The Stars Beyond

Chapter 116: Battleship vs Immortal

The Lunar Pit was a zone steeped in mystery and shrouded in secrecy, and had always been whispered about amongst elite circles. For the first time, its extraordinary nature was laid bare for ordinary eyes to see, and the magnitude of the spectacle was earth-shattering. Panic surged within the Moon's protective barrier. The air was filled with screams, a mix of terror, disbelief, and sheer chaos. The swiftest among them made a beeline for the spaceship bases, desperate to escape the looming threat.

In the sky, a sight of unparalleled horror unfolded. A battleship, once a symbol of unmatched might, was effortlessly dismantled by a hand, materialized from a cascade of luminous rain. It was as if mythology had collided with reality, presenting a spectacle both awe-inspiring and terrifying. Wang Xuan was frozen in disbelief. He had often wondered about the true power of the Old Arts, even debating with Old Chen about their capability to rip apart a battleship. Now, reality was unfolding right before him.

The base was in utter disarray. Who, in this modern age, had ever witnessed such raw, otherworldly power? A spacefaring battleship, the pinnacle of human technology, was reduced to nothing but scrap.

The implications were clear: if that colossal hand decided to strike the base, the outcome would be catastrophic. Survival would be a mere fantasy. A profound realization swept through the crowd: Could legends of gods and demons actually hold a kernel of truth? The inevitable came to pass: the once-mighty battleship was shattered, its remnants tumbling from the lunar expanse. The sight sent shivers down spines of onlookers, leaving them ih shock.

Though Qin Cheng was trying to put on a brave front, the terror of their situation was palpable. With the looming possibility of being flattened by that colossal hand, he stammered, "Wang Xuan, maybe it's time to summon Master Zhang."

"Stay calm! Panicking won't help," Wang Xuan replied, trying to instill some semblance of confidence. But the rhythmic thumping of his heart betrayed his own anxiety.

But neither the Zhengyi Temple nor the White Horse Temple reacted to suppress the growing menace. Instead, a palpable restlessness pervaded both temples, underscored by a faint malevolent aura.

Wang Xuan glanced back towards the Ancestral Hall within the Zhengyi Temple. The mysterious energies swirling around it were eerily reminiscent of those from the Inner Vision Realm, and the shadowy outline of a stone tower seemed to materialize. "Is there truly a tower beneath the Ancestral Hall meant to imprison malevolent entities?" he pondered, his throat feeling dry.

Had they, during their relocation from Dragon Tiger Mountain, transported not just the temple but also this tower of containment? The realization left Wang Xuan reeling. Thankfully, he mused, not everyone could tap into the Inner Landscape as he could. This meant others were spared from witnessing these unfathomable entities. Qin Cheng, oblivious to these undercurrents, noticed nothing out of the ordinary. This suggested that, for the moment, the events within the temple had yet to impact the physical world.

Wang Xuan's gaze shifted skyward. "Is it manifesting directly from the spiritual realm and actively intervening in our reality?" he mused. He reasoned that if the entity beneath the Lunar Pit had the ability to emerge into their world, it would have done so long ago. Perhaps it had now been provoked by the actions of the mega corporations and was lashing out in retaliation, even at its own peril.

From a safe distance in space, Qin Hong watched the unfolding drama, his face pale. Gathering his resolve, he announced, "Prepare the contingency plan."

Qin Hong promptly communicated the unfolding events on the moon to his family. While the Qin clan was undeniably influential, decisions about the moon were not theirs alone to make. Keeping other major factions informed about the situation was paramount.

He knew that several dominant powers were observing intently, keenly monitoring every move. In the remote expanse of space, a vast battleship emerged, its sights set on the enormous, luminous hand. The ship was primed to deliver a catastrophic blow, waiting only for its final command. Inside various chambers, a group of elders debated fiercely. Through a series of video transmissions, their serious faces flickered on screens.

"The Qin family may have acted prematurely. If chaos ensues, they might be ill-equipped to handle the aftermath," one elder voiced.

"Perhaps we should be patient. This could be seen as a test," another countered.

"Typically, these entities find it challenging to even manifest in spirit, let alone exert widespread influence in our realm. But if they make a significant sacrifice to penetrate our reality, theoretically, we can vanquish them," a third elder added.

It was evident that powerful corporations and elite organizations were delving deep into the mysteries of these celestial beings, keen to unravel the supernatural mysteries. Their comprehension had expanded significantly over time, especially after unearthing invaluable ancient manuscripts which hinted at profound secrets, far beyond general understanding.

"What about Old Zhong? Is he still on the line? He's been awfully quiet," an elder remarked.

"Who's looking for me? Age has dulled my senses, and I dozed off briefly. I believe it's best if I abstain from this discussion. My aging memory might just complicate things for you younger folk. The decision is yours." And with those words, the elder from the Zhong family vanished from the transmission.

......

The few remaining elders exchanged weary glances, each silently thinking, "How typical of the Zhong family."

Another elder stifled a yawn, remarking, "This situation is somewhat foreign to me. The Qin family's sudden actions have left me with little guidance to offer. I'll abstain from this discussion." Shortly after, three elders departed from the conversation.

...

After some deliberation, the Qin family gave the green light, allowing Qin Hong to initiate an attack. This resolution was reached quickly as the echoes of panic and screams still resonated across the moon. From the shimmering hand in the sky, iron-like particles began to drift down, resembling a cascade of metallic sand, the sight was simply too terrifying for the citizens on the moon.

Suddenly, an intense beam of light reached across space, and with a powerful wave of energy, collided with the radiant hand. The sky became a canvas of fluctuating brightness and shadows. The majestic hand began to disintegrate, leaving behind remnants that looked like a rain of blood. They emitted a mournful red glow before vanishing swiftly.

The audience was dumbstruck. To see such monumental events unfold one after another was overwhelming. The celestial hand, seemingly of either divine or demonic origin, had been obliterated.

"A battleship versus an Immortal?!" Even Wang Xuan was shocked. He had daydreamed of such events, but he had not expected to witness them with his own eyes so soon.

In that pivotal moment, Qin Cheng longed for the familiarity and safety of the Old World. With a pallor overtaking his face, he murmured, "Today's events have shattered my perception. The melding of technology and legend has upended my foundational beliefs. Is this still the reality I once knew?"

Wang Xuan was equally shaken, trying to grasp the gravity of the spectacle before him. He also took note that, throughout the conflict between the luminous hand and the battleship, both the Zheng Yi Temple and White Horse Temple glowed brilliantly but refrained from intervening.

......

"What do we do now, Old Wang?" Qin Cheng asked anxiously. The prospect of a lunar war and the potential risk it posed to their lives was unsettling.

Wang Xuan furrowed his brow before responding, "For now, Old Zhang seems at peace. We'll observe quietly. If circumstances shift, then the world will be shared between Old Wang and Old Zhang."

Currently, a peaceful atmosphere hung over the Zheng Yi Temple. Wang Xuan believed it best to stay calm and face the situation with composure. Qin Cheng, flabbergasted, glanced at the vastness of space and then down at the moon beneath their feet. He jokingly mused that Wang Xuan must have floated his way into space rather than arriving by spacecraft. Furthermore, he'd been hearing the ceaseless noises emanating from the temple, suggesting that things were far from peaceful.

...

Meanwhile in space, beads of sweat formed on Qin Hong's forehead. Despite issuing the command, he felt the weight of the situation. A tense silence enveloped the interior of his ship. No one spoke; all waited, hoping the troubles had been resolved.

One second passed, then two...

By the thirtieth second, the monitor showed another abnormal scene: the radiant rain appeared again, more tumultuous than ever.

"Fear not. If they emerge, we’ll hit them again!" Qin Hong declared with determination in his voice while instructing the crew of the super battleship to gather all possible data of the anomaly.

It was evident that Qin Hong's aggressive approach was not just a personal decision. He had received approval from certain parties. This move was not only a probe but also a test of their own capabilities.

"They struggle to manifest in our reality. If they have to pay a heavy price to make a grand appearance and intervene in our world, then they become vulnerable and can be eliminated!"

From the boiling lunar pit, a vague humanoid silhouette emerged, hurling a gleaming silver axe. This formidable weapon sped through the radiant rain, surging out of the moon's confines.

From a distant location, the battleship unleashed a blinding beam of light, striking the colossal silver axe with resonating echoes. Eventually, the silver axe shattered.

At the lunar pit, the radiant rain intensified, soaring skywards, eventually morphing into a nebulous figure. An entity charged into the depths of space. Midway, it gestured, and the fragments of the silver axe converged, manifesting an axe in its grasp once again.

"No matter what you are, manifesting in reality means you must employ tangible material energy and become one with the material world. This means your entire being is vulnerable to our weapons!" A voice roared from within the super battleship, as it unleashed a barrage of fire.

The hazy figure shifted positions, trying to dodge the onslaught, but was still hit. Of course, the full might of the battleship was not unleashed upon its true form, but a manifestation achieved at a cost.

In this reality, the entity was bound by the laws of physics, rendering it unable to replicate its full mythological prowess. Apart from evading the barrage of energy unleashed by the battleship, it could only resist the onslaught.

With a final thud, the vast silhouette disintegrated. Its last assault saw the silver axe getting very lose to the super battleship. Then, with a deafening crash, the axe was shattered once again. Only a fragment struck the battleship, obliterating a section of the mighty warship and triggering a massive explosion.

"Disconnect the front-left section!" someone on the bridge shouted. The battleship, now rocking, discarded the damaged section, steadying itself and hovering in the void.

Qin Hong, aboard his spaceship, was drenched in sweat. He observed the super battleship's performance through a large screen. As the final scene unfolded, he heaved a sigh of relief, subsequently breaking into a silent laugh.

He waited for ten minutes, noticing no anomalous occurrences.

Then, with a cold chuckle, Qin Hong proclaimed, "What's gone is irretrievable. Once weapons infused with X and N substances emerge, our world will become even more brilliant and dazzling. This is an era of technology, an era where we've already mastered everything! All primitive arts will fade into insignificance!"

......

Wang Xuan gazed intently at the lunar crater, unease gnawing at him. Both the Zhengyi Temple and the White Horse Temple shimmered with dazzling light, seemingly threatening to consume the entire base.

However, this spectacle was visible only to him.

The strange phenomena around the crater faded, obscuring the truth from the general populace once again.

Wang Xuan's heart thudded loudly, its rhythm echoing his anxiety. A thought resonated within his spiritual domain, "Could it be that most myths and legends primarily occur within the spiritual realm?"

Visions began to manifest in his spiritual consciousness, yet for the average onlooker, the world remained unchanged.

Mysterious entities from beneath the moon's surface started to emerge, revealing themselves in the lunar expanse.