The Stars Beyond

Chapter 226: Rapid Advancement

Chapter 226: Rapid Advancement

The crescent moon hung askew in a star-filled sky, casting a soft, serene beauty over the night. Wang Xuan, seated on the back of the red carp, journeyed east along the glistening river, steering clear of Su City. Behind him, far in the distance, the mountains were illuminated by energy beams piercing the sky, their umbrella-shaped radiance stark against the tranquil scenery. The contrasting vistas of distant chaos and near serenity defined his journey. Without a backward glance, Wang Xuan sat in silence on the red carp, vanishing into the horizon.

In Su City, astonishment reigned. People gazed skyward towards the anomaly illuminating the night a hundred miles away. Sensors and satellites soon relayed clear images, stunning everyone with their revelations.

"Is that where the Sun family's warships were heading? Have they been attacked?" The speculation in Su City was rife with uncertainty.

Had the rules of New World been shattered? It appeared as though a fierce battle involving mighty warships had taken place, with an entire expanse of mountains dissolving into a sea of light.

"A Sun family base is located in that area; it must have met with catastrophe!"

The shock reverberated throughout Su City. Such events had not been seen in many years—a battle involving warships, a base transformed into a terrifying blaze of energy. The headquarters of the Qian and Li families, situated in the city, were thrown into panic, swiftly deploying aircraft to investigate further.

"The Sun family had just used a warship for a surgical strike against Wang Xuan, and now they face a crisis themselves. Could this be mere coincidence?"

"Spectacular fireworks lighting up the night sky, melting an entire mountain range—it's unbelievable. The Sun family's superpower has been attacked."

Who had initiated the strike? How many warships were involved in assaulting the base? These questions remained unanswered, with everyone eagerly awaiting the investigation's outcome.

Incredulity permeated the atmosphere; the night had been a sequence of unforeseen and extraordinary events.

......

A gloomy cloud hung over the Sun family, where several elders and middle-aged men sat together, engulfed in a suffocating atmosphere of despondency and oppression. The family, having expanded rapidly over decades, was unaccustomed to such a brutal setback—a loss so severe it felt like flesh being ripped from their bodies.

"For many years, no one has dared to attack us directly. Now, suddenly, we've lost so many people, an entire base..." Sun Rongting's words were calm yet laced with a chilling undercurrent, reminiscent of the deceptive tranquility before a violent storm. This night weighed heavily on them all.

Speculation ran rampant about the mysterious force that had used warships to launch a surprise attack on the Sun family's base. Yet no one had connected the dots to Wang Xuan, the lone figure who infiltrated and triggered the explosion at the crucial facility.

Late into the night, Zhou Yun was in shock, muttering to himself, "Wang Xuan, who is avenging you? You were just erased from existence by a superenergy beam, and now the Sun family’s base has been obliterated."

Sun Yichen was practically spitting blood. Not long ago, he had been boasting in his social circle, only for the dreadful news to arrive soon after—the Sun family’s base had suffered a 'terror attack', and his uncle Sun Chenghai perished in the destruction.

Meanwhile, in a city with a million inhabitants, Chen Yongjie prepared to set out. On this chaotic night, he planned to head east, inching closer to the Sun family’s stronghold in Kangning City. "Wang Xuan should be alright," he thought, not quite believing the young man was dead. As Chen Yongjie left the city, a sudden premonition made him swiftly return; the Sun family still had eyes on him.

In the distant sky, a small warship shot across, a phantom-like silhouette under the stars and moon, quickly vanishing. The Sun family, having apparently finished with Wang Xuan, seemed intent on seizing the opportunity to eliminate Chen Yongjie as well, though they refrained from striking within the city, waiting for him to venture out.

Three hundred miles from Su City, Wang Xuan, riding the red carp, spotted a sizeable city. He decided to disembark and continue overland, feeling that the water route was too slow for his needs.

After providing the red carp with more mysterious substances, Wang Xuan vanished like a wraith on the riverbank. In the sky above, the roar of engines echoed through the night as people raced their hovering cars at breakneck speeds. These cars, though not as fast as small spacecraft, certainly outpaced the red carp. Wang Xuan considered commandeering a flying car but restrained himself, mindful of the pervasive surveillance on New World that would instantly expose him. Moreover, he had always been a law-abiding citizen and preferred not to engage in such activities.

Hailing a flying taxi on the roadside, he directed the driver to Lan City, a city en route to the Sun family's stronghold. The driver, unfazed by the three hundred-mile journey, promptly set off. However, as they traveled, Wang Xuan sensed something amiss. Aware of the extensive monitoring systems, he discreetly disabled several devices in the taxi.

Midway through the journey, the driver, troubled, informed Wang Xuan, "For passenger safety, our cars are equipped with monitoring devices. There’s a malfunction, and I need to repair it immediately as per the company's directive." With satellites overhead and monitoring devices in every vehicle, Wang Xuan realized the risk of exposure was high.

"I have an urgent matter. I'll pay extra," Wang Xuan offered.

"I can't. The company would penalize me severely," the driver refused. On New World, unregistered vehicles were virtually non-existent, ensuring all cars had monitoring devices to prevent criminal activities.

"What if I kidnap you then?" Wang Xuan suggested calmly.

"Ah?!" The driver was shocked.

But then, the flying taxi sped past Lan City, not stopping, and raced away towards the east. Throughout the night, the taxi covered five hundred miles until it ran out of energy and halted by the roadside.

Now eight hundred miles from Su City and over a thousand miles from Kangning City, Wang Xuan suspected his whereabouts might be exposed. The overwhelming number of detectors and cameras on New World made it nearly impossible to evade detection. Continuing his journey posed significant risk.

......

During the night, various detectors and satellite eyes reconstructed the true scenario, confirming there was no external attack on the Sun family's base— it was an internal self-destruction. The Sun family, in fact, learned of this before anyone else. The final moments captured by the base's cameras, though sparse, were compiled and reviewed.

Simultaneously, information emerged from several hundred miles away. Roadside detectors captured an image that appeared to be Wang Xuan disembarking at the riverbank. It was evident that some powerful factions had entered Wang Xuan into a special tracking system. Any sighting or captured image of him was instantly transmitted to the databases of certain organizations.

Both he and Chen Yongjie were listed in a special "watchlist." Regardless of hostile intentions, various groups were keenly interested in their movements. This revelation stunned everyone.

"He's alive?!"

"How is that possible? Not even a warship's superweapon could kill him, and he just shows up hundreds of miles away. Has he become an Earth Immortal?"

The news dumbfounded the financial syndicates and major organizations. Many felt a chill run down their spines. Not only had Wang Xuan survived, but he also traveled along the river. During this time, the Sun family's riverside base exploded.

"Could it be him?!"

Some were left speechless, overwhelmed by the events. The energy beam from the sky hadn't killed him, and instead, one of the Sun family's military bases was mysteriously destroyed, causing widespread fear.

Unfortunately, that stretch of the river was relatively remote, with no detectors placed by the various factions. The Sun family's base might have captured some footage before its destruction, possibly transmitting some images and audio, but they had not revealed anything to the outside world.

......

Tonight's succession of unexpected events, including the reappearance of Wang Xuan, left various factions in a state of disbelief, as if they were in a dream.

"How can he not be dead?" Some people couldn't calm down for a long time.

"If it's confirmed that Wang Xuan destroyed that base, then the Sun family will probably go insane!"

The night's developments were nothing short of astonishing.

In Kangning City, the Sun family's internal atmosphere was as heavy as overcast clouds. Everyone's faces were grim; the night had brought them a series of bad news.

"His whereabouts have been discovered. He's heading towards us. Don't hesitate anymore, prepare the warships and bombard him along the way," someone said with a heavy voice.

"Immediately contact Mr. Ghost, stop intercepting Chen Yongjie, and kill Wang Xuan!"

The Sun family was seething with rage, eager to obliterate Wang Xuan, their pain from the night's losses palpable.

...

After leaving the metered flying car, Wang Xuan didn't proceed on the road but instead entered the nearby Jingyue City. Sure enough, it wasn't long before a warship, soundless and swift, passed by the outskirts of the city. The Sun family was relentless in their pursuit, tracking him down.

"Advancing 800 miles in one night, he's determined. Does he really plan to storm into Kangning City and directly confront the Sun family's stronghold?"

When other financial syndicates and major organizations received the news, they were all shocked. This young man had presumably destroyed the Sun family's base and then sped eastward non-stop.

In certain circles, many were closely watching this unfolding saga, sleepless through the night.

They thought this young man was too audacious.

Upon hearing the news, Chen Yongjie was speechless. He had set off earlier and was only 500 miles away from Su City, yet Wang Xuan had already surpassed him in a single night.

"Little Sun, it seems Wang Xuan isn't dead," Zhou Yun, on New Moon, couldn't resist taunting Sun Yichen. "Heard about the accident at the Sun family, a base exploded. My condolences, take care of yourself."

Sun Yichen immediately hung up, ignoring him.

In Jingyue City, eight hundred miles from Su City and a first-tier metropolis with a population in the tens of millions, the powerful financial family, the Song, had their stronghold. Feeling secure, Wang Xuan chose a grand hotel located near, almost adjacent to, the Song family's residence.

This seven-star hotel, the Liuyun Grand Hotel, was frequently chosen by visitors to the Song family, especially in the latter half of the night. To the Song family's surprise, Wang Xuan had arrived on their turf and checked into this hotel just a street away.

"Is this where the notorious 'Little Song' lives?" Wang Xuan mused with a tinge of curiosity.

"Insane 'Little Wang' is here!" someone from the Song family declared gravely. An elder promptly ordered to prepare for any contingencies, including launching a warship stationed outside the city, ready to fire in case of an emergency.

The Sun family's base destruction was still shrouded in uncertainty whether it was Wang Xuan's doing, but the mere suspicion was enough to mark him as extremely dangerous.

In his room, Wang Xuan was alert and energized, having replenished his mental energy during his journey.

In the dead of the night, a warship appeared over Jingyue City, causing the hearts of the Song family to race. They immediately warned those aboard the warship not to engage in combat over the city, threatening to shoot them down themselves if necessary.

"We're just delivering someone," responded someone from the warship.

Inside the warship was a jade sarcophagus exuding an ancient aura and emitting faint streams of black mist. The warship's sole purpose was to transport this entity.

Standing at the window, Wang Xuan watched the warship in the night sky, his eyes deep and calculating. The distance was too great for his spiritual projection to reach.

Then, his eyes sparkled with a sudden revelation as he spotted a figure emerging from the warship, heading straight towards him. It was a spiritual entity, capable of approaching from such a distance?

Wang Xuan, holding the ancient lamp, watched intently as the spirit closed in rapidly, heading straight for him.

Wang Xuan activated the ancient lamp, and the wick flared up, weaving a dark red arrow adorned with runes. With a swift motion, he sent it hurtling towards the approaching figure, which froze instantly upon being struck.

Without hesitation, Wang Xuan detonated the arrow with his mental energy, causing the figure to explode into nothingness. He frowned, finding the adversary less formidable than anticipated.

Meanwhile, aboard the warship in the sky, the jade sarcophagus shrouded in black mist reformed the figure, sending it hurtling back toward the Liuyun Hotel.

This time, Wang Xuan's spiritual projection, aided by his celestial eye, discerned something peculiar. The figure was coated in a special substance with barely visible, flowing runes. He immobilized it once more with the lamp, then detonated it.

In a relentless assault, Wang Xuan annihilated nine spiritual entities. It wasn't until the tenth apparition appeared, keeping its distance, that it spoke: "My true body is not present, and I have no desire to be your enemy. What you destroyed were mere fragments of spirit I gathered from relics."

"Why have you come to Jingyue City?" Wang Xuan stood by the window, confronting the shadow.

"Though our myths are decaying and doomed to fade, we cannot simply resign to fate. I came to gauge your strength, to propose an alliance," the shadowy figure revealed.

"Who are you?" Wang Xuan asked sternly, sensing something extraordinary about this entity.

"I am but a wandering spirit, a ghostly servant. We are both transcendent beings; we can collaborate. I can help you overturn the Sun family."