The Stars Beyond

Chapter 121: Where The Hidden Land Is

In life, brilliance isn't always a given. Reflecting on the past, the world is awash with vibrant hues, encapsulating the essence of human existence. Amidst the allure of the mundane, there's an undercurrent of sorrow, weaving a tale of birth, aging, sickness, and death, a cycle from which escape seems elusive. Along the Zhou River's banks, Wang Xuan's gaze spanned its vast expanse. Moonlight shimmered upon its waters, and myriad lantern fishes painted the night sky, their luminance rivaling the vibrancy of human life.

The Zhou River, beginning from the mist-clad highlands and meandering eastward, presented a spectacle of grandeur interspersed with formidable rapids. As Wang Xuan ambled along, the river bore witness to his introspection. Amidst myriad faces and diverse vistas, he pondered his path, resonating with the aspirations of many to live a life full of color and purpose. The pathways of spiritual cultivation, whether tread by ancient sages, Daoists, or Buddhists, seemed to Wang Xuan to harbor inherent flaws and challenges.

Youthful and resolute, he believed that by charting his course, he'd unveil a destiny uniquely his. But the way forward demanded vigilance against the age-old pitfalls. During this season, the Zhou River was alive with festivity, evoking images of ancient celebrations. Crowds flocked its banks, all entranced by the ethereal glow of the lantern fishes. Amongst the throngs, Wang Xuan recognized three familiar faces: Wu Yin, Zhong Qing, and Li Qingxuan. What surprised him was the harmonious air between them. He had known Wu Yin and Zhong Qing for a while, with their interactions often punctuated by spirited debates.

Li Qingxuan, with her distinct curly locks and piercing phoenix eyes, had previously crossed paths with Wang Xuan. Her overtures back then, he felt, had hidden agendas, especially given her rivalry with Ling Wei. Interestingly, Wu Yin, who shared a bond with Ling Wei, had always maintained a delicate balance in her interactions with Li Qingxuan.

Seeing the trio together, strolling along the Zhou River while observing the starry fishes dance in the sky, made Wang Xuan wonder if they had set aside their differences for collaboration. Could there have been unforeseen circumstances in the secret land? He resolved to venture there the next day and uncover the truth.

Under the moonlit sky, Wang Xuan made his way back to Yuan City. After settling in his residence, a thought struck him about the native residents and the missing part 404. Could it have contained sensitive information about the financial tycoons? The evening's encounters with Lele and the three women had inevitably led him to draw connections.

In the past, several tycoons had intermarried with the native residents. Wang Xuan pondered if, amongst their descendants, some occasionally exhibited the signs of the "Five Decays of Heaven and Man." Could this be the reason certain records were expunged?

The following day, with his bag packed, Wang Xuan set out for the Cloud Mist Plateau. No matter the era, many were passionate about exploring the wilderness, with some turning it into a profession, live-streaming their adventures.

Wang Xuan boarded an airship to the uninhabited western outskirts. It had a dedicated route, making the journey convenient. As he progressed, the terrain began to elevate, lush greenery in sight, radiating vitality. Even from afar, snow-capped peaks were discernible.

"Hey, your gear isn't suited for the Cloud Mist Plateau," remarked a veteran explorer and live-streamer, approaching Wang Xuan for a shot.

Wang Xuan deftly sidestepped, ensuring he was out of the frame and swiftly vanished into the woods.

"Did you see that? A rookie!" The streamer exclaimed. "Charging headfirst into the Cloud Mist Plateau, he'll surely struggle in a while. Come on, let's follow and capture the moment he exhausts himself and possibly throws up!"

The experienced streamer, brimming with confidence, pursued determinedly. Owing to his live audience, he felt compelled to catch up with the "rookie." To his chagrin, he ended up exhausted and retching, with no sign of Wang Xuan. Still unwilling to admit defeat, he rationalized that the newbie must have lost his way and might be throwing up elsewhere.

The vastness of the Cloud Mist Plateau was overwhelming, spanning over nine million square kilometers. Such expansiveness discouraged most from venturing too deeply. Initially, Wang Xuan did spot a few people on the outskirts, but as he delved deeper, where wild beasts roamed, human adventurers became scarce, with only occasional traces of their presence.

As evening approached, the forests of the plateau teemed with life, and various wild creatures began to emerge. A giant predatory bird persistently circled above, shadowing Wang Xuan. In the midst of the evening glow, a bear-like creature with a coat of vivid red fur appeared. Sensing Wang Xuan, it charged directly towards him. Its massive build, easily weighing over 1,200 pounds, made the ground shake as it sprinted, startling all nearby creatures.

"Looks somewhat like a bear," Wang Xuan mused, standing his ground. He had heard tales of the ferocious beasts that inhabited the plateau's depths, and he wondered if he was nearing the plateau's perilous zones.

As the bear-like creature neared, it rose on its hind legs, aiming a massive swipe at Wang Xuan. Its wide-open maw lunged forward, attempting to land a devastating bite.

Boom!

Unintimidated by the unfamiliar beast, Wang Xuan countered with a slap of his own.

The creature let out a loud roar, taken aback by Wang Xuan's audacity.

The bear-like creature, cloaked in red fur, howled in pain. Its massive paw retracted swiftly, a mix of disbelief and fear evident in its gaze as it stared at the man before it. Truth be told, Wang Xuan had already shown restraint. Otherwise, that paw would have been obliterated. "Come, let me ride you," he beckoned, intrigued. Since becoming a grandmaster, this was the first time he had encountered such a gigantic beast. Legends from the past often spoke of immortals riding majestic creatures, and while he might not be on par with them, surely he could tame a mere beast as his steed.

Furthermore, Wang Xuan recalled a photoshopped image from the old era, depicting an emperor riding a galloping brown bear. Now, the idea of traversing the Cloud Mist Plateau atop a bear seemed thrilling to him. But reality differed from imagination. As Wang Xuan tried to mount the colossal creature, it bucked and lunged wildly, driven by sheer panic. No amount of coaxing seemed effective. Riding it felt like balancing atop a wildly swaying seesaw. "Get lost! If I see you again, expect to become a roasted bear paw dish," Wang Xuan warned, dismounting in frustration.

As nightfall enveloped the woods, Wang Xuan treaded cautiously. Although he had encountered the bear-like beast, which was already considered a large predator, he had yet to spot any other formidable creatures. This hinted that the legendary hidden land might not be in this vicinity.

At dawn, Wang Xuan resumed his journey, following the Zhou River upstream, guided by an objective marked by Old Chen. But after two days, his hopes were dashed – the terrain ahead clearly wasn’t the concealed land he sought.

On the fourth day, he felled a predatory bird weighing over 200 pounds. This avian predator, diving from the skies, could effortlessly pierce through human skulls. Although this renewed some of Wang Xuan's hope, he soon realized that this bird was the apex flyer of the plateau – there was no more fearsome avian predator around.

On the seventh day, Wang Xuan scaled a towering snowy peak that rose several kilometers high. From the summit, he deduced that the snow-covered region couldn't possibly hide the mysterious land.

By the eleventh day, deep within the heart of the Cloud Mist Plateau, Wang Xuan encountered a massive feline by a pristine freshwater lake. Resembling a blend of a tiger and a leopard, but even more ferocious and majestic, it weighed nearly 1,700 pounds.

The powerful feline creature was undoubtedly the most formidable being Wang Xuan had come across on the Cloud Mist Plateau. However, it paled in comparison to the legendary beasts described in tales.

Wang Xuan sighed heavily. He had scoured every potential spot Old Chen suspected, but the elusive hidden land remained undetected.

On the twelfth day, Wang Xuan's eyes caught a glimmer of gold amidst the green – a field of golden mushrooms. He rushed over with palpable excitement. Could these be the mythical Golden Mushrooms? But within minutes of feeding them to a groundhog and a wild fox, both animals frothed at the mouth, blood dribbling from their lips, as they convulsed on the ground. Wang Xuan sighed again, feeling a growing sense of helplessness.

He had crossed vast stretches of the uninhabited region, and all his efforts had proven fruitless. "Old Chen, you've really led me astray," he lamented. Days of braving the elements, and he hadn't unearthed a single valuable clue.

Wang Xuan concluded that the hidden land might not even be on the Cloud Mist Plateau. Perhaps Old Chen had been wrong from the start.

"Am I left with no choice but to collaborate with Zhao Qinghan or Wu Yin?" Wang Xuan pondered, slightly reluctant. Collaborating with the goddess-like Zhao or integrating into Wu Yin's exploration team would undoubtedly expose his true capabilities.

More importantly, he had many secrets, which if discovered, could lead to endless speculations and theories.

"Could there be another theory? What if there's a mysterious realm on the new star, accessible only through a specific entrance, leading to an entirely different world within?" Wang Xuan mused to himself. If that was the case, major organizations would surely guard such an entrance, making sneaking in nearly impossible for him.

"Or could the hidden land be on a different continent?" Wang Xuan's quest for answers seemed never-ending.

Wang Xuan firmly believed that the secret land was unlikely to be on the Cloud Mist Plateau. After Old Chen had been searching for so long, and now with him having explored all the remaining potential sites, they had found nothing.

Deeply disappointed, Wang Xuan began his journey back, sprinting across the landscape so swiftly that various creatures scattered in fear at his approach. Several days later, he arrived back in Yuan City.

After nearly half a month of fruitless search, Wang Xuan, feeling a mix of frustration and desperation, decided to visit the local branch of the Secret Path Exploration Organization in Yuan City. He intended to send a covert message to Old Chen, informing him that his speculations were utterly wrong.

However, upon his visit and after using a coded phrase to establish trust, the representative of the organization handed him a secret letter first.

After reading it, Wang Xuan's first impulse was to head back and give Old Chen a good beating. How misleading could one be?

If his decoding of the letter was correct, it implied that both the blessed land and the secret land were not part of the new star. Instead, they were separate, distinct planets.

It seemed that in the days Wang Xuan spent on the Cloud Mist Plateau, Old Chen had "come back to life" and had gained access to classified information, discovering the truth.

Remembering the past weeks he spent wandering aimlessly on the Cloud Mist Plateau, interacting with wild creatures and subsisting on bland, charred meat, Wang Xuan felt an overwhelming mix of emotions. Such a grave misinformation could have been lethal.

The idea that the hidden land was an entirely new life-bearing planet sent shivers down his spine.

"Do I really have to collaborate with Zhao Qinghan and Wu Yin?" After all this, he found himself back at square one. Wang Xuan frowned, contemplating. Was there another way out of this?