Beyond the Timescape

Chapter 1291: Qing and Niu Reunite

Destiny was a wonderful thing.

The fleeing figure looked familiar. He was bedraggled, with a crazy look on his face. Most important of all was that, despite existing as only a head, he continuously spilled and devoured the motes of heaven’s principle. It was like a cycle….

Xu Qing’s mind was reeling. There was no way he could have ever guessed that he would run into his Eldest Brother like this….

The moment he caught sight of Erniu, he realized what was going on. He immediately thought back to the teleportation portal in that pocket realm.

That teleportation portal needed two specific things to work. It needed star ring hemp, and a golden rat. But I’m not the only person with those two things. Eldest Brother also has two such items.

Then Xu Qing thought about the Immortal Paragon’s plan, and how he used Eminent Desolation’s karma to confound the Fourth Star Ring God Paragon’s omniscience. In other words… Xu Qing wasn’t the only one who could do that. His Eldest Brother could as well.

Then Xu Qing thought about what Young Lord Aurora had said when he gave him Eminent Desolation’s godhood of fate. He had said that someone else should have been present, except that person had never shown up.

The person who didn’t show up was Eldest Brother?

As those thoughts ran through Xu Qing’s head, the Undertakers looked at him.

Li Mengtu was the most familiar with Xu Qing, having been his study partner Zhong Chi in the reflected version of the history of the Aurora Immortal Palace. Those memories would never leave him. In fact, he excitedly stepped forward, bowed, and explained the situation.

“Young Lord, we’re all here at the request of Sir Star Ring. He just got some more motes of heaven’s principle, only for them to be stolen by a mysterious thief. This thief is crafty and extremely talented when it comes to deception. He has a host of gruish magics, to the point where Zhou Zhengli even suspects him of working with a partner!

“Right now, we have the thief locked up in this universe, which we are slowly assimilating. Eventually, the thief will have nowhere to hide. Doing it this way will also reveal whether or not he has an accomplice!”

As Li Mengtu explained these things, a very strange expression appeared on Xu Qing’s face. If there was any accomplice… it would be himself.

He looked at Zhou Zhengli. Zhou Zhengli’s expression flickered.

Everyone else stepped forward to offer greetings.

Sir Vilespirit acted very respectfully and didn’t do anything out of turn. But inside he was trying to figure out what was going on. When he showed up and looked at the universe, his facial expression changed. Why?

Hordeslayer and Rampart weren’t paying any attention at all to Xu Qing’s facial expression. They were focused on themselves. Both were feeling extremely uneasy. Though they were trying very hard not to stand out, they were still terrified of the possibility of Xu Qing waving his hand and turning them into a pair of swords. Unfortunately, no matter how hard they tried, it wasn’t possible to completely suppress their immortal sword instincts, which prompted them to feel very happy that their bonded master had arrived. Their unease just continued to build.

Yuanshan Su looked just as beautiful as ever as she bowed in greeting.

Sir Star Ring bowed as well. Though he had noticed the unusual expression on Xu Qing’s face, he was so focused on chasing down and killing the thief that he didn’t think much about it. His eyes flitted back to the sealed universe, and the thought of his heaven’s principle being stolen caused his killing intent to build.

Suddenly looking very solemn, Zhou Zhengli said, “Young Lord, I actually suspect that this fellow daoist didn’t intentionally steal the heaven’s principle. In fact, there is some evidence that suggests that he cultivates techniques related to order. Perhaps that’s what drew him to the motes of heaven’s principle.”

Thoughtful expressions appeared on the faces of the others present. As for Sir Star Ring, his eyes flashed with cold light as he looked at Zhou Zhengli, then Xu Qing. All of a sudden, bitterness struck him as he realized what was going on.

Zhou Zhengli ignored the look in Sir Star Ring’s eyes. Focusing on Xu Qing, he continued, “As for this talk of an accomplice….”

Xu Qing cleared his throat and waved a finger in the direction of the universe. That action caused something like a storm to kick up in the universe. As it spread, countless heavenly bodies shone with dazzling starlight. The starry sky shivered, and the sealing effects vanished.

Gradually, an asteroid was revealed in the depths of the universe. Atop it was Erniu, a dazed and incredulous look on his face. Of course, because of the cultivation level of Xu Qing and the Undertakers, they could see Erniu, while he could see nothing but a blur.

Upon catching sight of Erniu, Sir Star Ring’s eyes blazed with killing intent.

Xu Qing sighed helplessly. “That’s my Eldest Brother….”

Li Mengtu’s eyes went wide. Zhou Zhengli shivered inwardly. Sir Vilespirit actually gasped. Hordeslayer and Rampart were visibly stunned. Yuanshan Su’s eyes gleamed.

Sir Star Ring, meanwhile, looked from Erniu to Xu Qing. All he could do now was wait to hear Xu Qing’s decision.

Xu Qing was increasingly unsure of what to do. In the beginning, he hadn’t cared much at all about Sir Star Ring. But after all their travels and exploits, they had become comrades in arms. What was more, those motes of heaven’s principle were crucial to Sir Star Ring reaching the Summer Immortal level. At the same time, he knew what his Eldest Brother was like. His Eldest Brother would consider it a loss to not grab something good that he saw…. And if he swallowed something, getting it back was going to be extremely difficult.

After some thought, Xu Qing waved his hand to unleash his canon. Overlapping universes appeared, and from within them spilled numerous motes of heaven’s principle. Given Xu Qing’s cultivation base and level of enlightenment, plus his own research into heaven’s principle, it made this an easy thing to do.

As the motes of heaven’s principle appeared, they shifted from being illusory to material, and they piled up in front of Sir Star Ring. Xu Qing even added in the mote of heaven’s principle he had taken from Sir Star Ring long ago.

“This was all just a misunderstanding,” he said quietly.

Sir Star Ring looked at all of the motes that made up for what he had lost. A thousand thoughts were running through his head. Finally, he bowed deeply to Xu Qing.

“Many thanks!” Then he turned and left, leaving behind only a few words. “I won’t forget how you’ve helped me achieve my dao, and how we’ve become comrades in arms. I know you’re not from the Fifth Star Ring…. When you go back to your home, I’ll come along.”

Xu Qing nodded. Then he looked at Zhou Zhengli and the others. “I’ll be leaving soon,” he said calmly, “so this will be the last time we see each other.”

Li Mengtu’s eyes glittered with anticipation. “I’ll go with you!”

Zhou Zhengli smiled. It went without saying that he had come to understand the situation even before Sir Star Ring did. “Wherever you go, Young Lord, I’ll go also. But for now, we don’t want to disrupt this reunion between you and your Eldest Brother.”

Clasping hands, he turned and left with Li Mengtu.

Yuanshan Su didn’t say anything. Sir Vilespirit felt hesitant. Hordeslayer and Rampart were elated. Taking such thoughts with them, they all left.

After they were all gone, Xu Qing turned his attention back to the universe in front of him. Looking at Erniu there, hopping up and down in excitement, caused a smile to break out on his face. His Eldest Brother was one of the most important people to him.

He stepped forward. That step spanned the starry sky and put him right in front of Erniu.

“Little Ah Qing!!” Erniu cried elatedly. He almost felt like it wasn’t real.

“Eldest Brother….” Xu Qing cleared his throat. He got the feeling that when his Eldest Brother heard about what he was going to do next, it wasn’t going to go over well. But for now, he just smiled and said, “I missed you!”