Yezhou was still locked in winter. The frozen earth stretched without end, and freezing winds whipped goose-feather snowflakes against the windows in a frantic clatter. The atmosphere within the earthen city seemed frozen over as well, noticeably heavy.
"The night is not yet spent!"
Of the message transmitted from Yujing, the portion permitted for public disclosure centered primarily on these few words.
Did this mean the night was still at its thickest, not even halfway through, and far from reaching its peak?
Pondering this closely filled one with deep helplessness. For how many years had this endless night enshrouded the mortal realm? The end was still nowhere in sight, with not a glimmer of hope to be found.
Even the most ancient living beings in Yezhou had never experienced an era of daylight.
A world graced by a sun could only exist in the imaginations of later generations, a truly despairing reality.
As the supreme Yujing stirred awake, the decrees it handed down naturally contained far more than that. But they descended upon Sky City, and portions were unsuitable for public knowledge.
Nevertheless, whispers still leaked out, revolving around a single word: Return!
It was said that high above the nine heavens, within the damaged Golden Palace, several ancient Earth Immortals of immense background had sat in quiet contemplation for a long time. After examining the decree, all of them were left mentally exhausted.
"Is it they who are returning?"
"I am deeply worried."
"Or could it be... those things returning?"
Rumors spread like wild weeds, and word had it that certain old Earth Immortals felt profound unease.
Consequently, the earthen city took on a heavy mood. Emissaries and figures from above were stationed here, and several individuals of extraordinary status had already caught wind of the whispers.
"Who dares misinterpret the will of Yujing?"
Two days ago, an exalted emissary had descended upon the earthen city, severely warning certain individuals that they were forbidden from tampering with or recklessly debating the true meaning of Yujing's decree.
***
When the group that had returned from Bodhi Cave—young and old alike—heard these rumors, they were naturally taken aback, their hearts shaken by the implications.
Many realized that this era was bound to undergo a drastic change.
Whenever Yujing was involved, nothing was ever a minor affair.
"Something is happening, and it's no small matter!" the Mysterious Maiden Celestial Dagger-axe spoke up.
"A familiar 'scent,' yet I cannot recall it for the moment," the weapon spirit of unknown origin murmured softly.
"Senior Six Desires, think back carefully. What exactly is going on?" Qin Ming asked. Because of the phrase "Six Desires Sacred Fire," he had chosen to address the mysterious weapon spirit this way.
It readily accepted the title without objection.
Six Desires said, "I am merely a shard. Past events have turned to dust, and much of it is impossible to trace."
The Mysterious Maiden Celestial Dagger-axe also sighed. It had been battered into ruin, and many momentous chronicles of the ancient past were beyond recall.
After the group entered the earthen city, Six Desires secretly sent a voice transmission before parting ways: "Child, these are troubled times, and the mortal realm is about to shift. You must consider carefully."
Even under such an atmosphere, it had not forgotten its main purpose and reminded Qin Ming once more, "The scarlet ritual is very simple."
Six Desires stressed that the scarlet ritual would cause Qin Ming no harm and would bring countless benefits.
At the very least, the "signing bonus" would be a Jade Consort. The moment the contract was sealed, he would immediately receive a sect-defining true scripture from an ancient supreme faction.
Qin Ming did not respond. If he continued the conversation, another "ancient war" would erupt, as the Mysterious Maiden Celestial Dagger-axe had heard everything.
"Master!" After Qin Ming returned to his quarters, Su Mohua paid him a special visit.
Qin Ming also wanted to learn more about Yujing's decree. Accepting the tea she offered, he asked if there was any hidden truth behind it.
"High above the nine heavens, even the old city lord is fraught with worry," Su Mohua revealed.
"Some even say he is terrified!" she added.
"Why? Are there any details?" Qin Ming asked.
Su Mohua said, "The old city lord once said that he cannot see the future at all."
In Sky City, a city lord at the Earth Immortal Great Circle was actually lost, anxious, and afraid! A single decree from Yujing wielded such power!
Su Mohua informed him, "What can be confirmed is that Yujing shows signs of revival. Its decree seems to encourage healthy competition among the various paths, and it may be accompanied by incentives and boons."
Shortly afterward, a piece of news circulated outside: Yujing favored beings who dared to pioneer new paths, showing a particular fondness for the "young and vigorous."
Yezhou's patriarchs kept an exceptionally low profile at this juncture. Even though their blood still burned and their ambitions ran deep, all of them sank into complete quietude.
"We have grown old, far removed from the young and vigorous." Even figures like them were afraid!
Two days later, Su Mohua brought Qin Ming scattered news gleaned from the conversations and assessments of the Su family's upper echelons.
The reason why the oldest Earth Immortals in Sky City felt intense unease and terror was finally known.
"Over the years, black mist has surged outside Yujing like an abyss swallowing a city. An Earth Immortal once attempted to draw near... and died instantly on the spot, failing to send back even a single word of information."
Qin Ming had already heard whispers about this some time ago.
Rumor had it that a "colossal entity" was approaching Yujing. It could be some incomprehensible, mysterious phenomenon, an unknown terrifying power, or even a tangible living creature.
In short, it possessed extraordinary might beyond all imagination.
Su Mohua said, "Some Earth Immortals are frightened, worried that the decree did not originate from Yujing at all, but rather from its unknown adversary!"
Hearing this, a chill crept up Qin Ming's spine.
What was the current state of Yujing? It was impossible to tell. Perhaps it had exhausted all its means to suppress the colossal entity, or perhaps it had been locked down by the latter, triggering this sequence of changes.
"If Yujing has already begun to crumble and sink into ruin, then everything that exists will be overturned in the near future!" Su Mohua's voice trembled.
This was the reason for the dread felt by the old city lord at the Earth Immortal Great Circle. Even a momentous figure of this era like him could not discern what had truly become of Yujing.
Under such circumstances, he had no choice but to accept the decree.
One could say that a single misstep might lead to total ruin, yet he was left with no alternatives.
In Sky City, several Earth Immortals felt tormented, their minds clouded, no longer able to see where the future was headed.
Qin Ming found it difficult to calm his thoughts. Could this be a critical turning point in history? A slight slip, and heaven and earth might collapse, bringing total upheaval to the territories influenced by Yujing!
Who could have guessed that the broader environment had already deteriorated to this extent?
He naturally compared notes at once with Li Qingyue, Jiang Ran, Xiao Wu, and the others, apprising them of the situation.
"Have the patriarchs of the various paths been digging spatial tunnels over the past two days?"
"They are at it, but they've already failed twice!"
"Hiss!"
It was hard not to overthink things.
***
Late into deep night, as Qin Ming was quietly meditating, he suddenly heard the sounds of slaughter. He saw beacon smoke rising to the sky, and across an endless battlefield, blood-stained shooting stars crashed downward.
"What is happening?" His heart pounded. Were thousands of soldiers and horses charging into his dreams?
Qin Ming fell into a slight trance, distinctly hearing world-shaking battle cries and beholding an endless expanse of flashing blades and swords. Then, a massive surge of night mist washed over him, submerging his senses.
"Hmm?"
He realized that his consciousness, blending with heavenly light, was separating from his physical body. This was not something he had initiated voluntarily; rather, it was being drawn out by an inexplicable force.
If the grand battlefield he had seen earlier was a mere illusion, then what he was experiencing right now was by no means fake. He was about to... undergo forced spirit wandering!
In the blink of an eye, he was already standing on a path. The surroundings were dim and blanketed in thick fog. The path beneath his feet was narrow, with broken bluestone slabs overgrown with wild grass, extraordinarily desolate.
Unsure of the situation, Qin Ming wanted to retreat and return to his physical body. Yet he found it impossible to break free and could only move forward, as though guided by a mysterious force.
Where did this path lead? Various thoughts crossed his mind.
Recent days had been filled with rumors concerning Yujing. Could those words be coming true? Qin Ming could not help but let his imagination run wild.
At first, the night mist was vast and empty, and the surroundings were tranquil. But as his spirit wander progressed deeper along the bluestone path, the silhouettes of trees on both sides swayed, and colossal eyes snapped open.
Qin Ming drew in a cold breath. There were emerald vertical pupils taller than a person.
There were also golden eyes suspended in the night sky like floating lanterns, offering glimpses of their owners—vague, gargantuan silhouettes that closely resembled prehistoric behemoths.
Qin Ming prepared himself for battle, simultaneously noticing that the rag was with him.
He remembered clearly that the old cloth had remained on his physical body; he had not had the chance to grab it before his departure.
Could it be that after becoming its "temporary possessor," it had "temporarily" bound itself to him?
Now was not the time to focus on it, nor was there anything to study. It showed no resonance and manifested no great power; calling it a useless scrap of cloth was not inaccurate for him at present.
With a whoosh, what seemed like a guiding beam of light shone from the end of the path. Qin Ming was forced to accelerate, streaking across the boundless night mist like a divine rainbow as he drew near his destination.
Soon, he arrived before a half-collapsed colossal palace. It was extraordinarily magnificent, and standing before it made one feel utterly insignificant; each stone step before the entrance was over a dozen meters high.
He stepped into the palace. The decayed pillars were unimaginably thick, carved with murals of various creatures. Dragons and rocs were merely common adornments, alongside many ferocious-looking beasts whose heads had been chiseled away.
There were already figures inside the palace, and more were constantly arriving from different narrow paths, converging upon this aged, partially ruined structure.
Everyone appeared indistinct, shrouded in hazy mist.
Qin Ming attempted to use his Eye of the Newborn, only to find he could not see through it; his vision was blocked.
The same applied to him; he was enveloped in fog, meaning outsiders could not perceive his true appearance either.
Within the spacious palace, there were humans as well as other races. More and more beings arrived, until several hundred had gathered.
"Yujing favors beings who pioneer paths." A voice rang out—or rather, a ripple of consciousness. It was ethereal and hazy, as though drifting from beyond the heavens.
A stir instantly rippled through the beings in the palace.
Qin Ming was startled as well. Could the bluestone path he had traveled be one leading to Yujing?
Immediately after, he shook his head. He was probably overthinking it; how could people at their current stage possibly enter Yujing?
Moreover, at this peculiar historical juncture, the territories touched by Yujing were likely facing great upheaval.
Whether Yujing was reviving or the "colossal entity" was orchestrating all of this was something even those old Earth Immortals could not discern.
"Stars, return to your places." A very soft voice drifted down from the heavens.
Since a portion of the colossal palace had collapsed, the vast night sky was visible. At that moment, countless stars lit up, dispelling the night mist and illuminating the pitch-black celestial dome.
Hundreds of beings tilted their heads upward. Although none cried out in shock, their hearts were clearly unsettled; they merely maintained good control over their emotions.
Just who was this, capable of commanding the starry sky to reappear with a single word?
Not only that, as the stars shone, divine moons swept across the night sky, rising steadily from the distance—and there was more than one.
Next, a richer golden glow radiated, and blazing suns shone over all things.
Crucially, there was more than one such sun as well, dotting the firmament and tearing the night sky completely open.
The crowd realized these were not genuine celestial bodies. The sound of tearing air could already be heard, resembling a tsunami or thousands of thundering cavalry.
The sky full of stars flew in, the bright moons descended, and the suns plunged downward.
They swooped in through the collapsed section of the palace, too dazzling for anyone to look at directly.
Everyone lost their footing, stumbling backward. Beyond that, people felt as though their very bodies were about to burst.
The stars descended upon the world, carrying terrifying ripples of force.
Suddenly, thick fog rose. An inexplicable power within the palace seemed to purify them; the earth-shattering roar subsided, and the blinding light grew dim.
They were dense clusters of weapon fragments, shattered to the point where their original forms were barely recognizable.
These artifacts were damaged too severely, some no larger than a fingernail. Yet their materials were all extraordinary; even those resembling plain stones steamed with immortal mist and contained divine radiance, their fractured edges flowing with rich Daoist charm.
A few fragments were larger, such as furnace lids and broken arrows; it was these that had manifested earlier as the bright moons. There were also larger pieces, such as a single tier of a stone pagoda, which had radiated sunlight earlier.
"Commune with your hearts to see if any weapon aligns with you," the ethereal voice from beyond the heavens sounded once more.
One after another, figures moved forward to approach the fragments and touch the "stars."
Among them, a few weapons were exceptionally eye-catching. Even after dimming, they stood apart, possessing a denser Daoist charm and being less severely broken.
For instance, there was a golden battle robe that carried a metallic texture and a sacred halo. Only a third of it remained, with Daoist chains intertwined across it, as though waiting for someone to don it and restore its former glory.
Many stepped forward, eager to choose it.
Yet the sacred battle robe remained silent, showing no reaction whatsoever. When someone reached out to touch it, they were instantly repelled by its fire-like golden glow.
However, it did not injure anyone, releasing a relatively gentle force.
Most were pragmatic; once rejected, they promptly moved to another target.
As time passed, over ninety percent of the several hundred people failed to gain the recognition of any weapon.
Only a precious few obtained anything. When they touched a compatible fragment, it would sink into their fingertips like a trickling stream flowing into their conscious spiritual light.
"These are not real weapons, merely imprints?" someone asked in confusion.
The voice from beyond the heavens answered, "Those fated will naturally encounter the true artifact. For now, this only proves that the weapon aligns with you; whether it will belong to you in the future remains uncertain."
Silence reigned within the colossal palace.
Qin Ming tried repeatedly, but unfortunately, not a single weapon fragment suited him.
It could not be said that all weapons showed no reaction. For example, the single tier of the stone pagoda and the sacred battle robe both grew warm when he touched them.
Yet in the end, he was bounced away as well.
Qin Ming wondered if it was because of the rag on his person; when he was repelled, it had stirred slightly as well.
"This concludes today. Disperse, and tomorrow you shall be granted a second choice in another realm," a cool voice echoed through the palace, clearly showing the guests out.
Then, a reminder came from the night sky: "Dangers may lie along your return path. Give it your all and fight your way back. Go."
Qin Ming retraced his path in spirit wandering. Sure enough, he encountered peril along the way. The lanterns suspended in midair revived, and prehistoric beasts charged toward him.
Vertical pupils taller than a man snapped open, accompanied by a foul wind, as mountain-like beast bodies bore down upon him.
After a fierce, bloody battle, Qin Ming broke through the mist and appeared in his room, swiftly returning to his physical body.
Shortly after, he heard a miserable scream from Xiao Wu. Startled, he left an afterimage where he stood and dashed over in an instant.
"What happened to you?" Qin Ming kicked open the door to the room.
At the same time, Xiang Yiwu rushed in as well.
Qin Ming saw countless golden hairs around Xiao Wu's mouth, dissolving into gentle ripples as they dissipated.
"Did you guys go spirit wandering too? What did you run into on the way back?" Wu Yaozu asked pitifully.
"Colossal beasts!" Qin Ming answered.
Xiang Yiwu had encountered several people, all extremely vicious, but he had beaten their heads in until they were unrecognizable.
Xiao Wu sighed. He had run into a dog carrying a bamboo sword and had been thoroughly pummeled. In the end, he was forced to transform his heavenly light into milk and bit down hard on the dog's neck before finally breaking free.
"You bit a dog?" Qin Ming and Xiang Yiwu stared blankly, looking at each other in disbelief.
"Don't bring it up!" Xiao Wu felt utterly humiliated.
Early the next morning, they conferred with Li Qingyue and Jiang Ran, confirming that the previous night's experience was indeed the so-called "favor" from Yujing.
"Whether Yujing is truly reviving or its adversary is orchestrating all this remains difficult to say."
When deep night arrived, Qin Ming was once again forced into spirit wandering. It was a completely different path from yesterday. This time, he ascended atop nine-colored auspicious clouds, glimpsing from afar a magnificent city submerged in black mist.
"Could we be entering Yujing tonight?" He gazed into the distance!
Chapter 412