The Stars Beyond

Chapter 257: The Beginning Of The Supernatural

Chapter 257: The Beginning Of The Supernatural

After three months that felt detached from the world and his journey into a mysterious realm where yellow paper money fell in a dead town, Wang Xuan returned to the city, seamlessly blending into the familiar environment. The prolonged absence made the return all the more comforting, easily evoking memories of past joys.

"The greatest beauty of the human world is its vibrant life," he mused.

Having experienced the darkness of that other world and traversed the silent towns, Wang Xuan pondered the harrowing prospect of the New World and the Old World descending into darkness, devoid of the sun, stars, and moon, where all life ceased, and everything became lifeless. Such a thought was both cruel and terrifying.

To avoid extreme incidents, he remained vigilant, purposefully choosing to travel through densely populated areas. Fortunately, the Sun family hadn't gone mad, and no other organizations were targeting him, allowing Wang Xuan to smoothly return to Suzhou City, where he had a meal with Professor Lin and Qin Cheng.

Afterward, he left the city to visit Qian An, taking the initiative to seek him out.

......

Inside the Sun family, some members brooded with darkened expressions, contemplating a secret mission to deploy a small warship to bomb Wang Xuan. Ultimately, they decided against issuing such an order. The situation on New World was too complex, and they still shivered at the memory of a transcendent blood shadow invading their stronghold, slaying dozens.

Especially perplexing was Wang Xuan's survival; he should have been obliterated at Mount Yuan Chi. "We saw him climbing the mountain. Now it seems he anticipated our move and merely feigned his ascent before quickly retreating," they sighed, regretting how Wang Xuan had exploited their eagerness to eliminate him.

Sun Rongsheng's eyes glinted sinisterly as he instructed someone to inform Grant of the Argon Consortium to investigate further, suspecting Wang Xuan might have used his granddaughter.

He cautioned, "Just stick to the facts, no exaggeration."

"Let's deploy the Number Five Mechanical Being to crush him. Then we can send people we've retrieved from the Blessed Land to handle the aftermath. We really can't afford to leave him alive," Sun Chengqian suggested.

Sun Rongsheng hesitated, fearful of the consequences during such a critical period. Aggressive action could make the Sun family a public enemy among transcendents. Relying too heavily on their mothership and exposing their trump card through repeated aggressive actions was not wise.

The situation was unfavorable, and they felt cornered. They had inside information that the Sun family might be toppled and needed to endure these three years. The Zheng family had already fallen, replaced by others.

But the notion that the fallen immortals, even if they reemerged, would be extremely weakened and thus manageable, now seemed flawed. The appearance of the blood shadow had terrified them, instilling fear.

"We underestimated the ancients. We thought they were outdated, physically weakened, and out of touch with the times. Now it seems their conflicts might be unfolding through us," Sun Rongsheng murmured.

They now had reason to believe some information was credible, while others might be using modern forces to eliminate transcendents, clear the field, and destroy enemies.

"Should we establish more connections? I'm worried some scripts have already been written in advance!"

......

Qian An warmly welcomed Wang Xuan, feeling reassured by his visit. Wang Xuan's return to life and his immediate visit to check on Qian An's health made him trust the younger man's reliability.

"I've promised to rejuvenate you several times, and I will do my best to fulfill that," Wang Xuan said with a smile. He reassured Qian An of his commitment to seeing things through as long as he was alive. Then, Wang Xuan got straight to work, accompanying Qian An to the Daoist temple.

Both host and guest were pleased with their meeting, discussing the art of nourishing life before the temple's divine statue.

"One must find solace for the soul. Qian, you believe in the transcendent and have been focusing on tranquility and embracing the Daoist principle of non-action. I think it's effective. You should also immerse your mind in nature, letting it roam among the colorful clouds, without being constrained by formality," Wang Xuan advised.

Qian An agreed, sharing his recent travels to the sea, the moon, and asteroid resorts in deep space. Emulating the immortals as a mortal and exploring the vastness of the universe had left him feeling refreshed in both body and mind.

Their conversation was lively and harmonious. Then, Wang Xuan guided Qian An into a meditative state, helping him rejuvenate with mystical energy. Wang Xuan himself spent the night meditating in the temple, drawing in the mystical substances he needed while also helping Qian An revitalize.

That night, Wang Xuan sat in the temple like an otherworldly sage, his presence shrouded in mist, making Qian An feel as if he was far above in the clouds, not of the mortal world.

Finally, reaching a critical juncture, Wang Xuan felt his spirit rise like a lamp in the eternal night sky, illuminating his path forward. He was on the verge of a breakthrough, stepping from the realm of the Lamp Lighting into Life Soil.

In stillness, Wang Xuan's spirit delved within, the Lamp of Illumination lighting his way. His spirit advanced step by step, approaching that mysterious realm where life began, a land teeming with vitality, veiled in a light mist that danced upwards.

Wang Xuan stepped into the Life Soil realm, instantly feeling a dramatic shift in the world around him. His spirit's perception skyrocketed, his body vibrated lightly, and a faint glow enveloped him. Successfully breaking through to the Life Soil realm, he felt his life had found a solid foundation in this mysterious land, which seemed naturally designed to nourish spirit and flesh.

"This is where all laws begin, where the transcendent firmly stands. My spirit roots here, illuminating my fate and gazing upon the eternal night sky of immortality. Everything starts from here!" Wang Xuan stood on this enigmatic land, feeling his essence, energy, and spirit climbing steadily, his power visibly growing.

Internally tranquil, he felt like a seed in the soil of fate, freshly sprouted, a tender shoot on the path of Dao.

Qian An, in the outside world, was mesmerized by Wang Xuan's youthful visage. He seemed more ethereal and sacred than any deity, shrouded in a misty light, as if seated beyond the mortal realm.

As calm returned, Wang Xuan took a deep breath, feeling the nourishment of the Life Soil, realizing its profound mysteries. Opening his eyes, he gave Qian An a smile that radiated a simple and serene moonlight.

Extending his spirit, Wang Xuan gently lulled Qian An into a deep sleep. Then, his spirit left his body, swiftly traveling afar. He tested his new abilities, reaching a distance of twenty miles from his physical form, a feat that would astonish any transcendent being.

In the Life Soil realm, such distant travels were akin to divine roaming. Additionally, his spirit was now accompanied by wondrous visions of mountains, seas, sunsets over lava fields, and faint winds of tribulation from the higher realms.

These marvels no longer resided within his flesh but followed his spirit, swirling around him, captured from mysterious realms beyond. Wang Xuan mused about the Five-Colored Golden Elixir Path of Chen Tuan, wondering if it was inspired by such phenomena. He believed in understanding from the source rather than imitating, seeing the ancients as equals to discover a more formidable path.

"Mountains, islands, return to the earth. Lava, sunsets, return to fire. Blue seas, long rivers, return to water..." Wang Xuan mused as he arranged the ethereal landscapes surrounding his spirit. He wove these elements - earth, fire, wind, and water - into a garment of Dao, draping it over himself for protection.

"Did I inadvertently stumble upon a realm akin to the ancient Immortals, who emphasized the immortality of the primordial spirit and the protection of Daoist robes?" Wang Xuan pondered calmly, his spirit basked in moonlight, standing under the night sky as if he were ascending, embodying the natural way of the Dao.

He did not blindly idolize the ancients, as he had access to an abundance of scriptures, some of which were monumental works that shook the very foundations of history. Even with his insights, he did not find them preposterous; he felt it was only natural for him to reach such heights.

To him, this was normal, but to others, it would be astounding. Having just stepped into the Life Soil realm, he was already exhibiting such prowess. This effortless display of strength might be intimidating to others.

With a whoosh, Wang Xuan vanished from the moonlit sky and returned to his physical body, abruptly opening his eyes. Looking around the Taoist temple, his spiritual realm extended, revealing a bone within a copper wall. This time, without having to leave his body, he possessed a glimpse of the Heavenly Eye's capabilities.

He increasingly realized the significance of the saying "Life Soil is the beginning of all laws." From this point forward, everything changed for him. He could stand on this mysterious ground, accumulating transcendent power, transforming the ethereal into reality, and crafting his own mythic domain.

"Is it about to resurrect?" he wondered, looking at the bone in the copper wall, where faint blood strands intertwined, hinting at life gestating within, with a shadow dormant inside the bone.

Rising, Wang Xuan decided not to continue harvesting the Immortals' mystical substances from this place. After tidying up Qian An's body and awakening him, he bid farewell.

"I'll send a car to take you home!" Qian An offered, looking at Wang Xuan's young and gentle face, feeling as if he was in the presence of a future Immortal or Buddha.

"No need, I'll walk back under the moonlight," Wang Xuan declined, heading towards the forests outside Suzhou City. He had spotted a creature observing him while his spirit was extended twenty miles away, and now, with his spirit and body unified in an unprecedented state, he wanted to investigate further.

"Those men who returned from behind the curtain and that transcendent mechanical being all had serious issues. They were not at the level of carefree wandering masters," he reflected.

After stepping into the Life Soil realm, Wang Xuan understood the battle at the Sun family more clearly. His mind was tranquil and composed.

"The Immortals have indeed decayed after falling to the mortal realm, being cut down across numerous realms. Given some more time, anything could become possible for me," he contemplated, walking through the moonlit forest, covered in a veil-like serenity.

"Ah, you really dared to come?" The figure in the forest, seemingly a woman, expressed surprise. She had been observing from afar and hadn't expected him to confront her directly.

She stepped out of the woods gracefully, her white dress fluttering under the moonlight, enhancing her ethereal presence. With her stunning beauty and captivating eyes, she bore the semblance of a fox spirit.

"Are you one of those beings who emerged from behind the curtain?" Wang Xuan asked calmly.

The woman's expression shifted to intrigue. She smiled and said, "You don't seem to have... reverence for the Immortals? You're a bit different, aren't you? Let's see what makes you special."

She moved with an otherworldly grace, but her attack was terrifyingly swift. Her snow-white, crystalline palm slashed through the air, releasing a blinding beam of light aimed at Wang Xuan.

"I came here with sincerity, hoping to have a conversation," Wang Xuan said. But when he countered, he did so with unrelenting force.

Boom!

Stepping forward, he appeared tranquil and serene like a banished immortal, yet his fist erupted with a brilliance like the blazing sun, shaking the night sky. This was a technique from the Golden Bamboo Scroll, a formidable art rarely mastered even by transcendent beings. His understanding of it was one of his achievements over the past three months.

His Ascension Fist shone brilliantly, accompanied by a shower of celestial light, compressing the space in front and sweeping away the darkness.

Bang!

Their clash was explosive. Despite the woman's peak medicinal gathering strength, she found herself overpowered. Her arm shattered, and then her chest was pierced. Wang Xuan's fist, enveloped in radiant light, burst through her, and with a loud explosion, she disintegrated.

Scattering into particles of light, the woman's face bore an expression of disbelief as she vanished into the night sky.

"If the real body is just as weak, that would be even better," Wang Xuan commented, turning away without a second glance and disappearing into the distance under the moonlight.

In a city on New Star, a woman in white, freshly bathed and donning her nightgown, was enjoying the novelty and comfort of the era. Suddenly, she jolted in alarm, sensing something amiss.

"How interesting, my paper effigy was destroyed with just one punch. Such a ruthless approach!" she muttered, exhaling a breath of frustration.