The Stars Beyond

Chapter 252: The Death Of The Sword Immortal

Chapter 252: The Death Of The Sword Immortal

As Wang Xuan's flying boat glided away, creating a protective light screen around it, the interior remained tranquil despite the howling winds outside. This was his first time piloting such a treasure through the skies, and he felt a sense of novelty.

He carefully monitored the boat's consumption of transcendent matter. A sudden depletion mid-flight would be disastrous, potentially leading to a fatal crash. He was assessing the boat's range and endurance for future battles and escapes.

Satisfied with the boat's performance, he realized why it required substantial amounts of transcendent matter for fueling; it seemed to have an insatiable appetite for it. He decided not to waste more transcendent matter than necessary, confident that a single refueling would sustain a long journey.

With the invisibility talisman nearing its end, Wang Xuan didn't want to risk being seen and potentially shot down by a warship. He swiftly left Kanging City, disappearing into the mountains hundreds of miles away.

Meanwhile, the attack on the Sun family's headquarters was the talk of the town. The extensive destruction of the buildings and the dozens of casualties were big news.

"Who dared to attack the Sun family headquarters so boldly? This is almost unimaginable!" People on various platforms discussed fervently, finding it surreal that the headquarters of a super-rich family had been invaded, something that hadn't happened in many years.

"Could it be the Sword Immortal who acted? Did the Sun family do something to provoke such wrath?" Speculations about Wang Xuan's involvement arose due to his intense conflict with the Sun family.

"It doesn't seem to be Wang Xuan's doing," someone said, based on surveillance footage. The area around the Sun family was so saturated with transcendent matter that many detectors were overwhelmed and damaged.

Only devices located far away captured partial scenes. "There was a blood-colored figure and a mechanical being engaged in a fierce battle underground. Then, all sorts of incidents erupted at the Sun family estate."

"The Sun family got a lesson, but what was that blood-colored figure? It had such devastating power, crushing everything in its path!"

......

The outside world remained unsettled amid widespread discussions. The battle between Zhou Chong and Robot Number 5 raged on underground, at times so fierce that they burst through the earth's surface, destroying a shopping mall and injuring, even killing, several bystanders. Despite the chaos, they continued fighting, plunging back underground, causing great alarm due to their disregard for civilian casualties.

Thankfully, Zhou Chong and the robot stayed underground for an extended period, suggesting a decisive battle was unfolding.

"People have seen the mechanical being transform into a mini warship and unleash its firepower against the blood figure," someone commented. Robot Number 5's transformation into a warship, displaying powerful offensive capabilities, astonished many.

Despite its formidable power, Robot Number 5 was frustrated, only able to unlock its second-level capabilities due to a lack of energy resources. In its prime, it could have captured even the strongest innate demons.

Zhou Chong, too, was infuriated. In his prime, he believed he could have annihilated legions of such transcendent mechanical beings using his own rules.

Underground, the two combatants fought fiercely near a dark river. Zhou Chong was both shocked and angry, realizing the robot was not an ordinary technological creation. "All things have spirits, each undergoing its own journey. The Immortals are outdated," the robot remarked profoundly.

Despite losing an arm, which sparked with energy, the robot's metallic limb reattached and melted, appearing to be alive as it wriggled, fused, and regrew, quickly regaining functionality.

Above ground, the financial powerhouses, especially the Zhong and Qin families, were gravely concerned. As owners of motherships themselves, they speculated on the origins of Robot Number 5.

It was known that five motherships were excavated from the moon, creating the five major superpowers. The Sun family had been forced to reactivate their mothership, leading to the emergence of this enigmatic mechanical being.

"See the havoc a rogue transcendent being can wreak? All major organizations should unite!" the Sun family urged, communicating with other powerhouses.

Other factions inquired earnestly about the situation, seeking details about the enemy and the cause of the conflict. The Sun family remained somewhat silent, still unaware that they had offended a powerful entity from beyond the veil and destroyed a path for an extraordinary being's return.

In the depths of Kanging City, Robot Number 5 transformed again, taking the form of a cold metallic cannon. Despite its energy deficiency, it fired a terrifying energy beam, demonstrating its fearsome capabilities.

After Zhou Chong's blood shadow exploded, some of his blood vanished, unable to return. His reformed blood shadow appeared much fainter, his expression dark and grim. He was forced to activate his true bone, expending his immortal essence and invoking transcendent rules.

Crack!

Nearby, Robot Number 5 was torn into four pieces but did not cease functioning. It melted and reformed itself, this time transforming into a mechanical tyrannosaurus.

Boom!

The robot, fast as lightning, pounced, willing to be hit by the transcendent rules again. It split in two, and its energy cannon simultaneously struck Zhou Chong, ejecting his true bone.

The fallen tyrannosaurus head bit down on the only true bone Zhou Chong had left in the mortal world after his tribulation.

Crack!

The robot seemed to be performing a death roll, attempting to destroy the immortal bone. Zhou Chong was at a loss for words about this mechanical being, which alternated between technological sophistication, transcendent powers, and primitive ferocity, now even resorting to biting.

A blinding light burst forth as the metallic tyrannosaurus's mouth released an energy beam, hitting the bone and producing a faint crack. The true bone, already cracked from a past heavenly tribulation, now bore a larger fracture.

Robot Number 5 had indeed inflicted serious damage on Zhou Chong.

As Zhou Chong unleashed various techniques, transcendent rules erupted, and the robot was reduced to scrap metal.

However, Zhou Chong showed no joy. He gazed at the widening crack on his true bone, nearly broken completely. This active source of life needed careful cultivation to grow and eventually reform his true body. Its partial loss was more terrifying than a severe injury.

Just as Zhou Chong prepared to pulverize the metallic fragments with his flying sword, they rapidly converged, melted, and then transformed into a metallic leopard, escaping swiftly.

Number 5, the mechanical being, realized that in its level-two unlocked state, it was no match for this demon. Its opponent was gradually mastering its techniques.

Zhou Chong's expression darkened. Even in this state, the enemy could still reassemble itself? He once again employed transcendent rules, coldly stating, "I've found something akin to your spirit!"

Number 5 was unique; it had a substance similar to a spiritual body, divided into multiple parts hidden in various sections of its body.

With a whoosh, the transcendent rules shot out, piercing the spirit-like orbs in three places.

However, the metal leopard did not stop. It dashed like lightning, emerging from the ground and heading towards the mothership base outside Kanging City.

Zhou Chong pursued, but as he left the city, he abruptly stopped, sensing something amiss. He immediately turned around and returned to the Sun family estate.

Arriving there, he was stunned. Where was the God-Slaying Banner? It hadn't been long; who could have taken it? He could hardly believe it.

Looking down at the silver bell, he asked, "You still have a soul and spirit in the outside world, did you do this?"

Mr. Ghost vehemently denied it, insisting his soul and spirit were far away, hiding in a jade coffin, and dared not approach this place lightly.

"If I can't refine the divine bell and die here, that soul and spirit still have a chance to be reborn. How could I let them take such a risk with the even more dangerous God-Slaying Banner?"

What about Yuan Hong? Zhou Chong saw fragments of a mirror on the ground, his heart sinking. He realized that something had changed here during his absence.

His blood shadow trembled, his eyes cold. That was the God-Slaying Flag, lost since ancient times, and he had missed its reappearance.

Entering the Sun family estate, he noticed the golden bamboo slips were also missing. He staggered, feeling the urge to vomit blood.

Then a chill spread through his body. He had thought he was the earliest being to return from behind the veil, but now it seemed there might be others, perhaps not just one.

He noticed something was amiss in the two secret vaults and dared not enter them.

Calming himself, he considered that he had obtained the Soul Locking Bell, a divine object from ancient legends. Even if it wasn't as powerful as the God-Slaying Flag, it wasn't far behind.

With these thoughts, he felt somewhat better. Silently moving through the Sun family estate, he sought to finish off this family, having sworn to a supreme being from behind the veil to deal with these mortals within three days before finding a way to reconstruct the pathway.

Approaching the shrine, Zhou Chong's heart raced. With his true bone on him, highly sensitive to mystical factors and beings ascending to immortality, he sensed the true bone within the statue and discovered that it had grown flesh and was in a deep slumber.

His hairs stood on end, realizing this place indeed had a master. Could it be that a supreme being had paid a terrible price to return prematurely?

Holding the Soul Locking Bell, Zhou Chong's expression was dark and uncertain. The immortal realm beyond the veil was far from the peaceful place he had imagined, with constant battles. He pondered whether to eliminate the slumbering entity before him but eventually decided against it, fearing the repercussions of provoking a formidable being.

He could see the entity's intention clearly: to claim the Sun family's secret vault, accumulate all its treasures, and transform this place into its own domain. If the myth of the Immortals completely decayed in three years, leaving them unable to rise again, the entity wouldn't have to worry. Having laid the groundwork early, it would control a financial powerhouse, ensuring a life of influence even as a mortal.

Zhou Chong sighed. Two thousand years had passed, and the mortal world had changed drastically. Even mortals could now seriously harm Immortals, an unthinkable and unacceptable reality for him. In his time, the appearance of a transcendent being could overturn dynasties. But in this new era, what had he experienced within just three days? First, he was bombarded by a warship at Yuan Chi Mountain, destroying the pathway, and now repeatedly shattered by a mechanical being.

"This world has changed," he murmured, feeling the need to lie low, heal, and familiarize himself with the current state of the New World.

Suddenly, a terrifying beam of light from the sky struck him, startling and infuriating him. Though he was momentarily distracted, another being of his level was targeting him.

High above, Number 5 sat in the Sun family's warship, personally directing an attack on Zhou Chong.

Zhou Chong's true bone cracked, blood splattered, and he roared in anger. Carrying the buzzing Soul Locking Bell, he burrowed underground, escaping using Earth Evasion.

He had never imagined such a day of humiliation and hardship upon returning to the mortal world. Was there anyone else who had ascended to immortality more wretched than him?

Kanging City calmed down, but the outside world was abuzz with noise, stirring up a huge commotion. Even though the Sun family wanted to conceal the truth, it was impossible. Under pressure from various parties, along with some people's revelations and deductions, the truth was pieced together.

At Yuan Chi Mountain, a gathering of transcendent beings was attacked by the Sun family with warships, aiming to eliminate everyone, but they had stirred up a hornet's nest.

Grant from the Argon Consortium was among those revealing the truth. He was heartbroken, often saying he could hear the cries of Kristin in his dreams, who died tragically.

"There's a transcendent being retaliating against the Sun family, but it's not Wang Xuan."

"Where is the Sword Immortal? He couldn't have died at Yuan Chi Mountain, could he? Killed by the Sun family's warships!"

......

......

For many days, the incident at Yuan Chi Mountain continued to escalate. People speculated about the strength of the blood shadow, the origins of the mechanical being, and the fate of Wang Xuan.

"Wang Xuan couldn't really have been killed by the Sun family, could he?" worried acquaintances voiced their concerns.

For many days, there was no sign of Wang Xuan, no trace of information about him. Even his acquaintances like Zhong Cheng and Zhou Yun grew increasingly worried.

Professor Lin and Qin Cheng were constantly making calls to various parties, seeking Wang Xuan and expressing their worries about his well-being.

"Could Wang Xuan really be in trouble?" even Guan Lin wondered, frowning.

Old Chen shook his head, confident in Wang Xuan's survival, yet he remarked, "If that kid's life is short and something has happened to him, then my son will be named Chen Xuan."

...

Two months passed without any sign of Wang Xuan, leaving many familiar with him feeling uneasy. Others began to believe that the Sword Immortal had died.

Wang Xuan secluded himself in the mountains, enjoying the undisturbed and pure cultivation away from the prying eyes of the financial powerhouses. He devoted this time to studying the golden bamboo slips, contemplating this supreme scripture to determine his path.

Additionally, he was slowly refining the God-Slaying Banner, cautiously interacting with the terrifying object over time.

During these two months of Wang Xuan's disappearance, the outside world underwent many changes. Discussions about transcendents became commonplace, with people mentioning various legends about the Immortals.

Some high-ranking individuals in financial circles were affected by unusual occurrences, such as the revival of ancient artifacts and dream visitations.

The transcendents seemed to be drawing closer to reality, as if mythology was about to return.

The family that considered itself the orthodox in the field of ancient arts, with several members who achieved immortality in ancient times, became increasingly active, hinting at something unfolding.

Moreover, several old art families that had disappeared in the past also resurfaced, with individuals emerging from seclusion.

"Those isolated on the transcendent planet for many years might be brought back now that the tide of supermaterial is receding!" some in the financial powerhouses discussed.

Everything was unfolding as Wang Xuan had predicted in this unique era. Various supernatural beings seemed to be emerging, making the New World increasingly restless.