The Other Side of the World
The night was deep, and a fog had risen sometime earlier. The blue light in the crashing waves gradually disappeared, and the sea began to deepen. Sea monsters and Spirit Shark were fleeing, and a terrifying event was unfolding.
Qin Ming simply couldn't believe his eyes!
In the ever-deepening sea, coffins floated, headless corpses rose and fell, and some graves drifted with the current, the soil not scattered, not sinking into the sea.
What's going on? Qin Ming felt the atmosphere suddenly become strange and unpredictable.
Although there was no Solar Yang at Night Ruins, his initial impression of it was quite peaceful, and even the luminous blue sea gave him a sense of tranquility.
How did it all turn out like this in the blink of an eye?
"It's late at night," the severely injured Cat-eared Girl whispered, slightly tense and uneasy.
Qin Ming turned his head to look at her, catching the expression on her fair and pretty face.
He realized that the stark contrast and change in the Night Ruins was related to time; as the Blue Fire Spring in the sea waned and gradually went out in the dead of night, the world seemed different.
The sea turned pitch black, and many strange things appeared.
Horrifying scenes surfaced, with the innocent laughter of children echoing across the sea. Numerous babies, some over a foot tall, crawled among the waves.
Among the infants, many heads rose and fell with the waves, some belonging to adult men and women, others to other creatures, some bloodied and grotesque, others disheveled and on the verge of decay.
Some babies, chubby and fair-skinned with pure smiles, looked innocent and carefree, yet they lay on the heads of blood-stained people, giggling and splashing water on the sea under the night fog.
As for the coffins, headless corpses, and graves, some were enormous, constantly being tossed about by the waves, casting large shadows in the dim blue light, making them even more eerie.
Qin Ming felt a chill run down his spine; he realized he knew absolutely nothing about Night Ruins.
He looked up at the night sky, which was equally terrifying and unpredictable.
The Dark Sky was torn in places, and things were appearing amidst the thick fog: shadowy figures drifted, heads fell one after another, and figures dressed in mourning clothes appeared. Blood was everywhere, pouring down from the gaps in the sky.
Qin Ming was lost in thought, his mind truly unable to calm down.
This world is even stranger than Night Prefecture, and currently incomprehensible.
Earlier, when he learned that the Night Ruins had thirty-six heavens, he had many associations. This was mainly because, in real myths and legends, there are thirty-six heavens, but they can't be found at all.
Moreover, the so-called supreme Jade Capital in reality is actually upside down.
All of this makes it hard not to have various doubts.
Now, a corner of the sky is broken, and human heads are falling down, flowing blood, shadows are everywhere, and coffin lids are crashing down—it's truly terrifying and bizarre.
The myths and legends of Night Prefecture couldn't possibly be this bloody and gruesome; it's all too outrageous.
"Is this how the flesh-and-blood creatures discovered in Night Prefecture came to be?" Qin Ming wondered.
If that's the case, then the native creatures of Night Ruins seem to be living even more difficult lives than them; living in dire straits is an understatement, and terror is everywhere.
The Night Ruins World has a vast difference between Shallow Night and late night!
On the beach, the Golden Scale Crab, cut in half at the waist, tried to escape silently and disappear into the dark ocean, but suddenly half of its body froze.
Qin Ming had already turned around and set his sights on it.
The giant golden crab, its scales clanging, raised its remaining large pincers, making a scissor-like gesture, and waved them towards Qin Ming, making a final stand.
Qin Ming extended two fingers, and two beams of blinding Heavenly Light shot out, severing the golden pincers in the process.
He asked, "Where the night breaks, does it lead to a second heaven?"
"How could I know anything about the second heaven?" the Golden Scale Crab roared in anguish.
"Since that's the case, you may depart peacefully." Qin Ming reached out and pinched it with two fingers from a distance.
With a crack, the Golden Scale Crab screamed in agony as its hard shell crumbled inch by inch. It wanted to roar, but who could die peacefully like this? Its Consciousness Spirit Light were severed, and its Mental Field was burned away by the Heavenly Light.
Yun Shuyao's long, light blue hair was stained with blood, and her face was deathly pale. Earlier, Qin Ming had severed one of her long legs, and just now she had been cut in half at the waist. She collapsed on the sand, looking miserable and wretched.
As a County Princess of this sea region, she was of noble status and had never experienced such pain before, falling from grace in an instant.
She felt remorse. Why had she disobeyed the Heavenly Maiden's orders, acted on her own whims, and done things according to her own desires? As a result, she had ended up in such a predicament.
If she hadn't been prejudiced and hadn't sided with the Jade Emperor, she would still be a high-ranking noblewoman.
"Do you know about the second heaven?" Qin Ming asked, looking at Yun Shuyao and then at the damaged sky, trying to uncover the truth about the Night Ruins.
The Sea Clan County Princess gritted her teeth. Although she wanted to live, she had no idea about the higher realms.
Suddenly, she broke down, because she saw the human boy picking up her long legs and then picking up her lower body.
Qin Ming's fingers emitted Five Elements Divine Light. With a gentle flick, the so-called long legs and other features revealed their true form, transforming into a colorful fish tail.
At the same time, he collected the broken large claws of the Golden Scale Crab, which were extraordinary ingredients and could perhaps be considered a kind of "sea medicine".
Even if he couldn't bring himself to eat it, he could give it away as a gift—a dog, a rat, or a bird.
"I'll send you on your way too." Qin Ming raised his hand, intending to end the life of this Sea Clan County Princess.
"Come at me if you dare!" the Jade Emperor, his upper body covered in blood, roared as he swayed and floated in mid-air, his shoulder severed.
His face was ashen, devoid of color, and he said in a deep voice, "This bloody battle started because of me. Let her go."
At the crucial moment, he showed great responsibility, standing in front of Yun Shuyao.
The Sea Clan County Princess's eyes immediately reddened. Looking at the Jade Emperor's retreating figure, she was on the verge of tears, deeply saddened.
Qin Ming sighed and said, "You were the ones who took the initiative to try and kill me, so how come you've ended up making me look like the villain?"
The Jade Emperor, now with only one arm remaining and blood dripping from his mangled body, said pitifully, "She was originally an outsider, but she intervened for my sake. I beg you to show mercy and let her go."
Qin Ming remained calm and said, "She entered this game to help you, but she led the Sea Clan to surround and kill me. How dare you ask me to let go? If you have a choice and make a mistake, you must pay the price. Your pathetic act is worthless to me!"
"Clang!"
The Jade Emperor's body erupted with sword light, and Pure Yang Power burned fiercely.
In the darkness, Qin Ming's black hair danced in the wind, his expression ethereal and otherworldly. He said, "You don't actually think you can drag me down with you, do you? I'm not attacking immediately; I'm willing to Say More. I just want to know if you've obtained the Supreme Demon Scripture?"
In the past, the demonic forces invaded Night Prefecture for a deeper reason: their lost treasure was obtained by a mysterious civilization, who forced them to serve as their vanguard. Furthermore, after the matter was settled, their legendary Supreme True Scripture would emerge in the consciousness seas of nine destined Heavenly Fiend.
Qin Ming hadn't forgotten this, and since he had once used the alias "Demon One" and possessed some Demon Race techniques, perhaps he could also access that supreme demonic scripture.
Pain appeared in the Jade Emperor's eyes. He had been close to that True Scripture, and in his dazed state, it was as if someone was whispering in his ear, expounding profound truths.
Unfortunately, he only heard it vaguely and failed to truly grasp its meaning. He missed it, which caused him great pain.
The Jade Emperor is not on the list of nine demons!
Even now, he still feels resentful, filled with anger, bitterness, and despair. He is a loser, eliminated at the most crucial moment.
This is the fundamental reason why he came to Night Prefecture at this special Nodes when the environment was deteriorating so drastically; in essence, it was a retreat to Foreign Domain.
Seeing his expression and sensing his intense resentment, Qin Ming understood the situation.
He was somewhat disappointed and said, "I originally wanted to cross the river by touching you and get in touch with that supreme demonic scripture, but I didn't expect you to be rejected. It's truly a pity."
Upon hearing this, the Jade Emperor felt even more distressed and suffocated, as it was as if his wounds had been reopened in person.
At the same time, he was furious and wanted to say: What business is it of yours what the True Scripture of the Demon Race are? You are just a human boy, what right do you have to regret being a demon!
Knowing that his chances of survival were slim, the Jade Emperor unleashed his Pure Yang Power with all his might, unleashing a thousand layers of Sword Qi, with every pore of his body spewing forth sword light.
Countless sword runes materialized before him, transforming into a terrifying sword light that slashed towards the seemingly invincible human youth in front of him.
Qin Ming slammed out his left palm, unleashing a burst of Five-Colored Divine Light. With a deafening boom, he directly shattered the sword intent that was extremely terrifying in the eyes of ordinary people.
The Jade Emperor coughed up a mouthful of blood, and his mangled body flew backward.
"Hmm?" Qin Ming was startled, sensing something. He subtly detected a threat coming from the night sky. The Measuring God Ruler in his right hand burst forth with light and, with a loud boom, swung upwards.
It was a Demon Sword, scarlet, with a bloody glow, carrying wisps of heavenly fire, and entwined with some Heavenly Light; its power was extremely terrifying.
Qin Ming spoke up, "The legendary powerhouse of the Demon Race race— the Beast Sword Immortal —you've actually figured out part of the secrets of his methods."
Legend has it that the flying sword forged by that Beast Sword Immortal always hovered high above the thick clouds, receiving spiritual light from beyond the world to nourish the sword, and also interacting and sensing with the body.
Once he unleashes this sword, the scene will be earth-shattering, with even meteorites from beyond the world falling with the One Sword, killing opponents and obliterating Giant City as if it were nothing.
The Jade Emperor does not currently possess such profound cultivation that he can send his sword Beyond Heaven; he merely conceals it in the night mist above his head.
Furthermore, he has yet to find a suitable, indestructible sword blank.
The sword he held suspended in the night mist was forged with his heart and refined with the essence of Pure Yang Consciousness as its edge, making it easy to conceal and difficult for others to detect.
At this critical moment of life and death, he fought desperately, unleashing his strongest One Sword!
However, reality was cruel. The Jade Emperor's dazzling, all-powerful, and indestructible Pure Yang Sword suffered a heavy blow, trembling violently.
Qin Ming's Measuring God Ruler struck the night sky, its beam of light surging and its blade intent terrifying, causing the Mind Sword to tremble violently and its brilliance to quickly recede.
The Jade Emperor roared; this was his Mind Sword, refined with Pure Yang essence, an object for cultivating both body and soul, and his last resort.
In an instant, all the Pure Yang Consciousness Spirit Light within his physical body surged upwards, leaving his body and disappearing into the Demon Sword in the night sky.
He had no choice; in the final moments, he needed to fight with all his might and fight to the death against his opponent.
In an instant, the entire sea was illuminated by terrifying sword light. The blue ocean undulated, and the coffins, heads, graves, and infants became increasingly clear.
In the night sky, the Demon Sword stretched across the heavens, continuously emitting Divine Radiance, growing ever more dazzling, cleaving the beach in two. Terrifying sword marks appeared on the cliffs and rocky precipices not far away, before they were cleaved open and fell to the ground.
The seawater here was boiling, pierced by the sword light, causing a large amount of water vapor to rise, creating a thick white fog, and exposing parts of the seabed.
This One Sword was imbued with all of the Jade Emperor's Essence, Qi, and Spirit; it was the most terrifying killing blow he could unleash, a final desperate attempt to survive by placing himself in a life-or-death situation.
"There is indeed some skill involved!" Qin Ming said, his expression serious. Around him, awe-inspiring Heavenly Light rose, and five kinds of Sacred Fiend took shape and converged to Measuring Heaven Ruler.
The Vermilion Bird, carrying terrifying divine fire, and the White Tiger, with its cold, metallic sheen... Five Elements Saintly Evil appeared, each immense and boundless, pressing down on the night sky, yet ultimately condensing and coiling around the Measuring Heaven Ruler.
Qin Ming swung the treasure ruler in his hand, Five Elements Saintly Evil resonated with it, causing the Demon Sword, which was in its most sublime state, to dim and lose its luster.
Then, the Jade Emperor's Demon Sword cracked, covered in fissures, and was about to explode.
The Jade Emperor's physical body was now dim, his eyes dim, his Essence, Qi, and Spirit had all been absorbed into the Demon Sword, and he was like a candle flame in the wind, his consciousness almost extinguished.
"This..." He felt powerless and utterly desperate. More than a year had passed, and no matter how hard he tried, he was no match for that boy.
At that moment, the Demon Sword he had nurtured with his heart shattered and broke into pieces.
The Jade Emperor was utterly despondent; it seemed as if his very Consciousness Spirit Light was about to be extinguished along with the Demon Sword.
Qin Ming didn't want him to die immediately. He felt that the sword-binding technique left behind by the Beast Sword Immortal was quite powerful and wanted to learn from it.
"You are indeed very strong. We are both at the Fourth Realm, and you have withstood my various attacks and persevered until now. That's truly remarkable!" Qin Ming praised him, encouraging him.
Qin Ming's words weren't entirely insincere; the Jade Emperor's final One Sword required him to use the Five Elements Saintly Evil in conjunction with the resonance of the Five Great Secret Canons, so he deserved such praise.
However, the Jade Emperor was so angry he felt like vomiting blood. Was the other party praising him, or flattering him?
The Jade Emperor exerted all his strength, burning himself out completely, yet he failed to harm his opponent or draw blood. Was this human youth mocking and ridiculing him?
Qin Ming resonated with the other's emotions and spoke again, specifically addressing the issue. "These are my heartfelt words. Your Path of Entrusted Sword is truly an extraordinary skill. One can imagine the splendor of the former Beast Sword Immortal."
Thinking of the Beast Sword Immortal's ultimate technique, the Jade Emperor was indeed somewhat unwilling. If he could find a suitable Sword Embryo, he might still have a chance today.
"I have finally... lost!" His eyes lost their light.
"After fighting for so long, you've survived despite being severely injured by me; that's something to be proud of," Qin Ming said, mentioning the Path of Entrusted Sword again and even commenting on its strengths and weaknesses.
The Jade Emperor's Consciousness Spirit Light surged violently, his eyes no longer so dim. Was the other party using him as a backdrop to elevate themselves, or was it all just self-praise?
However, he felt it didn't seem like it. This human boy was very serious, with Serious Expression; he shouldn't be a superficial person.
In the end, he realized that Qin Ming's confidence came from the bottom of his heart, and his self-identity was overflowing, far surpassing his own and the Sea Clan's arrogance and conceit.
He was pondering why the human boy didn't perceive it as an insult, but rather as a serious and earnest statement of facts.
As the Jade Emperor pondered these things, his heart was filled with resentment. The other party was looking down at him with an air of seriousness, taking all of this for granted.
"Pfft!" He coughed up a mouthful of blood.
"Regarding the Beast Sword Immortal's technique..." Qin Ming didn't want him to die suddenly, so he continued to steer the conversation and provoke his opponent.
In the end, Qin Ming was quite satisfied, having figured out the legendary secret technique of the Demon Race race and gained a great deal!
"Damn it!" Before his death, the Jade Emperor learned that Qin Ming was studying the Path of Entrusted Sword and wished he could tear him apart alive.
He murmured wistfully, "A year ago, I missed my best chance to kill you. I regret it so much!"
The Jade Emperor continued to vomit blood, his eyes fixed fiercely on Qin Ming, his Consciousness Spirit Light gradually fading away.
Qin Ming pondered that he possessed a pure white, Exotic Metal Small Sword, made of extraordinary material, the strongest One Sword strike of Beast Sword Immortal, so he didn't need to worry about finding a sword blank.
He looked down at the pure white Locust Beast that had manifested its true form and understood why he was called the Jade Emperor. He was indeed somewhat special and clearly different from his younger brother and cousin.
Without a doubt, the Jade Emperor must have possessed rare and precious Strange Blood.
Qin Ming put away its flesh, which had been severed by the diagonal shoulder, not wanting to waste it.
He looked at the County Princess of the Sea Clan and said, "It's your turn."
Yun Shuyao felt incredibly bitter. One wrong choice had cost her her life, and this Anomalies was even stronger than the Jade Emperor.
She had only known the Jade Emperor for a short time, so it was impossible for them to have a deep relationship yet. However, the fact that the Jade Emperor stood in front of her not long ago touched her heart.
Just as Qin Ming raised his hand to end her life, he suddenly stopped and said, "Come out!"
A young man emerged from the sea, his long blue hair flowing freely, his eyes sharp, and his body surrounded by dazzling divine light, like a sea god walking ashore.
He held a spear and looked to be about twenty-seven or twenty-eight years old, with deep-set eyes; his actual age was greater than he appeared.
"Cousin!" Yun Shuyao lit up with joy, feeling a renewed sense of hope for survival.
Qin Ming said, "There's one more, come out too."
On the other side, a middle-aged man clad in silver armor emerged from the sea. He also had a full head of long blue hair and exuded a powerful aura. He walked step by step, and dazzling Sea God Runes rose from his flesh, indicating that he was highly skilled in Daoism.
"Sixth Uncle!" Yun Shuyao was overjoyed.
The young man looked at Qin Ming and said, "It's late at night, and you still dare to linger. Moreover, even after discovering our secret arrival, you didn't immediately flee. Your courage is commendable."
Then, he said in a deep voice, "Let go of my cousin."
Qin Ming remained calm and composed, saying, "With confidence in my heart, I naturally have nothing to fear. You are all only at the Fourth Realm; it is not I who should flee."
"You dare to be so arrogant just after entering the Fourth Realm?" the young man said, and instantly attacked, thrusting his spear forward.
Although the middle-aged man did not speak, he launched his attack. Azure Sea God Runes bloomed, and he charged forward with a long sword in hand.
Sizzle!
Qin Ming swept out with his palm, causing the Heavenly Light to shimmer, and first beheaded Yun Shuyao was standing in front of him. Her beautiful head rolled off the beach.
The two Sea Clan experts were enraged and immediately unleashed even more terrifying Divine Power.
Qin Ming never underestimated his opponents. After taking a deep breath, the Five-Elements Light Wheel shone brightly, enveloping him within it. The Five Great Secret Canons resonated, combined with the five Sacred Fiend.
"Hmm, this is..." The young Sea Clan expert's heart pounded. During the fierce battle, he discovered that after being struck by the Five-Colored Light Wheel, the moisture in his body was rapidly Pass By, and he was somewhat unable to stop it.
"Our Five Elements are out of balance!" The middle-aged man's expression also changed drastically. He was also dehydrated, and the Pure Yang fire in his body was flashing intensely.
"This is the true power that should be manifested after the Five Great Secret Canons resonate!" Qin Ming muttered to himself. The fusion and resonance of the five secret manuals allows one to control the Five Elements, and when the right opportunity is seized, one can naturally cause the opponent's Five Elements to become unbalanced.
The two Sea Clan experts were enveloped in white mist, their blood seemed to be burning, and their bodies were drying up, which shocked and horrified them.
Soon after, the two top experts of the Sea Clan were covered by the halo around Qin Ming's body, causing their Five Elements to become disordered, and they were eventually killed by him.
Qin Ming looked at the badly injured Beaver Cat and said, "Go tell the Heavenly Maiden that I meant no disrespect to her. I was targeted today and forced to retaliate."
There were quite a few Spirit Shark and sea monsters in the sea, some of which had already fled. Qin Ming couldn't possibly kill them all, so he deliberately spared one Sea Clan of some status.
The main reason was that the Cat-eared Girl had previously held the Heavenly Maiden in high esteem and had opposed Yun Shuyao's targeting of the second Anomalies, which is why Qin Ming spared her life.
As for actively entering the deep sea to meet that Heavenly Maiden, Qin Ming naturally wouldn't do that. All of this was just a convenient arrangement, so that if they were to meet one day, he wouldn't be considered impolite. He had laid the groundwork in advance today.
The Heavenly Maiden has been frozen since High Antiquity to the present day. She is either a powerful figure from ancient times who has been resurrected, or she is recovering from her injuries with the High Antiquity "proud sun" that is a supreme treasure.
Qin Ming was quite wary of him and would never provoke him at present.
Afterwards, he picked and chose, "purchasing" here, taking away a large amount of "seafood," which could also be considered sea medicine.
In the night sky, amidst the vast ocean, coffins, graves, and infants... it was truly eerie and terrifying, instilling a strong sense of unease.
Qin Ming did not linger and quickly left.
"Fourth Realm, Night Prefecture, I've returned. My former rivals, those who plot against me in secret, it's time for you to be cautious."
"What did you experience at the Night Ruins? How did you manage to bring back so much extraordinary seafood?"
Here, at the exit of the Earth Secret Aperture connecting to the Night Ruins, the Fourth Princess Yao Ruoxian of the Great Yu Dynasty, who was waiting with her entourage, was filled with astonishment.
Late at night, Qin Ming actually treated them to seafood hot pot.
Then, a look of doubt crossed her face, and she said, "This... doesn't seem to be Sea Clan creature. Its flesh is as white as jade, and its legs have thorns..."
"You mean it? The Jade Emperor's legs," Qin Ming replied with a smile.
"?!"