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Novel: [Night Without Boundaries]
Chapter 130: [Migrant Birds in the Distance]
Author: [Chen Dong]
Translator: [Shadow Knight AK]
Editor: [Shadow Knight AK]
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Zhuguang City, ancient and weathered, boasted a Fourth-Tier Fire Spring. Since Shallow Night's arrival, the spring could be artificially controlled, bathing the entire city in daylight.
"Uncle Meng, it's lively over there. Lots of people are betting, and they've opened several betting pools," Qin Ming said, stopping and eyeing the scene with a hint of envy.
He now possessed a modest fortune, thanks to the generous gifts of Day Gold from his deceased rivals—Wang Nianzhu, Qi Huaien, Ge Qianxun, and others.
"Gambling is a terrible habit. You need to quit," Meng Xinghai said sternly.
Qin Ming explained, "I'm about to travel far to study. I want to buy a courtyard in a Giant City to practice cultivation."
Meng Xinghai replied, "In truly influential Giant Cities, you'll see Four-Tusked White Elephants roaming the streets and Azure Phoenixes soaring through the skies. The land is rich in resources and blessed with both natural wonders and exceptional talents. Housing prices there are far higher than you imagine. The Day Gold you have wouldn't even buy half a room, let alone a courtyard residence."
Qin Ming realized he was still quite poor.
After being lectured, he reconsidered.
Betting seemed pointless; most of his Day Gold was stored in the City Lord's Manor, and he carried little on his person.
Behind them, Li Qingyun smiled and secretly transmitted a message, "Are these betting pools reliable?"
"With your profound cultivation, you're worried about them welshing on the bet? I'm not afraid," Meng Xinghai retorted.
No one understood Qin Ming's capabilities better than they did. This was guaranteed profit—why wouldn't they get in on it? The two exchanged knowing smiles.
As for the young man ahead, with only a dozen or so Day Gold to his name, what business did he have getting involved?
Such gambling habits shouldn't be indulged; he needed a stern lesson.
Qin Ming stopped abruptly. "Uncle Meng, we're losing out big time! Look over there—Zhuguang City is selling tickets just to watch the match! And the prices are outrageously high!"
He finally understood why the streets were buzzing with discussion.
Even passersby were talking about the inter-city competition.
Clearly, someone was deliberately hyping it up.
Meng Xinghai remained calm. "Don't worry. Chi Xia City will get a share of the profits."
Qin Ming stared in disbelief.
A single match had become a massive business opportunity!
The Martial Arena in Zhuguang City was vast, its ground paved with the most durable Blackgold Stone.
High platforms and VIP boxes lined the arena, their seats priced astronomically, yet all were already sold out.
As Qin Ming entered, he scanned the crowd.
In the regular viewing areas, those in front had seats, while those in the back had to stand.
The dense, dark mass of people completely filled the arena.
"Lately, people have been saying that Zhuguang City's 'First' is just a 'candle flame' in name only. They claim he'd be utterly crushed in any other city, unable to rival the Bright Moon's brilliance. Sigh, hearing that really stings."
"Well, he might be able to hold his own against Chi Xia City. It's like the Hidden Dragon meeting the Phoenix Chick—let's see if there'll be any surprises."
Qin Ming stood there, expressionless. His opponent hadn't even entered the arena yet, but the spectators were already "attacking" him with their words. Their tongues were truly venomous.
In the VIP section, he spotted a black-robed woman with a graceful, slender figure, like an immortal lotus rooted in the mortal realm.
She sat quietly, radiating an otherworldly aura.
Though she had altered her appearance, Qin Ming immediately recognized her as Li Qingyue.
Normally, anyone wishing to study the secret tome he had retrieved from the depths of the Night Mist World would have to travel to the Beyond the Mortal Realm and pay a steep price.
But Li Qingyue now possessed a Near-Immortal Artifact, elevating her status far beyond that of the other Core Disciples. She could now keep the tome by her side if she wished.
Coincidentally, the Beyond the Mortal Realm's Pure Land had arranged for her to bathe in a Spiritual pool brimming with Immortal Resonance to enhance her physique.
Passing through this area on her way, she had brought the tome to visit her old friend.
Qin Ming also intended to use this opportunity to share with her the two scriptures he had obtained from the Near-Immortal Artifact and the metallic fragments.
...
The "First" of Zhuguang City entered the Martial Arena, standing a head taller than the average person.
His physique was robust and powerful, his features sharp and distinct, and his eyes shone brightly, like faint embers flickering within.
"Huh? It's not Jiang Hong. Who's this? I've never seen him before."
Many onlookers wore expressions of surprise. They had assumed the City Lord's appointed "First" would be Jiang Hong, the city's so-called genius.
"I am Chen Yuan," the young man announced, his eyes and brows radiating a heroic spirit.
Clad in crimson-gold armor, his presence exuded extraordinary charisma.
Some in the crowd immediately understood: this was a "Migrant Bird" from the Great Examination Period—a top-tier candidate who had temporarily "migrated" from another city to compete in a less competitive arena for the coveted title of "First."
Eyes lit up across the arena.
This was going to be interesting.
Chen Yuan was likely the "Second" or "Third" from a Giant City.
Clearly, the Migrant Bird Chen Yuan far surpassed Jiang Hong in strength!
"You really do enjoy walking the razor's edge," Meng Xinghai said, his expression darkening as he glanced at the somewhat ethereal middle-aged man beside him.
Qi Daoming smiled. "He's not an extraordinary individual. Just a Migrant Bird who's undergone eight awakenings—a minor skirmish. Our two cities will share the benefits equally, a win-win situation."
Meng Xinghai glanced at him and said, "He's on the verge of entering the Outer Saint Realm. The Heavenly Light is already overflowing from him."
Qi Daoming chuckled. "Brother Meng, you seem awfully concerned. Did you place a substantial bet on him? Now I'm really looking forward to this."
Meng Xinghai replied, "You'd better prepare the 'Fallen Fruit.' I hear this year's harvest is exceptional—each fruit is crystal-clear, translucent, and radiates five-colored divine light."
The ancient tree rooted in the Heavenly Light Pool, with its tender new branches and buds sprouting in early spring, would be considered priceless Five-Colored Spiritual Branches in the outside world.
The fruits it bears are undoubtedly of extraordinary value!
Currently, the old tree rooted in the Heavenly Light Pool has just begun to flower and bear fruit. They are far from ripe, and it's not yet the harvest season.
Though the branches are densely laden with fruit, the constant bombardment of Heavenly Light causes most to fall prematurely, giving rise to the term "Fallen Fruit."
After announcing their names, the two young combatants immediately engaged, exchanging no further words.
They moved with lightning speed, colliding and separating in rapid succession.
Qin Ming, having slain several Outer Saints, naturally felt no fear of this young opponent.
However, he restrained his attacks. If he were to instantly defeat Chen Yuan, who had undergone eight awakenings, it would likely alert the Cui Family and make some of them even more restless.
A faint golden aura flowed across his skin, the manifestation of his Golden Light Shield.
According to Qin Ming's mental resonance with the ancient book, a woman had once cultivated the Golden Light Shield to a thickness surpassing city walls, standing within it with an aura of invulnerability to all techniques.
Chen Yuan was indeed formidable.
Having undergone eight awakenings, he possessed a strength of over 6,000 catties, while Heavenly Light radiated from his body, tinged with faint flames.
He charged forward, his every step cracking the Blackgold Stone ground, which was as hard as iron.
With his immense strength, he resembled a rampaging Giant Beast.
His Heavenly Light Force burned like fire, erupting slightly from his body and illuminating each strand of his hair with a crystalline, crimson glow.
With a thunderous roar, his fist struck, unleashing Thunder Fire light that illuminated the void in a spectacular display.
Qin Ming's expression turned grave.
Chen Yuan's strength was undeniable; if he truly advanced to the Outer Saint Realm, he would surpass many of those Qin Ming had slain on Mount Luo Fu.
As Meng Xinghai had said, true geniuses disdained becoming Golden Armor Guards—though a few might be invited to assist in exceptional cases.
"A rare Thunder Fire technique combined with eight awakenings... he truly deserves to be the city's foremost talent," Qin Ming assessed.
With a sharp thud, he reached out and seized the Thunder Fire-infused fist.
A muffled thunderclap seemed to rumble through the void.
The golden light radiating from Qin Ming's palm intensified to an almost blinding brilliance.
His mastery of the Golden Light Shield technique had reached a level rarely seen among those in the awakening stage.
Chen Yuan's Thunder Fire Force, though capable of emitting a faint glow, couldn't penetrate that golden barrier.
Cracks spiderwebbed across the Blackgold Stone floor beneath Chen Yuan's feet, which soon shattered as Thunder Fire Heavenly Light erupted from the ground.
"He blocked the Thunder Fire Force. Is he using a body-refining technique? It doesn't seem to match the technique in the Silk Book, but we can't be sure about its inner workings."
"His strength is monstrous!"
Meanwhile, in the VIP lounge, Cui He and Cui Shuning were engaged in intense discussion, their eyes fixed on Qin Ming's performance.
Their expressions were grave, both agreeing that Qin Ming's performance on the Path of Awakening was undoubtedly at the extraordinary level, possibly even surpassing it.
This realization filled them with mixed emotions.
Cui Chongxuan, their family's most promising disciple, had only just begun his transformation into an extraordinary being, relying on the Six Imperial Heart Scripture.
Qin Ming and Chen Yuan clashed rapidly, their golden Heavenly Light Force-infused palm and Thunder Fire-wreathed fist colliding repeatedly with deafening force.
The massive Martial Arena trembled slightly with each impact.
Li Qingyue smiled knowingly.
She understood that Qin Ming was holding back.
Otherwise, what suspense would there be?
The surrounding spectators erupted in cheers, recognizing this level of performance as only achievable by the "first" among Giant City-level cultivators.
It was understandable that the "Migrant Birds" who had come for the Grand Examination were powerful, but the youth from Chi Xia City was equally formidable, capable of holding his own against them.
In the Martial Arena, Chen Yuan's Thunder Fire Heavenly Light Force grew increasingly astonishing, his fists crackling with thunderous energy.
However, Qin Ming's Golden Light Shield had reached an advanced stage.
His left fist and right palm glowed with golden radiance as he countered each strike, completely neutralizing the force of the attacks.
Suddenly, Qin Ming's expression shifted slightly as he sensed a fluctuation of Consciousness Spiritual Light emanating from between Chen Yuan's eyebrows.
"A dual-path cultivator?" Qin Ming realized.
"Qi Daoming really found a formidable opponent to challenge Meng Xinghai's Chi Xia City."
Deciding to end the exchange, Qin Ming abruptly accelerated, his palm deflecting Chen Yuan's fist imprint with a resounding bang.
In the same motion, he clenched his other hand into a fist and delivered a lightning-fast blow to Chen Yuan's body.
Clearly, Chen Yuan's Consciousness Spiritual Light was far from Pure Yang, clashing with his Thunder Fire Heavenly Light Force and preventing him from unleashing both simultaneously.
As he subtly shifted his attack strategy, he was caught off guard by Qin Ming's sudden strike, taking two consecutive punches that sent him flying backward.
"What an intense battle! Absolutely spectacular!"
"This fight deserves the front page of the Night Report!" someone shouted.
The spectators clenched their fists, their excitement reaching fever pitch.
Those in the know remained silent, believing the battle should have ended long ago.
Qin Ming ignored the surrounding cheers and strode off the arena.
Meng Xinghai smiled. "A good day's harvest. Hmm, Qi Daoming, your face looks stiff. Did you bet big? A little gambling is fine, but don't get greedy."
"Child..." Outside the Martial Arena, an elderly man with a kindly smile waved at Qin Ming.
Qin Ming's hackles rose.
It was Fifth Master Cui of the Cui Family, the old fox who had tricked him into practicing the Silk Book years ago.
His personal appearance signaled imminent danger.
Black mist swirled, and a figure silently approached Fifth Master Cui.
Li Qingyun appeared, wrapping an arm around the old man's neck. "Old brother, long time no see! Let's grab a drink."
"I..." Fifth Master Cui was startled beyond measure.
How had someone gotten so close without him noticing?
His body tensed, but with Li Qingyun's arm around his neck, he was completely immobilized and dragged away.
Nearby, Cui He and Cui Shuning felt their blood run cold.
That was Fifth Master Cui, whose power was terrifying, yet he had been carried away like a sack of potatoes, unable to resist.
Goosebumps rose on their skin as fear gripped them.
They turned and fled.
...
"Here, I've brought you the complete scripture," Li Qingyue said with a smile in a quiet chamber, her radiance like dawn breaking through the mist, brilliant and beautiful.
Her flowing black hair shimmered with a crystalline luster, and a faint immortal mist swirled around her.
The book was thicker than Qin Ming had initially thought.
After flipping through just a dozen pages, he realized he had underestimated it. It contained detailed techniques for self-cultivation.
"And this..." Li Qingyue placed several metal blocks on the table. "The Overlord's Spear was too conspicuous, so I dismantled it and extracted the Jade Iron from within."
She added, "As for the 'Strange Metal' similar to the Eight Trigrams Furnace's material, I only managed to obtain two pieces in the end."
Qin Ming looked at her and smiled. "I have a gift for you too."
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END OF CHAPTER
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