Wang Xuan's heart sank—he was being targeted! Was it because he had killed two "immortals," or was his "immortal summoning physique" at work again? The sky was pitch black while the ground was bright—such was the reality of the Moon's daytime without an atmosphere. Yet the figures emerging from the Moon Pit shone even more brilliantly.
One entity moved slowly toward the protective barrier. Was it a demon? Wang Xuan focused intently. "Qin Cheng, quickly retreat to Baima Temple!" he whispered, aware of the unknown strength of the approaching being.
"What did you find, Old Wang?" Qin Cheng asked, startled.
"Don't ask; just go!" Wang Xuan gripped his short sword tightly, eyeing the uneven ground outside the barrier, marked by countless meteorite impacts.
"Take care of yourself!" Qin Cheng glanced back before hastily departing, understanding Wang Xuan well after years of friendship.
Wang Xuan could now see clearly that the glowing figure was a man, not a demon. The figure, tall—nearly two meters—radiated white light, obscuring his face, exuding a divine, peaceful aura, with white petals drifting around him, creating an extraordinary atmosphere.
Wang Xuan furrowed his brow. Just a man surrounded by petals—was this a mere facade? He remained unfazed, recalling he had just killed two beings the day before.
As the mysterious figure slowed his approach to the barrier, everyone else remained oblivious, unaware of the luminous man nearing them.
Suddenly, as the figure was still about ten meters from the barrier, two beams of light shot out, accompanied by deafening thunder, exploding upon impact. The figure swiftly recoiled. Although he wasn't hit, the sheer force of the thunder seemed to make his form waver.
Wang Xuan gaped in astonishment, then turned to Baima Temple and the ancient Daoist temple, swallowing hard. This was too grand and shocking!
Daylight thunder split the sky, striking demons? It felt almost absurd!
However, as he glanced around, he noticed everyone else remained calm, leisurely discussing the oddities of the Moon Pit.
Wang Xuan gasped. Such monumental thunderclaps went unheard by anyone around, as if they existed in entirely different worlds. The might of the Daoist and Buddhist ancestral temples was terrifying, so high above that they bypassed the mundane world?
He felt dazed. He didn't know much about the foundations of the two teachings, but witnessing such a demonstration of power left him stunned.
"Wait!" He soon snapped back to attention, noticing something unusual.
He realized that the Bodhisattvas of Baima Temple, and the potential beings of Buddhist origin, were still trapped within the ancient pit, unable to surface! The situation was likely similar for the Daoist temple.
"The two ancestral temples can't interfere with the mortal realm; their influence seems limited to spiritual assaults?" Wang Xuan pondered. If he withdrew his spiritual domain, he too would be blind to the thunder cutting across the Moon, becoming just another bystander.
"Even the released ghostly monks seem limited to dreaming; they've never altered reality."
"So, even if I were to pull out the Bodhisattvas from the pit, or the beings of Buddhist origin, they could only manifest temporarily in the spiritual domain without affecting the mortal world?"
"Could it be that the ancient myths and legends all unfolded in the spiritual realm?"
In that instant, a flood of thoughts washed over Wang Xuan. He realized he might need to rethink the nature of immortals and Bodhisattvas. While these beings possessed immense powers, they were rooted in the Inner Landscape or mystical spiritual planes, rather than the tangible world.
"This implies their influence on the mortal realm is far less significant than before achieving immortality or Buddhahood; once they transcend, they likely leave the mortal realm behind."
This revelation calmed him significantly. Even thoughts of the transcendent red-cloaked demoness no longer stirred such deep unease within him.
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He glanced back at the glowing figure outside the barrier, considering him not as a significant threat, but rather incapable of broadly impacting the human realm.
Wang Xuan guessed that the beings in the Moon Pit could at most possess others, and even that came at a cost, far from the legendary feats of burning mountains or boiling seas. Moreover, they were suppressed by the ancestral temples of Daoism and Buddhism.
Especially with someone like Wang Xuan around—holding a mysterious short sword—he felt confident he could eliminate any of them!
Wang Xuan contemplated whether he should charge into the Moon Pit and eradicate the beings fixated on him.
In this moment, Master Wang felt emboldened, considering myths to be mere trivialities. He temporarily shut out the deeper world behind the Inner Landscape, his mind returning to the present.
Suddenly, he noticed a group approaching the Moon Pit. Attracted by the astonishing bounty, a team of six adventurers moved quickly, reaching the entrance.
Then, the crowd watched as they fell stiffly beside the dark entrance, some even tumbling in, never to be seen again.
"Absolutely caught! They're most likely dead!" A few people whispered, a sense of suffocation hanging in the air. This wasn't a movie; real lives were at stake.
Wang Xuan observed closely—it was indeed due to possession! For the next two hours, no one dared to step forward. Despite the high bounty, life was at stake; no amount of wealth mattered if it led to death.
During this time, the entities outside the protective barrier approached multiple times, circling nearby but never daring to cross the line of thunder.
Wang Xuan noticed that the two ancestral temples shone several times, unleashing terrifying bolts of lightning. Once, a pendant on Ling Qiming's chest flickered, and the bracelet on his wrist glowed brilliantly, radiating colorful light.
He sighed softly; indeed, the financial conglomerates were impressive, carrying mysterious artifacts of considerable power. Ling Qiming probably didn't even realize their true functions, merely wearing them as decorative ancient jade.
Wang Xuan contacted Qin Cheng, calling him back. It seemed that more than a century ago, experts had set up arrangements to relocate the ancestral temples, effectively stabilizing the scene.
Before long, someone from the Qin family arrived—a middle-aged man named Qin Hong, the father of Qin Yunfeng. He bore a look of sorrow as he personally ascended to the Moon.
"Whoever can bring Yunfeng back, I will reward them generously!" Qin Hong addressed the crowd, aware that those who gathered here were all security experts and special consultants from various organizations.
Ordinary people wouldn't even know about the Moon Pit and wouldn't be allowed entry without a work permit.
Qin Cheng quietly warned, "Old Wang, no matter how high the reward he offers, don't be tempted. Some money is best left untouched!"
Wang Xuan nodded. He had no intention of risking himself for just a sword scripture and an ancient mental training manual. Those texts weren't worth the risk; if the financial conglomerates took notice, the losses would outweigh any gain.
As for the golden mushroom, he was about to enter the Secret Realm, making it less appealing.
In fact, no one responded at the scene. Who would dare to take such a risk? A bunch of people had died yesterday, and just moments ago, six professionals had collapsed into the Moon Pit. Who else would be foolish enough to try?
Usually, adventurers took risks because the Moon Pit was generally quiet and didn't pose a threat.
Essentially, the root problems of the Moon Pit had remained unsolved for over a century. No one would be reckless with their lives now!
Ling Qiming stayed with Qin Hong, offering words of comfort, before eventually leaving. He had already been here for nearly three hours; it was time for him to go.
"Are these martial artists really that cowardly? Not a single one dares to enter! Do these people even deserve to be called security experts and consultants?!" Qin Hong left the scene with his companions, his low roar of anger echoing in the distance.
Ordinary people couldn't hear him due to the distance, but with his enhanced perception from the spiritual domain, Wang Xuan caught every word clearly.
"What's the point of employing these useless security services? Those from the Old Technique and New Technique realms are nothing but a bunch of wastes! They're worse than dogs—at least dogs listen! Go apply pressure and make those martial artists enter the Moon Pit! Don't they know the purpose of their existence?!"
Qin Hong's voice was a low growl, his companions sweating profusely, afraid to speak.
This wasn't just about losing his child; his rage stemmed from a deeper frustration. In this dire situation, he was expressing his true feelings.
Wang Xuan felt a chill from afar, finding nothing surprising. High-ranking members like Qin Hong from major financial conglomerates held such views about practitioners.
Although some large organizations were mobilizing, no consultants were willing to step forward. Unless bound by contracts, who would joke with their lives if they had options?
Before long, a spaceship landed on the Moon, and a bombshell announcement followed—Qin's family had summoned four Bodhisattvas!
Undoubtedly, a life research institute was backing this move, supported by the powerful Qin family. This time, they deployed four genetically enhanced beings—the strongest Moonlight Bodhisattvas!
Wang Xuan's heart raced as he caught sight of the so-called Moonlight Bodhisattvas. His expression immediately turned serious. They were… beings at the Grandmaster level!
The four Bodhisattvas exited the protective barrier and headed straight for the Moon Pit.
At the same time, a warship appeared overhead!
Qin Hong's face darkened; he was prepared for the worst. He had already communicated with various parties and planned to use "N-Matter," gathered from some ancient paradise!
If the four Bodhisattvas failed, he intended to flood the Moon Pit with that substance, obliterating it completely.
This wasn't just his decision; for years, the conglomerates and organizations had been considering this move—it was a trump card they had been brewing for many years.