Beyond the Timescape - 2025.11.28
Chapter 1307: Leaving the Star Ring, Returning to Revered Ancient
Xu Qing strolled along with Grandmaster Bai through the starry sky and within time itself. Ordinary cultivators could not see or sense them. Only a Summer Immortal would be able to catch a blurry glimpse.
As they walked, they chatted more. They talked about old stories, about current events, and about future possibilities. Eventually, when they reached the border of the Fourth Star Ring, it was time for Grandmaster Bai to leave.
Before they parted, Xu Qing’s teacher gave him two things. The first was a seed.
“Xu Qing, after you get back to Revered Ancient, see if Chen Feiyuan and Tingyu are still around. If so, I’d like you to ask them on my behalf if they’d be willing to join me here. If they do, then I’d like to ask a favor. Please plant this seed. On the day it blooms, they can use the fragrance of the flower as a guide to come to me.”[1]
“What if they’ve already passed?” Xu Qing asked quietly.
“Then please plant the flower at their graves,” Grandmaster Bai replied, his voice hoarse.
Then he gave Xu Qing the second item, which was a lamp. Its frame was made from a special type of clay covered with strange patterns. It almost looked like it had been grown, and the patterns seemed like ancient magical symbols that pulsed with a mysterious power. The material seemed very similar to Grandmaster Bai’s medicinal decocting pot.
The lampshade was weaved from spirit threads that gave it a faint, seven-colored glow. The light flickered and flowed like dreams or illusions, making it seem like the lamp contained the glory of the many heavens and the myriad worlds.
The exquisite weaving of the spirit threads created an amazing and mysterious image. Sometimes that image was of an immortal mountain surrounded by swirling clouds, and other times it was a starry river filled with dazzling heavenly bodies. It was almost as if the lampshade contained numerous miniature universes, all of which hid endless mysteries.
But most fantastic of all was the wick inside the lamp! Astonishingly, it was an eye! It had been refined many, many times, but it still contained some of its godly grace. Its majesty and mystery was so great that no person would seek to look at it. And within the veins of blood on the eye was a terrifying will. It was as if one glance from this eye would cause all things in the world to tremble.
Grandmaster Bai explained that the eye came from the God Paragon of the Fifth Star Ring! Grandmaster Bai had created this lamp using very special methods relating to plants and vegetation, which allowed it to contain some of the God Paragon’s godly authority.
“The God Paragon of the Fifth Star Ring had the godly authority of entropy! Entropy is the process all things go through, a transformation from order into chaos. Back in hīs prime… hē could increase or decrease it to change the structure of anything.
“I created the lamp using one of the principal truths of the dao of plants and vegetation. You are my apprentice, and thus… I’m imparting this technique to you. I hope that you can study it and eventually reproduce it.”
***
Grandmaster Bai left. He had waited for Xu Qing for seven years outside of that rift, and during that time, had made up his mind about what to do next.
As Xu Qing hovered on the edge of the Fourth Star Ring, he bowed deeply to Grandmaster Bai as he disappeared into the distance. Sometime later, he looked at the lamp.
The lamp swayed as it hovered in the starry sky, as if some invisible wind were touching it. An ethereal immortal sound drifted with that wind. Any who heard it would feel intoxicated, but if they listened long enough, they would realize that the immortal sound actually contained the chanting of gods.
Xu Qing listened to the chanting for a short time before putting the lamp away. He turned to gaze at the Fourth Star Ring. A faint smile appeared on his face.
The moment that smile appeared, a carefree laughter echoed in the Fourth Star Ring. It came out of nowhere, along with an arcing light that turned into an illusory mirror. Inside the mirror was Immortal Lord Mi Ming and his daoist partner Immortal Fairy Spirit Phoenix.
“I know you’re on your way home, lil’ bro. Unfortunately, I don’t dare go to that Ninth Star Ring of yours. Other than Ninth Star Ring natives, no God Lord or God Paragon would ever think of going there. That’s especially true considering that Eminent Desolation just woke up recently…. And that means I won’t be able to help you out on your return journey.”
Xu Qing nodded. He had realized years ago that this would be the case, and after becoming a Summer Immortal, he had come to understand that point even more deeply. Even the Immortal Paragon had not dared to go further than the outer sea using the power of a golden rat, and had stayed inside the belly of a fish. And even then, he had only stayed for a short time before leaving.
“That said, though I can’t go there with you, I did prepare a gift for you!”
Smiling, Mi Ming waved his hand, which caused the mirror to shrink down into a shard that floated toward Xu Qing.
“This is my canon and statute! Years ago, you took my identity and played my role. Though my canon was sealed back then, you were at least able to sense the true canon of the mirror. Given that, you shouldn’t have any trouble using it. What’s more, I’m not comfortable with the idea of you going back alone, so I’m going to send your subordinates with you.”
Mi Ming waved his hand again.
The starry sky rippled as… Sir Star Ring, Zhou Zhengli, Sir Vilespirit, Li Mengtu, Yuanshan Su and all the others appeared. Hordeslayer and Rampart were among them, and they were both scowling on the verge of tears. In total, there were eleven!
When they were all present, Mi Ming spoke, his words like an imperial decree that echoed within them.
“I hereby order all of you to accompany True Monarch Green Aurora for 3,000 years. Protect him with your life! When those 3,000 years are over, come back here and be ranked as an immortal!”
Among the group, Zhou Zhengli and Sir Star Ring actually weren’t very concerned about reaching immortal ascension. As far as they were concerned, simply being able to accompany Xu Qing would be enough, as the benefits would be astounding. Besides, both were confident in being able to become immortals on their own.
But all of the others were visibly moved. When the Immortal Lord talked about being ‘ranked as an immortal,’ it meant that he would give them destined opportunities that could lead to becoming a Summer Immortal! That was obviously an immense good fortune for them. After all, few people were like Xu Qing, and could step into the Summer Immortal level on their own. Every one of them bowed deeply at the waist.
“The Immortal Lord’s orders are understood and will be followed!”
Xu Qing’s subordinates all looked at him instinctively. They could sense from his astounding aura that he… was now a Summer Immortal! What was more, he was different from other Summer Immortals they had encountered.
Xu Qing… is as mighty as an Immortal Lord!
Sir Star Ring was shaken to the core.
Mi Ming was also looking at Xu Qing with a smile on his face. He spoke no further.
Xu Qing looked at the mirror shard with warmth in his heart. Thinking back to everything that had happened, he finally gave a deep bow to Mi Ming.
Mi Ming’s smile grew fonder.
Then Immortal Fairy Spirit Phoenix softly said, “Stay safe, Xu Qing. Always.”
And with that blessing, the two of them began fading away. Just before they disappeared, Mi Ming flicked his sleeve and sent a stream of light toward Xu Qing.
“By the way,” he said in a joking tone, “I did promise you three goddesses. Here you go.”
In the stream of light was a pearl, and inside the pearl were three sleeping goddesses. A strange look appeared on Xu Qing’s face as he caught the pearl and put it away.
Sir Star Ring and all the others watched this play out and took it in stride.
But Zhou Zhengli looked thoughtful. I had no idea the Young Lord was into that kind of thing.
Before Zhou Zhengli could put much more thought into it, Xu Qing lifted his hand and pointed in the direction of the Fifth Star Ring. An instant later, fluctuations of canon and statute caused the starry sky to ripple. A bronze pagoda flew toward him at top speed. It was the very same Sageheaven Pagoda that he had originally used to traverse the Primeval Sea. The sageheaven god vine was wrapped around it. The vine had long since woken up, and now it sent genial fluctuations out to Xu Qing.
“Time to go home….” Xu Qing was just about to enter the pagoda… but instead, he stopped in place. A huge bubble had suddenly appeared out of nowhere, covering the entire surrounding universe and cutting it off from everything else. Sir Star Ring and the others didn’t detect what was happening.
Off in the distance, an old man appeared clad in hemp sandals. His clothing was equally utilitarian, being made from hemp. Perched on his shoulder was a golden rat.
“Well met, Immortal Paragon,” Xu Qing said calmly.
He strode up to Xu Qing, looked him up and down, and then cleared his throat. “Long time no see, ya little punk.”
Xu Qing said nothing. He had been used as a pawn over and over again, and though it had benefited him in the end, there was no denying it was all just like a business transaction. There was nothing the two of them could simply chat about.
The Immortal Paragon was fully aware of that. Smiling, he took out a small bronze cauldron. “This contains a single attack backed by my power. Take it to keep yourself safe. And also… there’s something I want to tell you before you leave. Because Eminent Desolation woke up seven years ago in the Ninth Star Ring, the trajectory of Revered Ancient’s fate has shifted…. I think you should get back as quickly as you can.”
Xu Qing’s gaze hardened. Without any hesitation, he flew into the Sageheaven Pagoda, flicking his sleeve to bring Sir Star Ring and the others with him.
The bronze pagoda vibrated. The void beneath it rippled as a huge vortex appeared, out of which poured the aura of the Primeval Sea.
All star rings had the Primeval Sea, as that sea was what linked all of the thirty-six higher star rings together…. When the Primeval Sea appeared, the Sageheaven Pagoda surged with a heaven-shaking, earth-shattering force. It was the power of Xu Qing’s canon and statute.
Tapping into ontology, he sent the pagoda down. It entered the Primeval Sea and disappeared into the waves. And then… the Primeval Sea disappeared. Everything went back to normal. It was as if the sea had never been there to begin with. The only thing left behind was a bit of its aura, which then dissipated into the starry sky.
The Immortal Paragon watched that happen, then looked in the direction of the Ninth Star Ring.
I still don’t get it. Why does Eminent Desolation stay in the Ninth Star Ring, above that little continent called Revered Ancient, which was once called Brilliant Heaven…? What is hē looking for, or waiting for? Is hē striding toward death, or… waiting for a new life?
Shaking his head, he turned and left. But his thoughts were still abuzz.
Does the Living God Umbilical Cord really transcend all other paths? From ancient times until now, has there ever been a god who actually succeeded with the Living God Umbilical Cord? The Beyond…. What really is waiting for us?
1. Chen Feiyuan and Tingyu last appeared in chapter 546.1 ☜
