The Stars Beyond

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Wang Xuan was genuinely taken aback. He knew Old Chen was powerful, but he hadn't imagined the man capable of such feats. With nothing more than his bare hands, Old Chen had taken down a mech suit!

Memories of a day in an old machinery factory flashed in Wang Xuan's mind, where Old Chen had lightly tapped on a steel plate. At that time, Wang Xuan had wondered if Old Chen had some trick up his sleeve—maybe he had rigged the steel beforehand? But now, he realized he had underestimated his old colleague all along.

A rush of inspiration filled Wang Xuan. This wasn't a thing of legends or tales from ancient books—it was the achievement of a living, breathing man. This observation ignited the deep-seated ambitions within him. He had often pondered: if one could harness enough physical power, could they stand against the peak achievements of technological civilization?

Trying to play off his astonishment, he jested, "It’s a waste that Old Chen is not into mining. With those hands of his... The possibilities..."

"What are you on about?" Wu Yin looked over, a playful confusion in her eyes.

"I mean, any real man should be able to dismantle a mech with his bare hands!" Wang Xuan exclaimed, setting an internal goal for himself.

Nearby, the crowd snapped back to reality, deeply impressed by Old Chen's display of power. Especially those from the genetically enhanced warrior and New Arts practitioner, they were extremely wary now.

Some of them turned their gaze to Wang Xuan, seemingly amused and somewhat offended. "How many can actually dismantle a mech with their bare hands? Is this younger generation trying to mock us, implying that most men are inferior?"

"Old Chen, no matter how respected you are as a senior figure, don't you think you were too ruthless?" A voice coldly remarked.

Approaching was a sleek, silver-gray mech standing at an imposing four and a half meters. Its streamlined design and metallic sheen were undeniably impressive.

"Is this your first time meeting me?" Old Chen responded calmly, his silver mask making him appear even more aloof. "Most who've shown murderous intent towards me, or pointed a weapon in my direction, are now dead. The man lying there is fortunate to merely be incapacitated for the next few months."

Many remained silent. Those who were familiar with Old Chen knew this was his way. Over the years, the number of enemies Old Chen had dwindled, partly because many had met their end by his hand, and partly due to the growing apprehension surrounding his name.

"After all these years, let's see if you've still got it," came a voice from within the silver-grey mech, now glowing all over.

Old Chen retorted, "Having once been defeated by the Old Arts, and now aligning yourself with a different faction is understandable. But harboring such hatred for the old ways is quite excessive. Your mech is heavily modified, brimming with energy weapon ports everywhere. Are you certain this is meant to test your skills against mine, instead of fighting using weapons?"

Indeed, the silver-gray mech glowed ominously, with weapon ports scattered from its torso to its arms and even its head, all capable of emitting energy beams.

Old Chen added, “I warn you: if you can't hit me in a short span, I'll use my warship to obliterate you. If you're really looking for a fight using weapons, why bother piloting this pile of junk? Let's have our warships duke it out directly!”

At that moment, a medium-sized warship from the Old World’s government cast a beam onto the silver-gray mech as a stern warning. The mech was locked onto; any erratic move, and it would be blasted to pieces.

"Fine," the voice from the silver-gray mech responded, "I'll switch to the latest model and duel with you in a bit." The mech then backed away and departed with heavy steps.

Wang Xuan's heart raced. If the opponent didn't play by the rules in this situation, could Old Chen dodge in time? This was far riskier than the two ambushes Wang Xuan had encountered, given their close proximity and the greater firepower of the mech.

Turning to Qing Mu, he quietly expressed his concerns.

Qing Mu whispered back, "My master's mental capacity has undergone numerous transformations, forming his own mental domain. He can sense dangers beforehand and can evade mech weaponry for a short period."

Wang Xuan was taken aback. He realized that from now on, he should pay closer attention to Old Chen's words. Some of them seemed to be quite insightful. Old Chen himself had mentioned before that he was once beaten up in the "spiritual realm" by a ghostly monk for an entire night. Wang Xuan had brushed off that comment at that time, but now he realized that there really was such a thing as a spiritual realm, and Old Chen was profoundly strong in it.

Seeing Wang Xuan's puzzlement, Qing Mu elaborated, "By 'spiritual transformation,' I mean the multiple occurrences of heightened sensory states, which eventually lead to a metamorphosis of the spirit, giving birth to a spiritual realm."

He sighed, "It's a pity that the ancient practitioners from the pre-Qin period are gone. Even the founders of our practice have all passed away. In this era, there's no one capable of guiding my master into the inner landscape. Otherwise, his power would be far beyond what it is now."

Wu Yin nodded, saying, "My father once mentioned that if Old Chen lived during the peak era of Old Arts, he might have become a prominent figure in the mystical world."

Qing Mu expressed his sorrow for his master. The four elders of the old art had an even higher opinion of Old Chen. They believed that if he were in ancient times, at the very least, he could establish his own school of mysticism. If conditions were optimal, he might even attain the status of a Bodhisattva within the realm of Old Arts. Wang Xuan now understood why Old Chen, despite disregarding his pride, was so keen on extracting the Immortal Ascension Technique from him. It was due to Old Chen's unwillingness to settle for less.

Old Chen had always been ambitious, but the current era was not favorable for the old techniques. Even though Old Chen had experienced heightened sensory states multiple times over the past few decades, there was no one to guide him further into the inner landscape.

At that moment, Wang Xuan felt that perhaps Old Chen wasn't as frivolous as he'd initially believed. Perhaps this version of Old Chen was the true representation of himself.

"Old Chen, you’re just like how you’ve always been. Your temperament hasn't changed a bit," an elderly man in traditional clothing descended from an airship, exuding an aura of authority. freewebnove l.com

He continued, "But times have changed. The Old Arts are waning, soon to fade from the stage of history. You know well what the New Arts represent: they have built a bridge to transcendence in this era."

Clearly, this elder in traditional clothing was no ordinary individual. He directly mentioned the origin and significance of the New Arts, implying their capability to tap into supernatural powers. The vast expanse of land was a dull brown. In this season, the weather in Pamir Plateau was harsh, turning the ground into ice.

Old Chen paced slowly, showing no sign of emotional disturbance. Behind that cold silver mask, his heart seemed equally detached. He responded, "I have never been against other paths. I've always advocated for the integration of all knowledge. With technology being so magnificent, who would willingly revert to the primitive days of consuming raw meat and blood? As you mentioned, the New Arts offer a connection to the divine, a way to transcend the ordinary. Who would forsake that? I have always been inclusive and open to learning. Even if my disciples reach the end of their journey with the Old Arts and can't find further potential, I've always suggested they study the New Arts to break through. But why do some of you insist on burying the Old Arts, suppressing them without giving them a chance to thrive?"

Wang Xuan listened intently, silent.

Wu Yin, standing beside him, whispered her analysis, "It's not just an ideological conflict but also a matter of vested interests. I've heard that recently, a grandmaster from the realm of the New Arts visited the Old World's authorities, offering to join their exploratory organizations and assist in various matters. This is still a place where Old Chen holds sway. It hints at the intricate relationships and the vast interests at play behind the scene. As for the state of other organizations and institutions dedicated to the old techniques, their situation now is even more precarious."

Wang Xuan was surprised, realizing just how unaware he was.

"My interpretation might be flawed. Just take it with a grain of salt," Wu Yin said with a smile.

"The situation is precarious," Wang Xuan whispered.

Wu Yin nodded, adding, "The exploration organization led by Mr. Chen is indeed extraordinary. Be it the Immortal Caves, the preserved flesh and blood of a female practitioner from three millennia ago that can prolong modern lives, or other even more significant discoveries... His team has always been at the forefront."

Wang Xuan nodded, appreciating Wu Yin's logical analysis.

Clearly, the situation was far more complicated than what Wu Yin described. The deeper reasons were not being explicitly shared by the elders. Even Old Chen, despite his evident anger, did not fully disclose his grievances but rather hurled veiled accusations.

"During the era of the Hundred Schools of Thought, different philosophies flourished and competed brilliantly. But later, all other philosophies were suppressed in favor of Confucianism. Do you want to replicate that scenario in this era, following the ancient practices?" Old Chen challenged.

"Old Chen, you know that is not true. We're merely having a friendly competition. We have no intention of killing off anything," the elderly man in Tang attire responded.

"Oh? You’re even thinking of killing the Old Arts off? To even utter such words. That’s rather confident of you" Old Chen retorted with a cold laugh.