The Stars Beyond

Chapter 15: Ascension

"Equipment check!" with a quiet voice, Qingmu reminded the individuals in the spacecraft to prepare themselves for the imminent operation.

The aircraft's screen displayed the topography of Qingcheng Mountain in clear detail—lush and verdant, with dense forests and peaks nestled against each other. It resembled a fortified city. Wang Xuan donned his protective suit, which felt slightly cumbersome. It offered some defense against bullets and cold weapons, which could save his life in crucial moments.

The alloy blade on his back was incredibly sharp, it was a potent weapon for close combat. The dagger, too, was handy—an instrument of lethal precision. It was especially deadly in tight and enclosed spaces.

"There's one piece of equipment I'm not sure how to operate," Wang Xuan mentioned, indicating a small vial of liquid.

“That’s your synthetic irises. Just wear them like contact lenses. They can help conceal your identity.”

Following his instructions, Wang Xuan put them on and observed himself in a small mirror. His pupils were now a pale blue hue. Coupled with the lifelike synthetic skin mask, he bore the appearance of a Westerner.

Falcon added, "We must stop them this time. We can't allow them to succeed in taking away whatever they've found. They've practically emptied out the Old World. All the treasures have been shipped off to the New World to become the private collections of research institutions and corporations."

A sense of resentment hung in the air. Across various regions of the Old World, underground sites of famous mountains and rivers had been thoroughly raided. Even Qingcheng Mountain hadn't been spared from the numerous expeditions of the agents from the New World.

The recent discovery was a surprise even among the group.

As a newcomer, Wang Xuan was not shy of asking questions, "But won't attacking them like this lead to retaliation and potentially escalate into a large-scale conflict?"

Shaking his head, Qingmu replied, "No, even though the Old World is in decline, the power of one or two corporations is not enough to stir up trouble for us. Besides, the relationship between our two stars remains quite well given our common origins. You need to have faith in the organization. We've already expanded into the reaches of outer space and we aren't afraid of them."

Black Tiger added, "Don’t forget that they themselves are engaged in what is essentially thievery, so they're in no position to make a fuss about it. Things will eventually settle down afterwards, and all parties will forget that it even happened."

Of course, that didn't mean there was no danger. On the contrary, conflicts like these could be highly intense and would often result in casualties.Wang Xuan fell silent. Expeditions like this was not why he made the decision to join the organization. His wish from the beginning was to explore hidden places and to venture into uncharted territories.

......

"They’ve set up high powered energy weapons in the mountains. Teams Two and Three can handle them," a voice came through the screen.

Qingmu responded, "Make sure they're all taken care of. We don’t want to get trapped underground by those things."

"No problem, Team Four is on standby."

...

Wang Xuan grew stern as he listened in on the conversation. It felt like they were waging a secret war. That was also when he realized that his group was not the only one taking part in the operation. Qingmu remained composed. He seemed to be aware of Wang Xuan’s thoughts, "If it intrigues the ancient practitioners, then its value is immeasurable. That's why we must ensure nothing goes wrong this time. The organization has deployed multiple teams on this mission."

"Stay focused, Old Mu. Be ready to unleash the electromagnetic pulse (EMP) at any time. That’ll disable the robots in the palace and knock out their high tech toys," Qingmu gave the order.

Old Mu would remain on the ship. He was their only way out, and was also in charge of destroying their enemy’s heavy weapons.

"Won’t they have countermeasures?" Wang Xuan inquired. As a novice, he had much to learn.

Qingmu's expression was serious. "Worry not, we are professionals. You learn from us through the recordings afterwards."

Qingcheng Mountain was lush with greenery throughout the four seasons. Stone steps led through the mountains, and its winding paths shrouded led to the ancient Taoist temples nestled on cliffs and amidst ancient groves. There were countless legends and tales about this place. It was a renowned Taoist sanctuary. Unfortunately, ground underneath the mountain had been excavated throughout the decades into a network of tunnels. It was a real wonder that discoveries were still made in this place.

Qingmu, Black Tiger, Falcon, Kite, and Little Wang (Wang Xuan's codename) ventured into the forest, leaving Old Mu to guard the ship. Qingmu took the lead, moving through the woods like an agile panther. His companions, who were also skilled practitioners of the Old Arts, followed closely. They did not take long to reach their destination: the entrance to the excavated palace. It was situated at the foot of a somewhat remote hill, on the periphery of Qingcheng Mountain. This was perhaps why it had been overlooked in the past.

A group of robots were tirelessly excavating deep into the mountain's belly and hauling out massive amounts of earth and stone. Despite the distance, the subterranean palace was now visible to the team. Qingmu gestured for them to remain in place. They would wait outside to intercept the operatives of Zhou and Ling families once they accessed the palace and obtained whatever they sought. There was no need to venture inside and risk danger at the moment.

Amidst the resounding roar of machinery, several stone doors were forcibly breached in rapid succession.

"We've broken through! This place is huge!" came a voice from within.

"There's an altar! We found it! It's adorned with a golden casket!" Excitement echoed through the underground tunnels, followed by a chorus of cheers. Even the guards stationed at the entrance were joining in on the celebration as well. They were eager to catch a glimpse of the golden casket once the dust settled. They wanted to lay their eyes upon the remains of a potential Immortal.

Black Tiger, Falcon, and Kite were also visibly agitated. Their breaths grew ragged. As practitioners of the Old Arts, they revered the relics of the Immortals. Qingmu, however, remained composed. He maintained a profound silence, waiting for the moment to strike.

"These are precious treasures of the Old World. They’ve plundered our planet bare over the decades. We can't let them get away with it this time." said Falcon.

"It's about time," Qingmu communicated through a secure line with Old Mu. "Do it!"

He then directed the second and third teams to simultaneously engage and neutralize the energy weapons deployed in concealed positions within the mountains.

The robots in their vicinity were immediately knocked out by a strong EMP pulse. Some toppled over, while others emitted crackling sounds and showered the area with sparks. They were threats that must be taken out quickly. If left unchecked, they would pose a serious challenge to the advancing team. Armed with energy based weapons and impervious to conventional small arms fire, these robots were effective killing machines. They were lethal even when armed only with melee weapons.

BOOM!

A powerful shockwave rocked the mountain, signifying the successful elimination of the energy weapons platforms deployed in advance by the two families.

"Did you kill them all?" Wang Xuan's expression was grave. He had never taken a life before.

Qingmu responded calmly, "No, most of them were merely incapacitated, our goal is to disarm them."

Boom!

In the next instant, an explosion rocked the entrance of the palace, causing soil and rocks to collapse and sealing it off. Angered roars could be heard from within the palace, a clear sign of frustration of those trapped within. The surroundings remained eerily quiet. There were no signs of enemy reinforcements.

After a brief pause, Qingmu issued new orders, "Teams Five and Six, move in and make ready to ender the palace"

"Are we going to suffocate them?" Wang Xuan felt a chill run down his spine. The adventure turned out completely different from what he had imagined..

Black Tiger shook his head,, "No, under normal circumstances, we don't take lives. We’ll dig open the entrance once they’ve fainted from oxygen deprivation."

Qingmu continued, "I really wish we could discover techniques even more powerful than the Root Arts or the Old Arts is truly finished. Even skilled practitioners of the Old Arts are not immune to modern weaponry."

His words flowed with a heartfelt sentiment. Born in this era, practitioners of the Old Arts were burdened with a profound sense of powerlessness. To them, the path ahead seemed hopeless.

"Something's not right. They're using energy weapons to bore through the mountain in the opposite direction! They are trying to escape from another exit!" Qingmu sprang to his feet. He ordered Teams Five and Six to their location and instructed Teams Two, Three, and Four to redeploy quickly as well.

Black Tiger raised an eyebrow, expressing his doubt. "How far can they go? This is a massive mountain."

"Do note that Qingcheng Mountain has been excavated dozens, if not hundreds, of times. The ground underneath it is riddled with tunnels. They might just be able to dig into one of them. We’ll never be able to catch up to them if they succeed."

BOOM!

The entrance was blasted open, revealing a cleared path. The other teams had also arrived at the same time. In silence, Wang Xuan readied himself, carrying the alloy blade on his back and holding an energy gun in his hand. This weapon allowed adjustable energy output, with power levels set to kill or set to incapacitate. Due to his unfamiliarity with the weapon, he opted for the lower power setting that would stun an enemy.

"Go! They haven't breached the mountain yet! Be careful!" shouted Qingmu, sweeping his energy gun forward.

Amidst groans, the sound of bodies falling echoed within the mountain. Without warning, Qingmu lunged forward. Wang Xuan could feel the hair on his back rising. He instinctively dropped to the ground as well.

With a dull thud, a bloodied hole appeared in Falcon's chest, piercing him through the front to back. The protective suit offered no defense. His blood sprayed everywhere. Falcon collapsed onto the ground, his life snuffed out before he could even make a sound.

Wang Xuan was stunned. It was his first time witnessing a person being killed, and it happened right before his eyes. He was what many considered to be mature, but he was deeply shaken by what he saw. A living person, who was alive and advancing beside him just moments ago, was now lying dead in a pool of blood.

He questioned himself then, wondering if he had been too hasty in choosing this path. It was nothing like what he had imagined. He could not risk dying out here. His parents—his loved ones—were waiting for him back home.

Wang Xuan forced himself to remain calm. He was determined to stay alive no matter what. His safety must come before the success of the expedition.

"Well, they did it. Don’t hold back, boys! There's no more room for negotiations now," Qingmu roared, adjusting his energy gun's output to its lethal setting. He swept the gun horizontally, and unleashed a flurry of energy bolts at the enemy. In the darkness, beams of energy lanced towards him, but he was able to sidestep all of them, a feat of his surprising alacrity and perception.

Wang Xuan was taken aback – Qingmu was a formidable expert. He was a true master of the arts.

With a swift motion, Qingmu unsheathed his alloy blade and charged forward. His skill was evident as he swung the blade in the midst of a group of enemy combatants. His strikes were precise and lethal. It wreaked havoc among the enemy formation.

"Charge!" Black Tiger, Kite, and the other members of the other teams rushed into the fray as well.

Wang Xuan sprang into action as well. With his energy weapon at a low power setting, he was able to take down quite a few enemies. He was able to hit his enemies despite his lack of experience due to the close proximity between them.

Exercising caution, Wang Xuan moved along the mountain wall, taking cover behind the rocks within the palace. A few energy bolts reached out for him, but he was able to reach safety unscathed. Soon, firing stopped as operatives from both sides crashed into one another in a furious melee.

"Qingmu, I'm up against an expert here! He has mastered parts of the New Arts, I can’t hold him back for long!" Black Tiger shouted, his body drenched in blood.

One of the opponents struck at Black Tiger with fingers coated in faint light. The attack connected, and left Black Tiger’s upper torso bloodied. With a roar, Qingmu charged at his opponent.

BOOM!

The mountain wall shattered at that moment. Someone had broken into an underground passage. As Qingmu had suspected, there was indeed a network of underground tunnels nearby left behind by the previous expeditions.

The man locked in battle with Qingmu immediately disengaged. He grabbed a golden casket laying on the ground and disappeared into the tunnel. The rest of his allies followed suit as well.

"After them!" Qingmu took the lead, charging down the passage, with the others close behind.

Kite shouted to Wang Xuan, "Stay here. You're still getting used to your weapon. Saw you almost hitting some of our guys earlier. "

Wang Xuan nodded, even though he was confident in his ability to shoot accurately enough to avoid hitting his own allies. Whether it was out of concern for his well-being or his poor marksmanship, Kite had voiced out his opinion, and Wang Xuan decided to not argue against it.

The underground palace fell quiet. Bodies lay scattered across the ground; some were lifeless, while many others had fallen simply unconscious from the effects of Wang Xuan’s energy weapon. He remained vigilant, taking cover behind a large boulder and carefully observing and sensing his surroundings. Indeed, there were individuals feigning unconsciousness nearby.

One of them felt off. It was clear that he was still conscious, and that he was in a panic.

Narrowing his eyes, Wang Xuan was taken aback as he recognized a familiar face – Zhou Yun!

He hadn't expected that Zhou Yun, a prominent figure in the Zhou family, would be present in person. The young man was probably regretting his decision at the moment. He had likely never imagined that things would take such a disastrous turn. After all, the megacorporations had conducted excavations of various relics without much trouble in the past. They knew they had the advantage. Any setbacks they encountered back then were inconsequential in the grander scheme of things. This was the first time they have suffered such a defeat.

“Xiao Zhou, I'm sorry. Your father might be out of my league, but as Qin Cheng suggested, every time I see you... I should give you a good beating!" Wang Xuan muttered to himself.

He noticed something unusual about Zhou Yun. It appeared that Zhou Yun had hastily changed into regular black attire, without the higher-level protective gear. This seemed like an obvious attempt to blend in and escape unnoticed. He had also noticed the thing Zhou Yun tried to hide underneath his clothes near his chest. Wang Xuan silently and carefully lifted a stone and hurled it at Zhou Yun. With a muffled thud, the stone struck the man's head.

A startled Zhou Yun cried out in pain and stood up. Blood was flowing from the wound on his head.

Wang Xuan did not hit Zhou Yun with the intention of taking his life. He had no qualms with the young man. No matter the circumstances, he could not bring himself to take a life.

Moving with the swiftness of a gecko, Wang Xuan clung to the rocky surface of the wall and approached Zhou Yun silently. With a deft movement, he tore open the front of Zhou Yun's clothing and snatched the jade box hidden within. Quickly retreating, he once again took cover behind a large stone.

His decision to not incapacitate Zhou Yun with his energy weapon turned out to be fruitful. With Zhou Yun thrashing in agony, his men did not shoot, fearful that they would catch him in the crossfire.

Bolts of energy reached out for Wang Xuan when he was finally a safe distance away.

"Get him! He took the jade box from me" Zhou Yun roared in frustration.

BOOM!

An altar near Wang Xuan’s cover took a direct hit. The altar shattered into pieces, and collapsed with a resounding crash.

Cries of disbelief rang out.

A hidden chamber lay beneath the altar. There, on the far side of its wall, a figure sat motionless on a cushion. Draped in feathered robes, with long black hair cascading down, his complexion appeared vibrant and youthful. He appeared to be someone in his thirties.

"This guy is dressed in feathered robes! He is... one of the top experts among the Taoists practitioners, and his physical body still exists!" The survivors within the chamber were struck with disbelief.

Most importantly, the practitioner held a silver beastkin scroll in his hands. Even in death his posture was locked in a position he took while he was alive and reading the scroll. His body was still full of vigor, preserved in perpetuity. The corporate mercenaries present understood the situation all too well. They knew that this man had long since passed away.

Swoosh, swoosh, swoosh!

Several figures darted forward, utilizing the rocky terrain for cover as they closed in on the legendary Taoist expert.

What unfolded next happened silently and swiftly. The black-haired figure disintegrated into dust, his feathered robes drifting away. It was as if he had disappeared into thin air.

Splat, splat, splat!

All six of the men met inexplicable ends. They shattered into pieces. Blood and feathers rained onto the ground simultaneously, staining the earth crimson.

As the feathered robes disintegrated, dissipating into dust, all that remained was a silver beastkin scroll that fell gently onto the ground.

This left Wang Xuan utterly stunned.

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