The Stars Beyond

Chapter 427: Help Thyself

“From our current vantage, the domain of divine relics stands above all cultivators; otherwise, the Peerless-Transcendents would not be wary of the Ascension Banner, the Mortal Blade, and others.”

The round-faced girl's words corroborated Wang Xuan's speculation, revealing a grand realm unreachable by beings on their own, who can only gaze into the profound universe and sigh.

"The level of divine relics is the culmination of a mythological civilization. For instance, the supreme law of the Transcendent Realm —The Ancient Covenant, served as both fuel and fire, burning the endless scriptures and the contained wisdom to potentially give birth to divine relics."

Yet, not all mythological civilizations manage to leave behind the essence of their existence, often ending in failure instead.

According to estimates, the eternal night has witnessed the rise and fall of a dozen mythological civilizations, each not lasting long, leaving behind only four or five divine relics.

"The Sixth Great Realm, the final frontier, is known as 'Dao Harnessing,'" the round-faced girl noted. In a neighboring spiritual realm across outer space, that civilization once forged the Dao Harnessing Flag, which then presumably disintegrated, the relic lost.

Wang Xuan showed interest. Each grand realm seems to be closely linked to the names of divine relics, intriguing him further. "Could it be, there's a relic corresponding to the Groove of the Heavens?"

"A mirror, known as the Celestial Mirror, was rumored to exist," the ghost monk disclosed, catching Wang Xuan off guard. Such a thing truly existed?

Even when serious, the round-faced girl's visage bore a hint of comical innocence, her cheeks plump and eyes wide. "However, opinions differ on whether it fell just short of being a divine relic or if it shattered. In any case, the Groove of the Heavens Realm no longer has its corresponding relic."

"What clues suggest the existence of the Celestial Mirror?" Wang Xuan inquired about its fate.

"It's long been fragmented, it is beyond recovery. It's likely that only Zhang Daoling possesses a small shard," the Little White Tiger revealed.

Hearing this, Wang Xuan finally understood why Zhang always brandished that rusted old mirror, using it to peep and smash people—it had such significant origins!

He pondered, "As our supernatural civilization draws to a close, might it birth a divine relic, leaving behind the essence of our mythos?"

The ghost monk nodded, "Of course, every civilization wishes to leave a mark before its extinction to prove that it once existed. However, it's a difficult feat, and most civilizations fail."

According to him, the twilight of the cosmic curtain is the prime moment for forging divine relics. He also mentioned The Ancient Covenant, indicating its relevance to the process.

"As the myths fade away, The Ancient Covenant transformed into the fuel and fire of the Dao, leaving behind traces unique to our civilization, nurturing divine relics." The round-faced girl spoke with a hint of melancholy, her tone reflecting the inevitability of demise for even the most powerful of deities. In the end, they all perish, with only divine relics to testify their existence.

"Keep some faith. What if we find a way out and quickly usher in a new era of myth?" Wang Xuan suggested optimistically.

"What way out? Even Fairy Fang, who ascended to such heights only in the twilight years of mythology, couldn't find a solution. If she sees no hope, what chance do you have?" The round-faced girl's spirit dampened at the thought, and the ghost monk shared her despondency. Despite acknowledging Wang Xuan's extraordinary potential, they felt it was too late for him. He hadn't even reached the realm of Free Roaming, and time was running out.

"It's a pity, born in the wrong era. A cub with the potential of a beast king, yet with no time left to grow," she lamented.

"I feel like you're insulting me," Wang Xuan retorted, eyeing her suspiciously.

"How did I insult you?" she retorted, her eyes widening in disbelief.

"Why are you calling me a cub? You're the tigress here," Wang Xuan challenged.

At this, the Little White Tiger, inflamed, manifested a spectral white tiger behind her, feigning ferocity with bared teeth and claws.

Wang Xuan nonchalantly pushed her round face aside and dimmed the tiger's spectral form to silence its roars, finding it annoying.

Just then, Huang Ming appeared, intending to refill their tea and personally attend to them. However, witnessing the scene, he promptly retreated, opting to steer clear of the fray, wary of incurring the wrath of the White Tiger, the favored confidant of the Demon Lord.

"How dare you manhandle me?" the round-faced girl fumed, gearing up as if to take Wang Xuan down a notch.

The ghost monk gently reminded her, "In this mortal world, you no longer stand a chance against him."

Humming a tune, Wang Xuan descended the stairs, his mood light and cheerful, leaving the round-faced girl seething with indignation behind him. Powerless to retaliate, she could only glare in frustration.

Through the rain-drenched streets, noticing the damaged areas marked by conflict, Wang Xuan's mood grew heavy. Utilizing supernatural means to nearly traverse space in an instant, he left the city for Qing Mu's estate. Along the way, his demeanor was exceptionally grave, knowing the time had come to earnestly prepare.

From tonight, he resolved to refine every aspect of himself, both physically and spiritually, aiming for a state of flawless perfection. Within two days, he planned to venture into the Ethereal Lands.

"I'll aim to surpass you all!" he declared silently.

That night, he meditated motionless, envisioning battles at the apex of existence to stimulate and grasp insights into a higher plane.

By dawn, he ventured out again, observing the remnants of conflict outside the city in the drizzling rain.

Over the next two days, his mind was filled with visions of battles involving Fang Yuzhu, the Demon Lord, Zhang Daoling, and others, contemplating their forms and supernatural abilities.

"Thinking too much and looking too far ahead is pointless. It's better to measure my path with my own feet," he mused.

As night fell, Wang Xuan prepared to set out, his mind and spirit clearer than ever. Facing the increasingly hostile environment of the mythological twilight, he recognized the need for formidable strength to forge a new path.

Wang Xuan had never been as focused on his preparations as he was now. Previously, he would have headed to the Solitary Void once he felt ready. This time, driven by immense pressure, he paid meticulous attention to details, striving for perfection in every aspect.

"What is that?" At his most clear-headed moment, his spirit shone brightly, illuminating the path ahead like a lighthouse in the night. It was then he spotted a distant light.

A faint, blood-red chain seemed to stretch from the depths of endless darkness, reaching towards him. Was it seeking to bind his soul?

Frowning, he watched the blood-red chain draw nearer, emitting a faint glow. A sense of deep unease washed over him as the chain seemed intent on locking onto him, to drag him away.

In that moment, Wang Xuan broke into a cold sweat as if trapped in a terrifying nightmare. Despite his clarity of mind, his body wouldn't respond, leaving him powerless to alter the situation. Yet, as the blood-red chain drew near, it began to break from its end, burning and retreating, unable to reach him fully.

"Hmm?" Wang Xuan opened his eyes in surprise, pondering what had just transpired.

Once more, in a state of utmost clarity, he sensed it again: from the vast darkness afar, a pair of crimson eyes peered at him, and a blood-dripping chain slowly inched closer, aiming to ensnare his soul.

In a different direction, a hazy light encompassed two shadowy figures chanting. What started as a faint sound escalated into a grand celestial hymn, becoming an invisible force that severed the blood-dripping chain, preventing it from nearing.

Beyond the boundless void, within the darkness, were those two illuminations the mysterious shadow using the blood-dripping chain? Were the chanters that man and woman?

Wang Xuan was stunned. He thought the danger had temporarily subsided, yet it lingered ever close. The crimson gaze was terrifyingly ominous.

"What's troubling you? You're unsettled. How do you plan to break through in this state?" Chen Yongjie was surprised to see him sweating coldly while supposedly guarding him.

"I sensed something... As if from a distant and ancient realm, someone means me harm," Wang Xuan described his experience.

"A curse!"

"An ancient curse!"

Both exclaimed almost simultaneously, recalling ancient texts that noted beings with extraordinary talents, those who transcended limits, could sometimes sense malice directed at them in their most lucid state.

In that lucid moment, what Wang Xuan perceived was real, not merely shadows, but an awareness of a sinister, ancient curse.

"Was I cursed?"

"Those shadowy figures, the couple, they must have countered with another ancient curse to dissolve it."

After some deliberation, they pieced together the truth.

"No wonder they warned me not to wander off recently. The curse cast upon me by that shadow hasn't been fully dissolved yet!" Wang Xuan's face darkened, his mood far from wonderful. He yearned to eliminate that mysterious individual who seemed omnipresent, too domineering for comfort.

He halted, gravely contemplating whether proceeding to break through under such circumstances might invite adverse effects.

"If it weren't for that man and woman, I might have been harmed..." Wang Xuan felt both shocked and enraged, repeatedly targeted as if he were mere prey, fueling his frustration.

In the eyes of that being, he was just a target, a harmless herbivore, ready for the slaughter at any moment.

"Calm down. The best retaliation is to continuously grow stronger, to reach a point where he can't touch me, and eventually, he will fall by my hand!" Wang Xuan reminded himself not to succumb to haste or fear, to tread the path ahead step by step, especially since, in this realm, time was on his side.

He regained his composure, increasingly realizing the importance of transcending limits. In such a lucid state, he could detect the malevolent will lurking in the shadows.

Chen Yongjie speculated, "It might not just be about transcending limits; your Spirit Eyes could also be playing a part. They're intrinsically related to the soul's perception and intuition. Such eyes are exceedingly rare!"

Wang Xuan nodded in agreement.

"The spirit, the inner self, can probe threats from beyond the vast expanse of time and space, alertly identifying external dangers."

Without the Spirit Eyes of someone who has transcended the tenth stage, such awareness would be impossible. Previously, Wang Xuan hadn't paid much attention to this, but now, he recognized the urgency of regularly exploring inward, to fortify his inner self.

No sooner had several days passed than Wang Xuan once again found his mind in a state of serene clarity, only to discover the blood-dripping chain fading into obscurity, a sign of its impending dissolution. However, amid the darkness, from the unfathomable distances, a pair of gleaming crimson eyes began to close slowly.

Yet, something was amiss. A burst of golden light soared within the darkness, revealing cold, malicious golden eyes. "Who's this now? Can't there be an end to these troubles?" Wang Xuan thought, his face clouding over with annoyance at the persistent threats lurking in the shadows.

The very next day, with his hair standing on end from the chilling proximity of the golden light, he urgently messaged Chen Yongjie to leave at once. After ensuring his friend's departure, Wang Xuan scrutinized the golden light, then made a quick decision to flee.

It felt like an apocalyptic warning. A fissure opened in the space where his house once stood, swallowing it whole—a powerful entity had made its move, attempting to drag him into the realm of immortals. Standing afar, Wang Xuan's gaze deepened, aware that danger was never far away, always lurking. His face wore a resolve, yearning to retaliate with unmatched ferocity.

On that day, as he sought inner strength, he finally found tranquility; no terrifying gazes pierced through the darkness any longer. Seizing this moment of brief peace, he charged towards the land of mysteries, determined to break through. Chen Yongjie and Qing Mu stood by his side, ready to protect him.

"The eleventh stage, the theoretical frontier of myth, a forbidden domain possibly untrodden by any. Whether anyone has ever reached this pinnacle remains a mystery; perhaps it's untouched. And now... I am on my way!"