The Stars Beyond

Chapter 209: Banquet

Ling Qiming's emotions were complex. In his earlier years, even though he was stern and forceful, Wang Xuan still politely addressed him as "Uncle Ling," displaying humility and manners. Since their reunion on New Moon, Wang Xuan had started calling him "Old Ling" directly. Wang Xuan had politely explained that this was to put him at ease and advised him not to overthink it. At that moment, Ling Qiming was overwhelmed with mixed feelings, feeling an urge to punch him!

When he turned to look at Old Chen, his heart became even more unsettled. It was one thing for him to be called "Old Ling," but seeing Chen Yongjie, a man many thought was near death and had received numerous wreaths, now looking so youthful was shocking. He couldn't believe his eyes – had Old Chen reversed his aging? Now appearing to be in his thirties, Chen had transformed into a vibrant young man.

Old Chen's youthful appearance, coupled with his cheerful way of calling him "Old Ling," made Ling Qiming feel quite uneasy. The transcendence was indeed wonderful! What many financial tycoons sought after, longevity, seemed to be a path that Chen Yongjie was already on. Ling Qiming's emotions fluctuated, unable to settle.

He sighed softly and clinked glasses with Old Chen, saying, "Chen Yongjie, we had our fair share of interactions in Old World when we were younger. We had a good relationship. I never imagined that in a blink of an eye, two or three decades would pass, and you would reach this stage. Chen the Transcendent, the foremost figure of both New World and Old World, now stands in defiance of time."

Old Chen also sighed and replied, "In the blink of an eye, our generation has aged. As for being the first, I dare not claim that title. The pressure is immense, and no one can sing triumphantly throughout their life. Perhaps one day, myths will decay, and I will be nothing more than a higher wave stirred up in this era, always at risk of being crushed by a greater wave. Years later, when we look back, we'll both be but fallen leaves before time, with some leaves merely falling a bit later than others."

The conversation between the two men in their fifties carried a heavy tone. Wang Xuan felt it inappropriate to call him "Old Ling" anymore and silently toasted him before turning to leave.

"Old Ling, I have to tell you, you might have made a mistake," Old Chen said, gazing at Wang Xuan's retreating figure.

"Do you have something to say?" Ling Qiming asked, looking at Old Chen and then back at Wang Xuan's departing back.

Old Chen nodded and said, "Considering the time we spent together in our youth, digging up an ancient Pre-Qin tomb and appreciating and critiquing the most beautiful girls of that era, I thought I should remind you of something."

Ling Qiming's expression became somewhat distant as he recalled some wild escapades from his youth, shaking his head before looking back at Chen Yongjie.

Old Chen was serious as he spoke, "Wang Xuan... his future achievements will be extremely high. On the path of the old arts, he will go much farther than you or I can imagine. As an old friend, that's all I can say."

Ling Qiming's voice was low and somber, "Everyone says he is already a grandmaster, even stronger than you were at your age. In a few years, he might very well become Wang the Transcendent?"

"More than a few years, he will be far stronger than you can imagine!" Old Chen said gravely, his expression unusually solemn.

Ling Qiming was startled, his pupils constricting. He was a smart man; otherwise, he wouldn't have been considered as a successor in their family's consortium.

"Old Ling, we have a good relationship, which is why I'm telling you this. If you find Wang Xuan disagreeable in the future, just ignore him, but don't take any action or try to block him. Otherwise, you will have to deal with me, Chen the Transcendent first!" Old Chen turned and walked away.

Ling Qiming drained his glass in a single gulp!

Then, he noticed something – wasn't that the girl from the Zhong family? She quietly approached Wang Xuan, handing him an ancient, yellowed book. Was she secretly giving him a scripture or secret manual?

Ling Qiming couldn't help but ponder. Zhong Yong was a fearsome individual, now practicing an unusual secret technique and developing a cicada-like shell. If he revives, he will likely be unbeatable! Was Zhong Yong's great-granddaughter giving Wang Xuan a scripture? Did Zhong Yong favor him in the Hidden Land? Had he given any instructions?

"See that? He's getting along better with your father, just clinked glasses with him. But why is Zhong Qing going over there?" Zhou Yun spoke from a corner, talking to Ling Wei. He was serious, unlike his usual demeanor, looking at Wang Xuan and Zhong Qing in the hall with furrowed brows.

Zhou Yun turned to Ling Wei, "You two should talk. I'll go get Zhong Qing."

In the hall, several spiritual medicine trees shimmered with radiance, their fragrance enveloping the area. Exotic stones formed part of the landscape, glowing softly. Several formidable monsters had been made into specimens, massive and intimidating, drawing the attention of many guests.

Zhong Qing, in high heels and an evening dress that accentuated her figure and revealed her beautiful legs, was indeed an eye-catcher. She gracefully moved under the crystal lights, appearing pure and sweet, radiantly smiling and nodding at people who greeted her.

"The Nine Calamities Mysterious Body?" Wang Xuan was pleasantly surprised. The Zhong family had proved their reliability. Whether it was Zhong Cheng initially offering to gift him the authentic scripture or Old Zhong exchanging the Nine Calamities Mysterious Body with Old Chen for the Earth Immortal Spring, they had honored their promises.

In the Hidden Land, Old Zhong had only given half of the Nine Calamities Mysterious Body to Old Chen, undoubtedly instructing Zhong Qing to deliver the complete text upon safely returning to New World.

"Thank you!" Wang Xuan accepted the scripture gratefully. The Nine Calamities Mysterious Body, along with the Sixteen-Foot Golden Body, would greatly assist him in practicing the stone tablet scriptures, serving as excellent supplementary texts.

Zhong Qing said, "I've also privately traded scriptures with Zhao Zhao for the Earth Immortal Spring. In the Hidden Land, I gave her the Five-Colored Golden Elixir Spirit Technique. As per our agreement, upon returning to New World, I owe her another top-tier scripture. She suggested I give it directly to you. What kind of secret technique would you like? I'll bring it to you next time."

Wang Xuan pondered for a moment before replying, "I'd prefer the top scripture for cultivating the physical body or an ultimate powerful mental method."

"Okay!" Zhong Qing said, observing him closely with shining eyes. After circling him thoughtfully, she asked softly, "Wang Xuan, are you also Wang Xiao?"

Her suspicion had been brewing for a while, and today she finally voiced it. Wang Xuan, realizing that both his true self and his alter ego exhibited grandmaster-level power, saw no significant consequence in revealing the truth. His only concern was Wang Xiao attracting hostility from the New Technique realm. He responded with a smile, not verbally confirming it.

Many people nearby watched them, drawn by Zhong Qing's tall figure, delicate facial features, and her exceptional identity.

Zhou Yun approached to greet them, but at that moment, a middle-aged man in his forties or fifties appeared. Though no longer young, he still maintained a handsome and mature charm.

"Zhao Uncle!" Zhou Yun and Zhong Qing greeted him, and he nodded, indicating his desire to speak with Wang Xuan.

"I am Qinghan's father," the middle-aged man introduced himself with a solemn and slightly worried expression.

"Zhao Uncle," Wang Xuan greeted him politely but maintained a certain distance. His experience with Old Ling had taught him how to interact with such figures. While he felt close to Zhao Qinghan and amicable towards her father on their first meeting, he knew that getting too close to people with complex thoughts could be tricky. A calm and measured approach was best.

"I've heard about it. You've saved Qinghan multiple times in the Hidden Land. I'm very grateful," Zhao Zejun began. His voice was deep as he continued, "Please, tell me about Qinghan's situation. I am very worried."

Understanding the parental concern for a child trapped in a monster-infested Hidden Land, Wang Xuan began to recount the events. He reassured Zhao Zejun that Zhao Qinghan seemed to be safe and might even have encountered some fortunate opportunities.

Despite finding the story of an old fox taking Zhao Qinghan away somewhat bizarre, Zhao Zejun, being from New World, could accept such oddities in a reality where even celestial immortals were proven to exist.

Wang Xuan explained everything in detail, carefully omitting some personal moments between him and Zhao Qinghan to avoid turning this handsome uncle into a second Old Ling, a 'protective daughter maniac.' After all, it was better to wait for Zhao Qinghan's return to discuss further.

From a distance, Ling Qiming observed Zhao Zejun engaging deeply in conversation with Wang Xuan, asking serious questions and nodding occasionally. He sighed softly, knowing from his nephew Zhou Yun about the close bond between Wang Xuan and Zhao Qinghan in the Hidden Land, their shared experiences of life and death, and their journey to the Earth Immortal City.

He glanced at his daughter Ling Wei, who turned away and slowly walked off, leaving only her retreating figure behind.

After a long talk, Zhao Zejun patted Wang Xuan's shoulder, thanking him, "Wang Xuan, thank you. If you ever need anything or face any trouble, feel free to contact me." He handed Wang Xuan a silver business card and then departed.

......

Three elderly men and five middle-aged individuals were conversing enthusiastically with Old Chen, congratulating him on ascending to the transcendent realm. The banquet was ostensibly in his honor, but they soon revealed another significant motive.

"Old Chen, as a transcendent being with formidable strength, aren't you tempted by the sacred dragon egg we mentioned? It contains a massive amount of life energy and could help you advance significantly!"

"And there's the magical spring water. Drinking it could turn you into a great sorcerer. It's a divine medicine!"

They discussed a planet currently being hunted by Western financiers, rumored to be enticing. With the Western financiers dispatching fleets and experts to obtain the sacred dragon egg and miraculous medicines for prolonged life, the news had stirred some of the Eastern elders and influential figures in various financial conglomerates, who were now planning to send their own expeditions.

Old Chen was indeed tempted by the idea of the dragon egg and magical spring water, both shrouded in mystery. He was eager to witness them firsthand but also wary of getting stranded there, unable to return.

"Old Wang, you are Old Wang?!" Zhou Cheng found Wang Xuan and asked him in a low voice with a serious look, "My sister said... are you really also Old Wang?"

"You still owe me a scripture, half a volume of the real scripture!" Wang Xuan felt there was no need to hide anymore. Since they had guessed his identity, it was better to admit it openly.

"F*ck!" Zhou Cheng was utterly astonished.

"Come, let me introduce you to a new friend. His name is Qin Cheng, quite a coincidence with your name." Wang Xuan found Qin Cheng, who was happily chatting with a beautiful woman.

"Little Wang, come here!" Old Chen called him over and shared the information about the sacred dragon egg and magical spring water.

The three elders and five middle-aged men, including Ling Qiming and Zhao Zejun, showed interest as Old Chen seemed to place great importance on Wang Xuan, even sharing such significant matters with him.

Old Chen spoke, "Gentlemen, Little Wang is much like how I was in my youth, passionate about studying ancient techniques. If your families have any unique scriptures, you might consider giving them to him for practice. I admire his perception, and I, Old Chen, promise a generous reward if he manages to achieve something notable with them."

Wang Xuan understood immediately. Old Chen, now confident in his transcendent status, was beginning to eye the libraries of various families. This was the first step in a broader strategy.

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