Beyond the Timescape

Chapter 1138: Come On In Here!

This immortal palace contained a certain number of worlds, every one of which was independent. How far you could go into any of those worlds, and how many worlds you could pass through, would depend on your own cultivation base, destined opportunities, and good fortune.

Outside of the immortal palace, overlooking the area, were two worlds hidden in the spirit tide. They were covered with ripples, making it impossible to be able to distinguish them clearly. The only thing visible were the colors black and white, blurred as if beneath water.

The main thing visible to the cultivators present was the immortal palace’s third world, which was clearly visible atop the spirit tide. It was a majestic, seemingly endless world, filled with innumerable buildings and structures. Dazzling light shone everywhere.

The buildings were apparently covered in spirit tiles made of immortal jade, which reflected the seven-colored light shining down from above. It was as if gemstones from infinite other worlds had been brought here and used in the construction. Immortal cranes soared in the sky of the third world. They were obviously illusory, but it was still possible to hear their graceful cries.

The rumbling sound of the spirit tide merged into something like a song of nature.

Fantastic plants were everywhere, all of them vying with each other in terms of glamor and beauty. There were also projections of immortals that shimmered out of time itself to come into the view of those looking on. Though they were blurry, as they walked about, the spirit energy stirred around them in the most fantastic way.

Further off in the distance was a majestic figure who seemed to be holding up the entire third world. The figure’s eyes were like furnaces that seemed capable of comprehending everything in existence. Vast numbers of cultivators had gathered in front of the figure, looking very pious, as if they were studying immortal magics and daoist truths.

The entire third world of the immortal palace was full of zither music, the sound of pages being turned as books were read. Everything was incredibly peaceful and harmonious.

Further back in the world was a mountain range that was obviously the border of the third world. Clouds swirled there, within which were visible various pagodas. Apparently, elite experts were hidden in seclusion in those pagodas, seeking to reach higher levels of cultivation.

Time was on the move. Soon the seven-colored light dissipated, and night fell. The stars came out. As a result, the glorious light of the immortal palace mixed with the light of the stars in the sky. It really looked like an immortal paradise in the world of mortals.

***

The crowd outside the immortal palace took in the scene and were shaken to varying degrees. This was the first time any of them had seen an immortal palace like this. That included Xu Qing.

As the spirit tide flowed and the immortal palace appeared, most of the people present began to glow with a starlight that was very similar to the immortal palace.

It came from the secret keys!

Xu Qing’s secret key was the bamboo slip that Yunmen Qianfan had given him, and it was shining brightly. However, his gaze did not linger for long on the immortal palace. Instead, he was looking at the distant horizon. The moment the immortal palace appeared, a host of figures appeared.

Few of them had Immortal Capital permission medallions. After all, the requirement to enter the Aurora Immortal Palace was to have a secret key. It didn’t really have anything to do with the permission medallions. That was why so many Imperial Sovereigns who weren’t participating in the Trial of the Hunt would come here.

Quite a few of the people present were fairly well-known. They were people who had won glory in the past, but weren’t necessarily as well-known as the Shining Stars.

That was especially true… of the Shining Stars from the eastern planetary system! The east was considered the most prominent of the four planetary systems in the Fifth Star Ring.

For one thing, three of the eight Shining Stars came from there. But also, there were more chosen there than any of the other regions. As of now, those three Shining Stars had finally arrived, and their manner of arrival was astonishing to everyone.

First came a killing aura. All cultivators who lacked canon just felt a mysterious uneasiness rising within them. It rose to an extreme level very quickly, affecting the minds and bodies of everyone present. As it spread, the baleful aura within the killing aura was stirred up, causing a black, wooden door to appear.

The ancient door slowly opened, and a young man stepped out of it, clad in black clothing. The moment he appeared, everyone reeled from the killing aura. It was as if this person… was an Imperial Sovereign made of pure killing energy.

He stood there looking at the immortal palace, not saying a word. As he did, the killing energy around him converged into a blade. It was a blade of canon that could be used in battle!

Xu Qing’s eyes narrowed. This matched one of the descriptions from the map, so he didn’t need any information to identify this person.

He was one of the Shining Stars from the east, Sir Vilespirit.

Based on the description from the map, he was a rogue cultivator who rose to prominence by fighting duels to the death. He had a magic of devouring, slaughtered countless opponents, and cultivated a dao of vile devils. Back when he was a mortal, he joined a sect but eventually betrayed it. They chased him for a full sixty-year-cycle without ever catching him. Eventually he disappeared.

Some years later he resurfaced and joined another sect. Yet again, he betrayed them, and yet again, they chased him but never caught him. Over the years, the same thing happened seven times. He joined seven sects. He betrayed seven sects. Despite being constantly on the run, he managed to become an Imperial Sovereign, whereupon he went back and exterminated all of the sects he had betrayed.

He had climbed mountains of corpses and swam through seas of blood, and that was how he achieved his dao of slaughter. Later, he fought one of the other Shining Stars from the east, and they ended up in a draw. That was how he ended up being listed as one of the Shining Stars.

His canon is not from his cultivation. He has a canon treasure!

When Xu Qing looked at Sir Vilespirit, he could clearly see a broken saber inside of him.

“Yuanshan Su’s canon comes from her clan’s patriarch,” Li Mengtu said in a low voice. “Their clan is the number one clan in the south, and they have deep reserve powers. Although their patriarch isn’t a Summer Immortal, only a peak Quasi-Immortal, he still has his own canon. Jiang Fan is like me; he got his canon as a legacy from his Master.

“As for this other guy, I’ve heard of him before. He cultivates a dao of devils that requires him to betray his sect in order to stimulate the precious treasure he has, which contains canon. The heavenly inspector in the east basically looks the other way when it comes to him.”

Xu Qing gave a slight nod, then looked up into the sky.

Ripples flowed out and light expanded. Then a person stepped out of the light. He was cultured and refined, almost like an elegant scholar. A warm and genial aura spread out from him, which allowed the cultivators affected by the killing energy to recover their senses.

He was the third Shining Star from the east… Zhou Zhengli. Hailing from the Zhou Clan in the east, his name matched his reputation. He was chivalrous, kind, charitable, and was respected by countless cultivators in the east. Upon arriving, the first thing he did was glance at Sir Vilespirit. His dao was the polar opposite of Sir Vilespirit’s, and both wanted to put an end to each other.

Sir Vilespirit snorted coldly. Ignoring Zhou Zhengli, he strode directly toward the immortal palace and disappeared inside.

Zhou Zhengli’s expression didn’t change. Looking away, he clasped hands to the crowd, smiled at Jiang Fan and the other Shining Stars, nodded to Li Mengtu, and even glanced at Xu Qing. He nodded, then headed toward the immortal palace. However, before entering, he suddenly stopped in place and clasped hands to the sky.

Xu Qing and the Shining Stars all noticed the same thing, and also looked toward the sky.

All of a sudden, nine new stars had appeared among all the other stars there. The stars swirled around until they made a ring. Shining brightly, they drifted down and formed a person out of nothing. He wore a utilitarian daoist robe, and his hair flowed freely down his back. He was handsome, with cold eyes, and there was something about him that seemed almost emotionless. The moment he appeared, he stepped in the direction of the immortal palace.

He walked right past Zhou Zhengli. Zhou Zhengli kept his head bowed. Only after Sir Star Ring was inside did Zhou Zhengli follow.

The reaction to Sir Star Ring’s arrival surpassed that of any of the others. Jiang Fan and Yuanshan Su, as well as Hordeslayer and Rampart, all had very serious expressions on their faces. They were the next ones to enter the immortal palace.

Only then did everyone else who qualified to enter start making their way forward with determined looks.

Li Mengtu took a deep breath, and his expression was very serious. “Sir Star Ring! He’s the highest ranking of the eight Shining Stars, and is widely recognized… to be the strongest Imperial Sovereign in the Fifth Star Ring!

“He comes from the Star Ring Pagoda in the east, and was bestowed with the name Star Ring, making him this generation’s Sir Star Ring. His cultivation base is actually beyond that of a late Imperial Sovereign. He has nine types of authority, and his true level of strength is unknown because of how rarely he acts in public. In the one public battle he had fought, he had challenged a Quasi-Immortal Grand Emperor. Thanks to that fight, his name is known far and wide. And that was before he got any legacy. Xu Qing… I bet you can see something about him, can’t you?”

“He gained enlightenment of canon before he got his legacy,” Xu Qing said calmly.

Li Mengtu nodded. “He was the first person in our generation who didn’t use his Master’s legacy to gain enlightenment of canon. You, Brother Xu, are the second. Based on what I’ve heard, when his Master offered a legacy, Sir Star Ring refused to take it. He said that he doesn’t like using things that belong to others. His name is a symbol, so he could accept that being given to him. But when it comes to canon… he prefers his own.

“His canon is extremely mysterious. In fact, I don’t even know what it is. But I do know… that he beat a Quasi-Immortal! That shows you how strong it is! After all, there are some Quasi-Immortals who don’t have canon. But… the vast majority will pay any price to at least get a canon treasure. Otherwise, they can hardly qualify to be called Quasi-Immortal here in the Fifth Star Ring.”

Li Mengtu got to his feet and looked at Xu Qing. “Brother Xu, shall we go in? The immortal palace is open now. As for the Quasi-Immortals, they have a different way of entering. They go right into the fourth world. Theoretically speaking, we won’t even be able to see them or interact with them.

“Since we do have canon, we might be able to make it all the way to the fourth world. But by that time, the Quasi-Immortals will surely have gone to higher levels.”

Hearing that, Xu Qing nodded. “Alright.”

Standing, he joined Li Mengtu to head toward the immortal palace. Patriarch Diling followed, and all three entered together. Soon, there wasn’t a single person left outside.

***

Inside the immortal palace, in the second world hidden in the spirit tide, there was a strange place that was pure white. It didn’t feel like space or time existed there. Everything was white.

There was an imp trudging along within that whiteness. The imp had a sword in his hand. Turning around, he put his hand on his hip and proudly said, “If you’ve got what it takes, you monster, then come on in here and kill me!”

There was no response. Looking very pleased, the imp turned to leave. All of a sudden, he turned and looked off into the distance.

“Huh?? My son is coming?”