Wang Xuan pondered what might happen three years from now and how it could affect the entire world. He sighed softly, feeling powerless to change anything. "Ultimately, I'm not strong enough. At the very least, I should be able to protect myself." Comparing himself to legendary figures left him feeling quite dejected. Looking at the desolate mountains, he thought, "When can I make the red-dressed demoness dance without fear? Then maybe I'll consider myself somewhat capable."

As Qingmu approached, he initially sensed Wang Xuan's melancholy and sympathized, but when he heard the latter's serious remark, all his sympathy evaporated. "That's enough; it's not dark yet. Wait until you can defeat Lighting the Lamp Chen before dreaming these dreams," Qingmu said flatly.

"Old Qing, everyone needs dreams. Two hundred years ago, humanity didn't even know where New Star was. Now look, we're venturing into deep space," Wang Xuan countered. "If there's a chance we might cross paths, wouldn't it be better if she entertained me with a lute and dance instead of using her fingers to kill me?"

Qingmu nodded. "Sure, I'll be waiting for that day when you face the unparalleled red-dressed demoness."

Wang Xuan felt disinclined to continue the conversation. Old Qing always seemed to prefer horror stories over beautiful visions of the future. He began carefully scraping the dark substance from the Feathered Immortal Bone with his short sword, making sure not to take too much.

"Let's go," Wang Xuan said, standing up.

On the way back, he felt a tinge of sadness, knowing he was about to leave for New Star. He hoped that upon his return, things would still be the same. "Old Qing, have we deciphered the silver beast skin scroll we got from the underground palace in Qingcheng Mountain?" he asked.

Qingmu sighed. They had enlisted a team of ancient text researchers, but no one could make sense of the symbols. "My master looked at it with an unprecedented grave expression, saying those symbols looked familiar and might be linked to mysterious contacts."

Wang Xuan was surprised by this revelation. Was Qingmu intentionally setting up Old Chen, or did those writings genuinely present a significant problem? His identity would soon be "frozen," forcing Wang Xuan to dim the brilliance of his grandmaster persona and return to a normal life.

However, many issues needed addressing, such as maintaining the confidentiality of his identity, the privacy of his current phone, and keeping a substitute close to Old Chen.

"Those are simple matters," Qingmu assured him. "For example, your phone isn't registered under a real name, and we can change addresses anytime."

Then Qingmu added, "By the way, the ‘Wang Xuan' in An City had a car accident but thankfully only sustained minor injuries."

Wang Xuan was taken aback. Currently using the alias Wang Xiao, he learned that someone had donned a lifelike mask to impersonate him and had been involved in a car accident?

"That was left over from the young man from the Song family in New Star. It's all been resolved now, and the last ‘tail' has been taken care of, so there shouldn't be any issues moving forward," Qingmu explained.

Wang Xuan felt astonished; the madman from the Song family was indeed a lunatic, having tried to assassinate him multiple times. He thought everything would be over after the madman was locked away, yet another "tail" emerged, attempting to orchestrate a car accident for him.

Qingmu continued, "This was planned long ago, and the person who received the money just acted on it recently, unaware that the employer was already incarcerated."

It seemed that the Song family's madman had intended to eliminate anyone associated with Ling Wei, and the young man from the Wu family had drawn the short straw, merely having met her family recently before being incapacitated.

Wang Xuan muttered to himself, "Little Song, once I reach New Star, I'll definitely find a chance to take you down!"

They returned to the estate outside An City, where Old Chen advised Wang Xuan on various precautions, particularly stressing the importance of keeping the short sword close. "In critical moments, it might save your life, especially when facing inexplicable anomalies. This sword could prove effective."

"Can I bring it on the spaceship if I go to New Star?" Wang Xuan asked.

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"Let Qingmu handle it. He'll arrange for a modern art appraisal certificate. We can get Master Zheng, the swordsmith, to help out—just say it's his latest masterpiece, a replica of the Fish Intestine Sword. Such a renowned creation shouldn't raise any eyebrows; they allow it to be checked in when purchased," Old Chen explained.

Wang Xuan was astonished. "This short sword resembles the legendary Fish Intestine Sword?"

Qingmu nodded. "We've checked various documents and compared them to the engravings on some decayed bamboo slips. It bears a strong resemblance."

In the living room, Guan Lin lounged on the sofa. "If it were truly the Fish Intestine Sword, some old-timers from the New Star financial group would go crazy trying to buy it for a fortune. After all, it's one of the ten legendary swords from ancient times. But selling it to them would be a waste. They treat rare texts, secret scrolls of the Old Technique, and even lost manuscripts as mere artifacts to display on their shelves. If it were indeed the Fish Intestine Sword, they'd probably use it as wall decor or a desk ornament."

"Could it really be the Fish Intestine Sword?" Wang Xuan pulled out the short sword, which was less than the size of his palm, and examined it closely.

Old Chen shook his head. "No, the original Fish Intestine Sword was primarily made of copper and tin. Your short sword, based on initial tests, is made of an indestructible material. It's a fine piece of craftsmanship; it resembles bronze but is a supreme blade!"

They then discussed Wang Xuan's arrangements for New Star and his identity. "I want to avoid drawing attention," he said, hoping for a simple job there. He mentioned that his classmate Qin Cheng was trying to help him get there.

Old Chen nodded. "We can consider your university friend's path, but we can also arrange for you to have a patrol officer identity. That way, you can move around more freely."

This was a minor issue for him; the expedition organization had immense power and deep roots, making it easy to send someone to New Star.

It was only now that Wang Xuan learned the full name of the organization—**Secret Path Exploration Organization**. It had a significant reputation in the Old Earth, and everyone knew exactly who they were without needing the full name.

From the name alone, it was clear what the organization aimed to do: seek out the **Inner Landscape** and **Heavenly Herb** associated with the Old Technique! Fate Soil Chen informed him that this organization had been founded by his master, and a pang of nostalgia struck him—his old master had vanished for thirty years!

Eventually, Old Chen and Qingmu estimated that if they sorted out those trivial matters, it would take about five or six days. Fate Soil Chen suggested, "Book a ticket for ten days from now. Use this time to reconnect with family and friends."

Wang Xuan learned that a deep-space ticket cost a staggering two million New Star coins, which was equivalent to nearly four million Old Earth coins.

He was left in a daze, realizing that it would take him decades of hard work without food or rest just to afford a ticket!

Qingmu patted him on the shoulder. "Be grateful; prices have dropped significantly as technology has matured. In the past, I wouldn't even think about vacationing there."

Wang Xuan stared at him. "Old Qing, you're that rich? You just take vacations in New Star?"

Qingmu looked surprised. "What's the point of having money if you don't spend it? What if one day you die and realize you've only been worrying about daily expenses your whole life? That'd be tragic."

Wang Xuan swallowed hard. "The problem is, I don't have any money. Even if I wanted to spend it, I can't."

"You earned five million last time, didn't you?" Qingmu raised an eyebrow.

"I gave it all to my parents. If anything happens to me, I want them to have some security."

Guan Lin laughed at Wang Xuan's earnestness, appreciating his simple and pure nature despite his formidable strength.

Qingmu nodded. "Alright, I'll cover your ticket this time."

Then he grew serious. "But you need to change your approach. Once you're in New Moon or New Star, take on some exploration missions when you can. Otherwise, you might not even be able to afford a ticket back."

That hit too close to home, leaving Wang Xuan speechless—he truly was a broke kid.

Qingmu continued, "While living conditions in New Star are generally good, the wealth gap is massive. If you don't work hard, as a newcomer, you might find yourself renting a place long-term."

Before even heading to deep space, Qingmu gave him a reality check regarding material concerns. It was discouraging, but it was indeed a real issue.

Fate Soil Chen sighed. "That's why Old Ling opposed your relationship with his daughter—he had his reasons. Just look at you; you're struggling to buy a round-trip ticket, so you don't need to think about anything else."

"Both of you should leave quickly; I don't want to see you two around here for a while!" Wang Xuan urged them to depart.

"We'll take our leave now. Goodbye, young man. Take care of yourself in New Star!" Old Chen patted his shoulder as they prepared to set off.

"Be careful while collaborating with the relevant departments; I don't want any accidents to happen," Wang Xuan said earnestly.

"Don't worry. I've collaborated with them for many years, and there's a bond there. My strength has undergone a transformation now, offering more room for cooperation. Most importantly, we share the same goals," Old Chen replied with a hint of reflection in his tone.

"The same goals?" Wang Xuan asked, intrigued.

"There are many directions we align on, but the most crucial one is that my inner conflict and their concerns revolve around the same issue: 'mysterious contact'!"

Wang Xuan was left speechless—Old Chen had expertly tied everything back to the concept of mysterious contact.

"Alright, I'm all ears. What's on your mind?" Wang Xuan sighed, ready to hear what Old Chen had to say since he was heading to New Star.

Old Chen handed him an envelope with four characters written on it: **Mysterious Contact!**

That day, Fate Soil Chen officially set off for the capital to "recover," accompanied by Guan Lin, Qingmu, and "Wang Xiao," while Wang Xuan was carefully arranged to restore his true self.