Chapter 169 The Long Journey

Qin Ming was lost in thought. In the latter half of the night, he had entered and exited the Netherworld and lingered by the Great Palace. What a strange experience this was! Although it was all an illusion, he was still savoring it.

He looked up and glanced out the window; the real world was shrouded in such deep darkness.

“Even a centipede that dies does not stiffen; it hangs in the air for four days. Hunting it will leave behind a wisp of its spirit.” Qin Ming recalled that tonight’s experience was actually quite dangerous.

The giant centipede itself was already very fragile, but the altar it was manipulating was not simple. If he were to walk on it unknowingly, the consequences would be unimaginable.

He figured he was going to be sacrificed, and that insect might take his place.

He felt a chill run down his spine. In this world shrouded in thick fog, had similar incidents occurred elsewhere? The thought, upon closer examination, made him feel utterly insecure.

Qin Ming picked up the palm-sized golden scale armor; it was quite heavy, even heavier than metal.

He studied the dense, tiny characters with great care, his eyes growing brighter with each reading, until finally they seemed to flicker with light, and he was completely absorbed in them.

He quickly put it down and calmed himself, afraid that he might suddenly resonate with it and suffer a “devastating blow.” He had had painful experiences in the past.

At the Luofu Immortal Mountain Ruins, he was once struck by a calm yet “terrifying” emotion left behind by an elder, leaving his mind blank as if struck by lightning.

Without a doubt, this gleaming golden scale armor belonged to a single page of the true teachings, its value immeasurable! Qin Ming became more and more excited as he looked at it, his eyes burning with fervor.

He took a deep breath, adjusted his state, and only after he was fully prepared did he attempt to resonate. If the situation was not right, he would immediately stop.

The scriptures on the scales relate to the path of esoteric Buddhism, beginning with divine wisdom—profound and unfathomable! Indeed, the emotions they carry…

It is extremely complex, and inevitably involves an unfathomable senior figure, whose calm demeanor belies his “horrifying” emotions.

Even though Qin Ming had made ample preparations, he was still so shocked that he felt dizzy and almost fainted. This was after he had done it many times.

If the writing on the golden scales hadn’t suddenly stopped later, he wouldn’t have wanted to engage in this kind of resonance at all; with his talent, he could have easily grasped it.

Because it was so painful, his consciousness was almost completely overwhelmed.

Finally, Qin Ming was sweating profusely and nearly collapsed. The scripture was finally “complete.” A complete inheritance should have two golden scales.

Although he was extremely exhausted, a satisfied smile appeared on his face. That night, his bizarre spiritual journey had brought him immense gains.

Without a doubt, this scripture is a supreme secret technique of the sect! Qin Ming immediately tried practicing it after recovering. He felt the effects were excellent; it truly lived up to its reputation as a single page of genuine teachings.

Overall, this interpretation of the sutra is far more powerful than the very thin booklet given to Meng Xinghai by his grand-uncle.

After all, it was just a casual gift from the old man, intended only for him to try practicing. It was impossible for him to reveal the sect’s highest secret techniques on their first meeting.

Soon, the smile on Qin Ming’s face gradually faded.

Because the divine wisdom he cultivated was absorbed and used to nourish his physical body, it remained an unsolvable problem.

“Is it because the silk calligraphy is too domineering, incorporating everything, or is it because I have practiced it for more than ten years, and my flesh and blood are most compatible with it?” This left Qin Ming with no other choice but to go down this path to the bitter end.

He practiced the scripture on a single page of the true transmission, but it didn’t change anything. It was still the same as before, only useful to assist the new student. Qin Ming studied for a long time and finally accepted reality. It was still early before dawn, so he went back to sleep.

The next day, he got up early and first practiced the Destiny-Changing Scripture, followed by the Five Thunders Connecting the Organs. These methods of strengthening the internal organs can prolong life and improve one’s culinary skills. He persisted in these practices every day without interruption.

Afterwards, Qin Ming went to see Meng Xinghai and also invited Li Qingyun.

“Are you about to set off?” “Kunjun is a place full of legends. Although it borders the three great dynasties of Yu, Gan and Rui, none of them dared to take it, fearing that it would cause trouble. In the end, some old guys actually established their lineage there.”

The two spoke one after the other, learning that Qin Ming was about to embark on a long journey.

“I have something nice to give to Uncle Meng and Master Li. Thank you for your kindness.”

“The golden rhinoceros horn tea set and wine set you brought back last time were quite nice. What else do you want to give us?” The two were surprised and curious.

“This is a very generous gift,” Qin Ming said.

Normandy boasted that the gifts he gave were of great value, and the two immediately realized that what he was giving was probably quite extraordinary. In front of them, Qin Ming took out paper and ink and wrote down the scriptures on the golden scales word by word.

The two approached to take a closer look, and their initial doubts turned into solemn expressions, followed by shock, and finally, they were completely stunned.

“Such a doctrine.” They weren’t unsophisticated people, but they were still somewhat stunned. This was definitely a secret doctrine passed down through generations.

A young boy wrote it down for them with great effort? The two felt it was quite a dream, too unreal.

Soon, they cast aside all distractions and were deeply captivated, their eyes glued to the screen, completely absorbed in the experience.

“Wonderful! This scripture is profound. If it corroborates what I’ve learned, it might solve a problem that has troubled me for so long and help me break through this barrier.”

After an unknown amount of time, Meng Xinghai regained consciousness and couldn’t help but exclaim in surprise.

Li Qingyun’s expression became extremely solemn as he asked, “Little Qin, where did you obtain this scripture?” He knew all too well…

The value of written words is such that they could never be circulated outside the temple. Even in the most prestigious monasteries, they are considered secret teachings.

Qin Ming put down his pen, his expression turning serious. He said, “Last night, I was attacked and dragged into a thick black fog.” He recounted his experience, still having many questions.

Both of their expressions changed. The big bird hadn’t died completely and still wanted revenge; this was far beyond their expectations.

That was the location of the old centipede’s divine kingdom, but it had been breached. The black mist area is very mysterious, and those on the path of rebirth generally find it difficult to enter, unless they reach a later stage and become senior figures with sufficiently strong consciousness.

“In fact, even among people from other paths, only experts can access that field. Ordinary people have no idea about it or have never even heard of it.”

Through conversation, Qin Ming discovered that every path held many secrets that those at lower levels had no way of knowing, unaware of how vast and boundless the scenery at higher levels was, like ants gazing at the sky.

“That was close. That altar was definitely not simple. The old centipede actually wanted to come back to life. A being that has the potential to become a god is indeed extremely extraordinary. Fortunately, Xiao Qin, you are unharmed.”

After their conversation, Qin Ming felt more and more that the entire foggy world was too dangerous, with too many unknowns. The only way to protect himself was to keep getting stronger.

Then, when the topic of the long journey came up, Qin Ming decided that he would set off in two days.

“Let me take you there,” Li Qingyun said with a smile.

“No need, Master Li, I’ll go on my own.”

Qin Ming felt bad about always troubling the old man; he wasn’t from a prestigious family who needed a master to escort him even when traveling.

The world under the night fog is so vast, he can just set off quietly and explore on his own.

“Red Cloud City is a good two miles away from Kunjun, which is not close at all. Let me take you there. Don’t be shy.”

Li Qingyun said.

Qin Ming planned to travel alone, wanting to take a closer look at the foggy world of the factory. Meng Xinghai said, “How about this, I’ll make the arrangements.”

Xiao Qin, you set off alone. The journey is indeed quite long. The dark land is not as peaceful as you imagined. Some areas are extremely dangerous, and even we have to go around them.

“Fang Yi, you entered without realizing it, something bad is bound to happen.” He told him that they could take a spaceship to get there.

Although it’s not very fast, you can enjoy the scenery and learn about different local customs along the way, which is also a kind of experience. “A spirit ship?” Qin Ming asked.

“It’s not the kind of ship that needs to be driven by conscious thought.” Meng Xinghai shook his head.

Li Qingyun smiled and said, “I’ve heard about it. It was first introduced two years ago and only became mature half a year ago. It is said to be the culmination of the hard work of an elder of the Tiangong Academy. It can finally be mass-produced.”

Meng Xinghai nodded and said, “Yes, mainly because they discovered a strange tree in the frontier area of ​​the reclaimed land and began to make use of it.”

To be precise, the people of Tiangong Academy discovered a completely new energy source deep within the world of night fog.

The exotic trees are quite special; a piece of wood the size of a fist can weigh ten pounds, while a piece of silverwood of a slightly higher grade can weigh twenty or thirty pounds.

The higher-grade varieties, such as the exotic trees with a pale golden hue, are not only heavier but also emit various spiritual substances comparable to a fiery spring.

Qin Ming was surprised. No wonder the higher-ups wanted to expand the territory; there were just too many good things deep in the Night Fog World.

Furthermore, there is another advantage to traveling long distances by such ships: occasionally, one can reach the celestial realm deep in the night sky.

The elders of the otherworldly realm no longer need food; they can be nourished by the celestial essence of the heavens.

Two days later, Qin Ming quietly set off and arrived at Qixia City, eight miles away. Although the names differed by only one character, the scale of the two cities was incomparable.

Qixia City is a truly magnificent and famous city. From a great distance, one can see its dazzling light breaking through the night fog, illuminating the entire area.

Because only famous cities like these have spaceships taking off and landing, and Chixia City hasn’t been widely used yet. Qixia City has a direct flight route to Kunjun.

Qin Ming, holding his ticket, had already arrived at the landing site of the spaceship in Qixia City.

He was surprised to find many teenagers waiting for a ship, presumably like him, heading to distant places to study. The area was vast and shrouded in mist, with many enormous spaceships awaiting departure.

“Brothers, you don’t need to ask anymore. Most of the people waiting for the ship here at this time are heading to Kunjun. Even if we go to different academies or dojos, we are still considered to be in the same class.”

A teenager laughed and said that it was student registration season, and everyone was the same age, so he certainly wouldn’t be lonely on the way.

“The journey is never going to be smooth. Guess who I just saw? That ruthless guy who swept through eighty-one cities is waiting in the VIP room. He’s also heading to Kunjun.”

“No way, where is he going? The young men and women here are all under twenty years old, and most of them are very lively and have all sorts of topics to talk about.”

“What’s so surprising? Even the one with the pure Yang physique most suited to travel to the otherworldly realms is said to be heading to Kunlun this time.”

Immediately, many people exclaimed in surprise, “Why would someone with a pure Yang physique make such a choice?” “Kun Jun’s place is not weak. The backers of some academies are actually the pioneers of the outer realms!” a cheerful girl said.

Actually, there was another hidden reason. The various academies and schools of Kunlun were preparing to jointly explore the outer area of ​​a forbidden land. There was a very high-level auspicious beast there, whose blood could change one’s constitution and bones, enough to allow us to achieve Nirvana… As soon as this secret news came out, it immediately caused an uproar, and a group of teenagers were excited.

They are about to head to Kunjun. Is there a chance they might obtain a small amount of the auspicious beast’s blood? “Don’t overthink it. Only the most exceptional talents in each path, the top few in our class, will have the opportunity to obtain such a great fortune.”

It’s speculated that each dojo and academy will have a certain number of spots available.

“What’s so surprising? The descendants of some giants from the Immortal Land and Yang Land have already gone there. You can imagine how big a commotion this hunt for auspicious beasts has caused.”

Qin Ming listened quietly, sensing that Kunjun was not calm, and that he could sit back and watch the situation unfold.

(There’s more to come!)