A living myth

Qin Ming stopped abruptly. Who was whispering? Was it directed at everyone, or was it just a whisper directed at him?

The voice came so suddenly, carrying endless weariness and an unspeakable sense of vicissitude, as if it had endured the trials of time and was merely clinging to life in this world.

A colossal Abyss stretched out before them, pitch black and boundless, a sight that sent chills down one's spine. It seemed capable of devouring Gods and all things, vast and unfathomable.

Qin Ming discreetly observed the people nearby, trying to see if they had also heard that mysterious and unsettling whisper.

The group of young men and women walked steadily, showing no sign of anything amiss; perhaps they were restraining themselves, or perhaps they were feigning composure.

Qin Ming, through resonance with the two people closest to him, discovered that they were very nervous and uneasy, hoping to stumble upon a great "fate," but he did not hear any strange voices.

The murmurs seemed to be directed only at him.

"Ah--" A shrill scream suddenly came from the Abyss, filled with pain and seemingly in utter despair.

Someone stumbled out, covered in blood, disheveled, face ashen, with spiderweb-like cracks between their brows, and lifeless eyes.

Soon, people learned what had happened: two young prodigies had simultaneously set their sights on a fragment of a ruined tower, and upon discovering that it was about to revive, they immediately began to fight.

One of them had his physical body shattered, and his Pure Yang Consciousness was also torn apart by his opponent. It can be said that the two of them were fighting with all their True Fire, and it was a fight to the death.

However, the final winner did not obtain the broken tower. Instead, he was severely injured in Divine Intent by the spirit within the fragments of a special weapon, and his gaze became unfocused.

Not only him, but also more than a dozen others staggered out, clutching their heads in their hands, their expressions filled with pain. Their Mental Field had also been severely impacted.

"There's something wrong with that weapon; it's roaring, its ferocity reaching the heavens!"

They appeared near the ruined tower, thinking it had been revived, and rushed over to try and communicate with it, only to flee with blood streaming from their foreheads.

Golden Ranking solemnly warns. "Some revived artifact spirits may act erratically, and attempting to seize them by force could be life-threatening. You must abandon the attempt immediately and stay away."

Then, it emphasized very strongly that competition is acceptable in the Abyss, but killing each other is absolutely forbidden and cannot be tolerated.

With External War imminent, what kind of country would it be if its One of Us were to engage in bloody internal strife? Golden Ranking set rules for everyone, forbidding them from secretly hunting each other down.

"What if multiple people work together to revive a special weapon, and more than one person gains recognition?"

Golden Ranking responded, "Either we take control together, or as you wish, we will have a friendly spar to determine the winner. The premise is that both sides agree to the fight, there should be no coercion, and injuries should be avoided as much as possible."

It warns that some weapons in the Abyss are very ancient, with an age that is difficult to verify, and they are all ancient Old Senior with great origins.

Even fragments of the Lord of Jade Capital's weapon are buried in the Abyss!

Golden Ranking said, "It is impossible to know which Lord of Jade Capital that such a treasure served."

Of course, such special objects are difficult to recognize even if encountered, as they may have long since deteriorated and become completely covered in dust.

People were utterly stunned. The weapon of the Lord of Jade Capital was insane to even think about. Supreme Experts in the entire region, who once ruled over heaven and earth.

For them, that existence was too far away, like being separated by a vast Heavenly Chasm, as if they were beings from a completely different dimension.

Their social status, cultivation level, and other aspects were worlds apart.

If one could gain the approval of that artifact spirit, perhaps one could obtain many secrets of the Lord of Jade Capital, such as the legendary Supreme Inheritance.

The Golden Ranking indicates that perhaps more than one fragment of a Lord of Jade Capital's weapon has been lost here.

At the same time, it reiterates the warning that no one should attempt to challenge moral boundaries!

"Each person may take a maximum of one weapon fragment." This was the last constraint imposed by Golden Ranking.

Many people are thinking to themselves, is such a reminder really necessary? It's completely unnecessary. To date, how many people have received approval for special weapons? You can count them on one hand.

"No one can get more than two weapon fragments on their own, okay?" a girl muttered softly.

Qin Ming entered the Abyss; the surrounding area was vast and dark, so dark that he could not see his own hand in front of his face.

Those with high cultivation levels were able to fly for a short time and had already flown into the distance, while some inexperienced teenagers were climbing the rock wall, heading towards the bottom.

Currently, both teenagers and young adults can enter, resulting in a wide range of skill levels.

Among middle-aged people over forty, some Immortal Seed have already reached the Great Perfection of the Fourth Realm, and some extremely powerful individuals have even become Master.

A vast, boundless Abyss, seemingly leading to an endless Hell.

Those boys climbing the rock face seemed never to reach the bottom. However, there were also fragments of weapons on the rough, Abyss walls.

As Qin Ming advanced, he discovered some floating islands and rough meteorites in the Abyss, suspended in mid-air, scattered like stars, which could provide leverage for those in the air to take a short rest.

He turned around and saw a large group of people nearby, heading in the same direction as him.

Ahead, light illuminated a massive meteorite, upon which stood a ruined tower, emanating a dangerous aura and rife with chaotic consciousness.

Someone warned their companion, "Be careful, don't go near that area, the weapon's spirit has gone mad."

Once you reach this area, the Abyss is no longer so pitch black; there are faint glimmers of light in the deeper parts, which increase as you go further.

They were like fireflies, fluttering in the Abyss.

Even brighter beams of light suddenly streaked across the dark area, like shooting stars hurtling away.

People know that these are special fragments of treasures, some of which are in a state of revival, restlessly stirring.

More often, they are arranged randomly, silent and still, faintly glowing, like mottled stars adorning the deep ocean of the universe.

"So many?" Many people were surprised. Such weapons were treasures, and if they could be traced back to their origins, each one would have a remarkable and moving history.

They are living myths.

Forging even one of these artifacts is incredibly difficult, requiring not only the combined power of an entire sect but also the blood of Heavenly Immortal —it is no easy feat.

It's impossible to achieve this in this era, because Immortal Capital have decayed and passed away one after another.

"There aren't that many. Look over there, it looks like a cluster of stars, but it's actually just a few pieces. After each piece disintegrated, it shattered into a dense, scattered mess."

People speculate that if a relatively complete set of treasures were to be pieced together from this Abyss, there would be at least three thousand pieces.

"Excuse me, everyone, I must take my leave." Someone went to chase after the resurgent "shooting star."

Some people arrived in Spirit Travel, their Pure Yang Consciousness weaving like streams of light in the Abyss, making travel convenient and far faster than those who entered in their physical bodies.

"You've come—come here—"

The abrupt, intermittent sound rang in Qin Ming's ears again, like a whisper or a low call from the darkest depths of the Abyss.

Qin Ming confirmed that there was nothing unusual about the people around him, and the murmuring was indeed directed at him alone. He remained expressionless and slowly explored forward.

On a meteorite several tens of meters long, Qin Ming saw a white fragment of a long sword stuck in the ground. He immediately went over and examined it carefully.

For him, longswords, hammers, and Open Heaven Axe- like weapons are definitely the most convenient to use.

As he approached, a dozen or so others followed, surrounding the snow-white blade with burning eyes.

Qin Ming examined it closely. The blade was severely damaged, with only the tip remaining. He tried to resonate with it and discovered that its Law Manipulation was incomplete.

He could only sigh, for time is invincible and can wash away everything in the world.

Qin Ming turned and left, heading towards his next target.

A solitary island hangs in the Abyss, with a small section of a spear stuck in it. The spear is as red as agate, crystal clear. Although it has no spearhead, such a large weapon is very rare.

Qin Ming noticed that after the group of people shook their heads, they also left the white blades and followed him.

Outside the Abyss, Xie Muze, the Master of Star Mountain, with his full head of silver hair, was "gambling for fun" with someone. He was usually strong and aloof, but now he had a faint smile on his face.

Even though some of them look relatively young, they are far removed from the middle-aged and younger generations.

Someone reminded him, "Old Xie, I heard you prepared a contract, but it was rejected? Although you're unhappy, you should be careful and not cause trouble here."

Xie Muze nodded and said, "Yes, I will strictly follow the divine decree of the Golden Ranking and never overstep the rules."

"Then why are you so certain that the other side gained nothing from the Abyss?"

Xie Muze calmly said, "What can a badger gain by traveling with Mountain Lord? Third Realm warrior traveling with Master is like a firefly trying to compete with the Bright Moon —isn't that a joke? Overestimating oneself."

Immediately, those present guessed that his niece, Xie Jingxian, must have broken through her cultivation barrier to become Master.

In fact, there had been rumors for some time that this woman from the Xie Family possessed extraordinary talent, and that half a year ago, there were rumors that she could break through to the Fifth Realm at any time.

"I heard she practices both paths simultaneously?" someone asked.

This is no secret; it can't be hidden even if you want to. Xie Muze nodded confidently and said, "She has already Netherpass Inner Landscape and her God Path God Path is progressing smoothly. If nothing unexpected happens, she will be able to break through to the Grandmaster Domain within half a year."

Entering the Fifth Realm in her forties, Xie Jingxian would be considered an extremely powerful figure even in the heavens. Coupled with her achievement of becoming a dual Master, she was truly terrifying.

The group of old men fell silent; despite their seniority, they had all been outshone.

They would never have achieved this level of success at Xie Jingxian's age.

An old man smiled broadly and said, "My eldest grandson is also a potential Master, and he will break through the Great Barrier within two years at the latest. Brother Xie, how about we arrange a marriage?"

Xie Muze flatly refused, saying, "What a joke! A dual Master in her forties would be given special training in my Star Mountain, how could she possibly marry into your Zi Xiao Cave?"

He has always been assertive, not only because of his own promising future, but also because of the Xie Family's strong foundation, and some of his descendants have also lived up to expectations.

An old Master spoke up, "Old Xie, comparing a badger to Mountain Lord is a bit harsh. Why are you arguing with a junior?"

Xie Muze shook his head and said, "I've seen plenty of geniuses. He's only at the Third Realm, yet he dares to look down on my Star Mountain! Who does he think he is? I'm giving him a chance to change his fate. How many truly great benefactors can one encounter in a lifetime? He's not only ungrateful, but he also dares to offend the dignity of Master and defy me. It's only because we're in the heavens, bound by the Golden Ranking and divine decree, otherwise—"

He stared into the Abyss and sneered, "Does he think he's One Sword? A maid's life is nothing but a whiff of a badger, her life as fragile as paper, yet her ambition is higher than the sky."

"You know what, his identity was once questioned and was observed by some Old Senior, such as Lu Heavenly Venerate, who once suspected that he was Taiyi."

"If he is Taiyi, even if he can't compare to One Sword, he has still reached the top of the rankings, which is quite remarkable!"

"Dude, you're overthinking it."

Qin Ming looked at the dozen or so people with surprise.

There are still many weapon fragments in this Abyss; there's no need for them to be swarming together. What are these people trying to do?

Qin Ming hadn't paid much attention to them before, but now he had to seriously resonate with them and investigate their origins and backgrounds.

Although some of the individuals were extraordinary, resolute, and showed no outward display of emotion, he learned from others that some of them were from Star Mountain.

No matter what treasure fragment he sets his sights on, people from Star Mountain will always come to disrupt him.

Behind these people was a female Master surnamed Xie, who possessed exceptional talent.

Qin Ming State of Mind calm and composed, like the Moon in the Well reflected in a well. Did his opponent really think he was so easy to manipulate by arguing with him in such a place? He was courting death.

He tried it out, and the Pure Yang Consciousness, blending with the Heavenly Light, attached itself to the Old Cloth and quietly left the body. As a result, no one noticed, and he could gather and disperse at will.

As for Golden Ranking, they probably already knew his background. After all, New Ranking is his "old buddy".

In the end, Qin Ming abandoned the broken spear, mainly because the consciousness inside was somewhat insane, and he was afraid of being devoured by it.

"So that's how it is. Some artifact spirits have gone mad because they are entangled with more than one consciousness, and may even be mixed with the undying mark of their opponents."

Qin Ming uncovered part of the truth and became serious; a weapon that had gone mad was definitely not to be touched.

"It seems that any warnings and reminders from Golden Ranking should be taken seriously."

On the rest of the journey, Qin Ming heard mysterious whispers several more times, beckoning to him and wanting to meet him.

He ignored them and decided to first select a treasure that suited his taste and fully equip himself with it.

Qin Ming saw over a dozen fragments of treasures, some of which particularly appealed to him and had become his shortlist. Along the way, he had seen everything from fragments of a jet-black spear to important parts of a silver cauldron, and finally, the three-colored hammer that he was quite satisfied with.

He never imagined he would have such a luxurious day, to see so many special weapons, and to actually have the opportunity to pick and choose.

He was somewhat lost in thought; it felt like a dream.

Each broken artifact was like a piece of history, weighty, profound, and weathered. Qin Ming resonated with them several times, assessing the condition of his desired weapon. He saw blood and fire, endless slaughter, and tragic figures whose blood stained the sky before silently plummeting into the Abyss.

However, these are all vague and fragmented, making it difficult to fully grasp the past.

Nevertheless, in the end, Qin Ming was unwilling to delve any deeper. It was too oppressive, as if the lost history and tragic heroes were surging towards him through the space-time of history, making his scalp tingle.

During this process, most of the group dispersed, but four people stayed with him. They were the direct subordinates of Star Mountain and were ordered to keep an eye on him.

Suddenly, a voice rang out. "Young man, something's wrong with you. There seems to be an endless, rich spiritual light dormant within you. You are no ordinary person."

Qin Ming was surprised that a fragment of a treasure he hadn't even explored had actually come to life, emitting fluctuations and actively engaging in dialogue with him.

He walked over and stared at the object.

It's about the size of two palms, which isn't small for this area; it's already considered a "significant piece."

Moreover, it has five colors, which means that it contains at least five Exotic Metal, which is quite rare here and is obviously not simple.

Most importantly, this fragment of treasure is actively engaging in dialogue, which is quite remarkable and demonstrates a high degree of spirituality.

It emitted a ripple and said, "Sealed for countless years, a new consciousness is now beginning to awaken. I want to go out and see the world. How about I go with you to the mortal realm?"

"What is your true form?" Qin Ming asked.

"A piece of Exotic Metal with an engraved design." It told Qin Ming that it could certainly meet his needs, as the design depicted various weapons, all of which it could materialize.

"Okay!" Qin Ming nodded.

He knew that this weapon must be something extraordinary.

The fragments of the treasure glowed, and the four people following Qin Ming immediately widened their eyes, shocked. They never expected that this ungrateful brat, who showed no appreciation or respect for Master Xie Muze, would have such fortuitous opportunity, with a special weapon being revived for him.

They immediately sent a message, calling for Xie Jingxian, who was exploring other treasures not far away.

With a whoosh, the newly promoted female Master arrived at lightning speed, landing on the suspended island, and took out a ball of liquid metal with such rich Daoist energy that it seemed impossible to dissolve.

The five-colored fragment glowed and said, "You've put in a lot of effort. You've managed to collect a small amount of the active substances used to repair precious artifacts, which have been nurtured for many years. Do you want me to leave with you?"

"Please grant my request, senior!" Xie Jingxian nodded.

Qin Ming's face darkened. This was an attempt to steal the prize right in front of him; the Xie Family's female Master treated him like he was nothing.

Xie Jingxian was dressed in black, with a slender figure and outstanding looks. Her black hair was loose, and she had a beauty mark at the corner of her right eye. Wherever she went, she was like a fairy.

"This puts me in a difficult position," sighed the Five-Colored Treasure Fragment.

Xie Jingxian glanced at Qin Ming and said, "Under these circumstances, do you still want to argue with me? Step aside!"

Qin Ming ignored her and instead asked about the fragment of the special weapon, saying, "You choose for yourself, who do you want to be with?"

He didn't want an unstable element around him. If this treasure had a change of heart, it would be better to replace it with another one as soon as possible. It wasn't like he absolutely needed this one.

However, if Qin Ming were to choose this female Master as the Five-Colored Treasure Fragment, he wouldn't mind striking first and annihilating the Xie Family who came to intercept him, before choosing a different weapon.

The Five-Colored Treasure Fragment secretly responded, indicating its willingness to go with Qin Ming, but it also genuinely wanted to consume the Dao Planting energy.

Xie Jingxian glanced at Qin Ming and said, "What, you're still not convinced? If we encounter this kind of problem, we can settle it through a duel, but do you dare to accept?"

"You're so self-righteous. Have you even asked the treasure itself?" Qin Ming said coldly.

Not far away, a Pure Yang Consciousness flew over, as radiant as the blazing Scorching Sun, extremely powerful, and said, "Hmm, I also want to get involved. You two, step back."

This was Qin Ming's Heavenly Light consciousness and Divine Wisdom wisdom leaving his body, attaching itself to the Old Cloth and then quietly appearing in front of a Master.

Clearly, the other party did not realize anything was amiss.

"Who are you to dare compete with me?" Xie Jingxian asked coldly.

"Who do you think you are!" Qin Ming's Pure Yang Consciousness rebuked him mercilessly. He had originally wanted to make a move, and now was the perfect time.

At this moment, he was extremely domineering and said, "This treasure belongs to me. You can get lost."

Xie Jingxian's beautiful eyes widened. She had never seen such an arrogant person before, who came up and cleared the area, actually daring to tell her to get out.

She said coldly, "Trying to steal the prize? Then let's have a fight!"

Qin Ming's Pure Yang Consciousness said, "If that's the case, you old hag, crawl over here!"

Immediately, Xie Jingxian was furious. She hadn't been emotionally affected by the previous scolding, but upon hearing the words "old hag," she was about to explode.

"What the hell did you say? You're asking for it!" she snapped.

Qin Ming disliked her, so he spoke venomously, saying, "When I'm polite to you, you're an angel; when I'm rude to you, you're just a wretched old woman."

Xie Jingxian wanted to skin this person alive. She was in her prime, still a budding talent among the Master, a vibrant young woman who should not be offended.

This battle was inevitable, and the Xie Family's female Master went all out.

She originally came for the young man next to her, intending to seize the treasure, but now she has to engage in a fierce battle with a strange expert.

Qin Ming held nothing back, revealing the top-tier techniques of the Esoteric Sect, using the Inner Scenery Sky-Opening Axe —his trump card right from the start.

Boom!

A dazzling Axe Light flashed, illuminating the pitch-black Abyss; his every move exuded domineering power.

Xie Jingxian was startled. She was very confident and self-assured, but now her heart was pounding. She knew she had met a formidable opponent.

In an instant, beams of light burst forth around her, like hundreds and thousands of starlight intertwining, confronting the massive, rune-covered axe that materialized.

Qin Ming was astonished. This woman was truly formidable. When he resonated with the others, he already knew that she had only recently broken through to the Fifth Realm, yet she was able to withstand his trump card.

No matter, if one axe blow isn't enough, he'll just take a second, a third—

Everyone nearby was startled, then utterly shocked. The duel between the two was terrifying, tearing through the darkness and making that area incredibly dazzling.

Qin Ming launched a series of attacks, hacking away with his axe one after another.

"Ah--"

In the end, Xie Jingxian screamed in agony; she was almost cleaved in two by a diagonal shoulder strike.

Puff!

Then, she was cut in half at the waist.

The terrifying Axe Light sliced through her flesh, severed her spine, and broke her in two at the waist.

At the critical moment, she activated the Teleportation Talisman, showering down a torrent of blood as she fled in panic.

In fact, Qin Ming was warned by Golden Ranking not to engage in bloody infighting here, so at the last moment he did not attempt to pursue or throw the axe.

However, he kept the active metallic liquid.

"I'm sorry, I choose Qin Ming," the Five-Colored Treasure Fragment said.

Qin Ming's Pure Yang Consciousness snorted coldly, drifted away, and then returned.

"That's going too far. How could I sense something at such close range?" the Five-Colored Treasure Fragment muttered.

Soon after, Qin Ming, clad in Five-Colored Liquid Armor, arrived at the bottom of the Abyss and saw who was calling him.

"I've been waiting—for many years!"