Land of Sleeping Gods

In the long night, Qin Ming seemed to stand in God's Pure Land, enveloped in rich divine light. Against the dark, scorched earth and under the Mo Ran Sky Curtain, he was so striking, radiant, and transcendent, like Heavenly God descending to earth.

The surroundings were quiet. He killed the Master — the Blade Demon —with a single stroke, creating a powerful deterrent effect.

After mastering the "Deception Technique," Qin Ming remained calm and composed, going with the flow.

The people of Night Prefecture are simple and honest. He doesn't think he's "going with the flow" or "doing as the Romans do." He's simply using the rules reasonably here.

Everything he did was to stop the fighting.

At the very least, all parties have been forced to calm down and have refrained from direct confrontation, which has temporarily eased the tense atmosphere and is quite effective.

Oleg and Ilena, who knew him inside and out, were absolutely certain that this was an extremely dangerous "old Saint Disciple" of Jade Capital, unfathomable.

If they were at the same level, Oleg would dare to fight "One Sword" to the death, after all, he was once the "Lord of Jade Capital". However, the cruel truth was right in front of him: his opponent was most likely a being of the Fifth Realm.

Even among the Master, the Old Monster Yellow Hair was infamous for his ferocity; however, sensing the wisps of divine power, he had to suppress his killing intent.

Many people looked solemn and dignified.

At this moment, Qin Ming had already arrived in front of the Sun Secret Aperture.

No one stopped him as he took his first steps forward.

He did not look at the Sun True Fire, but instead stared directly at the scenery deep within the secret passage.

This scene undoubtedly confirms that he was indeed very "magnanimous," actually allowing outsiders to collect the Sun True Fire without caring at all.

Immediately, everyone present felt a heavy weight in their hearts.

All signs indicate that his Daoist skills are profound, and the extremely rare Sun True Fire is dispensable to him and is not his goal.

Some even suspect that he might be a deity.

"There is a faint divine power..." A gaunt Black Robed Figure had his pupils contract. He was a man of great importance, but at this moment, his emotions were churning.

Qin Ming had seen him before while traveling. The man's decaying black divine feathers fell away, turning into ashes that caused all the vegetation in the mountains to wither.

The scene was quiet, caught in a delicate balance.

Qin Ming composed himself, and after slaying the Master with a single strike, combined with the Centipede Bead, the effect was miraculous. He had become an unparalleled master who looked down upon all others.

Now that he has "when in Rome, do as the Romans do," he must maintain this demeanor. He is now a supreme powerhouse with an unparalleled status, and he needs to uphold this banner.

Qin Ming spoke up, "The Sun Secret Aperture has only been unearthed for a short time. We shouldn't waste time here wasting our time. Why don't we proceed together?"

His "generous" invitation immediately appealed to many, as the previous battles at the entrance to the secret passage had been a waste of opportunities.

However, some people became more wary. This "old Saint Disciple" was incredibly skilled, and if he harbored ill intentions and suddenly launched an attack, it would be extremely dangerous.

Unexpectedly, Ilena of the Black Tower Civilization, her silver hair fluttering, revealed a pure smile on her beautiful face, and said, "Brother One Sword, as the Chief of Jade Capital's New Ranking, you naturally possess extraordinary character. I believe you are sincerely inviting me."

As for what he was really thinking, that remains unknown.

Li Qingyue and Jiang Ran originally wanted to speak up and cooperate with Qin Ming, but after thinking about it for a moment, they gave up, afraid that others would think they were putting on a show.

Now that the Saint Disciple of the Black Tower Civilization have spoken, the two women don't need to say anything more; they naturally reach a tacit understanding through their actions.

At this moment, the two were not only collecting Sun True Fire at the entrance, but had also ventured slightly deeper inside.

Various forces and organizations have come here, all eager to break into the secret passage. Immediately, many are tempted, but worried that others will seize the opportunity first.

"The fire outside is just coarse, while the fire inside is much purer," Li Qingyue said. She possessed the Eight Trigrams Furnace, which allowed her to extract the Sun True Fire from the secret aperture most smoothly.

An old Master spoke up, "Everyone, let's go in together. We don't know what dangers lie ahead, so let's not fight in the outer area."

"Everyone, I'll go first!" Qin Ming stood in the Divine Ring, serene and transcendent, with wisps of divine Spiritual Qi flowing from his eyes and brows.

At that moment, he moved, instantly stepping into the mysterious place.

Under the cover of night, the Sun Secret Aperture pierced the earth's surface, casting Golden Haze glow that dispelled the nearby fog.

Qin Ming, standing at the entrance, appeared even more sacred in the reflection.

Instantly, a group of people quickly followed, afraid of falling behind.

This region is a complex place, with a diverse population including Demonic Cultivator, Godlike Organization, the Black Tower Civilization, and the Strange Insect Alliance. Once the population moves, the balance is completely broken.

Clearly, once the group broke in, the trend was irreversible; they immediately began "sweeping" the secret passage, wishing they could turn every inch of land upside down.

Some screamed in agony, having been too reckless and rushed into the fire pit, only to be instantly Sun True Fire. Even when their companions tried to save them, it was too late.

The Sun Secret Aperture initially feels like a cave, but upon closer inspection, it is vast and empty, with obvious traces of carving, resembling a rough, colossal palace.

In the central area, there is a magnificent fire pit, where True Fire burns fiercely.

"It's not pure enough; it belongs to the Crude Sun Fire, and it's Rootless Fire," one person commented.

"The source of the fire should be deep within the secret passage; there is an even more dazzling flame ahead." This is only the first level of the cave; there are even more mysterious spaces within.

Not far away, Li Qingyue and Jiang Ran ignored the words of those people and continued to absorb extraordinary light, causing the fire pool to dim considerably.

Qin Ming was overjoyed. He didn't care whether it was coarse fire or not. As long as he could refine a wisp of pure divine flame, it would surely give birth to Sun True Fire with "roots" when combined with his <Golden Crow Illuminates Night Scripture>.

Even if there are no other gains, it would still be worthwhile to leave like this.

However, it is difficult for anyone to be satisfied with the status quo. To put it nicely, they have greater ambitions. Qin Ming "goes with the flow" and moves forward with the crowd.

Too many people poured in, and the crowd became chaotic.

Once inside this Creation Grounds, it's easy to lose control. Everyone scatters, scrambling to move forward and searching for every hidden corner.

Qin Ming was happy to do so; he had no obligation to pave the way for everyone.

Of course, some people who are wary of him keep a certain distance from him and are very guarded.

"Strange, there's a chill here. How can the birthplace of the Sun True Fire be like this?" A Silver Silkworm spoke, transforming into a palm-sized silver old man. No one dared to underestimate him, for he was a Master.

The infamous, Old Monster Yellow Hair frowned and said, "Hmm, it's still Extreme Yin energy, but it's been diluted considerably by the firelight. This is indeed quite strange. Could it be...?"

Suddenly, his yellow eyebrows relaxed, and a terrifying beam of light burst from his eyes.

Nearby, someone suddenly realized what was happening and exclaimed excitedly, "This is an extraordinary place! Extreme Yang was born from the initial Extreme Yin. Perhaps it possesses the power to reverse life and death. This kind of place far surpasses our imagination!"

In fact, there was no need for him to reveal the secret; many people present had already realized what was going on and immediately thought of this possibility.

After all, the Demonic Cultivator, Oleg, and others all came from top-tier civilizations with unfathomable depths of knowledge, so they were naturally able to make judgments immediately.

Qin Ming, being Rogue Cultivator, knew little about this field. Only after hearing their voices tremble did he realize how extraordinary this place was.

However, he remained indifferent and detached, as if he were the only hero in the world who could stand alongside a select few, and who among the rest was worthy to share a drink with?

His aura and charisma immediately inspired awe in many people. Even though the place was chaotic, no one dared to approach him to avoid misjudging each other.

With one hand behind his back, Qin Ming had some confidence in doing so. The Rotten Fan was already prepared. If pretending to be a top expert still didn't guarantee his safety, he would immediately overturn the table and make sure no one got away unscathed.

A complete siege strategy would definitely not work.

"Old Huang, be ready at any time." He communicated with Yellow Gauze Canopy Umbrella.

Afterwards, he greeted the Artifact Spirit of the Eight Trigrams Furnace, asking it to revive itself if things went wrong, and not to worry about not having enough Daoist energy to consume.

A moment later, they entered a deeper space, a vast and rough cave with faint "spider webs" interwoven, densely packed.

In an instant, many people from large organizations fell silent, a sense of dread washing over them.

"This is the Divine Chains!"

The crisscrossing "spider web" is a manifestation of rules, densely covering the void. The only saving grace is that it has completely faded away.

A young cultivator cautiously attempted to sever a single spider web, using all his strength and slashing until sparks flew everywhere, barely managing to cut it off. Moreover, he almost suffered a backlash.

"May God bless us!" some of the old Master exclaimed excitedly.

"The timing is perfect. If we had come earlier, we wouldn't have been able to get in at all. Now we can break through these Rule Divine Chain. Over the long years, the Daoist principles have dissipated, and they have decayed."

Some believe that the world is undergoing a dramatic change, and ancient magic arrays and Daoist practices are being severely impacted, causing the Law Chain to break.

The group worked together to cut through the dense "spider web" and broke into this place that should have been a dead end.

They entered a deeper cave, which resembled a rough stone palace. A large, ancient tree caught everyone's attention, rooted beside a fire pit, its roots still emitting wisps of cold air.

Its tree is covered with lush green leaves, as if it has endless vitality.

However, as the crowd rushed in, shaking the place, it suddenly shattered silently, all the leaves bursting open and turning into dust, and the thick branches turned to ashes in an instant.

"Originally, this was Extreme Yin place, suitable for its growth. Later, the environment changed, transforming into an Extreme Yang, and the Sun True Fire appeared, burning the tree to death." Someone sighed.

Ahead, ashes fell to the ground in a flurry, the old tree disintegrated, and suddenly a crisp sound rang out as a palm-sized, emerald-green piece of the Tree Heart fell to the ground.

Qin Ming sensed it immediately, Abiding World Scripture activated on its own, resonating with the Longevity Sword Intent.

He immediately realized that it was a wonderful item that could enhance his Longevity Sword Intent.

He immediately walked forward, the Nine-Colored Sword Fiend transforming into a stream of light, wrapping the mysterious wooden heart as it returned. Green clouds rippled, and a refreshing aura flowed through the area.

Many people followed suit, their eyes burning with enthusiasm.

In fact, many people crossed the line of maintaining a tacit understanding with him.

Suddenly, just as Qin Ming reached out to catch Mu Xin, an invisible killing intent erupted violently, and a powerful figure silently and stealthily appeared behind him, unnoticed by everyone.

This is somewhat terrifying; the attacker seems to be traveling through time and space, appearing abruptly.

Many people were horrified, even the Saint Disciple felt their hair stand on end as they saw two gleaming longswords, dazzlingly bright, piercing Qin Ming's head and back respectively.

Only at this moment did people realize that it was a phantom, completely integrated into the void of the cave. Its assassination technique was so sophisticated that it would be impossible to detect if it hadn't been unleashed.

"Core Disciple of Jade Capital... is dead?"

"Even a revered old Saint Disciple couldn't withstand such an attack?"

Many people were filled with turmoil, drawing their swords and unleashing their flying blades, either preparing to attack or to defend themselves; for a moment, everyone's heart was pounding.

"A false afterimage; he wasn't stabbed!"

These are all Consciousness Spirit Light, not actual conversations, because in such a split second there is simply no time for communication.

In fact, 90% of people haven't even realized it yet.

Qin Ming was shocked. He had actually been assassinated by Master. At this moment, the battle armor formed by the Eight Trigrams Furnace did not glow, but it was truly revived, carrying him sideways.

Because of the speed, many people mistakenly thought he had been stabbed.

"Huh?!" The attacker's eyes widened in shock for a moment. He had been caught off guard; the Centipede Bead activated by Qin Ming had shaken his mind in an instant.

The attacker saw a colossal, mountain-high, thousand-armed deity sitting cross-legged in the Savage Wilderness land. Suddenly, the deity opened its Divine Eye and looked at him.

Sizzle!

The Nine-Colored Sword Fiend transformed into a streak of light, flashing across the void like lightning. Blood splattered, accompanied by shrill screams. The assassin, stained with blood, retreated swiftly, like Illusory Bubble, leaving behind silhouettes in different directions, making everyone's hearts pound with fear.

His left eye was pierced, and his eyeball exploded.

Originally, Qin Ming's Nine-Colored Sword Fiend aimed at his brow, intending to pierce his skull. However, in this situation, the assassin, in a moment of mental confusion, miraculously regained consciousness and dodged with incredible Movement Method.

"It's the Master — Flying Elephant!"

Many people's expressions changed drastically as they finally recognized the attacker.

After being struck by the sword, he was completely exposed from the void, and his body swelled up, becoming much larger.

Flying Elephant are a race without wings, but their ears are enormous. When they flap them powerfully, they can soar through the sky and fly through the air.

Just now, the Grandmaster Flying Elephant shrunk his body and wrapped his ears around himself, and was able to use Secret Method to briefly merge into the void and carry out a terrible assassination.

Those two long swords were actually formed from its gleaming ivory.

"Unexpectedly, Grandmaster Flying Elephant is the ' Void Assassin ' of this remnant vein!" Many people retreated, sensing his extreme danger.

In the past six months, three Master from the Remnant Vein of Ascension Mountain have been killed by Void Assassin, a case that has remained unsolved until today when the truth comes to light.

"You intentionally left a flaw earlier to lure me into making a move?" Grandmaster Flying Elephant retreated, staring intently at the figure in front of him, a deep gloom settling over him.

He had been observing "One Sword" and not long ago, he noticed that "One Sword" hadn't really cleaved through the "spider web" of Divine Chains, leading him to suspect that the man wasn't as strong as he had imagined and was just bluffing.

Most importantly, the emerald green heartwood was of great use to him, so he couldn't resist carrying out the assassination here, which resulted in his downfall.

What horrified him most was that he saw a deity looking down from that Savage Wilderness Domain, with a thousand arms forming Law Seals, its enormous body exuding an overwhelming sense of oppression.

He suspected that the person before him was an incarnation of a god.

"Heh..." Qin Ming chuckled, bathed in divine light, his External Gods halo growing ever more dazzling, the Nine-Colored Sword Fiend hovering in the air, ready to strike at any moment as he took a step.

The Flying Elephant elephant was enormous, standing over ten meters tall, yet it moved as lightly as a piece of paper, as if a ghost were moving, leaving behind many afterimages.

However, although the revived Eight Trigrams Battle Robe did not glow, it was Exerted Effort, enveloping Qin Ming and giving him even greater speed, and it was about to catch up with him.

With a whoosh, a Divine Talisman ignited in front of Grandmaster Flying Elephant, and he vanished abruptly, distorting the void and disappearing completely from this place.

"You're lucky to be alive!" Qin Ming said.

In fact, beneath the protective robe, his hair stood on end. It had just been incredibly dangerous; a master Master had suddenly attacked him with deadly force, putting him in a hopeless situation.

He still experiences occasional heart palpitations.

However, he couldn't lose his composure; he remained calm and collected, displaying the demeanor of a top master.

Even the attack by the Grandmaster Flying Elephant ended in a crushing defeat, and he had to escape with the help of a Divine Talisman of unknown level. This implicitly proved that the Jade Capital Old Saint Disciple's One Sword possessed incomparably terrifying combat power.

Of course, a few people had doubts. Although his armor appeared calm and still, Oleg also possessed a special weapon, and they had sensed something unusual earlier.

"Divine power, a momentary shock!" However, some Master also had this thought, feeling a strong unease, as they had just felt wisps of divine energy emanating from them.

The Moon Goddess and Blood God of the Godlike Organization were puzzled, wondering why they had felt a sense of familiarity just now.

The people present had mixed feelings, but for most, One Sword old Saint Disciple of Jade Capital was becoming increasingly terrifying, and no one wanted to provoke him.

Qin Ming tucked the mysterious Tree Heart into his robes; this was not the time to examine it closely.

No one said anything. Having just established his authority and proven his power once again, who would dare to covet the treasure he had just acquired?

Soon after, the group entered a cave, which increasingly resembled a formal stone temple, with many Divine Statue standing there, all charred, covered in dust, and silent.

"These are... real living beings, all withered and dead here." Someone examined the area carefully, their expression grave.

People brushed away the dust and found that they were all charred, dried-up corpses. When they touched them lightly, they crumbled into dust, and even the bones inside turned to ash, leaving only a few bone fragments.

"They were all very strong in life; after all, they could withstand the burning of the Sun True Fire and still leave behind a broken shell."

"These people first reached the end of their lifespan, and were finally covered by the fire. Because their faces did not show the painful expression of being burned by True Fire, they were probably guarding this place in their early years."

Before long, the group uncovered many truths.

"This land, once Extreme Yin, is gradually transforming into Extreme Yang, reversing yin and yang. If medicinal herbs are found here, they will surely be Longevity Medicine; if supreme treasures are born here, there will inevitably be changes in yin and yang!"

Many people became excited, eager to know what lay at the end.

The stone hall was deathly still; even the relics of those masters had been destroyed, leaving nothing behind.

They continued deeper, where the firelight was dazzling. Here, they found pure Sun True Fire, but unfortunately, it was still Rootless Fire. Even if they took it away, its spirituality would gradually be lost, and it would soon be extinguished.

Qin Ming was overjoyed, as this place was more than enough to satisfy his needs.

"A withered Fire Lotus!"

Beside the pool of Sun True Fire, there was a Fire Lotus, though charred and blackened, still held up some lotus seeds. Even as the crowd rushed in and shook the ground, the lotus seeds only fell and did not turn into ashes.

In an instant, many people rushed forward, but they were all on guard against the old Saint Disciple of Jade Capital, fearing that he would suddenly unleash the Nine-Colored Sword Fiend.

In fact, those in this world who can refine the Eight-Colored Sword Fiend and reach a certain level of strength can be called peerless sword immortals. Those who master the Nine-Colored Sword Fiend are truly beyond the realm of ordinary people, and are too fantastical.

Therefore, even though some people had doubts about "One Sword," they all gave up their doubts after seeing his Sword Sha.

With a clang, Qin Ming drew his sword and actually stepped forward.

Immediately, the group stopped and retreated. No one could forget the scene of him killing Master with a single strike, nor could they forget the terrifying sight of Grandmaster Flying Elephant assassinating him and being blinded in one eye. Everyone was extremely wary of him.

Qin Ming spoke up, "Don't misunderstand. Look, those lotus seeds are all charred. With a gentle rub, they'll turn to ashes. There's no need for us to have a bloody conflict."

He looked compassionate and worried that everyone would fight to the death.

"Well, I won't fight over it, you can do as you please," he added.

In fact, Li Qingyue and Jiang Ran were not affected at all, and quickly took away some of the charred and crumbly Fire Lotus Seeds.

Oleg remained on guard, while Ilena made her move, taking away three seeds. The people of the Demonic Cultivation Civilization were also quick to act and made their own gains, even managing to snatch a strange insect with a flap of its wings.

Overall, Li Qingyue and Jiang Ran reaped the greatest rewards. Despite Qin Ming standing at the forefront and nearly incurring the wrath of the crowd, the two quietly took the lion's share.

"Hiss, the Golden Lotus in Fire! Although it's charred, it still retains some vitality. This is Body Refining Secret Medicine!" A Demonic Cultivator was shocked, and his eyes involuntarily fixed on Jiang Ran and Li Qingyue.

He knew that if these lotus seeds hadn't been burned, they would have been extraordinary, priceless, and even so, a rare and Treasured Medicine that could aid in Golden Body.

"Hmph!" Jiang Ran snorted coldly, her gaze sweeping over, runes intertwining, causing the genius among demon cultivators to Heavenly Prodigy; he had actually been intimidated in the Spirit Domain.

In an instant, everyone in the Demonic Cultivator camp felt a chill and dared not underestimate anyone; there were simply too many young freaks here.

A wisp of divine fire emerged from Li Qingyue's body, instantly covering her entire form and serving as an effective deterrent.

People wondered if this was perhaps Innate Fire Body?

"Everyone, don't misjudge," Jiang Ran said directly.

Qin Ming spoke up, "Well, what do a few burnt lotus seeds matter? There should be even greater opportunities ahead. Everyone should try to minimize fighting and instead focus on advancing deeper into the secret realm together."

Upon hearing this, many people calmed down considerably.

Because what he said made sense, and they expected there would be more rare and Spiritual Objects ahead.

"This is..."

Ahead lies a massive cave, which could easily be called a stone palace. It was not crudely carved, and it contains many lifelike Divine Statue of deities.

"They were probably true gods who once dwelled here. When their lives came to an end, they passed away and were burned by the Sun True Fire, leaving them charred black."

After careful observation, people came to this terrifying conclusion.

Whether they are Earth Immortal or True God, even if they once stood high in the Nine Heavens, they will eventually die, and their lifespan is far shorter than ordinary people imagine.

In this place, all the "statues" are related to deities, who were once a group of living, powerful beings.

Someone gently tapped on it, and part of the Divine Statue shattered. Over the long years, the Golden Body they left behind had decayed, with only the bones inside still glowing faintly.

However, due to being constantly burned by the Sun True Fire, the spirituality in his bones has almost completely dissipated.

"It's... the Land of Sleeping Gods!"

Many people were deeply moved, and an indescribable emotion welled up in their chests.

Earth Immortal will die, and True God will perish; nothing lasts forever. I wonder what realm these deities were in the past, and why they dwell here.

"They seem to be guarding something..." A Decayed Deity, reduced to the level of Master, draped in a black robe, murmured softly.

Qin Ming knew he came from the Jade Capital Territory, glanced at him, and didn't Say More.

The group set off again, but there were no caves or Divine Temple ahead, only deep tunnels crisscrossed with dense "spider webs" that seemed to be blocking their way.

This seems to confirm the Black Robed Figure's words: the Gods have blocked the path, as if to protect something.

The Divine Chains, the embodiment of order and the manifestation of rules, is now decaying with the passage of time.

The group continued to work together, cutting through the "spider web" and forging ahead, gradually approaching the Ultimate Land.