Outside Of Time

Chapter 1660: Calamity

Editor: Atlas Studios

The God Blood River was formed from the blood of numerous gods who were slain during the war in the Fifth Star Ring. Within it, there were not only many Divine Platforms but also numerous True Gods who had fallen, aside from those in the Divine Fire Realm.

There were even a few Lord Gods!

Hence, this river contained extremely dense anomalous substances and monstrous divine resentment and death aura.

The entire blood river was suppressed on both sides of the riverbank like a vengeful dragon being locked up, completely imprisoned here.

This caused the anomalous substances and resentment inside to be unable to spread outside and invade the external world. However…

If cultivators barged into the range of the river, they would definitely be invaded.

This could taint their body and soul, and might even plant the seeds of divine karma, greatly impacting their future.

Unless one had the cultivation of a Quasi Immortal Great Emperor, they wouldn’t have the qualifications to cross the God Blood River without relying on the ferry.

However, it was only qualifications.

This was because there was a huge danger in such a crossing.

On one hand, this danger came from the invasion of the god’s aura in the blood river. On the other hand, it came from the strangeness of the blood river.

Too many gods had died here. After countless years of precipitation, no one knew if a divine sinner had been born in the blood river.

Or perhaps, an even more terrifying existence had appeared.

Therefore, even a Quasi Immortal Great Emperor had to be careful and vigilant when crossing this river.

Unless they had to cross the blood river, a Quasi Immortal Great Emperor wouldn’t take this path easily.

Of course, if they really had to cross the river, it would naturally be best to take the ferry.

Hence, there was the ferrymen.

However, although they were ferrymen, they were actually patrollers.

And the ferry was their tool!

Every one of them was a supreme treasure that was specially targeted at gods.

When used on the blood river, it naturally emitted a suppressive aura.

To ferry this boat, patrol the blood river, and suppress the gods. This was the meaning of the ferryman on this river.

It was also their way of penitence.

At that moment, the ferry that appeared in front of Xu Qing was a gift that Fairy Spirit Phoenix had left for Xu Qing!

It was forged by Fairy Spirit Phoenix’s father, the Nine Shores Immortal Lord, for his daughter back then.

Xu Qing’s gaze was deep as he stared at the boat.

He understood the true meaning of Fairy Spirit Phoenix giving him this ferry.

“Giving me a way out…”

Xu Qing mumbled inwardly.

This ferryboat represented an identity, an identity for ferrying and atoning for sins.

Although Xu Qing wasn’t a ferryman, if there was a day in the future when Xu Qing committed a major crime in the Fifth Star Ring…

In that case, the retreat path brought by this ferry forged by the Nine Shores Immortal Lord would become an opportunity for him to survive.

A long time later, Xu Qing took a deep breath and bowed to the sky.

After that, he took a step forward and stepped onto the pitch-black and dilapidated ferry.

The moment he stood there, the ferry trembled and emitted dense black gas, enveloping Xu Qing.

After fifteen minutes, the boat and the person seemed to be one.

So, Xu Qing picked up the rain cape and put it on, then took the bamboo hat and placed it atop his head.

Afterward, he sat down cross-legged.

The aura of time emanated from the rain cape and hat, blending with the dark mist, enveloping Xu Qing and obscuring everything around him.

From afar, the current him really looked like a ferryman.

He remained motionless.

He was waiting to see if the fish would really take the bait.

At the same time, he was also sensing the essence of this boat.

Xu Qing wasn’t unfamiliar with boats.

Just like that, time flowed by.

Ten days passed.

On the shore of the God Blood River, a rainbow rushed over at an astonishing speed…

Within the rainbow was a youth.

This youth’s face was pale and his body was weak. He was none other than… Star Ring!

In the end, he still chose to cross this God Blood River.

The God Blood River wasn’t the only path to get to the East.

However, he had a premonition that crossing the God Blood River was the safest and most stable.

So, here he was.

As he got closer, the sense of safety and stability grew increasingly intense, especially when he saw a ferry docked on the riverbank. A slight relief washed over him.

Throughout this journey of escape, he felt utterly exhausted, whether it was his body, cultivation, or spirit.

Although he had used Star Tower to substitute for his death twice, he would become weaker every time he revived.

Moreover, he had arranged the second death on purpose.

At that time, he suspected that he had been locked onto by Xu Qing in some way, so he decisively chose to pay the price of a life to sever the karma, thus erasing any traces.

In order to implement this, the price he had to pay that time was even greater.

Even though ten days had passed, he still hadn’t recovered.

“Although I have the qualifications to cross this God Blood River with my cultivation, my current weakness makes it hard for me to resist the invasion. Moreover, if I encounter danger from the blood river, I will also lack the power to suppress it.”

“Therefore, taking the ferry is the best choice.”

“Fortunately, I’ve never ridden one before.”

As he pondered, Star Ring’s speed didn’t decrease. In an instant, the rainbow he transformed into crossed the void and appeared directly on the wooden bridge at the riverbank. With a single step, he stepped onto the ferry.

The instant he boarded the ferry, the feeling of absolute safety filled his entire body, causing him to let out a long breath.

He then respectfully bowed to the figure seated cross-legged in front of him, cloaked in a straw rain cape and shrouded in black mist.

“I pay my respects to you, senior. Please, may you set sail.”

The figure in the rain cape remained silent, but the ferry swayed slightly and slowly glided away from the shore, entering the blood river.

Gradually, they moved away from the bridge.

The ferry entered deep into the blood river.

The scenery along the shore vanished completely.

Amid the swirling crimson waves, amidst the howling winds outside the boat, and under the pervasive presence of the anomalous substances, Star Ring’s mind finally relaxed completely.

He sat there and turned his head to look in the direction of the Western Starfield. A hint of sharpness appeared in his eyes.

He muttered.

“Xu Qing, there will still be a battle between us!”

“You’re right.”

The figure in the straw rain cape who was rowing the boat calmly spoke.

As soon as these words were spoken, Star Ring was stunned. After that, he turned his head abruptly and his expression changed drastically. Disbelief and horror surged in his heart.

He abruptly stood up from his cross-legged state.

“Your voice, you… you…”

The figure in the straw rain cape took off his bamboo hat. The black mist on his body surged in all directions, revealing his face.

“I’ve been waiting for you for a long time.”

At that moment, a thunderous roar echoed in Star Ring’s mind, drowning out all sounds—the crashing waves and the howling winds vanished, leaving only the deafening noise of what felt like countless thunderclaps exploding simultaneously.

He couldn’t believe it, nor could he accept it; an absurd feeling washed over him.

The person in front of him was actually Xu Qing!

The premonition that he would be safe on the way to the God Blood River appeared again.

However, this time… in this premonition, there seemed to be an old and incomparably familiar voice echoing in his mind.

“Calamity.”

…

A month later.

At the riverbank of the God Blood River on the Southern Starfield.

An ancient, weathered ferry, dark as pitch, arrived silently and docked alongside the wooden bridge.

Xu Qing was the only one who walked out.

Vaguely, one could see a grain floating beside him.

That was… the dust of Heaven’s Law.

—