Chapter 115: Who Owns The Mortal Realm?
Why are Wang Xuan and Old Zhang suddenly in charge of the human world? Qin Cheng mused, puzzled by Wang Xuan's words.
Suddenly, a deafening boom reverberated. The ground quaked as the Lunar Pit collapsed, creating massive black fissures radiating in every direction, threatening to tear the moon apart.
Realization dawned on Qin Cheng. He quickly grasped the gravity of Wang Xuan's words and shouted, "Where's Old Zhang?!"
Wang Xuan felt as though the very universe itself was collapsing upon them, as if space and time itself would be reset. He felt an intense pressure, perhaps because his spiritual realm allowed him to perceive more than Qin Cheng. The Lunar Pit seemed on the verge of releasing something colossal.
Without answering, Wang Xuan grabbed Qin Cheng, sprinting at breakneck speed. Due to the moon's weaker gravitational pull, it felt as if they were skimming just above its surface.
Finally, they arrived at a millennium-old Taoist temple with three ancient characters inscribed: "Zheng Yi Temple" This renowned Taoist sanctuary, originally from Dragon Tiger Mountain, had been relocated here. Over successive dynasties and amidst various conflicts, the temple had been rebuilt multiple times. Yet its foundation remained intact, and remnants of older bricks and structures had been preserved. Most importantly, the original "Dao soil" and some relics of Zhang Daoling, the founder of Taoism, were housed within this temple.
Upon entering, Wang Xuan urgently called out, "Old Zhang! Something bad is going to happen on the moon. I need your guidance now!"
In the heart of the ancient Taoist temple, monks scurried about, engrossed in their duties, barely noticing Wang Xuan and Qin Cheng.
Feeling increasingly uneasy, Qin Cheng whispered, "You sure you know this Old Zhang you’re speaking of?"
"We share a bond, one that transcends the physical realm," Wang Xuan replied, scanning the intricate architecture. "I need to locate the exact spot where Old Zhang's spirit lingers."
"Be cautious with your words!" warned Qin Cheng, fearing the attentive ears of the monks. "We might end up being beaten up if they hear you."
"Look there," Wang Xuan pointed ahead, his voice steady but eyes revealing deep concern. He was hyper-aware of the situation at the Lunar Pit. The power energy emanating from it threatened to breach his spiritual defenses. He theorized that an entity, either demonic or celestial in nature was about to emerge.
The temple complex seemed alive with anticipation. Age-old pines and cypresses swayed, age-marked stone towers crumbled slightly, and the haunting sound of massive bronze bells rang spontaneously, echoing throughout the sanctuary. The sheer magnitude of the power from the Lunar Pit was palpable.
"There!" Wang Xuan exclaimed, directing his gaze to a luminous structure. "Old Zhang's essence resides in the Ancestral Hall." At first, the hall seemed bathed in a soft glow, but as the disturbances from the Lunar Pit amplified, it shone more brilliantly, radiating a beacon of light amidst the shadowed temple grounds.
While the temple exuded a resplendent glow, it was not within Qin Cheng’s capabilities to perceive it. Such visions were exclusive to those who transcended the ordinary or had developed a spiritual realm. Wang Xuan sighed, feeling a hint of loneliness. This ethereal spectacle, the luminous flames from the Lunar Pit, could only be appreciated by him. There was no one else to witness or discuss this marvel. It seemed the wonders of this world were solely his to behold. But then, a startling change caught his attention. The Ancestral Hall, an ancient structure, began to pulsate and breathe as if alive. Although Qin Cheng remained blind to the light, he could sense the violent tremors of the hall.
His face paled as he whispered, "I think Old Zhang's coffin can no longer contain whatever's inside anymore!"
Mystery factors, resembling a dense snowfall, floated down onto the ground. In Wang Xuan's eyes, this was the most concentrated display of this mysterious substance he had ever seen in the real world. Soon, the entire Ancestral Hall was consumed by an intense radiance, as if the sun itself had descended upon it. The spectacle was so overwhelming that Wang Xuan hesitated to approach.
"Can't you see it?" he asked Qin Cheng. The loneliness of witnessing such a phenomenon, without another soul to share in its marvel, felt isolating.
"I only see the hall shaking and hear the echoes of the coffin's lid," Qin Cheng admitted, his complexion ghostly white. The idea of Old Zhang coming back to life was terrifying to him.
Wang Xuan felt uneasy as well. The sheer power of Old Zhang made him wonder if trying to pull him from the ancient pit might be a bad idea. And a nagging question arose: Is what lying in the coffin really Old Zhang, or is it some malevolent entity? Suddenly, the ancient hall was rocked by powerful tremors, radiating auspicious rays. Wang Xuan felt an unseen force pulling him towards it. The deafening roar of a tiger echoed through the temple, so intense that it threatened to shatter his spiritual realm!
Wang Xuan was shocked. "This is madness!" he exclaimed. Grabbing Qin Cheng's arm, they bolted. The haunting roars in the distance tugged at Wang Xuan's memory. He remembered a previous narrow escape from a white tiger in the Inner Landscape. Could that beast be here as well?
"Weren't we here to find Old Zhang?" Qin Cheng questioned, panting.
"Let's first see if this world remains intact without my presence," Wang Xuan replied, pausing at a safe distance to survey the scene. He pondered whether the resonating roars of dragons and tigers might be linked to the ancestral temple that was relocated from Dragon Tiger Mountain.
Positioning himself strategically, Wang Xuan ensured he could either sprint back to release Old Zhang or flee further based on the unfolding events. Given that both the beings attempting to emerge from the Lunar Pit and Old Zhang shared the same origin, neither option seemed very appealing.
"There are things that we can’t rush in life," Wang Xuan murmured, urging himself to remain composed.
Suddenly, alarmed whispers rippled through the crowd. Eyes were cast skyward, beyond the protective shield, where the spacecraft was clearly malfunctioning. It had been shaking violently earlier, and now it was being slowly drawn towards the Lunar Pit, as if some unseen force was pulling it down.
As the scene unfolded, Wang Xuan noticed that the Daoist ancestral temple, 'Zheng Yi Temple,' started to shimmer and glow. This luminance, stemming primarily from the temple's sacred foundational soil, streamed through its ancient stones. Even the timeworn bricks and tiles gleamed, forming mystical symbols that soared into the Lunar Pit.
"I'm glad I held back," Wang Xuan thought. "Is Old Zhang located in the temple's main hall? While his remains might be in the Ancestral Hall, they likely serve a purpose similar to those in Buddhist underground chambers: to seal away something terrifying."
Wang Xuan felt a chill crawling down his spine. He was thankful that he had refrained from any rash decisions.
Above, the battleship, though damaged, began a shaky ascent. Jubilant cheers broke out below, a collective sigh of relief as the ship seemingly broke free from the mysterious force binding it. From a distance, Qin Hong, having already evacuated to another spacecraft, received the latest updates. He stated coldly, "In our age of technological marvel, every mystery has a solution. The legends of 'Immortals' have faded, but our grasp on eternity grows closer."
From the White Horse Temple, beams of light penetrated the lunar crater, bringing a brief respite to its chaotic tremors. Wang Xuan, watching the scene unfold, felt an overwhelming sense of solitude. He was witnessing a power that could tame the abyss, echoing ancient tales, yet no one else could share this vision. Both sacred temples manifested their power, stabilizing the turbulent crater.
Turning his gaze to the Ancestral Hall, Wang Xuan's unease deepened. The mystical aura surrounding it felt like a silent snowstorm, yet a dark, ominous energy also intermingled.
"The foundation of the Ancestral Hall is made of blue stone," he mused, "with the hall itself constructed above. Is it designed to contain something formidable?" Just as Buddhist crypts sometimes seal away powerful entities, the Taoist temple might house similar secrets. "Is there a hidden stone tower beneath? If Old Zhang's remains are there, what else might they be concealing?"
Suddenly, the ground quivered, casting a wave of anxiety among those present.
The lunar crater, an abyss of darkness, appeared to be expanding, driven by an unseen force. Alarmingly, the battleship above started its descent, drawn directly towards the chasm.
"It’s a disaster! The ship's engines have failed," someone shouted.
Another voice added, "Something’s wrong. Even in a catastrophic failure, the ship’s descent shouldn't lead directly into the crater. Things might not be as they seem" ...... Many onlookers gazed upward, their anxiety palpable. The unfolding events were causing dread in their hearts. In an era of technological marvels, it was unsettling to think that a dark crevice on the moon could exert such a mysterious force, strong enough to bring down a spaceship. Are the mystics really that powerful?
But there was more. Just as Wang Xuan believed that ordinary people remained oblivious, believing this to be his own private "extraordinary realm," a chorus of gasps echoed within the protective barrier.
Mysterious entities from within the Lunar Pit had unleashed their might, drawing mythic tales perilously close to reality and causing severe energy fluctuations. For the first time, many bore witness to the otherworldly phenomena emanating from the pit. A radiant light began to expand, casting a surreal brilliance over the abyss.
This luminous "rain" appeared gentle and resplendent. Yet its beauty belied its menace. It moved with breathtaking speed, extending into the sky to ensnare the falling battleship. Soon after, the cascading light converged, forming a massive hand that effortlessly clasped the ship. With an eerie crunch, the vessel was crushed in its luminous grip.
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