Outside Of Time

Chapter 1643: Gongsun’s Death, Sword Furnace Shocked
Editor: Atlas Studios

The sound of wind and rain, accompanied by the mournful wail of the storm and the constant patter of raindrops hitting the eaves, echoed through the silent hall.

It served as the backdrop to Xu Qing’s words, amplifying the weight and authority in his voice.

As the lightning streaked across the sky, illuminating the earth, its brightness also flooded the hall, casting light on Xu Qing’s towering figure.

His shadow stretched long and vast, completely enveloping Gongsun Qingmu.

It became an overwhelming pressure!

Gongsun Qingmu’s mind fluctuated and his expression instantly turned solemn.

Under this pressure, he slowly lifted his head and stared at the Young Lord.

The other party’s arrival was beyond his expectations. He had anticipated the appearance of many others this night, but never could he have imagined that it would be the Young Lord, who had always shown no signs of anything out of the ordinary.

The other party’s words were like a sharp blade that stabbed into his heart and didn’t dissipate for a long time.

Countless thoughts churned in his mind and finally condensed into a hoarse voice.

“Young Lord, I don’t understand what you’re saying.”

The moment the words were spoken, a dangerous glint appeared in his eyes, locking onto the figure before him.

“You don’t understand?”

Xu Qing’s gaze was calm. He didn’t care about the glint in Gongsun Qingmu’s eyes at all and calmly spoke.

“Gongsun Qingmu received a secret decree from the Young Lord to act as necessary. Everything you have done, before and after, has a reason, and all of it has a foundation.”

“All your acts of betrayal will be attributed to tasks assigned by me.”

“You disclosed the secrets of the Immortal Palace—that was done at my behest, to draw out all hidden enemies.”

“You stole treasures from the Immortal Palace—that was also my order, to test the palace’s defenses.”

“Even if you go on a mad killing spree within the Immortal Palace, I can find justification for that as well.”

“So, do you want to give it a try?”

As soon as he finished speaking, Gongsun Qingmu’s entire body trembled and his expression turned extremely unsightly.

For him, this move was like a fatal blow.

This would cause his betrayal to have no foundation.

After all… the Young Lord’s personal testimony would be the most direct evidence!

In this way, all of his actions could no longer be considered betrayal!

At the same time, a shocking realization began to take shape in Gongsun Qingmu’s mind—a storm of suspicion that perhaps the Young Lord before him was an outsider.

Yet the pressure from Xu Qing did not relent. At that moment, Xu Qing leaned slightly forward, locking eyes with Gongsun Qingmu.

“In front of me, your betrayal will become a meritorious deed.”

“And if I say you have made a contribution, then your betrayal becomes meaningless!”

“If this were a continuation of a millennium, I might not have the time to waste. But in this fourth realm, only a few days remain.”

“In these few days, tell me… can I make it so that your past betrayals, present betrayals, and future betrayals all fail?”

With each of Xu Qing’s words, they landed heavily on Gongsun Qingmu’s heart, intensifying the dangerous aura surrounding him.

Behind him, the void distorted. In a blur, an iron sword that contained a terrifying aura slowly formed. Sword intent seemed to be about to erupt at any moment.

Xu Qing’s expression remained calm, showing no concern for Gongsun Qingmu’s aura and actions, which hinted at a potential attack. Instead, he shifted his gaze away from his opponent and focused on the broken sword.

“Are you planning to assassinate me and thus create a betrayal?”

“Unless you have the ability to instantly kill me, otherwise… this is just a ruse I ordered you to carry out.”

“Of course, to protect you, I will next order your confinement until the wedding calamity arrives.”

“So whether your betrayal is successful or not depends on whether I allow it.”

Xu Qing calmly spoke.

Gongsun Qingmu’s expression was gloomy and he remained quiet.

The sense of oppression continued to spread in his heart and came out hoarsely again.

“Young Lord didn’t come here just to say this, right?”

At that moment, thunder rumbled outside. Xu Qing lifted his hand and grabbed at the iron sword that had manifested behind Gongsun Qingmu.

Gongsun Qingmu hesitated for a moment but didn’t stop him.

Hence, that sword instantly headed straight for Xu Qing. Xu Qing clamped on its edge with two fingers of his right hand.

After taking a closer look, his voice rang out amidst the lingering sounds of thunder from the outside world, as though it was continuing the intent of thunder.

“This sword—if stained with my blood and paired with my testimony accusing you of assassination… would you say that such an act is not the greatest betrayal within the palace, second only to plotting against the Immortal Lord?”

“Such a treacherous act of attempting to assassinate the Young Lord should bring you quite some benefit, wouldn’t it?”

As he spoke, Xu Qing’s finger slid across the blade and a drop of blood flowed out of the wound. The instant it landed on the sword, it instantly buzzed.

It was clearly excited.

Moreover, the space-time waves here were also rumbling at this moment. They were even more intense than before.

However, it was only an illusion and didn’t succeed. It still needed… permission and verification.

However, Gongsun Qingmu’s mind was churning intensely. This was because he could sense the intensity of this betrayal and also felt that once this betrayal was successful, it would be greatly beneficial to him.

Hence, his breathing hastened slightly as he looked at Xu Qing.

“This is the betrayal I prepared for you, one that could have allowed you to succeed while also securing your own survival.”

“But you took the wrong path.”

Xu Qing coldly looked at Gongsun Qingmu.

Gongsun Qingmu fell silent. He naturally knew what the other party was referring to by saying that he had taken the wrong path.

That was the act of him taking back the identity of the fox beauty.

However, he also felt helpless. After all, who would have thought that an identity that couldn’t be obtained would be obtained by someone?

He already understood that the person in front of him was an outsider and also understood that the possibility of Star Ring… succeeding was slim.

Hence, he became decisive and stood up without hesitation, bowing deeply to Xu Qing.

“Young Lord, how should I make up for it?”

Xu Qing lifted his hand and threw the pill bottle containing Li Mengtu’s poison over.

After that, he took out a jade token and imprinted it with his divine sense.

“Gongsun Qingmu of the Thunder Punishment Palace colluded with foreign enemies, betraying the immortal palace and attempting to assassinate me. Zhong Chi used his self-created poison to protect me, causing Gongsun Qingmu’s assassination to fail. He even poisoned Gongsun Qingmu to death!”

“Nevertheless, Gongsun Qingmu had prepared for years and left a clone outside. Therefore, I hereby issue a warrant across the entire Fifth Star Ring—Gongsun Qingmu is now a wanted man!”

After the decree was imprinted, Xu Qing let go of the blood-stained iron sword and allowed it to return. He then walked out and didn’t look at Gongsun Qingmu again.

As for Gongsun Qingmu’s choice…

He had no choice.

Hence, the instant Xu Qing walked out of the main hall and stepped into the wind and rain, in the main hall behind him, Gongsun Qingmu let out a long sigh. There was a complicated look in his eyes as he swallowed the poison in his hand in one gulp.

He indeed had no choice.

Facing the identity of the Young Lord, if he didn’t comply, the other party had too many ways to make his trip fail.

Even if the Fourth True Monarch personally told his disciple’s betrayal, if the Young Lord so wished…

He could instantly turn the tables.

As such, it was impossible for him to resist.

Hence, there was only one path in front of him.

As the poison spread, Gongsun Qingmu’s body trembled and his face gradually turned pitch-black.

This poison was originally Li Mengtu’s Ordinance. After being augmented by Xu Qing, its might was already astonishing. In addition, Gongsun Qingmu had given up on resisting and saving himself.

Hence, this eruption was incomparably smooth and violent.

A while later, when Xu Qing’s figure completely disappeared into the wind and rain, lightning flashed. Gongsun Qingmu, who was meditating cross-legged in the main hall, lowered his head.

He died!

Dao vanished, soul fallen!

Xie Lingzi’s consciousness was instantly driven out of the fourth realm!

Just as Xu Qing had said, he could have continued to stay but the path he chose was wrong. Hence, he could only swallow poison.

The instant he died…

Two space-time waves had fully formed in this Immortal Palace!

Space-time rumbled and transformed into a storm that shook the surroundings.

First wave came from what happened here; the betrayal of Gongsun Qingmu’s assassination. With a foundation, it was a foregone conclusion.

Hence, a vast wave appeared.

As for the other one, it was from Zhong Chi.

The decree Xu Qing had left for Zhong Chi had become a closed loop at this moment!

The guarding was successful!

Hence, the space-time storm became increasingly intense, transforming into a vortex that was like a space-time flower that bloomed resplendently in this thunderous night.

Within the stamen, Xu Qing walked forward in the vortex.

The direction he headed in was the… sword furnace where Qianjun and Piyi were at!

That was Xu Qing’s last destination tonight!

As he got closer, space-time waves continued to form from everyone.

The space-time wave from heaven’s chosen Li suddenly stirred. Space-time had changed and the wave had formed!

Xu Qing turned his head and looked into the distance.

“Heaven’s chosen Li’s arm is broken.”

At that moment, a large amount of space-time sand began to form around Xu Qing. With him as the center, it shone with a dazzling light, causing Xu Qing’s figure to reveal an illusory intent.

Xu Qing retracted his gaze and continued forward.

It was as though he was walking in time. Step by step, he arrived at the sword furnace.

He saw the sword furnace!

That sword furnace stood in the array formation. Its entire body was pitch-black and emitted an inexplicable might.

There was even more lightning here than elsewhere. Bolts of lightning descended continuously like heavenly tribulations, bombarding the sword furnace.

Every time it landed, it would form countless electric arcs and a portion of them would fall like a waterfall.

From afar, this scene could be described as vast and incomparably profound.

The array formation on the ground was drowned by the electric arcs like a thunder pool.

There was also a sharp sword energy that erupted from the sword furnace, as though it was about to transform and break out of its cocoon!

“Compared to others, your concealment method is simple and extraordinary. You actually hid it in the sword embryos.”

“If it wasn’t for the many waves during this time, it wouldn’t have been easy to find you.”

“What’s even more interesting is that the two of you actually took this opportunity to form early.”

Xu Qing stared at the sword furnace and calmly spoke.

When his voice entered the sword furnace, Qianjun and Piyi inside instantly trembled. What shocked them even more was Xu Qing’s next sentence.

“That’s good too. It’ll be more convenient for you to recognize a master!”

As Qianjun and Piyi’s minds shook upon hearing those words, lightning flashed in the distant sky like a silver snake.

Amidst the countless bolts of lightning, the Fourth True Monarch’s figure transformed into a rainbow that rushed toward the sword furnace.

Amid the lightning, his expression was gloomy and the killing intent in his eyes had reached its peak!