The Stars Beyond

Chapter 217: Stealing The Inner Landscape

Chapter 217: Stealing The Inner Landscape

"Little Wang, is this rejuvenation method a one-time effect, or can it be sustained over time?" Qian An inquired, his interest piqued by the potential for ongoing benefits.

Wang Xuan assured him that such a method of preservation was progressive and, under normal circumstances, could indeed extend his lifespan for many years.

Qian An's eyes sparkled with an uncommon vitality, belying his advanced age. His face lit up with a broad smile, even his wrinkles seemed to smooth out in his joy.

Their conversation deepened in camaraderie, and soon after, Qian An personally retrieved a particular scripture for Wang Xuan and Old Chen to peruse — the legendary "Five-Colored Golden Elixir Scripture," a peerless secret text within the realm of the Golden Elixir Path.

Wang Xuan had previously encountered aspects of this scripture related to the spirit, known as the Five-Colored Golden Elixir Spirit Technique, which Zhao Qinghan had helped him exchange from Zhong Qing.

Wang Xuan and Old Chen exchanged glances. They had been preparing to explore the Taoist temple through spiritual projection, hoping to uncover more astonishing scriptures.

To their surprise, Qian An himself presented them with a heavyweight scripture. In the current era, this was considered a top-tier secret manual in the Golden Elixir and Nascent Soul paths.

"There's nothing else," Old Chen declared, his spirit having scoured the temple. It seemed the Qian family's collection was not entirely housed here.

"I'll rest a bit and then continue to stimulate your blood circulation and enhance the vitality of your internal organs," Wang Xuan said, wanting to show gratitude for the precious scripture.

At the same time, he was eager to project his spirit and examine the transcendent object in the temple, curious to see if his spiritual vision would reveal anything different.

With his eyes closed and remaining motionless, Wang Xuan's spirit left his body. In an instant, he saw the world differently — mysterious particles emanating from the main hall, rippling out like waves on water.

Wang Xuan approached quickly, his attention drawn to a piece of transcendent artifact embedded in the temple's main hall – a fragment of a bronze wall, cast from yellow brass and once struck by lightning, partially melted. Only a half-meter segment of this artifact remained, partially visible within the hall's wall.

The true essence of this artifact was a bone concealed within the bronze, retaining remnants of spiritual energy. Observing through his spiritual third eye for the first time, Wang Xuan experienced a flash of insight. The remaining spiritual essence formed a faint shadow, dormant and silent. Behind it, a hazy rift seemed to connect to a vague world, leaking mysterious particles.

Approaching cautiously, Wang Xuan noticed the shadow appeared lifeless, as if it would never awaken unless spiritually stimulated. His heart pounded with excitement as he carefully avoided the shadow, drawing the mysterious particles from the rift and peering inside.

What he saw was an Inner Landscape – the spiritual realm of a transcendent being who had ascended to immortality. Wang Xuan calmed himself before venturing closer again, probing the situation within.

In this Inner Landscape lay another faint shadow, just as silent and lifeless. A myriad of thoughts flooded Wang Xuan's mind as he grasped the true nature of this Ascension artifact – it was a gateway to the inner world left behind by an immortal.

Possessing the spiritual third eye, Wang Xuan understood more deeply than ever before. Activating the external shadow would resonate with the one inside, opening the ancient immortal's Inner Landscape. The union of these two shadows could revive the fragmented spirit of the immortal from days long past.

Attempting to draw the mysterious particles directly from the rift, Wang Xuan unleashed a rich stream of energy, nourishing his spirit. The possibility amazed him. He gazed at the rift, sensing he could venture into it with his spiritual form. Yet, he refrained, wary of the risks involved. Such bold action could awaken the dormant shadow, causing an upheaval.

Instead, he gently drew forth a stream of mysterious particles, enveloping his spirit. With caution not to act rashly, Wang Xuan quickly retreated, leaving the site of the transcendent artifact, pondering the profound revelations of his discovery.

Old Chen immediately sensed something amiss as the mysterious substances around them intensified rapidly. Wang Xuan's physical body was soon enveloped in this essence, causing his internal organs to emit light, cloaking him in a radiant, crystalline brilliance.

"Is this... what Wang is doing?" Qian An exclaimed in surprise.

Qian Rui and Qian Qian were equally astonished, witnessing a man entirely aglow for the first time. Wang Xuan sat like a deity, a halo of light enveloping him.

He was channeling a powerful scripture, absorbing the dense material until saturation.

"I told you, didn't I? Wang excels in the art of healing. He's cultivating, replenishing his strength," Old Chen responded calmly, though internally, his heart pounded. Was Wang really extracting rare materials from the celestial beings' Inner Landscape?

Soon after, Wang Xuan projected his spirit again, drawing a dense stream of mysterious substances for Old Chen and briefing him on the situation.

"Spiritual Third Eye, observing the minutest details, discovering the shadows of immortals, and even utilizing them in this manner?" Old Chen envied.

After a couple of attempts, Wang Xuan refrained from further actions, wary of awakening the shadows. The rich essence they had gathered was more than enough to replenish what they had expended in the Cloud Mist Highlands.

Wang Xuan then helped Qian An once more, this time infusing him with an even greater amount of mysterious substance. Qian An's forehead illuminated, leaving Qian Rui and Qian Qian speechless in awe.

"Do you think we can venture into that Inner Landscape with your Spiritual Third Eye guiding us?" Old Chen asked in a hushed tone.

Wang Xuan shook his head. "It's unlikely. Entering might awaken him. Unless absolutely necessary, it's not worth the risk."

That evening, Qian An was buoyant and energetic, hosting a banquet in their honor, full of joy and excitement. The host and guests enjoyed themselves thoroughly.

After the festivity, Qian An personally saw them off from the estate, arranging a car to take them away.

Wang Xuan decided to stay in Suzhou City for the time being, finding the city suitable for his current needs.

In the following days, Old Chen frequently attended banquets and engaged with various parties. The aftermath of their eradication of an Ashen Blood faction continued to resonate powerfully.

Wang Xuan, however, chose not to participate in these gatherings. He spent his time contemplating his future path – whether to pursue the route of Golden Elixir and Nascent Soul, and how to expedite his own advancement.

In recent days, Qin Cheng had been busy too, preparing to apply for a postgraduate position under Professor Lin at Kaiyuan University's Human Potential Research Institute. He was ready to clash with disciples taught by the so-called "orthodox lineage" of the Old Arts. Having once seen Professor Lin with a punched hole in his chest, Qin Cheng was determined to help the professor redeem his honor. With Wang Xuan's backing, he felt confident.

After consuming Earth Immortal Spring water and various spiritual herbs that nourished his flesh and blood, Qin Cheng started to reap the benefits. His strength was gradually increasing, and he could feel himself growing stronger every day.

"What are your plans, Old Wang? Recently, you've been as quiet as a rock. What are you thinking about?" Qin Cheng asked.

"I'm contemplating my future path, how to become an Earth Immortal, and how to deal with True Immortals from history who are still alive but have significantly weakened," Wang Xuan replied calmly.

Qin Cheng was stunned, feeling as if they were not living in the same world. Could they still have a pleasant conversation?

After a moment, he said, "Let's not talk about the distant future. Do you have any immediate plans? Like making money, starting a family, or finding a girlfriend. If you don't have any specific goals, I can take you to Kaiyuan University to see some beauties."

He then asked, "By the way, is Zhao Qinghan still in the Hidden Land? I heard from Zhong Cheng that it's a dangerous place. Can she make it back?"

"She should be fine. We'll probably see her soon," Wang Xuan said with a smile.

"Old Wang, that's not like you! You've never smiled like this when talking about Zhao Qinghan before. Don't tell me something happened between you two?" Qin Cheng eyed him suspiciously, then looked at his expression and exclaimed, "Oh man, Old Wang, you beast! Did you win over Zhao Qinghan? Impressive!"

"How can you speak like that? That's distasteful," Wang Xuan chided Qin Cheng with a glance.

"Hold on, let me process this for a second; this is explosive news," Qin Cheng said, rubbing his forehead in disbelief. He finally sighed and said, "Old Wang, you're something else. I heard from Zhong Cheng that Zhao Qinghan is quite formidable among their acquaintances here in New World, even holding the title of a goddess. You might have unintentionally offended some scions of the wealthy families!"

Wang Xuan immediately thought of Xiao Song, the obsessive suitor of Ling Wei, who bore murderous intentions towards him. Rubbing his temples, he said, "There’s nothing between us, so don’t go spreading rumors. Otherwise, if another overprotective maniac shows up, or if Old Zhao comes after me, I’ll be wronged, won’t I? We're not even close to that stage."

"Let's not talk about that for now. Our university classmates Zhou Kun, Su Chan, Li Qingzhu, and Kong Yi saw that 'Wang's Contempt' photo and think it looks like you. They've contacted me, knowing you're in New World, and want to have a reunion," Qin Cheng said.

There were quite a few classmates from New World, and with those who came from Old World, the number was substantial.

Wang Xuan nodded and responded, "I know about it. Zhou Kun and Su Chan got my contact information from you and called me. Let's wait for a while, I might be busy with some things in the near future."

Recently, he noticed people lurking around his rented place, clearly being observed by various parties through a magnifying glass, watching his every move. It was possible that trouble might arise.

Musing to himself, Wang Xuan thought, "Rather than letting them sneak around, I might as well give them a chance to contact me directly. This constant skulking about is really annoying."

Just then, his phone rang. It was Zhou Yun.

"Hey, Little Wang, how have you been? Want to hang out? We've got sea parties, gatherings on the moon, all sorts of fun places to choose from. I'll introduce you to some new friends."

"I've got some matters to handle right now, let's make plans later. Where are you?" Wang Xuan inquired.

"Oh, I'm just racing spaceships with friends in outer space," Zhou Yun replied, repeatedly inviting him to join for some relaxation beyond the atmosphere.

What more could Wang Xuan say? Zhou Yun's life was indeed full of excitement and envy. He really should learn from him to relax a bit, but at the moment, he simply didn't have the time.

After hanging up the phone, Wang Xuan declared, "I've decided. First, I need to earn money to support myself, and strive to buy a small spaceship, so I can go above the nine heavens anytime to gather various innate energies and essences."

"What are you planning to do?" Qin Cheng asked curiously.

"Open a wellness center," Wang Xuan announced. It wasn’t a spur-of-the-moment idea; he had seriously considered it.

With many eyes on him, he decided to give them a chance to approach him. If there were any troubles, he preferred to confront them head-on. Besides, he did intend to use this opportunity to conduct some business and obtain ancient texts. The rejuvenated appearance of Qian An, brimming with vitality and looking years younger, had already caused a stir in certain circles.

People were already reaching out to him through Qian An, wanting to discuss potential deals.

Wang Xuan, being proactive, immediately began scouting locations in Suzhou City with Qin Cheng. However, he was soon dismayed by the exorbitant real estate prices. Every storefront was priced in the tens of millions, which was staggering.

“This is... a bit excessive, isn’t it?” Wang Xuan was taken aback.

“That's how it is in a first-tier city like Suzhou – every inch of land is worth its weight in gold,” Qin Cheng said, shrugging.

Wang Xuan checked out some properties in good locations with ample space, only to find their prices exceeding a billion. He could only shake his head at the astronomical figures.

In truth, if he liquidated the items he possessed, like the Sun Gold Spear, the Earth Immortal Spring, and the Mountain Conch, he could easily afford the property he was eyeing. However, he was unwilling to part with these items, knowing such treasures would be hard to come by again.

"I regret not making some extra money when I annihilated the Ashen Blood organization," Wang Xuan lamented, realizing he had missed several opportunities. At the very least, during the slaying of the two transcendent beings from the realm of New Art, he could have collected some of their blood. Selling even a small amount to Qian An would have fetched a fortune!

"I’ve been so immersed in cultivation lately that I almost forgot I'm living in the real world, in the midst of society. It’s time to start earning money!" He was now almost hoping for the Ashen Blood organization to seek revenge, providing him another chance to 'collect some dues'.

Wang Xuan discreetly rented a space, paying an exorbitant rental fee. The processes for approvals and permits in New World were impressively efficient. He and Qin Cheng quickly completed all the necessary procedures and hung up the sign for the Wellness Center.

"Is this an ancient martial arts center? A place for sparring? We'd like to test our skills," someone eagerly approached, as Wang Xuan had anticipated.

"This place is for nurturing life, not for martial fights or sparring. You’re in the wrong place," Qin Cheng informed them.

"No, we do offer that service; it’s mentioned on our business license," Wang Xuan interjected with a smile. "From now on, you’ll be in charge of this area," he said to Qin Cheng.

"Old Wang, are you trying to kill me?" Qin Cheng's face fell.

Wang Xuan explained, "Ancient martial arts require combat and battles. You have the foundation now, but what you lack is real combat experience."

The visitors, having encountered Qian An, swiftly retreated without causing any trouble. Soon after, Zhong Qing and Zhong Cheng, brother and sister, arrived to support the opening.

Then Zhou Yun showed up, exclaiming, "Old Wang, is this for real? Old Qian mentioned that this place can extend one’s life by five years? Even my grandfather is interested. He's prepared some texts, and he sent me to check it out first!"

"It depends on the individual and their specific situation. Old Qian is special. He pursues inner peace and has recreated an ancient Taoist temple at his home. I found it particularly conducive for him to meditate, which greatly aids in nourishing his life and extending his years."

Wang Xuan was keen to understand more, not just about the ancient texts but also about any families possessing millennium-old Taoist temples or Buddhist monasteries. These too were his targets, likely to be useful in the near future.

At that moment, someone delivered a letter to him. In this age, it was rare for people to communicate through written letters on paper. Wang Xuan tore open the envelope, and his expression sharpened immediately. The paper, stained with blood and exuding a faint metallic scent, bore a brief message: "Congratulations on your grand opening. Within ten days, I shall borrow your head for a use." The simple words, devoid of excessive insults or curses, were nonetheless brimming with murderous intent, targeting Wang Xuan's life.

At the bottom of the note was a distinct symbol, the emblem of the Ashen Blood organization. Qian An's face paled upon seeing it. This organization, even after losing one of its branches, dared to threaten Wang Xuan, who had a close relationship with Chen Yongjie, a known transcendent being!

"Is this someone trying to weigh you up, or is it a bloody act of revenge?" Zhong Qing frowned.

"It's gone too far. This organization is asking to be wiped out. They've been taught a lesson before, haven't they?" Zhong Cheng added his thoughts.

"There's confidence behind their actions. Most likely, they're backed by some major financial powerhouses. Who knows?" Wang Xuan speculated, a cold determination brewing in the depths of his eyes. Were these provocations intended to hasten his "growth," to push him towards greater strength?