Chapter 13: The End of the Old Path

The mountaintop was bathed in dappled light, scarlet maple leaves blazing in the night. In the distance, the forest cast broad, inky shadows, and now and then a startled night bird would take flight, its call piercing the silence.

That night, many students got drunk, speaking freely from their hearts. Some were impassioned, full of ambition, declaring this a grand era—a time to seize opportunity and become extraordinary, perhaps even daring to aspire… to divinity.

"To ignite the divine flame and ascend the sacred altar…" Even a usually reserved girl shed her restraint.

One male student, clearly intoxicated, raised his voice. "What are the 'Ranked Immortals'? I think they were just transcendents. Those old myths might not be so fictitious. Bodhisattvas, the Three Pure Ones, immortals, demons—they could all reemerge. Of course, I'm not saying the ancient ones are still alive. Time is merciless. Whatever should fade, has faded. The Three Pure Ones and the rest—they were still human, made of flesh and blood. Strong, yes, but the ruins we've excavated—temples, pagodas, relics—and the old scrolls unearthed tell a different story. They weren't as godlike as we imagined. No need to overly mythologize them. Joint studies by several top life research institutes have analyzed their remains. Even the strongest of them couldn't withstand modern weaponry. A single nuke would wipe them out."

This student was from Nova, clearly drunk but revealing secrets that the students from Old Earth had never heard before.

The plutocrats of Nova had excavated astounding relics from Old Earth—rumors even spoke of recovered Buddha bones!

He added, "It's not that rare. Some religious sites have underground chambers beneath their stupas—hidden stone, iron, jade, or even gold containers holding relics, bones, and sarira. These have been discovered across Old Earth. Taoist ancestral temples have yielded unexpected finds, prompting repeated excavations. The carvings and artifacts reveal many stories. Combined with analyses from prestigious institutes, it's now clear—the Bodhisattvas, Ranked Immortals, and the Three Pure Ones were all mortal, made of flesh."

Wang Xuan turned to Zhou Kun. "Is any of that reliable?"

Zhou Kun, who had surprisingly stayed sober, whispered back, "Not really. The bones, hair, and artifacts from those underground chambers don't conclusively prove anything."

He continued, "There are discrepancies between those findings and the legends. At best, they may have belonged to powerful figures similar to the ancient fangshi—sorcerer-alchemists."

Wang Xuan asked, "So, you're saying Nova's research proves that even the most powerful fangshi from pre-Qin times could still be killed by modern tech?"

"That's right. Some institutions obtained remains of ancient fangshi. Tests confirmed they were mortal, and many weapons could kill them."

Wang Xuan sighed—a rare moment of emotion for him.

For someone committed to studying old techniques, even with strong resolve, such conclusions cast a long shadow.

If those ancient fangshi represented the peak of the old arts, and modern civilization could so easily obliterate them, then the path of the old techniques seemed… finished.

In this age of dazzling technology, the brilliance of the old ways had been extinguished. No matter how legendary, no matter how powerful an ancient master may have been, a neutron bomb would wipe them from existence.

"What about the Ranked Immortals?" Wang Xuan asked.

Zhou Kun replied, "After thorough study, some believe they were merely the pinnacle of the fangshi—perhaps marginally stronger, later deified through word of mouth. But in the end, still human. And against modern firepower, they wouldn't survive."

Wang Xuan sighed again.

To walk the old path in this age seemed futile. Its end was in plain sight, the future dim and short-lived.

"You're not seriously thinking of following this road to its bitter end, are you? Becoming some kind of fangshi?" Zhou Kun looked at him in disbelief, then shook his head. "The conclusion's already clear. The corporations that once invested in old techniques didn't do it for their offensive power. They hoped for longevity. But in terms of pure power? They can't compare to modern weapons."

He added, "And now, with the rise of new techniques—involving actual supernatural phenomena—the old ways have even lost their appeal for life extension."

Lowering his voice, Zhou Kun said, "New techniques have great potential. Some think deification might be possible in the future. Certain research groups are preparing for it."

"If I succeed in practicing new techniques, I'll send you some materials. Maybe you'll be able to walk that road too."

As he finished speaking, he emphasized again that he was drunk and had no idea what he was saying.

Yet he kept talking, as if compelled.

"Discovering the new path was incidental. What truly matters is what was found at the edge of deep space. What if I told you someone wants to gamble everything on those findings, leveraging our advanced tech? I don't quite believe it myself, but there are rumors."

After saying this, he claimed dizziness and went off to rest.

Long after Zhou Kun left, Wang Xuan remained silent, still thinking of the old path.

"Can one really see the end so clearly? So bleak. Still, I want to walk it. I want to reach its end… and then go further." He muttered to himself.

Qin Cheng approached, chuckling. "Old Zhou really gave us a lot of hints."

Wang Xuan nodded.

Before long, he said goodbye and left with Qin Cheng.

"I'm leaving soon," Qin Cheng mumbled. "Time to deal with my personal life. Gotta secure the home front before I vanish for two days."

He was too drunk to drive. A dedicated driver took them back.

But by the next day at noon, Qin Cheng showed up again—his eyes red, looking utterly dejected.

"I was so happy to tell her I'm going to the New Moon base, and maybe even get to immigrate to Nova. She just calmly said two words: 'We're done.'"

"I told her I'd come back for her. She said she wouldn't wait."

"Six words. That's all. Cold. Decisive. Ruthless." Qin Cheng looked like he might cry.

Wang Xuan almost laughed. He'd met the girl. She was a dependable junior. Third year, very grounded.

"You didn't ask why?"

"I did. She said she didn't want to waste years, only to drift apart and become strangers. Better to end it early."

Wang Xuan sighed. "She's admirable—decisive, real, no pretense. And she's right. The future's uncertain. With your personality, you probably would forget her before long."

"You underestimate me!" Qin Cheng protested. "I really liked her!"

Wang Xuan didn't argue.

Qin Cheng grew flustered. "You're not seriously thinking I have a thing for Zhao Qinghan, are you? Come on! I only call her a goddess out of admiration. Who'd want to marry someone like her? She's perfect for worship, not for living with. Besides, even if I did have thoughts, she'd never even notice me. She'd pick you over me."

"Do you hear yourself? You make it sound like she'd only pick me as a last resort. Don't drag me into your mess."

"Old Wang, didn't know you were this cocky. Next time I'll tell the goddess, even if she picked you, you might say no."

Wang Xuan ignored him.

Qin Cheng grew anxious. "Help me out, man! I don't want to leave with regrets. What should I do?"

Wang Xuan nodded. "She's a great girl. Don't let her slip away if you can help it."

"How do I fix this?"

"Your main issue is distance. But your family's business is tied to deep-space trade, right? One of the suppliers? You could pull strings—find someone who regularly travels between here and New Moon. Have them deliver letters, photos, voice messages. Let her know you can stay in touch. There's no need to cut things off now. She can always dump you later if she wants."

"I'm off!" Qin Cheng shouted and ran off.

A few minutes later, Wang Xuan left campus and walked alone down a tree-lined path. The ancient ginkgoes shed golden leaves, carpeting the ground.

At the path's end stood a tall building. Without hesitation, he walked in.

Though the building was tall, it was oddly quiet. Few people came and went. As he approached the elevator, someone blocked his path.

Without a word, Wang Xuan handed over a card—solid gold.

The guards' eyes narrowed. One of them silently gestured for him to enter and pressed the button.

Wang Xuan nodded and stepped in. Someone followed beside him.

They descended… and kept descending.

Eventually, the elevator stopped on B13—the thirteenth underground level.

Wang Xuan stepped out, adjusting to the dim space. The lighting was sparse. It didn't feel like a modern structure at all—it felt like a cavern carved from bedrock.

He followed a guide through a winding tunnel network. Finally, they entered a brightly lit stone chamber.

It was outfitted like a luxury office. Behind a redwood desk sat a man with short, dark hair, wearing a green mask. Judging by his voice, he was in his forties.

"So, you came after all," he said.

"I've graduated. I'm no longer bound to the Old Arts program. I'm free," Wang Xuan replied calmly.

Ding!

A crisp sound rang out. The masked man had struck something—two golden bamboo slips in his hand.

Wang Xuan's pupils contracted. He recognized them—Professor Lin had once spoken of such strange artifacts!

"Oh? You know of them?" the masked man said. "Since you've made your choice, take one."

He tossed a slip. Wang Xuan caught it. It was heavy—oppressively so.

Lowering his gaze, he saw carvings etched onto the golden bamboo.