This news immediately captured everyone's attention, overshadowing even the earthquake in the East Sea region.
The Yinglong was a creature of myth.
Back when someone claimed to have sighted it at Mount Kunlun, the matter had eventually faded away without confirmation, leading the public to assume it was a hoax. But now it was different. The Yinglong had truly emerged, soaring into the sky and departing Mount Kunlun.
Videos quickly spread across the internet.
High in the firmament, a winged dragon tore through the air at staggering speed. Shattering the sound barrier in an instant, it stirred swirling winds, surging clouds, flashing lightning, and rolling thunder wherever it passed, resembling the Dragon Kings of myth who summoned storms and brought down the rain.
Yet it showed no intention of harming humans. From start to finish, its sole objective was heading east.
"The Yinglong crossed the Qinling Mountains! It's still moving forward, brushing past Chang'an!"
"Where on earth is it heading? Mount Tai?"
"I don't think so. Didn't an earthquake just strike the East Sea recently? I bet it's headed for the East Sea."
"The East Sea? Could it actually be the Dragon King of the East Sea?"
All manner of speculation erupted online.
A dragon was a genuine mythological existence in Huaxia. The sight was truly shocking and impossible to ignore.
The authorities naturally learned of it as well. They monitored it closely, but having observed that the Yinglong had no desire to harm humans, they chose not to intervene.
Meanwhile, within the Mount Tai Trial Academy, Lu Yuan showed an intrigued look upon hearing the news. "The curtain on this grand era is truly rising. Mythological beings of every kind are about to descend."
At the thought, a wry sense of helplessness rose within him. Mythological beings, extraterrestrial entities, folded spaces, supreme heritages—such monumental events were all intertwining. Great figures were placing their chess pieces, setting in motion an unprecedented, epoch-defining shift.
Back when he was just an insignificant figure, he could only drift along with the currents of the times. Barely clinging to life had been an achievement in itself. Now, however, Lu Yuan had grown strong. He was going to face this grand era head-on and even influence the course of the unfolding upheaval.
Of course, merely surviving or spectating was not what he wanted. With the arrival of this grand era, the supreme beings across various star domains would all play their hands. He could not be a mere participant. If he was to play, he would be a player moving the pieces.
"King Lu."
Just then, Zhu Qingyu arrived, followed by Elder Ji and Elder Yun.
Without hesitation, the two elders spoke up. "The sect masters of the Three Immortal Islands requested an audience with you. They say they have an urgent matter to report."
Lu Yuan nodded, having already guessed the general gist. "Very well, let them in."
Shortly after, the sect masters of Penglai, Fangzhang, and Yingzhou appeared.
Ever since their surrender, they had performed their duties conscientiously, diligently cultivating students across the various Zhendan Academies with exemplary attitudes.
At this moment, all three wore solemn expressions. Upon seeing Lu Yuan, they bowed deeply in the ancient manner.
"King Lu, an anomaly will soon occur in the East Sea. The ancient records of our sects state that a mighty race once inhabited the seabed and left behind numerous legacies. Those extraterrestrial beings will undoubtedly covet them. Those treasures originally belong to our world—we must never allow them to be seized!"
Though the ancestors of the Three Immortal Islands had fled calamity in ancient times to preserve themselves, they ultimately still regarded themselves as people of this world. According to their ancient records, the upheaval deep within the East Sea had the potential to reshape the global landscape. Having chosen to submit to Lu Yuan, they naturally wished to dedicate their full efforts at this juncture.
Of course, other motives lingered beneath the surface.
Listening to their words, Lu Yuan could not help but smile. In all fairness, the Three Immortal Islands were rather perceptive.
"I have taken note of what you said."
After a moment of contemplation, Lu Yuan continued, "In the future, so long as you remain loyal and devoted, there will be a chance to dissolve the contract between us."
Why else would they rush here so urgently to share this intelligence, if not to demonstrate their undivided loyalty? They wanted to earn his trust so that their contracts might eventually be lifted, restoring their freedom. After all, no one wished to have their life permanently held in another's hands.
"Thank you, King Lu!" The Sect Master of Penglai was overjoyed and bowed in haste.
"We possess a map of the deep sea left behind by our ancestors. If King Lu intends to travel to the East Sea, you may take it with you." The Sect Master of Fangzhang produced a roll of parchment from his sleeve, speaking with utmost respect.
They understood that as long as they remained obedient, dissolving the contract later on would pose no problem at all. Moreover, since someone of Lu Yuan's stature had explicitly promised it, he would never go back on his word.
"Good."
Lu Yuan nodded and accepted the parchment map. It might indeed prove useful.
After exchanging a few more words, the three sect masters took their leave.
Watching their departing backs, Lu Yuan turned his gaze toward Elder Ji and the others. "Make the preparations. Select a capable group from the Heavenly Court to accompany me on an expedition to the East Sea. Great fortune is surfacing there, which can aid people in their evolution."
He had already planned to leave and travel across various regions to gather divine materials and treasures. The East Sea had originally been on his agenda; the timeline was merely moved up slightly. He recalled that this very incident had given rise to a cohort of formidable experts in the past. If he could groom a few capable figures to hold their own, he would not have to attend to every matter personally going forward.
"Understood. We will go and arrange it at once." Elder Ji and Elder Yun nodded.
Zhu Qingyu wore an excited expression, knowing that she would certainly be included.
With that, the group prepared to depart.
"Wait a moment," Lu Yuan called out once more. "What has Miss Jiang been up to recently?"
The changes sweeping the globe were growing ever more pronounced, and extraterrestrial beings were descending en masse. There was no way she would remain entirely inactive.
"Nothing out of the ordinary. She has kept a low profile and rarely goes outside. However, Elder Jiang has been sending over quite a few breathing and visualization methods, along with various resources, stating that they wish to assist the Heavenly Court," Elder Ji reported.
"I see." Lu Yuan nodded, realizing Jiang Ningxian was also making her own preparations.
Presumably, the Jiang clan of the Desolate Flame Star Domain was already on its way. A clan from a top-ten star domain—truly terrifying powerhouses would appear, perhaps even surpassing the Saint Domain. And since the Jiang clan was making moves, the Ji clan would not be far behind.
There was so much to attend to.
After giving a few brief instructions, Lu Yuan dismissed them.
In the backyard of the residence, the Ziwu Heaven-Mending Furnace remained suspended midair, radiating dense, hazy auspicious light. The power of heaven and earth gathered continuously around it, while bursts of refined energy surged from within from time to time.
"It seems concocting this grand pill will still require some time."
Observing this, Lu Yuan made a rough estimate. By the time he returned from the East Sea, it should be about ready. Without further ado, he resumed channeling his visualization and breathing methods, cultivating his evolution and consolidating his condition.
Time slipped by, moment by moment.
Ever since the earthquake in the East Sea region and the Yinglong's official emergence from Mount Kunlun, countless eyes had been tracking the developments. People eventually discovered that the creature's destination was indeed the East Sea; the moment it arrived, it plunged straight into the waters and vanished without a trace.
In addition, word spread that the authorities were preparing to investigate the true cause of the great East Sea earthquake, with King Lu personally leading the expedition.
For a time, a single thought rose in the minds of many Awakened:
King Lu and the mythical Yinglong—what would happen if the two crossed paths?
Inevitably, many set out, intending to witness the spectacle for themselves. Even the extraterrestrial beings who had previously been lying low began to stir. In an instant, the East Sea became the center of attention.
A few days later, Elder Ji finalized a roster.
Zhu Qingyu, Ice Fairy, Gu Sang, Asura, Young Celestial Master Chunyang, Monk Huikong, and several others were chosen. All were elites of the younger generation who now belonged to the Heavenly Court. Having reached the Shackle Realm, they possessed immense potential.
These individuals were to accompany Lu Yuan to the East Sea region.
The Golden-Winged Great Peng would also be going, believing there would be creatures imbued with dragon blood that could aid its own purification.
Soon, all preparations were complete, and the authorities arranged a military transport aircraft. With so many people, military planes offered adequate speed, ensuring they would arrive within ten days.
Just before departure, however, the Spirit Monkey tagged along as well, claiming that the divine material in its black iron staff originated from the East Sea and that it wanted to see if there were any new harvests to be found.
With that, the group set off.
Blessed with extreme speed, the Golden-Winged Great Peng traveled on its own, while Lu Yuan boarded the military transport alongside Zhu Qingyu and the others. Barring unforeseen events, these people would form the core backbone of the Heavenly Court in the days to come.
While they were en route, the upper echelons ordered the troops stationed in the East Sea region to survey the seabed using warships to assess the situation beforehand. Previously, Lu Yuan had intimidated the South Sea Giant Demon into refraining from encroaching upon the human world, ushering in an extended period of peace across all oceanic sectors. Warships that once could not venture out were now safe from attack.
Several days later, aboard the large military transport plane, Lu Yuan sat in solitude, resting with his eyes closed.
Beside him, the Spirit Monkey held its iron staff, scratching its ears and cheeks in an agony of impatience. It simply had a restless temperament and could never sit still.
During the flight, Gu Sang tried to pacify it by pulling out a banana, causing the monkey to widen its eyes in indignation—it was a Beast King, yet they were genuinely treating it like a common monkey! The scene drew knowing smiles from everyone, keeping the journey from becoming dull.
"We will be arriving shortly. There is no need for such impatience," Lu Yuan said, opening his eyes.
Only then did the Spirit Monkey resign itself, crouching on its seat while still fidgeting with small restless movements.
"King Lu."
At that moment, Zhu Qingyu and Ice Fairy approached, holding several documents.
"After several days of reconnaissance, our warships confirmed that massive changes have indeed occurred in the depths of the East Sea. These are the sonar imaging scans. Please have a look." Zhu Qingyu presented the documents.
Without hesitation, Lu Yuan took them. As he examined the scans closely, his expression shifted slightly.
"What is it?"
The Spirit Monkey leaned in and peered over. "Huh? There are buildings on the ocean floor?"
"Western legends speak of Atlantis, the dwelling place of Poseidon, God of the Sea," Gu Sang remarked.
By now, none of them were particularly shocked by the bizarre occurrences around the world. They had begun cross-referencing mythology to analyze these phenomena, and their deductions rarely strayed far from the truth. This was precisely why the New Era was also referred to as the Era of Mythological Revival.
"You know full well that's from the West. These structures in the East Sea certainly aren't that," Young Celestial Master Chunyang remarked. Eastern phenomena should not be explained with Western lore.
"Amitabha. This humble monk has formed an inkling of an idea." Monk Huikong studied the images and continued, "This humble monk believes these structures resemble a palace complex of immense proportions. Situated in the East Sea, could it perhaps be... the Grand Palace of the Dragon King from the legends?"
The East Sea?
The Grand Palace of the Dragon King?
Hearing those words, everyone present felt their hearts shudder!
Chapter 137