The Stars Beyond

Chapter 253: A New Secret

In the mountains, a simple thatched cottage, surrounded by vines and a clear spring, not far from a serene lake, provided a haven of peace and quiet. Outside the cottage was a stone table and stools, with a tall Osmanthus tree exuding a calming fragrance.

This was a rare experience of detachment from the world for Wang Xuan, away from the bustle of the city and free from the disturbance of wild beasts. He temporarily escaped from the mundane world, immersing himself in the study of the golden bamboo slips, contemplating his future path.

Over the past two months, even on a New World depleted of transmaterial, his strength had improved.

"Mist, the first minor realm of transcendence. Stepping into it for the first time, one's spirit sees only darkness and flesh shrouded in dense fog," Wang Xuan pondered his cultivation journey.

He thought about how the first person to enter this realm must have felt lost and bewildered, trapped in the mist within their own flesh, unable to see the path ahead.

To better understand the laws and find his way forward, Wang Xuan immersed himself in the mindset of the first transcendent beings, starting from the beginning.

"Lamp Lighting, tearing through the mist with a strong will, accumulating enough spiritual energy to gradually see the way forward, freeing oneself from the shackles of the mind."

Wang Xuan felt this was not an overnight achievement; many of the first transcendent beings might have never escaped the mist within their flesh.

"Refining the spiritual realm, like hanging a lamp to illuminate the eternal night sky of immortality!"

He admired the belief established by those people, guiding the direction, a feat likely not achieved in a single generation.

"With the light of the spirit, illuminating the eternally silent transcendent night sky, stepping onto the path of immortality!" Wang Xuan wrote on the stone table.

He was deeply moved, imagining those early humans in a primitive era, living in harsh conditions among beasts and monsters, yet possessing such enlightenment.

"The one who established this belief, if still alive and continuing on the path of transcendent exploration, must be incredibly powerful by now."

Such a person, if alive in the current era, would undoubtedly be formidable.

After two months of cultivation and contemplating the golden bamboo slips, comparing them with the stone scriptures, Wang Xuan's strength had advanced, bringing him to the brink of the Lamp Lighting realm.

Lamp Lighting, illuminating the path with spiritual light, Wang Xuan had already glimpsed the realm of Life Soil, with stepping into that realm being imminent!

"Life Soil, the origin of all laws, the foundation for transcendents, is highly regarded by both pre-Qin alchemists and Daoists. It nurtures life and is the primal source of vitality for transcendental beings."

The so-called Life Soil has no corresponding physical place within the flesh and organs, yet it truly exists. When the Lamp Lighting realm reaches its end, one can step further into the Life Soil.

"If transcendence fades, does it begin with the decay of Life Soil? The collapse of the origin of all laws, the place of nurturing life, the primal source of transcendence, is critically important."

Wang Xuan stood up, surrounded by fresh grass and beautiful scenery, like a pure land detached from the world, yet lacking in transmaterial.

Previously, he often visited various temples and Daoist abodes to absorb mystical factors, which nearly saturated his flesh and blood.

Moreover, both his flying boat and the yellow gourd stored a large amount of mystical factors.

But two months of cultivation and scripture contemplation, sustaining him until now, had also nearly depleted his resources.

Reading the golden bamboo slips and comparing them with the stone scriptures, he sought a path that could be followed even after the depletion of transcendental materials.

Yet now, he pondered, finding it exceedingly difficult.

If in three years transcendence dissipates and the world corrects itself, returning to its normal trajectory without the soil for mythology, even comprehending the supreme scriptures seemed unable to change this situation.

"Could the Inner Landscape be the last resort?" Wang Xuan frowned.

Currently, every Celestial Immortal has opened an Inner Landscape, with some real bones drawing from it for revival and remolding flesh and blood.

But he felt that once the time came, these realms would close, unable to draw in mystical materials any longer. Otherwise, Celestials would not be so helpless and even despairing about the future.

However, Wang Xuan's Inner Landscape was somewhat different. He could open it even in his mortal phase, without relying on transcendental powers!

"I hope that in three years, my unique Inner Landscape can still be used to draw mystical factors from that unknown land," Wang Xuan hoped. This might be fundamental to preserving his transcendent powers in the future.

However, he couldn't put all his hopes on it. What if his Inner Landscape was also locked or depleted by then? He needed to prepare for all possibilities and find one or two more footholds.

Recently, reading the supreme scriptures of the alchemists, he found them extremely challenging. "In that era, powerful alchemists often captured sacred beasts and divine birds, not just for show or as a mode of transport, but also for cultivation."

In this era, even if one comprehended the complex Golden Bamboo Slips, it would be difficult to replicate that path. How did those top alchemists cultivate? They plucked heavenly herbs, captured sacred beasts to refine essences, and bathed their physical bodies in sacred blood.

"That era was enviable indeed, with abundant resources and various rarities everywhere. Though the competition was fierce, it was a prosperous age for transcendent beings."

The twenty-seven Golden Bamboo Slips contained the most powerful root methods, involving the highest spiritual realms, along with some real form diagrams, and the most complex and difficult physical postures. They also noted the occasional need for heavenly herbs and sacred beast blood to baptize the spirit and body.

How could one practice such things in this era? "However, it might still be possible to practice. Some words on the slips are profound, suggesting that with enough confidence, one can internally cultivate divine brilliance."

The path of the pre-Qin alchemists was rough, aiming for a holistic enhancement from the physical body to the spirit. "The Golden Elixir Path, integrating essence, qi, and spirit, accumulating essence in one place to nurture a golden elixir and break through from that point..."

From that day, he also read the Five-Colored Golden Elixir Scripture and the unrevealed secrets of the Buddha's lineage – the Shakyamuni True Scripture.

Immersed in cultivation, Wang Xuan compared various scriptures daily, making discoveries in texts involving alchemists, Daoism, and Buddhism. "What is this? I seem to have found another secret path!"

Half a month later, with his spirit shining like a lamp in the night sky, he explored himself internally and unexpectedly found a vague scenery in the fog. After reaching the Lamp Lighting realm and dispelling the fog in his flesh, he found that the unreached realm of Life Soil still had mists swirling around it.

Wang Xuan's spiritual consciousness approached, and although he couldn't step onto Life Soil yet and enter that realm, he was standing in the thick fog it emitted.

He followed the wisps of mist, walking forward towards a blurry area. The fog seemed to form a path, winding and billowing ahead. As he progressed, distant scenery came into view - a desolate area that appeared long uninhabited. Far ahead, a dilapidated station stood by the roadside, with lanterns hung in the dimness, most extinguished.

The station, bearing an ancient style, was in ruins, with parts of buildings collapsed. Only one lantern still flickered faintly, casting an unstable light.

Wang Xuan's spiritual energy, like a burning lamp, approached the station, noticing the hanging lantern brightening slightly. It was as if this station belonged to him, his path; his light illuminating it, softening the lantern's glow.

He had long known of multiple secret paths: the Inner Scenic Path, the Heavenly Medicine Path, the Path of Departed Lands, and others. Moreover, there was one path invisible to others but real, only discoverable and walkable by those who found this realm.

"Seeking the Path!"

Looking forward, the horizon was pitch black. Vaguely, there seemed to be a village, silent and oppressive, with no lights in any household.

Wang Xuan, frowning, didn't proceed further but explored the nearby station. It was deserted, bearing traces of past use. In the kitchen, still standing, lingered a faint fragrance. Dried remains of extraordinary herbs in the pot suggested a cultivator's presence.

Wang Xuan felt bewildered by this mysterious path, almost as if it were a real place his spirit had stumbled into. "This isn't an ordinary station; it seems like a resting place for transcendent beings, even the food isn't ordinary."

Then, he found a wine gourd. Removing the stopper, even after many years, it still emitted a fragrant aroma, with a bit of sparkling liquid inside.

"This..." Wang Xuan expressed surprise as the fragrance of the wine refreshed his mind, seemingly condensing his spiritual energy. He decided to drink it. In his current state of spiritual consciousness, he had no reservations.

Only three drops of thick, sparkling golden liquor fell into his mouth, quickly transforming into energy. Instantly, his spiritual consciousness seemed ignited, becoming intensely bright. He trembled lightly, feeling dizzy as if on the verge of transcending into a celestial being.

His spiritual power was rapidly increasing, growing by about ten percent. Astonished, Wang Xuan stood motionless in the ancient kitchen.

In this broken, partially collapsed station, just three drops from a leftover wine gourd had such an incredible effect? Wang Xuan's thoughts raced with excitement. Where exactly had he arrived, and what kind of path was this?

"Heavenly medicine, Inner Landscape, the path of departed lands, the journey of seeking... all are essences of the ancient arts, belonging to the secret paths of the Great Way. Have I embarked on a journey of seeking, arriving at an inconceivable place?"

This was just a station, yet it yielded such a discovery. Ahead, there might be even more unfathomable areas. Wang Xuan searched the area but found nothing else of value.

Using his spiritual vision, he gazed forward. Beyond the lifeless village, at the edge of the earth, there appeared to be a vague light, a large city illuminated by lamps!

He couldn't help but walk towards the dark village, eager to explore it and approach the illuminated area at the horizon's end. Suddenly, he looked up. The dark night sky, devoid of stars and moonlight, had something falling – one after another, withered yellow papers.

Compelled, he reached out to catch them!

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