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Novel: [Night Without Boundaries]
Chapter 138: [Stepping into Legend]
Author: [Chen Dong]
Translator: [Shadow Knight AK]
Editor: [Shadow Knight AK]
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In the spacious hall, crystal lamps, each containing a Sunstone, refracted brilliant, flawless light.
Around a sandal wood table, old friends and acquaintances shared wine and reminisced about the past.
Jade cups glowed warmly in the Fireglow, their fragrant contents reflecting shimmering, colorful patterns.
Between sips and laughter, they recalled bygone days and discussed the future.
Time flowed like a river, yet the faces remained familiar, though no longer quite as they had been.
The youths had matured into seasoned adults, their toasts carrying both worldly wisdom and tales of experience.
Even the once-naive young women had transformed into elegant and dignified figures.
Slightly tipsy, Qin Ming escorted his departing guests to the door.
Meng Xinghai, also smelling of wine, waved goodbye to the group with genuine or feigned warmth.
Upon returning, Qin Ming's intoxication gradually faded, his eyes regaining their clarity.
He prepared to study the Yi Mu Scripture and the Scripture of Everlasting Green Life, eager to enhance his cultivation.
In the Night Mist World, personal strength was the foundation upon which everything else rested.
"Don't rush into practicing," Meng Xinghai advised. "We need to consult an experienced elder on the Path of Awakening. If there are flaws in the techniques, it could lead to serious problems."
Qin Ming nodded. "I'll give them a thorough review first."
In truth, he was confident in his ability to discern the authenticity of the scriptures.
The ink-scented handwritten copy left behind a faint emotional residue.
Qin Ming quickly realized it was Fourth Master Cui's "resentment."
Fourth Master Cui had refused to show his cultivation manual to others, so he had personally transcribed it.
"This Yi Mu Scripture actually has some flaws. Though the defects are subtle, practicing it in this state would definitely hinder achieving perfection," Qin Ming corrected the text himself, resonating with the few correct passages.
As expected, one shouldn't casually practice techniques of unknown origin.
The Everlasting Green Life Scripture also had issues, which Qin Ming manually rectified.
Moreover, through resonating with Fourth Master Cui's "resentment," he extracted an additional page of scripture, increasing the manual from six pages to seven.
Unfortunately, Fourth Master Cui's negative emotions far outweighed his contemplation of the scripture.
Studying the Everlasting Green Life Scripture, Qin Ming found it profoundly mysterious.
His current cultivation realm was insufficient to practice it; mastering the Yi Mu Scripture was a prerequisite.
He could sense that this scripture was extraordinary, offering unique insights into longevity, life extension, and maintaining one's peak condition.
While it didn't cover as many domains as the Life-Altering Scripture, there were overlapping areas.
In the future, they might be mutually verifiable and practiced in combination.
Three days later, Qin Ming noticed a faint green tinge in his jet-black hair.
His face stiffened slightly.
"Could my future cultivation cause my hair to glow green like Cui He's?"
He attempted to integrate the green strands using the Silk Book Technique and found no issues with his Unified Heavenly Light Force, finally breathing a sigh of relief.
"It's been a while since I returned from Luo Fu Immortal Mountain," Qin Ming mused.
"Once my body fully recovers, I can consider my Seventh Awakening!" He eagerly anticipated this transformation, knowing each physical metamorphosis would dramatically enhance his strength.
He assessed his Heavenly Light Force, recalling his battle with Cui Chongxuan, who had cultivated the Six Imperial Force.
At the time, Qin Ming had only just mastered the Li Fire Scripture and Golden Silkworm Scripture.
"When I mastered those two Extraordinary Techniques, my Heavenly Light Force underwent a qualitative change, allowing me to suppress Cui Chongxuan, who had only cultivated the One Imperial Force. According to him, in the Awakening Realm, new generation of the Six Imperial Lineage are considered qualified only after mastering the Two Imperial Force."
Qin Ming pondered, "If that's the case, I'll need to cultivate at least four Extraordinary Techniques in the Awakening Realm to rival the legendary Force Techniques!"
Of course, this was a simplistic calculation, neglecting the complexities of integrating, harmonizing, or conflicting Extraordinary Techniques.
He had traded the Li Fire Scripture with Tathagata Disciple Xiang Yiwu for the Wuji Scripture, and now with the Yi Mu Scripture in hand, he had finally acquired the four Extraordinary Techniques he needed.
As for the Life-Altering Scripture, a strange book that prolongs life and enhances innate talent, it likely wouldn't significantly boost the Heavenly Light Force.
"Ning Siqi truly came through for me, traveling thousands of miles to bring me the Li Fire Scripture. His help has been invaluable," Qin Ming murmured.
Without the Li Fire Scripture, he wouldn't have obtained the Wuji Scripture, and his transformation within the Mountain-River Spiritual Nest wouldn't have been so complete.
Next, he diligently practiced the Yi Mu Scripture, preparing for his next awakening.
After twenty consecutive victories, Qin Ming had met the requirements to enter the Six Imperial.
He could now undergo the trials there.
Meng Xinghai arranged for someone to retrieve the Golden Scroll for him.
Not long ago, he had been scrambling to find a suitable path, battling the "first" of various cities.
Now, with two Golden Scroll in hand, he was paralyzed by choice.
Meng Xinghai explained, "From what I've gathered, the Six Imperial Lineage, Heaven-Shattering Lineage, Jade Pure Lineage, and other Dao Lineages have recently relaxed their recruitment standards. Even those who aren't extraordinary individuals can now compete for Core Disciple positions. They say it's because individuals with extraordinary comprehension can make rapid progress later in life, or find ways to enhance their innate talent and alter their inherent gifts."
Qin Ming was surprised. "These Great Sect Ancestral Courts are all making moves—either letting their top disciples roam freely or expanding rapidly. They must be preparing for the Great Pioneering Era."
In recent days, Meng Xinghai had heard numerous reports.
The Beyond the Mortal Realm and the Esoteric Sect were also actively recruiting top-tier geniuses.
He handed Qin Ming some documents.
"Jade Pure Lineage, Heaven-Shattering Lineage, and Six Imperial Dao Lineage all require two rounds of assessments to select their final Core Disciples. Each round offers rewards, attracting exceptional talents. The conditions across these traditions are similar, suggesting they've coordinated to avoid cutthroat competition."
Qin Ming humbly asked for his advice on which Dao Lineage would be most suitable.
Old Meng frowned, finding it difficult to judge.
He sighed. "In this era of great expansion, all the major Dao Lineages seem desperate for Extraordinary Prodigy and top-tier geniuses, adopting a 'the more, the merrier' approach. But I worry that when the Great Pioneering Era arrives, some of these recruits will become mere cannon fodder. We must consider this carefully."
Moreover, some Great Sects have become like family fiefdoms. If you're a Core Disciple, resource allocation will inevitably favor those with closer ties.
"Looking at it this way, the special Advanced Academies don't seem so bad after all," Qin Ming remarked.
"We still have time," Meng Xinghai replied.
"Let's research them further."
The next day, Meng Xinghai brought fresh news: the entrance exams for several powerful Dao Lineages were taking shape.
Meng Xinghai grinned. "We can go fleece them for benefits first and make our final decision later!"
The initial exams for the Heaven-Shattering Lineage, Jade Pure Lineage, and Six Imperial Dao Lineage would all offer the Heavenly Light Force Technique, their unique scripture, to test whether participants were suited to their respective paths.
"All the Dao Lineages claim their exam sites contain extremely rare Spiritual Substances," Meng Xinghai continued.
"Whether you obtain them depends entirely on your own strength. This is considered a reward for participants."
Qin Ming, who was about to undergo his Seventh Awakening, was immediately intrigued by this news.
Meng Xinghai chuckled. "The Spiritual Substances in the Great Sect Ancestral Courts are definitely far superior to anything outside. It's worth looking forward to. You should avoid risking yourself at the Thunder Fire Alchemy Hall for now."
Qin Ming nodded eagerly.
Learning the Heavenly Light Force Technique and acquiring Spiritual Substances from the legendary Dao Lineages would be worthwhile even if he ultimately chose not to join them.
Qin Ming was genuinely curious about the Six Imperial, Jade Pure, and Heaven-Shattering Sect's Ancestral Courts.
He wanted to explore them thoroughly, hoping to achieve Spiritual Resonance with some of their ancient texts—a potential windfall!
"When do we leave?" Qin Ming asked, eager to depart immediately.
Meng Xinghai replied that they would need to wait a few more days.
He then produced six small cloth pouches and handed them over, saying, "Here, take these. They're all Fallen Fruit."
Knowing Qin Ming's extraordinary foundation, Meng Xinghai worried that the single pouch of Fallen Fruit Qin Ming had won from Qi Daoming in Zhuguang City might not suffice for his Seventh Awakening fusion of Heavenly Light Force.
In recent times, Meng Xinghai had amassed a considerable fortune, acquiring these Fallen Fruit both as prizes won in competitions and through purchases using Day Gold.
"Uncle Meng and I won't bother with thanks," Qin Ming said, accepting the pouches.
He had already mastered the Yi Mu Scripture and cultivated the Minor Yang Force, Dragon Claw Force, Metal Severing Force, and Wind Fire Force.
Now, he was simply awaiting his Seventh Awakening to fuse them all using the Fallen Fruit.
The Fallen Fruit Mother Tree, rooted in the Heavenly Light Pool, drew upon the purest Essence of Otherworldly Heavenly Light, almost condensing into a liquid form. Its medicinal potency was astonishing.
In the days that followed, Qin Ming actively "prepared for battle," making various preparations.
Whenever he circulated the Yi Mu Technique even slightly, strands of green would tinge his hair.
He also enlisted Meng Xinghai's help to forge weapons from Jade Iron and Exotic Metals.
Li Qingyue had dismantled the Overlord's Spear, its core essence being Black Jade Iron.
Though the total amount was limited, the fragments could be crafted into a dozen arrowheads.
Qin Ming found the Jade Iron Sword, slightly shorter than his arm, quite handy, so he opted not to reforged it with Black Jade Iron this time.
Next, he solemnly retrieved a small piece of flawless, snow-white Exotic Metal, as warm and lustrous as jade.
At first glance, it resembled Jade Iron, but it possessed a more restrained aura, imbued with an indescribable spiritual essence.
The near-immortal treasure, the Eight Trigrams Furnace, was forged from a blend of various Exotic Metals, including this snow-white, jade-like variety!
Qin Ming had unearthed a handful of this material from the bottom of the giant pit, but after the old monsters confiscated it, they only gave Li Qingyue two pieces—one purple and one white.
Now, he and Li Qingyue each possessed a piece of this Exotic Metal.
Several days later, Qin Ming had twelve new Jade Iron arrows, each tipped with a Black Jade Iron arrowhead.
Dark and gleaming with a jade-like luster, they radiated an aura of extreme danger.
In addition, he now possessed a pendant, thumb-sized, pure white and crystalline, shaped like a hiltless dagger or a cone, with a sharp tip.
Exotic Metal weapons were priceless; even a small fragment was exceedingly rare.
They could pierce Heavenly Light Force, Consciousness Spiritual Light, Divine Wisdom, and other powerful defenses, requiring extraordinary measures to block.
The reason it took several days to complete was the extreme difficulty in refining the Exotic Metal.
In contrast, the rare Black Jade Iron had been forged into arrowheads in a single day.
Meng Xinghai's eyes gleamed with envy.
"This pendant is worth many times more than all your Jade Iron weapons combined," he warned. "Don't lose it by accident."
Qin Ming smiled. "If Uncle Meng likes it, he can have it."
Meng Xinghai shook his head. "What nonsense are you spouting? I'm an old man—would I covet your belongings?"
Over the past few days, Qin Ming felt his body had fully recovered.
He was ready for his Seventh Awakening at any moment.
He eagerly anticipated entering the legendary Great Sect Ancestral Court.
Finally, news arrived: the Six Imperial Sect was the first to begin assessing its disciples.
"What a coincidence," Qin Ming mused as he packed his belongings. "The Cui Clan won't think I'm deliberately opposing them, will they?"
The Six Imperial Dao Lineage held an extraordinary position, its mountain gate situated within the Great Yu Dynasty.
No one dared cause trouble in its vicinity, a testament to its awe-inspiring power.
The journey from Chi Xia City to the Six Imperial headquarters spanned approximately 15,000 miles.
This time, Li Qingyun personally escorted Qin Ming, using his own flying mount to transport him.
Ahead, mountain ranges rose and fell, shrouded in Immortal Mist and punctuated by glimpses of Spiritual Light.
Each peak resembled a dragon's head emerging from the earth.
Even the mere location of the Six Imperial mountain gate was remarkable.
Li Qingyun said, "Make a good impression. I hope you seize any opportunities that arise. Once the Six Imperial Heart Scripture is mastered to its final stage, it's said that even the great figures Beyond the Mortal Realm will fear it."
He had already released Old Fifth Cui, tired of seeing that aged face every day.
More importantly, having essentially secured Qin Ming's entry into the Six Imperial Ancestral Court, he no longer had any concerns.
Qin Ming smiled. "Don't worry, Lord Li. Whether I stay here in the end or not, I won't bring shame upon you."
Outside the Six Imperial mountain gate, a crowd had already gathered, many young faces among them—the top geniuses from across the Night Mist World, all vying for a place within the sect.
...
In recent days, the name Qin Ming had been circulating within the inner circles of the Millennial Clans, causing particular unease among some members of the Cui Clan.
When news spread that Qin Ming had entered the Six Imperial Ancestral Court, the expressions of certain individuals changed.
The following day, Cui Changqing, the elder brother of Cui Laowu and the Second Master of the Cui Clan, a core figure and one of its actual power holders, personally ascended to the Six Imperial Mountain Gate.
As an Outsider with formidable strength, Cui Changqing was also cultivating the Everlasting Green Life Scripture to prolong his life.
He possessed long, jade-green hair, a fair, unwrinkled complexion, and showed no signs of aging.
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END OF CHAPTER
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