The Stars Beyond

Chapter 223: Investing In Wang Xuan

Chapter 223: Investing In Wang Xuan

The lamp, resembling a small lantern, was about twelve or thirteen centimeters in height with a full-bodied design. Cast from an unknown black metal, it connected to a chain at its top, ending in a large ring, easily held in hand.

"How does this work?" Wang Xuan weighed it, finding it surprisingly heavy. He mused that a direct hit on an opponent's head could create a bloody wound. Intricate patterns adorned the lamp, including ancient designs of birds and beasts, with a small arrow engraving at the center catching his eye.

Injecting some transcendent matter, the lamp faintly glowed, showing some reaction. Through repeated attempts, he gradually deciphered the exotic artifact's usage; it wasn't complex but required the infusion of transcendent matter accumulated within.

In an era where myths decayed, such objects would degrade to mundanity. The Sun family likely activated it with X-matter or similar substances collected from mystic lands or transcendent planets.

Now, with its transcendent matter depleted, the lamp dimmed, rendered unusable. "Even infusing mystic factors works," Wang Xuan discovered. As energy accumulated and sank into the lamp, it stood ready for activation.

Tiny flames flickered. Upon activating the small arrow engraving with his mind, the symbols flowed, and a dark red arrow nearly launched forth. These mystic runes targeted the spiritual realm.

He quickly retracted his action, extinguishing the lamp's wick. The consumption was significant during this process. No wonder the transcendent wielded by the Sun family could only attack a few times before the lamp extinguished. In an era where myths faded, Newstar lacked abundant transcendent matter, making it a costly tool to use.

Wang Xuan refrained from injecting more transcendent matter. Powerful as it was, the lamp seemed like a bottomless pit, insatiably consuming whatever was fed into it.

Wang Xuan contemplated a visit to Qian An's estate, considering utilizing the mystic factors within the half-copper wall of the Daoist temple to nurture the ancient lamp.

After a thorough examination and probing with his spiritual eye, he discovered more layers to the lamp's engravings than he initially activated. "This lamp is remarkable; the power it's shown is just the tip of the iceberg, closely tied to the caster's spiritual level."

His eyes lit up with excitement. If he could activate the deeper layers of runes within the lamp, it could potentially become a terrifying weapon. "I'll head to the Qian family tomorrow, use their Inner Landscape, and feed the lamp first." His anticipation for the lamp's full potential grew.

His brow furrowed as he pondered how to revive Old Chen. He had figured out how to use the lamp to produce arrows and light barriers, but extracting the small arrows from Old Chen's body remained a mystery.

The dark red arrow inside his own body had been crushed and erased by his mystical sceneries, with faint red light dissipating into the void. However, he dared not disturb the three arrows in Old Chen's spiritual realm, fearing they might explode.

Then, he stumbled upon a method. Activating the runes at the lamp's base, the dark red arrows in Old Chen's spiritual realm trembled and disintegrated into faint red glows, drawn out towards the lamp. "It can be used like this too?"

Whoosh! The three dark red arrows flew out and were absorbed by the lamp. The effect was immediate; Old Chen's eyes opened, reviving from his lifeless state. He gasped in pain, his head throbbing from the long entrapment in his spiritual realm. He also felt a pang in his arm, recalling the near loss of his limb while in a comatose state earlier.

"Did I survive?" He marveled at his narrow escape and clenched his teeth in anger, eager for retribution.

Wang Xuan briefed him succinctly, "The situation is grave. We're up against the super conglomerate Sun family. It's either they annihilate us, or we turn their world into a river of blood."

"Sun family, these bastards, you're on my list now!" Old Chen's gaze in the unlit room shone like lightning. He knew he needed to heal, especially his nearly severed arm, which required a few days of recovery.

Suddenly, both men looked up towards the night sky outside the window. Looming like dark clouds, massive battleships approached slowly, hanging ominously over Su City from all directions - a clear sign of the Sun family's rage.

"This is the stronghold of the Qian and Li families. The Sun family might be a super conglomerate, but they wouldn't dare destroy a metropolis with millions of lives just for a show of force," Old Chen stated calmly, unshaken.

"We must grow stronger. They're pushing me forward, step by step," Wang Xuan remarked, gazing at the night sky. While he knew the Sun family wouldn't dare to annihilate the city, the sight of those daunting battleships still ignited a sense of urgency in him.

The Sun family's four massive ships lingered near Suzhou until late into the night, their cold murderous intent and determination felt by all observers. Many were sleepless, but Wang Xuan slept soundly. Fear was not in his nature, and while the Sun family's technological weaponry was a current enigma, Wang Xuan knew things would be different if he entered the city where the Sun family was based.

Old Chen spent the night in silence, drinking Earth Immortal Spring water and practicing the Sixteen-Foot Golden Body technique to heal. Fueled by a burning desire for retribution, he was eager to regain his peak condition.

Going through messages on his phone, he noted some old friends had prematurely mourned him. Another "false death" made him feel somewhat helpless.

That night, the Sun family, too, was seething with anger. It had been years since a core member of a super conglomerate had died. They faced humiliation and severe provocation with the tragic death of one of their young heirs, Sun Chengquan, leaving no remains.

As dawn broke, Su City buzzed back to life with its bustling streets and hurried commuters. Yet, an unusual tension lingered, with various powers dispatching agents to gather details, all awaiting the next development in the conflict between the superpowers and the transcendent beings.

"The news report reads, 'Last night, two men fell from a building on Guanghua Road in what appears to be an accident...'"

This report left everyone speechless. The Sun family, gritting their teeth, accepted it despite knowing the truth about their two middle-level members being murdered. They couldn't reveal the real details.

Then, a major news story broke.

"A spaceship, model s2576, crashed outside Su City. Satellite analysis ruled out being shot down or collision with another spacecraft, suggesting it was an accidental incident... Our deepest condolences to the victims."

Even with mental preparation, the Sun family nearly exploded in fury, their core member now part of a "tragic accident," an unprecedented event for them. They had orchestrated a similar incident against Chen Yongjie the day before, only to receive such swift retaliation.

But could they object or unveil the truth? Impossible.

Those closely following the incident, including some conglomerate members, couldn't help but laugh at the irony.

Ling Qiming felt particularly pleased. His previous night's conversation with Sun Rongting of the Sun family had been unpleasant, but now, he felt a sense of satisfaction.

"I'm gazing at the moon above..." In that moment, Zhou Yun couldn't help singing on the New Moon, feeling a strong urge to call those who had ridiculed him in secret. Still, he restrained himself, thinking, "I'll stay low-key and not stoop to their level."

The Sun family repeatedly reviewed the surveillance footage from the Fuyao Hotel and satellite images, feeling a chill down their spines. It was clear that Sun Chengquan and his group had encountered something unusual during their escape, but there was no trace of an assailant.

The most chilling fact for the Sun family was the realization that the two men who fell from the building did so of their own accord. One even smashed his head on the rooftop before leaping off the building, as if reanimated.

It was utterly baffling!

The person from the Sun family tasked with investigating the incident reported back, their face pale with fear.

......

......

However, the senior leaders of the Sun family weren't surprised. They had already seen part of the surveillance footage the previous night and had their suspicions. A seasoned advisor suggested, "It could be an extraordinary method, possibly astral projection, as described in ancient texts."

"Astral projection? Go, bring Mr. Ghost here," Sun Rongting ordered, his tone still calm as he played with the small yellow gourd in his hand.

...

After sunrise, Wang Xuan and Chen Yongjie emerged from the Wellness Pavilion to grab breakfast, startling everyone closely following the event. Had Chen Yongjie awakened? Was he the one who acted last night? Just when they thought Wang Xuan was the lurking leviathan, things took a confusing turn.

"The Wellness Pavilion lives up to its reputation. A man gravely injured and unconscious one day, and then lively and spirited the next!" some remarked, viewing the situation from a different perspective. "Wang Xuan must be the more dangerous one. I still believe it was him acting last night."

...

Around 9 AM, Wang Xuan and Chen Yongjie left the city, prompting the Sun family to consider a strike. They wanted to use an energy cannon, but feared it might not be lethal enough. After all, Chen Yongjie had survived a spaceship crash.

The duo visited Qian An again, returning to his estate. With their heightened profiles, even Qian An felt a bit uneasy. Chen Yongjie seemed to be probing Qian An for insider information, while Wang Xuan sat quietly, his mind elsewhere. In reality, he was astral projecting again, tapping into the mysterious substances within the copper wall at the Daoist temple.

He drew copious amounts of mystical factors into the ancient lamp. "They were preparing to trade my flesh last night?" Chen Yongjie learned some details from Qian An, nearly exploding in anger. The Sun family, so arrogant and domineering, treated him like livestock for slaughter! His face turned ashen with rage, his fists clenched until they lost color.

Furious, Chen Yongjie was ready to storm the Sun family right away. He communicated with Wang Xuan using their spiritual realms, requesting some mystical factors for himself to accelerate his recovery, hoping to strike as soon as the next day.

Wang Xuan left Qian An's estate contentedly, having successfully fed the ancient lamp in secret. Meanwhile, Zhong Cheng spent a pleasant morning, almost calling that girl who criticized his judgment, but eventually held back.

Zhong Qing mused, “Wang Xuan and Chen Yongjie are still in a precarious situation. The Sun family is a behemoth, especially with their deep connections to the stars. The waters run deep.” She knew why Chen Yongjie was so severely injured - it was due to a powerful relic, and the Sun family’s vault certainly held more rare treasures.

Whispering, Zhong Cheng asked, “Do we have anything like that? Maybe we could lend Wang Xuan something?”

“There must be something in our vault, but we can’t access it,” replied Zhong Qing quietly.

Zhong Cheng, surprised at her willingness, exclaimed, “You’re actually considering it? And not scolding me?”

“With our great-grandfather in slumber and our conservative grandfather, it’s unlikely they’d intervene. I think Wang Xuan is a powerful superhuman. If you help him now...”

“So it was Wang Xuan who acted last night?” Zhong Cheng was immensely shocked, despite rumors in the wealthy circle about the young man’s danger.

Pointing at himself, Zhong Cheng asked, “You want me to bring a treasure to Wang Xuan?”

Zhong Qing glanced at him, “Would you rather I go? You’re on good terms with him. Visiting him in Su City isn’t a big deal. At worst, grandpa will scold you or confine you for a few days.”

Nodding seriously, Zhong Cheng said, “Right, I might just get beaten. But if Wang Xuan wins this, I’d be bringing a powerful ally to our family.”

Frowning, he added, “But we can’t open the vault. Do we have a treasure to give?”

Zhong Qing whispered, “Great-grandfather gave me a beast-skin bag before entering seclusion. He called it a treasure and asked me to keep it safe. I’ve seen him with it in his study.”

Zhong Cheng exclaimed, “Grandpa is so biased!”

That afternoon, Zhong Cheng flew to Su City and headed straight to the Wellness Pavilion. Many knew of his good relations with Wang Xuan, making his presence there unsurprising.

When Chen Yongjie saw the beast-skin bag, he didn’t sense anything unusual until he touched it. Activating the bag, it almost sucked in Wang Xuan!

Had Wang Xuan not reacted swiftly, dodging away and surrounding himself with mystical scenes, he would have been sucked into the glowing beast-skin bag.

“Now it makes sense. Every time in the secret lands, when Grandpa Zhong and I were chased and in dire straits, after splitting up, he always emerged unscathed while I often ended up bleeding...” Chen Yongjie had a realization, followed by a sense of betrayal.

Having accumulated enough super material over time in the secret lands, the beast-skin bag was now ready for immediate use.

That evening, Zhong Cheng left, not staying long. The next two days passed quietly without any attack from the Sun family. Chen Yongjie kept a low profile while recovering.

On the third morning, Chen Yongjie suddenly set out, appearing in a city two hundred miles away, heading in the direction of the Sun family's stronghold.

“Just Chen Yongjie alone marching towards our Sun family? He'll die on the way!” remarked someone from the Sun family.

Meanwhile, the Sun family sent people to the Wellness Pavilion, intending to confirm whether Wang Xuan was indeed a superhuman.

But Wang Xuan had already made his move. As Chen Yongjie appeared in another city, Wang Xuan walked into a grand hotel in Su City and sat down in a beverage shop next to it.

Shortly afterward, the Sun family's person in charge in Su City mysteriously drowned in the hotel's swimming pool.

The news spread quickly, drawing attention from all quarters. It marked the beginning of a fierce clash between the superhumans and the Sun family.