The Stars Beyond

Chapter 196: Hunting The Transcendent

Dark clouds descended, casting a gloomy shadow over the forested mountains. The rain pattered loudly on the leaves, creating a misty spray that resembled thin smoke.

Wang Xuan, now clothed, no longer appeared bare. His attire resembled that of the people from Eura Star, a sight more pleasing to his eyes. He also packed the battle gear from Yuhua and Heluo Stars, saving them for critical moments.

His most significant gain was the collection of jade tokens, likely surpassing Old Zhong's count.

Wang Xuan wore a perforated protective headgear and donned a black and gold tunic, blending into the dim rain curtain. The dark, rainy atmosphere was perfect for hunting.

Along the way, he sensed two extraordinaries hiding in a stone forest. His heightened perception allowed him to silently approach them from behind.

"You..." One of them turned abruptly, hair standing on end in shock, retreating in terror upon seeing the silent young man in the rain.

The other attempted to flee but was swiftly beheaded by a brilliant sword light that pierced through the dark forest.

Wang Xuan's mystical power wove a tapestry of dazzling light as the short sword returned to his hand, his unique version of a flying sword. Despite lacking complex inscriptions typical of flying swords, it was equally unstoppable in his hands.

"Don't be afraid," Wang Xuan whispered reassuringly.

The sight of a decapitated head rolling to his feet, blood splashing onto his face, hardly seemed reassuring.

"How many extraordinaries from the three celestial planets have arrived, and how many Enforcers are on your side?" Wang Xuan patiently inquired.

The surviving extraordinary shuddered, his body covered in goosebumps, fearfully looking at the young face amidst the rain. Eventually, he divulged everything.

Suddenly, a burst of light, as dazzling as a peacock's tail, erupted in the rain, aiming directly at Wang Xuan. It was a dense volley of steel needles.

Although the steel needles were thin, they were inscribed with runes and forged from a blend of secret bronze and steel mother, designed to pierce the formidable bodies of extraordinaries.

The seemingly docile and cooperative extraordinary, who had been answering questions fearfully, suddenly attacked, attempting a desperate counter-kill against Wang Xuan.

However, his efforts were in vain and only heightened his fear. Mysterious, blurry sceneries emerged around Wang Xuan, deflecting all the steel needles. The needles, once formidable weapons, turned into iron filings and gently fell to the ground.

Wang Xuan tested one needle against his palm. It bent and broke, unable to penetrate his flesh, far superior to any golden body.

With a backhand slap, Wang Xuan sent the pale-faced extraordinary flying. He disintegrated mid-air, six meters away, his blood mingling with the rain as it fell to the ground.

Wang Xuan headed towards a mountain range ten miles away. He had learned from the man he just defeated that the range was home to an owl over 150 years old, a formidable Enforcer.

As he traversed the forest, his steps were powerful and steady, covering tens of meters with each stride.

He climbed a stone peak only to find that he had mistaken the location; the owl's nest was on an opposing cliff. Assessing the distance between the two peaks, Wang Xuan retreated, then accelerated into a run, leaping across the hundred-meter gap through the rain and mist, landing on the opposite mountain.

In a large cave on the cliff, a pair of lantern-sized, green eyes suddenly lit up. The old owl, highly alert, sensed something amiss.

But it was too late. Wang Xuan, grasping a vine, slid down in the pouring rain and stepped into the spacious, dry cave.

"Young man, what brings you to my abode? Is there an injustice you wish to report? I am an Enforcer; speak, and I shall stand for you."

The owl's feathers nearly stood on end. Having lived for many years, it had attained a certain level of wisdom and sensed a dangerous aura emanating from the young man.

"I used to raid sparrow nests when I was younger and even returned fallen swallows to their nests under the eaves. But I've never raided an owl's nest this big," Wang Xuan spoke.

"Young man, what are you talking about? I am an Enforcer, upholding the fairness and justice of the secret realm. How can you be so disrespectful to me?" the owl spoke coldly.

"You're too caught up in your role. Don't you know what you really are? Carrying those extraordinaries to hunt me down, helping them find my traces, and now you dare talk about maintaining order in the secret realm?"

Wang Xuan, sword in hand, approached the owl, measuring up the creature stretching over ten meters long, its feline face exuding a stern aura. Its sunken green eyes glowed eerily, and its massive talons slightly protruded, piercing the rocky ground.

The owl spoke in a chilling tone, "Extraterrestrial, I merely took advantage of an opportunity. I accepted some benefits and did them a minor favor. Let's leave it at that, shall we? I won't interfere in your matters anymore."

Ignoring the owl's plea, Wang Xuan surveyed the extraordinary cave, finding nothing but leftover remains of strange creatures — no miraculous herbs or spiritual medicines.

Let the owl go? Impossible! The moment he turned his back, it would surely contact other Enforcers to hunt him down.

"Time to go," Wang Xuan said, resolving to eliminate a bane from the secret realm by eradicating the corrupted Enforcer.

"A mere mortal from the Illumination realm dares to act so boldly against me!" The owl's demeanor shifted drastically, its eyes filled with malevolence. Its talon, swift as lightning, lunged forward, creating an explosive sound in the void, engulfing the space in a blinding white.

Sparks flew as the owl retracted its claw, only to find it bare, its sharp talons all gone, "clipped"! Not just that, blood gushed from the pads of its feet, and flesh began to fall off its leg.

The owl let out a piercing scream as a section of its leg broke off, leaving it to stand on one foot, bloodied and crippled.

The aged owl, in the early stages of the Medicinal Harvest realm, was nowhere near as strong as the previous high-level experts Wang Xuan had defeated. It radiated light, with electric rays intertwining and feathers clanging like blades, forming a creature bristling with sharp knives, shrouded in lightning and hurtling towards Wang Xuan.

However, this was futile. Wang Xuan, deploying the second True Form Diagram and utilizing his spiritual secret power, coupled with a fantastic landscape, created a scene where volcanoes erupted and magma boiled over. The key was a red sun plummeting down towards the volcano's mouth.

Boom! The owl was engulfed by the landscape, hit squarely, and let out a piercing scream. A terrible blood hole appeared on its forehead, emitting wisps of smoke as the red sun pierced through its head, incinerating the spiritual substances within its realm.

With a swift motion, Wang Xuan's sword sliced through the air, severing the owl's massive head. He then disappeared into the rain.

The crows' loud cries filled the Earth Immortal City, disturbing many cultivators. The city wasn't just home to extraordinaries but also to mortal masters accompanying their elders for exposure.

"What's happening?" someone wondered, gazing into the rain.

"Found the extraterrestrial from the land. Surviving the bee's nest is no small feat!" murmured another.

"The crow clan's Enforcer personally went after him. Seems like the alien's luck has run out. He shouldn't have shown himself; his end is near," they speculated.

Before hunting Wang Xuan, the elder crow had sent descendants to Earth Immortal City with a message, prompting slight unrest with the anticipation of receiving Wang Xuan's head.

"Though he survived, he'll soon die. Let's go watch," suggested Beiyun Kun from the Heluo Star, his two-meter-tall frame exuding a wild aura. He, now healed, led a group of extraordinaries.

"Let's go," beckoned Ouyun to his sister. "That alien is mysterious, with an unbelievably robust physique, enduring several attacks from a Medicinal Harvest expert. His cultivation methods are unique; we might gain something from this, maybe even extraordinary secrets from another land."

In another building, Jiang Xuan spoke, "Muxue, he's reappeared. That short sword might have an astonishing origin, possibly a priceless treasure. Let's try to get it."

......

Three groups from Earth Immortal City set out, each cautiously avoiding the others as they headed towards the forest. Competing against each other, they had clashed several times in the past two days, resulting in casualties.

They only momentarily collaborated when dealing with the extraterrestrial, fearing more reinforcements from the alien's world.

As they left the city, another crow frantically entered, flapping its wings vigorously, seeking the people of Yuhua, Eura, and Heluo Stars, conveying an urgent message.

This crow, returning from the scene of the elder crow's tragic death, was frantic to report the details and seek revenge for its ancestor.

"What? The elder crow is dead, slain by that young man?!" Shock rippled through a part of Earth Immortal City, with many trembling at the news. How could this be possible?

"Dead, our ancestor is dead! It was horrible; his head was severed, blood staining the ground. That man even scorned, saying crows feed on carrion, sour and inedible," stammered the messenger crow in shock.

The city's experts, capturing the crow's mental impressions, saw the images and gasped in disbelief.

"Hurry, support them! Although Medicinal Harvest experts have left the city, they could be ambushed and suffer terribly," the city's inhabitants panicked.

They began seeking reinforcements, calling for more help to hunt down the extraterrestrial demon.

A bolt of lightning streaked across the sky, illuminating the dark forest. The extraordinaries of Heluo Star moved swiftly, eager to reach the scene first and claim the alien's short sword and any possible inheritance.

Beiyun Kun's face was cold, his eyes shimmering with a green light. Indifferent to the sword, he simply yearned to witness the demise of the 'earthling.'

Earlier, Beiyun Kun had been severely injured by Wang Xuan, coughing up blood with multiple broken bones. His "Immortal Body" practice had nearly been ruined, leaving him weakened for days, coughing up blood intermittently.

Wang Xuan moved through the forest, sensing the strong vitality and tumultuous supernatural energy of a group of extraordinaries rushing in the distance. His expression was cold, intuiting that the people from Earth Immortal City, informed of his whereabouts, were hastening through the rain - either to hunt him down or meet their demise.

Silently approaching, he observed from the shadows, spotting Beiyun Kun and a Medicinal Harvest-level expert among the group. He disregarded the others for now, considering those in the Mist, Flame Light, and even Life Earth realms as non-threats.

The group seemed to be heading towards the location of the elder crow's demise. Wang Xuan prepared for a thunderous strike, planning to eliminate the strongest first, then methodically harvest the lives of his enemies.

He quickly donned the battle attire of Heluo Star and, blending into the downpour and amidst the many, followed unnoticed. The extraordinaries, unfamiliar with each other and hailing from various regions of Heluo Star, didn’t realize his presence.

Wang Xuan silently closed in on Beiyun Kun and the Medicinal Harvest-level expert, moving naturally without drawing attention. In the dark, rain-soaked forest, he reached striking distance.

Without further delay, he erupted into action. His sword, shining brighter than lightning, slashed diagonally downwards.

With a spurt of blood, the sudden attack stunned everyone. No one expected an enemy amidst their ranks, dressed in the same uniform. The Medicinal Harvest-level expert's arm was severed, his face twisting in pain and anger. At the peak of Medicinal Harvest, on the cusp of advancing to a higher realm, his keen perception narrowly evaded the lethal strike aimed at his neck, losing only an arm in the process.

"You, the alien demon!" The enraged Medicinal Harvest-level expert roared. His body radiated intense light, boiling away the surrounding rain, and he unleashed a furious strike at Wang Xuan with his remaining hand.

Beside him, Beiyun Kun's face was splattered with blood from the wounded expert. Although the rain quickly washed it away, the fear instilled by the godlike figure of Wang Xuan remained etched in his heart, pulsating with terror. His body trembled in fear.

How could this be? In just a few days, the alien had become capable of assaulting Medicinal Harvest-level experts, instilling cold fear in Beiyun Kun. He yelled and retreated rapidly.

The light and heat dried up the nearby rain, turning the ground red and causing magma to flow. The Medicinal Harvest-level expert, burning with anger, attacked Wang Xuan with full force.

Wang Xuan remained impassive. After severing the expert's arm, he knew the battle's outcome was inevitable. This very man had once severely injured him near the bee nest, and now it was time for his retribution.

Swiftly, Wang Xuan avoided the lava, unleashing several mystical visions combined with his flying sword. Like a celestial sword, it carried with it star fire and miniature worlds, sweeping across the sky.

The spiritual visions suppressed the expert while the flying sword led the assault, creating a torrent of blood from the grievously wounded Medicinal Harvest-level fighter.

Despite his injuries and missing arm, the expert staggered forward, attacking again. The sword energy soared into the night sky, tearing through the rain and illuminating the darkness.

In the distance, many witnessed the lightning-like sword radiance intensely entwined in combat, shredding the forest. The sword light was like a dragon, like star fire, dazzling and intimidating.

Finally, the Medicinal Harvest-level expert was decapitated by the flying sword. His headless body collapsed to the ground, his head flying several meters away, landing in a puddle.

Beiyun Kun, pale-faced and speechless, plunged deep into the forest. He didn't look back, only intent on fleeing back to the Celestial Immortal City, no longer wishing to confront that terrifying man.

However, he hadn't gone far when he saw a figure blocking his path. In the midst of the torrential rain and under the flash of lightning, the young man appeared like a god or demon, his gaze cold as he swung his short sword.

"No!" Beiyun Kun screamed, desperately trying to dodge and resist this deadly strike.

With a gruesome sound, his head still flew off. He died with terror and reluctance in his eyes, his body collapsing into the muddy water.

Wang Xuan turned around, moving like a ghost through the forest, his sword light flashing sporadically.

Screams echoed one after the other as he eliminated most of the group, with only a few managing to escape through the rain curtain.

After collecting the jade symbols, Wang Xuan turned and strode in another direction, ready to hunt down another approaching group of adversaries.

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