The Stars Beyond

Chapter 42: The Return of Old Chen

It was late autumn, the heavy rain caused a large number of yellow leaves in the mountains to fall, exposing the naturally dark appearance of the Great Black Mountain. Rain and fog shrouded the mountain, gradually intensifying its gloomy and mysterious atmosphere.

Wang Xuan rushed into the rain without looking back. The six snipers, experienced and merciless, feared that Wang Xuan would come after them once dealing with the man in black. They made the decision to fire the energy cannon, even if it meant they had to sacrifice the man in black in the process.

These mercenaries were willing to stain their hands with blood for money and goods. It was only natural that they would not hesitate to abandon and kill their employer to ensure their own survival.

After Wang Xuan had dealt with them, he experienced no remorse. Nevertheless, the act of killing people for the first time left him deeply unsettled. In order to relieve this unspeakable emotion, he sprinted through the rain for over five kilometers. Covered in sweat mixed with rainwater, he finally reached a small city.

He gradually slowed down and regulated his breathing, then went shopping. He got himself some new clothes and got rid of his tattered jacket. With an umbrella in hand, he took a walk around the small lake. He contemplated his next moves and the possibilities that awaited him.

Ever since he began practicing Old Arts, his once peaceful life had been disrupted. Unable to undo his past decisions, he was left with no option but to grow stronger and strive for legendary heights on the path of the Old Arts in order to live in peace.

“Qing Mu... T-That guy... actually blocked my number!” Wang Xuan attempted to contact Qing Mu, only to be met with a deadline. It was only at this moment, he realized that Qing Mu had likely blocked his number two days ago. Wang Xuan was at a loss for words, but soon the anger within him erupted. “Qing Mu, you’re next! You won’t be able to escape, no matter what!” he cursed vehemently.

Meanwhile in a certain manor in Terra Nova, Old Chen, dressed in a Taoist priest robe underneath a purple gold monastic robe on top, looked listless. He had an alms bowl in one hand and a fly whisk in the other. Red cinnabar writings were painted on his face, but they failed to hide the heavy dark circles under his eyes. He could not wait any longer for the person he was waiting for. If that person did not show up soon, he would return to Old Earth in a couple of days.

When Black Tiger contacted Qing Mu on the phone and informed him that Little Wang was looking for him, the cigarette between Qing Mu’s fingers slightly trembled along with his hands. He was somewhat reluctant to speak to Wang Xuan.

Shortly after, Kite and Old Mu also contacted him, both telling him that Little Wang was desperately searching for him. Qingmu sighed, realizing he had no choice but to get in touch with Wang Xuan. He wanted to hide for a few days because he had a sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach.

As expected, his call was answered by a resentful voice on the other end of the line. “Old Qing, you’re dead meat. I have a feeling that it’s going to be your turn soon!”

Qing Mu was annoyed and snapped, “Shut up! Are you picking on me again because you’re alone?”

“No, you’re overthinking about it. Something happened on my side!” Wang Xuan quickly recounted the vicious ambush at the Great Black Mountain.

“Old Qing, isn’t our Adventurer’s Guild supposed to be cooperating with the country and semi-official in nature? Yet, I’ve been targeted and ambushed three times in just half a month. Some parties are so audacious that they are treating the Old Earth as if it were their own backyard. Why aren’t you guys taking action against these megacorporations and organizations?!” Even through the phone, Qing Mu could feel Wang Xuan’s anger.

“All right, I’ve heard enough. I’ll arrange someone to take care of this. In the meantime, try to act as if nothing happened and ensure that the lives of your loved ones and friends around you are not disrupted,” Qing Mu assured.

This was precisely what Wang Xuan had hoped to hear. He knew that the discovery or the his report to the authorities about the bodies on the Great Black Mountain would undoubtedly plunge the small city into chaos. He could not bear the thought of his loved ones being impacted by this matter. Therefore, he believed that the Adventurer’s Guild, being semi-official, was the most suitable entity to manage the situation.

Wang Xuan ended the call and went straight home. After taking a shower, he buried his head in his pillow and tried to fall asleep. He was still feeling extremely unsettled and reflected on his emotions. Before drifting off, he organized his thoughts and calmed his mind in an attempt to restore a sense of peace within him.

His mental capacity was strong, given the fact that he was able to delude himself into believing that the horrifying female practitioner from before was a beautiful fairy, singing and dancing in his dreams. Naturally, this resilience quickly helped him to deal with his current problems too.

In the evening, Wang Xuan woke up feeling revitalized and full of energy, dispelling the previous gloom as he faced this matter head-on. From now on, he would approach the future with a completely different mindset.

The sky outside was red, with large rosy clouds that signaled a promising day tomorrow. Wang Xuan’s mood gradually improved, and he sat down to dinner with his parents, his appetite returning with gusto.

Throughout the evening, Wang Xuan enjoyed the company of his parents. It was not until after nine that he finally retired to his room. As he gently tapped his fingers on the desk, he reflected on the day’s events and realized just how dangerous it had been.

The man in black had displayed surprising strength, and his expertise in Old Arts was extraordinary. Wang Xuan had exhausted all his strength, unable to move as he lay on the ground and was nearly shot to death.

“The Inner Landscape... is such an elusive place. There’s no telling when it will appear or disappear.” He sighed. In his desperation, he managed to trigger his Hyper Perceptive State today. It was a stroke of luck that allowed him to escape.

Depending on this particular state during critical moments was simply unwise. Who could guarantee that he would be so fortunate next time?

He had reason to believe that becoming psychologically dependent on triggering his Hyper Perception would ultimately lead to his demise. If he believed there was a possibility of activating this state during a critical moment, would a life and death situation still be considered as such? His subconscious mind and body would definitely think otherwise. Once that happened, it would be a dead end for him. Even having nine lives would not be enough to save him!

Wang Xuan sighed. After experiencing this ordeal, triggerring his Hyper Perception became increasingly difficult. The masters from Early Qin dynasty must have had some conventional methods of entering this state. Unfortunately, all relevant bamboo slips and ancient scrolls had been taken away to Terra Nova. He had no access to the knowledge he sought.

“Perhaps I should start with meditation. In theory, reaching the pinnacle of meditation, known as the Bodhisattva Realm, one can find themselves standing in the vivid moments of emptiness and clarity,” Wang Xuan mused. His current method, entering the Hyper-Perceptive State, could be classified under the Taoist concept of the Celestial Union. Naturally, the Buddhists also had a similar approach.

“Attempting to reach the pinnancle of meditation is quite challenging,” Wang Xuan frowned. Even the so-called holy monks, who dedicated their entire lives to cultivation, would find it difficult to reach such a state. In fact, those who had experienced it were already extinct since the Old Era.

Sunday morning arrived with a clear blue sky, the morning sun casting its warm glow over the small city. Wang Xuan brought gifts to meet his two childhood friends. One received a variety of new model battleships, while the other was presented with exquisite female figurines.

Wang Xuan warned his friends against going near to the Great Black Mountain, informing them of the presence of blind bears in that area and emphasized the importance of keeping a distance for the time being.

“I absolutely adore this Deep Space Battleship model. I've been searching for it everywhere, but it’s always out of stock. Finally, today, I got my hands on it!” Zhao Mo exclaimed with delight. Looking at Lin Xuan, who stood beside him, he could not suppress his urge to mock him and called him a “forever teen”.

Lin Xuan, who was busy arranging the beautiful female figurines in various poses, responded, “A forever teen will retain his youthful spirit until the day he dies. A man like that can appreciate beauty, unlike you. You’re only in your early twenties and you’ve already lost interest in beautiful women. It only shows that you’re an old man trapped in a youthful body. Look at me and Wang Xuan, we perpetually exude youthfulness and constantly revel in beauties that surround us.”

Zhao Mo laughed and replied, “I’ll be getting married in a year and a half. You can go on playing with your figurines. And as for Wang Xuan, well, his aesthetic preferences have already moved beyond figurines. He prefers real women now.”

Both of them then presented Wang Xuan with a cardboard box. Inside it was a brown puppy, the offspring of a mountain guardian dog. They wanted him to take it back to the city and raise it.

Wang Xuan shook his head and declined. “I don’t have the time to take care of it right now. I won’t be able to keep it.”

He recalled raising a spotty dog when he was just eleven or twelve years old. Sadly, it did not live more than six months. Wang Xuan was devastated by its death for days. Since then, he had been too afraid to raise another pet.

Cloud City was a small place. The three friends spent the afternoon walking around after lunch, enjoying each other’s company. Wang Xuan knew he would be leaving this peaceful life behind very soon, so he cherished every moment.

He had a feeling that the day he would depart for Terra Nova was quickly approaching.

......

In the afternoon, Wang Xuan bid farewell to his parents before returning to An City, where he worked. For the next few days, everything was quiet. Wang Xuan spent his days studying the Taoist scriptures, practicing core techniques and physical arts at night. He was pleased by his own productivity.

Wang Xuan reached out to Qing Mu over the phone, expressing his continued concern for his former colleagues. He kindly asked Qing Mu to pass his regards to Old Chen and inquired about Old Chen’s expected return date.

Qing Mu nearly threw his phone away in shock. Earlier in the day, he had received word from an acquaintance in Terra Nova, informing him that Old Chen had requested his assistance in securing accommodation at the ancient temple outside the city. Old Chen intended to stay there for a period of time, hinting at his imminent return.

Qing Mu began to panic a little. It was obvious that Old Chen’s trip to Terra Nova had been futile. Just as Wang Xuan had predicted, Old Chen would eventually come back here.

As Qing Mu pondered Wang Xuan’s warning about him being the next target, a sense of unease washed over him. He couldn’t shake the thought that perhaps Wang Xuan’s words held some truth, like a dark curse hanging over him.

Trying to maintain his composure, Qing Mu shared some news with Wang Xuan. “The man in black is not an ordinary individual. He was once a prominent figure in the world of megacorporations. His name is Sun Chengkun, a scholar and professor. He used to possess great strength, but suffered a serious injury in his forties. His health declined significantly, and his strength diminished. If it wasn’t for this setback, he would be even stronger than he was in his prime.”

Wang Xuan was taken aback by this revelation. The man in black was even stronger than he had imagined. Clearly, he had achieved great things on his journey through the path of Old Arts.

“Now that we have identified him, we must continue the investigation. The fact that he has launched three attacks indicates that his intentions go beyond just targeting me. It is a grave provocation to the Adventurer’s Guild,” Wang Xuan asserted. This matter must not be left unresolved. There had to be a resolution.

The man in black had advised Wang Xuan to endure the attacks as he was no match for the mastermind behind it all. While Wang Xuan was able to withstand the onslaught, pretending as though nothing had occurred went against his nature. He was determined to uncover the truth.

The next day, Old Chen returned and stayed in the ancient temple outside the city. Qing Mu was uneasy as he was away from An City and could not make it back in time. Therefore, he entrusted Black Tiger with the responsibility of ensuring that Old Chen was comfortably settled in.

On the same day, Old Chen specifically instructed Qing Mu not to leak the news about his return. He made it clear that Wang Xuan should be kept unaware of his presence, as Old Chen had no desire to meet that boy at the moment. To be fair, Wang Xuan also had no desire to meet him either. After all, who would willingly subject themselves to a potentially unpleasant experience for second time?

At this stage, Wang Xuan’s main focus was to improve his own strength. Therefore, on the weekend, he made an effort to wake up early and venture outside the city to reach the ancient temple. He wanted to see if there were rare treasures there, specifically the Ascension Stones.