Night Without Borders Chapter 202
Chapter 202: One and Two
This novel is translated and hosted on Bcatranslation
The waters of the lake within the Flying Immortal Academy shimmered like liquid silver under the soft sunlight. Along its banks, weeping willows swayed gently, their leaves resembling trails of green smoke as they danced in the breeze.
The scene was lively, with throngs of disciples gathered, many of them renowned for their talents. Yet, amidst this crowd, Qin Ming and Wu Yao Zu couldn’t help but feel they might struggle to find a team.
Yao Zu squeezed into the crowd, approaching a radiant young woman surrounded by admirers. “Divine Maiden Jiang, it’s such a pleasure to finally meet you,” he greeted.
The young woman, Jiang Ruo Li, hailed from the Bodhi Academy, a sect with connections to the Secret Sect. Known for her beauty and reputation, she naturally became the center of attention. She looked at Yao Zu with a hint of surprise. “And you are…?”
Grinning widely, Yao Zu introduced himself with exaggerated flair. “I’m Wu Yao Zu, one of the top fighters among this year’s newcomers. My brother and I would love to join your team.”
Realizing his intent, Jiang Ruo Li’s expression shifted subtly. This wasn’t a reunion with an old acquaintance; it was a bold attempt at self-recommendation. Smiling politely, she replied, “I’m sorry, Brother Wu, but our team is already full. Perhaps you should try elsewhere.”
“Alright then, Bodhi Number Two,” Yao Zu said cheerfully before pivoting and striding away in search of his next target.
Jiang Ruo Li and her companions exchanged puzzled glances. “What did he mean by that?”
Their curiosity deepened as they watched Yao Zu approach the disciples from the Sky Roc Dao Ground. Once again, he wore his signature bright smile. “Brother Gan Jin Cheng, I’ve admired you for a long time. It’s an honor to meet you.”
However, this attempt ended similarly. As he walked away, Yao Zu muttered under his breath, “Goodbye, Sky Roc Number One.”
Undeterred, Yao Zu moved to the Feathered Immortal Dao Ground, addressing a silver-armored maiden, Lin Qian Yi, with equal enthusiasm. “Fair Lin, your elegance is unmatched. I’ve been waiting for this chance to meet you.”
The silver-armored girl, wary of the unfamiliar face, politely declined his request to join their team. “I’m sorry, but we have no room for additional members.”
“Alright then, Feathered Immortal Number Two. Farewell!” Yao Zu responded, leaving before she could utter another word.
By now, Jiang Ruo Li and others were starting to piece together Yao Zu’s strategy. Each time he approached someone, he addressed them with great enthusiasm, using flattering titles like “Divine Maiden” or “Brother.” However, if rejected, he would promptly replace their names with numerical labels—leaders became “Number One,” while others were relegated to “Number Two,” prefixed by their academy or sect.
“This is… unexpectedly blunt!” one of Jiang Ruo Li’s companions remarked.
“Wait, is Bodhi Number Two staring at us?” Yao Zu whispered to Qin Ming, noticing Jiang Ruo Li’s gaze.
Jiang Ruo Li stiffened, her sharp hearing catching the remark. Indeed, she had been reduced from “Divine Maiden Jiang” to “Bodhi Number Two.”
“Keep your voice down,” Qin Ming warned.
Their struggle to find a team continued. The Flying Immortal Academy was brimming with prominent academies and distinguished disciples, leaving the two newcomers with little room to fit in.
“Brother Wang Li Jie, a true paragon…” Yao Zu declared before being dismissed yet again. “Alright then, Dragon Elephant Number One!”
Gradually, their antics began to draw attention. Many realized these two youths were constantly rejected and had taken to giving people nicknames based on their affiliations.
“They’re really having a hard time,” noted Zhao Mu Yao, a woman dressed in pristine white, as she glanced at Ling Yu.
Her words had barely left her lips when Yao Zu himself appeared. Oblivious to Zhao Mu Yao’s prior refusal to team up with Ling Yu, he launched into his usual spiel. “Lady Zhao, your brilliance is unparalleled…”
“I’m sorry, but our team is full,” Zhao Mu Yao replied gently.
“Alright then, Pure Yang Number Two!” Yao Zu said, departing without hesitation.
Zhao Mu Yao was left stunned, her expression frozen in disbelief.
Next came Xiao Ya Qin, a famed disciple of the Calamity Avoidance Dao Ground, who received her own “Calamity Avoidance Number Two” moniker when she rejected Yao Zu.
“What is wrong with your friend?” Xiao Ya Qin demanded of Xin You Dao, a mutual acquaintance.
“Oh, I wasn’t paying attention,” Xin You Dao replied evasively.
Qin Ming couldn’t help but admire Yao Zu’s persistence. “You’ve already mastered the art of rejection recovery. At this rate, you don’t even need a team.”
Despite his resilience, Yao Zu’s luck didn’t improve. Just as they were beginning to lose hope, a newcomer entered the scene, immediately drawing everyone’s gaze.
This individual’s massive frame was impossible to miss—hands as large as fan blades, a face broad as a basin, and legs thick as tree trunks.
Qin Ming recognized him at once: Xiang Yi Wu, a former disciple of the Rulai Lineage.
Xiang Yi Wu’s formidable physique made his identity obvious. His wild black hair bristled like steel needles, giving him an even more intimidating appearance. Before long, teams flocked to recruit him, aware of his reputation as one of the most powerful individuals among their peers.
Yao Zu grumbled in frustration. “Why is there such a stark difference between us? We get ignored everywhere, while he’s overwhelmed with offers!”
“Don’t worry—he’s one of us,” Qin Ming reassured him.
But their hopes were dashed when a senior intervened, escorting Xiang Yi Wu away. Not being an official disciple of Kun Lun, he was directed to join the Secret Sect’s group, entering the Secret Realm from a separate location.
Others soon followed, including Lu Zhen, a disciple of the Yin-Yang Pavilion, known for his exploits at Luo Fu Mountain, where he had nearly secured a near-immortal relic for Li Qing Xu. He, too, was quickly removed from the scene.
Qin Ming marveled at the gathering of so many exceptional individuals from the New Awakening Path. Yet the harsh truth remained: he and Yao Zu still hadn’t managed to join any team. Even the famed Liu Han Ya from the Mountain and River Academy declined their request.
“Senior Sister, we’re on the same side!” Yao Zu protested.
“I really can’t take any more people,” Liu Han Ya said apologetically, her expression tinged with awkwardness. Thus, the label Mountain and River Number Two was born.
When Liu Han Ya realized what Yao Zu meant by his parting comment, she shot him and Qin Ming an irritated glare. The two, however, were focused on something else. Rumors were swirling that this particular Secret Realm was worth exploring—rumored treasures and opportunities awaited within.
Some well-informed disciples shared whispers of the truth. “Apparently, this isn’t one of the old Secret Realms. It’s a new one, freshly carved out. It was part of the highlands ruled by an Auspicious Beast!” they said. Reports claimed that senior experts were currently working to clear the area of any major threats.
Qin Ming and Yao Zu sighed in unison. The plight of newcomers was truly pitiful—without prior connections or fame, there was no chance of being recruited into an established team. Their attempts to join others were doomed from the start.
Finally, after much deliberation, the two decided to take matters into their own hands and form their own team.
“Senior, I’m a Dual Path Practitioner and an aspiring figure on the Immortal Path. Surely I can establish my own squad!” Yao Zu announced boldly to one of the supervisors.
Demonstrating his strength, he channeled the radiant Rainbow Glow from within his body, transforming it into an Aura of Consciousness. The middle-aged man in charge didn’t notice anything unusual—after all, he couldn’t imagine that the seemingly ordinary youth before him could wield such advanced techniques from the New Awakening Path.
And so, under the bemused gazes of the teams led by the so-called Number Ones and Number Twos, Qin Ming and Yao Zu’s modest two-person squad was officially formed—the smallest and most “barebones” team present.
Yao Zu, full of youthful bravado, addressed the crowd. “Ladies and gentlemen, should you encounter demons, ghosts, fierce competition, or life-threatening danger, you may call on us. But by then, you might not be able to afford our services!”
Aside from Xin You Dao and Ling Yu, everyone burst into laughter at his audacity.
“Wang Li Jie from the Dragon Elephant Dao Ground looks forward to seeing you shine in the Secret Realm, juniors!” one teased.
“May you dazzle the world, brothers,” added Lin Qian Yi from the Feathered Immortal Dao Ground, her tone dripping with sarcasm.
Even Jiang Ruo Li, Gan Jin Cheng, Su Jun Lin, and others chuckled quietly among themselves, exchanging low remarks about the absurd confidence of these two boys.
“You’ve made some… interesting friends,” observed Zhao Mu Yao, dressed in her pristine white robes, as she glanced at Ling Yu.
Ling Yu wanted to defend them, his face tense. He thought Qin Ming and Yao Zu were entirely reliable. If not for warnings from others, he might have joined their team himself.
Meanwhile, Xiao Ya Qin, observing from the sidelines, turned to Xin You Dao and shook her head. “Your two friends are bound to make fools of themselves in the Secret Realm.”
Xin You Dao sighed regretfully. “I wouldn’t be so sure about that.”
Yao Zu, however, fumed. “Even Liu Han Ya, from our own Mountain and River Academy, is laughing at us. That’s just over the top.”
Qin Ming, lost in thought, hardly registered the comments. His mind drifted to familiar faces he might encounter in the Secret Realm—Li Qing Yue, old acquaintances like Ning Si Qi from the Secret Sect, or others such as Li Qing Xu, Wang Cai Wei, and Cui Chong He.
“Tang Xu Mi, Hu Ting Wen, you still owe me a copy of the Ape Force Sutra!” he muttered with a scowl. His mood turned serious as he considered the challenges ahead. If all these individuals entered the same realm, the competition would be ferocious. How would things unfold?
After all, he had previously encountered formidable figures like Su Shi Yun and Zhao Yao Ting, both Near-Immortal Seeds, aboard the Vermilion Bird Vessel. Each was more powerful than the last.
“Hey, are you even listening?” Yao Zu nudged Qin Ming’s arm. “Everyone’s laughing at us.”
“Just zoned out a bit.” Qin Ming shrugged, smiling. “Let them laugh. When the time comes, we’ll prove ourselves. Now that we’ve got a team, let’s head back.”
“You always seem destined to end up alone. Zoned out again? Are you thinking about someone you know entering the Secret Realm too?”
“Say one more word, and I’ll shut you up for good,” Qin Ming replied dryly.
Over the next few days, Qin Ming continued training in the Dragon-Snake Sutra while delving into the Immortal Butterfly Sutra, striving to grasp its profound secrets.
Despite their earlier threats, Yu Gen Sheng and Zhao Zi Yuan didn’t entirely withhold resources from Qin Ming. In fact, the very reason they had him enter the Secret Realm was to grant him an opportunity to seize rare fortunes.
Five days later, Qin Ming and Yao Zu departed, rejoining the larger groups at the Flying Immortal Academy, where the teams led by the Number Ones and Number Twos were gathering. Together, they boarded a massive flying vessel bound for the Secret Realm hidden in the highlands.
As the ship took flight, Qin Ming felt a chill run down his spine. Memories of his prior experiences with air travel—the bird crash and the fall into the Divine City of the Giant Centipede—haunted him. Though he had miraculously survived each time, the psychological scars remained.
Thankfully, the journey was brief. Within a few hundred miles, the ship reached its destination and landed on the highlands.
Qin Ming exhaled in relief. No crashes this time.
“So this is the Secret Realm,” someone muttered in awe.
Before them lay an unusual landscape. The ground lacked towering trees or thick vines. Instead, it was blanketed in what appeared to be moss, creating a stark contrast to the surrounding environment.
“Watch closely,” the elder accompanying them instructed. He stepped forward, and to everyone’s shock, he began to shrink rapidly. In moments, he was no larger than a sesame seed, vanishing into the peculiar terrain ahead.
Though the area seemed small, it possessed mystical properties. Many squatted down, peering intently at the elder, who now looked like an ant wandering through this otherworldly realm.
“This is the Secret Realm,” the elder said upon returning, his form restored. He explained that the land was a fragment of a fallen star, imbued with extraordinary attributes and powers. Standing upon it was akin to treading on the surface of a celestial body.
One by one, the disciples lined up and stepped into the realm. Each was struck with awe as they beheld the surreal landscape and its breathtaking sights.