What was the world really like beyond the reach of Yujing?
Even to Earth Immortals, it was far too distant. The regions beyond were cloaked in mist and filled with endless mysteries; not even they knew the true state of affairs out there.
Now, a passage into this legendary realm had been dug open!
In the night, the sleet particles were illuminated by the Fire Spring like crimson crystals. The newly constructed "gateway" was billowing mist, appearing profoundly deep.
According to current tests, the Dao rhythm of this unknown land was not abnormally dense; it was not a "deep-water zone" and shouldn't be capable of nurturing terrifying behemoths.
"Bodhi Cave." Night Province's ancestral masters named this misty gate.
They did not set off immediately. They were extraordinarily cautious this time, repeatedly testing it with a special "spirit-absorbing liquid."
After all, this was entirely like opening a blind box—no one could predict whether truly perilous horrors lurked behind the portal.
...
"A bunch of five-hundred-year-old seniors are heading out to scout the path with fighting spirits blazing again. You and I are only in our early three hundreds—like flower buds waiting to burst into bloom before the Fire Spring! What right do we have to slack off and not strive? We must dedicate ourselves to bitter cultivation as well!"
"Indeed! If we don't work hard now, we'll be overtaken by those green youngsters in their two hundreds. When that time comes, they'll surely ridicule us."
"Over my dead body will they look down on their elders! Say not the sun sets late upon the mulberry and elm; the twilight glow still fills the sky with crimson clouds!"
The old fellows of the Fifth Realm acted as though pumped full of phoenix blood. Every single one surged with fiery passion, seeming to find their second youth as they resolved to make one final push and vie to step into the domain of ancestral masters.
In such an atmosphere, the youth and prime warriors in the earthen city were swept up in the fervid mood, their blood surging. They longed to explore the alien world and elevate themselves during their prime years, lest they lament in vain in their old age.
Naturally, infuriating remarks also made the rounds. For instance, a crowd of youths clamored, "We've got to work hard too! If we don't push ourselves now, we'll end up as old as them!"
Immediately after, three generations—the old, middle-aged, and young adults—nearly joined forces to beat them to a pulp!
"A warning to all fellow Daoists from beyond Night Province: do not be fooled! When has that bunch of notorious ancestral masters ever opened a reliable path? Every single one has had massive problems!"
"You lads in the earthen city, have you already forgotten how they fed you giant mushrooms last time?"
"Damn it, two short sentences just completely snuffed out my burning passion!"
For two days, Night Province's ancestral masters had not ventured over in their true bodies. They had dispatched puppets and sent wisps of conscious spirit light to wander in spirit, conducting all kinds of probes.
Even the two visiting Earth Immortals from the outer realm observing the scene felt these old rascals were being overly cautious.
"How about the two seniors accompany us?" an ancestral master invited.
Initially, the two Earth Immortals had harbored keen interest, wishing to see what lay beyond the realm governed by Yujing. But the moment they heard that offer, they dispelled the notion on the spot.
One of the Earth Immortals even wore a darkened expression, glaring at them repeatedly.
Late in the deep night, Qin Ming studied the *Nine Firmaments Book*. It was also called the *Hell Scripture* and the *Abyss Records*. None of these names had been given lightly; tonight, Qin Ming experienced the distinctions between all three. Hovering between waking and dreaming, he seemed to wander in spirit across three distinct realms.
At first, his spiritual light seemed to span the nine firmaments. Standing high above the vault of heaven, he faintly gazed into the distance toward Yujing, shrouded in heavy mist.
At this moment, his state of mind was consummate. The path of a Heavenly Immortal seemed right beneath his feet; all he had to do was stride forward.
Yet as he took a step forward—*boom!* Above the nine firmaments, the heavens tilted, and a massive expanse of the vault collapsed. He plummeted headlong, completely unable to fly during the fall.
In an instant, he fell at blistering speed, sinking incessantly. His six senses were swiftly stripped away until he could perceive nothing; boundless darkness was all that filled his sight.
Then, as if descending into ruin, he plunged into a bottomless abyss.
In the Eastern Lands, few dared practice the *Nine Firmaments Book*. Often, things turned out contrary to one's desires—instead of standing high upon the nine firmaments and planting the seed of a Heavenly Immortal, one would plunge into a spiritual hell, finding it almost impossible to crawl back out.
Some had even dropped dead on the spot because of it.
This was an extraordinarily perilous art; anyone who dared practice the *Nine Firmaments Book* was exceptional.
When Qin Ming had practiced this immortal scripture earlier, he had once caught a glimpse of this so-called spiritual hell by chance and cast down a heavenly light seed fused with his consciousness.
Yet tonight, his primary consciousness had actually tumbled right into it!
He did not panic. Having read Su Mohua's journal, he knew someone once slain by an Earth Immortal—their physical body completely obliterated—had managed to revive their primary consciousness years later, achieving nirvanic rebirth and crawling out of the unknown spiritual hell.
Piercing through the abyss, he landed in the spiritual hell. An endless void of blackness enveloped him. Qin Ming was still falling, descending endlessly; that was what it felt like, as though he would sink into oblivion for eternity.
*In an era with a sun, people encountering this might feel uneasy or terrified. But to me, this is nothing.*
Qin Ming even felt a sense of familiarity, as if he had plunged into the depths of the vast, boundless night mist world.
"I might as well cultivate here in the spiritual hell for now." Without panic, he took things as they came and made himself at home.
Moreover, he put it into action, stretching out his form and manifesting the tenets of various scriptures.
At this moment, his heavenly light blended his consciousness and divine wisdom, carrying his entire cultivation here in full glory. Even if trapped in darkness, what did he have to fear?
He started practicing from the *Departing Fire Classic*, working all the way through the *Withering and Thriving Classic*, and then to the *Black-White Classic*. Suddenly, he was struck by an epiphany.
Withering and thriving, black and white—everything possessed dual aspects. Even the *Nine Firmaments Book* possessed corresponding alternate names like the *Hell Scripture* or the *Abyss Records*.
*Does this mean cultivating only the intent of the nine firmaments isn't thorough enough, and one was originally supposed to experience the intent of the hellish abyss as well?* Qin Ming grew invigorated.
He comprehended the *Golden Crow Illuminates the Night Classic*, attempting to raise a sun here.
In the end, Qin Ming used his heavenly light force to carve characters into the spiritual abyss. In the midst of falling and sinking, he etched the true meaning of the nine firmaments, gazing toward Yujing from the depths of hell.
*I have a feeling that my comprehension of the abyss and hell wasn't deep enough, which is why I fell. But why didn't Su Mohua run into this issue?*
Then he recalled her journal, which had not elaborated on the spiritual hell either.
Patient and unhurried, Qin Ming cultivated within the spiritual hell, covering it with the true intent of the nine firmaments and his newfound insights into the *Hell Scripture*.
Gradually, the bottomless abyss and the deathly silent spiritual hell were no longer swallowed by boundless blackness. Light began to dawn step by step. Faintly, he sensed the nine firmaments once more.
"One thought creates hell, one thought reaches the nine firmaments..."
In the end, bright heavenly light blazed across Qin Ming's entire being. Like a rising sun, he cut through the darkness and soared straight above the nine firmaments.
He had gained a brand-new realization of this scripture. During his ascent, he was accompanied by torrential rains of light, resembling nothing so much as an immortal ascending into the radiant clouds.
Qin Ming sensed that these scriptural principles were remarkably suited to certain circumstances.
Soon, he cast away stray thoughts and experienced the process with his heart. His spirit grew consummate, as if he were about to enter a moment of lucid mind like Su Mohua's.
Unwittingly, he returned to the top of the nine firmaments.
He lay upon the clouds and fell into a deep, sound sleep.
Qin Ming could have awakened immediately, but chose not to. Resting high upon the nine heavens as his spirit slept, he could feel his conscious spirit light slowly expanding.
Without a doubt, this was a unique cultivation method; the *Nine Firmaments Book* was extraordinary.
Yet as he slept above the nine firmaments, his heart palpitated several times.
Behind him, a black shadow crept up silently, thrusting a spear through his head and nearly jolting Qin Ming awake.
*The true master behind the mind monkey?*
Shortly after, he fell back asleep above the nine firmaments.
Yet his spirit quivered once more. This time, he was restrained by the red-dressed woman Tang Yushang, who kicked his rear wildly, nearly sending him tumbling back into the spiritual hell.
Qin Ming found this bizarre. Why was he having one grotesque dream after another while cultivating high above the nine firmaments?
Next, in the night mist, someone strolled forward, ascending into the heavens step by step until he stood before him and said, "Erlang, long time no see."
Then, a terrifying fist light blasted forward, obliterating him!
This time, Qin Ming nearly woke up entirely. He caught a glimpse of the man's face—it was actually Cui Chongxiao, the "elder brother" he had met only a few times when he still resided in the Cui family.
*The two dragons of the Cui family: the elder dragon, Cui Chongxiao. Speaking of which, I haven't seen Cui Chonghe in a long time; he actually isn't in the earthen city.*
In the dreams that followed, Qin Ming frowned and clenched his fists from time to time. Everything he witnessed was steeped in blood, bringing him to the brink of full awakening repeatedly.
He saw Twin Trees Village drenched in blood, the Black-White Tree blasted apart, Wenrui and Wenhui wailing in tears, muddle-headed Old Man Liu targeted by a fiendish ghoul-like creature, and Dog Sword Immortal stripped of his pelt.
Right after, Qin Ming saw his grandfather walking toward him, covered in blood.
Dreams followed one after another. Even Cao Qianqiu, whom he had not seen in a long time, made an appearance.
Hair sprouted all over Old Cao, turning him into a mind monkey.
Soon, behind Old Cao, a face suddenly emerged. Smiling faintly, it lunged a hand toward Qin Ming and crushed him to bits with a resounding boom.
"Fuck!" This time, Qin Ming snapped wide awake, consciousness and physical body reuniting as one.
He discovered that he was drenched in a cold sweat. Those bizarre dreams seemed right before his eyes, intensely vivid.
*Am I dreaming at night what occupied my thoughts by day, or am I nearing the moment of lucid mind and receiving warning omens?* Qin Ming grew exceedingly solemn.
Regardless, he needed to maintain the utmost vigilance. He had already harbored a sense of crisis, and now it was even stronger.
He had to keep growing stronger!
Not to mention reality—even in his dreams, he had numerous formidable enemies. From the true master behind the mind monkey to the figure behind Old Cao, a gloom settled over his heart.
Qin Ming decided he would head into the alien world this time to explore the new civilization, seek opportunities, and elevate himself.
"Mohua, when practicing the *Nine Firmaments Book*, aren't you worried about plunging into the spiritual hell?" Early the next morning, Qin Ming asked his disciple.
"Of course I worry. But it's not a big problem—I blocked the gates of hell in advance. Doesn't the text include a guiding scripture?"
Qin Ming was taken aback. The scripture he had obtained from Qi Yunxiao had made no mention of such a thing.
"What? Master, you were brute-forcing it, fell into the spiritual hell, and crawled back out on your own? Heavens, even if an ancient Heavenly Immortal revived, they wouldn't have been more impressive in their youth!"
Su Mohua looked at him with sheer adoration, genuinely astounded.
Qin Ming then obtained the guiding scripture from her. Studying it with furrowed brows, he finally murmured, "I feel that although blocking the path to hell is safe, it deviates from the scripture's original intent."
Su Mohua nodded and said, "It is said that upon reaching a profound realm, one must eventually take a journey through the spiritual hell later on."
...
"Brother Ming, you're going to explore the alien world again?" Xiao Wu asked.
Qin Ming nodded. "Since the ancestral masters have already scouted the path, I don't think there should be much issue."
"Still, that bunch of old geezers..." Even Wu Yaozu harbored lingering trauma when it came to Night Province's ancestral masters.
Xiang Yiwu said, "This time, every faction is adopting a wait-and-see attitude, preparing to enter only after 'good tidings' arrive."
In those dreams, Qin Ming had ended up drenched in blood. Even if they had not truly happened, they had shaken him deeply, weighing on his heart like towering mountains.
Consequently, his urge to venture out was stronger than anyone else's.
On the fifth day after Bodhi Cave was excavated, it was officially opened to everyone.
Word spread that the ancestral masters had gotten serious and were already on their way, venturing deep inside to scout ahead.
"You must realize that's a realm beyond Yujing! It might not lock cultivation limits—anything is possible on the road ahead!"
As such discussions spread, some believed certain ancestral masters might travel far into foreign lands and never return.
Wu Yaozu brought fresh news: "Things have flipped! A significant portion of Immortal Seeds from the outer realm and God Seeds from the esoteric sects have decided to head into the alien world beyond Yujing to explore!"
Moreover, some from above the heavens intended to delve deep into the alien world to temper themselves.
Qin Ming paid those people no heed. Following his own pace, he had already arrived before Bodhi Cave.
Wu Yaozu and Xiang Yiwu accompanied him, having also resolved to take part.
"Let's go together!" Li Qingyue and Jiang Ran arrived as well.
The five of them walking together formed a peerless lineup among their generation.
This occasion was truly unusual. A casual glance showed Qin Ming plenty of familiar faces. Beyond the Immortal Seeds and God Seeds, even Feng Zhige, Yan Zhuohua, and others who had descended to the ground from above the nine firmaments only days ago were set to go.
As for those from beyond Night Province, such as Chunyangzi, Pei Qingwu, and Little Rulai, they couldn't hold back either, completely disregarding the reputation of Night Province's ancestral masters.
Additionally, there were old fellows whose hair had almost completely fallen out, yet their fighting spirits blazed high.
"Something's not quite right. Why is everyone being so aggressive?" Many wore bewildered expressions.
"Word is that the rules over there are somewhat different. If one contemplates them with care, it might aid in breaking through major bottlenecks in the future. It could even loosen the so-called ceiling locked by Yujing."
Even Qin Ming was taken aback upon hearing this discussion. If it truly possessed such miraculous effects, experts might very well abandon the lands reached by Yujing entirely and never return.
A moment later, it was time for Jiang Ran, Xiang Yiwu, and Qin Ming's group of five to cross the cavern portal.
Qin Ming and his companions moved swiftly, passing through to arrive in a new world.
Darkness enveloped the land. The air was slightly humid; it clearly was not winter here, as the temperature was relatively warm. Directly ahead lay a boundless forest, seemingly stretching on endlessly into the night.
"Where are the ancestral masters?" someone asked, feeling it would be safer to follow behind them.
"The ancestral masters went deep inside long ago! Rumor has it they're looking for an Earth Immortal dynasty and plan to sneak in!" someone whispered.
"What?" Forget about the others—even Qin Ming, Li Qingyue, and their companions were astounded. What kind of place was this? Could there actually be an Earth Immortal dynasty in the distance?
Focusing their senses, they found that this realm's Dao rhythm was indeed somewhat different; it could not be understood through the rules of Yujing.
"Ouch! Don't step on me!" Xiang Yiwu was flabbergasted. Upon entering the black mountain forest, he had accidentally stepped on a rock, only for it to emit a hazy, primitive fluctuation of consciousness.
"It hurts!"
He was not the only one. Qin Ming, Jiang Ran, and the others noticed that the gravel beneath their feet was actually crying out in pain.
A commotion broke out among the others who had entered the pitch-black forest as well.
Many began digging up rocks. Qin Ming and his companions inspected them closely; some were broken fragments, while others seemed to bear faint patterns and inscriptions.
"Where do you come from?" Li Qingyue picked up a head-sized stone, Six Ding Divine Fire flaring from her slender hand.
"Familiar... billowing flames... Doushuai Palace..." A hazy, primitive ripple of consciousness emanated from the stone.
Qin Ming was astonished. The ground was littered with such stones, yet one of them actually recognized the origin of the Six Ding Divine Fire? This place was likely far beyond imagination.
Chapter 404