Outside Of Time
chapter-1267

Mountains and Seas Region, the Jiuli Forbidden.

This place was the center and core of this region!

From the outside, gray fog filled the air, enveloping everything. As it churned, it emitted the sense of endless mysteries and death.

In the past Grand Hunts, no one who entered Jiuli survived.

However, the legend of the Jiuli continued to attract generations of cultivators from the Flame Moon Mystic Heaven.

It was the same for Ji Dongzi.

He had once thought of exploring it. However, as he learned about the Jiuli Forbidden, and some of its secrets that hadn't been made public, as well as his guesses…

He didn't dare to anymore.

"Jiuli… That's a special name."

Ji Dongzi's gaze was deep as he stared at the gray fog in front of him. Recalling his battle with Xu Qing, he had no choice but to admit that although Xu Qing was weaker than him, it was quite difficult to kill him.

"This person can indeed be considered the number one heaven's chosen of the human race."

"However, it will be in the past."

Ji Dongzi retracted his gaze and flicked his sleeve. Immediately, a blurry blood shadow appeared beside him and bowed to him.

"Go and inform King Mingnan that Xu Qing has died."

Ji Dongzi calmly spoke. He then turned and took a step, disappearing from the spot.

In his opinion, the time of Xu Qing's death wasn't important anymore; he had been tainted by the gray fog and was destined to be unable to leave.

Xu Qing… also sensed this!

At that moment, in the Jiuli Forbidden, his entire body was covered in gray fog and his expression was very gloomy.

The instant he entered, the gray fog here seemed to have a life of its own. It carried greed and desire as it instantly enveloped him, wanting to assimilate him.

However, this gray fog wasn't anomalous substances but an unknown matter.

The moment the purple divine source in Xu Qing's body came into contact with the gray fog, he felt a sense of suppression. All the soul threads also became dispirited and gradually lost their vitality.

It was as though the Jiuli Forbidden was filled with hostility toward gods. Hence, everything related to gods would be rejected by it.

Hence, Xu Qing's god form began to weaken and became unstable in a short period.

"My Purple Moon divine source came from the Crimson Goddess… Although it can't compare to Her, its essence is the same and its status is the same. However, the gray fog here can actually suppress it!"

Xu Qing had realized earlier that Jiuli wasn't simple. Now, this feeling was even more obvious.

If it was just a suppression on things related to gods, it would be fine, but Xu Qing quickly discovered that his cultivation strength was also being repelled and suppressed.

The furnace in his secret repository was being extinguished.

Even the Heavenly Dao… actually seemed to be on the verge of sleeping.

"Rejection of everything?"

Xu Qing frowned. What he didn't expect was the special power he sensed within this gray fog.

Just like karma, he was forcefully bound here. He… couldn't leave.

It was the same after many attempts.

Xu Qing fell silent. After a long time, he suddenly took a step back, wanting to probe the limits.

All the abilities he could use instantly erupted. However, at the next moment, his retreating body stopped.

A life-and-death crisis that surpassed the sensation given by Ji Dongzi by hundreds or thousands of times descended on his entire body, causing Xu Qing to tremble uncontrollably, as though he was about to collapse.

At this moment, whispers rang out from the surrounding fog.

All the voices finally transformed into a single word that roared like thunder in Xu Qing's mind.

"Die!"

This word contained the most extreme resentment, anger, and killing intent Xu Qing had ever felt in his life.

He could clearly sense that if he took another step back, Jiuli Forbidden would release an extermination power that he couldn't resist, and destroy his body and soul.

If he moved forward, because of the power of rejection, the further he went, the more difficult it would become. In the end, it was very likely that everything of his would be rejected and he would become a mortal.

If he retreated, his death was certain.

Xu Qing hadn't encountered many such dilemmas.

Hence, Xu Qing narrowed his eyes and suppressed the frustration in his heart, forcing himself to remain calm as he observed his surroundings.

Although the area he was in was within the Jiuli Forbidden, it was close to the edge. The fog here was naturally denser compared to outside, but compared to the depths of the Jiuli in the distance, it was clearly thinner.

Hence, he could vaguely see the environment.

There was no vegetation, no mountains, and no anomalous substances!

As for the ground beneath, it was somewhat soft; it was marshland.

Countless skeletons could be seen in the black marsh. They had been submerged here for countless years, silently gazing through time.

The land was filled with vicissitudes and desolation.

Only a sizzling sound continued and rapidly rang out from outside Xu Qing's god form.

That was the sound of him resisting the invasion of the gray fog.

However, the god form became increasingly unstable, causing this confrontation to not last for long.

"Although staying here can delay the invasion, there's no possibility of neutralizing it."

"Since I can't retreat, then… rather than waiting for death here, I might as well enter completely and see what this Jiuli is. Perhaps… there's still a chance of survival."

A dark glint flashed in Xu Qing's eyes. He then walked forward decisively.

With every step he took, he was incomparably vigilant. He controlled his body not to sink into the marsh, while using all his strength to resist the invasion of the fog.

Just like that, time flowed by and six hours passed.

Xu Qing, who was walking in the Jiuli Forbidden, didn't find any signs of life or Jiuli.

This place was too big and seemed endless. Other than the thickening fog, there was nothing else.

Moreover, the ground was becoming softer and the depression was even more intense.

Hence, Xu Qing's speed became slower and slower. In the end, his fourth god form couldn't be maintained and degenerated to the third god form. Next was the second god form and the first god form.

In the end, all the soul threads fell silent.

Purple Moon was in a deep sleep.

Xu Qing's main body was revealed on the marsh. The fog tried to invade him, but he immediately spread the Poison Restriction.

As a divine source that was higher in level than the Crimson Goddess', the resistance of the Poison Restriction was clearly stronger. However, as time passed, Xu Qing became increasingly anxious. The Poison Restriction was also becoming thinner.

Under the suppression of this dense fog, the Poison Restriction… fell into a deep sleep.

Xu Qing's secret repositories fell silent as well.

They were all extinguished.

The instant the last wisp of fire from the secret repository's furnace extinguished, the feeling of greed emitted by the gray fog suddenly became intense. It was like a ferocious demon that had been wandering in the surroundings had sensed an opportunity and pounced toward Xu Qing.

However, at the next instant, a bronze incense burner appeared above Xu Qing's head.

This incense burner was ancient and emitted a peculiar energy. Green smoke curled up from it for a thousand feet before spreading out, cascading down like a waterfall and forming rings of smoke that enveloped Xu Qing and blocked the invasion of the gray fog.

It was none other than the treasure of Tian Lingzi from the Baize Race whom Xu Qing had killed on the ninth forbidden mountain in the forbidden zone.

This item had once resisted Xu Qing's Poison Restriction for Tian Lingzi, allowing him to successfully step onto the ninth mountain.

From this, one could see its might.

After he took it out, as the smoke rings descended, the sleeping cultivation base and divine sources in Xu Qing's body showed signs of recovery. This barrier seemed to have isolated him.

Although the feeling of karma was still intense, to a certain extent, Xu Qing's pressure was eased.

However… he could sense that the incense burner was depleting rapidly, and the formation of the incense rings was sparse, so its duration wouldn't be very long.

Right now, it was being rapidly invaded, so it would probably last for only fifteen minutes.

"This fifteen minutes can allow me to recover my divine sources and cultivation base, but that will only allow me to last a little longer…"

Xu Qing's expression was ugly as he stared at his surroundings. According to his judgment, even if he hadn't entered the core of the Jiuli, he was still in the depths.

On the way, other than the fog, he sensed no other existences.

Only the marsh.

"So, under the marsh?"

Xu Qing lowered his head and looked at the black marsh under his feet. After some thought, he didn't rashly try it himself. Instead, he spoke in a low voice.

"Little Shadow!"

The shadow appeared in the marsh under Xu Qing's feet, emitting weak fluctuations of emotions. It even put on an appearance that was filled with burn marks.

It was as though it was reminding Xu Qing that it was injured.

Xu Qing ignored it.

"Go down and take a look."

Little Shadow felt aggrieved. However, after being suppressed for many years, it could merely tacitly agree to fate's arrangement. With a sway, it sank into the mud and spread inwards.

It had only sunk for less than 30 feet when it distorted intensely, emitting wails. Even its body showed signs of dissipating.

"Pain… rotting… dissipate… afraid…"

Xu Qing was unmoved and continued to sense.

Seeing that Xu Qing was ignoring it, Little Shadow experienced even so more aggrieved. It endured the feeling of dissipation and continued to spread.

Very soon, it reached 100 feet, 500 feet, and finally 1,000 feet.

All the areas were covered in mud.

At this location, the dissipation intent on Little Shadow's body obviously intensified, causing it to be unable to help but emit emotions of begging for mercy again.

"Continue… death… afraid… please…"

Xu Qing fell silent and spoke.

"If I die here, you'll die too. If you bring me some opportunities, I promise that I'll think of a way to revive you after you die."

This voice was filled with determination. After Little Shadow sensed it, its body trembled and erupted in the next instant, forming an even greater fluctuation that continued to spread down.

1000 feet, 3000 feet, 5000 feet…

The dissipating force intensified and the wails were heart-

rending. Little Shadow's body continued to shatter and finally shattered into dozens of wisps. One of them returned and the rest all headed deeper. They spread to the extreme in a way that was almost suicidal.

These shadows collapsed one by one. The remaining ones split into dozens of wisps and continued deeper as though a large net.

The wails continued. After more than ten breaths of time passed and the shadow split dozens of times, forming hundreds of shadow threads, there was finally one shadow thread that burrowed into a depth of ten thousand feet.

The moment it dissipated, it successfully transmitted a scene that was reflected in Xu Qing's mind.

The moment he noticed this scene, Xu Qing's entire body trembled. His breathing turned hurried and his expression changed.

"This is…"