The Stars Beyond

Chapter 278: A Lesson Learnt

Amidst the clouds, a warship unleashed another barrage, sending a blinding beam of energy hurtling towards Wang Xuan. The dark golden flying boat, small but exceptionally agile, dodged the attacks with unbelievable speed. Wang Xuan's keen spiritual senses anticipated each danger, expertly navigating the perilous skies.

As the flying boat soared higher, its arsenal came alive. At the prow, a sword emerged, bathed in a spectrum of five colors, shrouded in mystical fog. The ancient script inscribed upon it was dense, forming radiant glyphs around the blade.

In a stunning display, the sword soared skyward, severing clouds in its wake, leaving the sky clear. Its very presence seemed to affirm its true nature as a legendary flying sword.

The blade, which lacked the specific runes of a flying sword and was usually controlled by Wang Xuan's powerful spirit, was not suited for long-range combat. Yet, in this moment, the sword unleashed a fearsome power that far surpassed many known artifacts.

The sword's ferocity was undeniable as it struck the warship. Despite the ship's advanced alloy construction, it stood no chance against the sword's might. Sparks flew and a significant portion of the ship was obliterated in a massive explosion.

On the ground, people in the nearby city were in awe. Witnessing a sword cleaving a warship was like watching a myth turn into reality.

"Compartmental damage severe, abandon the right front section!" The ship's crew, gripped by fear, jettisoned the damaged part of the ship, which plummeted towards the earth, engulfed in flames.

"The combination of rare artifacts is astounding," remarked the blood-colored figure inside the warship. "The flying boat is a divine object, and even the accompanying sword is a marvel."

As the ship suffered catastrophic damage, the figure remained calm, confident in his ability to escape. He then summoned his own rare artifact, a red net studded with stars, enveloping the sky in an attempt to capture the flying sword.

Wang Xuan steered the flying boat with precision, darting through the sky with unpredictable movements. He wielded a small, yellow gourd, directing it at the expansive net in a bid to seize control.

The net shimmered with blood-colored lightning, adorned with various items that wailed as the net moved to entrap the flying sword. The yellow glow from the gourd's mouth reached out, grappling with the net in a thunderous clash.

Blocked by Wang Xuan's resistance, the figure in the warship mused, "The human world is truly filled with wonders. Such a divine item in the hands of a mortal, yet so out of place."

With a resonant clang, the flying sword blazed across the sky, illuminating ancient texts that seemed to narrate sacred scriptures. The sword's trajectory was marked by a surge of supermaterial, its edge unmatched, slicing through the net's decorations and eliciting wails from the ensnared objects.

The crew of the warship, including the blood-colored figure and several spirit bodies, watched in dismay. One of the spirits attempted a stealthy attack on Wang Xuan, but under his celestial gaze, the spirit's presence was as conspicuous as a beacon in the night, its attempts at concealment futile against his keen perception.

Beside Wang Xuan, an ancient lamp floated, emitting a fierce beam of crimson light that transformed into arrow-feathers. In an instant, they pinned the spirit entity, eliciting a piercing, agonizing scream.

"Still alive?" Wang Xuan activated the dark red arrow-feathers again. Six more shot out, locking onto the target. With a hissing sound, they all struck their mark.

With a loud bang, the spirit entity exploded, nailed to death, its soul fragments scattering into a shower of light.

Even as the supernatural world crumbled, reducing the lamp's power, the additional arrow-feathers proved too much for any ordinary transcendent being to counter.

A sense of unease settled in Wang Xuan's heart after killing his foe, making him incredibly alert. He scanned with his spiritual eye and discovered a blood-colored mark on himself, as if a ghastly claw had left a terrifying trace.

Yet, he felt no pain. How had he been struck without realizing it? After defeating his enemy, he had been ambushed unknowingly.

"The prey has quite a collection of divine objects, all top-tier treasures, very troublesome, and not as the employer described."

The blood-colored figure sat within the warship, manipulating a vast net. Images of fierce birds and beasts emerged, their blood-red light soaring to the sky, dyeing it red in a chilling spectacle.

Beasts wailed, birds cried, and countless human figures screamed in agony - the tortured souls from the past used in forging the net, their deaths tragic and lamentable.

On the ground, ordinary people had never seen such a sight. A chill ran down their spines. What kind of monster was this? In an instant, the idea of the return of the immortals seemed far less appealing.

At that moment, Wang Xuan unleashed his flying sword for a final strike, fierce and astonishing. It cleaved the damaged warship in two, with thunderous explosions echoing across the sky.

Boom! Boom...

In the distance, two smaller warships continuously attacked Wang Xuan. Beams of light crisscrossed the sky, but he skillfully dodged them all, maneuvering the flying boat.

The blood-colored figure, along with the great net, flew into one of the warships, disappearing from sight.

Wang Xuan pursued relentlessly, his dark golden boat transforming into a streak of light, reaching its target in a blink. He activated the flying sword again, launching a deadly attack forward.

Boom!

Suddenly, a long spear burst forth beside Wang Xuan, its edge unmatched in sharpness. It rapidly grew to twenty meters in length and, with a thunderous roar, pierced through a warship, carrying a boiling surge of supermaterial, its destructive power astounding.

Then, an ancient shield appeared, resembling a turtle's shell, expanding in front of the flying boat, bravely withstanding an unavoidable energy beam.

This set of treasures, including the flying sword, spear, and shield, no larger than a finger joint, had been discovered in the Song family and were used as pendants and ornaments by old Song's granddaughter. Today, they revealed their true formidable nature!

In the sky, the long spear, like a soaring dragon, circled back and pierced the massive hull of the ship again, causing an explosion of energy and fire.

But Wang Xuan frowned, concerned about the terrifying consumption. A few more strikes like this and the flying boat might not hold, as supermaterial was rapidly draining.

Following the collapse of the supernatural world, the impact was significant. The power of various treasures had diminished, but the consumption of supermaterial had increased.

Swoosh, swoosh, swoosh!

Three spirit entities charged out, attacking Wang Xuan together, unleashing a spiritual secret art. Tri-colored light burst forth, the shockwave terrifying.

To an ordinary person, just one impact would be enough to cause brain death, completely shattering their spirit.

Wang Xuan endured it. Under the watchful eyes, he refrained from using the God-slaying Banner, aware of the unknown number of powerful enemies still hidden. He summoned the ancient lamp again, firing consecutive dark red arrow-feathers. After a dozen beams shot out, the three spirit entities were nailed down and killed! However, his expression grew more somber. Scanning with his spiritual eye, he discovered three new blood-colored marks on his body, one for each spirit entity killed!

For any other transcendent being, this would have been a tragedy, as without the heavenly eye, such anomalies would go unnoticed. Wang Xuan was undeterred, planning to cleanse these marks afterward. No matter what, he was determined to annihilate these foes, be they immortals or demons, all must be eradicated!

Detectors in the area locked onto this region, witnessing these terrifying scenes, a collision of mythology and technology.

“Everyone, do you see that? That person seems to be a Sword Immortal, engaged in a fierce battle, his spear penetrating warships, his sword cleaving the strange red net. What's happening here? A clash of transcendent beings involving technological weapons as well?”

“Cold weapons splitting warships apart, dismembering them!”

The news spread far and wide, accompanied by various blurred images, sparking heated discussions and shock among the public.

"The destructive power of these transcendent beings is astonishing, recklessly unleashing their might in the sky, slicing through warships with ease. Such influence is detrimental; it must be strictly controlled!" voiced someone, criticizing both parties in the sky battle.

"This Sword Immortal is overstepping, isn't he? Attacking warships in broad daylight, what is he trying to do?!" questioned another, stirring a whirlpool of opinions in an attempt to resonate with the masses.

However, those trying to manipulate public opinion were not strong enough. Their efforts were quickly exposed and quashed. Survivors from the airships had already taken to major platforms, revealing the truth. A terror attack had targeted their ships, and it was suspected that Wang Xuan had intervened, thwarting the attacking warships and saving many lives.

The story fermented and spread rapidly, creating a massive ripple.

"Who is responsible for the warships attacking the airships, causing significant casualties?"

"Some people were actually defending those three warships just now. Come out and take a walk, see the truth. It's imperative to identify those whitewashing the situation. They must be paid operatives; even if not directly linked to the terror attackers, there's a connection."

The major financial conglomerates, receiving the news earlier than most, had captured clear images and were closely monitoring the situation.

"It's outrageous, I think we should fire. Are those immortals? They're demons, attacking ordinary people. If we tolerate this now, they will become more brazen!"

"But, with a batch of immortals returning, if we strike them down, won't other mythical beings remember us and strike from the shadows?"

"I think it should be fine. The ones who have visited us in dreams aren't like this. This is an exception; we can take them down!"

Indeed, at this time, many on various platforms were calling out.

"Sun family, you said transcendent beings disrupt the order of the New World, it's time to act. The one you view as a disruptor, Wang Xuan, is saving people, fighting against transcendent demons. Where are you, Sun family?"

In just a brief moment, the platforms of the New World were abuzz with noise, filled with all sorts of calls and discussions. Some major organizations wanted to act but feared retribution from the immortals, uncertain about the allegiance of those currently involved.

"Fire, use that battleship from space to help Wang Xuan take down those two mid-sized warships. But for safety, don't reveal that we're the ones intervening!"

After a serious and earnest discussion among key members of the Zhao family, Zhao Zejun, the father of Zhao Qinghan, personally issued the command.

With a resounding boom echoing through the heavens, a mid-sized warship, locked in a fierce confrontation with Wang Xuan, was engulfed in a dazzling explosion, disintegrating into nothingness.

"Second Grandfather, we must respond," Zhong Cheng passionately implored within the Zhong family. "Our family's airship has been decimated; silence is no longer an option. Besides, as we prepare for the Tai Chu Plan, what have we to lose? Let's assist Old Wang by neutralizing his adversaries."

Zhong Qing, equally determined, concurred, "Action is imperative. Another has already vanquished one warship. As we stand on the cusp of our long voyage, we require Wang Xuan's discerning eye to ensure nothing sinister has latched onto our ship."

Acknowledging the gravity of the situation, Zhong Changming covertly gave the command.

In a synchronous display of might, four fearsome energy beams converged from the skies, ruthlessly striking the already crippled warship. The vessel, caught in the maelstrom of energy, was torn asunder, its remnants scattering across the sky. It was evident – at this critical juncture, four formidable forces had intervened, sealing the warship's fate.

Yet, from the wreckage, three ominous blood-colored figures and four spirit entities emerged, defying destruction and floating menacingly in the sky. Among them, two spirit entities, previously shattered and weakened by the dissipation of their supermaterial, had somehow managed to reassemble their ethereal forms, barely clinging to existence.

"The remnants of your vessel lie in ruins; the era of the transcendent remains," declared one of the blood-colored figures, his gaze fixated on Wang Xuan with a mix of disdain and anticipation.

Clutching a crimson net of divine make, he spoke with a cold, unyielding confidence, "Had the laws of the transcendent not crumbled, a mere mortal like you would be effortlessly extinguished beneath my might."

His words were steeped in pride, his voice resonating with an authority that seemed to diminish the world beneath him. "Even as the essence of supermaterial wanes, I, Chi Meng, stand poised to forge a new era of transcendence. The essence of humanity will fuel my path, ensuring it remains unbroken."

As he spoke, the bones at his heart vibrated, emitting a sound that was both clear and thunderous, reverberating like rolling thunder, striking awe and terror into the hearts of those who heard it from the ground below.

"My goodness, this Chi Meng must be a demon, right? His words hint at some insane intentions!"

"This monster should be eradicated for the sake of humanity!"

As detectors captured the audio and visual of this scene, it sent shockwaves throughout the external world. In this era of New Star, numerous beings from across realms had traversed boundaries in recent days, each with their distinct forms of life, all attentively observing this unfolding event.

In an apartment within a certain city, a blood-shadow figure stared at the screen, a mix of shock and anger in his expression. "What the hell, who's impersonating me? I am the real Chi Meng!" He shivered with a chilling sense of foreboding. Although not a creature of virtue himself, he had no desire for such madness, nor did he wish to bear the brunt of this blame. His eyes gleamed with a cold, sinister light.

In the sky, Wang Xuan, unfazed, drew forth a talisman paper, instantly activating it. A divine light burst forth, bathing the surrounding area in a sacred radiance that engulfed the beings who had emerged from behind the veil.

This was a rune Wang Xuan had acquired in exchange for extending the life of Elder Zhong. He had previously used invisibility, thunder, and sword talismans, each proving their astonishing power.

Now, without hesitation, to obliterate his adversaries and ensure none escaped, he unleashed the "Holy Light Talisman." Wang Xuan felt a compelling need to establish order, to teach these beings a lesson so profound it would result in their utter annihilation, serving as a warning to any who dared to follow, and thereby educating more immortals and demons on the importance of "understanding the rules."