The Stars Beyond

Chapter 327: An Earth Immortal

Chapter 327: An Earth Immortal

In An City, amidst a gentle drizzle characteristic of early summer, the trees lining the roads thrived with lush, freshly-washed green leaves. Walking in the light rain, Wang Xuan approached the city's famous landmark – Yun Lake, his thoughts drifting away with the misty rain.

Once, he had kicked Wu Yin into this lake, but his visit today wasn't for nostalgia; it was to hunt immortals. Hengjun, indeed a peerless powerhouse who first acquired a divine treasure, had sent overly arrogant people to the mortal world.

Even now, some hadn't adjusted their attitudes, still looking down on the mortal world, not seeing its inhabitants as their equals. These individuals, believing they had ascended to immortality, felt superior, existing on a different plane of life.

"Old Chen killed two people outside his manor in An City and has been hunting in secret in Pingcheng. Perhaps because he's been so covert, you're unaware some of your companions are already dead? You think they're still wandering the world."

This faction had repeatedly crossed the line, and following the previous incident, someone had come to An City again, seeking Wang Xuan and demanding the God-Slaying Banner.

Wang Xuan decided to act personally.

In the evening mist, Yun Lake was still bustling with people strolling in the rain, umbrellas in hand, creating a picturesque, poetic scene. The rain grew heavier, darkening the sky and lake. Droplets splashed on the water, forming a fine mist, and the number of people boating on the lake quickly dwindled.

He spotted a person, likely one of his targets, who was boating on the lake. The individual, standing at the bow of a bamboo boat in the rain, exuded an ethereal charm.

"It's you!"

From afar, the person sensed Wang Xuan's arrival. Amidst the foggy lake, he stood still, but his bamboo boat automatically broke through the water's surface, heading towards the shore.

Near the shore were numerous retro-style buildings, recreating the ambiance of ancient dynasties, which was why this person had come here.

Wang Xuan revealed himself intentionally, waiting for the man to approach.

As the rain intensified and the world around them grew dimmer, the droplets hit the lake, creating a haze, and the number of boaters quickly decreased.

"Dark clouds like ink yet to obscure the mountains, white raindrops like pearls chaotically entering the boat." The man arrived, looking quite distinguished, around forty years old, resembling an ancient scholar who had lived into this era.

"Wang Xuan, right? We've been looking for you for a long time, to borrow the God-Slaying Banner," he said, standing calmly and confidently on the bamboo boat amidst the rain curtain, his hands clasped behind his back.

As the rain grew heavier, the poetic scenery of misty rain could no longer retain the boaters, who ran towards the city. The wind grew stronger, flipping umbrellas inside out.

The hustle and bustle of the area disappeared in an instant, and the mortal world's hustle faded away. Wang Xuan looked at the man and asked, "And if I refuse to lend it?"

"Then we'll borrow your head first!" The man pointed, and with a thunderous roar, lightning appeared, strikingly bright, aiming directly at Wang Xuan.

He had a right to be self-assured, as his method was "overqualified," capable of dealing with top-tier transcendents. He was borrowing the force of nature itself.

This wasn't just lightning released from a transcendent's body but rain-thunder he summoned, which could kill Wang Xuan instantly, turning him into charred remains.

However, Wang Xuan's spiritual heavenly eye and his unimaginably keen senses had already foreseen the man's intentions. He disappeared from the spot before the man could even lift his finger.

"In ancient times, this lake was known as Thunder Lake, bearing the traces of a peerless powerhouse battling a heavenly tribulation. You can't hide!" the man in the lake said coldly.

Every word he uttered was a potent psychic assault, also a manipulation of the natural forces of heaven and earth. He practiced the Invoking Tribulation Technique, perfect for battle in rainy weather, with Thunder Lake being his ideal battleground, not just a scenic spot to admire.

Beams of light fell from the sky onto the lake, like burning meteors crashing down from outer space.

Wang Xuan was moved; this was an outrageous opponent, exhibiting an extremely exquisite, near-flawless transcendental technique, summoning lightning strikes that ordinary people simply couldn't withstand.

In an instant, the lake surface exploded, beams of light fell in swathes from the clouds, reminiscent of ancient sorcerers summoning countless meteors to strike the earth. The lake was dense with lightning, as if the sun itself was plummeting down.

However, Wang Xuan, with his spiritual heavenly eye and innate advantage in understanding and utilizing techniques, saw through the man's various tactics and follow-up moves.

Wang Xuan, like a divine light, appeared amidst the thunder, dodging multiple times and rapidly crossing over. He stepped through the scene wrapped in silver substances, appearing beside the bamboo boat, standing at its stern.

"Using power that exceeds your own strength, a technique that breaks through the ceiling, can't be easy, can it?" Wang Xuan asked.

"You don't understand, leveraging the forces of nature with a slight cost, the consumption isn't much," the man said. With a thunderous sound, a light curtain fell, shattering the entire bamboo boat into ash, leaving no remnants.

"I have read about this Invoking Tribulation Technique. Thank you for demonstrating it, allowing me to fully comprehend its essence," Wang Xuan spoke sincerely, having understood the nature of the technique, indeed capable of leveraging higher-level forces.

The opponent was strong, but constantly invoking high-level thunder left gaps in his defense that widened over time, unable to stop Wang Xuan's approach.

On the lake, amidst sparks of electricity, the two clashed, fighting fiercely amid falling thunder and light rain, with the fog on the lake surface churning with the wind and rain.

Wang Xuan didn't use any secret treasures, fighting hand-to-hand with the nine-stage powerhouse.

With a sound, the final flash of electricity vanished, and tranquility returned to the lake. Only Wang Xuan remained, his transcendental substance steaming, standing on an empty boat, as the tourists had long since departed.

The man was not only killed but also turned into ash by the lightning, bringing a swift end to the confrontation.

The disturbance here was noticed by someone in the distance who appeared at the shore of Yun Lake and then submerged into the water.

Wang Xuan, standing on the small boat in the lake, suddenly turned around. A terrifying dark shadow emerged underwater, a massive creature swiftly approaching.

He formed his fingers into a blade, slicing through the lake, revealing the back of a black serpent, menacing in the water. The creature was so thick that four men couldn't wrap their arms around it. Its scales were as large as cattail fans, and as its head rose, opening its bloody maw with accompanying red flames, it lunged to bite Wang Xuan.

This was another nine-stage entity, resembling a huge snake, almost a dragon, with horns on its head, stirring up towering waves in the mist.

With a swish, Wang Xuan disappeared from the boat and reappeared forty meters away on the lake's surface, punching towards the side of the serpent's head. Despite appearing small compared to the gigantic snake, his dominating force was no less potent, sending the serpent crashing into the lake, scales and blood scattering into the water.

The serpent hissed, surging from the lake, revealing a section of its body tens of meters high above the water. Transcendental substances spread around, and its techniques swept across.

Wang Xuan raised his hand, pointing a finger at it. Suddenly, as if a meteor from outer space plummeted down, trailing a long tail of light, it plunged into Yun Lake.

Boom!

That was a spherical lightning, Wang Xuan had used the Invoking Tribulation Technique, drawing on the terrifying power naturally existing in nature, scattering the serpent's various techniques, and striking its body.

Instantly, the serpent's flesh burst open, revealing white bones, some even shattered.

Wang Xuan teleported, vanishing from dozens of meters away to appear above the serpent's head, crouching slightly before hammering a punch onto its skull.

With a piercing scream, the serpent's thick skull shattered and was penetrated, its blood mixing with the rainwater and falling into the lake.

The serpent rapidly shrank, transforming into a woman, trying to escape from Wang Xuan's grasp.

"If you were the mythical White Snake, I might have spared you, but you're not. You coveted my Divine Slaying Banner to kill me."

Wang Xuan raised his right hand, leveraging the formidable power of nature. A bolt of lightning struck down, engulfing the woman in a thunderous explosion. This was a truly "over-the-top" display of power.

The woman exploded into ashes, vanishing from the lake's surface. To her last moment, she found it hard to believe. How could a mere six-stage entity from the mundane world physically eliminate her, a nine-stage powerhouse? After all, she was no ordinary being.

Moreover, in such a short period of time, Wang Xuan had mastered the extraordinarily unique scripture, the Invoking Tribulation Technique.

Wang Xuan strode across the lake surface, standing silently at the shore for a long time. His spiritual eye surveyed the area, noticing several transcendental beings hastily retreating, indicating their non-hostility.

Zhou Shiqi and several other women from prominent families in the otherworld were in a nearby retro-style building. They came to the Old Earth and entered Yun City with a purpose, knowing Wang Xuan could guide people back. They wanted to get close and form a good relationship with him.

Now, they concealed their senses and gazes, fearful of causing misunderstandings. Their expressions were solemn as they sensed the extraordinary nature of the young man.

"He's getting stronger. In such a short time, he reached the late six-stage. Is it related to his inner realm? He blocked the shockwaves of transcendental power."

"His unique inner realm might allow that. Plus, the Divine Slaying Banner is an exceptional treasure that can protect him."

However, Wang Xuan's recent defeat of two nine-stage masters shocked them. Their beautiful faces gathered together, exchanging looks of disbelief.

"Is his true combat power nearing the free-roaming stage? In this era, could he become an earthbound deity?"

The decaying mythology was rapidly collapsing, and everyone realized that the ceiling was constantly lowering. It seemed impossible for anyone in the real world to become an earthbound deity now.

But this man, with his current trajectory, seemed poised to defy the norm.

"Impossible, right? When the final moment comes, no one can withstand the terrifying power of the world's correction. He's not an unparalleled master, nor does he possess any ultimate treasure. Can he be an exception?"

They came from remarkable backgrounds, but they were actively "transforming" themselves to cope with the future. Some became singers, others painters, adapting to the changing times. They believed that only unparalleled masters could preserve some power and protect their factions in the days to come.

In the misty rain, Wang Xuan's figure vanished from the lakeside. He strolled through Yun City, unaffected by the rain drenching his clothes. The city's surveillance and detectors were fully operational, closely monitoring the movements of the Hengjun faction. Physical presence meant traces to follow.

It was already dark when Wang Xuan arrived at the city's largest museum, which had been closed for a while. However, someone appeared there, ghost-like, searching for dusty ancient treasures.

Wang Xuan observed this person from a distance. "Let's go," he said, turning to leave the area. A sudden burst of combat erupted on the streets, but it quickly subsided into silence again. Any evidence left on the street cameras would be dealt with by Qingmu and Guan Lin.

Later that night, in a well-known bar, a woman with a devilishly attractive figure approached Wang Xuan. "Someone's targeting your parents. I can help you deal with this trouble and introduce you to a very powerful faction. Then, no one will dare to mess with you again," she offered, her breath fragrant and demeanor charming. However, she also mentioned that her organization needed to borrow the Divine Slaying Banner.

"Are you not the ones threatening my parents and now offering to spare them in exchange for my Divine Slaying Banner?" Wang Xuan replied, his tone calm but firm in the dimly lit bar. "You're overconfident."

"The fallen transcendent beings, over twenty in number, will keep coming. Even more formidable masters with ultimate treasures are returning. Are you sure you want to go against the tide and be our enemy?"

"You're the ones choosing to be my enemies," Wang Xuan sighed. Then, he made his move.

This was the last target in Yun City, and he had come specifically for this woman. In the end, he didn't cause a big commotion here. Instead, he quickly used Zheng Wu's top-tier treasure—the Soul Chain—to lock up the woman's soul, then silently left. With a bang, a burst of light vanished on the street.

At night, Wang Xuan left Yun City and continued his actions in the distance. He struck forcefully several times in the wilderness and in other cities, eliminating people from the Hengjun faction. The next day, he arrived in Ping City and eliminated three more individuals lurking in the city who intended to pressure him through his parents. With this, he had killed eleven people, showing no mercy.

Only three of the experts sent by Hengjun remained, either exploring the heart of the earth or searching for certain ruins in the ocean. Even if they were slow to react, they were now terrified, realizing something was wrong. It was one thing for a few people to be unreachable, but now almost all had lost contact.

Wang Xuan met with his parents and personally examined the talisman. It was truly astonishing, filled with Daoist charm and beyond his comprehension, which for the time reassured him.

That day, he set off directly for the Greater Khingan Mountains to meet the female Taoist practitioner. It was time to face her directly and have an open and honest conversation.

In the small spacecraft, he looked at the business card left by "Old Zhang." It was time to contact him too.