Outside Of Time

In the rain, Xu Qing was in front, Fan Shishuang was in the middle, and Erniu was behind.

This made Fan Shishuang even more nervous. His nervousness further intensified because he was in the territory of the human race without any helpers at this moment.

After Xu Qing and the group left, the Fourth Prince's banquet hall was completely silent.

Everyone fell silent.

However, under the appearance of silence, storms erupted.

Shock, disbelief, horror, and all sorts of other emotions surged in their hearts.

Regarding Xu Qing's trip to the Flame Moon Race, they only knew the results and didn't know the details of Xu Qing becoming the Grand Mystic Heaven in the Flame Moon Mystic Heaven Race.

Naturally, they didn't know the details of the conflict between Xu Qing and the great heaven's chosens from Flame Moon.

However, they could more or less make some guesses from the clues.

After all, in the end, Xu Qing was the one who became the Grand Mystic Heaven and defeated Flame Mystic.

However, the clues were only clues. They couldn't imagine what kind of experience could make Fan Shishuang feel such fear after seeing Xu Qing.

One had to know that Fan Shishuang was at the Soul Accumulation realm!

Moreover, he was a great heaven's chosen of the Flame Moon Mystic Heaven Race and was famous in Wanggu.

Although it was puzzling that he had chosen to enter seclusion when he came to the capital, this was normal. As a cultivator who had just reached the Soul Accumulation realm, he was at a critical moment in his cultivation. It was normal for him to enter seclusion.

After all, he didn't need to participate in the negotiations. As a supervisor, he only needed to witness the signing of the agreement in the end.

Previously, even though someone mentioned Xu Qing's name and was immediately stopped by him, it could only show his displeasure.

Those who didn't know the inside story would instinctively think that there was a considerable conflict between Fan Shishuang and Xu Qing.

But now… everything had an answer!

The reason why Fan Shishuang went into seclusion after coming to the human race's territory was clearly to avoid Xu Qing!

When someone mentioned Xu Qing and was stopped by him, the displeasure was real and the conflict was also real. However, under this reality, there was also vigilance. He was afraid of being implicated.

As most of them thought of this, the rumbling in their minds became even more intense.

"How terrifying was Xu Qing in the Flame Moon Mystic Heaven!"

Everyone was shaken.

The Third Princess, on the other hand, had a dazed expression. She couldn't help but recall the scenes of her meeting Xu Qing.

At the start, they had seen each other at the Seventh Prince's banquet in the Holy Wave Large Region. When they met again, Xu Qing was already the Holy Wave Region Lord. After that, they entered the Grand Imperial Capital Region together…

He then awakened the Sword Holding Great Emperor, led the rise of the Variant Immortal School, and killed the Seventh Prince; these events had caused a huge commotion and shocked everyone in the Imperial City.

She originally thought that this was already Xu Qing's peak.

However, after going to the Flame Moon, the other party leaped to become Flame Moon Grand Mystic Heaven. He was even conferred the title of Zhen by the Human Emperor and also the title of the Imperial Prince's Grand Tutor…

All of these left her looking up at him, but she could only see his distant figure.

Moreover, today, she directly sensed how terrifying Xu Qing was. The high and mighty Fan Shishuang whom they had to treat carefully was actually so apprehensive in front of Xu Qing.

She could imagine how ferocious Xu Qing's reputation was when he was in the Flame Moon Mystic Heaven Race.

Beside her, the Fourth Prince also had a chaotic expression on his face. However… a strange glint flashed in his eyes.

'Someone wanted to use me to lure out Fan Shishuang. However, Master had already seen through it and asked me to play along. So, with Xu Qing's arrival… are they going to die together?!"

At the thought of this, the Fourth Prince instinctively analyzed the gains and losses.

Among everyone, there was a woman who was also shaken at this moment. Her eyes revealed spirit as she looked out of the main hall.

This woman was none other than the famous musician, Su Yue.

'Is he that person's younger brother…'

Xu Qing didn't know about anything happening in the hall. Not long later, the three of them arrived at his high spiritual mansion.

In the residence, Xu Qing sat cross-legged with a calm expression. He looked at Fan Shishuang, whose expression was gloomy.

As for the captain, he was all smiles.

"Brother Fan, back in the Flame Moon Mystic Heaven Race, I could tell that you had extraordinary talent. Your attainments in puppets have reached the peak."

"I don't think you'll disappoint me. After all, if I'm disappointed, my junior brother will be disappointed as well. If both of us are disappointed… then you'll be disappointed too."

The captain coughed and didn't give Fan Shishuang a chance to speak. With a raise of his hand, his puppet landed in front of Fan Shishuang.

"Brother Fan, please help me repair it. As for its strength… it has to reach its original level."

The captain licked his lips.

Xu Qing was expressionless.

Fan Shishuang cursed inwardly but he didn't dare to reveal it on the surface. However, he still heaved a sigh of relief in the end. He could tell that the other party was really asking for his help and didn't have any other intentions.

If it were anyone else seeking him out, he could handle it with composure. But now, for Fan Shishuang, all he wanted was to finish up quickly and then leave, to get far away from this place.

Hence, he didn't say a word. After his gaze landed on the puppet, he raised his hand and waved it. Immediately, the puppet collapsed, turning into countless parts.

After waving his hand and picking up one, Fan Shishuang took a deep breath. After trying his best to calm himself down, he began to study it.

As he studied, his expression changed slightly.

"This is an ancient object that has existed for at least tens of thousands of years."

"It's also stained with corpse energy… This is a refining method popular in the Liaoxuan lineage during the Ancient Sovereign Mystic Nether Era."

"Their puppet crafting often involves live sacrifices, using the blood of living beings for nourishment, their meridians as connections, and their flesh and bones as materials, supplemented by various ingredients, ultimately forming blood-flesh puppets."

Fan Shishuang was indeed a puppet master. He immediately revealed the origin of the puppet.

Erniu's expression changed as he revealed a look of admiration and shouted, "Impressive."

After Xu Qing saw this, admiration appeared in his eyes as well.

After receiving the praise of the two of them, Fan Shishuang didn't seem to care at all on the surface, but inwardly, he couldn't help but feel a little smug and proud.

Erniu blinked.

"Brother Fan is indeed powerful. Looks like it can definitely be repaired to a level that surpasses perfection!"

When Fan Shishuang heard this, he calmly spoke.

"Although it's a little difficult, as long as there are enough materials, it's naturally possible."

Erniu smiled.

"However, we only have these materials. With Brother Fan's ability, you'll definitely be able to make seven to eight of them. Forget it, I only want five of them. I'll give the additional ones to Brother Fan as compensation."

Fan Shishuang couldn't help but curse even more intensely in his mind. He thought to himself that these two damn fellows not only wanted to use him for free, but they also wanted him to take out the materials.

This was too much!

"These materials aren't enough for even one puppet. What I'm talking about is refining items like the Absolute Earth Crystal and Crimson Soul Iron."

"Don't have them." Hearing Fan Shishuang's tone, Erniu glared.

Xu Qing's expression also darkened.

Fan Shishuang gritted his teeth and glanced at Erniu before glancing at Xu Qing.

A long time later, he took a deep breath.

"Promise me that from now on, our grudge is cleared!"

Seeing that Fan Shishuang had compromised, Erniu smiled and agreed.

Xu Qing pondered for a moment and nodded as well.

Fan Shishuang gritted his teeth and took out a large number of refining materials. In front of Xu Qing and Erniu, he began to repair the puppet.

Time flowed by and very soon, more than a month passed.

In the past month or so, it could be said that Fan Shishuang had performed exceptionally. Under Xu Qing and Erniu's gazes, he modified all the puppet parts, causing their respective spirituality to be stimulated.

During this time, he used a lot of refining materials.

During the process, Xu Qing didn't speak much but the captain's encouragement and praises came endlessly.

Although Fan Shuang was annoyed by the end, he unconsciously used more materials.

Towards the end, he even took out some ferocious beast flesh and souls that he had killed before.

Adding them to the puppet components finally endowed these parts with spirituality, while also activating them.

On the last day, as he performed a series of hand seals, two large black-armored puppets appeared in front of the three of them.

These two puppets emitted a cold aura from head to toe and a terrifying pressure spread out. They were actually even stronger than the puppets Xu Qing had encountered in the catacombs back then.

"They have reached the physical body level of One World Soul Accumulation!!"

The captain's expression changed.

One had to know that in the entire human race, they had never heard of such a puppet. Even with Erniu's memories from his past lives, such a puppet was extremely rare.

"This is also the first time I've come into contact with and refined a puppet of this level in my life."

Fan Shishuang took a deep breath and looked at the puppets in front of him. An intense greed instinctively rose in his heart. As a puppet master, he knew the value of these two puppets better than others.

'It's a pity that these two watched me the whole time, so I couldn't tamper with it…'

"The reason why this puppet has reached such a level is because although the effects of my materials aren't small, the main point is still those original components.'

"The cultivator who refined this puppet originally had to be at least a high-level Soul Accumulation expert. It's even possible for him to be a Ruler… That's why he could refine a Soul Accumulation being into a puppet."

"Unless there are more of those original parts, otherwise… it'll be very difficult to create a third puppet."

Fan Shishuang sighed with emotion inwardly but reality still made him put away all his greed. He stood up and coldly glanced at Xu Qing and Erniu.

"Can I go now?"

Erniu hurriedly stood up and praised loudly. Xu Qing also smiled.

"Fellow Daoist Fan is indeed extraordinary."

Fan Shishuang was expressionless but he was once again excited by Xu Qing and Erniu's praise and recognition. However, at the next instant, he felt sad. He had experienced these emotions several times in the past month.

At this moment, he only wanted to leave. He didn't say a word and flew out of the residence, rushing toward the encampment.

On the same day, he left the human capital with the two races that were waiting for him…

As for the two puppets, Xu Qing and Erniu each took one. Erniu left happily and prepared to study it properly because he had specially requested for Fan Shishuang to add tracking ability in his puppet.

"Old geezer, I will find you!"

After leaving Xu Qing's residence, Erniu licked his lips in excitement.

Just like that, period flowed by.

Several days later, when there were only two days left until the ancestral worship…

Xu Qing, who was cultivating in the spirit pool in the mansion, suddenly opened his eyes and looked outside the mansion.

Someone delivered a wooden box.

It was placed in front of the gates.

The person who came was a boy.

"I'm here on the orders of the State Preceptor to deliver this item."

With that, the lad bowed and left.

A long period later, the crate shattered in the wind, revealing the object inside.

A rag doll.

That wasn't a cultivator's item, but mortal's.

However, it seemed to possess been torn into pieces countless times and stitched back together…

Its expression gazed like it was crying.