The Stars Beyond

Chapter 303: The Home Of His Ex Father In Law

Outside the demon palace, the gaze of Qi Yi's second son brought forth thunder and lightning, rivaling the calamities faced by demons transcending into immortality. The spectacle was terrifying, immediately drawing the attention of other demon immortals who approached to pay their respects.

"The appearance of the divine medicine in the mortal realm is indeed a rare opportunity!" exclaimed a great demon upon hearing the news. This was much easier than venturing into higher spiritual realms to harvest such treasures.

Since ancient times, only a few, like Sakyamuni Buddha and Zheng Yuantian, had successfully harvested this divine medicine. Now that such a treasure had appeared in the human world, it was worth contending for.

"Latest update: our clan suffered heavy losses upon entering New Star, with almost all our demon immortals annihilated," revealed an elder demon, his expression grave.

This meant sending more demon immortals to the mortal realm would likely result in a similar fate, failing to obtain the seeds of the Nine Calamities Heavenly Lotus and sacrificing their lives in vain.

"There are formidable ancient artifacts in the human world, impossible to guard against. These are lost transcendent items that even our Demon Ancestor regretfully missed, as they did not appear in his era," a demon immortal commented.

This Demon Ancestor, of course, was Qi Yi, revered as the supreme Demon Ancestor in their realm – a truly peerless demon, undefeated in his lifetime.

"For instance, the Soul Locking Bell, the Golden Divine Tree, the Rebirth Pool have all emerged. Our attempt to infiltrate the financial powerhouses was thwarted, and many of our best were hunted down, leading to heavy losses."

"We'll select suitable disciples. I plan to use the Supreme Demon Pool to protect them as they pass through the veil, ensuring their physical bodies remain intact and their spirits unharmed," declared Qi Yi's second son, who now led the demon clan.

He added, "Furthermore, I will bestow upon them ancestral blood from the Demon Pool, which can briefly withstand top-tier transcendent artifacts. If they prove worthy, they could seize this opportunity to claim those formidable human world artifacts for our use."

Soon after, a blood pool appeared, steaming with chaotic energy and exuding a potent demonic aura. The clan prepared to use this to penetrate the veil, sending their most exceptional disciples to the mortal realm.

However, sending powerful demon immortals across the boundary would still result in them being torn apart. This dilemma remained unsolved, so they could only send those who had not yet transcended.

......

In the Pure Land of Bliss, the entire Spirit Mountain radiated light, imbued with boundless sacred power. Wrapped in Buddha's light, several ascetics prepared to penetrate the veil into the mortal realm. Among them were monks, white elephants, and Hous, creatures deeply connected to Buddhist lore, with ancestors who served as mounts for various Bodhisattvas.

These auspicious beasts, raised under the Buddha's light on Spirit Mountain, possessed immense strength.

As they traversed the light curtain with the Buddha's power of Spirit Mountain, these young beings stepped onto New Star relatively unharmed. However, the energy that had been gathering around them was rapidly dissipating.

"The Buddha's power is fading!" a practicing monk exclaimed. His spiritual cultivation was declining, much like a fish struggling on land, utterly out of its element.

In their transcendent realm, many of their capabilities were viable, but here, it was as if a forceful ceiling was pressing down upon them, rendering many of their methods ineffective.

"I'm at the seventh stage!" one lamented bitterly.

"I'm at the eighth stage!"

Despite their sadness and helplessness, their current power levels, if known to others, would be astonishing. With the immense support of Spirit Mountain, their loss of power wasn't devastating. In fact, their current cultivation levels far surpassed the transcendent beings of the mortal realm.

......

On his way, Wang Xuan couldn't help but want to scold Old Chen for his phrasing - "your former father-in-law's place." He was, after all, still very much a bachelor, not yet married.

"Ling Wei's home," he muttered to himself, boarding a levitating car and speeding towards the city where Ling Wei's family resided.

He hadn't expected that the lotus pod would be traced back to her home. His visit might stir old thoughts in Mr. Ling, who had always been overprotective of his daughter. If given a choice, Wang Xuan would prefer not to give Mr. Ling another chance to scrutinize him.

But now, he had to hurry over.

"I should advise Mr. Ling to take Ling Wei into deep space soon. New Star is no longer safe, especially for families with resources like theirs. They might attract the attention of some immortals," he sighed, his thoughts drifting to Qian An, a genuinely good person, now gone. The Qian family had set off for deep space at noon, and Wang Xuan had personally ensured that no demons were following them.

Luocheng, located in the eastern region, was a picturesque and livable city. Despite its modern skyscrapers reaching into the clouds, the city still boasted wetland parks, lakes, and extensive gardens, encompassing beautiful landscapes within a large urban area.

Upon arriving in the city and approaching Ling Wei's home for the first time, Wang Xuan was momentarily spellbound. Old Chen was right; the Ling residence was enveloped in divine Buddha's light, casting a pale golden hue over the entire estate and gardens.

The phenomenon had already hit the news, drawing widespread attention. Otherwise, Old Chen wouldn't have been so anxious for Wang Xuan to come over. Such signs, with Buddha's light illuminating everything, were bound to attract beings from beyond the veil.

The Buddha's light, infused with mysterious elements, was comforting and greatly beneficial to humans. However, for the Ling family, it might not be a good omen. Their home could become a battleground.

Old Chen had been waiting for a while, pacing back and forth outside the gate. Seeing Wang Xuan, he greeted him, "I didn't expect it to be this big of a deal."

At the same time, Wang Xuan spotted Ling Qiming emerging from the house. As expected, he wasn't smiling.

"Old..." Wang Xuan almost blurted out, but quickly noticed another figure nearby who looked thinner than before. Ling Qiming glared at him, signaling not to speak carelessly.

Previously, Ling Wei stood gracefully, but now she appeared slightly frail, her beautiful face tinged with pallor. As she looked towards Wang Xuan, she stood quietly.

"It's been a long time," she said softly. Indeed, it had been quite a while since they last met. She seemed to have lost some of her radiant, sunny disposition, becoming more tranquil, her face lacking its usual color.

Seeing her in this state, Wang Xuan sighed softly, feeling an urge to say something. "You should take better care of yourself. It seems you haven’t exercised in a while. You should go for runs, get more sunlight."

Hearing this, Ling Qiming opened his mouth, a complex mix of emotions stirring within him. He seemed like he wanted to say something but eventually closed his mouth.

Chen Yongjie, good friends with Ling Qiming since their youth, communicated to Wang Xuan telepathically, "Don’t provoke Old Ling."

Wang Xuan nodded in understanding, and after a moment's thought, he addressed Ling Qiming as "Uncle Ling" in front of Ling Wei.

Ling Qiming was momentarily lost in thought, as the title felt somewhat distant now.

He pulled Wang Xuan aside and whispered, "Ling Wei has lost a lot of her former vibrancy. She's become quieter compared to her sunny and radiant past. It pains my heart to see her like this."

"Uncle Ling, the current environment is treacherous. Demons, ghosts, and transcendent beings are causing chaos. Life is uncertain, just like for the financial powerhouses. I suggest you take Ling Wei and your family, like Old Zhong did, and leave for deep space. It's best not to come back for a while."

Ling Qiming looked at Wang Xuan, with much to say but finding the words elusive. Finally, he said, "We will leave soon, but I'm worried about Ling Wei. I want her to be healthy and happy again. You and Old Chen are searching for the lotus pod, right? If there are extra seeds, please leave one for Ling Wei. If possible, I hope she can become a transcendent being, free from worries, living a long life."

"Alright, I'll go look with Old Chen," Wang Xuan nodded and advised Ling Qiming to take Ling Wei and leave for the spaceship immediately.

Ling Qiming nodded; he already had plans in place.

As they parted, Ling Wei watched him from a distance and softly reminded, "Be careful."

Wang Xuan nodded, waved at her, and quickly left with Old Chen.

Old Chen was exhilarated, saying, “I’ve never been this close to divine medicine before. Today, it’s my turn, Chen the Ancestor, to offer you a great opportunity.”

Indeed, finding the seeds of the Nine Calamities Heavenly Lotus would be an unimaginable fortune. Old Chen’s long search was finally paying off.

“I’ll give you a treasure first,” Wang Xuan said, handing over the Soul Locking Bell to Old Chen. A major battle might erupt soon, and it was prudent to arm Chen Yongjie in advance. Wang Xuan already possessed the Godslayer Banner, so while the Soul Locking Bell was renowned, it wasn’t as significant for him anymore.

“This is the... Soul Locking Bell? The one everyone is talking about?” Chen Yongjie was astonished. Even beings from beyond the veil coveted this artifact.

“Use it with confidence,” Wang Xuan nodded.

The two entered the area where the Buddha's light was most intense, not in a secret vault, but in a spacious living room of the Ling residence. There, a miniature landscape of a mountain with various plants, bubbling springs, and small waterfalls resembled a real mountain in miniature form.

“This wasn’t originally like this, but I accidentally activated it. It’s like Mount Meru contained in a mustard seed. This stone mountain might seem small, right? Follow me, let me show you its true form.”

Chen Yongjie pulled Wang Xuan forward, and with a whoosh, they instantly appeared atop a large mountain, as if transported to an entirely new world.

Wang Xuan was astonished; such a transformation was possible? He looked beyond the mountain and saw a vast living room.

“Do you smell the fragrance of the medicine? It’s faint and refreshing, but I haven’t been able to pinpoint the exact location of the divine medicine,” Old Chen said helplessly.

Standing on the mountain, surrounded by pine forests, babbling streams, and waterfalls creating mist, with vines covering the cliffs, Wang Xuan noted the numerous obstructions that made detailed observation difficult.

“How do we get out of here? Let's look from outside the mountain,” Wang Xuan suggested.

“It’s simple, just jump off the cliff. Follow me.” Old Chen led the way, leaping towards the vast living room. They then emerged from the miniature landscape.

Standing near the extraordinary stone, Wang Xuan's spirit left his body. Using his spiritual vision, he began to meticulously search the area, which proved to be more effective than standing on the mountain itself.

Surrounding the extraordinary stone, Wang Xuan scrutinized every inch with his spiritual eye and finally noticed something unusual. Halfway up the mountain in the miniature forest, a section of the stone wall, covered in vines, had a recess. Hidden behind the vines was a stone Buddha in a seated position, holding a stone scripture in its right hand. Through his spiritual eye, Wang Xuan could clearly see that the stone scripture concealed a secret space containing a lotus seed.

"We found it!" he exclaimed, surprised at their smooth discovery.

"Already?" Chen Yongjie was incredulous. The divine medicine was about to be within reach.

Meanwhile, several high-ranking Buddhist practitioners were swiftly flying towards Luocheng on a large Buddhist kasaya, drawn to the area bathed in Buddha's light.

From another direction, descendants of the demon ancestor Qi Yi were also hurrying towards Luocheng. Among them were several powerful demons, including some at the seventh and eighth stages of power.

Back at the Ling residence, within the living room flooded with Buddha's light, Old Chen, following Wang Xuan's directions, re-entered the miniature mountain and quickly climbed towards the halfway point where the stone Buddha was located. Reaching it, he was stunned to find that he couldn't physically touch the stone Buddha.

"There's something strange here. It's like a separate realm or a barrier akin to the veil, blocking the way," Old Chen reported after several attempts, unable to find a way through.

"I'll try something," Wang Xuan said, taking out a crystalline thread he had severed from the moon in The Departed Lands and a fishing hook he had obtained from the Zhong family.

The translucent thread, initially only two meters long, extended continuously when infused with supermatter. Wang Xuan cast it out, and the hook pierced through the barrier-like obstruction, hooking the hefty stone scripture from the stone Buddha's hand.

He quickly retracted the scripture, a tremendous opportunity that must be kept secret. Otherwise, he risked being hunted down by the immortals.

Fortunately, everything went smoothly, and no one had arrived yet.

Chen Yongjie jumped off the cliff to exit, and the two exchanged looks before quickly adjusting their demeanor. They had to act naturally and avoid revealing anything that might give them away.