The Stars Beyond

Chapter 201: Rewards From The Immortals

Chapter 201: Rewards From The Immortals

The forest lay in ruins, as if violently shorn by some colossal force. The area was extensively devastated, leaving behind only traces of blood from those who had perished, with no other evidence of their existence. Even the mystic silver flying swords, caught in the ripples, were reduced to mere iron filings.

The nearby stone mountain was also affected. Several large snakes hiding in the caverns were severed into sections, but at least their bodies remained intact.

Wang Xuan, utilizing his potent spiritual domain, scoured the fractured mountain for snails. After more than two hours, he managed to gather a basketful. Even in ancient times, these were considered a delicacy, favored by earth immortals as a snack to accompany their drinks.

The mature snails, as large as an adult's fist, had jade-like shells that were translucent and aesthetically pleasing. The meat was luminous and contained a subtle, fragrant aroma. Extremely rare, these snails were currently used by the elite on New Star solely for infusing into wines.

"A basket of snails causing such a bloodbath..." Wang Xuan mused on the irony. Seeking a simple pleasure had led to a deadly hunt by over forty cultivators at the Gathering Herbs stage. Indeed, it was a delicacy obtained on the edge of a knife, amidst the sounds of clashing swords and collapsing mountains.

He made his way back to the Earth Immortal City, reflecting on the day's perils. Without the treasure from the Inner Landscape, his fate could have been dire. "It doesn't seem like a weapon, more like a cauldron used solely for brewing medicinal herbs, given its faint herbal fragrance," he pondered. The mystery deepened – how could a mere tool for concocting potions possess such immense power?

A thought struck him. He wasn't far from reaching the Gathering Herbs stage himself, a realm deeply intertwined with his future stages and even involving potent spiritual medicines. Could this cauldron prove useful in his upcoming journey?

Upon his return to the Earth Immortal City, the man from Heluo Star who had traded the snails with him received the news. Shocked and terrified, his face turned pale, and he was utterly paralyzed with fear. He knew the inside story; a group of cultivators at the Gathering Herbs stage had failed to kill this alien being?

Old Chen arrived soon after, alarmed to hear of Wang Xuan's encounter. Together, they sought out the transcendent beings from the three stars of Heluo, Eura, and Yuhua.

"Unless you plan to stay in the Earth Immortal City forever, stepping outside will mean facing our relentless pursuit and retribution. No one will be spared," Old Chen declared, brandishing his sun-gold infused spear. He pointed at each individual, issuing a stark threat and then began... collecting protection fees.

The transcendent being who had tricked Wang Xuan into leaving the city almost collapsed in terror, trembling as he approached first. He returned the previously obtained jade tokens and added four more from his collection.

"We're only asking voluntarily for now. It's merely a donation. Whoever can spare some jade tokens, that would be forming a good bond with us," Old Chen announced, masking his true terror. Wang Xuan's near-death experience outside the city had left him shaken. The people from the three celestial stars were ruthlessly malicious to have summoned such a formidable group from their home stars.

However, they were limited to summoning only those at the Gathering Herbs stage. The annihilation of such a group would undoubtedly cause panic at their end of the wormhole.

Wang Xuan remained silent, letting Old Chen handle the threats while he collected the jade tokens, exuding a menacing aura. Having just achieved a breakthrough, he was indeed eager to test his new abilities on these people.

"Little Wang!" Zhou Yun appeared again, causing Wang Xuan a headache. Zhou Yun's presence meant Zheng Rui and the female alchemist weren't far behind – encounters Wang Xuan was keen to avoid.

Zhou Yun was Ling Wei's cousin who had been repeatedly thrashed by Wang Xuan. Their confrontations had even led to Zhou Yun's bone fractures on Qingcheng Mountain. It was from him that Wang Xuan had acquired the five pages of the Golden Scripture.

Initially, Zhou Yun mistook Wang Xuan for a mixed-race individual, but his attitude had gradually changed, especially after arriving in the secret realm. He had begun to treat Wang Xuan as a close brother.

"There's no need to run; the female alchemist hasn't shown up," Old Chen reassured Wang Xuan.

"Little Wang, long time no see! Why are you running? Last time, you bravely stayed behind to confront the alien masters alone. I heard from Zhong Cheng that you cleverly used poisonous bees to eliminate several grandmasters. That was a genius move! I’m growing more impressed with you. When we return to New Star, I'll talk to my uncle, Old Ling, about the feudalistic way he's been acting. I think you and Ling Wei make a great pair," Zhou Yun said, patting Wang Xuan's shoulder affectionately.

Wang Xuan was exasperated, feeling that Zhou Yun was only adding to the chaos. "Here, help me collect these jade tokens. See anyone who's unwilling to pay? Remember their faces," Wang Xuan tasked Zhou Yun with collecting the dues.

"What's happening, Wang? Charging extraterrestrials protection fees now?" Zhou Yun was astounded.

Wang Xuan shook his head, explaining, "It's not me; it's Old Chen. Chen Yongjie, the former grandmaster, has ascended to the Transcendent realm and is now unmatched across the three stars. He's adamant about collecting these peacekeeping fees from them."

Zhou Yun was impressed, "Wow, so Grandmaster Chen really was involved with the underworld. No wonder some of the influential old-timers on New Star say he’s a tough nut to crack. They advise reporting any encounters with him and eliminating him quickly if provoked; otherwise, it's too risky."

Wang Xuan listened, speechless at Zhou Yun's candidness. Old Chen, maintaining a stern face, chose not to engage in the conversation.

Zhou Yun's demeanor turned serious as he said, "Grandmaster Chen, or should I say, Transcendent Chen, I was just trying to give you a heads-up. Some influential figures on New Star are quite wary of you. Now that you've returned and ascended to Transcendence, I bet they're weighing their options, contemplating how to deal with you."

Old Chen looked at Zhou Yun with some surprise but nodded, accepting the information as a friendly gesture.

Zhong Cheng joined them, roped in by Zhou Yun to assist in collecting the protection money. The transcendent beings from the three celestial stars were a mix of shock and fear.

They were stunned to hear that a group of forty-odd Gathering Herbs stage experts who had crossed over to exterminate an extraterrestrial demon might have been wiped out instead. This revelation left them in disbelief, unable to accept that one or two extraterrestrial beings could achieve such a feat. They suspected a large number of extraterrestrial forces lurking outside the city.

Particularly when Zhou Yun declared to the crowd, "Hurry up, you're already surrounded by Transcendent Chen himself. He's set his sights on you. And let me tell you, he's the biggest underworld boss of an entire planet!"

Zhong Cheng, with a grave expression, warned them, "Old Chen says, 'Heaven values all life, so pay up with your jade tokens for your safety. Otherwise, heads will roll when you leave Earth Immortal City.'"

The reason Zhou Yun and Zhong Cheng were so proactive in collecting jade tokens was that Wang Xuan and Old Chen had promised them a few tokens each as a reward for their help. The transcendent beings, unable to understand their language but able to capture thoughts and intentions through their spiritual domains, began to view Old Chen differently, seeing him as a dominant figure from the underworld of a life-bearing planet, a leader in its grey areas.

Zhong Qing also joined in the collection, her long legs and pure, beautiful face adding to her persuasive charm. Her sweet voice and gentle demeanor quickly swayed many to part with their jade tokens. Zheng Rui, throughout the process, remained calm and quiet.

The city's law enforcers couldn't stand by idly any longer and covertly informed the White Peacock, the great demon. the White Peacock arrived personally to put a stop to it, ensuring the jade tokens already collected weren't returned.

the White Peacock gave Zheng Rui a glance before flying away. Wang Xuan and Old Chen, after tallying up, found they had collected over one hundred and fifty jade tokens in total, more than half the required amount.

"We should be able to claim the top seven spots," Wang Xuan noted. He felt it was a waste to concentrate so many tokens in the hands of just one or two individuals. Instead, it made sense to distribute them more reasonably among their group. Wang Xuan, Old Chen, Old Zhong, Zheng Rui, Zhou Yun, Zhong Qing, and Zhong Cheng could all claim rewards, potentially securing the most significant benefits.

However, Wang Xuan planned to remain hidden, letting the other six claim the prizes. the White Peacock's psychic message informed them that all rewards would be exchanged based on the number of jade tokens and warned them to consider whether to distribute them wisely. The highest tier rewards required a vast number of tokens, a massive accumulation of points.

This warning blocked their path to easy fortune, leaving them speechless and stumped. "Senior, how do we leave the secret realm? With the surge in transcendent energy, spacecraft can't land. Are we to be trapped here forever?" Wang Xuan inquired.

If there was no other way, Wang Xuan would have to venture deep into the secret realm to seek Old Fox's help, hoping to use the Celestials' spacecraft to leave. He just hoped that Old Fox wouldn't be too treacherous or terrifying.

"I will send you away," the White Peacock reappeared, again glancing at the bracelet on Zheng Rui's wrist. It warned Wang Xuan not to leave the city and to personally claim the Celestials' rewards. Wang Xuan felt a chill run down his spine; he was being watched closely.

His gaze shifted to Zheng Rui, where the vague silhouette within the bracelet seemed to materialize more clearly, though only Wang Xuan and Old Chen, as transcendent beings, could see it. Zhong Qing and Zhou Yun remained unaware.

The female immortal floated away lightly, disappearing near the altar in the center of Dishi City. Soon, the transcendent battle ended, and the bell of Dishi City tolled, its sound traveling for miles, attracting various transcendent monsters like pilgrims to a holy site.

In the city center, the immense altar's light screen rose again, revealing the world behind the grand curtain. Reluctantly, Wang Xuan arrived with his collection of jade tokens, escorted by the White Peacock.

"Senior, will the Celestials descend to our world?" Wang Xuan inquired, uneasy about what might unfold.

"Why ask so many questions? Just watch and learn," the White Peacock responded indifferently.

The grand curtain expanded, revealing a boundless and majestic landscape, almost dreamlike in its beauty. There were ethereal palaces in the clouds, floating mountains, sacred beasts running through the clouds, and celestial birds descending from the moon.

Both transcendent beings and monsters of the secret realm were awestruck by the sight. The curtain drew near, revealing treasures like ancient texts, medicinal herbs, and mysterious artifacts, all available for exchange with jade tokens.

Zhong Cheng's pupils contracted as he spotted a set of golden bamboo slips in the pile of texts, their high ranking almost intimidating. He quickly composed himself, practicing the calming technique Old Zhong had taught him to maintain his composure.

Zhong Qing, too, was deeply moved but managed to remain calm and collected, concealing any hint of excitement or turmoil.

They then noticed a five-colored jade book among the top-tier items, catching everyone's attention with its prominence.

"Stop looking at those top-tier scriptures; they've mostly been lost. The powerful immortals who practiced them mostly perished in the grand curtain battles," the White Peacock advised everyone to be realistic and not set their sights on the texts atop the curtain, as they were not meant for them.

"Back in the day, there were battles among Earthly Immortals, disputes among life-sustaining masters, and confrontations at the Ascendent level. Even in that era, Celestials could descend here to duel and vie for legendary treasures and supreme scriptures," the White Peacock reminisced about an era long gone.

Zhong Qing and Zhong Cheng, one after another, recognized some familiar texts, leaving them astounded. They exchanged glances, realizing just how extraordinary Old Zhong's study was.

Old Chen was reassuring Wang Xuan, conversing in the Old Earth language to avoid leaking any mental thoughts. "Don't worry, it's not likely we'll encounter the Red-Dressed Demoness wherever we go. If she appears, I'll stand up for you and ask her to dance the Demoness Dance!" he joked.

Wang Xuan's lips twitched. "Don't talk nonsense or provoke me. I've been speaking prophecies lately, and I don't want to mention her anymore." He felt that the true body of the Pre-Qin female immortal might emerge from behind the grand curtain.

He then braced himself, observing the top-tier items, which were vague and indistinct. Among them, a furnace seemed familiar to the one in his Inner Landscape.

"Don't bother looking at the top rewards; they're not meant for you. Even the supreme Celestials have longed for them in vain," the White Peacock cautioned them again not to overestimate themselves and to be content with just knowing the legends.

"Senior, can you tell us about those legendary items?" asked a Ascendent realm swordsman from Yuhua Star.

"Yes, Senior, let us learn about those mysterious artifacts," others chimed in.

"Hmm, take the Carefree Boat, for instance. It can traverse all higher spiritual worlds, places even Celestials can't reach. One can easily pluck peaches from the Pantao Garden, harvest fairy calabashes from Mount Buzhou, and gather nine-turn dan qi from the Great Red Heaven," the White Peacock explained.

"And then there's that furnace..." As the White Peacock mentioned the furnace, Wang Xuan perked up, listening intently, feeling it was very similar to the one in his Inner Landscape.