The Stars Beyond

Chapter 294: A Sea Of Secret Scrolls

Old Zhong's study, filled with an ancient charm and a profound sense of history, exuded a mysterious aura, showcasing the extraordinary nature of the place. The bookshelves, each meticulously carved with special symbols like the swastika and Yin-Yang Bagua diagrams, were sourced from ancient temples and long-standing Taoist temples, as Zhong Qing explained.

Chen Yongjie nodded in agreement, admiring Old Zhong's penchant for exquisite things, noticing that the items he used all had significant origins. The bookshelves held an array of texts, including bamboo slips, yellowed and even worm-eaten ancient volumes, and silk-made albums. These books, nourished by transcendent substance, glowed faintly, resonating with distant and subtle sounds and revealing blurred images.

In a daze, some of the ancient books reflected hazy human figures in meditation or engaged in fierce battles with wild beasts, displaying the grandeur of an ancient transcendent world. Such distant and ethereal scenes were perceptible only to the transcendent, invisible to ordinary people.

Wang Xuan pondered – if ordinary people could never perceive these phenomena, and with the decline of transcendent substance, would the future hold power only for those with heightened spiritual awareness? Could it be that myths would live only in the minds of the keenly perceptive?

"Great-grandfather," Zhong Qing called out softly.

Chen Yongjie, slightly annoyed, noticed that Old Zhong still retained an outer layer, having not fully emerged from his rejuvenation. His use of the Golden Cicada Technique had successfully granted him a second life.

He was surprised to find Zhong Yong lying on a jade-green vine chair, vibrant with life. Especially intriguing was the chair's back, where a vine sprouted two fresh, dewy leaves, symbolizing a rejuvenation of life. The chair, unearthed from an ancient site and still sprouting new leaves after eons, was evidently extraordinary.

Wang Xuan, using his spiritual eye, observed Old Zhong's true form inside the cicada shell. His hair was thick and lustrous, his face remarkably youthful, appearing much younger than when they were in the Hidden Land.

Zhong Yong, now appearing to be in his early twenties, was a picture of rejuvenation, defying the ravages of time. His mastery of the Golden Cicada Technique was impressive, akin to a cicada emerging from the earth, shedding its shell, and soaring into the sky for a more splendid life. Even Wang Xuan was intrigued, eager to study this ancient technique. How had Old Zhong managed such a transformation in this era of depletion on New World?

"Here you are, little brother," Zhong Yong greeted.

"Xiaoqing, serve tea," he instructed Zhong Qing, sending her away.

"Yongjie, seeing you reminds me of your master, my sworn brother of eight ceremonies. Alas, he was engulfed in a mysterious light rain. We explored ancient ruins and perilous lands together, sharing life-and-death moments. His loss still pains me deeply," he sighed.

Chen Yongjie eyed him skeptically, knowing to take his words with a grain of salt. The old man, notorious for avoiding danger, wouldn't have likely embarked on such risky adventures.

"Every time a mysterious contact event occurs, and the light rain disappears, an ancient weapon is left behind. Look, that ancient sword under the bookshelf was found on New World. I acquired it at a high price, hoping to use it to find your master one day. I've never given up the search!"

Chen Yongjie's pupils contracted upon seeing the ancient sword. He tested it with his black longsword, leaving no mark – a testament to its indestructibility, much like his own sword, a relic left behind after a mysterious contact event.

"Xiaojie..." Zhong Yong began again.

Feeling a chill, Chen Yongjie quickly interjected, "Alright, just call me Xiao Chen, I'll take it."

"Xiao Chen, I believe your master is still alive, and we'll find him. He too once studied texts in my study. Seeing you brings back those memories. My bookshelves are now open to you. Feel free to study whatever catches your eye."

Chen Yongjie's spirits lifted, momentarily setting aside any grudges about being a scapegoat. Old Zhong's magnanimity was evident. The rows of bookshelves, with their mystical symbols and voices, were irresistibly captivating.

"Little Brother Wang, the younger generation truly is formidable," Old Zhong praised Wang Xuan, though he himself appeared youthful, a veritable old fox in a young man's guise.

Just as Zhong Qing returned with the tea, she nearly dropped the set upon hearing this address. Old Zhong’s way of referring to Wang Xuan left her in an awkward position regarding their familial hierarchy.

"Old Zhong," Wang Xuan responded. There was a time when he yearned to enter Old Zhong's study but avoided meeting the man himself, fearing he might be subjected to some unorthodox experiments. Now, he could face him without apprehension.

"I've heard from Xiaoqing that each time you visited our house, your gaze lingered on my study with almost envious intensity. I was quite alarmed, wondering if you'd barge in and attack me someday."

Wang Xuan didn't quite believe his words. Given that the Pool of Rebirth was previously here, Old Zhong had little to fear.

"I do have some unique tomes here, and I reckon you know well what they are, having long set your sights on them. Consider them yours!" Old Zhong declared.

Such generosity left Wang Xuan momentarily stunned. Old Zhong was truly magnanimous.

From within the cicada shell, Old Zhong's youthful voice proposed, "If you're willing to join us and sever all ties with the mundane world, even marrying Xiaoqing to you is an option. How about it? Join us in the deep space."

"Great-grandfather!" Zhong Qing blushed at the suggestion.

"Xiao Zhong is indeed beautiful and helpful, but I can't sever my worldly ties. My parents are in the Old World, and there are people waiting for me to save and guide them. I cannot leave," Wang Xuan admitted.

"Then, let's hope to meet again in the deep space someday. For now, I am somewhat fearful for you, being targeted by the most formidable beings from beyond the veil," Old Zhong confided, his departure imminent.

"Old Zhong, is there anything I can help you with?" Wang Xuan felt obliged to offer assistance in return for the invaluable texts.

"If you have an abundance of mystical factors, could you replenish my fur blanket?" Old Zhong requested, directing Zhong Qing to bring forth an animal skin.

"A Qilin skin?!" Chen Yongjie exclaimed, moving closer. He had heard about Old Zhong's legendary beast skin blanket, and now he finally laid eyes on it.

"An Inner Landscape treasure?" Wang Xuan was astonished. This animal skin revealed a universe within, containing an inner world. It was a divine object refined from the old Inner Landscape before its destruction, now transformed into a treasure of the modern world.

Wang Xuan had only encountered such an Inner Landscape treasure once before in the Hidden Land. The Life-Nourishing Stove, a supreme treasure, was retrieved from it.

"There's not much active substance left inside," Old Zhong commented.

The space within the skin was vast, befitting a treasure crafted from the hide of the mythical Qilin. Such an item was a rarity, likely possessed only by ancient top-tier sects. Even in the celestial realm beyond the veil, it was doubtful that a living Qilin could be found.

Wang Xuan looked at Old Zhong's cicada shell, his gaze deep and thoughtful. This old man, once he spoke, it seemed like a huge task was at hand – refilling this Inner Landscape treasure with mystical factors.

Indeed, it would be a major undertaking to transfer them from ancient temples and Taoist abodes.

However, with four pieces of immortal bone in his possession, Wang Xuan could open them forcefully and completely.

"Alright," he agreed. Retrieving the Pool of Rebirth, which he initially intended to return to Old Zhong, he also took out a piece of true bone.

Boom!

Activating it on the spot, a blurry figure emerged in the Inner Landscape, instantly devoured by the ashen pool. The world inside the true bone was fraught with cracks, on the verge of collapse.

Was this due to Wang Xuan's earlier use of the God-Slaying Banner, or was it a sign of the current world's decay, reflecting the collapse of Inner Landscapes?

Without further comment, Wang Xuan placed the true bone into the Qilin skin's Inner Landscape, allowing the bone's mystical substances to pour forth.

The advantage of the Inner Landscape treasure was its ability to collect all mystical factors without waste.

If Old Zhong used it judiciously, it would suffice for the Zhong family's needs for a long time.

Wang Xuan opened two more immortal bones, adding their contents to the beast skin.

"As for the scriptures, take whatever you fancy. I'll keep some, leaving the rest here," Old Zhong offered.

Wang Xuan walked over, his eyes first landing on the Early Qin golden bamboo slips – his second set. Consisting of twenty-seven pieces, they were crystal clear like jade and heavy as immortal gold, feeling substantial in hand.

Chen Yongjie had already studied these scriptures and felt rather helpless. The Buddhist texts were more suited to his practice, while these particular scriptures made him feel distinctly uncomfortable. He had almost coughed up blood trying to comprehend them. While he could recognize the diagrams, most of the characters were unfamiliar, accessible only through spiritual exploration and resonance.

Wang Xuan was somewhat baffled too. This scripture was different from the golden bamboo slips he had obtained from the Sun family. Attempting to resonate with it, his blood surged tumultuously, his heart thundering terrifyingly, almost bursting.

Realizing this was not the right approach, he stopped.

Old Zhong suggested to Chen Yongjie, “Over there are all the important Buddhist classics; take a careful look.”

Chen Yongjie became engrossed in them, but eventually, he hesitated, fearing he might end up shaving his head and converting to Buddhism.

“I need to balance this with some Taoist practices. I must practice swordsmanship, cultivate a killing intent, stay grounded in the mortal world,” he reminded himself.

Old Zhong mentioned, “Here’s a Taoist scripture, the ultimate teaching. Alas, I've never been able to comprehend it.”

The Five-Colored Jade Book, inscribed with enigmatic text, defied interpretation even by ancient language experts. It seemed incredibly ancient and could only be partially understood by transcendent beings through spiritual resonance.

Wang Xuan and Chen Yongjie also tried to resonate with it but found it exceedingly complex and seemingly incompatible with their current knowledge.

Wang Xuan felt it was akin to his experience with the stone tablet scriptures - nearly indecipherable and virtually impossible to master through conventional means.

“I suspect this text predates even ancient times, its origins lost to time, eventually falling into Taoist hands and mistakenly identified as a supreme Taoist scripture.”

“Let’s just resonate with it for now and absorb the elusive truths it holds. Who knows, if transcendence completely vanishes one day, we might lose the ability to read these scriptures, which could revert to inert jade slabs.”

Subsequently, Wang Xuan and Chen Yongjie didn't proceed to open any immortal bone canisters. Instead, they immersed themselves in memorizing various scriptures and studying lost texts, fully engrossed in their research.

Unable to fully comprehend the Five-Colored Jade Book, Wang Xuan and Chen Yongjie could only temporarily imprint its contents in their minds. They were much more absorbed in the unparalleled chapters from the Taoist ancestral court. Moreover, they discovered a stone tablet at Old Zhong’s place, featuring nine human figures and annotations. This was a simplified version of the stone tablet scriptures, capturing about thirty percent of its essence. Someone had practiced it before but failed, leaving behind their insights.

Wang Xuan meticulously studied every text, from the most basic physical techniques to fist and movement arts, recording all the scriptures with his powerful mental domain. Facing a future without a clear path to transcendence, he sought to stand on the shoulders of the ancients to see further, not missing a single scripture.

After two full days, even with his formidable mental prowess, Wang Xuan felt overwhelmed by the sheer volume of texts. Nevertheless, he had explored all the secret texts in Old Zhong's library, which covered a broad range, from Taoist and Buddhist scriptures to demonic practices and even monster clan's secret techniques. His exposure to such diverse knowledge significantly broadened his horizons.

Some methods were beyond imagination, like the Demonic Soul Coffin Technique, where a demon cultivator hibernated within another's soul, awakening only when the host's life ended. Wang Xuan was startled when he read this, wondering if someone had remained in the mortal world using this method instead of entering the celestial curtain.

There were also unique monster clan scriptures, like the Celestial Monster Reincarnation Technique, capturing powerful prey and experiencing a cycle of rebirth within them to gain their powers.

After two days, Wang Xuan had vastly expanded his knowledge with the multitude of scriptures absorbed into his mind. He spent another day consolidating his findings, focusing on texts related to Life Soil to verify his current state of cultivation.

Finally, Wang Xuan opened his eyes, feeling more organized and ready to enter the Inner Landscape. He planned to use this heightened state of mental activity for deeper meditation and self-enlightenment.

Old Zhong was growing impatient, eager to retreat and venture into the depths of space.

"Finally, it's starting!" exclaimed Qin Cheng, rubbing his hands in excitement. He had never entered an Inner Landscape before and was thrilled at the prospect.

"Pity about Qingmu missing this opportunity," lamented Chen Yongjie. The youngster hadn't come to the New World and was missing out on a significant chance. However, Chen knew Wang Xuan might soon visit the Old World.

"I'm coming, Transcendence!" Zhong Cheng was ecstatic, mistakenly believing a single visit to the Inner Landscape would transform him into a transcendent being.

"Be more composed!" Zhong Qing reprimanded him gently.

Finally, Wang Xuan was ready to open the Inner Landscape. He had once ushered Qingmu and Chen Yongjie into an Inner Landscape while he was still at the Grandmaster level, a task so exhausting it nearly brought him to his knees. Now, as a transcendent being in the late stages of the Life Soil realm, he expected the process to be less taxing.

.......

In a certain part of the celestial curtain, a dazzling sword light shot into the sky, seemingly slicing through time itself and causing the entire world to freeze. Astonishingly, it split the celestial curtain and one of the five moons orbiting the corresponding life-bearing planet in the mortal world.

"The Sword of the Mortal Realm!" roared a supreme being from beyond the curtain.

At this moment, Wang Xuan was stunned. What was happening? Holding a piece of celestial bone, he froze in place, caught off guard.

He instantly sensed something amiss with his Inner Landscape. For a fleeting moment, it seemed to forcefully initiate its opening. On a brief glance, he even spotted the Elixir of Life Furnace within.

"It's not right. It's the furnace, this supreme treasure, trying to emerge!" Wang Xuan realized it wasn't a life-or-death crisis or a state of hyper-awareness triggering the opening of his Inner Landscape.