The three islands appeared deceptively close, but in truth, they lay at an immense distance.
The authorities received word at once and dispatched teams equipped with various instruments to investigate. In the end, however, they discovered that an inexplicable force shrouded the islands, thwarting any attempt at probing them.
To be safe, neither helicopters nor fighter jets were deployed on reconnaissance patrols, as officials suspected living beings might dwell within and had no way of knowing whether they were friends or foes.
Naturally, the authorities chose not to conceal the news and announced it publicly instead. In this era of mutation, even more bizarre events were bound to unfold, and sharing the information was meant to help the populace gradually adapt and acclimate.
The moment the news broke, it commanded widespread attention and ignited heated discussions across the internet. Speculation ran wild regarding the origin of the three islands.
Eventually, an online post suggested that they might very well be the legendary Three Immortal Islands.
Ancient texts recorded that immortal islands lay beyond the Bohai Sea. During the Qin dynasty, the First Emperor had dispatched the fangshi Xu Fu across the sea with three thousand virgin boys and girls to seek the elixir of immortality. Among those legends, the three most famous immortal islands were Penglai, Yingzhou, and Fangzhang. Rumors held that immortals resided upon them.
This conjecture stoked the public's curiosity even further. People flocked toward the coast, eager to see for themselves whether they were truly the fabled isles of immortals. For a time, numerous Awakened gathered in the Bohai region, pulling out their phones to document the scene and film videos.
Yet some remained levelheaded, reasoning that the so-called immortals might simply be ancient Awakened, and whether the emergence of these immortal islands was a blessing or a curse remained to be seen.
Recognizing the gravity of the situation, the authorities deployed troops to maintain order and forbade anyone from venturing out to sea heedlessly; after all, it was still unclear whether whatever lay ahead was friend or foe.
Elder Ji, Elder Yun, and their colleagues convened multiple meetings and combed through an enormous volume of archival records. In the end, they concluded that the islands might indeed be the Three Immortal Islands of legend, though further information remained beyond their reach.
They had hoped to consult Lu Yuan on the matter, but since he was in seclusion, they had no choice but to let it rest for the moment. Intending to revisit the issue once he emerged, they kept the three islands under close surveillance in the meantime.
***
At the Mount Tai Trial Academy, Jiang Ningxian learned of the development as well, and her expression grew solemn.
"Elder Jiang, the reappearance of the Three Immortal Islands means the power of the Severance of Heaven and Earth is steadily waning. The great era is drawing closer by the day," she remarked, gazing up at the sky as if looking at something far beyond.
Although she knew what lay within, she paid it little heed; in her eyes, the emergence of the Three Immortal Islands was merely a harbinger.
"Word has also reached me from our side that our clansmen on the Ancestral Star have already set out and are midway on their journey," Elder Jiang, the elderly man beside her, replied. He continued, "However, the first to arrive in the Milky Way Star Sector will likely be the Celestial Clan and others, followed by the Ji clan lineage. Furthermore, powerful clans from the Eternal Star Sector, the Bliss Star Sector, and several other domains have all departed."
He furrowed his brows as he listed several star sectors. The Milky Way Star Sector was the very domain where this world resided.
"It seems the top hundred star sectors have all embarked, converging on a single place."
"Just as Father said—a great era unprecedented in ten million years."
Jiang Ningxian lowered her gaze and spoke slowly. She was well aware that while vast distances separated the various star sectors, each possessed its own means of traversing the cosmic void. Though the journey would take some time, it would not be long, especially as the power of the Severance of Heaven and Earth in this world continued to fade.
"A great era..." Elder Jiang murmured, turning the words over in his mind before asking, "Can our Jiang clan truly carve out a glorious path through it?"
"Who knows?" Jiang Ningxian arched her delicate brows. "We need only do our best. Until the very end, no one can predict the outcome."
Elder Jiang nodded, not dwelling on the thought. Instead, he asked, "What about the Three Immortal Islands? Will the people within interfere with our plans?"
The underlying meaning was simple: the Jiang clan had already entered a partnership with the authorities. If those islands posed a threat to the government, it would not be tolerated. He was wondering whether he should take action when the time came.
"Nothing more than a pack of spineless cowards," Jiang Ningxian remarked disdainfully before adding, "With Lu Yuan here, they won't be able to stir up any meaningful waves."
Hearing this, Elder Jiang was taken aback and could not help asking, "Holy Maiden, do you truly hold that Lu Yuan in such high regard?"
To his mind, setting aside their own clan, even across the top hundred star sectors, peerless geniuses were legion. Yet the Holy Maiden seemed uniquely invested in Lu Yuan.
"Elder Jiang, that is where you fail to see the bigger picture," Jiang Ningxian said with an enigmatic smile. "From my observations, Lu Yuan is still only in the Shackle Realm, yet he can defeat opponents in the Golden Body Realm. What does that signify?"
Elder Jiang paused and considered the question carefully.
What did it signify?
It signified that Lu Yuan had shattered multiple genetic shackles, and at the same time, possessed terrifying combat prowess that allowed him to cross realms in battle.
Such a figure would boast astonishing potential even among the grand star sectors. When the right moment arrived, he could transform into a soaring dragon in a single leap. What was more, he was a native who had risen directly from this world...
Elder Jiang fell silent, offering no further rebuttal.
Jiang Ningxian sat cross-legged and closed her eyes. With each breath, a shimmering luster enveloped her form, and her robes fluttered gently, as though she were on the verge of ascending to transcendence.
***
Meanwhile, in another room of the Mount Tai Trial Academy.
Lu Yuan sat cross-legged, his blood-qi surging in relentless waves, far more potent than before. A dense, scorching heat radiated from that blood-qi, entwined with swirling golden vigor, making his entire presence as dazzling as a blazing sun.
The room grew sweltering and steamed as though a volcano had been planted inside. Fortunately, he wore the Innate Qi Robe; ordinary clothing would have been incinerated long ago.
Within his body, the Blood-Qi Pagoda had vanished, and the Great Sun Flame God Furnace was no more. In their place, an even more profound and concentrated power was steadily taking shape.
Indeed, through these days of seclusion, he had thoroughly fused the two divine treasures into his flesh and blood.
However, allowing this newfound force to harmonize completely with his physique and blood-qi would still require some time. For Lu Yuan, enhanced combat strength was a minor gain upon completion; the true prize was the fundamental metamorphosis of his physical constitution, deepening his foundation even further.
The Great Sun Flame God Furnace had proven far more formidable than he had anticipated. It was small wonder the Jiang clan regarded it as a supreme treasure.
At this moment, Lu Yuan was well aware that tempering the body demanded patience and steady progress. He could not afford to rush; he had to ensure every step was perfected, which would enable him to walk much farther along the evolutionary path in the future.
Thus, he redoubled his focus, channeling this force to continue breaking genetic shackles and opening new grotto-heavens.
The great era was on the horizon, and little time remained. He needed to make thorough preparations.
And so, his seclusion continued.
***
On the coast of the Bohai Sea stood a small city.
In the Old Era, a modest population had lived there, but following the upheaval, most had relocated to the super cities. After all, the location was remote, and the mutated beasts emerging from the sea back then had been no less ferocious than those on land.
Now, however, a temporary military base had been established outside the small city near the shore. Squads of soldiers patrolled back and forth, many of them Awakened who had attained superhuman abilities.
As time passed and the authorities consolidated their control, an increasing number of Awakened were trained. Some entered Zhendan Academy, while others were incorporated into the military. Officials recognized that relying solely on ordinary humans would soon make maintaining order impossible. Soldiers composed of Awakened were steadily replacing the armed forces of the Old Era.
Naturally, such a transition required time. Even so, the authorities grew stronger by the day.
At this moment, several figures stood on the sandy shore, gazing out into the distance.
At their head were the Northern Emperor, the Ice Fairy, and Little Heavenly Master Chunyang, accompanied by other elite students from Zhendan Academy, though Zhu Qingyu and Monk Huikong were absent.
Out on the distant horizon, purple mist billowed and resplendent radiance filled the sky, tinting the cloud layer in rich hues. Beneath the glow, three islands drifted faintly in and out of view, appearing ethereal and almost unreal.
"Senior Gu, do you think people really live on those three immortal islands?" the Ice Fairy asked, her tone blending curiosity with solemnity.
Senior Gu was the Northern Emperor, whose true name was Gu Sang. Nowadays, few addressed him by his title of Northern Emperor; following Zhu Qingyu's example, the Ice Fairy simply called him Senior Gu.
"I can't say for sure," Gu Sang replied. "But someone previously photographed immortal cranes soaring over them. Even if there are no people, there ought to be other living creatures." Beside him, Little Heavenly Master Chunyang nodded in agreement.
Owing to their exceptional talent and strength, all three were leading figures in the Awakening Realm. Elder Ji had dispatched them to monitor the situation at the Three Immortal Islands so that any emergency could be handled immediately.
Yet some time had already passed, and the three islands remained quiet. Having received no orders from above to head out to sea, they could only watch from the shore.
"Senior Gu, Senior Ji, something's happening!" a student suddenly spoke up, pointing toward the distance.
Startled, everyone looked closely, their eyes widening as their expressions shifted.
Upon the surface of the sea, an enormous vessel was slowly emerging from the purple mist.
It was not a modern vessel, but one built entirely of timber—wood of no ordinary quality, looking exceptionally sturdy and enduring. Several massive sails hung from its masts, catching the wind as it bore down toward the shore where they stood.
"An ancient ship sailing out of purple mist... Could it really be immortals?" someone muttered in shock.
"Immortals? If they were immortals, why would they ride a ship? Wouldn't they simply soar on flying swords?" Little Heavenly Master Chunyang shook his head. He understood that the immortals spoken of in antiquity were simply ancient Awakened; only when an individual evolved to a certain level could they gain the ability to fly through the air. The occupants of that vessel had evidently not reached such heights, yet coming from the Three Immortal Islands, they were certainly not to be underestimated.
The Ice Fairy promptly had someone relay the development to high command while the group waited in place.
The temporary military base received the alert as well and dispatched immediate reinforcements. Soldiers set up heavy firearms, and combat vehicles rolled onto the scene.
Little Heavenly Master Chunyang and the other two took up positions at the very front. Possessing the greatest strength, they were authorized to command whether the forces behind them should open fire, acting as the commanders of the forward outpost.
Every eye remained fixed on the approaching vessel, bracing for what was to come. No one knew whether the newcomers were friends or foes, or even whether they were human.
As time slipped by, the ship drew nearer, about to make landfall.
Gu Sang, the Northern Emperor, stepped forward alongside the Ice Fairy and Little Heavenly Master Chunyang, shouting, "Halt! State your identity before coming ashore!"
All three were Awakened, and their voices carried far across the water. Yet the massive ship appeared not to hear them at all, plowing straight ahead without slowing.
Seeing this, the three frowned, but they still held back from ordering an attack. Instead, they dispatched a small patrol boat into the water to deliver a second warning.
Yet before the patrol boat could draw close, a figure clad in purple robes abruptly appeared at the ship's bow and casually raised a hand.
In an instant, a sudden swell surged across the tranquil sea, flipping the patrol boat clean upside down.
Meanwhile, the colossal ship surged onward, charging ahead without the slightest regard!
Chapter 111