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Novel: [Night Without Borders]
Chapter 92: [Time Shifts, World Changes]
Author: [Chen Dong]
Translator: [Shadow Knight AK]
Editor: [Shadow Knight AK]
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Among the acquaintances present, everyone knew the delicate dynamics between Qin Ming, Wang Caiwei, Cui Chonghe, and Li Qingxu.
The four had never been seen together before.
Some wore inscrutable expressions, quietly anticipating the show to unfold.
"Why don't you leave first?" Lu Zhenyi whispered to Qin Ming.
"Sometimes, it's better to clear things up," Zheng Maoze said, approaching and placing a burly hand on Qin Ming's shoulder in a show of camaraderie.
He spoke earnestly, "I heard about your injury two years ago—it was all a misunderstanding. I'll talk to Li Qingxu about it later. It had nothing to do with you in the first place."
The group of acquaintances knew the history well: Li Qingxu had known Wang Caiwei for years, yet the Wang Clan had forged a marriage alliance with the Cui Clan.
The Noble Lady had once traveled with Qin Ming, but Cui Chonghe was her betrothed.
Given the involvement of millennium-old Noble Clans and such a tangled web of relationships, if this story were to spread, it would undoubtedly become the talk of the town.
Even among these old friends, the "gossip fire" burned fiercely. They couldn't suppress their curiosity to witness the moment the four finally met.
Lu Zhenyi and Chen Bingyan remained composed, but the later arrivals, who had never been close to Qin Ming, were visibly eager for the spectacle.
These less familiar faces made no attempt to hide their burning curiosity, eagerly anticipating a spectacle that was bound to be undignified.
Qin Ming remained composed as Zheng Maoze draped his arm familiarly over his shoulder, claiming to help him but clearly trying to block his path.
"Big Zheng, since you're bringing up old grudges, let me address something too," Qin Ming said publicly. "Your younger brother has been quite active lately, constantly stirring up trouble and dropping hints. I can't tell if he's trying to get someone to eliminate me or lure Cui Chonghe out of the Beyond the Mortal Realm to harm him. What exactly are your brothers plotting?"
"What's going on?" Some Outsider disciples exclaimed in surprise.
This involved Cui Chonghe too?
Even unfamiliar young men and women turned their heads to listen.
Zheng Maoze regretted his actions.
Even after being knocked from his high perch into the mud, the core of this kid remained unchanged—still as troublesome as ever.
"Qin Ming, stop spreading rumors!" He dropped his playful tone, his expression turning slightly cold.
This kind of gossip couldn't be allowed to spread unchecked.
Qin Ming had only retaliated in kind.
Sometimes, it was best to leave things unsaid.
He sighed inwardly.
He hadn't wanted to reunite with this group at all.
At this stage, he had no desire to engage with this circle.
Qin Ming had only come to meet Ling Xu and report the latest intelligence gathered by Talking Sparrow's bird brothers.
He planned to leave immediately after finishing his business.
Who could have predicted that a group of Outsiders would appear at such a convenient moment?
The timing seemed too perfect.
Qin Ming suspected that someone might have deliberately arranged for them to intercept Ling Xu.
He realized the situation was far more complex and murky than he'd imagined. If certain factions within Beyond the Mortal Realm were backing the Golden Thieves, tonight would be a difficult night indeed.
Qin Ming's original intention in returning to Black and White Mountain was simply to resolve the lingering issues from Golden Rooster Ridge and ensure the safety of Twin Tree Village. He had no desire to become entangled in this intricate web of affairs.
This was no longer a "dangerous territory" he could afford to tread!
"If you need to leave early, I'll see you off," Chen Bingyan said, glancing at Qin Ming.
"What's the rush? It's rare to reunite with old friends," Zeng Yuan interjected with a smile, having remained mostly silent until now.
Qin Ming gave him a deep, penetrating look.
They had once been on good terms, but now Zeng Yuan, like Zheng Maoze, seemed determined to prevent him from leaving.
Everyone present knew that Zeng Yuan and Li Qingxu had become inseparable.
Several unfamiliar faces observed the scene quietly. Though they knew Qin Ming's Immortal Affinity had been severed, they refrained from making any shallow displays of superiority.
They were simply curious to witness the unfolding drama of "four figures on the same stage."
From afar, Ling Xu called out, "Xiao Qin, you should be leaving. We're short-handed tonight, and you'll need to make another trip."
Qin Ming acknowledged the order.
Turning to the familiar faces present, he said, "Everyone, duty calls. I must depart now."
Zheng Maoze and Zeng Yuan wanted him to stay and "catch up," but they dared not anger a City Lord, especially one with Ling Xu's notorious reputation.
"See Xiao Qin off," Ling Xu instructed, gesturing.
A gray-robed man quickly approached from the distance.
"This child is quite capable. I'll escort him myself," the Li Hua Cat declared, its Red Sword strapped to its back.
With nimble steps, it took the lead.
Qin Ming knew that if even he suspected the Outsiders' arrival wasn't a coincidence, Ling Xu and the others must be even more aware that someone was waiting for him here.
After reaching the edge of town, the three-foot-tall Li Hua Cat transformed into a bolt of lightning, scouring the area. It soon emerged from the forest with a blood-soaked, black-clad figure.
"We were ambushed," the man gasped weakly. "Someone is assisting the Golden Thieves nearby. They're likely heading this way."
"It's about to begin. Get him out of here!" the Li Hua Cat barked, turning to the gray-robed man who had followed.
Without hesitation, Qin Ming summoned the Crimson Eagle and leaped onto its back. In such a critical moment, there was no point in staying to "lend a hand."
Another body would only become another pool of blood and mud.
Top-tier battles were naturally the domain of high-level experts.
The gray-robed man stood atop a smaller but more spiritually vibrant silver raptor, escorting Qin Ming away from the Silvervine Town region.
"Clang!"
Beneath the pitch-black night sky, a bell's resonant chime pierced the clouds from the mountain peaks stretching endlessly into the distance.
The bell's peals grew louder and louder, and above the ink-dark Great Mountain, purple mist billowed forth.
The ceaseless ringing echoed like the thunderous charge of a thousand warhorses.
It sounded like a set of chime bells, unleashing a mysterious energy that sealed off the entire mountain range.
The gray-robed man on the silver raptor glanced back, his expression tense as he closely monitored the situation.
"Has the battle begun? Are your forces stretched thin?" Qin Ming asked.
"The main problem is we don't know if the Beyond the Mortal Realm is supporting the Golden Thieves as one faction or two," the gray-robed man replied, his brow furrowed deeply.
"Then you should return. Don't worry about me. High-level experts wouldn't waste their time on an Awakener like me," Qin Ming said.
"City Lord Ling ordered me to escort you," the gray-robed man hesitated.
Qin Ming urged, "I'm intimately familiar with the Black and White Mountain region. You can return safely; I'll be fine."
"Alright!" The gray-robed man, his mind troubled by the possibility of insufficient manpower leading to disaster, finally agreed.
In Silvervine Town, Outsiders gazed at the distant mountains.
One of them asked, "City Lord Ling, who's ringing the bell?"
"How would I know?" Ling Xu replied. "Just listen quietly."
The experts connected to the Golden Thieves grew restless.
Their original plan had been to intercept Ling Xu, but now it seemed he was deliberately stalling them here while someone else moved to eliminate the Golden Thieves' leader.
The Bandit Leader's death wasn't the issue; what mattered was that certain items had to be secured and kept out of the wrong hands.
.....
The Talking Sparrow returned, its voice urgent.
"Bad news! I saw a ridiculously fast bird carrying someone chasing after us!"
Qin Ming stood atop the mountain peak, frowning.
"Someone's actually after me?"
Clearly, this powerful figure had no idea who he was and looked down on a mere youth like him.
He sighed softly.
"Times change, and people's hearts are as unpredictable as ever."
Instead of heading toward Chi Xia City, Qin Ming turned in the opposite direction, hoping to avoid the commotion.
"Wait, I need to dig up something first." As they passed a certain area, he remembered something and instructed the Crimson Eagle to wait on a nearby peak.
He entered a dense forest, carefully identified the spot, and began digging.
The Black and White Mountain region was at a high altitude, so the snow melted slowly.
Even two meters underground, the soil was still slightly frozen.
"Good, it hasn't rotted." Qin Ming pulled out a still-frozen wild rabbit, examining it closely.
There were no signs of decay.
On the contrary, it seemed to retain a faint, fresh scent.
"Beneficial to flesh and blood?" Qin Ming retrieved a scrap of cloth from the frozen earth.
The palm-sized fragment was woven with metallic threads and embroidered with cloud patterns. There were likely other designs, but the fragment was too small to discern the main motif.
Long ago, Qin Ming had slain a young man who could transform into mist and obtained this fragment of cloth.
The man had used it to protect himself and nearly escaped.
"Since there are no issues, I'll take it," Qin Ming said, reuniting with the Crimson Eagle.
The Talking Sparrow flew over from a distance, exclaiming, "Disaster! Some of my bird brothers have been forced to betray me. Some of the younger ones are now searching for us in reverse, controlled by the Outsiders' methods. They have no choice but to obey."
Qin Ming's expression darkened.
These birds had been invaluable information nodes, but now they were being turned against him.
"Head for Black and White Mountain!" Qin Ming ordered.
He didn't attempt to find Ling Xu or the Li Hua Cat, knowing that area was even more dangerous.
He could already see a crimson sword light soaring into the sky from the direction of Silvervine Town.
"Fly close to that mountain ridge and head for the desert!" Qin Ming instructed, as if walking a tightrope, treading along the red lines of perilous terrain.
Soon, the Crimson Eagle soared into the night sky, using the night mist to conceal its movements.
"The Cloud-Piercing Crane has been completely controlled and is following us relentlessly! We're doomed! That thing is a master tracker—we can't escape!" the Talking Sparrow cried in panic.
Behind them, a Cloud-Piercing Crane led the pursuit, moving with incredible speed.
Qin Ming drew his bow and fired, the arrow striking the Cloud-Piercing Crane's wing with a thud.
A cloud of blood erupted as feathers scattered, and the crane plummeted clumsily toward the ground.
"Mountain Lord Qin is truly kind," Talking Sparrow remarked. "Even in such a critical moment, he spared the crane's life."
He murmured, "Parting is inevitable, even after a thousand miles. I too must..."
"Just go," Qin Ming waved him off.
"Then... I'll hold out a little longer!" Talking Sparrow said through gritted teeth.
A black raptor descended, carrying a graceful figure—likely a woman—on its back.
Qin Ming drew his bow again, the arrow tearing through the night mist with terrifying force, aimed at the black raptor's head.
Beneath the night sky, the woman's luminous fingers flicked, releasing a stream of light that enveloped the iron arrow's immense force.
"An Outsider!" Qin Ming's pupils narrowed slightly.
He urged the Crimson Eagle, "Push harder! Our only chance lies in reaching the desert. Otherwise, we'll likely die here."
"Hmm? There's another raptor in the distance, carrying a golden-armored man on its back. A Golden-Armored Guard?" Qin Ming realized tonight would be a grueling ordeal.
...
Outside Silvervine Town, Ling Xu and Li Hua Cat had already departed, pursuing the Outsiders attempting to enter the mountains.
"Tonight is certainly lively," the Feather-Robed Youth Li Qingxu remarked, appearing with a shimmering purple bamboo staff in hand.
His white shoes remained spotless, radiating an ethereal grace.
His arrival drew the attention of many Outsider disciples, who greeted him warmly, recognizing his extraordinary talent.
"Just now, Cui Chonghe's substitute, Qin Ming, showed up," Zeng Yuan informed him, then chuckled. "Lacking Immortal Affinity, he's embarked on that crude new path of Awakening."
"It's hard to imagine he once walked among us, now reduced to lugging a bloodstained hammer and wandering remote lands."
"I doubt his current physique is even sufficient to qualify for the Golden-Armored Guards."
The group surrounding Li Qingxu chimed in one after another.
...
The night was proving arduous for Qin Ming, as his pursuers closed in relentlessly.
The Crimson Eagle possessed remarkable flight capabilities, but the raptor behind him had undergone even more mutations, granting it superior speed.
Qin Ming continuously drew his bow and fired iron arrows, effectively slowing his pursuer's advance. Without this tactic, he would have been overtaken long ago.
"My iron arrows are draining her strength," Qin Ming realized. "She can't overwhelm me!"
Yet the situation remained dire. This Outsider was no weakling, and the mysterious Golden-Armored Guard lurking in the distance only compounded the danger.
This was a dangerous predicament.
"Why haven't there been more earth-shattering Spring Thunder storms lately?!"
Qin Ming had never yearned for that terrifying lightning spectacle as much as he did now.
Not every rainstorm brought lightning to the Thunder Fire Alchemy Hall. Often, the sky would merely rumble a few times before the storm passed.
"If I survive this ordeal, I'll have someone make a towering iron rod at the Thunder Fire Alchemy Hall. I refuse to believe it won't attract lightning!"
He knew this was unrealistic.
Meng Xinghai would likely beat him senseless for daring to damage the Golden Hall.
Qin Ming simply craved power. If he returned safely to Chi Xia City, he vowed to master the Cultivation Technique Ning Siqi had given him and the rare texts Meng Xinghai was about to deliver, all to rapidly enhance his physical prowess.
"We've reached the desert!" he exclaimed, his face lighting up with joy.
Ahead lay a pitch-black expanse, as dark as ink, like an abyss poised to swallow everything.
The Crimson Eagle, terrified, refused to enter.
Even a slight descent would render it blind, unable to see anything.
"It's alright. Descend quickly and stay close to the ground!" Qin Ming ordered.
Suddenly, the black raptor behind them erupted with dark light, accelerating past them and landing first.
The veiled woman leaped down, blocking their path.
Qin Ming stood in the desert, dropping his war hammer and bow.
Slowly, he drew the Jade Iron Sword from his back.
"You won't let me live, will you?" he said.
He knew the veiled woman was terrifying, far surpassing any opponent he had faced before.
In an instant, Qin Ming surged forward, unleashing his strongest Sky-Severing Sword Intent.
It was like a stormy night descending, lightning tearing through the darkness as he slashed out with his most powerful blade strike.
"You barely qualify for the Golden-Armored Guards, yet you dare..."
The veiled woman casually waved her right hand, sending forth a golden light to imprison the dark iron sword.
The next moment, the black sword in Qin Ming's hand suddenly cracked, its coating peeling away to reveal a pristine white sword body.
A brilliant light erupted, like a burning sun banishing the night.
"Thwack!"
Blood splattered across the desert.
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END OF CHAPTER
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