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Novel: [Night Without Borders]
Chapter 41: [Defeated, He Goes to Become a Spirit God]
Author: [Chen Dong]
Translator: [Shadow Knight AK]
Editor: [Shadow Knight AK]
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During their last encounter at the Old Noble's mansion, Er Bingzi had first met the five-meter-tall Xie Lingxi.
When he returned to Qin Ming, he spoke vaguely and misleadingly before turning around and fleeing.
Now he was pulling another stunt.
Qin Ming made a mental note.
The next time they met, he'd beat Er Bingzi until he was truly sick.
In Chi Xia City, Nie Rui shone like a beam of light piercing through the Night Mist.
He was one of the two most dazzling figures of the past twenty years, his physical prowess shattering city records after his awakening.
When he spoke, the Cao, Mu, and Wei family teams exchanged curious glances, many eyes turning toward Qin Ming.
Suddenly, everyone understood: this must be the person Nie Rui was looking for.
For a moment, Qin Ming experienced the full weight of public scrutiny.
Every young Noble in Chi Xia City stared at him, sizing him up from head to toe.
Of course, this attention was entirely due to Nie Rui's influence. Without the Chi Xia City prodigy's mention, no one would have noticed a youth from a remote place.
Many wore skeptical expressions, their gazes appraising.
Could such a closed-off little place truly produce a genius? It seemed highly unlikely.
Meanwhile, some Noble girls grew active, whispering among themselves.
"He has such delicate features. If he paid a little attention to his appearance, he could really enhance his aura. He shouldn't wear his black hair loose, and if he replaced that dark armor with something bright and shining, I bet he'd be quite handsome!"
...
Nie Rui smiled warmly, suggesting a friendly spar with Qin Ming.
"Don't feel pressured," he said. "Let's just have a casual match. I trust the judgment of Master Xu's only disciple."
Qin Ming now wanted to punch Er Bingzi even more.
He also realized that Xu Kong must be an extraordinary figure, revered by everyone in Chi Xia City.
"I can't compare to you," Qin Ming replied. "Even in my remote village, I've heard tales of the remarkable young man and woman who emerged from Chi Xia City, astonishing the entire region."
The young nobles present nodded in agreement, acknowledging the truth in his words.
In the territory ruled by Chi Xia City, the city's most exceptional youths naturally represented the region's most formidable talents.
Nie Rui dismounted his white rhinoceros, his silver armor gleaming brilliantly. His heroic bearing seemed to radiate light, and his warm smile exuded approachability.
"You're being too modest," he said. "I've met You Liangyun. Don't worry, we'll just have a casual spar."
The others didn't understand the implication, and Nie Rui couldn't openly reveal that You Liangyun had been defeated by this young man.
Having reached this point, Qin Ming had no choice but to accept.
"I've undergone a Second Awakening," Nie Rui said. "I'll suppress my power. Don't worry, I won't exceed the limits."
Qin Ming considered using this as an excuse to refuse the match, but realizing that constant evasion would look bad, he finally nodded.
"Nie Rui, be careful with your strength," Cao Long warned, concerned about Qin Ming getting hurt.
"Qin Ming, do you want to switch weapons?" Mu Qing asked.
Everyone present knew that during Nie Rui's First Awakening, his arm strength had reached a terrifying 790 catties, which was why he had caused such a sensation and was hailed as the strongest in twenty years.
You Liangyun, who was the same age as Nie Rui and originally considered outstanding, could lift 650 catties. Yet he ultimately had to settle for third place.
To onlookers, it seemed foolish for Qin Ming to face Nie Rui in a clash of strength using the heavy, long-handled Black Gold Hammer.
Qin Ming "followed good advice" and set down the hammer.
"Besides the long-handled hammer, I'm quite skilled with spears. Can anyone lend me one?"
Mu Qing glanced at the youths behind him, noting that most carried longswords.
The few spears available were of poor quality, being far too light.
The other nobles remained silent.
After a brief pause, one of them chuckled, "Use my Purple-Gold Spear. It's a thousand-forged weapon. This way, I can fulfill a wish — to indirectly spar with Brother Nie. It would be an honor."
Qin Ming sensed that everyone held Nie Rui in high regard, even going to such lengths to lend him a spear.
"Nie Rui, you might lose," said the girl seated atop the black tiger.
Her bright eyes and radiant smile framed by wind-blown, flowing black hair gave her an ethereal, almost immortal air.
Her name was Shen Jiayun. Her strength rivaled Nie Rui's, but more importantly, she had been chosen by a transcendent being to walk a path of unparalleled glory.
In the eyes of many young nobles, she had already won at the starting line.
Nie Rui strode forward, his silver armor gleaming, a radiant smile on his face as he held a long saber. "Please!"
Qin Ming accepted the Purple-Gold Spear, hefted it, and executed a series of spear flourishes, unleashing a torrent of violet light.
"Xiao Qin, be careful! Don't get hurt!" Xu Yueping shouted.
"If it gets too tough, concede immediately!" Old Liu added bluntly.
A group of young nobles exchanged faint smiles.
With Nie Rui's skill, he could naturally control the exchange with precision, ensuring the young hunter wouldn't be harmed.
The outcome was never in doubt.
Some secretly gestured, betting on whether Nie Rui would subdue the youth within four moves or even a single exchange.
They dared not wager or discuss openly, as openly belittling the young hunter would be disrespectful, both to him and to Nie Rui, who had personally stepped into the arena.
"I bet Nie Rui will take him down after three sword techniques," one noble whispered.
"I'll be more conservative," another replied. "After seven techniques. If Nie Rui is personally assessing him, the youth must have some skill."
"Clang!"
In an instant, the clash of steel drew everyone's attention back to the battle.
They watched in astonishment as the two combatants exchanged over a dozen moves in rapid succession.
With a swift whoosh, they separated, now twenty meters apart.
The snow beneath their feet erupted into the air, creating a swirling blizzard as if it were snowing again.
Only then did the surrounding trees crack, sending large branches crashing to the ground.
The nobles were shaken, their minds now fully focused. They realized they had underestimated the youth. This lightning-fast exchange had already reached the upper limits of what a newly awakener could achieve.
"This young man from the remote region is no ordinary talent!"
"What's his name? Qin Ming, right? I'll remember that."
The crowd murmured, as if seeing the young man in the arena for the first time.
Even Cao Long, Wei Zhirou, and the others showed surprise.
Though they had sensed Qin Ming's exceptional abilities during their days together, they hadn't imagined he was this formidable.
Mu Qing, shrouded in a black robe, spoke up: "Qin Ming, fight without holding back. Nie Rui isn't one to bear grudges."
"Don't hold back — that's the only way to truly enjoy this," Nie Rui nodded in agreement.
Old Liu muttered to himself, "Xiao Qin is even more impressive than I thought. Before he even reaches Chi Xia City, his name might already be spreading there."
Qin Ming hadn't used his strongest domain — strength — relying solely on his pure "spear technique."
He improvised brilliantly, adapting with lightning speed, seamlessly blending sword techniques into his spear forms while keeping it undetectable to outsiders.
Nie Rui moved again, his speed so great that he shattered the snow beneath his feet, creating a whirlwind of snow and ice.
His silver sword blade flashed with blinding light, cutting through the air like a storm, as if he were riding the wind and thunder itself.
Qin Ming didn't meet the sword blade head-on.
Instead, he sidestepped the downward slash, and in a flash of lightning, swiftly pressed the Purple-Gold Spear against the back of the blade, sending sparks flying.
In an instant, he closed the distance to Nie Rui.
The sight made many pupils contract. The youth's grasp of the battle situation was astonishing.
Even under such a ferocious blade attack, he could seize the narrowest of openings.
With the spear pressing down on the blade's back, the weapons crossed at a minimal angle, the spear's tip gliding like a dragon along a mountain ridge, tearing through the night as it hurtled toward its target.
Nie Rui exerted force with his right hand, violently lifting the sword upward to dislodge the spear, while his left hand began to glow faintly, preparing to deflect the spear's shaft.
Qin Ming gripped the Purple-Gold Spear with both hands, pressing down with full force on the sword's back and violently shaking it.
The spear's tip trembled violently, creating a dazzling array of spear flowers.
At this moment, Nie Rui couldn't possibly dislodge the spear with a single hand. The spear's tip had become a blur of motion, resembling countless stars flashing simultaneously as they hurtled toward him.
Forced to retreat, he withdrew his sword and swiftly sidestepped to evade the attack.
In this exchange, he found himself completely outmatched, forced to retreat a considerable distance before finally regaining his footing.
An eerie silence fell over the scene as everyone watched in disbelief.
The young man's performance was extraordinary; the Purple-Gold Spear seemed to come alive in his hands, writhing like a ferocious dragon, its claws tearing through the night in search of prey.
"I sense a soul within that spear when you wield it," Nie Rui said, his expression grave. "It defies convention, transcending ordinary spear techniques. Every strike, though seemingly casual, is a masterpiece."
He fell silent, suppressing his power to a certain level before focusing his mind and charging forward.
Instantly, he and Qin Ming clashed, their sword and spear blades flashing like lightning, threatening to cleave through the thick night.
Wherever they moved, branches rained down, the snow beneath their feet exploded, and towering trees toppled with thunderous crashes, sending massive plumes of snow billowing into the air.
"This youth from the remote wilderness may lack Nie Rui's raw power, but his strength is already approaching seven hundred pounds — what a formidable force!"
"His spear techniques appear to be a collection of ordinary, scattered forms. No single strike exceeds our comprehension, yet he possesses a transformative power, turning the mundane into the extraordinary."
"Because he has no fixed style," someone remarked, "most of his moves are improvised, adapting to the situation and transforming ordinary techniques into extraordinary ones!"
Finally, even Cao Long and Feng Xing offered their own commentary.
"What spear technique?" Qin Ming thought to himself. "This is sword technique!"
The concealed "Spear-Sword" offered a unique experience compared to the Hammer-Sword.
He grew increasingly comfortable, no longer bound by the killing techniques in the Sword Manual.
He freely combined moves, unleashing his creativity.
For instance, as he swept the Purple-Gold Spear horizontally, its tip, sharp as a sword, sliced toward his opponent's flesh, the spear vibrating violently.
In sword technique, this would be the "Horizon's Edge" strike — the sword trembling, its swirling light resembling towering waves crashing forward.
Now, with the spear tip replacing the sword, it stirred up similar phantom images. The spear's rapid vibrations amplified the essence of the Horizon's Edge strike, transforming it into a thunderous roar across the sea and sky, as bolts of lightning crashed into the vast ocean.
Nie Rui staggered backward, sweat beading on his forehead, his disheveled black hair clinging to his face.
Panic surged through him — he was about to lose.
In the next instant, Qin Ming unleashed the Spear-Sword to unprecedented level, executing the Sword-Throwing Stance.
He thrust the Purple-Gold Spear forward, then unleashed a rapid series of kicks, each strike as swift as lightning.
Nie Rui was forced to dodge frantically, cold sweat pouring down his face.
Crucially, the spear didn't fly from Qin Ming's grasp.
Instead, it moved like a living dragon, coiling around his body before finally returning to his hand.
"Clang!"
As the Purple-Gold Spear pinned down Nie Rui's sword, a shock ran through his arm.
Sparks flew as several plates of his silver armor shattered under the spear's piercing strike.
Qin Ming withdrew his spear and planted it in the ground, regretting his excessive focus.
He had become too immersed in his first use of the Spear-Sword, losing control in his attempt to fully grasp its essence.
Originally, he hadn't wanted to humiliate Nie Rui, aiming for a draw.
But in a moment of carelessness, he had inadvertently defeated his opponent.
The arena fell into stunned silence.
No one could believe that Nie Rui, Chi Xia City's most dazzling prodigy of the past two decades, had been defeated in this remote region by a young hunter.
The crowd stared in disbelief, finally taking a serious look at Qin Ming.
Their perceptions had been violently shaken.
Could the Forbidden Land of five hundred years ago — the Black and White Mountain — be awakening, restoring spiritual energy to this remote region?
Many speculated.
Shen Jiayun, the girl riding atop the black tiger, broke the silence. "Nie Rui, are you alright?"
Nie Rui shook his head. "I'm fine. I lost, fair and square."
"Really? You're not feeling down or anything?" Shen Jiayun grinned, clearly unconcerned about his feelings.
"What could be wrong? Brother Qin's defeat woke me up. I realize this path might not be for me after all." Nie Rui sheathed his sword, shook his head, and sighed.
"Since that's the case, I'll choose the path to becoming a Spirit God."
Qin Ming, who had been gathering his thoughts, trying to find the right words, was stunned by this "madness."
First, You Liangyun had retreated after his defeat, ready to inherit his noble title and live a life of luxury and indulgence.
Now, this was even more outrageous — losing meant becoming a Spirit God.
Qin Ming's breathing grew heavy.
Seeing his reaction, Nie Rui finally smiled.
"It's not what you think."
It was clear that Nie Rui wasn't petty; he harbored no resentment over his defeat.
Now completely unburdened, he had decided to forge a different path.
"What we call 'spirit gods' are merely beings beyond our current understanding, due to our youth, limited strength, and restricted perception. I suspect they're simply more powerful creatures. An elder from a secret sect noticed the rare 'Divine Wisdom' within me and suggested I follow their path."
"Sigh, I had originally intended to traverse this dark, boundless world with my own flesh and blood, forging my own path. But now I have no choice. I've come to realize my limitations," Nie Rui sighed.
"Stop sighing! If you keep sighing, what about the rest of us?" Qin Ming couldn't help but retort.
"Qin Ming, I want to spar with you too," Shen Jiayun declared, gracefully dismounting from her black tiger. Her dark hair fluttered as she landed lightly on the ground, a longsword already in hand.
Instantly, the forest erupted into a buzz of excitement.
The people from Chi Xia City could no longer contain themselves, whispering and chattering about the day's astonishing turn of events.
"Alright!" Qin Ming nodded in agreement.
Having already defeated one opponent, he didn't mind taking on a second.
In an instant, sword light arced across the snowy field like a rainbow, accompanied by the roar of wind and thunder, as if countless electric dragons were descending.
Shen Jiayun was formidable; to ordinary eyes, it was like watching a sword immortal dance.
Yet she also lost.
Qin Ming used the tip of his spear to pluck the string of luminous blue hairpins from her hair, then pressed the spear down on her right shoulder.
Silence descended once more.
Everyone stared in awe as the two most brilliant prodigies Chi Xia City had produced in twenty years were defeated by the same person.
Shen Jiayun smoothed her hair, smiled, and said, "Young man, you won't need ten years. If we meet again in just one year, you'll be far beyond my match."
There was no trace of disappointment or frustration in her voice. Her smile was radiant, possessing the allure that could topple cities — a captivating charm that dazzled the eye.
"I'll be watching," Qin Ming replied, lifting his spear from her fragrant shoulder.
With a gentle flick, he let the string of luminous blue hairpins fall, then swiftly tapped them back into her cloud-like hair with the spear's tip.
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END OF CHAPTER
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