The Stars Beyond

Chapter 335: Hostilities On Old Wang

Amongst the gathering were beings strange and mystical, demons and immortals, humans and specters, each showcasing their prowess. The air was thick with a tension that wove through the void like a dense fog of killing intent, not exactly fostering a harmonious atmosphere. Small spacecraft densely packed this segment of outer space. To single-handedly challenge an era, to face all beings that have emerged from behind the grand curtain—was such a feat conceivable for Wang Xuan? He harbored no desire for such madness. Observing from a distance, remaining detached from the fray, would suit him best.

If there was no need to engage, he would refrain; seizing advantages without bloodshed was always the preferable strategy. Moreover, with so many poised to hunt down a single target, who could possibly carve a path through alone? Among them lurked entities capable of breaching boundaries, armed with curious treasures or even the true blood of unparalleled beings.

"To stand against three thousand foes alone? Further ascension is required."

Though reluctant to charge blindly into the midst of enemies, his spirit remained unyieldingly strong. Stepping out from his small spacecraft, Wang Xuan faced forward. Here, in outer space, an ordinary person would succumb to the vast differences in internal and external pressures, leading to blood spewing and various injuries before being frozen by the extreme cold.

Ahead, a multitude of figures looked his way, all formidable transcendent beings. Among them were renowned immortals and demons, now "downgraded" to traverse between realms. What does it mean to hold presence? Wang Xuan, alone against a host of powerful figures, captured everyone's attention. This was what one might call "the center of attention."

Everyone awaited his arrival with "anticipation," whether for reasons positive or negative, he seemed to be encircled by a "halo" of significance.

"Who are you?" a large, bearded young man asked with a hostile gaze, finding Wang Xuan's solitary stance particularly irksome.

"Wasted anticipation, thought the main event had arrived," a woman clad in partial armor, revealing her slender waist, expressed her impatience with a wave of her hand, motioning for Wang Xuan to move aside.

"I am Wu Chengsheng," Wang Xuan introduced himself to those around him. At this moment, he was clad in heavy armor, his stature tall and muscular, his face completely transformed to resemble a valiant ancient general, wielding a dark longsword. Aware of the inevitable siege, he had prepared accordingly, ensuring he wouldn't immediately become a target upon his arrival. Thus, he adopted the identity of Wu Chengsheng.

During his time in the New World, especially in Old Zhong's study, he had acquired a plethora of scriptures and understood numerous secret techniques. Now, he had altered his physical form, crucially employing the soul secret techniques from the golden bamboo scrolls to construct a virtual soul, completely altering his spiritual aura. This also involved the application of the Soul Coffin Technique from Old Zhong's study, concealing his originally overpowering spiritual mark, lying dormant deep within the virtual spirit body.

"Just at the sixth level, and you dare to come here? Move aside and don't block the way!" someone scolded, clearly finding him disagreeable. Communication in outer space was conducted through spiritual exchange.

"I thought the big shot Wang Xuan had arrived. We've been waiting for a long time. Truly, it's no wonder he's a giant who left his name on the new oath, yet he hasn't shown up until now," a red-haired young man commented sarcastically, holding a nine-tiered pagoda that radiated a faint glow, permeated with supermaterial essence. He was indeed powerful, having "broken the ceiling."

Wang Xuan was on alert; the individuals arriving this time were extraordinary. Anyone randomly picked from the crowd was formidable, likely including the illegitimate offspring of ancient true immortals and disciples of demon saints, among others.

"If he really shows up, I'll beat the crap out of him!" a scar-faced man declared, wielding a bone banner with a malevolent aura.

"How vulgar!" A female transcendent being expressed her disdain for his crude language.

Many nearby shared her sentiment. As a descendant of immortals and demons, his lack of refinement was akin to that of a barbarian. Wang Xuan nearly lost his composure. Had he offended them in any way? Such derogatory remarks ensured he would remember this individual, vowing to not rest until he was defeated.

At this moment, Chen Yongjie was hiding among the crowd, having also disguised himself. He was chuckling underhandedly, knowing full well the true identity of the person being ridiculed as Wang Xuan, yet he could only watch without being able to intervene.

"A transcendent being from the human world, merely fortunate enough to be born in the right era and stumble upon the Slaying God Banner. What gives him the right to leave his name on the golden scroll? His cultivation is so meager, he hasn't even reached the Freedom of Travel, yet he has the audacity to sign the new oath alongside us. It's disgraceful!" A purple-haired woman spoke up. Her figure was enveloped in immortal mist, her arms wrapped in celestial silk. Her face was pretty but marred by a scowl of disdain for Wang Xuan's involvement in drafting the new oath.

This sentiment was shared by many who felt slighted. Back in their realms beyond the veil, weren't they all beings who had transcended the Freedom of Travel? Many among them had reached the celestial level of cultivation, yet now they were expected to adhere to a covenant partly shaped by a mere mortal cultivator.

"The moment he dares to show himself, I'll be the first to kill him!" declared a young man with white hair, not from age but by nature, as he casually waved a fan depicting majestic landscapes. Another being who had broken through the ceiling, his statement made Wang Xuan clench his fists in anger and caution. These outspoken individuals were all asking for a confrontation.

"I'm curious, once 'the great Wang Xuan' is slain, will his name still need to remain on the golden scroll? Let's see who ends up embarrassed. Why should his signature be there?!" A refined-looking man in a blue robe commented, his tone devoid of any calmness, eagerly anticipating the spectacle of Wang Xuan's downfall.

Many harbored thoughts of eliminating Wang Xuan, intrigued by the potential disruption to the roster of the new oath, harboring malice towards the agreement itself.

Not far away, the Blood God Ape, with its three heads and six arms covered in red fur, each head crowned with a divine halo, smirked without uttering a word.

Qi Chengdao and Mingxi stood side by side, exuding a transcendent aura. He, in his unstained white attire, and she, in her celestial long dress, were both striking and graceful.

Behind them, one of Qi Chengdao's maids remarked, "It seems many are eager to kill him. My lord's intent to subdue him and seize the Slaying God Banner might meet considerable resistance."

"Approach me; I wish to see you more clearly," a voice softly called out, breaking the tense silence. The speaker was a slender youth with an air of delicacy about him, his smile gentle yet carrying an undercurrent of sharpness. His appearance belied his reputation as the formidable fourth-generation core of demonic cultivators, a figure destined, perhaps, to ascend to the throne of Demonic Sovereign.

Wang Xuan, now merely another face in the crowd under his guise, tensed. Could his disguise be so easily penetrated? The youth, known as Mo Si among the circles of demonic cultivation, had a reputation for his acute perceptions. Mo Si's suspicion, however slight, stemmed from his familiarity with the Soul Coffin Technique, which Wang Xuan had adapted for his disguise, stirring a sense of unease in him.

"Is he here?" whispered a voice among the descendants of celestial beings, as a spacecraft loomed into view, signaling its arrival without revealing its occupant. The surrounding area, filled with small crafts, buzzed as the message was received, projecting Wang Xuan's image across their screens.

"To be the focus of such anticipation, how flattering. There's no need for such formalities; disperse and seek your fortunes within the Divine Garden," Wang Xuan's image declared from the spacecraft, embodying confidence and authority, as though he were accustomed to commanding the heavens and the earth.

In reality, this was Qingmu's doing, opting not to approach but to observe from afar, orchestrating the moment.

The response was immediate and icy. The inherent hostility toward him, now coupled with his presumptuous demeanor, only fueled their disdain. Did he truly see himself as "Lord Wang," deserving of such deference?

"The audacity to speak so boldly will be your downfall. You won't even see it coming," came a cold retort, a threat veiled thinly in the promise of violence.

And then, some began to initiate their crafts, ready to converge on him in a direct assault.

Wang Xuan inwardly sighed. It seemed he could no longer maintain his stance as a detached observer. Resigned to the unfolding drama, he prepared to step into the role laid out for him.

"Wang Xuan, what gives you the right to speak thus? Step forward, and I shall end you with but a single hand," bellowed the Blood God Ape, his voice cutting through the tension. Known for his lineage to the demonic sovereign and his unyielding nature, his declaration sent ripples through the crowd, marking the beginning of an inevitable confrontation.

On the large screen, Qingmu, impersonating Wang Xuan, spoke with chilling confidence, "So many of you are conspiring against me? As you wish, I will become what you desire me to be!" With a confident smile, he added, "So what if I face the world alone?"

His bold proclamation stunned many. In this gathering, who else would dare claim the ability to stand alone against the collective might arrayed before them?

"Ha, 'Great Wang Xuan,' you must be out of your mind to utter such words!" mocked the purple-haired woman, her celestial bindings glowing as she sneered, deeming him as courting his own doom.

"Some people are too reckless and unrealistic, offending everyone and still daring to claim a spot on the golden scroll? Death is too kind for him; he should be eliminated!" voiced someone, not moving personally but signaling their followers to take action against Wang Xuan.

"Then, as you wish, today, what does it matter if I sweep through three thousand foes?!" Qingmu, as Wang Xuan, stood tall behind the screen, hands clasped behind his back, overlooking all with a commanding gaze.

As some small spacecrafts surged forward in attack, the figure of Wang Xuan, as portrayed by Qingmu, dramatically swung his right hand down, uttering a deep and forceful "Kill!"

On the dark side of the moon, a massive battleship emerged, its vast silhouette floating ominously, cold and intimidating.

Boom!

A terrifying beam burst forth, the battleship opening fire and instantly obliterating several small spacecrafts near the nine hazy gateways, especially those that had just launched their assault. They exploded in flames, lighting up the sky.

Undoubtedly, even the descendants of celestial beings, offspring of demon gods, and other formidable experts couldn't withstand such power, their physical forms disintegrating in the onslaught.

Certainly, there were those with incredibly sharp senses who, anticipating danger, dashed away early, narrowly escaping disaster.

The crowd felt a chill down their spine, as if death itself had targeted them. In an instant, everyone surged toward the nine ancient gateways suspended in the void, seeking refuge from the horrific explosion. The scene was gruesome, with the flesh and blood of celestial beings and demons scattered, limbs flying, and even the heads of beautiful women plummeting to their doom.

"This is... against the rules. Our battle should be limited to the transcendent!" cried someone in shock and rage, fleeing in utter disarray.

Wang Xuan's heart skipped a beat, thinking to himself that, although this was part of the plan, Qingmu should tread lightly, especially with his master among the crowd, lest he inadvertently cause harm.

"You have your swords for battle, and I have my battleship. In this mortal realm, you don't make all the rules; this is one of my secret treasures!" Qingmu, as Wang Xuan, spoke calmly.

The void was filled with blood mist and drifting limbs. Standing before the large screen, Qingmu's portrayal of Wang Xuan was like a mighty tiger, his gaze commanding over all.

His eyes deep and imposing, he truly resembled a great demon lord, indifferent and imposing, declaring, "As you wished, you have forced me into becoming the figure you wanted to see. The Great Wang Xuan facing the world alone shall not be hindered!"