The journey through the Secret Realm ends [Two chapters in one]
A cup of tea appeared on Qin Ming's table; it was the reward he received for defeating Sun Jingxiao.
However, he doesn't need to drink it right now.
"Cui Chonghe?" Qin Ming frowned. Upon hearing this name, his mood immediately soured.
The pressure he is currently feeling, and the grudges he has accumulated, are mostly related to the Cui Household.
Just like in the early days, Li Qingxu targeted him and wanted to kill him because he was the eldest son of the Cui Household.
Entire Process, he was a complete victim, taking the blame for others, yet afterwards he was still harassed by the Cui Household.
The person in charge Cui Chonghe, held a very high position, regarding him as a servant raised by the Cui Household, and believing that it was only right for him to die in his place and suffer calamity.
Now that the Cui Household and Li Household have ceased hostilities, he continues to be implicated.
From the Cui Household's attempt to kill him in the remote Black White Mountain, to inviting Yu Zhuohan of the Esoteric Sect to fight him, and then to the suspected interference in the selection of disciples by the Six Royals Ancestral Court, every single event infuriated Qin Ming.
When he was aboard the Vermilion Bird Airship, he was attacked by Old Woman guarding the "land" in the sky. After being "shattered and safe," he had come to hate the Cui Household to the extreme.
"Is it a real fight? I'd really like to test my skills against him," Qin Ming said.
His resentment towards the Cui Household had accumulated to a certain point. Even when the Cui Household tried to appease him, they would still casually suggest that he become Cui Chonghe's bodyguard.
Even those like Cui He and Cui Shuning, who lost to him in the <Yi Wood Scripture>, felt that he was too late to become Jade Armor Guard or Divine Armor Guard. They believed that as New Life Evolver, his cultivation speed was far behind, and he could not keep up with Cui Chonghe, who was Near Immortal Seed. Even if he ran as fast as he could from behind, he could not catch up with Cui Chonghe's back.
"Hmm, that's a bit much. How can I manage if my mind is unsettled? I need to calm down." Qin Ming realized that his temper flared up particularly whenever the Cui Household was mentioned.
The Heavenly Fiend Mirror informed him in a cold and wooden voice that Cui Chonghe's challenge was related to his innate talent.
"I've just mastered the Golden Cicada Scripture, and my body is undergoing New Life. It would be a shame not to put it into actual combat," Qin Ming said, sounding quite disappointed.
He naturally knew that Cui Chonghe exceptionally gifted. He was sent to the Beyond the Mundane Pure Land at the age of three and entered the Daoist path, his realm surpassing that of his peers.
"Let him wait until I'm fully New Life," Qin Ming said.
Half a day later, his body was no longer burning hot, and the transformation was completely over.
Subsequently, he began to integrate the Golden Cicada Force, using the "Dragon Tiger Pill Combination" method, refining and perfecting it repeatedly.
His flesh and blood were crystal clear, and a large pill appeared in his chest and abdomen, which then took on a human form... before exploding and spreading throughout his body, causing lightning and thunder to flash throughout the entire palace.
He felt very fulfilled. After integrating the seventh Extraordinary Art, this was a New Life of the Heavenly Light Force!
He was experiencing the changes within himself and felt incredibly strong, so much so that he wished he could beat Cao Qianqiu up again in the First Realm.
"Indeed, the records from all sides are true. The higher the initial foundation and the deeper the accumulation on the New Life Path, the greater the rewards will be in the Ninth New Life!"
Qin Ming now understood why there was a "Relay Rebirth".
He speculated that some of the Ancestor might have experienced this as well.
Nine out of ten young people who enter the Secret Realm are digging for spiritual herbs, while the fortuitous opportunity for those Seed Level Figure are destined to embark on the journey do not lie in the real world.
"Hey, another Immortal Path is approaching the Fiend Path." Someone noticed this with surprise.
This immediately caused a sensation.
People know that the young demon "Demon One" is about to become famous throughout the Night Mist World!
In a single day, he collided with the Near Immortal Seed. Regardless of the outcome, this was a magnificent feat.
"That's Cui Chonghe!" someone exclaimed.
In mid-air, a Immortal Path, shrouded in mist and clouds, merges with Fiend Path. On it stands a palace, and at its entrance stands a figure.
Cui Chonghe, and wisps of white mist surrounded him, with shimmering light rain flowing around him. He seemed to have severed all worldly ties and transcended the mortal realm.
Although he couldn't see clearly, some disciples from the Beyond the Mundane Pure Land still recognized him.
"As expected of Senior Brother Cui, he stepped up at the crucial moment. He's really responsible!" someone praised.
Cui Chonghe is extremely famous. He had an epiphany in the Pure Land when he was three years old. Many people say that he will surely Near-Immortal in the future and eventually Truth Seeking.
The Immortal Path Disciple instantly became lively, as if they were standing on clouds, filled with a sense of honor.
"What is extraordinary talent? Senior Brother Cui is a prime example. It is said that he may have a foundation that surpasses Ancestor, and he is destined to become a world-shaking figure in the future!"
"I've also heard that Senior Brother Cui is exceptionally talented, possessing abilities surpassing even Path-Opening Ancestor!"
Not long ago, the seeds on the Immortal Path suffered two consecutive defeats, which really hurt their morale and made these disciples quite silent. But now they are all excited and thrilled.
The demons' expressions changed slightly, showing a hint of worry.
Recently, the situation on the plateau has been very tense. As the opposing side, this group of young demons naturally studied the celebrities in the other camp.
Some of the demons also knew of Cui Chonghe.
"This is bad. If he really does have talent surpassing that of Path-Opening Ancestor, then we're in deep trouble!"
To everyone's surprise, the young man on the Fiend Path never showed himself or left his palace.
Since it wasn't close combat, Qin Ming didn't bother to see Cui Chonghe.
"Very well, the prodigies of my Demon Race race should have this kind of prestige. How about the leading figures of this generation on the Immortal Path? They can simply refuse to see me!"
Many demons believe that Demon One has a personality, it should be like this.
The Immortal Path Disciple were immediately dissatisfied, feeling that the Demon Seed was too arrogant, not even stepping out of the gates of the Giant Palace, which was rather presumptuous.
"Is Cui Chonghe really as strong as the rumors suggest?" The members of the Esoteric Sect were also discussing it.
"It's hard to say, but judging from all indications, it must be very powerful."
Qin Ming sat quietly in the Fiend Palace, asking the Heavenly Fiend Mirror, "How does my opponent intend to compete?"
The Heavenly Fiend Mirror tells you, "Ahead on the road, there are riddles left by those who have traveled the path before. He also left one, which he has brought here now. You must solve the riddle. If you succeed, you will win."
Qin Ming sensed something and asked, "If I fail, can I send him a problem instead?"
"That's right."
This Broken Mirror has different names on different paths; on the Immortal Path, it is naturally called the Immortal Mirror.
At this moment, Cui Chonghe stood on the Immortal Path, his hands behind his back gazing into the distance. The other party did not show himself, but he was not angry; he simply smiled faintly.
"This is the one. If he can master it, then I'll admit defeat." He pointed with his finger, and intricate characters and patterns appeared, reflected in the void.
After being manifested by the Heavenly Fiend Mirror, the jade table in front of Qin Ming finally shone brightly, engraved with pictures and text.
"This is outrageous!" Qin Ming's face darkened.
His earlier guess has now been proven true.
This is the New Life Method of the First Realm, which originally belonged to him, but the old silk Silk Scripture was withheld by the Cui Household and they still refuse to return it to him.
It is conceivable that the exceptionally talented members of the Cui Household family had all studied his family's silk Silk Scripture, Cui Chonghe, who was on the path to Immortal Path, knew its meaning.
Immediately, Qin Ming suspected that this person might also be practicing the Heavenly Light Force, having taken more than one path, and probably possessing strong talent in various fields.
No one knew the situation of the Silk Book Method better than him; Cui Chonghe had indeed presented him with a difficult problem.
"Could it be that he suspects me and is doing this on purpose? That shouldn't be the case."
Qin Ming frowned deeply. If he were to practice Silk Book Method here, the consequences would be very serious, and Cao Qianqiu would not be the only one eyeing him.
Moreover, his identity will likely be exposed; the Fiend Path cannot be concealed any longer.
Qin Ming's expression wasn't very pleasant; facing the Cui Household, it was truly difficult to feel happy.
He also took out a secret martial art from the sect to make things difficult for Cui Chonghe? How could that be? Wouldn't that be aiding the enemy?
Cui Chonghe demonstrated this technique because he was certain that no one could master Silk Book Method on their own.
"I'll write one too, let him study it. If he can master it, I'll admit defeat." Qin Ming quickly tapped his fingers, writing characters in the air with his Heavenly Light Force.
When Cui Chonghe saw the pictures and text, his smile froze. He frowned and said, "This is allowed? Isn't it against the rules?"
The other party copied out the essence of the First Realm of Silk Book Method exactly as it was and sent it back.
The Immortal Mirror's voice remained unchanged as he said, "He believes this technique is flawed and impractical. You're misleading him with incorrect interpretations. Please practice it first."
"I am walking the Immortal Path," Cui Chonghe said.
Qin Ming responded, "Since you don't understand the path of the Demon Race and the method of New Life, don't try to teach a fish to swim. I said this cultivation method has problems, do you disagree?"
This match was all bark and no bite; although it ended in a draw, it felt rather pointless.
"Useless sparring and exchanges will not be rewarded, and if it happens again, there will be direct punishment." This is the evaluation of the Heavenly Fiend Mirror.
In the end, Cui Chonghe a flick of his sleeve, extremely dissatisfied.
Qin Ming didn't smile either, which didn't meet his expectations.
The Cui Household didn't take his family's heirloom Silk Scripture seriously, casually taking it out to compete with others, and then they wouldn't return it to him, which added to his frustration.
He sat there quietly and said in a deep voice, "This matter cannot be resolved peacefully; we must go to their doorstep and fight!"
"Someone has challenged you..." the Heavenly Fiend Mirror transmitted.
"Is it someone from the Immortal Path again? Is this never going to end?" Qin Ming was already in a bad mood, and now he naturally felt the urge to start a fight.
"Yes, she's from the Immortal Path — Li Qingyue," the Heavenly Fiend Mirror informed her.
"Ah, no problem, let's spar a bit," Qin Ming said immediately.
The Heavenly Fiend Mirror said, "She wants to discuss the Dao."
"No problem." Qin Ming nodded with a smile.
The Heavenly Fiend Mirror said, "You, a descendant who dares to blaze new trails, are also so friendly to your competitors, never showing any murderous intent. You deserve praise."
Qin Ming smiled and said, "Yes, I also yearn for the Immortal Path and crave to discuss the Dao. Moreover, I have already caused quite a stir. If I were to engage in actual combat, it wouldn't just be a case of the Heaven's Jealousy; Cao Qianqiu and Sun Taichu might personally come to enlighten me."
"What's going on?" Outside, some people were surprised. The Immortal Path and the Fiend Path had separated, and neither had been damaged, having safely weathered this storm.
Soon people began to speculate that the game might end in a draw.
"Hiss, Senior Brother Cui should have the potential of Path-Opening Ancestor, yet he can only maintain an undefeated record with no hope of victory?"
"Demon One will now be famous throughout the land, having defeated Li Qingxu and Sun Jingxiao, and even forced Cui Chonghe to a draw. He truly possesses the potential to become Demon God!"
Clearly, many people are unaware that Li Qingxu's teacher, Cao Qianqiu, once used a substitute player.
Those who truly know the inside story have all kept quiet and dare not comment further on the matter.
Then, people saw another Immortal Path approaching the Fiend Path, where they joined together.
This time, everyone in the Secret Realm was in an uproar.
The Demon Race, in particular, was on the verge of a climax, as if their own lives had reached their peak at this moment.
Is this demon boy fighting against all the Immortal Seed alone?
So far, he has not suffered a single defeat.
"Li Qingyue, it's actually her. She has no background, and has only been in the Beyond the Mundane Pure Land for a little over two years. She rose to the top entirely through her own strength, obtained Near Immortal Object, and was recognized by the old guys, becoming Immortal Seed."
Someone spotted a figure amidst the drifting clouds and mist, dressed in white with flowing black hair, standing before a Giant Palace.
"Li Xianzi is indeed a woman of great responsibility. Even with Cui Chonghe's game ending in a draw, she still dared to step onto the field, displaying a powerful belief that 'if not me, then who?'"
"Truly worthy of being a Immortal Seed who fought his way up from among countless disciples, his will is unwavering and he is fearless!"
When Li Qingyue appeared, she was immediately praised by many Immortal Path Disciple.
Immediately, two Giant Palace in the sky rapidly approached, emitting dazzling light that engulfed the area, causing a surge of Daoist energy that obscured everything.
Several months later, Qin Ming saw Li Qingyue again and rose to greet her in the Devil Palace.
She was dressed in white, without any makeup, her face exquisitely beautiful. Standing there, she was like the bright moon breaking through the clouds, the white ribbon tied around her slender waist fluttering gently.
"Fairy Li, please sit down!" Qin Ming said, following the proper etiquette even though they were very familiar with each other, for fear of causing any trouble in front of the Heavenly Fiend Mirror.
Li Qingyue nodded, her white robes as pure as snow, her entire being seemed to glow from head to toe, illuminating the Fiend Palace. Her beautiful body was clear and elegant, and she was absolutely stunning.
Even Qin Ming had a strange feeling that he was getting distant from her, and that she was about to Sever Worldly Ties and ascend to heaven.
Li Qingyue smiled and said, "We can't afford to lose on the Immortal Path anymore; we can only win. If we lose or it's a draw, I'll personally give you one item."
Then, the two began to discuss the Dharma in a proper and formal manner, debating the relative strengths and weaknesses of the Fiend Path Immortal Path, and whether the Heavenly Light Force or the Consciousness Spirit Light was more advantageous, engaging in a serious debate on the Dao.
Without a doubt, Li Qingyue recognized him!
As their conversation deepened, the two stopped pretending and began discussing profound Buddhist scriptures. Qin Ming explained the "Life Altering Scripture" to her and shared his insights.
Li Qingyue had taught him a mysterious scripture in the Mountains and Rivers Spirit Nest, which could cultivate the Consciousness Spirit Light. Now she focused on discussing this scripture and then talked about the subsequent chapters.
In the end, both of them felt they had gained a lot, and when discussing the confrontation between the Heavenly Light Force and the Consciousness Spirit Light, they both showed thoughtful expressions, seriously considering various practical combat scenarios.
As time Pass By, the outside world grew impatient, but the two paths still hadn't diverged, and the two individuals hadn't appeared.
"Will Fairy Li be alright?" some people worried, after all, that young demon was very fierce.
"What kind of fight are they having? Why aren't they showing themselves?"
After a long while, Li Qingyue stood up in the Giant Palace and said, "We have benefited greatly. How about we end this in a draw?"
"Of course, I'd love to," Qin Ming replied.
He sighed softly. He and this old friend had truly been separated for far too long. Outsiders felt that a long time had passed, but in reality, it hadn't been that long.
Moreover, it wasn't appropriate for the two of them to Say More here.
"I told you, if I lose, I'll give you one item." Li Qingyue handed over a crystal of extremely high purity, within which a large pill was sealed.
"This is..." Qin Ming was taken aback.
It can be as big as a longan, and it is two-colored, black on the left and white on the right. In the distance, one can vaguely see the phantoms of dragons and tigers intertwined. It actually carries a strange sight.
He immediately knew what it was: the Dragon Tiger Pill!
Long ago, at the Luofu Immortal Mountain Ruins, Li Qingyue used her Spirit Eyes to discover that Cui Chonghe and had violated the rules by participating in the battle. She dragged him out, threatened him, and demanded the Dragon Tiger Medicine, forcing him to comply.
This is a Great Medicine that Sun Taichu personally collected and refined from heavenly materials and earthly treasures.
Li Qingyue said, "The methods are incomplete, the paths are not yet finished, and all paths are still imperfect. In this great era, all paths are expanding forward. I hope that your path will be brilliant in the future, opening up new Dao Path. When the path is blocked, this pill can temporarily pave the way and increase the speed of cultivation."
She subtly explained to Qin Ming the purpose of the large pill.
It's not that he should take it now. The First Realm of the New Life Path progresses rapidly, even faster than other paths, but once he reaches the Second Realm, his progress will plummet.
She was worried about his future, so she gave him the Dragon Tiger Pill, hoping he could go further and not slow down too much.
However, this Great Medicine was only effective at a certain Nodes time, so in the end she could only sigh.
Qin Ming watched her depart, her silhouette gradually blurring as she disappeared into the depths of the palaces Immortal Path.
Undoubtedly, Li Qingyue was very good to him, but Qin Ming was somewhat lost in thought because she was becoming more and more otherworldly, single-mindedly pursuing the Dao and Near-Immortal.
He recalled Wang Caiwei's words: one day, Li Qingyue would no longer set foot in the mortal world, and they would never meet again.
"In the future, she will either lead the Beyond the Mundane to its ultimate glory, turning all Blessed Land into Grotto-Heaven realms and leaping into the void, or she will lead all the Beyond the Mundane People beyond the mortal realm to perish deep within the Night Mist World of the Great Pioneering Era, their paths blocked and their roads severed."
Although Qin Ming didn't want to believe those words, seeing Li Qingyue now, he couldn't help but make the connection, because he always felt that she was drifting away.
To him, everything about Li Qingyue was perfect, but he also thought of what the Heavenly Fiend Mirror had mentioned: that being too perfect was also close to being ruined, and he couldn't help but frown.
"Ultimately, my cultivation is insufficient, and I'm prone to overthinking. If I could crush Cao Qianqiu in the real world, what would I have to worry about? What's so scary about the depths of the Night Mist World? I can just carve my way through."
Outside, a group of people were lost in thought. After the two paths separated this time, each had expanded slightly. Although not much, they could clearly see the radiance rising and the Daoist aura gradually intensifying.
Is this also a draw?
Previously, Cui Chonghe's draw was uneventful; why is there such a situation now?
"Though the discussion ended in a draw, both sides gained something, and a reward should be given." This was the evaluation from the Heavenly Fiend Mirror.
It offered two cups of tea, one for each person, believing it to be a meaningful exchange and discussion.
Qin Ming calmed his mind and, on this path, burned incense, drank tea, and sat cross-legged on a futon, comprehending the several Extraordinary Art he had mastered, and once again developing new trump cards, such as the Fire Shuttle and the Wu Ji Seal.
At the same time, he also took the opportunity to practice the Undying Butterfly Scripture here, and as expected, he obtained the original version of the Demon Race, which was supplemented by the Heavenly Fiend Mirror.
However, he did not refine the Demon Seed again, fearing he would be kicked out of this path.
Then, he went to New Life Path, searching for fortuitous opportunity along the way.
And so he kept switching between the two roads, running wildly forward.
During this time, no one challenged him anymore, because everyone already knew that he was not someone to be trifled with, and going up against him would likely only lead to humiliation.
"I, a single Demon Race, can fight against all the other demons!" a demon boasted.
"Looking across the entire Night Mist World, he might be the most powerful teenage Demon Seed!"
"Forget it, although Demon One is very strong, I don't think he can make it into the top three, because some of the people in there are too special, suspected of being the Demon Ancestor retracing his steps. In that case, who can defeat him?"
Despite the outside world's turmoil, Qin Ming was oblivious to everything. He focused solely on his journey and entered the puzzle area. Seeing the entire wall covered in writing, he tried to solve it.
Finally, he discovered that some of the traces were definitely left by important figures. This was not only the path taken by the boy, but also the route traversed by giants. Some of the unsolved mysteries were too profound to understand at all.
Moreover, different paths and different problems mean it's like crossing boundaries, which is quite difficult for newcomers.
Later, Qin Ming vaguely saw that the road had ended, and the fog ahead was thick, making it difficult to continue.
After his Ninth New Life, his eyes changed; when he concentrated, a surge of heat flowed, piercing through the misty region.
Just ahead, there was a colossal Cicada Palace, even larger than a giant mountain.
Qin Ming was shocked and stared at it carefully. It was less like a Giant Palace and more like a primitive Cicada Shell that had been decorated to become a palace.
"Could this be the shell left behind by the legendary cicada?" he wondered.
The "Records of Kunlun Godlike Beings" states: When the Ancient Cicada splits open, a new cicada emerges, flaps its wings and flees far away. Another Godlike either perishes or New Life.
Qin Ming gazed into the distance and saw that behind the Giant Palace, it had been severed by a sharp weapon, leaving only half of the cicada Cicada Shell intact. The Giant Palace and the road had also been cut off as a result.
"Senior?" Qin Ming called out to the Heavenly Fiend Mirror.
The Broken Mirror responded, "Oh, I almost forgot. We've reached the end. The road ahead is unpredictable, shattered, and beyond the reach of fate."
It informed us that we could leave.
Moreover, it mentions that it will ensure that the geniuses on each path can disperse and exit safely.
"My situation is special, so I'd like to ask for your help, senior," Qin Ming pleaded.
He beat Cao Qianqiu up, or rather, he smashed him to pieces, because he was worried that someone was waiting for him outside.
"Okay!" the Heavenly Fiend Mirror agreed.
Finally, people saw Demon One soar through the air, carried by a golden raptor, flying out of the Secret Realm as if traversing time and space, rapidly heading towards the depths of the plateau, disappearing in the blink of an eye.
That was naturally not his true form, but merely a technique employed by the Heavenly Fiend Mirror.
At this moment, Qin Ming's true form landed in the Secret Realm. He quickly restored his original appearance, changed back into his previous clothes, and transformed back into Shen Wubing.
At the same time, he forced out three Demon Seed, refined them with Torn Cloth, and washed away all the demonic energy, leaving not a trace, before wrapping them up.
Outside, a fierce battle had already broken out. Pu Heng was locked in a bloody fight with a giant demon, their battle shaking the entire region.
This land is stained with blood—the blood of demons, and even more so with the blood of Pu Heng; both are wounded.
On that day, in the Beyond the Mundane Pure Land, Cao Qianqiu emerged from seclusion, tearing the night sky with a bloody light!
Pu Heng's Pure Yang Consciousness Spirit Light personally rushed back to the Beyond the Mundane Pure Land to report to him.
"The Secret Realm no longer needs to exist, and that plateau should be washed away with blood!" On that day, Cao Qianqiu set off.
He traversed the Night Mist World, personally making his way to Kunling.
Everyone was shocked, for he exuded murderous intent, and a blood-red Great Sun illuminated the mountains and rivers along the way, as if the Daylight Era had arrived, only stained with blood!