Beyond the heavens, the Night Mist Sea was as pitch-black as an abyss, its astral winds cutting like knives.
Inside the immortal town, however, the scene was entirely different. Wisps of immortal mist curled about, creating an atmosphere of haze and serenity. Qin Ming followed the crowd forward, preparing to take the field.
"Let me repeat: the so-called heavenly prodigy, the new generation's Blazing Sun, Zhou Tiandao—is an impostor! He is not that rising star from our Sky City!"
An elder called out via voice transmission, his voice resounding across the night sky and setting the drifting azure clouds undulating in rhythm.
"Doesn't matter! We'll just treat him as Zhou Tiandao!" someone jeered from the crowd.
The main street of the immortal town teemed with people, packed shoulder to shoulder. So many beings had arrived without pause from the heavens, the ground, and realms beyond.
"What's going on here?" Qin Ming asked in surprise. People were actually impersonating others?
Beside him, an onlooker replied with utter calm, "One look and it's clear you're new here."
Another person glanced at Qin Ming and said, "It's completely normal. A name is merely a symbol. You could call yourself the Lord of Yujing if you wanted."
*People can do that?* Qin Ming was left somewhat speechless. If that was the case, could some of the acquaintances he had briefly glimpsed earlier also have been impostors?
He shook his head. Pei Shuyan, Helian Yaoqing, and the others had likely appeared under their true identities; he had sensed their familiar auras.
A youth chuckled. "Two days ago, a grandmaster from the Cui clan on the ground got into a fight with Cui Chonghe, ending in that grandmaster's miserable defeat."
"Even that can happen?" Qin Ming could not help laughing.
Nearby, another bystander smiled as well. "The Cui clan was furious. They've issued multiple statements saying someone is usurping their immortal seed's name."
Qin Ming realized that given Cui Chonghe's temperament, he truly would not keep such a high profile. Eight times out of ten, he would enter under another guise. Who would have thought someone had occupied the magpie's nest and used his name instead?
Qin Ming said, "With things so chaotic above the Ninth Heaven, isn't anyone maintaining order?"
A youth sneered. "Is there any need? You'll get used to it. Besides, the New Board and the Golden Board appeared in the first place to weed out those with extraordinary endowments. The messier it gets, the better. If you aren't convinced, go fight and vindicate your name."
"May I ask your esteemed name, Daoist friend?" Qin Ming inquired.
"I am the Bodhi Saint." Clearly, this youth was also an old codger. His eyes were profound, bearing the demeanor of one casually sporting with the mortal world.
"I've long heard of your great name!" Qin Ming spoke against his conscience.
The youth nodded with supreme confidence. "After today, this name of mine is destined to shake the world."
Qin Ming wondered if his own name had been claimed by someone else too. Yet he could hardly ask outright; doing so would be tantamount to exposing his identity.
In his view, some of these old fellows were truly crossing the line. Reincarnating here through Heavenly Demon Transmigration to bully juniors was one thing, but they were even snatching other people's monikers.
Qin Ming realized that in a place like this, there was no need to overthink matters. One simply had to harvest the opportunities from the board. Right now, every ghost and mortal was putting on a show, and very few identities could be taken at face value.
It was precisely because of this that disputes flared up frequently here.
Naturally, there were also many whose minds remained as still as water, unaffected by the clamor.
Following the crowd to the rear of the small town, Qin Ming saw azure clouds spreading like a canopy. A board stretched across the sky, shining resplendently and draping down numerous silken ribbons of Daoist resonance.
Many approached those ribbons and were bathed in divine light, plunging directly into the board to test their natural endowments and cultivation attainments to determine their ranking.
In addition, beneath the azure clouds stood dense clusters of raised platforms, all shrouded in flowing immortal mist. Those were sword-dueling platforms specifically provided for actual combat.
Many were unwilling to enter that dazzling and enigmatic New Board out of caution, preferring to battle others out on the platforms instead.
At this moment, matches were underway on almost every single platform.
Evidently, quite a few individuals preferred to tread carefully.
And on those platforms, the fighting was exceptionally fierce.
The youth Bodhi Saint spoke: "After all, this isn't an external expedition. Everyone is just traveling to the capital to sit for the imperial exams, so lives aren't on the line."
Protective measures were in place on all the platforms. No matter how brutally the combatants clashed, the fight would be halted at the critical moment, and Daoist resonance would descend to heal their wounds.
Another person chimed in, "If you want a fight to the death, you can have one, but you must leave this place and step out into the pitch-black abyss of the Night Mist Sea beyond the town."
Furthermore, the sword-dueling platforms were also meant for settling disputes. So long as both parties consented, they could ascend the stage to debate the Dao and let absolute martial might do the talking.
As a newcomer unfamiliar with many things, Qin Ming humbly sought clarification, asking, "If rankings are decided through practical combat, can the person I challenge accept the duel at any time?"
The Bodhi Saint shook his head. "Naturally it cannot be so casual. Otherwise, wouldn't those on the board be pestered to death? The New Board records their combat phantoms and reproduces their strength as faithfully as possible. Anyone wishing to challenge them must get past that hurdle first."
Qin Ming asked, "Have you taken the field yet, Daoist friend? What is your ranking?"
"I'm just about to take the stage. This ol—I only need to make a modest effort to claim a spot in the top ten." Though appearing as a youth, the Bodhi Saint spoke with high spirits and immense vigor.
In truth, certain habits were hard to break; he had nearly blurted out the words "this old man."
Qin Ming had long recognized that this person had to be a figure of grand origin. Nodding in agreement, he said, "Judging by your dignified bearing and outstanding presence, Daoist friend, one can tell at a glance that you are a dragon among men."
The Bodhi Saint nodded calmly, not taking the remark as mere flattery. He took it for granted that he belonged at the very pinnacle of the pyramid.
Casually, he asked, "What about you?"
"I'll start by challenging the cultivator ranked one hundredth," Qin Ming replied. He wanted to gauge what level the cultivator holding the last spot on the New Board occupied.
"Mm, good luck to you," the Bodhi Saint said with a nod. Then he prepared to challenge his own target, setting his sights straight on the ninth rank on the New Board.
*Hiss!*
Instantly, gasps of astonishment rose all around the area.
"That's definitely an old monster! Aiming straight for the top ten from the start!"
"Forget the top ten—hardly any newcomers can even be found in the top fifty! It's entirely dominated by old fellows. Could this be an Earth Immortal in person?"
Soon, the entire immortal town was abuzz, gradually reaching a boil.
The top ten rankings had practically solidified, remaining unchanged for quite some time. Yet now, someone had arrived intending to seize the ninth position outright.
Qin Ming deeply understood just how prestigious the top ten of the New Board was.
He specifically checked and found that the fake Cui Chonghe had already been pushed out of the top twenty—and that impostor was likely an old monster himself.
Many suspected that among the top twenty, there might not be a single genuine youth at all, but rather senior experts who had cultivated for most of their lives.
"It's simply impossible to compete. Even if you and I are immortal seeds or divine seeds, it's no use. After all, which of those great grandmasters, patriarchs, and Earth Immortals didn't pass through this stage? With centuries of cultivation behind them, coming back to deal with green youths and young lasses is as easy as turning over their hands!"
Many discussed the matter in such terms, and everyone felt there was truth to it.
Of course, others held differing opinions, believing that even if multiple Earth Immortals arrived in person, they could not monopolize the board across the entire first realm; there were bound to be some youthful anomalies capable of breaking into the vanguard.
"These old fellows really are... somewhat shameless!" someone remarked.
"It can't be helped. This concerns the blessings of Yujing and bears upon the future. It could yield a Heavenly Immortal or even the next Lord of Yujing. Whose heart could remain unruffled?"
"The potential rewards are simply too immense!"
By comparison, Qin Ming's decision to start from the hundredth position and launch his challenge caused hardly a ripple.
High in the sky, azure clouds billowed. The New Board unfolded, casting down strands of Daoist resonance that settled onto the various platforms.
Qin Ming had already ascended his stage. Beneath his feet lay grayish-brown stone slabs inscribed with intricate patterns, ensuring that no one could destroy the arena.
A phantom materialized on the sword-dueling platform—a recreation of a combat image. Empowered by the immense New Board overhead, it was as if the cultivator ranked one hundredth had stepped forth in the flesh to unleash his strongest strike against Qin Ming.
Nine fletched arrows spread like a peacock's tail, suffused with nine-colored divine glow that flooded the platform, sweeping toward Qin Ming.
*Is even the person ranked one hundredth this formidable?*
Qin Ming had arrived through borrowing a vessel and was currently in a scarecrow body, yet it felt no different from flesh and blood. He slashed out with his hand like a blade. Amid ringing clangs, he severed all nine brilliant arrows.
Though the arrows shattered, nine invisible streaks of arrow intent still bore down on him.
Golden glow surged around Qin Ming's form, obliterating the arrow intent and quickly restoring tranquility to the sword-dueling platform.
Meanwhile, within the Divine City corresponding to the third realm, a young expert instantly realized that the strongest arrow intent he had left behind had been broken.
He now faced two choices: concede defeat directly, or return to accept a formal challenge.
He sighed. "After careful assessment, the New Board determined that person should be vastly stronger than me. Forget it, I concede. I'll just find another opponent to challenge."
Qin Ming had not expected things to go so smoothly, without even requiring an actual duel against the person.
Hardly anyone had watched the match near this platform.
Over on a distant platform, the Bodhi Saint was already locked in fierce combat against the mysterious expert ranked ninth.
Qin Ming walked over to watch. He discovered that the two old monsters of unfathomable origins used no convoluted techniques; like tangled bolts of lightning, they clashed dozens of times within the briefest span before the victor was decided.
Panting heavily, the Bodhi Saint succeeded in his challenge.
Instantly, the area erupted into excitement. The top ten rankings had shifted.
As the Bodhi Saint stepped down, no one dared block his path.
"Congratulations, Daoist friend!" Seeing him approach to rest in his original spot, Qin Ming greeted him with a smile.
The Bodhi Saint asked, "Mm, did your challenge succeed as well?"
"I've made the board," Qin Ming replied.
"Keep up the good work. Strive for a higher ranking. Not to mention the many future benefits, the rewards at this stage alone are quite substantial." Though bearing the appearance of a youth, the Bodhi Saint carried an air of seasoned maturity.
"Will you take the stage again, Daoist friend?" Qin Ming asked.
"After a brief rest, I intend to challenge that old fellow ranked seventh." The Bodhi Saint did not even bother to hide it; he seemed to know exactly who his opponent was.
"What about you?" he asked casually.
Qin Ming thought for a moment and said, "I plan to try challenging the expert ranked fiftieth."
For the first time, surprise flashed across the Bodhi Saint's face. "Such a huge leap? You certainly have nerve. There are very few genuine youths in the top fifty. You must be cautious. Do your best."
Qin Ming nodded. In truth, he was somewhat curious about this old monster as well. What was his background?
Looking at the names currently on the New Board, there was simply no way to deduce their true origins.
Originally, Qin Ming had considered seeking out Little Rulai or Cui Chonghe to spar, but upon reflection, there was no need to screen his opponents in the first realm; he only needed to look forward.
Along his path, the first realm was the one he had polished most thoroughly and in which he possessed the greatest confidence.
Back in the first realm, his physical body had shattered, after which he had fine-tuned and refined the silk book method until it reached a state of flawless perfection where no further progress could be made.
In the past, even Lu Zizai, who was reputed to have reached the supreme realm of the Newborn stage, had not matched him in the first realm.
Qin Ming had assessed himself carefully: in the first realm, he had mastered an unprecedented Four Imperials force, perhaps something even stronger.
Therefore, he saw no need to test his skills against any old acquaintances in the first realm.
*After the fiftieth spot, I'll go straight for the top ten.* Qin Ming looked up at the radiant names shining on the New Board.
Even if those old monsters included supreme patriarchs and beings at the Earth Immortal level, he felt he could squeeze into the forefront, perhaps even standing a chance of claiming the top spot in the first realm.
If he could not stand supreme in this domain, then he need not even think about the subsequent second and third realms; he probably wouldn't even make the top ten.
Before long, Qin Ming and the Bodhi Saint stood up one after the other and walked toward different sword-dueling platforms.
"Look, someone is actually challenging the expert ranked fiftieth! His gaze is so clear, and his entire body exudes such a fresh aura. I feel he's a genuine youth. Who is he?"
"His name is Taiyi. He really dared to pick that name!"
"He only just made the tail end of the board, and now he's skipping fifty places in a single leap? Is he mad? Doesn't he know that's the private reserve of the old monsters?"
Ascending the stage this time, Qin Ming finally drew attention from all sides. The platform for the fiftieth rank was extraordinarily conspicuous; beyond that threshold, genuine young prodigies were scarce, leaving only old fellows pretending to be young.
Many began scrutinizing him, speculating whether he was a true youth or an old monster.
With a soft whoosh, the figure of a woman materialized on the platform. Though not her true self, she appeared lifelike, and bolstered by the New Board, she could display her most powerful offensive means.
Beside her, four more figures appeared in succession, identical to her in appearance.
Right from the start, she unleashed four avatars, each possessing strength equal to her own, shielding her in their center.
In an instant, dozens of lightning spears and sheets of fiery blades formed around her and her avatars, pouring toward Qin Ming.
Moreover, the figures identical to her transformed into streaks of light, lunging at Qin Ming.
At that moment, Qin Ming pressed his right index and middle fingers together like a sword. Though inhabiting a scarecrow body, a casual strike made him look like a peerless swordsman descending, unleashing the most breathtaking sword strike.
The sword light illuminated the entire platform, severing all the avatars, lightning spears, and fiery blades. Its momentum undiminished, the sword light pierced through the woman's forehead.
*Hiss, that ferocious?* Many were stunned. No one had expected this youth to display such brilliance right from the start.
At this moment, Qin Ming formally entered everyone's field of vision. No longer ignored as before, countless gazes converged upon him.
Soon, far away in the Divine City, the woman learned what had transpired. After receiving the New Board's feedback, she frowned and relinquished the chance to fight in person.
"What? Taiyi succeeded on the spot?"
"I dare say he definitely isn't a young man. At the very least, he started as a peerless grandmaster! Otherwise, how would he dare boldly leap over fifty experts to challenge, and even win the battle?"
An uproar swept through the immortal town, followed by heated discussion.
Now, Qin Ming could not help drawing attention even if he wanted to.
However, the commotion quickly died down, for the Bodhi Saint had engaged in a bloody battle against the true body of the mysterious expert ranked seventh.
Blood splattered across the platform until Daoist resonance descended from the glowing New Board in the sky to heal both experts. Only then did the crowd realize the battle had concluded.
"Just who is this Bodhi Saint? Though it was a pyrrhic victory, he succeeded in the end. Truly astonishing. Could he be planning to keep challenging upward?"
Many showed looks of awe. This was definitely a ruthless figure, unseating two experts in the top ten in succession.
Qin Ming spoke with a smile: "Congratulations, Daoist friend, on breaking through another barrier. Will you continue challenging next?"
The Bodhi Saint nodded. "Mm. In a moment, I'm going to challenge the fellow ranked fifth."
Then he showed a look of surprise. "You're Taiyi? You've reached fiftieth?"
"Just fortunate," Qin Ming smiled.
"Are you going to continue?" the Bodhi Saint asked.
"Naturally. This time, I will probably have to experience a true battle," Qin Ming said with a grave expression. He had already gathered how formidable opponents were at various tiers.
"Could you be planning to challenge those old fellows in the top thirty?" The Bodhi Saint looked astonished, sensing that this young man was indeed extraordinary.
Qin Ming merely smiled, offering no elaboration.
His next target was already locked onto an expert in the top ten.
Seeing him remain silent, the Bodhi Saint assumed he had conceded the point, growing even more surprised. He truly dared take such a large stride; he was exceptionally bold.
After resting for a long time, the Bodhi Saint ascended the fifth platform.
"This old monster is truly outrageously powerful, challenging top-ten experts back-to-back. Could he be trying to win his way straight into the top three?"
Many within the immortal town wore awestruck expressions.
Shortly after, the noisy chatter died down briefly, only to erupt into an even more thunderous roar of excitement than before.
The Bodhi Saint felt something was off. Why were so many people mentioning the name Taiyi?
He turned his head toward another direction and immediately froze: that scarecrow exuding a youth's fresh aura had leaped onto the platform for the third rank.
"!" The Bodhi Saint's expression petrified.
Qin Ming nodded at him in greeting.
The Bodhi Saint strongly suspected this was not a youth of the new generation at all, but eighty to ninety percent likely an old monster just like himself.
Had his judgment failed him? To think he had earlier hinted that the fellow shouldn't take too big a stride, only for the other party to run right up to a platform ahead of his own to launch a challenge.
Qin Ming had originally intended to play it safe by starting with the tenth-ranked expert, but he realized that person had just been knocked down from ninth by the Bodhi Saint.
Gritting his teeth, he decided to reach his destination in a single step, bypassing the individuals entangled with the Bodhi Saint and directly challenging the powerhouse ranked third.
"Could I be overconfident?" Qin Ming murmured. After all, experts from different eras were gathered here.
Chapter 434