Earth's second mutation had brought about a comprehensive revival.
Setting aside how the global landscape would shift once again, the imminent arrival of extraterrestrial beings alone was bound to spark tremendous turmoil.
In every great era, was there not great upheaval?
Lu Yuan had always understood this clearly and treated it with the utmost gravity.
He knew that even with his current strength, he could hardly claim to be fearless before everything. Those capable of descending were invariably top-tier figures across various star domains. In human terms, they would be much like Jiang Ningxian—holding exceptional status, endowed with supreme talent, and naturally standing at an impressive cultivation realm.
After all, unlike Earth, where cultivation and evolution had only just begun, those distant star domains had thrived for ages.
"I might as well take advantage of this window to push forward in one burst."
Clearing his mind, Lu Yuan cast aside stray thoughts.
He knew that whatever was destined to come would arrive sooner or later.
Two years had passed since the first mutation, and the time was nearly ripe. His own preparations were remarkably thorough. Even without claiming absolute confidence in his raw power, his foundation, the innate talents granted by assimilating various divine treasures, and the bloodline evolution brought by the Human Sovereign essence blood were all unique. In this world today, none could stand shoulder to shoulder with him.
Even out in the deep cosmic void, such gifts would be astounding.
For instance, Lu Yuan was currently preparing to assault the pinnacle of the Shackle Realm. As far as his memories went, not even the prodigies of the outer cosmos had achieved such a feat.
Returning directly to his room, he settled his breath and spirit before beginning another period of secluded cultivation.
Only three genetic shackles remained, which shouldn't take too long. The crucial step lay in breaking through into the Golden Body Realm. Once he possessed a Golden Body Dharma Idol, his combat prowess would experience a staggering surge.
With that, Lu Yuan drew upon the deep reserves within him and immersed himself in seclusion.
At the same time, Jiang Ningxian did not idle after returning to her quarters.
With this world's second comprehensive revival, the restrictions suppressing her cultivation would gradually unbind. Taking advantage of this opportunity, she also needed to elevate her strength. Her kin would arrive a step later, and until then, she might face numerous adversaries. Without sufficient power, surviving would prove difficult.
Meanwhile, Elder Ji, Elder Yun, and the others focused on accumulating strength upon their return.
They also dispatched personnel to Shanghai to inspect the Wuzhou Group and assess its current state.
Yet just as Lu Yuan had foreseen, the building stood empty.
The core leadership of the Zhou family was completely gone.
No one knew how they had departed; it was as though they had vanished into thin air overnight.
After mobilizing every available network, officials managed to trace a few clues, but very little of substance. Where the Zhou family had actually gone remained an absolute mystery. The world was no longer what it used to be in the old era; vast expanses of land had expanded, and numerous enigmatic realms had emerged. If someone truly intended to hide, tracking them down was nearly impossible.
From this, Elder Ji and the others deduced that the Zhou family had gone into dormancy and would likely resurface later. Exactly when was uncertain, though it would presumably be in the wake of the second global mutation.
In short, keeping watch over or moving against the Zhou family was no longer feasible; the trip had yielded nothing. The authorities chose to drop the pursuit for now, dedicating all their attention to preparation.
As time slipped by, natural disasters across the globe began to subside.
The mutant beasts grew thoroughly quiet, with practically no further incidents of them attacking human cities. This held true not only within the country, but across the globe, allowing many ordinary citizens to breathe a sigh of relief. Previously, danger had lurked at every turn, making it difficult for anyone to adjust.
Only the Awakened sensed that something was amiss.
In recent days, the government had begun urging citizens across various regions to relocate into the five super cities with even stricter mandates than before.
This inevitably stirred suspicion. Had something else happened?
Yet some remained unbothered, convinced that as long as King Lu was present, any crisis could be resolved.
And so, the world seemed to settle into tranquility.
Not long after, however, a piece of breaking news surfaced.
It instantly drew the attention of the Awakened, sending shockwaves through circles both domestic and abroad. The general populace remained unaware, kept in the dark for the time being, while the news circulated strictly among the Awakened.
Out in deep space, human detection equipment stationed at the edge of the solar system had captured an image. In the footage, brilliant bursts of light surged forth, dazzlingly bright, closing in at astonishing speed.
At the same time, meteorites of terrifying scale, massive as mountain ranges, were plunging straight into the solar system's perimeter.
Under normal circumstances, human technology would have had no trouble capturing a sharper image. However, the energy fluctuations were so violent that they severely interfered with the sensors.
All that could be discerned was that at the solar system's edge, radiant lights blazed so brilliantly that it looked as though a second sun were about to appear.
The circulating pictures left the Awakened deeply shaken, at a loss as to what was transpiring.
Eventually, an anonymous message spread among them, claiming that just as Earth had mutated, deep space had undergone the same change. Extraterrestrial beings were bound to emerge and descend upon Earth—in simple terms, an extraterrestrial civilization that could bring untold peril.
In an instant, shock swept through the community. Because this exceeded anyone's imagination, a portion of the Awakened dismissed it as impossible. Others believed that Earth was different now, possessing supernatural powers, and had no reason to fear an alien civilization.
Yet word soon arrived that the evolutionary stages of these extraterrestrial life forms were likely far higher—having reached the fifth, or perhaps even the sixth stage of evolution. If they arrived harboring malice, the consequences for the present world would be catastrophic.
The authorities reacted immediately, marshaling every resource to launch more probes into deep space to ascertain whether these newcomers were friends or foes.
Throughout all this, Lu Yuan remained in seclusion.
Inside a room at the Mount Tai Cultivation Academy, he sat cross-legged. An immense power radiated from his body, enveloped in a halo of golden vital blood.
*Crack—*
Within his body, as the one hundred and eighth shackle—the very last shackle—shattered, an extraordinary transformation took place.
A far more potent aura unleashed itself like a raging storm, though Lu Yuan deliberately held it close to the surface of his body. Otherwise, it could easily have reduced the entire building to rubble.
"The pinnacle of the Shackle Realm... It is finally done. Excellent." Feeling the surge of power coursing through him, delight welled within his heart.
This was the absolute limit of the third stage of evolution. Even if one could not claim it had never been reached before, across the vast sea of stars, very few could ever boast of doing so.
Now, Lu Yuan had accomplished it—a magnificent feat known only to himself.
Rather than continuing to cultivate, he exited the room, aware that his seclusion had taken some time and that he needed an update on the outside world.
Before long, Elder Ji and Elder Yun arrived and briefed him on recent developments—specifically, the detection of radiant light and meteorites at the edge of the solar system.
"Have they finally arrived?" Hearing this, Lu Yuan's expression grew solemn. "Contract our forces as much as possible. Aside from the famous mountains and great rivers under our control, pull everyone back into the super cities. From now on, Mount Tai will serve as our center."
Knowing what lay ahead, he laid out his judgment and began deploying preparations in advance.
Given the current foundation of the authorities, withstanding the impending storm head-on was impossible. Their only choice was to lie low temporarily to avoid severe disaster.
He then went over several other essential matters.
Elder Ji and Elder Yun naturally agreed to his counsel. After all, they were facing unknown entities this time.
Once Lu Yuan concluded his instructions, he knew he had to break into the Golden Body Realm as quickly as possible. The descent of extraterrestrial beings was entirely different from the minor figures he had faced before. Without another word, he entered seclusion once more.
Under normal circumstances, stepping directly into the fourth stage, the Golden Body Realm, would require some time even with Lu Yuan's profound foundation. Yet he harbored no worry. The second comprehensive revival would resolve that obstacle for him, allowing everything to fall into place naturally.
Soon, under the orders of Elder Ji and Elder Yun, all factions mobilized. Personnel across all lines pulled back, leaving behind only small teams to monitor the outside world.
Defenses around the five super cities were reinforced, and thermonuclear weapons were placed on secret standby. Concurrently, preparations for establishing the Heavenly Court proceeded.
Zhu Qingyu, the Ice Fairy, Chunyang, and even Asura signed up, eager to join.
However, direct entry was barred by a rigid requirement: one had to reach at least the Shackle Realm. Consequently, all of them devoted themselves to intensive cultivation and evolution.
Guided by the sect masters of the Three Immortal Islands and blessed with extraordinary bloodlines and talent, their progress was rapid. Zhu Qingyu became the first among them to step into that realm.
For reasons unknown, the evolutionary pace of many Awakened accelerated noticeably during this period, without relying on divine treasures.
It seemed as though some restriction imposed on this world had quietly dissolved in the unseen depths, rendering humanity and mutant beasts far more attuned to evolution.
A great many individuals benefited from this shift. Excitement ran high, especially among those with potent bloodlines, whose progress advanced by leaps and bounds.
Meanwhile, after a period of preparation, more sophisticated probes were launched into deep space, capable of delivering far greater detail. Every Awakened kept a close watch, and even ordinary citizens caught wind of the rumors, leaving the public unsettled.
Several days slipped past.
The probes entered deep space, deployed in large numbers to prevent accidents. Through the Human Alliance, Elder Ji coordinated with other nations to analyze the radiance from various angles.
Yet clear details remained elusive.
Until one day, as the light flared to its peak brightness, the probes finally captured a sequence of images.
The radiant glow at the edge of the solar system had fully converged, transforming into what resembled a passage. It was vast beyond measure, comparable in scale to small celestial bodies. Within it, dense swarms of meteorites emerged in countless numbers.
Even more terrifying, several steel warships appeared in the frame, gleaming with a cold, metallic luster.
Emerging into the pitch-black, vacant expanse of the universe, they crossed into the solar system.
These steel battleships were colossal, each spanning ten thousand meters.
Any meteorite that crossed their path was pulverized to dust in an instant. When small comets obstructed their way, a horrifying beam of light lanced out from a battleship, blowing them apart.
The footage was transmitted directly to top government leadership, leaving everyone stunned. Nations across the globe watched in sheer horror, trembling with pale faces.
Such might was entirely beyond imagination.
Even though the beings of Earth had all embarked upon the path of evolution, with some wielding tremendous power, they were still shaken to the core. Obliterating a comet—even a modest one—was a terrifying feat that not even nuclear warheads could easily match.
Furthermore, through deeper analysis, high-ranking officials discovered that beyond the passage, even more entities appeared poised to enter the solar system.
As time ticked on, the colossal warships bypassed Jupiter.
By this point, everyone had confirmed beyond doubt that these invaders were heading straight for this world.
No one could remain calm; the world was thoroughly shocked.
Elder Ji and Elder Yun could no longer sit still.
Their dread deepened upon detecting countless terrifying life signs aboard those battleships.
Powerful extraterrestrial beings were about to descend upon this world. It was clear that before long, having weathered its first transformation and second revival, Earth would turn the page toward the next chapter—and step into a brand-new era!
Chapter 123