The Stars Beyond

Chapter 118: The Cost Of Breaking The Old Testament

In the vast silence of space, within the confines of a sleek silver spacecraft, Qin Hong sat in contemplation. He was pleased to find that the moon was once again peaceful from the reports he received.

"We live in a technological era," he whispered, his eyes ablaze with passion. "If gods were to emerge, they would arise from amongst us."

The ancient texts, recently excavated from hidden mystical caverns, held unmatched treasures. A cadre of scholars and experts had been assembled to decode these scripts, diving deep into the enigmas of transcendence, unearthing profound secrets.

"The legends of the immortals are being torn apart bit by bit. They won't last long in this day and age," he mused, "But our journey for true immortality shall prevail."

With renewed vigor, he stood and gazed into the boundless starry canvas through the ship's expansive screen. The horizon of the future gleamed with promise. Their latest super-battleship was just the beginning. Future, more advanced iterations awaited, and today's trial had proven its unmatched prowess.

"On the matter of individual might," he pondered, "We possess superior alternatives."

He firmly believed that their life research institute was on the precipice of revolutionary breakthroughs. The emergence of Solar Bodhisattvas was imminent, and in time, the Ultimate Bodhisattva would also be within their grasp.

"Those who do not know their place might soon be mere footnotes in history," his tone chilled, thinking of the practitioners of both the Old and the New Arts. Their worth was diminishing very quickly in his eyes.

His demeanor grew even more icy. It was perhaps time to confer with figures from other megacorporations, to craft guidelines, to curtail certain figures. In this age of dazzling technological advancement, what role did these individuals serve? Their only merit lay in the exploration of "life extension". Any aspirations towards wielding individual power would be deemed treacherous.

He was not the only one to share such sentiments. Prominent figures of many powerful families had long harbored this viewpoint - the modern era had no place for elements deemed "excessively hazardous".

Although a few magnates ventured into these esoteric "arts", desiring to capture the power of the beyond, this desire coexisted with their intent to regulate and restrain. For even the Qin family sought such transcendental capabilities, venturing down the path of genetic evolution.

......

As the Lunar Deep collapsed deeper, its ancient secrets vanished into oblivion. The ethereal veil that bridged both worlds waned, leaving the man and his hidden realm to fade into nothingness. Yet, in those final moments, Wang Xuan caught a whisper of despair, "Old Covenant, did I betray you or have you forsaken me? The debt is yours to settle."

Puzzled by the cryptic message, Wang Xuan's gaze was abruptly drawn to the dim moon's surface. A macabre sight awaited: a massive, blood-soaked hand emerged, its appearance more nightmarish than anything he'd seen. The hand fragmented, with the larger part transforming into a luminescent downpour targeting the base.

This radiant rain was visible to all. Onlookers stared in horror as the gleaming droplets penetrated their protective dome. There was no escaping it. Both the Zhengyi Temple and the White Horse Temple remained eerily passive. The powerful Yangping Seal and the revered Buddhist swastika failed to manifest.

Reacting instinctively, Wang Xuan brandished his dagger, positioning himself as a shield and drawing Qin Cheng close. Together, they watched the sky, anticipating the next move from the mysterious entity.

The fading veil shifted, traversing incomprehensible distances before evaporating completely. The residual part of the severed hand soared upwards, becoming one with the boundless cosmos. While most were entranced by the shimmering light rain, they remained ignorant of the ominous severed hand's trajectory.

"It's a reckoning," Wang Xuan murmured, piecing together the hand's intent. The fragment blazed on, shedding its radiant trail in its wake.

To influence this realm, it seemed one had to synchronize with its tangible essence.

"Intercept that radiant downpour, fire!" The super-battleship's sensors detected the aberrant energy, triggering deafening alarms.

"Engage the warp engine!"

However, they appeared to be a step behind. Despite their countermeasures against the radiant onslaught, the relentless alarms persisted. Their real threat, the spectral severed hand, remained unnoticed.

Aboard the battleship that hung in the silence of space, chilling screams resonated as minds were overwhelmed and shattered, causing immediate and numerous casualties.

"Engage the protective barriers!" A commander's desperate voice echoed. But even as the words left his mouth, his gaze grew vacant as his spirit was shattered.

In the aftermath, the phantom remains of the severed hand solidified, transforming into an incandescent blaze. With a cataclysmic force, it decimated the crew of the super-battleship.

Space was illuminated with a searing burst of light. Numerous factions observed the spectacle, each caught off-guard. When they believed that the situation had stabilized, this unexpected twist jolted them. A forlorn sigh reverberated through the void, mirroring the timbre of the vertical-eyed man. The hand's manifestation, though potent, was fleeting. Its time in this dimension was running out.

Having wreaked havoc on the warship and the minds aboard, the residual essence of the hand detected another presence. Deep in space, another ship's commands pierced the silence. The waning fragments of the hand, even on the brink of dissolution, surged towards it with unyielding determination. Qin Hong, watching the unfolding drama via the main screen, felt a cold dread clutch his heart. His ship was now perilously close to the trajectory of the catastrophic relic.

"Incoming! The radiant fragment is almost upon us!" An officer's voice trembled, as the luminous shard hurtled towards their vessel.

"To the escape pods!" A chorus of voices surged in panic.

Qin Hong, showcasing remarkable agility, was the first to secure himself in a solitary escape pod, hastily initiating its departure sequence. And then, with an explosive resonance, the last vestiges of the hand fully manifested, casting a blood-red aura. With a final, deafening roar, it collided with the ship, engulfing it in a blinding inferno.

The horrifying scene left an indelible mark across the cosmos. Major factions watched in stunned silence, grappling with the magnitude of the devastation.

......

The aftermath of the day’s audacious experiment loomed for all to see. While the test had started off flawlessly, the unforeseen turn of events had cast a disquieting shadow over the participants.

Breaking the silence, a representative from the Qin family remarked, "This is merely a hiccup. Our Star Destroyers will render such mishaps obsolete. These vestiges of the past find it difficult to manifest and exert lesser influence on our modern world."

Another added, "Exactly, and our research into the secrets of ascension is advancing. Soon, one among us might achieve such unparalleled capabilities."

An unsettling quiet settled in, punctuated only by the collective introspection. The severity of the situation was inescapable.

...

Inside Zhengyi Guan, Qin Cheng observed, "What on earth is transpiring, Old Wang? Is the moon experiencing... rainfall?"

"Just remain by my side and refrain from straying," Wang Xuan advised, wielding his short sword. The luminous rain seemed to evade both him and Qin Cheng.

Simultaneously, the central hall of Zhengyi Guan, the sanctuary of the Yangping Zhidu Seal, remained undisturbed by the mysterious rain. The elderly Taoist priests within appeared unaffected.

Swiftly guiding Qin Cheng away, Wang Xuan ensured they remained unseen, preserving their peculiar immunity to the rain's effects.

As they meandered through the streets, they discerned a concerning pattern: a significant portion of the populace appeared to have experienced memory lapses.

"Why does everything seem so blurry? I distinctly recall a commotion outside the protective layer. Why is that memory fading?" one citizen pondered aloud.

"It's peculiar. There's this nagging sense of forgetfulness. Wait, wasn’t there a disturbance at the Lunar Pit? How could I nearly overlook that?" another echoed.

......

Wang Xuan realized the Lunar Pit was now relegated to history. Everything had concluded, and the world behind the grand curtain had vanished for good. Yet its lasting impact was eerily unsettling. The final luminous rain, was it an act of "purification"? An attempt to make ordinary folks forget the extraordinary?

Upon reflection, the implications were chilling. A significant portion of the celestial being's severed hand was seemingly used to erase its own trace. What was this "Old Covenant" that the vertical-eyed man had paid such a hefty price for?

Clearly shaken, Qin Cheng sighed, "I'm just an ordinary man with no grand ambitions in this lifetime. Ancestors of the heavens, please overlook me."

Wang Xuan, engrossed in his thoughts, barely acknowledged him. He'd glimpsed the world behind the curtain several times, but each experience differed. When the red-clothed female demon departed, Wang Xuan had seen a world bursting with life. The Female Sword Immortal's realm was equally vibrant, where she'd dueled with foes.

"Old Wang, I'm genuinely perturbed. Look at these people. They're swiftly forgetting recent events, as if bewitched, struggling even to recall what had happened," said an uneasy Qin Cheng.

Looking up and seeing the sky cleared of the luminescent rain, Wang Xuan sheathed his short sword. He quickly surmised that if the elite and major organizations were aware of the base's current situation, they'd likely downplay the truth. An event of this magnitude could easily spark widespread panic and frenzied discussions.

"Let's hurry to the company and find out what transpired in deep space," Wang Xuan suggested, anticipating that much of the information might be erased.

Top Martial was a major organization specializing in security services. With its private army, fleet of battleships, and advanced surveillance equipment, it was no surprise they had established a branch on the moon, equipped to the hilt.

"The super battleship was blown up, and another spaceship... it was shattered by that luminous entity. This is absolutely explosive!" Qin Cheng exclaimed in disbelief.

Wang Xuan sighed, "Once you've seen it, keep it to yourself. Let's pretend we know nothing."

Stepping outside again, Wang Xuan gazed upwards at the vast, enigmatic expanse of space, realizing he had only scratched the surface of the truth.

Old Covenant... Seal of Truth.

His thoughts inevitably returned to the words once spoken by the female swordswoman. It seemed that the seal not only locked away the ancient truths but also concealed the extraordinary realities witnessed by ordinary people.

"When are you going to pay me back, Li Kun?" Qin Cheng suddenly spotted the department head he despised.

Distracted and pondering over the memories he felt he had lost, Li Kun looked up at his words, replying, "I've transferred the money. Check your account."

Checking, Qin Cheng indeed found a notification from the bank. Due to the recent unsettling events, he hadn't had the chance to check earlier.

"Old Wang, let's split the money!" He was determined to transfer two million New Star currency to Wang Xuan, keeping only three million for himself.

Wang Xuan declined outright, "Why? It's as if I profited from lending you money."

"You must take it. You helped me recover this debt," Qin Cheng insisted, unwilling to accept a refusal.

After some thought, Wang Xuan agreed to accept one million, effectively splitting the "earned" two million between them.

"That's enough. Stop rambling. If you continue, I won't accept anything," Wang Xuan said, letting Qin Cheng know about his plans to buy a ticket to New Star and leave soon.

"What? You're leaving, Wang? Won't you wait for me? I should be able to head to New Star in about half a month. Nobody will hold me back now!" Qin Cheng replied.

Today's events had shaken him deeply. The epic battle on the moon, where ancient celestial beings confronted modern warships, was something he would never forget, even if others might.

Given all the mysteries surrounding the moon, he felt Wang Xuan was an enigmatic yet reliable ally in these uncertain times.

"Don't worry, there's nothing left in the Moon Pit," Wang Xuan assured him. "There won't be any more disturbances. You can rest easy."

Wang Xuan felt an urgent need to move on. Today's revelations were just the tip of the iceberg, revealing only a fraction of the true, vast world. He felt compelled to head to New Star and explore the secret places. The world he had witnessed today was daunting, and he realized the importance of quickly enhancing his capabilities.

Furthermore, the three-year time frame was not as long as it seemed, especially given the gravity of the issues he had just encountered. The problems seemed far more serious than he had initially anticipated.