Supernatural

Wang Xuan's mind was tranquil, his thoughts focused. He was in a state of meditation, yet he still keenly sensed a gaze falling upon him.

He opened his eyes and looked toward the woods.

The four students from New Star were astonished. They were still quite far away, yet Wang Xuan had sensed them and detected the arrival of outsiders?

"Did you see that? The instant he opened his eyes, flecks of golden dawn glow scattered from them." Zhou Kun whispered.

Wang Xuan stopped. His Qi Gathering and self-nourishment were over. His complexion was rosy and his spirits high; beneath the morning glow, even his hair seemed to gleam with crystalline light.

The four hurried over.

Su Chan was lively and free-spirited. From far away, she called out, "Wang Xuan, I think I just saw you glowing!"

She was tall and completely unafraid of the cold, dressed in a short skirt that revealed a hint of her shoulders. The long, straight legs beneath her stockings looked all the more slender; her glossy black hair fell naturally over her shoulders. A smile hung on her youthful, lovely face, and her eyes were beautiful and bright.

Wang Xuan smiled. "Can I take that as you praising me for being handsome, dashing, and radiant as sunshine?"

He stood tall beneath the morning glow. When he smiled, he truly was a little dazzling—his eyes shone brightly, his teeth were white, and his entire person seemed to blaze with brilliance.

"Narcissist!" Su Chan curled her lip.

Zhou Kun could not help asking, "Wang Xuan, have you mastered the Qi Gathering Technique?"

His face was fair, his features refined, but he carried a faintly melancholy air. His constitution was actually very good, yet he always gave people the impression that he lacked exercise.

They came from New Star and had been classmates for years, so they were fairly familiar with Wang Xuan.

Wang Xuan nodded. "I've barely managed to master it recently."

Xu Wenbo, one of the four, was usually rather aloof and rarely had dealings with students from Old Earth. Yet now he could not help speaking, regret showing on his face.

"Old Arts have existed for a very long time, from their beginning until now. These days, they've fallen behind." He shook his head.

The morning sunlight was plentiful, but the autumn wind blew fallen leaves into the air, carrying a lingering chill.

Li Qingzhu lived up to her name, gentle and quiet, with a scholarly air about her. She spoke mildly, "You can't put it that way. At the very least, Old Arts can strengthen the body and prolong one's life. Besides, it's said that some people in ancient times may have been very formidable."

The people from New Star all knew this road could no longer be walked. It had already been cast aside. She was merely comforting Wang Xuan.

Though Wang Xuan was somewhat stirred, he did not regret choosing this path. At first, he had studied Old Arts out of interest, not for any utilitarian purpose.

Moreover, he had not abandoned his original major in automation and had long since successfully obtained his degree.

Xu Wenbo shook his head. "Those are all baseless legends. Besides, in this age, technology has reached the height of splendor. Even if there truly were rather formidable people in ancient times, if they were revived in the modern age and faced spaceships, mechanical troops, and the like, they would still be utterly meaningless."

Yet when he looked into the distance, his eyes burned with fervor, as if flames were dancing within them. He knew New Star had made an even more earthshaking discovery. It was a better choice, one that secretly thrilled him and set his heart ablaze.

They chatted for a while longer. Su Chan smilingly told Wang Xuan not to devote himself too deeply to Old Arts. After all, they had already graduated; it was time to think about employment.

The people from New Star knew that once one chose the wrong road, no amount of effort would be of any use.

Zhou Kun opened his mouth, wanting to say something, but in the end, he could only helplessly pat Wang Xuan on the shoulder.

Because of warnings from his family elders, before the situation on New Star became clear, he could not reveal any information. It was still under strict confidentiality.

"I wish you a smooth journey back to New Star. Take care!" Wang Xuan nodded. He knew that if there were no accidents, it would be difficult for them to cross paths again.

New Star's gates had long been closed to Old Earth. Unless one was actively selected by that side, it was difficult for people here to immigrate there.

"If there's a chance before you leave, I'll treat you all to drinks." Wang Xuan said with a smile.

The four had already turned to leave, but Zhou Kun still stumbled. He knew Wang Xuan was teasing him.

He usually carried a slightly melancholy air and did not speak much, but once drunk, he would completely go wild, his words pouring forth like a river bursting its banks, talking without end.

Three years ago, Wang Xuan and Qin Cheng had drunk with him until he was dead drunk. He himself had no idea what he said that night.

Wang Xuan watched them go.

Over the following days, students gradually set off on journeys home.

Those forced to be separated at the two ends of the starry sky were the most heartbroken.

The couple in the class bade each other farewell in silence. Only after one boarded the train and departed did the other burst into tears. It left people sighing; their relationship had always been good, yet it ended like this.

In that late autumn, those who left were undoubtedly dejected.

Though the news from New Star was vague, many had already sensed that brushing past New Star meant missing the greatest opportunity of their lives.

The only consolation for those leaving was that their employment had already been arranged, as had been promised when they first joined the experimental class.

Wang Xuan had not left yet, because his home was in a neighboring small city, very close by. If he could not go to New Star, he would remain in this city where he had studied and work there.

Qin Cheng had disappeared for several days. He was a native of this city and had recently been gathering reliable information.

His family business was connected to deep-space trade. Naturally, they were merely one of many suppliers beneath the larger operations, but they still had quite a few connections.

Several days later, Qin Cheng appeared on campus one morning.

"Wang Xuan, I finally understand why the Old Arts Experimental Class was established in the first place. It has to do with the unusual 'conditions' discovered on New Star!"

Qin Cheng had rushed over early in the morning, his face flushed and burning, but he was not out of breath. It was entirely because of excitement.

His family had broad connections, and he had just received word that several mysterious phenomena discovered on New Star were suspected to be related to supernatural powers!

"Supernatural powers may exist in this world!" he shouted.

How could that not set hearts surging and give rise to countless imaginings?!

Qin Cheng was usually an emotional person, and his mood was fluctuating greatly now. But when he clearly saw Wang Xuan's condition, he immediately stared blankly.

"You've actually created such a huge 'commotion' through cultivation?!"

Although he already knew Wang Xuan had succeeded at Qi Gathering, he was still quite shocked by the sight before him.

The sun had just risen, and all things brimmed with vitality. Wang Xuan seemed to be glowing; the morning glow around him was especially "dense," like a faint layer of flowing light and flame.

Wang Xuan stopped. He was brimming with energy, in even better condition than several days earlier.

"Wait here."

Just now, facing the morning glow, he had nourished himself and expelled the "turbid mist" from his body, leaving himself sticky all over. He quickly went to take a cold shower.

Wang Xuan emerged in clean clothes and said, "I'd long had some suspicions. Some elderly people with extremely deep backgrounds grew increasingly convinced of mysticism in their later years, and eventually put it into action—coming to Old Earth to excavate myths and invest in projects such as Old Arts research. They must have discovered something back then."

Though those people had grown old, they had once all been shrewd veterans. They would not have become so muddleheaded as to make such low-level mistakes.

Furthermore, some students with extraordinary identities and backgrounds had come from New Star and joined the experimental class, which also confirmed certain things.

"Early on, they may have wanted to touch upon supernatural powers through studying Old Arts," Wang Xuan said, then furrowed his brow. "But now, the situation seems to have changed."

His intuition was sharp. When he met Xu Wenbo, Su Chan, Zhou Kun, and Li Qingzhu several days earlier, he had already guessed part of the truth from their words and actions.

They had said that Old Arts were outdated, that they had fallen behind. New Star... seemed to no longer think highly of them!

Moreover, when Xu Wenbo had inadvertently looked toward the end of the sky, the light in his eyes had been brilliant. It was a kind of longing and excitement, as though he were ardently yearning for something.

"Supernatural powers... perhaps there is another path, while Old Arts have been discarded." This was the conclusion Wang Xuan reached after observing their behavior.

There would be another update tonight.

Thanks to: Shepherd Hears Bamboo Sounds, Supreme Plainclothes Incarnate, Ilena Wants to Go Ashore, Flying Fish Incarnate, Pig King Incarnate, LaSSong, Lonely, Yu, Three Lives Fate Little Knife, Three Lives Fate Lonely, Divine Dynasty_Uncle Window, The Life Picker, Prodigal on the Fence, Recently Quite Funny, Fierce Nine-Year-Old, Sheep Village_Midnight, Book Friend 130717171023160, Eagle in the Tree, Long-Lasting Fate, Wan'er*.

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