The Stars Beyond

Chapter 194: Evolving In Desperation

Chapter 194: Evolving In Desperation

Outside the beehive, dark clouds nearly touched the ground, enveloping the land in darkness. Torrential rain poured down, turning the world into a blur of grey and black.

As lightning slashed the sky, the colossal old trees of the secret land swayed madly in the storm, their branches whipping around as if transforming into demonic beings.

Through the gaps in the beehive, Wang Xuan watched the curtain of rain. Each flash of lightning cast his determined face into sharp relief, then plunged it back into shadow.

Despite his wound closing, blood still seeped from the terrible gash on his shoulder, a grim reminder of the near-fatal encounter. His body, nearly cleaved in two, was a testament to the severity of the battle he had endured.

The Earth Immortal Spring crystal worked its magic, filling him with a torrent of life-giving energy. This rejuvenating force flowed to his wound, promoting rapid healing.

Throughout the night, he lay in wait, quietly allowing his body to mend. Bones knitted, new flesh grew, and his marrow glowed with vitality, pulsating with the energy of renewed life.

In the dark, rain-drenched wilderness, eerie noises emerged. Tall figures, reminiscent of mountain spirits, loomed in the gloom. At least two meters tall, these humanoid creatures were covered in long, black hair. Their fingernails, shining in the dim light, were over twenty centimeters long.

Their eyes glowed a sinister green, piercing the darkness and rain with beams of eerie light.

One particularly towering figure, nearly three meters tall with deep-set, glowing eyes, commanded, "Search thoroughly. While the rain keeps the silver bees at bay, scour the nearby areas!"

In the distant woods, Yuan Kun, Ou Yun, Mu Xue, and others remained. They sent people to search through the storm, waiting eagerly for any sign of Wang Xuan.

Watching the shadowy figures resembling mountain spirits, Yuan Kun, Ou Yun, Mu Xue, and the others wore complex expressions. These beings were the descendants of the people from the three extraordinary planets left behind in the secret land, who had intermingled with spirits and evolved into a new race.

These ancestors were left deliberately, intended to adapt to the secret land and eventually control it. However, their evolution took an unexpected turn. Their offspring resembled mountain spirits or newly transformed demons, with robust physiques and bodies covered in black fur, calling themselves the Mountain God Tribe.

The leader of the Mountain God Tribe, a formidable enforcer, had reached the pinnacle of the Herb Gathering stage and was on the verge of breaking through.

The forebears from the three extraordinary planets had left many contingencies: disciples, hound-like pets, and more. Some of these had now grown powerful, spawning formidable clans.

While the people of the three planets aimed to gradually infiltrate the secret land, their plans hadn't fully materialized. The descendants and beasts they left behind hadn't managed to break through the major realm of the human world.

The experienced Mountain God Tribe enforcers, familiar with the behavior of the silver bees, fanned out to search, venturing deeper into the forest.

One of the Mountain God Tribe members, a towering figure standing two and a half meters tall, circled back to the abandoned part of the beehive. He thrust his massive iron spear forcefully into the old, unused section, aware of its safety.

The cold spearhead grazed Wang Xuan's cheek as it pierced through. Wang Xuan remained still until the Mountain God enforcer's demonic face, covered in fur with glowing green eyes, peered in.

Exploding into action, Wang Xuan unleashed his full spiritual energy, blasting the intruder's head with blinding light. The creature's eyes bulged, on the verge of emitting a thunderous roar.

Wang Xuan swiftly grabbed his blood-stained battle garment from the ground, stuffed it into the creature's mouth, and dragged him inside. The Mountain God enforcer, despite his shattered spirit, struggled violently, his immense strength still present in his instinct-driven body.

In the torrential rain, Wang Xuan, his wounds bleeding, silently watched through the gaps in the beehive. He observed figures passing by, including the Herb Gathering stage expert who had injured him, discussing the possibility of his escape down the river.

He overheard Yuan Kun's curses and the shock of his pursuers at his ability to erode the symbols on a top-tier flying sword with his blood. They were afraid of the potential threat he could become if he survived and grew stronger.

"You fear me, and that is why I must survive," Wang Xuan whispered resolutely amidst the downpour, his gaze deep and unwavering.

A giant black crow, another enforcer, flew past in the rain, its presence a sign of alliance with the people from the three extraordinary planets. Smaller crows circled the surrounding forest, expanding their search area.

A giant owl, with exceptional night vision, scoured the landscape from a mountaintop, hunting for any sign of Wang Xuan.

Meanwhile, the leader of the Mountain God Tribe spoke with several Herb Gathering stage experts. They discussed the possibility of some of their people returning to their ancestral star as a motivation to continue their arduous task in the secret land. Despite calling themselves the Mountain God Tribe, they acknowledged their human origins, highlighting their struggle with their continuous transformation in this land.

......

After a night, Wang Xuan's injuries had almost fully healed, thanks to the miraculous effects of the Earth Immortal Spring Crystal. He continued practicing the second True Form Diagram, delving into the final portions of the text.

The rain continued the next day, growing even heavier, causing flash floods in some areas. The Mountain God Tribe, having lost a Life Earth stage member, was furious and convinced that Wang Xuan was still in the area. The tribe's leader, along with Yuan Kun, Jiang Xuan, and Ou Yuxuan, launched another extensive search operation, braving the relentless downpour.

The Mountain God Tribe, with their keen senses, focused their attention on the beehive, suspecting the bottom part to be an abandoned nest without any Silver Bees.

Meanwhile, Wang Xuan had almost mastered the second True Form Diagram, covering nearly ninety-nine percent of his body, filled with surging secret power. He was on the brink of a transformation, just a step away from entering the Lamp Lighting realm.

Suddenly, Wang Xuan opened his eyes. Outside the beehive, several Herb Gathering stage experts, taking advantage of the rain and betting on the Silver Bees' inactivity, approached the bottom of the hive. Their sharp eyes quickly detected the irregularities hidden under the mud - the abandoned part of the beehive had been discovered.

Wang Xuan's expression changed. He had hoped the rain would erase his traces, believing even nature was aiding his escape. But the Mountain God Tribe, too familiar with the secrets of the land, relentlessly tracked him down.

The expert whose flying sword was damaged laughed thunderously, causing nearby plants to shatter and leaves to explode into dust. "Found him! Let's see where you can run now!" another Herb Gathering stage expert coldly declared, readying a silver knife for an attack.

The Mountain God Tribe's leader, however, turned ashen upon seeing the dead body of their kin in the beehive, neck twisted and lifeless.

Seven Herb Gathering stage experts had him cornered. "We've found him, haha! The native hid in the beehive. Brave, but not lucky enough to escape us!" Yuan Kun laughed triumphantly, mocking Wang Xuan's futile attempts at evasion.

Hearing Yuan Kun's triumphant laugh, Mu Xue, Jiang Xuan, Ou Yun, and their group rushed towards the location, determined not to let Wang Xuan escape again.

Wang Xuan sighed, knowing that with just a day more, he could have fully entered the Lamp Lighting realm and wouldn't have feared any Herb Gathering stage experts. But fate had other plans, and he found himself prematurely cornered. True to his nature, he decided to fight back fiercely, aiming to take down at least one or two enemies.

A dazzling silver light erupted as Wang Xuan used the White Tiger Immortal's hairpin, a powerful weapon he had intended to save for a dire situation. In his desperate state, he unleashed its full potential.

In a violent burst, one of the Herb Gathering stage experts was slain, his body exploding into pieces, along with three other transcendent beings who arrived just in time to face the White Tiger's wrath embedded in the silver light.

The remaining six Herb Gathering stage experts hastily retreated, shocked and drenched in cold sweat. They collectively unleashed a barrage of attacks - thunderous strikes, silver knives, and various other offensive spells, targeting the area around the abandoned beehive.

Amidst the chaos, Wang Xuan, having slain a Herb Gathering stage expert, charged into the beehive, heading for the new nest. Even as he did so, the trailing thunderbolt hit him squarely in the back, nearly blasting him open, leaving his flesh mangled and his clothing in tatters.

The silver knife, flown by its wary owner, hesitated to penetrate deeply into Wang Xuan's flesh, fearing damage similar to the fate of the flying sword. Nonetheless, the knife's attack left several deep and horrifying wounds on Wang Xuan's body, revealing bones and even cracking a few.

Flames engulfed what was left of his armor, singeing his hair and charring some of his wounds. Wang Xuan was in dire straits, barely clinging to life under the brutal assault.

He crashed into the new nest, causing those pursuing him to hesitate. They retreated at once, fearing the emergence of the vast swarms of silver bees. These poisonous creatures, several meters in length, were overwhelming and unstoppable if fully unleashed.

Wang Xuan charged in, teeth gritted, gulping down the elixir of Earth Immortal Spring, entering an extremely dangerous zone. He preferred to risk death under the venomous stingers of silver bees rather than be slain by the people behind him, refusing to succumb to their wishes.

After all, this was his last and worst contingency plan.

Having mastered the strongest scriptures, his body was robust, far surpassing the strength of a golden body. He believed he might be able to withstand the stings.

Upon entering, he was taken aback to see many dead bees. Had the silver bees turned this place into their graveyard? There were numerous bee carcasses around.

Even more surprising, he saw a silver bee crawl in, struggle briefly, and then lay motionless.

Wang Xuan wanted to recuperate here, but he felt it wasn't safe. If those people, unafraid of death, sent soldiers in, or came themselves, he would be trapped in a dire situation.

Enduring his pain, he rushed over and quickly carved a hole into the abdomen of a recently deceased silver bee. He scooped out various things from inside and then entered the massive body of the silver bee, using it as a shell to crawl towards the new nest.

He stealthily moved inward, avoiding possible pursuers from behind.

Unintentionally, he entered a densely packed area of larval bee nests, which made his skin crawl as if suffering from trypophobia.

He found a secluded corner and lay still, silently healing.

However, half a day later, he couldn’t resist anymore. The fragrance of the honey was too tempting, and he hadn't eaten for over a day. He needed some nourishment for healing; drinking only Earth Immortal Spring couldn’t completely satiate his hunger.

Enduring his pain, Wang Xuan approached the source of the scent... to stealthily eat and drink.

Fortunately, the adult silver bees rarely appeared here, and the larvae fed themselves.

Considering the size of the larvae and their numbers, eating some of them shouldn't make much of an impact, right?

Wang Xuan stole food from the mouths of bees, swallowing the honey in large gulps. Surprisingly, the honey had an astonishing effect on his injuries. Not only did it relieve his hunger, but it also significantly bolstered his strength and vitality.

Soon, he discovered an even more astonishing substance, akin to a nourishing holy grail, the royal jelly from the superordinary beehive! The bee queen fed on this substance for life, living several times longer than worker bees.

Ordinary bees, like the worker bee larvae, also get to enjoy royal jelly for the first few days to accelerate their growth, after which they can only consume pollen and honey.

When Wang Xuan "shared" this nourishing holy grail from some of the larvae just starting to feed, his vitality surged, and his wounds rapidly healed.

Applying the superordinary beehive's royal jelly to his back, the charred areas and deep wounds began to quiver and rejuvenate.

Wang Xuan felt this place was a miraculous haven for recuperation. In just a day and a night, all his injuries had healed, scars had formed, and even the cracks in his bones had mended.

Having eaten his fill, he retreated to a quiet corner to silently practice the second diagram of the True Form Scripture.

Finally, after another night, he completely mastered the last mysterious segment of the scripture, achieving a breakthrough with his entire body connected and energized!

In an instant, Wang Xuan's body radiated light, undergoing a transformation of flesh and spirit, both growing exceptionally powerful. Internally, his once radiant body cleared its final mist, with various wonders floating amidst his organs, fusing with every part of his flesh.

His spirit intensely condensed and refined, resembling a divine lamp hanging aloft, illuminating not just his increasingly powerful path but also brightening his future.

A transcendent transformation!

Wang Xuan officially stepped into the realm of Lamp-ignition. The second diagram of the True Form Scripture was completed, astonishingly accompanied by a shedding phenomenon.

The old skin, marked with scars and red prints, fell from his body, revealing new flesh devoid of any wounds. His head sprouted new hair, a dense layer of shiny black strands, replacing the burnt ones that had fallen off.

Feeling the immense power in his flesh, Wang Xuan was confident to battle anew. The most significant change was in his spirit, inherent to this realm's transformation, becoming stronger and merging more naturally with the wonders within him.

These wonders could now appear outside his body in an instant or merge with his flesh, forming a nearly immortal and unique spectacle.

Wang Xuan didn't rush to leave. He spent another day and night adapting to his newly transformed powerful body, stretching his limbs and practicing the True Form.

Only when he was certain of his complete control over the Lamp-ignition power did he consume a large amount of royal jelly from the superordinary hive, packing some for the road before departing.

"I'm back, people of Yuhua, Eura, and Heluo stars, are you ready? And the enforcers, prepare for the gallows or the grill, I'm here to settle our scores!" Wang Xuan stepped out of the superordinary beehive.