Outside Of Time

Chapter 1669: Ink Yang Universe
Editor: Atlas Studios

Just how big was the Ink Yang Universe…

Xu Qing couldn’t precisely grasp the full scope of the Ink Yang Universe, even as its supreme ruler. With a single thought, he held the power to annihilate entire star systems, yet his divine sense couldn’t encompass the entire universe.

However, during his teleportation to this place, he caught a glimpse of its form.

The whole Ink Yang Universe resembled two curved ram’s horns, made up of countless galaxies and swirling star vortices. Beneath the two horns, where they joined together, lay an irregular oval shape—somewhat like the body of a fish.

It could be said that the Ink Yang Universe looked like a great fish with ram’s horns.

Vast and endless, its insides were densely filled with stars, galaxies, star vortices, and whole starfields. And amidst it all, endless lights shone brilliantly everywhere he looked.

Those… were the suns.

Some possessed life, while some had already died.

Xu Qing’s teleportation was gradually coming to an end.

He couldn’t help but marvel at the profound principles and knowledge embedded in the teleportation token granted by the Nine Shores Heaven. This token clearly reflected the sophisticated research conducted within the Fifth Star Ring’s cultivation systems.

The teleportation it enabled could span numerous universes, allowing one to reach a designated starry sky in a single step—an achievement that defied conventional spatial limits.

It was indescribable, beyond ordinary comprehension.

“It gives me the feeling of a civilization… This is the civilization of immortals.”

Xu Qing mumbled. As the Ink Yang Universe in his perception grew larger and larger, Xu Qing was also thinking about the uniqueness of this universe.

According to the guide immortal from the Nine Shores Heavenly Immortal Palace, he had to figure it out himself.

However, in reality, as one of the special universes with strategic value in the Nine Shores Heaven, Xu Qing felt that high-level lifeforms in this universe should have some understanding of the characteristics of the Ink Yang Universe.

As the Ink Yang Universe grew larger and larger in his eyes, after countless galaxies flowed like rain in front of him, he saw the place where he had descended!

It was an immortal palace!

This palace was crafted from a pitch-black meteorite. Though it seemed vast, in comparison to the boundless universe, it was infinitely small.

Yet, within this universe, authority and status were no longer measured by the size or grandeur of structures.

Despite its modest scale, it commanded reverence from all beings—everything and everyone bowed before it.

It was the most sacred existence in the Ink Yang Universe—ancient, solemn, and majestic.

Surrounding it were countless figures, each bowing, each kneeling.

Most of these figures bore human-like forms, though with subtle differences, while others were entirely of nonhuman races, varied in appearance.

Some even included enormous beasts exuding terrifying auras.

Their numbers were vast, stretching endlessly, with most at the Soul Accumulation Realm, and numerous Rulers among them.

They were all the masters of their respective starfields in the Ink Yang Universe.

The Fifth Star Ring was too large, and the human race was a minority here at the start. Even though it had become a civilization of cultivators and the number of humans had soared as they reproduced,

compared to the countless vast universes in the star ring, they were just a drop in the ocean.

However, such a drop in the ocean became the ruler of the entire Fifth Star Ring, ruling countless nonhuman races!

Basically, these nonhuman races’ ancestors were once gods.

They were actually descendants of gods.

But now, they had been enslaved. Over countless years, the Fifth Star Ring’s rulers had etched seal upon seal onto the bloodlines of these once-divine progeny, embedding each generation of these nonhuman races with indelible marks.

Their growth had been strictly controlled, with everything about them molded to serve humanity’s dominance, steering them down the path of cultivation.

Under the weight of these bloodline seals and restrictions, their power was capped, with their utmost potential confined to the level of Ruler.

Nonhumans weren’t allowed to become immortals!

Unless… it was a strategic need. Only then could the seals be undone and allow these nonhuman races to fight and die for the Fifth Star Ring.

Hence, in the current Fifth Star Ring, the generations of ascenders who had left the land of origin were nobility in front of these nonhuman races!

As the master of the universe, Xu Qing’s descent naturally meant that the slaves in the Ink Yang Universe had to come and worship him.

Thus, amidst the reverent worship of powerful beings from each starfield, the immortal palace, carved from meteoric stone, began to radiate with a brilliant, divine light at the precise moment of Xu Qing’s silent arrival via teleportation.

All kinds of colors formed a vast ocean of radiance that swept swiftly across the surrounding starscape.

The sky shook, and all beings lowered their heads in reverence.

The gate of the Immortal Palace slowly opened.

Xu Qing’s figure walked out!

That immortal token with the ability to teleport also fused into Xu Qing’s body at this moment. Its function wasn’t only teleportation but also… the ultimate proof of supremacy over the Ink Yang Universe!

At this instant, the immortal palace resonated, the stars echoed in unison, and countless starfields vibrated in harmony. The entire universe seemed to answer this call.

Countless nonhuman cultivators in the surroundings knelt down.

“Greetings, Master!”

“Greetings, Master!”

“Greetings, Master!”

The waves of voices reverberated endlessly, like mountains crashing into the sea, booming through the vastness of the starry expanse.

The momentum surged higher with each echo, shaking the very soul.

Xu Qing remained calm amidst it all.

Standing at the threshold of the palace, he closed his eyes.

From the moment he had arrived, from the instant he opened the immortal palace’s door and the token merged into him, the Ink Yang Universe had accepted him as its rightful master.

With this recognition, the entire universe was now in his grasp.

With a single thought, his presence surged outward like a tidal wave, sweeping across all starfields, galaxies, and stars, unstoppable and all-encompassing.

Within, a dense concentration of immortal energy filled the air, saturating every corner.

Part of this energy emanated naturally from the countless stars themselves, while another part came from the lives residing here, as if their very essence contributed to the immortal energy abundance.

This was a universe dedicated to nourishing a heaven’s chosen.

After a long pause, Xu Qing opened his eyes.

As he withdrew his divine sense, a thousand figures from the gathered masses of nonhuman races flew closer to the immortal palace where he stood. Each knelt reverently, approaching one after another, paying their respects in low, deferential voices.

“Master, in the Ink Yang Universe, there exist nearly seven hundred quadrillion star systems, each containing…”

“Master, the Ink Yang Universe hosts a variety of races numbering…”

“Master, among the countless resources in the Ink Yang Universe, the most renowned is the Ink Yang..”

“Master, there are also various secret realms and treasure lands in the Ink Yang Universe. They…”

One after another, these representatives reported to Xu Qing as if fulfilling their official duties, providing a detailed account of the universe’s vast structure and resources.

As Xu Qing listened, he suddenly turned his head and his gaze landed in the distance. He interrupted the cultivators and pointed.

“There’s a cultivator there. Who is it!”

His gaze fell upon the source of the connection between the two points of the Ink Yang Universe—the very head of the universe fish form.

This area, in Xu Qing’s divine perception, was the only darkened zone within the universe, a space cloaked from senses and emanating an aura of dread. The place felt like a black hole, seemingly capable of consuming all.

Upon closer inspection, it looked like an incomparably huge black sun that emitted black light and fire.

It was profoundly unique.

And a wisp of his divine sense had disappeared there.

However, what had severed his sense wasn’t the black-hole-like or dark-sun-like astral form, but rather a figure seated at its edge.

This person, emitting the powerful energy of a Quasi Immortal, had crushed Xu Qing’s divine sense with an overwhelming force, as if grabbing and squeezing it to pieces.

…

At that moment, beside the Immortal Palace, as Xu Qing spoke, the cultivators here looked at each other and hesitated.

One of them reported in a low voice.

“Master, that’s the Ink Land, formed from the first sun born in this universe after it extinguished. It has since become a restricted area, the remnant of the immortal palace. We are forbidden from approaching it.”

“As for the person inside…”

At this point, the cultivator became even more hesitant.

Xu Qing stared at him.

The cultivator immediately lowered his head.

“That is Lord Kunwu. Like you, Master, he is of the human race. Before your arrival, Lord Kunwu served as the acting master of the Ink Yang Universe. He alone holds the privilege to cultivate within the immortal palace restricted area.”

“Acting master?”

Xu Qing’s gaze turned cold.

* * *