The Stars Beyond

Chapter 381: The Ancients

Wang Xuan arrived, but he didn't approach the Blood Moon closely. Using the Slash God Banner, he resisted the green light of the vine ladder and stabilized the void around him.

"Without celestial medicine, supreme scriptures, or unparalleled treasures, you might as well chop yourself up and throw yourself down," he provocatively declared with brutal simplicity.

At this point, there was no need for nuanced tactics. Not far away, Fang Yuzhu was in hiding, with "two great powers" ready to invade the crimson aura at any moment. Although Wang Xuan acknowledged his own shortcomings and the journey ahead, he believed that together, they could match the combined strength of the other two great powers.

"Life demands confidence, not undue self-diminishment," he mused, holding onto this belief.

Zhang Daoling and Mingxue arrived, their interest piqued at the sight of the Peng egg in Wang Xuan's hand—a true delicacy indeed.

"We're late. A pure-blood Peng egg? To think they'd be generous enough to throw such treasures out. It's been years since I've tasted such a flavor. Seems the landlord still has surplus," they noted, resolved to raid this questionable domain. After all, even the descendants of the weasel clan were striving hard; as venerable teachers, they saw no reason for complacency. Confronting adversaries and formidable forces was only right.

Wang Xuan, steadfastly refusing to ascend to the moon, taunted from afar, now alarmingly close to the giant, eyeball-like red sphere that oscillated provocatively.

"Come on, Tianyuan Wang Xuan is here, ready for a counter-fishing battle! Come on, if you dare, try to fish me up!" His defiance was palpable as he occasionally jabbed at the crimson halo at the moon's edge with the Slash God Banner.

Having flown here, he was certain this wasn't the true moon; the real moon was obscured by the Blood Moon and its super-material.

Suddenly, the Blood Moon erupted, tidal forces surged, and vast expanses of red halo expanded, enveloping Wang Xuan like red waves

The Blood Moon devoured, with dense blood-thread patterns interweaving and bursting into crimson glows, pulling him in despite the resistance from the Slash God Banner. This was, after all, a confrontation with the high-end powers of the Departed Realm, beyond Wang Xuan's current ability to withstand up close.

Once entangled by the vine ladder adorned with verdant leaves, all external substances were retracted, blurring the surroundings as the eerie lunar aura began to fade.

Finally, Wang Xuan was fully drawn in, stepping into such a realm for the first time, uncertain if the entity that previously attempted to fish him was present.

This moon, not particularly large, radiated power, bathed in a pale red hue and enshrouded in thin, crimson mists, casting an indistinct atmosphere.

There stood a figure in a straw raincoat and hat, motionless, back turned, holding a fishing rod in utter silence.

"Xu..." Wang Xuan almost exclaimed, noting the attire reminiscent of Xu Fu's, yet clearly different in temperament.

"Who are you, and why fish for me?" Wang Xuan asked, furrowing his brows, "Was it you last time?"

"Acting on someone's behalf, our first encounter," the figure spoke without turning, his voice that of a middle-aged man, emitting a powerful aura that made Wang Xuan wonder if he faced a peerless entity.

Facing this individual, Wang Xuan felt no less pressure than against Zheng Yuan's incarnation, the figure emanating a faint white light that turned the straw raincoat silver.

"It wasn't you last time, correct, that was a creature from the true moon. This Blood Moon is but a void of energy radiation, belonging to a spiritual lunar aura. Are you commanded? What was that creature last time, and what's your story? Do you know Xu Fu?" Wang Xuan bombarded with questions, unabashedly inquiring, unfazed by the figure.

The man, cloaked in silver light, turned, his hat shadowing his face, coolly and calmly stating, "You sure ask a lot of questions."

His gaze fixed on Wang Xuan, the young man designated for capture, evidently finding him disagreeable for lacking the awareness and reverence expected of a captive.

"According to rumors, your cultivation has indeed grown rapidly, and you are not without your issues, no wonder you've caught attention," he spoke again.

Wang Xuan, though annoyed, didn't want to immediately turn hostile, aiming to glean more information, "Caught attention, so that's why I was fished? How absurd and laughable! Couldn't I be invited instead? Who exactly is 'he'?"

Outside, Zhang Daoling showed a look of surprise, "It seems he's aware of recent events and has ties with people in the Great Veil? How else could he so coincidentally target Wang Xuan?"

"I feel... he seems familiar!" Mingxue the Underworld Master said gravely, comparing him to someone from his memory, yet finding it hard to believe.

"Who? I don't find him familiar at all," Zhang Daoling inquired, both of them nearing the Blood Moon, ready to force their way in at any moment.

Mingxue remained calm, with a light demeanor, "That was before your time."

"Me!" Zhang Daoling turned, tempted to strike hard for once, irritated by Mingxue's tone.

"We elders have lived through much," Mingxue spoke softly, adding, "If it is that person, then it's truly terrifying."

Zhang Daoling couldn't stand him, feeling demeaned, and glared, waiting to see if Mingxue could maintain his composure.

"This could be a person from ancient times, a peerless powerhouse!" Mingxue whispered, yet unsure, continuing to observe.

Zhang Daoling was moved, serious for the first time, "An ancient mythic powerhouse?"

He knew the last glories of the ancients were ended by Fang Yuzhu's hand; not to mention the earlier years, in the final battle, she single-handedly killed two ancient demon emperors and two human ancients, burying that era and initiating the subsequent mythological age.

An ancient colossus here? Zhang Daoling grew curious about the identity.

"You talk too much, which is tiresome and shortens lifespan. Someone fishing for you signifies their high regard, a reason for your pride," the silver-clad man stated.

Wang Xuan, seeing no specifics forthcoming, retorted without deference, "Whether that creature is human or ghost, I don't know. But what is he? Using a fishing hook on me as if I'm a mere fish to be kept at his pleasure? Sooner or later, I'll chop him up!"

"Fishing a little wild fish, what of it? Pengs and dragons alike, all have been fished, and I've grown weary of it," the man cloaked in silver light spoke, glancing at the Peng egg in Wang Xuan's hand.

Wang Xuan's expression turned icy. It seemed the power of the Departed Realm was unimaginably formidable, terrifying even, considering pure-blooded dragons and Pengs as mere prey.

He retorted coldly, "How my future unfolds is not for you to foresee. On the contrary, it's you who teeter on the brink. I see no future for you."

"Indeed, you're remarkable, growing swiftly. But in this era, even the Departed Realm struggles for survival, let alone you? Doomed to perish young!"

The man in the straw raincoat advanced, slowly raising his hand towards Wang Xuan, intending to take the captive away, losing patience.

As he lifted his hand, a beam of white light, like a crescent moon slash, seemed to slice through the space irradiated by the Blood Moon. The void twisted, blurred, terrifyingly.

With just a gesture, he aimed to bind Wang Xuan in twisted space, clamping him in a void shackle.

Wang Xuan was overwhelmed, facing an incredibly powerful supreme being.

Given the constraints post the collapse of the extraordinary in the real world, this individual could not manifest his ultimate divine might.

Wang Xuan brandished the great flag in his hand, booming as he unleashed a vast expanse of golden light in the highly radiated area. The Slash God Flag demonstrated immense power, crashing forward like a massive wave.

Another figure intervened, as a surge of blood-red waves rose. Mingxue, the Underworld Master, appeared, countering the white light emitted from the man in the straw raincoat.

"White Night Demon Emperor, it truly is you!" Mingxue exclaimed, staggering back a few steps.

"So, it was you lurking outside, little one Mingxue," the man identified as the White Night Demon Emperor spoke indifferently.

Zhang Daoling, initially striding in with the poise of a peerless master, struggled to maintain his composure upon hearing the address to Mingxue. If Mingxue was considered a "little one," then his own status as a "rising star" seemed even more diminished.

Indeed, the White Night Demon Emperor, casting a glance at Zhang Daoling, remarked, "And who might this young lad be? Quite formidable, a top-tier among the supreme beings."

Zhang Daoling internally lamented his apparent demotion, wondering when was the last time he was addressed in such a manner. Showing his displeasure, he retorted, "Don't act so high and mighty just because you're older. I've slain supreme beings of your caliber before!"

The man beneath the straw raincoat removed his hat, revealing his true face - a distinguished middle-aged man with silver hair and eyes sharp with vitality. However, it was clear he wasn't in his true form, but rather manifested from a portion of his soul's light. In his prime, he was a renowned ancient Demon Emperor, a colossal silver wolf who devoured skies and earth, unbeatable, ruling a realm of the Departed Realm for eons.

"Little Mingxue, you intend to stand in my way?" the White Night Demon Emperor inquired.

Mingxue, the Underworld Master, sighed, "It seems the Demon Emperor, despite remaining in touch with the Departed Realm, is not well-informed. Or perhaps someone harbors ill intentions, feeding you outdated information, aiming for your demise."

"What do you mean by that?" White Night asked.

Suddenly, the Blood Moon nearly burst open, and the radiated, strange land started to crumble extensively.

Fang Yuzhu, in her white blouse and slacks, stepped into the Blood Moon. Always gentle, beautiful, and approachable, she now displayed an icy killing intent.

"Fang Yuzhu?!" The White Night Demon Emperor stepped back but quickly steadied himself, his silver pupils emitting intimidating light, mixed with resentment and anger, his silver hair waving dramatically.

For him, the young woman from those years, the newcomer who was his nightmare, the armored lady who single-handedly killed the four supreme beings of their time, was standing before him again in this realm.

"Back then, I killed you four in succession, and only your corpse was never found. So, you really survived, taken away by those from the Departed Realm? Do they also wish for death, to accompany you in your demise?" Fang Yuzhu spoke coldly. Normally dignified and graceful, she seldom showed such fierceness, but now, she was brimming with the intent to kill.

Wang Xuan was also stunned. A protagonist from the battle that ended the ancient mythology, still alive? An ancient Demon Emperor reemerged here?!

Fang Yuzhu, fully armored, resplendent and clanking, pointed forward, and the space around her blurred. With White Night as the focal point, scenes from the past seemed to reenact before them.

As if reliving the final battle of the ancient era, the ground shattered, leaving devastation in its wake. A giant silver wolf was pinned to the earth by four pillars, which turned out to be fragments of a jade hairpin transformed into mountainous spires. They pierced through its skull and soul, shattered its heart, and impaled the wolf, leaving its corpse sprawled across the land.

Beside it lay a colossal golden divine ape, another Demon Emperor, with only half a head remaining. Its golden aura dimmed, and its mountainous body was devoid of life.

Wang Xuan was shocked, feeling the overwhelmingly strong presence of the two Demon Emperors across time and space.

"Do you wish to trace my past?!" White Night Demon Emperor roared as he intervened, attempting to stop Fang Yuzhu from seeing how he was saved by those from the Departed Realm.

"Then die!" Fang Yuzhu advanced, her pale hand pressing down, distorting and blurring the space around her.

White Night Demon Emperor struggled against her, but his body and soul quickly showed cracks, with blood from his soul splattering. Despite being an ancient Demon Emperor, he seemed to be crushed by the heavens themselves, facing an overpowering demise.