Night without Borders

Chapter 588 Orthodoxy
What is the light of the righteous path saying?

Many people couldn't believe their ears; this person thought that the Inner Realm Heaven-Opening Axe was easy to master.
Night fell, and in the wild forest, the undulating mountains resembled a lurking beast. On the peaks, figures could be seen, yet it was so quiet that not even a breath could be heard.

High in the air, blood streamed down the face of Huang's unparalleled genius. When he laughed, it aggravated the exposed wound, making him look somewhat gruesome.

He's practically a scholar who's spent decades researching the Inner Realm Axe, yet he wouldn't dare say such a thing. What kind of madman is he?

Huang Zhaoting, with his sword-like eyebrows reaching his temples and deep-set eyes, said, "Why don't you say you attained enlightenment on the spot?"

Qin Ming nodded and said, "That's exactly what I was thinking."

In the distance, the crowd watching from the mountaintop had various expressions. Was he serious?
Many people believe that he was deliberately trying to discredit Huang Zhaoting.

Everyone knows that this unparalleled genius of the Huang family has been studying the Heaven-Opening Axe for decades.

However, the "positive light" in the night sky had a very serious expression on its face.

This made it difficult to tell whether he was mocking Huang Zhaoting or genuinely confident and eager to learn the forbidden martial arts Huang Zhaoting had mastered.

Huang Zhaoting said indifferently, "In the past, four lineages protected Xie Jinglan. It seems that after so many years, those who studied the Inner Realm Heaven-Opening Axe have made a name for themselves. Little do they know that the orthodox lineage is with me, and only I can complete it."

His tone was calm, but he was very confident.

Now he's revealed his hand, showing where the others got their Heaven-Opening Axe.

A commotion broke out in the wild mountains and forests.

The female grandmaster who had been chasing after him greatly admired Huang Zhaoting and whispered, "I have long heard that when it comes to the Inner Realm Heaven-Opening Axe, only Brother Zhaoting has mastered its essence. The rest have only grasped the minor details."

Many people nodded in agreement; this was the truth.

However, when they thought about Huang Zhaoting's injury, many people fell silent and watched how things would develop.

"Orthodox? I'd like to learn more about that." Qin Ming put his left hand behind his back.

Why did he act so arrogantly? Naturally, he wanted to steal the true scriptures from afar.

Only by forcing Huang Zhaoting to become emotionally agitated and display all his skills could he have a chance to resonate with him.

The peerless genius of the Huang family shot out beams of light from his eyes and said, "Let me see just how far you've cultivated your Heaven-Opening Axe."

Behind him, a sea of ​​blood surged, staining the night sky crimson, accompanied by howling winds that swept across the lingering clouds.

As the god of the previous generation, with blood streaming down his face, he naturally harbored a deep resentment.

He seemed to be standing in the blood-red twilight, with the Dao tree in front of him swaying and crystal petals fluttering in the air, making the space around him seem incomparably sacred.

"Qiang!"

Qin Ming was not intimidated at all; above his head, a giant axe was forming.

Huang Zhaoting said in a deep voice, "The rightful successor is me."

Behind him, in the sea of ​​blood, the Heaven-Opening Axe rose into the air, causing the sky to tremble and the clouds to surge. The axe light seemed to be about to split the heavens and the earth.

In an instant, the axes flashed, and the two men clashed, their axes locked in a fierce battle.

In the night sky, it seemed as if a god was undergoing tribulation. The blinding axe light was like intertwined thunder, one after another, colliding together, causing a huge explosion in the clouds.

The deafening sound resounded throughout the heavens and the earth.

It must be said that Huang Zhaoting is exceptionally brave and can indeed look down on a generation. He wields the Heaven-Opening Axe and unleashes powerful moves every time he fights fiercely with Qin Ming.

In the darkness of night, it looked as if two gods were locked in a life-or-death struggle.

Boom!

In the terrifying flash of the axe, a towering mountain peak was cleaved in two by the giant axe, its summit gone.

“A collateral branch, is that all you know?” Huang Zhaoting shouted.

He stood amidst the sea of ​​blood, his body surrounded by dazzling crimson lightning, and said, "Look closely, this is the Six Forms of Creation. Let's see how many forms you can endure."

Its axe flashed with blood, staining the sky, turning the entire night sky crimson, conveying a sense of desolation, and adding to the tragic and chilling atmosphere.

In contrast, Qin Ming's Heaven-Opening Axe was enveloped in a dazzling light, possessing a grand and dignified aura.

Qin Ming spoke up: "This is what you call orthodoxy, using the blood refining method to make up for it? Just how many atrocities have you committed?"

Many people who witnessed this scene showed strange expressions.

The Huang family calls "Zheng Guang" a master of the evil path, yet his Heaven-Opening Axe is upright and peaceful, displaying a majestic and imposing aura. In contrast, Huang Zhaoting carries a strange scene of a sea of ​​blood, his body surrounded by bloodthirsty energy.

When the two are compared, everything seems to be reversed.

Recently, many people have heard that Huang Zhaoting, in order to practice his skills, has been carrying out a massacre in the Barbarian Immortal Realm, wiping out many indigenous tribes.
Many people had complaints, but they dared not speak out because of the Huang family's status.

Now that Zheng Guang has pointed it out in public, it's like tearing down the window paper that had already been exposed.

In the distance, the female master defended him, saying, "Brother Zhaoting is trying various methods to complete a supreme martial art. If he succeeds, it will be a great achievement in the field of cultivation. Moreover, he is only ruthless in the Barbarian Immortal Realm; we have never heard of him indiscriminately killing innocent people in the outside world."

Many people remained silent, watching the battle quietly, not wanting to get involved in the Huang family's troubles and consequences.

However, some stubborn individuals secretly spoke up, saying, "Judging from this, it's still unknown who can complete the Heaven-Opening Axe."

The female master replied with great certainty, "Of course it's Brother Zhaoting!"

Meanwhile, the battle raged fiercely. Huang Zhaoting had already unleashed three consecutive axe blows, and the so-called Six Forms of Heaven Opening were already halfway through.

However, the grandmaster Zheng Guang actually managed to block it.

However, at this moment, both of them were covered in bright red blood and were injured.

Huang Zhaoting's expression was more solemn than ever before. This opponent seemed to have truly had an epiphany on the spot, imitating part of the true meaning of his Heaven-Opening Axe and stealing the true scripture.

How could this be? He was deeply disturbed.

In fact, when the third axe clash ended, everyone felt something and held their breath, because they saw the similar spirit on the two giant axes.

The female grandmaster was shocked and watched the scene intently, remaining silent.

Who exactly is this person? Can they really comprehend the Dharma on the spot just by watching it once?
Everyone recalled his earlier words: Is it really that difficult? Can't one simply master the techniques if they have them?
Could it be that we have met the "true god" today? This person's comprehension is simply too extraordinary.

Many people are filled with emotion, pondering who will be the rightful heir after this battle.

Huang Zhaoting raised his fourth axe, and this time the change was significant. Blood steamed up, and blood evil was boundless, completing the shape of the Heaven-Opening Axe.

Moreover, the "Taoist tree" rooted in front of him rose from the ground, its emerald green leaves rustling down, its petals bursting open, and then its branches fell off.

Only the main trunk remained, condensed into an axe handle.

In an instant, a brand new Heaven-Opening Axe was formed, with the Dao Tree as its handle and the Blood Sea's malevolent energy as its blade, flowing with terrifying Dao patterns. When it soared into the sky, the entire firmament trembled.

This axe strike truly seemed to cleave the heavens and earth!
Qin Ming's expression turned solemn. He immediately used the Heaven-Opening Axe as the outer shell and the various scriptures as the inner core, daring not to be careless in the slightest.

Then, the night was torn apart, as if the era of daylight had arrived, stained with blood, the entire sky was bright, and there was axe light everywhere.

The duel between the two was terrifying and brutal.

It was clear that, accompanied by terrifying shockwaves like a landslide and a tsunami, both of them were sent flying backwards, their blood splattering across the sky.

Click!
Below the clouds where the two were dueling, a cliff collapsed, and two other mountains that were too close together were also damaged, their peaks sheared off by a giant axe.

Qin Ming had a trickle of blood at the corner of his mouth, and his clothes on the left side of his body were covered in spots, a shocking crimson.

However, his eyes were clear and bright, and he was full of energy, showing no signs of dejection, as if he were carefully contemplating something.

Huang Zhaoting's armor was tattered, and some wounds were so deep that bone was visible. His eyes were like torches as he stared at his opponent, discovering that the man seemed to be truly comprehending the Dharma.

This formidable opponent's Heaven-Opening Axe attacks are growing ever stronger.

With this realization, Huang Zhaoting was deeply shaken. What kind of monster had he encountered?

All the spectators were deeply disturbed.

"This is getting interesting. It's hard to say who the rightful heir is now."

"I feel that Huang Zhaoting... cannot suppress the light of righteousness."

The female grandmaster, hovering in the night sky, frowned deeply, her face showing concern. She muttered to herself, "Who is he? Could he be Brother Zhaoting's old nemesis, now disguised and here to confront him?"

On a distant mountain, a young boy whispered, "Grandfather, it seems that the leader of your era was no match for a grandmaster—Zhengguang."

The old man immediately stopped him, saying, "Silence!"

"The fifth axe!" Huang Zhaoting's voice was icy, as if he were reaffirming his belief, and the fifth move of the Heaven-Opening Axe was unleashed.

In an instant, the entire world went dark.

The crimson twilight had vanished, and the axe flashes of the two powerful figures seemed to have been extinguished.

People realized that the Huang family's unparalleled genius had been brewing for a long time and had finally unleashed the power of the forbidden domain.

"Brother Zhaoting, you've been building up your strength in the bloody battle, and now you're about to unleash it all. The counterattack... has already begun!" The female grandmaster herself didn't even notice that she seemed less confident as she spoke, and her voice was trembling slightly.

"The battle for survival is about to begin, but unfortunately, we can't see it. Where have the two gone?"

Night fell, deep and dark, and nothing could be seen; the two figures had vanished completely.

All of this is because Huang Zhaoting's inner vision silently merges into the night sky, and the fifth form of the Heaven Opening Technique needs to be unfolded in his Pure Land of Godhood.

He coerced his opponents and isolated himself from the outside world.

Qin Ming stepped into the inner world. Although there was blood on his body, he was calm, peaceful, and composed, not at all like someone who was trapped in a dangerous place.

In this secluded little world, a sea of ​​blood surged and towering waves crashed. Huang Zhaoting stood on a lonely island, gazing indifferently into the distance.

"Slash!" he shouted.

Not only did his giant axe rise up, unleashing terrifying divine power, but also boundless crimson waves surged forth, sending up countless phantoms, densely packed, as if a massive army was charging in.

In this scene, it could be described as a massive army, coexisting with the tsunami, charging together to slay their opponent.

Qin Ming heard the wailing of ghosts and howls of gods. In front of him, there were ghostly figures, including creatures personally killed by Huang Zhaoting and remnant souls collected from ancient battlefields, which transformed into a terrifying blood-red wave.

Huang Zhaoting said coldly, "Where do you think my Blood Refining Technique is manifested? In the spiritual realm, please enter the hell on earth, where only my giant axe can cleave the heavens!"

Qin Ming stood in the vast ocean, a seven-stringed zither appearing in his hand, formed from the primordial light of heaven.

He gently plucked the strings, and instantly the Primordial Myriad Thunder Seals intertwined. The light swept out by each vibrating string would shatter a huge wave.

In an instant, blood mist billowed from the sea, figures scattered, and thunder roared, igniting the entire ocean and causing it to boil over.

In the sea, accompanied by a mental storm, various soul shadows kept rushing towards Qin Ming, but unfortunately, they were blasted apart by the beam of light swept out by the Seven-Stringed Zither halfway there.

At the same time, the yellow silk umbrella in Qin Ming's sleeves unleashed its power, breathing in various soul shadows.

"The quality is not high, and much of it is even dross, but the quantity is large." This is Xiao Huang's evaluation.

The surging sea of ​​blood looked impressive, but it couldn't all be made up of blood souls. Huang Zhaoting's master-level achievements alone wouldn't allow him to slaughter everyone indiscriminately.

His fifth axe strike erupted, sweeping horizontally. This killing line was truly terrifying, as if it had severed the sea and the sky, as if a rune of order had been laid across it.

Qin Ming made no attempt to conceal his intentions, directly unleashing a shower of golden threads that pierced through the vast ocean. Countless golden threads intertwined, trailing long streaks of light, resembling an endless meteor shower streaking across the sky above the inner landscape.

The massive axe was actually pinned down and pierced through completely. "How is this possible?" Huang Zhaoting was somewhat incredulous. This was the axe light of the Six Forms of Creation, second only to the Ultimate Form, with unparalleled power. How could it be blocked like this?

"Kill!" he roared, desperately wielding his giant axe in a bloody battle with his opponent.

Soon, his pupils contracted, and he saw that his opponent's entire body seemed to be draped in a golden jade robe, with golden threads cascading down endlessly, covering the blood-red waves in the inner realm.

A moment later, with a terrifying cracking sound, the giant axe in Huang Zhaoting's hand cracked and then exploded.

He was covered in blood and staggered backward.

Huang Zhaoting stared at the figure in front of him, his heart sinking, but he did not hesitate at all. After gathering his strength for so long, he could finally unleash the sixth move of the Heaven Opening Form.

Moreover, he regained his confidence, and a small axe took shape between his eyebrows, as if it were an axe cleaving from his soul, and it rapidly magnified.

Then, carrying immense and unstoppable power, it hurtled towards Qin Ming.

Most importantly, the crimson ocean was concentrated, as if it were about to be fully condensed onto this axe that could cleave the heavens.

Qin Ming's hair stood on end, not from being intimidated by the axe's light, but from being extremely wary of a broken artifact at its core.

A fragment of an axe, enveloped in the light of the giant axe, resonated together.

"That's the only surviving fragment of the axe from back then!" Qin Ming was highly alert, but also greatly encouraged. If he had known that the other party was carrying this item, why would he have bothered to resonate with those messy blood refining techniques?
The true scripture is right before our eyes, hidden in that finger-length piece of metal!
At this moment, Qin Ming used all his skills, and the Primordial Chaos True Form appeared behind him. The night sky seemed to be torn apart, revealing a scene of stars descending upon the world, and thunder seals intertwined. Accompanied by the sun hanging in the sky and the moon hanging obliquely, all kinds of complex and unpredictable scenery came one after another.

The giant axe was frozen in place!

"That's a complex... true form?" Upon seeing this, Huang Zhaoting lost his composure, and his face turned slightly pale.

That was his ultimate attack, how could it be blocked?

"Axe Soul... Awaken!" he roared, and used his own heart's blood to refine the giant axe, mainly using blood essence to nourish the axe fragments at its core.

Sure enough, the giant axe advanced once more.

Qin Ming was horrified, truly feeling that there was a strange consciousness responding to Huang Zhaoting from that metal fragment, stirring up terrifying evil energy, and blood-red divine light soaring into the sky, even tearing this inner landscape apart.

However, Huang Zhaoting showed no intention of opening the inner realm, as if he was deliberately concealing the truth that the broken axe possessed a spirit.

Qin Ming felt this was inappropriate, so he opened the yellow silk umbrella and held it in front of him.

"My Blood Refining Technique is mainly for this strike, to refine the fragments of the Heaven-Opening Axe!" Huang Zhaoting's face was filled with killing intent.

With a loud crash, Qin Ming used his yellow silk umbrella to block the giant axe.

At the same time, he used all sorts of methods to try to break out the metal fragments from the core area of ​​the Heaven-Opening Axe.

Qin Ming stood still, his true form reappearing, trying to hold the giant axe still.

At the same time, layers of black vortexes appeared on his body, combining together like a terrifying black hole, swallowing the sea of ​​blood and the axe light.

Then, countless golden threads intertwined and stretched across the front.

The yellow parasol was also breathing in and out... various kinds of soul light were being stripped away from the other side.

After a brief standoff, the giant axe cracked, and metal fragments from its core were knocked to the outside, carrying an eerie light as they flew towards Qin Ming's brow.

Qin Ming was horrified, with a feeling that if he were to be pierced by that axe blade, it would cause serious problems.

This axe fragment seemed to be imbued with a soul, automatically correcting its trajectory. No matter how Qin Ming dodged, he couldn't escape it; it pierced straight towards his brow.

Huang Zhaoting laughed loudly and said, "Good, senior, quickly kill this fiend!"

Suddenly, his smile froze.

Because, without a sound, the axe fragments vanished into thin air.

Qin Ming used the rag to open its internal space at the crucial moment, without outsiders noticing or being able to detect it. Therefore, he opened it in advance without making a sound and welcomed the axe fragments inside.

This can be considered another effective application of Old Bu's methods.

"Ah..." A miserable scream rang out from inside the tattered space. A blood-red consciousness struggled, but it was horrified to find that it could not break free and that its power was draining away.

"A wisp of remnant soul, not the spirit of the Heaven-Opening Axe, but left behind by a former opponent who was cleaved in two, attached to the axe, waiting for a chance to be resurrected."

Qin Ming observed and discovered the truth.

He stared at Huang Zhaoting and said, "How pathetic!"

The Huang family's unparalleled genius stepped back and asked, "What are you saying?"

Qin Ming revealed the truth, saying, "You thought you had gained the favor of the artifact spirit, but little did you know that it was just a lonely soul, an opponent killed by the Heaven-Opening Axe. Yet you followed its instructions and performed the Blood Refinement Method, you were nurturing it!"

"You're lying to me!" Huang Zhaoting's expression changed drastically.

At this moment, Qin Ming naturally wouldn't release that metal fragment. He needed to wait until the wisp of blood-red consciousness attached to it completely dissipated before he could safely touch it.

Qin Ming didn't need to waste words with him and went straight to the attack.

It must be said that although the previous version of the god had some problems, it was indeed terrifyingly powerful, and it was not killed immediately in this inner realm.

He used every means at his disposal, even resorting to the magic chain, hoping to deliver a fatal blow to his opponent at the crucial moment.

However, this was clearly insufficient to reverse the situation. The yellow umbrella silently endured everything once again, and after only one winter and one spring, a third tattoo appeared.

Huang Zhaoting's face turned pale. He activated his inner realm and decisively used a teleportation talisman to try to escape, because after fighting for a long time, the outcome was already decided, and he was no match for him.

At this point, he no longer cared about his image; all he wanted was to leave alive.

Qin Ming was well-prepared. Having fought him for so long, how could he not have a backup plan? He had already been activating the Five Elements Secret Manual, and the five-colored divine light transformed into a bolt of lightning, locking his opponent's body.

The two teleported simultaneously, making it impossible for Huang Zhaoting to escape alone.

“You…” He was horrified, his escape attempt failed.

Qin Ming naturally didn't want to give him a chance to live, after all, during the bloody battle in the inner realm, the other party had witnessed many of his important techniques.

Despite having the absolute upper hand, Huang Zhaoting still managed to escape a great distance.

Qin Ming couldn't help but be surprised; he truly deserved to be one of the most influential figures of the previous generation.

With a snap, the teleportation talisman was shattered by Qin Ming.

All the spectators were horrified; the outcome was already decided, and Huang Zhaoting was on the run.

"Brother Zhaoting..." There were quite a few cultivators similar to that female grandmaster. They were all completely stunned when they saw this. Their peerless genius had actually been defeated.

Qin Ming unleashed his Inner Realm Heaven-Opening Axe and roared, "Let me show you what true orthodoxy is!"

Huang Zhaoting fled while fighting back, but he was already severely injured and could not withstand the opponent's axe light at all.

A magnificent axe descended from the sky, grand and imposing, illuminating the night as if it were daytime.

puff!
Blood splattered, and the light of righteousness shone on Huang Zhaoting's large buttocks.

"Ah..." he screamed, blood, flesh and bone fragments flying everywhere, and a thigh was severed off.

"kill!"

He knew very well that if he focused solely on escaping, he would surely die. He had to wait for the Grandmaster of the Huang family and others to arrive, and he needed to endure it.

Huang Zhaoting's blood surged, and he dragged his exhausted and broken body into battle once again.

Qin Ming, dressed in flowing robes, stood in the night sky, showing no intention of engaging in close combat. At the tip of his fingertips, he held a flower bud about to bloom.

This is not a physical object, but a trump card—the Heavenly Light Immortal Lotus.

The sunlight became the mud, and flesh and blood became the soil. A seed of pure yang was planted, and through tempering, a lotus of the heart was formed, eventually growing into a celestial lotus.

This is a wonderful method created by Tang Jin's teacher, Li Wuwei.

Now, Qin Ming is advancing on three fronts simultaneously, using a variety of powerful attack methods with ease.

Others have no way of knowing its true nature; it appears to be pure immortal magic.

He flicked his wrist and released the celestial lotus. Instantly, it unfolded its layers of petals in the night sky. The divine flower was in its first bloom, crystal clear and dazzling, surpassing all other flowers, and transformed into a rain of light that rose into the night sky.

With a loud bang, it struck Huang Zhaoting, instantly causing half of his body to explode, his blood and bones shattering into nothingness.

Huang Zhaoting's half-dead body trembled. He was angry, stern, and fearful at the same time. What era did this opponent belong to? Like him, he was definitely not a grandmaster, but he was terrifying to this extent.

Because in this cruel era, if a Grandmaster were to make a move, he would have to protect himself with Primordial Qi and Profound Yellow Qi to prevent any problems from arising.

Huang Zhaoting's pure Yang consciousness materialized, bearing divine wings and soaring through the sky, still attempting to fight and escape simultaneously.

Qin Ming stood high in the sky, pointed his hand, and golden rays of light and the booming of a great bell descended from the sky, enveloping the remains of the Huang family's peerless genius.

"The Soul-Stabilizing Bell!"

Many people exclaimed that they had seen this tactic not long ago.

The waves ripple gently.

Huang Zhaoting screamed in agony, and the moment his pure Yang consciousness was frozen, a large part of it was shattered.

He did his best to break through the bell, but the light of his soul seemed somewhat dim.

Above the night sky, Qin Ming gently brushed his hand across his forehead, where lightning seals intertwined and condensed into a precious mirror, which then shone downwards.

With a bang, most of Huang Zhaoting's body exploded, leaving only a small section above his chest. Moreover, his pure Yang consciousness was severely burned after being illuminated by the treasure mirror formed by the thunder seal, and almost collapsed.

"Ah..." His roar shook the mountains and rivers, making them tremble, giving the impression of being at the end of one's rope.

Everyone was shocked and felt a chill run down their spines. That was Huang Zhaoting, a legendary figure, who was about to meet such a tragic end.

"Brother Zhaoting!" The female grandmaster, riding the wind, couldn't help but step down from the stage.

Qin Ming turned his head, and the treasure mirror formed from the thunder seal between his eyebrows shot out a dazzling beam of light, which shattered the attacking female grandmaster on the spot with a "poof".

Even if its pure Yang energy reappears, it is nothing more than a lonely soul, unable to change the situation here.

Qin Ming commented, "You are indeed loyal and righteous, but since you've entered the fray, you must be prepared to face death."

The female grandmaster's pure Yang consciousness did not respond; she simply continued to attack him once more.

Qin Ming said, "Since that's the case, I'll grant your wish."

His hands reached out, and instantly, a pair of enormous, boundless hands appeared in the night sky, obscuring the heavens, followed by a fusion of black and white light.

Qin Ming's transformed hands resembled a pair of black and white millstones, causing the wind and clouds in the sky to tremble and spin wildly with his movements.

His hands are clasped together in front of his true form.

As night fell, the two enormous, glowing hands closed together, enveloping both the female grandmaster and Huang Zhaoting.

"Why...do you have to do this!" Huang Zhaoting's face showed bitterness, a mixture of pain, regret, and the relief of impending liberation, a complex mix of emotions.

He actively sought to gravitate towards the female master.

The female grandmaster, with only her pure Yang consciousness remaining, quickly flew over, saying nothing, only staring at the figure in front of her.

With a deafening roar, under the cover of night, the two enormous hands came together and crushed the two people. Their pure Yang consciousnesses merged and then extinguished.

(End of this chapter)