As his words fell, the three Beast Kings froze.
Then, lowering their heads, they shook them repeatedly.
"King Lu, please don't tease us. We did nothing at all."
The Nine-Tailed Fox King spoke, her voice devoid of charm and the curiosity in her eyes toward Lu Yuan completely gone.
At this moment, her tone held deep reverence—a genuine respect reserved only for the truly powerful.
Though the Peacock King remained silent, his thoughts were much the same.
Previously, in their eyes, Lu Yuan had been undeniably strong; he was widely recognized for once suppressing ten Beast Kings. Yet even so, with their own bloodline talents, catching up still seemed possible. After all, the world's restrictions had only just begun to unravel, and on the path of evolution for the strong, success was never determined by an early lead. Whoever laughed last was the true victor.
Now, however, things were different. His display was overwhelmingly potent—truly terrifying—as he slaughtered three extraterrestrial creatures across cultivation realms in succession.
Barring any unforeseen accidents in the future, he would undoubtedly become a true titan.
Even the Spirit Monkey no longer showed its former carefree swagger, replaced now by visible reverence.
Mutated beasts were often the quickest to show such an attitude toward the truly mighty.
"Everything was resolved by you, King Lu. We will not take any credit," the Peacock King said, his tone equally respectful.
"This is only the beginning." Lu Yuan shook his head and continued, "The situation may grow far more arduous ahead. I hope the humans and mutated beasts of this world can remain united and fight side by side against outside enemies."
"Naturally," the three Beast Kings replied in unison, without the slightest hesitation.
For the mutated beasts, having such a formidable human standing with them meant they would not need to fear extraterrestrial creatures nearly as much in future confrontations—just like today.
Seeing this, a smile touched Lu Yuan's lips.
Good.
This was precisely the result he needed.
Why hadn't he executed the three Nether Bulls in an instant earlier? It was to display his might in full, in an undisputed posture of total suppression. Only then would the three Beast Kings truly comprehend his strength. In doing so, future cooperation between humanity and mutated beasts would become far smoother. In this New Era, words alone were useless; the strong were revered, and power was everything.
Lu Yuan then turned toward a camera-equipped drone hovering nearby. "It is all over."
As soon as his voice faded, the drone descended immediately, and the livestream cut off completely.
"It's over? So fast?"
"Three extraterrestrial creatures evolved to the fifth stage are dead!"
"Truly worthy of being humanity's strongest! Our Huaxia's King Lu is invincible!"
In the outside world, the Awakened and citizens who had watched the broadcast from start to finish grew ecstatic.
Previously, the appearance of extraterrestrial beings in outer space had hung over the heads of all Earth's creatures like a crushing mountain, as though the true apocalypse were at hand. But now, everything had changed. King Lu alone had reversed the tide once again. They firmly believed that no matter what enemies arrived in the future, he would certainly defeat them through his own might.
Naturally, the Awakened also came to view Lu Yuan as the ultimate target to pursue. Who wouldn't desire such absolute, overwhelming strength?
As for the skeptical voices from abroad, they vanished entirely.
***
Mount Tai.
After exchanging a few words with the three Beast Kings, Lu Yuan descended the mountain and arrived at the Trial Academy.
Elder Ji, Elder Yun, and a host of elite students had long been waiting. Upon seeing him approach, they greeted him without hesitation.
"King Lu."
"There is no need for such formality."
Lu Yuan felt a little helpless at how solemn they were acting. Yet he also knew full well that as his displayed strength grew, such reactions were inevitable. The New Era had altered many people's mindsets; in its later stages, raw power reigned supreme above all else.
"King Lu, you have performed yet another great service for our Huaxia—no, for the entire Earth," Elder Yun remarked with heartfelt emotion.
Indeed, the young man astonished everyone every single time. More importantly, he returned stronger with every passing instance, capable even of slaughtering extraterrestrial beings. In the truest sense, he now looked down upon the entire world.
The others shared the same sentiment. Zhu Qingyu wore a bright smile, knowing her faith had not been misplaced; as always, King Lu had slain every formidable foe.
"Everything has only just begun. Our preparations are still far from enough," Lu Yuan replied, shaking his head. "I have already reached an agreement with the three Beast Kings. They will rally the mutated beasts to obey directives in the future. Now is our window to build up our strength. There will likely be even greater enemies ahead, and time is short. We must unite every force that can be united."
That was precisely what he had discussed with the Spirit Monkey and the others just moments ago: gathering strength, growing, and lying low. The great star-domain clans of outer space could not possibly descend all at once; they merely had to capitalize on this window of time.
Lu Yuan had always known that to extraterrestrial life, Earth's native creatures were nothing more than a lower civilization. When those invaders descended in the future, they would inevitably ignore and slaughter them at will. In this era, one could rely on no one but oneself. That was the real reason he had begun establishing the Heavenly Court—so there would at least be a force capable of standing against them in the days to come.
"Understood," Elder Ji and Elder Yun nodded without hesitation.
"Also, after today, issue another public announcement: extraterrestrial beings are forbidden from invading human cities, and Mount Tai belongs to humanity. They have only just arrived, and learning that three Nether Bulls were slain will keep them quiet for a time."
Lu Yuan spoke again, revealing his core objective: buying more time for this world and for himself. After all, he was not yet powerful enough, whereas extraterrestrial civilizations had already undergone eons of evolution.
In addition, he instructed the high-ranking officials to monitor any changes occurring across famous mountains and great rivers. The second wave of revival and mutation had concluded, meaning that even more divine items and special regions would emerge in the future. He could not oversee everything personally, so utilizing government resources would save him from having to handle every detail himself.
After settling these matters, Lu Yuan headed straight to his quarters, contemplating his next moves along the way.
His mount, the Golden-Winged Great Peng, had not appeared for quite some time. Yet through their bloodline bond, he could sense it was in no danger, and its strength had increased dramatically. The next time they met, it would likely have broken multiple genetic shackles and stepped straight into the Golden Body Realm. That was certainly good news.
"Congratulations, King Lu, on slaying enemies from beyond our world. Your divine might is truly peerless!"
Just then, a crisp, playful voice rang out as Jiang Ningxian stepped out from the house.
She was as stunning as ever, her presence ethereal and peerless, while an even stronger power faintly surged within her.
"Miss Jiang, you certainly emerged from secluded cultivation at just the right time." Lu Yuan smiled and added, "I haven't seen your Elder Jiang for quite a while."
His tone seemed casual, but his inquiry was entirely serious.
"Though my clan members haven't arrived yet, they were able to deliver a few items, and Elder Jiang went to retrieve them." Jiang Ningxian naturally caught his meaning and smiled, revealing two dimples. "Since we have chosen to cooperate, we certainly won't stand by and watch the situation deteriorate. Once Elder Jiang returns with the items, I will offer a generous portion to the Heavenly Court you founded. How does that sound?"
The Jiang clan was the paramount clan of the Desolate Flame Star Domain, possessing terrifyingly vast resources. As their representative in this alliance, Jiang Ningxian could hardly afford to be stingy.
"Then I must thank you, Miss Jiang."
Lu Yuan did not decline this time as he had previously. He genuinely needed the resources. The Heavenly Court would recruit many people in the future, all of whom would be prime candidates for cultivation. The government had already made it clear they would not interfere, effectively making it his personal faction. To face what lay ahead, there was no reason to be overly hesitant.
"It's nothing, really." Jiang Ningxian waved her hand magnanimously, seemingly pleased to chat with him.
Soon, however, a look of intrigue appeared in her eyes. "Though looking at things now, King Lu, you really are headed for a collision with the Celestial Clan."
"What do you mean?" Lu Yuan asked, puzzled, before adding, "Because of the Nether Bull Clan?"
"Precisely."
"The Nether Bull Clan surrendered to the Celestial Clan and serves as their vassal," Jiang Ningxian explained. "Their descent was meant to scout the path. From what I know, a prodigy of the Celestial Clan has already landed in this world. It's only because of the world's suppression that his true strength cannot be displayed. Once he adapts, coupled with what happened to Yi before, he will definitely come after you. Moreover, there is another crucial factor: the Celestial Clan has exceptionally close ties with the Ji clan, having been allied with them for countless years."
The Celestial Clan controlled an entire major star domain and ranked within the top hundred; their strength was readily apparent. As their prodigy, he was bound to be an elite among elites, possessing immense bloodline talent. He would be a formidable enemy.
Jiang Ningxian was well aware of this, which was why she offered the warning. In her eyes, the time Lu Yuan had had to grow was simply too brief. Furthermore, backing the Celestial Clan was the Ji clan—a powerhouse star-domain clan not inferior to the Jiang clan.
"What of the Celestial Clan? What of the Ji clan? I will crush them all with my own strength."
Lu Yuan showed no fear.
Reaching this point, he had gradually forged an unshakable conviction of invincibility. He would not allow the strength of his opponents to instill worry or dread within him.
"Magnificent!"
At his words, Jiang Ningxian's eyes brightened. "That attitude of yours is quite like my younger brother's."
Pausing there, she did not press further on the topic and instead asked another question. "By the way, King Lu, do you truly plan on keeping Mount Tai in your grasp forever? This place is far too extraordinary; many eyes will be on it, and it will invite immense trouble in the future."
"Oh? What sort of trouble?" Lu Yuan's heart stirred. He had already guessed a few things, but feigned ignorance.
"It concerns a taboo object connected to the ancient Heavenly Court, rumored to gather supreme fortune," Jiang Ningxian said solemnly. "Whoever obtains it whole can seize the good fortune of the heavens and the universe, ultimately attaining the status of Human Sovereign and Heavenly Emperor, empowered to confer divine titles upon immortals and gods.
"However, whether that taboo object is truly on Mount Tai remains uncertain. Even so, the great star-domain clans will never overlook the possibility—and that includes the Jiang clan, of course."
Lu Yuan realized the truth.
What she referred to was undoubtedly the Ancient Heavenly Emperor Token.
He had obtained it earlier without ever discerning its purpose. Yet from her words, he could now glimpse some of its profound mysteries. He had little interest in grand titles like Human Sovereign or Heavenly Emperor; the crux lay in what it meant to confer divine titles upon immortals and gods.
Naturally, Lu Yuan kept his thoughts to himself, merely remarking, "I, however, believe that one does not become a Human Sovereign or Heavenly Emperor simply by obtaining an object. One earns such a title because one has already taken that step—wouldn't you agree?"
At those words, Jiang Ningxian shuddered, an expression of sheer disbelief appearing in her eyes, as if she had suddenly discovered something profound.
Chapter 131