"Do you know your crimes?!" A thunderous rebuke reverberated across the nine heavens.
Above in the heavens, across the old divisions such as Star Mountain and Leize Palace, everyone from the high-ranking figures wielding authority down to the newly initiated disciples trembled in terror. The deafening voice sounded as if it were ringing right beside their ears.
Everyone knew that the Supreme Realm had truly awakened; whatever wishful thinking they had harbored before was now entirely shattered.
Sheets of paper stained with Earth Immortal blood drifted through the sky, scattering in a flurry. As they burst into ash, the manifested script shimmered with brilliant light.
The young disciples were all horrified, assuming this was an imperial decree falling from beyond the heavens to pronounce their guilt. Their faces blanched instantly, their bodies shaking uncontrollably.
Especially when they looked up, the vague outline of that mysterious city was revealed. Though distant, it carried an immense oppressive weight, as if towering directly over their hearts.
The leadership knew that the two places were unimaginably far apart; the voice ringing clearly in their hearts originated from the abyssal rift before the "old mountain strongholds" in the heavens.
The special bloodstained sheets of paper they had cast into it served as the medium of communication.
Earlier, the celestial leaders had used it to pray, performing a bloody rite to plead for the great figures within Yujing to forgive their crimes.
From the pitch-black abyss, a vast, imposing voice boomed like thunder straight into their hearts, sending chills through their scalps and making everyone shiver.
"The night is boundless, and tribulation qi spreads unhindered. Bearing the duty of guardianship, you nonetheless sit perched high upon the nine heavens, drinking wine and indulging in pleasure, intercepting good fortune—when have you ever cared for the mortal folk below? Above, pipes and strings play without end, while jade nectar and Dao tea are fed to koi fish. Below, night winds howl over the earth, fire fields dwindle by the day, and spiritual nature slowly withers away. Compared against each other, the difference is like heaven and earth!"
In an instant, even the supreme Earth Immortals turned ashen-faced, prostrating on the ground and not daring to look up.
"Whose heaven is this? Monkeys crowned as men! Servants usurping the master's place, daring to act with such reckless abandon—who gave you such insolence?"
The berating voice transmitted from the Supreme Realm through the abyssal rift was unimaginably heavy, like sledgehammer after sledgehammer striking the hearts of the supreme Earth Immortals, plunging them into utter disarray and terror.
For they knew all too well how terrifying the beings truly dwelling in Yujing were. Even in this age where True Gods rotted away and Heavenly Immortals met oblivion, and even if those within the Supreme Realm had likely seen their powers severely diminished, they still struck fear into the celestial divisions.
Recently, the Earth Immortals of the old mountain strongholds had toured the mortal realm, looking down upon the world with immense pomp and circumstance. Yet today, they were rebuked so harshly that they kowtowed against the ground, not daring to utter a single word.
This voice pierced through the pitch-black clouds and reached beyond the pure lands.
Amidst the sea of night mist, a contingent was approaching. They were the useful individuals whom "God-Lord" Zhuo Kun and others had "enlightened" and subjugated during their descent to the surface—such as grandmasters and geniuses of extraordinary talent—now being transported toward the heavens aboard treasure barques.
"I want to return to the surface." An old grandmaster's dim eyes suddenly flashed with divine radiance. Their mental domains had been "purified" when the eight Earth Immortals chanted scriptures, forcing them to be brought to the heavens. Now, awakened by the thunderous, majestic voice within the pure land, he was no longer bound by their "enlightenment."
Furthermore, another party was quietly making its way through the sea of night mist.
These were quick-witted figures from the heavens who had slipped away ahead of time.
They understood the inside situation: the Supreme Realm had only transmitted its voice through the abyssal rift and had not truly descended yet. If severe punishment was to follow, right now was their final chance to flee.
The two groups unexpectedly crossed paths. Seeing top-tier Earth Immortals silently slipping away with their descendants, the celestials escorting the grandmasters and prodigies felt their mouths go dry.
Neither side spoke a word. Both groups simply swooped down toward the earth below.
Before long, secret news began to spread.
"Yujing has awakened! A mysterious, paramount figure is furious over the deeds of the celestial factions and has severely rebuked them. Perhaps they will all be executed!"
"How do you know in such detail? Is this reliable?"
"The grandmasters who were 'enlightened' and sent to the heavens escaped and returned! They sensed true 'heavenly majesty'!"
That very day, earth-shaking news broke out. Above the nine heavens, all the old mountain strongholds—from Earth Immortals down to disciples—seemed slated to be held accountable.
Night Province was in an uproar.
The rumors took flight, spreading to external domains through mist gates.
"Those celestial envoys were so arrogant recently, acting as though they ruled the world and commanded every clan, claiming they would slay demons and exterminate fiends. Who would have thought they were actually going against heaven and are now facing retribution?"
"It's hard to imagine that those lofty, mighty Earth Immortals were scolded like wretched scoundrels, kneeling on the ground without daring to budge..."
Evidently, some of the rumors and vivid descriptions were products of people's imaginations, but they were not far from the truth.
The people of heaven had dropped to their knees, reprimanded by a being from the Supreme Realm. As this explosive news spread far and wide, the celestial factions suffered a devastating blow to their prestige.
The entire world buzzed with discussion. People could hardly believe such a turn of events had come to pass.
In the distance, the members of the Grandmaster Contingent were equally dazed. Even they had never expected the situation to reverse so quickly.
When the royal family of Great Rui heard the news, they were frozen like clay statues and wooden carvings. They had voluntarily aligned themselves with the celestial strongholds rather than being coerced into submission; hearing such rumors now, they were utterly despondent.
"Can our Rui dynasty still unify Night Province?"
Upon hearing the news, the old emperor of Great Rui felt a hollow sense of loss. He knew his "Earthly Sovereign dream" had likely been shattered.
Far more people were laughing in cathartic satisfaction. Those celestial visitors who had once looked down on them actually had a day like this, and most were probably knocking their heads against the ground right now.
"Do you know? That God-Lord and the eight Earth Immortals are still kneeling at the borders of Night Province, not daring to get up even now!" some gossiped.
In truth, Zhuo Kun and the eight Earth Immortals had yet to make a move. They had not returned to the heavens, nor had they fled far away immediately; instead, they were biding their time and observing which way the wind blew.
With one foot planted in the Heavenly God realm, Zhuo Kun was extremely advanced in years and held immense status. As one of the core figures among heaven's true high echelons, he was privy to ample secrets.
Once the initial shock and dread subsided, he had calmed down, reasoning that the Supreme Realm was undergoing a Great Nirvana, and the beings within might not necessarily be able to emerge!
Moreover, he knew very well that the world had changed. The Dao rhymes had shifted, and the veil over the true great world was lifting at last, soon to descend in a boundless surge and impact every aspect of existence. Even if an expert from Yujing walked out into the world, their cultivation would most likely decay to the seventh realm.
...
Qin Ming strolled along leisurely. He had originally planned to lie low for a while and go pioneer an exotic domain on his own. But now that the celestials had suffered such a massive setback and stirred the beings of Yujing into awakening, he was in no hurry.
He made his way toward Chixia City, reflecting on his recent experiences along the road.
"Imperial parasol, sacrificial altar, Yujing's new master... Hiss, isn't that me?" Hearing the rumors along the way, Qin Ming sucked in a breath of cold night mist, his heart stirring.
When had he become so prestigious?
Without meaning to, he had actually swayed grand geopolitical trends!
According to reports, God-Lord Zhuo Kun and the eight Earth Immortals had seen the vague silhouette standing beneath the yellow imperial parasol, panicked in sheer terror, and kowtowed ceaselessly.
A peculiar look crossed Qin Ming's face, followed by immense gratification. He truly had not imagined that a mere glimpse of his silhouette would terrify Earth Immortals into worshiping him.
"Haha..." He laughed aloud under the cover of night. The unpleasant memory of being hunted by celestials was largely washed away.
He quietly returned to Chixia City. With heaven in absolute chaos, no one was paying attention to this area, making it the perfect time for him to travel unhindered.
In the parlor, Meng Xinghai lit a newly acquired mind-calming incense. It soothed the spirit and formed a faint white mist that isolated the room from the outside world.
"I'm just glad you're safe and sound!" Looking at Qin Ming, he let out a sigh of relief. Over the past few days, shocking news had arrived daily, keeping his heart constantly on edge.
First, celestial messengers descended, followed by four Earth Immortals treading upon the mortal world, then the four immortals meeting tragic deaths, and later someone even poked a hole through the heavens...
One event after another—every single one was simply too shocking to believe.
Qin Ming briefly recounted what he had experienced on his journey, leaving Old Meng stunned and lost in thought.
Soon, City Lord Meng recovered his wits and said, "Right, there are letters for you, and people who care about you sent over some heavy treasures."
Representatives from the Newborn path, the esoteric sect, and the Immortal path had all sent messengers advising Qin Ming to flee far away and leave Night Province for the time being.
Then, Qin Ming opened Xiao Wu's letter.
"Brother Ming, I don't know if you've already left. By the time you read this, I will probably be far away, no longer in Night Province. The ruthless powerhouse from the esoteric sect who shattered the Fourth Forbidden Ground became a seventh-realm expert without altering his life form. I feel so helpless, and so lost..."
Without a doubt, Xiao Wu had departed with a heavy heart. He explained that he was heading far away to seek his own path. The peerless fierce figure of the esoteric sect, Chu Canglan, had emerged and formally stepped onto the center stage, burdening Xiao Wu with immense pressure.
Xiang Yiwu's letter was tucked inside Xiao Wu's, which gave Qin Ming some peace of mind. The two of them were traveling together, meaning they could watch each other's backs even if they ventured into foreign lands.
In Jiang Ran's letter, there were actually writings left behind by "Six Desires," a weapon spirit residing within her special weapon. Six Desires had secretly left behind golden immortal characters behind Jiang Ran's back; when Qin Ming activated them, a faint halo of light rippled across the page.
"Little Qin, have you thought it over?" Six Desires had even changed its form of address, sounding increasingly affectionate.
From the light rippling across the paper, a clear voice sounded: "Come with me! I will do everything in my power to arrange everything for you—the finest true scriptures, the rarest precious medicines, and... Consort Ran."
"Who is Consort Ran?" Meng Xinghai asked, looking suspicious.
"It's just an old monster babbling nonsense," Qin Ming replied, genuinely worried that Old Meng might misunderstand.
Meng Xinghai commented, "Jiang Ran? Well, her talent is unmatched. Even with much of her strength concealed, she still shines brilliantly in the immortal land as a future banner-bearer of the Immortal path. Given her status, the two of you would actually make a fine match."
"Good child, why hesitate? Come with me, and even I will be yours," the weapon spirit Six Desires shamelessly brought up its old proposition once more.
Stunned, Meng Xinghai secretly transmitted his voice: "Is this old monster... a female elder?"
Wiping away sweat, Qin Ming said, "It's a weapon spirit, not a human!"
The light on the paper faded. It was evidently just a recorded message rather than a real-time conversation. The letter contained a map showing a route leading deep into the world of night mist.
Meng Xinghai said, "Even if a paramount figure has awakened in Yujing, this realm remains deeply chaotic. You could indeed consider traveling far."
Qin Ming sighed. The weapon spirit Six Desires had previously mentioned that entering that Supreme Realm required having a "blood chain" planted to ensure one's identity was clear and would cause no future hidden dangers.
Evidently, even some so-called supreme orthodoxies had suffered infiltration in the past and remained exceptionally wary.
He just didn't know if the Mystic Maiden lineage—corresponding to the other weapon spirit within the special weapon Jiang Ran wielded—would make similar demands.
Qin Ming felt that joining a distant orthodoxy wouldn't be as free and unburdened as remaining a rogue cultivator. He had come this far relying entirely on his own comprehension of scriptures and arts, without needing the backing of a sect.
So long as he could acquire the corresponding true scriptures, cultivating anywhere made no difference.
Moreover, he carried the rag on him, which was clearly an object capable of triggering massive upheaval. If he entered a supreme realm akin to Yujing, the great figures there might well detect something amiss.
Qin Ming noticed Jiang Ran's own message. She and Li Qingyue had only temporarily left Night Province and had not yet traveled deep into the world of night mist. In the letter, she asked if he wanted to journey with them.
Next, Qin Ming opened the parcel sent by Li Qingyue. Aside from a letter, it held a heavy wooden box.
"It flew over on its own," Meng Xinghai informed him.
"Ah?" Qin Ming quickly opened it, only to discover a severely damaged furnace lid belonging to the Eight Trigrams Furnace.
He was immediately startled. In that case, the special weapon in Li Qingyue's hands was no longer whole—it had become incomplete.
"Night Province has been plunged into chaos recently. She asked me to come protect your safety," a portion of the Eight Trigrams Furnace's weapon spirit residing within this archaic lid spoke out.
Hearing this, warmth surged through Qin Ming's heart. He asked, "Does your orthodoxy also require planting things like blood chains or Dao chains?"
The Eight Trigrams Furnace's weapon spirit answered immediately: "Even if not planted, you would need to be thoroughly examined. And well... that parasol on you seethes with demonic qi. It certainly wouldn't be allowed into the Supreme Realm."
"You pompous old relic, do you even know this seat's origins?" The yellow imperial parasol began to glow and manifested directly, spinning above Qin Ming's head as dense purple qi cascaded down along its tassels.
"You're old too," the furnace lid pulsed with fluctuations.
"This seat is in the prime of youth."
Meng Xinghai stared in awe. These were clearly extraordinary weapons, both possessing immense provenance.
"You are ruined," the furnace lid added calmly, undisturbed like an ancient well, without the slightest ripple of emotion.
The dust-laden supreme treasure, the imperial parasol, immediately shook down dense "evening clouds," dyeing the nearby night mist crimson.
"Stop!" Qin Ming truly feared they might come to blows.
He looked at the furnace lid and said, "The upheaval in Night Province is about to subside, and I'm in no danger here. You should go back. The depths of the night mist world are fraught with mystery and the unknown, dangerous at every turn. If Qingyue's weapon is incomplete, I worry something might go wrong."
The Eight Trigrams Furnace's weapon spirit explained, "If you are safe, she told me to leave only after a year. She is currently with Jiang Ran and won't be traveling far anytime soon; they intend to temper themselves along the way."
In truth, Li Qingyue had instructed it to remain here permanently to guarantee Qin Ming's safety.
Yet as the sect-guarding artifact of Bajing Palace, the Eight Trigrams Furnace could not stay in Night Province forever; it would eventually have to leave.
Qin Ming said, "Actually, you really can fly back right now."
The Eight Trigrams Furnace did not comply; having promised to stay, it would not depart ahead of time.
Qin Ming asked it for the relevant coordinates so that once his cultivation reached greater heights, he could venture into the depths of the night mist world to seek out the lands of Li Qingyue and Jiang Ran's orthodoxies and explore.
...
No one knew what had transpired in the heavens, nor was it clear whether the awakened great figures of Yujing had thoroughly purged those old divisions.
Only after some time had passed did messengers descend from above the nine heavens to the ground once more. However, they were far more discreet and practical, no longer looking down upon the world.
Subsequently, people discovered that they were firmly promoting a single agenda: the grand unification of the surface.
Furthermore, faint immortal light drifted down from above the pitch-black clouds, radiating over the vast earth.
"This is a good thing!" An elderly Earth Immortal from above the nine heavens arrived in person and earnestly informed the people below.
Nonetheless, the Divine Seeds, Immortal Seeds, and elite prodigies of the various paths remained in the outer domains for the time being, not returning out of concern that the situation had not yet settled and further turmoil might erupt.
Qin Ming had considered entering the Night Ruins, but finding that celestials sent experts in at regular intervals, he discarded the thought and decided not to approach for now.
Moreover, for safety's sake, he ventured outside Night Province, though he did not travel far. He secluded himself in a region with fire springs, cultivating in quiet, arduous solitude.
Time flitted by; a year passed in the blink of an eye.
Emerging from seclusion, Qin Ming knitted his brows slightly. As expected, after reaching the fourth realm, breaking through even a minor hurdle often took years. Over the span of a year, his cultivation had progressed, but it was not enough to step up another stage.
Yet he felt no discouragement whatsoever. He had not been cultivating for very long, yet had already reached the Mind Lamp realm, nearly catching up with the premier seeds of every path.
What reason did he have to be dissatisfied?
Given a bit more time, he wouldn't shy away even when facing senior elders.
In truth, newly minted grandmasters nearly a hundred years old were still considered vibrant "youngsters." One could only imagine how arduous the path became starting from the fourth realm.
"I'm already extraordinarily fast, but it's still not enough. I need to speed up!" Qin Ming pondered whether he should travel afar and pioneer on his own.
After all, without fortunate encounters and opportunities, becoming a fifth-realm grandmaster would take at least twenty to thirty years. While considered godspeed by most, in his eyes, it was... too slow.
Over the past year, the furnace lid would vanish from time to time, either disappearing into Night Province or heading far off to scout routes. So long as Qin Ming's safety was ensured, it had never stayed idle.
"How is Night Province?" Qin Ming asked. He knew it was time for the furnace lid to depart.
"Spiritual light ripples across the earth, and grand unification is still progressing. The people of the various paths in Night Province are watching from the sidelines, and the prodigies, grandmasters, and ancestors who departed have yet to return."
Qin Ming nodded. "You may go. I can protect myself here."
"Very well!" The furnace lid hovered in midair, shedding brilliant light. At the final moment, it informed him that Li Qingyue and Jiang Ran had not yet completely left the domain reached by Yujing's influence; the two had remained together, both honing themselves in the distance.
Its occasional excursions were clearly out of concern for the Innate Fire Body.
"Oh, they're still there? In that case, take me to them!" Qin Ming said. He had already harbored thoughts of pioneering; now was the perfect opportunity to go meet the two women.
The furnace lid hesitated slightly, but ultimately agreed.
Shortly after, it dissolved into a shower of light-rain, fully liquefying to drape over Qin Ming as a dazzling divine garment before piercing through the night sky and soaring away in an instant.
Qin Ming couldn't help but sigh in admiration. This was truly the best kind of weapon—handy, obedient, and far superior to the yellow imperial parasol on him, not to mention the rag that hadn't stirred once all year!
Chapter 475