Outside Of Time

Chapter 1732  Nineteen Dao Seeds Escort the Goddess

Countless gazes gathered toward the teleportation array.

Everyone was looking toward them while discussing with each other.

Compared to Zhou Zhengliʼs reflections on his efforts to build Xu Qingʼs reputation, the goddess in Xu Qingʼs hand was filled with boundless hatred and fury.

Though She was on the verge of death, no longer possessing Her former divine radiance, Her skin dry and dull, She was not truly unconscious.

This was because Xu Qing didnʼt allow it.

Based on Xu Qingʼs experience with live essence extraction, the more active and fluctuating the soul of the target, the better the quality of the extraction.

Thus, throughout the journey, the Starry Eye Goddess had remained conscious.

She was being extracted alive.

And every time She was about to lose consciousness, She was forcibly awakened.

The cycle repeated…

For Her, the pain of this journey was indescribable.

For a being of such noble bloodline, who had always been revered, this was an unprecedented experience, one that would be etched into Her memory forever.

This was also the source of Her extreme hatred and anger toward Xu Qing.

Even in her weakened state, under the watchful eyes of the crowd, She opened Her divine eyes and glared fiercely at Xu Qing.

But Xu Qing had grown accustomed to such gazes during the journey. His expression remained cold, and the hand gripping the goddessʼ neck tightened once more.

He began extracting again!

Instantly, the goddess trembled violently, as if electric currents were coursing through Her body, penetrating Her soul and creating a sensation as if Her very essence was being ripped away. She grew even weaker.

She wanted to scream, but Her neck was being choked, rendering Her unable to make a sound.

In Her madness, all Her hatred concentrated in Her eyes, forming the most venomous curse in Her heart.

”If I survive this calamity, I will spend the rest of my life ensuring that this man and all his loved ones suffer a fate worse than death!!!ʼ

Xu Qing continued to ignore Her.

For him, the most important things were to quickly improve his cultivation, advance to the Lower Immortal Realm, and return to Wanggu.

”And then thereʼs the reward for capturing the goddess…”

”Also, this goddessʼ physique is quite special… If I can keep Her for a long time, breaking through to the mid-stage Quasi-Immortal Realm will be within reach!”

As Xu Qing held the goddess, escorted by the Nianlin Army, he continued to absorb Her essence instinctively while pondering these thoughts.

He left the teleportation array and walked into the distance, heading toward the giant red star, where the left-wing frontline commander was stationed.

The cultivators who had gathered to watch them gazed at Xu Qingʼs departing figure until it disappeared. Their hearts were filled with mixed emotions, and many sighed inwardly.

”This group was already composed of Dao Seeds, and theyʼve undergone countless trials. Now, with such a great achievement, they are destined to soar to new heights!”

”Especially Xu Qing. It wonʼt be long before his name spreads throughout the entire Fifth Star Ring!”

Amidst the sighs, emotions ranged from envy to jealousy, but Xu Qing, now far away, left all of it behind.

Just like that, time flowed by.

Half a month later, after continuous escort by the Nianlin Army, Xu Qing and his group finally arrived at the frontline headquarters, located at the core of the left wing war zone!

It was a massive, irregularly shaped star!

Like a crimson demon star, it hung in the cosmos.

From a distance, it resembled a single eye formed from the tears of a god, gazing down upon the universe.

Although Xu Qing had been here once before, seeing it again still stirred waves in his heart.

The star was incredibly vast, like a giant burning fireball in the universe, radiating an intensely bright and scorching light.

The light seemed capable of piercing through the endless darkness, making it a highly conspicuous presence in the vast cosmos.

Upon arriving here, the Nianlin Army halted. The leading cultivator bowed solemnly to Xu Qing.

Xu Qing returned the gesture, knowing that their mission was complete. The next step was for him and his team to report their achievements.

He then turned to face the giant red star, and with a flicker of his figure, he brought Star Ring and others to the star.

As they approached, they could see that the surface of the red star was covered in a violently churning ʼsea of fire.ʼ The scorching flames surged and rolled, emitting a crimson mist.

At the same time, a mysterious sensation, which Xu Qing had not been able to perceive before due to his lower cultivation and understanding, now washed over him.

That was the sound of heartbeats at the Ordinance level!

Like the drumbeats of ancient warfare, it echoed amidst the churning sea of fire.

Thump, thump! Thump, thump!

It was as if the star itself was alive!

At any moment, it could erupt with a tidal wave of blood, accompanied by a roar that would sweep across the starfield, reducing everything within to dust.

This sight caused Xu Qing to pause.

The others behind him were also shaken.

Just as they stopped, a voice, carrying the weight of time, echoed from the void.

”Well done…”

Along with the voice, a massive solar flare erupted in front of Xu Qing and his group, casting an intense light that illuminated the surrounding void.

It was like a colossal firework exploding in the cosmos.

Within this sea of light, a hundred thousand silver vertical eyes suddenly appeared, opening simultaneously.

Each pupil reflected scenes of the battles between Xu Qingʼs group and the goddess, as if scrutinizing the entire process.

After a few moments, the battle scenes faded, and the hundred thousand eyes locked onto Xu Qingʼs group.

Their gaze focused particularly on the Starry Eye Goddess in Xu Qingʼs hand.

Then, a powerful force of attraction emerged from nowhere.

Feeling the immense power of this force, Xu Qing had no choice but to release his grip, allowing the force to envelop the goddess and pull Her into the sea of light, where She gradually disappeared.

Watching this, Xu Qing felt a pang of regret.

He hadnʼt absorbed enough.

Although he had appeared to move quickly in this journey back, he had actually tried to delay as much as possible to extract more essence.

The goddessʼ essence was clearly different from that of other gods. While it wasnʼt inexhaustible, just when it seemed to be nearly drained, it would regenerate.

Even though the amount regenerated grew smaller each time, the quality remained exceptionally pure.

”If I could have absorbed a bit longer, my cultivation would surely have broken through.”

Xu Qing sighed inwardly, but he also knew that the Immortal Lord Zhan Lu needed the goddess more than he did, and it was impossible for him to keep Her indefinitely.

Hence, he could only suppress this thought.

Then, thinking of the rewards for capturing the goddess, Xu Qing bowed deeply toward the front.

The others behind him did the same.

After a while, the ancient voice, seemingly carrying the weight of time, echoed once more.

”Those who discovered the goddessʼ whereabouts shall be rewarded with one million military merits and ten units of origin essence. Those who captured Her alive shall be rewarded with ten million military merits and one hundred units of origin essence!”

”You guys found the traces and even captured Her. Youʼve made a great contribution!”

Hearing this, the group was elated.

”Xu Qing!”

Xu Qing stepped forward, his expression solemn.

In the sea of light, the hundred thousand eyes focused on him.

The ancient voice resonated.

”This goddess will be sent to the Immortal Lord Zhan Lu, and I will request for you to be granted the title of True Monarch, as well as… an Immortal Lord Dao Artifact!”

”Do you have any requests regarding this artifact?”

Xu Qingʼs eyes gleamed. After a moment of thought, he clasped his fists and spoke in a low voice.

”I want a Dao Artifact that focuses on slaughter!”

”Very well, I will convey your request.”

”All rewards will be delivered within seven days. You may wait in the star towers here. This star naturally contains origin essence, so make good use of it.”

The voice gradually faded.

The hundred thousand silver eyes slowly closed, and after a few moments, the sea of light also dissipated. However, nineteen towers made of magma rose from the ground amidst the churning earth.

They stood before Xu Qing and his companions.

These nineteen fire towers emitted a dense origin essence. In fact, Xu Qing even felt his Ordinance fluctuating.

Behind him, Star Ring Child, Zhou Zhengli, and the others were all visibly moved.

”I heard some time ago that this red giant star was forged by the Immortal Lord Zhan Lu after slaying several peak True Gods. Their skulls and divine blood were used, along with a giant star, to create this place!”

”He even fused an Ordinance of his early years into it.”

”Thus, even Lower Immortals can benefit greatly from cultivating here. However, this star is unstable, so unless specially permitted, no one is allowed to stay here for long!”

Zhou Zhengli explained in a low voice.

Xu Qing nodded slightly, then turned to look at the others behind him. Their eyes met, and they all saw the hardships they had endured together on this journey.

Then, with a solemn expression, Xu Qing bowed deeply.

”Aside from the title of True Monarch, which cannot be shared, the origin essence and military merits from this reward shall be divided among us all!”

”The Immortal Lord Dao Artifact, though I will wield it, shall also be a shared possession of ours!”

Zhou Zhengli nodded solemnly, Star Ring remained silent, Li Mengtu grinned, Xie Lingzi coughed lightly, and Yuanshan Su lowered her gaze.

The others reacted similarly, each returning the gesture.

They returned the greeting.

Even Qianjun and Piyi, who were among them, seemed particularly excited, as if being acknowledged by Xu Qing was more rewarding than any material prize.

Then, Xu Qing turned and entered the fire tower.

The others also stepped forward, each choosing a tower to begin their cultivation.

Just like that, days passed.

Meanwhile, as the goddess was delivered to the Immortal Lord Zhan Lu, subtle ripples began to spread across the battlefield between the Fourth and Fifth Star Rings.

The white light representing the immortal energy began to surge, pushing back the black anomalous substances representing the anomalous substances.

This shift in momentum immediately affected the entire frontline, making the battles even more intense. The cultivators now held the advantage.

The stalemate between the God Emperor Chiuz and the Immortal Lord Zhan Lu seemed to have been broken.

Faintly, two colossal figures could be seen within the black and white forces, gazing at each other.

Then… a divine thought, imperceptible to those below their level, echoed through the battlefield.

”Zhan Lu, you must know that if the frontline falls and I retreat, this war will escalate to a battle between multiple beings of our level, as well as the Venerable God and Venerable Immortal. Are you… prepared for that?”

…

At the same time, in the Fourth Star Ring, far from the core of the battlefield, where the anomalous substances were extremely dense, an ancient god, as large as a meteor, drifted through the void.

It was on the verge of death, Its consciousness gone, seemingly driven only by instinct…

Its path seemed to follow a predetermined direction, as if guided by some unseen force, heading toward an unknown destination.

Within the body of this ancient god, in the place where Its heart should have been, the flesh was gone. Instead, a man and a woman sat cross-legged in meditation.

After a long while, one of them opened their eyes, sensing the outside world, and spoke softly.

”Husband, weʼre almost there…”

As the words echoed, the other person opened his eyes and nodded slightly.

”The lights of the frontline have indeed drawn almost all the attention, but… we must be even more cautious on the next leg of our journey.”

If Xu Qing had been there, he would have immediately recognized these two.

It was Young Lord Aurora and his Dao companion, Fairy Spirit Phoenix!