"Mount Kongtong..."
Upon seeing the news, Lu Yuan's eyes brightened slightly.
He knew what was about to unfold there.
It would be the first mythological secret realm to emerge following the second global revival, and it was situated within folded space.
Inside lay legacies handed down from antiquity.
As for whose legacy it was, one could easily deduce without any doubt.
Legend had it that Mount Kongtong was one of the Daoist sanctuaries of the immortal Guangchengzi, also revered as the First Mountain of Daoism.
Guangchengzi was an illustrious figure of great renown; Xuanyuan the Yellow Emperor had sought his counsel on the Dao multiple times.
According to certain historical records, this man had lived to over one thousand two hundred years of age.
If previously this might have been dismissed as mere myth, no one would think so now.
As for what the legacy inside truly entailed, Lu Yuan was not entirely certain either, as he had never entered it. He only knew that the upheaval at Mount Kongtong would shake the entire world and that even extraterrestrial beings would take part—a major event by all accounts.
Moreover, such occurrences were likely to become frequent going forward, because after the second revival, all manner of famed mountains and great rivers would undergo transformations, manifesting their true supernatural wonders.
"Looks like I ought to make a trip to Mount Kongtong," Lu Yuan mused.
This had been part of his plan all along.
Calculating the timing, it was about right.
Yet, just like before, he should not go alone.
A mythological secret realm was an excellent training ground.
Besides, with extraterrestrial beings participating, there was much that could be accomplished.
It seemed there would be plenty to keep him busy.
With this in mind, Lu Yuan promptly powered down his communicator and walked out of his room.
He did not leave immediately, but paused in wait, sensing someone approaching.
Sure enough, before long, Elder Ji and Elder Yun arrived. Their expressions looked somewhat weary, evidently weighed down by the deluge of affairs over this period. Had they not been Awakened cultivators with respectable realms, given their age and the labyrinth of complicated matters, they would have buckled under the strain long ago.
As the two stepped inside, just as they were about to speak, Lu Yuan cut in.
"I already know about Mount Kongtong. Is there any other news?"
Lu Yuan knew why they had come, so he dispensed with pleasantries.
"King Lu, according to the intelligence we received, massive energy fluctuations have been detected at Mount Kongtong. At the same time, quite a few extraterrestrial beings are converging there from multiple races. I was thinking we should take action as well."
Elder Yun spoke with furrowed brows. At any other time it might not matter, but now anyone with eyes could see that immense fortunes awaited at Mount Kongtong.
His intention was straightforward: the Heavenly Court and the official authorities should take part as well.
Even if they ultimately came away empty-handed, they could not simply do nothing, could they?
Furthermore, the extraterrestrial beings descending to Earth were not all overwhelmingly powerful; there were those in the Awakening Realm and the Shackle Realm among them.
Because Earth possessed special protective measures, the stronger an individual was, the harder it was to descend.
Conversely, the weaker ones faced no impediment at all. With more and more extraterrestrial beings gathering beyond Earth, descending almost daily, Elder Yun felt that if this continued, would not all the world's fortunes be snatched away by these outsiders?
"I share that sentiment," Elder Ji chimed in. "We don't necessarily have to gain anything, but at least we must participate."
"I understand your thoughts clearly. Just like with the East Sea Dragon Palace, I will personally lead the team to Mount Kongtong this time," Lu Yuan said. He had already made up his mind. The conditions of this world were favorable, and since he possessed the capability, it was best to make use of the limited window to foster more formidable talents.
"You're going as well?" Hearing this, the two were taken aback for a moment before their eyes lit up.
With King Lu leading the expedition, things would be entirely different—perhaps just like last time at the East Sea Dragon Palace.
Noticing their reaction, Lu Yuan spoke up immediately. "Mount Kongtong will be different. The extraterrestrials going there are not only numerous, but also very strong; it won't be that simple. How things turn out, and whether there will be casualties, is something even I cannot guarantee."
This time, he intended to let Zhu Qingyu and the others undergo a true trial through fire, during which he would not casually intervene.
A true powerhouse had to emerge through relentless tempering: to survive and grow stronger.
Only by fulfilling these two prerequisites could one journey further along the path of evolution.
"Rest assured, King Lu, we are mentally prepared," Elder Ji nodded, fully aware of this truth.
One could not stay sheltered beneath another's wings forever; in the future, they would have to stand on their own.
Just like the authorities—even knowing that many matters could be resolved by Lu Yuan, they had not done so, fundamentally because they needed to achieve self-reliance.
"King Lu, there is more intelligence. We have spotted traces of the Zhou family. However, none are core members, and among them is someone whose bearing bears a striking resemblance to that Winged Celestial from back then." Remembering something, Elder Yun drew a photograph from his breast pocket.
One had to admit, the official intelligence network was truly potent, capable of locating specific individuals even amidst the current chaos.
The photograph showed a group of people in a certain small town very close to Mount Kongtong.
They could have continued tailing them, but in the end, they were detected and had no choice but to pull back.
"The Celestial Clan?"
With a single glance, Lu Yuan recognized the man's origins, knowing that like the Winged Celestial, he hailed from the Celestial Clan of the Thunderstrike Star Domain.
Sure enough, just as Jiang Ningxian had said, the Ji clan shared close ties with the Celestial Clan.
Seeing them together with the Zhou family made that evident.
"Should we continue investigating?" Elder Yun asked, offering to deploy their forces.
He knew that this supposed Celestial Clan might very well act against Lu Yuan, which was something they would never permit.
"No matter." Lu Yuan shook his head. "From the looks of it, their destination is also Mount Kongtong."
Deep down, he had long had a premonition that the Celestial Clan had set their sights on him, perhaps because of Zhou Yunqiong, or perhaps because of the Winged Celestial. But it mattered not. At present, cultivators of the Saint Domain Realm could not descend.
In this world, Lu Yuan was practically invincible.
Besides, he had also reasoned that since they planned to move against him, why should he shrink back? Facing them head-on was all that was needed.
Lu Yuan disliked beating around the bush; this was the perfect opportunity to resolve everything at once.
"Very well. We will immediately begin preparations for the Mount Kongtong excursion," Elder Ji said, knowing they needed to act at once. With the world transformed, Mount Kongtong lay vast distances away from Mount Tai.
Even in military fighter jets, reaching it would take a significant amount of time.
Fortunately, their prior monitoring indicated that the folded space at Mount Kongtong—the mythological secret realm—would not open so quickly.
To this, Lu Yuan raised no objections, leaving the arrangements in their hands.
He was in no rush; moving a bit slower was not a bad thing.
During this interim, he could continue cultivating and refining his internal organs.
As for the Golden-Winged Great Peng and the Spirit Monkey, they would not be coming along and would remain at Mount Tai.
In just three days, all preparations were complete. Zhu Qingyu, the Ice Fairy, and the others were itching to go. The expedition to the East Sea had brought them tremendous growth, and now with a secret realm from mythological lore opening up, they naturally yearned to see it for themselves.
Moreover, the actions of the authorities—or more precisely, the Heavenly Court—were not concealed from the outside world; information was released through official channels.
The populace and Awakened alike knew that such a massive stir at Mount Kongtong undoubtedly harbored legacies and fortunes.
Many had originally harbored thoughts of going, but upon learning that numerous extraterrestrial beings were converging there, they shrank back.
When beings from different worlds clashed, it was no laughing matter.
It was also during this period that powerful extraterrestrial beings stepped into the spotlight one after another.
"The Three-Headed Ghost Clan assembled to welcome an extraterrestrial meteorite, from which a figure emerged, referred to as a 'sequence'!"
"And with the Origin Demon Clan, a sequence appeared as well! He had descended earlier and is only revealing his identity now."
"'Sequence'? That's the first time hearing this title! Does it hold any special meaning?"
"Unclear, but judging by appearances, he seems terrifyingly powerful."
The names of the various extraterrestrial clans were no longer secrets by now; many people knew of them.
Yet the term "sequence" left many bewildered, uncertain of what it signified.
Naturally, an answer was forthcoming before long.
"I saw the Zhou family accompany a young man who charged into a certain great mountain and intimidated several other extraterrestrial races! There's video footage!"
"This... this person looks so much like the Winged Celestial, but even more formidable! I heard early on that the Winged Celestial wasn't from our world. Are they from the same clan?"
"Definitely! And this person is also called a sequence. It seems the word 'sequence' signifies a prodigy!"
The Zhou family had appeared, accompanied by another "Winged Celestial."
Only, this one was far more terrifying.
Within a matter of days, he traversed multiple regions, targeting other extraterrestrial beings.
Throughout this process, he made several moves, displaying overwhelming dominance.
He treated all opponents with crushing superiority, seemingly deeply displeased that certain extraterrestrial races had casually laid claim to famed mountains and great rivers.
Meanwhile, the two sequences from the Three-Headed Ghost Clan and the Origin Demon Clan also struck a few times, described as utterly dreadful.
Consequently, the reputations of these three individuals spread far and wide in a short time, drawing intense scrutiny.
Unfortunately, no videos of their combat surfaced, yet everyone understood:
"Sequence" meant a prodigy.
Those individuals likely belonged to the core figures of the great extraterrestrial clans.
And through tracking their routes, it was discovered that the targets of the sequences from all three great clans were none other than Mount Kongtong.
This left many people unable to sit still, eager to witness the spectacle, for King Lu was already on his way as well.
When the true powerhouses of the extraterrestrial realm and Earth collided, what would unfold?
Would it be an all-out battle?
Or would each seize their own legacies and fortunes?
All at once, various factions set out toward Mount Kongtong.
Yet those aiming for the legacies and fortunes were only a portion.
What some truly wished to know was: if the extraterrestrial prodigies met Earth's foremost combat powerhouse face-to-face, what would happen?
Naturally, the domestic populace and Awakened placed immense faith in Lu Yuan and did not want to see him fail, for he represented Huaxia and Earth. No matter how strong the outsiders were, they were still outsiders.
One could say that winds and clouds converged upon Mount Kongtong. Not since the Mount Li Imperial Mausoleum had things been so bustling.
Unlike before, however, extraterrestrial beings were now directly involved.
This inevitably caused apprehension.
Many feared that the fragile balance between Earth and the extraterrestrial realms might be shattered this time.
The Huaxia authorities harbored this worry as well, yet they supported all of Lu Yuan's decisions.
And at this very moment, virtually all eyes were fixed on Mount Kongtong.
Chapter 145