The Stars Beyond

Chapter 56: Dealt A Major Blow

The Pamir Plateau, a bitterly cold place since ancient times, remained silent year-round. Today, many influential organizations gathered here. Inside a starship, a small group of prominent figures were seated, discussing, negotiating, and bargaining with each other.

Someone tapped on the table, signaling the others to look at the big screen. “Mo Hai has lost.”

The representative for the New Arts had a calm look on his face as he said, “The New Arts is still in its infancy, while the old art has already dwindled. One is like the rising sun, and the other is like the setting sun. The New Art holds infinite potential, where everything is possible. The only remnants of the Old Arts lie with Old Chen, but even his days are numbered. The old path is arduous, and its end is near in this era.”

It was a pity that no one from the field of the Old Arts was qualified to sit among them. Even so, the representative of the New Arts was interrupted by someone who coldly reminded him that substantial resources had been given to the New Arts over the years.

All of the seated individuals had impressive backgrounds, having unearthed remarkable artifacts that temporarily revived the fading path of the Old Arts. They had a plan in motion, but that abruptly changed just as they were getting started.

“Last time, the secret medicines intended for several experimental classes of the Old Arts around the world were redirected and sent to the New Arts instead.”

As these words echoed, a chill settled over the atmosphere. This decision had been a collective investment and agreement by all parties.

The shocking news of a “new outcome” from the New Arts, accompanied by a request for a shift of resources in their favor, had disrupted the original resolutions. It could be said that the Old Arts had been dealt a major blow because of this.

......

On another supreme battleship, Grandmaster Chen Kai of the New Arts remained humble for the sake of the golden bamboo slips. So far, only two complete golden bamboo slips had been unearthed, and one of them was in the possession of a magnate by the surname of Zhong. However, dealing with Zhong Yong proved challenging. Despite the benefits Chen Kai had provided, the old man refused to let go of the bamboo slip.

Chen Kai sighed inwardly. If it were a different place with a different person, he would have resorted to violence. Unfortunately, this old man was the person in charge of a powerful megacorporation. Any rash moves on his part would result in the eradication of his organization along with himself.

It did not matter how many grandmasters they had in their organization. The presence of a single super battleship alone was enough to obliterate them. This was the reason why the grandmasters yearned to become stronger and venture into the Mythical Realm.

“We have sacrificed everything, pushing ourselves to the limit to create a life-saving elixir for you. However, this is all we can do for now. It’ll take time. Once we become stronger and uncover more secrets from that place, we’ll be able to extend your life once again. Forget about ten or twenty years. If we acquire the Immortal Grass by then, we can extend your life up to at least two hundred more years. The golden bamboo slip in your possession will only gather dust. Why not let us study it? We might be able to uncover its secrets.”

Zhong Yong lifted the blanket made of mythical beast skin and stood up. After stretching his body, he looked at Chen Kai with a serious expression. “I’m not showing it to you for your own good. You’re on the path of the New Arts, why are you so eager to uncover the roots of the Old Arts?”

Chen Kai replied, “We take history as a lesson to understand the rise and fall of the Old Arts, using the Old Arts as a guide to predict the future of the New Arts. The Old Arts thrived during the Early Qin dynasty. Unfortunately, in later generations, the path leading to immortality was completely severed. Because of this, we hope to preserve as many artifacts as we can. Who knows, it could also help revitalize the Old Arts in the future.”

Shaking his head, Zhong Yong said, “It’s useless. It’s impossible for those who follow the path of the New Arts to decipher the engraved diagrams on the bamboo slips, let alone the texts. I spent a great deal of money to gather the most renowned scholars and professors to decipher it, but not a single word could be analyzed. Even if I showed it to you, would you understand? Your proficiency in ancient written language and understanding is far inferior to them.”

The grandmaster of the New Arts fell silent, cursing internally at the old man’s stubbornness and offensive remarks about their poor ancient cultural knowledge. He knew that unless he could extend the old man’s lifespan by twenty years or more, negotiations would be difficult. He had encountered a master who was indeed notoriously “difficult to talk” to.

He decided to take his leave, believing that with some time and space, the negotiation might go smoother next time. Currently, the New Arts could prolong a person’s life, albeit through an extremely challenging process. Mastering this method meant that even the most powerful weapon could be set aside for negotiation, including acquiring more resources and cooperating with relevant departments from the Old Earth, as well as taking over the Adventurer’s Guild.

On the Pamir Plateau, Old Chen’s chest rose and fell violently. He only gradually calmed down when a faint white light finally emanated from him, accompanied by wisps of reddish haze and the sound of thunder.

Without saying a word, he gestured to Xia Qing, and the two of them engaged in a direct confrontation. Despite Xia Qing being a woman, her tall stature and fierce movements stirred up the surrounding stones and gravel. She moved with the grace and agility of a female panther, leaping more than ten meters and striking toward Old Chen’s chest.

Moreover, she was glowing. Her skills in the New Arts emphasized physical body resistance, so every pore on her body seemed to emit a hazy light, giving her the appearance of being engulfed in flames. It was a powerful and intimidating sight.

Old Chen swiftly countered her sweeping foot with a single palm strike. A loud bang echoed through the air as a blinding light exploded. Xia Qing, propelled by the force, spun through the air before landing on the ground, causing the frozen ground to crumble beneath her, leaving behind a deep crater.

Just moments ago, anyone struck by Old Chen's palm would have either been torn apart or exploded into pieces. However, Xia Qing, a true grandmaster, possessed an incredible physical prowess that was further enhanced by the radiant light enveloping her body. It granted her extraordinary battle power.

In an instant, the light surrounding her intensified, transforming her into a figure that resembled the golden sun. Her flesh seemed to bloom with divine radiance.

She engaged Old Chen in a fierce exchange of blows, their fists and palms colliding with thunderous force. Each strike emitted a blinding light, taking their battle to an otherworldly level.

The grayish-brown frozen ground they fought on was littered with rocks, some as tall as two or three people. These massive boulders shattered or exploded into pieces when touched or struck by Xia Qing. The sheer strength of her physical body, amplified by the blinding light, was truly astonishing.

Wang Xuan’s expression turned gloomy as he observed Old Chen from a distance. He noticed that something was not right. Old Chen’s breathing was rapid and his face showed signs of anxiety. Unable to contain himself any longer, he stepped forward.

Boom! Suddenly, Old Chen transformed his palms into fists, executing a physical technique reminiscent of the Great Vajra Fist Technique. With a thunderous boom, Xia Qing was sent flying backward. The alloy armor she wore partially crumbled, and her protective helmet shattered as it crashed to the ground. Her long golden hair cascaded around her.

Her light blue pupils contracted sharply, the immense force causing excruciating pain throughout her body. Her arms grew numb, and her right hand was fractured, leaving her heart pounding in her chest.

Undeterred, Old Chen advanced, his chest heaving with each breath. He had mastered a physical art that surpassed the Great Vajra Fist Technique in just under half a month, and today was the first time he put it into practice.

A faint mist enveloped him, emanating from his body as he took heavy and powerful steps toward his opponent. Xia Qing, avoiding a direct confrontation, continued to radiate the fiery aura. Haze erupted from her pores, further enhancing her physical defense against Old Chen.

With each collision, Old Chen unleashed unstoppable might. The impact was so powerful that Xia Qing coughed up blood. Her right arm was hanging limply as the bones in it were shattered into three pieces.

Old Chen’s speed broke through its limits as Xia Qing desperately dodged left and right, but she could not escape. She was forced to take another hard hit, causing severe pain to surge through her body. With each blow, her bones shattered one after another.

Xia Qing harnessed the blinding haze, moving like a stream of fire across the field. However, Old Chen was even faster, catching up to her and delivering a devastating blow to her back.

Left with no choice, Xia Qing turned to face her enemy. But it was futile. She could not block the punch, and the force twisted and deformed her left arm, nearly breaking it.

A loud bang echoed as the alloy armor protecting her chest exploded. Old Chen impaled her with his fist, sending her flying through the air before landing on the ground in a crumpled heap.

Just as Old Chen prepared to deliver the final blow, Grandmaster Mo Hai intervened, using seven white chains of light to restrain Old Chen’s limbs.

Old Chen turned around and broke free with a powerful punch, shattering the chains that bound him before launching himself at Mo Hai.

Mo Hai fought back with all his strength, but to no avail. The white light that enveloped him dispersed. Even though he reacted with speed and dodged in a fairly timely manner, his left shoulder armor still shattered into pieces, half of his body was bloodied, and he was sent flying before crashing to the ground.

The two grandmasters of the New Arts Domain sustained severe injuries. The irreparable damage rendered them unable to stand up. Nearly twenty of their bones were fractured, and there were gaping wounds in their bodies. Old Chen also appeared to be in critical condition, pausing and clutching his chest while gasping for breath.

The spectators from the New Arts factions were shocked and horrified at Old Chen's display of power. It was clear that he was a formidable opponent, defeating two grandmasters on his own.

Some onlookers could not bear to watch the two grandmasters being defeated and were compelled to step forward. At the same time, others sensed that something was amiss with Old Chen and saw an opportunity to strike, hoping to end the Old Arts.

Wang Xuan was the first to come out. The other practitioners of the Old Arts joined him upon sensing the strange atmosphere. They could not stand by and watch Old Chen fight alone.

“That’s enough. Let’s call it a day, Old Chen.” Chang Heng, the old man in traditional clothes, sighed regretfully with a conflicted look on his face. He knew that after today, he would never see Old Chen again. Old Chen’s health issues had been triggered, and he was aware that the two grandmasters likely would not survive either. Given Old Chen’s nature, he would not spare their lives.

“Are you going to stop me, Chang Heng?” Old Chen asked, his eyes filled with a cold glint.

Chang Heng’s heart raced at the question. He had known Old Chen since they were young and understood him well. Seeing the determination in Old Chen’s eyes, Chang Heng turned and boarded the starship.

“I pursued the New Arts to strengthen my body, but my sole focus now is on theoretical research.” After saying this, Chang Heng gestured for his allies to board the ship.

“Old Wang, did you see the killing intent in the eyes of those who stayed behind? They fear me and don’t wish to see the revival of the Old Arts,” Old Chen said.

Everyone was puzzled, wondering who Old Chen was talking to. Speculation arose that this Old Wang must be an old man who followed the path of the Old Arts.

Only Wang Xuan and Qing Mu knew whom Old Chen was referring to.

Old Chen added, “Old Wang, remember these people. Be cautious in the future. Kill them if you must. They are those who despise the Old Arts the most. Many of them were unsuccessful in their own pursuits and switched to the New Arts.”

Wang Xuan looked at the other spectators across from them, committing each face to memory. Unease filled his heart as those words sounded like Old Chen’s final words.

“Who is Old Wang?” Wu Yin, standing next to Wang Xuan, asked in a low voice.

Wang Xuan remained silent, but wanted to ask Wu Yin if she was asking him that on purpose. However, his face remained expressionless as he replied, “No idea.”

“I thought Old Wang was your uncle,” Wu Yin teased, noting their shared surname.

Wu Chenglin laughed and chimed in, “He’s probably just an old guy from the other group that also practiced the Old Arts."

Wang Xuan said nothing but vowed silently to settle the score with Old Wu later.

Old Chen’s chest heaved heavily, but he managed to pull out his black longsword from the frozen soil. Slowly, he began to walk toward the two injured grandmasters.

“Forget it, Old Chen. We’re calling it a day.” Grandmaster Chen Kai appeared in the distance. By the time he finished speaking, he had reached the battlefield with astonishing speed.

Everyone understood that another grandmaster had arrived.

“After waiting for so long, I knew you would come.” Old Chen kept his hand on the black longsword, his chest heaving less violently.

From a distance, Wang Xuan’s heart raced. He had no idea what Old Chen ws planning. He prayed that this old man who always loved fishing was not thinking of using himself as bait today.

Grandmaster Chen Kai spoke again, “Don’t continue pushing yourself, Old Chen. We both know you’re in a critical condition. I’ve arranged for the best medical team to treat you.”

“Don’t be a hypocrite,” Old Chen retorted, his silver mask gleaming as he raised the black longsword in his hand. “Didn’t you three grandmasters show up here together just to trigger my old illness? Spare me the talk of getting me treated.”

The crowd erupted in shock. Many failed to grasp the hidden agenda, including Qing Mu, whose face turned pale.

“I deliberately spared the lives of the two grandmasters so that you would appear. I know that all of you wouldn’t stand by and watch them die. Sacrificing one for one is your bottom line, right?” Old Chen sneered. “Too bad, you guys have underestimated me. I intend to kill all the three of you this time!”

Old Chen’s murderous intent soared, even though his chest heaved once more. The aura of superiority he exuded sent shivers down everyone’s spines.

Looking toward the New Art camp, Old Chen’s voice turned chilling. “And all of you, who stayed behind and frowned upon me and the Old Arts, you don’t deserve to live. I’ll kill every single one of you today!”