Outside Of Time

Chapter 1807: Clean Wanggu

Editor: Atlas Studios

Amid the fervor of the human cultivators and the exhilaration of all races across Wanggu, Xu Qing stood high above the human imperial capital, gazing toward the Sky Devouring Region.

He lifted his right foot slightly—but did not step forward.

Earlier, the brief moment his divine sense had touched the Crown Prince Purple Green within the Sky Devouring Region had stirred an intense impulse within him.

To step into the Sky Devouring, into the Purple Green Kingdom, and settle all karma with the brother from his memories—the Crown Prince Purple Green.

Yet, in the end, Xu Qing withdrew his foot.

”Not yet...”

His eyes lowered. He knew his current state could not last.

The fusion of immortal and divine had only temporarily elevated him to this terrifying level of power.

Before long, his divine form and immortal soul would reach a point of irreconcilable conflict.

At that time, separation would be inevitable—or his soul would risk being assimilated.

Xu Qing understood this was because his fusion lacked certain essential, supreme rituals, making it imperfect.

Most critically... Desolate still existed.

His divine form was forged from its flesh, and the origin of his divine aspect was also tied to it.

Thus, while short-term fusion with his immortal soul was manageable, prolonged union would inevitably lead to assimilation—a consequence of his karmic bond with Desolate.

”Once assimilation begins, it cannot be reversed.”

”So... while this fused state enhances my realm and combat power, it cannot be used indefinitely.”

”Until this problem is resolved, it is unwise to face the Crown Prince Purple Green.”

Xu Qing withdrew his gaze. Even at his current level of cultivation, he harbored not the slightest underestimation of the Crown Prince Purple Green.

Instead, as his power and experience grew, his understanding had only deepened.

”The Crown Prince Purple Green is Desolate’s chosen, its emissary in Wanggu.”

”But what exactly is the connection between him and me? And why has he waited for me to grow...?”

Looking back now, Xu Qing could discern many clues.

Why had the Crown Prince Purple Green repeatedly provoked him?

Why, when the Empress ascended to godhood, had he been able to claim the returning fortune of the Purple Green Kingdom—something that should have been impossible without a foundational link?

Why was his compatibility with Desolate’s flesh and karma so unnaturally high?

The more Xu Qing grew, the more questions piled up in his heart.

Especially... a suspicion he dared not dwell on.

”What is the true relationship between Desolate, the Crown Prince Purple Green, and me?”

Xu Qing thought of the corridor within his soul and the mysterious throne at its end.

He also recalled the Crown Prince Purple Green’s peculiar reaction upon sensing it.

”Soon... when I step into the Sky Devouring, all will be revealed.”

Taking a deep breath, Xu Qing steeled his resolve.

Setting aside thoughts of the Crown Prince Purple Green, he turned his attention back to Wanggu. There were matters to settle before their final confrontation.

”Wanggu have just endured a great tribulation and need stability.”

”Yet too many external forces remain entrenched here...”

”Then, while this fused state still lasts a few more hours, I will uproot them all—severing their long-standing schemes in Wanggu.”

”Clean Wanggu...”

A cold glint flashed in Xu Qing’s eyes as he looked toward Fenghai County—toward the Wood Spirit Race!

His first target: the Ancient Spirit Emperor!

As the ruler of the Ancient Spirit Race, which had once unified Wanggu in an era even older than the Ancient Sovereign Mystic Nether’s reign, this entity had clung to existence through the ages.

Xu Qing did not believe It could have survived this long without external support.

”If It has ties, I will sever them.”

”If not... the Ancient Spirit Emperor’s existence is still a destabilizing factor.”

With this thought, Xu Qing bowed toward Old Master Seventh in the sky, his gaze sweeping over the Empress, Erniu, and the others.

”Wait for me. There are matters I must attend to first.”

Then, his expression turning icy, he spoke calmly.

”Zhou Zhengli!”

Nearby, Zhou Zhengli—who had been closely monitoring Xu Qing’s every move—immediately stepped forward and bowed.

”My lord!”

”You guys will accompany me.”

With those words, Xu Qing took a step forward, vanishing into ripples in the sky.

Zhou Zhengli, Star Ring, Xie Lingzi, Li Mengtu, and Yuanshan Su quickly followed, teleporting in his wake.

To cultivators of their level, Wanggu—which seemed boundless to low-level cultivators—was merely a slightly larger celestial body.

Thus, in an instant, thunder rumbled above the Wood Spirit Race’s territory outside Fenghai County.

As deafening booms shook the surroundings, the sky split open.

The Wood Spirit Race trembled. Every tree opened its eyes, transforming into humanoid forms as their patriarch knelt in terror.

From the rift in the heavens, Xu Qing emerged.

Behind him stood Zhou Zhengli and the others.

Without pause, Xu Qing took another step—

And appeared directly above the Wood Spirit Race’s forbidden underground sanctuary: the entrance to the Spirit Abyss!

The Spirit Abyss’s entrance was a massive pit, like a sinkhole into endless darkness. A chilling aura emanated from within, as if capable of freezing all existence.

This was not Xu Qing’s first visit. Now, standing at the edge, he gazed downward.

Zhou Zhengli and the others approached, their expressions solemn. Zhou Zhengli’s third eye suddenly snapped open as he scrutinized the abyss, then spoke abruptly.

”My lord, below... there is a decaying giant serpent struggling in agony!”

Star Ring’s eyes also swept across the abyss as he remarked coolly,

”The power of order within has completely collapsed.”

”And it’s laced with poison...” Li Mengtu chuckled.

”There’s more. My sword senses a sinister presence below,” Xie Lingzi licked his lips.

”My lord, where does this place lead?” Zhou Zhengli looked to Xu Qing.

”Before Desolate descended upon Wanggu, one race unified this world—the Ancient Spirit Race,” Xu Qing explained calmly.

”Their emperor, a cultivator who reached the Immortal Realm, attempted something related to the Heavenly Dao in the dynasty’s final years.”

”Gathering his race’s fortune, he sought to possess the Heavenly Dao itself—to become the sole Heavenly Dao of Wanggu.”

”Now, it’s clear he aimed to merge Wanggu’ rules to ascend as an Immortal Lord!”

As he spoke, Xu Qing stepped into the abyss.

Zhou Zhengli and the others followed closely, Xu Qing’s voice echoing in their ears amid the churning darkness.

”In the end, he failed. The backlash from all Heavenly Daos of Wanggu struck him—but he chose to share this punishment with his people.”

”Overnight, the Ancient Spirit Race withered. Their kingdom became a land of death, and most of their people turned into wailing, tormented souls.”

”Condemned to eternally bear the agony of the Ancient Spirit Emperor’s failed ambition.”

”This Spirit Abyss of the Wood Spirit Race is one of the entrances to the Spirit Emperor’s great world.”

Zhou Zhengli and the others felt their minds stir.

Their cultivation was only at the Quasi Immortal realm, and from Xu Qing’s words, it was clear this Ancient Spirit Emperor had once been an Immortal. Moreover, this method of seizing the Heavenly Dao to steal its rules for advancement was known even in the Fifth Star Ring.

However, this was merely one path to immortality, and compared to comprehending the Ordinance Law, it was niche—riddled with too many flaws.

But to attempt ascending to Immortal Lord this way? That was unimaginable.

”This Spirit Emperor...”

Star Ring seemed about to comment but ultimately shook his head. Regardless of the method, one who had reached the Immortal Realm deserved respect.

Xu Qing offered no further explanation. Moving through the abyss, he ignored the intense repulsion radiating from its depths—a force that, to him, was weaker than a breeze.

In an instant, he reached the abyss’s heart.

There, in the darkness, loomed a colossal figure—

A rotting giant serpent, wreathed in thick death energy, carrying an entire world upon its head.

This great world was a blur and waves of wails spread out. They were heart-wrenching and fell into Xu Qing’s divine consciousness in the void and fog.

Once, this serpent had seemed immeasurably vast to Xu Qing, its mere aura enough to make his body and soul tremble.

Now, the tables had turned.

Standing in the void, Xu Qing’s gaze swept over it.

Under that glance, the decaying serpent shuddered violently, its massive body quaking as it instinctively tried to retreat.

But Star Ring’s eyes flashed coldly. In a blur, he shot toward the serpent.

Zhou Zhengli and the others also advanced. In the blink of an eye, all except Xu Qing had surged into the world atop the serpent’s head—

Like meteors, they crashed onto the decayed earth!

The impact sent shockwaves through the dead kingdom, annihilating countless wailing souls in an instant.

Even the mist-shrouded sky—devoid of sun or moon, illuminated only by ghastly will-o’-wisps—was torn asunder.

In the next moment, under the pale, hazy starlight that replaced the torn mist, the figures of Star Ring and the others flickered into view, their auras erupting as they spread across the world like celestial generals.

Where they passed, underworld rivers reversed course, mountains of flesh crumbled, and the entire realm quaked.

Then—

Countless eyes of the Ancient Spirit Emperor snapped open.

Disturbed from Its slumber, a furious roar began to echo—

”You dare...”

The roar cut off abruptly after two words.

All those opened eyes constricted violently.

They had sensed the presence outside the void—the long-haired figure floating in the darkness.

Unprecedented terror and disbelief surged through the Ancient Spirit Emperor’s consciousness, manifesting vividly in every eye.

”You... you are...”

Outside the serpent’s world, Xu Qing stood calmly. Instead of immediately addressing the awakened eyes, he first looked toward the depths of the dark mist in the distance.

His gaze grew colder as he observed something there.

Then, finally, he turned his attention to the decaying world atop the serpent’s head and spoke softly.

”Long time no see... Ancient Spirit Emperor.”