The Stars Beyond

A flock of egrets vanished into the distance, and clouds of mist hung like smoke, rendering the entire world with a tranquil beauty, peaceful as if it were a sanctuary beyond the mortal coil. The man remained silent, his aura ethereal, as if he were a being part celestial, part saintly. Yet, when he retaliated, he proved terrifying. The radiance around him surged like a mirror, reflecting Wang Xuan’s soul sword light back in full force.

Wang Xuan, like a streak of light, instantaneously retreated several hundred meters. His soul light slashed again, elevating the essence of the Dao-Splitting Sword. The sword light, fine as silk and pervasive as mist or rosy clouds, swept across the serene man. This was a clash at the pinnacle, Wang Xuan wielding his most potent attacks, commanding the sword light from the physical to the spiritual, unleashing supreme sword energy. The space between them exploded with vibrant celestial clouds and auspicious radiance, dazzling like the most splendid fireworks in the night sky. Yet, these were all manifestations of their sword energies, each strand distorting and blurring the void, causing it to collapse wherever they passed.

Such attack power should have been unparalleled at their level, surpassing even the tenth boundary, making it difficult for other limit-breakers to match. Against these two, the so-called pinnacle creature, the Mechanical Black Peng, was negligible. Their earth-shattering sword light, even a single strand, could annihilate contemporaneous rivals. With potential transcending their era, they were meant to stand alone at the zenith.

But here, in this realm, two such beings clashed, a collision between different transcendent civilizations, both employing sword techniques in battle. In truth, neither wielded tangible swords. Their entire beings, from arms to fingertips, even their hair, became weapons, radiating unparalleled sword light. The ethereal man couldn’t just stand idle. He moved with incredible speed, beyond mortal comprehension, becoming a streak of light that merged with the myriad sword energies, omnipresent, his sword intent seemingly cleaving the void itself. The clash of metal echoed as two beings, transcending their ages from distinct transcendent civilizations, engaged fully in battle, forgetting all else. Only in such combat could they immerse themselves completely. They fought across heaven and earth, their forms lost amidst boundless sword light. While others might not see, they were acutely aware of each other’s presence.

......

In this moment, they transcended mere sword light, moving like lightning, as ephemeral as clouds, swift and formless. They seemed to stand still yet appeared everywhere across the heavens.

Wang Xuan, true to his name, wielded unmatched attack power in his era, his striking force astonishing. Yet, his approach carried none of the brashness of fireworks; even his sword light was ethereal, full of spirit, transcending the mundane. A true sword immortal, he embodied the most splendid imaginings of such a being, stepping out of a painting, untainted by the mundane, serene and beautiful. Each movement, each thread of sword light around him was like mist or poetry, clinging to him, not as one fighting in blood, but offering a feast of visual beauty.

His actions, in contrast, were like thunder striking from the heavens, fierce and rapid, his blazing sword energy slicing through the void, as if to pierce the heavens and split the cosmos. There was no question of superiority, no contest of which mindset was stronger. Their sword intents were unparalleled, their differences merely a matter of temperament. Not far off, Zhao Qingci clutched her temples, her gaze at times clouded with tears as she softly called out, "Brother." Then, clarity would return, and she'd whisper, "Wang Xuan."

Their duel stood as a once-in-an-epoch clash, rare in both ancient and modern times.

...

Outside, the first round of trials was nearly at an end, with most participants returned, save for the intensely escalating battle at Wang Xuan's location. The unmatched sword light soared higher, becoming increasingly terrifying and dazzling.

"Wow, this is mind-blowing!"

"Everyone, come see! The battle on the eighteenth planet is an unparalleled showdown, unmatched in the world!"

Excited cries drew all eyes to the scene, stirring a buzz of activity. With so many transcendent beings distributed across thirty-six new planets or within the wastelands and extinguished great barriers, this first trial saw no shortage of participants.

"Too strong. Such sword light would pressure even those who've broken limits, manifesting beings capable of sweeping through rivals of their era!"

The crowd was unsettled, their attention wholly captivated by the battle. It was unimaginable that such a peerless confrontation would unfold right at the start, dazzling beyond expectation.

"Struck the jackpot, didn’t we? The least challenging first round and we run into the exceedingly rare hell-level challenge!"

"Quiet down and watch closely. Truly, this journey was not in vain. To witness such a breathtaking battle is a fortune. Such events are typically confined to the annals of ancient texts. Encountering a duel between two beings who have surpassed the limits in the real world is incredibly rare."

Clearly, there were already spectators, intensely watching through their ships and the iron fortresses of the undying land, capturing the scenes with grave expressions. Not everyone here came to fight; many were aware of their limits and came solely to witness the last grand spectacle before the myth fades. Thus, the audience far outnumbered the combatants, with the eighteenth planet drawing the attention of numerous transcendent beings early on. As the participants of the trial returned, the excitement and tumult naturally peaked, drawing the gaze and curiosity of all.

Indeed, the various spacecraft and warships in the cosmic void were exceedingly adept at capturing the battle’s clarity and entirety. With projections and detailed replays, they made every viewer feel as if they were on the scene, their emotions fluctuating with the unparalleled sword light, stirring everyone's heartstrings. Within that ink-painted landscape, the two sword immortals moved like thunder and rested like mist, presenting a visual feast beyond anyone’s imagination.

Is this still the twilight of the transcendent era? Many, regardless of their intentions, couldn’t help but marvel. Even in the most glorious epochs, the emergence of such individuals would cause a sensation. Qingmu, Wu Yin, Ma Chao Fan, and Little Fox Spirit witnessed the battle from the outskirts of the landscape world, untouched by the emotional infusion, their experience more profound.

At that moment, the ethereal swordsman drew his sword across the sky, his sword energy forming a rainbow, thread by thread, turning into a curtain of rain. His attacking power grew even more fearsome. A torrential downpour ensued, not of real raindrops, but of glowing sword rain, filling the skies as Wang Daxian wielded his sword light.

At first, people were unaware, truly believing that the descending light rain was divine. It wasn't until later that they noticed his hair, his sleeves, his skin, his eyes—all were streaming with this light. It was an unparalleled Sword Rain, cascading down, enveloping the battlefield!

If it were a group battle, he alone would suffice, capable of slaughtering everyone on the battlefield. The raindrops, like rainbows, shot down, impossible for ordinary people to withstand.

Wang Xuan took a step forward, his black hair tinged with his own sword light, initially silvery-white, then turning to gold. Countless beams of sword light exploded like thunder from the heavens, reverberating in front of him and spreading across the battlefield.

His sword light was tyrannical and vigorous, exploding in the "heavy rain," with countless rain swords steaming up and dissipating. The thunderous sword light mixed with the gentle rain swords, merging and vanishing together.

During this, both combatants' spirits emitted intimidating beams of light. These were the strongest sword lights slashed from their spirit essences, like ascending to the heavens or crossing a tribulation. This sacred trajectory, this terrifying attack power, interwove outside their physical bodies amidst endless sword glimmers, omnipresent.

This was a battle of the greatest magnitude in the mortal realm, a clash at the end of this domain's mythology, startling all transcendent beings.

"Quick, capture every bit of this, record everything, ensure the details are precise, and allow no blur or vagueness, I want a true restoration. This is a priceless video, a fight of beings with supreme potential as recorded in ancient texts!" someone whispered urgently, commanding that all nuances be captured.

In fact, various parties were recording, with spaceships directly transmitting through the boundaries of star domains to their home bases, broadcasting the footage far and wide.

"This seems to be a great battle from the younger days of the transcendent era. Throughout history, such scenes have only been described in text, seldom captured visually."

"The entire undying realm seems only to have such grand battles recorded in real footage within the halls of the Emperor Gouchen, seemingly sent back through great barriers, rarely seen in the mortal world."

In the void of the universe, a heated discussion erupted, with viewers from the lands of myths, the undying realm, the divine lands, and technologically advanced life-forms aboard various ships, all emotionally stirred by the unfolding scene.

In the midst of the battlefield, the grand duel between the two underwent a transformation. Wang Xuan’s sword light, once as thunderous, softened into a gentle drizzle, wafting like a celestial mountain shrouded in mist. Amidst the ethereal rain, he became tranquil, each movement exuding a serene beauty. He stood as if in a landscape painting, yet he was not merely a figure within it.

In contrast, the previously serene man lost his ethereal quality, his movements now producing blinding sword light that seemed to split the heavens. His actions were grand and terrifying.

At their level, they were not confined to one style; their combat demeanor could shift at any moment, even absorbing and assimilating the brilliance of their opponent to enhance their own.

With a hiss, the serene man drew forth a swath of sword light, but what pressed down was a vast, murky mountain, shaking the void with endless booms, more formidable than any spell.

Amidst the continuous sword rain, Wang Xuan outlined a brilliant divine figure, his own likeness, which he hurled towards the murky "Mountain of the Path."

Between them, a plethora of bizarre scenes unfolded. What they drew was sword light, but what appeared were earthly wonders and celestial landscapes, clashing together in a spectacle more fearsome than any forbidden secret technique.

In this grand confrontation, in this sublime battle, their figures blurred and became invisible, even to the advanced sensors of the spaceships, which struggled to capture their forms.

Throughout, their hearts unleashed sword light. This was the most challenging battle Wang Xuan had faced since his debut, with numerous moments when he was nearly slain.

Both appeared detached and transcendent, yet both were already wounded, each unknowingly bearing countless sword strikes. At their level, neither was weaker than the other, some moves impossibly difficult to defend against.

In that tome, a voice echoed, sighing softly as if deeply moved. Even the greatest figure from the past, who had chosen to decay in the mortal world, found it difficult to defeat this young man of today. The difficulty of the battle was truly startling.

In the end, Wang Xuan turned his hand into a sword, slashing forward. Before him, the man faced a vast mortal realm—a representation of his era—hurling it towards Wang Xuan with explosive force.

Everything came to an end, returning to simplicity. The sword light, the earthly scenes, the celestial landscapes—all dissipated, leaving only the two figures in the arena.

Blood surged from Wang Xuan, marking each sword wound on his body. His injuries were numerous, with many areas pierced completely through, showing severe damage!

In this fair fight among equals, in this high-level duel, Wang Xuan had faced an unprecedented challenge. He was nearly completely vanquished, his body and spirit nearly shattered.

It was the most arduous and brutal battle Wang Xuan had ever experienced.

The other man, untainted by worldly dust and transcendent in demeanor, began to slowly disintegrate, crumbling inch by inch.

"Brother!" A beam of clear light burst from Zhao Qinghan's body, trembling and crying, transforming into the figure of a woman who stumbled forward, her face wet with tears.

"Don't cry... I'm still here."

The disintegrating man left behind a hazy apparition, still radiating an ethereal and extraordinary presence. He nodded at Wang Xuan first, then turned, took the woman's hand, and said, "Given the choice again, I would still choose to stay."

"Brother, I don't want to see you decay in the mortal world. I want to change all this, I want you to transcend..." The woman's face, blurry with tears, kept crying.

"I am content to linger in the mortal world," the man said gently, leading her away side by side. They walked into the ink-painted landscape at the world's edge, gradually fading away until they disappeared completely.

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