The Stars Beyond

Chapter 85: Massacre In The Rain

Wang Xuan had never seen anyone fly before. Can Old Chen handle such an astonishing ability from the world of the New Arts? Wang Xuan felt a surge of concern.

Old Chen's demeanor turned serious. "I'll draw him towards the reed pond and do my utmost to eliminate him. You both must remain alert. Wang Xuan, tonight is not the time for your unwavering adherence to law and order. If you don't give it your all, things might take a turn for the worse."

Wang Xuan nodded solemnly. "I get it." Then he asked, "If they're audacious enough to kill, might they also use a small battleship for an attack?"

Old Chen replied calmly, "They wouldn't dare. Such an act would have dire consequences. Several influential figures have recently visited, and representatives from various organizations still linger. Any reckless actions would challenge everyone's patience and limits. Such rogue elements are exactly what the agencies and conglomerates dread. They'd surely be dealt with swiftly and publicly."

As Old Chen concluded, he noticed Qing Mu readying an energy cannon, aiming at the approaching silhouette. Old Chen signaled to his disciple, "Your shot might not land. Let me handle it."

His gaze fixed on the figure emerging from the rain. "It’s very likely that he's a prominent figure from the New Arts faction. He might have ventured here for crucial negotiations and took this opportunity to inspect my condition. If I weren't nearly spent, his job is probably to ensure I am. But he's mistaken if he believes there won't be consequences. He's unaware that I've been waiting for this encounter."

With those words, Old Chen, sword in tow, vanished from the room.

The intruder, radiating a soft glow, seemed untouched by the rain. He looked to be in his mid-fifties with long golden hair, and his piercing eyes shone brightly in the darkness, like two gleaming lanterns.

He wore armor reminiscent of the ancient Western bronze age, with a massive alloy broadsword nearly as tall as himself slung across his back. Clearly, he wasn't one to be taken lightly.

He suddenly halted, hovering about a foot off the ground, his gaze fixed on Old Chen, who had appeared ghost-like from the shadows. His golden eyes emitted an intimidating radiance.

Old Chen gave him a brief glance before making his way toward the reed pond.

The armored elder did not hesitate, following confidently, his own prowess unquestionable. The man was clearly no ordinary opponent.

"There are others near the manor; it's our turn to act!" Wang Xuan declared, his spirit surging. A radiant glow crowned his forehead, an early sign of the emergence of his psychic realm.

With his recent training in Zhang Daoling's physical techniques, Wang Xuan's offensive capabilities were nearly at the level of a master sage. To reach such a feat at his age was terrifying.

News of a young man in his early twenties approaching the mastery of a sage would surely send shockwaves throughout both the old and new eras.

"Get me an energy cannon!" Wang Xuan ordered. If they were going into battle, he had no intention of holding back.

Qing Mu, ever prepared, led him to the adjacent armory stocked with an array of heavy weaponry. Wang Xuan hoisted an energy cannon weighing nearly a thousand pounds.

Qing Mu's eyes widened in surprise. "I didn't expect you to be this strong! Are you planning to shoot down a spaceship with that hefty cannon?"

"Indeed," Wang Xuan responded earnestly, "you never know when you might face one."

Qing Mu held back his words. If Wang Xuan could manage the weight, who was he to question? At the same time, he was setting up a defense network, ensuring that anyone daring to approach would face a devastating counterattack.

"Old Chen has started his fight!" Wang Xuan murmured, adding, "I have to see this."

In the dark, rain-drenched night, the reed pond's vicinity became a battleground. Brilliant sword lights streaked through the shadows, illuminating the conflict.

"This isn't what we expected," Wang Xuan declared as he and Qing Mu arrived with their hefty energy cannon, stunned by the unfolding scene.

The golden-haired elder, arms in motion, unleashed a barrage of immense fireballs. Upon impact, they carved out vast craters in the earth.

Boom!

Some fireballs struck the pond, causing massive plumes of steam as they evaporated sections of the water. "It feels... surreal," Qing Mu observed. The elder's tactics were reminiscent of magical techniques from Western legends. Yet, the ferocity of his fireballs was unparalleled. One such projectile melted a hefty boulder by the pond's edge. In stark contrast to the "mild" fireball magic of ancient tales, this man's power was genuinely formidable. Near his fireballs, rainwater sizzled away, and rocks turned molten.

"He's a force to be reckoned with," Wang Xuan whispered.

Despite his majestic sword and ancient Western bronze armor suggesting a master swordsman's persona, the elder surprisingly launched his assault using these arcane magical projectiles. Old Chen, seemingly caught off guard at first, navigated the onslaught. His ebony sword glinted with fierce light, slicing the relentless fireballs one by one.

Thud!

The aftermath of the exploding fireballs was a spectacle in itself. They erupted into cascades of shimmering light, turning rainwater into a misty haze and setting the grasslands ablaze. The impacts formed craters, emphasizing the sheer might behind each strike. This was the embodiment of a transcendent battle!

Old Chen was truly taken aback. What sort of entity was he up against? An adversary that could levitate off the ground, unleashing a barrage of potent fireballs, evaporating portions of the reed pond with sheer heat. A troubling thought gripped him: Could this individual's level of prowess surpass his own? More bewilderingly, was his opponent wielding actual magic?

Has Old Chen misjudged the situation? While the innovations of the new era were rooted in Old Arts, could there be elements intertwined with myths from Western legends or the arcane arts?

"No, this could be a simplified version of the legendary Samadhi True Fire from ancient texts. No, not as potent, perhaps some other pyro technique," Old Chen speculated as he dodged and deflected, grappling with the unexpected challenges his opponent presented.

The opponent's ability to fly and the sheer magnitude of his attacks vexed Old Chen. He had only recently achieved a breakthrough into the transcendent realm, and now, he faced someone even more formidable.

Boom!

Another fireball plummeted, narrowly missing Old Chen. Its impact left a crater nearly two meters deep, its severity marked by the molten earth that crystallized upon cooling.

"Don't let him intimidate you!" From a distance, Wang Xuan shouted, offering a piece of advice. "He's a crafty old fox! That's not some ancient armor he's wearing; it's a newly developed super-material armor that grants him the ability to fly. And, it's probably the most advanced armor of its kind!"

Had it not been for Zhong Qing's younger brother challenging Wang Xuan in a gleaming super-material armor, Wang Xuan would be just as baffled as Old Chen. The boost that this armor provided was staggering, elevating the wearer's abilities significantly. Ever since the onset of their duel, Old Chen had been evading, knowing full well the lethal potency of those metal-melting fireballs. If he were struck, the consequences would be dire.

In mere moments, the lake's waters were on the verge of evaporating. Old Chen's spirit waned, and he started questioning his competence. It was disconcerting to realize that individuals from the new realm had advanced faster, surpassing him. The golden-haired elder's ability to fly and unleash devastating fireballs, potent enough to annihilate transcendent beings within the mist realm, was a rude awakening for Old Chen, fresh from his Inner Landscape training.

"You old fox! Do you think you can defeat me, Chen Yongjie, with a silly trick like that?" Old Chen's gaze turned icy, feeling somewhat humiliated. He had always been the one dominating adversaries, but today, he met his match.

Estimating the elder's capabilities, Old Chen deduced that they were on par within the mist realm. However, the enhancement from the super-material armor gave the elder a significant edge.

For now, all Old Chen needed to do was evade and deplete the super-material energy in the elder's armor. Whether the adversary employed magic or pyro techniques, the tide would soon turn, and it would be Old Chen's time to shine!

......

"Boom!"

Wang Xuan, unable to hold back, released a blast from his energy cannon, cutting a bright path through the rain. However, it missed its target. The eyes of the golden-haired elder sharpened, and he swiftly made his way toward Wang Xuan, intent on ending the confrontation quickly. Suddenly, Old Chen took to the skies, silver wings spreading behind him. His sword, now gleaming even brighter, moved into the path of the approaching elder.

The elder's expression shifted, realizing that Old Chen had been prepared for aerial combat all along. Relying heavily on the power of his state-of-the-art armor, the elder had believed that he could escape any situation. But now, facing Old Chen, doubt crept in.

"We're sitting ducks here; we need to move!" Wang Xuan said, urging Qing Mu as they dashed back into the safety of the manor.

"We've got mechs incoming!" Wang Xuan, with his heightened senses nearing a spiritual realm, could perceive threats clearer than most. Only Old Chen had sharper instincts.

"Let's head to the guest rooms," Qing Mu suggested. Some guests, including influential figures like Wu Chenglin and Da Wu, were staying there.

If an attack was imminent, the presence of these dignitaries would surely deter the use of heavy firepower. Carrying their hefty energy cannon, Wang Xuan and Qing Mu hurriedly chose a courtyard to take cover in. It wasn't long before they spotted four sleek mechs gliding silently through the rain, converging from different directions. Wang Xuan quickly took aim and fired a barrage. Knowing his precision wasn't perfect, he unleashed a volley of radiant beams, illuminating the darkened sky.

Wu Chenglin had been sound asleep in the courtyard, but the deafening blasts rudely awakened him. The room shook so violently that he tumbled out of bed. Wang Xuan's heightened senses proved invaluable. He released more than a dozen beams, successfully hitting two of the mechs. The sky erupted with explosions, scattering debris everywhere. With impeccable precision, Qing Mu lay in wait for the perfect moment. He fired two beams, each striking and destroying a mech.

For a brief moment, the night sky was a brilliant display of blinding lights and roaring thunder. The courtyard was a continuous scene of ascending beams and explosive radiance. Old Wu was stupefied. On the ground, he was initially disoriented, thinking the courtyard was being struck by continuous lightning. As he gathered his wits, he realized they were in the middle of a firefight.

Wu Yin, residing in the adjacent room, had also been jolted awake. The sight of mechs exploding in the sky and beams shooting up from the courtyard left her astonished. The entire manor was alerted. It was a night of unparalleled intensity. Once the courtyard quietened down a bit, Old Wu peeked out. He was astounded to see Wang Xuan holding what appeared to be a massive energy cannon, weighing at least a thousand pounds, ready to make his exit. The sheer strength of Wang Xuan left Old Wu in disbelief. Was it Wang Xuan who had fired those devastating blasts?

"Little Wang!" Wu Chenglin hurried out, demanding, "What’s with the commotion? What happened?"

"Just passing by," Wang Xuan replied curtly, turning to leave.

The noise had awoken many. Wu Yin, after hastily dressing herself, emerged with a slightly pale face. She caught sight of Wang Xuan with his massive cannon preparing to leave. "Wang Xuan, what are you doing here in the middle of the night with that thing?" she asked, still disoriented from the recent upheaval.

"Oh, this? I’m just trying to disperse the rain," he replied with a smirk. "I thought I'd help clear the clouds and stop the storm for you. We just wanted to ensure that everyone has a peaceful night's sleep!"

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