The Stars Beyond

Chapter 360: The Ancestors Have Arrived

The desolate desert gradually became lively. Not only were demon cultivators like the Blood God Ape searching for the Garden of Ancient Herbs, but members of other major factions were also involved.

"Am I seeing things? Who are those over there, and what are they doing? Why are those three big men...... dancing?" Someone stopped and gazed into the distance.

"Am I not mistaken? Is that Wang Xuan? What is he doing, covered in blood? It's so pitiful. Is he drunk?" said the person that was staring.

"The focus isn't on him. It's that man in the modern casual clothes. Take a closer look, doesn't he resemble the legendary Patriarch Zhang?" replied the other person.

"Oh my god!" exclaimed someone, slapping himself just to make sure that it was not his illusion. After the slap it was confirmed that it wasn't an illusion but indeed Old Zhang himself that was dancing by the flame!

This was truly bizarre. They couldn’t believe it was the awe-inspiring and earth-shattering legendary Old Zhang that could move even ghosts and gods. As a newcomer, even the Demon Ancestor was wary, afraid of being inadvertently taken away by him! However, at this moment, what was Old Zhang doing? Together with two other men, they were dancing In broad daylight, under the public gaze!

These demon cultivators were without spiritual eyes, they couldn't see the Evil Spirits at all. They only saw Old Zhang with a stiff face, gracefully moving his body. Surprisingly, the movements of those with great abilities were smooth, elegant, and full of charm. He exuded a masculine beauty.

"You lot, come over here and watch me dance. Maybe you'll enlighten and ascend like a feather to become immortal?" said Old Zhang, calling for those people to come over. He was remarkably composed, displaying social prowess and was always taking the lead.

Then, with a few clangs, he erased their entire memories by using a rusty bronze mirror on them. Finally releasing them after they were hypnotized. This was a dark chapter in the history of Patriarch Zhang, which he certainly wouldn't allow people to spread rumors about. Anyone passing by here would receive a gift of a rusty bronze mirror from him.

Even the beautiful female cultivators were no exception. With that, several bewildered maidens emerged from the desert. They were touching the bruised and bloody wounds on their fair foreheads, feeling a bit puzzled about the situation.

"Old Zhang, you've already done it to sixteen demon cultivators and twenty-one human cultivators, especially with twelve beautiful fairy-like women. Your attacks on them were particularly severe," said Wang Xuan.

At that moment, he was dancing around the flame. He was reciting scriptures and discussing Tao with those Evil Spirits, and unexpectedly he gained tremendous benefits!

"The female immortals are sentimental, they’re all good people. I'm afraid I couldn't completely erase their memories of me, so I gave them a little extra care," replied Old Zhang.

Chen Yongjie was speechless.

They were being praised so much by you, yet they ended up getting beaten more?

They gathered here to discuss scriptures and exchange insights through profound passages. The higher the value of the scriptures that were recited, the greater the benefits they received. Wang Xuan was illuminated by the Evil Flame, and the cracking sound of bones were heard as they regenerated!

"How about it, isn't my supreme scripture truly worthy of its name? All things are external influences, and in this world, there is only one person. All immortals, all ages, everything from the vast expanse of the starry sky to the tiny specks of dust, down to the microscopic world, are the thoughts of one person spreading. There is nothing else in this world besides me. And my state is very special. At this moment, I might just be a corpse under the frozen soil, or perhaps a flower that is blooming brilliantly in the sea of ??time. Are you moved to tears? Have you discovered the true meaning of my existence? Where will I go from now on?" asked Wang Xuan.

Old Zhang raised the bronze mirror in his hand, intending to give him a hit on the forehead. However, he ultimately put down the mirror and continued to study the scripture. He was quite engrossed in it. Although he also thought the original author might have been mentally ill, he believed that there were indeed profound meanings hidden within.

"Come on, let's make an exchange. Give me the talismans!" Wang Xuan said, handing the latter half of the scripture to Old Zhang.

He really wanted to see the result of Zhang Daoling's training. He wanted to know whether it was successful or did it make him get a mental illness, or perhaps losing oneself. Old Zhang pondered for a moment, not denying it. He used the mirror to shine on Wang Xuan's palm, leaving behind a complex mark, which was the Mirror Light talisman. Then, he carved a Yang Ping Seal talisman on Wang Xuan's chest and a Dragon-tiger Sword talisman on his back. At critical moments, these will be the trump cards. A sudden strike with these against a formidable opponent might instantly change the course of the battle.

"You're a man of your word. Give him a talisman too. Although the mysterious man wearing the silver mask is mainly targeting me but in a desperate situation, Chen Yongjie might unexpectedly be able to kill him!" said Wang Xuan.

"Alright." Old Zhang nodded, adding another talisman. It wasn't a big deal to carve a complex mark on Chen Yongjie's forehead.

Looking at the shape of the mark, it resembled a mountain that exuded an aura that seemed to hold the heavens and earth. It looked like it contained astonishing power. Soon, it subsided and disappeared without a trace.

The Evil Queen was very enthusiastic, pulling Wang Xuan to dance. It made him both nervous and helpless, he was afraid that she would devour his spirit. Because of her formidable strength, it would be difficult to fight her. Old Zhang hinted to him to cooperate well, otherwise, he probably couldn't save him if something went wrong. It was obvious that the Evil Queen was on par with the transcendent experts of the Great Veil, and Zhang Daoling might not necessarily be able to deal with her.

Wang Xuan recited the scripture left by the severely mentally ill author to the Evil Queen. It made her ecstatic, she became even more youthful and beautiful. Once again, she pulled Wang Xuan into the fire pit to dance. Wang Xuan really wanted to run away. Those three pale faces were staring at him, drooling.

Were they planning to devour him?

However, within the fire pit, a strange substance rose. It was a substance that was close to the truth. It greatly benefited his healing, and even enabled him to break through! During this period, his bones kept cracking, and it regenerated constantly. His marrow emitted brilliant light, and it became even more active than before.

Chen Yongjie mastered various religious scriptures. He chanted constantly, while also being surrounded by evil spirits. Dancing awkwardly by the flame, both his body and spirit recovered rapidly. This didn't seem like a bad thing at that moment. Both of them were recuperating, and accumulating the scriptures of the Three Evil Flames. They were reaping immense benefits from each other's chanting, and was being inspired. This was the remnant firelight of an extinct mythological civilization. It contained scriptures that needed to be deeply explored. The scriptures could shake the heavens and earth, as they were supreme scriptures.

As Wang Xuan danced and danced, he was unexpectedly sitting cross-legged in the fire pit, letting the flames pass over his body. He was silent, as he was immersed in the scriptures that were falling all around him. He cherished this opportunity greatly. If the future transcendent was destined to perish, leaving no myths behind, this might be the only few chances to draw from various classics again.

The reason why Old Chen and him frantically enter various secret repositories in the New World was so that they could find a way out with the vast amount of scriptures during the cold season, after the collapse of future transcendent. At this current stage, it didn't matter if he understood the scriptures or not. He would make note of it first and ponder upon it in the future, spending his lifetime comprehending it.

After sitting cross-legged for a while, he got up again and danced with the evil spirits while looking at the falling scriptures in the sky. The words and languages were different, but they resonated on a spiritual level. Suddenly, an ethereal figure in white stood in the distance, as if it was about to ride the wind. With extraordinary grace, her green hair fluttered and her beautiful eyes sparkled. She revealed a look of surprise.

Old Zhang thought about smacking her with the bronze mirror, but after seeing who it was, he silently turned away. He felt utterly embarrassed to be seen by someone of the same level. If this news reached the ears of the Demon Ancestor, Qi Teng, Hades Blood, and others, it would become common knowledge among the transcendent circle. He couldn't bear the shame of being recognized by them.

"Maiden!" Wang Xuan greeted enthusiastically. His call angered Old Zhang, who then used the bronze mirror to smack him. If it had hit, three big stars would have likely appeared on top of Wang Xuan’s head! At the critical moment, the Evil Queen blocked him, causing the bronze mirror to miss its mark. Old Zhang ended up sitting cross-legged in the flame, discussing the matter with a white and ghastly face.

Fang Yuzhu first seemed lost in thought, then smiled lightly. With graceful steps, she left behind a beautiful silhouette, and then disappeared with an ethereal trail.

"Senior, it's nothing. Didn't the scripture say it? In this world, there is only one true self. As long as you're not embarrassed, even if all the world's transcendent experts look at you with strange eyes, what's there to fear?" Chen Yongjie comforted Old Zhang.

Clang!

He took a hit on his forehead from the bronze mirror, and was knocked down by the side of the Three Evil Flames. He was dazed for quite some time.

After a day and a night, Wang Xuan's injuries were completely healed, and it was the same for Chen Yongjie. They had nearly memorized the scriptures and gained immensely from the experience! Then, they went away with the permission of the evil spirits and they did pursue them. However, it was Old Zhang who was pulled along to continue discussing Tao.

"What civilization do you belong to? What significance is there in lingering in the form of the Evil Spirit since your civilization has already vanished? Let me depart." Old Zhang said.

He didn't expect a response from the evil spirit because evil spirits and present-day humans couldn’t have normal communication. They only recited scriptures and discussed Tao across time and space. It was as if sitting at opposite ends of the sea of time, each saying their own words.

"I am your ancestor, and this place is where your ancestors reside," the Evil Queen spoke, sighing softly. Surprisingly, she responded to him.

Old Zhang almost lost his temper.

She was the ancestor of who?

But he held back. In the end, his expression became serious. This Evil Queen was quite formidable, as she could even communicate like this.

Zhang Daoling fell silent for a moment before saying, "In this era, myths reappear like fleeting flowers, only to wither rapidly after their brief beauty. We still haven't found a way to deal with it. Do you have any important insights to offer future generations?"

"Civilizations migrate, leaving behind only remnants of myths. We set out in our prime, wielding the Sword of Mortals. We cut through obstacles, hoping to find the land where myths endure. But in the end, we returned in tears, the transcendence proved false. It was indeed a brief anomaly. Compared to the vast universe, its existence was but a moment. We were weary after we learned the truth. We shed blood, and fell, returning to our homeland. We exhausted the time of myth, and we had no way out. The universe will balance itself, reality is cruel indeed. Myths are meant to rise and fall naturally, but we sought too much. In the end, we burned all the scriptures and artifacts, letting the myths dissipate. We embraced ordinary lives, and returned to normalcy......"

Old Zhang was speechless. Rather than calling it a conversation with the Evil Queen, it was more like a summary of the dissolution of the mythological world they inhabited. However, they still harbored reluctance. Otherwise, why would they become evil spirits and continue to discuss scriptures with the newcomers? This was the obsession of the departed spirits of a mythological civilization.

Wang Xuan and Chen Yongjie had their bones healed, organs restored, and spirits rejuvenated. How, their bodies were as strong as tigers. They felt capable of tearing apart the Demon ancestor, well...... almost. But after calming down, they accepted the harsh reality again.

"Sighh, even if we can tear apart Qi Lian Dao and Qi Cheng Dao, we are still inadequate to face true top-tier experts!" Wang Xuan reflected, he was unable to help but sigh.

He had been nearly blasted apart by the person wearing the silver mask, and even now he was still furrowing his brow as he had no solution in sight. The disparity in strength was evident, and there was no way to change it.

The two searched for the female Taoist, but after circling the desert for a long time, they found no trace of her. In the end, they never went far away and could only reluctantly walk around the Three Evil Flame.

"Old Zhang is trapped and can't come out from there for the time being." said Wang Xuan.

"There are more and more transcendents in the desert, which means many people know about the legend of the Garden of Ancient Herbs and are searching for it. We can't just stand idly by." replied Old Cheng.

Three days later, the two were astonished to find that many people had arrived at the edge of the vast desert, near the area close to the spiritual world. From demonic cultivators to human cultivators, they represented various major factions.

"This is a holy land for cultivation!" an elderly cultivator exclaimed. Even some old folks had come.

Reaching the realm of transcendence and approaching the spiritual world was extremely difficult, it was almost impossible for many people. People like Wang Xuan and Chen Yongjie, who had witnessed extraordinary scenes in the mortal world early on and captured glimpses of the first layer of the spiritual world, were extremely rare.

However, in this place, you could approach that mysterious realm regardless of the depth of your cultivation. It was a magnificent world manifested by spiritual power. Moreover, it was difficult to define which layer of the spiritual world this place belonged to. Any transcendent could slowly walk towards the edge and gradually adapt to it. They could nurture and baptize their spirit here. Ahead, the scenery was clear, with a vast lake that steamed with spiritual energy. There were towering peaks, and divine waterfalls cascading like galaxies falling from the sky. There were also glimpses of heavenly herbs and medicinal plants in the clouds.

"Incredible," Wang Xuan marveled, "Is this a world belonging to the spiritual realm?"

In the distance, some people were discussing, saying, "Demon Four has entered, rushing straight into this spiritual world in haste, just like the sign of a legend."

"What legend?" someone asked in confusion.

"During ancient times, the Demon Clan of Demon Four, was the orthodox lineage in the demonic path. The current Demon Ancestor is from another branch. Unfortunately, the former orthodox Demon Emperor wanted to return to the real world during ancient times. He used the spiritual realm as a passage, but there was no news of him after that......" said one of the people.

Upon hearing this, everyone gasped in shock.

The person continued, "It's not just Demon Four. It's rumored that the Demon Ancestor might have entered first. Could it be that they're looking for the remains of the Demon Emperor?"

People began discussing fervently.

However, someone shook their head and said, "You're overthinking it. The Demon Ancestor didn't manifest to support the orthodox lineage of the demonic path. He's probably searching for other important opportunities. I've heard that even the Hades Blood Ancestor has entered!"

"No way, two transcendent figures have come?" exclaimed the person.

"There are more than two. Some have witnessed the appearance of the Transcendent Ancestor, Qi Teng. His transcendent form vanished in an instant!" one of them replied.

"It seems there's something peculiar about this spiritual realm. Now that figures like them are showing up, they must be exploring it for one last time!" exclaimed the person.

......

......

Far away, Wang Xuan and Chen Yongjie looked solemn. The incarnations of transcendent figures had appeared, and it's not just one. This was becoming absurd! This place was difficult for physical bodies to enter. Although not impossible, bringing your physical body in would undoubtedly become a burden. Wang Xuan tried it out and was astonished, then delighted. It seemed that the power of the Godslaying Banner in this world had skyrocketed!