The Stars Beyond

Chapter 154: A Sudden Change

Wang Xuan took a moment to internalize the immense improvement in his physical abilities. With just a light leap, he vanished from his original position at a speed much faster than before. Accelerating a few times caused sonic booms, indicating that he could effortlessly break the sound barrier.

Approaching the edge of the restricted area stood a towering stone wall. Instead of using his fists, Wang Xuan emanated a soft golden glow from his body and charged into the wall with great force. As a result, the wall crumbled, leaving a human-shaped indentation at the point of impact. Radiating outward from this dent were intricate patterns of dark cracks.

Emerging from the wreckage, Wang Xuan assessed the newfound strength that his advanced Golden Body technique had granted him. Both his speed and power had experienced a dramatic surge, making him feel significantly stronger than the average Grandmaster.

Interestingly, throughout this period of experimentation, Wang Xuan had been devoid of clothing. After being ingested by the snake, his old torn garments had acquired a pungent smell, prompting him to discard them. He dismissed this thought for the time being.

Driven by the intense vitality flowing through him, he felt an overwhelming urge to practice Zhang Daoling's body techniques, hoping for further advancements. Wang Xuan's flesh, bones, and entire body pulsed with a vigorous life force, as if reborn. Every attribute had undergone a substantial uplift.

Most importantly, after traversing the mystical path of the Departed Realm, his bodily vitality was in an extraordinarily heightened state. Wasn't this the perfect moment to practice the Five-Page Golden Scripture?

Taking a deep breath, Wang Xuan assumed the fourth stance. He began harmonizing the various sections of his body and, following the unique rhythm of the scripture, his blood, bones, and organs resonated in soft harmony. The techniques described in the scripture demanded synchronized full-body vibrations at a distinct frequency. A slight misstep could result in injury. Some organs, while delicate, were reservoirs of powerful energies—a paradox that was both confounding and mystical.

Exercising caution, Wang Xuan vowed to halt the practice immediately at the first sign of discomfort. Much later, he exhaled a turbid breath, barely mastering the fourth stance. He dared not proceed any further, but reaching this point was already beyond his expectations.

When he used his spiritual sense to examine himself, he found his body brimming with vibrant life. His organs shimmered slightly, emanating an aura reminiscent of a dawn's first light or the fresh sprouts of spring, symbolizing rebirth.

Wang Xuan reveled in the prime condition of his physical faculties, realizing that practicing the fourth stance from the Golden Scripture hadn't inflicted any harm upon him. He walked over to the discarded layer of skin he'd shed, and for caution's sake, decided to dispose of it. It was evident how resilient this shed layer was—being a product of his perfected Golden Body technique. He had to use a short sword and unleash a Grandmaster-level true fire to destroy it. After some hesitation, Wang Xuan also burned his foul-smelling, tattered clothes, musing that he'd rather wear tree bark than don those again.

Upon his exit, the mysterious powers of the Departed Realm didn't deter him. As Wang Xuan stepped out of the mist, he was momentarily captivated. Outside, the sun blazed intensely, its energy creating a vibrant haze that danced between the mountains, casting vivid rainbows of light. In stark contrast, the realm he had just left was submerged in deep nocturnal shades, dominated by a bright, hanging moon—an entirely different celestial view.

Ambition surged within Wang Xuan. Now that he had discovered the secret path of the Departed Realm, he was determined to rise to prominence there. However, reality quickly gave him a harsh lesson. The law of the jungle in the Hidden Land was brutal. A moment's inattention could lead to one's demise.

As he ventured further, he discerned his bearings, trying to understand the terrain, realizing that he was no longer in the same region as when he entered. Suddenly, he spotted a giant turtle, as big as a table, basking on a rock cliff opposite him. Its shell was intricately patterned in a bronze hue.

Having not eaten for a while, Wang Xuan mused, "Half a day without food, perhaps I can feast on this turtle..." But he quickly sensed something amiss. Why did the turtle seem to be salivating at the sight of him? In a flash of realization, Wang Xuan felt through his spiritual sense that he might have encountered one of the eight extraordinary creatures rumored to nest around the misty regions.

Without hesitation, he turned to flee. Even as a Grandmaster, he dared not challenge such a creature. A direct confrontation could quickly turn him into turtle prey. Contrary to its appearance, the bronze-hued turtle was far from sluggish. It moved with the agility of a swift swallow, leaping off the cliff and darting across tree-tops. Its movements resembled a creature walking atop grass, covering vast distances with each jump. Before Wang Xuan realized, the turtle had landed, closing the gap between them to less than ten meters.

......

The turtle snapped its jaws, emitting a blinding blaze. Wang Xuan narrowly evaded the fiery onslaught, with every pore of his body emanating a golden mist, guiding him back into the protective veil of the fog. Behind him, the fiery aftermath scorched the ground, turning it to molten magma.

Wang Xuan panted heavily. That brief escape was a brush with death, and had he been a fraction slower, he would've been devoured by a turtle! This encounter was a stark reminder of the dangers lurking in the Hidden Lands. No matter how discreet he tried to be, a superior creature might emerge from any corner. The bronze turtle gave a fleeting glance in his direction and ambled away.

Reflecting on the episode, Wang Xuan realized that although he might be fearless before immortals in other settings, primarily due to their intangibility, in this very real world, they could annihilate him in an instant. "This world is a ruthless place," he thought. "Even Old Zhong, a person who's endured over a century of hardship, is chased down by creatures here. I see no reason to be overconfident?"

Recognizing this reality, Wang Xuan refocused with newfound seriousness.

...

Meanwhile, Zhong Yong and Old Song were exhausted to the brink of nausea. Their hair disheveled, they lay on the ground, panting heavily, covered in the blood of the creatures they had fought. After an intense battle, the duo had finally vanquished a pair of formidable rodents – a male and a female. The surrounding woods bore the scars of their combat, laying in ruins, forcing all the fierce beasts and birds to flee.

"Old Zhong," began Old Song, his eyes alight with curiosity, "that final move of yours, the one where your fingers shimmered with a five-colored glow, was it derived from the legendary Five-Colored Jade Scripture of your family?"

Zhong Yong shook his head, "No. I couldn't decipher that scripture. The move you saw was a technique of Chen Tun."

Who was Chen Tun? He was a legendary figure in the realm of inner alchemy, succeeding greats like Zhong Li Quan and Lv Dong Bin, and had greatly expanded the path of the Golden Elixir. Old Song was taken aback. Was Zhong Yong planning to tread the Old Arts of the Golden Elixir in his cultivation?

"Was that the Five-Colored Golden Elixir Qi from Chen Tun's Golden Elixir Path?" Old Song asked, a hint of bitterness evident in his tone. Having devoted over a century to cultivation, was this ever-cautious old man finally about to witness the dawn of his achievements?

"Don't get ahead of yourself," Old Zhong replied with a sigh. "The Five-Colored Golden Elixir is legendary, with only a few in ancient times having supposedly achieved it. Given where we are now, let's not concern ourselves with such distant prospects." He paused, his expression turning grave. "Song, you felt it too, didn't you? An incredibly powerful celestial beast communicated with us telepathically, issuing a stern warning: either leave this place or delve deeper into the Hidden Lands. We can't remain here."

Old Song, well into his nineties, paled at the revelation. He had indeed sensed the warning. "What's going on? How powerful is this celestial beast to communicate with humans? And why can't celestial humanoid creatures remain in this outer region?" Old Song was filled with questions.

With a grave expression, Zhong Yong said, "During our escape, I glimpsed two groups of young people confronting each other from afar. Judging by their attire, neither seemed to be from our new world."

"People from the depths of the Hidden Lands... venturing out now?" Old Song felt a shiver down his spine.

Zhong Yong continued, "We've been warned. And given that we can't leave this planet at the moment, our only option is to venture deeper." He hesitated before adding, "I need to find my descendants. I have a growing sense of foreboding about this region. It's best to take them with us."

......

In a distant area, nestled within a dense forest, Old Chen perched atop a crooked tree, savoring the last of his silver bamboo shoots.

Earlier, after he had taken just one of these shoots, he found himself pursued for miles by two creatures. With black rings around their eyes, they bore a striking resemblance to pandas - a revered national treasure. They gave chase fiercely, leaving gashes on his back that dripped with blood. In a fit of frustration, Old Chen outpaced these "national treasures" and swiped the remaining three bamboo shoots, eating them all.

Remarkably, the deep wounds on his body were already healing, forming scabs. The medicinal properties of the bamboo shoots were indeed astonishing. "That's more like it!" he exclaimed with a satisfied burp. After being chased such a distance, this felt like sweet revenge. "When I return to the old lands of Sichuan, I'll feed your distant relatives more bamboo shoots," he promised aloud, feeling a strange energy circulating within him.

Suddenly, Old Chen's hairs stood on end. Looking up, he spotted a luminous white peacock, quietly perched above him, watching intently. He recognized this creature as one of the formidable transcendent beings. Even he felt its overwhelming power and doubted his ability to confront it.

"Human," the peacock communicated telepathically, its intent rippling through the air, "Your power has exceeded the allowed limit. Venture deeper into the Hidden Lands."

Taken aback, Old Chen recalled the extensive research he did before coming to this place, but nothing had mentioned this. He sensed something unusual was unfolding.

Elsewhere, Wang Xuan moved stealthily. Once past the foggy region, he surveyed eight transcendent lairs, ever-ready to dash in and gather any extraordinary herbs. Some lairs were instantly deemed too risky, like the one on a cliff housing a golden avian creature. Provoking a flying transcendent being would mean there was no escape.

"Could it possibly have a diluted lineage of the mythical Golden Roc? Maybe its ancestors were humans who transformed into demons after entering these lands," Wang Xuan mused.

He shifted his focus to another lair. He had observed the cave of the silkworm serpent before, noticing both its young ones were alive, and the male serpent had returned.

"Better to leave them be," he decided. "It's heartwarming to see their happy family."

Finally, Wang Xuan's attention was captured by the lair of a brass mountain turtle. Nearby grew a tree that appeared to be cast from brass, with a few yellowing fruits hanging from it. They didn’t seem fully mature, but Wang Xuan believed their efficacy wouldn't be too far off.

However, that was just one target. Two other transcendent lairs also piqued his interest. One was home to a silver bear, rotund in its appearance. Wang Xuan surmised it wouldn't be very fast. Yet, recalling how the supposedly slow mountain turtle could sprint up trees with ferocity, he remained wary of the bear. He spent a long time observing, noting that the bear wasn’t particularly swift during its hunts. It might just be the slowest of the eight transcendent creatures.

"My apologies, dear Silver Bear," Wang Xuan mused, staring at the creature's lair from a safe distance. "You currently don't have any cubs to care for, and I assume you've grown weary of feasting on that cluster of white transcendent herbs. Allow me to borrow them for a while. Rest assured, I won't uproot them entirely. I'll leave their roots intact, so after a brief recovery, you can continue enjoying them."

Having set his sights on his target, Wang Xuan prepared to make his move.

Before proceeding, he cast a glance towards the land of the departed, which remained shrouded in a dense, unyielding fog that barred any sunlight. Wang Xuan hadn't forgotten the words of the ferryman. The land of the departed could shift and vanish at any moment. If Wang Xuan harvested and consumed the herbs, only for that land to disappear, he would find himself in a perilous predicament.

"I'll hold off on consuming the herbs until I safely enter the land of the departed," he resolved.

Demonstrating immense patience, Wang Xuan waited for the opportune moment when the Silver Bear left its den for hunting. He calculated the time required for his escape towards the foggy region and felt confident in his chances.

The ferryman had once told him that their paths would never cross again in this lifetime. However, Wang Xuan believed that he'd soon surprise him.

"I'll be seeing you shortly," he whispered with a grin, gazing at the foggy horizon. "I haven't had my fill of the shimmering lake and moonlight just yet." And with that, his face lit up with a radiant smile.