Night Without Borders Chapter 196
Chapter 196: Brimming with Confidence
This novel is translated and hosted on Bcatranslation
“To transform from a snake into a dragon is a journey of bloodshed, but it is also a profound elevation of life itself. Reborn through tribulations, the strength it yields is unmatched,” Qin Ming mused.
The allure of the Dragon-Snake Sutra tugged at him like an itch he couldn’t scratch. Its incredible benefits consumed his thoughts, making it nearly impossible to resist.
Now seemed like the perfect moment to cultivate it.
“Brother, have you already mastered the Golden Cicada Sutra?” Wu Yao Zu asked, his voice tinged with surprise.
Suspicion flickered across Yao Zu’s face. Was Qin Ming simply fickle, abandoning old techniques for new ones, or was his cultivation efficiency so terrifyingly high that it defied reason?
“Mastered it? Already perfected? Not too bad,” Tang Jin commented casually.
Ling Yu, standing nearby, felt his spirits lift. His senior sister was known for her impossibly high standards, so receiving even this faint praise was a monumental victory. For the first time, he thought that he might finally be allowed to challenge the mysterious youth from Black and White Mountain.
Indeed, Tang Jin, dressed all in black, had made her decision. Turning abruptly, her flawless face framed by flowing strands of hair, she said, “Prepare yourself.”
Ling Yu was electrified. He had waited days for this moment, every nerve straining for the chance.
Tang Jin, taller than most men, paced a few steps across the room. She said with a hint of warning, “Don’t disgrace me. Master Wu has been complaining, saying I should’ve chosen someone else. He even wagered against you this time.”
Hearing this, Ling Yu clenched his fists, his fighting spirit soaring. Master Wu didn’t believe in him? He would prove the old bird wrong.
Under the abyssal night sky, someone stood on the clouds.
Sun Tai Chu stood with his hands behind his back, gazing down from the swirling darkness. “When the winds and clouds converge, dragons rise from the land. Kun Lun grows ever more tumultuous. All forces have gathered, and that plateau will be drenched in blood,” he said, his voice echoing across the void.
His Pure Yang Consciousness Aura no longer blazed like the sun but had grown indistinguishable from his true form. He strolled calmly across the black fog. “Will Cao Qian Qiu come?” he asked, glancing back.
Following closely, Pu Heng replied, “My master will arrive.”
Kun Lun City had become a magnet for power. Every day, more people arrived, drawn by the tantalizing allure of the Auspicious Beast’s blood—even Ancestor-level figures coveted its essence.
The plateau had been sealed off, but the massive beast, towering like a mountain, had long been targeted. Yet it wasn’t without allies. Summoning aberrant birds and calling for reinforcements, the creature even sought to retaliate against its hunters.
Recently, strange demons had begun to emerge, making the plateau outside the Third Forbidden Land increasingly perilous. At night, ferocious demonic winds howled, stirring the mist into chaos.
A brawny youth entered Kun Lun City, a sight impossible to ignore. His palms were as large as fans, his legs as thick as pillars, and his head was enormous, crowned with hair as hard as steel needles. With thick brows, wide eyes, and a square nose, his face was strikingly unusual. He looked like an Aberrant, though even among them, he would stand out.
This was none other than Xiang Yi Wu, the forsaken disciple of the Rulai Sect.
“Hmm?” From a distant tower, Li Qing Xu caught sight of him.
Feeling the gaze, Xiang Yi Wu turned sharply, his broad grin unfazed by the attention.
“Should we deal with him?” a middle-aged man beside Li Qing Xu asked.
Li Qing Xu’s expression darkened. Memories of a past encounter surfaced—he had once struck Xiang Yi Wu with a staff, only for the youth to retaliate with two slaps, leaving him coughing up blood.
The issue wasn’t just the humiliation. Despite being the same age, Xiang Yi Wu, a newly awakened cultivator, had managed to match his progress even after stepping into the Outer Saint Realm.
“Do not act recklessly,” Li Qing Xu warned. Rumors abounded that Xiang Yi Wu was being deliberately “abandoned” by his sect. Some believed he was secretly valued by the elders of his lineage, making any underhanded action against him a risk with dire consequences.
Elsewhere, Ning Si Qi, dressed immaculately in white, conversed with Wang Cai.
“Cousin, is it true? While I was in seclusion, my friend Qin Ming mysteriously rose to prominence? Is he really that powerful now?” Ning Si Qi asked skeptically.
“Yes,” Wang Cai confirmed, her black robes swaying gently. She sighed. “But unfortunately, he’s chosen the path of awakening. As he progresses, his cultivation speed will slow, making it hard to keep up. Otherwise, based on his current performance, he might have been able to challenge Near-Immortal Seeds in the same realm.”
Ning Si Qi sighed deeply. “It’s an unavoidable flaw in the path of awakening. Even the Ancestors haven’t found a way to solve it. All I hope is that he endures long enough to reach the level of an Ancestor.”
Their voices carried a tinge of longing. They hadn’t seen Qin Ming in ages, unsure when their paths might cross again.
Meanwhile, Qin Ming and Wu Yao Zu busied themselves with more practical concerns. “We’ve already visited four academies,” Wu Yao Zu remarked. “Do we really need to continue?”
“Yes,” Qin Ming replied decisively. “Let’s register for their trials. We don’t have to join, but we can scout their resources.”
The city was in its enrollment season, and Qin Ming intended to make the rounds. He was particularly interested in the extraordinary skills these institutions safeguarded.
Finally, after completing trials at six academies, including the Origin Academy and Dragon Elephant Dao Ground, the two decided to pause, having temporarily achieved their goals.
Qin Ming had researched extensively, uncovering that the six academies boasted a treasure trove of renowned extraordinary techniques. He was deeply intrigued.
Wu Yao Zu, too, felt content. His own cultivation on the Rainbow Transformation Path demanded breakthroughs, as it treated the body as a cage to be abandoned ultimately. For now, he was focusing on refining his physical form.
“Junior brothers, call me if you need a ride next time. I’ll give you a discount,” said Jin Xiang as he departed. He had dedicated twenty years to walking the Red Dust Refinement Path, a journey to temper his heart through the mundane world.
“We’ll be waiting for your rise to godhood, Senior Brother,” Wu Yao Zu called after him with a wave.
Jin Xiang shook his head, responding, “Ah, Red Dust Refinement is no easy task. My first step was letting go of the person I loved.”
Wu Yao Zu blinked in surprise. “You… killed her?”
“No, I tempered my heart, and she married someone else,” Jin Xiang replied, his parting words carrying the weight of worldly detachment.
Returning to their residence at the Mountain and River Academy, Qin Ming and Wu Yao Zu were soon approached by someone.
“You’re Shen Wu Bing?” asked a senior student, his name Tang Jun, known for his fame within the academy.
“That’s me. What’s the matter?” Qin Ming responded.
Tang Jun smiled. “It’s like this—there’s a sparring exchange within the academy. Victors can earn Daylight Gold. Would you two be interested in participating?”
“How much per match?” Wu Yao Zu’s interest was piqued. Qin Ming’s spending habits were extravagant, and just a few pages of the Golden Cicada Sutra had cost them 600 Daylight Gold, leaving their finances in dire straits.
“Ten Daylight Gold per victory,” Tang Jun replied.
Wu Yao Zu’s excitement bubbled over, and he nearly blurted out, “Set up a hundred matches for me in the same realm!”
But he held back when he noticed Qin Ming sitting calmly, unmoved. After a moment of thought, Wu Yao Zu said, “We don’t know you. Who sent you? Could it be one of your past defeats seeking revenge?”
He felt he had guessed the truth and added, “Tell them to prepare a thousand—”
Stopping mid-sentence, he turned to Qin Ming. “Brother, should we ask for two thousand Daylight Gold?”
Qin Ming shook his head. “Not interested in fighting them.”
Wu Yao Zu immediately caught on. “Exactly, we’re not participating. Now leave. Ten Daylight Gold? Do we look like beggars to you?”
Tang Jun’s face stiffened. He had assumed one of the youths might be naive, but their demeanor showed rapid progress and growing disdain.
Hurriedly, he explained, “My junior brothers, please don’t misunderstand. Let’s discuss this reasonably.”
Neither Qin Ming nor Wu Yao Zu paid him any attention.
Tang Jun grew desperate. “I swear, I’m not pocketing anything! Someone else requested this. I’m truly sorry for earlier.”
Wu Yao Zu sneered. “Even if your so-called master appeared, we wouldn’t necessarily agree.”
Tang Jun realized these two were not easily swayed. Frustrated, he turned and left, delivering the disappointing news to his employer.
Soon after, Ling Yu appeared in person. Dispensing with pleasantries, he stated bluntly, “I want to spar with Qin Ming.”
Wu Yao Zu glanced at him dismissively. “Why should my brother fight you? You’re already his defeated opponent, destined to carry that shame forever.”
Ling Yu’s calm demeanor cracked. His chest tightened as he retorted, “That was a sneak attack. I did not lose.”
“Leave,” Wu Yao Zu said with a wave.
“One thousand Daylight Gold for a match,” Ling Yu offered, knowing from Tang Jun that the pair likely needed funds.
“You’re insulting us,” Wu Yao Zu scoffed. “Last time, my brother won over a thousand Daylight Gold with a single palm strike. Are you suggesting he needs to lift just one hand this time?”
Ling Yu’s temples throbbed. He resisted the urge to shout, knowing full well the gold they had won was from him. Yet, the back of his head ached anew as he recalled their supposed humility.
Suppressing his irritation, he asked, “What exactly do you want?”
Wu Yao Zu smiled smugly. “My brother needs the Dragon-Snake Sutra. I’m focusing on nurturing my body and soul and require a corresponding secret technique. Also, we’re in debt—ten thousand Daylight Gold, to be precise. Understand?”
Ling Yu clenched his fists, itching to resolve this with action. Their demands were absurd, their gall unmatched.
Wu Yao Zu raised a hand to stop him. “Don’t be upset. Let me explain. When you and Xin You Dao fought, it drew widespread attention and hefty profits, didn’t it? But both you and Xin You Dao are just my brother’s defeated opponents. If we stepped forward for a public fight, imagine how much revenue that would generate.”
“I did not lose!” Ling Yu growled.
“Then leave. Carry this unresolved regret with you forever,” Wu Yao Zu quipped, resuming his fishing.
Furious yet helpless, Ling Yu turned away. Their demands were too outrageous for him to fulfill. Still, the burning desire for a rematch refused to leave his heart.
Tang Jin arrived next, her black attire flowing gracefully as her long hair danced in the wind. Her cold, elegant beauty was striking.
Despite recognizing her immense strength, Qin Ming remained composed, greeting her with a calm smile. “Miss Tang, we meet again.”
Tang Jin’s lips curled slightly. “I didn’t expect such an unassuming young man to have such audacious demands.”
Unfazed, Qin Ming replied, “Honestly, my brother’s requests were modest—too modest.”
Beside him, Ling Yu clenched his fists harder, thinking, This is modest?!
Tang Jin studied Qin Ming. “If the stakes are so high, what will you offer if you lose?”
“Two extraordinary techniques,” Qin Ming stated confidently.
Tang Jin’s frosty demeanor melted into a dazzling smile. “You’re quite confident.”
Qin Ming nodded. “Of course. Confidence is my nature. In fact, I’d prefer to spar with you in the First Realm. Would that be acceptable, Miss Tang?”