The Stars Beyond

Chapter 260: Nowhere Safe

In the ancestral shrine of the Huang family, thin strands of white mist swirled around. Huang Xinghai awoke from a brief slumber where he had heard the mysterious entity's voice in his dream. After paying his respects in the shrine, he stepped out, reflecting on the rarity of someone like Wang Xuan who could open the Inner Landscape in this era.

Huang Jinglin, around sixty but remarkably fit and youthful due to his practice of ancient techniques, approached and asked his father, "How did it go? Did our ancestor provide any guidance?"

Huang Xinghai nodded, informing him about the communication and suggesting they invite Wang Xuan again.

Huang Jinglin considered for a moment and then suggested, "We've invited him three times, and he has declined each time. Should I challenge Lin Mengliang to a duel? That might draw him out."

He reminisced about their fierce battle on the Old World, where he and Professor Lin were evenly matched in their mastery of ancient techniques. During that fight, Professor Lin had been shot in the chest and then struck by Huang Jinglin, leaving him with a terrifying wound. It was a miracle he survived.

Huang Xinghai turned sharply and warned, "Don't act rashly at this stage!"

"I'll be careful," Huang Jinglin assured, adding, "I see that Lin Mengliang is in good health now, his old injuries healed and his vitality robust. Regardless of his calm demeanor, I know he must be yearning for a rematch with me."

......

After leaving the city, Wang Xuan crossed a mountain range to test if anyone was trying to track his movements. With the dark gold boat filled with dense super-material, he could now fly and escape even if targeted by a warship. He could even counterattack while soaring into the sky. However, he didn't want to reveal too much just yet; he remained cautious, aware of the potential threats.

Wang Xuan felt vigilant, sensing a lingering crisis. Could a superhuman entity be watching him? Given his outstanding performance in this era of declining superhuman powers, his abilities were hard to hide, especially after being forced to act on several occasions.

He noted the presence of satellite surveillance and detection devices hidden in dense forests. Wang Xuan suspected that not only the Sun family but also other wealthy families might be collaborating with entities behind the curtain. The recent instances of dream communication with mysterious entities suggested that something was amiss.

Wang Xuan preferred peace and did not wish for conflict. "Can't we coexist peacefully?" he mused. If pushed, he was ready to defend himself. Ideally, he would have liked to leave New Star temporarily and visit a superhuman planet like the Wizard World or Martial Arts Universe, to escape the escalating threats. But he doubted whether any world was truly free from strife.

Resigned to facing whatever came, Wang Xuan knew that any entity's return would come at a great cost. He wondered about their current strength and preferred not to provoke them.

For now, Wang Xuan decided to make the most of the peaceful times, traveling and offering life-extending treatments to the elderly.

"Where are you, Wang Xuan?" Old Chen's call came through. Recently busy as a superhuman expert for various organizations, dealing with paranormal events, he'd gathered some unusual items and wanted to meet up.

"I'm headed to Tai City," Wang Xuan informed him, planning to visit the Zhou family for a health consultation.

"Great, see you in Tai City!" It had been a while since they last met, and Old Chen was eager for a reunion.

Tai City, in the eastern region of Zhongzhou, boasted a prosperous waterfront with many luxury yachts. Zhou Yun, warmly welcoming Wang Xuan, suggested a sea outing before meeting the family elder. Wang Xuan joked about the possibility of attracting battleship attacks, to which Zhou Yun nervously laughed off the idea.

Old Chen was also coming. Zhou Yun planned to arrange accommodations, joking about keeping Old Chen away from the sea to avoid temptation.

Wang Xuan, amused, suggested visiting the Zhou family's estate with a temple instead. Zhou Yun admitted Wang Xuan was likely interested in the temple's ancient artifacts. He mentioned that people from the Fu Di area, recently returned, were also eyeing these items.

In the tranquil Zhou family estate, surrounded by ancient trees, Zhou Yun playfully proposed inviting a famous actress in town and other acquaintances to meet Wang Xuan. Wang Xuan, preoccupied with the potential of confronting mysterious beings, quickly dismissed the idea, focusing on more pressing matters.

"Little Wang, you can't keep living like a hermit, you know. You've reached the heights of a sword immortal, why live like a monk?" Zhou Yun tried to persuade Wang Xuan.

"I can't help it; my tastes have become quite discerning lately. I only seem to encounter fox immortals or peerless celestial beings. It's hard to go back to simplicity after such luxury," Wang Xuan replied wryly.

Zhou Yun's eyes lit up, "Seriously, Wang Xuan, you've got to take me to meet these immortals. I'm thinking of pursuing the path of cultivation myself!"

Zhou Yun's grandfather arrived, initially all smiles. Hearing Zhou Yun's words, he swiftly shooed him away with his walking stick.

Soon after, Old Chen arrived, looking energetic with his signature buzz cut, kept short as per Guan Lin's preference. Zhou Yun quickly made himself scarce, leaving the two to chat.

Chen Yongjie's eyes sparkled, a sign of his significant power increase. "Recently, I've used the medicinal earth and made a fierce breakthrough. I couldn't suppress it even if I wanted to!" he shared. He had progressed from the late stage of the Life Soil Realm to the Herb Gathering realm, thanks to the medicinal earth from a Bodhisattva, containing powerful properties.

"It's quite troublesome, actually. I wanted to stabilize my realm, but my cultivation keeps growing daily. I'm already in the mid-stage of Herb Gathering now," he continued, then noticed Wang Xuan's unrestrained aura, indicating his advancement to the Life Soil Realm.

"You used medicinal earth too?" Old Chen asked, surprised. Wang Xuan had two pieces of such earth, each with a significant origin.

Wang Xuan shook his head, "No, I plan to stabilize my current state before exploring it further."

Old Chen was momentarily speechless, realizing that once Wang Xuan used the medicinal earth, he would likely surpass him. Though he was mentally prepared, the reality seemed to be approaching faster than expected. He had intended to share his own advancement in creating miraculous vistas and spirit traveling ten miles, which might even surpass ancient patriarchs at this stage.

Chen Yongjie swallowed his words, realizing that Wang Xuan must have also significantly improved. He sighed, "Chen the Sage was born at the wrong time. He didn’t get to shine in an era of extraordinary splendor and compete with legendary figures. Instead, he’s met a freak in this age of dying myths."

Chen then became serious, advising Wang Xuan to hide his powers. There was a high probability of immortals returning, given the recent paranormal incidents and clues he had encountered.

Chen, outwardly unassuming and concealing his true cultivation level with Buddhist scriptures, warned Wang Xuan. But Wang Xuan knew that if he was already marked, no disguise would work.

After checking their surroundings with his psychic field and finding nothing unusual, Chen produced a cassock, a true treasure gained from handling recent strange events. Wang Xuan, amused, commented that Chen, practicing various Buddhist techniques, could pass for a monk if he wore it.

"Don’t joke about that, I’m married," Chen replied, then telepathically conveyed that the cassock contained a universe within and hinted at an incredible opportunity. Wang Xuan, intrigued, asked, "An opportunity?"

"Yes," Chen replied earnestly. "If found, it could challenge the immortals, laying an unparalleled foundation for us." He revealed that in the highest spiritual realm, Buddha once harvested a divine medicine, the Nine Tribulations Lotus.

Stunned, Wang Xuan wondered how such a thing could be left in the modern world. Chen explained that while the medicine itself couldn’t be preserved, seeds from its pod fell to the mortal realm, meant for future Buddhas. Half of this pod, he divulged, was secured in the reliquary beneath an ancient temple by Buddhists.

Chen speculated the seeds might serve another purpose, suspecting Buddha foresaw the curtain’s fall in ancient times. "Imagine," Chen mused, "planting these divine seeds in one's Life-Earth realm at the Medicinal Gathering stage!"

Wang Xuan was equally astounded by this immense fortune. He was looking for ways to strengthen himself in an increasingly dangerous world. Chen illuminated that on the New Star, where ancient temples were rebuilt, such treasures likely resided in the homes of the financial conglomerates, like the ancient temple at Zhou’s estate.

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