Night Without End
Chapter 215 - 139: A Generous Gift within the Rules

The Six Imperial Ancestor Court occupies a vast expanse of land, with an Advanced Fire Spring flowing through it, bright and splendid beyond compare, the entire realm brimming with vitality.

A towering edifice, constructed primarily from hard-as-iron Lapis Lazuli, bears the mottled marks of the ages; many renowned and skilled senior cultivators have entered this place in history.

The living room is immensely spacious, an elder with pale gold hair and beard begins to speak, "Cui Changqing, what brings you here?"

The ebony tea table is considerably weighty, its deep color and natural grain resembling the silhouette of mountains and rivers, tendrils of tea fragrance linger, yet the two seated individuals do not reach for their cups.

"It has been many years, and missing an old friend, I came to pay a visit," Cui Changqing smiles, his emerald green hair flowing with the fresh scent of grass and trees.

The elder with golden hair and beard looks at him, his eyes emitting beams of golden light, saying, "In the past, I have made an exception, using my master’s name to allow the children of the Cui Family to study the first volume of the Six Imperial Heart Sutra early—no need to come again without cause!"

His name is Zhou Shize, the pale gold of his hair and beard is due to practicing the Six Imperial Forces to a certain stage, even his pupils are similar, as if cast from gold, his Daoist practices are extremely profound.

Cui Changqing has skin like snow, youthful in appearance, seemingly no more than in his thirties; he bows with hands clasped and says, "In the past, I came with that child’s father to request the True Scripture, I must thank Brother Zhou once more."

Following this, he adds, "That child has not disappointed, at merely fifteen years of age, he is already a mutant. His nine rebirths are already perfected, only waiting to fathom the true depths of the Six Imperial Forces, to transform and ascend, not relying on Big Medicine, stepping into the Outer Saint Domain naturally."

"That’s not a disgrace to the Six Imperial Heart Sutra," Zhou Shize nods, his face looking a shade more pleased, his eyes flowing with Golden Light, asking, "Then what is your purpose in coming?"

Cui Changqing sips lightly from his tea, saying, "Chongxuan is naive, although he is a mutant, I fear he may be harmed by outsiders; my visit today is a special request for an old friend to take care of him a little."

Zhou Shize speaks dispassionately, "There’s more to your words. If he is a mutant, passing the Core Disciples assessment, who could harm him in the Six Imperial Ancestor Court?"

Cui Changqing replies, "An ill-tempered monkey, raised in my household, has been particularly unruly lately, and has come to the Six Imperial Ancestor Court; I fear the monkey may turn violent."

"If your family’s child, as a mutant, is strong enough, why fear a monkey? And if that monkey has been taken into my sect, he is already one of the Six Imperial Disciples," Zhou Shize says calmly, sitting behind the ebony tea table.

"That monkey is clumsy and fierce; my family’s Chongxuan is pure-hearted, and I worry he might meet with misfortune." Cui Changqing says this while his right hand draws lightly in the Void, a streak of light transforms into a blade, then quickly dissipates.

Zhou Shize’s expression turns icy, his pale gold hair fluttering, like an angry lion, he says, "What are you implying, dare you run wild in the Six Imperial?!?"

Cui Changqing chuckles, "Brother Zhou, please don’t misunderstand, I have no other intentions. I am simply worried about Chongxuan, in the past you bestowed upon him the True Scripture, he can be considered half your Disciple, I cannot stand by and let him come to harm."

Zhou Shize says, "He is within the Six Imperial Ancestor Court, everything will proceed by the rules, there will not be a problem."

He then warns, "I would advise you not to make trouble; the Six Imperial Ancestor Court does not tolerate interference from outsiders, those who dare touch the inverse scales shall be decapitated!"

"I understand naturally; everything has its rules," Cui Changqing chuckles, though over a century old, his body is full of the fresh scent of grass and trees, appearing even more vigorous than many younger men.

This is the marvel of the Zhu Shi Scripture; it can extend life and allow one to remain at their peak for a great length of time.

He takes out a brocade box and places it on the ebony tea table, pushing it forward.

"What do you mean by this?" Zhou Shize doesn’t move, his gaze slightly fierce.

Cui Changqing smiles and says, "I can’t visit an old friend empty-handed, can I? I know you like sword artifacts, this Short Sword comes from the depths of the Yewu World, a millennium has passed, and time has hardly dimmed its splendor."

He opens the brocade box, revealing a Short Sword about a foot long, emitting Five Colored Radiance.

Then, Cui Changqing takes out a booklet and pushes it forward, saying, "The Ancestor Masters of various sects should all have a copy of the Zhu Shi Scripture, but with time, each sect’s understanding has become somewhat different. This is my Cui Family ancestor’s insight on the life-extending part of the Zhu Shi Scripture; please evaluate it, Brother Zhou."

Zhou Shize’s expression is solemn; now, everyone knows that the Cui Family ancestor has unique insights on the Zhu Shi Scripture.

Two hundred years ago, the Cui Family ancestor was already very old, everyone said he was nearly at his end, yet two years ago when a formidable figure from the Li Family came with force, the Cui Family ancestor, who had been in seclusion for two hundred years, emerged once again!

This booklet intrigues Zhou Shize; he looks to be in his prime with golden hair and beard, but has actually lived beyond a century, it’s just that having cultivated the Six Imperial Forces, his practices are profound and his vitality robust, not showing signs of aging.

"Old friend, please accept, it won’t put you in a difficult position; everything will be done according to the rules," Cui Changqing smiles, his body emanating a green glow, showcasing his still flourishing vitality.

...

In the Six Imperial Ancestor Court, the Fire Spring shines brightly, white fog twirls, the scenery is exceptionally beautiful.

Qin Ming has been here for two days, calmly awaiting the time for his initial assessment.

He has been arranged to stay in the Golden Forest, in fact, many top geniuses from all over reside here temporarily.

In this vast forest land, all trees have leaves that are the color of gold, no one knows how the Six Imperial Ancestor Court managed to cultivate them.

Take that millennial ancient pine, for instance, it should be evergreen and lush, but instead, the whole tree sparkles, with all pine needles flowing with Golden Light, and the scent of pine is even richer.

Even the lotuses in the lake are blooming golden flowers, their leaves a golden color, truly unique.