The Stars Beyond

contemporary romance

Chapter 241: Lots of Preparation

"Hello, Wang Xuan, the Pre-Qin golden bamboo slips can't be moved. Before my great-grandfather went into slumber, he sternly warned my sister and uncle that it concerns the rise and fall of the Zhong family, and must not be handled rashly," Zhong Cheng said over the phone, sounding regretful. His path to becoming a sword immortal was now fraught with obstacles, and he was in pain, both physically and emotionally, after being beaten by his sister, nearly to the point of breaking bones.

The Pre-Qin golden bamboo slips, considered supreme scriptures in ancient times, were so coveted that even those on the verge of transcendent ascension would fight to the death for them. With the emergence of supernatural beings and the return of myths, these artifacts have naturally gained even more importance to the wealthy families.

Zhong Cheng added, "However, my uncle still wishes to meet with you for an equitable exchange."

"Okay," Wang Xuan pondered and then agreed.

As for the golden bamboo slips, he believed they were temporarily unobtainable from the Zhong family and planned to try obtaining them from another family soon.

After setting a time, Wang Xuan immediately rode his flying car to Kun City for a meeting with Zhong Cheng's uncle.

The Sun family, learning that Wang Xuan had left Suzhou again, reacted with gloomy faces. "Does he think that by quickly shuttling between major cities, it's inconvenient for us to attack him with warships? He's been constantly traveling these days, does he really think we dare not destroy a place to kill him?"

"Don't rush. The next strike will be thunderous and lethal. We mustn't repeat the mistake of destroying a spaceship for nothing and hitting the wrong target," they conspired internally.

The Sun family had a consensus that Wang Xuan must be eliminated, preferably soon, as the next three years would be extremely difficult and dangerous for them if he remained.

"There's been a startling discovery in the latest analysis from the mothership. Evidence suggests that the vanished technological civilization was capable of hunting gods and demons, capturing powerful mythical creatures. This implies that their advanced warships and mechs are incredibly terrifying," they discussed excitedly.

Even the elderly members of the Sun family, with their clouded old eyes, were intensely shaken and paid great attention.

"Elaborate," demanded Sun Rongsheng, utterly serious.

"The black technology in the mothership confirms that psychic energy can be decoded and supermaterial utilized. Even the mightiest gods and demons that roar across the heavens and earth can be hunted. Of course, the difficulty of capturing mythical beings varies with their rank, and targeting top-tier celestial demons would likely come at a huge cost," they explained.

The members of the Sun family were astounded, contemplating the immense potential of such a resplendent technological civilization where even gods and demons could be hunted, and all supernatural phenomena could be decoded. "Does this mean that if we fully revive the technology in the mothership, even if the celestial immortals return, we could hunt and capture them for our use?" they mused, their eyes ablaze with excitement even in their advanced age.

The possibility that the ancient human civilization had decoded the secret to longevity became apparent, for how else could they have stood against gods and demons? The core members of the Sun family, despite their advanced age, were visibly excited, looking forward to the potential results from the mothership.

However, they realized the complexity of the task at hand. "Those blueprints and documents are incredibly complicated; it's unlikely we'll see immediate results. Some materials, like solar gold, mithril, and magic crystals, are scarce even on supernatural planets, let alone on New Star," they lamented.

"We have previously excavated rare ores from blessed lands and secret realms. If we contact the Westerners to trade for magic crystals and other unique resources from the wizarding world, we might solve the material issue," someone suggested.

The Sun family, engaged in a secret meeting, saw this as a transformative event for their lineage. Success would elevate them to the pinnacle of the era, allowing them to look down even upon gods and demons. They wondered about the achievements of other families with motherships, like the Zhong and Qin families.

"There are several mechs and robots in the mothership. If we fully decode them, we might be able to activate them," proposed one member.

"Let's not take that step yet. Those are reference models, prototypes. Any accident could result in irreplaceable losses," cautioned another.

This news revitalized the Sun family, bolstering their confidence that once they fully decoded the mothership's black technology, they could dominate not just supernatural beings like Wang Xuan but also hunt gods and demons.

"However, let's not be overly optimistic. After all, the mothership's civilization perished, so they must have encountered some catastrophe," someone warned.

"We need to approach this from multiple angles. We've recently lost more probes and life pods, but there's been a breakthrough. The supernatural substance in that area is diminishing, and those who disappeared there years ago are likely to return. After years of cultivation in such a place, some of them might have ascended to become supernatural beings!" they concluded with renewed determination.

......

The Sun family eagerly awaited, feeling as though time was on their side. They were strategically stockpiling resources.

Meanwhile, Wang Xuan, on high alert, traveled to Kun City with the dark golden boat. He arrived at a picturesque garden to meet with Elder Zhong. The garden, with its pavilions and water features, beautifully replicated the scenery of the ancient southern regions of the old Earth.

Zhong Qing and her brother Zhong Cheng were also present. Zhong Qing's gaze towards Wang Xuan was noticeably cold, which he pretended not to notice.

Elder Zhong brought a collection of old objects, claiming them to be rare treasures. Wang Xuan surveyed the assortment: from ancient coins to chicken bowl cups, Yuan dynasty blue-and-white porcelain, and Ru ware. "This chicken bowl cup is the only one left after the old Earth's wars," Elder Zhong explained.

Wang Xuan was unimpressed, wondering if Elder Zhong thought he was an antique appraiser. After the initial display was cleared, another set was brought out, featuring items like Eastern Han dynasty bronze mirrors, Western Zhou dynasty bronze tripods, and Shang dynasty jade artifacts. Most were ordinary, with a few treasures but no extraordinary items.

Wang Xuan was surprised at the meagerness of Elder Zhong's collection, given his position in the Zhong family. These were mostly personal collectibles, with a few items from the external vault of the family's secret storehouse. The inner vault remained untouched as per the family's strict rules.

Losing interest, Wang Xuan's attention was briefly piqued by a wooden box with intricate runes carved into it. Opening it, his disappointment returned. The box contained stacks of talisman papers, some so old they were falling apart.

Although the talismans seemed unique, they disintegrated upon touch. When Wang Xuan tried infusing them with mystical particles, the top few caught fire. He quickly extinguished the flames, but some papers turned to ash nonetheless.

The talismans, neglected in Elder Zhong's external vault, seemed beyond repair to him. However, Wang Xuan didn't give up. He carefully retrieved the fragmented and incomplete pieces using his psychic control.

The talismans, seemingly on the brink of decay but still intact, began to exude a sense of vitality once infused with mysterious particles. They appeared to thicken and stabilize, no longer fragile.

Wang Xuan was impressed. It was a rare find from Elder Zhong's collection, something valuable overlooked by the elder. He studied them closely, injecting one talisman with substantial amounts of extraordinary matter. It took a long time to saturate, and the strange markings on it flickered, signaling its remarkable nature.

Regretfully, Wang Xuan noted that about twenty or so talismans were beyond saving, their markings almost completely faded. Only a dozen or so remained intact, a significant loss considering their potential power. This discovery further confirmed the Zhong family's wealth; even discarded items could be treasures.

Elder Zhong, with his ordinary vision, failed to perceive the significance of Wang Xuan's find. But Zhong Qing was different. She quickly realized that anything Wang Xuan valued must be extraordinary.

"Stop tricking us, Wang Xuan. We need a fair exchange," she demanded, protectively clutching the box of talismans.

"Be careful not to crush them," Wang Xuan warned anxiously, knowing their fragility and value. He had only begun to infuse a few talismans with the mysterious particles.

"Old Wang, you can't take advantage of us," Zhong Cheng chimed in.

Wang Xuan nodded, assuring them, "Don't worry, I treat everyone fairly."

......

Wang Xuan spent two days in the Zhong family's estate, extending Elder Zhong's lifespan by several years and agreeing to meet again in the future. During his stay, Zhong Qing and Zhong Cheng were nourished by the mysterious particles, enhancing their vitality and strength.

Before leaving, Wang Xuan smiled and said to Zhong Qing, “Consider the matter of the golden bamboo scrolls. In three years, you could become a transcendent figure, Super Zhong!” He saw the opportunity for her to access Elder Zhong's study as a rare chance.

Zhong Qing, blushing and visibly embarrassed, glared at him, struggling to maintain her composure.

Zhong Cheng whispered to her, “Sis, life doesn’t give second chances. This is a rare opportunity. It’s just a set of bamboo scrolls. We’re not giving them away, just letting him study them. Plus, this isn’t just about your destiny; it’s about my future too. We might miss our chance to transcend. And honestly, those scrolls are useless just sitting there. Even Elder Zhong couldn’t master them!” He hastily added, “I’m not just selling out my sister. You want to transcend too, don’t you?”

...

Wang Xuan, without any delay, returned to Su City and visited Qian An again. He used his Daoist temple to infuse the talismans with extraordinary matter, a task he hadn’t completed at the Zhong estate.

Though consumable, these talismans, if utilized correctly, could be more useful than rare treasures at this stage. Wang Xuan studied them carefully. Some were inscribed with sword symbols and, once filled with extraordinary matter, became robust, almost releasing sharp sword rays. Others, marked with thunder symbols, emanated terrifying thunderous sounds even without being activated.

Each talisman was unique and served different purposes, astounding Wang Xuan. Whoever created them had been incredibly resourceful, once possessing a box of deadly weapons. “Such a pity to have lost so many,” he lamented, regretting the deterioration of over twenty talismans. Each could have been a trump card.

“Need to test these and see if they’re as potent as they seem. If they are, I’ll find a way to compensate Zhong Qing and Zhong Cheng,” he mused to himself.

With only three days left before the Chi Lan Assembly, Wang Xuan continued his preparations, unsure of the challenges ahead. Could it truly be the return of the immortals?

He pondered his arsenal's strength. Was he equipped to defeat a significantly weakened true immortal?

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