The Stars Beyond

Chapter 86: Master Wang!

Stunned, Wu Chenglin looked down at the scattered remains of the mech, struggling to reconcile Wang Xuan's words with the scene before him. Suddenly, a downpour washed away a severed hand from the rooftop, narrowly missing his head and landing at his feet. The chill that ran down Wu's spine was not from the rain but the stark reality of the destruction.

Wu Yin managed to hold her composure, her gaze following Wang Xuan and Qing Mu as they retreated into the shadows. Nearby, some of the roused guests had varied reactions. Some women shrieked, their voices echoing sharply against the backdrop of the rainy night.

Wang Xuan had no time for explanations. His keen senses detected several intruders in the manor. He and Qing Mu proceeded stealthily, their hefty cannon in tow, ready to face any potential Master-level threats. But their caution might have been misplaced. Despite its rapid advancement, the New Arts did not boast many Grandmasters. The losses they suffered on the Pamir Plateau were still fresh wounds.

It was unlikely that the top figure from the New Arts faction, visiting this old land, would be accompanied by another Master. Such high-profile companionship would be too conspicuous, drawing unnecessary attention. Soon after, Wang Xuan gave Qing Mu the nod. They aimed their cannon at a wall, and with a resounding explosion, both the wall and the figure lurking behind it were obliterated. The vicinity was now fully alert. Many peered out, horror evident on their faces as they took in the scene of devastation. While the rain diluted the blood, bones littered the courtyard.

It was clear that nobody in the manor would be sleeping soundly for the remainder of the night.

Zhong Qing rose to her feet and cautiously cracked open a window, only to see two figures stealthily approaching. Her eyes widened in disbelief upon spotting Wang Xuan carrying an incredibly heavy energy cannon.

"I'll go check it out!" declared an elder who had mastered the Serpent-Crane Eight Style Technique, preparing to investigate.

However, no sooner had he dashed out than he hastily retreated. Wang Xuan and Qing Mu had directed their firepower at the wall near him, mistaking it for an attack aimed at him.

With a thunderous blast, the entire wall crumbled, revealing a bloodied man in his late forties, exuding immense strength. His special armor was shattered. Though he hadn’t been directly hit by the energy beam, a glancing blow had rendered one arm useless, and the exploding wall had thrown him off balance.

With a swift lift of his head, he lunged toward Wang Xuan and Qing Mu, intent on attack. Unfortunately, dazed by the shockwave and his senses dulled, he didn’t notice the estate’s defense system activating. Energy bullets struck him, rendering his body rigid.

Boom!

Wang Xuan and Qing Mu fired their energy cannons again, hitting him squarely this time. He disintegrated instantly, bursting into pieces.

The elder practicing Serpent-Crane Eight Style Technique turned and left without uttering a word, hurrying back to Zhong Qing. His scalp tingled with unease. The man who had just perished was at least a quasi-grandmaster, yet he had been obliterated so effortlessly.

......

Zhong Qing stifled a scream, her eyes wide in disbelief. The two men had unleashed chaos mere feet from her. The remnants of an arm – likely from some high-ranking figure – had slammed against her window, shattering it. Specks of blood were everywhere, with several droplets even staining her face. In the eerie silence of the night, this macabre event left her pale and shaken. By comparison, the horror films she often watched felt like light-hearted rom-coms.

"It's fine, just go back to sleep!" Wang Xuan called out, retreating with Qing Mu. As they disappeared into the shadows, he cheekily added, "Sorry for the ruckus, goodnight!"

But who could possibly return to slumber now? An exasperated Zhong Qing glanced down, watching as the severed arm thudded onto her floor, blood oozing around it. Paired with Wang Xuan's sarcastic 'goodnight', she nearly let out a shriek.

.....

As they proceeded, a shadowy assailant lunged at Wang Xuan and Qing Mu without warning. With impressive agility, he disarmed Qing Mu, sending the heavy cannon flying. His knife shimmered threateningly, its glint especially prominent amidst intermittent lightning flashes. Wang Xuan realized a confrontation was unavoidable. No matter how sharp his senses were, detecting every single intruder in the vast manor was improbable.

Without hesitating, he hoisted his enormous cannon, charging at the attacker. In a swift motion, he swung it with all his might.

The attacker's blade met the cannon with a brilliant flash. But with unmatched skill, he parried, redirecting the weapon into a nearby wall and causing a splash of water.

"Qing Mu, find cover! I've got this!" Wang Xuan ordered. He recognized the significance of this battle, especially given that his foe was donned in a state-of-the-art suit of armor.

Qing Mu showed no hesitation as he vanished from sight.

The figure in his armor approached silently with steady steps. He was like a phantom in the dead of night. He raised an arm, and conjured a golden spear out of thin air. With a sudden lunge, he drove his spear at Wang Xuan.

Golden light sliced through the darkness of the night like a flash of lightning. The spear strike was quick and deadly. White mist emanated from its tip, a sign of its sheer power that was able to evaporate the raindrops around it.

Wang Xuan dodged to a side, narrowly avoiding the deadly attract that punched through the trunk of a thick tree right behind him. With a loud crack, the bark exploded into many little splinters. The tree fell upon a house next door with a deafening rumble. As he stood in the rain, glaring at his opponent, Wang Xuan could tell that he was facing someone dangerous. His opponent was someone who was just a small gap away from being a Master. Armed with his super-material armor, the man was deadly. A strike from his transmaterial enhanced attack would be able to shatter the flesh and bones of a human being with ease.

The figure glared at him through the slit of his helmet, still standing in silence.

Boom!

With a sudden moment, the armored figure leapt at him and landed with a loud boom, splashing muddied water everywhere. His movements were quick when he launched his next series of lunges with his golden spear. Wang Xuan knew that he would be gone even if one of these attacks grazed his flesh.

He was quick on his feet, avoiding the attacks as he sought an opening. Should I fight him just like how Old Chen did? Do I just chip away at his armor bit by bit before finishing him off with one devastating blow? Despite those thoughts, Wang Xuan knew that time was not on his side. This was not the only opponent he would be facing on this rainy night. Many more were waiting for their chance to strike. They had him surrounded.

Thunk!

As Wang Xuan swiftly sidestepped, the gleaming golden spear embedded itself in the courtyard wall behind him. With a slight tremor, the solid wall shattered explosively. The sheer power on display was both domineering and terrifying.

Wang Xuan decided it was time to make a bold move; there was simply no time left.

The man before him was almost a Master in skill, and with the added advantage of the advanced armor he wore, his combat capabilities surged considerably. He was stuck between a rock and a hard place. Should one or two more of such opponents appear, Wang Xuan would be cornered. Escape would be his only chance of survival in such a scenario.

Taking a deep breath, Wang Xuan's internal organs pulsed rhythmically. The faint sound of thunder echoed from within him, mirroring the lightning above. From his pores emanated a soft luminance.

Without hesitation, Wang Xuan activated Zhang Daoling's technique. So far, he had mastered the first three diagrams from the first page of the golden tome.

As his adversary lunged forward with the golden spear again, the surroundings were illuminated brilliantly, turning the rainy night dazzling. Despite the pouring rain, the air around them was supercharged with raw energy. The houses in the spear's trajectory collapsed due to the shockwaves.

Evading the tip of the spear, Wang Xuan lunged at the man's chest, aiming to use Zhang Daoling's technique to pierce through the armor and neutralize its source of power.

However, his opponent was no amateur. Reacting quickly, the golden spear retracted, melding into his fist which then burst with sunlight-intense brilliance, clashing with Wang Xuan's palm.

The opponent forced a direct confrontation, proving his seasoned expertise. But Wang Xuan, undeterred, channeled the power from the golden tome. His internal organs illuminated his chest, as a formidable energy circulated throughout his body, converging on his palm.

Crack!

A deafening explosion sounded in mid-air, as blinding beams erupted between their clashing fists, lighting up the vicinity. This was a manifestation of their raw, tangible energy.

The realization hit the attacker hard. Despite his advanced armor, equivalent to the prowess of a Master, he was unable to overpower the mere mortal standing before him. The surprise was evident on his face. Taking advantage of the moment, Wang Xuan lunged with swift blows. His chest pulsed intensely, as if on the brink of explosion. He drew upon the formidable energy from the first page of the golden book, unleashing a torrent of power.

The ensuing clash was epic. Luminescent streaks spiraled around Wang Xuan, looking like bolts of lightning wrapping him. They fought fiercely, blow for blow.

Crack!

Finally, the sound Wang Xuan had been waiting for rang out. All his strikes had targeted a single spot on the attacker's chest, and the armor shattered. There was a resounding bang as the sophisticated armor splintered into pieces. Amidst the downpour, the fragments flew in all directions, glittering like shimmering petals in the wind. Wang Xuan felt his chest burning with intensity. The secret technique, bestowed by Zhang, was a marvel but equally taxing. It wasn't something the average person could harness.

Considering Wang Xuan's profound Inner Scenery training, this power was extraordinary. A novice would likely have been consumed by such force. Pushing his surging emotions aside, he launched himself at the quasi-Master. The man's shock was palpable. His once-unbreakable armor lay shattered. But now wasn't the time for shock. The two threw themselves into a desperate battle. Their intense combat tore down several walls and smashed through buildings. As a bolt of lightning illuminated the stormy night, spectators gazed on, completely captivated by the unfolding drama.

Wang Xuan's foot slammed onto the ground, propelling him forward as he spun, kicking the quasi-Master into the air. The sheer force of the move left the man's chest caved in, likely damaging his internal organs. As Wang Xuan retracted his leg, he soared upward, launching a punch that went straight through the descending figure. Tonight, mercy wasn't in Wang Xuan's vocabulary.

The aftermath was grisly – blood spattered everywhere, and the man's torso was obliterated.

As the last streak of lightning vanished, spectators saw Wang Xuan land gracefully, his eyes piercing through the rain-drenched night. Without even glancing at the fallen body, he moved forward with purpose.

"That's got to be the same Little Wang that Chen Yongjie talked about after the battle at Pamir Plateau," Old Wu whispered from a rooftop, clearly awed. "He just took down a quasi-Master in that advanced armor!"

"He's practically defeated a Master! And he's only in his twenties," Big Wu exclaimed, standing beside him. "How can someone so young master such ancient techniques?"

In the enveloping darkness, many watched, sharing the same shock.

"Before we know it, he'll be a full-fledged Master. It's hard to believe given his age," the elder from the Zhong family murmured, known for his expertise in the Serpent Crane style.

Earlier, Zhong Qing, despite being splashed with blood, had composed herself. She now stood beside the elder, her gaze fixed on the distant storm, sharing his astonishment.

Her younger brother, Zhong Cheng, eyes shining with admiration, added, "I never realized he was this formidable. He must've been holding back all along. Soon, he'll earn the title of Master Wang."

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