Outside of Time

In the inner ring of the Human Race's Grand Imperial Capital Region.

The teleportation array didn't directly teleport them to the imperial city. Instead, it teleported them outside the imperial city just like how Xu Qing and the others had arrived in the Grand Imperial Capital Region for the first time with the third princess.

The moment they appeared, before the guards of this array formation could see Xu Qing and the captain's figures clearly, they were already far away in the sky.

Standing here and looking at the distant imperial city, the first thing one saw were the statues surrounding the imperial city.

Now that he looked at them again, Xu Qing's state of mind was different from back then.

As he sighed inwardly, he could vaguely see the long rainbow bridge that led to the palace and the hazy Ancient Sovereign Planet.

"I'm finally back."

Xu Qing mumbled. Figures emerged in his mind and a smile appeared on his face.

Noticing Xu Qing's expression, Erniu was in high spirits. He suddenly thought of something and asked.

"By the way, Junior Brother, back in the catacombs, what Yue Dong said was filled with sincerity. The depth of her sisterhood was really moving."

"However, we let that Feng fellow go. I can't shake off this feeling of guilt all the way."

Erniu blinked and glanced at Xu Qing.

When Xu Qing heard this, he looked at his eldest senior brother.

"I didn't expect you to feel bad."

Erniu chuckled.

"Those girls spoke sincerely, with the appearance of seeking revenge for their sister, even that girl, Lan Yao, was brimming with righteous indignation. The entire catacomb was filled with vengeance and determination; it was truly touching.

However, with my sharp eyes, I could tell at a glance that that Yue Dong girl isn't a good person. However, there's a reason why I could sense it."

Erniu lifted his chin and revealed a proud expression.

"It's because my physique is special. Let me tell you, ever since I was young, from ancient times until now, I was the one who deceived others. Be it cultivators or gods, there are many who were deceived by me!"

"After deceiving many times, I vaguely comprehended a Great Dao. Hence, my body unknowingly developed immunity to deceit. If others try to deceive me, I will sense it immediately.

"But, how did you discover that something was wrong?"

Erniu was curious. This question had been on his mind for a long time, but with time pressing along the way, he didn't bring it up. Otherwise, he might have asked it long ago.

"After being with Eldest Senior Brother for a long time, I also have immunity."

Hearing the other party's nonsensical talk of immunity, Xu Qing slowly spoke while looking at the captain's eyes.

"I'm not lying to you."

When Erniu heard this, he coughed and avoided this topic. After that, he raised his hand and slapped his forehead. Immediately, a tender green vine grew out of his head. It was about ten feet long and drooping.

He suddenly took a bite and threw one half to Xu Qing.

"Take it. It's a gift from Eldest Senior Brother. We're good brothers and have to share any treasure equally!"

Erniu spoke boldly. After he finished speaking, he looked at Xu Qing eagerly, as though he should treat him the same way.

Xu Qing smiled. He didn't mind if his eldest senior brother didn't share the vine. He didn't have time on the way. Now that they had returned to the human race, even if the captain didn't say anything, he would still distribute the harvest.

There were basically no treasures between the two of them that couldn't be shared.

Hence, he raised his hand and waved it. Immediately, the void in front of him distorted and the shadow appeared. It obediently spat out a large amount of liaoxuan holy liquid.

There was so much of it that it could fill most of a ten-foot-long pool.

When Erniu saw it, his eyes instantly widened.

"Little Qing, although I had expected you to secretly take it away, I didn't expect… there to be so much!!!"

Xu Qing was also satisfied with his harvest this time around. He took out two bottles and stored the liaoxuan holy liquid in them before tossing one to the captain. After that, he glanced at the shadow that was emitting obedient emotions.

"Eldest Senior Brother, do you still have the flesh of the Crimson Goddess?"

Xu Qing asked. He didn't have a single piece left now. Otherwise, he wouldn't have owed Little Shadow.

Erniu was stunned. He glanced at Xu Qing's shadow and smiled before tossing three pieces to Xu Qing.

Xu Qing waved his hand. Little Shadow excitedly opened its mouth and swallowed the three pieces of Crimson Goddess' flesh. After that, it circled around Xu Qing happily. It then opened its mouth again and spat out an egg.

This egg was golden and filled with divine intent. It was extraordinary.

"There was actually another one? This is good stuff. Although I've never seen that golden rat before, I know that it's not simple…"

Looking at the egg, Erniu also took out one.

"It's a pity that we're not good at hatching eggs…"

Erniu sighed. Just as he was pondering with some reluctance, the image of a person and the other party secretly hybridizing and incubating mutated beasts appeared in Xu Qing's mind.

"Wu Jianwu is good at it."

Erniu's eyes lit up.

"That's right, he's good at it. We'll lend these two eggs to Wu Jianwu and let him incubate them for us."

With that, the captain raised his hand and kept the two eggs. Just as he was about to say something, the Imperial Capital in the distance suddenly shone.

Waves of light soared into the sky, transforming into clouds that spread out over half of the sky.

At the same time, the sound of the bell rang out from the Imperial City. The sound was deafening, incomparably grand, and extremely solemn.  

The bell rang twelve times!

It echoed in the Imperial City and fell into everyone's ears.

This completely surpassed the Heavenly King's ceremony. It would only be like this when the human race won a great victory or gave offerings to the ancestors.

Today, although the human race didn't achieve a great victory, they managed to avert the crisis. Although this glory belonged to Xu Qing alone, he was a human. The radiance of this glory would envelop the land of the human race.

Hence, the 12 bell tolls were for him alone!

Upon seeing this scene and hearing the bell chimes, Xu Qing took a deep breath. The captain beside him puffed out his chest proudly.

At the same time, he quickly transmitted his voice.

"Junior Brother, release Jiuli and put on the Mystic Armor. Eldest Senior Brother's dream will depend on you today."

Xu Qing was helpless. He naturally knew that his eldest senior brother's dream was to become a Mystic Heaven one day and return to the human race to show off.

He didn't like being high profile, but since Eldest Senior Brother had requested it…

Outside Xu Qing's body, the Grand Mystic Heaven Armor suddenly emerged. Jiuli roared and transformed into nine lanterns that surrounded him. At this moment, his aura soared to the sky.

This caused the sky and earth to change color and wind to surge.

At the same time, the Ancient Sovereign Planet in the Imperial Capital was also captivated by the bell chimes. It shook slightly and streams of fortune immediately rose, forming auspicious beasts with majestic auras.

Even the dragon of fortune of the human race had manifested and moved in the sky. Accompanied by the images of ancestors, the entire human capital was extraordinarily colorful!

Finally, after the fortune dragon let out a roar that shook the world, thousands of figures flew out of the Imperial City.

Among them were the ministers, nobles, and experts of the human race. Xu Qing had seen most of them before, and the person in the lead was an imposing middle-aged man!

This middle-aged man wore a blue robe inlaid with white clouds. His figure was burly like a tall mountain, giving off an intense visual impact.

His face was resolute and his gaze was like a torch, as though he could see through everything and make people revere him.

His nose bridge was high and his lips were tightly shut, giving off a sense of stability and determination. In particular, there was a domineering aura between his brows, as though he was a natural leader.

At that moment, he walked over like the leader of the group, and emitted a sense of calmness that seemed to be innate.

His cultivation had reached eight worlds of Soul Accumulation!

He was the Heavenly King of the human race, King Zhen Yan.

In the human race, he was a legend and a myth!

As the Heavenly King and the strongest person on the surface other than the Human Emperor, his existence was the stabilizing pillar among cultivators and he was considered the god of war among the soldiers.

As the only Eight Worlds Soul Accumulation of the human race, under the circumstances that the Human Emperor couldn't easily leave the Imperial City and when the Sword Holding Great Emperor only had the strength left to use one strike, he had to deal with all the battles of the human race outside.

Therefore, other than guarding the borders against the Flame Moon Mystic Heaven all year round, King Zhen Yan had fought countless battles in his life.

He had took part in almost every war of the human race in his generation. He was duty-bound to participate in the most tragic and grim situations.

Over the countless years, he had almost died many times and was injured countless times. By paying such a price, he had killed so many nonhumans that they could pile up into a sea of bones.

It could be said that he had lived all his life in military service!

And today, he actually returned and personally walked out to welcome Xu Qing!

This demonstrated the high regard with which the human race welcomed back Xu Qing, indicating the esteem in which both the Human Emperor and King Zhen Yan held him.

Xu Qing's heart also trembled. Although he had never seen King Zhen Yan before, he had heard too much about him after coming to the Imperial City.

At that moment, from everyone's attitude, from the other party's terrifying cultivation, and from his aura that was difficult to suppress because he had killed too many people, he immediately recognized his identity.

Xu Qing naturally respected such a Heavenly King who was a warhorse of the human race.

Hence, he ignored the captain and put away Grand Mystic Heaven as well as Jiuli, and took a few steps forward. His expression was solemn as he cupped his fists and bowed to the person.

"Xu Qing greets King Zhen Yan."

King Zhen Yan's eyes gleamed as they landed on Xu Qing. A rare smile appeared on his serious face.

"100,000 feet of light in Heart Inquisition. The Great Emperor bestowed you his sword, the lord of the Holy Wave Large Region, Flame Moon's honored Grand Mystic Heaven. What a great heaven's chosen of our human race!"

King Zhen Yan laughed loudly, his eyes revealing admiration for Xu Qing from the depths of his heart.

The thousands of nobles behind him might have other thoughts but on the surface, they were full of smiles. Their gazes toward Xu Qing were filled with respect as they cupped their fists in unison.

"Heavenly King, you are exaggerating. I don't dare to take the credit. If it wasn't for my Eldest Senior Brother's help, it would have been very difficult for me to succeed on this trip."

Xu Qing returned the greeting solemnly.

When King Zhen Yan heard this, his gaze shifted away and landed on Erniu.

"Scheming against the three gods, seizing the Divine Realm, swallowing the blood of the fragmented-face — what a remarkable achievement, Chen Erniu! . Even if Flame Moon Mystic Heaven didn't offer you the Grand Mystic Heaven Armor or glory, our human race will!"

As soon as King Zhen Yan concluded speaking, Erniu's eyes widened and his heart churned. Not only did King Zhen Yan comprehend them, but he could even see through his thoughts.

'This person isn't simple. He can actually inform at a glance that I'm extraordinary and know that I'm the son of heavenly fate. He understands my excellence and my greatness.'

Erniu was overjoyed and hurriedly thanked him.

King Zhen Yan's laughter rang out. When he saw Xu Qing and Erniu, he felt extremely gratified. He then waved his hand.

"Let's go home."