The Stars Beyond

Chapter 413: Notorious Blacklister

"Enough!" Wang Xuan could no longer tolerate it. Being slandered out of the blue and branded as notoriously brutal was infuriating.

This damned mechanical bird!

He realized that this bird likely shared the same intelligence core as the earlier armor. Its repeated provocations nearly tarnished his reputation completely in a blatant act of revenge.

"Interesting, so he's a celebrity. Then it's even better, such a bloodline is definitely worth cultivating," the blue-haired spectator said with a smile, leaning half her body out of the celestial light column to take a closer look at Wang Xuan.

When she revealed her appearance properly, she looked quite young overall. Her blue hair shone like satin, and the glowing red crystal at her forehead added a divine, holy aura. Her features were delicate and beautiful, with clear, large, and expressive eyes, a high and white nose bridge, small but luscious and glossy lips, and slightly pointed ears.

She was a humanoid with a distinct exotic charm, though it was unclear if her true form was actually human-like.

"Esteemed guest, he's listed on a blacklist—he’s a celebrity with negative attributes!" the mechanical bird reported.

The blue-haired woman suddenly returned to the light column, seemingly averse to even the mention of the blacklist as she kept her distance.

With a thunderous roar, Wang Xuan targeted the mechanical bird and unleashed his Feather Fist, sending the bird screaming as it rushed away.

"Brutal, with a notoriously bad reputation! A person on the blacklist!"

Wang Xuan felt the bird was beyond redemption, as it seized every opportunity to sling mud at him. What was this now about being blacklisted? Accusations and dubious lists seemed to be piling up against him without basis.

"No matter, he's young. His life level hasn't reached a sufficient height yet. He has a lot of potential and is indeed worth cultivating," the blue-haired woman said, before instructing the sample creatures to capture the interesting superspecies.

The eight sample super-creatures advanced towards him. They varied in appearance from humanoid figures and alien fleshly beings to metallic entities.

"I choose a one-on-one duel. Let's see how strong these so-called sample super-creatures really are!" Wang Xuan declared.

Preferring to conserve his strength, he naturally didn't want to exhaust himself battling eight powerful opponents single-handedly, a scenario promising a challenging and possibly fatal confrontation likely to result in at least severe injury.

"You can choose to face them one at a time, but they’re not going to oblige. You're up against all of them, alone!" the mechanical bird called out from a distance.

Then, a terrifying battle erupted.

The first to strike was a white-haired individual with a large sword on his back. Without drawing his sword, he sprinted forward, transforming himself into a massive blade that flew towards Wang Xuan.

Wang Xuan frowned, sensing the individual to be a strong threat. It was almost unbelievable.

Next, a being made of living metal, resembling a Daoist in appearance, extended a hand towards Wang Xuan. With a movement that carried the essence of Daoism, he summoned up celestial energy and conjured a prison of void to trap Wang Xuan.

Meanwhile, a giant standing at over fifty meters tall—not a manifestation of some spiritual form but his actual body—raised his foot and attempted to stomp Wang Xuan.

Each of the eight formidable opponents possessed unique abilities and posed a significant threat to Wang Xuan. The four ‘celebrities’ among them, such as the hero king and the individual who transformed into a sword, were particularly terrifying!

Surrounded and facing a group attack, Wang Xuan abandoned any notion of fairness. Gripping the Godslaying Banner, he looked for an opportunity to strike back. Facing a group of epic fighters alone was a daunting task, especially since he had only recently entered this realm of power. Each of these eight sample super-creatures was incredibly powerful, seemingly no different from their real past selves, and any one of them could intimidate extraordinary beings across this great realm.

The grass around was obliterated and the lake evaporated as Wang Xuan dashed like a specter, managing to evade the void prison conjured by the metallic Daoist. However, he only narrowly avoided being cleaved by the person who had transformed into a broadsword, whose swipe grazed him and left a deep, bone-exposing cut on his shoulder from the invisible sword qi.

A thunderous crash resounded as the giant's foot came crashing down, fracturing the earth and sending several sample creatures as well as Wang Xuan flying. The giant's stomp was not only immensely powerful, with an effect akin to a collapsing mountain, but also unleashed dazzling electrical discharges that spread rapidly and almost hit Wang Xuan.

In the midst of this, as Wang Xuan leaped into the air, he heard the piercing sound of flapping wings. A black mantis, over three meters tall, with forearms shaped like dark broadswords, slashed at him, causing the void to collapse and the super-material to pulsate with its attack.

Wang Xuan ignored it, dodging the dual blades, but the mantis's dark blade qi cut him in two places, staining him with blood.

Wang Xuan was indeed powerful, but he was not yet a match for eight tenth-level limit-breakers.

Only an advanced civilization like this one could have such figures be ’collected’ from history to appear simultaneously and coordinate their attacks. It would normally be impossible for so many epic characters to emerge at once and join forces.

Finally, in this moment of life and death, Wang Xuan launched his counterattack. From the beginning, he had focused on a single target.

In a decisive strike with the Godslaying Banner, a handsome man with golden hair and eyes filled with golden runes, who was wielding a royal sword and charging fearlessly, fell victim to Wang Xuan's counterattack. His sample's imprint was stripped away, causing him to explode violently.

All of this occurred in the blink of an eye, with Wang Xuan dodging the relentless attacks from the other tenth-level limit-breakers and focusing solely on that one target, achieving a swift kill. Under normal circumstances, without the Godslaying Banner, it would not have been possible for him to defeat that individual so quickly.

"The sample of Prince Roheng of the Solar Elf race has been slain!" the mechanical bird screeched, revealing the identity of the sample with a notable background.

The guests in the VIP seats were somewhat surprised, as some among them had witnessed the prodigious talent of the elegant elf prince in his lifetime. Alas, the Solar Elf Prince had met an untimely death without ever reaching his full potential. He had been murdered at a young age, after which his flesh had been collected by their civilization as a super-sample.

"Stop!" the blue-haired female called out, instructing the remaining seven sample super-creatures to cease their attack.

"Do you intend to fight me yourself?" Wang Xuan looked up at the female in the VIP seats.

"No, you must first get past them. Put away that banner, and I'll allow you to face them one-on-one," she replied, curious to see Wang Xuan's true potential rather than just his ability to wield a powerful weapon.

"Agreed." Wang Xuan nodded.

"Initiate the Celebrity Battle!" the blue-haired female instructed the mechanical bird.

The other guests displayed intrigue at the development, as every Celebrity Battle was significant and recorded in their battle archives for future reference, making history within their civilization.

"A person from the blacklist is about to duel a celebrity; such a Celebrity Battle brings shame to the likes of the Supreme Sword God and the Hero King!" the mechanical bird commented, increasingly displaying emotions despite its stiff voice.

"Shut up!" Wang Xuan was nearing zero tolerance for the bird as it continued to defame him.

"A person of the blacklist, ill-famed, and you say I cannot speak," the mechanical bird retorted, flapping its wings high in the sky.

"Explain to me, what is this blacklist?" Wang Xuan demanded, sensing that the mechanical bird was serious and not merely fabricating stories.

"In this universe, there's a list forged from the sun's gold. It’s just barely included in the main list's scope, as it belongs to the most peripheral area. It's considered one of the lesser sub-lists with insufficient weight..." the mechanical bird explained.

Wang Xuan was dumbfounded, but then he finally remembered! Could this really be happening? This was the most unjust blacklisting he had ever faced, and he felt utterly wronged. If he had known better before, he would never have ended up on such a lamentable list.

The Departed Land, that place with the large lump of solar gold, where many names are inscribed. Known as the Golden List... Images from the past flickered through his mind.

The Departed Land was guarded by ferryman Xu Fu, its list forged from solar gold. Of course, his inclusion at the bottom of that list wasn't because he had done something extraordinarily heroic or impressive. Rather, it was his attempt to steal the solar gold and, most crucially, his altercation with the Moon's fisherman over a slate of scripture and his cutting of the fishing line that landed him on the blacklist, leveraging the list's popularity to hang his name on the tail end of the Golden List in the Departed Land.

"Come on, Zhang said it was absurd. How could I, a young man merely seeking to protect himself, become notorious just because of some arbitrary entries by an Air Force fisherman?" Wang Xuan was in disbelief for quite some time.

Then, he became more alert.

The fact that the solar-gold list in the Land of the Departed was considered one of the more peripheral sub-lists in that universe was both astonishing and terrifying.

He became somewhat lost in thought, contemplating the eight realms of The Departed Land, each with its unique attributes. Some departed lands housed mysterious researchers, others were extinguished civilizations, and some even interacted with extraterrestrial civilizations.

Wang Xuan recalled his experiences there and Xu Fu's words. The fisherman on the moon provided him with attractive bait but also prepared the imprint of cross-domain war him for Cross-domain War. Initially intended to be implanted into him, Wang Xuan resisted the temptation and requested the ferryman's intervention, which led Xu Fu to trigger a thunderous response.

Xu Fu had transformed the fishhook into a solar-gold spear, embedding part of the mark to share the inflicted damage with Wang Xuan, only for Old Chen to inadvertently trigger it and become the scapegoat.

Wang Xuan, spared from the crises involving the mark, realized that Xu Fu and Chen Yongjie had ‘shared’ the burden instead.

"So, inter-domain warfare truly exists. Could it be that Xu Fu and Chen Yongjie are about to be conscripted?" he pondered, somewhat lost in thought. Ironically, he—who had evaded the mark—was the first to encounter beings from another domain.

It was likely that inter-domain warfare, entailing clashes between different civilizations, was instigated for the collection of super-samples. Or perhaps it had deeper motivations, such as extending the lifespan of extraordinary worlds.

If the Golden List was merely one of the sub-lists, what about the main list? Was it orchestrated by the civilization he was currently engaging with, or was the so-called main list itself entangling several different civilizations, fully shrouded in mystery?

"Look, he's ashamed. The infamous figure on the blacklist is now speechless with shame!" the mechanical bird taunted.

Wang Xuan chose not to engage with it; some matters couldn't be discussed openly.

Then, the white-haired man who had previously transformed himself into a sword and sliced open Wang Xuan's shoulder which was still bleeding, stepped forward. Unlike the other super-samples, he introduced himself, and he was clearly imbued with emotions and a distinct personality.

"I am Mosang, a sword demon from 1,500 years ago. I wasted my life in pursuit of sword mastery—nothing but a tragic life. I am known as a Sword God, but that title was imposed on me by others," he said.

With a booming sword cry, he once again transformed himself into a broadsword rather than drawing a weapon, and his sword light pierced through heaven and earth. Behind him, a mountain's vague silhouette appeared, showcasing scenes from Mosang's life—a child practicing swordsmanship, growing into adolescence, and then reaching adulthood...

These scenes depicted Mosang's life dedicated to the sword. He had abandoned his childhood sweetheart to heartbreak, missed his parents' last moments, and even mistakenly killed his master and forefather in madness. Upon achieving sword mastery and returning home, he found his sweetheart aged and frail. She passed away shortly after his return, leaving him alone on the mountain and immersed in the sword path, where he evolved into a demon and a god of the sword.

"I aim to reach the eleventh stage!" The silhouette of the man practicing swordsmanship on the mountain roared, having lost everything and seeking to break through the limits and challenge the frontier of mythology.

Regrettably, Mosang had failed. Despite being infinitely close and having glimpsed the eleventh stage, he ultimately couldn't make that final step.

"A bygone figure, with a life steeped in tragedy," Wang Xuan observed, focusing on the giant sword and the shadowy mountain behind it, along with the figure's echoing roar.

"Celebrity samples are infused with emotions and retain moods, unlike other super-samples that lack spiritual power and are essentially soulless tools," the blue-haired female remarked.

As Mosang transformed into a colossal sword and slashed at Wang Xuan, the world seemed to dim in that instant. For a moment, his sword alone seemed to illuminate eternity, leaving only its own presence with all else fading away.

Even before the sword reached him, Wang Xuan felt wounded by the pervasive sword intent, his skin seeping blood. Anyone less extraordinary would have been shredded instantly.

Wang Xuan had already sensed a significant threat from this individual, and now that he was facing the man directly, he felt it even more acutely. Utilizing his own sword intent and the Dao-Splitting Sword, he countered. This was his first direct confrontation with such a formidable limit-breaker at the tenth level.

Sword light blossomed everywhere, turning the world into a canvas of swords, light and sword runes swirling everywhere resembling clouds or even the rising dawn. Amidst the various phenomena, the intertwining sword lights depicted life and death, as well as joy and sorrow. Reflecting the myriad aspects of mortal life, the sword light embodied life itself.

In this brief decisive battle, Wang Xuan sustained injuries, having been pierced by the intangible sword intent, while the broadsword became notched and scarred, on the verge of shattering.

As their sword energies collided in a metallic clamor, the grand sword soared and clashed with Wang Xuan's sword wheel, halting time itself. In the ensuing silence, the narrative of a young man rippled. Burdened by his sword, he had journeyed far, dedicating his life to swordsmanship and returning with white hair, then succumbing to madness and tragedy until his vigorous life shattered, nearing complete disintegration.

As the frozen scene tore open, Wang Xuan erupted with sword light, though his sword wheel quickly dimmed in a struggle to maintain form. Yet, from the core of his being, his spirit unleashed a sword strike; spiritual light soared out and condensed into a blade that broke the giant sword.

Mosang reverted to human form, then shattered along with the tragic life he led, dissipating into nothingness.

"Remarkably, the legendary celebrity, Sword God Mosang, has been defeated. His sword was broken and his body destroyed!" the mechanical bird couldn't help but faintly proclaim.

" Though Mosang had never reached the highest realm and instead perished prematurely, he was regarded as the most gifted swordsman of the millennium," the blue-haired female stated, somewhat entranced. She had certainly heard the tale of sword demon Mosang, which always held a special poignancy.

As the Celebrity Battle unfolded, witnessing a superspecies bloodline from this star region triumph was remarkable. "With the likes of the Hero King potentially not even taking the stage, the outcome seems almost predetermined," another guest in the VIP seats commented.

Wang Xuan, momentarily lost in thought, finally shook his head in regret, "Such a pitiable life that man led."

Meanwhile, Yan Yan ascended, her red dress billowing out around her. With a flick of her oil-paper umbrella, she burst a golden giant into pieces. "The Giant God, Luo Cheng, has fallen. The maturing superspecies has also slain a celebrity!"

The guests were visibly moved by the developments.

As Yan Yan advanced, her oil-paper umbrella twirling amidst the misty rain, she approached the ‘VIPs’.

The blue-haired female stood up from the VIP seats within the celestial light column and stepped out, indicating her intention of personally entering the fray.

"Sister Yan, be careful!" Wang Xuan called out. He felt that if he could break through to the forefront of mythological theory and reach the eleventh stage while simultaneously causing these individuals to fall by a minor realm, then he could stand a chance against them. For now, he still lacked that final bit of strength.

Yan Yan glanced back with peerless grace, asking, "It seems, whether she wins or I do, you won't be losing out. Who is it you expect will win?"