The Stars Beyond

Chapter 39: Battle In Great Black Mountain

The dark clouds were thick, carrying booming thunder and flashes of lightning. The heavy rain poured down mercilessly from the sky, hitting so hard it would sting an ordinary person's face. Wang Xuan moved swiftly, leaping into the dense forest, and completely disappearing from sight.

After the thunderous explosions faded, darkness once again enveloped the land. Despite the distance, Wang Xuan was certain that the black Hou was carrying a man. The uninhabited Great Black Mountain, the dense, ancient forest, and the vicious black creature radiating a malicious aura all combined to create a spine-chilling atmosphere. Ordinary people would undoubtedly be filled with terror upon encountering this scene, as if they had run into an ancient corpse deep in the mountains.

For decades, people living near the Great Black Mountain had moved away, making it increasingly deserted. Yet today, there was a rare sight: an unusual creature carrying a person was approaching.

Silently, Wang Xuan moved quickly through the forest, taking circuitous routes and constantly changing his position. He felt something was off. Danger was approaching.

"Roar!"

Suddenly, a loud roar erupted in the forest like a clap of thunder, and a massive dark figure leapt forward, crashing through trees and lunging at Wang Xuan. With a single jump, Wang Xuan moved seven meters away, dodging the creature's ferocious attack. The ground behind him trembled violently, the sound of breaking branches filled the air, and the deafening roars of the beast grew even closer.

A flash of lightning illuminated the dim forest, revealing the creature. It was nearly two meters tall and about five meters long, covered in thick black fur. Its face was distorted with menace, its gaping maw filled with teeth as sharp as daggers and eerily white.

As it moved, the ground quivered. With a swipe of its claw, it snapped a tree as thick as a bowl in two, which then crashed to the ground. Wang Xuan dodged the attack and quickly moved to the creature's side, smacking it with an open palm. With a loud thud, even this gigantic beast staggered, shaking violently. Then, it let out an even angrier roar, louder than the thunder in the sky, causing a ringing noise in Wang Xuan's ears.

At the same time, the man riding the black beast leapt down, quick as lightning. While he was in the air, he aimed a vicious kick at Wang Xuan's chest.

Wang Xuan's reactions were quick. Not only was he able to dodge the gaping maw of the black beast, he was also able to evade the heavy kick.

Snap!

After the man's airborne kick missed its mark, he took advantage of the momentum to land on a nearby tree, instantly breaking its trunk. Using this as leverage, he remained in mid-air and launched another swift kick at Wang Xuan. Simultaneously, the black beast charged at him again with terrifying ferocity. Its huge body shook the forest, causing branches to splinter and break.

Wang Xuan's eyes were icy cold. Caught between the beast and its rider, he had no room to dodge. So he leapt into the air and aimed a kick at the giant creature, while at the same time swinging both palms to counter the flying kick from the man.

"Roar!"

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Although the beast, being five meters long, was highly aggressive, it found it somewhat difficult to move freely in the dense forest. Several thick trees obstructed its path, making it hard for it to maneuver. Its wide-open mouth missed Wang Xuan's foot. Instead, Wang Xuan's kick landed squarely on its nose, causing the creature to howl in pain.

The nose was the creature's most vulnerable spot. It was instantly cracked by the kick, blood gushing forth. Its massive head seemed somewhat dizzy, and it stumbled backward, trampling and breaking smaller trees and shrubs in its wake.

Of course, this was also due to the immense force behind Wang Xuan's kick. Had an ordinary person attempted it, they wouldn't have been able to move the creature's nose, despite its vulnerability.

At the same time, Wang Xuan's palm connected with the man's foot, producing a muffled sound, as if a subdued thunderclap had reverberated through the forest. Wang Xuan felt numbness in his right hand, but showed no signs of retreating. His left hand followed suit, aiming at the man's calf.

The man was incredibly agile, akin to a monkey in mid-air. He grabbed onto a branch for leverage, pulled up his leg successfully to avoid hitting the fragile part of his calf bone, and switched to using the sole of his foot to unleash a powerful counter-kick.

With another muffled thud, Wang Xuan was propelled through the air, landing several meters away. He crushed many low-lying shrubs beneath him, and even some rocks were cracked as he landed.

One could only imagine how terrifying the collision between the two was. Wang Xuan had absorbed an incredible amount of force. Under such power, many experts who have mastered energy cultivation and internal nourishment would be coughing up blood. Even if their palms weren't shattered, they would likely suffer multiple fractures.

Wang Xuan shook his hands, feeling some numbness and quite a bit of pain. However, the flesh at the base of his thumb and index finger hadn't split, and his hand bones remained intact.This was a testament to the fourth layer of his Golden Body Technique. Even a normal dagger might not be able to slice through his skin. This was a testament of his incredible defensive power. However, this also further highlighted the strength of the man he was facing. The man was agile, his strikes were ferocious, and the power behind his kicks was immense.

But his opponent was also quite surprised, shocked even. Based on the intelligence he had gathered, he had already rated Wang Xuan highly. He believed that despite his young age, Wang Xuan had surpassed experts of traditional martial arts like Iron Sand Palm. Wang Xuan was considered a rare young prodigy in the field of the Old Arts.

The man only truly realized that he had underestimated Wang Xuan when they fought. The young man had managed to parry two of his attacks.

"Roar!"

The black creature let out a roar that shook the forest. Despite the torrential downpour, Wang Xuan was able to see the pair clearly.

The man had the appearance of someone who was in his forties, with rosy cheeks and a full head of black hair. However, the crow's feet at the corners of his eyes betrayed his true age. He seemed well-preserved, and Wang Xuan guessed he must be in his fifties.

As for the menacing black creature, it wasn't a species from the Old World but rather a creature bred in the New World. Its physique bore some resemblance to the mythical creatures known as "Hou" from ancient stories. It was said that these creatures were only recently successfully bred and domesticated in the new world within the last two decades. Stronger and more robust than lions and tigers, they had quickly become favorites among the wealthy in the New World.

In recent years, some people in the old lands had also started keeping these creatures. However, they were not something the average person could afford to maintain; just the high-quality fresh meat they required could weigh up to a hundred pounds per day.

The one before them seemed even more massive and ferocious than others that had been bred. It was clearly an unusual and exceedingly violent variant. Many experts in the field of ancient techniques might not be able to withstand its ferocious attacks.

"Young man, you are truly remarkable," the man said, smiling slightly but with a serious undertone. "When I was your age, I was far from being as strong as you. It took me years of practicing the Old Arts to achieve what I have. If you continue down this path, there's a good chance you could become a grandmaster in the field of the Old Arts. You might even outshine that title and achieve some of the legendary feats told in ancient stories."

The man in black blended seamlessly into the dark forest, his physical vigor betraying no signs of his age. His eyes were bright and piercing, and his voice resounded like a striking gong—clear and powerful. Wang Xuan's eyes were cold. This was a premeditated attempt to ambush him. The man knew in advance that he would be coming to the Great Black Mountain and had been waiting for him.

Just last night, Wang Xuan had informed two of his childhood friends that he planned to venture into the mountains. And yet, here this man was, armed with that information and waiting for him on his monstrous beast in the woods.

Wang Xuan trusted his two friends. He reasoned that the man in black could not possibly know everything. How does he know that I’m coming here with my friends? Someone must have eavesdropped on my conversation.

"Are you from the Ashen Blood Organization?" Wang Xuan asked coldly. He had been attacked three times in recent days and had reached the end of his patience.

The man in black was candid. "No, I'm not. I'm somewhat disappointed in them, actually. Their stronghold in the Old World has been uprooted. Those who escaped are hiding like cowards. So, I decided to take matters into my own hands."

Upon hearing this, Wang Xuan felt a surge of killing intent. The person who had been pulling the strings from behind the scenes had finally revealed himself.

Wang Xuan's rage surged within him. To be targeted repeatedly for no apparent reason, as though he were easily exploited and bullied... It was something he refused to tolerate. He had never imagined that he had done anything to deserve multiple assassination attempts. And yet it happened.

Now that the instigator had personally come forth, it was time to settle this matter once and for all.

"I don't know you, and as far as I'm aware, I've not done anything to wrong you. Why do you keep targeting me?" Wang Xuan asked sternly.

Suddenly, he lunged to the side as a bullet whizzed by, shattering a nearby tree with the thickness of an arm. The trunk splintered, and the crown of the tree fell to the ground.

Wang Xuan's eyes were icy cold. Not only was this man in black highly skilled, but he was also cautious. He had even arranged for a sniper, likely as a backup. The conversation had likely been a tactic to stall him.

Clearly, the heavy rain today had also taken them by surprise. They probably thought Wang Xuan wouldn't show up, taking shelter from the rain in some cave. It was only when the man in black, with his acute senses, spotted Wang Xuan that they started to move, seeking favorable positions for their ambush.

Wang Xuan's senses were razor-sharp, honed by his practice of the Golden Body Technique up to its fourth layer and by the spiritual power he had gained from entering the inner realm twice. He had a keen awareness of impending danger.

Without a moment's hesitation, he lunged again. The spot he'd just left was now the site of a terrifying bullet hole in a large tree. The tree trunk had burst apart, clearly struck by some sort of specialized, restricted ammunition.

In a short period of time, two hidden snipers had already taken their shots. What grudge could they possibly hold against him to warrant this level of aggression? And now, their leader was taking the stage.

Wang Xuan decided on a direct approach. He lunged toward the man in black and his fearsome beast. He didn't believe the hidden gunmen could accurately shoot him without risking their leader or the beast. The speed of his and the black-clothed man's movements made it very difficult for the snipers to get a clear shot at him, especially with the monstrous creature blocking and lunging at him as well.

Wang Xuan's immediate plan was clear: take out the beast and the man in black first, and then deal with the hidden snipers. The man in black was extraordinarily strong. His hands emanated a faint golden glow, suggesting he had mastered some incredibly powerful form of ancient technique. His blows had an astonishing force behind them. When he occasionally struck a large tree, the trunk would explode on impact. It was somewhat terrifying to witness.

This was not going to be an easy fight, but Wang Xuan was prepared. He had honed his skills for moments like this. And now, with his anger fueling his strikes, he was ready to confront and, if necessary, annihilate those who sought to harm him.

In addition, the man's feet were equally powerful. When he stepped on rocks, they shattered, and when he used the trees to propel himself into the air, the trunks cracked and fell over with a snapping sound.

For the first time since mastering the ancient techniques, Wang Xuan encountered an opponent like this. Had he not reached the fourth level of the Golden Body Technique, he would have certainly died today.

The two men moved quickly, smashing numerous trees in their path. Even the black beast had trouble keeping up with their speed and almost lunged at its own master several times.

Bang!

Another tree, as thick as a water barrel, was snapped in half and fell to the ground. The two men maneuvered around each other, their fists and feet continuously colliding, creating thunderous booms that reverberated through the forest.

Wang Xuan discovered that the skin on the base of his thumb had torn open, and droplets of blood were falling. This revelation was shocking. The man's fists and palms were incredibly tough, to the point that even the fourth level of the Golden Body Technique was struggling to withstand the blows.

"Is that... The Great Vajra Fist?!" Wang Xuan exclaimed, his eyes widening as he speculated on the martial art the man had practiced.

He himself had also practiced Vajra Fist but only at an elementary level. The complete form, known as the Great Vajra Fist, was a martial art of extraordinary power, a secret technique passed down within Buddhist traditions.

The man in black approached with cold intent, not bothering to respond. His agility surpassed that of monkeys and his ferocity exceeded that of lions or tigers. He attacked again, causing Wang Xuan's arms to go numb and redden. The tear at the base of Wang Xuan's thumbs worsened, deepening further.

Boom!

Suddenly, Wang Xuan accelerated, his fists and palms struck out in a flurry of explosive blows. Finally, he seized an opportunity he had been waiting for and lunged his entire body into the man's torso. With a cracking sound, he broke two of the man's ribs with his body, causing him to cough up a large amount of blood and fly backwards.

Wrapped in severe pain, the man in black felt deeply shocked. He had initially assumed that, like himself, Wang Xuan had mastered some secret, unparalleled martial arts technique that gave him astonishingly hard fists and overwhelming strength.

In addition, Wang Xuan had intentionally concealed his true strength, avoiding direct confrontations with the man's Great Vajra Fist, thus giving him the wrong impression. The man had not realized just how resilient Wang Xuan was.

"Fourth layer of the Golden Body Technique?!" The man was shocked, finally realizing what Wang Xuan had mastered. The reason for the extraordinary hardness of Wang Xuan's fists and palms wasn't so much his martial art skills, but rather the reinforcement from his Golden Body Technique.

Roar!

Seeing its master at a disadvantage, the black beast lunged at Wang Xuan with renewed ferocity. It opened its massive jaw as a display of its strength.

Bang! Bang! Bang!