The Stars Beyond

Chapter 256: Change Has Come To The Human Realm

Chapter 256: Change Has Come To The Human Realm

Chen Yongjie naturally felt the pressure. Was this the rhythm of the Celestials' return? The blending of myth and reality was bound to create a series of severe problems. "There's nothing to fear," he said. "I've always regretted not being born in the splendid era of ancient transcendents, missing the chance to compete with those legendary figures. Now the opportunity has come to coexist with the Celestials in this era!"

These were turbulent times, with the current transcendent beings of the world possibly being courted or even purged in complex scenarios. Chen Yongjie was bolstering his confidence, determined not to be intimidated.

"We're going back to the Old World," declared Guan Lin, planning to ask Qian An, Ling Qiming, and others for personal escort, guessing that no one would dare to attack their spacecraft in such a case.

Chen Yongjie sighed, "I feel the problems in the Old World might be more serious. It's likely to become chaotic, with many myths and legends originating from there."

It had been three months since he and Guan Lin had gotten their marriage certificate. "Where has Wang Xuan gone? Could he really be dead?" Chen Yongjie frowned, even he was starting to doubt.

Musing to himself, he said, "If you were short-lived and unfortunately passed away, my son will be named Chen Xuan, and if it's a daughter, Chen Xuan."

In the following days, various spacecraft returned from the edge of deep space, secretly bringing back many who had been missing for a long time.

The Hidden Land was a transcendent planet, explored for many years by the Eastern conglomerates. However, before this, there was another place named Blessed Land. Years ago, when the transcendent matter surged, the energy of the Blessed Land increased dramatically, making it inaccessible to various spacecraft and detectors, with many strong beings lost there.

Since then, the people of the New World had to abandon the Blessed Land. According to the White Peacock of the Hidden Land, this was the last brilliance before the decay of mythology.

Now, the life planet known as the Blessed Land, where the transcendent tide was gradually receding, had become accessible to spacecraft and lifeboats again.

The Sun family had been paying close attention to the Blessed Land, especially since they had recently faced some setbacks and were eager to retrieve those trapped there. They were the first to act, as a significant part of their exploration team had been lost there years ago.

Their success sparked others to follow suit.

......

......

Upon hearing the news, Chen Yongjie appeared thoughtful. Familiar faces came to mind, some powerful figures from his era and even older, who had disappeared for many years, never to be seen again. Among them was his senior disciple, Wei Feng, missing for over a decade, with his fate - whether dead or trapped in the Blessed Land - unknown.

"I need to retreat and meditate. I've accumulated enough in the Life Soil realm; it's time to advance further. I can't waste the medicinal soil I carry," Chen Yongjie murmured to himself. He had obtained this special soil in front of the celestial curtain at Earth Immortal City. Appearing like a jade stone, it actually contained the essence of celestial medicine, originating from a Buddhist Bodhisattva. Ideal for transcendent beings at the Life's Soil or Herb Picking stages, from that day, Chen Yongjie disappeared from public view.

......

"Incredible! I encountered a celestial at the ancient osmanthus forest near Moon Viewing Cliff! A breathtakingly beautiful woman smiled enchantingly and vanished in the blink of an eye," someone exclaimed.

"Guys, I too experienced something supernatural. Have you heard of Demon God Ridge? Locals dare not tread there. Today, streaks of blood-red lightning and light rain appeared, as if some creature emerged. I was so scared, I fled in my hovercar," another person shared.

Over the next few days, bizarre incidents cropped up in various places, becoming increasingly sensational and drawing widespread attention, even causing concern among the conglomerates.

In the underground base of the Sun family, the Number Five Mechanical Being, having been reactivated, hadn't gone back to dormancy. Standing atop a mountain, it gazed into space, its eye sockets flashing with mysterious symbols. It was receiving a special frequency signal, trembling and shaking - unusual emotions for a mechanical being that would baffle onlookers.

Its eyes displayed a series of enigmatic messages, hard-won signals it was now rapidly broadcasting outwards.

In the distant cosmos, near a wormhole, a dilapidated mothership flickered weakly. It revived momentarily to respond to the intermittent signals from the Mechanical Being and then attempted to relay the message into the wormhole. Evidently, it served merely as a relay station!

......

Deep in the mountains, by a lake, Wang Xuan, clad in his Mysterious Copper Soul Armor, embarked on another journey through the mists emanating from the Realm of Life's Soil, chasing after the vague landscapes in the distance. Following a unique path, he entered the mysterious world again.

Quickly, he arrived at the familiar station, where the hanging lanterns were still lit. He sighed lightly and hastened forward. After several days, he was back, intent on exploring the luminous area of this enigmatic world to verify some theories.

Passing the desolate town under the silent night sky, Wang Xuan frowned at the ceaselessly falling, yellowed paper money, a relic from an ancient era. He continued toward the bright horizon, extra cautious this time and constantly using his Spirit Eye to scan the surroundings, wary of the troubles he'd encountered before.

Pausing, he stared into the darkness ahead. His Spirit Eye detected something unusual: a person lurking in a large grave. Quickly, he turned and left, aborting the exploration. The turmoil from his last visit hadn't subsided; silver-armored soldiers were still hidden in the graveyard, persistently holding their ground days later.

"Sigh, the chaos from last time led to the annihilation of that troop, all killed by a major demon from the wanted list. Even the reinforcements, wielding a great seal made from the native copper of Mount Wuzhou, were crushed. The higher-ups are furious, casting wide nets to capture the demon. It's uncertain when this will end."

"Troubled times indeed, with incessant disturbances. The city's elite are anxious, wondering if they should ally with that peerless powerhouse from afar."

......

In the real world, Wang Xuan opened his eyes and sighed. No secret path was safe and easy; they were all fraught with danger. The secret path he had discovered, for example, might have been beneficial in peaceful times, but now, the mysterious world seemed far from tranquil. If he carelessly encountered a transcendent being of a higher realm than Xiaoyao, being targeted would have serious consequences.

By now, Wang Xuan had nearly exhausted the mysterious substances stored in his little golden gourd and the flying boat. Lacking these resources, he felt it was time to seek out a Daoist temple or an ancient monastery to replenish his supplies. He believed he was close to entering the Realm of Life's Soil and needed just a bit more to progress further.

Frowning, he noted an increase in surveillance devices in the area. Top organizations were intensifying their monitoring efforts, indicating that significant events were unfolding in the outside world. He had avoided most of these devices but had destroyed a few. It seemed he could no longer stay hidden in this location.

One morning, after freshening up, Wang Xuan spotted a tiny reconnaissance drone flying nearby. Realizing his location had been inadvertently exposed, he destroyed the intrusive bee-like drone and decided to leave the forest.

At Kaiyuan University's Human Potential Research Institute, a competitive event between various colleges was unfolding. Qin Cheng, eagerly awaiting his chance, was set to face an opponent related to the Huang family. He intended to vindicate Professor Lin.

This battle attracted considerable attention, partly because of Qin Cheng's association with Wang Xuan, which was no secret to many. However, Wang Xuan's disappearance cast a shadow of regret over the event.

Qin Cheng's opponent was a tall, robust young man trained by the Huang family, known for upholding the orthodox traditions of the Old Arts. Rumors were circulating that someone from the Huang family had recently returned from the Blessed Land, leading to speculations that the Huangs might now possess a transcendent being.

In their encounter, Qin Cheng, displaying stable and efficient performance, defeated the robust young man from the Huang family, leaving him staggering back, spitting blood. Adhering to Professor Lin's instruction, Qin Cheng held back from causing severe injury, showing a measure of restraint.

Initially, this event did not cause much stir, passing rather uneventfully. However, following the emergence of Wang Xuan's whereabouts, the situation subtly shifted. The Huang family, intrigued by the recent prominence of this transcendent being, grew suspicious after carefully reviewing his information.

Some members of the Huang family even entered their ancestral shrine to pray and perform a ritual in their sleep, hoping to communicate with the mysterious forces.

The first blurry images of Wang Xuan appeared on the secret web, revealing that he was still alive. "Look who's here, the Wang's Contempt Image, back in the world!" someone exclaimed.

Several powerful families' detectors captured Wang Xuan's presence, yet they remained silent, observing to see if any incidents would unfold. When a young member of a family couldn't contain himself and posted the photo on the secret web, it caused a sensation. He was subsequently harshly reprimanded by his family. "Why did you release this? In the current environment, why would you stir things up?" they scolded.

Regardless, the damage was done. The leaked photo stirred significant reactions. "No way, the Sword Immortal reappears! Who said he was dead? The Wang's Contempt Image, let's see what those rumor-mongers have to say now!" people exclaimed.

Once the news spread, it was no longer a secret. Different groups were shaken by the revelation that the transcendent being Wang Xuan was not dead but very much alive, surprising many.

The news that Wang Xuan had survived the explosive attack on Yuanchi Mountain by warships left everyone dumbfounded. As a result, Zhou Yun, Zhong Qing, Chen Yongjie, and others were bombarded with calls, everyone eager to know the specifics.

They themselves were bewildered - how had Wang Xuan suddenly reappeared? At the Sun family, faces were grim. The entire point of destroying Yuanchi Mountain was to eliminate Wang Xuan and eradicate a transcendent being, but the primary target had survived.

Upon hearing the news, members of the Sun family felt as if they had been slapped hundreds of times, their faces swollen with humiliation. It seemed to them that Wang Xuan's return was a mockery of their efforts.

Sun Yichen, in particular, was furious enough to smash his phone. He had recently boasted that Wang Xuan was utterly annihilated, yet here he was, emerging nonchalantly from the forest.

"Return of the Sword Immortal!" This news spread rapidly across major platforms, creating a massive sensation.

Wang Xuan, for his part, did not want to concern himself with these matters. After briefly assuring some old friends of his safety, his plan was to find a Daoist temple or an ancient monastery, replenish what he needed, advance to the Life Soil realm, and then leave it all behind.

However, he was aware that just because he didn't seek trouble, didn't mean others would leave him be. The world seemed to have changed, with the transcendent coming closer and myths entering reality.

If anyone targeted him and he couldn't avoid confrontation, he wouldn't hesitate to defend himself. Wang Xuan was ready to test his cultivation and the might of his powerful weapons against any rogue entities that dared challenge him.