OUTSIDE OF TIME

Chapter 1412: Sun’s Musician

Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

Dongyou Island was an ally of the Seven Blood Eyes back then.

Now, the alliance had grown extremely close. Moreover, due to the rise of the Seven Blood Eyes in Fenghai County and the indirect influence on the Holy Wave Large Region and the Black Spirit Region, Dongyou Island was also an overlord of the Forbidden Sea.

Esteemed Master Dongyou, who was also Yanyan’s grandmother, had a good personal relationship with Xue Lianzi. In fact, occasionally, some bold disciples within the Seven Blood Eyes speculated that the relationship between Ancestor Xue Lianzi and the widowed Esteemed Master Dongyou might have developed beyond mere friendship.

This was evident from Xue Lianzi’s frequent visits to Dongyou Island over the years, each stay lasting several months…

Right now, all the cultivators on Dongyou Island had solemn expressions and were on high alert.

At the center of the island, on a tall array platform, a woman sat cross-legged.

Time had left its mark on her, but these marks manifested in a more mature physique and an increasingly enchanting appearance.

Her pale complexion, the sickly frailty, and her stunning beauty were complemented by her black long dress and the array of beloved weapons placed around her.

She was none other than Yanyan.

But now, she had her eyes closed, as if asleep, with only her eyelashes occasionally trembling violently. Her expression alternated between ferocity and terror, full of pain, giving off an unmistakable sense of abnormality.

What was most abnormal was her body.

Back then, when Xu Qing first saw Yanyan, he sensed that she was different. She was very rare, someone without any anomalous substances within her body.

Anomalous substances were divine auras and were present everywhere in the Wanggu. Only high-level cultivators could expel them from their bodies. For low-level cultivators, achieving a state of being without any anomalous substances was nearly impossible.

Xu Qing accomplished it because of the purple crystal.

And Yanyan could do it because of her special unknown physique.

However, now, this body that didn’t have anomalous substances in the past had a wisp of black gas forming.

They were anomalous substances.

Fortunately, the instant the anomalous substances appeared, the light of the array formation appeared on the ground around her. As rumbling sounds echoed, vast power followed the array formation and seemed to purify it, dispelling all the anomalous substances in the surroundings.

It also descended on Yanyan’s body, instantly dispelling the black gas growing in her body.

As the anomalous substances disappeared, the pain on Yanyan’s face disappeared. Her breathing was even, as though she was really sleeping.

Seeing this, Xue Lianzi and Esteemed Master Dongyou, who were controlling the array formation, heaved a sigh of relief.

“How about that? With just a slight effort, I almost resolved this matter. This formation was sent over immediately from Fenghai County with just one word from me.”

“This array formation is extraordinary. In the human imperial capital, only Heavenly Marquis-level families can possess it.”

After confirming that Yanyan was fine, Xue Lianzi coughed and spoke to Esteemed Master Dongyou.

“Don’t worry, that good grand-disciple of mine will be here in a while. Once he cooperates with me, this matter will be resolved.”

“What’s the big deal? It’s just being targeted by a divine creature’s gaze, easily solvable.”

Xue Lianzi spoke confidently.

Esteemed Master Dongyou, who was at the side, glanced at Xue Lianzi and wanted to say something. However, she ultimately held it in and nodded.

“How long will it take?”

Seeing that Esteemed Master Dongyou agreed with his words, Xue Lianzi’s emotions surged.

“Don’t worry, I’ve already sent my words. This matter is actually half resolved.”

“After all, you also know that my current identity is extraordinary.”

“There’s a high chance that my disciple is a Summer Immortal.”

“The teacher of a Summer Immortal, do you understand?”

Xue Lianzi stroked his beard, looking proud.

Upon hearing these words, Esteemed Master Dongyou, who had been bickering with Xue Lianzi for most of her life, really couldn’t hold it in.

“You really know how to flatter yourself.”

As soon as she said this, Xue Lianzi chuckled.

“Why wouldn’t I flatter myself? I’m still Old Seventh’s father-in-law. How about it? Do you want to become his mother-in-law? It’s a rare opportunity.”

Esteemed Master Dongyou was speechless.

Xue Lianzi was delighted.

“Even if you don’t recognize me as the teacher of the Summer Immortal, it’s a fact that I have two grand-disciples, right? One is the human race’s King Zhen Cang, the lord of two regions, the Grand Tutor, and the future Imperial Preceptor!

“The other is the Flame Phoenix’s Dao companion!”

Esteemed Master Dongyou calmly spoke.

“Aren’t there two more?”

Xue Lianzi waved his hand.

“I don’t remember.”

“You’re really a good grandmaster.” Esteemed Master Dongyou snorted.

Xue Lianzi raised his white brows and was about to speak. However, at the next instant, the two of them looked at the sky at the same time.

Thunder rumbled in the sky and bolts of lightning swam around, instantly exploding on Dongyou Island.

However, this explosion happened silently.

This bizarre scene caused the cultivators on Dongyou Island to be shocked. Even Xue Lianzi and Esteemed Master Dongyou’s hearts trembled.

Amidst the silent lightning, a figure suddenly walked out. With a step, he arrived at the center of the island and outside the array platform.

The moment he appeared, Xu Qing bowed respectfully to Xue Lianzi and Esteemed Master Dongyou.

“Greetings, Grandmaster. Greetings, Senior Dongyou.”

After receiving Second Senior Sister’s message, in order to rush over faster, Xu Qing activated the divine authority of sound. The soundless lightning earlier was formed by the might of the divine authority.

Only then could he cross the Forbidden Sea as quickly as possible. Otherwise, it would have taken longer.

Hence, it wasn’t intentional.

“Good grand-disciple! Haha, I haven’t seen you in a long time. Not bad, not bad. Your current temperament is very similar to mine back then.”

Xue Lianzi suppressed the shock in his heart and stroked his beard as he laughed loudly.

Xu Qing’s respect made him feel at ease. At the same time, the scene of him seeing Xu Qing for the first time back then couldn’t help but appear in his mind. Time had passed, and the youth had already become a Heavenly King.

Esteemed Master Dongyou’s heart also churned. After taking a deep breath, she nodded at Xu Qing.

Only then did Xu Qing stand up straight and look at Yanyan’s figure on the array platform.

“Grandmaster, did you summon me here for Yanyan?”

Xu Qing could tell at a glance.

“Yes An unknown divine entity, for some unknown reason, gazed at Yanyan from the seabed several months ago during the night. This gaze established a connection, and it has been summoning her ever since.”

“Before you arrived, this old man had been purifying its summoning intent with the dispelling formation. Now that you’re here, it’s up to you to deal with it.”

Speaking of serious matters, Xue Lianzi’s voice became solemn.

After all, this matter concerned Yanyan, Esteemed Master Dongyou’s only family.

Xu Qing’s expression also turned solemn.

“I’ll go take a look”

As he spoke, Xu Qing took a step forward and arrived in front of Yanyan. As he stood before Yanyan, his eyes shimmered with divine runes, seeing her differently than mere mortal eyes could perceive.

Yanyan was enveloped in wisps of black aura, these tendrils resembling specters and ghosts, emitting soundless roars as they swirled around her, coalescing above her head.

They formed a lump of fog that couldn’t be seen with naked eyes.

With his divine perception, Xu Qing saw a hand in the fog.

It was a severed hand of a woman.

In the palm, there was an eye that was currently closed as though it was in a deep sleep.

A cold glint appeared in Xu Qing’s eyes. He raised his right index finger and was about to press it against Yanyan’s forehead.

However, at this moment, it was as though the aura he emitted caused Yanyan, who was incomparably familiar with this aura, to wake up from her sleep. She opened her bright eyes and stared at Xu Qing.

“Brother Xu Qing…”

A murmur came from her mouth. After that, her entire expression changed. Joy, infatuation, attachment, obedience, and various other emotions were revealed on her face.

What made Esteemed Master Dongyou and Xue Lianzi feel even more strange was that Yanyan’s eyes were filled with anticipation. Facing Xu Qing’s outstretched finger, she actually opened her small cherry mouth.

Xu Qing fell silent and his finger paused.

Seeing that Xu Qing didn’t speak, Yanyan’s expression also dimmed. It was like a blooming flower instantly showing signs of withering. Even her desire to survive seemed to have decreased. The black gas in the surroundings that outsiders couldn’t see also instantly became sinister.

Xu Qing sighed and placed his finger beside the comer of Yanyan’s mouth.

The moment it landed, Yanyan’s body seemed to light up. She immediately sucked Xu Qing’s finger into her mouth. At the same time, her tongue instinctively moved around Xu Qing’s finger.

The infatuation on her face grew even more intense.

Esteemed Master Dongyou fell silent.

Xue Lianzi blinked and looked at Esteemed Master Dongyou before remaining silent as well.

As for Xu Qing, he allowed Yanyan to continue while enveloping her with his divine sense.

With the physical contact and the fusion of perception, he found the black aura on Yanyan’s fate and followed it toward the Forbidden Sea.

Deeper and deeper.

After an unknown period of time, at the bottom of the pitch-black sea, Xu Qing heard heart-rending sounds. They sounded like crying and wailing.

They came from malicious ghosts.

There wasn’t just one but countless…

In the depths of his divine perception, Xu Qing sensed the presence of a dilapidated palace buried in the mud, seemingly a small part of a much larger palace complex.

Now, it had become ruins in time.

Countless malicious ghosts were lying on the ruins.

Their appearances were sinister and incomparably eerie. However, they clearly didn’t sense Xu Qing. They were busy shrieking and howling, their voices piercing and soul-shaking, echoing incessantly in the underwater realm.

This scene caused Xu Qing’s thoughts to freeze.

It was very familiar.

He had heard the same voice and seen the same endless malicious ghosts on the Forbidden Sea many years ago.

That was… the Night Parade of a Hundred Ghosts!

“There are wonders in the Endless Sea that mortals haven’t heard of. With the Golden Crow Chi Yang as a companion, a hundred sounds form a tune – Heavenly Voice Welcomes the Moon.”

“The god is delighted. When he closes his eyes and looks, the entire sea becomes a forbidden zone. A hundred sounds become yin.”

Xu Qing still remembered the words recorded in the sea record.

He also saw the divine creature that implicated Yanyan with his divine perception in the ruins where endless malicious ghosts existed.

It was a slender severed hand!

It was a thousand feet long. In the ruins, although the eye on the palm was closed, its fingers were moving.

As the fingers moved… the eerie cries and wails of the ghosts seemed to fluctuate in response!

It was as if the hand was playing those haunting sounds like a musician playing an instrument.

“Could this be the origin of the Night Parade of a Hundred Ghosts?”

Xu Qing’s eyes lit up with wonder. Suddenly, he had a feeling that the elusive Golden Crow Dragon Carriage he had been searching for might… just might be within reach at this moment!

Hence, after watching for a while, his divine perception locked onto the severed hand. At the same time, his body, which was standing on the island’s array platform, suddenly spoke.

“Grandmaster, I don’t know much about the legends of the Forbidden Sea. You’re knowledgeable, do you know of any legends that are related to a hand and the Night Parade of a Hundred Ghosts?”

“This hand seems to be able to control the sounds of a hundred ghosts.”

Xue Lianzi started and fell silent. Esteemed Master Dongyou, who was beside him, suddenly spoke.

“I know more about the legends on the Forbidden Sea.”

“There’s a legend that matches your description.”

“Legend has it that the Night Parade of a Hundred Ghosts is originated from the Golden Crow Sun.”

“In the tales, before its fall, the Golden Crow would ride its dragon carriage to the sky every day, transforming into the sun to illuminate Wanggu. When it returned at night, within its Sun Palace, a musician would play the ‘Heavenly Voice Welcomes the Moon’ tune, summoning the moon into the sky.”

“When the fragmented-face descended and the Golden Crow died, the hundred sounds turned into yin. The musician who played ‘Heavenly Voice Welcomes the Moon’… also melted away, leaving only a single hand, which fell into the Forbidden Sea.”

“Xu Qing, you… found that hand of legends?”

Esteemed Master Dongyou looked at Xu Qing..