Beyond the Timescape

Chapter 1287: Meeting Again After 1,200 Chapters

Xu Qing had not forgotten about the situation with Poison Monarch, no matter what events had played out recently. That was just Xu Qing’s personality. Originally, he had planned to gain enlightenment of the tenth extreme, and thoroughly step into the Summer Immortal level. And then, before he left the Fifth Star Ring… he had planned to kill Poison Monarch!

Although it was true that Poison Monarch had failed to take Xu Qing’s dao, the fact remained that karma had been sown. But then the man had sent a clone to him, and had offered him the bronze doll…. Xu Qing looked at the doll in his palm.

Before picking it up, he had inspected it thoroughly. Now, he used destiny aura to seal it before putting it away.

Right now, the most important thing is my reunion with Grandmaster Bai….

Putting aside the issue of Poison Monarch, Xu Qing looked up into the starry sky above. Just barely… he could sense something stirring in his mind.

He’s coming….

Xu Qing stood and walked out of the stargazing tower. The starry sky above seemed to spin as a ray of light descended from beyond heaven. It was like a starry river pouring down, sending ripples through the surrounding nebulae. The light eventually reached the surface of the planet, becoming like a waterfall. It looked almost like an ink painting came to life.

The faint aroma of plants and vegetation spread out, filled with canon and magical laws. Along with it came a sound like an ethereal zither, playing an ancient melody that resembled the rustle of young plants growing. It was profound and extraordinary to the extreme. Then a figure appeared within the ink painting.

He stepped out. He was an old man. He wore a robe as white as the moon, embroidered with decorations that resembled plants and vegetation. Tied to his waist was a medicinal decocting pot. He had chiseled features, but at the same time, the way his eyebrows framed his eyes made him seem very compassionate.

His eyes were as profound as deep pools of water, and his pupils were like vortexes made of stellar nebulae. Occasionally, they would flicker with starlight, as though a river of stars existed deep inside. He was surrounded by lingering violet energy that seemed like the materialization of a spirit meridian that had existed since the beginning of heaven and earth.

He was smiling as he looked down at Xu Qing.

“You’ve grown up.” His voice was as clear as spring waters flowing over jade.

The voice caused endless memories to stir within Xu Qing. Images of the past flitted through his mind. Xu Qing’s eyes were red as he clasped hands and bowed.

“Teacher….”

The simple form of address, and all the memories, contained emotions that made Grandmaster Bai’s gaze seem even more kind and gentle than before.

“Let’s take a walk,” Grandmaster Bai said softly. He waved his hand, and starlight descended, making a path that stretched out between them.

Xu Qing took a deep breath. Heart brimming with respect, he stepped onto the starry path and walked up to Grandmaster Bai. Then, they went into the starry sky together. After leaving the supply depot planet, they strolled through the boundless universe.

“Tell me everything that happened after you joined Seven Blood Eyes,” Grandmaster Bai said.

Xu Qing nodded as he thought back to the past. “Well, after I got into Seven Blood Eyes, I became a disciple of the Seventh Peak….”

Xu Qing’s story became like images reflected in Grandmaster Bai’s eyes. He talked about the Grand Competition at the Merfolk Isles, and the Seazombie war, and the migration to the Revered Ancient mainland…. Eventually he joined the swordsages… and of course, there was everything that happened in Sea-Sealing County. Then there was Crimson Mother, Empress Summer Departure, and Grand Emperor Swordsage….

***

Grandmaster Bai led the way through the starry sky. Xu Qing walked to his right, half a pace behind him.

It was just like years ago in the scavenger basecamp. Back then, Xu Qing had been called the Kid. In the hopes of finding a lifespan flower for Sergeant Thunder, he had sought help from Grandmaster Bai. Eventually, he started eavesdropping on lessons outside the tent, which was how he started learning about plants and vegetation. Eventually, he had been called into the tent, and his formal education had begun.

Something similar was happening now. As they traversed the starry sky, green lotuses seemed to bloom beneath Grandmaster Bai’s feet. Every universe they passed through, every planet they encountered, flourished with greenery. There were some desolate planets where plants began to sprout in the cracked and parched soil. New life was being born.

Xu Qing wasn’t even sure how much time passed as he recounted everything he had experienced in Revered Ancient.

Finally, Grandmaster Bai sighed. “In the past, the Ninth Star Ring wasn’t very special compared to other star rings…. But then Eminent Desolation failed to rise to the Living God level. Hē was the first one to ever return from the Living God Umbilical Cord, and afterward, hē went to the Ninth Star Ring. That was where hē stayed, at the Revered Ancient mainland.

“From that moment on, entities with paramount personhood from all the star rings focused on Revered Ancient. No one knows why Eminent Desolation went there.

“In the past, God Paragons from other star rings went to the Ninth Star Ring in the hopes of finding out more about Eminent Desolation. However, anyone who got close had a difficult time avoiding death…. Though some did find destined opportunities, few could escape the resulting karma. The God Paragon of the Fourth Star Ring is a good example…. Apparently, only paragons native to the Ninth Star Ring, if they’re very careful, have a chance at success.[1]

“Some time ago, the Immortal Paragon entrusted me with a mission. By means of a special transmigration magic devoid of any unusual powers, I was transformed into a mortal, born on one of the islands off the coast of Revered Ancient. I did not have any memories of the past, and I could not take a single step off the island. It was only after I died that I recovered my memories of the past.

“Because of Eminent Desolation, Revered Ancient… is an inauspicious place. Are you sure… that you want to go back? If you want to stay here in the Fifth Star Ring, you’ll definitely become an Immortal Lord before long.” Grandmaster Bai looked at Xu Qing.

Xu Qing was silent for a long moment. “I have to go back, Teacher.”

Grandmaster Bai seemed like a wise old man who had come to understand the mortal world, as he said nothing. His face did seem slightly more wrinkled than before. However, the wrinkles didn’t come from the passage of time. They were like mountains and rivers that secretly contained something profound and ancient.

Eventually, he shook his head. “Before coming to see you, I confirmed something for you in the Fourth Star Ring. That… is where you can reach immortal ascension!”

Those words shook Xu Qing to the core.

Grandmaster Bai stopped in place in the starry sky. As soon as he did, all of the heavenly bodies in the surrounding universe seemed to respond to a call, and changed their orbits. As they swirled through the starry sky, they converged in front of Grandmaster Bai and Xu Qing in a specific sequence. It transformed into a majestic star chart that resembled a medicinal decocting pot!

Grandmaster Bai inclined his head in the direction of the Fourth Star Ring.

“Xu Qing,” he said softly, “I want to impart some knowledge to you. It has nothing to do with plants and vegetation. It has to do with the ‘beyond.’ The thirty-six higher star rings, and all the God Paragons therein, are considered ‘within.’ What thēy are pursuing… is in the beyond.[2]

“It’s not necessarily important to understand what the term means exactly. But you need to remember it… on that future day when you acquire the destined opportunity to rise from Immortal Lord to Immortal Paragon.

“As for right now…. If you want to gain enlightenment of a higher level of canon, you need to go to the Fourth Star Ring! You already ran into the god of pain, and descended into an illusion. In that illusion, you broke through, and lived a life of pain.

“Although it was an illusion, and false, it did contain some truth. And thus, why not go experience it for real? Let the reality really happen! Make the illusions truly false!”

Grandmaster Bai waved his sleeve, and the countless heavenly bodies within the decocting pot star chart shifted. They unleashed dazzling starlight, then converged into the shape of a very unique bridge. It led right into the Fourth Star Ring!

The bridge was made from starlight and spirit plants. It was difficult to tell if it was material or illusory, and was a true manifestation of the mysteries and majesty of nature. It was different from the god of pain’s illusion that contained truth, yet it did the same thing.

“Go,” Grandmaster Bai said. “I hope that when you return… you are a Summer Immortal!”

As Grandmaster Bai spoke, the special bridge shone with dazzling light.

Xu Qing took in the scene, his mind spinning. Memories of that illusory life he had lived filled his mind. A moment later, his eyes shone with determination.

After bowing to Grandmaster Bai, he walked onto the bridge. Striding atop the starlight and spirit plants, he headed in the direction of the Fourth Star Ring! As the bridge shimmered, Xu Qing slowly made his way off into the distance. The star chart spun, pulsing with a magnificent energy and immortal fire.

A moment later, Grandmaster Bai appeared atop the star chart, where he settled down cross-legged. Given the destiny aura he could utilize, and his cultivation level, he was doing everything possible to help Xu Qing on this journey. That was the karma of their relationship as teacher and student, which had begun back in Revered Ancient.

Off to the side, ripples spread through the void as an old man wearing hemp sandals appeared. He walked over to Grandmaster Bai and looked at Xu Qing disappearing in the distance. Perched on his shoulder was a golden rat who was munching on a sunflower seed.

Grandmaster Bai didn’t turn to look at him. He just coolly said, “So, Immortal Paragon, did you put that certain item in place like you were supposed to?”

The Immortal Paragon sighed. “You know I’m the Immortal Paragon, right?” he said. “What’s with the attitude?”

“You owe him!” Grandmaster Bai said calmly.

The Immortal Paragon shook his head. He had known Grandmaster Bai for many years, so he was obviously familiar with his personality. He also knew full well… that although Grandmaster Bai was an Immortal Lord, the truth was that he could have become an Immortal Paragon any time he wished. But for some unknown reason, he had held back from taking that final step.

Ignoring Grandmaster Bai’s tone, the Immortal Paragon sat down next to him. “I put it in place. I don’t want to be involved in the karma, but as you know, I couldn’t just let that thing go.”

Grandmaster Bai said nothing in response.

A short time passed, and then the Immortal Paragon continued, “You know, Xu Qing is getting help from you, and he’ll have that certain item from me. But that doesn’t mean he’s guaranteed to succeed. His canon is different from that of most other people…. Advancing it further will involve pushing it to the ‘statute’ level of Immortal Lords. That’s a big gap to cross, so it’s going to be extremely difficult. What will you do if he fails?”

The Immortal Paragon looked at Grandmaster Bai.

Grandmaster Bai said nothing for a long moment. “He won’t fail.”

The Immortal Paragon continued to look at him for a long moment. “Is he what Eminent Desolation is looking for? Or could it be… that he is actually a transmigrated version of Eminent Desolation??”

His words seemed to make the surrounding universe stop moving.

“You’ve been to Revered Ancient,” Grandmaster Bai said calmly. “If what you suggest is true, wouldn’t you be able to see it, given the level of your cultivation base? So what are you asking me for?”

1. Quick note here about “paragons.” I chose to use the word because it shares the character that I translated as ‘paragon’ in I Shall Seal the Heavens. However, that doesn’t necessarily mean that the paragons in this book are the same as the paragons in that book. Of course, I’m not definitively saying they aren’t the same. I’m just saying that the same character/word does not in itself definitely make a connection. In this paragraph, he uses that character in isolation when he talks about “paragons native to the Ninth Star Ring.” I think that was intentional. It seems to me that the implication is that it could be an Immortal Paragon or a God Paragon native to the Ninth Star Ring. When used in conjunction with Immortal/God, I’ll capitalized paragon as part of the name of the cultivation level, but when used in a standalone way, I won’t capitalize it. ☜

2. Yes, the ‘beyond’ mentioned here is a reference to the title of the novel. ☜