The Stars Beyond

Chapter 311: Retaking Fate

Although Wang Xuan had already departed, he still felt the tumultuous, tide-like disturbances. In the darkness, billions of crimson strands of light roared and surged in all directions. This was far more intense than any tsunami, like a bursting galaxy, with the red luminescence chasing after Wang Xuan, who was already on his way back, turning his complexion grave.

He realized why the vermillion clouds periodically appeared—it was the "meteorite crater" erupting regularly, spewing endlessly into the realm of nothingness.

Chilled to the bone, Wang Xuan knew that had he not left his position near the crater, his fate would have likely been dire. “Pioneers on a new path, indeed, often meet early ends,” he reflected.

The God-Slaying Banner glowed, its patterns interweaving, reviving autonomously to resist the apocalyptic red mist. The golden flag fluttered vigorously in the void, resonating against the turbulent space.

After a tough struggle, he narrowly escaped. Half a year later, Wang Xuan returned to the Pool of Life, finally able to rest. Despite the slow depletion of super-material in the void, he was thoroughly exhausted.

"I need to transplant the heavenly herbs here, choosing a spot far from the reach of the red clouds, using the super-material they emit to support my long journey," he contemplated.

Wang Xuan lingered in the Pool of Life for a long time, his spirit gradually becoming vigorous and even more potent than before.

Later, guiding the God-Slaying Banner, he navigated using his spiritual eye, following the trail of the mist. Three months later, he saw the Life Soil and plunged into it, beginning his tedious journey back. The trip was monotonous, with nothing but mist and the unique "soil quality" in view.

He pondered whether this expedition had led him to a new path. “It should count as one. I have my own goal now, and I believe it’s feasible!” Wang Xuan was confident that beyond the meteorite crater, there existed a realm of reality.

However, he was uncertain whether this realm was exclusive to him or if others, if supremely powerful and resistant to the clouds, could also reach it. This distinction was crucial.

If it were the former, then the so-called realm of reality might correspond to the most fundamental aspects of his own life essence.

If the latter were true, it would imply a unique realm accessible to many beings, a place where different entities could live and reside. Such knowledge was scarce and still beyond comprehension.

Wang Xuan took about two years to venture there, and his return journey was slightly faster, yet it still nearly spanned two years. For him, it was indeed a lengthy period.

He felt uneasy, wondering how much time had passed in the real world during his absence. “Did Old Chen take me back to the old earth? Have I been soaking in a nutrient solution all this time? Are my parents worried about me?”

The realization hit him suddenly. “The three-year agreement... it’s already passed. How is the Sword Fairy now? This is my mistake!”

......

As Wang Xuan returned, drawing closer, he sensed the presence of the celestial herbs and a myriad of thoughts crossed his mind. He couldn't help but wonder if this journey through the ethereal realm had “stolen” time in a manner similar to the internal scenery realm.

Standing atop his Life Soil, he saw the Nourishing Stove and the three celestial herbs, noticing how faintly the mysterious factors emanated. The herbs looked dim, clearly showing signs of significant consumption.

Wang Xuan then left his Life Soil, his spirit and body unifying once again. He immediately felt a sense of relief, as if he had been a rootless weed before. Silently comprehending, he realized his spiritual strength had greatly increased, his physical body had strengthened, and his cultivation had risen to the mid-to-late stage of his current realm.

However, there was an unsettling feeling of immense exhaustion, as if he had nearly depleted himself. The condition of the celestial herbs in his Life Soil had already hinted at the enormity of his expenditure during the journey.

At the moment Wang Xuan opened his eyes, Old Chen's eyelids twitched; he had been vigilantly by his side. “You’re finally awake,” he said.

“How many years have passed? Or was it just a few minutes?” Wang Xuan asked urgently, feeling as though he had been on a lengthy journey, utterly fatigued.

To his surprise, he realized he was still at Zhao's residence and hadn't left. Had time indeed been “stolen” during his journey?

“It’s been half a day,” replied Chen Yongjie.

Hearing this, Wang Xuan felt a sense of relief. Zhao Zejun, who was busy communicating with other major organizations, voiced his relief upon seeing Wang Xuan awake. After the Zhao family had nearly fallen to the demons' attack, Zhao Zejun was far from being content. He was secretly in talks with the top echelons of various groups, having already reached a consensus for collaborative efforts.

After Wang Xuan's brief interaction with Zhao Zejun, who then continued his busy calls, Old Chen looked at him with a complex expression, seemingly unsure where to begin.

"What happened to my physical body while I was gone?" Wang Xuan asked, sensing from Old Chen's demeanor that his absence might have caused some disturbances.

"During that time, the mysterious factors in your body were nearly exhausted. Your consciousness completely vanished, and you were like a living dead person. There were several instances where your vital signs nearly disappeared," Chen Yongjie explained. He didn't know where Wang Xuan's spiritual consciousness had gone and initially hesitated to interfere, but eventually felt compelled to replenish him with super-materials.

"But then, your body suddenly started emitting silver light autonomously, and your life level seemed to elevate. I felt that the energy was different from what we're used to seeing."

Hearing this, Wang Xuan felt intrigued. His spirit had been bathed in the silver pool, but his physical body also received nourishment? This was peculiar, considering the vast distance between them. How could the silver liquid instantly reach his body?

"If you hadn't received the nourishment from the silver light, your body would have been severely drained," Chen Yongjie said gravely.

Wang Xuan pondered. Without the dense mysterious factors and the support of the three celestial herbs, it would have been nearly impossible for him to journey so far. Even for him, with the Spirit Eye, wielding the Zhanshen Flag, traversing the void of nothingness was perilous.

Feeling the remnants of the silver substance within him, he realized it dissipated more slowly than the super-materials. This revelation made him look up sharply. Perhaps he was indeed on the right path, as in the current environment, the disintegration of this extraordinary silver substance was exceptionally slow.

This exceptional silver material, however, still didn't originate from the realm of reality but from somewhere along the path of nothingness, from a pool of life itself.

Wang Xuan had good reason to believe that the realm of reality might contain even more incredible substances. For instance, if the nature of the red nebulae could be deciphered and harnessed by the human body, its power would be beyond imagination.

"Did you succeed?" Old Chen asked eagerly, his eyes blazing with interest. In an era where mythological systems were fading, finding a new path would indeed be like pioneering a new world.

"I'm on the way," Wang Xuan nodded affirmatively. He believed he was on the right track but needed to overcome a formidable barrier - the "Meteorite Crater" - a hurdle so challenging that even the fully activated Zhanshen Flag was scorched to blackness, implying that even supreme beings might not pass it.

Unsure if bringing the ultimate treasure - the Nurturing Furnace - would enable him to cross it, Wang Xuan faced a daunting challenge.

Chen Yongjie was astounded, almost exclaiming in shock. Could someone in this world truly revolutionize the existing order? His scalp tingled at the thought, like a current of electricity flowing through him.

He inquired eagerly about the details, recognizing the gravity of such a discovery. For those beyond the ordinary, it was akin to reshaping the universe itself.

Wang Xuan explained that the path he found wasn't universally applicable and was exceedingly dangerous. Even mythical creatures venturing there might never return, incinerated to ash.

Upon learning that even supreme beings could be halted in their tracks, Old Chen was dumbstruck. How could one proceed on such a perilous path?

Wang Xuan suggested looking through various texts to understand more about the nature of the "Life Soil" and whether its "thickness" increased geometrically with higher realms. If that were the case, even supreme beings might not be able to leave their Life Soil.

"Have you named this new world you've discovered outside the mythological system?" Chen Yongjie asked, considering it a creation of monumental significance.

Wang Xuan shook his head. He hadn't yet established a foothold in the realm of reality, and the new system was yet to be fully born. He still needed to cross the formidable barrier of the Meteorite Crater.

Chen Yongjie expressed his amazement at the silver substance Wang Xuan had brought back from his journey, acknowledging its exceptional quality. He anticipated that the new path Wang Xuan was carving, especially with the unimaginable red nebulae, could potentially surpass the greatest of mythical beings.

Wang Xuan, acknowledging the need for a name for his newly discovered realm, decided on "Ding Lu," meaning "Set Path," signifying his determination and direction in this uncharted journey.

He then opened a real bone to access a decaying inner landscape, replenishing the depleted mystical substances due to his exhaustive journey. Wang Xuan hoped that one day, with the realm of reality as his foundation, he wouldn't need such replenishments.

Chen Yongjie, also entering the inner landscape for further cultivation, was speechless upon realizing the extent of Wang Xuan's progress. In the time it took for their joint breakthrough, Wang Xuan had advanced from the early stages of the fifth realm to the middle or later stages.

Acknowledging his remarkable advancement, Wang Xuan explained that his experience was akin to the most arduous form of cultivation, equating four years of efforts to opening a new world.

Chen Yongjie, now surpassed in terms of realm, humorously suggested that he needed to catch up and proposed testing Wang Xuan's new level of capability by fighting demons.

Wang Xuan, drawing more mystical substances to rejuvenate himself, felt significantly stronger within his current realm. His Life Soil revitalized, showing the vibrant growth of the three heavenly herbs.

In the inner landscape, Zhao Zejun was entranced, rejoicing in another instance of "ascension" as the nourishment improved his physical and spiritual limits. The journey had been transformational for them all, opening new possibilities in a time when mythical systems were fading.