The Stars Beyond

Chapter 145: Hunting The Transcendent

Upon hearing the nickname "Da Zhong," Zhong Cheng was utterly taken aback. It was a fresh perspective, for no one had ever referred to his sister in such a manner before.

As for Zhong Qing, her delicate face seemed calm, betraying no emotion. However, the tight clench of her slender fingers hinted at an inner turmoil that belied her tranquil facade.

"The hollow protective gear that can be worn on the head possesses exceptional properties," Wang Xuan began, diverting from the previous topic. "I suggest you take it back to the Zhong family for research. If decoded correctly, it might lead to a significant breakthrough. In return, I would like certain scriptures..."

His sudden shift in conversation left Zhong Cheng surprised and a tad disoriented. Initially, he had assumed there was a complicated relationship between Wang Xuan and his sister. Yet, here was Wang Xuan, smoothly transitioning into a potential collaboration.

"By the way," Wang Xuan continued, pointing at the steel plate he had returned earlier, "do you have more protective gear like this, perhaps for the arms or legs?"

"I'm serious. I have no other intentions," he clarified upon seeing their expressions.

To his astonishment, Zhong Qing proceeded to remove two spiked, elongated steel plates from her arms. Zhong Cheng's eyes widened. His sister was truly extravagant!

"I'll give you some containers in exchange for these plates," Wang Xuan said, producing some of his acquired items. He explained that these were looted from the deceased and would need careful examination to determine their utility. He then affixed the elongated steel plates to his own arms.

Deep down, Wang Xuan felt the man who had jumped into the river might not have perished. After mastering the Diamond Technique, it was likely that the creatures in the water could not harm him.

If that man rejoined his group and informed them about Wang Xuan's capabilities, then their next encounter might not bring the surprise advantage of the steel plates.

"Be careful," Wang Xuan advised, turning to leave.

Zhong Cheng muttered to himself, "He's growing more confident by the day. What's he up to on his own?" He then whispered to his sister, "You seemed awfully calm when he complimented you earlier. Were you trying to play it cool?"

Infuriated, Zhong Qing felt like hitting her brother with one of the steel plates. "He was driving me insane!" she exclaimed.

Suddenly, Zhong Qing's eyes narrowed in curiosity as she held up the steel plate Wang Xuan had returned. Tilting it to catch the sunlight, she examined it closely. Blood traces! Though it had been cleaned, the sunlight revealed minute traces of blood on it, a detail that could not have come from the sting of a hornet.

"What are you looking at?" Zhong Cheng asked.

"Smell this. Does it have a particular scent?" Zhong Qing urged her brother.

"It just smells like a man. Do not tell me you're actually interested in Wang Xuan. I thought of introducing you to the older Wang. He's a young master in his early twenties, bound to achieve greatness in the future! Wait... stop!"

Thud! Thud! Thud...

......

Wang Xuan deliberately left clear footprints pointing away from the direction of the New World explorers, a trail easy for someone of his caliber to follow. Most provocatively, he dragged the bodies of the two he had killed, dropping them miles apart along his path. It was a blatant taunt, an open invitation to those tracking him to follow his route.

Venturing deeper into the woods, he took an extensive detour before circling back towards the direction of the pursuers. If they had set out, they would be tracing his misleading path. But if they had not left yet, Wang Xuan intended to sneak a peek at the extraordinary herbs they were seeking and improvise based on the situation.

Finding them was not challenging. The three experts left many traces of their movement. A grandmaster's step covered more than ten meters. Their sprinting caused the very ground beneath them to explode with the force of their footfalls.

An hour later, after scaling mountains and crossing a marsh, Wang Xuan located the team's tracks. Their audacity astonished him. Were they genuinely intending to gather the rare items near a creature's den that housed a transcendent-class beast?

The surrounding area was lush with flora, but the land near the creature's dwelling was barren and silent. There was a cave there, its entrance adorned with fiery-red vines, the only sign of life. Clusters of deep red, almost purple fruits dangled from them, emitting a faint, tantalizing fragrance even from a distance.

A look of intrigue crossed Wang Xuan's face. How patient must this creature be to resist such tempting fruits? Did it consume them annually, growing bored of their taste over time?

Then, he saw the beast—a creature that looked part snake and part something else. It was massive, with a diameter of over four meters and a length of approximately fifteen meters. Its body was covered with aqua scales, each as large as a palm fan. The creature resembled a mix between a serpent and a giant blue caterpillar. Despite its seemingly cumbersome appearance, it moved with an astonishing swiftness. Within moments, it darted into the nearby forest and returned with two bear-like creatures, each over three meters long, clenched in its jaws.

The massive serpentine creature held the two large bears in its mouth as if they were mere mice. The bears, still very much alive, were tossed near the cave's entrance, only to be immediately ambushed by two slightly smaller offspring of the creature. Each of these younglings, with a diameter of about two meters and a length of seven to eight meters, devoured a bear whole, much like a snake would swallow its prey.

After their meal, the offspring acted with caution. They each approached the fiery-red vines and plucked only a single purple-red fruit with their tongues, showing restraint despite the abundance of the fruits.

Wang Xuan had an epiphany. The parent creature was not indifferent to the extraordinary fruits. Instead, it was preserving them for its young. Consuming such rare herbs from an early age, it was no wonder that these creatures grew to be so formidable. The very idea that the group planned to plunder these fruits from the den of such creatures seemed insane to Wang Xuan.

Sneaking closer, Wang Xuan decided to observe the team more closely, curious about their audacious plan. What he discovered next was even more startling. Not only did this group aim to harvest the rare herbs, but they also intended to hunt the transcendental creature itself! It was sheer madness. Even if they were all elite grandmasters, together they stood no chance against such a powerful beast.

Wary of drawing any attention, Wang Xuan refrained from actively using his spiritual realm. Instead, he discreetly extended tendrils of his consciousness, trying to pick up on any critical information. After what felt like an eternity, he gleaned a fragmented understanding of the group's discussions.

The group was divided, having already debated numerous strategies without settling on one. Their ultimate plan, however, seemed to involve luring the creature to a specific location. If successful, not only would they obtain the coveted herbs, but they would also manage to slay a transcendent beast.

From the group's discussions, Wang Xuan learned that the monstrous creature was called the "Silkworm Serpent," a name fitting its appearance.

Shortly after, Wang Xuan began scouting the nearby regions, in search of the particular area the group had alluded to. He soon found it—a place shrouded in a thick, eerie mist. Despite the bright sun hanging high in the sky, this area remained cloaked in a mystical fog. As Wang Xuan circled this mysterious region, he made an even more shocking discovery. Not just the Silkworm Serpent, but a total of eight otherworldly creatures had nested around this fog-covered zone, positioned evenly around its periphery.

Were these people playing with fire? Provoking activity in an area densely populated with such formidable creatures was asking for disaster. It became clear to Wang Xuan why the group had been so hesitant to act, carefully scouting the terrain. They were making thorough preparations, perhaps also seeking the best escape routes.

But Wang Xuan grew invested in this as well, tracing pathways all over the area to find the best routes of escape in case things went south. Indeed, he was planning to get involved—but not to target the Silkworm Serpent. Instead, he aimed to outmaneuver the group and seize the opportunity for himself.

Upon returning to the mountainous area where the Silkworm Serpent dwelled, Wang Xuan spotted a familiar face—the man who had previously jumped into the river. Although he had survived, the man was drenched in blood, having clearly encountered some terrifying creature within the river's depths before reuniting with the group.

The group was visibly agitated. Some clutched curved blades, while others pointed skyward, uttering harsh words. Tuning in with his spiritual realm, Wang Xuan quickly caught onto their intentions. They sought vengeance. Arrogantly, they derogatorily referred to the native inhabitants of this New World as "savages," uncivilized beings that needed to be "cleansed" with blood. They regretted not confronting a particular individual earlier, whom they believed to possess exceptional spiritual power and suspected of being a semi-transcendental master. They had retreated, planning to attack him under the cover of night.

"All these savages will die," seemed to be the consolidated sentiment among them. Once they had procured the rare herbs, they would pursue and kill this individual with heightened spiritual abilities. The man who had returned from the river warned, "Do not target his front or back—he wears an armor made from a rare secret metal that resembles a porcupine's quill. Aim for his limbs or head instead."

......

The group resumed their preparations, set on hunting the supernatural creatures.

"Are we truly going after the mature Silkworm Serpent? It's incredibly menacing," one of them voiced his concern.

"If it remains alive," another responded, "even if we manage to harvest the rare herbs, the serpent will pursue us relentlessly, engaging us in a never-ending battle. We must neutralize it first."

Wang Xuan, having observed them from a distance, deduced their strategy against the Silkworm Serpent. The myriad vials they possessed were not for mere show. They contained elixirs to allure otherworldly beings, particularly a potion designed to attract serpents and another that would momentarily drive creatures mad. Wang Xuan's senses sharpened. This group had a profound understanding of these creatures' habits. Their familiarity hinted at an advanced and mature extraterrestrial civilization from which they hailed. Moreover, they were not strangers to this mysterious land. Their conversation alluded to prior knowledge or advice from predecessors.

At the very least, they were aware of the misty region. Their discourse frequently revisited the stern warnings from their elders about the extreme dangers within. "It's a shame," one of them sighed, "no one has ever made it through. It could be a secret pathway."

While Wang Xuan could not completely grasp their language, by tapping into his spiritual realm and capturing fragments of their thoughts, he made a startling realization. They might be discussing an arcane route linked to ancient practices. He also caught the term "passing" associated with the misty region but struggled to fathom its precise significance.

After completing their preparations, they began from the misty region and led up to where the Silkworm Serpent resided, sprinkling their potions across crucial points. Their plan was to herd the serpent into the treacherous terrain and harness the power of "passing" to destroy the supernatural entity.

Wang Xuan felt a knot of anxiety, even more than them. He had the dual challenge of guarding against the mystical creature and preempting the group's move. Any misstep could make him the first casualty. Suddenly, a loud thud resonated from afar. The group had set their plan into motion. Massive rocks, weighing hundreds of pounds, were hurled near the serpent's den. Elsewhere, wild beasts were being chased, and some captured creatures released, their screams echoing.

The Silkworm Serpent, known for its ferocity and territorial nature, swiftly darted out with a hiss and vanished into the dense woods.

"It worked! The Silkworm Serpent fell for our trap. Our potions are indeed effective!" someone exclaimed.

"Quick, let's harvest the supernatural herbs!" another urged.

One among them, a woman, moved swiftly, like a wisp of smoke through the woods, making her way to the supernatural lair. Once there, she hastily plucked two large clusters of red-purple fruits, their aroma rich and intoxicating. While several more clusters still hung from the fiery vines, her presence had roused two adolescent serpents from within the cave.

"Damn! They're not mere juveniles anymore. They possess power equivalent to grandmasters!" she exclaimed, panic evident in her voice.

She did not dare to harvest any more fruits and turned to escape. Two of her companions were in the woods, ready to back her up. Noting the direction in which the mature Silkworm Serpent was heading and confirming that it was delirious and would soon enter the misty region, they rushed to the lair.

They confronted the younger serpents, not only to prevent them from pursuing the woman but also to kill them and procure the remaining supernatural fruits. The woman, having achieved her objective, continued her sprint without looking back, deeming the trip a success with just the two fruit clusters.

Meanwhile, Wang Xuan seized his chance. He felt no remorse about ambushing those destined to be his adversaries. Instead, he was thrilled. Emerging silently from the woods, he stealthily approached from behind, unsheathing his sword and directing it at the woman.

"Damn it! That scoundrel actually followed us!" shouted the man who had previously been injured by Wang Xuan, his eyes blazing with anger. Recognizing Wang Xuan's distinctive headgear and the unique black-gold attire, his rage intensified. The others too were incensed. How dare this native provoke them in their quest? Was he seeking death?

Wang Xuan's surprise attack was initially successful. Although he did not manage to behead the woman, his sharp short sword grazed her left shoulder, causing a deep gash that sent blood spraying. The pain was unbearable, making her left arm tremble and the supernatural fruit she held dropped to the ground.

Seizing the opportunity, Wang Xuan snatched it up, successfully procuring his first cluster of supernatural fruits.

Infuriated and shocked, the woman could not fathom being ambushed at such a crucial moment and losing half of her precious harvest. In a frenzied state, she lunged at Wang Xuan, her weapon slicing through the air.

"Do not strike him on his chest or his back!" warned the man from a distance, recalling his earlier confrontation with Wang Xuan.