The Stars Beyond

Chapter 21: No Tricks

In the following moments, a tacit understanding settled between them, and the topic of exploration was left untouched, allowing space for potential collaboration in the future. They delved into the realm of the Old Arts. Wang Xuan had a lot of questions. He sought to gather insights into various aspects, such as the Early Qin golden bamboo slips.

Zhao Qinghan made it unequivocally clear that dwelling on such "curiosities" would be fruitless. Only four instances of these artifacts had been unearthed over the years, and two had become the subject of fierce contention. The pages of these scrolls were scattered as a result.

In terms of truly authentic Early Qin golden bamboo slips, there were only two complete copies remaining, securely locked within the most fortified vault of the largest bank in the New World. Wang Xuan felt a pang of regret; these treasures were beyond his reach. Despite the decline of the Old Arts, the various organizations and corporations refused to relinquish their hold on the relics. There did not seem to be hope for now.

Zhao Qinghan also made it clear that the golden bamboo slips were not the only artifacts that were being hoarded. Any legacy of the Early Qin Daoists was incredibly precious due to their rarity in existence.

"So, you're saying that even ordinary Early Qin bamboo slips hold immense value?" Wang Xuan inquired.

Zhao Qinghan cast him a sidelong glance and replied, "There's no such thing as 'ordinary' when it comes to bamboo slips connected to the Early Qin practitioners."

Wang Xuan realized the true value of the translated text Lin Professor had given him on the Early Qin bamboo slips.

In fact, Professor Lin had nearly lost his life over these bamboo slips. He had barely escaped the grand tomb of the Early Qin era, facing countless dangers but miraculously surviving.

"I've heard that someone at the New World had reached the level of a grandmaster, only to perish the strain placed on his body by the practice of some sort of physical technique. How strong do you think they are?" Wang Xuan asked.

Zhao Qinghan was slightly taken aback when she realized that he was not completely out of the loop. She did not expect him to know about the events happening on the New Star. He must have his own source of information. Wang Xuan's question stirred various thoughts in her mind, but he did not mind. They were soon to part ways, and in normal circumstances, they were likely to rarely run into one another. Moreover, he had no intention of getting involved in her plans.

Zhao Qinghan shared the same sentiment. The path of the Old Arts was filled with hardships. Not many had the will to venture down this path.

"The grandmaster you mentioned practiced the very secret scripture from the Taoist Ancestral Court that you were just inquiring about. But the outcome was tragic. His internal organs were in a sense liquified. His death was quite gruesome," she revealed.

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Wang Xuan's expression turned serious. Is it really that dangerous?

He began to hold his own copy of the golden book even more dearly, realizing that what Zhang Daoling had left behind was undoubtedly on par with the secret scripture of the Taoist Ancestral Court.

Qin Cheng sighed, "What a waste. Achieving the level of grandmaster, only to end up having his internal organs literally melting. People tend to overestimate their limits."

"You say that so lightly. Imagine as he feels himself growing older day by day, and learnt that this kind of bodily cultivation could rejuvenate his aging organs, potentially extending his life by decades. Do you think he could resist the temptation?" Zhao Qinghan retorted.

"Well if you put it like that... I'd want to give it a try too!" Qin Cheng nodded.

"How far apart are the levels of a grandmaster and those of an ancient practitioner?" Wang Xuan inquired.

"They’re not even in the same league, their strengths are just too far apart to be compared," Zhao Qinghan replied.

Then she looked at Wang Xuan and asked, "You seem to be quite keen on continuing down the path of the Old Arts. Is your goal to become an ancient Taoist practitioner?"

Wang Xuan replied, "I'm someone who's been abandoned, cut off from the New Arts. The only path I have left is to go down the path of the Old Arts."

Qin Cheng felt a pang of sympathy for his friend. Zhao Qinghan could sense that Wang Xuan had a natural aptitude for the Old Arts, but even she could not predict what the future held for him.

Qin Cheng shook his head, "Old Wang was born in the wrong era. In ancient times, he might have grown to the point where he could subdue the entire world with his might. He would’ve become a legend, or even a myth. But in this age of technological advancement, what can his mastery of the Old Arts achieve at its peak? It can't stand up against modern weaponry. While the stars beyond continue to burn to their brightest, the emperors of Qin and Han are naught but dust. The practitioners who were tasked with finding the elixir of immortality for them have also perished in the passage of time. The path of the Old Arts is a tough one. Hope seems to be so very far out of reach."

The conversation took a somber turn as they contemplated the future of the Old Arts in their era. The relevance of Old Arts in a world dominated by modern technology seemed bleak. Against advanced weapons wielded by elite soldiers, even the most proficient practitioners of Old Arts stood no chance.

Amidst this discussion, Zhao Qinghan observed Wang Xuan's composure. His inner strength was apparent; he held steadfast to his beliefs. Does he truly believe that there was a future for Old Arts?

"So,..." Qin Cheng interjected once more, picking up from their earlier conversation. He turned to Zhao Qinghan and continued, "Can you help Wang Xuan in some way, Qinghan? Perhaps by sharing techniques from the New Arts, or even bringing him to the New World?"

After the extensive discussion, Qin Cheng's intention was clear – he was willing to swallow his pride and ask for Zhao Qinghan's help on behalf of Wang Xuan.

Wang Xuan waved his hand to cut Qin Cheng off. He then patted his friend on the shoulder and said, "I know my path very well."

With a subtle gesture, he conveyed his appreciation to Qin Cheng. He did not want his friend to beg someone else for his sake.

“I’ll try my best when I return,” Responded Zhao Qinghan, “but there’s no guarantees.”

Wang Xuan expressed gratitude to her but politely declined her offer. He wanted to take some time to consider his own path. Nodding in understanding, Zhao Qinghan smiled and soon took her leave, “We shall meet again.”

As the pair got up to see her off, Qin Cheng commented, "Wang, you seem reluctant to get too deeply involved with her. But don’t you think you’re missing out on a big opportunity by declining her offer? If she's willing to help, she might be able to bring you to the New World."

Wang Xuan shook his head, "The players at the stars beyond are already starting to explore a mysterious region. It's a situation I'd rather not get entangled in."

Qin Cheng nodded in agreement, "You're right. But what's that place she mentioned? And what did she mean by someone trying to attain godhood?"

"The information we have so far is limited, so it's hard to determine exactly what's going on, but it sounds like it might be related to the Western concept of deification," Wang Xuan explained.

Qin Cheng exclaimed, "Seriously? In this era, there are actually people delusional enough to think they can become gods? Are they insane?"

Wang Xuan responded, "Who knows what they've discovered? She mentioned that some of them are even thinking about achieving godhood, right?"

Qin Cheng reflected, "It seems like something extraordinary is happening in the depths of the cosmos. I can almost sense a great upheaval there. The vast expanse of stars, the dawn of a new era... it's so exciting. How I wish to be there."

"Since the founding of our country, no gods are allowed!" Wang Xuan quipped. It was a joke that Qin Cheng found rather tasteless.

Wang Xuan clarified, "What I mean is, with technology so advanced, it's fine for some of the powerful factions on New Star to fantasize, but if they dare to cross the line. It won’t end well for them. Other organizations and major institutions will surely intervene, and the government won't just stand by. Those who go against the tide will be crushed from all sides."

......

In the evening, Wang Xuan returned to his residence and carefully studied the bamboo slips that Professor Lin had given him. He immersed himself in the sensations of the power buried within the passage of time. Qin Cheng's words had somewhat touched him. In this era of dazzling technological civilization, even the top experts of the Old Arts couldn't stand against those advanced weapons, and there seemed to be no way forward.

The stars might have remained the same, but the world had changed over a millennium. Could the Old Arts still find its new height?

Putting aside the bamboo slip scriptures, Wang Xuan turned his attention to the techniques recorded in the golden book. He practiced for a while, following the illustrations on the first page. When he felt a slight discomfort in his internal organs, he stopped, wary of pushing himself too hard. He understood that what Zhang Daoling had left behind was undoubtedly priceless, but the process could not be rushed. What reassured him was that the sensation he experienced was different from the pain Qing Mu had mentioned. He felt like he could gradually adapt to it and continue practicing after a short rest. Half an hour later, reaching his limit, he decisively halted the practice of the techniques from the golden book.

"Now, let's take a look at the Old Arts scriptures that Zhou Mingxuan gave me."

It was an old manual that Wang Xuan had received from Zhou Mingxuan during his class reunion a few days ago. He had brought it back but had not taken the time to thoroughly examine it. He was not expecting much. It was highly unlikely that Zhou Mingxuan would give him anything good.

"Hmm, this is quite similar to the Golden Armor Technique I've been practicing. This might even be a sequel then?" Wang Xuan exclaimed in surprise as he began to read through it carefully.

It was a form of body technique known as the "Golden Body," seemingly possessing impressive effects. According to the description, in the later stages, practitioners could be impervious to weapons. Wang Xuan was skeptical. The description of this technique in the book seemed a bit exaggerated. He refused to believe that a technique could achieve such an effect.

Why would Zhou Mingxuan even give me something like this if it were real? He thought to himself.

As he continued reading, his expression changed. He slammed the secret manual onto the table in frustration. "Don’t blame me for giving your son a beating, old man. If there's a suitable opportunity in the future, I'll take every chance to do so!" Wang Xuan muttered angrily.

He felt like he had been played by Zhou Mingxuan. The manual is trash! Its contents are clearly fictions that are utterly unreliable. No wonder Zhou Mingxuan had given it to him.

This technique, known as the Golden Body Technique, was described to be able to drastically enhance its user’s resistance to physical attacks once the first layer was mastered, which would take about a year of dedicated practice. Furthermore, the manual explicitly stated that the mastery of each subsequent layer required double the time of the previous one.

Who could possibly commit to mastering a technique like this? Wang Xuan felt an intense urge to confront Zhou Yun immediately. According to the scroll, unless he lived for several centuries, the prospect of attaining the higher realms of this technique seemed like an impossible dream.

As he continued flipping the pages, he came to a realization. There were a whopping thirteen layers in the manual! No, wait, upon closer examination, he discovered references to ongoing discussions about the fourteenth and fifteenth levels.

"Unbelievable!" Wang Xuan muttered, stunned. It would take centuries to master the technique completely. It was not meant for mortal men.

"Damn you, old man. You’ve really done it. Just wait and see!" Wang Xuan exclaimed, tossing the aged, seemingly antique book to the side.