Beyond the Timescape

Chapter 571: Awake, My Third Sister (part 2)

3,000-meter tsunami waves spread out in all directions as the nail slammed right into the coffin. The red moon warding spells dimmed, and the coffin started trembling violently. The deafening noise reached a crescendo, and the coffin started crumbling! As debris exploded out, it created numerous huge whirlpools that seemed almost like swirling sparks.

Then, a shocking and majestic body akin to Princess Brightblossom emerged from the rubble of the coffin. It was a very emaciated body covered with blue veins that resembled vicious mountain ranges. A brown robe covered most of him. It was covered with blood splatters that had turned its once apricot color into what it was now. His face was emaciated, but that couldn’t completely conceal his heroic spirit. His blue eyes were like gemstones that radiated a captivating force. The bloodline of an Imperial Sovereign caused powerful fluctuations to constantly roll off him.

He was completely eye-catching, especially his full head of gray hair that flowed down around him like a cloak, spread out around him, and curled up at the end. Every single strand of hair was a deceased soul that howled to heaven!

This was the true form of the Heir Apparent! He slowly looked up, then started walking. His first step took him out of the Heavenfire Sea. He hovered in the dome of heaven, his hair swaying around him like endless clouds.

“I was born in the golden age of Ancient Emperor Dark Serenity’s rule, and was sealed after the arrival of the false god. Now I reappear in the sorrowful world of Revered Ancient. In this life... I’ve experienced glory, splendor, wealth, and rank. I’ve been the hope of all peoples. My cup did runneth over.”

His mere murmuring caused thunderous rumblings to spread out. The sky flickered, winds screamed, and the sea of flames seethed.

“But there are two obsessions of mine that cannot be forgotten. First: destroy the moon and free the people from their curse. Second: to kill my traitorous brother to assuage the hatred in my heart! If Li Pan doesn’t die, it will be a betrayal of my father, a betrayal of the people and the region, and a betrayal of my entire existence!”

The Heir Apparent looked in the direction of the Penitence Steppes. His eyes were as cold as the netherworld as he took a step forward and vanished into thin air.

The Heavenfire Sea churned. Ripples spread through the dome of heaven. All living beings in the Moonrite Region shivered in fear.

The top experts from many species could sense that something was happening. Shocked, they looked in the direction of the Penitence Steppes.

Meanwhile, many parts of the northern ice plains were collapsing. An entire minor world fragment had existed beneath them, but now it was gone, so many places were simply crumbling. As rivers became waterfalls tumbling in all directions, four figures shot like lighting through the collapsing, icy landscape.

They were, of course, Xu Qing, the Captain, Ning Yan, and Wu Jianwu. As they fled at top speed, rumbling sounds echoed out behind them like the howling of a god. The icy ground collapsed, becoming like a black hole that sucked everything else toward it.

Ahead of them, sections of ice rose up like blades. Frigid winds assailed them.

Thankfully, all four of them were extraordinary individuals, and had plenty of magical techniques to call on. Wu Jianwu was once again surrounded by a host of animals that helped clear a path for him. The Captain used Ning Yan like a meteor hammer, allowing him to speed along disdainfully. When adding in the field of pressure put off by the patch of skin, it made things simple.

Xu Qing, though, used the simplest method. He used his Gruegloom abilities to become semitransparent, allowing him to disregard anything in his path.

And thus, the four of them got closer and closer to the surface. A few times, the Captain couldn’t help but look at Xu Qing and open his mouth as if to say something. He looked depressed. The reality was that he was stupefied. The fact that Xu Qing had suddenly shown up and did what he did left the Captain feeling completely robbed by the ‘early bird.’

My sixth major plan here in the Moonrite Region was to get the nail from the forehead of the Imperial Sovereign’s third son. The eighth major operation was to free the Heir Apparent from his imprisonment beneath the Heavenfire Sea....

But little Ah Qing obviously went to the Heavenfire Sea, and he... already did those things? And he didn’t just half-heartedly do them. He couldn’t have done everything more perfectly! He even rescued the Imperial Sovereign’s third daughter?

Something feels really off about this. It should be me taking him to do these things, right...?

The Captain looked at Xu Qing with hidden bitterness. What was even harder for the Captain to take was that Xu Qing had somehow acquired a fragment of a major world. When the Captain thought about the countless untold hardships he had endured just to get a picture of that fingerprint, all while Xu Qing went and ripped up everything by the roots, well....

No. I have to work harder! I’m the Eldest Brother here! Besides, I’m totally familiar with this area. I have to establish my authority and dignity as the Eldest Brother. There’s one person who pulls off incredible jobs, and that’s me!

Determination flickered in the Captain’s eyes as he accelerated.

After enough time had passed for an incense stick to burn, the four of them finally burst out from the subterranean world and into the ice plains.

Slapping his forehead, the Captain shouted, “Little Roundy!” A faintly burning ball of fiery light emerged from the Captain’s forehead and started flying up into the sky. The Captain quickly jumped inside of it. “Hurry up, all of you!”

Without a word, Wu Jianwu and Ning Yan flew inside. But they weren’t as fast as Xu Qing.

The moment Xu Qing saw that sun, he took action. He knew the Captain well enough to guess what was coming next, and therefore, almost as soon as the Captain was inside the sun, Xu Qing was standing there next to him.

Rumbling sounds echoed out from the faintly burning sun as it rumbled into motion, disappearing over the horizon a moment later. With that sun gone, Xu Qing and the others had nothing linking them to the ice plains.

Slowly but surely, the day passed.

In the dome of heaven above the Moonrite Region, a blurry ball of light shot along at top speed. It was cloaked with a concealment power that made it so no one noticed its passage.

Looking closely, it was possible to see that the ball of light was actually made of five intertwining rings. The five rings were covered in magical symbols that pulsed according to some unknown rhythm. Because of the rapid pace of the pulsing, they emitted almost a constant light. In the middle of the five rings was a golden asteroid.

The light emitted by the asteroid was absorbed by the five rings and then sent out in the form of light and heat.

Atop the golden asteroid was a beautiful building. The Captain sat on the roof of that building, his expression strange. Occasionally he would sigh, occasionally he would look determined, and occasionally he would grit his teeth.

Ning Yan and Wu Jianwu had obviously been here before, as they weren’t looking around curiously. They were sprawled out on the floor, thinking fearfully back to what happened in the ice plains. The treasured patch of skin had been tossed off to the side.

Xu Qing stood off in the distance, examining his surroundings. He already knew the origin of this artificial sun. What he was curious about now was how it had been created.

Meanwhile, the Captain was on the rooftop, secretly passing a message to Wu Jianwu and Ning Yan.

“Haven’t the two of you rested enough? Pick up that treasured patch of skin! It’s going to dry up in the heat!”

Wu Jianwu and Ning Yan both sighed, crawled to their feet, and went over to roll up the patch of skin.

Noticing the movement, Xu Qing walked over. He... could sense that something strange was going on with the Captain. He had a good idea what it was, but also didn’t care. It wasn’t his first time dealing with something like this. It was the same back at the Supreme Beginning Netherflight Pillar. That was when Xu Qing had come to realize that the Captain sometimes just needed some time to settle his thoughts. [1]

After reaching Ning Yan and Wu Jianwu, Xu Qing looked at the patch of skin, as well as the fingerprint on it. “That’s what you came for?”

Wu Jianwu nodded helplessly.

Ning Yan, who actually revered Xu Qing, quickly said, “That’s right, Biggest Bro. After we parted ways with you, Elder Brother Erniu has constantly been pushing us forward.” With that, he glanced at the Captain out of the corner of his eye.

Off in the distance, the Captain sighed again.

Xu Qing blinked a few times, then quietly said, “This patch of skin is incredible!”

Ning Yan hesitated, then lowered his voice and said, “It is incredible.... You see, it’s Elder Brother Erniu’s skin! He had me and Big Jianjian slice a few dozen pieces off him... and then sew them together. I think Big Jianjian is still haunted by all that.”

Xu Qing didn’t respond. He knew the Captain was crazy, but he never thought he was this crazy. That said, it made a lot of sense to use one’s own body as an asset.

Up on the roof, the Captain noticed Xu Qing’s facial expression, and he suddenly felt very pleased with himself. He was just about to open his mouth to speak when he realized that the patch of skin he had made couldn’t possibly compare to a world fragment. He sighed again. It felt like he’d let himself be skinned alive for no reason....

A moment passed, and then his eyes shone with determination. Shooting to his feet, and looking very serious, he turned to Xu Qing.

“Little Ah Qing!”

Xu Qing looked attentively in the Captain’s direction.

“Little Ah Qing, this was simply an instance of your Eldest Brother being the butcher who gives only a small demonstration with his cleaver. We’re on our way to Mount Heavenly Ox, which is where I’m really going to open your eyes. I’m going to show you how fucking awesome I was back in the day!”

Xu Qing immediately donned a look of keen anticipation.

Seeing that look on Xu Qing’s face made the Captain feel a lot better. Clasping his hands behind his back, he looked at Wu Jianwu briefly, stared off into heaven and earth, and said, “Gaze not at yesterday’s daylilies; instead, see who will be more awesome tomorrow!”

Wu Jianwu was completely speechless.

1. The situation at the Supreme Beginning Netherflight Pillar was when Xu Qing collected the "battle spirit symbols.” That started in chapter 350. After the initial incident, Xu Qing and the Captain didn’t actually talk to each other until chapter 359. ☜