Chapter 108 The Final Battle

Countless people wailed that night, because betting on the “wrong” people could lead to bankruptcy.

Many people never imagined that Cui Chongxuan, who possessed the legendary Six-Force Technique, would be defeated by an unknown youth. At least, that’s what the major betting agencies in the distance initially thought, because their information was far less up-to-date than that of people in Luofu Mountain.

“Who is Li Ye? He has incurred my wrath so greatly that I’m almost losing my underwear!”

Qin Ming, as Li Qingyue’s “cousin,” used the alias Li Ye and has now become quite famous among gamblers in the Night Mist world. “Cui Chongxuan, did you practice your’Six Imperial Heart Sutra’ for nothing? You actually suffered a crushing defeat, causing me heavy losses. I’ll rub my hands in the mud!”

Many people had expected Zhou Chengru to lose to Li Qingyue. But Cui Chongxuan’s defeat to Li Ye was truly hard to accept.

After all, he had the support of a thousand-year-old family, the legendary Six-Force Technique, and his own unparalleled talent; there was no reason for him to lose. Many who were blinded by defeat naturally revealed their true colors, continuously spewing profanities throughout the night.

Outside the ruins of Luofu Immortal Mountain, the Cui family members looked grim, never expecting that the person they supported would be the first to be eliminated.

It was rumored earlier that the various sects outside the mortal realm had reached a tacit agreement, disapproving of Li Qingxu’s domineering and protective teacher, and were preparing to eliminate him first within the rules. As a result, although his situation was precarious, he was not eliminated yet.

The official gazette wouldn’t report these things, but the nightly newspapers organized by civilian groups undoubtedly had breaking news and new material, and began to report on them extensively. For a time, many people were discussing it, believing that Li Qingyue would obtain something close to the immortals.

Her cousin, Li Ye, might be able to accompany her to the end, displaying extraordinary talent in Mount Luofu.

Qin Ming silently digested the fragmented Six Imperial Heart Sutra, attempting to resonate with the emotions of those nearby. However, the effect was far from ideal, as there were too many “impurities,” and the emotions related to the sutra were extremely fragmented.

“The legendary Six Control Forces, Cui Chongxuan only mastered the Bright Control Force, and in the new stage, one needs to master two of the Control Forces to be considered successful.” Qin Ming compared the Heavenly Light Force, which was fused with the unified power of the silk scroll, with the Six Control Forces. Although he defeated Cui Chongxuan, it was mainly because the opponent had not yet completed his work.

He reminded himself not to get carried away, because the Heavenly Light Force he had just integrated and unified was definitely not as good as the true Six Powers Force, Tathagata Force, and Jade Purity Force in its nascent stage.

“I still need to continue practicing other Heavenly Light Force techniques, and it would be best if I could fuse them with extraordinary skills to ensure that I can suppress the two types of defensive forces during my initial stage. That way, I won’t be afraid of the legendary force techniques.” Li Qingyue walked over, her temperament elegant and otherworldly. She looked at the two men and one woman who followed her and said, “You are all injured. Now go back. You’ve worked hard!”

The three golden-armored guards opened their mouths as if to say something, but in the end they just nodded and left, because they knew that the battle that was about to begin might be even more intense and bloody.

This competition among the core disciples, besides vying for near-immortal items, is probably also about ranking and status, related to the resources they will acquire in the future. Qin Ming said, “Cui Chonghe almost managed to deceive everyone. If he hadn’t encountered your Spirit Eye, he might have become the final winner.”

Li Qingyue nodded. With Cui Chonghe’s amazing strength, if he continued to pretend, he would most likely be able to intercept the legendary item in the end.

The two set off, and after rounding the fiery red lake, the darkness ahead deepened. The fire springs diminished, and the sky became pitch black, almost to the point where one could not see their own hand in front of their face. They proceeded cautiously, remaining on guard in secret.

“Is this really a spirit cave? It’s such a big place.” When Qin Ming first heard Meng Xinghai mention a spirit cave, he thought it was a cave entrance similar to a well.

Li Qingyue said, “Back then, some important figures from the outside world wanted to elevate Mount Luofu from the top-tier blessed land to the legendary grotto-heaven level. Unfortunately, they failed, turning this place into scorched earth. A thousand years have passed, and it is only now that it is gradually recovering.”

Qin Ming was utterly speechless. The so-called spiritual cave turned out to be a failed grotto-heaven!

“Where is that place where the otherworldly light is so intense and violent, and how far away is it?” Qin Ming was full of anticipation. Not only did he want to help his best friend retrieve the near-immortal item, but he also wanted to bathe in the otherworldly light and be reborn.

Unfortunately, he hadn’t practiced any special techniques or extraordinary skills beforehand; otherwise, the fusion and enhancement he received in the otherworldly light would have been incredibly powerful. He was pondering the Six Imperial Heart Sutra, but it was a real shame that it was all fragmented text. He wanted to try his best to decipher some astonishing content.

Li Qingyue said, “Although the Luofu Immortal Mountain Ruins are large, they are not too far away. Let’s be cautious. I feel that it is too quiet and I have seen too few disciples from outside the secular world.”

The pitch-black land was barren, once pierced by the light of the heavens, yet devoid of the nourishment of fire springs; even now, a violent aura still lingers here. Passing through the darkness, light gradually appears ahead, and we are approaching an area with fire springs once more.

The plants here are lush and abundant, and small streams of hot springs flow on many mountain peaks, which look like magma meandering from a distance.

Some of the giant mountains even have fiery waterfalls cascading down, which are exceptionally spectacular and dazzling, like an inverted galaxy, illuminating the entire area.

Li Qingyue’s face lit up with joy. “This land has indeed been revived. Our lineage’s ancestor once made arrangements here. I wonder how it is now.” “We’ll come back here to search again later.” She felt it was a pity. Time was of the essence, and they couldn’t linger here, lest someone else get their hands on the near-immortal treasure first.

Qin Ming gripped the large spear, remaining vigilant at all times.

Then, they stepped into a woodland shrouded in white mist, filled with snow-white bamboo, its roots and leaves as white as jade. The mist was thick and hazy, as if they were approaching a celestial abode.

“You should turn back right away!” Li Qingyue suddenly whispered.

Furthermore, for the first time, she used her weapon, drawing a short sword that shimmered with five-colored light, and a wooden shield radiating a crystalline luster floated in front of her. Qin Ming realized something was wrong, but he hadn’t yet discovered anything.

Li Qingyue is a whole realm higher than him, so she must have some awareness.

Qin Ming calmed himself and finally sensed something. It was as if a large number of terrifying beasts were approaching from all directions, gradually giving him a suffocating feeling. During this time, Li Qingyue led him back along the original path.

“I already told you, Junior Sister Li has such keen senses, there’s no way we could wait until she reaches the ideal area.” Someone spoke up, cutting off the path. “Fortunately, we have enough people, and we’ve made preparations along the way. Hmm, the people ahead have already received the message and are all rushing over.”

Luo Qingge and Jiang Shengyu, two core disciples, blocked their path, and several other elite disciples also joined in the encirclement.

Qin Ming had seen them in Luofu Immortal Town. It was Luo Qingge who first provoked Li Qingxu, and Li Qingyue followed suit by swinging her sword, which led to Tang Xumi, Jiang Shengyu, and others joining in. Luo Qingge, dressed in blue, had a beautiful face and a bright smile. She said, “Junior Sister Li, I’m sorry, you are just too strong. Out of respect for you, we have decided to join forces to send you out.”

Jiang Shengyu’s expression was serious; he simply nodded, looking quite aloof.

Li Qingyue had no intention of speaking to them and didn’t want to waste any time. Her five-colored short sword shot out, bursting with five different colors of light, covering the woodland in front of her. With a loud boom, as if a giant had swung a sledgehammer, the bamboo forest was engulfed. Li Qingyue then cleaved it apart with a single sword strike.

Luo Qingge and Jiang Shengyu vanished simultaneously, then reappeared a short distance away, activating their weapons and swiftly intercepting Li Qingyue. “Junior Sister Li, I’m sorry!”

“I apologize for offending you, Senior Sister Li. Please see you off.”

“Qingyue, I’m truly sorry. Given the conflict over the Dao, we have no choice but to send you away, as you pose the greatest threat.” The last core disciple to arrive was Tang Xumi. Li Qingyue sheathed her five-colored sword and stood silently in the bamboo forest shrouded in white mist.

Now that she’s surrounded, buying time is pointless.

Qin Ming stood beside her, the large spear in his hand faintly gleaming in the sunlight. This was definitely going to be a bloody battle; all those who came were experts. Tang Xumi, Jiang Shengyu, Ren Yiping, Su Jingmei, and Luo Qingge were all core disciples, surrounding Li Qingyue.

In addition, some elite disciples were scattered in all directions, while further away there were some golden-armored guards. “Were those disciples who were biased towards me blocked in advance?” Li Qingyue asked.

Qin Ming felt that the path they had taken to get in was likely deliberately arranged by someone.

Li Qingyue looked at them calmly and said, “It seems that my meeting with Li Qingxu at the first opportunity was not a coincidence.”

“It’s just a coincidence!” Ren Yiping, a core disciple with a faint smile, replied. Even if there was something fishy about it, no one would admit it. Qin Ming didn’t know much about the Outer Lands, but he sensed that the competition among core disciples was extremely fierce, with no scruples whatsoever.

Li Qingyue’s extraordinary strength posed a serious threat to the other core disciples, even causing Tang Xumi, who harbored feelings for her, to choose to attack her at a crucial moment. For a core disciple like him, feelings of affection and breathtaking beauty could be temporarily set aside; nothing mattered more than his near-immortal status.

Li Qingyue said, “Let my cousin leave first; he is not a hermit.”

Qin Ming’s heart skipped a beat. Were these core disciples going to kill Li Qingyue? He circulated his Heavenly Light Energy and gripped the Overlord Spear tightly.

Ren Yiping and Su Jingmei wanted to say something, but Tang Xumi spoke first, saying, “Alright, Brother Li, this is a decisive battle among our core disciples from beyond the gates. Don’t get involved. Although you let the bird run me for over a hundred miles, which made me very angry, we’ve already met.”

“You leave first.” Li Qingyue said, seemingly noticing Qin Ming’s worry. She secretly transmitted her voice using a secret technique: “I can protect myself!” Qin Ming took a deep breath. He had only embarked on the path of rebirth a few months ago and was a whole realm lower than the core disciples.

He was somewhat annoyed with himself for not being able to help here.

He said nothing, holding his long spear, and strode away into the distance.

In an instant, colorful clouds erupted within the pristine bamboo forest, celestial mist surged, divine light raged, and the power of consciousness expanded, seemingly distorting space itself. The bamboo forest shattered as the six core disciples engaged in a decisive battle, each showing no mercy and unleashing their full power.

Qin Ming had not gone far from the bamboo forest when he was stopped by a group of people, all of whom were golden-armored guards. Clearly, Tang Xumi’s words had no effect.

He turned around, but could no longer see Li Qingyue. However, he could sense a huge commotion deep in the bamboo forest, with the five core disciples besieging her alone. “You want to take me down too?” he asked in a deep voice, gripping his spear.

“Yes!” someone replied, uttering only a single word.

“Do you still intend to kill me?” Qin Ming frowned, worried about Li Qingyue. None of the golden-armored guards present responded.

Qin Ming pushed himself to his strongest state, as if a raging fire was burning within his chest. In an instant, he charged forward, his great spear flashing like lightning. With a bang, the man who had simply uttered a “yes” to him was sent flying backward.

Before the man could land, Qin Ming caught up, his spear flashing coldly as it pierced one of his hands, then plunged into the golden armor through the severed hand.

In an instant, the golden-armored guard screamed in agony as his entire arm exploded, a strange, celestial energy surging forth from his arm and shooting into his internal organs. *Thud!*

His entire body exploded in the blue armor.

Qin Ming held the large spear and swung it slightly, sending the golden armor flying. It crashed into the rocks, staining the area with blood.

With a deafening boom, the ground nearby shattered, and a person skilled in a special technique emerged from his body, radiating terrifying light, standing half a meter tall, as if teleported nearby. Qin Ming wielded his Overlord Spear with both hands and slashed forward, but was blocked by two other people rushing over with their weapons.

With a bang, Qin Ming collided with the charging man with one hand, letting out a muffled groan. The tall, muscular young man, over half a meter tall and radiating light, was very strong, possessing a unique style of force. Although Qin Ming’s blood and qi were churning, his palm did not stop, striking repeatedly and colliding with the man’s fist more than ten times.

With a soft “poof,” the tall young man’s fist shattered. He screamed and tried to back away, only to find that his entire arm was exploding. Terrifying light spread out, tearing his internal organs apart.

“Kill!” Qin Ming shouted.

Just then, a burly young man emerged from the bamboo grove and asked, “Do you need my help?”