The Stars Beyond

"Is there even a need for me to hesitate with the answer?" Wang Xuan blurted out without a second thought. "Obviously, I hope you win."

"Do you find her so captivating? You're in such a hurry for me to train the two of you together," Yan Yan said as she walked forward with her umbrella.

Wang Xuan's straightforward answer had seemingly backfired. Ever so blunt, he retorted, "Then, Yan Yan, you might as well concede."

With her hair flowing and her beauty unmarred, Yan Yan glanced back at him with a sharp look, "You're quite bold with your desires! However, my strength doesn't allow me to lose."

"The label of 'mature superspecies' does not fully encapsulate who you are. I suspect you're one of the top powerhouses of this mythological civilization," the blue-haired woman stated as she emerged from the light column. Clad in a state-of-the-art, blue metallic battle suit, her graceful figure was subtly outlined. "I'm really looking forward to this. A superspecies as powerful as you must have an extraordinary bloodline, perhaps even capable of revolutionizing our experiments."

"It is indeed you, who we encountered many years ago." Yan Yan remained composed and gracefully ascended to confront the foreign beings, having realized something.

"Everyone, she might be one of the strongest extraordinary beings in this star system. Cover all sides; do not let her escape," the blue-haired woman called out.

Instantly, the VIPs emerged from the light columns, posting themselves up in all directions and blocking any escape.

"Capturing such a powerful superspecies will be difficult. She must have escaped from a semi-material, semi-energy plane as the myths faded. A rare opportunity!" The blue-haired woman's interest deepened as she observed Yan Yan, then turned her gaze to Wang Xuan, assessing the two as prized captures.

"A top-tier mature superspecies, indeed formidable within the extraordinary domain. I suggest contacting a divine ship to destroy this ancient vessel with her in it," the mechanical bird advised in secrecy, taking a harsh stance to prevent any mishaps.

"The divine ship is lost. Besides, there are powerful motherships in this star space capable of destroying our vessels. We cannot afford to make a large commotion," a man responded, urging the bird to hold its tongue.

"You look somewhat familiar," Yan Yan had become even more serene, letting the other woman's words in one ear and out the other.

She aimed her finger at the void, and suddenly, the image of a female elf appeared. Clad in blue armor, she looked both graceful and sacred.

The blue-haired woman's expression slightly shifted. She replied, "She is my mother."

"Indeed, from that civilization I mentioned. Over two thousand years ago, I made her flee in defeat, that too in tears." Lady Yan Yan chuckled. "Who would have thought her daughter would come, too? Ready to cry as well?"

In that era, a zenith for the supernatural world, the interweaving of rules allowed almost divine beings to traverse the stars. These beings could take on starships with their bare bodies, capable of tearing through entire hulls.

The faces of the VIPs present changed as they realized they were confronting one of the leading figures of this mythological civilization.

Yan Yan continued, "You're a hybrid, with lineage from humans, elven royals, and celestials. Of course, your origins trace back to the Evil Spirits, from that technologically advanced group lost in the chaos of space and time."

Wang Xuan was astounded by Yan Yan's deduction of these people's origins.

The Evil Spirits were mysterious, adopting various forms—from the terrifying kind that devoured spirits to those capable of taming mythological creatures with their powerful motherships. Yet, these 'technological Evil Spirits' seemed to exist in a parallel dimension, occasionally visible but unreachable. They would somehow materialize in another star system to propagate their lineage.

One man from their side spoke openly, his voice echoing through the sky, "That small group of people, our ancestral source, got lost and couldn't return to their original universe. They emerged in our star system under difficult circumstances and left descendants. To be precise, our connection to them is minimal now. We've assimilated various superior bloodlines, abandoning their original path. Few of their grand ships remain, certainly not as many as your side has. Our path combines effective practical technology with mythology, seeking a higher leap in the evolution of life, the first step of which is achieving immortality."

The blue-haired woman added, "Of course, we're just one branch of the descendants from that small group. Another branch made different choices, pursuing pure technology and disappearing into the void, never to be seen again."

"So, now that we understand each other's backgrounds, let's proceed with a friendly exchange between our extraordinary civilizations," she suggested.

"How do you propose we do that?" Yan Yan asked with a light smile.

"Well, by taking both of you with us, especially since we didn't expect to encounter a powerful individual like you. You're the optimal bloodline sample, and mutations in your offspring will bring us closer to our goal," the blue-haired woman explained.

Discussing such criminal acts—abducting people, breeding their offspring, and harvesting the resulting mutated bloodlines—she smiled.

Wang Xuan immediately understood that this faction's experiments as well as the encounter at the temporal bar with the young scientist from the Departed Land—Zhang Qifan—shared similar objectives. Perhaps this encounter was even more significant.

Yan Yan, unprovoked and detached, asked, "Is this your method of sustaining your supernatural civilization?"

"It's just one of our approaches, but the expected results are promising," a man with a glowing diamond-shaped crystal on his forehead responded.

The blue-haired woman explained, "I'm aware that your side's mythological civilization has emerged several times. Every supernatural civilization nearing its end seeks tangible matter, believing the existing world to be merely an illusion and hoping to uncover a real world where myths can endure.

She chuckled. "But is there such a thing as a 'real world'? It never existed in the first place. If it did, it's the world right before us, the scenery around us. Reality is in the present, yet you forsake what's near in search of what's far."

A man by her side concurred. "Your path has deviated, always believing in a grand mythological world lying in the unknown, waiting to be discovered. All these are but your beautiful aspirations. People should cherish the present; that is what's real. The grand world you seek is the true illusion."

Wang Xuan felt a resonance with these words, wondering where he had heard similar sentiments before. He quickly remembered his mother saying the same thing during their last phone call. Fang Yuzhu might have also overheard it, living next door.

"If it hasn't been discovered yet, who can say for sure that it doesn't exist? Can you prove it's merely a void that awaits us?" Yan Yan remained unaffected. She did not put all her hopes into finding a world where myths could genuinely endure. Instead, she believed in letting nature take its course.

"Our ancestors, the small group that emerged from the chaos of space and time, had also studied myths. They knew some special super-creatures were striving to approach tangible matter, even uncovering Creation Crystals. Still, it led nowhere," the blue-haired woman mentioned.

This made Wang Xuan frown. The Evil Spirits with their splendid technology also denied the existence of a true origin? Indeed, he himself harbored doubts about the Void, uncertain about what lay beyond the asteroid passage.

The comments from the small group that emerged from chaotic space-time, tentatively called the technological Evil Spirits, were worth Wang Xuan's attention.

"The reality is right before our eyes, the present world is it. Yet, what you long for and pursue with such effort is the most illusory. It is somewhat laughable," the blue-haired woman said with a smile, casting her views in contrast to Yan Yan's pursuits.

She further elaborated, "Hence, our chosen breakthroughs are the most likely ways to extend the life of the supernatural. Seeking external solutions is far less effective than enhancing ourselves. Cultivating in the mutated offspring of super-beings and deciphering the ultimate secrets of life's evolutionary leaps, that is the grand truth."

Yan Yan nodded in agreement, "In our cultivation too, we seek internal self-improvement, aiming for a higher form of existence. However, what if one day the world tells you that the rules for life's leaps have changed, making everything you've done so far futile? As if pulling the foundation from beneath you, cutting off your path from its source, taking away everything you have? Does it make sense to improve the quality of your pot and water when the firewood beneath is taken away? Without a new source of heat, can you still boil water? If you cultivate a powerful bloodline but lack mythological substance for its use, how can you display the supernatural?"

Wang Xuan found Yan Yan's words sensible. In this era of cosmic correction and change, where supernatural civilizations clashed, such disagreements might not be entirely negative.

"You're mistaken. Our analysis focuses on the intrinsic potential of life, opening up a new form of mythology..."

The two sides engaged in a real debate.

"What's the use of all this talk? Their supernatural civilization no longer inspires us, and further communication is meaningless. Capture her for breeding the super bloodline!" someone interjected, growing tired of the discourse.

"Miss, will you cooperate on your own, or shall I make you?" the blue-haired woman asked with a smile.

"Where is your mother? Do you want to weep together, the two of you?" Lady Yan Yan replied with a light smile, finding it interesting that after dealing with the mother years ago, she now faced the daughter.

"My mother focused on theoretical research and lacked practical experience, so her defeat was inevitable. I will compensate for her regrets and capture you," the blue-haired woman stated.

"Stop!" Wang Xuan interjected, asking, "The so-called Golden List and the main list deep in the universe, did you create them?"

"We are just one of the participants. If you want to know more, come with us, and we can have a nice, slow talk." The blue-haired woman provided only a partial answer.

"Did you kill all the immortals on this ancient spaceship?" Lady Yan Yan asked sharply, addressing a critical point.

One of the men on the other side responded, denying direct involvement, "Not exactly. This place was a minor battlefield in the inter-domain wars. They fell to foes stronger than them, and no one here can be blamed. This site serves as a minor platform. Should you defeat me today, you could claim it and use it to contact civilizations beyond this domain. It's akin to how certain areas in your star system have gained platforms to participate in the grand inter-domain wars and acquire many benefits. Essentially, they are all striving for viable methods to extend the life of the supernatural."

"There's nothing more to say then. Come, let's see if you weep just like your mother. That would be interesting!" Yan Yan advanced towards her opponents.

The blue-haired woman scoffed and met her head-on.

The mechanical bird cried out, "What are you all waiting for, esteemed guests? I suggest we all act together. Let her face all the guests alone. Capture her first, then discuss!"

"Hmm, makes a fair bit of sense. To avoid complications from prolonging this, let's first capture this supreme being among the super-entities!" someone agreed.

Seven guests converged, preparing to hunt down Yan Yan!

Wang Xuan's expression darkened. Even a powerful demoness like Yan Yan might struggle against so many distinguished 'guests'. If they all attacked fiercely, resisting them could prove difficult.

Yet, the Demon Lord at the center of the battlefield glanced calmly toward the distant sky.

"Indeed, let's join forces!" a voice from the horizon suddenly called out. Then, a beam of reflective light shone over, and Old Zhang appeared!

Following that, in another direction, a surge of blood illuminated the sky as the Hades Blood Sect's Ancestor approached, muttering, "There shouldn't be anyone here pretending to be me, right?"

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