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Novel: [Night Without Boundaries]
Chapter 110: [Mountain-River Spirit Nest]
Author: [Chen Dong]
Translator: [Shadow Knight AK]
Editor: [Shadow Knight AK]
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"Mountain-River Spiritual Nest? What kind of place is that?" Qin Ming asked, surprised.
He supported Li Qingyue as they searched through this vibrant, life-filled area.
"It originally forms naturally," Li Qingyue explained as they walked. "With some minor enhancements, it can become a mystical place. Some grow rare medicinal herbs, while others are favored Yin Residences for royal families, used to relocate ancestral graves..."
As she spoke, her once flawless face appeared pale, and her silver armor was severely damaged, with little remaining.
For example, only the shoulder of her left arm was still covered by armor, exposing her fair forearm.
The cracked armor, stained with blood, possessed a kind of broken beauty.
Li Qingyue had suffered severe injuries.
Not only had her silver armor been shattered, but the golden inner garment inscribed with life-saving runes had also been torn and completely dimmed.
Qin Ming retrieved the medicine Tang Xumi had given him and asked if she could take it and whether it would help her injuries.
Li Qingyue shook her head.
She had already taken Spiritual Medicine, but its effects were minimal.
This near-death experience had almost extinguished the Divine Radiance within her Yellow Court.
The Consciousness Spiritual Light formed by her Consciousness Force flickered like a candle flame, no longer shining as brightly as the sun.
...
Outside the ruins of Mount Luo Fu Immortal Mountain, Meng Xinghai felt a growing unease.
He increasingly suspected that someone was trying to "arrange" Li Qingyue's elimination, and that she might even be in danger.
Sure enough, as bloodied Golden-Armored Guards and Elite Disciples from Beyond the Mortal Realm escaped, the situation inside gradually became clear.
Many were shocked to learn that the Five Core Disciples had joined forces to severely wound Li Qingyue in the white bamboo forest, leaving her Primordial Qi severely depleted and completely disqualifying her from competing for the Near-Immortal Artifact.
"At least ten Golden-Armored Guards died at Li Ye's hands, but he himself was also drenched in blood, critically injured, and his body-protecting runes have been extinguished."
Hearing this news, Meng Xinghai's expression darkened.
The pair's situation was dire. If anyone else were to ambush them in their weakened state, they would truly be in mortal danger.
"This is utterly despicable!" he thought.
How could he fail to see that this was a setup?
From the very beginning, all the Core Disciples had been wary of Li Qingyue. They had secretly coordinated their actions before entering the Spiritual Cave.
Many lamented Li Qingyue's fate.
She had been the most promising candidate to obtain the legendary artifact, only to be eliminated in such a manner.
An elder sighed, "She truly had it tough this time. Surviving and breaking free from the siege of the Five Core Disciples proves her worth beyond doubt."
Though the pool's waters were murky, some could see through the haze, sensing something amiss and detecting a faint aura of danger.
A middle-aged man in a pristine Feather Robe spoke up, "Even without claiming the near-immortal treasure, Li Qingyue has established her prestige among this generation. After today's battle, who would dare defy her?"
"It's still a pity. Had she obtained that artifact, she might have become a leader in the Beyond the Mortal Realm."
Another person chuckled lightly, "Such speculation is pointless. Li Qingyue is already out of the game!"
In the Night Mist World, gamblers across various cities wailed in despair, feeling utterly betrayed.
Even the authoritative Night Gazette had become an "accomplice," misleading them.
"Mountain God, destroy me! I don't want to live anymore!"
...
"These mystical places have become Spiritual Nests, Yin Residences, or Ghostly Dwellings," Li Qingyue explained slowly.
This land teemed with vitality, its lush vegetation, towering Pill Cliffs, and bizarre rock formations creating a breathtaking landscape.
Streams fed by Fire Springs meandered through the mountains, nourishing this spiritually vibrant realm.
"Truly magnificent!" Qin Ming exclaimed.
Ahead, a thousand-zhang waterfall cascaded down, its crystalline waters glowing with crimson light, illuminating this resplendent mountain-river landscape.
Fire Springs forming waterfalls would be an invaluable resource in the outside world, around which giant cities would inevitably spring up. Yet here, they were merely scenic features.
"No wonder this was once a top-tier Blessed Land," Qin Ming murmured, gazing at the numerous similar wonders.
High-grade Fire Springs were particularly abundant in this area.
It was no wonder that, a millennium ago, powerful figures from Beyond the Mortal Realm had attempted to elevate this place into a Heavenly Cave.
"Are there Heavenly Cave in the Night Mist World?" Qin Ming asked.
"To my knowledge, no such realms exist here," Li Qingyue replied. "Mount Luo Fu Immortal Mountain possesses the potential to become a Heavenly Cave, but it has not yet undergone the necessary transformation."
"The Founding Ancestor's inscription is here. Let's follow this path," Li Qingyue said, touching the moss-covered stone wall.
Suddenly, she stumbled, nearly falling, a clear indication of the severity of her injuries.
Qin Ming quickly steadied her again, his face etched with concern.
"With such severe injuries, will your Sea of Consciousness and Yellow Court be alright?"
"Finding the Spiritual Nest makes all this insignificant," Li Qingyue replied. "They're not faring much better either. I nearly killed two of them, and the other three are also seriously wounded."
Qin Ming sighed inwardly.
Time truly changes everything.
The once delicate and refined young woman had now grown into someone capable of slaying Core Disciples from Beyond the Mortal Realm.
Her path to power had been meteoric.
He couldn't help but feel dissatisfied with himself.
He, too, had suffered severe injuries, but his opponents lacked any renowned figures—only Tan Yu had been mentioned before.
"He Tai, with the bearing of a young grandmaster; Chen Shuhang, who had mastered the Five-Colored Thunder Fire Force; Jiang Congyun, a disciple of the Pure Yang Palace; the mysterious successor of the Five Elements Palace; and the nominal disciple of the Jade Pure Lineage—these were the true powerhouses, all of whom had mastered the pinnacle of Heavenly Light Force."
Tan Yu had merely been mentioned for fusing over ten types of Heavenly Light Force during his Awakening phase.
But anyone with a decent foundation could achieve that.
"I'm still not strong enough!" Qin Ming sighed, feeling that if he faced those truly powerful figures, he would surely meet his end here.
Li Qingyue spoke up, "Don't underestimate yourself. You're already incredibly strong. After just five awakenings, you've already slain an Outer Saint. Those others have Dao Lineages behind them, have been meticulously cultivated, and have long since entered the Outer Saint Realm. I believe you can quickly close the gap and surpass them."
Since his physical awakening, Qin Ming had enjoyed smooth progress, fusing various Heavenly Light Forces and even single-handedly annihilating Golden Rooster Ridge, achieving remarkable feats. Yet here, he found it difficult to look down on opponents from the great powers.
"I need to work harder to improve myself!" he nodded.
The comparison with Li Qingyue was particularly stark.
She could slay the strongest Core Disciples from Beyond the Mortal Realm, while Qin Ming had only faced nameless nobodies.
"Hmm, we should be getting close now," Li Qingyue said, her eyes glowing with radiant divine light as she gazed ahead with her mysterious pupil technique.
"Over there!" she pointed down a path.
The entire area was covered in golden maple trees, their leaves glowing a translucent yellow, further illuminated by the Fire Spring.
It was an ideal place to build a dwelling.
Qin Ming helped Li Qingyue navigate through the forest of falling golden leaves until they reached a bare stone mountain, devoid of soil or vegetation.
Carved steps led up the mountain's steep slope to its midpoint.
"This is the place. Let's hope the Spiritual Nest is still usable," Li Qingyue said, spotting the mark left by her Founding Ancestor on the stone face.
Qin Ming supported her as they climbed the treacherous steps.
Reaching the midpoint, they found a closed stone door.
"There's movement in the distance!"
"Li Qingxu!"
They spotted Li Qingxu's figure on a distant peak, confronting Xiang Yiwu, a Former Disciple of the Tathagata.
They must have exchanged blows moments ago.
"He's like a persistent ghost. He must know you're injured and has been following us, waiting for a chance to strike," Qin Ming said, his gaze fixed on the distant figure.
Li Qingyue replied, "It's not necessarily about revenge. He might have heard about my Founding Ancestor's arrangements here and wants to enter the Spiritual Nest himself."
Although the matter was highly confidential, Li Qingxu's master held a position of great authority, granting him access to sealed records.
He might have uncovered some clues.
Qin Ming said, "Xiang Yiwu is truly formidable. He actually managed to hold off Li Qingxu."
His expression turned grave.
Without the Former Disciple of the Tathagata nearby, he and Li Qingyue might have faced a critical situation.
This journey into the Spiritual Cave proved far more dangerous than he had imagined.
Li Qingxu vanished without engaging in a full-scale battle with Xiang Yiwu.
Qin Ming murmured, "I need to meet Xiang Yiwu and ask him for a favor—to temporarily keep Li Qingxu at bay. If that guy barges in at a crucial moment, things could turn disastrous."
Li Qingyue nodded.
Given enough time, Li Qingxu might indeed track them down.
Soon after, Qin Ming and Xiang Yiwu met again.
Before Qin Ming could speak, the Former Disciple of the Tathagata complained, "What's going on? Every time I associate with you, I end up facing Core Disciples from Beyond the Mortal Realm. This is getting dangerous."
"I'll give you the Li Fire Scripture in advance. Now, you need to help me hold off Li Qingxu. I trust your integrity."
Upon hearing these words, Xiang Yiwu's bell-like eyes lit up, and he perked up instantly.
"Excellent! I've always been one to repay kindness tenfold. If someone shows me an inch of respect, I'll return a foot. I won't let you come out short. I have a copy of the Wuji Scripture here, even more precious than your extraordinary technique, the Li Fire Scripture."
The mere mention of the Wuji Scripture told Qin Ming this was no ordinary text—its origins must be extraordinary. The characters "(Wuji)" spoke volumes.
As Qin Ming began chanting the scripture, Xiang Yiwu closed his eyes, listening intently and silently memorizing every word.
"This is an entire book! Can you really memorize it word for word?" Qin Ming was astonished by his talent.
Xiang Yiwu explained, "After Awakeners enter the Outer Saint Realm, they gain rudimentary access to Consciousness Spiritual Light. My sect has a secret technique that allows us to temporarily imprint written text into our minds for several days. Without paper or ink, this is the only way I can crudely record it for now."
"Are you truly a former Disciple?" Qin Ming remained skeptical.
"You treated me with sincerity, gifting me the Li Fire Scripture first, so I won't hide anything from you. I wouldn't exactly call myself a former Disciple—more like 'Independent Disciple.' The competition within the sect is too fierce; I've become 'wild' now. The elders are seeking to expand the Tathagata Force, exploring many paths, and I'm treading one of them."
Xiang Yiwu sighed.
His future depended entirely on his own efforts.
As the elders had said, all who achieved greatness first endured hardship and tempered their will.
Staying on Spiritual Mountain would only make him soft and useless.
He said, "If I fail, I'll be a former disciple. But if I succeed and surpass my fellow disciples, one day I might return as the Tathagata."
"I wish you success in becoming the Tathagata!" Qin Ming said with a smile.
Xiang Yiwu shook his head and sighed. "I wouldn't dare dream of such a thing. Some of my senior brothers are terrifyingly powerful. I'm still far behind. Ah, being 'wild' and without guidance is truly difficult."
After memorizing the Li Fire Scripture, he began reciting the Wuji Scripture for Qin Ming.
Qin Ming stopped him.
"Recite the scripture while practicing your techniques. Focus intently, and I'll learn by following your example."
Having neither entered the Outer Saint Realm nor possessed the secret techniques of Xiang Yiwu's sect, Qin Ming couldn't memorize the scripture quickly through conventional means.
Spiritual resonance was his only option.
Xiang Yiwu nodded and began reciting the sutra while demonstrating his extraordinary technique.
Qin Ming concentrated his spirit to the utmost.
This time, the effect was remarkable, allowing him to fully grasp the true essence of the Wuji Scripture.
"You're still an Awakener, yet you memorized it so quickly?" Xiang Yiwu had assumed it would require many recitations, but one reading had been enough.
He looked at Qin Ming with the same astonishment Qin Ming had shown him earlier.
"I've memorized it roughly," Qin Ming said. "If I still don't understand it, I'll ask you again later."
Soon after, he returned to the stone mountain.
Li Qingyue used her unique Consciousness Spiritual Light to shake the stone gate open, revealing the entrance.
Contrary to expectations, the air inside wasn't stale but remarkably fresh, accompanied by swirling spiritual light.
"This place is connected to the Great Earth Vein," Li Qingyue explained. "Its spiritual energy is far denser than that of many Blessed Lands."
She quickly brightened, sensing her damaged Consciousness Spiritual Light beginning to revitalize, no longer so dim.
"Hmm?!" Qin Ming noticed that the moment he stepped inside, his spirit surged with vitality, as if slowly ascending toward some transformative change.
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END OF CHAPTER
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