Chapter 219: The Transcendents’ Defeat
"You're really pushing me to grow stronger with every step," Wang Xuan stood in Suzhou City, his gaze fixated on the distant horizon, where the clouds danced, his aura brimming with barely contained fury.
Uncertainty about Old Chen's fate gnawed at him. If the worst had come to pass, regardless of who was responsible, he was resolute in his decision to retaliate fiercely and eradicate the threat.
Qian An, in a rare moment, managed to establish a hasty, fragmented video connection with Old Chen. The image of Old Chen, drenched in blood and bearing grave injuries, was not something Wang Xuan could or would accept.
Was Old Chen actually being hunted?
"Don’t panic. I am trying to piece together what follows next," assured Qian An, conveying the latest snippets of information he had gathered.
Old Chen, ever cautious, had refrained from using aerial transport. However, when he was a mere three hundred miles from Suzhou City, a spacecraft had "mysteriously" crashed, plummeting like a comet towards earth, directly targeting him.
Wang Xuan, upon receiving this news, experienced a chilling contraction of his pupils and tightened his fists in response.
There were established protocols in New World forbidding the use of super-weapons on the planet’s surface, to avert catastrophic fallout. At this juncture, no rules had been broken; no battleships had been deployed against Old Chen.
"It's been staged as an 'accident'," deduced Wang Xuan, his face set in a mask of icy resolve. The lengths to which these people had gone to eliminate Old Chen were unimaginable, surpassing the destructiveness of super-weapons.
Wang Xuan readied himself to leave the city and rendezvous with Old Chen.
"Wang Xuan, Old Chen is still alive. I managed a fleeting connection with him. His condition is precarious, seriously injured, and he is pursued by an enigmatic powerful adversary," relayed Qian An in another urgent call.
"Mr. Qian, please, send me Old Chen’s precise location," requested Wang Xuan with a steady voice.
Qian An, speaking solemnly, warned, "Be cautious, Wang Xuan. Even Old Chen is in peril. Rushing in might lead you into a trap."
He advised Wang Xuan to maintain his composure, revealing that he was attempting to reach out to various connections, hoping to negotiate with those involved and ensure Old Chen's safety.
"Wang Xuan," he said, "if anyone wants me to extend their life, I can do it. But only if they immediately stop hunting Old Chen!" Wang Xuan stepped out of Suzhou City, heading in a direction based on the information he had received earlier. He believed that if Old Chen were still alive, he would also be heading towards Suzhou City.
Since some already suspected he was a transcendent, Wang Xuan saw no need to hide his abilities any longer. To save Old Chen, he was prepared to fully unleash his power and wipe out those responsible.
Some time later, Qian An called again, saying, "Wang Xuan, I've asked people to save Old Chen, but it seems they've ignored my request. They only mentioned you... that you won't die."
Wang Xuan took a deep breath. These people spared him to use his life-extending abilities for themselves? What were they thinking?
He acknowledged the strength and ruthlessness of this group but was appalled by their arrogance. Did they really expect him to bend to their will after they killed Old Chen?
Of course, he didn't entirely believe them. The situation was too complex, and the real enemy had yet to reveal themselves. He couldn't fully trust anyone.
Then, Qian An updated him on Old Chen's condition: "Old Chen is nearing Suzhou City, coughing up blood."
Old Chen had traveled another two hundred li while severely injured?
Wang Xuan pushed his spiritual realm to its limits, his brow shining with light, surrounded by a mystical aura, as he moved in a certain direction. In just moments, he sensed a familiar presence. Qian An's information was accurate. The bloodied Old Chen had appeared.
He was moving incredibly fast, almost flying close to the ground, leaving the earth beneath him cracked and broken. Using all his strength, disregarding everything, he ran on.
Wang Xuan's heart sank seeing Old Chen's condition. His shoulder was torn, one arm nearly severed, his eyes vacant and unfocused, driven solely by his indomitable will.
Old Chen's physical injuries weren't the main concern; as long as his body remained intact, he could slowly recover with the Earth Immortal Spring contained in the fragment of the blessed land within him. But Wang Xuan was puzzled by Old Chen's spirit, which seemed so withered, almost dispersing.
As Wang Xuan hastened to meet Old Chen, the elder appeared to have exhausted his last bit of energy. His eyes, increasingly unfocused, barely managed to utter, "Be careful... strange treasure!" before he lost consciousness.
Wang Xuan quickly administered several mouthfuls of the Earth Immortal Spring to Old Chen and sprinkled some on his wounds. He then hoisted Old Chen onto his back, holding a short sword, ready to confront any danger.
Suddenly, a hovercar plummeted from a height of about fifteen meters, hurtling directly towards Wang Xuan. This deliberate act of aggression, yet another "accident," fueled his anger. Were they really trying to cover the sky with one hand?
The hovercar's dive, though less powerful than a spaceship, was still a significant threat. Was this a display of their control over New World, or did they really believe he was only a master-level practitioner?
Wang Xuan's eyes were cold. Without any exaggerated movements, he deftly dodged the vehicle while still carrying Old Chen, distancing themselves from the crash site.
Glancing back, Wang Xuan saw no sign of the mysterious assassin. Old Chen had been too quick in his escape over the mountains and valleys, temporarily eluding their pursuers.
Upon entering Suzhou City with Old Chen on his back, Wang Xuan ignored the curious glances of passersby and headed straight to the "Healing Hall." There, he thoroughly examined Old Chen's injuries.
Even the body of a transcendent like Old Chen bore numerous wounds from the violent explosion caused by the plummeting spaceship. A normal person would have undoubtedly perished in such an incident. The impact area was so vast that even the most agile would struggle to escape and would likely be reduced to ashes.
Old Chen had managed to avoid the central area of the explosion, but he was still caught by the sweeping energy, drenched in blood. The most severe injury, however, came from a cold weapon; one of his arms was nearly severed, indicating a transcendent had also taken part in the assault. These wounds, while serious, weren't fatal for someone with Old Chen's resilience and could heal over time.
What puzzled Wang Xuan was Old Chen's stupor; his spiritual domain had been compromised. "He warned me about a strange treasure. Was he injured by some sort of mystical artifact?" Wang Xuan mused, his expression grave.
In an instant, his spirit left his body. Despite the potential danger of pursuers arriving, he wasn't concerned about leaving his physical form unattended. In fact, his sensory range expanded further when his spirit was detached, allowing him to detect enemies more readily.
His primary concern now was to ascertain what exactly had happened to Old Chen's spiritual domain. As expected, under the scrutiny of his spiritual eye, nothing could hide; he spotted three dark red arrows embedded in Old Chen's spiritual domain.
This discovery sent a shock through Wang Xuan, marking the first time he had encountered such a phenomenon. The arrows weren't physical entities but rather a peculiar form of energy, each marked with unique symbols.
"Old Chen, can you hear me?" Wang Xuan called out, cautious not to disturb the arrows. But Old Chen's spiritual domain remained undisturbed, even more silent than if he were merely asleep.
Wang Xuan reached out with his spirit, attempting to remove one of the dark red arrows. However, as he neared it, he sensed imminent danger. He had a premonition that attempting to extract the arrow might trigger its explosion.
Such a tricky situation left Wang Xuan perplexed as his spirit returned to his body, his brow furrowed in concern.
"Someone's coming!" Wang Xuan sensed prying eyes. Were they the ones who had pursued Old Chen?
The location of the Health Preservation Hall was not in the busiest part of town, but there were still quite a few pedestrians on the street. The mysterious individual didn't strike immediately, instead offering a smile and departing. Undoubtedly, he would return, seemingly reluctant to reveal his extraordinary powers in broad daylight.
Wang Xuan sensed the man's strength and the danger he posed. It was likely the strange treasure that had alerted him, a threat even to Wang Xuan.
"Little Wang, how is Old Chen? Did you bring him into the city?" Qian An's voice came through the phone, filled with surprise.
"He's injured," Wang Xuan replied succinctly.
"I'll send the best doctors over."
"Thank you, but no need," Wang Xuan politely declined.
Half an hour later, the Zhong siblings called, evidently shaken by the news.
"Has Chen Transcendent been seriously injured?"
The Zhong family was indeed extraordinary. Even their younger members had received word of the incident, indicating how quickly the news had spread among their circles. The defeat of a transcendent, this news swiftly circulated, stirring discussions within the relevant groups.
"Little Wang, there's a rumor going around that Old Chen won't make it. Even if he miraculously survives, they won't let him off. Do you need our help? We can send someone to pick you up..."
Zhong Cheng's offer was sincere. Despite his limited influence at home, his eagerness to assist Wang Xuan and Chen Yongjie was evident.
Zhong Qing interjected, "I'll try to persuade our family. But since my great-grandfather hasn't awakened yet and the family is prioritizing stability, they likely won't want to provoke the involved parties. My great-grandfather, once awake, will also be a transcendent, making this a sensitive time."
Wang Xuan had saved her life in the Hidden Land, rescuing her from a marsh in the dead of night, a kindness she hadn't forgotten.
"For now, no need, but I appreciate the offer," Wang Xuan responded, ending the call.
......
Soon after, Zhou Yun also reached out to Wang Xuan. He held great respect for Old Chen, and was shaken to learn of his severe injuries and possible demise.
"My grandfather says those people probably won't allow Old Chen to live. They'll strike like thunder to demonstrate their power. But they plan to spare you, to take you away," Zhou Yun informed Wang Xuan in a hushed, coded message.
The defeat of the transcendent was causing a stir in certain circles, many waiting for the final outcome.
After hanging up, Wang Xuan sat in calm contemplation, tuning himself to his best condition, his hand idly caressing the cold blade of his short sword.
As the sun set and the street remained busy, the mysterious figure appeared. His every action and its consequences were easily manageable, given the powerful backing he had.
"A transcendent has fallen? And yet the one who comes is also a transcendent..." Wang Xuan pondered in his room.
The fact that this force could command a transcendent spoke volumes of its immense power and terror.
A man in black approached from the end of the street, carrying an ancient lamp etched with the marks of time, emitting a dim, crimson light.
Wang Xuan reflected, "I've only focused on the texts and manuscripts these conglomerates have unearthed, overlooking that they've also dug up significant treasures."
In the modern society of the New World, the man's vintage attire stood out in the pitch-dark surroundings, all street lights extinguished, save for the ancient lamp illuminating his cold, rigid face.
Even from a hundred meters away, the ancient lamp in the man's hand emitted a hazy glow. The arrow engravings on it seemed to come alive as they absorbed the dark red light and shot out a beam.
A dark red arrow flew at high speed towards the Health Preservation Hall!
"All will come to an end now. The transcendent will either bow or perish. No one can stand above the rules we've set. The transcendent has fallen!" someone declared in the distance.
At the same time, numerous tiny surveillance devices, like a swarm of insects, converged towards the Health Preservation Hall, ready to record everything that was about to unfold.
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