The Stars Beyond

Chapter 283: Modern Demons, Modern Immortals, Modern Era

In Pingyuan City, home to the mighty Qin family, the night was soft and illuminated by various flying crafts zigzagging through the sky. Wang Xuan had arrived, concerned about Chen Yongjie's safety amid the influx of immortals' descendants, who might covet the magical conch.

The city was a blend of towering skyscrapers piercing the clouds and vast urban gardens resembling primeval forests, complete with lakes and rivers. It was a fusion of modern, technology-infused architecture and pristine natural beauty.

Wang Xuan stood in a hotel room not far from the Qin family estate, gazing out the window at the estate. Chen Yongjie had informed him of a successful deal with the Qin family. In exchange for extending Qin Hongyuan's life by twenty years, the Qin patriarch had readily agreed, allowing Chen direct access to the increasingly inaccessible conch shell.

"I made the deal using the Earth Immortal Spring..." Old Chen had explained. He also advised Wang Xuan that it was time to consider trading the Earth Immortal Spring, as its efficacy was waning.

Holding a cup mixed with Earth Immortal Spring and transcendental royal jelly, Wang Xuan noticed its diminished effect. This type of super-material would lose its potency in three days if not stored in a fragment of a blessed land.

With the correction of the mortal world, all super-materials were depleting. Even the Earth Immortal Spring stored in blessed land fragments was weakening.

Wang Xuan pondered trading his surplus Earth Immortal Spring, saving some for his family and enough for his own use. "I hadn't expected the decline of the transcendental era to be so rapid. In a few months, the Earth Immortal Spring will be no different from ordinary water."

He had a significant quantity of the spring, having initially secured about four thousand pounds. Despite considerable consumption by Master Ma and Zhao Qinghuan for beauty and health, a substantial amount remained, likely over two thousand five hundred pounds.

Sighing, Wang Xuan reflected on his unfulfilled desire to use the Earth Immortal Spring to endure the post-mythological collapse drought.

Under the night sky, the Qin family's estate was abuzz with activity. A pale golden light rose, imbuing the void with tranquility and sanctity. Buddhist chants echoed, the sonorous voices accompanied by golden text illuminating the sky, turning night into day around the Qin family's secret vault, engulfed in a golden Buddhist glow.

Observing the Qin family estate, Wang Xuan noted the grand scale of Chen Yongjie's efforts to retrieve the white conch shell. The Qin family's secret vault was a trove of Buddhist relics, glowing under the golden luminescence of Buddhist chants and scriptures.

Upon his uninvited arrival at the Qin family's grounds, Wang Xuan was unexpectedly greeted with warmth by Qin Hong. Despite knowing Qin Hong's disdain for cultivators, Wang Xuan found the encounter rather awkward.

Inside the estate, the variety of beings was astounding. Some were clearly from otherworldly origins, their third eyes and wings marking them as distinctly non-human. Others, descendants of true and demon immortals, appeared completely human, their modern attire reflecting contemporary styles.

At the entrance to the secret vault, Chen Yongjie stood out in his monk's robe and silver bowl, radiating an aura of distinction. He was engaged in a spiritual contest with several individuals, attempting to attract the white conch shell using the power of the Shakya Sutra.

Chen held a clear advantage; the others' methods were not as harmoniously aligned with the conch's energy as his Shakya Sutra was.

A moment of tension arose when a figure named Huang Ming, with distinct yellow eyebrows and a sharp, monkey-like face, grew impatient. Claiming the contest was too genteel for true cultivators, he challenged Chen to a direct confrontation. Huang Ming, clearly not aligned with Buddhist teachings, was nevertheless a formidable opponent.

Chen, in his serene monk's demeanor, advised Huang Ming to step back, as he lacked the Buddhist affinity necessary to win the conch. The scene at the Qin family estate was a rare convergence of modernity, ancient teachings, and supernatural beings, each vying for the power contained within the mystical white conch shell.

"Who says so? In 'Journey to the West', there's a Yellow Eyebrow Great Immortal who comes from Buddhism, right? Look, I also have yellow eyebrows, so naturally, I'm destined to be connected with Buddhism," Huang Ming argued, shaking his head, though he very much resembled a weasel demon.

In fact, he really was one, as descendants of the immortals nearby were whispering, mocking him for pretending to be a person from Buddhism.

Wang Xuan looked at him over and over again, finding him quite interesting. Had he really read 'Journey to the West' in just a few days?

He couldn't just stand by and watch, especially since almost ten people were contesting with Chen Yongjie, which could distract Chen and potentially allow others to snatch the conch.

Wang Xuan uttered a syllable. To others, it was nothing special, but to Huang Ming, it was like a brilliant golden light rushing towards him and exploding right before him, accompanied by a thunderous roar of a golden lion, making his blood churn.

He felt as if he saw a golden lion roaring and pouncing towards him!

This was a skill Wang Xuan had recently mastered from the Shakya Sutra in his inner landscape. He was now adept at various mystical techniques and could perform them.

"Do you intend to stand up for him?" Huang Ming asked, turning to Wang Xuan.

Wang Xuan nodded. Chen Yongjie was facing too many challengers, and he needed to share the burden. He also wanted to test the strength of these young beings who had crossed realms.

"Are you that Wang Xuan?" Huang Ming's expression changed. Many among the descendants of the immortals knew his name because he had caused significant losses to Huang Kun's faction. Moreover, the last group sent to cross realms had disappeared without a trace, leading some to speculate that Wang Xuan possessed rare and powerful artifacts.

"We agreed, right? This is just a physical contest, no use of artifacts, and we'll stop at the first touch," Huang Ming stated.

People thought Wang Xuan would agree, given Huang Ming's humble and reasonable demeanor.

"That's not good, you know. I'm not skilled in physical combat. I'm only somewhat competent with a weapon," Wang Xuan responded, shaking his head.

The crowd was speechless. How could he say such a thing so brazenly?

Huang Ming felt a chill. Was this guy planning to use a powerful artifact to kill him, just like he did with those beings who had previously crossed realms?

He thought that if he hadn't mentioned it beforehand, he might have been killed without even realizing what hit him.

When the immortals cross realms, their bodies disintegrate, leaving only fragments of their primordial spirits to pass through. The same goes for weapons of their level. That's why this time, some descendants of the immortals were sent over. Due to their lower strength and lesser impact from the Old Covenant, their physical bodies remained intact, but they still couldn't bring over powerful artifacts.

"I treat people with sincerity, yet you lack integrity!" Huang Ming declared.

Wang Xuan was somewhat lost in thought. This weasel demon didn't fit the image he had conjectured or the one portrayed in the legends. Could he actually be... sincere? Impossible!

"The conch is something Chen Yongjie exchanged with a divine object. It was already wrong for you to come and contest it. Besides, is our fight really fair? Even if your cultivation was affected by crossing the realm, you're probably close to the Xiao Yao You realm, right?" Wang Xuan looked at him.

"If my injuries were healed and my physical body fully recovered, I'd be close to the Xiao Yao You realm. But currently, with my broken bones and bleeding flesh, my actual state is more or less the same as yours..." Huang Ming attempted to continue.

However, Wang Xuan promptly interrupted, "Okay, let's do it!"

He had already received a secret report from Zhong Cheng. Little Zhong learned from the descendants of the immortals that the Xiao Yao You realm was the current limit due to the correction of the modern world.

Many who had crossed the realm were now in poor condition, with broken bones, bleeding flesh, and even incomplete bodies.

The Yellow Great Immortal was suspicious, pondering internally why Wang Xuan would change his stance so quickly.

Wang Xuan was eager to fight, especially since his opponent was now roughly at his level, making it a good opportunity to gauge the mettle of the descendants of the immortals.

Of course, if Huang Ming was concealing his true strength and planning a brutal attack, Wang Xuan would have to preemptively use his formidable artifact.

The fight between the two was straightforward, without any flashy moves, just direct clashes of fists.

Wang Xuan refrained from using the Ascendent Fist, which was too conspicuous and might draw unwanted attention. Instead, he utilized a bodily technique from the stone tablet scriptures, a technique that no one else could practice.

As the second true form diagram unfolded, Wang Xuan's body surged with splendid secret powers, exploding at his fists with awe-inspiring might. It was as if a bolt of lightning had ripped through heaven and earth, stirring the blood and souls of those who felt it.

Huang Ming, with his demonic blood boiling, held nothing back. He knew he couldn't afford to be careless; in his eyes, Wang Xuan was a dangerous man who had killed the primordial spirits of immortals.

Boom!

A fearsome aura of blood energy erupted between the two, tearing apart the grass underfoot and blasting several ancient trees to smithereens.

"I'm out!" Huang Ming exclaimed, recoiling. His arm, already injured, was now in even worse shape, almost torn apart by the shock.

Wang Xuan was impressed; Huang Ming had only been pushed back a few steps. This Yellow Great Immortal, once fully healed, would undoubtedly be close to the Xiao Yao You realm. Wang Xuan realized he needed to strengthen himself to reach the pinnacle of combat power allowed on the New Star.

Many from the other realm were astonished. They came from beyond the veil, armed with resources and cultivation methods gifted by immortals, extremely potent in nature. Despite Huang Ming's impaired state, he was expected to easily overpower any being of similar level in the mortal realm. Yet, he was the one who had been pushed back.

Many now looked at Wang Xuan differently, understanding why some immortals remembered him. He indeed was extraordinary!

"Interesting, let me try again!" Huang Ming spoke, undergoing a transformation. He grew taller, his cheekbones more pronounced, his teeth much sharper, and a large tail sprang from his back. Was he half-transforming into a demon? His demonic blood surged, significantly boosting his strength.

Boom!

He lunged forward, his boiling demonic blood greatly enhancing his power, causing several hundred-pound odd stones in the courtyard to levitate.

"Enough, Huang Ming. It's just a spar. What are you turning into? You're almost fully demonized," someone intervened and swiftly acted.

This was a stylish young man in red trousers and a vividly patterned T-shirt, wearing a wristwatch crafted from solar gold. He was undeniably handsome, with a chiseled face, naturally silver hair, and bright eyes.

With just one finger, he sent the levitating stones flying away, and with a sonic boom, he countered Huang Ming's punch. Huang Ming flew back several meters, blood oozing from his fist as he frantically shook his arm, which seemed on the verge of exploding.

"Xiaoyao You?" Wang Xuan was taken aback. This young man with silver hair was a formidable expert!

"No, I'm far from it. I'm also injured," the man chuckled. Introducing himself as Kong Yun, he belonged to the demon clan but was eligible to compete for the Snow White Conch. His clan had close ties with Buddhism, with legends of a peacock serving as a mother figure to Buddha.

"Brother Kong," greeted Huang Ming, then turned to Wang Xuan with an apologetic expression. "Sorry about that. I got carried away with competitive zeal and acted on rash impulses. I shouldn't have."

Wang Xuan was taken aback. Why were all the demons he met so different from his expectations?

The Yellow Great Immortal shook his head with a wry smile. "Could you not look at me like that? The historical context in which our ancestors lived was different from now. They had to fight bloody battles and compete fiercely, which probably led to our not-so-great reputation. But we, the new generation, are pretty much like you. Honestly, we detest bloody conflicts."

Wang Xuan eyed him skeptically. Was this believable?

"I actually really like modern society," Huang Ming continued. "I've also met Zhou Yun and hit it off with him right away. He's inviting me to go sailing and join him on a space trip. This lifestyle suits me more. You should join us sometime."

Kong Yun, the stylish young man, sighed, his handsome face tinged with reluctance. "Forget it, I won't contest with Elder Chen anymore. The conch seems to have accepted him, merging its runes with him. Even if I tried to take it by force, I wouldn't be able to, and might even get suppressed by the Snow White Conch."

Huang Ming, who clearly admired Kong Yun, informed Wang Xuan that this young man was also quite renowned in the world beyond the veil, known for his formidable strength.

Kong Yun introduced Wang Xuan to the others present, ranging from demon descendants to true immortals' offspring. Surprisingly, the atmosphere was harmonious, without any hint of a life-or-death struggle.

Wang Xuan observed in amazement. This new era's demons and immortals' descendants were nothing like he had imagined. They were interested in technology, admired spacecraft, and enjoyed modern cuisine and culture.

However, the mood shifted when a blood-red figure appeared. Recognizing him, Wang Xuan's expression darkened with killing intent.

"Chi Meng?!" Wang Xuan fixed his gaze on him. Was this the one who had attacked him with battleships and marked him just days ago, who he thought was dead?

"Who are you?" Chi Meng from the Hades Blood Sect, now in a dire state with only fragments of his primordial spirit nourished by the blood energy from his true bones, looked at Wang Xuan with confusion.