result, he was suppressed by the white-haired grandmaster and killed by the holy traveler. His Flying Immortal Seal and the flying sword made of pure purple gold became supplies for the enemy.

How could the word "misery" possibly describe the plight of this Daoist? His future path should have been smooth and full of glory.

"His cultivation is even higher than that of the Saint Traveler." Qin Ming was quite shocked. The Night Mist World was too vast. In the Dark Realm, there were many unknown civilizations and peerless geniuses.

Initially, Qin Ming thought that the Daoist belonged to the cultivation civilization. However, after carefully examining the memories of the Holy Traveler, he discovered that this was not the case.

"This system does not lead to the formation of a nascent soul; it follows the path of the Golden Core. Once the Golden Core is formed, it becomes solid and indestructible, signifying that one has attained enlightenment."

The concepts of "shattered core" and "formed nascent soul" simply do not exist.

Even Tang Yushang was filled with longing, whispering, "The diversity of systems and the brilliance of the flames of civilization in the distance are truly captivating."

Qin Ming said, "This Traveler Civilization is also quite extraordinary. When it rose to prominence in ancient times, it was just a family, but it eventually developed into a supreme Daoist temple. Most importantly, they are researching immortality, and they have achieved some special results. They even want to feed blood to the Undying Blood Calamity."

This is outrageous and dangerous; a supreme system in the distance is researching the Immortal Blood Calamity.

The holy traveler said bitterly, "Give me a quick death." He knew that his value had been almost fully exploited, and it was time to continue his journey.

Unfortunately, he was crippled and his body and spirit were pierced by those fine golden threads, making it impossible for him to even self-destruct.

Pei Shuyan's eyes were slightly red as he said, "What are you thinking? You killed my Immortal Path Grandmaster, slaughtered my senior brothers and sisters, and you still want a quick death? I'll use every trick in the book on you."

Subsequently, this place became Pei Shuyan's domain. The originally elegant man transformed into an avenger, cleaving the Holy Traveler vertically, searching his soul, severing his spiritual field, and using all sorts of methods.

Qin Ming, Tang Yushang, and Bai Meng left early and strolled around the Shanhe Academy.

After Qin Ming recovered to his peak condition, his mental perception became sharp, and he vaguely sensed something. He looked at Tang Yushang and said, "Huh, why do I feel that you have my flesh and blood aura?"

Upon hearing this, Bai Meng was immediately surprised and asked, "What's going on?"

Then, his eyes widened, and he said, "Sister, you're pregnant with Ming-ge's child?"

He was then subjected to mixed doubles, and the difference between flesh and bone is still quite significant.

Bai Meng wailed, desperately shouting to save himself, "Is it possible—and I'm telling the truth—that you were once shattered, your remains, blood, and everything else piled together... Could my sister have gotten pregnant by accident?"

Qin Ming stopped, but Tang Yushang beat him even harder. She believed that she had to be down-to-earth and make him understand that some things cannot be said carelessly, or he would be beaten to death.

The truth is that when the two were scattered together, Tang Yushang intercepted a drop of Qin Ming's true blood. After studying it for many days, she discovered that the drop of blood was incredibly active, shining brightly like a golden elixir within her body.

"Here you go!" After she finished dealing with Bai Meng, she returned the item to its rightful owner.

Qin Ming stared at her and asked, "You put yourself in a life-or-death situation and actually rose from the ashes?"

Tang Yushang nodded reservedly, reverting to her aloof and ethereal beauty, and with an air of haughtiness, she raised her snow-white chin, her powerful confidence returning.

She wondered if she could suppress Qin Ming if she could rise from the ashes again. She wanted to turn the tables; her previous crushing defeat and beating had infuriated her.

Give her time, and she will surely surpass Qin Ming in the future. At that time, she will have it all under her control. Therefore, when she was imagining the future, she couldn't help but raise her chin.

When she thought of those transcendent scenes, she was in a great mood. Her aloof temperament thawed, and she became radiant, making people feel as if they were basking in a spring breeze.

Qin Ming asked her, "When will you be able to get your jade mirror back?"

Tang Yushang snapped out of her daze and immediately became extremely vigilant.

Qin Ming said, "My life-saving treasure—the Rotten Fan—is broken. I recently wanted to go to another world to handle some personal matters, and I feel a little uneasy about setting off without the sect's weapon."

Tang Yushang asked in surprise, "What are you going to do in another world?"

"I'm planning to do a big deal. If you help me, I'll give you a share of the profits."

Da Tang immediately perked up. She knew that Qin Ming was a very capable manipulator, and his big business deal was definitely not simple; he would most likely make a fortune.

"I will go to heaven to retrieve the jade mirror within the next two days. Please allow me to consider it."

Qin Ming immediately nodded and said, "Okay, there's great potential for us to work together."

"And me?" Bai Meng asked immediately.

Qin Ming said, "Your cultivation level is too low, you should stay and guard the house."

Clearly, Xiao Bai was being disliked, mainly because of his mouth. Recently, Qin Ming had wanted to beat him up. Every beating he received was unjust.

There's been a lot of discussion about it.

The ancient monsters of the Seventh Realm are too distant; they are like celestial dragons above the clouds, and people can only hear rumors about them, but cannot get close to them.

"Damn, Zhuo Kun, this old man is terrifying. If the Daoist energy stops surging and falls like a torrential rain, he will surely become a god."

"That sage, Pugong, unleashed unparalleled divine power. His chaotic energy was invincible, piercing through totems and many giants of the Celestial Clan. It was truly breathtaking."

Undoubtedly, people are talking most about those closer to them. As for those who have achieved seven-day superposition or are peerless powerhouses, they are too far removed from them.

Yun Jianyue has solidified her position as the number one core saint, and her glorious achievements are verifiable; she even killed an Abyss King.

Li Wanfa once killed one of the Seven Heroes of the Celestial Clan, and now that this has been fully exposed, it naturally attracts attention.

Chaos energy was thus discussed and elevated to a new level.

"I knew that among those young men at the Saint level, some of them had most likely already stepped into the Grandmaster realm."

In the past, people only speculated, but now some of the actual results have undoubtedly confirmed certain rumors.

Most surprisingly, the sudden rise of previously unknown individuals like Qian Cheng and Yin Tian caused a huge sensation.

Naturally, many top-tier powers want to get close to these upstarts with no background, hoping to form a bond through marriage, taking on disciples, or other means.

However, some old monsters in the Nine-Colored Ice Mountain warned their descendants that there were certain people they should avoid, as they might be involved in a forbidden situation.

"What, His Holiness... oh well, never mind!"

Wei Shouzhen's prowess in the enclave earned him the complete recognition of the Huang family, who may then arrange a marriage between him and their daughter of extremely high status.

"One Sword, Realm Master, truly lives up to his reputation as the top of the list. He is incredibly powerful. He once overpowered Butterfly Daoist and killed Divine Eye King. His achievements are terrifying and dazzling."

The experts among the young and middle-aged are more realistic, unlike the old monsters of the seventh realm, who are like castles in the air, too ethereal and distant.

"Taiyi and Qinming both have the potential to become core saints in the future. They are already suppressing the younger generation of the totem camp, leaving them speechless. It's just a pity that their cultivation level is a bit lacking."

"By the way, have you found out who Yi Jian and the Jingjie Sect really are?"

"Forget it, if we really investigate to the end, it might scare people to death. I heard that Qian Cheng... was just like that, even the old monsters of the celestial realm retreated."

Obviously, secrets don't stay hidden forever; once one or two people know about something, it's no longer a secret.

Qian Cheng, on the other hand, quickly disappeared from people's sight.

At Shanhe Academy, Bai Meng exclaimed in amazement, "Brother Ming, you're truly amazing! Four of the most talked-about figures are him!"

If the truth were to be revealed, it would be absolutely explosive.

Bai Meng felt that day was not far off. With Qin Ming stepping into the Grandmaster realm and all parties continuing to conduct in-depth investigations, some things would definitely not be able to be kept secret.

"Hiss, I've been affected by Brother Ming's intensely hot medicine. Theoretically, after so many days, it should have worn off by now. So why do I feel so elegant when I see the Elephant Clan?"

In the past two days, Bai Meng sat on some of the usual routes of Shanhe Academy, observing the unusual students, such as Bai Yuxiang and Jinmao Lingxiang, and felt an unprecedented sense of closeness to them.

"Could it be that my curse... has loosened, and there is a possibility that I can revert to my divine form?" Bai Meng was immediately excited.

He turned around and saw Pei Shuyan walking over. He quickly greeted him, saying, "Old Pei, come over here. I'd like to invite you to enjoy the lush and beautiful scenery with me."

Pei Shuyan approached, his expression calm and unmoved, making it difficult to empathize with him.

Bai Meng said, "Look, how graceful that white elephant is! It's so beautiful that I feel sorry for it."

Pei Shuyan shook his head and said, "Large and strong."

Bai Meng slapped his forehead and said, "I forgot, you're human. Look across the street, that woman is graceful and elegant, with bright eyes and white teeth, gentle and refined. Uh, she seems to be looking for Brother Ming. He's really popular."

At this time, Qin Ming received old acquaintances such as Xin Youdao, Liu Hanyue, and Luo Lianqing, who were outstanding students from various universities in Kunling.

As time passed, the group of people were deeply moved. They had known all along that Qin Ming would rise to prominence, but they never expected that he would become famous so quickly.

Pei Shuyan shook his head and said, "I don't feel anything."

Bai Meng felt sympathetic and asked, "Then what do you think of my sister, such a peerless beauty?"

"Although I have fair skin and a beautiful figure, I am now... completely unmoved." Pei Shuyan panicked as he finished speaking.

Can physical defects really affect one's mood?

Bai Meng patted him on the shoulder and said, "Lord Pei, you've succeeded!"

Pei Shuyan turned her head to look at him and asked, "What's done?"

Bai Meng said, "Your Dao heart is firm and unmoved, like a mountain, able to resist all kinds of temptations. No one can sway your will. From now on, your path of cultivation will be smooth and unmoved by external things."

Pei Shuyan pondered for a moment, then nodded solemnly and said, "Don't be so sure, all I want now is to become stronger. Goddesses and peerless fairies are nothing but fleeting clouds to me. Even that love at first sight in my youth, the mistaken belief that it would be unforgettable for a lifetime, has already turned into a blurry bubble. In that case, I don't need to rush to find an old senior on the path of immortality to help me restore my body. I'll cultivate to the level of a grandmaster first."

Bai Meng said, "Yes, that's right!"

Late at night, Qin Ming was in seclusion in his former lakeside courtyard at Shanhe Academy, where he was practicing a terrifying "true skill." At that moment, he was like a black hole, ready to devour everything.

"It seems that the repeated breaking and refining of the body, despite the life-and-death ordeals, has not been without its benefits."

Qin Ming himself was shocked; he had mastered the devouring quality of the Chaos Force.

In fact, he had mastered it a long time ago, but it was only the beginning. He once fought against Sun Chengjun of the Sage lineage at the Mountain and River Academy and swallowed the opponent's Heavenly Light Force.

He was far from being proficient back then, but now he is completely different.

Without a doubt, this is an unparalleled and wonderful technique.

He has almost figured out the strongest protective methods of the sage lineage.

Qin Ming was extremely satisfied, even more so than with the acquisition of top-grade precious medicines and true scriptures. He now had another incredibly terrifying means of attack.

"Hmm, it seems that careful refinement will bring many benefits. I should guard against arrogance and impatience. The various hidden attributes within the Chaos Force are being revealed to me one by one."

"A great victory! The Daoist aura of Jade Capital poured forth, like countless galaxies falling from the heavens, ultimately crushing the colossal entity—the Undying Blood Calamity!"

The following day, a shocking piece of news was released, which sparked a massive wave of discussion, and people finally breathed a sigh of relief.

If Yujing were to lose, it would undoubtedly bring about annihilation; now the situation has been reversed.

Tang Yushang prepared to ascend to the heavens and said, "I'm going to heaven to retrieve the jade mirror. Will you come?"

In fact, Qin Ming also received an invitation. The great victory of Yujing was a cause for celebration throughout the land, and all the major powers gathered in the heavens for a grand gathering.

"Hmm, there might be extra rewards for those who have made contributions." Pei Shuyan's spirits lifted. He had fought a bloody battle against foreign enemies and paid a heavy price. He really wanted to see if there would be any additional compensation.

Bai Meng said, "Brother Ming, you've been called out and are required to go up."

"Then let's go together." Qin Ming finally decided to travel with them.

On that day, he came to the Sky City again. The magnificent and vast fairy city was located in the sea of ​​night mist, from which one could look down on the earth.

Qin Ming's disciple, Su Mohua, appeared immediately and came forward to greet him, whispering, "Master, actually... this might be a matchmaking event."

(End of this chapter)