The Stars Beyond

Chapter 318: Parting The Great Veil

"The legendary Red-Dressed Demoness’'s father was an unparalleled sorcerer from 3000 years ago, who had mastered the control of thunder and rain with profound and unfathomable prowess," the mini version of the Sword Immortal recounted the background of the red-dressed demoness, analyzing her strengths and weaknesses.

Despite being called a Demon Immortal, she had human lineage. She deliberately concealed her true origins. Her passage often brought a gentle mist, reminiscent of a lady from the water towns of the Jiangnan region, but this was just a facade. Once she activated her innate ability – the 'Cataclysmic Thunder of Myriad Demons' – she could annihilate groups of Immortals.

"Her mother was a twelve-tailed white fox, surpassing the extreme number of nine tails by three. It's said that she was even stronger than her father. The red-dressed demoness inherited the best traits from both, excelling even beyond her parents," explained the Sword Immortal.

Wang Xuan was deeply moved by this revelation. "Does this mean she might have two formidable entities backing her?" he asked, frowning.

The Sword Immortal shook her head, "After entering the curtain, there has been no news of them. They seem to have completely vanished, presumably meeting some misfortune."

"It seems competition in the curtain is incredibly fierce. Those who have survived until now and have made a name for themselves are certainly not ordinary," Wang Xuan reflected cautiously. Especially the red-dressed demoness, who had personally slain supreme powerhouses, as he had seen in the past imprints of the Immortal battles in the Life-Sustaining Furnace.

"She claims to be a Demon Immortal, but she was actually born human, with just a hint of demon lineage. She is suspected to have learned from a golden bamboo scroll of pre-Qin sorcerers. If one treats her as a pure demon, they are bound to suffer a severe loss. Of course, her demon techniques are also formidable," the Sword Immortal continued, providing Wang Xuan with various details.

Wang Xuan felt it was crucial to prepare, as the red-dressed demoness might reappear at any moment to target him.

"Do you have any personal grudge against her?" Wang Xuan inquired.

The Sword Immortal replied with a hint of resentment, "She is very domineering. A long time ago, she defeated the founder of our Sword Immortal Sect and stole our sword scriptures. Unfortunately, I was not yet born at that time." She expressed her determination to defeat the red-dressed demoness and reclaim the stolen sword scriptures.

......

"Is that scripture really that important?" Wang Xuan inquired.

"Of course, it's the pinnacle of our sect's teachings. There's a lot I haven't learned and have had to create on my own," the mini-version of the Sword Immortal replied somewhat dispiritedly.

"Creating your own might make you stronger," Wang Xuan consoled her.

"If I had the original sword scriptures as a foundation for my creations, I would be even stronger," she muttered, her youthful face and demeanor revealing a hint of petulance.

"It's simple, I'll gift you a few sword scriptures. What do you want to learn? Sword control techniques, classical celestial swordsmanship, spirit-sword nurturing techniques, or the boundless celestial sword techniques?" Wang Xuan offered.

The Sword Immortal looked puzzled, "Have you read these scriptures?"

Wang Xuan nodded, "Even the 'Sword of Severing Dao' from the pre-Qin golden bamboo scrolls is in my possession."

At this moment, the Sword Immortal seemed lost in thought, surprised that such long-lost sword scriptures still existed. She lapsed into a daze, her innocent appearance making her seem endearingly clueless.

...

Over on New Star, the sky was covered by a vast curtain, beneath which a multitude of immortals and demons appeared, like celestial soldiers and generals descending to the mortal realm, causing a huge stir.

Despite the general unease, no bloodshed occurred.

In the sky, the man holding the Feather Transformation Banner stood tall. With white hair and deep, profound eyes, he wore a robe woven from the silk of Yin-Yang Divine Fire Silkworms, surveying the world below.

His name was Heng Jun, the first among the supreme powerhouses to obtain a treasure before the curtain's fall. Although he hadn't fully mastered the Feather Transformation Banner, he had a general grasp of it, which explained why so many, including two peers of equal standing, followed him and couldn't oppose him.

However, Heng Jun never dared to easily break through the curtain. He was skeptical about why such treasures appeared in this depleted era and whether he could truly withstand the force of the old covenant once he broke through the curtain.

At the same time, he was reluctant to leave, desiring some fortunes within the celestial realm and eager to eliminate some archenemies.

The curtain descended closer to the ground, enveloping the landscape.

With a swift motion, Heng Jun attempted an experiment with the Feather Transformation Banner, successfully slicing a gap in the great curtain, indeed capable of penetrating the barrier locked by the old covenant!

Behind him, the immortals gasped in amazement and envy, yet no one dared to act recklessly, all harboring their own hesitations.

"You, enter the present world and have a good talk with the various factions on this planet," Heng Jun instructed, pointing at a group of individuals.

Instantly, more than a dozen immortals stepped forward, passing through the gap in the curtain. Everyone watched intently, curious about the outcome.

They didn't explode or have their spirits torn apart, seemingly passing through safely. However, their expressions soon changed.

Their bodies lost their spiritual essence, and their spirits dimmed. The rules and powers they once wielded in the celestial realm were rendered ineffective in this world. Like formidable aquatic creatures struggling on land, they gradually weakened.

"This world is no longer suitable for immortals," one of them lamented bitterly.

He was a true immortal, once powerful, but now his extraordinary essence was leaking out of his body uncontrollably, and the symbols of order he had cultivated in his spirit quickly blurred and vanished.

This was terrifying. Initially, they were all in perfect condition upon departure, but in an instant, their cultivation dissipated significantly.

Heng Jun, with deep and profound eyes, gripped the Feather Transformation Banner tightly. He had feared this exact scenario - the inevitable fall to mortality after crossing realms.

"Although the old covenant doesn't target us directly, the rules of transcendence no longer exist in this world," a demon immortal said with bitterness.

Only after a long time did they stabilize, barely breaking through the "ceiling" at the initial stage of carefree wandering. Even this was a hard-won achievement.

Throughout this time, even under the protection of supreme beings, sending immortals to the present world always led to issues, resulting in the tearing apart of flesh and spirit, with power levels varying from five to eight stages.

Using the protection of the Demon Pool or the barrier of the Spiritual Mountain only allowed a few to preserve their nine-stage achievements, still unable to break the ceiling.

Moreover, the cost was substantial, requiring the consumption of ancestral blood from the Demon Pool or the immense power of the Spiritual Mountain, resources initially reserved for beings like the Demon Ancestor and Shakyamuni for their own crossing.

"It's truly defying the heavens. Without consuming the true blood and Dao fruits of supreme beings, sending everyone across realms with the power to break the ceiling is indeed worthy of being called a supreme treasure," someone exclaimed, feeling quite satisfied with this outcome. After some contemplation, the immortals also found this situation acceptable.

"Would you two like to cross over? You'll most likely retain your Celestial Immortal Dao fruits," Heng Jun said, looking at the two powerful beings beside him, both of whom were top figures in the celestial realm.

The two remained silent and eventually shook their heads, choosing not to cross realms for the time being and preferring to wait.

They looked at the Feather Transformation Banner in Heng Jun's hand, realizing that possessing this treasure would likely allow Heng Jun to retain more of his Dao fruits, potentially more than what they could keep.

They took the special pathway along the curtain and, on the next day, arrived at the corresponding curtain on Earth.

Previously severed paths were reopened with the aid of the Feather Transformation Banner. Heng Jun and his followers, bathed in light rain, arrived in the alternative celestial realm within a day.

The appearance of the great curtain over the skies of Earth caused alarm among its inhabitants, with ordinary people being particularly astonished.

"Are the ancient people returning?"

"There are so many immortals, covering the sky!"

Heng Jun once again sliced the great curtain with the Feather Transformation Banner, sending two groups of people. The first group of six headed towards Pingcheng to negotiate with high-ranking officials, seeking a detailed discussion.

The second group, consisting of eighteen experts and direct disciples of Heng Jun, immediately dispersed upon crossing. Some headed to Mount Kunlun, some to the Earth's core, others to the Qin Mountains, and some went straight out to sea...

Chen Yongjie informed Wang Xuan promptly, "The beings from beyond the curtain are here, in two groups, all at the initial stage of carefree wandering. This changes everything, breaking the balance."

The first group, responsible for negotiations, was very assertive. After visiting Pingcheng, they toured other places, meeting several important figures without showing any signs of friendliness.

"What did they discuss? You'd better avoid them and not become a target," Wang Xuan warned, sensing the gravity of the situation. The emergence of beings at the carefree wandering stage put immense pressure on him.

When the great curtain shrouded the sky, Wang Xuan also saw it, clearly the work of the Feather Transformation Banner, preserving the strength of the immortals to the maximum extent as they crossed realms.

"Their demands are quite extensive. They want access to historical records and county annals from various eras, as if they're searching for something specific," Chen Yongjie shared with immense pressure. Facing beings of the carefree wandering stage, he felt outmatched.

Back in Ancheng with Qingmu, Wang Xuan received various reports, painting a rather grim picture of the situation. Despite Earth seemingly being picked clean, what were those people searching for? The supreme being wielding the Feather Transformation Banner seemed fixated on something, hinting at untold secrets still buried within Earth.

"Where exactly are they searching? Now that they have physical forms, can't the heavenly eye detect them?" Wang Xuan inquired.

"At a time like this, are you thinking of snatching treasures from the tiger's mouth? Don't even think about it!" Chen Yongjie warned, but he still disclosed the locations of those people.

Wang Xuan noted the places mentioned, like Mount Kunlun, Qinling Mountains, and Qingcheng Mountain. When Qingcheng Mountain was mentioned, something clicked in his mind. Regardless of its usefulness, he decided to retrieve a certain item first.

"Qingmu, what about that strange artifact I dug up in Qingcheng Mountain? Have you deciphered it yet?"

That was Wang Xuan's first adventure, where he obtained two mysterious items. One was a five-page golden book, suspected to be a physical cultivation method passed down from Zhang Daoling, the founder of a Taoist lineage. The other was a more enigmatic silver animal hide scroll, found in a secret underground palace beneath the golden book.

At that site, a transcendentally meditating figure, with bright hair, rosy cheeks, and star-like eyes, disintegrated into dust as someone approached. All who touched the site turned into blood mist, leaving only the faintly glowing silver animal hide book.

Even then, they speculated that an animal hide book capable of engrossing a transcendent figure to such an extent must have an extraordinary origin.

The transcendent figure, completely engrossed in the silver scriptural scroll, seemed to forget even his impending transcendence. His eyes were fixed only on the silver book, and it was uncertain whether his spirit ultimately entered the great curtain.

"That artifact, it's crucial now?" Qingmu was surprised.

"I'm not sure, but it's better to secure it first. Did you get any results from deciphering it? Any chance of a leak?" Wang Xuan inquired.

"No results. That tadpole script, those ghostly symbols, no one recognizes them," Qingmu replied helplessly. He reassured, "Don't worry, I didn't show the entire animal hide to them. I separated each character and copied them onto other papers for study."

"That's good!" Wang Xuan nodded in approval.

Efficient as always, Qingmu soon personally brought back the silver animal hide book for Wang Xuan to study.

"I don't recognize a single character. What era's creation is this?" Wang Xuan sighed. Despite his experience with various unique scripts, he was clueless about this one. Importantly, the silver animal hide had no imprints or clues.

As a transcendent being, Wang Xuan resonated with spiritual imprints of texts like the Pre-Qin golden bamboo slips or the five-colored jade book. But this silver hide, enduring for thousands of years and still glowing faintly, remained silent and enigmatic.

Wang Xuan examined it thoroughly, even attempting to tear it open to inspect the interior, to no avail. It was incredibly sturdy. Observing with his spiritual eye, he found nothing unusual inside.

In a moment of experimentation, Wang Xuan managed to incorporate the silver animal hide into his inner realm. This startled him, as very few items could be brought into this realm—each one a top-tier treasure, like his God-Slaying Banner or the old clock family's Reincarnation Pool.

He summoned the God-Slaying Banner, already within his inner realm, and placed it alongside the silver hide for comparison, contemplating their materials and origins.