OUTSIDE OF TIME

399 A Tune of the Mortal World

Xu Qing glanced at the dust that had dissipated with the wind. He didn’t care about the deaths of those people. What caused Xu Qing to turn solemn was the method of the Nihility Realm.

This method looked simple but the profundity contained in it surpassed Xu Qing’s understanding.

Xu Qing drew in a deep breath and glanced at the location of the mountain.

That place was flat.

Xu Qing silently steered the magic ship. Purple Mystic Fairy seemed to be in a good mood. From time to time, she would place the wine flask by her red lips and take a sip.

She looked less coquettish and more valiant.

However, this appearance didn’t reduce her charm. On the contrary, the leisurely feeling that was emitted from her as she drank the wine made her look even more attractive.

Xu Qing’s gaze swept past Purple Mystic Fairy’s wine flask many times.

However, when he thought about how with Purple Mystic Fairy’s cultivation, she shouldn’t get drunk no matter how much she drank, he heaved a sigh of relief inwardly.

Noticing Xu Qing’s gaze, Purple Mystic Fairy smiled and waved the wine flask at Xu Qing.

“Do you want some?”

Xu Qing shook his head.

“Kid, you’re a little dull.” Purple Mystic Fairy chuckled and took another sip. A few drops flowed down the corner of her mouth and drifted away with the wind.

Perhaps it was a coincidence, but one of the drops landed on Xu Qing’s chin, bringing with it the fragrance of wine. When it entered Xu Qing’s nose, Purple Mystic Fairy took out an emerald-green flute and played a leisurely tune.

That flute tune was very pleasant to the ears. Although Xu Qing didn’t understand music, he could tell that the tune contained a heroic spirit.

The flute seemed to portray a woman in a straw rain cape and holding a longsword walking over from the martial world, talking about the past.

There was also a hint of regret.

As he listened, Xu Qing’s body slowly relaxed as he sank into the tune.

Just like that, time flowed by.

Under the moonlight, Purple Mystic Fairy, who was dressed in white, looked like a fairy who had descended to the mortal world. Her eyes were blurry as the sound of the flute drifted.

The mountain breeze accompanied the tune and it drifted further and further away.

Grand Affairs Misfortune Passing Mountain was usually filled with scenes of cruelty, but even it seemed to be immersed in the flute tune and became quiet.

It was as though Purple Mystic Fairy was the only one left in the entire world. Gradually, the regret in the flute tune turned into loneliness.

Xu Qing could hear the loneliness in her voice and couldn’t help but look at Purple Mystic Fairy. There was an additional ethereality and loneliness on her body, like an orchid in an empty valley.

She didn’t need anyone to admire her when she bloomed or witness her beauty. She only bloomed for herself and also for the persistence in her heart.

Looking at the beautiful figure in his eyes, Xu Qing suddenly understood why the captain had said that when Purple Mystic Fairy was young, there were countless people who were infatuated with her.

Xu Qing wasn’t infatuated but he liked the flute sound that contained regret. He also liked the loneliness contained in it.

Xu Qing closed his eyes. This reminded him of his childhood, his struggling life, Captain Lei, and Grandmaster Bai.

He wanted to drink.

After a long time, dawn broke.

The sound of the flute slowly dissipated. The moment the sun rose, Purple Mystic Fairy’s figure stood on the bow of the ship with her back facing Xu Qing. She looked at the burning scene in the distant sky.

“Xu Qing, do you like to watch the sunrise?”

“Rarely.” Xu Qing thought about it and replied.

“I like it because the moment the sun rises, the light it gives is the most beautiful,” Purple Mystic Fairy said softly. She stood there and stared at the sky. Xu Qing also looked at the sky.

The two of them didn’t speak until the red sun rose high. Endless light swept across the world, melting the darkness of the night sky and lifting the darkness of the Grand Affairs Misfortune Passing Mountain, causing the world to be bright at this moment.

On this new day, a malicious gaze suddenly appeared from the Grand Affairs Misfortune Passing Mountain below and locked onto Xu Qing’s magic ship.

This gaze seemed to have materialized and distorted the surroundings, causing the light in the sky to be covered for a moment.

Hence, a hint of displeasure appeared on Purple Mystic Fairy’s face.

At the next instant, when this malicious gaze landed on Purple Mystic Fairy, the malice in it instantly transformed into horror and dissipated.

However, it was obvious that the consequences of disturbing Purple Mystic Fairy were very serious.

Purple Mystic Fairy lifted her jade-like hand and waved it down. A small mountain not far away distorted and burned at a speed visible to the naked eye, instantly turning into ashes.

The entire process happened in the blink of an eye. It was extremely fast and there wasn’t even time for screams to spread. Everything on the mountain, including the mountain, no longer existed.

After doing this, Purple Mystic Fairy stretched her back and walked toward Xu Qing. Under Xu Qing’s nervousness, she walked in front of him and looked into his eyes. Her gaze was deep and dark, and it was very easy for people who looked at her to get lost.

Xu Qing instinctively evaded her gaze.

Purple Mystic Fairy smiled lightly and didn’t say anything as she walked into the cabin.

Xu Qing heaved a sigh of relief. He felt that after leaving the sect, time was passing extremely slowly. At this moment, he activated the magic ship fully and even stimulated its divinity, causing its speed to increase explosively.

The day passed very quickly and night fell again.

That night, Purple Mystic Fairy still sat on the railing and occasionally took a sip of wine, adding the aura of the martial world to the flute. The sound of the flute was leisurely. Even though Xu Qing had listened to it for a long time last night, he still liked its sound.

In the middle of the night, dark clouds filled the sky, covering the bright moon. There was a faint sound of thunder, as though rain was about to fall. When the sound of flute dissipated and she took a sip of the wine, Xu Qing couldn’t help but ask.

“Senior, does this tune have a name?”

“You like it?” Purple Mystic Fairy put down the wine flask and looked at Xu Qing.

Xu Qing nodded.

“Can you play the flute?”

Xu Qing shook his head.

“I’ll teach you.” As she spoke, Purple Mystic Fairy walked over. Before Xu Qing could see her clearly, she had already arrived beside him and placed the flute in her hand in front of him.

Just as Xu Qing hesitantly took it, Purple Mystic Fairy arrived behind him. Her hands stretched out from both sides of him and pressed down on his hands. The moment their skin touched, Xu Qing’s body trembled.

This was especially so since the two of them were almost sticking at this moment. The fragrance coming from behind caused sweat to appear on Xu Qing’s forehead. He suddenly regretted asking for the name.

“This flute has 12 holes. You hold it on the left side of your body.” Purple Mystic Fairy’s sweet voice contained a hint of temptation that spread into Xu Qing’s mind. She lifted Xu Qing’s hands and put it on one end of the flute.

She taught him meticulously step by step. Finally, as Xu Qing’s body stiffened, Purple Mystic Fairy lifted Xu Qing’s hands and placed the flute in front of his lips in the correct posture.

“Kid, you have to learn properly and not be distracted. Now, breathe out.” Xu Qing felt a gust of hot air and the murmur of Purple Mystic Fairy in his ear.

Xu Qing’s body became increasingly stiff. The high degree of nervousness caused his heartbeat to accelerate. He fell silent for a few breaths of time before he barely adjusted his mentality. According to Purple Mystic Fairy’s teachings, he blew gently.

The ear-piercing sound of the flute tore through the air.

Purple Mystic Fairy laughed and walked up to him. She then lifted her fair fingers and elegantly placed them on the flute in front of Xu Qing, covering a sound hole.

“Like this.”

As she spoke, she looked at Xu Qing. Her red lips were slightly parted because of her smile and there was a deepness in her eyes. With her flawless and delicate face at such a close distance, confusion appeared in Xu Qing’s eyes for the first time.

At the next instant, a thunderclap rang out from the sky. Amidst the rumbling, rain splattered onto the ground, landing on the magic ship’s protective barrier. A crackling sound rang out, causing Xu Qing’s body to tremble and he took a few steps back.

“Thank you, Senior. I’ve learned it. I’ll figure it out myself.”

Purple Mystic Fairy smiled. She seemed to especially like seeing Xu Qing’s nervous appearance. When she heard this, her beautiful eyes swept past Xu Qing’s eyes. After that, she sat at the side and held her chin as she looked at Xu Qing.

Xu Qing took a deep breath and sat cross-legged as he picked up the flute. He then closed his eyes and recalled the method taught by Purple Mystic Fairy. A moment later, he opened his eyes and blew softly. This time, although the sound of the flute wasn’t ear-piercing, there was only a whimper and didn’t have any beauty.

“Take your time. There’s no hurry.” Purple Mystic Fairy smiled gently.

Just like that, time passed.

The rain continued to fall. The sound of the rain continued, and thunder rumbled from time to time.

On the magic ship, Purple Mystic Fairy was still looking at Xu Qing. Her gaze slowly became gentler and she would occasionally correct Xu Qing.

Xu Qing gradually calmed down and studied seriously. When dawn broke, as the rain stopped, he became a bit more proficient. The tune carried an intense unfamiliarity and the intermittent sound of the flute echoed in all directions at sunrise.

The sound of the flute drifted and landed on the Grand Affairs Misfortune Passing Mountain. It also spread to the banks of the Immortal Enrichment River, causing fluctuations in the dazed eyes of the mortals who came after the rain to cleanse the anomalous substances on their body. They lifted their heads and looked at the sky.

Purple Mystic Fairy’s gaze left Xu Qing for the first time since last night. She looked at the riverbank and spoke softly.

“Wait a minute.”

Purple Mystic Fairy stood up and stepped off the magic ship, walking to the shore.

In the eyes of those mortals, Purple Mystic Fairy seemed to be the most beautiful existence they had seen in the world, so they could not help feeling inferior.

This was clearly not the first time Purple Mystic Fairy had done such a thing. She knew very well how to deal with it and a gentle expression appeared on her face. This gentle smile dissipated everyone’s uneasiness.

She walked to a little girl lying on the shore, on the verge of death.

More than half of the little girl’s body had rotted away and was filled with anomalous substances that emitted a stench. However, there was still a glint of light in her eyes that belonged to children of her age. However, this light was dimming as her life passed.

Purple Mystic Fairy squatted beside the little girl without feeling any disdain. She gently stroked the little girl’s forehead and gradually, the rotting on the little girl’s body began to improve.

“Although the world is bitter, you have to have hope in your heart,” Purple Mystic Fairy said softly. Her face was filled with gentleness as she took out a piece of candy and placed it in the little girl’s mouth.

A while later, the light in the little girl’s eyes lit up again.

Purple Mystic Fairy smiled. However, as she swept her gaze across the surroundings, she sighed softly. Someone as powerful as her could change the fate of a sect but she couldn’t change this world.

Xu Qing silently watched this scene from the ship.