Taking the Stage

The Talking Finch's tongue got tied in knots, and it gave an awkward laugh. It really hadn't expected that the mountain lord would trample the Heavenly Demon Seed this time, and the princess didn't even know who he was.

"Hmm? Speak!" The Violet Lightning Beast was very perceptive; seeing its unnatural appearance, it immediately had a bad feeling.

"It seems like an old friend has come." Talking Finch a stilted manner, his eyes somewhat unfocused.

What could it say? Could it simply tell her, "Your Highness, you have become that person's mount for the third time. The terrible 'historical cycle' has come again, and it's just as short-lived!"

In an instant, the Violet Lightning Beast's body stiffened. If she had a bad feeling before, she was now 80% sure who that person was.

"It's him again?" She bristled, instantly transforming into a young girl with her purple hair cascading down her waist and her slender white hand reaching out to grab Talking Finch.

She herself found it absurd. Ever since their unexpected encounter at Black White Mountain, how come she'd been kept in the dark every time she met him?

Talking Finch shrank her neck, then her jewel-like eyes became incredibly clear, and she grinned innocently, looking pure and naive.

The Demon Race camp was silent. Many of the other beings emanated a chill from head to toe. The battlefield was truly ever-changing. First, the Fiend Sword Immortal was defeated, and then a future female Heavenly Fiend died in battle.

At this moment, a gloomy feeling arose in the hearts of many Demon Race.

Who is that being? It didn't even show its true form, yet it arrived in Spirit Travel and slew the Heavenly Demon Seed clad in Five-Colored Lotus Armor. It's incredibly powerful.

"Wei Jian, you fought him, how did it feel?" Finally, a demon asked.

Wei Jian was that Fiend Sword Immortal, with deep, bone-revealing wounds on his face and his body covered in blood.

He said, "I think that even if I fight him to the death with all my might, I can only last for twenty or thirty moves at most before I die."

For a moment, the group of Demon Race all frowned deeply, and no one spoke.

The Fiend Sword Immortal was skilled in combat and possessed great strength, yet he suffered a crushing defeat. This is precisely why the atmosphere on the demon side was tense and somewhat oppressive.

"We need to ask someone for help," a Heavenly Demon Seed said.

Initially, this area only became a hotbed of conflict after a Heavenly Demon Seed was crippled by God Seed from the Esoteric Sect, attracting more and more powerful figures.

"Wei Jian, you know some Fiend Sword Immortal, invite them to help you."

The Immortal Capital of the Demon Race are quite special, which is related to their racial characteristics. Their innate skills combined with their acquired sword training create powerful Fiend Sword Immortal.

Just like Wei Jian, whose true form is a hedgehog, every quill on his body can transform into a sword to slay enemies in a bloody battle.

In critical moments, he can even create hundreds or thousands of sword lights.

"Let me think about it." Wei Jian nodded; he did indeed know some terrifying Fiend Sword Immortal.

"Can you invite the Jade Emperor?" a Heavenly Demon Seed asked.

Wei Jian hesitated, saying, "This... I'm afraid it won't be easy. I've never met him, and his status is too high. His Lineage belongs to the upper echelons of the Hanging Sky Ridge."

Many people know that the Jade Emperor is a legendary Fiend Sword Immortal with a fearsome reputation, capable of sweeping away all the opposing seeds single-handedly!

Someone nodded and said, "Yes, I heard he's about to break through recently. His level is indeed quite high; he's not easy to approach."

A Heavenly Demon Seed said, "Yu Lian is dead; we can lure the people behind her here."

Immediately, many Demon Race' eyes lit up. They had vaguely heard that the deceased Yu Lian and Wu Shu, Heavenly Demon Seed from the Longevity Temple, were very close.

Wei Jian nodded and said, "Wu Shu is extremely powerful, from the Godslaying Family, one of the most powerful Lineage in the Longevity Temple."

The structure of the demon camp is similar to that of the human side. Within some super-powerful forces, certain special Lineage have been the dominant force for generations, tending to become their ancestral temples.

Wei Jian said, "I'll try to pull some strings and invite those two Fiend Sword Immortal. They are far more powerful than me, and their combat strength is awe-inspiring. If they can intervene, everything will be settled."

"Who are you inviting?" someone asked.

Wei Jian said, "With Tong He and Zhu Jianhao on our side, if that person dares to come again, killing him will be a piece of cake."

Immediately, everyone showed surprise, having heard of the formidable reputation of those two Fiend Sword Immortal.

Moreover, their names led them to the true forms of the two demons: one was Fiend Sword Immortal who dominated the skies, and the other was Fiend Sword Immortal on land.

"If these two could join forces, they would be unstoppable, killing gods and immortals alike!" exclaimed a Demon Race.

Immediately, someone solemnly reminded them, "Don't speak recklessly. Such exaggerated praise is not suitable for youths of our level. There are no real gods on the main battlefield; be careful not to displease the Gods!"

"Hiss!" Instantly, the group of demons fell silent, trembling with fear.

Someone broke the silence and changed the subject, saying, "It's a pity the Jade Emperor is too far away from us."

A Heavenly Demon Seed said with a solemn expression, "The Jade Emperor also has opponents; he has to fight Jiang Ran, Pei Shuyan, and others in sword battles. His breakthrough at this time is to be on the safe side."

"Hmm, according to rumors, the Jade Emperor's younger brother Huang Fei, may have been murdered not far from here. The Jade Emperor will likely come to investigate sooner or later."

The Demon Race race discussed that the battle on the battlefield had ended and the Heavenly Demon Seed had all retreated.

The Three-Tusked White Elephant roared, its bellows shaking the heavens, as it watched helplessly as its opponent, carrying an ivory knife, waved it away and disappeared into the distance.

"On the human side, there have indeed been some formidable figures, such as Zhao Qingcheng, Cheng Sheng, Cui Chonghe, who are dominant in their respective fields when engaging in magical battles."

"There's also Qin Ming. It's said that his cultivation level isn't very high, but he's killed quite a few opponents at the same level, and his hands are stained with the blood of three or four Heavenly Demon Seed. Huang Fei might have been killed by him."

They were unaware that the person who had come in Spirit Travel to kill Yu Lian today was also Qin Ming.

"Then he's doomed. With the Jade Emperor himself present, who can stand against him? Even Leng Feiyue, a descendant of the leader of the Immortal Path, and other Heavenly Prodigy like Cui Chonghe, probably wouldn't be able to withstand his Immortal Sword."

In Huaian Town, the humans were stunned when they learned who had made the move. How could it be Qin Ming? He was a seed of the New Life Path, how could he have crossed realms!

Talking Finch up. "You must believe that there are always extraordinary people, like the brightest stars in the deep night sky, who, if they were to disperse the night fog, could illuminate an entire era."

Originally, it had no right to speak here, but the Immortal Seed and the God Seed of the Esoteric Sect summoned it to understand the situation.

"After Tang Jin's master, is another 'dual-level' figure about to appear?" someone muttered to themselves.

Others cultivate two paths simultaneously, one of which is destined to be supportive. To become a seed in both paths is extremely rare, one in a million.

Moreover, even Tang Jin's master could only maintain his "dual nature" up to the Fourth Realm, and could not keep up with the New Life Path after that, so he could only use Immortal Method to perform the Heavenly Light Force.

A member of the Esoteric Sect God Seed spoke up, "It seems that during the two years he spent at Black White Mountain, he secretly devoted himself to arduous cultivation, also walking the Immortal Path. He was probably afraid that the Cui Household would not tolerate him, so he used special means to conceal his achievements on this path. He must have had some Fortuitous Encounter!"

One of the Immortal Seed nodded and said, "That makes sense. No wonder he was able to use my Immortal Path's Golden Wave Immortal Treasury Ascension by Soaring Haze Art in the Great Yu Capital. He must have used the Heavenly Light of the New Life Path as his skin and the Consciousness Spiritual Power the Immortal Path's consciousness as his bones. He is indeed a member of my path."

Then he felt relieved. Recently, Qin Ming had been acting very outrageously. Some renowned figures said he would shine brightly, but in the end, he turned out to be one of their Immortal Path members.

That would be wonderful.

Moreover, as everyone knows, the New Life Path is extremely slow, Qin Ming's Immortal Path will inevitably be far ahead, which in turn will pull his Heavenly Light up.

In this way, even if he wanted to pave the way forward, the Immortal Path would have to be ahead of him.

"Not bad, they're One of Us!" Xue Yunzheng, Immortal Seed from the Beyond-Mundane Calamity Land, nodded.

Luo Jingxiao wiped the blade of his sword Entire Process saying a word.

The girl, who was actually the Violet Lightning Beast, wondered if these people were overthinking things.

Qin Ming sped along like lightning, traversing the dark clouds and mist, like a comet rushing towards Green Maple Town, two hundred miles away.

After his series of attacks, he felt a wave of fatigue and some discomfort. Indeed, at a lower level, it's best not to leave one's physical body for too long, or something bad might happen if one is not careful.

He muttered to himself, "Even if a ground ant becomes a flying ant, it is still an ant. The road to breaking free from the constraints of the physical body is still long and arduous."

Suddenly, three streaks of light appeared at lightning speed, forming a fan shape, blocking his path. All three were enveloped in a peaceful aura.

Qin Ming was startled. He had been very cautious, flying far away from the border, flying over the territory of Night Prefecture, and traveling hidden among the clouds. How could he still be discovered?

This only proves that those three people are not simple.

The three were in Spirit Travel, and at this moment they manifested clear human forms. They were all quite young, some about the same age as him, and some at most a year or two older.

"What do you three mean?" Qin Ming frowned slightly, sensing danger.

A young man with a flame pattern between his eyebrows smiled and said, "We thought demons were passing through, so we ascended to the heavens to investigate."

"May I ask your esteemed names, and whether you hailed from the Pure Land or the Immortal Land?" Qin Ming asked warily, his sense of unease still palpable, which made him feel awe.

Anyone who can make him feel threatened must be someone of great importance, at the very least Immortal Seed.

"You look unfamiliar to me. Tell me your name first. Could it be that a demon has crossed the border, disguised as a human, and is trying to deceive us?" a young man said with a smile.

Qin Ming's heart sank. Could it be that three top-tier Immortal Seed beings had appeared, blocking his path, intending to frame him as Demon Race and seize him in the process?

He said in a deep voice, "Everyone, I am a human. I can easily find a Master in any of the rear cities and ask around to find out."

Then he asked, "As for you, who exactly are you? Do you intend to deliberately provoke me and draw your swords against me?"

Qin Ming stared intently at them, his mind highly focused, pushing his Eye of New Life to its limit, and attempting to resonate with their emotional fluctuations.

Unfortunately, although the three appeared calm and wore polite smiles, their minds were as hard as iron, and not a single ripple of emotion showed.

However, Qin Ming still saw some clues through his Eye of New Life. These three people were practicing extremely profound Immortal Path methods, which were definitely orthodox, and they probably had mastered the Fundamental Scripture Sect-Suppressing Level!

Because, within their Consciousness Spirit Light, they all possessed extraordinary qualities; one of them was covered in incredibly profound flame runes, carrying an inexplicable Daoist charm.

There was another person whose golden Consciousness Spirit Light an aura of Golden Body, and upon closer inspection, it seemed to be inscribed with many densely packed small characters.

The third person is Golden Lotus accompanied by Consciousness Spirit Light, mysterious and unpredictable.

These wondrous aspects are so subtle that they would be completely undetectable without the Eye of New Life.

It can be said that the Cultivation Method they practice are all top-notch, and even in Beyond the Mundane, they are secrets that are not passed on to others. They are definitely the True Scripture of a great sect.

Qin Ming's expression was more solemn than ever before. Was this the strongest Immortal Seed he had never met before coming to ambush him?

"Hehe... Brother, we suspect you're a demon." At this moment, one of them laughed and moved forward, while two others flanked him from both sides.

At this moment, Qin Ming sensed a hint of hostility. It was the slight fluctuation in the other party's consciousness that made him keenly aware that something was wrong.

He was somewhat alarmed because the person who had briefly revealed malice had actually emitted a trace of Yao Qi beneath the flaw, but it was almost completely negligible under the cover of the sacred and peaceful Immortal Path Cultivation Method.

Without the Eye of New Life, Qin Ming could not detect that trace of Yao Qi.

He felt the problem was serious. These three were all demons, and they had just returned from traveling in Night Prefecture. Did they even know some humans?

They are different from others, possessing the most advanced immortal cultivation Fundamental Scripture among humans, which have completely overshadowed the aura of the Demon Race Immortal Path.

Qin Ming thought of many things. Could this be the descendant of some special high-ranking members of the demon camp? According to the Violet Lightning Beast, there was a small group of top-level Great Demon over there whose ancestors were originally human, but they took the Mutation Path, which completely changed their physical form.

This seems to make sense. Those high-ranking demons have mastered the Fundamental Scripture of humanity and passed them down to their descendants. The three people in front of us must be "human-demon"!

Or you could say they are demons among men.

They transformed themselves into human form and moved in and out of Night Prefecture, making it difficult for ordinary people to detect their deception.

Qin Ming remained calm and secretly prepared the Exotic Metal Small Sword. These three demons were extremely powerful; even after their Yao Qi was removed, they still made him feel dangerous.

"We're both in Night Prefecture, why haven't I seen you all before?" Qin Ming flew forward. His time away from home was limited, and he had just finished a battle; dragging things out would be disadvantageous for him.

The three people opposite them all smiled, announced their names, and quickly surrounded them.

"My name is Jin Gui, and I strongly suspect you are the demon on the other side." This is a typical case of the demon making the first accusation.

Another demon chuckled and said, "Brother, my name is Wu Youdao. Don't be nervous. As long as you are Immortal Seed from our human race, there's nothing to worry about."

The last demon boy laughed loudly and said, "I know you've already suspected it. That's right, it's just what you thought. My name is Xin Yuan. You'd better stay here!"

His temperament was the most unpredictable; he stopped pretending and charged in forcefully, his Consciousness Spirit Light, creating an extremely terrifying scene that crushed a large area of dark clouds.

Recently, Qin Ming has also learned about powerful figures from the demon realm on the border, such as the Jade Emperor of Hanging Sky Ridge and the Godslaying Family of Longevity Temple.

He had heard of Jin Gui, one of the three, before. He thought Jin Gui came from Sky Supporting Peak, where there was a powerful race called the Rhino Gold Turtle, known as the "ultimate force" in the physical strength system.

Regardless of whether his ancestors were human or not, he is now a super-strong Insect Race.

Although life and death were at stake and the atmosphere was extremely tense under the cover of night, Qin Ming still managed to make many connections in a flash. Powerful figures among the demons were making their appearances. He didn't remember some of their names, but he guessed that if they survived this battle, they would all become the future leaders of the demon camp.

He wished he could kill the three demons immediately.

Unfortunately, he was currently facing some personal issues, and he hadn't yet figured out the other party's level, so he decided to leave first.

"Brother, why don't you come and visit my Demon Emperor Hall?" Wu Youdao rushed over with a smile. As expected, he was no ordinary person. The family he introduced was indeed one of the top forces in the demon camp.

"Sizzle!"

A Divine Rainbow pierced the sky, shattering the dark clouds high above. Qin Ming used the Torn Cloth to empower himself, choosing to break through from the "Xin Yuan," the most unruly aspect of his mind.

"Well done!" Xin Yuan laughed, overjoyed. He was very warlike and stretched out his large hand to slap Qin Ming. The terrifying explosion was deafening, more frightening than Heavenly Thunder from the Nine Heavens.

With a casual palm strike, he seemed to possess the power to shatter the heavens.

However, Qin Ming did not intend to fight him. In an instant, the trajectory changed fifteen times in a row, like many irregular combinations of "" characters, avoiding him.

The Great Demon joined forces to block him, but he urgently needed to return to his physical body and did not want to fight them to the death.

"Black White Scripture? Twofold Yin-Yang Escape Light!"

The three young demons were astonished to see Qin Ming break through the encirclement at the last possible moment, his movements shifting between yin and yang, reality and illusion, Black and White Light alternating.

"This is absolutely the ultimate technique in the Black White Scripture!"

Their expressions turned solemn, then joyful. This was one of the several True Scripture mentioned by their elders, and they would seek it out after conquering Night Prefecture.

Qin Ming's breakout from Xin Yuan's side naturally provoked the latter's dissatisfaction.

As they passed each other, Xin Yuan didn't even turn his head. A tail appeared behind him, then grew rapidly, like a divine rope or a long spear, piercing straight towards Qin Ming.

"So fast?" Qin Ming was taken aback. The opponent's cultivation level was not low, and its tail, accompanied by Divine Ability powers and spells, caught up with him.

He activated the Exotic Metal Small Sword. Its flawless white blade shone brightly, carrying his consciousness and blending with the Heavenly Light. Moreover, this time he used his Spiritual Field, as if distorting the night sky.

With a soft "poof," a section of the demon tail bearing runes was severed, and glowing blood spilled into the night sky—this was true spiritual blood.

Jin Gui exclaimed, "Hiss! How is that possible, Third Brother? You grew up immersed in the Spirit Light Pool on the Saint Mountain, how could he possibly cut off a small piece of your tail?"

Wu Youdao also somewhat surprised, realizing he had underestimated the human boy.

"He has a weapon Exotic Metal; otherwise, he wouldn't be able to kill me!" Xin Yuan said, then rode on auspicious clouds and chased after him at top speed.

His name is rather unusual, clearly indicating an extraordinary origin.

The three Famous Fiend pursued him like three meteors shattering the black clouds ahead, heading straight for Qin Ming.

"He can't leave!" Jin Gui said. As a seed of the Rhino Gold Turtle clan, he possessed immense strength and took out a Golden Ring engraved with layers of demonic runes.

The moment this treasure appeared, countless rays of light and auspicious colors shone forth, creating an astonishing spectacle.

"Exotic Metal weapon!" Jin Gui's two sworn brothers beside him were filled with envy, even though they, with their status, did not yet possess one.

Jin Gui unleashed his Golden Ring, which spun and shattered the clouds like a waterfall of stars, deafeningly loud. A streak of Golden Haze disappeared into the distance, rapidly approaching Qin Ming.

Qin Ming turned around and sensed danger. The extraordinary treasure was expanding and growing larger, trying to trap him.

In an instant, he used his Consciousness Spirit Light to conceal himself, unfolded the Torn Cloth, opened its space, and attempted to forcefully break through and take the ring away.

If the Torn Cloth were torn apart, he would accept it, which would mean it was nothing special, just a piece of rag made of a special material.

"Um?!"

Jin Gui was restless. He had a Consciousness Spirit Light attached to the Exotic Metal weapon, which was made from rare materials and he naturally cherished it.

Right now, he actually felt that he might lose this treasure.

Sensing the presence of the Exotic Metal Ring, he didn't hesitate and immediately retrieved it.

"What's wrong, brother?" Xin Yuan asked.

"There's something strange about him!" Jin Gui said in a deep voice.

Wu Youdao said, "No, we have to retreat. There was quite a commotion just now; he's flying deeper into Night Prefecture. We can't follow him."

"Walk!"

The three demons acted decisively, disappearing in an instant, leaving the border and entering the depths of the God's Fall Plain.

"Alright, I'll remember you three!" Qin Ming walked away.

For the next hundred miles or so, he became even more cautious, traversing through the clouds and mist, crossing the silent night sky, and in the blink of an eye, he was back in the mountains outside Green Maple Town.

The Thunder King Bird breathed a sigh of relief.

A Golden Haze Qin Ming's body, instantly nourishing his previously weary spirit.

At that moment, he felt like a thirsty traveler in the desert who had found a spring of sweet water and couldn't help but drink it down in large gulps.

Within his flesh and blood, a mysterious substance flowed, nourishing the roots of his Consciousness Spirit Light.

"The Jade Emperor, the Godslaying Family, some outstanding Fiend Sword Immortal immortals, as well as Jin Gui, Wu Youdao, and Xin Yuan —the demon camp is not lacking in powerful figures."

Qin Ming sat quietly for a long time before getting up, feeling that his spiritual roots were firmly planted in his flesh and blood, and he had almost recovered.

"So, has the matter been resolved?" Thunder King Bird asked.

"It's mostly fine now, but flying naked is risky, so please be careful when traveling," Qin Ming said with a smile.

He didn't set off immediately, but instead rested here for another half an hour, which shows how much energy he expended to Spirit Travel in this realm and fight.

In the distance, Li Qingxu let out a long roar, his Essence, Qi, and Spirit soaring to their peak, his brilliant spiritual light expanding, and he underwent an astonishing transformation.

"Finally, I have established myself in the Third Realm!" Divine Radiance shot from his eyes, dispelling the night mist and illuminating the entire area.

"Break down and then build up. And from now on, I am also Realm Faction. I will continue to break through quickly and powerfully, and I will suppress my opponents with my realm!" he muttered to himself, his belief strong.

In an instant, he thought of the person who had cast a shadow over his soul, who had managed to turn the tables on him in just one year.

"He's only in the Mid-Second Realm, he can't keep up with my speed. As long as I break through quickly enough, any competitor can only chase after me wearily, and eventually they'll have to look up to me."

He has now regained his confidence.

"Woo..." A deep War Horn sound came, resounding through heaven and earth. It was a rare treasure crafted by the Ancestor the Immortal Path. When this kind of War Horn sounded, it could be clearly heard from near and far.

Li Qingxu, his blood boiling, exclaimed, "Is the great battle about to begin? Excellent! I've just broken through; the time is perfect! A true hero shall slay demons and march westward, establishing his merits and achievements today!"

At this moment, Qin Ming also looked up at the distant sky. He was about to set off again to Huaian Town for sword fighting when he heard this grand celestial War Horn sound.

In an instant, his blood surged with passion.

"This War Horn is inspiring; it's a powerful artifact of the Immortal Path."

He also speculated that a battle Grandmaster Level should have broken out on the main battlefield.

"Hiss!" Everyone was stunned.

On the western border, countless creatures looked up at the sky.

A Blood Moon hung in the sky, illuminating the entire land and turning the vast, dark plains into a radiant expanse.

"That's... a god!" People were shocked, their Divine Capital trembling. The curtain had only just been raised on this great battle, and a deity had already made his appearance?