The Stars Beyond

Chapter 195: Wang Xuan Strikes Back

Wang Xuan found himself amidst a tranquil scene, freshly washed by days of rain, which made the mountain forest vibrant and brimming with freshness. However, his battle attire was now lost, destroyed in the combat with the Herb Gathering masters. Left with no other choice, he adopted a crude dress made from tree bark, reflecting his primitive, survivalist state.

The area was notably quiet, a characteristic of being near the hive of the formidable silver bees. The fearsome reputation of these creatures kept most threats at bay. During a sunshower, a picturesque scene unfolded as colorful mists of energy meandered through the mountain landscape.

Wang Xuan, with his newfound abilities and transformations, moved with ghostly silence and precision through the forest. The absence of his pursuers suggested they had abandoned their hunt, likely presuming his demise within the nest of the silver bees.

He stumbled upon an intriguing artifact - a large bluestone with inscriptions and faint spiritual imprints. Utilizing his enhanced Lamp-ignition spirit, he examined these marks. Surrounding him, mystical landscapes and visions orbited, manifesting his profound spiritual connection. This array included ethereal mountains, vast seas materializing from lakes, and erupting volcanoes casting red suns into the sky.

The intricate blend of these spiritual scenes and his heightened senses allowed him to decipher the stone's history, even visualizing the figures responsible for its creation. The inscription marked a significant event dated to the year 1236 of the Mysterious Land New Calendar, noting a hunt for an 'uncivilized alien demon.'

Among the figures depicted were recognizable names like Yuan Kun, Ouyun, and Muxue, with the carvings credited to Jiang Xuan. Was this a commemorative inscription celebrating their victory or a relief from eliminating a perceived major threat?

Wang Xuan, unimpressed and slightly scornful, lightly touched the stone, causing it to shatter into fragments, symbolically dismissing its significance.

Reflecting on the formidable adversaries that still lurked, including six Herb-Gatherin masters and others potentially on the brink of higher realms, he acknowledged the gravity of the situation. Despite his increased prowess, Wang Xuan vowed to approach his quest with caution, determined not to fall into danger again.

Wang Xuan, now in a state of calm preparedness, focused on honing his combat skills, particularly keeping in mind the unpredictable threats posed by the powerful law enforcers in the area.

He contemplated the potential of his short sword, wondering if it could function as a flying sword. Lacking traditional flying sword runes, Wang Xuan's formidable spiritual power, enhanced after his recent transformation, seemed more than capable of manipulating objects at will. This ability was a direct application of principles from a sword manual he had found, a relic from the ancient Shu Mountain on Old Earth.

Executing a swift movement, Wang Xuan sent the sword slicing through a tree with a dazzling burst of light. This act demonstrated that control over such weapons was primarily dependent on mental strength rather than specialized enchantments.

Integrating insights from the sword manual with the teachings of the second true form diagram, Wang Xuan realized that these techniques could significantly boost his mental fortitude and control over objects. Although the texts didn't explicitly mention techniques for sword flying, their principles were adaptable for manipulating a flying sword.

Practicing diligently in the forest, Wang Xuan's proficiency in manipulating the short sword grew, turning it into a formidable weapon that weaved through the woods with relentless precision. With this newfound skill, he confidently began his journey towards the Earth Immortal City.

Not long into his journey, Wang Xuan unexpectedly encountered a superhuman. The man, startled by Wang Xuan's sudden emergence from the woods and survival from the silver bee hive, panicked and attempted to flee. Wang Xuan, demonstrating his superiority, especially after slaying individuals in the Lamp-ignition realm, captured him effortlessly.

Under interrogation, the superhuman revealed that their forces had indeed withdrawn from around the hive as a deception, expecting Wang Xuan to eventually emerge. While some of their group had genuinely left, a substantial number still lurked nearby, waiting for Wang Xuan's appearance.

In the thickets, Wang Xuan decisively snapped the neck of the captured superhuman and concealed his body. Moving stealthily towards the forest, he was set on a path of retribution. In the dense foliage, he spotted his targets, with two formidable Herb Gathering Realm cultivators drawing his primary attention. One of them, the middle-aged man with the flying sword, was especially marked for vengeance by Wang Xuan.

The middle-aged man, guarded by several superhumans, was in an open area, making a direct and immediate assault impractical. Alerting them could jeopardize Wang Xuan's plan.

Wang Xuan instead stealthily approached another Herb Gathering Realm expert, sealing his pores to mask his energy presence. This particular cultivator, focused more on guarding Yuan Kun than on the jade token conflict, had previously struck Wang Xuan with a powerful lightning attack, nearly causing him grave harm.

Wang Xuan's goal was a swift and decisive kill, avoiding prolonged combat. The cultivator, wary of Wang Xuan's survival and resilience against his lightning attack, was on high alert, understanding the potential threat Wang Xuan posed if he had indeed survived the bee hive ordeal.

Despite Wang Xuan's careful approach, the cultivator sensed imminent danger. He quickly turned around, ready for battle. A whip-like object, swift as lightning, launched towards him. Although the cultivator managed to respond with a lightning strike from his mouth, it only slightly deflected the incoming attack, failing to fully neutralize the swift and deadly assault from Wang Xuan.

Wang Xuan's rapid attack with his short sword nearly hit the Herb Gathering Realm expert's head, severing an ear instead. This sneak attack infuriated and humiliated the high-level expert.

Reacting swiftly, Wang Xuan lunged forward with full force, wielding various lethal techniques. A brilliant light shone from his brow, signifying the intertwining of his spiritual powers. Merging with this light, mystical landscapes emerged around him.

He summoned a vast blue ocean in a split second, sending towering waves and soaring rocks towards his opponent, a terrifying spiritual assault. The expert, despite his profound experience, was momentarily stunned and struggled against the immersive seascape.

Suddenly, a floating island plummeted from above, a part of Wang Xuan's spiritual landscape, combined with his immense spiritual power, creating a formidable attack. The expert groaned as his spirit fragmented under the impact.

Next, an ethereal mountain materialized within the ocean, immense like a collapsing celestial peak, overwhelming the expert's spiritual realm. This attack caused significant damage, fracturing his spiritual realm and threatening its complete collapse.

The relentless assault continued with a landscape of magma, where a sun dropped from a volcanic mouth, directly striking the expert's spiritual realm.

In immense pain and unable to counter effectively, the high-ranking Herb Gathering expert found himself at a severe disadvantage, his spirit and defenses crumbling under Wang Xuan's relentless onslaught.

The magma landscape collided with the vast ocean, emitting blinding light as a sun burst from the volcanic mouth, striking the Herb Gathering Realm expert's spiritual core.

This sun, shining with intense brilliance, embodied Wang Xuan's spiritual power, enhanced by the energies of the first spiritual layer. A faint sound echoed as the expert's spiritual core was torn apart, emitting white smoke under the sun's glare, signifying the burning and dissolving of his spiritual essence.

The expert screamed in agony as a significant portion of his spiritual realm collapsed. At that moment, Wang Xuan, in his physical form, approached him and struck his head with a glowing fist, utilizing the first true form chart.

Despite his spiritual realm's collapse and his dimming spiritual light, the Herb Gathering Realm expert's innate reflexes were still formidable. He fiercely counterattacked, swinging his hands at Wang Xuan.

Their punches and palms collided with thunderous impacts, like ancient celestial drums sounding. Their fierce exchange, marked by flashes of lightning, was a spectacular sight.

The expert's residual spiritual energy fluctuated wildly, unable to comprehend how a young man at the Lamp-Igniting stage could suppress him physically. However, Wang Xuan was not satisfied with the pace of the fight, despite unleashing all his techniques.

In an instant, various landscapes converged on his fist, with mountain shadows, erupting volcanoes, and the sun swirling around his punch.

Wang Xuan unleashed a series of four powerful punches, channeling all his strength. The first punch broke the expert's arm, the second pierced his chest, and the final one penetrated his forehead.

Retrieving his short sword, Wang Xuan quickly retreated into the dense forest. Hearing the commotion, two Life-Transcending Realm experts rushed to the scene, only to be decapitated by Wang Xuan. Their headless bodies collapsed to the ground.

Since Wang Xuan had resolved to unleash his fury, he showed no mercy. Now that he couldn't remain concealed any longer, he relentlessly attacked, appearing and disappearing within the forest. In a swift motion, he diagonally severed the shoulder of an Illuminating Lamp Realm expert.

Three Misty Void Realm experts screamed in terror as he struck them down with his palm, exploding their bodies and leaving a gruesome scene of blood and shattered bones.

Another Herb Gathering Realm expert charged at him furiously, feeling a strong psychological advantage as he had almost cleaved Wang Xuan in half just a few days ago. Unaware that Wang Xuan had already slain an Herb Gathering Realm expert, his anger surged at the sight of Wang Xuan brazenly killing his men.

Wang Xuan, with a cold expression, charged towards him, mercilessly eliminating eight more transcendents along the way. The Misty Void and Illuminating Lamp Realm experts were no match for him, leaving a trail of corpses in his wake.

The enraged foreign expert transformed into a beam of light, summoning his damaged flying sword. Wang Xuan swung his short sword to strike, forcing the Herb Gathering Realm expert to hastily retract his delicate, top-tier flying sword, already damaged by Wang Xuan's blade.

The expert, relying on his physical prowess, charged at Wang Xuan without using his flying sword. His movements stirred astonishing energy ripples, with ethereal mists and roaring winds around him.

Wang Xuan flung his short sword towards the expert's forehead, transforming it into a streak of light. The expert narrowly dodged, causing the sword to fall to the ground in the distance.

Seizing the opportunity, the expert abandoned his pursuit of Wang Xuan to chase after the short sword. Despite its apparent heaviness and non-flying sword nature, he recognized its extraordinary sharpness and desired to claim this rare treasure.

Wang Xuan's spiritual power surged, displaying various mystical landscapes to suppress his opponent. This Herb Gathering Realm expert was stronger than the previous one, with terrifyingly profound cultivation.

However, he managed to withstand Wang Xuan's spiritual assault, his spiritual realm resisting collapse despite the relentless impacts.

The expert was momentarily distracted, allowing Wang Xuan to levitate the short sword with a fraction of his immense spiritual power, imbuing it with a volcanic landscape that birthed a crimson sun, merging with the sword. The fusion of the mystical landscape, captured from the first layer of the spiritual world, with the short sword, was astonishingly effective.

"The mystical landscape!" the weakened Herb Gathering Realm expert whispered, realizing the key lay in Wang Xuan's connection with the first layer of the spiritual world, merging it with the short sword to create immense power.

Wang Xuan, gasping for breath, witnessed the short sword, now akin to a flying sword carrying a miniature world, cutting through the void with incredible speed. As the magma landscape boiled, the crimson sun merged with the flying sword, swiftly striking and bisecting the Herb Gathering Realm expert. His body split in two.

The expert screamed in disbelief, unable to accept his demise under a... flying sword. He had spent a lifetime mastering the art of flying swords, and now, ironically, met his end in such a manner.

He quickly realized that it wasn't a true flying sword, lacking the typical flying sword runes. Wang Xuan had brutally controlled the object, using sheer force to cleave him in half.

Wang Xuan drank deeply from the Elixir Spring, mixed with the potent royal jelly of the transcendental bees, marveling at its restorative effects. Despite his immense spiritual strength, splitting his power to fight had drained him, but he had achieved his goal.

"You..." This Herb Gathering Realm expert was indeed powerful, initially resisting Wang Xuan's mystical landscapes. A direct confrontation would have likely left Wang Xuan bloodied too.

With a swift motion, Wang Xuan, holding the short sword, decapitated the expert. Nearby transcendents were stunned. The foreign man they had been hunting days ago was now slaying their top warriors.

In a desperate attempt to escape, nine more transcendents lost their lives under Wang Xuan's relentless pursuit, while five managed to flee.

In the sky, a crow cawed loudly and persistently, flying towards the distant forests. "Is it alerting its master, the Crow Enforcer, of my presence? I'm ready for you to come and meet your end," Wang Xuan said coldly.

He carefully concealed the bodies, especially those of the two Herb Gathering Realm experts, to prevent alarming the Crow Enforcer and causing it to flee.

Soon after, the old crow arrived, a formidable Enforcer in the mid-Herb Gathering Realm. Its allegiance had shifted since acquiring a demonic cultivation method from the people of Heluo Star. Upon receiving the report, it flew swiftly, a gesture of commitment to those who provided it with the demonic cultivation path.

In its eyes, a human in the Misty Realm, no matter how talented or strong, was no match for an Herb Gathering Realm expert. It viewed Wang Xuan as a desperate fugitive who had narrowly escaped death multiple times, surviving only by luck.

Now, it prepared to strike. A large flock of crows followed, aiding in the search.

Finally, spotting Wang Xuan, the crow dived aggressively, intent on eliminating him.

"Here comes the old crow," Wang Xuan remarked coolly.

"Foreign demon, you've violated the laws of the secret realm. You are stripped of your right to compete for fortune and are condemned to death," the crow declared, asserting its authority as an Enforcer before attacking.

Wang Xuan, uninterested in arguing, burst into action. Secret power surged around him as he wielded his short sword, leaping up with all the mystical landscapes converging onto his hand and blade.

In a fierce clash, Wang Xuan exerted his full strength, aiming to decisively eliminate the crow, fearing it might escape. Blood gushed as the large head of the crow fell to the ground.

The old crow, a creature with over a hundred years of cultivation and a newly-appointed Enforcer, died with eyes wide open in disbelief. Its lingering spirit screamed in agony, shocked by its decapitation under the brilliant sword light of a human.

Amidst a light rain and churning clouds that once again obscured the sun, the environment grew darker, and the rain intensified.

"Perfect weather!" Wang Xuan strode towards the Earth Immortal City, commencing his reckoning. Beyond the Herb Gathering Realm experts, the so-called geniuses were also his prey, and he intended to spare none.

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