The Stars Beyond

Chapter 412: A New Civilization

"I wonder how Yu Zhu and Old Zhang are doing. This spaceship is quite special, unlike anything I imagined," Wang Xuan said with a grave expression. The faction they were dealing with was powerful and had significant backing, causing him considerable concern for the three masters.

The tragic events aboard the ancient spaceship had clearly occurred a long time ago, most likely in antiquity, and it had been adrift in the cosmos for untold years. The accidental entry of Fang Yuzhu and Zhang Daoling, along with the ancestor of the Hades Blood Cult, had triggered some mechanisms and revitalized the desolate seating area. After ages, it seemed that 'VIPs' could still emerge.

"This place really is interesting. Who were the people in the stands back then? Now that the arena has been revived, it seems like some spectators can return to the ancient spaceship," the enchanting Yan Yan remarked.

Though she took this seriously, her demeanor remained calm, showing no signs of worry. She was still poised and confident. At her level, a powerful will and an unshakeable belief in her own invincibility shone like an undying flame, illuminating her path forward.

"Here, take this," Yan Yan offered, handing over the Godslaying Banner.

"It's more useful in your hands. I still have the Dao-Splitting Sword!" Wang Xuan brandished the iron harpoon in his hand.

Yan Yan said, "I thought we might face a curse from an entire mythological civilization or an inexplicable natural disaster, but now, it seems it's merely man-made. I don't need it for now."

The vast spaceship's exterior was riddled with holes and stained blood-red from the battle with the immortals, and it initially gave off an unpredictable sense of calamity.

"Our opponents sure are confident, haughtily going on and on about capturing a super-creature and taking it away... to cultivate a stronger lineage," Wang Xuan said cautiously.

Their confidence was excessive, and they were treating Yan Yan—an unparalleled expert among the immortals—as mere prey. It was preposterous!

"They think they can just capture me? I was thinking of hunting them instead!" Yan Yan's lips curved slightly, a faint chill in her smile. No one could look down on her.

"These so-called super-creatures, according to their theory, are simply limit-breakers from various realms, like the tenth stage in the human world, the tenth stage of the Wanderer level, the tenth life in the Life Essence Lord's path—nothing to fuss about. If they could summon a being from beyond the mythological frontier, the eleventh tier, then maybe I'd be somewhat concerned."

With her black hair flowing and her brilliance shining, Yan Yan's long dress accentuated her slender, graceful figure as she stepped forward in her high heels made of special material.

Wang Xuan was undaunted, but he worried whether this new faction might harbor individuals beyond even Yan Yan's realm.

Shaking her head, Yan Yan said, "You must believe that the cosmic correction is inviolable and magnificent. Even I suffered, being forcefully demoted to this level. How could they be an exception?"

She fiddled with the palm-sized Godslaying Banner, on which a strand of blue hair rested. She seemed somewhat disdainful, not touching the strand directly, but she had already scrutinized it, obtaining valuable information and formulating guesses.

Wang Xuan nodded, understanding that regardless of the opponent's identity or background, they still had to face the harsh reality of the world's strength correction from which no one could escape.

The first cabin was stacked with the corpses of immortals; the second held over a hundred astronauts, slain to serve as experimental materials; and the third cabin was a fair arena.

Now, the two of them made their way along the corridor towards the fourth cabin, each lost in their own thoughts. Despite Yan Yan's confidence, she did not underestimate her opponents. On the contrary, she was fully prepared, ready to unleash a devastating strike at any moment.

"Were they ancient beings who slaughtered the mighty and fearsome immortals? And did they abandon this ancient spaceship, or was it deliberately set adrift to search for our realm?" Wang Xuan pondered.

"In every era, there have been powerful beings who ventured far into the cosmos, giving rise to mythological planets. They all tried to find new paths to change the terrible fate of mythology’s demise. I think these deceased immortals were pioneers from ancient times, leading the way in unknown territories, finding opportunities, and passing on our mythological civilization, only to be ultimately defeated and killed by another civilization," Yan Yan reflected solemnly, honoring those gone while also lamenting their tragic end.

Wang Xuan's expression was serious. This was undoubtedly a faction that could be mentioned in the same breath as the grand civilizations, and perhaps they were even stronger.

He remarked, "This unknown civilization's research into super-materials, bridging the gap between magic and reality, is impressive; those biological samples were extremely powerful, capable of harnessing rare and precious super-energies."

"It's a powerful civilization, but to say they could completely overwhelm the Immortal Dao civilization is an overstatement. I have some guesses as to their origins, but there are discrepancies that need to be verified," she stated, withholding further details.

Wang Xuan was amazed, realizing that long ago, the Immortal Dao civilization had encountered formidable existences during its expansion and faced fierce adversaries.

Yan Yan said, "Let's go. If we're attacked, don't hold back, blast them away with the Godslaying Banner. If they try to overpower you with their realm, make an effort to flee and run to me."

Do I seem that weak? he thought, but then he held his tongue, deciding it was better to be modest. After all, encountering a group of super-creatures on Earth would indeed be a terrifying scenario.

Ahead, the entrance was shrouded in a dreamlike haze with a halo of light. Passing through would lead them into the fourth cabin, where they would face those beings again.

"Let's go, our enemies are waiting!" Wang Xuan adjusted his mindset and readied himself for what lay ahead.

Yan Yan reminded him not to be careless. Confidence was key, but underestimating the opponent was not an option.

"The limit-breakers are very strong, but they’re not invincible. It's only if we encounter beings who have surpassed the mythological frontier and reached the eleventh tier that we'd be in serious trouble," Yan Yan whispered.

The absence of Fang Yuzhu, Zhang Daoling, and the ancestor of the Hades Blood Cult made them wary.

Finally, Yan Yan smiled. "Let's go. It’s the two of us against a civilization!" .

Her fair face shone with confidence, which only served to amplify her already dazzling beauty. In an instant, they passed through the illuminated gate into the fourth cabin, only to be momentarily startled by the scene before them.

It was unlike anything they had envisioned. Blue skies, white clouds, lush green grass, and lakes like giant pearls adorned the landscape, clear and pristine. The lakes were surrounded by super-materials and bordered by distant mountains, beautiful maple forests, and blessed lands reminiscent of celestial abodes.

"Could it be that we've traveled through time and space, arriving at that civilization’s headquarters?" Wang Xuan looked around cautiously. Just a moment ago, they were inside a technological spaceship, and now, they found themselves in a picturesque landscape that didn't seem to belong inside the ancient spaceship at all.

"We're still in the cabin, but it's like a mustard seed containing Mount Meru[1]; you can think of this place as a larger fragment of a blessed land," Yan Yan explained, gazing into the distance.

Wang Xuan had a piece of blessed land on his wrist, but its internal space was only about five or six cubic meters, suitable for storing various items.

"Alert, superspecies invasion detected. Intruder has entered the pure land. Activation of hunting mode recommended!" The annoying mechanical voice echoed once again.

This place seemed to be connected to the two sets of armor in the earlier arena. It seemed that they had exchanged information and the mechanical voice was also speaking in an ancient Old Earth language. With a stomp on the lawn, Wang Xuan caused the ground to crack, making the lake water evaporate and then condense into a misty rain.

"Upon further verification, the superspecies is flawed and has brutal instincts. Immediate extermination recommended. After collecting the sample, destroy the flesh to prevent disorderly spread of the genes." The mechanical voice was loud and urgent.

"Shut up!" Wang Xuan looked for the source of the voice and spotted a mechanical bird circling in the sky above.

With a swish, Yan Yan produced an oil-paper umbrella, opened it, and walked gracefully towards the mist created by the lake water.

"I'm here. Will you prostrate at my feet voluntarily, or shall I come over and capture you?" she declared, her domineering attitude unchanged.

From a distance, four beams of light descended from the sky onto a mountain, each with a motionless person with a diamond-shaped crystal on their forehead. Then, three more beams of celestial light appeared, revealing two males and a female on another mountain, each with a glowing red crystal shining brightly at their brow.

Both groups had arrived.

"Capture her; I want to take her away for research!" One of the females from the first group from earlier was angry. She was the one startled by Yan Yan's smashing of the barrier earlier.

The blue-haired female from the second group spoke up with a smile, "Sorry, but she's already reserved. I plan to take both of them away to breed a lineage of mutated superspecies!"

"We chose her first. We will take her!" a male from the first group insisted.

"How about we settle this by strength?" The red crystal on the blue-haired female shone brilliantly. Despite her sweet smile, she showed no signs of backing down.

Overall, their figures were somewhat vague within the light columns, with only their general outlines visible and details like their eyes difficult to capture.

Wang Xuan hoped that the two groups would start fighting each other.

"Let's capture them first and discuss ownership later!" someone suggested, hoping to avoid internal conflict.

Since the two groups didn’t seem like they were going to fight among themselves, there was no need to wait. Yan Yan's oil-paper umbrella spun, and then she pointed it forward.

With a thunderous roar, the sky darkened, and lightning filled the air. The umbrella transformed into a pool of lightning, unleashing thick beams of light toward both mountains.

The diamond-shaped crystals on the first group’s foreheads glowed, and a net was formed to resist the attack.

At the second group's location, the blue-haired female and the two males, all clad in armor, had their red crystals shining brightly, creating a fantastical space that absorbed the lightning.

"Activate hunting mode, capture them," commanded a male from the first group.

Suddenly, a black mountain rose from the ground, shrouded in chaos. A dark beam was activated on the mountain, ultimately materializing into a man in black who blocked Yan Yan's path.

The mechanical bird circling in the sky quickly reported to the two groups of guests, "Hunting mode activated. There are six superspecies to choose from in the local sample library, including three exceptionally powerful 'celebrities' that should be able to capture her."

"Weren't you the ones who said you'd bravely face us in battle? Why the hesitation now?" Wang Xuan shouted defiantly.

"Esteemed guests, it is not advisable for you to personally engage in battle. We have sufficient sample creatures here capable of capturing this inherently brutal superspecies juvenile."

"Shut your beak!"

Wang Xuan wanted to dismantle the mechanical bird right that second. He launched a punch filled with light towards the sky, aiming to utterly destroy it.

"Destruction of the intruders recommended!" The bird cried out, flapping its mechanical wings and escaping into the clouds.

The blue-haired guest laughed, "He's not exactly brutal. He’s a bit adorable, in fact. It's their untamed nature that highlights their individual differences, making their superspecies bloodline worth cultivating."

Wang Xuan's expression darkened at her words.

"You'll need to defeat a few of the stronger sample creatures before you earn the right to face the cultivators. I'll be waiting for you two," the blue-haired female said with a smile.

Then, she inquired to the mechanical bird whether there were superspecies bloodline samples corresponding to Wang Xuan's existence level.

"In this sample library, there are eight sample super-creatures corresponding to his level, including four 'celebrities' whose legends are still circulating in the world today and are capable of quickly capturing him!" the mechanical bird replied.

Above the two mountains, densely packed seats appeared in the void, indicating that long ago, this place could accommodate many spectators to watch the hunt.

Both groups took their place in the VIP seats which were positioned higher up.

Wang Xuan's frustration was palpable, and he looked anything but pleased..

A dazzling light burst forth, and intense combat ensued. In front of the black mountain, Yan Yan aggressively advanced, launching successive attacks. The flawed supernatural rules that lingered in the world intertwined, and finally, the mountain broke apart. The man in black was forcefully dispersed.

Yan Yan swept across the sky, charging again towards the VIP seats.

"She's really strong. Use the 'celebrities' to stop her! She must be captured!" the blue-haired female commanded. "I'm really looking forward to it. A mother like her would surely give rise to a mutated bloodline!"

"Cold daydreams. It's more like I'm your cultivator and none of you will escape!" Yan Yan retorted coldly.

In front of Wang Xuan, not just one but several streams of light danced in the air, revealing multiple beings as each descended and materialized.

"Do you prefer a one-on-one duel, or would you rather face a group?" The mechanical bird spoke, seemingly mocking Wang Xuan. Despite its emotionless and rigid voice, its character appeared surprisingly reactive.

Wang Xuan observed the beings before him—members of both human and alien races, all incredibly strong and each a limit-breaker at the tenth level.

"What a pity, what a shame. O beings of the tenth level with astonishing talents, are you really willing to be used by others in this manner?"

Upon hearing this, the mechanical bird responded, "What are you talking about? They are merely sample creatures. The most recent one, revered as the god of death, died over six hundred years ago. As for that hero king engulfed in golden flames, he is a 'celebrity' who died over eight thousand years ago. He too is a collected sample."

Wang Xuan was taken aback, now understanding why these tenth-level beings were referred to as sample creatures and even why there was interest in collecting him as a sample!

However, he was also alerted to the remarkable capabilities of this civilization which was able to replicate the unique powers of deceased individuals and resurrect their divine might. This was indeed terrifying.

"Huh, wait, that's not right. Celebrity reaction? You are also...!" the mechanical bird exclaimed.

It quickly reported to the spectators, "This superspecies bloodline might belong to a living celebrity. It appears we have found some information about him; he once made it onto a distant list! There, he was... true to his nature of a brutal creature, with a notoriously bad reputation!"

1. This is a common phrase in cultivation novels, and it originates in the Vimalakirti Sutra, a Buddhist scripture. Mount Meru (or Sumeru) is said to be millions of kilometers tall, while a mustard seed is one of the smallest seeds. The scripture says that Mount Meru can hide a mustard seed, while a mustard seed can contain Mount Meru. It signifies that even something seemingly insignificant can contain infinite possibilities. ☜