The Stars Beyond

Chapter 314: Daughter Of Wang Xuan

The expressions of those nearby change dramatically as several skilled demons fall within moments, especially the somewhat famous Hei Lian and Yin Fu, who were reaped like wheat by a scythe. Their lives were snatched away in the blink of an eye.

At this moment, the demons' eyes turn red with anger and sorrow. How could such a tragedy happen tonight? Humans were bloodily purging them across the land, and now they were even losing a battle of the supernatural to a human.

"End of the mythic era, a world turned upside down, order collapsing, the blood of demon immortals flowing, humans slaughtering our kind..." Some demons feel a chill down their spines, followed by boundless rage and unwillingness to accept their fate.

Overall, their memories of devouring humans in the past, of great demons laying waste to cities, were too deeply ingrained. They can't let go of their psychological advantage and fail to adjust their attitude.

Returning now, they still dream of reliving their past "glory," ruling everything. But the world has long since changed!

"Boom!"

A startling beam of light from the sky struck down, obliterating some of the demons. Warships hover overhead, able to precisely target demons lurking outside the battlefield.

Blood Peng's eyes flashed coldly as his body suddenly swells, transforming into a blood-red Peng bird. He soars into the sky, aiming to destroy the small warship above. In the process, he constantly teleports, emitting terrifying sonic booms and changing directions unpredictably, fearing being locked onto by the warship.

Xiu Shan ascends, riding a crimson kasaya with gold trim like a red cloud, chasing after Blood Peng, attempting to intercept him.

An aerial battle ensues, with Buddha's light and demonic energy surging between them, creating various abnormal visions in the night sky, such as grand temples and soaring Peng birds.

The ground battle becomes even more intense. It's a fight to the death between Buddhist masters and demons, with Wang Xuan and Old Chen fighting fiercely.

"How exhilarating!" Chen Yongjie, with his short hair and dazzling aura, wielding a black sword, goes on a killing spree. Having broken through in his realm, he now fears no flesh-and-blood demons.

Chen Yongjie channels the Sakyamuni scriptures, and his black sword emits sky-piercing sword light. With a swift motion, he decapitates a demon whose true form was a giant porcupine. Splattered with demon blood, Chen doesn't care and continues his hunt, wielding his sword in search of his next target.

In the next moment, he faces a demon with exceptional defense, manifesting its true form as a tortoise. Its pale golden shell, inscribed with runes, produces metallic sounds upon impact. But when Chen Yongjie unleashes boundless Buddha's light, his black sword becomes divine. With a swift stroke, he slices through the shell, vanquishing the formidable demon.

This battle results in heavy losses for the original demons. Throughout the night, numerous bodies fall, most of them flesh-and-blood demons, the newer generation of their kind.

Wang Xuan moves through the battlefield with ease, occasionally slaying demons. He refrains from joining the high-altitude pursuit of Blood Peng, leaving the demon leader's fate to Xiu Shan. The task of demon-slaying, after all, calls for efforts from all sides.

Dark clouds, filled with blood-colored lightning and demon shadows, appear in the sky as Wang Xuan experiments with demonic techniques, testing whether he can wield them effectively. He points forward, and from the clouds descend demonic thunderbolts shrouded in blood mist and ghostly apparitions of demons, striking at several high-ranking demons.

During his time on New Star, Wang Xuan has delved into a plethora of scriptures. He has read through Old Zhang's library and various secret tomes from other families. Now, with a casual flick, he can wield techniques of significant repute.

"Audacity!" cries a great demon, infuriated by a human using their techniques, seeing it as both a challenge and an insult.

"Indeed, when executed by a human, these techniques don't pack much punch," Wang Xuan notes, shaking his head. He then resorts to a powerful Taoist supernatural formation. Silver lights intertwine from his fingertips, forming a vast net that envelops and captures four attacking demons.

This was the Demonic Refinement Net. If Wang Xuan could construct a sixth-level or higher supernatural formation, he could even refine true demon immortals capable of ascension.

Wang Xuan, utilizing his psychic third eye for assistance, wields the Demonic Refinement Net with great force, causing the ensnared demons to wail in agony. Trapped in the net, they're ruthlessly sliced by the energy ropes and then incinerated by blazing silver fire, obliterating both their bodies and spirits. In a matter of moments, four demons were slain, pushing the demon race to the brink. They mustered a counterattack, but their numbers were dwindling.

Reinforcements kept arriving for the Buddhist sect, while the demon's strongholds were being decimated. Lacking backup, Blood Peng, though reluctant, bellows a retreat from the sky. Any delay would mean the annihilation of their entire camp.

Xiu Shan, with a flick of his cassock, spreads a red glow that nearly immobilizes the space around Blood Peng. His body stiffens under the attack. Xiu Shan's Demon-Subduing Staff comes crashing down, causing Blood Peng to tremble violently, shedding feathers and blood in his frantic escape.

Wang Xuan, instead of pursuing, turns his attention to hunting the remaining demons. The night was filled with unrest and bloodshed, a state that persists into the day. The efforts to root out the remaining demons continue, with even Taoist practitioners like Wang Hai joining the hunt.

As day breaks and moves into the afternoon, streaks of demonic light occasionally cut across the sky, signifying the ongoing pursuit of the demons. Wang Xuan and Chen Yongjie seized this opportunity to collect demonic bones, operating separately across various locations.

The beings that have traveled from beyond the great curtain were stunned by these unprecedented events. Up until the night before, the surviving demons were progressing smoothly, infiltrating places and preparing to usurp bodies and topple financial dynasties. But overnight, the situation has dramatically shifted.

On the secret networks, major organizations reel with shock and excitement, having access to first-hand, detailed footage of the events. The public, initially trembling with fear, soon buzzes with heated discussions.

"Is that Wang Xuan? He's slaughtering demon immortals!" echoes across various platforms, fueling a whirlwind of public opinion.

......

Wang Xuan, relentless in his pursuit of demons, finds himself once again in Yuan Cheng, a familiar city in the far west, bordering the Yunwu Plateau. This place holds deep impressions for him, especially with its great river where, during a special migratory season, clusters of Starry Fish swim upstream, creating a radiant spectacle in the night sky.

Sighing softly, Wang Xuan reflects on certain individuals, particularly a small, pitiful figure who couldn't wait for him to bring back a "remedy" from a secret land. "Life wasn't always filled with completions," he muses. "There were always some regrets that left us feeling helpless."

As the sun sets, he stands outside the city by the Zhou River, watching its vigorous flow eastward. Suddenly, he senses something and turns around to see several mechanical beings approaching from the direction of the Yunwu Plateau. They appear old and worn but move with a steady, unchanging rhythm.

Instinctively, Wang Xuan feels something unusual and possibly dangerous about these mechanical beings. He quickly checks his phone for the photos sent by Zhao Zejun of the ancient spaceship that arrived from deep space. The mechanical beings in front of him closely resemble those in the photo, likely originating from the same source.

Curiously, Wang Xuan keeps his composure as he considers their similarity to the Sun family's Number Five Mechanoid, an artifact unearthed from the moon outside the old earth. Could these beings also be relics from an ancient era?

He observes the mechanical beings from a distance. They seem to be examining him, standing still from afar. Wang Xuan realizes that they were more than just cold machines; they might be a special type of metallic lifeforms. This was evidenced by the peculiar psychic flame he senses emanating from their heads.

These unique metal lifeforms, equipped with advanced technology and extraordinary abilities, were likely formidable opponents. Wang Xuan senses they have detected something unusual about him, but he wasn't afraid. He believes he has means to counter them if a conflict arises. However, he doesn't feel any hostility from them.

Calmly, Wang Xuan looks towards the Zhou River and decides to walk back to Yuan Cheng before sunset, keeping a safe distance from the mechanical beings.

As he enters the city, the mechanical lifeforms continue to follow him at a distance. Wandering through the city, Wang Xuan inevitably finds himself in a familiar were – the neighborhood where he once lived.

Suddenly, his expression changes, and his heart skips a beat in disbelief. Ahead was a small figure he never expected to see again – Lele, the little girl with a tragic fate. To his astonishment, she was alive. He was tempted to approach and understand more but restrained himself, wary of the nearby mechanical beings and the potential danger to the girl.

Months have passed, and Lele looks frailer and more delicate. Her eyes were red with sorrow, a stark contrast to her previously optimistic demeanor. Despite suffering from the terminal 'Five Decays of Heaven and Man' disease, she used to be cheerful, comforting her mother even in pain.

But now, Lele stands outside her former home, hesitating to approach, tears streaking her face. She silently cries, gazing forlornly at the place she once called home.

"Mama, I miss you, but you... you left forever, just like Papa. I don't have a mom anymore," she sobs quietly, her voice barely audible. "I'm in the orphanage now, and I... I just want to go home. I miss you and Papa." Her shoulders tremble with each sob, revealing the depth of her loneliness and grief.

The little girl, wise and mature beyond her years, stood there with tears streaming down her face, now painfully aware that her father, supposedly away on business, had passed away long ago. With her head bowed low, she walked away from the place, engulfed in a mix of sorrow and confusion. "I survived the last time, but they whisper behind my back that I could die at any moment. Mom, why did you have to leave first? When I woke up from the coma, you were gone, never to be seen again. Why did your genetic illness suddenly become so aggressive? Mom... I miss you... please come back."

On the nearby pedestrian street, the bustling crowd passed by, oblivious to her small, solitary figure.

"Our teacher assigned us homework that's easy for others but hard for me," the little girl cried, her voice laden with both grievance and sadness. "We have to turn in a photo... a picture of this season, a new family photo. If not, at least one with dad or mom in it, but... I don't have any."

She couldn't hold back her tears as she continued, eventually sitting down by the roadside, hugging her knees to her chest, her head hung low.

Wang Xuan, deeply moved by the sight, yearned to approach her, but he restrained himself, wary of drawing the attention of the mechanical beings nearby. He didn't want to inadvertently endanger her, especially given her already difficult life.

As the sun began to set, the little girl stood up and tentatively approached passersby, asking softly, "Could you please help me with something?" However, most people were in a hurry to get home and didn't stop for her.

On the rare occasion that someone did pause, she would timidly ask, "Uncle, could you take a photo with me?" People were surprised by her request, quickly patting her head and then hurrying on their way, unaware of her true circumstances.

Wiping away her tears, the little girl gathered her courage and tried to stop another man passing by. Pointing towards a familiar neighborhood where she had lived for four or five years, she asked timidly, "Uncle, could you... take a picture with me outside the gate?" She looked up with hopeful eyes but also with an anxious heart, fearing rejection.

The man smiled, stopped for a moment, and said, "I'm in a hurry to pick up my daughter from school. You're such a good and sensible girl, walking home alone with your little backpack, aren't you?" Then, he quickly went on his way.

Hearing his words, the girl's head drooped down. She retreated quietly to a less crowded spot and began to cry silently, murmuring to herself, "I miss... Mom, I miss Dad."

Wang Xuan's heart ached as he observed the situation. He glanced at the several mechanical metal lifeforms nearby and wondered why they hadn't left yet. Surprisingly, one of the mechanical beings spoke up in the language of Xin Xing, albeit with a slightly stiff voice, "We mean no harm."

Realizing they were observing and had noticed the little girl, Lele, Wang Xuan no longer hesitated. He approached her and said gently, "Lele, would you like to take a picture with me?"

Tears brimming in her eyes, the girl quickly looked up, gasping in surprise upon seeing him. A mix of joy and heart-wrenching emotion washed over her face. Struggling to hold back tears, she nodded vigorously, managing to utter just a single word, "Mhm!"

"If only you were my daughter," Wang Xuan murmured softly as he knelt down and picked her up. "Come on, let's go to the gate and take that picture."