Chapter 262: An Immortal Bodyguard
Wang Xuan halted, sensing the vitality within the building ahead. The air was thick with mystical substance, and a powerful superhuman entity awaited him inside.
"Please, Sword Immortal," Huang Xinghai gestured.
"Don't call me Sword Immortal. With the presence of a great immortal from the Huang family, I am hardly comparable," Wang Xuan corrected, then confidently strode towards the main hall of the ancestral shrine.
Huang Xinghai was visibly moved by Wang Xuan's keen perception. From such a distance, he had already detected the immortal of the Huang family?
He didn’t follow inside, merely serving as a guide and waiting outside.
In the Huang family's ancestral shrine, wisps of white mist rose from the ancient building, revealing a middle-aged man's ethereal figure within the fog. He appeared as a spiritual body, dressed in the style of ancient Earth, his figure slightly blurred among the mist and scattered light.
The man exuded a celestial aura as he observed Wang Xuan, remarking, "In this desolate era, for you to reach such heights is remarkable. You were born in the wrong time. Had you been born a thousand years earlier, you would surely have been an unparalleled powerhouse."
He then shook his head, adding, "But perhaps not mistaken after all. Maybe you're luckier. The freedom of transcending the mortal realm pales in comparison to the vivid splendor of human existence."
"Senior flatters me. Compared to the ancient sages, I'm but a moth gazing up at the soaring roc from the ground, far from their grandeur," Wang Xuan replied, remaining on guard.
The middle-aged man was an ancient being, and in Wang Xuan's current understanding, these creatures were often dangerous, either setting traps or burying the unwary.
"You are too modest. In the current terrifying reality of cosmic correction, to have opened an inner landscape is a talent that would astonish even the immortals behind the cosmic veil," the man stated.
Wang Xuan was aware that every action leaves a trace. Despite his caution, it was inevitable that someone would discover the secrets he wished to conceal.
Moreover, recently, in his quest for supreme scriptures and legendary artifacts from ancient legends, he had been trading with financial conglomerates, extending their lives in exchange.
Once a superhuman entity set their sights on him and studied his actions, they would naturally discover clues. Wang Xuan's frequent visits to Taoist temples and Buddhist monasteries were not lost on the immortals; how could they not understand?
Ancient temples and renowned Taoist ancestral homes were no ordinary places. Marked by powerful beings, divided as territories, they hid true bones and relics. If the immortals turned their gaze towards him, they would understand he was stealing mystical substances.
"When I entered the Burning Lamp Realm, I felt the superhuman night sky was endlessly dark and eternally silent, devoid of light, bringing a sense of oppressive despair. The turbulence of my spiritual energy unexpectedly opened an inner landscape."
Wang Xuan spoke as if deeply moved. Revealing that he had opened an inner landscape at the human stage was something he couldn't afford; it would make him a target for hunting by entities from beyond the cosmic veil. Such a unique inner landscape was seen by the immortals as a means of escape, a valuable resource.
"You are too wary of me. I'm just a solitary spirit, no threat to you. I'm not even a true immortal now, just a fragment of a spirit," the middle-aged man self-mockingly said, assuring Wang Xuan of his benign intentions. He gestured for Wang Xuan to sit.
In the ancestral shrine, surrounded by ancient furniture reminiscent of a bygone era, the man, showered in a mist of light, took a seat as well.
"What brings me to your summon, senior?" Wang Xuan asked, maintaining a calm demeanor.
It was his first time confronting a resurrected being from a true bone so closely after reaching the superhuman realm. Were the immortals finally about to enter the world?
Wang Xuan silently assessed the situation. The man was strong, but as a fragment of a spirit, his power was limited by the fading superhuman laws. Wang Xuan glanced at an iron box in a nearby shrine; his celestial eye could see a bone wrapped in blood vessels inside, brimming with vigorous life.
"In the past, I was solely focused on attaining immortality, but now I'm neither human nor ghost. I'm behind the times, with outdated views, so I wanted to talk to you and other newly emerged superhumans, with good intentions, nothing more."
Wang Xuan looked at him, inquiring, "What is the world beyond the cosmic veil like now? When will the legendary immortals return? As superhumanity fades, what viable strategies are there to cope with this change?"
Since they were talking, Wang Xuan didn't hold back and continuously threw out various questions. The middle-aged man, Huang Kun, responded with a bitter smile, "The Old Covenant... locks the true words. Although I'm just a lingering fragment of spirit in this world, there's still much I cannot say."
He candidly revealed that with the dissipation of superhuman rules, the Old Covenant had loosened. Otherwise, he wouldn't have been able to speak, being under stricter constraints.
He solemnly said, "The immortals have confirmed that the era of myth is thoroughly decaying. Even the most extraordinary beings can't stop it and will become mere mortals. It's quite tragic when you think about it. Immortality is just a grand illusion. The glorious traces of superhumanity will be erased and turn into nothingness!"
Wang Xuan frowned, surprised that even the immortals couldn't find a way. He had thought they might find some means, if not to change the overall trend, at least to delay or prevent the retreat of superhumanity from happening so swiftly.
Through their conversation, Wang Xuan learned that the middle-aged man, Huang Kun, was the last person in the Huang family to achieve immortality, ascending at the end of the Tang Dynasty.
Regarding the other immortals from the Huang family, some had died in the cosmic veil, while others had been missing for hundreds of years.
Huang Kun sighed, "The world beyond the cosmic veil is far crueler than people imagine. Becoming immortal is not as wonderful as it seems."
He continued, "Soon, various superhuman traces will appear in the world. The chaos of superhumanity will spill over into the present world."
This information wasn't a violation of the Old Covenant. Wang Xuan had already anticipated such situations, where all sorts of monsters and demons would emerge.
"The immortals are reluctant. With less than three years left, there will undoubtedly be various struggles. Collisions will occur between the great factions of the immortals. Some immortals, fearing their descent into mortality and being hunted by powerful organizations in the present world, will take preemptive actions. Once the immortals arrive, chaos will ensue."
Huang Kun openly shared, indicating the proximity of these events.
"I've asked for you," he continued, "actually, to form a good connection and offer you a great fortune." A white fog emanated from Huang Kun, enveloping the entire ancestral shrine to prevent eavesdropping by other superhumans.
Wang Xuan looked at him, remaining silent.
Huang Kun spoke self-deprecatingly, "Don't think of me as an immortal. The truth is, I'm just a fragment of a primordial spirit, more like a ghostly immortal without a physical body. I can't participate in the struggle for that great fortune. If you manage to obtain it, I hope you can share a part with me to help rebuild my body."
Wang Xuan was moved. What kind of immense fortune could it be that could reconstruct a body?
"Soon, two high-level spiritual worlds will converge and collide while moving, revealing some traces in the present world," Huang Kun disclosed.
"The convergence of high-level spiritual worlds likely means the appearance of heavenly medicine. If it appears in our world and you seize the opportunity, you might be able to harvest it!"
Wang Xuan was astonished. Could the immortals predict the appearance of heavenly medicine? Huang Kun seemed too powerful, considering he was just a fragment of a spirit.
Huang Kun shook his head, "Don't overestimate me. This was deduced by the supreme immortals behind the cosmic veil. In fact, during this convergence of the high-level spiritual worlds, the strongest beings there will get the first chance. If they fail to harvest the medicine, it might then appear briefly in our world."
He candidly admitted that passing certain messages from the cosmic veil to the present world wasn't extremely difficult.
Wang Xuan, feeling helpless, asked, "If the immortals can't harvest it, how can I?"
"There's a great chance," Huang Kun responded. "Because there are rare divine objects in the present world, things that couldn't be taken into the cosmic veil, which can be used to harvest heavenly medicine."
He sighed, "Nowadays, there are many divine objects in the world, but they're not very friendly to a fragmented primordial spirit like me; dangers lurk everywhere."
Saying this, he stood up and took a stone box from the wall of the ancestral shrine. Inside was a bundle of silken thread, two meters long, and crystal clear.
"What is this?" Wang Xuan asked, intrigued.
"This was left by a guardian before their death. It's a silken line that can fish in the spiritual worlds. This material is incredibly precious, and even the well-known divine object, the Immortal Binding Rope, is made from it."
Wang Xuan remained cautious. He didn't want this to be the Immortal Binding Rope that could restrain him. He secretly prepared his short sword, ready to act if things went south.
"Of course, we still lack the most important piece: the fishing hook that can catch treasures from the spiritual world. It's incredibly valuable," Huang Kun revealed, his eyes gleaming with longing.
He informed Wang Xuan that the super-rich Zhong family possessed such a hook, left behind by a guardian who perished 1800 years ago.
Huang Kun sighed, "I did think about taking the hook directly, but there's something strange about that place. There's a dull, gray pool that looks a lot like the mythical Pool of Reincarnation, which is said to send spirits to rebirth. But who knows if it actually sends them away or devours them!"
He continued helplessly, "Even if I managed to get the hook, I wouldn't dare try to touch the higher spiritual worlds. There's a risk of spiritual heavenly fire falling, which is extremely dangerous for someone without a physical body."
"That sounds terrifying. Maybe I should just stay out of it. I'm too weak for such grand ventures," Wang Xuan shook his head.
"Don't underestimate yourself. This is an enormous opportunity. Right now, I'm far weaker than you. We'll need to work together, but you'll have to fish for the heavenly medicine since you have a physical body," Huang Kun proposed.
"I still don't think it's safe," Wang Xuan felt his power was inadequate for such a significant task and suggested Huang Kun wait while he went into seclusion.
"There's no time for that," Huang Kun shook his head.
"Do you have any secret or ancient methods to quickly boost strength?" Wang Xuan inquired.
Huang Kun remained silent, eventually shaking his head firmly, "I can't harm you. Some quick methods ultimately ruin the cultivator's foundation."
"Isn't there any harmless method?" Wang Xuan asked earnestly.
"Inner scenes, heavenly medicine, and relics from the past... these can help. And we're about to fish for heavenly medicine," Huang Kun advised him not to rush and to take one step at a time in cultivation, especially with the prospect of heavenly medicine on the horizon.
"When will a part of the higher spiritual world manifest in reality?" Wang Xuan asked.
"In three days, late at night," Huang Kun informed him.
"So soon? I'm not prepared enough, I'm afraid I might perish under the spiritual heavenly fire," Wang Xuan shook his head.
Huang Kun sighed, "If that's the case, I can't force you, but it really is a great opportunity."
He added, "Let's see how it goes then. I believe there might be a tremendous spectacle. Perhaps we won't even need to fish for the heavenly medicine; it might just come flying out to us."
Wang Xuan, puzzled and intrigued, asked why he thought so.
"I've received information that several peerless powerhouses from behind the curtain will contend for the heavenly medicine of the higher worlds. What if they knock it out into our world? Or even better, if it escapes to us on its own," Huang Kun shared, hopeful.
Wang Xuan's interest peaked, "Can we witness a battle of the immortals?" He was eager to observe such an extraordinary event, having never seen anything like it before.
"Most likely, we'll witness a colossal battle among different factions of immortals. It will be quite fearsome," Huang Kun nodded.
"Alright, in three days, we'll act according to the situation," Wang Xuan agreed.
Then, with some difficulty, he brought up another issue, "I feel like I'm being tracked by a powerful supernatural entity. I'm afraid I might be in danger. Could you please help me avert this lethal threat?"
Huang Kun, waiting outside the ancestral shrine, heard Wang Xuan's request and his face twitched. The young man was asking for a real immortal from the Huang family to act as his bodyguard!
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