Outside Of Time

Chapter 1773  Qing and Niu Reunites

Fate worked in mysterious ways.

That familiar figure, the disheveled appearance, and the madness in his expression—

Most importantly, even though he was reduced to just a head, he was still frantically swallowing the spilled Heavenʼs Law dust, as if forming some special self-contained cycle…

These scenes sent violent ripples through Xu Qingʼs heart.

He never could have imagined that he would encounter his Eldest Senior Brother here…

The moment he saw Erniu, Xu Qing suddenly understood the causality at play.

He thought of the teleportation array that had appeared in the secret realm of heaven and earth.

”To use that array, two specific conditions were required: possessing Star Ring Grass and having the Golden Rat. Apart from me, the only other person who could meet both conditions was Eldest Senior Brother.”

Similarly, Xu Qing also recalled how the Venerable Immortalʼs scheme had used the causality of Desolate to obscure the omniscience of the Venerable God of the Fourth Star Ring. Looking back now… apart from himself, Eldest Senior Brother must have also played a role in that obscuration.

At the same time, Xu Qing remembered what Young Master Aurora had said when giving him Desolateʼs fate divine aspect.

He had mentioned that someone else was supposed to appear to receive the divine aspect, but for some reason, that person never came.

”Was the one who didnʼt come… Eldest Senior Brother?”

As these scenes flashed through Xu Qingʼs mind, the members of the Funeral Squad all turned their gazes toward him.

Among them, Li Mengtu was the most familiar with Xu Qing. The identity of being the personal attendant in the Aurora Immortal Palaceʼs mirror image was like a brand shining in his heart. He stepped forward excitedly, bowed, and explained why they had come.

”Young Master, we received Star Ringʼs request for help. The Heavenʼs Law dust he had painstakingly refined was stolen by a mysterious little thief.”

”That thief is cunning, skilled in concealment, and possesses many bizarre methods. Zhou Zhengli even suspects that the thief might have accomplices!”

”Right now, the thief is trapped in the universe ahead. We were planning to refine that universe to leave him with no escape route while also observing whether his possible accomplices would come to his aid!”

As Li Mengtu spoke, Xu Qingʼs expression grew even more peculiar.

If they were talking about accomplices… Xu Qing felt that it should probably be himself.

He glanced at Zhou Zhengli.

Zhou Zhengliʼs expression shifted subtly.

Meanwhile, the others also stepped forward to greet Xu Qing after his arrival.

Among them, Xie Lingzi was extremely respectful, not daring to show the slightest negligence. At the same time, he pondered in his heart:

ʼWhy does the Young Master have such an expression when looking at that universe?ʼ

Qianjun and Piyi trembled. The focus of their thoughts wasnʼt on Xu Qingʼs current expression but on themselves.

Their hearts were filled with anxiety as they desperately tried to dim their own radiance, afraid that Xu Qing would summon them with a wave of his hand, transforming them into immortal swords.

Yet no matter how hard they tried to conceal it, the instinctive joy of their sword souls upon encountering their master was beyond their control.

This only deepened their unease.

As for Yuanshan Su, she remained as calm as ever, silently bowing.

Star Ring, after paying his respects to Xu Qing, noticed the oddity in his expression. However, having spent this time chasing the thief, his mind was entirely focused on that little bandit.

Thus, his gaze soon returned to the sealed universe, his killing intent toward the thief who had stolen his Heavenʼs Law dust growing even stronger.

Zhou Zhengli, however, suddenly adopted a solemn expression and spoke in a low voice:

”Young Master, I believe that fellow Daoist may not have stolen intentionally. There may be some misunderstanding—perhaps the Heavenʼs Law dust was drawn to him due to his cultivation being related to Order.”

These words made the others thoughtful, while Star Ringʼs eyes flashed with cold light. He sharply turned his gaze to Zhou Zhengli, then to Xu Qing. A bitter realization dawned in his heart.

Zhou Zhengli ignored Star Ringʼs gaze. His eyes were fixed solely on Xu Qing as he continued:

”As for his accomplice…”

Xu Qing coughed lightly and raised his right hand, pointing toward the universe ahead.

With this motion, a storm seemed to erupt within that universe, sweeping in all directions. The universe rippled as countless stars shone with dazzling light, converging into a force of opening and closing.

In the next instant, the starry sky trembled, and the seals dissipated.

Faintly, deep within the universe, a meteorite was revealed—and on it stood Erniu, his face frozen in shock and disbelief.

However, due to the difference in cultivation, while Xu Qing and the others could clearly see Erniu, from Erniuʼs perspective, everything outside was a blur.

The moment Star Ring saw Erniu, the killing intent in his eyes surged violently.

Xu Qing sighed inwardly and spoke softly:

”Thatʼs my Eldest Senior Brother…”

As these words fell, Li Mengtuʼs eyes widened, Zhou Zhengliʼs mind shook, and Xie Lingzi gasped sharply.

Qianjun and Piyi were stunned, while Yuanshan Suʼs eyes gleamed with curiosity.

As for Star Ring, he fell silent. His gaze shifted from Erniu back to Xu Qing, waiting for his decision.

The sense of helplessness in Xu Qingʼs heart grew stronger. If Star Ring were still the same as before, Xu Qing wouldnʼt have cared.

But after everything they had been through together, their relationship had changed—they were now comrades-in-arms.

Moreover, to Star Ring, that Heavenʼs Law dust was crucial to his path to becoming a Summer Immortal.

However, Xu Qing knew his Eldest Senior Brotherʼs personality all too well. To him, not picking up something he came across was equivalent to losing it…

Once something entered his stomach, getting it back would be nearly impossible.

After a moment of contemplation, Xu Qing waved his hand. His Ordinance erupted, layer upon layer of overlapping universes manifesting, from which large amounts of Heavenʼs Law dust emerged.

Given Xu Qingʼs current cultivation and comprehension, combined with his previous research on Heavenʼs Law dust, achieving this was no difficult task.

Thus, in the blink of an eye, clusters of Heavenʼs Law dust materialized from illusion into reality, floating before Star Ring.

At the same time, Xu Qing also took out the Heavenʼs Law dust he had kept from before and gave it all to Star Ring.

”A misunderstanding,”

Xu Qing said gently.

Star Ring stared at the recovered—and now even more abundant—Heavenʼs Law dust before him, countless thoughts swirling in his heart. Finally, he bowed deeply to Xu Qing.

”Thank you!”

With that, he turned and left. However, just as his figure was about to vanish into the distant starry sky, his voice echoed back:

”The kindness of the Dao and the bond of comradeship along this journey—I will not forget.

”I know you are not from the Fifth Star Ring… When you return to your homeland, I will go with you.”

Xu Qing nodded. After Star Ringʼs figure disappeared, he turned to Zhou Zhengli and the others.

”I will indeed be leaving soon. I came here to see all of you one last time,”

Xu Qing said calmly.

A strange light flickered in Li Mengtuʼs eyes, filled with anticipation. Meeting Xu Qingʼs gaze, he immediately spoke:

”I will also go with you!”

Zhou Zhengli smiled. What Star Ring had discerned, he had naturally noticed long ago.

”Wherever the Young Master goes, I will follow.”

”As for now, we wonʼt disturb the reunion between the Young Master and his Eldest Senior Brother.”

With that, Zhou Zhengli clasped his hands and left with Li Mengtu.

Yuanshan Su remained silent, while Xie Lingzi hesitated inwardly. Qianjun and Piyi, however, were overjoyed. Thus, with their respective thoughts, they all departed.

Watching their retreating figures until they had all dispersed, Xu Qing turned his gaze back to that universe, to the excitedly bouncing Erniu. A smile—rarely seen on him—appeared on his face.

That was his Eldest Senior Brother, one of the few people he cared about most in his heart.

And so, he took a step forward.

Crossing the starry sky, traversing the void, he arrived before Erniu in an instant.

”Little Qing…”

Erniu was exhilarated, feeling an intense sense of surrealism.

”Eldest Senior Brother…”

Xu Qing coughed lightly, already imagining the endless sourness his Eldest Senior Brother would display once he regained his senses—along with his stubborn refusal to admit it.

”How nostalgic.”

Xu Qing smiled.