The Stars Beyond

Chapter 107: What Happens On The Moon

"Unbelievable!" Qin Cheng exclaimed, momentarily forgetting about the lady beside him. His surprise at seeing Wang Xuan here, on the moon of a system beyond the Milky Way, was palpable.

They were not in their familiar galaxy anymore, with a massive expanse of at least a hundred thousand light-years separating them from their home. Having stepped out for a simple stroll, encountering his old comrade here was beyond Qin Cheng's wildest imagination.

"How on earth did you end up here?" An elated Qin Cheng sprinted over to embrace Wang Xuan tightly.

"I flew across the celestial expanse on my magical sword and got here," Wang Xuan replied with a playful smirk.

"Stop joking! Even legendary immortals would be drained to their last breath traversing such vast distances," Qin Cheng retorted with a chuckle. He then enthusiastically pulled Wang Xuan's arm, "Come with me. I'll get you settled in. Once you're rested, we'll have a proper celebration."

Concerned that Wang Xuan might be weary from his voyage, Qin Cheng suggested he first eat and recuperate.

"I'm good. I'm full of energy and can go without sleep for days," Wang Xuan declined, his words echoing his evident vitality.

Having ascended to a Master's stature, his vitality and vigor were beyond that of common folks, enabling him to radiate such immense power.

Casting a discreet glance at the woman standing a distance away, Wang Xuan murmured, "What's the story there? Staying loyal to your old flame back home, are we? No wonder she decided to end things when she heard you were venturing into the depths of space. She certainly saw the writing on the wall."

With a resigned sigh and a fleeting glance towards the lady, Qin Cheng replied, "It's not what you're thinking. She's rather... insistent on being around. It's almost as if she's glued to me, and I can't shake her off."

"Showing off, are we?" Wang Xuan teased.

"It's complicated. She annoys the hell out of me. I'll fill you in later." With just a casual wave to the lady, Qin Cheng turned and led the way.

"Let me give you a tour," Qin Cheng, noticing that Wang Xuan was genuinely refreshed, took his backpack and gestured towards a small unmanned airship nearby.

With a fixed route, the starship cruised slowly at a low altitude across the base, passing landmarks such as the Guanghan Palace, the ancient Daoist observatory, and the mutated medicine experimental fields.

"Back on our home planet, people refer to this moon as 'New Moon'. However, over here, most simply call it 'The Moon' or 'Lunar'. Many on New Star refer to our old moon as 'Old Moon'," Qin Cheng explained. Both moons shared strikingly similar characteristics.

"What I found most challenging to adjust to here is the perpetual blackness of the sky, even during daytime. At first, I was so disoriented, I genuinely wanted to splash paint across the expanse to turn it blue," he continued.

The lunar day-night cycle, lasting about twenty-seven to twenty-eight days, was something he found quite taxing.

"This base has protective layers enveloping each sector," Qin Cheng pointed out. Made of a transparent, resilient, and durable space material, it resembled a series of interconnected bubbles. These 'bubbles' could interlink or isolate instantaneously, ensuring that if an incident occurred in one sector, it wouldn't spread to the others.

With these protective layers, combined with real-time adjustments to internal air temperature and humidity, the environment within the base became relatively habitable. It was lush with greenery, resembling a verdant garden city.

Aboard the starship, Qin Cheng provided Wang Xuan with an overview of the lunar conditions, emphasizing various research bases located elsewhere, not connected to their current location.

Starships and warships require performance testing in outer space, collecting crucial data. Additionally, various precision instruments, along with cutting-edge advancements in technology, all necessitate experiments and testing away from their home planet.

"Those bases on the moon are pivotal. They don't allow outsiders anywhere near, with the highest level of security. I wouldn't take you there because I've never been myself," Qin Cheng remarked.

The current base they were at primarily catered to tourists. While it housed some less hazardous research facilities, at least it wasn't like the weapons base where energy beams occasionally shot into space.

"Why did you come to the starry expanse, Old Wang?" Qin Cheng inquired.

"I came for work, but I might soon head to the new star," Wang Xuan answered honestly.

Qin Cheng was taken aback. He knew all too well the challenges his friend must have faced coming here. Although he'd actively sought opportunities and even sent Wang Xuan a letter pointing out a potential path, he felt the chances were slim.

"So, you've actually made it? Working at the same company as me?" Qin Cheng asked, brimming with excitement.

In the past, using some connections, Qin Cheng had managed to join the Top Martial organization's branch on the moon, under the title of a security expert. His résumé proudly mentioned: "Expert in traditional techniques, successful in energy harnessing and internal nourishment." Clearly, there was some exaggeration.

His work here was relatively relaxed, mainly overseeing an experimental field for mutated tiger-wolf medicines.

"With what credentials did you come here, Old Wang?" Qin Cheng asked curiously.

"I've been specially hired as a security consultant," Wang Xuan replied.

He also had another role, affiliated with Old Chen's exploration organization, which allowed him to travel conveniently everywhere. However, he currently didn't need that identity.

"A special consultant?!" Qin Cheng was genuinely astounded, as he was familiar with the inner workings of the Top Martial organization. Given his own title, achieved through connections, those in the know realized he was here merely as a stepping stone to get to the new star, which is why his position was so relaxed and free of critical responsibilities.

In the Top Martial organization, those who are specially appointed are always incredibly skilled. On ordinary days, they aren't bothered and merely hold a title with generous compensation. They are only called into action when real trouble arises.

"Old Wang, just how advanced have you become in your traditional techniques to be specially appointed by them? That's incredible!"

Wang Xuan speculated that this must have been the doing of Old Chen and his team. The Secret Route Exploration Organization probably had a close collaboration with the Top Martial organization.

However, possessing the strength of a Master indeed made him worthy of the title of a special consultant.

Yet, he could not show his full capabilities, so he humbly remarked, "If there were an unrestricted free combat tournament in the old land, I'd probably rank within the top one or two in a province."

"Holy cow!" Qin Cheng exclaimed again, genuinely shocked. "Old Wang, aren't you being a bit too arrogant?"

"I've already been as modest as I can be," Wang Xuan sighed.

Qin Cheng was stupefied, "So, by that logic, even in the old land, you would at least rank within the top forty or fifty in the traditional technique domain? Including the new star, you'd be among the top hundred experts in traditional techniques?"

What could Wang Xuan say? There really was no way to be any more modest.

"Come on, while it's still afternoon and before everyone clocks out, I'll take you to handle the formalities. With your status as a special consultant having free reign, the benefits are excellent, far better than staying in a hotel," Qin Cheng said, leading Wang Xuan to switch to a hover car and head toward the Top Martial's moon-based branch.

"Such a pity that annoying guy isn't here. Otherwise, introducing a special consultant like you would probably give him quite the scare," Qin Cheng grumbled with some dissatisfaction.

Everything went smoothly, and Wang Xuan officially became a special consultant for Top Martial. Everyone in the company knew that people with this title were extremely competent, specially hired to solve complex problems, earning him quite a few glances of envy and admiration. Wang Xuan's residence was located close to Qin Cheng's and had a favorable environment. It boasted a small courtyard spanning two hundred square meters filled with flowers. This left Qin Cheng utterly envious; with the lunar base's premium on space, such a dwelling was a rare luxury.

Even though it was night, the area was still as bright as day. To celebrate Wang Xuan's arrival, Qin Cheng chose a high-end restaurant for dinner. As they dined, Qin Cheng poured out his grievances. The head of a certain department in the company saw Qin Cheng as a cash cow, continuously demanding a total of three million Novadollars. Yet, after all the payments, he did nothing and still kept pressuring Qin Cheng for more money.

Upon hearing this, Wang Xuan's expression turned serious. Three million Novadollars was equivalent to one and a half deep space tickets. The man's greed was outrageous.

"It's mostly my fault. I wanted to go to the New World, but there were specific benchmarks I couldn't meet. I've always been just a step away from gathering energy," Qin Cheng lamented, downing his drink.

"It might've been better if you hadn't come to the New Moon so early. Maybe by now, your strength would have increased significantly," Wang Xuan commented calmly.

"What do you mean?" Qin Cheng asked, puzzled.

"I am the protector of the number one figure in the traditional technique domain. Of course, his position as the top is soon to be jeopardized," Wang Xuan remarked with a hint of melancholy. "I'll think of a way to help you out soon."

Qin Cheng was baffled, thinking Wang Xuan was speaking in riddles again. Given his worries and the constant thought of that greedy individual, Qin Cheng didn't have much of an appetite. All he could do was watch as Wang Xuan heartily enjoyed his meal.

"We're not far from that ancient temple; let's take a stroll over there and check it out," Wang Xuan suggested, preparing to scout the area.

"Wait, Wang, do you believe in that stuff now?" Qin Cheng exclaimed in surprise.

Wang Xuan responded, "I'm doing this for your benefit. Although I can't turn you into a top-tier expert, I'm sure I can help you deal with your issues. Boosting your strength to rank among the top hundred in traditional techniques shouldn't be too challenging."

"Are you for real, Wang the Immortal?" Qin Cheng's voice quivered with excitement, knowing that Wang Xuan was always reliable and never made empty promises.

"All the things I've just shared with you—keep them to yourself and never utter a word about it!" Wang Xuan warned.

As they approached the ancient temple, Wang Xuan immediately sensed a strong, mystical aura. It was evident that several enlightened figures had once graced this place, making it truly extraordinary.

The intensity of the mystical aura was unusually strong, seemingly drawn to him, as if celebrating and leaping with joy.

Qin Cheng noticed Wang Xuan's discomfort, asking, "Wang, you look off. What's wrong?"

"I kind of want to go back to our home planet," Wang Xuan replied, his face grim. Even from this distance, the mystical force was trying to merge with him.

"Come on, Wang! You promised to help me. Why are you thinking of leaving as soon as you arrive?" Qin Cheng was baffled.

"Alright, alright, we'll check it out," Wang Xuan conceded hesitantly. He then murmured to himself, "Maybe it'd be better to seek out old Zhang. He retired to Heming Mountain in his later years and is quite detached from worldly affairs. But if we accidentally release something, and he finds out I've been casually calling him 'Old Zhang', I wonder how he'd feel about that?"