A Rare Divine Artifact

It was finally time to depart. Wang Xuan arrived at the familiar manor outside An City ahead of schedule. They would set off from here once everyone had gathered.

"Are you going to wear a realistic human skin mask?" Qing Mu asked him.

Wang Xuan nodded. At this stage, he still couldn't completely defend against energy guns and special bullets. He wanted to keep a low profile as much as possible.

"This isn't the old era anymore. Everyone's path is traceable. If someone really wants to investigate a person, they'll eventually dig up clues."

Qing Mu told him that no matter how cautious he was, his true identity wouldn't remain hidden forever and would eventually be exposed.

Wang Xuan naturally understood, but he still needed this buffer period. Once he cultivated the Golden Body Art to the seventh or eighth layer, he would have the confidence. He estimated that at that point, conventional firearms wouldn't be able to kill him.

"Where is the location this time?" Wang Xuan inquired.

"We were originally going to the moon or Mars, but considering their unfriendliness towards the Old Arts this time, it's safer to stay on Old Earth."

After all, once they ventured deep into space, no one could predict what would happen if something went wrong. Mecha powerhouses would clearly have a significant advantage.

Ultimately, the location for this trip was chosen as the Congling Mountains on Old Earth.

Old Chen arrived. His short, dense silver hair was striking, and his demeanor was completely different. His eyes were sharp as knives, subtly piercing like steel needles.

If he hadn't spoken, Wang Xuan would have had trouble believing it was Old Chen. Compared to his usual calm and composed self, he seemed like a different person.

Especially when he put on a cold, silver mask, he was completely unrecognizable. It was impossible to connect him to the gentle appearance of his usual colleague.

Old Chen nodded to Qing Mu and Wang Xuan, said nothing, and went into a quiet room to rest. He appeared profound, serene, and as unmoving as a mountain.

The realistic human skin mask Wang Xuan chose depicted the face of a typical young Eastern man, full of youthful vigor and energy.

He heard from Qing Mu that their opponents were of all races, spanning across species, coming from different organizations and alliances, which was why he intentionally chose this mask.

"It's time to go." Qing Mu stood by the floor-to-ceiling window and saw a large, silver-gray spaceship appearing at the edge of the sky. It slowed down and landed on the large helipad behind the manor.

It turned out to be people from the Wu family. An important figure had arrived and would be accompanying them, going with Old Chen to the Congling Mountains. Of course, it was also to witness a fierce confrontation.

Regardless, at this critical juncture with an uncertain, even bleak, outlook, the Wu family's arrival and their responsibility for escorting Old Chen demonstrated their sincerity.

Wang Xuan knew that the Wu family was facing some trouble, and it seemed only practitioners of the Old Arts could help. This puzzled him.

"Are it just the three of us going?" Wang Xuan asked in surprise. Besides him, Old Chen, and Qing Mu, no one else was accompanying them.

"The three of us from our side are enough. My master will be the main one taking action." Qing Mu looked at his master's back with a heavy heart, feeling uncertain.

He added that other Old Arts experts would also be heading to the Congling Mountains and would meet them there. Simultaneously, relevant departments from Old Earth would also be present, serving as endorsement and deterrence.

Wu Chenglin personally came out to welcome Old Chen, showing considerable politeness and respect.

Wu Yin followed behind Old Wu, dressed impeccably, with a superb figure. Her fair and beautiful face wore a gentle and slightly sweet smile. After showing her respect to Old Chen, she enthusiastically greeted Qing Mu and Wang Xuan.

Wang Xuan was surprised. He hadn't expected the elder Wu to have such a side. It seemed she treated people differently; his previous encounters with her had only revealed her extremely temperamental nature.

"And this is..." Wu Yin asked with a smile. She stood tall and graceful, her skin fair and radiant. Her demeanor was polite yet gentle.

"This is Wang Xiao," Qing Mu introduced.

"You can call me Little Wang." Wang Xuan's voice was magnetic. It couldn't be helped; when altering his voice, this tone was the most natural and still sounded pleasant.

Wu Yin's smile didn't falter, but she felt a strange sense of displeasure. Hearing the name "Little Wang" triggered other associations for her.

For instance, Wang Xuan, who had recently filled her with anger, was often called "Old Wang" by Qin Cheng and others who were close to him.

However, in her opinion, the man before her had pure, clear, and bright eyes. He smiled brilliantly, appearing much better than that Wang Xuan in every way.

If Wang Xuan knew her thoughts, he would lament how terrible preconceived notions could be, capable of influencing a person's aesthetic judgment and decision-making.

He felt that this mask's appearance was inferior to his real self.

"Little Wang is remarkable. Don't let his youth fool you; he's incredibly talented in the field of Old Arts. Even now, I might not be his match," Qing Mu said with a hint of emotion. There was no exaggeration in his words, and his sense of melancholy was unconcealed. His own path was nearing its end.

Wu Yin was startled. This young man, barely in his early twenties, was this formidable? It was astonishing!

In this era, the Old Arts were in decline. Few young people could calmly dedicate themselves to studying them. Even if they possessed skill, it wouldn't be extraordinary, given their age.

Could this be another Chen Yongjie? She was greatly surprised. Even if this man wasn't as good as Old Chen in his youth, he was likely not much weaker.

Many people knew that Old Chen had started practicing the Old Arts from childhood, progressing rapidly. By his early twenties, he was already quite famous.

Wu Yin immediately became serious. Her family's cooperation with the exploration organization this time was precisely to invite some Old Arts experts from this side.

Even if they couldn't persuade Old Chen, they had to invite some well-known Old Arts masters. This young man, Little Wang, was definitely worth making a significant effort to recruit.

At the same time, Wu Yin had other ideas. If she could bring Little Wang into her family's exploration organization and make him one of their own, and have him mentor that other incredibly troublesome Wang Xuan, it would be quite entertaining.

Undoubtedly, the conversation along the way was harmonious and pleasant.

Wu Yin had an elegant and graceful figure. She showed Wang Xuan around the spaceship. After they sat down, she spoke eloquently and was quite talkative. Even when Qing Mu left to accompany Old Chen, leaving her and Wang Xuan alone, the conversation didn't falter.

Wang Xuan turned his head to look at her. She wore light makeup, her face exquisitely beautiful, with a high-bridged nose and bright, glossy red lips. Her voice was soft, her thoughts remarkably agile, exuding both sexiness and intellectual charm.

He wondered if she had been replaced. Did the elder Wu have a twin sister? Wu Yin, as she appeared now, was completely different in temperament and how she interacted with others.

"People are truly different. Little Wang, you are very humble. You're clearly strong, yet you're so low-key. It's so rare, unlike some of your peers..." Wu Yin said, shaking her head slightly.

Wang Xuan knew she was setting the stage for something. However, she was skilled in her speech, only mentioning it briefly this time and not elaborating. He suspected she would continue to badmouth him in future meetings.

He muttered to himself, "Elder Wu, you're really not being fair. Aren't you thinking of making me fight myself later?!"

Although the Congling Mountains were far away, the spaceship was extremely fast. Even traveling at a low setting, they arrived quickly.

This was a plateau with an average elevation of over 4,500 meters. Many of the mountains were magnificent, reaching over 6,000 meters.

The Congling Mountains were a crucial passage on the ancient Silk Road and were later known as the Pamir Plateau.

The altitude was too high, especially in late autumn. The entire plateau was a grayish-brown, the vegetation had long since withered, and the natural conditions were harsh.

Many spaceships were already parked in an open area, and smaller warships were stationed on some peaks. There were also ships in the sky, not descending.

Wang Xuan realized that everyone had come here prepared, mutually checking each other to prevent their retreat from being cut off by large warships.

Additionally, relevant departments from Old Earth had also arrived, not only to provide endorsement and deterrence but also because this event involved a treasure from historical legends that had just been unearthed.

Wu Yin said softly, "Marquis Sui's Pearl. This isn't some ethereal artifact; it's recorded in historical texts. It's ranked alongside the He Shi Bi as one of the two most famous treasures from the Spring and Autumn and Warring States periods."

Wang Xuan naturally knew about the dispute. Some people wanted to take the Marquis Sui's Pearl, while others wanted to stop them. They had come to the Congling Mountains to discuss how to resolve it.

Old Chen had privately mentioned that this pearl was obtained by a Daoist practitioner from Pre-Qin after killing a dragon. Legend had it that dense scriptures were carved onto it, making it a rare divine item.

However, he wasn't sure if this Marquis Sui's Pearl was genuine, as many unearthed pearls throughout history had turned out to be fakes.

Wu Yin, carrying a faint fragrance, stood with Wang Xuan. They had both disembarked from the spaceship and were gazing at the expanse of mountains in the distance.

As Old Chen descended, a group of people immediately rushed to greet him. Whether they were adversaries or old friends unseen for years, they all treated him with great importance and didn't dare to be too casual.

Of course, this was the case for most people; a few individuals reacted coldly, remaining standing in the distance without moving.

"Mr. Chen!" someone shouted, rapidly approaching. The voice belonged to a man wearing a small, anthropomorphic mecha, nearly three meters tall. His steps were heavy and powerful on the ground, exuding a sense of pressure.

"I grew up listening to Mr. Chen's stories and greatly admire him. However, Mr. Chen hasn't made a move in many years. Now, at almost sixty, can you still fight? Those who practice the Old Arts begin to decline at this age, their vitality gradually drying up. For safety's sake, I think I should test Old Mr. Chen's physical condition first, to avoid any accidents or tragic bloodshed during the actual engagement later."

In an instant, the entire open area fell silent. Many were taken aback by the sudden turn of events.

Qing Mu was furious. This meeting was indeed attended by people filled with malice. They had just disembarked, and an unknown mecha warrior was coming to provoke them. Who were they trying to impress?

Who didn't know what was going on? This was clearly intended to disgust Old Chen and annoy practitioners of the Old Arts.

The other party knew this was not a sophisticated move, even somewhat base, but they had arranged it anyway. It was simple and crude, directly targeting Old Chen – a severe provocation.

In Qing Mu's eyes, this was also an insult to his master. Old Chen was so famous, yet someone dared to act so recklessly. It was too much.

In fact, even many people who were not on good terms with Old Chen, belonging to different factions, were displeased and their expressions darkened, feeling that it had gone too far.

Within the mecha, gene combat body, and New Arts factions, many people stepped forward and loudly reprimanded them, believing the action was excessive.

Old Chen waved his hand, signaling Qing Mu to step back, and walked directly towards them. He said straightforwardly, "Alright, you come and test my condition."

"Great! To show respect for elders, I won't use any thermal weapons." The mecha warrior drew a greatsword nearly two meters long with a clang. As he ran, the ground trembled. Approaching, he swung the greatsword with all his might. A flash of brilliant cold light cut through the air, piercingly bright like lightning.

Old Chen didn't move at first. Only when the warrior was close and swung his sword did he sidestep and then lunge forward with extreme speed. With a bang, he slapped the mecha warrior's chest.

Crack!

A terrifying sound rang out. The mecha sparked with electricity, showing dense cracks, and then shattered with a bang, scattering across the ground.

A mixed-race man, around thirty years old, fell out from within, his mouth full of blood. He collapsed onto the ground with a thud and lay still.

"This..." Wang Xuan was dumbfounded, finding it hard to believe. Old Chen had destroyed the mecha with his bare hands; it was far beyond his expectations!

The scene was utterly silent, and many people's pupils contracted!

"I haven't made a move in ten years, and many people have forgotten me," Old Chen said coldly. His thick, short silver hair and equally silver-white, ice-cold mask framed his face. He stood there, scanning the surroundings, and wherever his gaze fell, many people dared not meet his eyes.