Chinese Superman

Chapter 142 Peeking into Forbidden Things, A Finger from an Old God

The grotto is deep and secluded, with the stone wall inscribed with the three characters "Hangu Pass" standing silently.

As Qingluan withdrew the mystical imagery of the "Zhongnan Shortcut," the purple aura dissipated, the passage vanished, and everything returned to calm.

Xia Xinghan stared at the stone wall, his heart churning with emotion.

[Outside the pass]

What will happen?

This question, like a seed, took root and sprouted in his heart, spreading rapidly.

He recalled the ancient legend of Lao Tzu leaving Hangu Pass to the west.

Why did that philosopher travel west?

Is the area beyond the Great Wall a desert, a foreign land, or perhaps—something beyond imagination?

Is the Hangu Pass before us the legendary pass, or a boundary marker leading to another time and space?

"Should this matter be reported to the higher authorities and handed over to the state to organize a professional team to investigate?" Xia Xinghan pondered. Perhaps it would be more prudent to use the power of the state, mobilizing top-notch operators and research experts, and equipping them with the best equipment and contingency plans.

But the next second, he dismissed the idea.

His intuition told him that this Hangu Pass was extremely dangerous!

It's a thousand times more terrifying than the vortex that connected the Taihang Mountains to another world!

If other wielders or experts were allowed to enter rashly, and were to encounter incomprehensible dangers and become trapped, he would likely still need to personally intervene to rescue them.

At that time, there will be more variables and greater risks.

Rather than putting others in danger and then passively rescuing them, it's better to personally conduct the first cautious reconnaissance, given that I am currently at the pinnacle of human combat power.

"However, we must not act rashly."

"If there is a serious danger, we can only hand it over to the state and ask the imperial envoy to take action."

According to the intelligence Xia Xinghan possessed, at present, it seems that there is only one Saintly Guardian, Sun Kongkong, and no one else.

He even wondered if Sun Kongkong was truly a saint, or just a smokescreen planted by the base.

"Hmm—I need to consult a witch doctor for divination."

Xia Xinghan remained very calm.

Even with superhuman strength, necessary preparations are indispensable when facing the completely unknown "outside the pass".

He led Qingluan away from the cave and immediately set off to return to the base.

Deep within the base.

The witch's dwelling is always filled with the faint scent of incense and an ancient atmosphere.

"Ring ring"

The copper bell tied to the door rang.

"Heh heh, old man Qian, you stingy fellow, here you are again." The witch's hoarse voice rang out, clearly showing her dislike for the person in charge of the base.

"Ahem, Granny Witch, it's me."

Accompanied by the clear sound of a bell, the door opened, and Xia Xinghan walked in.

"Lord Martial Ancestor!"

The old witch put on her reading glasses, and her cloudy eyes suddenly brightened. Her aged face was filled with smiles, a stark contrast to her attitude towards Old Qian. She asked kindly and warmly, "What business do you have with me?"

Xia Xinghan didn't rush to answer. Instead, he frowned slightly and said, "Grandma Witch, why are you nearsighted? You weren't nearsighted last time you came—"

"He wears glasses."

The old witch felt a warmth in her heart and said with a smile, "It's normal for people to get presbyopia when they get old."

"old----"

Xia Xinghan felt a slight unease.

The oracle bones from Yin Ruins are truly a relic that cost a lifetime!

"I happen to occupy a revitalized sacred mountain, where I was born with a rare and precious treasure that grants longevity. If you eat half of it, you can add four hundred years to your lifespan."

He finished speaking.

Xia Xinghan took a plump, juicy peach from his pocket, gave half to the witch, and saved the other half for Old Qian.

"A divine treasure for longevity, granting an extra four hundred years of life?!"

The witch stood up abruptly, her hoarse voice trembling along with her hands.

What's going on?

You're offering me both the Life-Giving Treasure and the Longevity Treasure—are you trying to buy my life?

At this moment, the witch had an impulse to risk her life and follow Xia Xinghan to do great things.

What? Eight hundred it is!

"This—this—what virtue or ability do I possess to deserve this—"

"Since the witch doesn't want it, I won't try to persuade her any further."

As Xia Xinghan spoke, he put away the half of the Immortal Peach.

"what?"

The witch was dumbfounded.

No, I was just being polite. Why are you going straight to the formalities? You have no sportsmanship.

"Alright, let's get back to the main topic." Xia Xinghan stopped teasing the witch, offered her the Immortal Peach, and said in a deep voice, "I've come to see the witch to divine the fortunes of exploring 'Beyond the Pass'."

"Outside the pass?"

"Zhongnan Mountain, [Hangu Pass]."

Where is Hangu Pass in Zhongnan Mountain?

Although she didn't know the details, the witch did as she was told. With a solemn expression, she began to activate the [Oracle Bones of Yin Ruins], infusing them with spiritual power and using life force as ink to carve words on the ancient and cracked oracle bones, so as to claim the omen.

However, something strange happened.

Whenever she tried to carve the three characters "Hangu Pass" onto the oracle bones, the tiny marks that had just formed would quickly fade and disappear, as if an invisible force was erasing them.

The witch frowned.

"How strange! In all my years of divination, this is the first time I've encountered something so bizarre!"

Her stubborn, unyielding nature kicked in.

Just kidding, these rare treasures weren't acquired for nothing.

If you get paid, do the job—in short, get it done!

A sharp glint flashed in the witch's eyes. She suddenly bit her tongue and spat out three mouthfuls of her heart's blood onto the oracle bones!

Seventy percent vitality, plus twenty years of lifespan, to ignite this old woman!

Using mystery as her pen and life as her ink, the witch gritted her teeth and hurriedly wrote "Hangu Pass" on the oracle bones.

"Buzz"

The oracle bone trembled violently, emitting a mournful cry of unbearable strain. Fine cracks instantly spread across its surface, and then with a "crack," it shattered into pieces on the spot!

The witch's face suddenly turned deathly pale, her breath became weak, and she coughed up another mouthful of blood.

Xia Xinghan swiftly stepped forward to support her, simultaneously feeding her a pine nut to revive her life, which was as fragile as a candle flickering in the wind.

"The scene before me is exactly the same as the last divination!"

With a thought, Xia Xinghan asked, "What does the divination say? As expected, it should be very auspicious."

The witch raised her head, her eyes still gleaming with lingering fear. Her lips trembled as she uttered, each word distinct and ominous: "Great—misfortune!"

"Nine—Death—Life!"

Xia Xinghan's pupils contracted slightly.

Extremely bad luck!

Nine deaths!

With his current strength, enough to sweep through a nation, how could he still encounter such a perilous omen when exploring the "Beyond the Pass"?

What exactly exists outside Hangu Pass?!

After a moment's thought, he took out two bright white, vibrant pine nuts from his pocket and handed them to the witch.

"Witch, do it again."

"The previous divination concerned exploring beyond the pass," but this one concerns merely taking a quick look, never venturing deeper, and immediately retreating.

If it were anyone else, the witch might not have agreed, but the other party was Xia Xinghan.

"No problem, I'll gladly risk my life to accompany you!"

She switched to another spare oracle bone, calmed her mind, and rested for a while.

A moment later.

The witch resumed her divination.

This time, the process was still difficult; the oracle bones shattered, and the witch coughed up blood with a muffled groan.

Xia Xinghan frowned and said, "Is this going to be another terrible day?"

"This divination result is auspicious in the final stage."

The oracle bone inscription indicates: There will be no real danger, but it will be like walking on thin ice. If you see something, stop immediately to ensure your safety.

It was a close call, but we escaped unharmed.

Xia Xinghan was certain.

This result was well within his acceptable range, and in fact, it was quite good.

Even if it's a minor inauspicious sign, it's still worth a try.

But forget about the "extremely ominous" outcome; with a near-death experience, he wouldn't stubbornly try to force his way in, as that would only be reckless courage.

"Thank you, witch."

Xia Xinghan bowed and turned to leave.

Watching his disappearing figure, the witch stroked the newly cracked oracle bone, her eyes filled with deep worry: "Suekichi—he was just a spy. Lord Martial Ancestor, please—don't let curiosity get you killed."

Curiosity can kill a cat with nine lives, and it can also kill the Martial Ancestor who was invincible!

Xia Xinghan did not linger and went straight back to Zhongnan Mountain, arriving at the hidden grotto once again.

Facing the now silent Hangu Pass stone wall, his eyes were sharp as knives.

"If that's the case—then let me see what kind of world is hidden in the mysterious and terrifying 'Beyond the Pass'."

"Qingluan, prepare to reopen the Zhongnan Shortcut. This time, I will only glimpse a crack."

"It's Master."

Qingluan followed the same method, using purple energy to connect with Hangu Pass and open a path.

"You stay here and maintain the passage. If anything unusual happens, immediately remove the mystic and seal the entrance."

Qingluan nodded nervously, its little paws gripping the ground tightly, and the faint light on its carapace became increasingly steady.

"Master, will everything be alright?"

Qingluan's concern warmed Xia Xinghan's heart, but his next question darkened his expression: "If you need anything, may I become the Temple Master of the Martial God Temple?"

What a turtle mouth!

"Who taught you?"

"Journey to the West, Pigsy (Zhu Bajie)."

Is this all you learn from reading the Four Great Classical Novels?

Thank goodness I read "Journey to the West," otherwise I would have been in trouble if it were "Water Margin."

""

"Qingluan, remember this: Zhu Bajie is a pig, and you are a mountain tortoise. You two are different, so don't imitate others randomly."

"Can the turtle learn from the Turtle Prime Minister?" Qingluan's two little eyes sparkled.

"————"

What did the Turtle Prime Minister do?

"In short, it's not time to divide the inheritance yet."

Xia Xinghan took a deep breath, his gaze sharp as a sword, and turned towards Hangu Pass.

Take a step in!

In an instant.

As time passed and the world changed dramatically, the seasons shifted.

The monotonous and ordinary grotto vanished in an instant, replaced by an indescribable, vast, and breathtakingly boundless void.

This place is like a graveyard of the universe, cold and lifeless, with darkness as its eternal theme.

In the distance, a few dim, planet-like spheres floated scattered about, their outlines blurred and lifeless, like abandoned dead stars.

"Is this... outer space?"

Before Xia Xinghan could think any further, his pupils suddenly contracted!

It wasn't because of this desolate "starry sky".

Instead, it was an unimaginable sense of presence that swept past from above without warning.

He looked up sharply.

Super vision was operating at full capacity at this moment, instantly elevating the macroscopic perspective to an unbelievable scale.

He "saw" it.

One finger!

A finger so enormous it made his mind freeze was sweeping across "above" him at a speed that seemed slow but was actually beyond his comprehension.

Superman's super vision not only allows him to "see far," "see through," and "see microscopically," but also to "see macroscopically."

For example, if Xia Xinghan flies a little higher and looks down at the earth, normally he might only see the Zhongnan Mountain area, but by activating the macroscopic perspective of super vision, he can "see the whole leopard through a hole" and see the entire earth as if he has a "God's perspective"!

That is the case right now.

He saw a finger, bigger than the Earth!

Even the smallest line on it surpasses the most magnificent mountain and river formations in the human world.

It was merely a "fleeting glimpse," a "flash" lasting less than 0.01 seconds.

A pressure originating from the most primal instincts of life, a chill that nearly froze the soul, crashed into Xia Xinghan's consciousness like an invisible tsunami!

That wasn't an attack, and it might not even have been intentional.

That was merely its "existence" itself, naturally exuding a sense of heaviness and antiquity, a wisp of energy from trillions of forces, yet enough to crush stars.

Old Gods!

The word flashed through Xia Xinghan's mind instantly.

Without the slightest hesitation, and before he could even process any other emotions, his body's instincts outpaced his thoughts, and he abruptly pulled back!

"Swish"

As Xia Xinghan left [outside the pass], his back slammed against the rock wall of the cave. The cold touch pulled him back to reality.

The three characters of 【Hangu Pass】fluctuated as he left, and Qingluan was so frightened that he almost interrupted the mystery.

"Master!"

Qingluan's anxious voice came through.

Xia Xinghan waved his hand, his breathing was a little unsteady, and his face was slightly pale.

He wasn't physically injured, but he suffered a significant psychological shock.

He closed his eyes, and the fleeting image in his mind overlapped wildly with the records in the "Reborn Doomsday Report".

The world codenamed "Jack Raven," a frozen planet in an extreme cold apocalypse, may simply be an unconscious "breath" taken by some unnamed being as it passed by.

The record, codenamed "The Old Days," describes a giant hand covering the sky that crushed the Earth like an egg.

What he had just seen was—finger.

A finger belonging to the "Old Gods" that is larger than the Earth!

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