Islands in the world

In Red Haze City, Qin Ming glanced up casually and caught a chilling glimpse of someone smiling at him in the night sky.

That was... a head.

Her hair was very long, fluttering in the night wind. If you didn't look closely, it looked like a large snake slithering through the night mist!

Qin Ming possessed the Eye of New Life, allowing him to see clearly, even discerning her subtle expressions.

This is a woman, her face deathly pale. Her neck is severed, the wound is fresh, wet with blood, and seems to still be dripping crimson liquid. Her long black hair is soaked in the blood.

As she passed by, she seemed to sense something and smiled sweetly at Qin Ming.

A woman's head, traversing the night sky alone—what a chilling sight! The Night Mist World grows increasingly incomprehensible.

Qin Ming's eyes were deep as he watched her walk away.

Not long after, he saw a crimson coffin, tattered and covered with scratches and teeth marks, with a black and withered human hand stuck in the coffin lid, floating across the night sky.

Qin Ming looked surprised. Was the situation really that serious?

Fortunately, the head with blood-stained black hair and the ancient coffin flew over the night sky outside the city, avoiding the most crowded areas.

However, if things continue to develop like this, something terrible is bound to happen!

Qin Ming had only been practicing his martial arts behind closed doors for a few days, and when he came out again, he was immediately greeted by such a "night view," which made his heart sink slightly.

"What's the dark, no-man's-land like now without Fire Spring?" Qin Ming thought that such a place was probably deserted and difficult to survive in.

He went to see Meng Xinghai and indeed learned that the wilderness was becoming increasingly dangerous, and if things continued like this, the cities might very well become isolated islands.

Scattered villages and towns will become islands and reefs.

As the night deepened, more and more terrifying incidents occurred.

"Even the road to Double Tree Village is quite difficult to travel now," the Thunder King Bird said. It had gone back a couple of days ago, and its feathers were ruffled the whole way because a pale hand suddenly reached out from the night sky and touched its head.

At that moment, it felt a chill run through its heart and its scalp tingled, as if it had been electrocuted.

"Was the fall of Jade Capital really that significant?" Qin Ming frowned.

Meng Xinghai spoke up, "It's very possible that this is the true nature of the world, and it's gradually returning to its original state."

If that's the case, it's too early to complain about how terrible the environment is. Looking to the future, we may very well be living in a very good time.

"It's chilling to think about," Qin Ming said.

He then raised the Outer Domain whether the population of Night Prefecture would migrate outwards in large numbers.

Meng Xinghai said, "Strange phenomena are gradually appearing in the distant Northern Barrens, the Eastern Land, and the demon-inhabited areas to the west."

Qin Ming was alarmed. In just a few days, the situation had already spread beyond the Outer Domain?

Meng Xinghai shook his head and said, "Perhaps, what they're doing is merely lifting the terrifying veil of the night fog, allowing the true nature of the world to emerge."

This means that the entire area Jade Capital Radiation is about to undergo a complete transformation.

Qin Ming asked, "What about places further away?"

"According to Earthen City, beyond the territory ruled by Jade Capital, there are peaceful lands, but also vast Foreign Domain far worse off than ours."

Even in those terrible areas, the situation is different from that in Night Prefecture; there aren't frequent occurrences of horror and bizarre events.

Overall, the Night Mist World is too vast to be fully explored, and the conditions vary greatly from place to place, exhibiting fundamental differences.

Meng Xinghai stated, "The path leading to areas outside the Jade Capital Radiation Outer Domain is extremely difficult to open now, but some of the Ancestor are still making every effort to try."

If the situation deteriorates, perhaps the only option will be for the entire clan to migrate.

However, it's easier said than done. Relocating even a single city or town is extremely complicated, let alone an entire prefecture—it's simply unimaginable.

"How much have you gained from your training?" Meng Xinghai asked.

Qin Ming said, "It's alright. The three Extraordinary Art are just one step away from perfection; they still need some polishing."

Meng Xinghai exclaimed in surprise, "The progress is so fast?"

Qin Ming smiled and said, "It's all the result of daily accumulation. I hope that the Golden Cicada Scripture, the Wu Ji Scripture, and the River Luo Scripture are as extraordinary as the legends say, and that they exist in Secret Treasure."

In fact, he had already grasped the essence of it, but something inexplicable was missing, perhaps a mysterious opportunity.

The Five Elements Secret Canon: Lu Zizai helped him obtain the ultimate version of the "Abiding World Scripture" from the Cui Household, while he himself, while practicing the "Li Fire Scripture," saw a new world and obtained the "Southern Blazing Fire Scripture."

As for his practice of the Golden Cicada Scripture and the secret manual of the Divine Cicada Scripture he obtained after seeing the Secret Treasure, its subsequent connection points to the Great Thunderclap True Scripture, which no longer belongs to the Five Elements category.

Meng Xinghai said with some emotion, "Back then, when I gave you the Golden Cicada Scripture, I originally planned to introduce you to the Five Elements Palace after you mastered it, so that you could continue their Five Elements Secret Canon. I never expected that you would be able to obtain the manual yourself once you reached the perfect level."

He did say in the past that once Qin Ming mastered the Golden Cicada Scripture, he would introduce him to an even more powerful scripture.

Qin Ming asked, "What's wrong with the Red Squirrel?"

Meng Xinghai has been closely monitoring it for the past few days.

"Currently, it seems to be completely stable. Apart from the change in physical form, there are no other negative changes. Its physical constitution and talent have improved significantly, so it can be considered a change of fate."

These past two days Talking Finch has been impatient and wants to "transform" too.

Talking Finch said, "Mountain Master, you don't know, three squirrels attacked me together, Little Finch I was terribly beaten. If it were in the past, I could have taken on ten of them!"

The most astonishing thing, of course, is that the Red Squirrel's training speed has increased.

Qin Ming said, "To be on the safe side, let's wait a few more days."

He went back to practice the Extraordinary Art, hoping to break through the barrier as soon as possible.

Several days later, Qin Ming walked out of the courtyard, his brows furrowed, and muttered to himself, "Something's not right."

He believed that the three Extraordinary Art he had practiced had reached a state of perfection, but he had never seen a new realm.

To this end, Meng Xinghai painstakingly communicated with people in the distance, asking them to consult and confirm that the River Luo Scripture, Golden Cicada Scripture, and Wu Ji Scripture were all connected to Secret Treasure.

Qin Ming pondered, "Could it be because the overall environment has changed, and it's different from the past, making it difficult to see a new world?"

Then, he began to recall the Xiang Yiwu "that Tathagata's Handwritten Notes had shown him.

Back when he, Little Wu, and Xiang Yiwu were in the Great Yu Capital, they had exchanged some scriptures.

This notebook is filled with practical experience.

"Hmm, to see new worlds and obtain Secret Treasure, a special environment might be needed?" Qin Ming noticed a clue, Tathagata's Handwritten Notes simply mentioned. "A suitable location may be required."

The vague hint in these four words is shockingly simplistic.

Qin Ming recalled his state when practicing the <Li Fire Scripture> and <Golden Cicada Scripture>, wondering why he was able to successfully enter a new world.

"There does seem to be a trigger, a condition that subtly coincides with it."

He mastered the "Li Fire Scripture" and had a significant connection with the Sun Elf Race, having absorbed their Sunfire.

When he practiced the Golden Cicada Scripture, he specifically chose the Thunderfire Alchemy Hall, which had once received the Thunderfire Heavenly Light. The ultimate True Scripture of this scripture was located in the Great Thunderclap Temple.

"The secret text following the * River Luo Scripture * is the * Overturning Sea Scripture *. So, it seems most suitable for me to practice this Extraordinary Art near the sea?" Qin Ming felt a little uneasy. Where in Night Prefecture was there a sea?

The nearest Western Sea is even more than the dwelling place of demons, and is at least a million miles away from Night Prefecture.

By analogy, practicing the <Wu Ji Scripture> probably requires a place with extremely rich earth essence, while practicing the <Golden Cicada Scripture> is best done in a large metal mine.

However, the Golden Cicada Scripture is quite complex, and its original version originated from the Demon Race.

The land and gold are relatively easy to find; Qin Ming should be able to use his connections to locate them. But where is he supposed to find the "sea"?

"Hmm?" Suddenly, a possibility occurred to him: the Night Ruins was close to the real world, and the Old Traveling Merchant and the demons that had disappeared were reappearing in various places. Could he enter the Night Ruins and see Hai?

I just don't know if there's a real sea in that kind of place.

Qin Ming thought it was feasible; if all went smoothly, it would be much faster than risking a trip to the Western Sea.

He perked up and said, "If I'm lucky enough, I might find the sea I need as soon as I enter the Night Ruins with an Old Traveling Merchant."

That same day, Qin Ming left the city and entered the dark, uninhabited area. There, he encountered a disheveled monster and immediately rushed at him, giving him a sound beating.

The ghostly-faced monster was dumbfounded; someone had actually provoked it?

Unfortunately, even after Qin Ming shattered it and it disappeared into a stream of cold air, it did not return to Night Ruins, suggesting it was a monster born in Night Prefecture.

"You only realize how little you have when you need it!" Qin Ming found it absurd; the more he searched, the less he found, and all the monsters and Divine Capital "natives."

Meng Xinghai, who was behind him providing support, watched in silence.

In the end, they returned to the city empty-handed.

As soon as the two returned, Talking Finch looked at them expectantly and said, "Mountain Master, Hansong is not feeling unwell at all, so can we eat the precious bamboo shoots now?"

"Alright!" Qin Ming nodded and, together with Old Meng, helped protect it and the Thunder King Bird. In the process, they also helped them cut off the wisps of chaotic consciousness hidden in the bamboo shoot.

I'm so hungry!

Soon after, the Thunder King Bird and the Talking Finch, which had been wolfing down their food, began to transform.

They transformed into three-headed, six-winged creatures, and also developed a third claw, all of which greatly increased their strength.

The most astonishing change in the Thunder King Bird is its speed, which allows Across the Night Sky like a streak of light.

After the Scum Bird a comprehensive upgrade, it first lowered its head and used its third claw to part its feathers to examine them closely.

Without a doubt, both birds have had their fates changed; their original potential has been unlocked!

"Even the Thunder Royal Bird isn't necessarily faster than me, nor is it as strong!" the Thunder King Bird exclaimed in delight.

Talking Finch was even more excited, saying, "I think Little Finch has the potential to become the Feather Emperor!"

"How are those people in the mountains?" Qin Ming asked after they calmed down.

"Something terrible has happened!" Meng Xinghai informed him that he had been keeping a close eye on the matter, Talking Finch enthusiasts was terrifying.

In the night fog, a floating vermilion coffin drifted into the deep mountains and swallowed the old man who led the team from the Eastern Land. The entire team eventually lost contact.

Qin Ming was astonished. A few days ago, he had seen a human head and a coffin covered in scratches, both of which crossed the night sky and disappeared into the distance. Could this be that coffin?

"Yes!" Meng Xinghai nodded solemnly after hearing his description.

Qin Ming said, "Forget it, let's not go into the mountains for now. The Blood Ginseng we brought back doesn't seem like a good medicine. That place doesn't look like a safe haven. Only the Red and Golden Bamboo Forests are relatively sacred and peaceful."

He then asked, "How is the desolate area in the Black White Mountain? Haven't the creatures there gone out to hunt down the strange beings in the vicinity?"

That was the lair of the Beast God, and also Liu Mo's former training ground; top experts still reside there today.

"The current situation is dire; they're struggling to survive and things aren't going well," Meng Xinghai informed him.

Deep within the desolate lands lie unique scenes and mysterious phenomena, which have become clearer to this day, confirming that they are all rooted in the Night Ruins.

Some Jedi Realms are now almost adjacent to, or even connected to, Night Ruins!

Furthermore, the various forbidden lands produce Top-Tier Great Medicine such as the "Earth Immortal Flower," attracting the attention of Earth Immortal from Earthen City and Outer Domain, as well as the Ancestor of Night Prefecture, making the situation extremely complex.

A few days later, Meng Xinghai looked serious. Red Haze City was truly about to become an isolated island, with its contact with major cities in the outside world almost completely cut off. If ten letters were sent out, it would be good if even one got a reply.

If this continues, they will be completely cut off from the outside world within ten days.

He said in a deep voice, "Like an isolated island in the world, all towns are in the same state; the situation is extremely dire!"

Qin Ming also looked solemn. He and Meng Xinghai stood on the city wall and looked out. In just a moment, they saw a headless corpse drift away from the night sky.

"Based on the timeline, winter should be over, but the ice and snow haven't melted yet, and the Fire Spring is reviving rather slowly."

Four days later, Meng Xinghai, who had been eagerly awaiting his arrival, finally received a letter from afar. He was incredibly excited when he opened it, and his voice rose high.

"Fire Spring can ward off ghosts, spirits, and monsters!"

This is the Ancestor of Earthen City and Night Prefecture to the world: if spring fails to revive as promised, the entire land will turn into permanent frozen soil. What difference would that make from the Netherworld?

"Now, all parties need to join hands to dig out the underground springs and disperse the icy air currents, which may allow all the terrifying phenomena to recede!"

Some regions are already doing this, and the results are obvious.

Some Earth Immortal believe that the arrival of various mysterious scenes, as if the Underworld were approaching, has slowed down the revival of the Fire Spring. Now, everyone needs to actively dig to scare away all kinds of demons, ghosts, and monsters.

"The devil may be one foot tall, but the righteous are ten feet tall; there's nothing to fear!"

That same day, Meng Xinghai ordered that the roads connecting the various towns be cleared first.

Qin Ming was the first to respond. He wanted to create a safe road to Double Tree Village, even though he knew that nothing would probably happen there, he still wanted to be on the safe side.

Without a doubt, our ancestors carefully selected the places where humans had settlements; there would be no shortage of underground springs.

Qin Ming marched towards Double Tree Village, bombarding the earth with his Heavenly Light along the way, creating numerous Fire Spring.

The Thunder King Bird, the Talking Finch, and the Red Squirrel were also very enthusiastic, helping him out.

Behind them, the Fire Spring, like a candle flame, flickered and dispelled the darkness, and sure enough, the terrible things descended suddenly.

Clearly, the most dangerous area was the desert region. When Qin Ming and his group passed through there, they encountered serious trouble and were constantly attacked.

The desert was filled with raging winds and towering sands; darkness completely swallowed everything, and nothing could be seen.

Qin Ming and his group originally intended to open up a road in the mountains, but they encountered this incident while only venturing out nearby.

"Awooo..." They heard a chilling roar.

"Something's coming!" Talking Finch exclaimed.

Qin Ming instructed the Thunder King Bird to protect the Talking Finch and Red Squirrel, worried that the two little ones might be swept away by the hurricane.

He himself charged into the towering sandstorm and fought fiercely with the monster.

It was a colossal creature, ten meters tall, with a pair of enormous wings, and wielding two gleaming broadswords.

Is this a demon? Qin Ming hoped it was. He wanted to enter the Night Ruins to search for the sea, and now that he had encountered a demon he could fight, he immediately attacked.

Amidst the sandstorm, blades Chongxiao, Qin Ming Mutton Fat Jade Iron Saber in his left hand and Measuring God Ruler in his right, locked in a fierce battle with his opponent.

Although the sand dunes obstructed his view, he could sense that the creature was burly, with a black face and fangs.

During their fierce battle, a voice that could be understood actually came from the sand. "It hurts like hell, my teeth are going to break!"

Qin Ming was taken aback, a sense of déjà vu washing over him; the voice sounded somewhat familiar. Then, in surprise, he exclaimed, "The Palm-Sized Bright Pig?"

"Pah! Who's insulting your grandpa pig?" a muffled voice rang out.

Qin Ming was stunned. It really was him. Two years ago, the other party had helped him, and the two had walked together in the desert.

As time went by, Qin Ming almost forgot about its aura. He never expected that it would still be in the desert.

"One of Us!" he quickly called out.

"My own pig?" The Palm-Sized Bright Pig stopped and left the desert area with Qin Ming, arriving at a calm place outside.

Qin Ming chuckled. There were no huge wings at all; they were just the large ears of the Palm-Sized Bright Pig, which it had intentionally modified to the maximum extent, almost drooping to the ground, so that when it flapped, it could fly and be used as wings.

Its pair of gleaming broadswords were forged from the fangs in its mouth.

"It's you, kid! It's only been a little over two years, and your cultivation is already catching up with mine?" The Palm-Sized Bright Pig was shocked, staring at the young man in disbelief.

"What's going on with you?" Qin Ming asked.

The Palm-Sized Bright Pig explained, "I planned to settle down in the desert and cultivate here, but now the world is undergoing drastic changes, and monsters appear from time to time. I was practicing just now when I thought that gods and ghosts were approaching again."

Qin Ming said, "You can visit Red Haze City; it's very safe there."

"I'd better not go. I've already explored this area using my Netherpass, and this place is the most suitable for me. I've already planted Divine Wisdom Mark on it, and I won't leave until I reach the Sixth Realm." The Palm-Sized Bright Pig has already developed a portion of its cultivation and taken root in the desert.

Qin Ming talked with it for a long time, asking it to keep an eye on the road and ensure the safety of people walking at night.

Finally, Qin Ming successfully cleared the road leading to Double Tree Village. It was indeed relatively safe there. The Fire Spring at the village entrance had unknowingly reached level three, its light shining brilliantly.

He did not linger and returned to Red Haze City that same day, as he still needed to find the place to break through the barrier.

He already had a goal: to go to the Great Yu Capital and ask the Fourth Princess Yao Ruoxian for help.

Qin Ming believed that within an Imperial Dynasty, there must be large rare metal mines that could meet his needs, and he should also be able to find them in places rich in earth essence.

As for finding the sea in the Night Ruins, that would require leveraging connections among acquaintances.

"What? You're going to see the princess? That's wonderful!" The Thunder King Bird was thrilled. It had undergone a complete transformation and longed to see the Fourth Princess's Your Highness, a Thunder Royal Bird, and its unrequited "white moonlight."

"Wake up, stop licking like that!" Qin Ming tapped it.

The Thunder King Bird was very excited and said, "I have changed my fate and am now no weaker than it!"

Qin Ming said, "If you travel with me, you'll be reduced to a mere chicken on many sections of the road."

"No problem!" Even though many places are inaccessible by air, the Thunder King Bird is willing to travel far.

In Red Haze City, Meng Xinghai received the latest news and felt heavy-hearted. He informed Qin Ming that the situation varied greatly in different places, and some areas had fallen.

Some cities were swallowed by darkness and shrouded in inexplicable bizarre phenomena!

"Hiss!" Qin Ming was shocked. Had the overall situation deteriorated to this extent?

Meng Xinghai said, "The good news is that digging out the Fire Spring is indeed effective, and the situation in many places is changing."

In the past few days, the ice and snow in Red Haze City have begun to melt.

Meng Xinghai continued, "The Earth Immortal of Earthen City, as well as the Ancestor of various paths, have issued orders that those cities that have lost their city lords and are in dire straits need help from all sides."

Moreover, whoever saves a city that has lost its ability to defend itself can immediately become its lord, and this title can be passed down to future generations.

"A city bestowed upon him?" Qin Ming's expression turned solemn upon hearing this. Just how bad must things have gotten for such an astonishing "bounty" to be offered.

Meng Xinghai said, "Three hundred miles away, the high-ranking officials of Bright City went into the mountains to search for Divine Medicine and never returned. They probably all died there."

It was a large city with a population of about 1.3 million, but now it has lost its lord.

Meng Xinghai wanted to build a road connecting to that place because Red Haze City was too remote, and all kinds of daily necessities had to pass through there, so he could not allow the city to fall.

Qin Ming said, "Alright, I was just about to go out for a bit. I'll help Uncle Meng clear out the night roads while I'm at it."

Along the short 300-mile journey, Evil Spirits and monsters roamed freely. Qin Ming even summoned his Palm-Sized Bright Pig, asking it for help.

It was an exception, managing to leave the desert.

Meng Xinghai was covered in blood, fighting desperately on the road.

Qin Ming used various Exotic Metal weapons; this material was indeed effective against evil.

Even at crucial moments, he would summon Torn Cloth in a deserted place, its Heavenly Light, enhanced by the Old Cloth, shining like the Great Sun.

Even a creature like the hornet was burned to ashes.

"There is a sea in the Night Ruins, but the area near Red Haze City is not connected to the ocean." This was the information Qin Ming obtained after fighting his way through and killing three Old Traveling Merchant.

It took Qin Ming, Meng Xinghai, Palm-Sized Bright Pig five full days to clear the 300-mile journey and finally arrive Bright City.

They also cleared out the area outside the city, and after a bloody journey, they finally dragged their exhausted bodies into the city.

"Brother Meng, thank you for your help." When they entered the city, someone led a group to greet them.

Meng Xinghai was taken aback, then recognized him as Cui Ming, the Cui Chonghe's father Cui Qi's elder brother, and a member of the main branch of the Millennium Aristocratic Family.

Qin Ming naturally recognized Cui Ming at a glance, with many members of the Cui Household following behind him.

Cui Ming was tall and imposing, with striking features and a handsome appearance. He smiled broadly and said, "Without Brother Meng's help, our city would have fallen."

Meng Xinghai immediately sensed something was wrong and said in a deep voice, "What do you mean by this? This city was rescued by us."

"Brother, you're mistaken. We took control of this city several days ago," Cui Ming said with a smile.

They did arrive ahead of schedule, but they didn't bother to clear any potential dangers from the surrounding area because they were unsure of their chances and had no achievements to speak of.

"You're shameless!" Meng Xinghai said in a deep voice. Not long ago, when they were clearing the dangers outside the city, this group of people didn't even bother to show their faces, and now they have the nerve to claim credit and try to seize the city?

"To claim credit for something that belongs to Heaven is utterly shameless!" Qin Ming even picked up the Black Jade Warhammer, almost pressing it against Cui Ming's face.